Abyssal Maw

Abyssal Maw
AM
	; Presumably the entrance to the Maw
Location	Vashj'ir
Race(s)	Water Elementals, Kraken
Instance info
Type	Dungeon
Advised level	81-83
Player limit	5

Template:Abyssal Maw wings

The Abyssal Maw is the great ocean of the Elemental Plane, surrounding the land and constantly assaulting it with waves and storms. The water is vast and in many places very deep, sometimes nearly reaching the realm of fire far below. The liquid itself is constantly changing — sometimes salty or murky, other times fresh and clear. Creatures of the element abound, along with some large beasts such as the Krakken, but the seas are otherwise curiously devoid of life.

Background

This section contains information from the Warcraft RPG which is considered non-canon.

Neptulon the Tidehunter lives within the depths of the seas, jealously protecting his realm from any threat. He constantly battles with Ragnaros the Firelord, who is always trying to break through to smite the ocean with his heat. The Tidehunter keeps the seas surging and in constant motion, battering at the earthly realm with waves and storms. A wise and powerful being, Neptulon keeps many secrets, for reasons only a creature of water can truly understand.

The surface of the Elemental Plane’s ocean is dotted with a few small islands of rock that yet resist Neptulon's endless assault on the land. At the point farthest from Therazane’s domain there floats a mile-wide shelf of solid ice known as the Frostland. Like an immense iceberg, the Frostland extends far underneath the surface, almost to the ocean floor. Smaller chunks of ice break free occasionally and drift across the seas, slowly melting as they come nearer to Deephome. Some of these bergs are occupied by ice elemental conglomerates or other creatures.^[1]

This realm is one of the four domains of the Elemental Plane and occupied by the water elementals.

World of Warcraft: Cataclysm

This section concerns content related to Cataclysm.

In World of Warcraft it is a dungeon hub located in Vashj'ir.

The first wing, Throne of the Tides, is 5-man instance for level 79-81 players and was revealed at the official Vashj'ir preview.^[2]

The second wing, known simply as Abyssal Maw, was announced at BlizzCon 2009. It is suitable for a 5-man level 81-83 party.

From the official

World of Warcraft Community Site Cataclysm — Site:

Azeroth's native elementals wreaked havoc across the world while they were under the influence of the Old Gods.

To keep Azeroth safe from these threats, the titans imprisoned the Old Gods underground and banished the savage elementals to the titan-constructed Elemental Plane, a secure dominion where the elementals could dwell without harming Azeroth.

Four domains were created within this primordial realm to serve as ideal environments for each type of elemental. For ages since, the elementals of air, water, earth, and fire have engaged in endless strife with each other, waging titanic battles in the confines of their realm. One of the Elemental Plane's domains, a vast ocean known as the Abyssal Maw, is home to the water elementals. Legend says that Neptulon the Tidehunter, the powerful being who rules over the aquatic realm, possesses a potent weapon that allows its owner to control the very seas of Azeroth. Thus far, the artifact has remained secure inside the water elementals' domain... but that will soon change.

Within Deepholm, the domain of the earth elementals, the malefic Dragon Aspect Deathwing is on the verge of executing a catastrophic act: to burst forth from the Elemental Plane into Azeroth. Doing so will ravage the surface of the world and breach the barrier that separates Azeroth from the elementals' realm. Whether Neptulon and his subjects have entered into an alliance with Deathwing remains unknown. Regardless, if Deathwing's actions create an opening into the Abyssal Maw, nefarious and honorable factions alike will seek out the fabled weapon carried by Neptulon. Whoever secures the artifact will have control over the world's seas, a power that perhaps no one, not even members of the Horde or the Alliance, should possess.