#azshara wow

[hereisfufu]

Shandris: My straight parents and uncle bring me to a Gay Party... Amazing!

I brought my cat to visit different vet oncologists throughout June. Finally, I finished this work before the end of Pride Month! I drew Chromie holding my kitty because I wish she could take my cat back to last year when the poor little baby was still healthy.😭

*In 48 hours, 1 reblog = 1 Wrathion Whelp, I’ll draw a big picture for those chubby whelplings!!! Trust me I’m not crazy. *

Thank you all for reposting my previous post and supporting me by making commissions! I have prepared a gift for everyone who loves my art: Happy Pride Skeletal Warriors! (Inspired by Lurid, a minion of Thassarian). You can download them for free on my Ko-fi page and use them as emojis or icons!

I also added some emojis of the Slime Cat from Shadowland, but I turned them into RAINBOW! I hope my cat won't become a Slime Cat too soon… If you are interested in these emojis or just want to help my kitty, please check out my Ko-fi shop and get your favorite Slime Cat!

And my commissions are always open. If you want an icon, an emoji, or something unique for your guild, please don't hesitate to contact me through my Ko-fi page or DM me on Tumblr!

Love is the same, just like our bones. I wish every human, furry friends, skeletons can enjoy this summer. ; -D

[slyakoch-undead-tavern]

Xa'latah? yeah cool. How about some N'zoth? N'zoth design by @fawiefunnykitten

[rooku]

I -may- be back.

[little-viking-draw]

I'll give Azshara this, she dreams big

[maragondi]

Azshara 2018-2021

[nekrokatart]

Queen Azshara

Glorious 💠 Foretold version

Azshara had a palace fortune teller because she liked hearing the colorful stories they came up with - sometimes life in the palace can be quite dull.

One night when Azshara had troubling dreams about green fires on the sky, she decided to take a stroll around to calm her mind. The fortune teller crossed paths with her in the corridors where she felt a light breeze stroking her ears. Then a sharp vision invaded her mind like nothing before.

Choking, immense suffering, loud drums attacking her ear, making her magic flow through her veins and radiate through her entire skin. Silent screams embracing her beautiful figure, making the exceptional jewels feel like shackles...

Then it was over. The fortune teller slowed her footsteps while Azshara was still stunned from the visions. "Now you know how it ends, so you can be the real Queen"

[ashtarels-archives]

Delving into Blackfathom Deeps

An excerpt from Glory to the Queen Born of Stars:

"Of the wonders our queen brought to this world, perhaps none was so great as Lathar'Lazal. As masons constructed the temple, Azshara shaped the waters around it with the Scepter of Tides. She spoke the names of the rivers and the seas, and they moved at her command. Salt water from the roaring ocean and fresh water from the mountain streams trickled to Azshara's side. With the flick of her wrist, the queen partitioned them into great lakes that hugged Lathar'Lazal's sturdy foundation."

Architecture:

Blackfathom Deeps, as we know it today, was once called "Lathar'Lazal," or "Seat of the Sky" in Darnassian. Long ago, this was a temple to Elune built by Queen Azshara with the aid of Sharas'dal (her tide-scepter) in the ages before the Sundering. Pelagic imagery still endures in the architecture of these sunken ruins, described at one point to have contained "gem-encrusted bridges and effervescent lakes." Motifs of fish-head fountains, wave-inspired stonework, scale-like patterns, and ionic columns are repeated in the masonry and pottery of the forlorn halls. It is unclear what the seafoam-colored stone the temple is made of, though it is interesting to note that it almost bears a resemblance to a body of water's surface: like the way a pool shifts and shimmers with the light. Some kind of material borne of the sea, melded together with the queen's Sharas'dal, or a common mineral of the region? They could also simply bear cracks and signs of weathering considering the age of the temple, but watery stone would be fitting symbolically.

Azshara's Influence:

"Whenever she [Azshara] walked the bridges of Lathar'Lazal, nearby schools of exotic fish would array themselves in colorful patterns. She even kept a colossal sea giant bound to one of the lakes. She used her scepter to make him perform tricks and feats of strength, much to the delight of the watching Highborne. Curious night elves from the far corners of the empire journeyed to Lathar'Lazal to study the mythical creature and his habits."

Perhaps Lathar'Lazal was a bustling tourist attraction then in the days of the empire, both for education and entertainment. With such tourism drawn to the temple, I wonder if the nearby land/city of Zoram benefited from this economically.

The passage above seems to imply that the Highborne rather enjoyed the spectacle of the imprisoned sea giant, and this poses an interesting dichotomy to the original purpose of the temple: a house of Elune, simultaneously hosting a creature trapped against its will. Such an exhibition created by Azshara here speaks to her penchant for show and amusement, and possible disregard for the faith. If only a historical record existed of a priestess's personal journal or the like; and whether she would be disappointed with such behavior, or complacent in the suffering of other races/creatures as night elves often were during this era.

