Emerald Nightmare

For the raid instance, seeEmerald Nightmare (instance). For other uses, seeNightmare.

TheEmerald Nightmare (or theNightmare for short) is the name given to theOld God corruption of theEmerald Dream. When the Nightmare spreads, it consumes the life force of all it touches. The more it spreads, the weakerdruid magic becomes.^[1] It is a realm of death,decay, and nightmare.^[2]

During theWar Against the Nightmare, it was revealed that the Emerald Nightmare was under the rule of a figure known as the Nightmare Lord, who in fact was reallyMalfurion Stormrage's old nemesisXavius. However, it was also revealed that Xavius himself was a minion of a powerful yet ancient evil, residing in theRift of Aln, and possibly also beneath Azeroth's oceans.^[3] Despite the defeat ofXavius and the removal of much of the nightmare through the course ofStormrage, the noting of a still-corrupted area indicates that the Nightmare is still a threat. Its influence is slowly overtaking the forests ofVal'sharah through the World TreeShaladrassil during the events ofLegion.

The Nightmare acts like a heavy shroud, warping reality, altering the perception of all living things,^[4] and bending the boundary between reality and dream.^[5] None are immune to the Nightmare's corruption,^[6] and it has been known to take hold offormer Dragon Aspects,demigods and evendemons. When a mortal has become corrupted by the nightmare, there is no return. Only death will set them free,^[7][8] althoughElune's power inTyrande Whisperwind's presence has seemingly cleansed or resisted its corruption to varying degrees on several occasions, such as withEranikus,Elothir andYsera.^[9][10] Once cursed, the nightmare will begin consuming the victim's thoughts and filling their head with the voices of other corrupted beings, even the nearby flora.^[11] The curse itself, however, is known to make the victims very, very powerful, rivaling even that ofancients.^[12]

History[]

Origins[]

The origins of the Nightmare stretch back to 4,500 years before theFirst War, when a small group ofdruids led byFandral Staghelm took six branches fromNordrassil, the World Tree, and planted them oversaronite that had begun to appear across the world. The five first branches grew intoGreat Trees, while the last and greatest branch—planted over the largest source of saronite in theGrizzly Hills—became the World TreeAndrassil. Unfortunately, Andrassil's roots went deep enough that they touched the prison of theOld GodYogg-Saron, corrupting the tree and spreading madness throughout the nearby wildlife. The druids sorrowfully destroyed the World Tree, believing that this act would halt Yogg-Saron's corruption. What they did not know, however, was that Yogg-Saron had used the trees planted by Fandral as a doorway for the Old Gods to access theEmerald Dream. The Old Gods spread small seeds of corruption throughout the dreamways, in time these seeds polluted the Dream beginning what would become known as the Emerald Nightmare.^[13] While Yogg-Saron was the Old God who opened the Emerald Dream to its brethren,N'Zoth later became the one who took the most active role in its corruption.^[14]

World of Warcraft[]

This section concerns content related to the originalWorld of Warcraft.

Thenight elfdruidNaralex's former acolytes in theWailing Caverns were corrupted by the Nightmare - transformed into the wickedDruids of the Fang, whileNaralex himself slept, trapped within the Nightmare. The Green DragonEranikus was corrupted by the Nightmare. EvenYsera's most trusted lieutenants (Lethon,Emeriss,Taerar andYsondre) werewarped by this dark power within the Emerald Dream.Malfurion fought atCenarius' side against the Nightmare within the dream, but was eventually turned into anUnwaking himself.

During theopening of the Gates of Ahn'Qiraj, asatyr which preached the Nightmare's power was situated in Duskwood.

The Burning Crusade[]

This section concerns content related toThe Burning Crusade.

The Nightmare found a way into one of the wings of theStormrage Barrow Dens where strange creatures of nightmare suddenly came into the waking world. TheCenarion Dreamwarden were constantly trying to keep the threat at bay. Plantlife was thriving here, but this was not the case in the Emerald Dream.Clintar Dreamwalker could be found asleep in one of the rooms and he was part of the quest chain for [Swift Flight Form]. It seemsAnzu was behind these attacks.

Wrath of the Lich King[]

This section concerns content related toWrath of the Lich King.

While on theIcecrown quest [25-30] Hope Within the Emerald Nightmare, Remulos sends the player into a phased version of a portion of Moonglade to gather [Emerald Acorns].

During theValithria Dreamwalker encounter she opens portals to the Nightmare, where the player can find dream clouds.

