User:TheLongConn/Necropolis: Bestiary

A list of the various new entities one will find in Azjol'Nerub in User:TheLongConn/World of Warcraft: Necropolis.

Denizens of Azjol'Nerub

Nerubians

“The nerubians are guided by their twin faiths; history and legacy. They recognize no gods and respect only the strength and knowledge that they themselves have created. The only thing to be revered is their kingdom, Azjol-Nerub.”

Descended from the ancient aqir slaves of the Black Empire, the nerubians have fundamentally broken every link they once shared with their ancestors. Like the aqir, they were once leashed to an omnipresent Hivemind, their wills overwritten and their bodies rendered into mindless vessels of violence and dark faith. Their world was a limited one, a pale shadow of the Black Empire, huddled at the bottom of the world. However, the nerubians rebelled against their own gods, slaying the priest-kings in their citadels and purging the Hivemind from their souls. Rallied by a merciless warrior, they would destroy every trace of the Old Gods within the underworld, sowing the seeds of a new kingdom, free from the divine and the unholy. This tyrant lord would take upon the name Anek'resat, the First King, and found Azjol-Nerub.

Over millennia, Azjol-Nerub bloomed in dark majesty below the earth, beholden to no gods and servants only to their own desires. Ancient dynasties reigned for centuries, their accomplishments preserved in silk and stone. Libraries swelled with knowledge both mundane and arcane. Guided by the twin faiths of history and legacy, the nerubians crafted an empire that mastered every venture, its achievements undeniable and eternal.

Or so it would seem.

The Scourge would decimate Azjol-Nerub and raise its people into weapons of fear and death. Following the Lich King's defeat in Icecrown Citadel, the few survivors set to work resurrecting their kingdom, only for the Hivemind to resurface, sinking its fangs into the minds of every last nerubian. The Void whispered communion into their souls, guiding them to rebuild the ancient temples, to spill their blood upon debased altars. Their future uncertain, newly-crowned Queen Nezerai has permitted former servants of the Lich King, the Ammit, into their cities. The Ammit preach salvation through necromancy, as undeath renders immunity to the Hivemind's control, and are eager to share this gift. Out of desperation, the queen made a deal with their former devils, submitting to undeath out of hope it would preserve their kingdom even as their bodies rotted away.

Nerubian Factions

• Nerubian Royalists: Queen Nezerai's coronation has ushered in the next age of Azjol-Nerub, referred to as the New Kingdom. With the Hivemind bearing down on their door and the Ammit'ar death cult poisoning them from within, the Queen's rule lies on unstable ground. There are many forces within the fledgling kingdom that would seek her station, even as it falls apart.
  • Weavers Regent: Led by the Nezarak Dynasty. Scholars and arcanists, their power lies in knowledge, secrets, and magical prowess, as well magically-enslaved Tol'vir constructs. Loyal only to Queen Nezerai herself, they engage in many mysterious ventures on her behalf; namely, uncovering relics of the ancient Takhmet Dynasty.
  • Harvesters Regent: Led by the Khepset Dynasty, a once-powerful lineage who ruled the Khepseti Wilds. The Khepset nobles had been glutted with power and plenty, their harvests having once fed the entire kingdom. As their vaults swelled with treasure, they lost their minds to vicious, bestial hungers. The Harvesters are a legion of titanic warriors led by a court of monsters, their highborn appearance belied by cannibalistic appetites.
  • Shapers Regent: Led by the Broodkeepers of Azjol-Nerub's hatcheries, an ancient caste dating back to the kingdom's founding. The Shapers tend the spawning pools that nurture Azjol-Nerub's hatchlings, twisting their forms into drones, viziers, and vanguards. Driven by a fundamentalist loyalty to the kingdom yet constantly seeking perfection in physical form, the Shapers' yearn for greater power and influence within the monarchy.
  • The Pale Court: Azjol-Nerub's ancient judicial system, founded shortly after the mysterious death of Anek'resat, the First King. Its original judges were once inquisitors handpicked by the king himself, dedicated to scouring the Hivemind in its entirety and rooting out worshippers of the Void. While wholly dedicated to purging the world of the Old Gods, they are paradoxically cult-like in their reverence of Anek'resat, unconsciously deifying him against his will.
  • Ammit Necrocracy: Undead nerubians who once suffered under the Scourge, now wielding necromancy in the name of resurrecting their empire. Led by Archlich Khorsus, the Ammit preach salvation for Azjol-Nerub, as undeath renders immunity to the maddening voices of the Hivemind. Queen Nezerai has reluctantly invited the cult into Ahn'resat, allowing them to kill and raise its citizens in the name of preservation and protection. Under their rule, Azjol-Nerub will be governed by an undying nobility; an eternal, unchanging kingdom whose leaders will reign unopposed forever.

New Nerubian Forms

The nerubians have have historically regarded their own flesh and chitin as resources to be bent and shaped to suit their kingdom's needs. Twisted by the Broodkeepers through complex alchemical and magical means, the royalists will field many different cultivars of their citizens.

• Seer: Seers are an elevated breed, suited for clerical and mystical pursuits. Calculating yet subservient, they are often attached to a vizier, acting out their master's dark will.
• Vanguard: Vanguards are the blunt force instruments of Azjol-Nerub. Vaguely crab-like, their carapace is based on a spiderlord's, though smaller and more dextrous. Beetle-like wings catapult them into the fray, while a thick exoskeleton deflects sword and spellwork. Rumors are circulating that they feel no pain, their deadened nervous systems hardwired against any form of self-preservation.
• Nestmother: Bestial creatures, nestmothers are mountains of chitin supported by four clawed legs. Vicious but sedentary, they serve as guardians and caretakers of the nerubian young, most living their whole lives within the walls of a hatchery.
• Widower: Lithe, serpentine predators, the widowers patrol the skies of the underworld, leading swarms of nerubian flyers as they rain venom and death.

And more.

Animal Husbandry

The nerubians utilize many species of spiders within their society, primarily for defense but also the creation of select products; silks, medicines, chitin. Broodlings and flyers are bred by the hundreds and sent forth in ravenous swarms, while spiders of higher stock lurk behind the front lines, providing support through volleys of venom or ensnaring webs. The nerustrider is used for more practical purposes, carrying supplies through uneven caverns along four stalk-like limbs.

Anthera

“We live in the Gloam, the boundary between the light and dark. Always reaching, always pulled back. Our home is in the struggle, and it renders our light radiant and our shadows sharp.”

