I realize it may be... disconcerting to converse with a weapon. Be at ease. I merely wish to see you reach your full potential.
Why, just recently I helped another mortal hero defeat the Burning Legion. My selfless sacrifice left me weakened. Sadly, that priest proved... shortsighted.
You, though... I sense you are truly destined for greatness. We will accomplish remarkable things together, you and I. Magnificent things.
How glorious it is to be renewed! Though I haven't forgotten your callous misuse of me in Silithus. Such a waste of potential.
It pleases me that we have a chance to spend more time together. You should know that of my many companions, you were my favorite.
We will accomplish remarkable things together, you and I. Magnificent things.
Unleash the Void Stone, player. It should provide the strength I need to help you find the other two relics.
Yes. YES. It's been so long since I took a mortal form. This body is pleasing... don't you think?
The next step is to recover the second relic, a trident, located in the overworld location of Freehold's last boss.
A powerful naga once possessed the trident. Now his underlings seek to recover it.
What delicious irony that a pirate keeps such a coveted prize... as a trophy.
You must defeat Lieutenant Elsbeth Wavecutter to loot the Skeleton Key, which allows you to open the chest with the relic.
The third relic is the Tempest Crown. Xal'atath feels that the crown is in possession of Toatana. Toatana is a giant hoarder crab and a reference to Tamatoa, a demigod from the Disney movie Moana.
It is no mere coincidence that our paths intersect, player. You were meant to find me. I was meant to find you.
A grand destiny lies before us. Surely you sense it as well as I.
But enough musing. Make your way to the shores of Vol'dun. That is where the third prize awaits.
Toatana is in a cave in the shores of Vol'dun, as you enter it, Xal'atath starts to discuss with the crab.
Xal'atath: This way. I doubt Toatana will give us the crown willingly.
Toatana shakes his head and clicks at Xal'atath!
Xal'atath: Why Toatana! I hardly consider that fair of you to say.
Toatana clicks angrily!
Xal'atath: Well... we will see about that!
With the three relics in our hands, Xal'atath asks for another step before great truths can be revealed. We must venture to the Precipice of Oblivion in Stormsong Valley to proceed with the ritual.
Here we are. Do not be afraid. This was always meant to be.
Xal'atath then asks us to follow her inside the Crucible of Storms raid zone. There we must place the three relics in the floor and then...
In-Game Cutscene
We experience an in-game cutscene where Xal'atath is freed from the dagger and we are given a gift of N'Zoth.
Xal'atath: Hear me, God of the Deep! I have brought you the Opener... the Bringer of Truths... the Torch That Lights the Way!
Xal'atath: Honor our bargain...free me to find my own fate!
N'Zoth: Go... but the blade must remain... to serve my will.
Xal'atath: A fair exchange. Shadows guide you, my dear friend.
Xal'atath: We will meet again...I am certain of it.
Xal'atath disappears into a Void Portal
N'Zoth: I have dreamed your destiny, mortal.
N'Zoth: The hour is close at hand.
N'Zoth: That which was sunken shall rise.
N'Zoth: All that were sleeping... shall be awakened.
N'Zoth: Receive my gift and see all truths before you.
So based on this exchange, WE are the torch the lights the way. Perhaps our constant faction war is what N'Zoth wants--we weaken each other so N'Zoth can defeat us easily.
N'Zoth also stipulates that the blade must remain behind as Xal'atath is freed. We later see this blade in the hand of Sylvanas, as per the BlizzCon 2018 presentation. Does N'Zoth help Sylvanas acquire this blade, and was he also behind Sylvanas appointed as Warchief?
After the cutscene, we receive the permanent buff Gift of N'Zoth, saying you are special to the eyes of N'zoth.
We get ported outside of the raid zone and must find Brother Pike in Boralus (Alliance) or Talanji (Horde) to finish the quest.
Talanji talks about the tales of the Old Gods she listened to as a child, and how they are a bigger threat than even G'huun was to them.
As a child, I listened to de elders tell tales of de Old Gods. I thought dey were little more than ghost stories meant to frighten us.
But now I see dat dey are all too real. An infection within de heart of Azeroth.
We defeated G'huun, but N'Zoth poses an even graver threat. In a world torn apart by war, I pray de loa will show us a way to stop him.
Brother Pike reflects on his mission as a tidesage, and believes the war against the Alliance and the Horde is exactly what N'Zoth wanted all along.
All my life, I've witnessed the duality of the sea. It is both a source of life... and a force of destruction.
I became a tidesage to wield the might of the depths for the good of Kul Tiras. To learn of the great darkness lurking beneath us all this time...
The Old God wants us fractured. Divided. I fear this war has given N'Zoth exactly what he wants.
Crucible of Storms: Relics of Shadow requires you to enter the raid, available the week of April 16th, and defeat Uu'nat to recover the relics just given to the enemy.
