- For her The Frozen Throne statistics, see Lady Vashj (Warcraft III). For information on how to defeat Lady Vashj in World of Warcraft, see Lady Vashj (tactics).
Vashj | |
---|---|
Title |
Baroness, Matron of Spies Formerly: Lady, Coilfang Matron, Handmaiden of Queen Azshara[1] |
Gender | Female |
Race(s) | Maldraxxi (formerly naga, originally night elf) (Humanoid) |
Class | Sea witch |
Resource | Mana |
Reaction | Alliance Horde |
Affiliation(s) | House of Eyes, Undying Army |
Former affiliation(s) | Illidan's Naga, Coilfang tribe, Illidari, Nazjatar Empire (presumed), Highborne, Kaldorei Empire, Vashj'ir |
Occupation | Baroness of the House of the Eyes |
Former occupation(s) | Ruler of the Illidari loyal naga, Matron of Coilfang Reservoir, Lieutenant of Illidan, Queen Azshara's foremost handmaiden |
Location | Various |
Status | Active |
Relative(s) | Lestharia Vashj (mother) |
Mentor(s) | Margrave Akarek |
Companion(s) |
Khaliiq (devoted), Hydromancer Thespia (childhood friend and confidant) |
Vashj (known in life as Lady Vashj and in death as Baroness Vashj; pronounced /vɒʒ/ — somewhere between Vash and Vosh) has, at various points in her existence, been a Highborne servant of Queen Azshara, one of the first of the serpentine naga, a lieutenant of Illidan Stormrage, and a Necrolord baroness of the House of Eyes.
Born the daughter of Lestharia Vashj, ruler of the city of Vashj'ir, Vashj was once the foremost of Queen Azshara's Highborne handmaidens. She was transformed into one of the monstrous naga when Azshara and her followers were sent to the bottom of the sea during the Great Sundering.
Ten thousand years later, Vashj answered Illidan Stormrage's call and followed him first to Lordaeron, where she met up with Kael'thas Sunstrider and rallied his blood elves to Illidan's cause, and then to Outland when Illidan deposed Magtheridon as lord of the shattered world. As the leader of Illidan's naga, Vashj and her followers set up operations in the Coilfang Reservoir in Zangarmarsh, where the naga began to pump water from the region's lakes into their underground lair. During the invasion of Outland, adventurers invaded the Serpentshrine Cavern where Vashj made her lair and slew the Coilfang matron.
After her death, Vashj's soul was sent to Maldraxxus—the warlike realm of the Necrolords in the Shadowlands—where she became a baroness serving under Margrave Akarek in the House of Eyes, a faction of spymasters and assassins. The house was ultimately betrayed and destroyed by the House of Rituals, but Vashj remained a leader of the surviving Eyes and eventually joined forces with the House of the Chosen in the war against the traitorous Necrolords.
Biography[]
Lady Vashj was born in the Highborne city of Vashj'ir[2] as the daughter of Matron Lestharia Vashj, the city's beloved ruler. At some point, Vashj came to the night elf capital of Zin-Azshari and became one of Queen Azshara's personal handmaidens. Vashj considered it her birthright to serve Azshara. She copied the queen's hairstyle and clothing as much as possible. When the queen made Vashj her foremost handmaiden, remaining in the queen's favor became Vashj's sole concern.[3] She was described as "quite beautiful, with exotic, feline eyes" although she was still not as beautiful as Azshara herself.
War of the Ancients[]
When the Highborne were contacted by the titan Sargeras, Azshara was enthralled by Sargeras' vast might. Like the queen, Vashj looked forward to his arrival on Azeroth; both women were certain that he would find Azshara irresistible.
The queen did indeed possess amazing charisma, and she doubtless enhanced it with magic. With a quiet word or a mere glance, Azshara could inspire any number of violent emotions; passion and rage were her favorite choices. Driven by sudden outbreaks of jealousy, her subjects occasionally squabbled over her affections and fought duels in the name of her honor. The queen was amused by such displays and did not always intervene to save the combatants from harm. It was precisely this sort of possessive fury that affected Vashj when Azshara and her handmaidens paid a visit to High Priestess Tyrande Whisperwind. Tyrande had been captured by the Burning Legion and imprisoned in the palace. On a whim, the queen offered to make Tyrande one of her handmaidens, but Tyrande politely declined, saying she was sworn to Elune before all others. Azshara was irritated by Tyrande's refusal, however diplomatic, and departed shortly thereafter.[3]
Vashj could not forget the queen's offer so easily: the memory became a torment. Despite the fact that Tyrande had refused the queen, Vashj came to see the priestess as a rival for Azshara's affections. Irrationally certain that she had to act, Vashj tried to kill Tyrande but failed. Vashj then fled the prison cell before her attempt on Tyrande's life could be discovered.[3]
Vashj herself was among the handmaidens who nursed Illidan Stormrage back to health after he got his eyes burned by Sargeras.[4]
Cursed and transformed[]
Despite the Highborne's attempts to aid the Legion in summoning Sargeras, the portal to the Twisting Nether was ultimately closed before Sargeras could reach Azeroth. The Well of Eternity was unable to withstand the added magical strain, and it began to collapse in on itself. Under the sudden impact, Zin-Azshari and the Well were blasted downward toward the ocean floor. The Well pierced the planet's molten core just before being utterly obliterated. Ancient Kalimdor was split apart, and the seas rushed in to fill the voids between the new landmasses. Azshara, Vashj, and quite a few other Highborne were caught in the rushing waters. Instead of drowning, however, Vashj and many others were cursed and transformed into naga. Despite her subsequent mutations, Vashj has managed to retain her memories and personality. She has also become immortal, and she is not the only naga to receive this unexpected boon.[3]
Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne[]
Some time after the Third War, the demon lord Kil'jaeden contacted Illidan Stormrage, who was on Azeroth. Although Illidan had worked against the Legion's interests in the past, Kil'jaeden was willing to give Illidan another chance. If Illidan destroyed the Frozen Throne, Kil'jaeden promised to grant anything Illidan might desire. Accordingly, Illidan sought out new allies. He cast a powerful spell that reached the depths of the ocean, and a group of naga led by Lady Vashj responded, calling in some old Highborne debts.[5] One and all, they pledged themselves to Illidan. The naga did not come because of the history they shared with the former night elf, nor did they respect his demonic power. They came because the Old Gods willed it and they sent them to make sure his campaign against the Lich King succeeded so that it could spark a new war on Azeroth. If the former night elf became troublesome, they could simply command the naga to cut out his fel-corrupted heart.[6] Their first act of loyalty was to facilitate Illidan's escape from Azshara in Kalimdor, and bring him to the Broken Isles and the Tomb of Sargeras.