Amongst the fossilized carapaces and mold-ridden jungles of the Khepseti Wilds, the moth-like anthera have carved out a holy land. They have built their culture around (and despite of) a cursed existence; if they gather in too great of numbers, they fall victim to the Hollow, degenerating into a mindless state where they zealously worship the Void. Undeterred by this, the anthera have become guardians of the wilds that shelter them, devoted to the Penumbrals; wild gods of the underworld, spirits of chitin and carapace. They honor thousands of indecipherable and conflicting gods, offering them their shadow-tainted prayers in rituals of healing and purity.

Presently, the anthera are in great danger. As the void spills into the underworld, the Hollow's influence grows stronger than ever. Villages and families are forced to split off into even smaller groups, lest they lose themselves to madness. Rumors circulate of entire tribes being rounded up by Hivebound Nerubians, forced to march into the ruins of Darkhallow on the Wilds' edge. In close proximity and at such numbers, with the void breathing down their necks, these tribes succumb to the Hollow and become vessels filled with shadow.

Appearance

The anthera resemble bipedal, humanoid moths, their forms not dissimilar to the Mantid of Pandaria. Feathery antennae hang from their heads while enormous wings drape across their bodies, almost resembling a cloak. They clothe themselves in robes of silk, gathered from the various worms of the Khepseti Wilds, dyed with mud, white mold, and phosphorescent spores. In battle, they wear armor fashioned from insect carapaces or fossilized ammolite, their joints protected with the pliable wings of Khepset's enormous flies.

Elder shamans called Khepseers will wear masks fashioned to look like the totem animals of their gods, decorated with glowing crystal shards or entangled lumaflies. Their weapons and tools follow similar artistic styles; carved from chitin and wrapped in mothsilk, embedded with glowing spores or preserved insects, still struggling in their webs.

If taken by the Hollow, anthera will begin to develop physical changes as the void empties them out, body and soul. Their carapace darkens and its shape changes, becoming more beetle-like. They convulse and shake, responding only to the Hollow's internal stimulation; very few have been rescued from such a state.

Culture

The anthera's tools of choice are chitin and silk, taken from the wilds themselves. Their villages are built into the enormous carapaces of dead insects, chief among them being Ohmshell and Scarabis. These settlements are linked by a labyrinth of roads and shrines; as many as a third of all anthera are living on these roads at any given moment, an isolation enforced by the Hollow. During these pilgrimages, antheran families will honor their many gods with gifts of light and other offerings, maintaining the lonely temples against the ever-present decay of the Khepseti Wilds.

The Hollow overshadows the daily life of all anthera. It is an affliction of the spirit, its call growing louder and more powerful as anthera gather together, until it finally eclipses their will and reduces them to a mindless state. As such, they live in small, isolated communities, constantly moving between permanent settlements as they trade food, crafting materials, and stories. These movements are dictated by a calendar of Cycles, the regular waxing and waning of the Hollow's influence. At the curse's height, their villages are nearly-abandoned as families make lonely pilgrimages through the wilds, moving from shrine to shrine. However, when the curse is weak, the anthera can gather without fear, their villages filled with life, noise, and light.

Light is a sacred commodity to the anthera, serving purposes both practical and spiritual. It soothes the void within their souls and staves off the ever-present Hollow. Sharing sources of light, both between settlements and roving tribes that meet on the road, is an important aspect of the pilgrimages, guided by the youngest shamans called Wayfarers. As shamans get older, they permanently remain in the settlements, tending to their holy sites and welcoming travelers as they move in accordance with the cycles.

If a tribe or settlement becomes too large, it will need to separate into smaller groups before the Hollow steals their minds. This is orchestrated by the shamans, who view it as a terrible but necessary evil.

Faith and Magic

Anthera shamans draw strength from the dichotomy of light and dark, the eternal struggle between an external radiance and an internal shadow, which they call the Gloam. While they refer to the Gloam as a state, a sacred rite by which all anthera live, it also appears to be an extant force. They shape it into bolts of blistering twilit energy, shroud themselves under an ethereal murk, or compel sleep and dreams unto their foes. Doorward scholars suggest it may be a natural phenomena of the Khepseti Wilds, or an emanation of the Penumbral spirits who dwell in it. Some anthera elders explain it as "their shadow-tainted faith, given to the gods and returned in a pure, tempered state."

Antheran shaman also utilize elemental or nature magics, drawing on the murk and decay of their homeland. The Kindred, a sect of antheran druids who prefer to live in complete isolation in the deepest wilds, can take the forms of insects and spiders.

Warfare

Intertribal warfare is rare but not unheard of amongst the anthera; the primary cause is a tribe refusing to split itself off during the peak of the Hollow's influence. Such irresponsibility will result in whole communities devolving into mindless husks, and it is necessary for each tribe to contribute warriors to prevent this from occurring. The opposite may also occur; a tribe may refuse to migrate, claiming the settlement for itself and instead killing any pilgrims who attempt to enter. The village of Scarabis has already succumbed to this blasphemy, shutting itself off from the road as the Void pours into the underworld.

Antheran weaponry is made from carved insect shells, ammolite, and compressed silk. In addition, they arm and armor the many insects of the Khepseti Wilds, as well as harvest venom and fungal spores for chemical weaponry. They even fashion spiritual auxiliaries from cast-off insect pieces; golems of jagged teeth and claws, animated by one of their guardian spirits.

Animal Husbandry

The anthera tame many of the beasts across the Khepseti Wilds. While spiders are seen as kin to the nerubians, the insects are vital members of the community, and often respected as living hosts of the spirits. The enormous Ohms are given the most honor, their carapaces covered with so many totems and charms that they resemble mobile shrines. The lithe and agile Gloamshell beetles are traditionally used as mounts, as are the regal, horse-like Khepsteeds. Tamed hornets next in the caverns' ceilings, protecting antheran settlements from above. Hulking Scarabid beetles lurk at the gates of their villages, guarding against intrusion even when they are completely empty.

Grayslate Earthen

“Dun Valdr is our home. We may not remember what it once was, but we see it for what it is. Something that's held on for this long is worth saving. After all, we did the same.”

The Grayslate earthen are the descendants of the original Earthen of Dun Valdr, guarding their ancient capital from marauding giants and the corrosive horrors of the Dissonance. Centuries worth of accumulated error within their Forge Cradles have changed them with each generation; though not made of flesh, they now bleed when injured, they experience hunger and thirst, and, most frightening, they succumb to old age. Their minds were more curious, more daring, and they lost sight of the great works they were built to maintain.

