Bwonsamdi

Bwonsamdi (pronounced "BWAN-sam-dee") is a powerful loa that controls the souls of the dead, primarily of trolls. Bwonsamdi's temple is the Necropolis, located in Nazmir on Zandalar. He brings the spirits of any who worship him into his realm, the Other Side. Bwonsamdi grows more powerful the more souls are in his care.

His face is covered by a bony, skull-shaped growth and is described as resembling a rush'kah mask. He is constantly surrounded by an aura of rot and darkness, and nearby plants wilt in his presence. After someone undergoes the rite of binding, a ritual "as old as the world itself", the soul of anything they kill goes to Bwonsamdi. To honor the loa of death, Zandalari trolls will don masks in their rituals and pray to him. Bwonsamdi, in turn, will either answer in kind or curse them with pain, depending on his mood. The Grimoire of the Other Side, along with the power of the loa, is used by Kaza'jin the Wavebinder to bless the Golden Fleet.

As of a deal made between Bwonsamdi and King Rastakhan, Bwonsamdi is currently the highest loa in the Zandalari pantheon and the patron loa of the royal family, taking the place of the deceased Rezan.

Biography
When discussing with Vol'jin, Bwonsamdi stated that the loa came before the trolls, which would make him and other loa older than them. This statement, as it concerned himself, was ultimately false. Long ago, Mueh'zala was the loa of the dead for all trolls, and he elevated Bwonsamdi from priest to loa, becoming Bwonsamdi's master. But Mueh'zala's followers turned against him, fearful of the sacrifices and blood he demanded, and over time he was forgotten by all but the Sandfury tribe while Bwonsamdi became the primary loa of the death.

Zalazane's Fall
Before they were driven away from the Echo Isles by Zalazane and his hexed trolls, the Darkspear tribe once worshiped the great spirit. During the liberation of the Echo Isles, Vol'jin tried to recruit Bwonsamdi to his side for the battle against Zalazane. After Vol'jin and his fellow Horde warriors proved themselves worthy and promised to revive the worship of the loa, Bwonsamdi agreed to help them against Zalazane. When Zalazane shielded himself with a protective barrier, an amused Bwonsamdi pointed out that the Darkspear dead belonged in his domain and that Zalazane was going to be one of them. Bwonsamdi then raised Restless Zombies to shatter the barrier and killed Zalazane. With the battle over, Bwonsamdi took his leave.

Vol'jin: Shadows of the Horde
After Garrosh Hellscream's assassins crippled Vol'jin, the troll found that his shadow hunter powers were being withheld by the loa. In his dreams, Bwonsamdi contacted Vol'jin and told him that his injuries, self-doubt, and conflicting loyalty toward the Horde has made the loa forsake him. Bwonsamdi showed him various visions, including a future of Vol'jin using the Horde to destroy the Alliance, and turning the Horde into an empire that would rival even the ancient troll civilizations. The Death Loa wished Vol'jin would use his influence to create as much strife and war as possible, for that would mean more souls would be sent to the other side on his behalf. Vol'jin refused to go down the path of the Zandalari conquerors, believing it was not the Darkspear 'way'. Vol'jin eventually proved his conviction and reaffirmed his identity, regaining both Bwonsamdi's respect and his powers.

Bwonsamdi received the souls Vol'jin sent from the battles between the Shado-Pan and the Thunder King's forces with great satisfaction. At the end of the war, Vol'jin's companion Tyrathan Khort was near death. Vol'jin pleaded with Bwonsamdi to spare Tyrathan. The loa complied, knowing he would have his soul now or later, it did not matter.

Battle for Azeroth
When King Rastakhan was betrayed by Zul and near death, Bwonsamdi claimed his soul and at first refused to give it back because the loa of kings Rezan had been keeping Rastakhan from him for a long, long time and he would be denied no further. Rezan threatened Bwonsamdi into complying, but Bwonsamdi was sure that he would see him again soon enough. When Rezan was slain by Zul, his power could no longer keep Bwonsamdi at bay and Rastakhan began to age quickly.

