Naga The naga are former Highborne night elves who mutated into vengeful humanoid sea serpents . While many remain on Azeroth to attempt to reclaim the surface world , a large group followed the betrayer , Illidan Stormrage , into Outland and proceeded to claim the watery areas of the shattered land . In addition to their natural longevity , a number of naga develop mutations that increase their life spans even further . Some are immortal . History . War of the Ancients . Naga are sinister , ophidian humanoids that dwell beneath the ocean . Their culture is ancient and mythical , for ten thousand years ago they were Kaldorei . Ten thousand years ago , during the reign of Queen Azshara , there was an elite magic - using sect known as the Highborne , who dabbled in magics that many other elves considered reckless and irresponsible by drawing upon the power of the Well of Eternity . The high - borne elves enjoyed great power and comfort before the War of the Ancients . During that conflict , the Highborne sought to abuse arcane magic to bring demons to the world . This action led to the War itself , in which the night elves , at great cost , defeated the Burning Legion . The magical backlash shattered the world , imploded the Well of Eternity , and blasted the Highborne ’ s capital city to the bottom of the ocean . Many were cast far into the flooding depths of the great cataclysm that sundered the land and destroyed the Well of Eternity ; it was Queen Azshara ' s quick thinking that saved them . She is thought to have managed to make a pact with the Old Gods on behalf of her people , though the exact beings that transformed them are unknown . It is also possible its curser was Neptulon the Tidehunter , the water Elemental Lord . With the Old Gods ' curse they started to change . Since then they have further been twisted by the residual cascading energies of the Well of Eternity . They took on new shapes , new powers and became the hateful , serpentine naga . When the naga awakened , they set about building a new life for themselves on the ocean depths , within the abyssal sea trench beneath the swirling waters of the Maelstrom they built their new city , Nazjatar . Azshara herself expanded with hate and rage , becoming a massive monstrosity , reflecting the wickedness and malice that had always hidden within her core . For 10 , 000 years , these elves of the abyss dwelt in a dark and powerful empire . Pagodas and balconies line the deep trenches , glimmering lights picking out the shapes of cities in the cold black . Sinuous figures drift and twist along the passageways , their elven origins difficult to discern . The Frozen Throne . There in the depths of the ocean for ten thousand years the Naga plotted their revenge against the night elves . Most naga are still content to wait . However , a small group led by the naga Sea Witch , Lady Vashj , answered a summons from Illidan Stormrage to aid him in his quest to destroy the Frozen Throne . Lady Vashj joined forces with Illidan and his forces in order to serve her own ends . They made new allies in the form of their Highborne kin , the blood elves , as well as enemies of the night elves and the Alliance . They aided Illidan in the recovery of the Eye of Sargeras , and fought alongside the blood elves to take Outland as well as at the Icecrown Glacier against the Scourge . After suffering defeat at the hands of Arthas this group retreated back to Outland with Illidan . The exact ends for Vashj ' s alliance with Illidan remain unknown . World of Warcraft . More recently naga have begun to reappear around the coasts of the world , creating settlements on land , most noticeably in the ruins of their old cities in Azshara . It seems as though they are now followers of the Old God s , as they have made alliances with the Twilight ' s Hammer cult and the corrupt satyr . They have laid claim to several stretches of coast on both continents , including in Darkshore , Ashenvale , Desolace , Feralas , Dustwallow Marsh , Azshara , Hillsbrad Foothills , Arathi Highlands , and Stranglethorn Vale . They have significant numbers and pose a serious threat to anyone standing in their way . The Burning Crusade . The Outland tribes of naga have begun draining the water of the Zangarmarsh lakes and marshes with steam pumps . The pumps are all connected through underground drains to Coilfang Reservoir , where Vashj and her underlings reside , turning Serpent Lake into a giant water sink for the rest of Zangarmarsh . Due to the Cenarion Expedition ' s meddling , the naga operating the steam vaults end up at war with the druids , at the orders of Lady Vashj . Wrath of the Lich King . In the Borean Tundra , tribes of naga have made a fort in Northrend in Riplash Ruins . From here , the naga are making ominous attempts at melting the polar ice caps in order to flood the world and create an entirely underwater empire for their revered empress , Queen Azshara . . Apparently , the Naga ' s plan ' s in Northrend will not come to fruition , as the sea vrykul have slaughtered most of them , feeding them to a mighty sea creature . . Cataclysm . The Naga play a large role in the expansion " " with the Great Sea seeing recent activities and Queen Azshara ' s anticipated return . Vashj ' ir will be inhabited by them . Azshara herself has been stated to not be making an appearance but her presence will be felt , however this has proven to be false , as she has made a small appearance in Darkshore . ( Using Lady Vashj ' s model , assumed to be a place holder ) . Naga will also get new models and skin colors . The Naga have also declared war upon Neptulon and seem to be allied with Deathwing and the Twilight ' s Hammer clan . Appearance . Naga only marginally resemble the noble race they once were . Their proud Kaldorei visages are warped and twisted . The naga are part night elf , part serpent , and some have evolved bizarre oceanic mutations . The Well of Eternity ' s residual energies are unpredictable , and their mutative power manifests in different ways . In all naga , many of these mutations are simply