In spite of this newfound mortality (or maybe because of it), the earthen of Dun Valdr were rejuvenated. They were no longer mired in the death of their kingdom, its wounds now seeming ancient and distant. They made new customs and traditions, rallying behind a charismatic leader called Grayslate, who led with the blessing of the few remaining, unaltered elders. This name would be shared between all those earthen who would come after. Unburdened by history, the Grayslate earthen expanded beyond their ancient fortresses, wielding a righteous fire into the gloom of oil and shadow.

Appearance

The Grayslate largely resemble their earthen ancestors, yet centuries of accumulated errors within their Forge Cradles has given them a number of unique characteristics. Their skin is smooth, almost like porcelain, and often veined with colorful mineral deposits. Their hair (including beards) can resemble anything from unruly tangles of crystal to harshly geometric arrays of bismuth. Other imperfections of stone and crystal have been noted across their bodies, many of which are displayed with pride rather than shamefully hidden.

The Grayslate, like all earthen, pride themselves in their forging, whether it be metallic or magical. Heavy infantry and Spellhammers wear armor of stone and seidrsteel, while light infantry may utilize the stone-flecked leather of the aurox. The Grayslate are also unique in their use of spellcasters, but even their vestments bear traces of metal, shorn from the coats of sheep-like wirewools.

Culture

The Grayslate's zest for life is at odds with the pessimism of their few remaining elders, the original earthen of Dun Valdr from millennia ago. The Forge Cradles they protect used to generate legions of uncompromising earthen; now, they are lucky to get a few dozen if and when the cradles decide to work. These new earthen are riddled with errors, cursed with mortality, and are driven by curiosity rather than devotion to the Titans. Yet, the Grayslate are proud of this fact, to their elders' great dismay. The errors make each Grayslate unique, and the few that are born with each generation are greatly valued.

The Grayslate are divided into Vigils; clans that belong to a particular Forge Cradle and are responsible for defending and maintaining them, as they are the only source of new earthen. Given the "eccentricities" unique to these Forge Cradles, their protection is even more vital. Within a Vigil are a loose association of families; from each new generation of Grayslate, the families adopt new members. There are occasional brawls over particularly interesting "newforged", though all are accepted with open arms. Yet, maintaining the Vigil is tireless and exhausting work, and quite a few Grayslate opt to leave their homes for new opportunities within the underworld; these Extinguished are seen with some derision by the Vigils. Many are content with trading their services to other races below the earth, but some turn to darker pursuits, becoming brigands and thieves.

The Grayslate differ from their dwarven cousins in their neutral attitudes towards the Titans. While the dwarves of Ironforge look upon Ulduar with awe, the Grayslate have spent centuries watching Dun Valdr dissolve, melted away by the Dissonance. Hunted by corrupted machines and insane constructs, the works of the Titans inspire fear and revulsion rather than reverence. The Grayslate instead see the Titans as an example of extreme hubris and carelessness; they created awe-inspiring works across the cosmos but left them to rot and decay, twisted by corruption, leaving the earthen clean up their mess. In addition, the few remaining elders still remember when they tried to call upon the Pantheon to save them during the Winterskorn War, only for the Dissonance to answer their summons, worming its way into Dun Valdr's heart. If the Titans gave up on them, the Grayslate will reciprocate the feeling.

Magic

In stark contrast to the earthen or their dwarven cousins (besides the Dark Iron clan), the Grayslate eschew technology and machinery in favor of arcane magic. In Dun Valdr, anything crafted, constructed, or built can serve as a vessel for the Blackrot, the oily corruption that results from exposure to the Dissonance. As a mechanism becomes more complicated, it becomes increasingly vulnerable to infection. While even the lowliest axe may eventually succumb to decay, the Grayslate favor traditional weaponry over guns and cannons for this reason.

Instead, the Grayslate have become masters of arcane magic and enchanted weaponry. Every piece of metal is decorated with runes that improve sharpness, reduce weight, and increase durability. Runes are called upon in battle to unleash bolts of magical energy or shatter the ground with sheer force. The Grayslate heavily utilize a material called seidrsteel in their crafting; an alloy of orpheum and katabasite, heavily inscribed with magical sigils. Again, while these heavily-crafted weapons are vulnerable to the Blackrot, which appears to take pleasure in destroying artistry and beauty, the Grayslate are careful in their maintenance.

The greatest arcanists of the Grayslate are the Forge-Magi; these sorcerers construct their weapons in the midst of battle, directly out of magical energy, crushing their opponents with levitating hammers and skewering them with smoldering spears.

Warfare

The Grayslate see their vigils as the highest form of devotion and put considerable effort into defending them. They take pride in forging armor and weapons that will protect their homeland. The constructs infected by the Blackrot are constantly being renewed by corrupted fabricators, which is not helped by the Enkidian giants that have claimed areas of Dun Valdr as their own. The Enkidians have begun stoking these fabricators with Blackrot in an effort to produce more constructs for their proxy wars, even resorting to repairing them with Saronite. As the engines roil with corruption, they have gained a dark awareness, and the Enkidians resort to machine-worship to maintain their armies.

Animal Husbandry

The Grayslate rely on herds of cattle-like aurox for supplies of meat, milk, and leather, given their newly mortal bodies require sustenance and armor. These were once stone constructs fielded by the earthen, and the Curse of Flesh has rendered them into gristle and bone. Ranchers out in Amenthis or the edges of Dun Valdr will use them as mounts; their horns are still made of stone, and can be shaped into useful tools without harming the beast. Guardians of the fortresses instead rely on magnarams, ram-like constructs of metal bound by magical energies. Tireless and stubborn to a fault, they perfectly match the Grayslate in temperament.

Ranchers also tend flocks of wirewools; sheep-like creatures that once grazed on the minerals of the underworld, growing them as thick coats of steel wires. Tufts of this metallic wool is fashioned into the vestments of Dun Valdr's sorcerers.

Zhar

“The beasts once hunted us, and now they eat at our table.”

— Remembrant Thoth

The waterways of Lethae have long been an enigma to the civilizations of the underworld. Its haunted caverns steal away thoughts and memories, drawing them down its rivers into the black Silent Sea at its heart. Countless tales circulate around Lethae; mind-devouring monsters, sirens that speak with the voices of family, dark oracles and bargainers, granters of shadowy wishes. The truth of these stories was never learned, any memory of their encounters devoured by its waters. Until something finally emerged from the basin.

