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Dragons of Nightmare- this is one of the bosses of the raid dungeon Emerald Nightmare. In this guide, we'll tell you everything you need to know to defeat the Nightmare Dragons in all available modes. First, let's look at the general description of the battle and list the important mechanics that you should pay attention to. The guide was approved by Pottm from Serenity.

1. History

Nightmare Dragons are the fifth boss of the Emerald Nightmare raid dungeon.

Ysera was the guardian of the Emerald Dream, and in this she was helped by the strongest representatives of the green dragon family. They stood guard over four portals that led directly to Azeroth. The portal guardians were corrupted even before the Cataclysm, and now the path to the epicenter of the Nightmare lies through their lair.

2. Summary of the guide

At first glance, the battle with the Nightmare Dragons may seem long and exhausting, because... it contains four opponents at once (Isondre, Emeriss, Lethon and Taerar) with a total health reserve and different abilities. Some abilities are unique, some are common.

The fight is actually quite simple. At any given time, the raid will only have to deal with two opponents, one of which is always Ysondre. Additionally, players need to split into two groups to fight each dragon individually. As such, most players will only have to keep track of one set of abilities.

The description of the battle was compiled during the game on test servers.

2.1. Tanks

• Swap for 7 effects of the Sign of Nightmare.
• Don't let Breath of Corruption into your raid.
• Collect monsters, with the exception of Nightmare Terror (if there are not too many of them).

2.2. Doctors

• Dispel everything - Roots from Summon Fel Spirit, Dream from Oozing Mist and Eruption of Darkness (on Heroic difficulty).
• Save healing cooldowns in case of unforeseen situations (for example, the appearance of extra monsters).

2.3. Fighters

• Beat the boss and all his minions, especially the spirits from Soul Siphon, preventing them from reaching Lethon.
• Stop reading Corruption (Essence of Corruption).
• Stand in the Nightmare Charge colors (if you don't have any allies in them) to prevent Nightmare Horror from spawning.

2.4. All

Get out of all affected areas on the ground. The only zone that cannot be exited is Summon Corrupted Spirit.

3. Abilities of Nightmare Dragons

Four dragons take part in the battle - Ysondre, Emeryss, Lethon and Taerar. Based on the results of testing, we came to the conclusion that only three dragons are available each week - Ysondre and two others, determined at random. So far we've only seen two combinations - Ysondre/Taerar/Leton and Ysondre/Taerar/Emeriss.

Only two dragons are involved in battle at a time, and the third one hovers above them. In normal mode, the dragon is inactive in the air; in heroic mode, it uses one ability.

In test battles, dragons alternated as follows:

• 100-70% health: Ysondre and Taerar;
• 70-40% health: Ysondre and Lethon or Emeriss;
• 40-0% health: Ysondre and Taerar.

Considering that Taerar was present in two battles, we can assume that the weekly rotation concerns only one dragon (Leton or Emeriss).

Having discussed all the bosses, let's look at their abilities. Let's start with those that are common to all, and end with those that are unique to each dragon.

3.1. General Abilities

• The Nightmare charge is used up after 40 seconds. after the start of the battle and then every 60 seconds. It targets a random player and launches a blob of Nightmare essence at them. When the clot reaches its target, it deals moderate Shadow damage, creates a Nightmare Flower, and spawns a Nightmare Horror.
  • The Nightmare Flower lasts for 1 minute. Every 3 sec. it deals low Shadow damage to all players standing in it. If there is no player in the flower, it does no damage and instead creates a Nightmare Horror.
  • The Nightmare Horror has low health and does not use any abilities. On Heroic difficulty, players within 5m of the Nightmare Horror deal 50% less damage.
• Summon Corrupted Spirit once every 30 sec. It creates two druid spirits that cannot be attacked. There is no pre-spawn animation for the druids. Players standing near Druids are stunned by Corrupted Vines . The effect lasts 6 seconds, it can and should be dispelled. After 5 sec. The druid explodes and deals heavy damage to all players caught in the affected area.

3.3. Taerar

Taerar uses two abilities: Shadows of Taerar and Oozing Mist.

