Zul'thurux

Zul'thurux, also known as Zul, is a secondary antagonist of the Age of Iron and Shadow of the Harvest expansions. He is a powerful warlock that draws his powers from the void to cast destructive spells. He wants to open a portal to the void so he can bathe in it's infinite powers. He is the founding member of the Dark Iron Rebellion.

## History

Zul once went by the name Jacob, and was a prized student at the Mana Academy in Trysfel under the tutoring of a great mage known as Zul Dain. Dain was like a father to Jacob, who took him in under his care after his parents died when he was a boy. When the dragons attacked Avacyn, Dain was killed by Smaugrond, king of the Dragons, trying to protect his students at the Academy. Grieving over the loss of Zul Dain, Jacob picked up his staff and book of spells and proceeded to challenge the dragon, severely wounding him and forcing his retreat back to the brood lairs of Djorn. It was after this he adopted the name of his dead mentor out of a mark of respect.

Around this time, Jacob also met Dargon Deathgrip, who had slain many dragon during the war. They became acquaintances and formed a team of powerful warriors and mages to venture into the heart of the dragonlands to finish them off. They became known as Trysfel's Unbreakable Ironwill.

Years later, the Ironwill were called upon again to help fight the undead war in the kingdom of Tyl after it's council defiled the Sanctum of Stars. Zul, Dargon and the others were deployed to help cull the undead. One day, Zul ventured into the Deadwood and discovered what remained of the Sanctum of Stars - a window to all realms and realities. He gazed into the void left there by the Harvesters and sought it's powers. He became apprentice to ex-councillor Logan Talvus and learned to tap into the void and use it's dark magics.

Deathgrip, who despised the use of magic let alone void magic, discovered Zul's activites and banished him from the Ironwill. Even the kingdoms of Tyl and Trysfel would not accept Zul back into their residencies, and so he retreated into the Underhalls beneath Amazar, where he became aquainted with the Aranean Spider Kingdom. He taught them how to use void magic in return for his residency amongst the Aranaea.

## Age of Iron

Zul finally resurfaces during Age of Iron patch 3.1: Aracosius' Web, where players enter the Underhalls to fight the Aranaea. He recruits ex-Ironwill magi to become his apprentices and forms the Dark Iron Rebellion, a unit who's soul purpose is to de-throne Dargon Deathgrip.

In patch 3.4: Fury of Andorhal, Zul has his Dark Iron Rebellion situated in the Inner Sanctum beneath Andorhal, where they have Logan Talvus captive. They are using him as a living power conduit to power a proto-type portal. At the end of the instance, players free Talvus, however Zul has already finished construction of his portal in the Shadow Sanctum beneath the Iron Citadel and has managed to summon a void god through it.

Finally, Zul'thurux appears as the final encounter of the first part of the Iron Citadel raid. At the end, he escapes, and is not seen again until Shadow of the Harvest. It is confirmed that Zul plays a part in the recovery of the Apocalypse Stone from Dargon Deathgrip's corpse in the ruins of Andorhal and the trading of it with the Harvesters on Saltrock Isle, suggesting that he is either working for, or is part of a business-natured relationship with them

## Shadow of the Harvest

Zul sides with the Harvesters, desiring their learn their dark secrets. Zul plays a smaller role in this expansion, having only a handful of cameos in a couple of the zones. During a questline in Bael'donas, it is revealed the Zul, disguised as a Dwarf in the Temple raid, had recovered an ancient artifact called the Devil's Phylactery. Within it; an ancient evil that the Harvesters wished the claim for themselves.

The leader of the Harvesters; known only as 'The Fifth', planned to consume the dark soul within the Phylactery and use it's dark essence to power the Shadowspire. The Being Within, however, communed with Zul telepathically and promised him great power if he betrayed the Harvesters and freed him instead. Zul agreed and began the search for an appropriate host.

Zul kidnapped his former master, Logan Talvus, after the Being Within confirmed his vessel was powerful enough to house his dark spirit.

With his plan set in motion, Zul just needed to get rid of the Harvesters. It was not made obivous in-game, but Zul used the Devil's Phylactery to enfuse the headless horseman with Abaddon's dark soul temporarily; allowing him to kill the Fifth Harvester and reclaim his head. By the time the players begin the fight with him, Abaddon is returned to the phylactery due to being tethered to it.