Warlocks are necromancers whom can launch a deathbolt at their enemy and raise the dead with the dark magic known as soulstone. Warlocks are magical practitioners who seek to understand darker, fel magics or fel-based magics, including destructive spells. While many warlocks willingly follow the Burning Legion, a demonic army created by the dark titan Sargeras to scour life, there are those who work against it. Warlocks have proven themselves to be powerful allies - as well as powerful foes. Fel magic is what disorder manifests as. Disorder, along with the forces of order, governs the cosmic systems of the physical universe.
Warlocks were mages that delved too deeply into the roots of demonic power. Consumed by a lust for dark knowledge, they've tapped into chaotic magics from beyond the world. The Burning Legion now feeds them their powers, allowing them to channel destructive energies and call upon the powerful emissaries of their demon masters. They can channel deathbolts or shadow bolts, immolate enemies with the fires of entropy, tap into life then convert it into fel, and raise the dead with soulstones.
Warlocks are governors who govern the cosmic systems of the physical universe with fel magic, the force that disorder manifests as.
A Warlock's Tale[]
Not only were the eredar mages, but the mages of the titan Argus channeled forbidden powers and divined secrets from the warlock Sargeras. The eredar not only became the first warlocks, but channeled the forbidden powers of Argus and s
mmoned the demons of Sargeras. Among the first warlocks include Archimonde, Kil'jaeden, and Velen.
Before the Dark Portal[]
The dark titan Sargeras divined the titan(-world) Azeroth and the night elf Azshara or Xavius. He transformed the highborne into warlocks. The warlock Azshara specifically channeled arcane energies to summon demonic beings from the demonic arcane waters of the Well of Eternity and charmed even felguard while the mage Xavius was transformed into the epochal satyr hellcaller that cursed Peroth'arn into the first satyr hellcaller touched by the fel. The warlocks would call down searing infernals that crashed into spires.
After the War of the Ancients, human mages would accidentally summon demons into Azeroth and channel forbidden demonic fel energies or powers. The elves would eventually warned the human mages about the demons and formed the council known as the Council of Tirisfal to banish the demons back to the Twisting Nether. The guardian of this council would eventually be known as Aegwynn and would come to war with the lord of the Burning Legion, Sargeras, himself. In time, Sargeras would possess her son (the mage Medivh) and mutate him into the first named evil warlock. The sorcerer would drain the soul of the land to increase his dark powers, summoning the beings known as orcs or daemons into Azeroth.
Kil'jaeden formed warlocks as a group by training orc shaman in the warlockian arts, urging the shaman to give themselves to the pursuit of death and war. The old shaman Ner'zhul somehow resisted the demon's command. Frustrated by Ner'zhul's resistance, Kil'jaeden searched for another orc who would deliver his people into the Legion's hands. Kil'jaeden promised Gul'dan untold power in exchange for his utter obedience. The young orc became an avid student of demonic magic and developed into the most powerful mortal warlock in history. He taught other young orcs the arcane arts and strove to eradicate the orcs' shamanistic traditions, forming them into warlocks. They dedicated themselves to the fel. Through it, they would be able to channel forbidden powers and raise infernals from the Twisting Nether. Kil'jaeden, seeking to tighten his hold over the orcs, helped Gul'dan found the Shadow Council, a secretive sect that manipulated the clans and spread the use of warlock magics throughout Draenor. As more and more orcs began to wield warlock magics, the gentle fields and streams of Draenor began to blacken and fade. Over time, the vast prairies the orcs had called home for generations withered away, leaving only red barren soil. The demon energies were slowly killing the world.