• Shadows of Taerar summons two copies of the boss, which have less health and deal less damage. Shadows use a weaker version of Breath of Corruption and do not cast Mark of Taerar.
• Every 15 sec. Taerar creates dangerous areas under the feet of two random players, which after 2 sec. turn into Oozing Mist. The fog moves slowly across the room and disappears after 1 minute. A player caught in the fog falls asleep for 6 seconds. and receives minor damage from nature once every sec. The effect can be dissipated.

3.3.1. Heroic Mode: Rolling Roar

In heroic mode, Taerar, flying into the air, once every 40 sec. casts a Rolling Roar that strikes all players into fear for 3 seconds.

3.4. Leton

Lethon uses two abilities: Soul Siphon and Gloom.

• Soul Siphon is used once every 45 sec. and summons several spirits near Ysondre's group. The spirits slowly move towards Lethon. If the spirit manages to reach its target, it heals Ysondre and Lethon, and since dragons share health, the amount of healing is doubled.
• Darkness is used once every 3 sec. The boss targets a random player next to him and creates a danger zone with a radius of 10m on the ground. After 4 sec. it sends a small blob of Nightmare into the area, dealing moderate Shadow damage to all players caught in the area.

3.4.1. Heroic Mode: Darkness Rush

On Heroic Difficulty, Lethon will cast a Dark Burst every 15 seconds while in the air. Darkness Burst affects two random players. After 6 sec. After casting, the 3 players closest to the target begin to receive minor shadow damage every 3 sec. for 21 seconds, and their movement speed is reduced by 10%. The effect is cumulative and can be dispelled.

3.5. Emeriss

Emeriss uses two abilities: Volatile Contagion and Essence of Corruption.

• Essence of Corruption is used once every 30 sec. and summons 2 Essence of Corruption that try to read Corruption. The reading of Corruption must be interrupted, and the Essence must be stunned.
• Volatile Infestation is used every 45 sec. and affects 1-2 random players near Emeriss. Targets take minor Nature damage every 3 sec. within 90 sec. and spread this damage to all allies within a 10m radius.

3.5.1. Heroic Mode: Dream Warp

On Heroic mode, while in the air, Emeriss will use Dream Distortion. When monsters summoned by other bosses die, they leave behind an infected mushroom that grows for a few seconds before exploding and dealing Nature damage to all nearby players.

3.6. Energy

Each dragon has an energy reserve that fills up over time and allows you to use main ability.

• Ysondre: Summon Corrupted Spirit (every 30 sec);
• Taerar: Shadows of Taerar (every 45 sec.);
• Lethon: Soul Drain (every 45 sec);
• Emeryss: Volatile Infestation (every 45 sec.)

This fact is not very important, but we had to mention it so that the information about the bosses is complete.

4. Tactics for the Nightmare Dragons in normal and heroic mode

In theory, tactics against the Nightmare Dragons look quite simple, but in practice difficulties often arise.

The tactics are simple and require little or no coordinated action on the part of the raid members. Players do not have to move in a special way or perform specific tasks. Everyone can go about their business, dealing with the mechanics on their own, so for most players the information in the section Summary will be quite enough. However, if you want to learn the in-depth details of the combat, keep reading.

4.1. Division into groups

Since the dragons are marking the players, the raid should split into two groups. Ysondre and the other active dragon should stand about 90m apart. This is the approximate distance at which dragonmarks will not overlap the same targets. Of course, this can be reduced since players rarely stand at the maximum distance from the target, and the likelihood of them receiving both marks at once is quite small.

Every 70 seconds, tanks should run to the center and change bosses, everyone else should stand still and wait until a new boss appears within range.

4.2. Notes for tanks

The main problem for tanks (besides the timely exchange of dragons) is Breath of Corruption, which should not be included in the raid under any circumstances. For the most part, this is doable, but when exchanging bosses and bringing them to their starting positions, dragons can still accidentally breathe on healers and fighters.

In addition, tanks need to collect monsters summoned by Emeriss (Essence of Corruption) and Taerar (Shadows of Taerar).

4.3. Notes for healers

Over time, the damage from fighting Nightmare Dragons does not increase and is largely avoidable, so you can pay more attention to tanks, Emeryss's Flying Plague, etc.

