Khaz’goroth, the Titan shaper and forger of the world, bestowed some of his vast power upon the mighty black wyrm, Neltharion. The great-hearted Neltharion, known afterwards as the Earth-Warder, was given dominion over the earth and the deep places of the world. He embodied the strength of the world and served as Alexstrasza’s greatest supporter. Black dragons breath consists of blasts of molten lava rather than pure fire.

Neltharion used to be allied with the other Dragons, but an artifact he took from the Old Gods (the Demon Soul) drove him mad through its arcane magic. He came to be known as “Deathwing the Destroyer” and tricked the Aspects into giving some of their powers to the Demon Soul to help battle the demons; however when the Demons were driven back, he turned on the Aspects and began to fight against them as well. Eventually the Demon Soul was destroyed by a human sorcerer named Rhonin while Deathwing attempted to steal Alexastraza’s (the Aspect of Life and mother of the Red Dragon Flight) eggs, and Deathwing was driven away by the other Aspects.

Led by this mad leviathan, the Black Dragons plan to destroy the Burning Legion, the Scourge, all other races and all other Dragons so that they may rule the world with their view of perfection.

Dying Dragons traditionally fly to the land of Northrend to die. When Ner’zhul the Lich King took control of Northrend, he used his powers to raise the residents of the vast Dragon graveyards to do his bidding. In this new age, the Scourge plans to kill all the dragons in the world with their plague and turn them into Frost Wyrms.

The Invasion began with the launch of patch 1.11. Outside each major city and at various high level zones in the game players could encounter floating undead constructs called Necropoleis or necropolises with at least four groups of undead creatures spread out in a diamond formation below. At each point lay a necrotic crystal guarded by legions of undead. Upon destroying these crystals players could render the accompanying necropolis inert for a time and score a “victory” against the Scourge.