Black Empire Campaign

Black Empire Campaign
Date	34 ADP
Location	Azeroth; Ny'alotha
Result	Mortals' victory N'Zoth is defeated Ny'alotha is destroyed Azeroth is freed of the Old Gods
Belligerents   Champions of Azeroth Uldum Accord Ramkahen tribe Explorers' League Wastewander Rajani Golden Lotus Shado-Pan   Black Empire Aqir Mantid Empire Darkwhisper Cult Twilight dragonflight Cult of the Void   Amathet tribe   Mogu clans Baruk clan Dokani clan Zan-Tien clan
Commanders and leaders   Champions of Azeroth Wrathion MOTHER Magni Bronzebeard King Phaoris High Commander Kamses Brann Bronzebeard High Explorer Dellorah H'partho Ardoros Reno Jackson Elise Starseeker Sir Finley Mrrgglton Harrison Jones Arik Scorpidsting Arianna Swiftsand Mender Dyrin Zahra Sandstalker Captain Navid Sandstone Ra-den (Corrupted) † Stormspeaker Qian Taran Zhu Taoshi Chen Stormstout Xuen Yu'lon Niuzao Chi-Ji  Queen Azshara   Black Empire N'Zoth † Vexiona † Velinaria † Dreliana † Ra-den †  Dark Inquisitor Xanesh †  Extractor Thelsara † Grand Empress Shek'zara † Vil'raxx † The Hivemind † Prophet Skitra † Hivemaster Nazzex † Ruinator Xok'nixx † Vuk'laz the Earthbreaker † Sun Prophet Tenhamen † Harbinger Raloam † Thoughtstealer Vos † Drest'agath † Il'gynoth †   Amathet tribe Sun King Nahkotep † Saba-tok † Scoutmaster Moswen †   Mogu clans Solux † Heixi the Stonelord † Ti-Qiang the Bulwark † Tsah'tal † Pai the Lifedrainer † Torsheg † Xigan † Huo the Lightning-Fist † Rui of the Sharpened Blade †
Casualties and losses   Champions of Azeroth Moderate   Black Empire Heavy   Amathet tribe Unknown   Mogu clans Unknown
Major Battles	Assault in Uldum, Assault in the Vale of Eternal Blossoms
Previous	Fourth War
Next	War against the Jailer

The Black Empire Campaign was a conflict against the Black Empire that took place after the Fourth War. After he was freed from his prison, N'Zoth's forces Assaulted Uldum and the Vale of Eternal Blossoms in order to acquire the Engine of Nalak'sha and the Forge of Origination. However, their plans to transform the planet into the Black Empire were thwarted by the adventurers, who destroyed N'Zoth and Ny'alotha with the Forge of Origination's re-origination beam, focused and empowered by the Heart of Azeroth. In the aftermath, Magni Bronzebeard declared that Azeroth was freed of the Old Gods.

History

Prelude

At the end of the Nazjatar Campaign in the Fourth War, N'Zoth was released from its prison. The forces of the Horde and Alliance worked together, but they found no trace of N'Zoth's forces. Ever since his release, the Old God had evaded them at every turn, leading Magni Bronzebeard and Wrathion to work together. Most of the world's leaders were willing to overlook the Black Prince's past indiscretions, however, provided the black dragon lent his aid to solving the current crisis. Spies organizations like the SI:7 and Blacktalon had no luck in finding the old god, but Wrathion's research led him to learn about Ny'alotha, the Waking City.

Black Empire's Assaults

Main articles: Assault in Uldum, Assault in the Vale of Eternal Blossoms

The Forge of Origination in Uldum.

In time, Magni's plan was to check upon the titan forges throughout the world as he thought N'Zoth would want to destroy any obstacles in corrupting Azeroth, and the titan consoles in the Chamber of Heart allowed him to do that. After checking Uldir, Uldaman, and Ulduar, he found that the Forge of Origination in Uldum was inactive, and even worse, facing Void corruption. When the Speaker and the adventurers arrived at the Halls of Origination, they found the titan facility taken by the Amathet tol'vir. After they secured the area, repaired the forge, and brought it back online with Magni's guidance, the facility was operating but at a reduced capacity. The titanic watcher MOTHER thus instructed the champions to redirect power from another facility: the Engine of Nalak'sha.

