Twisting Nether
- For other uses, see Twisting Nether (disambiguation).
“It exploded into being around him. There were a thousand ways to perceive this place. Every voyager saw it differently, depending on circumstance and form and state of mind. For him it was a black, airless void in which a billion stars twinkled. Behind and beneath him blazed the world from which he had come. Through the void trailed the snake of energy he had summoned, guiding him outward into infinity.”
- — Illidan Stormrage experiencing the Twisting Nether[1]
The Twisting Nether (also known as the endless void,[2] the Nether,[3] the nether world,[4] and many other names) is the astral plane between worlds,[3] described as the line between the ebb of Light and the flow of Void.[5] Its counterpart is the physical plane called the Great Dark Beyond.[6] The Nether is an ethereal dimension of chaotic magics that connects the myriad worlds of the universe,[7] and while it existed outside the borders of the mortal realm, its volatile energies occasionally tear through the veil of the physical realm, flooding into reality and warping creation.[8]
Origins and characteristics
As stated by the Grimoire of the Shadowlands and Beyond, the Twisting Nether was built[9] and shaped by the First Ones,[10][11] enigmatic godlike beings who shaped the cosmos and the fabric of all realities. According to the broker Al'firim's interpretations of the First Ones' writings, the cosmos began with six governing forces (or possibly a different number) existing in opposition to each other until they came together (or were brought together) and gave form to a design. Each "architect" gave a portion of themselves, and thus "the pattern was drawn". With a framework in place, all things in the universe came to be, like a fungus growing upon the frame. The six forces were now in balance, and others arose from their intersections—a simple structure growing infinitely more complex.[12]
According to Chronicle Volume 1, before life began and the universe itself existed, the Light existed alone as a boundless sea of living energy, swelling across all of existence, unfettered by time and space. Yet as the ever-shifting sea expanded, pockets of cold nothingness appeared. From these spaces, the Void coalesced and quickly grew to move against the Light, and before long, the mounting tension between the two forces ignited a series of explosions that ruptured the very fabric of creation, giving birth to the physical universe. The most unstable energies released from their clashing coalesced into the astral dimension known as the Twisting Nether,[13] The Light and Void collided and bled together at the edges of the realm, throwing it into turmoil.[8] Their energies would later give birth to the very first demons, and where the Twister Nether bled into the Great Dark Beyond, these sadistic aberrations would pour and destroy mortal civilizations and worlds.[14]
Since their spirits are tethered to the Nether, it is the only place where demons can truly die.[15][16] As such, when they are killed, their souls are calmly sent back here, where they await for some time to be reborn in new bodies, with all the knowledge of their previous lives.[17] Lothraxion described this as a pleasant experience.[18] Not all of a demon's power returns to the Twisting Nether, however.[19] Some demon hunters' souls are also bound to the Nether, effectively making them demons, and killing them in the physical universe will only send them back there. Such souls are described by Illidan as "immortal demon souls".[20]
Mages can call upon the cosmic energies of the Twisting Nether,[21] while warlocks summon and command indomitable demons from this plane to do their bidding.[22] Warlocks may use soul shards to summon demons, creating a connection to the Nether and forcefully pulling them through.[23] Most creatures from there require constant directions from their masters, but a select few voidwraiths need no such orders.[24]
The Tomb of Sargeras on the Broken Isles is the place where the veil between Azeroth and the Twisting Nether is the weakest.[25]
Nature of the Nether
The Twisting Nether, though separate from the physical universe, still has physical objects,[26] such as planets. It transcends all realities[27] and is normally imperceptible to mortals.[3]