The zhar have only recently appeared in Azjol-Nerub, surfacing from its waterways and lakes, but it's suspected that they are the most recent incarnation of whatever dark presence exists within Lethae. The zhar that have settled outside their home basin operate a vast trading network, but they do not deal in ordinary goods. Rather, they trade in psychic phenomena; thoughts, memories, and emotions. They weave a mysterious memory magic from the waters of Lethae, allowing them to enter the minds of their patrons and exchange mental constructs. They can even fashion these thoughts into physical objects; knives forged from pure hatred, medicines distilled from compassion, secrets preserved in glass vaults.

Also referred to as the Ferrymen, the zhar dwell in floating villages that are paradoxically hectic yet utterly silent. Seashell ferries constantly move down the waterways, carrying their newly siphoned cargo off to the heart of Lethae. Even though the zhar are amphibious, the usage of these vessels appears to be important to their enterprise, whether it be for practical or spiritual purposes.

Not all zhar share this newfound mindset of equivalent exchange. The deepest caverns of Lethae are still a black spot, devouring minds until they are empty of all qualia, bodies rendered into barren shells. There are predators amongst their kind, and if history is any indication, that is the zhar's natural state of being.

Appearance

The zhar exist in many different forms, and their anatomy defies biology. They are more akin to spiritual constructs than living beings, as their bodies are composed of coral-like compounds, seabed minerals, and fossilized ammolite, as if they had been dredged up from the ocean floor. Most share a common feature; a hood that shrouds their face in darkness, lit by random points of stark, green light. These lights can flash in a variety of patterns, most often taking the form of eyes when dealing with others. The number matches their customers; a human would see two glowing eyes, while a nerubian would see eight. Other zhar merit more eyes, flashing in bizarre and hypnotic patterns.

The truth is more disturbing. These motes of light are the ends of dozens of tendrils, tasting the air for drifting thoughts and latent emotions. Upon death, their bodies collapse into unliving materials, wisps of memory magic drifting off like smoke.

• Ferrier: The most common form, ferriers are usually seen on the docks of their floating villages or the markets of various races, as well as steering their numerous boats. They are vaguely humanoid but extraordinarily thin, with elongated limbs. Shells of various deep sea mollusks decorate their clothing. The legends don't speak much of these forms; perhaps they are new, created purely for their commercial enterprises.
• Collector: Collectors tower over their brethren, their lower bodies ending in a worm-like tail, reminiscent of the Naga. Collectors ensure the products obtained by the ferriers are properly catalogued, stored, and shipped back to Lethae. They are also known to hunt down particularly useful "customers", resorting to force if the poor soul does not wish to bargain. In the old ways of the zhar, collectors would spread rumors of clairvoyance and wish-granting into the realms of the Tol'vir and nerubians, tempting them to come to Lethae and give up a little piece of themselves.
• Preserver: Hulking behemoths encrusted with ancient nautilith shells, preservers protect the assets obtained by ferriers and collectors, serving as uncompromising force. If the collectors are scalpels of mental manipulation, the preservers are blunt hammers, crushing their enemies with pure will. In the old days, preservers were little more than beasts, a bottomless hunger that dredged minds down to the brainstem. Nowadays, very little has changed.
• Architect: Regal creatures seen rarely beyond the Silent Sea, architects weave magic and memory into the most powerful zhar wares. Architects are responsible for cataloging the vast archives of memories the other forms pull in, adding them to great mental webs that flit through the Lethae's waters. There are rumors that the zhar make their homes within a half-remembered netherworld, where memories become physical constructs. This rumored reality, Ersetu, is built upon the work of the architects, literally dreaming their visions into existence.

Culture

Culture is a foreign concept for the zhar. Their markets seem to be created purely for interacting with other races and exchanging psychic phenomena. The mannerisms and structures are artificial, stolen from the minds of their prey and utilized for the ease of transaction. Behind the scenes, the zhar are completely alien, dwelling in sunken vaults where thoughts are exchanged as easily as breath. Independence is perplexing and concerns beyond the acquisition of memory are baffling. The zhar are psychic parasites, growing in intelligence and ability only by taking it from others. Even their names and "language" are stolen, likely from an ancient enkidian empire whose name was forgotten and devoured.

At least that's the initial theory. It's become clear that the zhar are now growing as a people the more they interact with other species, to the point where individual concerns and dissenting opinions are becoming more common. Some groups, such as the Riven, wish to continue their markets and deal in equivalent exchange. Others, such as the Unbroken, believe in the old ways of predation and consumption without thought. Conflict was unheard of in a race that swam through thoughts and drank emotions, and it will have untold consequences for a burgeoning people.

Whatever the case, the zhar are developing customs of their own. Often called the Ferrymen, they clearly put great importance in the use of boats to cross the water, even though many are amphibious. When asked, the zhar have trouble answering; the act of skimming the waters' surface is meditative and calming, perhaps clarifying the divide between solid reality and Ersetu, the dream-like construct they call home.

Foreign Relations

Despite the zhar's unsettling appearance, they are quite good at interacting with other races, rapidly adopting languages, customs, and mannerisms. In fact, it's almost frightening how quickly they can ingratiate themselves with others, leading to rumors of "compelled friendliness" and "subtle mind-reading (and feeding)". They seem to "speak" into the minds of others directly, and their runic writing system appears to "paint" thoughts directly onto surfaces. By simply touching the sigils, the message speaks directly into the reader's head.

Magic and Craftsmanship

Key to zhar magic is their use of Lethaen water taken from the Silent Sea. Jars of this water can be used as ritual focuses, storing memories from willing (or unwilling) patrons to be used at a later date. When frozen into ice, the memories are crystalized and rendered extraordinarily potent. Many zhar weapons utilize lethaen ice that has been carved to a wicked edge, stealing thought just as it steals blood. Zhar may utilize the water directly, spraying freezing gouts that tear their victims apart, physically and mentally. Other materials used for their weapons, armor, and structures include seabed minerals, fossilized ammolite, ancient nautilith shells, and the strange white roots that grow in Lethae's soil.

Animal Husbandry

The zhar are known to utilize mysterious creatures in their ventures, and it's difficult to tell if these are different forms of zhar or entirely new species shaped to their purpose. Tiny lethlings prowl the waterways like vermin, stealing bits of thought from wandering minds, while the wolf-like gallu lurk along riverbanks, tasting the air for errant emotions. The enormous ammonid mollusks are used to drag tankards of Lethaen water up the basin, while flying nautiliths patrol the skies, tentacles searching for new knowledge to collect.

Sumenu Tol'vir

“Do not mourn for us. We cursed ourselves, burying our sins in a grave of desolate cold. We deserved far worse.”

