Doom of Zul'nalor

The **Doom of Zul'nalor** was an event that occurred approximately 300 years before the opening of the Dark Portal. It directly preceded the Withering Schism of the Witherbark Tribe.

# Background

Zul'nalor is considered to be among the **Jewel Cities** of the former Amani Empire and after the Empire's fall and fracturing during the Troll Wars, the local tribes of the southern Amani Trolls formed what is today known as the Witherbark Tribe. Zul'nalor became the seat of the Witherbark, just as the 'jin of the Southern Amani Tribes in the Empire led their forces against the Humans.

Continuous wars against the Humans of Stromgarde and internal strife continued the slow deterioration of the Forest Troll holdings, but overall it seemed that with the Witherbark holding Shadra'alor and Zul'nalor and its powerful military presence, things could not get too much worse.

# Exile of Zul'ketus and Rise of the Death Defiler

Three centuries before the opening of the Dark Portal, a powerful hexxer called **Zul'ketus** began to experiment with the powers of the grave. These powers were the domain of Mueh'zala and Bwomsamdi, thus to play with them without their consent or knowledge was a dangerous game. With the power of the Witherbark secure, they did not notice the small cult that began to form around Zul'ketus... propping his ego up more and more until the whispers began to circulate around the ruling elite of a powerful **Death Defiler.**

Displeased with their lax attitudes regarding those that played with his domain, Bwomsamdi gave the leaders of Zul'nalor an ultimatum: destroy the cult and drive it from the Tribe by year's end or all the Witherbark would feel the consequences for generations to come. Months of inquisition of Zul'ketus' followers followed; prelates of the primary loa of the city began to root out the cult, one-by-one, burning them in Bwomsamdi's name as heretics. At the apex of the inquisition, Zul'ketus and many of the cult were driven from the city.

For months afterward, however, prayers to Bwomsamdi weren't answered. Offerings lay without being taken. The Cult was destroyed and driven out... but Bwomsamdi was seemingly not holding up his end of the bargain. When the final day of the year came, the Death Defiler revealed himself, performing a ritual to become a powerful lich... and brought Doom to Zul'nalor.

# Doom Visits Zul'nalor

A legion of Undead was unleashed upon the denizens of Zul'nalor and drove many from the city. It was only a final act of nine of the Witherbark's most powerful prelates, hexxers, witch doctors, and shadow hunters -- including the Witherbark's High Priest for Bwomsamdi -- that the city was sealed and the Death Defiler was... 'defeated'.

Zul'nalor was forevermore considered a cursed place. The Witherbark as a tribe were divided -- Zul'nalor lay in the only major pass they held the divided east and west, the Lowlands and the Highlands. In time, this divide would only widen.

# Modern Day

Many have attempted to open Zul'nalor and undo Bwomsamdi's curse, to no avail. Either that the Loa of Graves does not hear them or they are simply now powerful enough to re-open the cursed city. The Witherbark began to fall into deeper and deeper disarray, dividing into two parts which is known now as the Withering Schism.

However, the rise of figures like Zathik and Vasan among the Witherbark and the reconnection to the Zandalari Empire has allowed the Witherbark to try again -- but first, both the Warlord and the Hexlord are gathering strength and items of power...