In Nazmir, the Zandalari forces led by Princess Talanji sought the aid of the local loa to battle the blood trolls. Bwonsamdi's worshiper Hanzabu brought a Horde adventurer to the Necropolis to meet with him. After tasking the adventurer with cleansing his temple of the spirits who had abandoned Bwonsamdi for G'huun, Bwonsamdi agreed to pledge his powers to the fight against the blood trolls in exchange for one million souls. The ritual to finalize their contract was interrupted by Grand Ma'da Ateena, leader of the blood trolls, but she was successfully fought off. For being attacked in his own temple, Bwonsamdi declared that the blood trolls would be mighty sorry.

When it was discovered that the turtle loa Torga had been slain by the blood trolls, Talanji and the tortollans called on Bwonsamdi to communicate with Torga's spirit. Bwonsamdi would only comply with a deal, the soul of another loa in exchange for communing with Torga, but Talanji denied him that much to Bwonsamdi's amusement. Instead, the souls of the blood trolls that had eaten Torga's flesh were used in exchange for communing with Torga.

Bwonsamdi participated in the final charge against the blood trolls led by Talanji. He prevented the adventurer from dying to a swarm of blood trolls because they still had a debt to pay him.

After a blood troll attack on Zuldazar, Rastakhan made a deal with Bwonsamdi: If Bwonsamdi gave him the power to take back his empire, then Rastakhan would elevate Bwonsamdi above all other loa in the Zandalari pantheon. Bwonsamdi accepted the deal on one condition: that the king's bloodline would be devoted to Bwonsamdi, to serve him in life and in death. Later, as Dazar'alor came under attack from Zul and Mythrax, Bwonsamdi empowered Rastakhan to kill Zul. He happily congratulated Rastakhan on taking back their empire.

After the Urn of Vol'jin is delivered to Atal'Dazar Bwonsamdi appears saying to bring the urn to his necropolis instead, as he hasn't seen Vol'jin in quite some time and they need to have a face to face talk. There Bwonsamdi discovers that Vol'jin spirit isn't in the urn and says "Da boss ain't gonna like dis".

Seeking to learn where Vol'jin's spirit had gone missing, Bwonsamdi tasked the adventurer and Talanji with performing a seance with the aid of some of Vol'jin's friends from life, Gadrin and Rokhan. They succeeded in contacting him deep within the Shadowlands, and he tasked them with slaying G'huun as justice for the sons and daughters of the loa and the heart of Zandalar. However, he did not answer what it was that had stolen his spirit.

At some point, the Horde reinforced his Necropolis, bringing troops and supplies. When the Alliance infiltrated it, Bwonsamdi was seen in the courtyard performing a ritual while Darkspear Hunters were worshipping him.

Tides of Vengeance


Following the deaths of the Horde's Champion of the Light and Jadefire Masters during the Battle of Dazar'alor, King Rastakhan urged Bwonsamdi to aid his forces. Bwonsamdi created a blood moon and raised the dead to fend off the Alliance. Bwonsamdi also raised Grong into a Revenant and turned him against the Alliance after Horde adventurers slew the giant gorilla. When the Alliance reached King Rastakhan, Bwonsamdi fought at his side and empowered the Zandalari king, but Rastakhan was still ultimately killed. As Talanji held her dying father, Rastakhan's pact with Bwonsamdi was transferred to his daughter as he took his final breath. Bwonsamdi himself then appeared before Talanji, who demanded to know what he had done to her, unaware of the pact her father made that bound his bloodline to the loa of graves. In response, Bwonsamdi merely revealed that her father never told her about their bargain. When asked by her allies about what to do about the fleeing Alliance, she turned towards Bwonsamdi, who with his gesture encouraged Talanji to order the Horde to go after the Alliance.