— Tebir the Wanderer

History has forgotten the tol'vir of Northrend, their only lasting legacy being the unsettling obsidian destroyers that once blighted the skies of Scourge strongholds. Connecting with Uldum has reinvigorated study of this lost sect of tol'vir, their ruins cannibalized by a prehistoric Azjol-Nerub. Surely these were once noble Titanforged constructs like their southern cousins, victims of a growing nerubian empire.

If only that was the truth.

The tol'vir were the first civilization of Azeroth's underworld, building their cities in the caverns surrounding Ulduar, high atop the subterranean steppes of the Merun Plateau. By the time the earthen had laid the first stones of Dun Valdr, the great city of Sumenu had been standing for centuries, its obsidian pyramids gleaming in the darkness. They maintained and defended Ulduar's deepest secrets with near-religious devotion, but over the years, reverence and honor were twisted into zeal and arrogance. Believing their sacred task to be of the highest importance amongst the Titanforged, the tol'vir of the Merun Plateau began to police movements within the underworld. They blockaded crucial support sytems and strangled the activities of earthen and mechagnomes, citing matters of security and work to be performed by "higher constructs". The primordial underworld was held within their obsidian grip, yet they remained oblivious (or uncaring) to Loken's fall to madness and the shuttering of Ulduar.

It was the tol'vir of Sumenu that first discovered the traces of corruption that would become the Curse of Flesh. An illness born of Old God infestation, it turned stone and metal to flesh, weakened minds with base emotions, and inflicted the disease of mortality. It utterly horrified the tol'vir, who were quick to purge the infected from their lands, both confirmed and suspected. Their compulsion for control became an obsession with purity, and eventually the tol'vir retreated back to their stronghold of Merun Plateau out of fear for contamination. They quarantined Sumenu and its outlying cities, turning away other Titanforged with violent force if necessary. When the Winterskorn War broke out and the earthen attempted to flee to the tol'vir's highlands, they were rebuked. This decision was reinforced when the earthen attempted to contact the distant Pantheon, only for the Dissonance to coil down from the stars and drown Dun Valdr with oil and rot. To the citizens of Sumenu, the rest of the world was lost, and only Merun Plateau remained pure.

The Winter's Blight

As Loken fell to madness and Yogg-Saron's chains grew weaker, minions of the Old God began to stir in their own prisons underneath Merun Plateau. Tentacled monstrosities and gibbering abominations roiled below the streets of Sumenu, their waking movements shaking the underworld. Contamination spilled from faults in the earth, twisting the tol'vir's bodies into nightmares. Within days, outlying settlements had fallen silent, yet the air rumbled with the roars of enormous maws, looming like distant mountains.

In an uncharacteristically noble sacrifice, the tol'vir enacted a desperate plan they had called the Winterblight Contingency. From ritual sites and arcane generators across Merun Plateau, they wove an unforgiving tempest of ice and snow, burying the region in supernatural frost. From the mouths of jackal-headed statues, winter winds blew across the highlands and froze everything they touched, tol'vir and aberration alike. In an instant, the plateau had been rendered silent and static, its denizens sealed within a glacial tomb.

Merun Plateau lay forever changed, a desert of white snow punctured by the black edges of obsidian pyramids.

The Fate of Djedet

Only one city was spared by the Winterblight, separated from the plateau by a monumental divide. The tol'vir of Djedet would live on, left in utter confusion of the ice storm that had buried their brethren, yet they would arguably suffer the worse fate. It was their experiments with proto-nerubians and relics such as the Lamp of Anu that resulted in a drone separated from the Hivemind.

This drone would become the architect of their downfall. He was finally free from the Hivemind's incessant voices, thinking for himself, and witnessing the wonders of the tol'vir civilization from his prison. It nurtured awe, it nurtured jealousy, it nurtured a vision. This drone broke free from his cage, slaughtered his captors, and delivered his vision of a free nerubian empire to his kin. Taking the name Anek'resat, the First King, this tyrant would sever his people from the Hivemind entirely and begin the subjugation of the underworld.

What did the tol'vir of Djedet get for their efforts, having freed and inspired this upstart lord? They were the first to fall, the city's architecture and knowledge assimilated into the bones of Azjol-Nerub. From this shining citadel, now called Ahn'resat, Anek'resat would build his throne and found his empire. The tol'vir who surrendered were given no mercy, instead bound and broken into subservient slaves.

Current Events

The tol'vir of Northrend who remain active are likely under the thrall of Azjol-Nerub, primarily the scholars and arcanists of the Weavers Regent. Those that have been granted their mental faculties often serve as advisors to the nerubian monarchy, including Osirith, Hand of the Queen. Forges within the bowels of Ahn'resat continue to sculpt new tol'vir, only for them to be broken and bent into submission.

On the Merun Plateau, the Winterblight is beginning to subside, its glacial winds clearing for the first time in millennia. As a result, its cities begin to stir, both with tol'vir awakening from stasis and aberrations thawing deep below the surface.

Appearance

The tol'vir of Sumenu and the Merun Plateau resemble their kin in Uldum, with some key differences. Most of them are entirely composed of obsidian thought with highlights of gold, amethyst, and emerald, as well as other metals and gems. Their faces more resemble jackals rather than cats, though they are known to wear ferocious masks shaped like grinning tigers or crocolisks.

Culture

Little has survived of Sumenese culture, buried under a sea of snow or stolen by Azjol-Nerub. From the few archaeological studies that return from Merun Plateau, it's believed that the tol'vir stuck to a rigid hierarchy enforced by age, construction, and appearance; the oldest, most elaborate, and most beautiful wielded absolute power over those below them, as they were seen as being gifted by the Titans during their creation. The newly-made, the most common, and the disfigured were treated as fodder. Once, the Forge Cradles bore new tol'vir based on whatever materials were on hand. Now, dynasties secured their reigns by tampering with the sacred machines, feeding them the rarest of materials to ensure that their progeny will be be of noble bearing, leaving the rest to be made from leftovers, sinking to the bottom of Sumenese society.

Magic

Unlike the solar magic their Uldum cousins use, the Sumenu tol'vir utilize frost and nature magics with a logical, scientific bent. One of their assigned tasks by the Titans was to analyze the newly-formed biosphere of Azeroth, subjecting both the inanimate Titanforged and the flora and fauna of Sholazar Basin to a battery of tests. As their scientific ventures became more cruel, frost magics proved a logical choice; frozen subjects were easier to transport, arrays of ice-forged scalpels made tissue extraction simple, and useful cultures could be preserved in cryogenic vaults. Failed experiments were ablated with unforgiving temperatures and crushed into dust and vapor. It was a magic of utter control, which suited the rigid tol'vir well.

