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Were you looking for the Lore Keeper of Norgannon found in Ulduar before the Flame Leviathan?


The Lore Keeper of Norgannon is an artificial intelligence stone watcher construct left by the Titan Norgannon the Lore Keeper in the bowels of the Titan research facility known as Uldaman. The primary role of the lore keeper seems to be the recording and dissemination of information stored on the Disks of Norgannon, which are involved in the quest N [47] The Platinum Discs. The watcher shares a great deal of information about the Earthen, the Troggs, and the Dwarves; all of which appear to be the result of a single experiment in creating subterranean life on the part of the Titans. While the Dwarves were believed to be in some ways superior to their Earthen ancestors, the Troggs were considered an undesirable aberration.

Note: The Lore Keeper of Norgannon is called a stone watcher during quest lore, but has the stonekeeper model. See Uldaman NPCs.

The Lore Keeper's Knowledge[]

The transcript of the conversation players have with the Lore Keeper in Uldaman has been highly requested, as it is usually either quickly browsed or skipped altogether in the player's haste to exit the instance. Below is the complete text of the conversation. Text in quotation marks indicate the player's chosen response to the Lore Keeper (there's actually only one answer to choose in between).

Salutations. My function is to offer access to and, when permissible, insight into informations regarding the Creators' synthesis of the Earthen on the world designated as Azeroth. I am ready to share this information with you now at your leisure.

GossipGossipIcon Who are the Earthen?

The Earthen are a synthesized race engineered by the Creators, functioning as one of the seed races in the initial population of the world designated as Azeroth. The Earthen were created to aid the Creators' efforts in shaping the deep regions of this world.
They are a modification of the standard subterranean being matrix used on other worlds that the Creators have seeded. The construction of this prototype race created various anomalies that were observed after initial synthesis.

GossipGossipIcon What is a 'subterranean being matrix'?

It is one of the synthesis matrices the Creators use when seeding a world. Each synthesis matrix is used to achieve the Creators' goals. For Azeroth, a subterranean being matrix was modified to create a being with increased durability with an affinity for deep region shaping; the Earthen are the product of this modification.
After the Earthen had been put into service for the Creators, unforeseen anomalies were discovered that affected their synthesis matrix due to high-stress environments.

GossipGossipIcon What are the anomalies you speak of?

Additional background information on the Earthen must be given to you before this question may be answered properly. Processing.
To understand the anomalies of the Earthen, it is first important to understand what the Earthen represent in their design intent. The Earthen represent the Creators' attempt at improving the survivability paradigm of the standard subterranean being matrix. This was done by incorporating a resilient foundation of construction inherent to the world into said matrix.

GossipGossipIcon What is a resilient foundation of construction?

It is the baseline material used in race synthesis. A cross-section of Azeroth's crust was used as the foundation for the Earthen's synthesis rather than the typical biomass construction foundation used by the Creators.
Research on the world's composition led the Creators to theorize that an enhanced being could be synthesized that would epitomize the resiliency of this world's essence. This was accomplished by choosing to use a blend of Azeroth's various stone core compounds as the foundation.

GossipGossipIcon So... the Earthen were made out of stone?

Simply stated, this is correct.
The Earthen's physical features are that of a smaller stature humanoid, though their composition is that of Azeroth's various stone core compounds. Their design maximizes strength and stamina without sacrificing cognitive processing power. Their skin and musculature are nearly impervious to physical damage, and with very minor modifications the Earthen display a remarkable resiliency to unwanted magical forces.

GossipGossipIcon Anything else I should know about the Earthen?

It is integral to the assimilation of this data that it is understood that the Creators wanted to synthesize a race that would long be an integral part of this world's development cycle after they had departed. This race would be instrumental in fulfilling the Creators' long-term development objectives for Azeroth.
As an ancillary note, the nomenclature "Earthen" was deemed apropos for the new race by the Creators, based on the Earthen's composition.

GossipGossipIcon I think I understand the Creators' design intent for the Earthen now. What are the Earthen's anomalies that you spoke of earlier?

The Earthen's only anomaly in synthesis is the tendency for matrix destabilization while being utilized in high-stress environments.
Addendum: Deep earth sculpting was naturally suited to the new matrix design and thus never met the qualifications of duplicating a high-stress environment.
Destabilization was not discovered until well into the Earthen's primary service cycle for the Creators. The Creators began work on post-synthesis modification, rather than recall and re-synthesis.

GossipGossipIcon What high-stress environments would cause the Earthen to destabilize?

[There is a noticeable pause after you ask this question.]
The information you request is not currently available in this repository's data cycling. I sincerely apologize for this omission.
Please request this information after a data cycling update has been performed on this information repository. You may also request this information from another information repository located on Azeroth.

GossipGossipIcon What happens when the Earthen destabilize?

There are two potential results when the Earthen's synthesis matrix destabilizes. Initiating visual aid representation number one.
The first variant matrix is a degenerative product of synthesis, hereby designated with the common nomenclature of "Trogg". This variant maintains strength and stamina comparable to the Earthen, but its cognitive processing power has been almost completely compromised. Force of will and a strong sense of cunning are the only driving factors in the psyche of the trogg.

GossipGossipIcon Troggs?! Are the troggs you mention the same as the ones in the world today?

I am unable to process your chronological reference in comparison to the recording of this data, my apologies.
The trogg retains some composition of Azeroth's various stone core compounds, but the loss of cognitive power makes this variant unacceptable to the Creators.
The trogg procreates as per a standard biomass. By default it consumes stone and anything else it can acquire, including other troggs. Cannibalism is considered unacceptable by the Creators.

GossipGossipIcon You mentioned two results when the Earthen destabilize. What is the second?

Initiating visual aid representation number two.
The second resultant variance of the Earthen matrix retains many desired elements when compared to the standard subterranean matrix. The common nomenclature for this variant is "Dwarf".
This variant retains strength and stamina inherent to the Earthen. In some cases, the dwarf even exceeds the cognitive powers of the Earthen's matrix. The dwarf, however, retains none of the physical composition of Azeroth's various stone core compounds.

GossipGossipIcon Dwarves!!! Now you're telling me that dwarves originally came from the Earthen?!

The data stored in this repository does indeed correlate with your astute proclamation.
The dwarf maintains an affinity for the stone composition of Azeroth, but due to the high-stress environmental anomaly within the Earthen's synthesis matrix, the dwarf reverts to a default biomass composition as seen in the standard subterranean matrix.
Ergo, the dwarf variant does synthesize from the degeneration of the Earthen creation matrix, as you inferred with your query.

GossipGossipIcon These dwarves are the same ones today, yes? Do the dwarves maintain any other links to the Earthen?

I am unable to process your chronological reference in comparison to the recording of this data, my apologies.
Though the dwarf maintains most of the Earthen's mental attunement to Azeroth's stone composition, the reversion back into living biomass remains the main degeneration of the matrix. Dwarves eat and procreate through means typical to other standard biomasses.
The Creators view the dwarf as an acceptable variant, worthy of genesis in its own right.

GossipGossipIcon Who are the Creators?

The Creators are... the Creators.
They are the beings that seeded and shaped this world by their own design. They are the reason for this world's existence, as well as many other worlds. They are the wellspring from which Azeroth flows.

GossipGossipIcon This is a lot to think about.

The Creators are cognizant of the magnitude of the information housed in this repository. Subsequently, a portable copy of the data stored here will be made available to your once you are attuned with the Discs of Norgannon.
Please consider your cursory requirements for the assimilation of this knowledge to be complete. At your leisure, access the Discs of Norgannon to begin synthesis of your discs.

GossipGossipIcon I will access the discs now.

See also[]

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