Vol'jin's spirit, Talanji, and Baine Bloodhoof returned to the Necropolis to reveal that Vol'jin had been calling for him, and Bwonsamdi had not heard him for some reason. They confronted Bwonsamdi to ask him if he was the one who had told the shadow hunter to make Sylvanas the Warchief of the Horde on Vol'jin's deathbed, which Bwonsamdi denied. Even as much as Bwonsamdi was all for war and death, Sylvanas took things too far, and besides that Sylvanas kept the souls of what she killed as undead instead of releasing them for Bwonsamdi to claim. Troubled by their words, Bwonsamdi agreed to help them find out who had really told Vol'jin to put Sylvanas in charge.

Bwonsamdi opened a Death Gate to one of his rivals in the ownership of souls: the Lich King. Like Bwonsamdi, the Lich King told Vol'jin that he was not responsible and that Sylvanas was upsetting the balance of life and death. Realizing that Vol'jin's spirit was getting help from some other power, Bwonsamdi also sent them to speak to the Val'kyr Eyir, warning them not to mention him by name to her. Indeed, because of some past history with Bwonsamdi Eyir did not allow Talanji to enter her hall as she was a priestess of the death loa. Eyir informed the group that Vol'jin had been "touched by the hand of valor", and whoever that was was not the same person who had told Vol'jin to make Sylvanas Warchief. Back at the Necropolis, Bwonsamdi mused that while Eyir and the Lich King were not his only rivals they were the ones he thought most likely to be behind it. He urged Vol'jin to search not the living world but the Shadowlands for his answers.

In accordance of the ritual of queens and kings, Talanji sought the judgment of the loa. After passing the trials of Krag'wa, Gonk, and Pa'ku, all that remained was Bwonsamdi. The loa of graves offered Talanji a chance to be freed of the pact by giving him the head of Sylvanas Windrunner. Surprised and stunned by this offer, Talanji, moved by her personal sense of honor, rejected betraying the Horde in such a manner and decided to remain beholden to her father's bargain with Bwonsamdi. The death loa merely remarked that it was a shame as he had been desiring a Warchief's soul for some time. Nonetheless, he gave her his blessing. Having passed the trials, Talanji was declared the Queen of Zandalari.

Shadows Rising
When the machinery of the Shadowlands broke and began sending all souls to the Maw, Bwonsamdi focused his powers on preventing the troll race from suffering the same fate by holding onto as many troll souls as he could and keeping them safe in the Other Side. This brought him into conflict with Sylvanas Windrunner, who wanted to expand the power of the Maw and sent Nathanos Blightcaller and Sira Moonwarden to kill the loa. To that end, Nathanos, Sira, and the rest of Sylvanas' loyalists allied with the Widow's Bite, a faction of Zandalari rebels opposing Queen Talanji.

Bwonsamdi saved Talanji from a Widow's Bite assassination attempt in Orgrimmar by giving the young Darkspear Zekhan an invisible shove, causing him to knock a poisoned cup out of the assassin's hand. Frustrated with the Horde, Talanji subsequently returned to Dazar'alor and asked Bwonsamdi to let her see her father's spirit so she could ask his counsel. The loa refused, reminding her that he was not her servant.

The Horde Council later sent Zekhan to Dazar'alor to act as the Horde's ambassador, watch over Talanji, and convince her to accept a place on the council. While the queen was showing him around the royal palace, the two were attacked by more Widow's Bite members. Bwonsamdi intervened again by distracting one of the assassins, allowing Zekhan to kill him. After the attack, Bwonsamdi appeared to a startled Zekhan to thank him for protecting his "investment" and offer him a bargain: Bwonsamdi would grant him a vision of death, and in return, Zekhan had to convince Talanji and the Zandalari to remain with the Horde, as this would be best for Zandalar and—more importantly—best for Bwonsamdi. Zekhan agreed, and the loa showed him a vision of his late mentor Varok Saurfang reunited with his family in a blissful afterlife. Unbeknownst to Zekhan, this vision was a lie.