There are a thousand ways to perceive the Nether, every voyager sees it differently, depending on circumstance, form, and state of mind. Illidan projecting his spirit into the Nether saw it as a black, airless void in which a billion stars twinkled, and behind and beneath him blazed the world from which he had come. A snake of energy leading out into infinity represented the flow of energy of the portals the Burning Legion use.[28] Turalyon perceived it as a chaotic realm where the universes sparked by the Light and Shadow bled together; a place of pitch black skies, twisting and filled with strange, conflicting powers. Countless worlds appear on the edge, seemingly close enough to touch and yet unimaginably far away. It is a realm where the Light intermingles with the Shadow, where the primal uncontrolled forces of Chaos and Order, Life and Death, clash.[29] From within the Nether, Turalyon could witness Draenor's destruction without being there. He was standing in Hellfire Peninsula, in a copy, or illusion, of Draenor, witnessing the cataclysm all around him, and yet unaffected by any of it, until Lothraxion extirped him from the Twisting Nether and brought him back to the real Draenor, now Outland.[29]
Time passes differently deep inside the Nether, and it is impossible to tell whether days, years, or centuries have passed.[30] Its chaotic energies can affect how quickly time flows, but it only flows forward.[31] From their perspective, Turalyon and Alleria fought within the Nether for a thousand years while only a few decades passed on Azeroth.[32] A week on Azeroth could be a month in the Nether, or ten or many, many more.[29]
Among the four laws of arcane magic, one says that "Magic draws the denizens of the Twisting Nether to those who wield the arcane".[33]
Though the elements of the world are twisted and barely recognizable in the Twisting Nether, their power is without equal.[34]
Some warlocks believe that a part of everyone exists simultaneously in the mortal realm and the Twisting Nether.[35]
Transportation
Most trans-location or teleportation spells are thought to send the user through the Twisting Nether, including the warlock spell [Ritual of Summoning], the mage collection of portal spells,[36] as well as the shaman spell [Astral Recall]. According to Archmage Ansirem Runeweaver, portal and teleport spells are a great privilege and responsibility; however, portals and teleportations are negatively used as a means for garbage repository in the Twisting Nether. The Kirin Tor regularly combs the local reaches of the Twisting Nether for misplaced objects.[36]
It is no simple task to open large and stable portals between the Twisting Nether and the physical universe for armies to pass through, such as the Legion, since it required astronomical amounts of energy.[37]
Legion ships are spaceships created by the Burning Legion that can teleport and travel between the Nether and the mortal realm. They are used to transport and deploy troops directly on the field, as well as acting like gateways to summon their armies. Each ship requires multiple power cores, which are standard hyper-injection fel matter anti-matter devices, charged with the energy of fel geysers.[38]
Dimensional ships are vessels created and operated by the naaru that can travel between worlds and dimensions, traversing the Twisting Nether just as normal ships traverse the air and sea, and warp time itself.[39] The naaru themselves are the ships' powerhouses, however, traveling across the cosmos requires incredible amounts of energy and drain them immensely.[40]
Karazhan was built atop a nexus of potent ley lines and the energies that coursed through warped reality in Deadwind Pass,[41] making the tower a portal into the Nether, a beacon shining into other worlds.[42] Mages gravitate toward such places of power, where the universe wears thin, allowing it to double back on itself, or perhaps even allowing entry to the Nether or other worlds entirely.[43]
History
The rise of demons
- Main articles: Burning Legion, Demon
Born from the Light and Void energies that had bled together at the borders of the Twisting Nether, the demons embraced their furious passions and indulged themselves in the highly volatile energy that pervaded the Nether. Among the greater demons were the annihilan, who often enslaved the lesser demons that stalked the Nether, using them as fodder to besiege the mortal civilizations of the Great Dark Beyond, terrorizing mortal civilizations and bringing ruin to world after world. The Pantheon of Order soon learned of the demonic incursions and dispatched their champion, the titan Sargeras.[44]
During his eternal war against the demons, Sargeras realized that the demons would simply reform inside in the Nether. Though he hadn't yet grasped the volatile realm's full scale, Sargeras learned how to manipulate and shape some of its energies and he forged a prison within the Nether, Mardum, the Plane of Banishment. As an impregnable and inescapable pocket dimension, the demons would no longer be reborn after defeat, instead they would be contained within this prison for all eternity. After countless demons were imprisoned, the planet soon became overflowed with the captured demons' destructive fel energies, eventually tearing at the boundaries between the Nether and the mortal realm. Mardum soon started appearing in the distant reaches of the cosmos as a burning green star.[45]
