BLACK DRAGONFLIGHT

Chosen to wield the power of Khaz'goroth by Keeper Archaedas, Neltharion's brood had an innate connection to the deep places of Azeroth that left them vulnerable to the many malicious creatures imprisoned within its depths. While none who survived the horrors of the Cataclysm or fought to prevent the Hour of Twilight can ever truly forgive the dragons who orchestrated such indiscriminate suffering, I believe it is essential that we study the lessons of their descent: If a once stalwart Aspect could falter, then none of us is truly safe from the treachery of the Void. Seas Though it is said that Neltharion's mind was twisted by the mad whisperings of the Old Gods, one above all others guided the Earth-Warder's transformation into Deathwing: N'Zoth, Lord of Ny'alotha. After suffering the burden of Azeroth's weight pressing in upon his body, Neltharion finally gave in to the imprisoned god's promise of relief and ultimately turned against his allies.

What the Old Gods didn't expect was that the Burning Legion would find and invade Azeroth in an event that threatened both their own destruction and that of the slumbering world-soul they sought to corrupt. In fact, many learned scholars have argued that Deathwing's use of the Dragon Soul seemed to run counter to the Old Gods' survival; this same view is supported by witnesses who believe that the Aspect's madness may have been so complete that he turned the weapon on both demon and defender indiscriminately. Though we will never know the true motivations behind the black Aspect's attack, history records the outcome as such: Neltharion's dragonflight was made to suffer the consequences of his act as they were hunted to near extinction. Despite the tragic results of their Aspect's betrayal, Deathwing's flight never wavered in their loyalty to his cause. Opting for infiltration over direct conflict, dragons like Onyxia and Nefarian cunningly integrated themselves into the kingdoms of man. By stoking hatreds old and new, the black dragonflight managed to sew distrust among the kingdoms. It was in this way that Stormwind fell to the orcs without the aid of Lordaeron, how Alterac became a haunted ruin, and how a once beloved king returned home a fractured and vengeful soul.

NELTHARION

The Earth-Warder - Aspect of the Black Dragonflight - Deathwing - The Betrayer - The Black Scourge - Lord Daval Prestor - The Destroyer - The Cataclysm - Xaxas - Shuvl'wah - Aspect of Death

The story of the black Aspect is one seemingly cleaved by the defining moment of his betrayal at the Well of Eternity. Yet in the years prior to that fated moment, Neltharion was remembered as a wise and staunch protector of the lands under his care. What no one saw was the depth of suffering that his service demanded, a burden he seemed to believe was his to bear alone. While no one knows when Neltharion first heard the whispers of the Old Gods, it is now believed that he accepted their offer during his desperate battle with the Primal Incarnate Raszageth. No one, not even his fellow Aspects, suspected his secret until it was far too late. Allies recall the Earth-Warder's presentation of the Dragon Soul as a hopeful moment that they believed could turn the tide of the war against the Legion. Only the blue consort, Sindragosa, seemed to suspect that anything was amiss with Neltharion. Yet she failed to voice her concerns, so the Aspects willingly imparted a portion of their power into the artifact. As the blast tore through the enemy ranks with terrifying force, all rejoiced as hordes of demons disintegrated in a brilliant flash. In that moment of hope, none of the defenders could have imagined that the object of their salvation could become the source of their own demise. But then it happened: a second discharge that caused elf and dragon alike to vanish in an instant. Unthinkable as the losses were, had it not been for the catastrophic damage done to Deathwing's body by the artifact, even more lives could have been lost that day. Suffering the immense agony of wounds that would forever burn, Neltharion retreated to his lair in Highmountain. Here, his goblin artificers crafted adamantium plates that were then bolted on to stabilize his tortured form by the drogbar under his control. During this period of agonizing recovery, Archdruid Malfurion Stormrage used the Dream to steal the accursed weapon from Deathwing, only to lose it to his brother Illidan, who supported the Dark Titan Sargeras and his plans to bring the Legion to Azeroth. Though Deathwing nearly succeeded in recovering the Dragon Soul, he was ultimately forced to retreat to his lair, where a drogbar uprising awaited him, led by a tauren of the local tribes known as Huln Highmountain.