When Maiev Shadowsong confronted Vashj, the sea witch inside of the tomb, she told Maiev that her justice had no place there, and when the warden demanded how she would know anything of the night elven way, Vashj replied by telling that the naga were night elves once. Then she slithered off to join Illidan in the Chamber of the Eye. Illidan and the naga retrieved a magical artifact known as the Eye of Sargeras. To use the eye, Illidan needed an additional source of magic. He located Dalaran and sent Vashj ahead to Lordaeron to scout the ley lines.[6] When she arrived, her presence was noticed by the Lich King, who sent the Scourge to the ruins as well. Illidan and naga sorcerers later channeled a destructive spell through the Eye in order to destroy the Frozen Throne. Vashj and her naga were awed by the display of raw power. However, their attempt was thwarted, and Illidan made a hasty retreat to Outland in the hope of evading Kil'jaeden's wrath.
Many naga died during the attack, but Lady Vashj and her surviving naga had managed to slip away from the fighting and take shelter deep within nearby Lordamere Lake. Illidan ordered her to find new allies for his army while he would scout Draenor.[7]
Further allies[]
At Illidan's direction, Lady Vashj and her naga sought out the Prince Kael'thas Sunstrider and his group of blood elves. Kael had been under the oppressive whip of a human general named Garithos, who had sent Kael and his people on missions that any laymen could do while keeping the elves from the front lines. Kael first encountered Vashj when he found his shipyard ruined, and thus his means across the river scuttled. She approached him with an offer of assistance. Kael was hesitant, having fought the naga alongside Maiev at Dalaran—but Vashj insisted, and Kael accepted. Vashj watched Garithos' rage at Kael's dealings with her. But Garithos then sent Kael and his elves against an invading force of undead. Kael was eager to prove himself in battle, but Garithos recalled Kael's support, siege, and cavalry units to the front lines, leaving Kael with a very meager standing force.
Vashj felt that the time was ripe to intervene, and so offered her troops to strengthen his own. Kael was again hesitant, but Vashj insisted that it was better to survive than to obey the word of a rash tyrant. Together they defeated the undead forces and recaptured their bases. When Garithos approached, Kael ushered Vashj away, saying he could not ensure her safety. She did, but watched as Kael and his people were taken away in shackles supposedly for betraying the Alliance by siding with the naga. Vashj infiltrated the dungeons of Dalaran through the sewer system and found Kael, killed his guards, and freed him. Vashj told Kael that escape was possible through the remains of the gate Kel'Thuzad had erected to summon Archimonde. She helped Kael escape the jails and kill Jailor Kassan, robbing valuable items from the magical stores as they went, and freeing his people from their cells. Upon reaching the streets, however, Garithos proceeded to assault the portal with his forces. After a perilous defense, they fled through the portal to Outland.
When they came through the portal to the shattered landscape of Outland, Vashj explained that it was once the homeworld of the orcs, but the destruction had turned it into the barren, broken waste it now was, and that Illidan was somewhere waiting for them. Vashj and Kael searched fruitlessly for days, until Vashj caught a familiar scent on the wind. Illidan had been captured by Maiev and was being hauled back to her base in a magical prison wagon. Vashj and Kael battled Maiev for dominance, but finally reclaimed the wagon and brought it back to their base, where Illidan was freed. Illidan thanked Vashj for her loyalty, but Vashj gave credit to Kael. Illidan then told them of his plan to rule Outland by overthrowing the current ruler Magtheridon.
And so Vashj and Kael defended Illidan as he closed the dimensional gates that supplied Magtheridon with his reinforcements. After they were all successfully closed, Illidan's armies marched on the Black Temple. Vashj and her naga infiltrated the aqueducts and attacked the Black Temple from a side entrance, as Akama and his Broken destroyed the automated defenses. Vashj was responsible for killing the Mistress of Torment with aid from only a few myrmidons and snapdragons for support. Eventually, they battled their way to Magtheridon, and in a titanic battle, defeated him.