Stormrage[]

This section concerns content related to theWarcraftnovels,novellas, orshort stories.

During the events of theWar Against the Nightmare, the Emerald Nightmare was almost able to take hold of the whole Emerald Dream and Azeroth at the same time trapping most of the most powerful heroes of the world in sleep reliving their nightmares.

However, the Nightmare Lord was eventually defeated with the help of a coalition of races, stopping the crisis.

Despite Xavius' defeat at the hands of Malfurion Stormrage and his allies, the Nightmare was not entirely destroyed following its master's defeat. One small part stubbornly stayed in theRift of Aln, and Malfurion could only seal off the vicinity around the rift until a time that another war would be in their favor.^[15] Xavius's spirit was also sealed inside the Rift of Aln.^[16]

Cataclysm[]

This section concerns content related toCataclysm.

The Emerald Nightmare is present in theNightmare Scar, located at the center of the regrown area ofSouthern Barrens known as theOvergrowth. The Nightmare's influence in the Barrens following the Cataclysm suggests that the evil controlling the Nightmare may have taken advantage of theShattering to attempt to infectAzeroth once again.

Taerar still plaguesFeralas from the portal atDream Bough, andYsondre is trying to stop him for good.

The Nightmare is present in the dream around theHyjal Barrow Dens, trying to prevent Fandral Staghelm's transfer out of the prison.

Dawn of the Aspects[]

This section concerns content related to theWarcraftnovels,novellas, orshort stories.

During a meeting of theWyrmrest Accord,Merithra notes that the Nightmare is stirring within the Rift of Aln and seems to be seeking a new Nightmare Lord to replaceXavius. However, Ysera says it is now the duty of the druids to watch over the Emerald Dream as she has become mortal following theHour of Twilight.^[17]

Legion[]

This section concerns content related toLegion.

The Emerald Nightmare is revealed to be still active, with its source being located at the tainted World Tree,Shaladrassil inVal'sharah at theBroken Isles.Xavius has been revealed to have re-established his ties to theBurning Legion and attempts to use the Nightmare to corrupt the world, while his satyr underlings roam the tainted glades of Val'sharah.^[18] However, his true loyalties remain with theOld Gods.^[19]

After Xavius is killed, the Emerald Nightmare begins to dissipate and the Emerald Dream is restored. However,a small remnant of void remains in the form of a flower. Ashadow priest with [Xal'atath, Blade of the Black Empire] will hear it state that the Nightmare was almost completely removed, but that the Rift of Aln is deep and vast and that the Old God's prison is weakening. The Nightmare still holds a grip on areas of the Dream, as seen in the Deaths of Chromie.

The Deaths of Chromie[]

At an undisclosed point in the future, but before the end of theFourth War,^[20] theEmerald Dragonshrine comes under attack by the Nightmare. The satyrThalas Vylethorn plots the death ofChronormu.

Battle for Azeroth and aftermath[]

This section concerns content related toBattle for Azeroth.

True to Xal'atath's words, the Nightmare has survived the death of Xavius, at least in a form. It was most prominently discovered by an Alliance adventurer and theOrder of Embers during the investigation into theDrustvar region ofKul Tiras. There, the ancient enemies of the Kul Tirans and former rulers of the island, theDrust, and their kingGorak Tul were discovered to have survived destruction at the hands of Kul Tirans centuries ago by escaping into a death realm they called 'Thros, the Blighted Lands'. Though unknown to them, and to the Alliance, this was, in fact, an off-shoot of the Emerald Nightmare.^[2]

Later, while the Alliance adventurer worked withKatherine Proudmoore to discoverJaina's location, they found that she had been pulled into Thros. Though the two succeeded in freeing her from the dark realm, and fend off Gorak Tul once more, the Blighted Lands appear to still persist.

Additionally, during the Alliance and Horde's ongoing struggle over Darkshore,Gren Tornfur seems to be wielding the power of the Nightmare in the form witnessed inLegion.

During the fight againstRa-den the Despoiled,Essences of Nightmare andNight Terrors are fought.

This section concerns content related to theWarcraftnovels,novellas, orshort stories.

According toZekhan after theFourth War, the corruption of the Nightmare has remained in the Wailing Caverns since Naralex's rescue. In his words, the corruption is stronger than any war machine, greed, or blind bravery.^[21]

Shadowlands[]

This section concerns content related toShadowlands.