Banished from his ancient lair by Huln, who wielded the Hammer of Khaz'goroth, Neltharion escaped to the Elemental Plane of Deepholm, where he slumbered until the energy surge produced by the opening of the Dark Portal stirred his awakening. Though physically strengthened by his long rest, it is said that Deathwing's sanity had slipped further into a rage-filled loathing, especially for the red Aspect Alexstrasza. Still, he knew that the combined might of the Aspects would be his undoing, so Deathwing chose subtlety over direct conflict. In the visage of Lord Daval Prestor, he managed to sow seeds of chaos in Lordaeron while also guiding Zuluhed of the Dragonmaw clan to retrieve the Dragon Soul and use it to capture the Dragon Queen. Beyond his machinations of chaos and revenge, the black Aspect also sought ways to restore his nearly extinct flight. After the destruction of Draenor and the seeming loss of his eggs, we know that Deathwing forged alliances with various factions of the Horde, including the Twilight's Hammer and the orcs of Blackrock Mountain. From within their various enclaves arose the twilight and chromatic dragonflights, created by his prime consort, Sinestra, and his son, Nefarian. At the same time, other preparations were underway to usher in the Hour of Twilight, an event heralding the end of all life on Azeroth. So even as Deathwing retreated from Grim Batol to the impenetrable depths of Deepholm to endure the agony of having new elementium plates attached to his unstable body, the black Aspect's efforts to restore the black dragonflight and serve the will of N'Zoth continued.

Then came the Cataclysm. Erupting violently from the Elemental Plane to crack the World Pillar, Deathwing created a cascade of natural disasters that crumbled mountains and sent towering waves of death upon the land. Many thousands died in the initial onslaught, and the Aspect of Death continued his campaign of terror by indiscriminately burning towns and cities across Azeroth for months. It was in this time of prolonged fear and desperation that many turned to the prophecy and teachings of the Twilight's Hammer. Yet in Azeroth's darkest moment, the heroes of the Horde and the Alliance joined forces with the Aspects and their dragonflights to honor the Wyrmrest Accord. Together they recovered the Dragon Soul from the pathways of time and infused it with both the power of the Aspects and the elemental forces wielded by the shaman Thrall. After they stood united against the combined might of Deathwing, the Twilight's Hammer, and the n'raqi of N'Zoth, the Dragon Soul was finally unleashed against the Destroyer. Though he was imbued with an unimaginable surge of Void energy that further twisted his form into an unstable monstrosity, the legacy of the Earth-Warder was ended at the Maelstrom after Thrall channeled the last of the Aspects' power through the artifact.

SINESTRA

Prime Consort of Deathwing - Lady Sinestra - Sintharia - Mother of the Twilight Dragonflight

Due to his successful escape to Highmountain, and later to Deepholm, Deathwing largely avoided the consequences of his betrayal at the Well of Eternity. The same could not be said for the dragonflight he left behind: The dragons were viciously hunted to near extinction for the sins of their Aspect. It seemed for a time that the chosen dragonflight of Keeper Archaedas could well disappear from the skies of Azeroth forever. Yet in recognizing that the future of his brood depended on replenishing their lost numbers, Deathwing summoned his surviving consorts, whom he forced to endure the ever-burning flames of his corrupted body. Of all his mates, only Sinestra survived the brutality of their coupling, but she was left forever scarred. With no intention of dying like Deathwing's other mates, Sinestra set to work on creating a replacement brood: the twilight dragonflight. After the death of her son, Nefarian, and his failure to stabilize the chromatic dragonflight, Sinestra traveled to Outland to investigate rumors of an ethereal species known as the nether dragons. Within the fel-tainted crags of Shadowmoon Valley, she forged an alliance with Overlord Mor'ghor of the Dragonmaw, who promised to secure nether eggs for her experiments on Azeroth. While there, Zendarin Windrunner handed over the nether dragon Zzeraku, who had been captured while roaming Azeroth.