As time passed, the Widow's Bite began burning Bwonsamdi's shrines and killing his priests throughout Zuldazar and Nazmir, causing him to grow weaker and weaker. Because of their bond, this caused Talanji's strength to diminish as well. Bwonsamdi told the queen that something had to be done soon and pointed out that she could seek help from the Horde. However, because the Horde was still working with Jaina Proudmoore—the woman Talanji blamed for Rastakhan's death—the queen demanded something in return: if she kept Bwonsamdi safe and restored him to his full strength, he would break the pact between them. The loa reluctantly accepted the deal but warned Talanji that she might not like what it meant to be all alone.

After learning from the Horde that the Widow's Bite were working with Sylvanas' dark rangers, Talanji immediately sent her soldiers to protect Bwonsamdi's remaining shrines, but the effort was thwarted by the dark rangers. During the confrontation, Zekhan was nearly killed and began entering the Maw, but Bwonsamdi managed to reach his soul and return it to his body. At this point, the loa of graves was so weak he appeared almost translucent, and he was using all of his remaining power to keep trolls away from the Maw. The loa explained the state of the Shadowlands to Zekhan and Talanji and informed them that if they did not stop Blightcaller and the rebels, nothing would stop all souls from entering the Maw forever. Back in Dazar'alor, Talanji again asked Bwonsamdi to summon Rastakhan's spirit, but he told her that she needed to find her own way and that there was still hope of stopping the rebels at the loa's last remaining place of power: the Necropolis.

Meanwhile, the Widow's Bite and the dark rangers captured the Zo'bal Ruins near the Necropolis. That night, Bwonsamdi appeared to Nathanos in the form of his dead cousin Stephon to taunt him, telling him that Sylvanas had made some powerful enemies in the Shadowlands. The following day, the rangers and rebels rounded up Bwonsamdi's worshippers at the temple and threatened them into summoning their god. The death loa appeared in person and raised an army of troll spirits from the graves around the Necropolis to attack the intruders. At the same time, Horde forces—led by Thrall, Baine Bloodhoof, and First Arcanist Thalyssra—finally arrived in Dazar'alor and joined Talanji's army as they rushed to defend the loa. Together they managed to defeat most of the rangers and rebels, but Nathanos stubbornly continued fighting Bwonsamdi. Though her strength was nearly spent, Talanji offered a prayer to the loa to empower him, and Nathanos was forced to flee after the Horde leaders surrounded him.

In the aftermath of the battle, Bwonsamdi's shrines were quickly rebuilt, and tales of his heroic stand in the Necropolis brought him more popularity and worshippers. Following a victory celebration, Bwonsamdi went to honor his pact with Talanji. While the queen stated that he had to relinquish some of his say in matters and let other loa advise her, she revealed that she had decided to let him remain the loa of kings; she knew that she would face more threats in the future and wanted Bwonsamdi's power on her side, only this time on her own terms. As a show of gratitude, Bwonsamdi summoned Rastakhan's spirit to allow father and daughter to reunite for a brief time before returning the king to his care and departing.

Sylvanas was displeased by Nathanos' failure and noted that Bwonsamdi's survival would complicate her plans considerably. However, she felt that it was a blow she could overcome. She dismissed Nathanos and told him to return with means to prevent the loa's meddling.

Shadowlands
He approached the Maw Walker and warned them that all of Ardenweald was in danger. He asked them for aid, as the Winter Queen was too proud to deal with the loa. He called upon them to join him on the Other Side and mentioned that Ardenweald was where loa spirits went for rebirth after dying on Azeroth before revealing how someone very powerful was making the loa spirits disappear under the Winter Queen's nose. Thus, he and the Maw Walker investigated the wildseeds within the Tranquil Pools and discovered that both Dambala and Hakkar the Soulflayer were missing.