Eventually, Sargeras learned about the void lords and their goal to create a dark titan, and conclued that the universe had to be destroyed utterly. As the mad titan conceived a sweeping campaign to bring about the end of all things, the Burning Crusade, he shattered Mardum and freed the demons to create the Burning Legion. In shattering the prison, Sargeras had ruptured the boundary between the Great Dark and the Twisting Nether. A monstrous celestial maw, limned in a storm of emerald fire, had ripped through the fabric of reality. It would remain a scar on creation for all eternity.[46]
Ancient times
After the naaru rescued the draenei on Argus, their finest warriors followed Xe'ra aboard the Xenedar, becoming Lightforged to fight the demons as the forces of the Army of the Light.[47] For thousands of years, they waged battles, skirmishes, and sabotage against the Burning Legion across the Twisting Nether. They engaged in tactical guerilla strikes on Argus using their warship, and while outnumbered, they continued to fight with cunning, striking at points of opportunity quickly and moving on.[48]
The world of K'aresh was torn apart by the portals to the Twisting Nether and to the Void opened by Dimensius the All-Devouring. While the K'areshi managed to block the flood of shadow energy, it was the arcane energies of the Nether that shattered their physical bodies. All that remained were their souls, bristling with magic. They became known as incorporeal creatures named ethereals.[49]
At the end of the War of the Ancients, Malfurion Stormrage drew upon the Demon Soul's power to disrupt the Highborne's carefully crafted spellwork and shattered the connection between the Legion and Azeroth. With their connection broken, Sargeras and most of his demon armies were ripped back into the Twisting Nether by the energies of the collapsing Well of Eternity.[50]
2,600 years before the First War, the wizards' overuse of magic caused the fabric of reality around Dalaran to weaken and tear. Demons from the Twisting Nether slipped through the gaps in reality, terrorizing the locals until the ruling Magocrat Lords of Arathor and the Convocation of Silvermoon formed the Council of Tirisfal, a group of powerful magic casters to protect them from the Legion.[51][52]
Recent times
As the Guardian of Tirisfal, Medivh used his powers to venture beyond Azeroth and into the cosmos, where he visited new worlds and unseen corners of the Twisting Nether.[53]
Prior to the First War, the mage Arrexis gathered his apprentices of the Kirin Tor to perform researches on Karazhan and the way it bends reality in Deadwind Pass. The now possessed Medivh later came to their camp and encouraged Arrexis to try his ritual on demonic realms. However, they inadvertently opened a path between Azeroth and the Twisting Nether, catching the attention of the eredar Balaadur. And of them were then ripped through the gateway and slaughtered to the last by the demons.[41]
Following the destruction of Draenor, the orc Ner'zhul and his loyal followers opened dimensional portals and escaped into the Twisting Nether, where they were captured by Kil'jaeden.[54] Meanwhile, the arcane energies released altered the black dragon eggs left by Deathwing which resulted in the nether drakes, ethereal dragons composed of energies from the astral plane.[55] The warp stalkers also gained the ability to teleport by phasing in and out of the physical and astral dimensions at will.[56][57]
A few years after the Second War, through a tremendous expenditure of power, the Legion opened a small portal from the Twisting Nether into Azeroth. The Lich King's icy cask soon streaked across the night sky and smashed into an isolated part of Icecrown Glacier in the frigid continent of Northrend.[58] The Lich King's Frozen Throne was made by Kil'jaeden from the diamond-hard ice gathered from the far reaches of the Twisting Nether.[59]
Some time after the Third War, Illidan Stormrage shut down the dimensional gateways across Outland, cutting off the flow of demons from the Nether and ending the extra stresses on the remnants of the broken planet.[60]
The Burning Crusade
Since the destruction of Draenor, the Netherstorm is locked in a constant magical storm bleeding from the Twisting Nether, further deteriorating the land. The astral plane constantly ate away at the region's borders, and its chaotic magics slowly bled into Outland.[61] Following the Third War, Prince Kael'thas Sunstrider and his blood elves dismantled parts of the Tempest Keep and built manaforges throughout the region. These machines harvested magic from the Nether and stored them in mana cells sent to Quel'Thalas on Azeroth. Over time, the manaforges weakened the fabric of reality in Netherstorm and caused it to deteriorate the state of the entire region.[62][63]