In addition, you must dispel numerous harmful effects, in particular:

• Summoning Ysondre's Corrupted Spirit creates a danger zone around a random player. When the zone appears, it pins the target in place. Chaining cannot be avoided, so roots (Corrupted Vines) must be removed quickly to avoid Corrupted Eruption explosions.
• Some players will be caught in a Dripping Mist, which puts targets to sleep for 6 seconds. Sleep can also be removed, but Corrupted Vines have a higher priority. Dispel sleep only if the roots have no effect on anyone.
• On Heroic difficulty, you must also dispel the effect of Darkness Burst (used by Lethon while floating in the air).

4.4. Notes for fighters

The fighters' primary task is to defeat bosses and the monsters they summon. Spirits summoned by Lethon using Soul Siphon have the highest priority. The spirits must be killed before they reach the boss.

When Emeriss is standing on the ground, she summons an Essence of Corruption (in pairs). Entities apply Corruption to random raid members. Reading Corruption must be interrupted.

What did Azeroth look like before the titans appeared? What was it like before the rise of the troll empire and the decline of the night elves or the destruction of the Well of Eternity? While most of the creatures that inhabit Azeroth can only guess at the truth behind these questions, the druids already know the answer - they can visit the ancient vision of the past whenever they please.

They communicate with him in a way that most mortals cannot understand - through an eternal dimension called the Emerald Dream.

But what exactly is the Emerald Dream? He was created by the Titans, but for what purpose, if any, does he have? It looks like we'll finally be able to get some of these questions answered in the upcoming World of Warcraft: Legion expansion - or at least we'll find out what a dream actually is.

Dream of the Titans

When the Titans first arrived on Azeroth and set out to shape a new world, they created the Emerald Dream, which served as a blueprint for Azeroth - a snapshot of a moment in time before they began their work to give the world a new form. We sometimes like to call this dimension a "backup copy" of Azeroth, but this theory has never been fully confirmed. The closest confirmation was the information that the dream consists of several levels - some of them are unfinished, some are completed; some are available and some are not.

Based on this, it can be assumed that the Emerald Dream is indeed a kind of backup copy - but a more accurate idea would be that it stores all the experiments made by the titans during the creation of the world. For the Titans, it was the equivalent of a development sandbox, in which different versions and different parts of the evolution of Azeroth were tweaked and perfected until the final product was formed - what we now see on Azeroth.

But the Titans did not destroy the sandbox after their experiments were completed. They not only left him, but also created a guard specifically to protect the Emerald Dream. Ysera, an aspect of the green dragonflight, was appointed guardian of the Emerald Dream, also called the Dream of Creation, to keep it safe and control the flow of the forces of nature and evolution on Azeroth.

Secrets of sleep

Ysera accepted her destiny, falling into an eternal trance, and, in fact, beginning to live in the Emerald Dream permanently. She took the demigod Cenarius under her wing, guiding him into the Emerald Dream and becoming his foster mother, who undertook to teach him the secrets of the dream. As the son of Elune and Malorne, Cenarius was believed to have a connection to both the earth and the sky - an innate kinship with Azeroth that may have helped him understand the essence of the Emerald Dream.

And although Cenarius later decided to teach Malfurion Stormrage the ways of the druid, and his knowledge was passed on to the night elf druids, we still do not know what secrets he told. Druids may be able to understand the Emerald Dream, but we still have little information about its true purpose. There is a connection between Azeroth and the Emerald Dream, and for some reason it must always be maintained.

Which is strange when you think about it. Why? Because the Titans also endowed the planet with a defense mechanism that, no less, will blow it up if the Ancient Gods desecrate the world beyond recognition. This all nearly led to disaster when we went to Northrend in WotLK. Loken's death served as a signal for Algalon, who immediately came to Azeroth in search of corruption - and if he found it, they would be sent the signal to recreate the world by destroying it.

Ancient gods

And this is where the idea of ​​a “backup copy” comes into play. Apparently, the Emerald Dream was created by the Titans as a backup plan in case Azeroth had to be destroyed - so that it could be "rebooted" in its original form. This would also explain the desire of the titans to preserve this dimension - after all, the titans put the worlds in order, and have done the same more than once on other planets in the vastness of the universe. If they had not created the Emerald Dream, everything they created on Azeroth would have been lost forever, and they would not have been able to restore it.