The pair worked to discover who was behind the theft, with Bwonsamdi becoming briefly stunned at learning that his boss, Mueh'zala was behind it. Declaring that Mueh'zala had gone too far this time, he directed the Maw Walker with striking against Mueh'zala's loyalists to the point of killing High Priest Rakazodu and discovered that Mueh'zala was resurrecting Dambala and Hakkar to serve in his army. Knowing that Mueh'zala had to be stopped, Bwonsamdi turned to the Winter Queen for aid, who initially believed it to be a mere squabble between loa, before learning of the true scope of Mueh'zala's plans. For turning to the Winter Queen for aid, he earned nothing but disdain for his old boss, with Mueh'zala declaring that Bwonsamdi's time was done, his power spent, and he was coming to collect. While the Wild Hunt beat back Mueh'zala's forces, Bwonsamdi moved to personally deal with him.

Following the death of Dambala, the adventurers entered the Other Side where they discovered Bwonsamdi fighting against Mueh'zala, who demanded the souls of Rastakhan and the other Zandalari who died during the Fourth War and who Bwonsamdi has been keeping away from him. In order to better his odds in the fight, Bwonsamdi called upon them to collect some of his old mojo from former business partners. After Mueh'zala was defeated, Bwonsamdi bound him and declared himself the boss now.

After Mueh'zala let slip that he had stolen something from the Winter Queen, Bwonsamdi recruited the Maw Walker, and then had the pair travel to his Necropolis within Nazmir. After revealing that Mueh'zala's followers were attempting to free their master, Bwonsamdi directed his ally with killing their leader Zel'han the Summoner, and then collecting Zel'han's Broken Armor in order to end any hope Mueh'zala had of escape. At the same time Hanzabu, one of Bwonsamdi's followers, directed them with collecting the Dark Mojo from Mueh'zala's followers and rescuing other worshippers in order to help his master with his gambit.

After these tasks were completed, he revealed that ritual involved feeding Mueh'zala a bit of life essence from all within the Necropolis. He confidently waved off the concerns of the Maw Walker and remarked that as Mueh'zala fed, they would pull the truth from him. He then had Vol'jin summoned to witness the ritual and subsequently began it. Bwonsamdi and his allies then learned that Mueh'zala had trapped an ancient spirit the Maw, for refusing to join him and the Jailer. After acquiring this information Bwonsamdi, annoyed by Mueh'zala's threats, sent him back into the Other Side, and then suggested that they get payback on Mueh'zala by rescuing the spirit in question, and then bring said spirit to the safety of the Winter Queen.

When Vol'jin voiced concern about entering the Maw, Bwonsamdi reminded him how Mueh'zala revealed his soul was still tied to Azeroth. Despite this, he did warn Vol'jin to not fully manifest his spirit, and then allowed Vol'jin and the Maw Walker the use of his personal portal to Ardenweald. After the pair rescued Ashamane, Hir'eek, and Shadra, Bwonsamdi joined them in delivering the spirits to the Winter Queen. The Winter Queen subsequently took the spirits and Vol'jin, due to being intrigued by his spirit being entwined with that of the fallen loa Rezan, under her care. After sharing a mutual salute with Vol'jin, Bwonsamdi then attempted to request something in exchange for Vol'jin soul, only to be told to depart. Though complying with the request, he reminded her that if she ever needed him, to just come on over to de Other Side.

After Gorak Zhar was killed and the Drust beaten back, a Mask of Bwonsamdi was present within the Winter Queen's court.

Quests

 * Nazmir
 * A Tribute for Death
 * That Which Haunts the Dead
 * Remnants of the Damned
 * A Desecrated Temple
 * A Lonely Spirit
 * The Forlorn Soul
 * Soulbound (quest)
 * We'll Meet Again


 * Spirits Be With You
 * Atal'Dazar: Ashes of a Warchief
 * You Owe Me a Spirit
 * The Lost Spirit
 * The Loa of Death


 * The Shadow Hunter
 * Jailor of the Damned
 * Confront The Val'kyr
 * Mysteries of Death

On-click

 * Greeting
 * So... what brings you to visit lonely, old Bwonsamdi?
 * Huh, what ya be asking of ol' death?
 * Hello, hello! You come ta make a deal, eh?