Following the defeat of Illidan Stormrage, Prince Kael'thas captured the personification of the Sunwell's power, Anveena, and leeched her energy to restore the ruined Sunwell in an attempt to summon the demon lord Kil'jaeden, using the reignited Sunwell as a portal between Azeroth and Argus.[64] This was prevented by the actions of the Shattered Sun Offensive, a group of heroes charging into Sunwell Plateau and finally, the sacrifice of Anveena, who used her power to banish Kil'jaeden through his would-be portal.[65]
Wrath of the Lich King
During the early stages of the war against the Lich King, the members of the New Council of Tirisfal teleported themselves into the Nether and channeled their powers into Med'an back in Silithus in order to defeat Cho'gall.[66]
When Malygos diverted the magical powers that coursed beneath Azeroth to the Nexus, the world's crust splintered, and the resulting unstable rifts tore the very fabric of the magical dimension of the Twisting Nether.[67]
Warlords of Draenor
During the war in Draenor, the Shadowmoon clan began harnessing the power of the Twisting Nether, bringing its creatures into Pillars of Fate in Shadowmoon Valley.[68]
Although sacred to all orcs, the Warsong clan dark shaman claimed Oshu'gun as their own, however, void beings drawn by their rituals tried to connect the astral realm into Draenor.[69] Kalandrios in Nagrand later sent adventurers to stop them by using a Nether Beacon to enter into the Twisting Nether.[70] The invasion was eventually stopped by defeating Invalidus.[71]
At some point, Impsy stated that there were bad things happening on Draenor that were causing ripples in the Twisting Nether. As some of these disturbances have been felt by the imp, he tasked the adventurer to recover the [Void-Gate Key] for him in order to "prevent all of our worlds from collapsing into the void".[72][73]
Gul'dan summoned Xhul'horac from the depths of the Twisting Nether,[74] and Archimonde sent adventurers to the Twisting Nether during his confrontation in Hellfire Citadel.[75]
Legion
This section is a lore stub. |
Several worlds located in the Nether were invaded as a response to the Burning Legion's third invasion of Azeroth. Mardum, the Shattered Abyss was retaken by the Illidari demon hunters,[76] the Dreadscar Rift was conquered by the warlocks of the Black Harvest,[77] and Niskara was invaded several times by the Azerothian forces.[78]
Some demons and Legion agents were also eliminated there, such as Highlord Kruul,[79] the twins Raest and Karam Magespear[80] Paal the Cazarian,[81] and Pit Commander Galvinoth.[82]
At some point, the Legion made their entry point to Karazhan through the Netherspace. The darkglare Viz'aduum the Watcher was ordered by Kil'jaeden to oversee the Legion operations and consolidate the tower's connection to the Twisting Nether, in order to link it to all Legion worlds at once.[83] After the Azerothian forces defeated the demons, Medivh explained to Khadgar that he couldn't help against the Legion's invasion since he was needed elsewhere, then flew off as a raven towards the Nether.
The naaru sanctuary Netherlight Temple of the Conclave priests is located deep inside the Nether and was attacked by Balnazzar and his forces. The Conclave along with the Knights of the Silver Hand defended the temple and destroyed the nathrezim and his demonic armies.[84]
Nexus-Prince Bilaal sought to use the surge needles left behind by Malygos to tear a rift into the Twisting Nether and draw Void energies from it, in order for him to "become Void".[85]
Part of the Kil'jaeden fight in the Tomb of Sargeras takes place on his ship within the Nether. Toward the end of the fight, the ship leaves the Nether to appear in orbit above Argus.
Other names
- astral plane[3] / Astral Plane[86]
- Nameless Void[87]
- lower planes[88]
- underworld[89]
- Hell[89]
- Hades[89]
- To some, it is "the Great Dark" and they see no boundaries between it and the Twisting Nether.[88][90]
Known locations
Known worlds
Other locations
- Netherlight Temple
- Netherspace
- Phantasm Zone[92]
- Shadowgore Citadel
- Hijacked Portal locations:
- Locations simply named "Twisting Nether" in-game:
Gameplay
An in-game area called the "Twisting Nether" was added with World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade. It can be reached by flying beyond the edges of Outland and, in practice, serves a similar function as that of the Veiled Sea: a mere border to the in-game representation of the world. Also in common with the Veiled Sea, the Twisting Nether has its own general and local defense channels. Even though the Twisting Nether does not seem to be part of Outland, players can explore it with a flying mount and remount if they choose to explore the floating masses on foot. There does not appear to be a fatigue warning as one gets exploring the Veiled Sea. If you fly too far out or too high, you simply get an audible sound indicating that you can't go any farther.
