User:GoldenYak/Azj'Naggai

Once the capitol city of the empire of Azj'Aqir, it is now a ruin.

Background
The empire of the aqir was vast, stretching across a great swath of ancient Kalimdor. The heart of Azj'Aqir was the city of Azj'Naggai, once called the Singing City due to the crystalline spires built throughout it that hummed with the mystical power of the aqir magi. Surrounding it were many of the great Worldgates, made of corrupted titan technology melded with aqir arcane crystal-work, gates capable of teleporting vast numbers of aqir across great distances. It was the seat of power of the emperor Valthraxx the Everliving, and he and his insect court oversaw the ever-expanding civilization of the aqir. Conflict with the other great powers of Kalimdor was inevitable, and Azj'Aqir eventually went to open war with the troll race.

The trolls amassed a great and terrible force, one equal to the full might of Azj'Aqir's armies. As the trolls began to slowly press into the heart of the aqir territory, Valthraxx and his inner circle attempted a most desperate gambit to turn the tide. Calling upon ancient magicks, Valthraxx attempted to pierce the veil of dimensions and summon up a great and terrible creature imprisoned in the darkest depths of reality. This work of dark spell-craft drew the ire of the dragonflights, the greatest defenders of the world, who brought their wrath against the aqir and their capitol.

Neltharion, the Earth-Warder and Aspect of the black dragonflight, called upon his mastery over earth and stone to bring a devastating cataclysm against the aqir, awakening volcanoes and earthquakes throughout their empire. Azj'Naggai was swallowed by the earth, sliding deep beneath the surface, many of its crystal towers shattered by grinding mountains, or consumed by burning magma. The battered remains on the city eventually came to rest, deep beneath the surface of the world in what is now known as the Lost Realm of Azj. It remains a tomb city to this day, a necropolis abandoned by those who built it. It is known as the Dead City now.

Though the aqir fled their empire long ago, a handful of their descendants have returned. The qiraji people, driven from their city of Ahn'Qiraj and teetering on extinction, have re-traced the exodus of their ancestors and re-discovered the former capitol. These last few survivors shelter in the ruins of their once great homeland, seeking some way to recapture their greatness and exterminate their enemies. The city holds the lost history of the aqir race, and records the ancient mass-migrations of the aqir that gave rise to the modern insect kindgoms. Three such mass-migrations are known to have founded Azjol-Nerub in Northrend, Ahn'Qiraj in south-western Kalimdor, and the mantid kingdoms to far to the south in Pandaria.

Azj'Naggai holds records of a fourth exodus. Like the others, aqir traveled through a Worldgate, seeking a new kingdom far from conflict. But the Worldgate fell before the aqir could complete their journey, and the exodus was seemingly lost...

Dungeon Journal
The shattered capitol city of Azj'Aqir. Long abandoned by the aqir, it has recently become inhabited by scattered qiraji refugees, who seek some secret of their ancestors so they might rise to power once again. They have established a hive of silithid in the ruins of the city to protect them.

Azj'Naggai holds many ancient secrets about the aqir race. Even the mysterious arach'layn have been drawn to the ruins for some fell purpose.

Talos


The qiraji established a silithid hive in the ruins of the aqir's once mighty capitol city. The hive grew rapidly in the cradle of the aqir civilization, and has begun to yield powerful creatures. Talos is one such beast, a blood-thirsty silithid reaver.

Wukken the Wanderer


Once a proud command in the qiraji armies, Wukken was defeated when the gates of Ahn'Qiraj were flung open and the Might of Kalimdor swept in to bring war to the qiraji race. Wukken led the remnants of his people into the deepest desert-caves of Silithus, deep beneath the silithid hives, until they stood before the Ahn'Qiraj Worldgate. The last of the qiraji magi opened the portal, and Wukken led the refugees through it, returning to the ancient homeland of their aqir ancestors.

The vengeful Wukken and his hateful followers are searching the historical records of their ancestors, searching for a secret that will allow them to return to power and bring vengeance against the soft races of the surface world.

Kazziel of the Arach'Layn
Leader of the arach'layn forces that have secretly made their way to Azj'Naggai. The arach'layn have captured some of the qiraji refugees for some dark purpose, but also plan to destroy anyone who seeks to uncover the secrets of Azj'Naggai.

The Prophet Kherati
The greatest of the surviving qiraji prophets, holding the title of high prophet after the fall of his predecessor, Skeram. Kherati and his servants have deciphered the ancient records of the aqir, discovering their millennia old scheme to obtain dominion over Azeroth. Driven into a mania of devotion by the revelations, Kherati has sparked a storm of dark magic to engulf the city of Azj'Naggai, intending to destroy it utterly so no outsider my learn of his ancestors secrets.

Malal the Vengeant
Heroic Mode Only - A vengeful aqir wraith who haunts the ruins of his former homeland. He was once a valued member of the court of Valthraxx.