But Kil'jaeden appeared and mocked their foolhardy attempt to betray him. He then commanded that they find the Frozen Throne and destroy it. Vashj, Kael, and Illidan went back to Azeroth and advanced upon Northrend, only to be met at every turn by Arthas and Anub'arak, Ner'zhul's prime generals. The battle came down to single combat between Illidan and the death knight Arthas Menethil. Arthas won the fight and warned Illidan to leave the planet and never return.
The Burning Crusade[]
- Main article: Lady Vashj (tactics)
Over the next few years, Vashj continued serving Illidan in the wastes of Outland. After Gathios surveyed the defenses of Black Temple and found a weak point in its sewers, the blood elf asked Lady Vashj for assistance. She sent her champion, High Warlord Naj'entus and a small group of naga to guard the sewers.[8]
Under the command of Vashj, the naga recently have begun to enslave the tribes of the Broken in an effort to bolster the naga's workforce and further their agenda in Outland. Nearly all of the Wastewalker tribe has been captured and put to work to drain the waters of Zangarmarsh. The plan was to take control of all the waters of Outland, and through them, its people.[9] To command the engineers who maintain and operate this machinery, Lady Vashj hired the renowned Mekgineer Steamrigger, a gifted gnome technician whose illness has damaged his sanity.[10]
Vashj herself carefully monitors Coilfang's operations from her seat of power within Serpentshrine Cavern. Far more at home here among the waters of the reservoir than locked within the cold stone walls of Black Temple, Vashj maintains a close eye on her minions and personally oversees the draining of Zangarmarsh.[11] Lady Vashj would later partake in the battle in Shadowmoon Valley that would destroy Warden Shadowsong's forces and result in the warden's capture.[12]
During the invasion of Outland, adventurers invaded the Serpentshrine Cavern where Vashj made her lair and slew the Coilfang matron, her dying breath an apology to her master.
Attunement to the Battle of Mount Hyjal[]
After the Sundering ten thousand years earlier, Illidan had taken seven vials containing the waters of the Well of Eternity in order to create a new one at the top of Mt. Hyjal. Illidan used three to create the new Well of Eternity, but it was not known what happened to the other four until recently. It was revealed that Vashj received one of these vials, as did Kael'thas. In order to access the Battle of Mount Hyjal in the Caverns of Time, one must enter Serpentshrine Cavern, Vashj's inner sanctum. The players must then slay Vashj and take her Vial of Eternity.
Shadowlands[]
Shortly after her death, Vashj's soul arrived in the afterlife Maldraxxus and joined the House of Eyes, the spymasters of the Necrolord Covenant. She was initially surprised by her destination, as she had always expected the afterlife to be a realm of beauty and extravagance and not a necrotic wasteland, but quickly found that she enjoyed the Maldraxxi's fight for dominance more than any luxuries. Although she could have returned to her night elf form in the afterlife, she chose to retain the appearance of a naga—it was in that form that she was recognized for her cunning and resolve, whereas during her time as a kaldorei, she was prized only for her beauty. Vashj swiftly earned the rank of baroness and came to serve as the trusted hand of Margrave Akarek.[13] The house's other baroness was Draka, but she and Vashj did not get along.[14]
Vashj at some point took up the hobby of fishing at an isolated lake in southern Maldraxxus, a lake that was also inhabited by the soul of the Lurker Below, a kraken who'd served her in Serpentshrine Cavern and who'd been killed by adventurers.[13]
Pursuing Mor'Bitan[]
At one point, Akarek sent Vashj to investigate mysterious behavior in the House of Rituals. Shortly after, the same house destroyed the House of Eyes and killed Akarek. Draka—following the margrave's orders—went on to join the House of the Chosen, but Vashj saw this as Draka abandoning her loyalties and duties. Along with a group of surviving Eyes, including her servant Khaliiq, Vashj continued trying to complete her final mission by claiming revenge against Mor'Bitan, the lich responsible for her house's fall. Draka eventually sent the Maw Walker to find Vashj in the marsh of Glutharn's Decay and recruit her help to the Chosen's side, but Vashj refused to do so before her mission was complete. On the baroness' request, the Maw Walker captured Mor'Bitan's lieutenant Mephiles,[14][15] allowing Vashj to extract his memories and learn of a secret ritual Mor'Bitan was planning at the nearby Rotting Mound.[16] The Maw Walker and baroness worked together to sabotage the ritual before luring the lich into the open and killing him. This act of deception empowered one of the runes on the Maw Walker's runeblade, which Vashj recognized as having been forged by Maldraxxus' lost ruler, the Primus. She admitted that this changed things and that the hero's help had earned her allegiance, so she agreed to travel to the Seat of the Primus to join her forces with Draka's.[17][18] Vashj and Khaliiq subsequently helped defend the Seat when it was attacked by the forces of Baron Vyraz.[19]
Art of War[]
Although Draka and her allies gained control of the Seat, it continued to be besieged by the traitor houses. Vashj devised a plan to permanently bolster the Seat's defenses: they would steal a necropolis from their foes. However, this would require aid from other surviving members of the House of Eyes. Vashj, Khaliiq, and Maw Walkers who had pledged themselves to the necrolords traveled north to the remains of Akarek's fallen necropolis Nurakkir, which was being plundered by the House of Constructs.[20] There they met up with Whisperer Vyn, who had served aboard the fortress. Commanding a necropolis would require a complete crew, so the Maw Walkers were tasked with recruiting a navigator (Vyn's traumatized sister Xennir),[21] a mechanic (Ansid, a Construct defector imprisoned by his fellows),[22] and a helmsman (Caliroux, a lich from the House of Rituals whom Khaliiq helped the Maw Walkers summon and enslave).[23] With the crew assembled, the Eyes and the Maw Walkers proceeded to kill the Constructs' head gutter Gorgantus and take control of Nurakkir.[24] Shortly after, the crew and the Maw Walkers put Vashj's plan into action[25] and took control of the Construct necropolis Zerekriss.[26]