Sometimes, taking the boat to Valaar's Berth will make you join Twisting Nether chat channels for a split second just after the loading screen. This happens because Azuremyst Isle, like the nearby Bloodmyst Isle, is actually located on the Outland map despite appearing geographically in the Veiled Sea. Drinking [Pure Energy], provided for a quest at Toshley's Station, also causes the zone display to say "Twisting Nether".
Players using a Void Portal in the Spires of Arak can temporarily be [In the Twisting Nether].
When jumping out of the edge of the map in Eredath, the player enters the "Twisting Nether" subzone shortly before dying, similar to how leaving an Outland zone does.
In the RPG
The Twisting Nether is a formless place of magic and illusion. It is indistinct and chaotic, with no size or shape. Coterminous with all other worlds, the Twisting Nether can be a gateway for those who know how to use it. For mortals, the Twisting Nether is notoriously difficult to access. Spells and portals can take one there, but few other options exist. Traveling to a location within the Twisting Nether, such as Outland, can then lead a hero into the formless plane itself.[93] In the non-canon RPG books, it is also known as the Abyssal Plane[94] and even possibly the Dark Below.[94]
Geography
The worlds of the universe are orderly, bound by physical law, and comprehensible. The Twisting Nether is everything the worlds are not. It is a stream of pure chaos that surrounds the worlds and binds them together.[95]
Chunks of worlds float among prismatic clouds, and colorful energy ribbons twist through the void. All is spectral and shadowy — blurring together in a muted, multicolored haze that brushes and teases the senses. Physical laws do not exist in this realm of ghosts, save those that a traveler creates for his or herself. Magic and illusion dance across the ever-changing vastness.[96]
The Twisting Nether does not co-exist with these worlds in any physical sense. It is a completely different state of being, one that is fundamentally incompatible with the universe as most creatures know it. Someone cannot look from the Nether into a world and vice versa; it is much easier to move between the Nether and a world. A shadow walk spell will take one through the Nether as he moves from place to place, and one can reach the Twisting Nether and its inhabitants with just about any planar travel or communications spell. Entering the Twisting Nether brings one to a realm of pure, lunatic thought. Most of the Twisting Nether is protean, never appearing the same for more than a few seconds. Colors change, it grows dark and light from moment to moment, sparkles and strange sounds emit and then vanish. One moment someone is suspended in nothingness, the next he is standing at the bottom of a deep canyon of purple rocks. His next shift may be to a tiny rock suspended in a starry night, and he has no way of knowing whether the change will occur in seconds or days. The Nether is an intensely magical environment, and some speculate that it is the true source of all arcane magic.[95]
The Twisting Nether has subjective directional gravity. The strength of gravity in the Twisting Nether is the same as on Azeroth, but each individual chooses the direction of gravity's pull. Such a plane has no gravity for unattended objects and non-sentient creatures. The Twisting Nether can be very disorienting to the newcomer, and the plane appears weightless.[97] Movement is controlled by the will, and one can travel in any direction simply by deciding to do so.[95] Creatures in the Twisting Nether can move normally along a solid surface by imagining "down" near their feet. If suspended in midair, a person "flies" by merely choosing a "down" direction and "falling" that way in a straight line only. In order to stop, one has to slow one's movement by changing the designated "down" direction.[97] Though limited to regular movement speeds, one can sprint as long as he wishes without growing tired. The Twisting Nether does not restrict him from simply appearing wherever he wants to within it (this normally "impossible" action is known as point-to-point movement). Merely existing within the Nether strains the mind of non-native creatures, though, and ignoring traditional physical laws is even more painful.[95][98] Creatures native to the Twisting Nether, such as demons, can move point-to-point at will without any handicap.[95]
The Twisting Nether is of infinite size, there are no known borders to the Nether. Age, hunger, thirst, poison, and natural healing do not function in the Twisting Nether, though they resume functioning when the traveler leaves the plane. It is also strongly chaos-aligned. It also enhances magic. Magic is extremely powerful in the Nether. Any spell cast while in the Nether has its duration extended. Illusion spells cost no mana and last for extended periods.
