Azshara's Theatrical Performance in the Eternal Palace

Posted 2019/05/29 at 5:31 AM by perculia

The Cursed Lovers

Stage One: Cursed Lovers:
Azshara summons the cursed lovers: Aethanel, and Cyranus to attack the players. Overzealous Hulks storm the playspace in an effort to disable the Ancient Wards while Azshara herself torments players with her own abilities.
This stage ends when both Aethanel and Cyranus are defeated.

Aethanel and Cyranus, the Cursed Lovers: Aethanel and Cyranus have been cursed to constantly swap between periods of Longing to see each other and Painful Memories of a life that could have been. Their Cursed Hearts poison the ground beneath them.

Painful Memories: Mere sight of one another causes the Cursed Lovers to relive Painful Memories. While they can see each other, they are Tormented.
Longing: The caster yearns to see their love again, igniting their Cursed Heart for until cancelled. If they cannot see their lover they are Tormented.
Torment: Seeing each other while reminded of their Painful Memories or failing to find each other while Longing to see one another Torments the hearts of the lovers, increasing their haste by 65% and their damage by 50%.
Cursed Heart: Standing in the cursed ground inflicts 15 Shadow damage every second, decreases your attack and casting speeds by 30% and your movement speed by 30%.
Aethanel

Lightning Orbs: Aethanel conjures several lightning orbs that bounce through the playspace, inflicting 60 Nature damage to all players within 2 yards of their impact. The orbs each bounce 3 times or until they collide with an obstacle.
Lightning Bolt: Fires a bolt of lightning that arcs through the target and jumps to several targets, inflicting 30 Nature damage. Each successive victim suffers 20% less damage than the previous target in the chain.
Cold Blast: Blasts the target with intense cold, inflicting 30 Frost damage. When Cold Blast is cast on a target with 3 applications, the victim is Frozen for 5 sec.

Frozen: The target is frozen solid for 5 sec.
!14,15,16,17
Aethanel always attacks her Frozen victims with an Ice Shard.

Ice Shard: The caster hurls a spike of intensely cold ice at the victim, inflicting 80 Frost damage and shattering any frozen effects currently active.

Cyranus

Serrated Edge: Cyranus' blade is extremely sharp, causing its victims to bleed for 30 Physical damage over 9 sec.
Any time Cyranus' opponents block, dodge, or parry, the blade will fail to inflict a wound.
Charged Spear: The caster hurls a Charged Spear that strikes all targets in a line for 15 Arcane damage and detonates when it reaches its destination.
The detonation deals 60 Arcane damage to all players within 100 yards, and 30.00 Arcane damage to all other players.

Azshara: I call the Cursed Lovers to enter the stage.
Azshara: Their eyes long for one another, yet their gaze incurs calamity.
Azshara: There is no power I cannot defile.

Shandris and Thalyssra Nazjatar questlineQueen Azshara raid testing courtesy of SlootOpera EncountersThis is a stage!Tragedy in Three Acts - Highborne CultureNecklace with Elune PendantBones of TransformationBattle for AzerothHighborne Soul MirrorQueen Azshara's Dressing GownHighborne PyxisInlaid Ivory CombTragedy in Three ActsTragedy in Three Acts

Delicate Music Box: "This box is of sandalwood with a tiny clockwork elf and nightsaber within. Although the winding mechanism is no longer functional, you can imagine the two would dance together while music played. Engraved on the bottom: 'To my dearest Theleste.'" This is likely a gift from Pyramond to Theleste.

Hairpin of Silver and Malachite: Engraved beneath the setting for the precious stone are the words 'To Theleste, on her twenty-fourth birth year.' Another gift from Pyramond to Theleste, showing the gift-giver is of some wealth, due to the precious stones.

Cloak Clasp with Antlers: "This clasp is fashioned of lacquered wood carved to resemble stag antlers. On the reverse is engraved the name 'Pyramond' in Darnassian." The finely-crafted clasp shows Pyramond's noble standing.

