by Terrazel

April 15, 2023

The Fifth Old God: All Clues within WoW Dragonflight

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Rumors are circulating that a fifth Old God is lurking in the shadows of WoW Dragonflight. And there is an abundance of evidence to bolster this theory. Well, aren’t you interested to find out what’s going on here?

The Old Gods have always been an ominous presence in the World of Warcraft. These enigmatic and terrifying beings serve as a vital component of its lore and have captured players’ attention for years. The last of their kind was seen back in the Battle for Azeroth. And after N’Zoth’s downfall, it appeared as if their menace had subsided. However, it seems the world has yet to be relieved from these treacherous entities. With a plethora of hints pointing to their lingering influence, it’s almost utterly certain that they will make a grand return in Dragonflight. 

Before we dive in, it’s important to mention that the incredible WoW community deserves credit for discovering all these clues. And we would like to extend a special thanks to the YouTuber duo Taliesin & Evitel for their detailed coverage of the subject. We highly recommend watching their entire video, as it contains a wealth of fascinating information you definitely will find interesting. But beware, as both this article and their video contain spoilers for the game. So proceed at your own risk.

And now, without further ado, let’s take a look at all the puzzle pieces we have amassed thus far and see if we can uncover the identity of the fifth Old God! 

Before the Expansion Went Live

At first glance, WoW’s latest expansion appears to be primarily centered around the dragons. The world is filled with fun activities and wholesome interactions with the NPCs. Yet, upon closer inspection, it becomes apparent that things are not always what they seem.

The presence of the Old God has already been spotted in the three chapters of the Dragonflight Legacies. Namely, the downfall of Neltharion and the abnormal existence of Galakrond. The third cinematic clearly depicts the moment when Neltharion succumbs to the corrupting power of N’Zoth. And about the latter, we will explore the gargantuan proto-drake further down in this article.

This is not the only instance when N’Zoth was mentioned before the champions of Azeroth had the chance to step foot on the Dragon Isles. During the beta phase of this expansion, players were quick to notice a strange orange eye among piles of gold. And as if that wasn’t clear enough, tentacles were also emerging from the riches.

Unfortunately, this fascinating detail has since been replaced with Easter Eggs. There’s a chance that it’s just a coincidence. But there’s a higher chance that the developers wanted to conceal their true intentions for a while longer. Thus, avoid making it too obvious to perceptive fans.

Speaking about When the Expansion Went Live…

The Forbidden Reach

Homeland to the Dracthyr. It’s where they were born. It’s where they were imprisoned for nearly 20,000 years. And it’s here that we will find a clue about the fifth Old God.

There are a lot of leads scattered around the Reach. But some that stand out are the abundance of the Naga and a few interesting books. First stop: “A Song of the Depths.” An excerpt of it goes like this:

“Rise, rise! Our Queen calls to us from beyond the Umbral Veil. She has transcended the Circle of Stars and basks in her eternal grandeur.”

— A Song of the Depths

It doesn’t only remind the community of Il’gynoth’s prophecy:

To find him, drown yourself in the circle of stars.

— Il’gynoth

But also pointing at the fate of one familiar face, Queen Azshara.

There are two ways to look at this. Firstly, judging by the number of Naga, perhaps the Queen referred to in this context is indeed Azshara. We don’t know where she is exactly at the moment. But it would mean that she’s not present in Azeroth at all. Thus, she’s potentially residing in the Void. Alternatively, if the Queen is not Azshara, the question arises as to the identity of the mysterious figure mentioned in the verse.

That’s not the only noteworthy moment of this eerie book, however. As it also mentions:

“The Harbinger speaks of a primal power that seeks the end of Order. Such rage can  be bent to serve our ends. A hunger lost to the ages will be reclaimed.”

— A Song of the Depths

A primal power? Hunger? Lost to the ages? Are we talking about Galakrond? After all, Galakrond was the largest among his kin. The reason for his abnormal growth was his insatiable hunger. He consumed his own kind and later vomited them as zombies or re-ate them. Soon, the proto-dragon rose to an enormous size, mutated with additional body parts, and became the sky’s dominant creature. Yet, ten thousand years passed. Galakrond is now a fossil laying dormant in the Boneyard. But knowing video games, ten thousand is just a number, as there are many ways to bring back an antagonist if they serve the plot well. 

Another book worth mentioning is “The Old Gods and the Ordering of Azeroth (Annotated).” While it has been around since Vanilla, new scribbles are added to it. The author of these personal opinions is unknown. However, judging by the arrogant tone of voice and the fact that this book is found in Neltharion’s collection, it may belong to Deathwing himself.

What makes it interesting is, on one particular page, the writing goes like this:

“The Pantheon shattered the Old Gods’ citadels and chained the five evil gods far beneath the surface of the world.”

— The Old Gods and the Ordering of Azeroth (Annotated)

It’s not four, guys. It’s five. It’s confirmed right in the game. And even the author of the scribbles doesn’t deny that fact, even though they scornfully disagree with practically everything else written in the book.

When We Traveled Back in Time

If you remember, in the Thaldraszus campaign, we embarked on a mission to rescue Chromie. Thus, we were transported back to a time when N’Zoth was still alive, whispering his twisted ideas into our ears as we traversed across Ny’alotha. And that’s not even the most unnerving part about this episode. As what’s uncanny about this were the ominous whispers:

“I… know you. What you were. What you will yet be.”
“You will follow him to the deep places. The dark waters will flow in his wake.”