Vashj partook in the joint kyrian and necrolord assault on the House of Constructs, accompanying Alexandros Mograine's forces at the Stitchyard. Her spies identified several astral projectors used by Margrave Gharmal to rally their troops, and she tasked Maw Walkers with destroying them in order to strike a blow to the Constructs' morale.[27] Later, the baroness accompanied the necrolords as they assaulted the stronghold of the House of Rituals in order to remove the influence of the traitor Kel'Thuzad (who was the one ultimately responsible for destroying the House of Eyes). Vashj fought alongside the other necrolords as they pushed through the house's southern entrance, into the Grimoirium, and eventually into Exoramas to confront their target alongside reinforcements from Venthyr Covenant (which included the soul of Vashj's old traitorous ally, Kael'thas). During the battle with Kel'Thuzad, Vashj and the others focused on holding off the lich's skeletal minions while the Maw Walkers dealt with the lich himself. After Kel'Thuzad escaped in defeat and the necrolords gained the allegiance of Margrave Sin'dane, Vashj commented that she'd had doubts about the Maw Walkers at first but that they had proven themselves to be valuable champions of the covenant.[28]
Chains of Domination[]
Vashj accompanied the covenant forces who invaded the realm of Korthia, and occasionally appears as a visitor in Keeper's Respite.
After the return of the Primus, Vashj participated in the united covenant attack on Desmotaeron, which she found to be exhilarating. She and Khaliiq subsequently returned to the Seat to witness the Primus naming Draka the new Margrave of the Chosen. Vashj was unimpressed by her rival's promotion, and when Khaliiq told her that the Primus would surely soon make her the margrave of the Eyes, Vashj replied that she'd earn her title through the relentlessness and guile that characterized their house.[29]
The baroness returned to Keeper's Respite, where the covenants faced consistent problems with disguised nathrezim infiltrating their forces. In life, Vashj had learned from Illidan how to identify dreadlords, but she couldn't be in all places at once and reported the problem to the Primus.[30] The necrolord leader asked a Maw Walker to go to Revendreth to recruit the help of the Stonewright—who'd fought nathrezim in the past—and at the same time help Prince Renathal forge a new sigil for the venthyr. Due to her experience with the nathrezim, Vashj was sent along to help the Maw Walker. She took Khaliiq and two of her other devoted with her. At Sinfall, she again ran into her old ally Kael'thas—whom she mocked for his alliance with the Burning Legion—and the venthyr Accuser, who repeatedly tried to make the baroness "atone" for her crimes.[31] Vashj asked the Accuser to let Kael'thas join her and the Maw Walker on their mission. The Accuser agreed but told the Maw Walker to keep an eye on the two, since she worried that the baroness might be a bad influence on Kael. The trio accompanied Renathal's envoy to the Stonewright in Dominance Keep,[32] but the latter revealed that several members of Renathal's group were dreadlords themselves. Upon being unmasked, the nathrezim leader Nal'ragas stole the Stonewright's Medallion of Wrath and teleported the Maw Walker, Vashj, and Kael to another part of the keep.[33]
The trio used Vashj's Orb of Revelation—the tool she and Kael had once used to detect nathrezim during their time in the Illidari—to uncover more infiltrators in the area[34] and tracked Nal'ragas down to take back the Medallion of Wrath. When they caught up with her, however, she'd already given the medallion to her superior Mal'Ganis. Nal'ragas recognized Vashj and Kael as Illidan's lackeys and cryptically told them "Anetheron sends his regards" before they killed her.[35] To track the medallion, Renathal, the Stonewright, and the three dreadlord hunters returned to Sinfall,[36] where the latter uncovered even more of the infiltrators and their communications.[37][38] Renathal and his fellow Harvesters performed a ritual that revealed that Mal'Ganis was in the nearby Dawnkeep, and the Maw Walker, Vashj, Kael, and the Stonewright headed there[39] to confront the demons. With reinforcements from Renathal and the other venthyr, they imprisoned Mal'Ganis and took back the medallion, though the rest of the nathrezim managed to achieve their true objective of rescuing their imprisoned master Denathrius. After the battle, the Accuser remarked that Kael and Vashj seemed to have complimented each other well, allowing Kael to let go of more of the sins his soul was burdened with.[40]
Returning to Maldraxxus, Vashj tasked Khaliiq with helping Margrave Sin'dane clear out Kel'Thuzad's remaining loyalists—the last of the traitors who'd been involved in Akarek's death—from the House of Rituals. Before she could go about this mission, however, Khaliiq was sought out by a Maw Walker and Huln Highmountain, who wanted her to help them save Tyrande Whisperwind—Vashj's old nemesis—from the powers of the Night Warrior. The Maw Walker and Khaliiq returned to Vashj at the Bleak Redoubt to ask for her permission. She allowed that her devoted could aid the Night Warrior, but only after she'd finished her current task.[41] When Khaliiq asked if Vashj had known Tyrande in life, the baroness simply replied "I know she is hard to kill", then told Khaliiq to focus on the mission.[42]
Eternity's End[]
Vashj was one of the covenant representatives that the Primus summoned to the Crucible in Oribos to witness the opening of a portal to Zereth Mortis.[43]
In Zereth Mortis, Maw Walkers found a strange substance that they believed could be used to create a lure for Hirukon, an elusive aurelid. They sought out Vashj at her favorite fishing spot in southern Maldraxxus to ask for her help, since she was familiar with deep sea creatures. The baroness stated that, in life, she could've used the substance to create a lure for the aurelid, but the required materials had been left behind in the mortal realm—specifically near places where she spent most of her life. The Maw Walkers traveled back to the world of the living and obtained the items: a coilclutch vine from the Ruins of Vashj'ir, the city of her birth; a flipper fish from Nazjatar, where she lived as a naga for millennia; and a pungent blobfish from the Coilfang Reservoir, the place of her death. Upon being given the materials, Vashj crafted the lure for the heroes as requested and, as an afterthought, thanked them for bringing her reminders of her past.[13]
Locations[]
Notable appearances | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Location | Level range | Health range | ||||
Lady Vashj (tactics) | ?? | 4,249,280 | ||||
Memory of Vashj | 82 |
| ||||
Maldraxxus | ?? Boss | 117,000 |
Abilities[]
- Chain Lightning — Strikes an enemy with a lightning bolt that arcs to another nearby enemy. The spell affects up to 3 targets, causing Nature damage to each.
