Arzaal

Arzaal (Arzal'kal)
Gender	Male
Race	Man'ari eredar (Demon)
Level	72 Elite
Resource	Mana
Reaction	Alliance Horde
Affiliation(s)	Draenei
Former affiliation(s)	Burning Legion
Location	Krokuun
Status	Alive

Arzal'kal is a man'ari eredar located in Krokuun. Before the corruption of the eredar, his name was Arzaal, which he took back after rejoining Velen. He is the leader of a group of man'ari eredar rebels seeking redemption after the defeat of the Burning Legion.

History[]

Arzaal was amongst the countless eredar who loyally followed Kil'jaeden and Archimonde in service to Sargeras and the Burning Legion, under the promise of prosperity for their people. At some point after becoming a man'ari, he changed his name to Arzal'kal. Over time he grew horrified at the the bloodshed and ashes left in the Legion's wake, but continued to serve due to fearing his own death more than his sin. In the wake of the Legion's defeat during the third invasion, Arzal'kal recognized that he couldn't undo his crimes and sought to prove that he was no longer a coward by openly fighting against the Legion in penitence. Seeking to speak with Velen, and knowing that Chieftain Hatuun and the Argussian Reach had been in contact with the Prophet, he personally fought off several Legion ambushes by their side to win their trust.^[1]

In time, Hatuun called upon Velen to meet him on Argus, where he formally introduced the Prophet to Arzal'kal. The meeting itself started off on a bad note with Velen immediately shackling Arzal'kal in holy shackles and accused Hatuun of allying with the Legion. As Hatuun worked himself into a fury over the accusations, Arzal'kal pleaded for Velen to hear him out and declared that he wasn't there to fight.^[2] After a moment of contemplation, Velen agreed and learned of Arzal'kal's history, of his vow to no longer be guided by his own cowardice, to which Velen allowed him a chance to prove his words. Thus while Velen and Hatuun remained behind to converse, while adventurers were sent to help Arzal'kal obtain his proof.

After explaining how the man'ari had grown desperate with the Legion's fall, with some grasping for power, others isolating themselves, and others forming cults awaiting the return of Sargeras, he explained that one cult leader Speaker Nalridun, who he had tried and failed to reason with, had seized an ancient relic that Kil'jaeden had kept until his death. Arzal'kal was of the firm opinion that the relic must be returned to Velen and called upon adventurers to meet with him at the Grove of Naroua. Upon arriving Arzal'kal found himself questioned as to why the adventurer should trust him, to which he admitted that he didn't expect their trust but merely wished to prove that he could still help the draenei, not despite what he is but because of what he is. He then vowed that the Legion that made him into a monster would learn to fear him. Furthermore, when orc champions recalled the corruption of the orcs, he revealed that Kil'jaeden had boasted of it often and frequently called the corruption of the orcs his "masterpiece". He further stated that there was no beauty in what was done, only a repetition of what Sargeras had done to them and that the orcs should have never pulled into the atrocities they committed. After acknowledging that he couldn't amend the damage that was done, he promised to fight to keep it from ever happening again.^[3]

After killing Nalridun, the pair discovered that the relic was in fact the Brilliant Star, one of the shards of the Ata'mal crystal. When questioned as to why he would willingly give the artifact back to the draenei, Arzal'kal proclaimed that he promised to return the shard for them and that while they never could mend what was broken, he could mend the crystal if nothing else. Upon receiving the shard, a stunned Velen declared that there were no words to express his gratitude. However, Arzal'kal countered that he didn't deserve gratitude and expressed his belief that he should have done it sooner. Reflecting on his own difficult choices at Eredath and Shattrath, Velen expressed understanding but further remarked that forgiveness is not easily given, as too many had suffered. However, Arzal'kal admitted that he didn't expect forgiveness, and admitted that he believed he couldn't be forgiven, not even in a thousand lifetimes, but vowed that if he could do some good, he would see it done. In response, Velen pointed out how others such as the orcs, death knights, and Illidari had proven stronger than their darkness and believed that there was a path forward. He further declared that there was much he wished to discuss with Arzal'kal, and those who believed as he did, to which agreed too and in the process reclaimed his birth name: Arzaal.^[4]

Allies[]

Arzaal has several allies on Argus who follow him in his quest for redemption. They have been stealing supplies for the Argussian Reach from the Legion's encampments:

Quests[]

Quotes[]

Gossip[]

Initial

I am not here to fight.

Only to be heard.

At the Grove of Naroua

Nalridun's base of operations lies ahead.

Are you ready to proceed?

 Why should I trust you?

I do not expect your trust.

I only wish to prove that I can still help the draenei--not despite what I am, but because of what I am.

The Legion has made me into a monster. They will learn to fear it.

 Your master's deception nearly doomed my people, demon. ( Orc only)

I know. Kil'jaeden boasted of it often. He called his corruption of the orcs his "masterpiece."

But there was no beauty in what he did, only a repetition of what Sargeras had done to us.

Your people should never been pulled into the atrocities we committed.

I cannot amend the damage that was done, but I will fight to keep it from ever happening again.

During quests at the Grove

They have chosen their final path, and I have chosen mine.

After quests at the Grove

It is imperative that the relic remains safe.

 What is this crystal we claimed from Nalridun?

It is a shard of the Ata'mal crystal, a sacred relic from Argus. It was shattered when the draenei fled the planet. I am told it aided their escape.

Broken though it may be, a single shard of this crystal contains unimaginable power.

The pieces lost to Prophet Velen have moved through many hands. Nalridun is merely the most recent to possess this one.

 I want to talk about something else.

 Why are you giving the shard back to the draenei?

When I said I would give my life to reclaim the shard for the draenei, I meant it.

When we joined Sargeras, whether willing or deceived, we broke our people. Scattered them across the cosmos. The hunters and the hunted.

We can never mend what was broken. There are no bones to set, no flesh to seal--just cinders. Who can put a body back together from the ashes?

Perhaps Velen can. He was always a healer, after all.

But the only thing I can do is return this shard. I can help mend the crystal, if nothing else.

 I want to talk about something else.

Dialogue[]

Main article: Uncertainty (quest)#Notes

Main article: Opening Wounds#Notes

Main article: Contrition (quest)#Notes

Main article: Proof and Promise#Notes

Notes[]

• His generic name is Hooded Saboteur.
• He uses Val'zuun's on-click voice.

Patch changes[]

• Patch 10.1.7 (2023-09-05): Added.
  

References[]

External links[]

Arzal'kal	Arzaal	Generic name
Wowhead WoWDB	Wowhead WoWDB	Wowhead WoWDB