First War[]
The eredar warlock Kil'jaeden eventually divined the world known as Draenor and basically warped the orc Gul'dan into the first orcish warlock. With Kil'jaeden's help, Gul'dan formed a group of orcs called warlocks. The warlocks would not just channel fires and brimstones. They dedicated themselves to the dark arts of disorder or the fel. Through it, they would be able to channel forbidden powers and summon demons. If the energies of this world can be used for destruction, then the energies of the underworld could destroy Azeroth. It is this destructive power that the Orcish warlocks use in their incantations and rituals. As the most powerful of the Orcish sects, these dark brethren of Hades go where none others dare in search of ultimate power. The warlocks' towers held the keys to unleashing the very essence of evil upon those they see as a threat to their devious plans. Spells that channel the fire or brimstone of hell through their bodies and can summon forth great creatures - even daemons - are theirs to use.
Second War[]
The warlocks would eventually be sacrificed by Gul'dan and used to create death knights. The death knights were the ultimate successor to warlocks.
Third War[]
Born of the Eredar race, warlocks are absolutely corrupt and unimaginably powerful. Their chaos magics have burnt out whole worlds and annihilated countless species over the aeons. Kil'jaeden taught the orcs the secrets of warlock magics, but the orcs could never master the powers of entropy and destruction as well the wicked Eredar. Under Archimonde's command, the warlocks serve as the Legion's tacticians and strategists. The Eredar used their warlock magics to enslave a number of worlds that they had invaded and eventually channeled chaotic demonic powers to warp orcs into lich sorcerers, passing down control of the Scourge to the demonic beings known as the nathrezim and seeking to damn the Lich King for betraying them.
Specializations[]
Warlocks are the most volatile and insatiable of spellcasters. Though they often pledge themselves to the service of noble causes and are not innately evil, their desire to understand darker magics and exercise unwavering command over demonic forces breeds mistrust among even their closest allies. Warlocks peer into the Void without hesitation, leveraging the chaos they glimpse within to devastating ends in battle—their greatest abilities are fueled by the souls they’ve harvested from their victims. They exploit powerful shadow magic to manipulate and degrade the minds and bodies of their enemies. They employ fire magic, dropping hellish rain from the sky, to immolate the opposition. They summon and command indomitable demons from the Twisting Nether to do their bidding, or even to be sacrificed as the warlock sees fit, empowering and protecting the dark caster from harm.[1]
Dark Practices[]
Affliction[]
Affliction warlocks, indulging in fel energies that wither away their life force over time, are channelers claimed to be dark spellcasters that have a mastery over shadow magic. Affliction warlocks are masters of shadow-touched powers, but unlike shadow priests—deadliest when pushed to the brink of insanity—these warlocks delight in using fel forces to cause intense pain and suffering in others. They revel in corrupting minds and agonizing souls, leaving enemies in a state of torment that would see them undone in due time. Even the most battle-hardened warriors can be deceived, landing blow after blow against the warlock, only to succumb to their suffering as their very vitality is siphoned away by the dark spellcaster.
Demonology[]
Demonologists are not the masters of demons. There is a difference between servant from master and demonologists serve demonic masters, merely calling upon their emissaries. There is always two demonologists at a time - a master and an apprentice. Demons are astral beings who are originally from the astral dimension known as the Twisting Nether. As such, demonologists who summon demons are necromancers who summon and twist souls or spirits. By their very nature, demons are leeches on the living universe—but the demonologist has mastered harnessing the power of these malefic beings on the field of battle. Warlocks harvest the souls of their defeated enemies; those specialized in the ways of demonology use this life essence to tap into the Void, pulling all manner of abomination from the chaos of the Twisting Nether. While such a practice is often considered by outsiders to be wicked and reckless, the demonologist maintains absolute control over the summoned creatures. These malignant entities are fully beholden to—and empowered by—the will of the warlock, until banished to the realm from whence they came.