- Multi-Shot — Fires a volley of missiles at an enemy and its nearby allies, striking up to 5 targets for normal damage plus 100.
Appearance[]
Before her monstrous transformation, Vashj was described as being "quite beautiful". Her clothes were similar to those of her mistress, but lower quality. The only thing that made her stand out from the other handmaidens were her exotic feline eyes.[citation needed]
After the Great Sundering, Vashj had turquoise/light blue skin, six arms with long, clawed and webbed fingers, and a long, scaly tail (which she joked about tripping over from time to time) with pink fins. In place of hair, she had about eighteen snakes on her head (one of which was actually a moray eel), which served as her "extra" eyes. Like most other female naga, her face largely retained its elven features, though it had exotic markings on it.
Quests[]
Maldraxxus storyline[]
- [53-60] A Common Peril
- [53-60] Glorious Pursuits and [53-60] Prey Upon Them
- [53-60] War is Deception
- [53-60] Entangling Web and [53-60] Tainted Cores
- [53-60] Seek Your Mark
- [53-60] Straight to the Heart
- [53-60] Her Rightful Place
Necrolords Campaign[]
- The House of Eyes
- [60] Eyes on the Problem
- [60] Prying Eyes and [60] Whisper of Hope
- [60] The Other Foot
- [60] See What You've Done
- Righteous Retribution/A Golden Dawn
- [60] Grave Intent
Korthia[]
- [60 Daily] Continued Efforts: Mauler's Outlook
Chains of Domination campaign[]
- An Army of Bone and Steel
- Needs to be spoken with in [60] The Roads We Walk.
- The Unseen Guests
Introductory portion:
- [60] Dreadlords!
- Needs to be spoken with in [60] Dread Tidings.
Dominance Keep portion:
- [60] Spy vs Spy
- The Power of Night
- Needs to be spoken with in [60] By Your Leave.
Shadowlands alpha[]
- [52] Born of Stars
- [52] Tides Change
- [60] The Eternal Revenge
Quotes[]
Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne[]
For unit quotes, see Quotes of Warcraft III/Neutral Heroes#Naga Sea Witch.
- Vashj: "You've come far enough, little warden. Your vaunted night elf justice has no jurisdiction here."
- Maiev: "What would you know of us or our justice, naga witch?"
- Vashj: "Why, my dear, we naga were once night elves! We were Azshara's chosen, the Highborne-- banished beneath the cruel seas when the Well of Eternity imploded around us!"
- Maiev: "Impossible..."
- Vashj: "Cursed, transformed... we have waited ten thousand years to retake our rightful place in the world. And now, with Lord Illidan's help, we shall!"
- Maiev: "Not while I draw breath!"
- Vashj: "Your courage is commendable, but it shall avail you nothing."
- "The human you serve trusts no race but his own. His sense of honor runs no deeper than his tolerance."
- "I know this hunger, Kael. Like us, your people are addicted to magic! It flowed through your veins for over ten thousand years. And now, with the corruption of your land and the Sunwell that empowered you..."
- "This shattered world is called Outland, young prince. It is all that remains of Draenor, the former homeland of the orcish Horde."
- "We also serve Illidan, old one."
The Burning Crusade[]
- Main article: Lady Vashj (tactics)#Quotes
Shadowlands[]
Dialogue[]
- Maldraxxus storyline
- Main article: A Common Peril#Notes
- Main article: Glorious Pursuits#Notes
- Main article: War is Deception#Notes
- Main article: Entangling Web#Notes
- Main article: Seek Your Mark#Notes
- Main article: Straight to the Heart#Notes
- Main article: Her Rightful Place#Notes
- Main article: Among the Chosen#Notes
- Necrolords Campaign
- Main article: Power of the Primus#Notes
- Main article: Eyes on the Problem#Notes
- Main article: Prying Eyes#Notes
- Main article: See What You've Done#Notes
- Main article: The Impossible Plan#Notes
- Main article: The Third Fall of Kel'Thuzad#Notes
- Chains of Domination campaign
- Main article: The Roads We Walk#Notes
- Main article: Dreadlords!#Notes
- Main article: Dread Tidings#Notes
- Main article: Convoy of the Covenants#Notes
- Main article: Nal'ragas (quest)#Notes
- Main article: Spy vs Spy#Notes
- Main article: The "Unwelcome" Guests#Notes
- Main article: By Your Leave#Notes
- Main article: You Cannot Hide#Notes
- Seat of the Primus conversations (triggered by talking to Baroness Draka)
- Alexandros Mograine says: Baroness, your original night elf form was restored in the afterlife, was it not? Why abandon it for one akin to the naga?