Using an artifact known as Balacgos's Bane, Sinestra managed to extract the essence of Zzeraku and used it to create a twilight dragon named Dargonax. Such success was short-lived, however; her efforts drew the attention of the red dragon Korialstrasz and the blue dragon Kalecgos. In their efforts to stop Sinestra and her twisted experiments, an explosion occurred that consumed both the black consort and Dargonax. Though it was believed that the entirety of her accursed brood was destroyed in the same blast that took Sinestra's life, Deathwing later discovered survivors within his consort's laboratory and continued to build upon her work. Years later, the Twilight's Hammer raised Sinestra in undeath to see her work with the twilight dragonflight continued. Though Sinestra was reportedly destroyed by a brave group of fighters who breeched the Bastion of Twilight, her late offspring, Zeryxia, claimed that the consort continued to direct her until her own passing.

NEFARIAN

Son of Deathwing - Lord Victor Nefarius - Lord of Blackrock - Father of the Chromatic Dragonflight

Much of what we know of Nefarian is suspect, since it largely comes from those who were taken in by his false identity as Lord Victor Nefarius of Blackrock. Working in concert with his father, Deathwing, and sister, Onyxia, Nefarian delighted in meddling in human affairs. His goal was to divide the Alliance of Lordaeron that formed after the opening of the Dark Portal. the After succeeding in that objective, Nefarian identified a new opportunity in the form of the Dark Horde, a group of orcs who claimed upper reaches of Blackrock Mountain following the Second War. Stranded on Azeroth and desperate to forge a new life after the destruction of Draenor, the group led by Dal'rend Blackhand readily allied itself with Nefarian after having witnessed the unbridled power of the Dragonmaw's own red dragon captives.

In exchange for the black dragonflight's aid in battle, the orcs offered their protection and use of the mountain's upper spires for Nefarian's experiments. Yet to ensure the ongoing survival of both the orcs and his future brood of chromatic dragons, Nefarian would have to face the might of a Firelord. In seeking to lay claim to the entire mountain, Nefarian declared war upon Ragnaros and the Dark Iron dwarves captured by the elemental lord since the War of the Three Hammers. It was an opportunity quickly seized upon by Moira Thaurissan, queen of the Dark Irons, who contrived to liberate her people by spreading rumors of great riches and powerful artifacts hidden within Ragnaros's stronghold of Molten Core. Her gambit to lure powerful fighters into the fray worked brilliantly and resulted in the denizen of flame's defeat and banishment back to the Elemental Plane of the Firelands. Believing that a similar ploy could work against her remaining foes, Moira next sent word to the orc Warchief Thrall. Infuriated by Dal'rend's pact with the black dragonflight, Thrall assembled the mightiest of his Horde warriors to claim the head of Deathwing's son. Nefarian's story should have ended atop a bloody pike in Orgrimmar, yet his remains were later reanimated by the cultists of the Twilight's Hammer to continue his largely unsuccessful experiments with the chromatic dragonflight. The third and final attempt to raise Nefarian was thwarted by the black dragon Wrathion, who ensured the complete destruction of his kin's body before the battle of Ny'alotha.

ONYXIA

Broodmother of the Black Dragonflight - Lady Katrana Prestor

While many of the black dragonflight's later plots occurred on a grand and catastrophic scale, Onyxia's more subtle contributions proved no less destructive. In her human visage as Lady Katrana Prestor, Onyxia furthered her family's scheme to spread rumor and unrest throughout the seven kingdoms that once made up the Alliance of Lordaeron. Between her dual efforts to stoke public anger over the exorbitant costs of the orc prison camps and also to misdirect the militia hunting remnants of the Horde following the Second War, she managed to fracture the unity of Kul Tiras, Gilneas, and Lordaeron. Then she moved south to infiltrate the recently liberated kingdom of Stormwind. For one so cunning, it was not difficult to spot the prime opportunity to exploit tensions that surrounded the rebuilding of Stormwind City. With little effort, Onyxia fomented a riot between the Stonemasons' guild and the nobles of Stormwind, who were persuaded to withhold the artisans' wages over claims of faulty workmanship. Fierce fighting broke out in the streets and casualties quickly mounted. Among them was the queen of Stormwind, Tiffin Wrynn, who had sought to mediate tensions. Enraged by the death of his wife, Varian vowed death upon the Stonemasons, who had fled to nearby Westfall. In time, these outlaws became the Defias Brotherhood, a band of pirates, thieves, and assassins who wreaked havoc upon Stormwind's provinces for years. The Defias also later aided Onyxia in capturing Varian while the king was en route to Theramore.