Tideweaver:

Queen Azshara, even before her naga transformation, always had a fascinating dominion over water, both with her scepter Sharas'dal and the Well of Eternity. Supposedly Xavius was the one who actually gifted the queen with this ornate weapon that later shaped the temple:

"A night elf named Lord Xavius presented the queen with a jeweled scepter, etched with delicate magical sigils. He promised Azshara that so long as she kept it close, it would bring her prosperity and great power. Azshara held the scepter aloft, and the jewels shimmered in the light of the moons like brilliant stars. The sight of the queen and her gift was so beautiful that it brought many of the attendant Highborne to tears."

An enigmatic man of terrifying skill and power, I do wonder where Xavius procured this weapon in the first place; as its design does not appear to be of Kaldorei craftsmanship. Perhaps it hails from the ancient jinyu culture, the primordial titans, or some other past world power. Examining its details, what do you think of Sharas'dal's origins?

"Queen Azshara's enchanted scepter afforded her great power. Imbued with the Well of Eternity's potent waters, it held sway over the rivers and the seas, aquatic creatures of all kinds, and the life energies that stirred within Azshara herself."

In the Tablet of Balancing Tides, it is stated that:

"The whispers of Elune and Neptulon play on the tides, their words etched in stone are a tribute to the balance of their power."

I find it interesting that Azshara utilized a form of magic half-intrinsic to the moon goddess. Did she derive some of her aquatic power from Elune, or use a different magick entirely? The descriptions of Azshara wielding the scepter use language that speaks to a command over water, rather than a unity with the elementals, spirits, and goddess.

This item's flavor text also mentions Neptulon--Elemental Lord of Waters--interestingly now a sworn enemy of Queen Azshara and her naga forces in the present day.

The Moonshrine Ruins:

This place supposedly once hosted a moonwell, with an area known as the Moonshrine. The foundations here might suggest that before the Sundering, Lathar'Lazal could have been built just upon the shores, or expanded out into the sea itself with the tides embracing the temple all around. Swimming beneath the waters of the Moonshrine, there appear to be large pillars supporting the walkways here; much like a pier.

The Inner Sanctum:

Crescent imagery is prevalent inside of the sanctum, as well as sets of 3 seats, perhaps symbolism of the triple moon (waxing, full, and waning or the maiden, mother, and crone archetypes) holding some importance in the rituals carried out here. These could also represent a large meeting space, high-ranking priestesses for ritual, a council of leadership, divisions of the temple, seating for observers, or something else entirely. They face partitioned rooms with crescent moon symbols.

If we look at the central dais of the sanctum, (Azshari statue and cultist altar notwithstanding) there is a raised platform with a pyramid-like structure carved into the ceiling. Perhaps a skylight once existed here to let in moonlight for lunar rites, or this area hosted something of great importance to be kept safe inside the sanctum.

The Moondoors:

The moondoors are an especially interesting piece, and the last apparent threshold of the Seat of the Sky. Upon passing through, there are only a handful of pillars flanking the sides of the cavern. They seem to accompany each other in pairs on each side - marking a possible entrance, exit, or some other pathway to the temple. While I am unsure of their true purpose or the mechanism to unlock them, the various square pieces are almost akin to a puzzle. This model is used in other Kaldorei architecture and I've long been intrigued by their possible uses. These moondoors are typically used as entrances to the tall, thin ivory towers of Kaldorei ruins. Perhaps Elunarian priests or arcanists weave (or wove) intricate spellwork rooted in the arcane, or the moon cycle in order to lock these types of barriers. What was intended to lie beyond them is anyone's guess: powerful artifacts, sacred relics, enshrined lore, or even concealed secrets.

"The Great Sundering shattered the glorious temple, sinking it beneath the waves of the Veiled Sea."

I hope you enjoyed these musings! There's something equally fascinating and solemn looking back at the remnants of the Kaldorei Empire - in the shadows of glory that once eclipsed the continent.

[indigosharks]

Azshara and Denathrius having pineapple pizza and Mountain Dew in the room that Blizzard keeps them locked in

[moonleafy]

Wanted to start sharing my studies of Warbringer art style.

[fromtheempress]

Fish Fridays feature: Naga of Cataclysm: The Sira'kess and Spitescale tribes

In Vashj'ir, in the zones known as the Shimmering Expanse and the Abyssal Depths, the Sira'kess naga, led by Lady Sira'kess, await the heroes in two very different types of encounters. In the quest "By Her Ladys' Word", the hero, assuming the role of the Naz'jar Battlemaiden in a vision of the past conjured by Wavespeaker Valoren (Alliance) or Wavespeaker Tulra (Horde), meet the Sira'kess naga for the first time. According to Wowpedia, "They appear to be one of the three castes in  Vashj'ir, likely focusing on spellcasting and/or the priesthood." The Lady Sira'kess herself leads them, being one of the questgivers in "By Her Ladys' Word", speaking to the Naz'jar battlemaiden Nar'jira about obtaining the "Crucible of Nazsharin" from the Kvaldir.

Lady Sira'kess. (Image source: Wowpedia, Hearthstone)

The crucible is successfully obtained for the Lady Sira'kess in the vision of Vashj'ir past; much later, however, she appears as one of the killable objectives in the quest "Defending the Rift", in which the player is to kill 15 naga attacking the Throne of the Tides, Neptulon's realm beneath the waves. As Lady Sira'kess and her naga are defeated in this encounter in the Abyssal Breach, neither she nor her naga are seen in the game again.