The Twisting Nether is highly morphic and little shifts occur all the time in the Twisting Nether, and many changes are caused by the landscape adjusting itself to fit the thoughts of those within it. Worry about war, and the landscape may become a battlefield populated with undead soldiers. If one is lonely, his lost love may step out of a nearby cottage. The solidity, detail, and potential danger these images possess depend on how well a creature can control its thoughts. If a creature is in control of its thoughts, then images the creature's mind triggers are benign or easily ignored. If it doesn't control its thoughts, then the images that appear are realistic and frightening. Strong-minded individuals may consciously influence the Twisting Nether. The changes made may be subtle or drastic. One can create an image of a dog wandering around the area sniffing others and licking any hand that is presented or place oneself and those nearby at the top of a windswept mountain. A creature cannot create any knowledge that it does not already have. If someone creates a well-appointed library, for instance, the only information in the books is information he already knows. If more than one creature tries to manipulate the environment, the one with the strongest will control the environment. This control persists until another stronger-willed creature changes it. The forces of the Twisting Nether steadily erode any attempt at a static environment. If someone creates a cozy chalet with a roaring fire on the hearth, he should not be surprised if a few moments later the fire poker has morphed into a duck. A harmful environment created requires all those within the area to be willful to avoid being harmed by it.[99]
Residents
The first edition of the Warcraft RPG listed a number of creatures that could be encountered in the Twisting Nether, as described in the Shadows & Light sourcebook.[100] Most of these creatures are either standard Dungeons and Dragons monsters translated to the Warcraft setting, or creatures unique to the Warcraft RPG, and are therefore non-canon.
- Belker
- Chaos beast
- Devourer
- Force dragon
- Prismatic dragon
- Genius Iocus
- Gibbering orb
- Hagunemnon
- Howler
- Invisible stalker
- Mephit
- Mimic
- Neh-thalggu
- Night hag
- Nightmare
- Nightshade
- Phase spider
- Phasm
- Pseudonatural creature
- Ravid
- Shadow mastiff
- Succubus
- Vargouille
- Umbral blot
- Uvuudaum
- Will-o'-wisp
- Yeth hound
- Tothrezim
- Netherwyrm
Notes and trivia
- Nethershards are solidified residual energy from the Nether.[101]
- Void-Tainted Blades are weapons which have been infused with dark energies from the Twisting Nether.[102]
- There was a vast Twisting Nether distance between the original Draenor and Azeroth.[103]
- The [Celestial Steed] is said to be "freshly born" from the Twisting Nether.
- Imonar the Soulhunter is the deadliest bounty hunter the Twisting Nether has ever produced.[104]
- The Hidden citadel in Hellfire Peninsula contains an altar that was a stone base for the Darkstorm, a purple mass of liquid shadows, moving and whispering dark secrets of the Twisting Nether.[105]
- Imps can Phase Shift into the Nether. The fel imp Impsy added a drop of his very own essence of ooze to create the [Phaseblood Potion], which makes its user to shift into the nether.[106]
- Looking through the Twisting Nether, the observers have the capability to see through forms of stealth and invisibility.[107]
- Jailers use their cages to capture both the soul and body of their enemy, which they then send to the Twisting Nether to subject their victims to horrific torture and interrogation.[108]
- With his spectral sight, Illidan was able to see into the Twisting Nether and also to send his soul out into the astral realm and the Great Dark Beyond to see other worlds.[109]
- The Twisting Nether has been used as an expletive by characters in-universe in a similar manner to "hell", such as "[...] what th' bloody Nether is going on wi' it.".[110]
- Some believe that after death, mortal souls go into the Twisting Nether.[111][112][113]
- The druids of Azeroth suggested that the Rift of Aln in the Emerald Dream either bled into the Twisting Nether or led to an Old God.[116]
- According to Jamma'lan of the Atal'ai tribe of fanatical trolls, Hakkar the Soulflayer was a god that he wanted to summon from the Twisting Nether.[117]
- Dornaa, the draenei Children's Week orphan, made the following joke about the Twisting Nether: "Is the Twisting Nether shaped like a pretzel? And just what is a nether? The Orphan Matron said I shouldn't ask people about their nethers."
- The nether drakes were originally said to be able to shift between the astral and physical planes according to the first version of The Burning Crusade Townhall/Flying Mounts: Nether Drakes on the official website. After some time, the page was rewritten and the sentence was removed. Moreover, it has been confirmed that the astral plane is yet another alternate term for the Twisting Nether.[3]
- According to a non-canon TCG description, those that enter the Nether rarely return.[118]
Inspiration
- The Twisting Nether resembles the Warp from the Warhammer 40,000 universe. The Warp is where the powers of Chaos and their servants reside; they are always trying to corrupt and invade the universe.