At N'Zoth's command, the Black Empire forces assaulted the Vale of Eternal Blossoms and Uldum under the command of Vil'raxx and Black Warden Rhothkozz, respectively. Consequently, the Ramkahen tol'vir formed the Uldum Accord by allying with the Explorers' League and Wastewander, and together, they defended Uldum and the Halls of Origination from the Black Empire, but also from the Amathet, who attempted to activate the Reply-Code Omega to kill N'Zoth and everyone else on the planet. Meanwhile, the August Celestial and their pandaren followers defended the vale with the help of the Rajani, a group of mogu loyal to Highkeeper Ra and devoted to protect the titans' works.

Upon their arrival in Pandaria, the land was once again in turmoil as the mantid were besieging the mogu, trying to reach the engine. When they requested the help of Ra-den, the keeper was dispirited as it had taken all their forces to destroy the Black Empire long ago, but he still divulged that all titan machinery within the continent was connected. At the Mogu'shan Palace, the heroes found a secret passageway, which led to the engine they sought within the Mogu'shan Vaults. Once the engine was cleansed of the Void corruption, including manifestations of N'Zoth itself, Magni was able to connect the engine to the Chamber of Heart. After MOTHER rerouted its power to the Forge of Origination, Ra-den was encouraged by these developments and agreed to help the heroes in Uldum. With the Forge powered, Magni and MOTHER worked to prepare its Reorigination Protocol, which could destroy N'Zoth. Using various re-origination anchors to triangulate the weapon's scope, they could destroy the Old God without destroying Azeroth, but that required facing him in his domain.

Visions of N'Zoth

Main article: Vision of N'Zoth

Cathedral Square in the Vision of Stormwind.

After he was freed, N'Zoth had retreated deep within Ny'alotha, its realm of darkness and depravity; it was a reflection of what the Black Empire had once been, and if he corrupted the Forge of Origination, this Void utopia would be born anew. The Old God soon began to tear down the veil separating Ny'alotha from the physical world, in order to merge the two realities into one, thereby trying to transform Azeroth into the Black Empire, which would have erased all that previously was.

After nearly falling to one of the Old God's visions, Wrathion revealed that the best way to protect one's mind against the Old Gods required an object of pure corruption, leading them to venture at the Blackwing Descent atop the Blackrock Mountain. Upon arriving, they discovered that Dark Inquisitor Xanesh and her agents planned on using Wrathion's essence to resurrect both Nefarian and Onyxia as tools of war for the Black Empire. However, she failed when adventurers freed the Black Prince, who declared that the black dragonflight would purge N'Zoth from Azeroth. After Xanesh retreated into Ny'alotha, Wrathion destroyed the remains of Nefarian and Onyxia and used the Corrupt Black Dragonscales left behind to create Ashjra'kamas. The cloak could withstand the maddening whispers and would protect the heroes from sanity loss.

With it, they purged the Void corruption that continued to seep into the Forge. The Black Prince then encouraged the champions to enter the Visions of N'Zoth, so they could be ready for what awaited them in Ny'alotha. From the Chamber of Heart, Wrathion used a portal to closely monitor his allies, however, N'Zoth used that same portal to corrupt the chamber. When the heroes reemerged, they had to fend off the Void invaders, but once it became clear that N'Zoth was about to overtake the facility, Keeper Ra-den sacrificed himself to save them all.

Assault of Ny'alotha

Main article: Ny'alotha, the Waking City

Ny'alotha, the heart of the reborn Black Empire.

Prior to their last stand at Ny'alotha, the Black Empire attempted to conscript the nerubian of the kingdom of Azj-Kahet, however, Queen Neferess refused them, as she did not wish her people to return to servitude to the Old Gods. For her "treachery", the Empire's emissary predicted that Neferess' bloodline would "sever itself", before she ultimately killed it.

In order to save Azeroth, Wrathion and the champions entered the nightmarish world of Ny'alotha, with the re-origination anchors in tow. After they defeated a corrupted-version of Wrathion, they found Queen Azshara being tortured by Dark Inquisitor Xanesh for her betrayal at the Eternal Palace. She bargained for her freedom and her life, promising them the means of killing N'Zoth, and once she was freed, she gave them Xal'atath, Blade of the Black Empire. With the dagger in their possession, the champions fought their way across the Waking City, where they successfully planted two of the three origination anchors. They eventually encountered Ra-den, who had become completely corrupted into a servant of N'Zoth, and killed atop the Terrace of Desolation.

