Nerzhul

Ner'zhul is a fictional figure in Blizzard Entertainment's Warcraft universe. He was an orc shaman and the former leader of the Shadow Moon clan on the planet Draenor. In his pursuit of greater power, he aligned with Gul'dan to access demonic magic beyond traditional shamanism.

Ner'zhul sought power from the Burning Legion and was ultimately manipulated by the demon Kil'jaeden. Kil'jaeden offered forbidden knowledge in exchange for Ner'zhul's allegiance, but the demon instead bound Ner'zhul's spirit to the Helm of Domination. This process transformed Ner'zhul into the Lich King, a necromantic entity designed to dominate worlds through an army of undead.

Bound to the helm, Ner'zhul's mind guided the creation of the Scourge and the spread of the undead across Azeroth. The mortal prince Arthas Menethil would later seize the Helm of Domination and become the Lich King, merging with Ner'zhul's spirit to form a single, powerful being. The Lich King resided at the Frozen Throne in Northrend and became a central antagonist in Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne and in subsequent World of Warcraft content.

Ner'zhul's story provides the origin of the Lich King and the Scourge, and illustrates how Kil'jaeden and the Burning Legion shaped large-scale conflicts within the Warcraft series.