At BlizzCon 2023, Blizzard revealed World of Warcraft: The War Within, the long-running MMORPG’s 10th expansion. Xal’atath and Alleria Windrunner are the focal points of this new expansion. In this article, we will delve deeper into the story trajectory of these two characters and the plot development of the expansion pack.

Xal’atath

Xal’atath is confirmed to be the Harbinger, and she and the Void Elf will have a “unique rivalry”. As can be seen from the Legion, Xal’atath has always been a mysterious character who seems determined to do things her own way. Xal’atath, Blade of the Black Empire, was originally introduced as the Shadow Priest artifact weapon, the blade of Xal’atath was rumored to be made from the claw of Y’Shaarj. One of the wilder rumors claims that Xal’atath is the remains of a forgotten Old God who was consumed by its kin—perhaps even the fifth Old God of legend.

Xal’atath, as we know her today, Xal’atath is the entity trapped within the dagger. To free herself, Xal’atath eventually made a deal with the ancient God N’Zoth – who would cut her off from the dagger and keep the dagger in exchange. Later, the dagger fell into the hands of Wrathion, who used it to kill N’Zoth in our final confrontation with N’Zoth.

As for Xal’atath, we recently saw her briefly standing with Iridikron in Dawn of the Infinite Dungeon before the two of them disappeared through a Void portal. Before leaving, Iridikron spoke of the “Harbinger” who would pry “our world” from the Titans grasp.

With the release of Worldsoul Saga and The War Within, Xal’atath was finally confirmed as the Harbinger. She traveled to the Nerubians, where she has enlisted them in her cause.

In the promotional artwork, Xal’atath can be seen holding the artifact that Iridikro retrieved from the Dawn of the Infinite dungeon. Described by Chromie as “like the Dragon Soul, but even more ancient,” Iridikron siphoned the essence of Galakrond into the artifact, stating that Xal’atat would use it to reclaim the soul of our world from the Titans. Visually, it is similar to the Heart of Azeroth, an item that has also been compared to the Dragon Soul – only instead of Azerite in the center, it’s filled with the Void.

Alleria Windrunner

Alleria is the sister of Sylvanas Windrunner. She inherited her mother’s position when she was a child and became the Ranger General of Silvermoon, but she abdicated. Unlike many High Elves who were content to be isolated from the outside world, Alleria wanted to see the world outside of Quel’Thalas – to spend time with other races and experience other cultures.

Alleria later became an important leader of the Alliance’s armies, working closely with the human paladin Turalyon and the wizard Khadgar to fight against the invading orcs. Alleria and Turalyon fell in love and, in time, had a child – Arator – but they never raised him.

The battle against the orcs eventually led them through the Dark Portal, and after its destruction, they entered the Twisting Nether. They were thought to be lost forever, and statues were raised in Stormwind to honor Alleria and Turalyon’s sacrifice, along with several others.

In the Twisting Nether, Alleria and Turalyon met and joined the Army of the Light, a faction dedicated to combating the Legion’s threat across the universe. Time passes differently in this place, with Alleria and Turalyon’s time in the Army of the Light lasting thousands of years. While rumors about the two persisted, they were not seen again until the events of the Legion.

While working with the Army of the Light, Turalyon was infused with the Light, but Alleria discovered another power source after being infected by the Void, which granted her Visions. The leader of the Army of the Light, Naaru, disapproved of Alleria’s involvement in the Void and eventually imprisoned her.

During the events of Legion, Alleria was freed and spent some time on the Argus to learn more about her Void powers, eventually she absorbed the dark Naaru L’ura, greatly increasing her own power.

As a Void Elf, Alleria has a complicated relationship with the Void. Although she uses void powers, her abilities come with a price. Her husband, Turalyon, is a champion for the Light, and for a while, the two couldn’t even touch each other, which would cause them both to suffer great pain. Alleria herself is bombarded with constant whispers, telling her to hurt and kill those she loves, to seize power, and to trust no one.

Even though Alleria and Void Elf are part of the Alliance, there are still many people who don’t trust them. For most who need to constantly listen to the whispers of the Void have fallen into infamy. For example, Nelthario believed he could occasionally use the power of the Void while keeping the Whispers at bay, but he became Deathwing. During the Visions of N’Zoth, visions of a fully corrupted Alleria killed Turalyon and their son, Arator.

After defeating N’Zoth, Turalyon thought it might bring peace to Alleria – but rather than stop, the chorus of whispers grew louder. In fact, it’s one of our earliest clues that the Old Gods and the threat of the Void aren’t as defeated as we thought.

There is this dialogue in the story:

High Exarch Turalyon says: Has the downfall of the Old God brought you at least a measure of peace?

Alleria Windrunner says: The whispers did not end with his defeat. In fact, there seemed to be new voices joining the chorus. When I think about the nightmares he forced into my mind…

Madelyne, Alleria, and Turalyon seemed to have things figured out before Shadows Rising, but we still see Alleria struggling with Whispering in the Void and using questionable techniques. In one noteworthy scene, Jaina was shocked to witness Turalyon and Alleria working together to torture witnesses.

In recent times, Turalyon was appointed Regent of Stormwind in Anduin’s absence. Meanwhile, Alleria continues to serve as the faction leader of the Void Elves, constantly grappling with the threats of the Whispering Void for the sake of the power the Void allows her to wield. Alleria has always maintained that, unlike others, she can control her powers and reject the Void’s attempts to overtake her. As we approach The War Within, she’ll finally have the chance to prove it once and for all.

Although Alleria chose not to become a ranger-general, she never lacked the skill. Her key illustrations in the expansion pack reflect this tradition. Next, let us wait and experience how she fights against the voice of the void in the new expansion pack!