In the case of Azeroth, this is of dubious importance due to the presence of the ancient gods. According to the Tribunal of Ages, when the Titans fought the Old Gods, they realized that they could not be destroyed - their death would in turn lead to the destruction of Azeroth. That is why the ancient gods were not killed, but instead imprisoned. This, however, raises one question - if the Titans had a backup plan for Azeroth, then why didn't they simply destroy the world after the Old Gods were first discovered and start all over again? What stopped them?

We do not know the answer to this question. But we do know that even the Emerald Dream itself was corrupted at some point in Azeroth's existence, and that this corruption, the Nightmare, finally made itself known after the Third War. When Malfurion Stormrage finished his labors on Azeroth during the Third War, he traveled back to the Emerald Dream, where he became trapped, unable to leave the dimension. This was partly due to his poisoning by Fandral Staghelm, but Nightmare himself was also involved.

Nightmares and dreams

The nightmare was essentially created through distorted visions and fears that visited people in their sleep. According to rumors, this was the work of Xavius, who, in turn, was a servant of a higher power - an ancient god. Through Xavius, the ancient gods found a way to corrupt this pristine copy of the world, ultimately hoping to destroy it. After all, if you can't wreak havoc on the waking world, what better way to do it than by desecrating the dream world? All this resulted in a full-scale war against the Nightmare, described in the novella "Stormrage". By the end of the novel, Xavius ​​was seemingly defeated and Nightmare was pushed back into the Aln Dimension.

But that wasn't enough, judging by what we've seen from snippets of WoW: Legion's upcoming events. Xavius ​​has apparently returned, and the Nightmare once again threatens the world with destruction. In the new addition, we ourselves will go to the Emerald Dream, and, theoretically, clear it once and for all. But, as with the ancient gods we have already met, is there really a way to destroy him completely? Can we cleanse the Emerald Dream, or is it as impossible a task as trying to destroy the ancient gods themselves?

We don't know for sure, and we won't know until the release of the upcoming expansion. But for now, Ysera does not guard the Emerald Dream, having spent all her strength during the battle with Deathwing in Cataclysm. The task of protecting the Emerald Dream fell on the shoulders of the mortal druids of Azeroth, who, in theory, with the advent of the Age of Mortals, are ready to take on this task. Whether they can actually handle him is a completely different story that we have yet to see.

The heroes of Azeroth venture into danger for countless reasons, and you’ll encounter seven of the most malignant in the upcoming Emerald Nightmare raid. Meet the twisted creatures who dwell within the once-pristine Emerald Dream, including corrupted druids, dragons, and demigods-along with the malevolent source of the Dream’s deep corruption.

The Emerald Dream was created by the titans as a blueprint for Azeroth itself-a verdant and perfect mirror that reflects the state of nature had it remained unspoiled by so-called civilization. For many years the druids and keepers who are closest to nature have noticed signs of an unsettling presence stirring within the Dream. Spurred on by the Legion and Nightmare Lord Xavius, that creeping corruption has now burst forth, and will engulf all of Azeroth if it is not rooted out at its source.

Developer Insights:: Ever since the first hints of the Emerald Dream were unearthed in classic World of Warcraft over a decade ago, it has been a place players and developers like have wanted to explore. From the moment the earliest design documents took shape for Val’sharah, with a story revolving around the Nightmare seeping into a peaceful druidic grove, we had “Emerald Dream raid” penciled in as a central piece of the expansion’s content.

Because of the Dream’s nature as a mirror of our world-initially perfect, but now deeply corrupt-we began by brainstorming specific locations in Azeroth that had strong ties to druidism, and those set pieces served as the building blocks for the raid zone. Of course, showcasing the corrupt Emerald Nightmare does not necessarily scratch that itch to see the verdant and unspoiled Dream itself, glimpsed so many years ago. But if adventurers can persevere through the trials of the Nightmare Lord’s twisted realm, perhaps a piece of the pure Dream can still be reclaimed. . . .

The raid features multiple paths and portals, each taking players deeper into madness of the Emerald Nightmare. Save for Nythendra, Cenarius, and Xavius, the list below does not necessarily reflect the order in which you might encounter these corrupted horrors-but every brave hero should take careful note of who they’ll be facing within the Nightmare.