The broodmother's plan was simple. By way of a dark ritual, she would sunder Varian's will, conscience, and sense of responsibility into a separate being and kill it. The Varian who remained could be easily twisted to her will and act as her puppet. However, a band of naga unexpectedly disrupted her plans and allowed the sundered Varian to escape. While the meek Varian would be brought back to Stormwind to serve Onyxia's ends, the willful half would find himself lost without his memory in a foreign land. In time, the Varian known as Lo'Gosh recalled his identity and returned to Stormwind to challenge Onyxia, who he found ruling through his other half. Unwilling to surrender, Onyxia covered her escape by abducting Varian's son, Anduin, and fleeing across the sea to her lair in Dustwallow Marsh. After mounting an expedition, the two halves of Varian faced the black dragon broodmother, whose errant miscast of magic made him whole again. Though the fearsome battle required the blades and magic of many brave fighters, the head of Onyxia was hung in triumph from the gates of Stormwind. The true end of Onyxia mirrors that of her brother Nefarian. Both were reanimated for a brief time within the halls of Blackrock Mountain and defeated by champions of the Horde and the Alliance. To ensure that no further attempts were made to raise the siblings' rotting forms, Wrathion saw to the permanent destruction of their remains.

SABELLIAN

Baron Sablemane - Prime Lieutenant of Deathwing

Long considered a prime lieutenant of Deathwing, Sabellian is responsible for the continued black dragonflight presence found in Outland. After helping to forge an alliance with Ner'zhul and the remaining Horde left behind on Draenor, Sabellian oversaw his father's plan to hide black dragon eggs in what came to be known as the Blade's Edge Mountains. Believing that the clutch would be safe on the other side of the Dark Portal from the wrath of the dragonflights, neither Sabellian nor Deathwing expected to encounter a race of fearsome and territorial giants. Known as gronn, these towering warriors did not want any challengers in their domain. As a result, many young drakes and dragons lost their lives fighting the gronn, who reveled in impaling the broken bodies of their draconic enemies upon mountainous spikes as a warning to other would-be invaders. Proving himself as an especially lethal foe until his own death, Gruul, leader of the gronn, eventually claimed the title of Dragonkiller, much to Sabellian's reported ire. Despite the many deplorable methods used by Sinestra and Nefarian to rebuild their nearly extinct flight, Sabellian's steadfast stewardship of the eggs in his care ensured the continuation of the black dragon lineage and his flight's return to the Dragon Isles.

WRATHION

The Black Prince

As the only black dragon known to fully resist his flight's corruption, Wrathion proved instrumental in defeating N'Zoth and currently seeks to rebuild the shattered black dragonflight after the fall of the Old Gods. The black Prince's remarkable journey begins in the arid wastes of the Badlands with the valiant efforts of the red dragon Rheastrasza. Believing that she had discovered a method to cleanse the black dragonflight of the Old Gods' tainted influence, Rheastrasza captured a black dragon named Nyxondra and forced her to produce an egg upon which to test her theory. Incredibly, Rheastrasza's experiment resulted in the purified egg that would hatch Wrathion, but the red's brazen act did not go unnoticed. Accepting that her discovery was too important to fall into Deathwing's claws, Rheastrasza sacrificed both her life and her own egg to misdirect the black Aspect. According to the red dragonflight, Wrathion's egg was recovered and cared for within the Vermillion Redoubt by Corastrasza for much of its incubation; however, it was later stolen and brought to Ravenholdt Manor, where the Black Prince later hatched. Already possessed of a keen intellect and a wealth of worldly knowledge, Wrathion enlisted the aid of an unnamed rogue sent by the red dragonflight to help dispatch any black dragons found to be suffering the corruption of the Old Gods. During his campaign to cleanse his tainted dragonflight, Wrathion claims to have experienced a dire vision of Azeroth's future that sent him to Pandaria; there, he enlisted champions who could avert the crisis. While exploring the many wonders of the formerly mist-shrouded nation, he also uncovered secrets to crafting powerful artifacts.