With only one remaining re-origination anchor, MOTHER warned them that the heroes would only have enough power for a single attack. Venturing inside the Old God itself, they fought against the Carapace of N'Zoth, while Wrathion took Xal'atath and plunged the blade into the carapace, opening the way for the final battle. Within the Locus of Infinite Truths, the champions fought against the Old God who soon began to open a portal to the Chamber of Heart, eager to prevent their plan. During the battle, N'Zoth revealed its role in the corruption of Deathwing and how the former Warchief Sylvanas Windrunner conspired with Azshara, while revealing that the Banshee Queen intended to unleash a darkness that only it could save Azeroth from.

The Old God N'Zoth is destroyed by the re-origination beam focused through the Heart of Azeroth.

As the heroes struggled against the corruption and whispers, Magni Bronzebeard urged them to remember that they were a child of Azeroth, and that her strength was their strength. They allowed her power to flow through them and their Heart of Azeroth, which became the final anchor, allowing the forge's firing sequence. Empowered by the Engine of Nalak'sha, the beam of energy destroyed both N'Zoth and Ny'alotha. For the first time in millennia, Azeroth was free of the dark creatures and their corrupting influence, and though the worldsoul was still wounded, she was more at peace than perhaps she had ever been before.

Aftermath

With N'Zoth's defeat and the destruction of Ny'alotha, Magni Bronzebeard declared that Azeroth was made free of the grasp of the Old Gods. They were later confirmed all dead by Xal'atath. Nevertheless, their dark influence lingered like a blight in places where they once held power, such as Yogg-Saron's whispers which can still be heard across Northrend.

After the campaign, Zekhan reported that soldiers who described the place gave two different descriptions. It was Wrathion who gave the clearest recounting and said that it was like a nightmare that the Old God's minions were trying to make real. Zekhan added that he was glad for the heroes with a sound mind that rose up and drove Ny'alotha back into slumber.

Main questline

Black Empire Assault on Uldum

Black Empire Assault on Vale of Eternal Blossoms

Succeeding the Alliance War Campaign and Horde War Campaign that concluded in patch 8.2.5, the Black Empire Campaign introduces and deals with the conflict of patch 8.3.0. Completing the main questline awards the achievement  [The Corruptor's End].

This questline has a large number of prerequisites:

1. BfA intro storyline:  [10-50] Battle for Azeroth: Tides of War or  [10-60] Battle for Azeroth: Mission Statement
2. Heart of Azeroth intro:  [50] A Dying World
3.  [60] Uniting Kul Tiras or  [60] Uniting Zandalar
4. Nazjatar intro:  [50] Send the Fleet
5.  [50] Essential Empowerment storyline

Once done with all prerequisite quest lines, look for the Urgent Missive next to Cyrus in Boralus Harbor or Nathanos Blightcaller on the ship at Dazar'alor to begin.

1. Faction intro:
   •  [50] An Unwelcome Advisor &  [50] Return of the Warrior King
   •  [50] Return of the Black Prince
2.  [50] Where the Heart Is
3.  [50] Network Diagnostics
4.  [50] A Titanic Problem
5.  [50] The Halls of Origination
6.  [50] To Ramkahen
7.  [50] The Uldum Accord
8.  [50] Surfacing Threats
9.  [50] Forging Onward
10.  [50] It's Never Easy
11.  [50] The Mysterious Sigil
12.  [50] Clans of the Mogu
13.  [50] Finding the Rajani
14.  [50] Time-Lost Warriors
15.  [50] Proof of Tenacity
16.  [50] The Engine of Nalak'sha
17.  [50] Restored Hope
18.  [50] Magni's Findings
19.  [50] Power Protocol Initiation
20.  [50] Re-Origination
21.  [50] Investigating the Halls
22.  [50] Beginning the Descent
23.  [50] Deeper Into the Darkness
24.  [50] Descending Into Madness
25.  [50] Opening the Gateway
26.  [50] Into the Darkest Depths
27.  [50] Whispers in the Dark
28.  [50] Into Dreams
    • Also  [50] Accessing the Archives,  [50] Remnants of a Shattered World
29.  [50R] Ny'alotha, the Waking City: The Corruptor's End

Side quests

Upgrading Ashjra'kamas

Horrific Vision of Stormwind

Horrific Vision of Orgrimmar

This questline requires repeated runs through Horrific Visions in order to obtain materials to upgrade the cloak.

