Grand Apothecary Putress

Grand Apothecary Putress was a chief apothecary of the Forsaken's Royal Apothecary Society. He played a vital role in the development of the "New Plague" the Forsaken sought to create.

In life, Putress' great passions were experimentation, creation, and discovery. During the Scourging of Lordaeron, he was amongst those who became mindless Scourge only to have their free will restored and joined the Forsaken under Sylvanas Windrunner. After the Forsaken secured the Undercity, he sought out their new Queen but was rebuffed by Varimathras. Not deterred by the demon, Putress was able to successfully track down Sylvanas and follow her, a feat which impressed her enough to give him an audience. Putress, who remembered little of his old life and mourned for nothing in it, cast off his mortal name upon rising as Forsaken. He eagerly embraced the new identity Sylvanas had given him and balked at the mere mention of a potential "cure" for undeath, as he considered his new existence a boon rather than a curse.

His conviction and declaration to use the Plague of Undeath that had created the Forsaken and tame it as their own convinced Sylvanas to create the Royal Apothecary Society with him as their Grand Apothecary. He was then ordered to seek out Varimathras in order to receive whatever or whoever he required to craft this weapon. Sylvanas consented to this undertaking on two conditions: whatever his plans for the living, Putress was to ensure the perfected plague also slays the Scourge; and that should the situation ever present itself, he was to seize the moment and destroy Arthas with it. She swore her grand apothecary to secrecy, knowing many would consider his work unconscionable.

Grand Apothecary Putress was an important figure during the second Scourge Invasion, researching the zombie infestation from an apothecary camp in Shattrath City. Eventually, he began sending Horde members back to their capital cities with severed Scourge heads that had zombie brains containing both the plague and his anti-plague compound which partially cured them. Putress believed his research on the Scourge contagion held the secret to curing the Plague of Undeath and also would facilitate their fight against the Scourge. As he expected, his research eventually helped to end of the zombie invasion. When Warchief Thrall called for a meeting in Orgrimmar with other Horde leaders to discuss how to deal with the Scourge, Putress was present. Sylvanas offered Putress's services to Thrall citing that his knowledge of the plague would make him a valuable asset in the campaign against the Lich King.

In the early stages of the Northrend Campaign, the Royal Apothecary Society put the finishing touches on the Forsaken blight, a new plague that not only killed living creatures but also destroyed the undead. In the middle of the battle at Angrathar the Wrathgate, after Dranosh Saurfang was slain by the Lich King, Putress appeared on a cliff overlooking the battlefield and used Forsaken catapults to unleash the blight on the unsuspecting forces gathered below, indiscriminately killing Scourge, Horde, and Alliance alike and forcing the Lich King to retreat back into Icecrown Citadel. The losses on all sides were great, and perhaps the greatest loss of all was the presumed death of Highlord Bolvar Fordragon.

In the aftermath of the battle, it was revealed that Putress and several members of the Royal Apothecary Society had betrayed Sylvanas, and sided with Varimathras, who had secretly remained loyal to his nathrezim brothers and the Burning Legion while serving under the Dark Lady. Together, they had orchestrated a coup d'état and forcefully taken control of the Undercity, nearly killing Sylvanas in the process. While the Horde banded together with Thrall and Sylvanas to kill Varimathras and retake the Undercity, assaulting it directly, the Alliance joined with King Varian Wrynn and Jaina Proudmoore, embittered by the loss of Bolvar, to invade the city via the sewers to deal with Putress and retake Lordaeron. Ultimately, Putress was killed in Varian's manhunt, and the king was left to gaze at the full horror of the Royal Apothecary Society's work. Putress' head was then severed from his body and Varian tossed it to Thrall's feet.

Upon his death, his soul entered the Shadowlands where it was later harvested of its essence by the death knights of the Ebon Blade.

• Putress had to be slain for The Battle For The Undercity (Alliance).

His first appearance was as a level 80 elite at the new apothecary camp on the Terrace of Light in Shattrath City during the Echoes of Doom Scourge Invasion, where he was involved with the following quests:

• Desperate Research
• Orgrimmar (orc)
• Orgrimmar (troll)
• Silvermoon (quest)
• Thunder Bluff (quest)
• The Undercity (quest)

What a landmark discovery! The Royal Apothecary Society has spent years working to break the secrets of the Lich King's plague, and I've finally done it!

• In Shattrath City

Despite this turning point in history, there is still so much to discover. I have more experiments to conduct... test subjects to acquire...

At least I don't have to worry about Scourge necropoli. The Alliance is dealing with that problem. This leaves me plenty of time to delve into the secrets of the plague and uncover what I can.

<Putress looks you over in a very unsettling fashion.>

• Before an invasion in Orgrimmar

Aren't you a remarkable specimen....

Have you considered making a sacrifice for the greater good?

Do you know who I am?! I'm a very important person! You're supposed to be protecting me from the Scourge, no dilly-dallying with pointless conversation!

• During an invasion in Orgrimmar

I'm no fighter, but you are. So get out there!

• bossemote
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• yell
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• He was one of two known grand apothecaries in the Society, the other being Doctor Sintar Malefious.
• His mask may be a reference to the crow masks worn by plague doctors during the Black Death, though it looks more like a horse skull in art.
• Both versions of Deathbringer Garb, the warlock Tier 8 set, are recolors of Grand Apothecary Putress's outfit.
• His armor resembles that of the Avatar of Grenth from Guild Wars.
• Putress' Wrathgate quote, "death to the Scourge and death to the living!", has become somewhat iconic among some Forsaken players.
• In the League of Explorers adventure of Hearthstone, Putress' vial is located in the Hall of Explorers wing. Elise Starseeker says that "It says "DRINK ME", but we found it in Naxxramas, so no one's wanted to try."
• Had Putress' attempt to kill Arthas at the Wrathgate succeeded, Sylvanas would have considered it worth the price.
• Putress is voiced by David Lodge.

• Severed Head of Putress

Putress Putrescin