Minimum level: 110
Location: Val"sharah
Bosses: 7

Clutch of Corruption

#7–Nythendra- Nythendra was once a member of the Green Dragonflight charged with guarding the world tree, Shaladrassil. When Xavius’ corruption of the Nightmare consumed Shaladrassil it consumed the sleeping guardian as well. Nythendra is now nothing more than a skeletal version of herself, swarming in pestilence, ready to devour anyone or anything foolish enough to enter her lair.

#6–Elerethe Renferal- Elerethe, once a mighty druid and adept shapeshifter, was led down a dark path by the belief that she was betrayed by her closest allies. Her consciousness now resides in the Nightmare, damning her to an existence of fear, confusion, and hatred.

Un'goro Crater

#5–Il’gynoth, Heart of Corruption- Lodged in the hollows of a now decrepit world tree, Il’gynoth is a manifestation of the horrors that lie at the heart of the Nightmare. It is a mass of corruption- a thing that should not be. It’s tendrils see through the ground, emerging in countless horrifying eyestalks and limbs.

The Emerald Nightmare

#4–Dragons of Nightmare- The Emerald Dream was entrusted to Ysera for safekeeping, and the mightiest of her green dragon brood were assigned to stand watch over four portals that connected directly to Azeroth. But even before the Cataclysm, these dragons began to show signs of corruption. Now, the path to the Nightmare’s core runs through the dragon’s lair.

Grizzly Hills

#3–Ursoc- Ursoc is one of the Wild Gods. Patron of the furbolg, and closely linked to the druidic power of shapeshifting, the ancient great bear has long been a protector of Azeroth. But as Ursoc slumbered at his shrine in the Grizzly Hills, the world around him was plunged into corruption, and he awoke to torment and Nightmare, consuming and twisting his being.

Moonglade

#2–Cenarius- The demigod Cenarius is the father of druidism in Azeroth and one of the world's oldest and most powerful protectors. His disturbing slumber within the groves of Val'sharah was the first sign of the depth of the growing threat from within the Nightmare. That dark power now has complete hold over him, and he may lie beyond hope of redemption.

Rift of Aln

#1–Xavius- Once a powerful mage, and a councilor to Queen Azshara, Xavius ​​forged a pact with Sargeras to enable the Legion’s first invasion of Azeroth. Cursed and tormented in the wake of that defeat, Xavius ​​plots vengeance against the world from within the Rift of Aln. Those who venture into the Nightmare will face the full extent of his power, and his true form-a grotesque and distended monstrosity.

Learn more about the complete unlock schedule for this raid dungeon in the post.

The Emerald Dream was originally discovered by the guardians after the overthrow of the Dark Empire. Although the keeper Freya credits its creation to his merits, there is high probability that the Dream has always existed. Some claim that he is nothing more than the dreams of the sleeping soul of Azeroth. In any case, the Emerald Dream is a reflection of the world without touching civilizations. The primordial lush thickets with the animals living in them, a plane of existence through which those who rule in it can see reality and monitor the development of life in Azeroth.

Freya used it to control evolutionary ways flora and fauna of the new world. Time and distance itself are presented differently in the Emerald Dream than in reality. Only those whose souls are attached to it, and mortals who have learned the art of Druidry can enter the dream and not lose themselves in it. It is said that through it one can also communicate with the soul dormant within Azeroth.

Power over the Emerald Dream belonged exclusively to the guardian, until one day the aspects were chosen. , a green dragon, received the blessing of the titan Eonar. She and her pack were assigned to observe nature from the Emerald Dream. Bound to this ethereal world, she entered an endless trance and from then on became known as the Dreamer.

Millennia later, just before the War of the Ancients, the first mortal gained access to the Emerald Dream. Under the strict guidance of the demigod, Cenarius, a night elf, managed to enter the expanses of Sleep. Cenarius hoped that in this way he would be able to return the elven people to the basics of harmony, but unfortunately most of them completely lost their way.

The Highborne caste was already practicing arcane magic with might and main, and the ruler Queen Azshara, along with adviser Xavius, betrayed their people by revealing the location of Azeroth to the Fallen Titan. In a matter of days, the heart of the prosperous night elf empire turned into a bloody battlefield.