cosmetic — soft spines running down their backs , or extra fins adorning their arms , for instance . Some naga , though , also possess mutations that have a more substantial effect . In this way , the race has developed an array of genetic variations and defenses , such as ink jets , tentacles , razor fins , venomous fangs , hardened barnacle carapaces and spined fists . Naga men are bestial , remarkably strong and tough , able to withstand a great deal of bodily injury . Naga women more resemble the kaldorei from whom they came , their faces fair , even beautiful . This unearthly splendor is ruined by their monstrous deformities — they often have multiple limbs ( four to six arms ) . Naga average 6 1 / 2 feet tall , and naga men are much bulkier than women . Naga are now serpent - like humanoids . The men are thickly built , with humanoid torsos merging into a serpent hind section . Their scales are large and thick , and their heads are reminiscent of dragons , showing little sign of their elven ancestry . The women are tall and slender , with fine scales covering their angular features . Society and Culture . Naga culture is complex . A clear delineation exists between the sexes . Male naga are larger and more muscular , reminiscent of dragons . Naga men serve as soldiers and guardians . Female naga are more slender , with smaller scales and finer , more human - seeming faces . Naga women are natural spellcasters and rely on magic and poison to defeat their enemies . Naga men are more numerous , but as naga consider their women to be magically and intellectually superior , their society is matriarchal . Women occupy most positions of leadership , and all naga pay homage to their queen , Azshara . Several ranks and types of naga exist . Naga myrmidons and royal guards , for instance , are strong males and powerful melee fighters ; naga sirens are female mages . Sexual dimorphism . Naga males and females have different features ; in their transformation , males increased in size and strength . Their faces now appear almost draconic with little resemblance to their Elven heritage . Females kept more of their Elven features . Naga female faces are fair , even beautiful . Most females have four arms . Unique features . Some naga have unique features . For example , sea witches like Lady Vashj have snakes instead of hair , and naga lord s like High Warlord Naj ' entus have stony arms and shells fused to their skin . This may be resultant of their mutations , or they may be a different subspecies altogether . " Manual of Monsters " states that female naga have a nest of thin , twining snakes instead of hair . These serpent strands have eyes and allow a naga to see in all directions . Culture . Society . Naga society is female dominated ; they are considered the intellectual superiors and possess the greater magical power . While females are greatly outnumbered by males , females are found more often in positions of authority . Usually females are more proficient in the ways of magic , while the males are warriors , but there are a few males that are deadly in both close combat , and spell casting . The civilization of the naga has extensive codes , laws , and ceremonies . Factions , some millennia old , work continuously in bids for power . Males can rise to prominence and even lead communities , but there is a limit to what they can achieve . In terms of class , this makes them the opposite of the night elves they evolved from , where males typically work magic and females fight ( though the kaldorei lack intellect - based prejudice ) . They seek the blessings of their queen , one familiar to history : Queen Azshara lives still , in the vast city of Nazjatar at the bottom of a deep ocean trench . She has embraced the power of the naga , grown in size , and possesses many tentacles bedecked in jewels and items of power . She plots her revenge on the night elves , biding her time until the growing might of the naga can be brought to bear . Naga have finely worked robes that function as leather armor . They hunt large prey with tridents and scimitars . They are experienced in formation fighting , particularly in dealings with murlocs and mur ’ gul . A warband will deploy male infantry to engage at moderate range with tridents , while the females cast spells . The men are willing to sacrifice themselves if ordered . Leaders will avoid heavy losses , but are otherwise open to small risks . Languages . Naga typically speak their own language , Nazja , and most know Common . For various reasons , individual Naga learn to speak with the creatures with which they interact . Some also learn the language of their heritage , Darnassian . Naga relations . Naga are avaricious , dangerous and sadistic . Their millennia of aquatic banishment has only intensified their evil , power - hungry nature and made it so most races are unaware of their existence . Naga play well with blood elves , trolls , and other dark , independent powers , but only the rarest naga joins the Alliance or Horde . The naga traveling with Illidan have a more educated view of Kalimdor ’ s races than the naga who remain at the bottom of the sea or in one of the eastern outposts . These travelers hold the blood elves in high regard , as they are also evolved children of the Highborne , and they too fought with Illidan . The time spent together in battle made the two races respect and admire each other ’ s skills . They are united against all others , as they are currently the two most unpopular races on the continent . The naga can either take or leave the goblin s and troll s , creatures who care nothing for their own pasts . The half - orcs , furbolgs , and pandaren do not trust the naga , and the naga feel the same way in return . They feel that divine magic practitioners are weak and without ambition . The naga are a neutral race for a very good reason : neither the Alliance nor the Horde will welcome them . The Alliance elicits nothing but rage in the minds of the naga . Their former brethren , the night elves , still thrive on the continent , and have not forgotten