Though many of his actions during this time seemed both cryptic and questionable, the results of Wrathion's efforts to aid in the defeat of both Lei Shen and Garrosh Hellscream dispel much of that earlier suspicion. Still, it would not be long before the faith of the Horde and the Alliance (and yours truly!) was again tested after it was revealed that Wrathion had worked with the infinite dragonflight to allow for Garrosh Hellscream's escape into an alternate Draenor. Though he knew the optics of his actions risked turning the world against him, Wrathion believed his to be the only path that could prepare Azeroth to face the imminent threat of the Burning Legion. Whether he was right is a topic of endless debate, but some would say the fact that we are here to pose such questions does offer a mark in his favor.

What seems beyond reproach is that the Black Prince's most recent contributions after Queen Azshara's defeat allowed for the escape of N'Zoth from his ancient prison. Had it not been for Wrathion's wise counsel on how to resist the visions of the Old God, breaching the Black Empire realm of Ny'alotha may have been impossible. By utilizing the corrupted black dragonscales left behind after the destruction of Onyxia and Nefarian's remains, Wrathion created a cloak that allowed his champion to face the might of N'Zoth without succumbing to the madness of the Void. It is also said that he risked himself to wield a powerful artifact known as the Blade of the Black Empire during the final battle, which weakened the Old God and opened a path to his core. Though suspicions still abound over the Black Prince's ultimate goals, it seems undeniable that Azeroth owes a considerable debt to Wrathion's many colorful solutions.

EBYSSIAN

Leader of the Black Dragonflight - Spiritwalker Ebonhorn

In a path similar to Wrathion's, Ebyssian is believed to have avoided falling to the corruption of his black dragon heritage, primarily due to the purification of his egg by the legendary tauren hero Huln Highmountain. Since that time, Ebyssian has chosen to show his eternal gratitude by watching over the descendants of Huln's Highmountain tribe under his visage of Spiritwalker Ebonhorn. Though the ancient black dragon avoided the Old Gods' manipulation for millennia, the truth behind Ebyssian's unique resistance was uncovered after an attack on Thunder Bluff by the C'Thraxxi, Uul'gyneth, who exposed the Spiritwalker's surprising susceptibility. After nearly succumbing to the Void while away from his lair, Ebyssian realized that he, too, could fall to the Old God's influence without the protection of the Highmountain wards. Despite his newly discovered weakness, Ebyssian later journeyed to the Chamber of Heart to channel his essence alongside Kalecgos, Alexstrasza, Merithra, and Chromie to empower the Heart of Azeroth, an artifact that allowed the champions who entered Ny'alotha to defeat the Old God N'Zoth. Though the mantle of leadership could have reasonably fallen to Wrathion, Sabellian, or Ebyssian, it was decided after much discussion that Ebyssian's steadfast wisdom and impeccable nature best embodied the spirit of what they needed the Earth-Warder to be for the future of the black dragonflight.

SARTHARION

The Onyx Guardian

Charged by Deathwing to protect a clutch of twilight eggs, Sartharion, the Onyx Guardian, was forced to fight a mercenary group recruited to breach the Obsidian Sanctum and destroy the Void-twisted brood. While the reason behind Deathwing's decision to bring the eggs to Wyrmrest Temple and risk discovery remains unknown, it is said that Sartharion and his allies Vesperon, Shadron, and Tenebron upheld their charge until their dying breaths.Though many originally saw the destruction of the Obsidian clutch as a setback to Deathwing's plans, others increasingly believe that it may have been a calculated loss to hide the existence of his remaining eggs.