Anzu (alternate universe)
- For the character from the main universe, see Anzu.
 Anzu | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Title | Raven God |
| Gender | Male |
| Race(s) | Dread raven / primal god (Beast) |
| Level | ?? Elite |
| Reaction | Alliance Horde |
| Affiliation(s) | Arakkoa Outcasts |
| Occupation | Raven God of the Arakkoa, Father of the Dread Ravens |
| Location | Various, Spires of Arak |
| Status | Alive |
| Relative(s) | Ka'alu (consort), Dread ravens (children) |
Anzu, is a god of the arakkoa worshiped by the Arakkoa Outcasts and the leader of the dread ravens. He is ancient enemies with Sethe, who cursed him long ago to be broken and flightless. When Anzu discovered he could not fight the curse, he resigned himself to rest in darkness.
While physically Anzu was meager compared to his counterpart, Rukhmar, he possessed a great intellect. As opposed to Rukhmar loving the sun and sky, Anzu preferred the cool of the shade and the peace of the twilight hours where he could be alone in quiet contemplation. He would converse with the "gods of the abyss", and he would find them dull, witless creatures.[1]
His children were the dread ravens.
Biography
The Gods of Arak
The Spirit of Life that saturated the world of Draenor birthed many kinds of animals, but almost all of them were consumed by the Evergrowth and the Sporemounds. But with the end of the Evergrowth by the colossals, life had a chance to thrive on Draenor once more, and the remains of Botaan became forests that teemed with Spirit and accelerated the development of new species. The first to arise were enormous creatures with extraordinary power over the land: some tapped into the power of nature, some the elements, and others the Light and Void. Yet survival was a challenge because of the Primals and Breakers, and winged species proved to be most suited to thrive on Draenor for they could fly out of reach of both forces. Most of Draenor's avians developed in a region called Arak, dominated by a massive spire that towered over dense woods. Three godlike creatures who took form in Arak were Anzu, Rukhmar, and Sethe.[2]
Anzu was much smaller than Rukhmar or Sethe. What he lacked in physical power, he made up for with a keen intellect. Ever curious, Anzu investigated the ley lines that crisscrossed the world and discovered arcane magic. For ages, the three largely kept to themselves, fighting off attacks from Primals and Breakers. Only Anzu dreamed of a better world for him and his feathered kin. He called on Rukhmar and Sethe to work together to transform Arak into a sanctuary for winged creatures of all kinds. As one, Anzu and his allies drove the children of stone and root from Arak. With the Primals and Breakers gone, Arak became a haven for winged species. Anzu, Rukhmar, and Sethe settled in as caretakers of the land and its varied species. Anzu watched over the multitude of lesser ravens that lived throughout Arak. He frequented the forest canopies below the spire. All seemed well in Arak, but darkness was stirring near the spire.[2]
At an unknown point in the past, Anzu had his followers seal three rival bird spirits - the eagle, the falcon, and the hawk - in stone statues.[3]
Over the years, Sethe became envious of Rukhmar. He coveted the favor of the wind and the warmth of the sun that Anzu and Rukhmar had. Sethe believed Anzu was also jealous of Rukhmar who looked down on them from the spire, and tried to convince Anzu to help him slay her, but Anzu was cunning and cared little for the wind serpents. In addition, he had a secret affection for Rukhmar but never mustered the courage to confess his feelings.[2] In the dark of the night, he sent one of his dread ravens to warn Rukhmar of Sethe's plot. Anzu watched from the top of a mountain spire as Rukhmar and Sethe clashed. Thanks to Anzu's warning, Rukhmar avoided Sethe. She flew high, put the sun at her back, and dove at Sethe. With a flap of her wings, she split the sky upon Sethe like the crack of a whip. Sethe crashed into the spire where they fought with such force that it crumbled and fell around him, creating the Broken Spire.
Anzu stepped into the battle then, pinning Sethe under his foot. Looking up at the raven god, Sethe uttered a dying curse: that his blood shall blacken the sea until it runs thick as tar, and his flesh shall fester and soil until the very sky rots with it. Anzu responded that they shall then leave no blood nor flesh and devoured Sethe whole, picking the bones clean. But a small trickle of blood escaped and blighted the valley below, creating the Sethekk Hollow.
Anzu felt Sethe's hatred coursing through him. His body contorted, his wings shriveled, and he became cursed without flight. His mind was wracked with painful visions. Anzu had contained Sethe's curse by taking it upon himself, and he would grapple with the curse for some time.[1] In revenge, Anzu had his dread ravens slaughter Sethe's wind serpents; in one bloody night, Sethe's children were eradicated.[4][5] Anzu could not bear to present himself to Rukhmar, for if she had not seen him worthy before then surely she would now be disgusted by the aberration he had become. He disappeared into the forest deeps, and he ignored Rukhmar whenever she called for Anzu to show himself.[2]
Aftermath
Though Sethe's curse weakened Anzu, it also gave him new power: the power of the Void that Sethe had once commanded. As Anzu grew more familiar with his abilities, he shrouded himself in a realm of shadow to hide from Rukhmar forever.[2] He left his consort Ka'alu to lead the dread ravens.[6] Rukhmar decided that if she could not find Anzu to thank him, then she would reward his sacrifice by creating a new race in his honor. Using her own life energies, Rukhmar transformed some of her kaliri followers into the arakkoa: "heirs of Arak". They embodied Rukhmar's physical grace and majesty, as well as Anzu's intellect and cleverness.[2]
When the great Talon King Terokk was tossed into the Sethekk Hollow and was afflicted by Sethe's curse, Anzu saved him from despair and granted him and his followers both arcane sorcery and powers over the darkness.[7] Together, Anzu, Terokk, and the new Talonpriests built the city of Skettis as a refuge for those unwanted by Rukhmar. Terokk used 
[The Eye of Anzu] to communicate with him.
When the Eye of Anzu is found during the war in Draenor, Anzu's spirit in the darkness is summoned to the Sethekk Hollow, appearing as if cloaked in 
[Shadowform]. Anzu's ancient enemy, Sethe, has been resurrected by the Sethekk cult that worships him. The Sethekk are also attempting to bring back Anzu's physical, flightless body so that they may bring him under their control. Anzu sends an adventurer to slaughter the Sethekk and Talon King Ikiss to stop their ritual to control him before turning his eyes on killing Sethe a second time.
Afterward, Anzu moves to Veil Terokk and sends a request to the Ravenspeakers to call on his consort Ka'alu. Though Anzu can no longer fly, Ka'alu can, and she agrees to aid Arakkoa Outcasts in the battle against the Adherents of Rukhmar.
Quests
[30-40] Servants of a Dead God- [30-40] Ritual Severance
- [30-40] The False Talon King
- [30-40] Sethe, the Dead God
- [30-40] Cult of the Ravenspeakers
Patch changes
Patch 6.0.2 (2014-10-14): Added.
References
- ^ a b The Gods of Arak
- ^ a b c d e f World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 2, pg. 21-23
- ^
[70] The Raven Stones
- ^ Talon Guard Kurekk#Quotes
- ^ [30-40] Sons of Sethe
- ^ Don Adams on Twitter - "No, the Raven Mother is Anzu's consort - a demigod he left in charge of the ravens."
- ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 2, pg. 45
External links
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