their grudges with the naga . Their blatant hatred of the night elves is only rivaled by the night elves ’ feelings for them . As night elf leaders Tyrande Whisperwind and Malfurion Stormrage are highly respected within the Alliance , their hatred and distrust of the naga has spread to the other races . The races of the Horde are met with derisiveness from the naga ; they would have no part of the Horde even if invited to join . The spiritual natures of these races are similar to the pandaren and furbolgs , and therefore worthy of similar disrespect . The naga consider the Horde to be nothing more than barbaric , weak - minded fools . They would sooner accept the night elves as masters than join the Horde . Naga are dark creatures , evil and cunning . A naga might join forces with a being of another race in order to serve her own ends , however , much as Lady Vashj did with Illidan and his forces . Naga are selfish creatures , though , and think only of their own ( and their race ’ s ) dominance . Their minds have little room for charity or kindness . A naga that renounced her evil ways would be a unique individual indeed . Some naga may be sent to the land on a mission , or they may be exiles who defy the naga queen . Few among the humanoid races are aware of the nagas ’ history , so most encounters deal primarily with their strange countenance . Naga characters can use disguise or magic to avoid notice . Naga heroes are usually limited to a few mutations . Far from the power of Nazjatar , the powers of the flesh are less likely to be awakened in this way . Even though the blood elves of Quel ' Thalas are members of the Horde , there is no sign of diplomacy between the two powers ; in addition to naga opinions , the Azerothian blood elves do not unilaterally accept the philosophy that Kael has adopted , and likely wish to avoid association with the naga . The naga seem to be hated by the Horde as they ' ve assaulted their newfound friends , the tuskarr . Naga have managed to enslave large numbers of mur ' gul . This aquatic race fears the nagas ' magical abilities . The nagas ' main rival for dominance of the ocean are sea giant s ; these creatures hate naga and slay them on sight . Combat . The naga have an army composed of various races . Mur ' gul slaves are used as staging troops and cannon fodder , with artillery support from mighty dragon turtles . Naga males serve as shock troops ; they deploy as infantry in close formations wielding scimitars , tridents and nets while females stand back hurling spells at the enemy . Males may have command over small numbers of troops but females will always be in overall command of any Naga force . The naga have a powerful military , though they have yet to truly make their presence felt in the world . So far , their efforts are limited to certain select engagements ( such as against the Scourge during Illidan ’ s attempt on the Frozen Throne ) and various exploratory missions along Azeroth ’ s coasts and other removed locales . Rumors say that the naga are preparing for a major invasion of the land ; they are now building their forces , securing strategic locations , claiming important items and information , and probing the defenses of the Alliance , Horde , Scourge , and their numerous other rivals . Whispers say that Azshara seeks to regain her position as queen of the land . Naga society is ancient and cunning , and their warriors are the same way . All naga enjoy using their aquatic natures against their foes , particularly against generals who have not fought naga . A naga commander attempts to maneuver her forces to meet the enemy on a battlefield with rivers , lakes , marshes or similar features ; such bodies of water are no impediment to naga , but serve as barriers for land - based forces as well as hiding spots and roads for the naga forces . Naga men , stronger and tougher than women , act as front line soldiers and as bodyguards . They are adept at using the terrain to their advantage , and their lack of ranged weaponry ( it ’ s not very useful under water ) makes then canny about sight lines and flanking maneuvers . Naga myrmidons are strong melee combatants and willingly come to grips with the enemy . Naga royal guard , as their name implies , serve as protection for important individuals . Naga women take the field as spellcasters , usually magi drawing from the most ancient arcane legacy in the world . Some few are priestesses of the tides . Naga women act as both a source of support magic for their allies and as offensive ranged punishers . Naga leaders tend to be women adept at both weaponry and magic — naga sea witches are some of the most powerful champions the race has to offer . Naga sirens are more common but still deadly , using their magic to incapacitate foes so the naga myrmidons can sweep in and finish them off . As far as anyone knows , the only real naga armies that currently exist are beneath the waves , in Nazjatar , and in Outland , where a force of naga under Lady Vashj works with Illidan . Other , smaller groups are scattered across the world , where they investigate items and places of importance to the naga ’ s mysterious purposes . These forces usually have a single leader — a powerful spellcaster ( female ) or warrior ( male ) — a dozen or so naga myrmidons , and a few naga sirens . They may have some mur ’ gul slaves to serve as expendable troops and do the dirty work , and some groups include a couple of snap dragons , couatl , or tidal guardians as support , depending on the nature of the mission . In addition to these groups , naga explorers travel out from the coasts and from naga bases , gathering information for their queen . Tribal names . No information is available on the internal division of naga . However , the game has provided us with a list of names that are associated with naga NPCs . Desolace skeletons . The twin massive skeletons of ancient combatants in Valley of Bones in Desolace bear striking resemblance to those of naga , along with tridents as their weapons . Some have speculated that these are the bones of Old God s .