The most evident of their magical prowess is the Winterblight itself. A ceaseless storm of ice and howling winds at the bottom of the world, churning for millennia, keeping all of the Merun Plateau in glacial quarantine.

Animal Husbandry

The tol'vir's obsession with order and perfection extended into their view of the natural world. Though they were once responsible for analyzing Azeroth's biosphere, at some point they became disillusioned with flesh and bone, preferring the inherent purity of stone. They crafted many creatures from obsidian and gems to decorate the gardens of the Merun Plateau, their forms constructed in clean, geometric lines. Falcon-like heru filled the skies, circling over herds of dromyd camels, their humps like rectangular ziggurats. Elegant ibiset cranes plucked fish on riverbanks, avoiding the jeweled jaws of crocodilian sobelisks. Anubix hounds prowled the edges of royal estates, while overhead, the light of soaring bennir replaced the sun they had forgotten long ago.

Revelation

As the champions of Azeroth explored the frozen cities of the Merun Plateau, they uncovered the secrets the tol'vir attempted to bury. Though it was the tol'vir who first discovered the Curse of Flesh and quarantined their lands to protect themselves, they did not sit idle. They experimented with the effects of the curse to the point where they began to willingly infect their own people. Commoners were used as test subjects, turned to flesh and then ruthlessly analyzed, vivisected, and preserved in stasis. The highborn Sumenu felt they were so far beyond the limits of the Titanforged, so perfectly created by their gods, that they could do no wrong. The prisons of the Old Gods' minions had not weakened, as what the limited histories told. No, the tol'vir, emboldened by their status, willingly broke the prisons to continue their experiments, deciphering this curse that would shatter their delusions of purity. The atrocities grew worse as they subjected their own people to the monsters below the earth, feeding their bodies and souls to the darkness. Because they could. And they were curious.

When the Dissonance echoed down from the stars, the tol'vir had not let opportunity pass them. They extracted samples of its corroded oil and recorded its unsettling melodies. They noted the effects it had on artificial creations; statues, paintings, constructs, machines, anything with some semblance of artistry and creation, had become broken and disfigured in its presence. It seemed to take perverse pleasure in defacing works of art and tools of purpose. A punishment from the heavens for those who believed themselves worthy of tools, worthy of creation. The Sumenu subjected its own people to its debasement, watching their bodies dissolve into oil and noise.

Eventually, the Sumenu lost control of everything. The faceless abominations grew powerful and clever, breaking through their weakened restraints. Desperate to save themselves and cover up their mistakes, the tol'vir enacted the Winterblight and buried the Merun Plateau under a ceaseless tempest of ice. Now, millennia later, the storm begins to subside, and the remaining tol'vir are shaking off their stasis and attempting to destroy what evidence remains. Or, unleash the monstrosities entirely and have them destroy it, with all of the Merun Plateau (and the rest of Azeroth) with it.

Deeproad Drogbar

“Temples, ruins, tombs; you name it, we've seen it. Anything that outlasts its builder becomes a grave, and on the Deep Roads, you see plenty of graves. Best not to think about it.”

— Vigrul the Sightseer

The Drogbar of Northrend are newcomers, arriving from subterranean highways into the chaos of post-Scourge Azjol-Nerub. Belonging to the Deeproad tribe, these nomads have traveled the length of Azeroth's underworld, collecting spoils and stories along the way. Resilient, stubborn, and even-tempered, the Deeproad tribe have settled into Azjol-Nerub with a baffling excitement, building their villages within the decaying husks of nerubian citadels. Never ones for pomp and circumstance, they go about their business without any reverence or respect of the dead kingdom around them. Even their capital of Blackwater pays no mind to antiquity, adrift in the murky waters of an ancient nerubian reservoir. For the drogbar, history is in the past and gets in the way of present matters; hunting, sculpting, brawling, snail-racing, and, sporadically, building strange machines.

Culture

The Deeproad drogbar approach life vigorously and relish whatever they set their minds to, whether it be hunting beasts, creating art, or honoring the earth that supports them. Their brutish forms belie their canny and curious minds, eagerly exploring the underworld but always aware of its dangers. Wanderers by nature, the Deeproad tribe never settles for long in one place, always moving along the dark highways their ancestors carved. Scoutbruls navigate the roads ahead of the main tribe, searching for predators or dangerous cave-ins, while shamans speak with the earth itself to divine their paths. When they decide to rest, their stoneshapers raise homes and fortifications directly out of the ground.

The Deeproad tribe has a rich oral history, filled with legends of powerful warriors, cunning shaman, ravenous monsters, and mythical locations. While these stories range in detail and accuracy from one telling to another, many of the tales bear some semblance of true locations and events. In general, history is a source of inspiration for the drogbar, even if what is told is not always true.

Sculpting is a favorite pastime of the drogbar, either with tools or the magic of stoneshaping. When honoring their own fallen, they do not bother with headstones or statues, instead calcifying the corpse directly into stone. For recreation, the drogbar race snails; an event that, to most, is as dull as it is long.

The Deeproads drogbar have one quirk unique to them that the tribes of Highmountain and Zaralek Cavern do not. Occasionally, a drogbar may be seized by a stonefit; a psychological state of extreme obsession and purpose. Drogbars under a stonefit appear possessed by an industrious ghost, hell-bent on completing a task or constructing an object for no clear reason. Only once finished does the drogbar come out from their vision, sometimes having created a functional machine or totem. The drogbar remembers very little from their spell and often has no understanding of their creation's workings, but occasionally these constructs become indispensable to the tribe. The Kraken Ward within Blackwater was one such project, built by a mysterious drogbar inventor and crucial to repelling creatures from the city's shores.

There are some drogbar who take advantage of the stonefit phenomenon to slack off, while others claim to be seized by stonefits near constantly, producing a steady stream of worthless junk.

(WIP)

Reclaimer

(WIP)

Beasts

Talphant

“Why don't we just call them "mole-bears"? Gets right to the point.”

— Perplexed Doorward Archaeologist

Talphants are stout mammalian creatures, resembling a cross between a mole and a lumbering bear. With elongated forearms and sharp claws, they can tunnel effortlessly through dirt and stone. The tentacle-like feelers hanging from their noses are specialized sensory organs, tracking their prey through vibrations in the earth. Talphants are commonly hunted for their meat by Doorward archeologists; it's not particularly pleasant, but it's a food source not made from worms, insects, or spiders.