The commander-in-chief of the army, Kur'talos Ravencrest, led the army of night elves and suffered defeat after defeat. At that time, Xavius ​​and his close magicians summoned more and more demons. However, there were also victories, this time with the participation of Malfurion Stormrage and the Emerald Dream itself.

The First Druid used his newfound skills to kill Xavius, whom the queen trusted as herself. This not only rid the world of one of the most powerful sorcerers, but also showed the night elves how great the potential of Druidry was.

A lot happened during that time. The war could not be called short-lived. Xavius ​​returned to life as a terrible satyr, but was again killed by Malfurion, this time sprouting a fragment of an arrow in his body. The queen's advisor remained standing on the battlefield, which, after the split of a single continent, sank to the bottom of the ocean that arose between its fragments.

The night elves accepted the gift of Druidry, gaining access to the Emerald Dream thanks to Ysera's blessing. The world tree Nordrassil, which grew aspects over a new source of magic on Mount Hyjal, now became the heart of the new world, the key to the immortality of the elves and the passage to the kingdom of the Dreaming One. The Druids, led by Malfurion, pledged to protect Azeroth, falling into sleep for centuries, wandering through its expanses and protecting life in all its diversity.

Fordrassil and the emergence of the Emerald Nightmare

Let's skip the moment with the capture of the worgen and move forward several thousand years. Disturbed by the schism, the dungeons of the Old Gods opened cracks, through which one of them, known as Yogg-Saron, began to spread corruption throughout all the lands that his tentacles could reach. In these places, deposits of a corrupted metal known as saronite formed, and the Druids could not put up with this.

A Cenarion Circle expedition led by Fandral Staghelm discovered the devastation caused by the corruption. And Fandral, considering that he did not have time to think and consult with Malfurion and the aspects, independently made an important decision. He knew how Nordrassil affected Azeroth. His minions secretly cut six enchanted branches from its crown in the hope of clearing the infected lands by planting new world trees in these places.

The branches quickly took root and put nature in order. They also became guides to the Emerald Dream. Even when Malfurion learned of such an initiative, by and large he accepted it with approval. The largest branch was planted in a place now known as Grizzly Hills, where the largest deposits of saronite were also located. The Druids named this tree Andrassil (Snow Crown).

However, something soon went wrong. The nature around the tree began to become distorted, peaceful creatures began to fight with each other and the druids could not sit idly by. The expedition to Andrassil revealed the terrible truth - the roots of the mighty tree reached the prison of Yogg-Saron, and he filled it with his evil, which quickly spread to all the creatures in the area, driving them crazy. The Cenarion Circle understood that without the blessing of the aspects, Andrassil was vulnerable to corruption, so the only correct solution was its destruction. The tree was felled and the place was named Fordrassil (Broken Crown).

Although destroying Andrassil was a heartbreaking task, the Cenarion Circle was pleased that it stopped the growth of the saronite deposits. But the Druids could not even imagine that something dark had sprouted in the Emerald Dream. Yogg-Saron used the tree Fandral planted as a gateway to the Dream. A gate through which other Ancient Gods could also enter this ghostly world. Small seeds of corruption were spread throughout the world of Ysera. Over time, these seeds corrupted the Dreampaths. This was the beginning of what would become known as the Emerald Nightmare.

Another reason for the spread of corruption was the death of Fandral's son during a war called the War of the Shifting Sands. The Supreme Druid, even though the war was won, allowed darkness into his heart, which would make itself felt after millennia.

Nightmare War

The ancient gods are patient; time is not as important to them as it is to mortals. And the next stage in their plans took place right before Deathwing's return. For several decades, dark voices whispered to Fandral about the possibility of returning his son. And on seabed, on the very battlefield where Xavius ​​fell, another significant alliance was concluded. Xavius ​​did not die. His immortal demonic soul was imprisoned in the body of the tree. N'zoth, who had planned the Hour of Twilight, began to act. The ancient god secured Xavius's unconditional service and orchestrated the beginning of the Emerald Nightmare, which would unite him with reality.