Player Choice - Gift of N'Zoth - His Eye Upon You
After completing the in-game cutscene, you are given the gift of N'Zoth. Towards the end of the quest series, you have an option to remove it in the quest His Eye Upon You.
>I have been given a "gift". Do you know how to remove it?
Something dark is growing within you, player.
I can sense... the tendrils of N'zoth burrowing deeper into your mind and soul.
> Is that why I can see N'zoth's eye on so many people?
You see eyes everywhere?!? This is more dire than I expected. Do not trust what you are seeing. These "eyes" are surely just N'zoth within your mind, tricking you.
The darkness within you swells. I warn you, this will be very painful.
Now, stand very still. That's it. Let me pull N'zoth's defilement from you.
Are you sure you wish to cleanse the Gift of N'zoth? You will not be able to undo this decision.
Those that keep the Gift of N'Zoth retain the buff Gift of N'Zoth permanently, giving you an eye crown resembling N'Zoth. Most players cannot see this eyeball, however, players that have also chosen the gift can see it--like a secret society of N'Zoth followers.
Those that cleanse the gift of N'Zoth receive the toy Twitching Eyeball which temporarily puts an eyeball on their head. However, the toy is merely cosmetic, and you will be unable to see the eyeballs on top of players' heads who have chosen to not cleanse N'Zoth's gift.
N'zoth and Xal'atath
Xal'atath has a long story of being a servant of the Black Empire, the dagger always falling in hands of unsuspecting targets. These targets end up entranced by her whispers and opportunity for power, giving Xal'atath the opportunity to sow chaos and ruin by the hands of her servants. Before Xal'atath was wielded by Shadow Priests during Legion, she was wielded by people such as Mogdud, the wife of the powerful Sorcerer-Thane Thaurissan of the Dark Iron Dwarves, and Natalie Seline, a former priestess of the Light who learned discipline through the dagger's power and lost her life for it.
Xal'atath was always pictured as part of the Blade of the Black Empire, and no one knows what she will do now that she is freed from the dagger.
Faction Leaders React to the Old Gods
There is datamined text from both Anduin and Sylvanas reacting to Xal'atath and the Blade of the Black Empire. Sylvanas shows excitement for obtaining the dagger, and Anduin, disappointment. It is currently unknown just how Sylvanas ends up with the Blade.
Sylvanas
Sylvanas is excited to learn about the Blade of the Black Empire, possibly acquiring it to turn the tide of the faction conflict. At BlizzCon 2018, we saw a picture of her holding the weapon. Now we know she is holding just the dagger, with the being separate from it. Although, when we deliver Xal'atath to N'Zoth, the Old God orders the being to leave the dagger behind, which possibly means the dagger is still imbued with the essence of the Old Gods.
Sylvanas also describes the Blade of the Black Empire as a "torch that shall light our path forward," which echoes Xal'atath calling the player the "Torch that Lights the Way" when delivering them to N'Zoth.
Xal'atath... a fascinating weapon. I have heard tales of its exploits.
A pity it now lies dormant. But anything that slumbers can be awakened.
This blade is more than a mere dagger. It is a torch that shall light our path forward.
Soon I will call upon you again, champion. And together, we will steer the Horde toward its destiny.
The Alliance believes that by striking down Rastakhan and decimating the Zandalari fleet, they have broken us. That the Horde will soon crumble.
Fools. The boy-king has lied to himself and his people. He hasn't the faintest inkling of what he's truly up against.
War is a living thing. It writhes, it grows, twisting and turning until its final form is revealed.
This war is about to shift yet again. And it will be this blade that guides our way to victory.
Anduin
Anduin learns about Xal'atath's choice to awaken N'Zoth, and laments that the war between the Alliance and the Horde may not be over just yet.
Another Old God awakened... this does not bode well. Our world suffers much as it is. The wound in Silithus, the war...
The Alliance stands on the brink of victory. Of ending this conflict and bringing peace to Azeroth.
Sylvanas sent her champions into that shrine for a reason. She must have discovered something that can shift the war back in her favor.
Whatever that might be, she must not succeed. Be ready for me to call on you again, $n. We will stop Sylvanas--once and for all.
Anduin also reacts to Sylvanas' sudden interest in the Crucible of Storms, acknowledging that she is no longer in service of the Horde, but waging war on life itself.
When Sylvanas Windrunner became warchief, I knew we would not be friends... but I didn't want us to be enemies. Then came the massacre in Arathi... and the burning of Teldrassil.
It's clear she does not fight for Azeroth. She doesn't even fight for the Horde. She wages war upon life itself.
We are so close to ending this conflict and forging a lasting peace. But if Sylvanas uncovers some new weapon that allows her to keep fighting...
No. We must discover what she's after... and stop whatever madness she seeks to unleash upon us.