Can be tamed by hunters as members of the Bear family.

Phase Spider

“The only way they could have made spiders worse is if they disappear from where you last saw them.”

Enterprising ecologists of Azjol-Nerub have made some new and terrifying discoveries in the depths of the underworld. Among various species of spiders, some have the innate ability to tap into an inner reserve of arcane energy, allowing them to teleport short distances or phase into another dimension. Current theories include being the spawn of an unknown Wild God or the results of a nerubian experiment that has escaped into the wilds, diluting its traits into the gene pool. There have been many exciting debates on which theory is the most horrifying for the world at large.

Calcilisk

A vicious combination of reptilian and insectile features, calcilisks are voracious and clever predators. Their bodies are quadrupedal and vaguely wolf-like, albeit covered in boney, metallic armor plating. Their skulls have a wide, hardened crest like that of a hammerhead shark. Lithe and stealthy, these armored beasts strike from the shadows with serrated teeth, but are no strangers to drawn-out brawls, punching straight through flesh with their skull crest. The calcilisk's fearsome image has cultivated quite a mythology in the underworld; the khepri have at least a few gods dedicated to them, and the Grayslate rite of hunting ends with tracking one down and slaying it.

Calcilisk can be tamed by hunters as members of the Stone Hound family.

Murro

Deceptively intelligent and uncannily dextrous, the Murro have been raiding archaeological expeditions since the dwarves first set foot in Azjol-Nerub, stealing tools and supplies whenever the lamps burn low. Bridging the strange evolutionary gap of rats and lizards, they scamper about on two legs while their tiny arms snatch morsels of food and pilfer valuables. While Murro normally live amongst the moss and rock of Amenthis, they have acclimated quite well to Doorward, becoming dangerous pests to the local peddlers and shopkeepers. A few eye-witnesses even report they have learned to pick locks.

Murro can be tamed as members of the Rodent family.

(WIP)

Aurox

The aurox is an oxen-like creature originally created by the earthen. Crafted from enchanted stone as beasts of burden, they were left free to wander the underworld following the Winterskorn War and the fall of Dun Valdr. The Curse of Flesh affected their stony bodies just like the earthen, transforming them into meat, bone, and gristle. The aurox still possess a rocky hide, and the Grayslate have begun breeding them for even stronger stone pelts. Canny grazers, they can feed off everything from moss to certain types of rock. The most unique aspect of the aurox is their horns, which were originally designed to be shaped by the earthen to perform particular tasks; everything from digging in the soil to carving out caverns to ramming down the doors of Enkidian fortresses. Even though their bodies are mostly flesh now, their horns can still be shaped through magic with no harm to the beast. Doorward cooks consider their meat to be good eating but their milk has a sandy texture.

Aurox can be tamed by hunters as members of the Oxen family.

Cloakray

Cloakrays are flying manta-ray creatures native to the caverns of Azjol'Nerub. Superficially similar to the mana rays of Argus, cloakrays fly by producing a lighter-than-air gas that makes them buoyant in the air, and they propel themselves by flapping their billowy, sail-like wings. They are at home amongst the rocky stalactites of cavern ceilings, often pressed flat against the stone where they are naturally camouflaged. Upon spotting prey, they drop themselves down like a stone, either dive-bombing them or swishing past while they deliver a venomous sting. Some cloakrays in the Khep'seti Wilds are bioluminescent through the ingestion of spores, and they use their colorations to produce dazzling light shows to disorient their prey. Leather made from their skin used to fetch a high price in the old kingdom of Azjol'Nerub.

Cloakrays can be tamed by hunters as members of the Ray family.

Ferrovore

The bane of miners and metallurgists, the ferrovore is an immense crocodilian reptile native to caverns of Azjol'Nerub. While perfectly capable of living off flesh, the ferrovore has a particular taste for metal, burrowing its way into the earth to devour rich ore veins. Rather undiscriminating in their eating habits, the beasts are perfectly happy gorging on anvils, armored soldiers, and steam tanks, using harsh acids to dissolve the material. They also possess the unique ability to modify magnetic fields, drawing all metal in the surrounding area into their open jaws. Any excess ingested metal is secreted onto its hide to produce strong, and rather beautiful, armored scales. Ferrovores are a particular nuisance in Dun Valdr, especially to the local Jotunn whose iron strongholds are little more than a buffet for the beasts.

Ferrovores can be tamed by hunters as a particularly striking specimen of the Scalehide family.

Stygizoa

A truly bizarre beast of the underworld, the stygizoa is a flying, predatory octopus. Native to the waterways of Lethae but not uncommon in other areas, the stygizoa flies by producing a buoyant gas within its body, hovering near cavern ceilings. It propels itself through the use of a membrane spread between its tentacles, which it flaps in an undulating motion. Stygizoas are known to camouflage themselves as stones among cavern ceilings, letting prey draw close before they strike. Their tentacles are lined with sharp hooks, which it uses to pull prey into their embrace, suffocating them with their bulk. Some varieties are poisonous while others can deliver a venomous sting. The drogbar slaughterers of Blackwater have an ongoing contest of who can bag the largest stygizoa; some of their bounties arrive with previous hunters in their stomachs.

Stygizoas can be tamed by hunters as members of the new Drifter family.

Ohm

The lord of insects, the Ohm is a living tank made of chitin and carapace. Resembling an enlarged pill-bug, the Ohm's entire body is covered by thick armor, even shielding the numerous pairs of legs the scurry underneath it. A dozen unblinking eyes cover its front half, glowing with a bright, orange light. A spray of sharpened pedipalps sprout underneath the eyes, dicing up mud and fungal matter that will then be shoveled into its maw. These dextrous appendages are just as useful for fighting off predators who dimly believe they can down this beast. The Ohm meanders through the fungal forests of the Khep'seti wilds, either chewing its own path or swimming in the algae-filled rivers. For such a massive beast, the ohm is surprisingly intelligent, seemingly communicating with the wild spirits of the underworld, as well as sapient creatures capable of bonding with them. While they will defend themselves from predators, they fly into a rage when outsiders disturb the wilds, relentlessly pursuing invaders. This does not include most khepri, whose mythology, though often indecipherable, places great spiritual import on the ohm and their wisdom. Their cast-off shells are used as homes and shrines, while some even deign to live in khepri villages, festooned with ritual ornaments and armor.

Ohm can be tamed by hunters as members of the Carapid family, which includes krolusks and gorm.

Kharnasect

Kharnasect are capable of being tamed by hunters as a member of the new Scytheclaw family, which includes such vicious insects as kharnasects and gloamshells.

