Xal'atath

For the shadow priest Legion artifact, see  [Xal'atath, Blade of the Black Empire]. For the Battle for Azeroth quest item, see  [Xal'atath, Blade of the Black Empire].

Xal'atath
Title	<Blade of the Black Empire>
Race	Unknown (Humanoid)
Level	?? Elite
Reaction	Alliance Horde
Location	Various
Status	Active

Xal'atath as a sentient blade.

Xal'atath in Freehold.

Xal'atath is the sentient entity once bound within a dagger of the same name. Originally an artifact in World of Warcraft: Legion, the weapon was used by a shadow priest during the third invasion of the Burning Legion before being abandoned. Xal'atath later freed herself from the blade in a pact with N'Zoth by possessing a deceased elven body. Her present location is unknown.

Biography

Main article: Xal'atath, Blade of the Black Empire § Biography

Xal'atath is truly ancient, dating back to the time of the Old Gods' Black Empire. Theories abound as to the nature of its creation: the more outlandish claim that the blade is the remains of a forgotten Old God who was consumed by its kin, while other theories state it is the claw of Y'Shaarj itself. Whatever the truth of its origin, the blade is infused with the Old Gods' power. Legends state that it can even grant its wielder visions of the Black Empire, though doing so inevitably drives the viewer mad.

Xal'atath passed through many hands over the millennia, sowing chaos as it went. It was used by the jungle troll Zan'do to resurrect the C'Thrax general, Kith'ix; by Sorcerer-Thane Thaurissan's wife, Modgud, to curse Grim Batol; and by the human priestess Natalie Seline to study the dark secrets of the Void. Eventually it found its way into the hands of the Twilight's Hammer, who attempted to use it to reanimate Kith'ix's fellow general Zakajz the Corruptor. They were stopped by the High Priest of Netherlight Temple, who claimed the blade for themselves. The High Priest wielded Xal'atath against the Burning Legion for a time, ultimately draining much of its power to purge the sword of Sargeras of its corrupting power in Silithus.

Xal'atath was either lost or abandoned by the High Priest, and fell into the hands of the naga. When they began attacking Kul Tiras and Zandalar, they brought the blade with them; Collector Kojo came across it by accident near a makeshift altar in Stormsong Valley, and adventurers sought to use it to gain insight into the naga's plans. Xal'atath explained that the naga sought to conjure a storm powerful enough to scour all Azeroth using three relics: the Void Stone, the Trident of Deep Ocean, and the Tempest Caller. Xal'atath guided the adventurer to Drustvar, where they found the high elf Inanis attempting to wield the Void Stone's power. After killing her, Xal'atath drew upon the Void Stone's power and possessed Inanis's corpse. Now in a mortal form, she helped the adventurer find the other two relics and brought them to the Crucible of Storms beneath the Precipice of Oblivion.

Rather than stopping the naga, however, Xal'atath offered the relics and the adventurer to N'Zoth in exchange for her freedom. N'Zoth severed her from the dagger, keeping it for himself in the bargain; Xal'atath departed through a portal, confident she would see the adventurer once more.

Quests

•  [50] The Pirate's Treasure
•  [50] The Tempest Crown
•  [50] Twist the Knife
•  [50] Unintended Consequences /   [50] Unintended Consequences

Objective of

•  [50] Twist the Knife
•  [50] The Pirate's Treasure
•  [50] Orders from Azshara /   [50] Orders from Azshara
•  [50] Every Little Death Helps /   [50] Every Little Death Helps

Quotes

Legion

This section concerns content related to Legion.

Main article: Blade in Twilight § Notes

Main article: Xal'atath, Blade of the Black Empire § Quotes

Battle for Azeroth

This section concerns content related to Battle for Azeroth.

On-click

Greeting

• What do you seek?
• So many possibilities...
• Tell me what you want.

Farewell

• Such magnificence awaits us.
• Open your mind to the whispers.
• The time comes... soon.

Dialogue

Main article: Every Little Death Helps#Notes

Main article: Every Little Death Helps (priest)#Notes

Main article: Unintended Consequences#Notes

Main article: Unintended Consequences (priest)#Notes

Main article: The Pirate's Treasure#Notes

Main article: The Tempest Crown#Notes

Main article: Twist the Knife#Notes

Gossip

Drustvar

Let us hurry. The whispers grow more insistent.

Freehold

Are you ready for what comes next?

Notes and trivia

• Its name is very similar to  [Xal'atoh, Desecrated Image of Gorehowl]. Both also whisper to the wielder.
• The 'outlandish' theory of its origin could be a reference to a comment once made on the number of Old Gods on Azeroth changing from five to four.
• The dagger has a mind of its own, a weakness that can be exploited against its wielder, an aspect shared with other artifact weapons, the  [Skull of the Man'ari] and  [Aluneth].
• Xal'atath may be the dagger mentioned in  [Ogmot's Dream Journal].
• Xal'atath's status as an item associated with the Old Gods, along with the copious amounts of sinister lore its whispers hint at, has led to the item becoming immensely popular and thus being dubbed "Knaifu" (a play on the word "waifu") by many affectionate players.

• In the Patch 8.6.7.5309 joke patch notes, Blizzard declared that Knaifu has been renamed "Bae Blade." Blizzard has also used the term "knife friend".

• Her Legion voice uses the model of Ysera and of a human female that can only be seen in the model viewer.
• Xal'atath is voiced by Claudia Christian.
• The name of this dagger is similar, and may be a reference, to that of Xel'lotath, one of the Ancients in Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem, whose main power is in driving her enemies mad by whispering to them.

Videos

• The Story of Xal'atath, Blade of the Black Empire

Patch changes

• Patch 8.1.5 (2019-03-12): Added.
  

External links

• Wowhead
• WoWDB