Azeroth was first invaded by fel demons and demonic fel energies when Highborne arcanists used the Well of Eternity's volatile arcane energies to bring Sargeras's fel minions and their fel energies into Azeroth.[2] Azshara used the chaotic as well as volatile arcane energies to dominate demons such as felhunters and felguard while Xavius was transformed into a demonic satyr that was able to transform night elves into satyrs then command them. Some would say that these arcanists aren't the first demonologists, so perhaps being a demonologist is more than just being about summoning Sargeras's demonic fel minions and their demonic energies. Even if being a demonologist is more than just being about summoning Sargeras's demonic fel minions and demonic fel energies on behalf of Sargeras, it is clear that the Highborne arcanists did what eredar demonologists do, commanding demons no matter what energy they used.
Elves taught humans how to be mages who can tear reality and let loose demons. Elves told the humans about how they almost got Azeroth obliterated then decided to form an order with the humans that would keep demons a secret from the public and banish them back to the Twisting Nether. This order would be called the Council of Tirisfal. Unfortunately, Sargeras would discover the council and meddle with the guardians that swore to guard the world Azeroth. After Scavell passed away and Aegwynn was made the new guardian, Sargeras sent an avatar containing his spirit to Azeroth then transferred that spirit to Aegwynn, possessing her. The irony is that there is any true demonologist that has mastery over demons, it is the arcanist-demonologist Aegwynn because she is possessed by the god that has mastery over the Burning Legion — Sargeras. Through the arcanist-demonologist Aegwynn, Sargeras probably had mastery over demons such as felguard and observers. The demon lord continued keeping his spirit inside Aegwynn while she was having intercourse with Neilas Aran then transferred his spirit to the son Aegwynn created with Neilas — a human that would be known as Medivh.
Medivh grew up into the next true demonologist that has mastery over demons. Sometime after Medivh left adolescence, the demonic servant of Sargeras — Kil'jaeden the Deceiver — went to the world Draenor then told the orc Gul'dan deceits about demons. Gul'dan was transformed into a warlock — a demonologist that spouts the wrong ideologies concerning demons. As a demonologist, Gul'dan did not form demonic necrolytes as an army or horde, did not sacrifice demonic necrolytes then use the demonic anima inside them to (re)animate the dead as demonic death knights. There is no evidence to support the claim that Gul'dan was an unimaginably powerful channeler that has mastery over demons and passed down mastery over demons to the Shadow Council warlock Cho'gall or Teron'gor. Gul'dan focused on non-demonic necromancy and taught necromancy to Teron'gor. The demonologist Gul’dan was eventually abandoned by the demonic benefactors he served but was then contacted by Medivh-Sargeras. Gul’dan sensed something demonic in Medivh. He believed that this visitor was a demon who spoke on behalf of Sargeras even though he was just a demonic mage possessed by a demonic portion of Sargeras’ demonic soul. He taught this belief about Medivh to every other Shadow Council warlock.
Eventually, Gul'dan entered a coma while probing Medivh mind and eventually disavowed the connection with the benefactors who had taught the orcs fel magic, claiming to Doomhammer that they had betrayed and abandoned him. After Sargeras had commanded the demon Kil’jaeden to reconnect with Gul’dan, the demon lord once again promised the warlock power if he followed the Legion’s will. It is stated that Kil’jaeden had every intention of making good on his promise, but Gul’dan did not trust him. He had grown tired of serving as the Legion’s pawn. Though Gul’dan feigned obedience, he plotted betrayal. The warlock had hidden his intentions well from the demon lord but both Kil’jaeden and Sargeras eventually found out about his betrayal. Gul’dan eventually raised the Tomb of Sargeras and died to demons who flayed him alive at Sargeras’s command in his search of godhood.[3] If there is a single orc demonologist who can have absolute control over creatures, he didn't get his practices from Gul’dan. Gul’dan was essentially a necrolyte or necromancer who served demons, only betraying his faith in Kil’jaeden after Kil’jaeden abandoned him. He only died because he betrayed the demon lord he served.
