Xal'atath
- For the shadow priest Legion artifact, see
[Xal'atath, Blade of the Black Empire].
 Xal'atath | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Title |
Harbinger of the Void, Blade of the Black Empire |
| Race(s) | Void elf (body) / Void entity (Humanoid) |
| Level | ?? Elite |
| Reaction | Alliance Horde |
| Affiliation(s) | Void |
| Former affiliation(s) | Black Empire |
| Location | Various |
| Status | Active |
Xal'atath is a sentient Void entity that was once bound within the Blade of the Black Empire. This dagger was in possession of a shadow priest adventurer of the Conclave during the third invasion of the Burning Legion, before it was used to drain the Sword of Sargeras and was thereafter discarded, like the other artifact weapons. Xal'atath didn't die, however, and released herself from the blade during the Fourth War by possessing the corpse of the high elf Inanis, before concluding a pact with N'Zoth granting her freedom.
Xal'atath has been announced as the main antagonist of World of Warcraft: The War Within, where she has journeyed to the underground nerubian kingdom of Azj-Kahet, below Khaz Algar, to create an unstoppable army.[1]
Biography
Blade of the Black Empire
- Main article: Xal'atath, Blade of the Black Empire § Biography
Xal'atath is truly ancient, dating back to the time of the Old Gods' Black Empire. Theories abound as to the nature of the blade's creation: the more outlandish claim that the blade is the remains of a forgotten Old God who was consumed by its kin, while other theories state it is the claw of Y'Shaarj itself. Whatever the truth of its origin, the blade was infused with the Old Gods' power. Legends stated that it could even grant its wielder visions of the Black Empire, though doing so inevitably drove the viewer mad. Though it is not clear whether Xal'atath ever existed separately from the blade that bears her name, Dimensius the All-Devouring is said to have given the staff Voidsong to her at the height of the Black Empire.[2][3]
Xal'atath passed through many hands over the millennia, sowing chaos as it went. It was used by the jungle troll Zan'do to resurrect the C'Thrax general, Kith'ix; by Sorcerer-Thane Thaurissan's wife, Modgud, to curse Grim Batol; and by the human priestess Natalie Seline to study the dark secrets of the Void.[4]
Legion
Eventually, the knife found its way into the hands of the Twilight's Hammer, who attempted to use it to reanimate Zakajz the Corruptor, killed by Tyr eons ago. They were stopped by the High Priest of Netherlight Temple, who claimed the blade for themselves.[5] The High Priest wielded Xal'atath against the Burning Legion for a time, ultimately draining much of its power to purge the sword of Sargeras of its corrupting power in Silithus.[6]
Battle for Azeroth
After the end of the demonic invasion, Xal'atath was either lost or abandoned by the High Priest, and fell into the hands of the naga. When they began attacking Kul Tiras and Zandalar, they brought the blade with them.[7] Collector Kojo came across it by accident near a makeshift altar in Stormsong Valley, and adventurers sought to use it to gain insight into the naga's plans.[8] Xal'atath explained that the naga sought to conjure a storm powerful enough to scour all Azeroth using three relics: the Void Stone, the Trident of Deep Ocean, and the Tempest Caller. Xal'atath guided the adventurer to Drustvar, where they found the high elf Inanis attempting to wield the Void Stone's power. After killing her, Xal'atath drew upon the Void Stone's power and possessed Inanis's corpse.[9]
Now in a mortal form, she helped the adventurer find the other two relics[10][11] and brought them to the Crucible of Storms beneath the Precipice of Oblivion. Rather than stopping the naga, however, Xal'atath offered the relics and the adventurer to N'Zoth in exchange for her freedom. N'Zoth severed her from the dagger, keeping it for himself in the bargain; Xal'atath departed through a portal, confident she would see the adventurer once more.[12]
Dragonflight
Please add any available information to this section.