Gloamshell

Gloamshell can be tamed by hunters as a member of the new Scytheclaw family, which includes such vicious insects as kharnasects and gloamshells.

Khepsteed

(WIP)

Sporegrazer

(WIP)

Pufflet

(WIP)

Jester

(WIP)

Lumafly

(WIP)

Salamander

(WIP)

Rhocaris

(WIP)

Aerocaris

Avereil

(WIP)

Nautilith

(WIP)

Elementals

Geodera

Cousins to shale spiders and gyreworms, geodera are avian creatures of elemental earth. Like their fellows, they are composed of individual pieces of crystal and stone arranged in an ever-moving pattern, with no physical connection between them. Their wingspan is huge, with each wing bristling with sharpened gemstone feathers, which the beast can launch with incredible force. They show a greater variety of body forms compared to shale spiders and gyreworms; some have four wings, some have heads like rotating, concentric rings (similar to gyreworms), while others have an immense, crystalline beak that spins like a drill head. The variety of colors and gemstones is equally wide. A single, undamaged geodera has enough raw material to set up a jeweler for months; it's too bad that the creature doesn't give itself up without a fight.

Geodera reproduce by gestating a perfect crystal within their abdomens, which they eventually lay like an egg, nestling it within a protected nest. Eventually, the crystalline egg breaks apart into many fragments, which combine with nearby stone to arrange themselves into a tiny, geodera hatchling.

Although geodera are technically elementals, they are classified as beasts and can be tamed by hunters as members of the Shale Beasts family.

Sunstone Elemental

Giants

Enkidian

The Winterskorn War left Dun Valdr devastated, its palaces empty of warmth and life. From the deepest reaches of the underworld came scavengers to feed on the scraps left behind. Chiefest among these were the Enkidians, a race of prototype stone-giants abandoned by the Titans and left to rot in the bowels of the earth. In the empty fortresses of Dun Valdr, they found something they never had before; a chance at reclaiming the greatness that was denied to them. They sat themselves on the empty thrones of the Earthen kings and slaved the titanic engines to their whims, crafting legions of soldiers and servants. Their every need met, their egos unchecked, the Enkidians grew lazy and bored, engaging in endless proxy wars from their stolen halls.

Centuries of ignorance and stagnation have taken their toll on the giants' civilization. Having no understanding of the powers they wield, they let the titanic engines fall apart and grow corrupted, birthing malformed golems and machines. Now, they grow listless, turning to machine-worship and the use of Saronite to preserve their way of life, languishing in rotting halls surrounded by insane constructs. If their neglect continues to go unchecked, Azjol-Nerub may become buried under a tide of rotting metal and black oil.

Mechanical

Marble Watcher

Dun Valdr was once the capital of the earthen, whose works shaped the very foundation of Azeroth. In ancient times, it was supported by the greatest titanic engines, and tended to by giants of marble, alabaster, and ivory. Now, these paragons of order have succumbed to the Blackrot, their perfect forms mutating and dissolving into black oil. The great marble watchers and golems now lurk amongst Dun Valdr's corrupted foundries, their pale skin shattered, mouths vomiting oil.

Some marble watchers may yet remain uncorrupted, but they are few and far between. The corrupted watchers show all manner of deterioration; some are intact but stained with oil, while others are pitted with smoking, acid-burned holes. Some are missing half a face or an entire limb, replacing by a tendril of greasy fluid. There are a number that appear with such regularity that the Grayslate dwarves have begun recording them.

• Marble Demagogue: Demagogues are gigantic, hunched marble statues with two weeping, humanoid heads. Often found leading groups of other statues, they appear to act as some form of leadership. (Based on the Ettin skeleton)
• Marble Choir: Choirs are broad marble statues with a large, howling face emerging from their shoulders, ringed by dozens of tiny, malformed faces that gnash their teeth at the air. Oil runs in rivulets down their forms as they sing songs of entropy and rot.
• Other forms of marble statues include the physically-imposing marble golems, the human-sized marble constructs, and shattered fragments of broken statues, typically crawling hands and floating heads.

Grotesque

The grotesque is one of the most horrifying abominations to emerge from the stinking pits of the Cenotaph in Dun Valdr. It resembles an enormous spider, if the head and thorax were replaced with an immense, weeping marble head. From this head sprout eight arachnid limbs, each ending in a humanoid hand. Black oil flows freely from its eyes and down the corner of its mouth. Grotesques are unleashed when the titanic engines are threatened, skittering out of the darkness into the ranks of the invaders.

Simulant Beast

• Servid
• Bronzefang
• Copperpaw
• Springwing
• Keyhawk
• Bumblekey
• Coilsting
• Wireweaver

(WIP)

Dragons

(Dragons)

(WIP)

Undead

Nerubian Husk

(WIP)

Crypt Beast

(WIP)

Aberration

N'shaar

(WIP)

Garmoth

(WIP)

Desecrator

Since the beginning of reality, the forces of Light and Void have waged against each other on an incomprehensible scale, their battle spilling out into the other planes. Through the expenditure of untold power, the Void has manifested in the physical plane, devouring stars and planets and condemning their remains to the Void. As the raw material plummets into the abyss, they are beset upon by colossal scavengers, absorbing enough matter and energy to sustain further forays into the physical world. These are desecrators, a manifestation of the void that has not yet been seen on Azeroth. As the power of the Void continues to pour into Azjol'Nerub through the Bridge, desecrators and their ilk have wormed their way into our reality, wreathed in the debris of their previous conquests.

(In order to stave off the monotony of the purple shadow blobs and flesh monstrosities that make up most of the Void's forces, I wanted void creatures in Azjol'Nerub to have a sort of "cosmic" vibe to their forms to distinguish them. The various forms of the desecrators are inspired by the eldritch horror of the cosmos; the cold spaces between stars, eaters of suns, devourers of planets and nebula. Their forms are diverse, from more familiar voidwalkers to immense giants to serpentine worms, They shine with a spectral-blue color run through with purples and greens. Some have the glowing remains of stars trapped in their forms, while others are wreathed in the stolen clouds of nebula. They are true-born destroyers of reality, their bodies entangled with the corpses of their prey.)

Stain

When blackrot corruption reaches critical mass, marble golems dissolve into stains. They superficially resemble haunts, fleshbeasts, and elementals, a writhing collection of black oil studded with marble fragments. The Grayslate dwarves regularly go on "disinfection patrols", scouring their cities of stains before the blackrot is able to take root once more. (Based on the haunt and Unbound elemental skeletons)