- Another likely source of inspiration is the Astral Plane in the Planescape campaign setting of Dungeons & Dragons, which has a lot of things in common with the Nether, such as subjective gravity and amorphous, magical environments. The Planescape Astral Plane also works as a gateway between worlds.
Gallery
The Nether as seen from Shadowgore Citadel.
During the quest [35-40] Through the Nether
Patch changes
- Patch 2.0.3 (2007-01-09): Added.
See also
References
- ^ World of Warcraft: Illidan, pg. 194
- ^ Archimonde (Hellfire Citadel tactics)#Quotes
- ^ a b c d e The Warcraft Encyclopedia/Twisting Nether
- ^ Jaraxxus#25-player normal mode abilities Nether Portal — Lord Jaraxxus opens a portal to the nether world, inflicting 9263 to 9737 Shadow damage to targets in a 10 yard radius of the portal and summoning a Mistress of Pain.
- ^ Jeremy Feasel on Twitter (2015-06-06). “@yuvalaziza @FeyMercurial The Twisting Nether is the line between the ebb of Light and the flow of Void. A place of chaos and fragments.”
- ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 1, pg. 13
- ^ [Mythology of the Titans]
- ^ a b ''World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 1, pg. 18
- ^ Eternity's End – Developer Preview
- ^ The Art of World of Warcraft: Shadowlands, pg. 99: The First Ones who shaped the cosmos knew they needed to protect the Shadowlands from external threats and beyond. Maldraxxus was their answer.
- ^ Bellular interviewing Morgan Day & Steve Danuser at 10:30, Steve Danuser: They were these mysterious and very powerful beings that sort of architect-ed the framework of the universe of which the Titans, the Pantheon of Death, pantheons of all these different influences are kind of the next layer down from the First Ones, these progenitors of the universe.
- ^ [Expedition Report A37J - Part 1]
- ^ A Thousand Years of War, Part One – Two Bright Lights: "[...] the Twisting Nether, the chaotic realm where the universes sparked by the Light and the Shadow bled together."
- ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 1, pg. 21 - 24
- ^ World of Warcraft: Illidan, chapter 25
- ^ Jeremy Feasel on Twitter (2015-06-06). “@yuvalaziza @FeyMercurial Twisting Nether is the only place where demons can truly die, yes. The specifics are yet unknown.”
- ^ [20-30] Banish the Demons
- ^ a b A Thousand Years of War, Part Two – The Emerald Star
- ^ [Skull of Corruption]
- ^ [8-45] Enter the Illidari: Shivarra, Lord Illidan Stormrage says: Interesting. Like me, you have an immortal demon soul. You cannot truly die. Instead, your soul will make its way to the Twisting Nether. There, you will wait until you can find a suitable body to inhabit.
- ^ World of Warcraft: Classic mage class description
- ^ Legion Class Preview Series: Warlock
- ^ [10-40] Soul Shards of Summoning
- ^ Zereketh the Unbound#Adventure Guide
- ^ [45] Where it's Thinnest
- ^ Matt Burns on Twitter (2016-03-21). “It's a separate place but there is physical stuff there I believe. The Nether is very strange and, uh, twisted.)”
- ^ Alex Afrasiabi on Twitter (2015-06-06). “@1990Sanji @DaveKosak Archimonde is a demon whose demon soul is anchored to the Nether. The Nether transcends all realities. That is all.”
- ^ World of Warcraft: Illidan, pg. 153
- ^ a b c A Thousand Years of War, Part One – Two Bright Lights
- ^ [10-45] Rescue Mission
- ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 3, pg. 132
- ^ [10-45] The Scion's Legacy
- ^ [Glyphic Letter]
- ^ [Eye of the Twisting Nether]
- ^ [Void Totem]
- ^ a b Portals are NOT Garbage Bins!
- ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 2, pg. 62
- ^ [45RWQ] Battery Backup/ [45RWQ] On Borrowed Wings, [Battleship Power Core]
- ^ [Shard of the Exodar]
- ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 2, pg. 50
- ^ a b Archive of the Tirisgarde#Ebonchill, Greatstaff of Alodi
- ^ [70R] A Demonic Presence
- ^ The Last Guardian, chapter 5
- ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 1, pg. 21 - 22
- ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 1, pg. 23
- ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 1, pg. 48 - 54
- ^ Lost Codex BlizzCon 2017 Interview
- ^ Patch 7.3 Preview: The Campaign for Argus *Updated Sept. 12
- ^ Ask CDev - Round 1
- ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 1, pg. 105
- ^ The First Guardian
- ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 1, pg. 135
- ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 2, pg. 113
- ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 3, pg. 17
- ^ The Burning Crusade Townhall/Flying Mounts: Nether Drakes
- ^ The Burning Crusade Bestiary: Warp Stalkers
- ^ World of Warcraft: The Magazine Volume I Issue II, pg. 23
- ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 3, pg. 18
- ^ [The Birth of the Lich King]
- ^ Gates of the Abyss (WC3 BloodElf)
- ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 3, pg. 140
- ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 3, pg. 146
- ^ Image of Archmage Vargoth#Quotes
- ^ World of Warcraft: The Dragonflight Codex, pg. 72
- ^ Kil'jaeden (tactics)
- ^ World of Warcraft: The Comic: Armageddon (comic)
- ^ Thrall: Twilight of the Aspects, chapter 2
- ^ [40 Daily] Assault on Pillars of Fate
- ^ [35-40] Silence the Call
- ^ [35-40] Through the Nether
- ^ [35-40] The Shadow of the Void
- ^ [10-40D] The Void-Gate
- ^ [10-40] Whispers in the Darkness
- ^ Xhul'horac#Adventure Guide
- ^ Archimonde (Hellfire Citadel tactics)#Phase 3: The Twisting Nether
- ^ [8-45] The Keystone
- ^ [10-45] The Heart of the Dreadscar
- ^ [10-45] Rescue Mission, [10-45] The Dead and the Damned, The Mind of the Enemy & [45] The Fate of Hodir
- ^ [110] The Highlord's Return
- ^ [110] Thwarting the Twins
- ^ [45RWQ] Where There is a Whip...
- ^ [45WQ] Behind Enemy Portals
- ^ Viz'aduum the Watcher#Dungeon Journal
- ^ [45] United As One and [45] United As One
- ^ A Forgotten Enemy
- ^ Blinking Rules & Regulations
- ^ Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos Game Manual, pg. 48
- ^ a b Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness manual, pg. 31
- ^ a b c Warcraft: Orcs & Humans manual, pg. 34
- ^ The Last Guardian, chapter 8
- ^ WoW Blog/Talador
- ^ The Manastorm Decision
- ^ Shadows & Light, pg. 215
- ^ a b Manual of Monsters, pg. 191.
- ^ a b c d e Warcraft: The Roleplaying Game, pg. 215
- ^ Shadows & Light, pg. 152
- ^ a b World of Warcraft: The Roleplaying Game, pg. 24
- ^ World of Warcraft: The Roleplaying Game, pg. 25
- ^ Warcraft: The Roleplaying Game, pg. 215-216
- ^ Shadows & Light, pg. 152-155
- ^ [45] Shard Times
- ^ [10-45] A New Threat
- ^ Dave Kosak on Twitter (2015-12-02). “@OccupyGStreet @Bjarki7112 Nope! Vast distances of Twisting Nether between them. :)” (In response to a tweet that read, "Hey Greg, I just wanted to ask if you knew if Draenor and Azeroth were in the same solar system? #worldofwarcraft")
- ^ [45R] The Soulhunter
- ^ Traveler: The Shining Blade
- ^ [15-30] Touch the Untouchable
- ^ Wowhead
- ^ [8-45] Set Them Free
- ^ World of Warcraft: Illidan, chapter 14
- ^ The Shattering: Prelude to Cataclysm, chapter 14
- ^ [Sully Balloo's Letter]
- ^ [10-30] Stranglethorn Fever
- ^ [10-30] Speaking with Nezzliok
- ^ [10-30] The Mind's Eye. "And in getting the Eye, you must have defeated Mai'Zoth and sent him to the Nether. That is why the spirits would not mention him before. It is good that he is gone from the world of flesh and bone, but now that he is in the realm of spirits..."
- ^ Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos Game Manual, pg. 82 - 83
- ^ Stormrage, chapter 29
- ^ [50D] The Temple of Atal'Hakkar
- ^ Banish to the Nether
External links
Outland | Raest's location | Kruul's world | Masters Promontory |
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