After the defeat of Chrono-Lord Deios in the Dawn of the Infinite, the Primal Incarnate Iridikron wielded an artifact which he used to absorb Galakrond's essence and entered a Void portal, intending to deliver it to the Harbinger of the Void.[13]
The War Within
Xal'atath is seen holding the Dark Heart, an artifact that Iridikron used to drain Galakrond's essence. As the Black Empire has failed, Xal'atath now seeks to set in motion the rise of a new dark legacy—one that knows her enemies' strengths and will seek to test them against a terrible power, the nerubians of Azj-Kahet. Xal'atath has conscripted the nerubian queen, Ansurek, and offered her people a new future in which they would rise from their isolation and become a mighty kingdom once again. In return for their loyalty, Xal'atath has granted the nerubians the means of a dark evolution that turned the nerubians into a new kind of ferocious soldiers.[14]
Alleria Windrunner, now styled a void hunter, seeks to hunt down Xal'atath.[14]
Quests
[50] The Pirate's Treasure 
- [50] The Tempest Crown
[50] Twist the Knife - [50] Unintended Consequences /
[50] Unintended Consequences
Objective of
- [50] Twist the Knife
- [50] The Pirate's Treasure
- [50] Orders from Azshara / [50] Orders from Azshara
- [50] Every Little Death Helps / [50] Every Little Death Helps
Quotes
Legion
- Main article: Blade in Twilight § Notes
- Main article: Xal'atath, Blade of the Black Empire § Quotes
Battle for Azeroth
On-click
- Greeting
- What do you seek?
- So many possibilities...
- Tell me what you want.
- Farewell
- Such magnificence awaits us.
- Open your mind to the whispers.
- The time comes... soon.
Dialogue
- Main article: Every Little Death Helps#Notes
- Main article: Every Little Death Helps (priest)#Notes
- Main article: Unintended Consequences#Notes
- Main article: Unintended Consequences (priest)#Notes
- Main article: The Pirate's Treasure#Notes
- Main article: The Tempest Crown#Notes
- Main article: Twist the Knife#Notes
Gossip
- Drustvar
Let us hurry. The whispers grow more insistent.
- Freehold
Are you ready for what comes next?
Notes and trivia
- Its name is very similar to
[Xal'atoh, Desecrated Image of Gorehowl]. Both also whisper to the wielder. - The 'outlandish' theory of its origin could be a reference to a comment once made on the number of Old Gods on Azeroth changing from five to four.[15]
- The dagger has a mind of its own, a weakness that can be exploited against its wielder, an aspect shared with other artifact weapons, the
[Skull of the Man'ari] and 
[Aluneth]. - Xal'atath may be the dagger mentioned in
[Ogmot's Dream Journal]. - Xal'atath's status as an item associated with the Old Gods, along with the copious amounts of sinister lore its whispers hint at, has led to the item becoming immensely popular and thus being dubbed "Knaifu" (a play on the word "waifu") by many affectionate players.
- In the Patch 8.6.7.5309 joke patch notes, Blizzard declared that Knaifu has been renamed "Bae Blade." Blizzard has also used the term "knife friend".[16]
- Her Legion voice uses the model of Ysera and of a human female that can only be seen in the model viewer.
- Xal'atath is voiced by Claudia Christian.[17]
- The name of this dagger is similar, and may be a reference, to that of Xel'lotath, one of the Ancients in Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem, whose main power is in driving her enemies mad by whispering to them.
Gallery
Xal'atath in Freehold.
The War Within concept art.
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Videos
Speculation
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This article or section includes speculation, observations or opinions possibly supported by lore or by Blizzard officials. It should not be taken as representing official lore.
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It is speculated that she might be the Shadowy Figure from World of Warcraft Classic: Season of Discovery.
Patch changes
- Patch 8.1.5 (2019-03-12): Added.
See also
References
- ^ https://thewarwithin.blizzard.com/en-gb/
- ^
[Voidsong, Stave of the Harbinger]'s description
- ^ Twilight Hermit#Quotes
- ^ Word of the Conclave
- ^ [10-45] Blade in Twilight
- ^ [110] The Power in Our Hands
- ^ [50] The Azsharan Medallion
- ^ [50] Orders from Azshara
- ^ [50] Unintended Consequences
- ^ [50] The Pirate's Treasure
- ^ [50] The Tempest Crown
- ^ [50] Twist the Knife
- ^ Chrono-Lord Deios (Dawn of the Infinite)#Quotes
- ^ a b World of Warcraft: What's Next Panel Recap
- ^ Blizzard lore posts#Nyorloth
- ^ Rise of Azshara Content Preview
- ^ BlizzCon 2016 - Voice Actor Panel