The Sira'kess Tribe are as follows:

Lady Sira'kess- Leader, Mistress of the Tides

Fathom-Caller Azrajar- Ritualist

Unnamed:

 Sira'kess Guardian

 Sira'kess Tide Priestess

Sira'kess Sea Witch

Sira'kess Zealot

(source: Wowpedia)

For more information on the Naz'jar Battlemaiden, Nar'jira, please see my previous post:

Led by the Sea Witch Zar'jira and her consort Naj'tess, the Spitescale naga appear on the Echo Isles in Durotar. They are the killable objectives in the quests "No More Mercy" and "An Ancient Enemy", as the hero must aid the Darkspear trolls in retaking the Echo Isles, their former home. According to Morakki, the questgiver for "No More Mercy", "Da naga have committed great atrocities on our people" (Wowpedia). The Spitescale, therefore, are shown the same ruthless treatment and slain.

Zar'jira, the Sea Witch. (Image source: Wowpedia, Hearthstone) It is revealed, during the quest "An Ancient Enemy", that Zar'jira was the one who had slain the Darkspear leader Vol'jin's father and taken the Isles, driving the trolls out of their home. Once the hero helps the trolls take vengeance on Zar'jira, the trolls are free to live on the Echo Isles once more.

The Spitescale are as follows:

Naj'tess- Consort of the Sea Witch.

Zar'jira- Sea Witch and leader of the Spitescale.

Unnamed

 Manifestation of the Sea Witch

 Spitescale Siren

 Spitescale Wavethrasher

 Captive Spitescale Scout

Fun Facts and Speculation:

In the quest "An Occupation of time", the hero finds a statue In Vashj'ir, in the Quel'Dormir gardens, of a woman named "High Priestess Sira'len". There is a plaque stating the following:

"Let this statue stand as an everlasting testament to High Priestess Siralen in the name of all she has done to nurture Quel'Dormir Temple into a glowing beacon of faith. May her newfound service under Queen Azshara herself shine as a testament to the potential of the noble birth nurtured in our beloved, Vashj'ir". (Wowpedia).

The quest-giver, Levia Dreamwalker, acknowledges that this and several other statues are "...some of the first definitive proof of other members of the Vashj family." (Wowpedia). It was also speculated, at one point, that Lady Sira'len may have become Lady Sira'kess, (also a priestess in the drowned city of Vashj'ir), as a naga. There is no longer any definitive proof of this, however.

On the Darkspear Islands in Warcraft III, the murlocs on the island have an altar dedicated to their goddess, none other than the sorceress and Sea Witch Zar'jira, who after a brief conflict issues a dire warning to the departing trolls. As the trolls end up leaving these islands in Warcraft III, they are not in World of Warcraft. It is speculated however that the Spitescale naga "may have previously operated in (the Darkspear Islands) as well." (Wowpedia)

“Fish Fridays” is a look into the various Naga personalities that populate the waters of  Azeroth and Draenor,to give our worthy readers a greater sense of the Naga world and the creatures Vashj often interacts with.

Lore sources, photos and links are all from Wowwiki, Wowpedia, and Wikipedia.

[oldeazeroth]

Azshara (40,37)

[maddiebiscuits]

my fave FF14 villains: gripped by turmoil and trauma, ruthless in their rage but vindicated, emotional and complex, explained motivations, tragedies of circumstance and misguided good intentions

my fave WoW villains: full of themself overpowered self righteous jackasses who are heinous in every way and barely try and justify it, absolute haters who love hating and being evil, can dip my toe into the depth of their character, having a good time, fat tits

[falaandu]

[maxiecabphotography]

[chibiyoru]

Azshara's palace in Zin-Azshari, moments before the explosion of the Well of Eternity.

[veldrune]

The Sundering Of The World | WoW In-Game Book (PDF Version)

Knowing that the Well's destruction would prevent him from ever wielding magic again, Illidan selfishly abandoned the group and set out to warn the Highborne of Malfurion's plan. Due to the insanity brought on by his addiction and the stinging resentment towards his brother's affair with Tyrande, Illidan felt no remorse at betraying Malfurion and siding with Azshara and her ilk. Above all else, Illidan vowed to protect the Well's power by any means necessary.

Heartbroken by his brother's departure, Malfurion led his companions into the heart of Azshara's temple. Yet as they stormed into the main audience chamber, they found the Highborne in the midst of their final dark incantation. The communal spell created an unstable vortex of power within the Well's turbulent depths. As Sargeras' ominous shadow drew ever closer to the surface, Malfurion and his allies rushed to attack.

Azshara, having received Illidan's warning, was more than prepared for them. Nearly all of Malfurion's followers fell before the mad queen's powers. Tyrande, attempting to attack Azshara from behind, was caught off-guard by the queen's Highborne guardsmen. Though she vanquished the guardsmen, Tyrande suffered grievous wounds at their hands. When Malfurion saw his love fall, he went into a murderous rage and resolved to end Azshara's life.

View/Download our full PDF here 📄