- Baroness Vashj says: When I was kaldorei, I was but a handmaiden to my queen. Prized for my beauty, and little else. As a naga, I was recognized and rewarded for my cunning and resolve.
- Baroness Vashj says: But I could ask the same question of you. Why adopt the form of a feeble human, when so many stronger ones exist?
- Alexandros Mograine says: This is the form I had when purging countless undead on Azeroth. But I suppose your point stands.
- Baroness Draka says: I did not abandon Margrave Akarek. I was sent on a mission before our house fell, just as you were.
- Baroness Vashj says: Is that why you cowered behind the Chosen's banner while your fellow Eyes were being slaughtered?
- Baroness Draka says: The margrave entrusted me with a new purpose, Vashj. Letting go of the past is the only way we can survive.
- Baroness Vashj says: Survival is for the weak and timid. Either you prevail... or you perish.
- Baroness Vashj says: I once beheld your world for myself, Draka. Or rather, the shattered ruin it has become.
- Baroness Draka says: You seem to know much of broken worlds, Vashj. And of consorting with demonic filth.
- Baroness Vashj says: Queen Azshara's machinations brought us untold power. The Sundering was a small price to pay for our ascension.
- Baroness Draka says: I have heard tales of your vain, heartless queen. It seems you have a great deal in common with her... in form as well as substance.
- Baroness Vashj says: Mograine. Given your personal history with the undead, you must find Maldraxxus... distasteful.
- Alexandros Mograine says: Slaying the undead was my life's purpose. To be surrounded by them in death... I found myself in the midst of a nightmare.
- Alexandros Mograine says: It was Margrave Krexus who showed me that our army is one of honor and acclaim. But the actions of our enemies echo those of the Scourge.
- Baroness Vashj says: Then perhaps your life's purpose shall continue.
- On approach if part of the Venthyr Covenant and are not a Friend or higher
- It appears your eyes were correct, Khaliiq. The Maw Walker approaches.
- On approach if part of the Venthyr Covenant and are a Friend or higher
- Ah, the master of courts returns to our corner of Maldraxxus.
- On approach if part of the Venthyr Covenant and are a Best Friend
- <Name>... one of the few I am happy to see wander into our camp these days.
On-click[]
- Greetings
- From strife comes opportunity.
- Grief accomplishes nothing.
- I stand ready.
- I will not be trifled with.
- Let our will be done.
- Make it quick.
- Vengeance awaits.
- Irritated
- Your time grows short, mortal.
- Over the millennia I lived as a naga, I came to appreciate my new form. Though I still keep tripping over this damn tail.
- Death may be a setback for some, but only if you lack ambition.
- Farewell
- Do not miss your mark.
- I do so enjoy our conversations.
- I will not linger here forever.
- In Akarek's name.
- Power belongs to those who claim it.
- The shadows cannot obscure my glory.
- You are either an asset or a liability.
Gossip[]
- Glutharn's Decay (if the player has not defeated her encounter in Serpentshrine Cavern)
- I grow anxious to act.
- What's your story?
- Must you wound me? I had hoped my work would carry weight beyond my death.
- Like you, I hail from Azeroth. I was known then as "Lady Vashj", servant to Lord Illidan and Queen Azshara.
- My soul arrived in Maldraxxus shortly after I was... dispatched in Serpentshrine Cavern.
- My aptitude swiftly earned me a place at the side of Margrave Akarek. I was his trusted hand, eager to execute his vision.
- He is only a memory now. The House of Eyes is gone, but I will not rest until I have my vengeance.
- Glutharn's Decay (if the player has defeated her encounter)
- I grow anxious to act.
- Lady Vashj? What are you doing in Maldraxxus?
- The title is "Baroness", little <race>.
- Are you truly surprised to see me? After all, you are the one who sent me here. My soul arrived in Maldraxxus shortly after you... dispatched me in Serpentshrine Cavern.
- My aptitude swiftly earned me a place at the side of Margrave Akarek. I was his trusted hand, eager to execute his vision.
- He is only a memory now. The House of Eyes is gone, but I will not rest until I have my vengeance.
- Seat of the Primus after [53-60] The Door to the Unknown
- I had always imagined the afterlife would be extravagant and beautiful--a realm all my own where I could dote and be doted on.
- Imagine my surprise when I arrived in a necrotic wasteland more barren than Outland and more hostile than the crushing depths...
- Imagine my surprise when I liked it.
- This fight for dominance is more exhilarating than any luxuries could ever be.
- Seat of the Primus (Covenant Sanctum version)
- We shall enact vengeance upon all who have betrayed Maldraxxus.
- Akarek's Tears after [60] Eyes on the Problem and Nurakkir after [60] See What You've Done
- I am beset with remorse at the state of my home.
- But remorse will earn me nothing. Only revenge will set this right.
