Articles

Katie Miller

Welcome back everyone! This week in the Lore-o-sphere we take a small break from the bleak and arid deserts of Uldum to dig in to the life and times of Therazane the Stonemother (pun definitely intended)…

Therazane is yet another of the Elemental Lords…except she's a Lady, of course…and she was also formerly one of the Old Gods' lieutenants.

She a monstrous stone being covered in earth, clinging plants, and also has purple crystals growing on various parts of her body. She uses her luxurious purple hair to cover her breasts and has inquisitive, unblinking, gold-flecked agate eyes.

She rules over earth, dirt, rock, and mountains from her seat in Deepholm, and some believe she feels agonizing pain whenever the ground is sundered. She is distraught at the destruction Deathwing has brought to her realm, but had done nothing to oppose the great dragon until we came along at the behest of the Earthen Ring. She is also the most patient of the Elemental Lords, loving, patient, caring, and one who encourages growing things.

Therazane feels as though she is at constant war with the other three Elemental Lords: Al'akir whose winds erode her surface, Neptulon whose waves batter her shores, and Ragnaros whose flames burn her flora and fauna. Though she is slow to anger, she would be perfectly happy if the three of them would just go away and stop pestering her!

In the Cataclysm we already know both Al'akir and Ragnaros have sided with Deathwing, but Therazane is so upset by the destruction he has caused that she refuses to associate with him. We were tasked with restoring the World Pillar by Aggra which brings us right into the hearth of Deepholm, and Therazane's realm. At first, Therazane is wary of us (so called "fleshlings") because we once killed her only daughter, Princess Theradras. First, we must prove to her that our intentions in Deepholm are strictly for repairing the damage done by Deathwing, and then we must promptly leave.

Therazane says: And so the "champion" arrives.

Therazane says: So small. So soft. It's a wonder you've even lasted this long down here, fleshling.

Therazane says: Or perhaps a testament to your abilities.

Therazane says: All this for a piece of the World Pillar? What exactly do you, shaman, intend to do with it?

Earthcaller Torunscar says: We came here to seal da rift Deathwing tore into Azeroth. We need da World Pillar to repair da hole on dis side.

Therazane says: And what then? Will you leave Deepholm to its denizens?

Earthcaller Torunscar says: We'll leave. We've no desire to be stayin' where we're not welcome.

Therazane says: I'm glad you're at least that perceptive.

Therazane says: I propose this: We will march on the Twilight cult and extinguish any utterings of Deathwing's name from this realm. Your Earthen Ring will march with us.

Therazane says: You do this, and I will send Gorsik to the temple with our piece of the World Pillar.

Therazane says: Seal the rift and leave this place.

Earthcaller Torunscar says: We'll be doin' exactly that, then. Ya have our tanks, Stonemother.

Therazane says: Save your thanks. We march upon the Twilight Precipice as soon as our forces are gathered. I expect to see you on the battlefield.

After convincing Therazane that we will indeed leave Deepholm once the World Pillar has been repaired, an epic battle takes place between the Twilight Cultists and Therazane's forces, with you at their side, ensues. We discover that while Therazane is generally a peaceful being, she is also a fierce and powerful. She picks out the most dangerous of our foes, smashing them into itty-bitty pieces before moving on to the next. Ultimately, as we are awesome powerful champions, with the help of the elementals of the earth, we are successful and the World Pillar is repaired.

For all her rough exterior, she still has a bit of a soft spot. During our trek through the elemental planes to find the fragments of Thrall's spirit, we had to petition to Therazane in order to look for him.

Therazane says: Yes, mortals, your Thrall is here. He has fused with the stone of this place – heart and soul.

Therazane says: His spirit is strong for a creature of mortal flesh. He fascinates me…and I am loathe to give him up.

Therazane says: Still, I can hear the sound of a distant heart, echoing through labyrinths between worlds. It's the cry of a lover's heart…and Great Therazane has not forgotten what it was to love…

Therazane says: Your world-shaman stands in the basalt groves below. But take heed – he has become one with these Unending Halls of Stone.

Therazane says: He may not wish to leave, regardless of whose heart beckons him home.

Therazane says: You may seek him…with my blessing.

As a card, Therazane the Stonemother continually summons minions to strengthen her mettle by allowing you to put a 2ATK 1 Health Earth Elemental ally into play. In true motherly fashion, she also gives all Earth Elementals you control Protector knowing that we weak fleshlings must be protected at all costs if our fight is to succeed. However, she also realizes that sacrifices must sometimes be made, and allows us to sacrifice an Earth Elemental to provide battle readiness to our other allies.

While the mortal peoples of Azeroth fell on difficult times with the return of Deathwing, I feel like Therazane took the brunt of the hit. She's lived in such close quarters with him for so long that while she may be glad to be rid of him, she must have been feeling some serious pain at seeing the world literally tear itself apart when he burst through the rift at the Maelstrom.

I'm glad that Deathwing has now been destroyed and the rest of the world can go back to business as usual, and I'm sure the Stonemother is too.

Thanks for stopping by for this week's edition of Loremaster. Tune in next time as we explore even more stories from the World of Warcraft.

/afk

-Katie
@LynestaWoW

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