While in herwildseed inArdenweald,Ysera was troubled with nightmares. When theMaw Walkers were working on helping Ysera, nightmare manifestations such asDisturbed Nightmares appeared.^[22]

Appearance[]

The corrupted environment and beings take the colors black, gray, red, and violet in their appearance. The nightmare seems to have a penchant for fleshy and thorny black-red growths; spreading like weeds and vines. It leaves an ichorous purple mist, from which sometimes nightmare lurkers erupt.

The nightmare affects the ancients and dragons most prominently. Ancients become withered, their bark turning black with red-hewn streaks within it. The dragons become thin and emaciated with strange red light growths. Their skin becomes shades of black and gray in the case of dragons and whelps. In the case of the drakes, their skin seems to have disappeared, leaving them emaciated black bone and red growth skeletal dragons.

Corrupted races[]

In the RPG[]

This section contains information from theWarcraft RPG which is considerednon-canon.

The Emerald Nightmare was created using the twisted thoughts and fears of sleeping beings' subconscious minds to corrupt theEmerald Dream. The Nightmare travels slowly through the Dream, leaving corrupted, vicious animals and Unwaking travelers in its path. Manydruids were called to the Emerald Dream to help fight back its effects. The green dragons did what they could, though they dared not risk becoming themselves corrupted. TheEye of Ysera had not yet been approached by the Nightmare, but some feared that one day it will.^[24]

TheEmerald Dream is not a place of total perfection. It can be shaped and twisted by dreams, usually without a sleeper's knowledge. Sadly, nightmares are themselves a crafting of the subconscious and have given rise to their own place within the Dream. The Nightmare, as the denizens call it, is not a specific location, but a constantly roaming effect that travels about unpredictably. The skies above the Nightmare are constantly clouded, creating a gloomy, depressing zone that weakens and deadens everything it touches. The beautiful green vegetation is twisted into brown decay, while ordinarily peaceful creatures are corrupted into shadowy, mutated versions of themselves known asCorrupted Ones. The Corrupted Ones are vicious and cruel, hunting anything they can, even after they leave the Nightmare's affected zone.

Worse still, some dream-travelers who enter the Nightmare — or are engulfed by its movements — become trapped in the Emerald Dream. They cannot leave, so their bodies back onAzeroth remain in a permanent sleep, slowly starving to death unless tended by helpful aides. While trapped, they are known as theUnwaking; they are also corrupted and will do anything to get back home. The Nightmare is believed to be slowly growing in size and power.^[24]

Memorable quotes[]

• Malfurion Stormrage says: I fear for the worst, old friend. Within the Dream we fight a new foe, born of an ancient evil. Ysera's noble brood has fallen victim to the old whisperings. It seems as if the Nightmare has broken through the realm to find a new host on Azeroth.
• Eranikus, Tyrant of the Dream yells: My redemption? You are bold, little one. My redemption comes by the will of my god.
• From the novel Stormrage: ...many, regretfully, were like Lethon and Emeriss, and could not survive without the Nightmare; they melted away as theshadow satyrs had. For that and who they once had been, Malfurion mourned them.

Notes[]

• When seeping into rivers, the Nightmare can corrupt aquatic life.^[25]
• AtBlizzCon 2010,Chris Metzen stated that it was theOld GodN'Zoth who was responsible for the Emerald Nightmare.^[26]Chronicle Volume 1 later revealed thatYogg-Saron was the one responsible for allowing the Old Gods access into the Emerald Dream.Chronicle Volume 3 clarified that while it was Yogg-Saron's touch that originally corrupted the Dream, N'Zoth later took over the role.^[14]

Gallery[]

Corrupted races

• 
  Nightmareancient
• 
  Nightmare drake
• 
  Nightmaredryad
• 
  Nightmarehaunt
• 
  NightmareKeeper of the grove
• 
  Nightmareimp
• 
  Nightmarelasher
• 
  Nightmaremistlurker
• 
  Nightmaren'raqi
• 
  Nightmaresatyr
• 
  Nightmaretreant
• 
  Nightmaretentacle
• 
  Eye of Il'gynoth
• 
  Nightmare spider

Regions

• 
  Core of the Nightmare
• 
  Rift of Aln
• 
  Thros, the Blighted Lands

Concept art

• 
  Emerald Nightmare byPhillip Zhang.

Fanart

• 
  Emerald Nightmare fanart byPhillip Zhang

Videos[]

• The Story of The Emerald Nightmare

See also[]

• Dreamform

References[]