- Nurakkir after accepting [60] Prying Eyes and [60] Whisper of Hope
- You are doing well, <name>. The House of Eyes watches your actions... and approves.
- At Renounced Bastille if part of the Venthyr Covenant and are not a Friend or higher
- I have witnessed many princes play court throughout the ages, Maw Walker.
- It is more likely to go poorly than well, even in the best of circumstances.
- Your Renathal would do well to listen to his critics more closely than his flatterers.
- Courts always have both. Do you wonder which I shall be?
- <Baroness Vashj smirks.>
- At Renounced Bastille if part of the Venthyr Covenant and are a Friend or higher
- What brings you to Maldraxxus, <name>?
- More mushrooms for your court's feasts or more of Maldraxxus's soldiers to defend your walls?
- <Baroness Vashj smiles.>
- I must admit, I am enjoying the Ember Court far more than I expected to.
- Prince Renathal may be playing host on the main stage, but I have more often had my eyes on you.
- You are the one moving things along behind the scenes, much as I did during my days on the Queen's court.
- <Baroness Vashj looks past you for a moment.>
- It is not easy, what you do.
- At Renounced Bastille if part of the Venthyr Covenant and are a Best Friend
- Always in a hurry, my little <name>.
- It is not a complaint. I actually enjoy that particular aspect of our relationship.
- You do not waste my time, and I do not waste your efforts.
- So what would you ask of me on this particular occasion?
- Reconnaissance? Assassination? Court-planning advice?
- The Matron of Spies is at your disposal.
- At the Ember Court
- As the former handmaiden to Queen Azshara, I witnessed countless extravagant courts.
- As a baroness of Maldraxxus, I have seen countless brilliant strategies and optimistic maneuvers led to ruin because of miniscule mistakes.
- In short, I am not easily impressed.
- If the player uses the [Quill of Correspondence], she responds with a Letter
- Main article: Quill of Correspondence
- At the lake in southern Maldraxxus
- It seems even my favorite fishing spot isn't safe from the intrusion of you mortals.
- I tire of trying to finding solitude from your kind.
- Also, don't bother the Lurker. He deserves some peace after being disturbed from his rest and murdered by you.
- Do you know what to do with this "Strange Goop"?
- What is this?
- Hmm... from Zereth Mortis, you say? Near some jellyfish you wish to capture? Interesting.
- In life, I could've used this substance to fashion a lure for the monster you seek, but I no longer have access to those materials. They remain in the land of the living near the places I spent most of my life. Perhaps if you find yourself around my former haunts you may find what I need.
- But until then, I cannot help you.
- I've brought the materials you need.
- I must admit, I did not think you would be able to get these.
- Here. Have your lure. If you should you[sic] lose it, return to me. I have enough to make another.
- And, I suppose... thank you for these little pieces of the past.
- Ah, such memories.
In the TCG[]
In her pre-Sundering night elf form, Vashj is classified as a night elf priest.[44]
In Hearthstone[]
- Lady Vashj appears as a legendary minion for the shaman class in the Ashes of Outland expansion for Hearthstone. Upon death, she shuffles back into the player's deck as Vashj Prime. Her flavor text reads: Personal handmaiden to Queen Azshara turned lieutenant to Illidan Stormrage. Also quite the hair sssstylist.
- Players who prepurchased the Ashes of Outland Mega Bundle unlocked Vashj as an alternate shaman hero. Her flavor text reads: Handmaiden to Queen Azshara, Lieutenant to Illidan Stormrage. Also responsible for many people's fear of swimming.
- In addition, prepurchasing the Mega Bundle unlocked the Vashj-themed "Serpentine" card back. The flavor text reads: We have artfully arranged the remnants from Lady Vashj's last haircut for your viewing pleasure.
- Purchasing the Tavern Pass during the Voyage to the Sunken City expansion allowed players to unlock Kaldorei Vashj—representing her in her night elf form—as another alternate shaman hero. Kaldorei Vashj's flavor text reads: Before the Sundering, she was known for her loyalty to the queen and having a completely unremarkable hair situation.
- Vashj reappears yet again in the Murder at Castle Nathria expansion, this time in her Maldraxxi form as Baroness Vashj, a legendary shaman minion. In the story of the expansion, the baroness is one of ten guests who were invited to a dinner party in Castle Nathria by Sire Denathrius, and consequently one of the prime suspects when Denathrius is found murdered. Her flavor text reads: Vashj was supposed to make an appearance in "The Sunken City," but after a freak accident in "Ashes of Outland," she ended up here.
In the RPG[]
Lady Vashj is an ancient naga priestess dedicated to the service of her race’s queen, Azshara. Wicked and brilliant, Vashj served as one of Azshara’s favored agents for many centuries-quietly planning the naga’s return to the hated surface world. When Queen Azshara finally decided to make the naga’s existence known, she sent Lady Vashj to establish contact with the surface dwellers. Lady Vashj met the demoncursed Illidan and they struck a pact to aid each other against their night elf enemies. To this day, Lady Vashj still serves her master Illidan in the wastes of Outland. Though her heart and loyalties lie with her Queen and her race, Vashj enjoys working with Illidan and sowing discord and terror wherever she can.[45]
She was a healer and sorcerer in the Warcraft RPG, which made her a shaman and mage in the World of Warcraft RPG.