Chest of Tiny Glass Animals: "Remarkably, you managed to find an entire menagerie of these elven glass animals in their original storage container. While some of the animals have understandably suffered cracks and chips, it is clear that the head of the stag has been deliberately severed. The initial 'T' is carved on the bottom of the chest." Another gift, this one showing heartbreak as the stag's head, representing Pyramond, is severed.

Silver Scroll Case: "While this elven scroll case is graced with much ornamentation, it is the message inside, written in Darnassian, that is of the most interest: 'Pyramond, under no circumstances are you to spend time with that tavern wench. Your mother and I forbid it. She is far beneath your station.'" In this silver scroll case, again emphasizing the wealth of Pyramond's family, his father forbids him to associate with Theleste due to her lower rank.

Cracked Crystal Vial: A note in rich vellum is tied to the bottle. 'Dearest P, now that I know we can never be together, it is my wish to drink this draught of spider venom. If this note finds you, my hope is that you might do the same. May Elune watch over our souls.' Theleste, knowing they cannot be together, drinks spider poison to end her life. It is unclear if Pyramond finds this note, as it's still tied to the bottle.

MetamorphosesChest of Tiny Glass AnimalsThe Glass MenagerieCracked Crystal VialRomeo and JulietEye of the Corruptor

Eye of the Corruptor: Listen. Listen. Listen. LISTEN.
Eye of the Corruptor: You were right to doubt them.
Eye of the Corruptor: The undrowned will join the chorus. Listen to it.
Eye of the Corruptor: Listen. Open the gate. Step into the abyss. Complete the circle.
Eye of the Corruptor: Listen. You know this is the truth. It is but one of a thousand. You have only to listen.
Eye of the Corruptor: Everywhere you look, the stars gaze back. You know their form already. You have but to listen.
Eye of the Corruptor: Listen. She is a threat. Kill her. KILL HER.
Eye of the Corruptor: The queen threatens the king. There is no way to win. Listen.

Azshara, Breaker of Hearts

At last! The final preparations are in place, and we have a captive audience.
Thalyssra: Stay vigilant, champions! Azshara conceals schemes within schemes. She wants something..
Azshara: You must indulge the theatrical nature of tonight's performance. We have waited so very long for this moment, and we simply cannot resist savoring it.

Battle for AzerothLegion

There is no power I cannot defile.

Their eyes long for one another, yet their gaze incurs calamity.

Battle for Azeroth

Azshara: You see the truth now, don't you, heroes? Every move you've made has been according to my will.
Azshara: That lumbering dwarf believed you could save Azeroth by empowering your shiny little Heart. The gift of a sleeping titan.
Azshara: Yes, a titan's heart was exactly what was needed. Not to heal the world... but to shatter the prison of a god.
Azshara: The ritual nears completion. The Black Empire rises... and the world awaits its true queen.
Jaina: There will be no coronation this day.

Comment by FerledonI'm excited for this raid!Comment by ElementroarI honestly saw the Cursed Lovers thing as a weird reflection of Azshara and N’zoth’s whole ‘relationship’. Bear in mind, I am not saying there’s any ‘love’ between them, but there are some parallels. Azshara’s past attempt to marry Sargeras due to the promise of power and her legit awestruck ‘Magnificent’ at having beheld the Black Empire certainly bring to mind that she has a lust for power. Lust is the lesser corruption of ‘love’.

“Their eyes long for one another” - N’zoth in Warbrngers noted he’d been observing and watching Azshara for 1000 years, seeing in her the means to become free. After the pact, Azshara had 10,000 years of the visions of the Black Empire being in her mind’s eye (as she mentions during the campaign that “N’zoth’s visions (were) becoming more tangible”), and the way she says “we’ve been waiting so very long for this moment” is just a hint of that desire she’s had for 10,000 years.

Where the Cursed Lovers ‘longing’ is of tragic romance, the ‘longing’ expressed by Azshara and N’zoth is a gross lust for power and selfish desire.