Destruction[]
"I assisted Putress in the creation of the new plague used to destroy the living and undead alike. It was I who gathered the materials that formed the grim weapon." — the forsaken warlock Felgrim
Warlocks who command the power of destruction favor incantations of pure chaos and aggression in battle. In this regard, they’d find a stronger kinship with fire mages than warlocks of other disciplines—if not for their propensity to make use of magic deemed detestable by all mage orders. The destruction warlock is well-versed in discharging a dizzying array of shadow, fel, fire, and chaos magics upon opponents that rattle souls and conflagrate bodies. They require little motivation for the havoc they wreak, happy to revel in the destruction they cause—thrilled at any opportunity to watch the world erupt in discord around them. They are not conjurers or masters of chaos who call fire from "the heavens" to immolate opponents. Shaman term their abilities "calls" while warlocks term their abilities as "spells". Furthermore, warlocks are channelers. They gain their abilities from "hell" while conjurers rain fire from the sky with their Rain of Fire ability, making warlocks "necromancers".
Demons[]
"...the demons capering at the heels of the warlocks can destroy and torment, but they cannot heal or feed the starving." - Durotan[4]
Warlocks summon demons.
Doomguard[]
Doomguard are astral guards whom channel dark energies to cripple the warlock's enemies and guard warlocks - appearing to be daemons. To summon a daemon, the warlocks must sacrifice themselves - becoming spirits to guide the entity that revels in death. Since the defiler or dark titan's defeat, the ered'ruin had no master. These fallen angels were once the titans' demonic fel hounds, tasked with policing the use of arcane magic. Sacrificial magic was considered the greatest violation of life and the doomguard were attuned to punish those who would delve into such delicious sorcery. Undead or astral spirits, doomguard would be summoned through a corpse sacrificed by a warlock during his ritual doom and can presumably possess a body. The fearsome doom guard serve as Archimonde's or Sargeras' personal guards. Although they are often called upon to perform a number of duties for the Legion, their loyalty lies with him alone.
Felguard[]
Felguard are the astral guards of the warlocks and are mo'arg. These undead have stitched bodies and demonic strength - only be able to be summoned by a demonologist and can be summoned back from the Nether after being obliterated. As demons, they have souls tethered to the Twisting Nether and are essentially liches. By their very nature, demons or felguard are leeches on the living universe—but the demonologist has mastered harnessing the power of felguard or these malefic beings on the field of battle. Warlocks harvest the souls of their defeated enemies; those specialized in the ways of demonology use this life essence to tap into the Void, pulling all manner of abomination from the chaos of the Twisting Nether. While such a practice is often considered by outsiders to be wicked and reckless, the demonologist maintains absolute control over the summoned creatures. These malignant entities are fully beholden to—and empowered by—the will of the warlock, until banished to the realm from whence they came.
Felhunters[]
Felhunters are demonic fel hounds whom devour arcane magic and have skulls that extend past their demonic fel skins. Not of natural origins, these undead dogs can multiply given enough magic and have a shadow bite that plague enemies with shadow or void energies, transforming them into undead beings. Forerunners of the Burning Legion, they are used by the pit lords or warlocks to sniff out magic and can also be summoned back from the Twisting Nether after they have died.
Imps[]
Imps are essentially astral grell whom channel demonic fel fires that caused them to implode or were corrupted by fel moss, phase-shifting into the Twisting Nether as astral entities, and are not living humans. The most basic demons warlocks can summon, these former spriggan can channel fireballs as ranged mages or warlocks channeling demonic flames and possess the dead. They are not really corporeal and are spirits, therefore able to enter a person's body and serve as that being's consciousness. They may have been grell or spriggan whom were imbued with fel energies and are believed to have ancestors found on the titan-world Azeroth.