— N’Zoth

It’s not hard to pinpoint to whom these lines belong. Who could it be other than N’Zoth? He knew we were from the future. He knew what would happen in the time to come. This begs the question of whether the Old God will modify his course to achieve a different outcome. And the answer, only time will tell. 

The View from Vakthros Summit in Azure Span

Looking at this picture, do you see something familiar? If the answer is “Yes, it looks like N’Zoth,” then welcome to the club because you’re not the only one who thinks so! After all, the similarities between the two are so striking that it’s difficult to overlook. Particularly with the eye-like, orange portals and the landscape formed in the affinity of the Old God’s tentacles.

Alexstraza’s Mention Of “Terrible Bargains”

In the post-raid cutscene, following the defeat of Raszageth in the Vault of the Incarnates, Alexstrasza spoke about Iridikron. She disclosed that he had struck terrible bargains to keep their cause alive. According to her, the other Incarnates were oblivious to the true extent of what Iridikron had done. This revelation suggests that Iridikron may have engaged in unsavory dealings with dark powers.

And who do we know that love the sickly sweet taste of bargaining? The Old Gods, of course.

In Embers of Neltharion

The new underground zone Zaralek Cavern is introduced. While Patch 10.1 has yet to hit the screen, many players have had the chance to explore the depth of the new subterranean playground in the PTR. Thus, they were also in for an intriguing interaction with the black dragons.

“Something about this place is causing me to lose focus and become distracted. That is how Fyrakk was able to defeat us so easily. I will not let that happen again.”

— Sabellian

Could it be possible that besides the Aberrus raid, an Old God is also being held captive in the depths of the Zaralek Caverns? Could this be the reason why the black dragons are being plagued by ominous whispers? Moreover, the presence of the ominous whispers in the caverns raises concerns about the potential fall of Neltharion’s sons. The possibility of them being influenced by the same forces that drove their father to corruption cannot be dismissed. After all, whatever is murmuring into their brains is still down there, and it’s in action.

Another clue worth mentioning is this unusual fish. We have a whole article dedicated to this matter, so feel free to check it out here.

The Aberrus raid

The Shadowed Crucible boasts a staggering nine bosses to defeat. Among them, the two last encounters are worth mentioning the most. 

First up is Echo of Neltharion, a boss that truly stands out with unique storytelling mechanics. Braving through his three phases is like witnessing Neltharion slowly succumbing to the hand of the Old God.

The first stage is called: The Earth Warder. During this phase, the boss utilizes his Earth’s abilities. 

As the battle progresses into the second stage: Corruption Takes Hold, Echo of Neltharion starts lacing Void abilities into his arsenal. There are still signs of Earth, but they are much more scarce than in the first phase. In addition, he also unleashes void abilities and summons eerie Voices from Beyond. These ads will cast Corruption on the players. 

Finally, in the third stage: Reality Fractures, the boss completely abandons Earth’s abilities. Instead, he employs a devastating array of Void ones. Among these stands the Shattered Reality. With it, he opens a portal to the Void realm and lets loose a horde of twisted creatures to aid him in battle.

Next, we have the final boss, Scalecommander Sarkareth. As with Echo of Neltharion, Blizzard has ingeniously crafted the boss’s phases to narrate his story.

With Stage One being The Legacy of the Dracthyr. No sign of the Void to behold. 

Yet, things start to change in phase two: A Touch of the Forbidden. A disturbing shade of purple begins to creep into his arsenal as Sarkareth draws power from the Void to enhance his abilities. 

Finally, in stage three, The Seas of Infinity, he succumbs entirely to the Void. His appearance and abilities are completely consumed by its corrupting influence.

An Old God’s Prison

We are at the last of our clues, guys! Sarkareth’s boss room appears to be on top of a chamber that resembles Yogg-Saron’s cell in Ulduar.

The key indicator that this chamber may be a prison for an Old God is that usually, in every cell we have seen up until now, there is a mosaic glass window depicting the imprisoned deity.

Likewise, the chamber we are examining features a mosaic window of its own, illustrating some entity that bears resemblances to Y’Shaarj. As the most powerful of the Old Gods, Y’Shaarj was supposedly eradicated from existence by the Titans, resulting in a wound on Azeroth. So why is there a prison cell for Y’Shaarj if he was exterminated? And if this chamber is not holding Y’Shaarj, then who is it for? Could it be for the fifth Old God? Well, we will have to wait and see.

Neltharion’s Remains in Aberrus

And would you look at that? Isn’t this post by MrGM interesting?

Blizzard appears to be laying the foundation for a broader narrative that revolves not only around the Old Gods, but also the Void. After all, it’s one of the two fundamental forces in the Warcraft universe, alongside the Light. And for a long time, the community has been wondering about what’s out there in the infinite emptiness. By delving deeper into this theme, the developers can answer many fans’ burning questions and open up countless narrative possibilities rich with intricate lore and captivating storytelling. And to add, there are quite a lot of hints pointing towards the Void’s involvement in Dragonflight as well. But that’s the story for another time.

Thank you so much for sticking around until the end of this article! Feel free to share any other theories you may have concerning the Old Gods and the Void in the comment section. Also, we would love to hear your thoughts on what you believe will unfold next in Dragonflight.