Abilities[]
Vashj leans on her combat abilities more than her magic, but she is still a formidable sorceress. She is peerless with her magic bow. She wears Witch's Circlet. Her longbow, Frostfathom, was crafted by the Moon Guard and enchanted by Queen Azshara.[46] Lady Vashj favors wind and water elemental powers when casting offensively. A retinue of naga myrmidon bodyguards always accompanies her.[47]
Notes and trivia[]
- The name of Lestharia Vashj implies that Vashj is actually her family name, and that her given name is unknown.
- It was originally was stated that Vashj and her naga agreed to serve Illidan because they remembered him from the War of the Ancients and respected his power.[3][1] World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 3 retconned this by stating that the naga didn't come because of their shared history with Illidan or because they respected his power, but instead because they were ordered to by the Old Gods.
- Despite originally being an Old God servant, it is possible that Vashj switched her allegiance to Illidan over time.[48][49] This is possibly indicated by Vashj's last words when she is killed in Serpentshrine Cavern: Lord Illidan, I... I am... sorry.
- The legendary item [Lady Vashj's Grasp] is named after her.
- Lady Vashj appears in nearly every campaign within Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne, with The Founding of Durotar being the sole exception. She serves as a villain in Terror of the Tides, a player character in Curse of the Blood Elves, and an adversary in Legacy of the Damned.
- Vashj is a "memory" in the fight against Argent Confessor Paletress in the Trial of the Champion encounter of the Crusaders' Coliseum.
- Hydromancer Thespia is said to be her childhood friend.
- Vashj never encountered Tyrande during the Third War. Lady Serpentra and Serena Scarscale fought the battles in the Broken Isles, and the force that defeated Vashj at Dalaran was led by Malfurion.
- Her generic name is Princeguard Elite during the "Unseen Guests" chapter of the Chains of Domination campaign.
- Lady Vashj was voiced by Barbara Goodson[50] in Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne and World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade. Goodson described her as "strong, full of conviction and passionate".
Gallery[]
Lady Vashj as a night elf in the TCG.
Kael and Vashj leading their troops in Hellfire Peninsula.
Magtheridon confronted by the Illidari in Warcraft III.
Lady Vashj before the patch 7.0 model update.
Lady Vashj deluxe collector's figure.
Lady Vashj with Akama and Kael'thas.
Kael'thas and Vashj on the cover of the Spoils of War set for the Miniatures Game.
On the Servants of the Betrayer TCG set art.
Vashj Prime in Ashes of Outland.
The Lady Vashj hero.
Vashj casting Shock Blast.
The Kaldorei Vashj hero.
Baroness Vashj wearing party attire in Murder at Castle Nathria.
Baroness Vashj casting Primordial Wave.
Vashj as a death knight, Scourgeslayer Vashj.
Videos[]
Patch changes[]
- Patch 9.0.2 (2020-11-17): Added to the Shadowlands.
- Patch 2.0.3 (2007-01-09): Added as a raid boss.
See also[]
- Lady Vashj, TCG card
- Vashj (TCG Timewalkers), TCG card
References[]
- ^ a b Ultimate Visual Guide, pg. 174
- ^ Blizzcon 2009 Cataclysm Panel
- ^ a b c d e The Warcraft Encyclopedia/Vashj
- ^ The Sundering, chapter 5
- ^ World of Warcraft: Game Manual
- ^ a b World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 3, pg. 86
- ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 3, pg. 91 - 92
- ^ World of Warcraft: Illidan, chapter 5
- ^ World of Warcraft: Illidan, chapter 12
- ^ http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/info/dungeons/coilfang-reservoir.xml
- ^ http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/info/dungeons/coilfang-reservoir.xml/
- ^ World of Warcraft: Illidan chapter 16
- ^ a b c Shadowlands quotes
- ^ a b [53-60] A Common Peril
- ^ [53-60] Glorious Pursuits
- ^ [53-60] War is Deception
- ^ [53-60] Seek Your Mark
- ^ [53-60] Her Rightful Place
- ^ [53-60] In Death We Are Truly Tested
- ^ [60] Eyes on the Problem
- ^ [60] Extra Limbs
- ^ [60] The Other Foot
- ^ [60] Outside Influence
- ^ [60] See What You've Done
- ^ [60] The Maldraxxian Job
- ^ [60] This Way Out
- ^ [60] Grave Intent
- ^ [60] The Third Fall of Kel'Thuzad
- ^ [60] The Roads We Walk
- ^ [60] Dreadlords!
- ^ [60] Dread Tidings
- ^ [60] Convoy of the Covenants
- ^ [60] The Unseen Guests
- ^ [60] Spy vs Spy
- ^ [60] Nal'ragas
- ^ [60] De-Infiltration
- ^ [60] The "Unwelcome" Guests
- ^ [60] Cryptograms
- ^ [60] The Power of a Crown
- ^ [60] The Nathrezim
- ^ [60] By Your Leave
- ^ [60] You Cannot Hide
- ^ [60] Call of the Primus
- ^ Lady Vashj (Timewalkers)
- ^ Manual of Monsters, pg. 189
- ^ Manual of Monsters, pg. 173
- ^ Manual of Monsters, pg. 189
- ^ Matt Burns on Twitter: "I think over time she could have changed allegiance. Llorewalker might have a more definitive answer on that."
- ^
Sean Copeland on Twitter[dead link] - ^ Barbara Goodson resume: Voice Work & Comedy: World of Warcraft
External links[]
Vashj | Princeguard Elite |
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