Fandral, contrary to the orders of his leader, grew a new tree on a remote island, called Teldrassil. He did this after the Third War, because Nordrassil ceased to be the source of immortality for the night elves. But Fandral did something else - he grafted a branch of that vile creature, which was Azshara’s former adviser, onto the crown of the tree. A monster who called himself the Lord of the Nightmare entered the Emerald Dream, and since then the Nightmare began to spread. The Emerald Dragons, the creatures that guarded the Dream, and even Malfurion himself, who was in it, were trapped. All mortals began to see nightmares from which it was impossible to escape. Over time, the surface of Azeroth was covered with an eerie fog, and living creatures went to sleep without the opportunity to awaken.

The traitor Fandral directed the druids' forces to fuel the Nightmare, although they themselves did not even know about it. He also tried to poison the sleeping Malfurion so that he would never be able to escape the Nightmare.

But, in the end, the Nightmare was overcome. Through the forces of heroes, each of whom deserves a separate story about himself, and the forces of all living beings of Azeroth, under the leadership of the King of the Alliance, the resistance managed to overtake Xavius. Despite all his plans, the end of his existence was put.

Through joint efforts, the Teldrassil tree, which had almost gone mad, was able to be healed, and the Emerald Dream was cleared of the influence of the Nightmare. Only a small area of ​​this dream world remained corrupted. The Druids called this place the Gap of Aln, having failed to defeat the Nightmare there. Fandral was captured for treason, and Teldrassil was blessed by the aspects. Finally, as it seemed at that moment, the threat was averted.

Legion

Quite a lot of time passed, and people began to gradually forget about the Emerald Nightmare. The campaign in Pandaria ended and the campaign with the Burning Legion in parallel Draenor was in full swing. When Archimonde, the commander-in-chief of the invasion forces, was destroyed, he discovered one ominous thing - the Nightmare Shard. How he got to him, one can only guess. But such a seemingly insignificant subject raised fears for the near future. Malfurion, to whom this fragment was delivered, instantly recognized in it the essence of his old enemy - Xavius ​​managed to survive. The Archdruid traveled to the primordial groves of Val'sharah, the heart of Druidry, to prevent the coming horror, but there he found a shocking discovery.

The Tree of Life of Sholadrassil, which had preserved the nature of Val'sharah for many years, was damaged. Everyone associated with him fell into the Nightmare, and Xavius ​​continued his attempts to distort reality and spread corruption throughout Azeroth.

Cenarius fell into a sleep, tormented by nightmares. And it was thanks to this that they managed to lure the Guardian of the Emerald Dream into a trap. Ysera flew to the call and Xavius’s plans came true. An evil satyr turned her into a monster with the help of an incredibly powerful artifact, one of the Pillars of Titan Creation - the Tears of Elune. Previously, the artifact was stolen from the sanctuary and desecrated. The Guardian of Nature, led by the will of the Nightmare Lord, attacked the sanctuary in which resistance was organized. Alas, there was no other choice and she had to be killed. Ysera fell, and her soul was purified.

After the battle, the forces of the night elf deity, Elune, returned the soul of the noble dragon to the light. The spirit of the Guardian of Nature has left Azeroth forever. For her, the Nightmare was finally over.

It's time for revenge. The Druids of the Cenarion Circle, along with the forces of the Horde and Alliance, led by High Priestess Tyrande, freed Malfurion, who was captured. The heart of Koshar had to be cleansed, and the heroes dared to enter its depths. This time, Aln's Gap could not withstand the onslaught. Step by step, making their way through the horrors that the Lord of Nightmare had prepared for them, the heroes reached him and defeated him.

All that remains of the desecration is a single flower, the ominous dust of emptiness in a dark cave called the Dark Cemetery. The roots of this flower stretch straight to the dungeons of the Ancient Gods, and we can only wait for their next step, because it seems this is far from the end. The prison walls are weakening...

The Story of the Emerald Nightmare - video open close

Emerald Nightmare(English: Emerald Nightmare) - a disgusting corruption that was generated by the Ancient Gods to influence the Emerald Dream. For thousands of years, the Nightmare continued to spread and absorb the life force of everything it touched, distorting the beautiful creatures of nature and turning them into monsters. Although the druids and green dragons resisted the Nightmare with varying degrees of success, they were never able to completely defeat him.

The Lord of the Nightmare is the first satyr Xavius, who managed to launch a full-scale war and take over even the material world shortly after defeating the Lich King. Although the defenders of Azeroth managed to defeat Xavius ​​in those days, the Emerald Nightmare survived in the Gap of Aln and continued to spread again.