 * Pissed
 * I see dead people. Yes, kinda my ting, you know.
 * Ya lookin' a little toasty. You wanna drink? How about, uh... ZOMBIE! (laughs)


 * Farewell
 * Sooner or later, everyone comes to me.
 * Shoo! Remove ya.
 * See ya soon! Real soon...

Gossip

 * What ya be askin' of Ol' Bwonsamdi?


 * At graveyards on Zandalar
 * say
 * say
 * say
 * say
 * say
 * say
 * say (Bursts out in cackling laughter)
 * say
 * say (to death knights)
 * say (to demon hunters)
 * say (to druids)
 * say (to hunters)
 * say (to mages)
 * say (to monks)
 * say (to paladins)
 * say (to priests)
 * say (to rogues)
 * say (to shaman)
 * say (to warlocks)
 * say (to warriors)


 * At instances


 * yell
 * say
 * say
 * say
 * say

How goes de soul collection, hm?
 * Zandalari recruitment questline

I hope you are keeping count, loa know ol' Bwonsamdi isn't.



In all seriousness, I hope you have not forgotten our bargain.

Shadowlands

 * Other Side gossip
 * Ya, mon? What ya need from Bwonsamdi?
 * Ay dere, hero. We need to talk.
 * Ay dere, hero! We be makin' a good team, no?
 * Don't ya know yet, mon? Dere be no hidin' from Bwonsamdi!

Shadows Rising

 * "I gave him a little shove. Just a teensy one. But no action taken by the powerful is ever little, ya see? And now ya be learnin' what it really means to be powerful. Everyone always wanting something from ya, always asking, just like ya be askin' me now."
 * Bwonsamdi: "Ya lives are all so adorably fleetin'. Ya come and go, but some of you be comin' and goin' in more interesting ways."
 * Zekhan: "I don't know if that's true... It feels like I'm just in the right place at the right time."
 * Bwonsamdi: "And? How do ya think the powerful become that way? It ain't always their smarts, let me assure you."


 * "Reckless child of a reckless king! Consider yaself lucky you be workin' with me and not another loa. Mueh'zala would eat ya alive."
 * "Ya saw the Maw, boy. A hopeless place that holds the darkest spirits. But now it be consumin' every soul, no matta their deeds in life. Good or evil, thief or prince, they all go to the Maw. Nothin' is as it should be. And I be keepin' as many trolls away from there as I can, and at no small cost. It's takin' all I have left just to keep them safe. Which is why ya must stop these rebels and Blightcaller. If they have their way, nothin' will stop all souls from enterin' the Maw. For good."
 * Bwonsamdi: "It might sound strange comin' from the loa of graves, but there is always hope, ya majesty. Death brings life. The great wheel turns, slowly, yes, over eons, but it turns. Bodies decay and new life springs from it, all things that seem eternal end, then rise to find new purpose..."
 * Talanji: "Then my father—"
 * Bwonsamdi: "Sh-hh. Ya not listening, child. Ya only hearin' what you want to. There is a harmony to things. A way and a flow. Ancient ones, spirits, loa... In time, we, too, must embrace the end, the long, deep slumber. And without us? Eh, our followers find strength in other things, in themselves, or new beliefs. They grieve, they grow—just like you. And when the veil of dreaming lifts, the eternal and great beings climb on the wheel once more, bound to it, and slowly, ever so slowly, the wheel spins. In that way, the ancient and powerful things of this world are eternal, ya majesty."


 * "Did you know, your queen has made some nasty friends on the Other Side. The power she has been granted can be taken away, the lords of death will never let her win. Her power is nothin' next to theirs. As she is chained to undeath, she is chained to the forces of the Shadowlands." (to Nathanos, while disguised as Stephon Marris)
 * "Ah, the dead one slipped away... He be tricksy indeed, just like ya old friend Bwonsamdi. I, however, plan to live a lot longer than him."