1.  [50] Remnants of a Shattered World
2.  [50] Reconstructing "The Curse of Stone"
3.  [50] Reconstructing "The Curse of Stone"
4.  [50] Reconstructing "The Curse of Stone"
5.  [50] Stepping Through the Darkness
6.  [50] Reconstructing "Fear and Flesh"
7.  [50] Reconstructing "Fear and Flesh"
8.  [50] Reconstructing "Fear and Flesh"
9.  [50] Reconstructing "Fear and Flesh"
10.  [50] Reconstructing "Fear and Flesh"
11.  [50] Walking in the Darkness
12.  [50] Reconstructing "The Final Truth"
13.  [50] Reconstructing "The Final Truth"
14.  [50] Reconstructing "The Final Truth"

War Campaign epilogue

Both Alliance and Horde players get a few quests dealing with the aftermath of the War Campaign

•  [50] Sail With the Tide /  [50] The Hidden Need

1.  [50] A Gathering of Champions
2.  [50] The Price of Peace /  [50] Warchief of the Horde

Aqir Offensive

Aqir Assault on Uldum

Requires Aqir Assault to be active in Uldum.

1.  [50] Word from Orsis
2.  [50] Search for Survivors
3.  [50] To Ankhaten Harbor
4.  [50] Burn the Bodies &  [50] Wastewander Hosts
5.  [50] Ruins of Ammon
6.  [50] Tend the Wounded &  [50] Ruinator Xok'nixx &  [50] A Bit of Investigation
7.  [50] Obelisk of the Sun
8.  [50] All Gassed Up &  [50] Aqir Extermination
9.  [50] To the Moon

Mystery of the Amathet

Amathet Assault on Uldum

Requires Amathet assault to be active in Uldum.

1.  [50] Eyes on the Amathet
2.  [50] A Deeper Dive
3. Complete both:
   •  [50] Buried History
   •  [50] Chew On This!
4.  [50] A Crack in the Armor
5.  [50] Seekers of Corruption
6.  [50] Shared Goals
7.  [50] Mutually Assured Destruction
8.  [50] A World Worth Saving

Mogu at the Gates

Mogu Assault on Vale of Eternal Blossoms

Requires Mogu assault to be active in Vale of Eternal Blossoms.

1.  [50] Mogu at the Gates
2.  [50] Kite Surveillance
3. Take all the quests offered and do them in this order:
   •  [50] No Brew Left Behind
     •  [50] Yak of All Trades
   •  [50] Cut Off the Heads
   •  [50] Mogu Massacre
4.  [50] Our Backs to the Gate
5.  [50] Liquid Courage
6.  [50] Return to Mistfall

The Mantid Threat

Mantid Assault on Vale of Eternal Blossoms

Requires Mantid assault to be active in Vale of Eternal Blossoms.

1.  [50] Reflections in Amber
2.  [50] Once More Into Kor'vess
   •  [50] Crippling the Hive
3.  [50] Rotten at the Roots
   •  [50] Amber Secrets
4.  [50] Old Faces, New Problems
5.  [50] A Unified Swarm
6.  [50] Heart of the Swarm
7.  [50] The Mantid Threat

Raising the Shadowbarb drone

1.  [50] The Incredible Egg
2.  [50] Match the Hatch
3. Daily quests: (offered for several days)
   •  [50] Void Incubation
   •  [50] Encased in Amber
   •  [50] Warmth of the Sun
   •  [50] Wrapping Up
   •  [50 Daily] Continued Incubation
4.  [50] A Shocking Technique
5.  [50] Coming Out of His Shell
6.  [50] A Balanced Diet
7. Daily quests: (offered for several days)
   •  [50] Meat Alternatives
   •  [50] Fetid Filets
   •  [50] Action Figures
   •  [50] A Bloody Treat
   •  [50] Bug Buddies
   •  [50] Super Jelly
   •  [50 Daily] More Fetid Filets
8.  [50] They Grow So Fast
9. Daily quests: (offered for several days)
   •  [50] Aqir Instincts
   •  [50] Big Bad Beetle
   •  [50] Someone His Own Size
   •  [50] The Mantids' Mettle
   •  [50] The Littlest Defender
   •  [50 Daily] Honing Instincts (2x)
10.  [50] A Custom Order
11.  [50] Otherworldly Armaments
12.  [50] My Own Drone

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