Xavius ​​returned with the beginning of the Burning Legion's invasion through the Broken Isles, and the Nightmare once again engulfed much of the Emerald Dream, corrupting even the most powerful beings who opposed it. The nightmare spread across the territory of Val'shara through the Tree of Life Shaladrassil, which also came under the influence of corruption.

Origin

Several weeks passed after the victory over the Lich King, and the Nightmare, which by that time had engulfed most of the Emerald Dream, broke out into the material world. The inhabitants of Azeroth, who were sleeping at that moment, were lost in their worst dreams and could not wake up. A mysterious fog swirled over the lands captured by the Nightmare, and dark figures appeared all over the world, attacking those who did not sleep.

Malfurion Stormrage was the first to learn who was behind the spread of the Nightmare - the satyr Xavius, who was killed twice during the War of the Ancients. Xavius ​​considered Malfurion his greatest enemy and captured him and forced him to experience his worst nightmares. In the end, Malfurion was able to free himself at the cost of incredible efforts. Heroes from the mortal nations who were able to resist the Nightmare united under the command of King Varian Wrynn. Together with experienced druids, they plunged into the Emerald Dream to fight the Nightmare.

The defenders of Azeroth managed to destroy the source of Xavius' power both in the material world and in the Emerald Dream. Xavius ​​and the other creatures of the Nightmare were defeated, and a rainstorm swept over the world, awakening the sleepers and washing away the remnants of corruption. Despite his victory, Malfurion knew that the Nightmare still lingered in the Chasm of Aln, located in the depths of the Emerald Dream. Behind Xavius' actions there was a true ruler, who was one of the Old Gods, and a new war against the Nightmare was only a matter of time.

Cataclysm

Cataclysm to World of Warcraft.

After the onset of the Cataclysm, the presence of the Emerald Nightmare was discovered at the Moat of Nightmares, located in the center of the Wild Thickets - a green area Southern Steppes. Perhaps Nightmare was trying to take advantage of the instability of the world caused by the new Sundering to desecrate Azeroth once again. The green dragon Taerar continued to spread corruption through a portal near the Sleepy Branches in Feralas, and Ysondre, who was able to heal from the influence of the Nightmare, tried to stop him. When the captive Fandral Staghelm was being taken out of the Cells of Hyjal, the creatures of the Nightmare tried to prevent this.

Although Malfurion destroyed the Xavius ​​particle that caused the infection of Teldrassil, living beings near this Tree of Life were still corrupted. This happened because of a monster called the Root of Vice, which was what was left of Xavius's particle. The Root of Vice was destroyed by a hero from the night elf people, empowered by the blessed waters of the Moonwell.

Residual chaos

The source of information in this section is the supplement Warlords of Draenor to World of Warcraft.

On the body of Archimonde, defeated in the Hellfire Citadel on the alternate Draenor, residual chaos was discovered - a mysterious object within which a terrifying power pulsed. Watching the scarlet whirlwinds of energy swirling inside and changing shape with every glance, the heroes realized that they had never encountered anything like this before, either on Draenor or in the battle with the Burning Legion. It was decided that the item should be taken to Azeroth, where the guardians of Moonglade could shed light on its origins.

The envoy was met by the Archdruid himself - Malfurion Stormrage, who already knew about the exploits of the heroes on the other side of the Dark Portal. Malfurion's voice wavered as he saw the residual chaos. As soon as he was told how this item was obtained, the druid headed to the shore of Elune'ara. The crystal waters of this lake are capable of washing away even the darkest veil behind which the truth is hidden.

It turned out that the residual chaos contains the energy of the Emerald Nightmare, which Malfurion had already encountered at the Gap of Aln in the depths of the Emerald Dream. This place was saturated with ancient evil, and the Druids did not dare to approach it. They only sealed the rift with magic so that the corruption would not spread throughout the territory of the Emerald Dream. Now there was proof that the Nightmare had fallen into the hands of the Burning Legion. Trying to figure out what to do next, Malfurion decided to return to the groves of Val'shar Tree of Life Thicket of the Dark Heart - a forest growing at the roots of Shaladrassil.