No one knows for certain when or why the first titan awoke, but ancient legend calls him Aman'Thul.
Though he stood alone at the beginning, Aman'Thul was certain in his heart that other titans awaited him out there. With unwavering resolve, he journeyed across countless worlds within the Great Dark Beyond, seeking his siblings. The journey was fraught with obstacles and loneliness, yet ultimately bore satisfying fruit. Over time, he discovered other newly formed world-souls. With tenderness and care, Aman'Thul nurtured these souls, awakening the titans who had slumbered in silence. Those who awoke swore loyalty, heeding the noble call of Aman'Thul.
Meanwhile, the Void Lords watched with envy and hatred toward the Pantheon who possessed physical form. For ages, they observed every step of the titans, tracking their travels from one world to another.
In a bid to sabotage, they planned to destroy a titan before it could awaken. But, unaware of the exact location of the still-slumbering titan souls, the Void Lords unleashed dark creatures across the physical universe, hoping one might collide with a world-soul.
The number of dark entities released is never precisely known, but their presence corrupted the mortal worlds, devastating everything they touched in a blind search for new titans. These beings became known as the Old Gods, malevolent entities spreading destruction and chaos.
Aman'Thul and his siblings, who would later be known as the Pantheon, now wage a fierce war against the demons of the Twisting Nether. Filled with hatred and unquenchable malice, these demons are determined to annihilate all life in the universe.
Though aware that the Void Lords have cast something into the physical realm, the Pantheon do not yet know who the Void Lords truly are, nor the whereabouts or strongholds of the Old Gods lurking in the shadows.
It is at this moment that chaos descends upon the Warcraft universe, with the titanic struggle between the Titans and the Void Lords raging fiercely in the Great Dark Beyond.
Eru Ilúvatar from the Tolkien world arrived in the Warcraft universe, carrying in his grasp another world-soul still asleep.
He did not come alone. Along with Eru came the Ainur, the faithful Valar, who witnessed firsthand the chaos engulfing the entire cosmos—an evil relentlessly striving to corrupt the physical reality with endless malevolence.
Eru Ilúvatar had heard of this universe's plight from a soul who once spoke with him. How sorrowful it was to dwell in a world fraught with turmoil, yet he still hoped that soul could one day aid as many beings as possible who inhabited that world.
Then, together with the Ainur, Eru began to sing a creation song to enlarge the planet Azeroth—which at that time was home to only one continent. Through their song, Azeroth was made to hold two continents: the ancient Kalimdor from its original universe, and a new continent that would be born from their melody—Valinor, destined to become part of that world-soul.
This creation song echoed across every corner of the Warcraft world, heard by all creatures, both the Pantheon and the Void Lords. Yet, no one knew the source of these sacred voices, for the universe was vast and full of mystery.
---
Somewhere hidden within the Warcraft world, the Pantheon gathered after their victory over the demons. Unexpectedly, that foreign song echoed throughout Warcraft—a sound they had never before recognized.
There assembled the titans:
Aman'Thul — The High Father of the Pantheon
Sargeras — The Pantheon's Protector
Aggramar — Sargeras's Great Lieutenant
Eonar — The Binder of Life
Khaz'goroth — The World-Shaper and Smith
Norgannon — Keeper of Sky Magic and Knowledge
Golganneth — Lord of the Skies and Roaring Seas
They discussed the origin of the song, trying to understand its meaning.
"My brother Aman'Thul, who do you think that singing voice belongs to?" Norgannon asked seriously.
"I don't know either. This song is not recorded in the cosmic knowledge we usually study," Aman'Thul replied.
"Why don't you try glimpsing the future to find out, brother?" suggested Sargeras.
Aman'Thul attempted to foresee the future, searching for clues different from the usual. But all he saw were blurred, fragmented images—a future incomplete and confusing.
After a while, Aman'Thul still could not find the source of the song, nor who sang it.
"I'm not certain. But in those fragments, I saw a mortal creature with pointed ears wielding magic unfamiliar to us," Aman'Thul explained.
"It seems there is something being created by that creature, something alien to us. Yet, we do not fully know them," said Eonar.
"Magic unknown to us? This is intriguing," added Norgannon with curiosity.
"Better to kill them if we meet, so as not to worsen the situation," Sargeras interjected firmly.
"Calm down, we don't know their purpose yet. Hopefully, they are not enemies, and we will soon discover what they are creating," Aman'Thul soothed the tension.
The discussion went on for some time, before the Pantheon resumed their duties—arranging cosmic energies and maintaining the harmony of the Warcraft universe.
Yet in his heart, a seed of doubt began to grow within Sargeras. Though not entirely shaken, he started questioning what they had long fought for as the benevolent Pantheon, the protectors of the Warcraft world.
---
The Void Lords also heard the song of Eru Ilúvatar and the Ainur. The sound ignited their fury, for its vibrant energy was the antithesis of their very essence—full of life, like an eternal enemy they could never tolerate.
With burning wrath, they sought the source of that power to annihilate it instantly. Yet, no matter how hard they tried, the source remained elusive.
Then, they contacted the dark creatures scattered throughout the Warcraft world. They issued a new mission: besides corrupting the young world-soul—destined one day to become the next Pantheon—these beings were also ordered to destroy the creation of the mysterious figure who sang that sacred song.