“Their gaze incurs calamity” - a more straightforward allusion to how of course, N’zoth’s various eye/gaze-based mechanics from Crucible, and generally being represented as an evil eyeball as Old Gods are. However I also think it alludes to how it was when N’zoth became aware of Azshara, and Azshara became aware of N’zoth, that their mutual observation and awareness of each other was the beginning of the ‘calamity’ that befell the Highborne, and the rise of the Black Empire.Comment by IncandioI honestly saw the Cursed Lovers thing as a weird reflection of Azshara and N’zoth’s whole ‘relationship’. Comment by XaleaYou know, I just had a thought: this could end up being a route to giving Highborne as an Allied Race. I know Blood Elves, they'd never do it, etc. but as we've seen they're quite willing to throw anything they've previously said right out the window (Classic anyone?). Especially if Ion or whoever is the barrier for bringing High Elves as an allied race were to leave or capitulate, they could end up writing something into the game whereby eliminating Azshara somehow "frees" them to join us.

I'm not one of these fanatics and don't really even care about it that much, but it's just a thought that occured to me after the discussion of Highborne culture, etc. from this raid.Comment by rydabiYou know, I just had a thought: this could end up being a route to giving Highborne as an Allied Race. I know Blood Elves, they'd never do it, etc. but as we've seen they're quite willing to throw anything they've previously said right out the window (Classic anyone?). Especially if Ion or whoever is the barrier for bringing High Elves as an allied race were to leave or capitulate, they could end up writing something into the game whereby eliminating Azshara somehow "frees" them to join us.

I'm not one of these fanatics and don't really even care about it that much, but it's just a thought that occured to me after the discussion of Highborne culture, etc. from this raid.Comment by MickMWhat if Aethanel and Cyranus are placeholders for two characters we already know? ... Like Malfurion and Tyrande...

Calling it now!Comment by ArchanosOH Bizzard funny as hellComment by cbheddCould the lovers be the Alliance and the Horde? I had thought that's where the article was headed, but it never got there. Every time we try and team up, there's a tragic event that keeps us at war. Our gaze (attempts at peace) cause calamity.Comment by Diorbhail"Throughout Battle for Azeroth, Azeroth has meddled in the politics of Kul Tiras and Zandalar, helping Lady Ashvane and Zul with their respective coups, as well as manipulating the Tidesages and stealing the Kul Tiran fleet outright!"
> I think you meant "Azshara has meddled", not Azeroth. Even thou Azeroth did as well through Magni.

"Azshara has never appeared sentimental, so her choice of a romantic tragedy is puzzling puzzling."
> one puzzling too much ;)

Cyranus and Aethanel are probably also theatrical reference: Cyrano de Bergerac. At least the plot of the play reminds me a little of the "dance" those characters perform for/with us.Comment by BlaketonSplendid. I sure hope Blizzard isn't planning to off Aszhara so quickly, she is worth more than that.Comment by ElementroarRemovedComment by CuinoWhat if Aethanel and Cyranus are placeholders for two characters we already know? ... Like Malfurion and Tyrande...

Calling it now!Comment by locaenvyLest we forget the very tangable story of love lost between Jaina and Arthas. Keep them in mind as well. I do like the ideas that Elementroar put forward, but it could be a little closer to home than that. Azshara has proven to be quite deceptive. And I find it interesting that the lovers are using the same spells and weapons those two used when they were together. Just my two cents.

If you (the reader) haven't yet, I suggest refreshing your lore on those two. their storry is a tragic love story for sure.Comment by seiretsymI live for this level of literary analysis applied to video games. Excellent work.Comment by ArktiqStormRemovedComment by MenelvagorRemoved I hope this raid is great. 8.2 seems like a great patch and I am hopeful that we are using the final patches to set up a great 9.0.Comment by l8roseHey! Listen!Comment by sartthope N'zoth devours herComment by GizmokI think you typed the wrong word here :)

In spite our success in Legion, the fragile piece is short lived, falling apart soon after our victory in Antorus.