Followers

 * Witch Doctor Oinga (herald)
 * Loa Speaker Shan'kan (speaker and devout)
 * Kol'jun and Shinga Deathwalker
 * Hanzabu
 * Vessel of Bwonsamdi
 * Servants of Bwonsamdi
 * Priests
 * Injured Bwonsamdi Worshipper
 * Bwonsamdi Worshipper
 * Defiled Worshippers and Embalmers (formerly)

Besides the Necropolis, Bwonsamdi also had another big temple at the Terrace of Sorrows.

In Hearthstone
In the Hearthstone expansion Rastakhan's Rumble, Bwonsamdi serves as the patron of Bwonsamdi's Zombies, an unsettling, death-obsessed team of troll priests, and personally appears as HS Bwonsamdi, the Dead (a legendary priest card). His flavor text reads: "Everyone's dying to meet him."

Notes and trivia

 * The Dazar'ai call upon the power of Bwonsamdi.
 * Despite being the caretaker of deceased trolls, he is willing to put other races into his care. When Vol'jin tried to negotiate to him to spare Tyrathan Khort, he told him it is not Vol'jin's authority to decide who he will take and who he does not. It is likely that he took some deceased pandaren and mogu to his care during the Shado-Pan Monastery battle.
 * Bwonsamdi regards Vol'jin as one of his favorites.
 * Many of the Sandfury tribe's fallen members were offered no protection after death from Bwonsamdi, as their tortured spirits obeyed Zum'rah, a cruel witch doctor who used his dark magic to force the city's dead into unending service.
 * Bwonsamdi sees undead as abominations and cannot stand their "unbearable taint" in his temple. Despite this, he himself raised undead, in the form of Restless Zombies and Tiki Warriors, to test Vol'jin and fight Zalazane.
 * When Bwonsamdi did not find the soul of Vol'jin in his funeral urn in Battle for Azeroth, the loa exclaimed "Da boss ain't gonna like dis". The identity of this boss was unknown at the time. In Shadowlands, the identity of his boss was revealed to be Mueh'zala, another loa of death, one worshiped by the sand trolls.
 * Bwonsamdi serves as a Spirit Healer to players on Zandalar. He occasionally dances and performs cartwheels.
 * In Shoaljai Tar Pits, he can be seen shooting arrows from a bow at a devilsaur skull.
 * Bwonsamdi was voiced by Dave Fennoy in Wrath of the Lich King, and is now voiced by Alex Desert starting with Battle for Azeroth.
 * When voicing Bwonsamdi, Desert drew inspiration from the distinctive voice of a character in the 1972 Jamaican movie  as well as, , and how he imagines the Haitian lwa Baron Samedi.
 * Blizzard always planned to include Bwonsamdi in Shadowlands but didn't originally have a big plan for him. His role in the expansion was expanded after the developers saw the positive fan reaction to the character in Battle for Azeroth.
 * Bwonsamdi is inspired by the real Haitian loa in terms of name, but his role as a psychopomp is likely based on  or his trickster opposite . The Warcraft RPG and The Blessing of Samedi mention another troll loa inspired by Baron Samedi known as Samedi.
 * Bwonsamdi's appearance resembles the death god from .
 * Bwonsamdi's characterization as a Jamaican Patois speaking grim reaper type figure is similar to Grim from .
 * The name of Bwonsamdi's domain, the Other Side, may be a reference to Dr. Facilier, the voodoo-using villain of the 2009 Disney movie , who was partnered with spirits known only as the "Friends on the Other Side". Like Bwonsamdi, Facilier's appearance was inspired by Baron Samedi.
 * Roux attempted to have Bwonsamdi be a point of view character Shadows Rising before deciding being in his head would spoil World of Warcraft: Shadowlands.
 * While Bwonsamdi's text-box speech is usually in or a more anglicized Jamaican Patois, the voice acting sometimes speaks in Jamaican Patois. An example is during An Expected Guest, the voice-line says "it not be di Queen mi wan see", while the text-box says "it not be da Queen me wanna see".

Speculation
Because of the similarities between the troll loa Samedi and Bwonsamdi, with both being troll loa of death and being based on the same real-world, it is possible that the two are one and the same, just being addressed by slightly different names.