No one knows how long the song has echoed throughout the Warcraft cosmos. Perhaps thousands, even tens of thousands of years. Yet the melody endures, never ceasing.
---
In those days, long before the arrival of the Pantheon, Azeroth was ruled by the Old Gods. The world was shrouded in elemental warfare chaos. Its lands were filled with burning volcanoes, raging storms, shaking earthquakes, and uncontrollable bursts of raw magic.
There was no clear seasonal cycle, no climate balance. The wild elements—fire, water, earth, and air—were locked in eternal battle. The Elemental Lords served as loyal agents of the Old Gods:
Ragnaros (Fire)
Neptulon (Water)
Therazane (Earth)
Al'Akir (Air)
By the command of the Void Lords, the Old Gods planted their influence to corrupt and dominate this young world-soul. They built the Black Empire, a colossal realm of darkness inhabited by terrifying creatures: the n'raqi (Faceless Ones) and the aqir.
Their seat of power consisted of cities and palaces made from giant flesh—living prisons binding their forms—embedded deep within the earth's crust. Aside from their servants, hardly any other life could survive.
The land later known as Ancient Kalimdor was still one whole continent at that time, not yet shattered by the Well of Eternity's explosion—an event that would occur far in the future when the Burning Legion was summoned by Queen Azshara, ruler of the Highborne.
There was no definite day or night; the sky was filled with magical storms blending light and darkness. All of Azeroth's surface was dominated by elemental war, the destruction of the Old Gods, and wild creatures knowing only servitude or battle.
---
Then the Old Gods noticed something strange: Azeroth was growing larger, and a new continent appeared right at the center of their domain. They tried to extend their influence over it but failed. The life energy born from the song of Ilúvatar and the Ainur blocked every attempt.
Yet the war did not cease; chaos still reigned, ignoring this cosmic change. The song itself was what made Azeroth grow beyond its original size.
When the sacred song ended, the Ainur—or Valar—descended to Azeroth under Ilúvatar's command. They planted the human soul that would later become the World Tree on the continent of Valinor and were charged to protect it until it awakened.
The Valar then began to shape and reorder the world according to Ilúvatar's will, making the continent of Azeroth part of the grand design of Arda.
---
The Valar descended upon the planet Azeroth, ravaged by fierce elemental wars wrought by the chaos sown by the Old Gods. Though their desire to aid this world burned fiercely, their sacred mandate from Ilúvatar was clear: to safeguard and reshape the order of the continents Valinor and Middle-earth—realms they had created to shield from the corruption and ruin imposed by those vile creatures.
The fourteen Valar strode resolutely into Valinor, the sacred land they now tended with tender care and vigilant watchfulness. There, they began to plant the seed of the World Tree—a source of light and soul bestowed by Ilúvatar himself, a beacon of new hope for a world ever-changing.
These Valar were:
Manwë, King of the Valar, lord of the winds and vast air.
Ulmo, master of the seas and all waters, singer of the ocean's song.
Aulë, great smith and craftsman, shaper of the world's materials.
Oromë, mighty hunter and tireless lover of the forests.
Mandos (Námo), keeper of fate, overseer of death and destiny.
Lórien (Irmo), lord of dreams and peaceful rest.
Tulkas, the strongest and swiftest warrior, bearer of courage.
Varda, Queen of Stars, banisher of night's darkness, wife of Manwë.
Yavanna, sovereign of all plants and nature, wife of Aulë.
Nienna, a Valier of compassion and sorrow who builds hope.
Estë, healer and bringer of tranquility, wife of Lórien.
Vairë, weaver of the world's history, wife of Mandos.
Vána, goddess of spring who awakens new life.
Nessa, nimble dancer and protector of game, wife of Tulkas.
They arrived in Valinor, heedless of the elemental war's raging tides elsewhere in the world. The Old Gods—ancient beings steeped in hatred and corruption—witnessed the arrival of these foreign entities from another realm: the Valar, guardians of light and order. With malevolent intent, they sought to erode and corrupt the sacredness of the Valar to bend them toward the ruin they spread. Yet the Valar stood firm, resisting and ultimately banishing the threatening darkness.
Manwë, one of the highest Valar and leader following the fall of Melkor—known thereafter as Morgoth—raised his voice in a grand magical chant that shook Arda itself. This singing magic was no mere spell but the pure power embodying Ilúvatar's will.
With hands waving gracefully yet filled with authority, Manwë commanded the gathering dark clouds to form into shimmering white waves, radiating pure light as a declaration of defiance against evil.
He thundered with a voice full of solemn authority and sacred wrath, intoning words of banishment:
"You hold no power here, servants of the Void Lords!"
"Faceless!"
"Formless!"
"Return to the emptiness, vile creatures known as Old Gods!"
"Return to the origin of your form in the continent of Kalimdor, despicable beings!"
Manwë's roar echoed through the skies of Valinor, as if piercing space and time. The magic of his song surged forth, forcing back the Old Gods who tried to infiltrate the sacred order of Arda. The sky shifted like shimmering white ocean waves, flooding away every lurking shadow of darkness.
In the awe-inspiring silence that followed the storm, the Valar stood unyielding, ensuring that Ilúvatar's order remained intact and the world they nurtured continued to shine with renewed hope.