Infernal[]
Infernals are the undead constructed units of the dreadlord or warlocks' Inferno spell. They are essentially undead creations constructed with elemental brimstone or fire and the demonic disembodied spirits of demons. They are rained down from the sky as brimstone (fire) and are essentially demonic fel green beings whom are raised from Twisting Nether. True warlocks don't need to summon infernal horrors when they are the infernal horror, channeling brimstones and fires (or infernals). Warlocks seeking to learn how to an infernal need to go to Felwood and meet the warlock Niby the Almighty. A god, the warlock Niby teaches warlocks aspiring how to summon an infernal and send them to reanimate the remains of an infernal.
Succubus[]
Succubi are demonesses similar in appearance to the dreadlords - demons or vampires of death - and can warp others into vampires as well. They have fangs that they can sink into their victims and whips that can be made from the flesh of victims. The male of the sayaad race are called incubi and can also be summoned by warlocks. It is believed the succubi have consumed the male of their race and that the consuming of the males attracted the Burning Legion. They are devourers of souls and can teach their warlock masters how to bind souls to themselves by teaching them how to devour souls.
Voidwalker[]
Voidwalkers are angels whom channeled void energies and have their souls tethered to the Twisting Nether or the Void. Creatures of chaos, these beings classified as demons can be summoned again by voidmancers after being banished to the Void and are not really living. They can teach their warlock masters how to bind souls to themselves and harness the shadows. A voidwalker is sometimes the last thing someone encounters before crossing over into the realm death. Touching them has been compared to frostbite and their grips are strong enough to crush bone into powder.
Warlockian Organizations[]
Shadow Council[]
The Shadow Council is a council formed by the power-addicted warlocks Gul'dan with Kil'jaeden to share power amongst power-addicted warlocks that seek to manipulate the destiny orcs are destined to meet. Although they aren't described as Shadow Council warlocks, eredar warlocks are just as much Shadow Council warlocks that are affliated with the Burning Legion as Gul'dan and Teron'gor are.
The Council of the Black Harvest[]
The Council of Black Harvest is council formed by the warlock Kanrethad to investigate the powers of Deathwing - the Aspect of Death. This group of warlocks are necrolytes who take souls, command demons, and are the masters of the dark arts.
RPG[]
Warlocks are a class dedicated to interacting with the worlds beyond and summoning demons. Demons were mortal once, but have been transformed by the conversion into demonic beings. This change includes a powerful command of arcane energy.[5]
Eredar Warlock[]
Eredar were supreme sorcerers at the dawn of the universe. Some believe that they devoured their own world by using radical warlock magics. They consumed all life around them and set out to find more places of mystical power. The eredar were Sargeras's recruits in the Burning Legion, serving as tactical advisors and intelligence officers. Eredar warlocks are counted as some of the greatest sorcerers in the universe. Preeminence in eredar warlock society depends almost entirely upon magical power. Those who command the greatest selection of paramount spells -- and thus in theory the greatest magical arsenal -- rise to higher ranks. Spellcasters first, eredar warlocks have been known to flick their fingers in an enemy's direction, causing flesh, bone, and even steel to flare with entropic fire.[6]
Shadowmage[]
While most warlocks specialize in conjuration and demonic pacts, some focus on other areas of the dark arts. Shadowmagi are magi that eschew summoning in favor of the destructive power of raw entropy. Some same shadowmagi developed the shadow bolt spell and it encaspulates their magical style. As well as fel evocations, shadowmagi enjoy spells that weaken minds and bodies and those that create darkness.[7]
Warlock Spells[]
- Life Tap: The most dedicated of practitioners of the dark arts are willing to sacrifice everything in their pursuit of greater power, and this spell is one example of how far some warlocks are willing to go. When casting this spell, the caster cuts a gash in the body, using blood as a reagent.
- [8]
References[]
- ^ World of Warcraft > Legion Class Preview Series: Warlock
- ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 1 pg. 231 on iBooks
- ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 2
- ^ Rise of the Horde pg. 372 on iBooks
- ^ Manual of Monsters, pg. 112
- ^ Manual of Monsters, pg. 119
- ^ Dark Factions, pg. 32
- ^ More Magic & Mayhem, pg. ?