Mueh'zala

Ueetay no Mueh'zala, also known as simply Mueh'zala or even Death, is an ancient and powerful loa of death worshiped by the Sandfury tribe. He was the master of the more amicable Bwonsamdi, but was cruel and bloodthirsty, believing that a god should rule, not beg for servants or worshipers. He was ultimately defeated by the Maw Walker and Bwonsamdi, who became his master.

Long ago, Mueh'zala was the sole loa of death. One day he elevated his follower Bwonsamdi into a loa as well. Eventually, Mueh'zala's followers turned against him, fearful of the sacrifices and blood he demanded, and over time he was forgotten by all but the Farraki tribe, while Bwonsamdi became the primary loa of death.

At some point in the distant past, the titanic keeper Odyn contacted Mueh'zala and sacrificed his eye to him in order to be able to peer into the Shadowlands. This led to Odyn creating the winged beings known as Val'kyr. Mueh'zala delivered Odyn's eye to his master, the Jailer, who transformed it into Eye of the Jailer to serve his own ends.

At some point, Mueh'zala also convinced Helya to join the Jailer.

Mueh'zala was summoned by the Sandfury tribe at Zul'Farrak so they could sacrifice their prisoners - Aramar Thorne, Makasa Flintwill, Taryndrella, Hackle, and Murky - to him. When Mueh'zala went after Murky as a "little snack", Aram stepped between the two of them and Mueh'zala stopped, shocking everyone including the Sandfury trolls. But Aram was told that it was not "the day", and that Mueh'zala would not engage him there and then. But the day would come, and if Aram were to lose that battle, Mueh'zala would feast on all of Azeroth. Mueh'zala sank into the sands of Zul'Farrak and vanished.

Mueh'zala later appeared to Aram in a vision alongside Xaraax, the dreadlord who led the Hidden. In the dream, Mueh'zala and Xaraax taunted Aram, telling him they had no objection if Aram completed the Diamond Blade whose shards he had been gathering. Together, Mueh'zala and the dreadlord said that there would be a reckoning, the battle would come, the fire would burn, and Mueh'zala would feast on all of Azeroth.

Mueh'zala whispered to Vol'jin on his deathbed and told him to make Sylvanas Windrunner the Warchief of the Horde. He also planned to throw Vol'jin's spirit into the Maw but his soul had too strong a connection to Azeroth.

The spriggans and boggarts of Ardenweald serve Mueh'zala. They have heard Mueh'zala's whispers and gleefully carry out his plans. By his command, Hakkar the Soulflayer and Dambala were resurrected by High Priest Rakazodu to serve in his army. His forces are also seen channeling Drust runes.

The Winter Queen seems familiar with him. Bwonsamdi, who sought to discover why the loa were missing, was surprised by his boss's actions and declared that Mueh'zala had gone too far.

After his followers stole Ashamane's wildseed, he offered her the chance to join him. However, in contrast to Dambala and Hakkar, Ashamane rejected his offer. In response to this rejection, Mueh'zala threw Ashamane into the Maw.

Mueh'zala held nothing but disdain for Bwonsamdi, when the latter turned to the Winter Queen for help. Mueh'zala then declared that Bwonsamdi's time was done, his power spent, and he was coming to collect. Mueh'zala's forces then clashed with the Wild Hunt, where during the conflict the Maw Walker killed Dambala, and Hakkar left the battlefield planning on becoming the loa of Blood and Death.

With the plans he laid in ancient times coming to fruition, Mueh'zala turned all attention towards his rebellious replacement, Bwonsamdi. As they clashed within De Other Side, he demanded the souls of Rastakhan and the other Zandalari who died during the Fourth War, whom Bwonsamdi was keeping away from him. Meanwhile, Bwonsamdi sent a group of adventurers to gather mojo from old business partners to boost his power, where Hakkar was slain, indirectly aiding Mueh'zala in dealing with that treachery. Ultimately Mueh'zala was beaten, and then Bwonsamdi bound his soul, while declaring himself the boss now.

Sometime later, Mueh'zala let slip that he had stolen from the Winter Queen. Bwonsamdi brought Mueh'zala to his Necropolis within Nazmir. Upon his arrival, his loyalists led by Zel'han the Summoner attempted to free him but were slain by the Maw Walker. After Zel'han's Broken Armor was brought to him in order to break his hopes, Mueh'zala claimed his plan was older than them, and that slaying Zel'han meant nothing to him. However even as he said this, his gaze remained fixed upon the broken armor.

Mueh'zala was soon fed a bit of the life essence from all within the Necropolis as part of the ritual to compel him to reveal what information he had. Mueh'zala subsequently revealed how he had once offered an Ancient to join him, before casting them into the Maw after being rejected. Upon hearing his voice, Vol'jin realized Mueh'zala was responsible for him naming Sylvanas Windrunner Warchief of the Horde, causing Mueh'zala to mock him. Mueh'zala was then sent back to De Other Side by Bwonsamdi, where he remains imprisoned.

• The Problem with Containing a Death Loa

• Not yet, Son of Thorne. Not yet. This is not the day. The day comes. It comes. But Mueh'zala will not engage you here or now. Our battle is yet to come, yet to come... But it will come, child. It will come. And if you lose that battle, Mueh'zala feasts on all of Azeroth. All of Azeroth. All of Azeroth. All of Azeroth...

• Zel'han the Summoner
• Shifting Horror
• Noisul of Many Faces
• Mueh'zala's Servant

Though his shadow towers above everyone, Mueh'zala's figure is indistinct. His form is always shifting, his shadow melting from one shape to another. Shapes he has taken include a twelve-foot tall troll, a giant lizard, the human Malus, a creature of burning black flame, a floating whale shark and a red-rimmed specter of black. When making his ancient pact with Odyn, Mueh'zala appeared as a great shapeless wraith or spirit who billowed up from the mists to surround Odyn in shadow. In the Shadowlands, he takes the form of a giant, hulking, troll-like figure with a muscular torso, multiple sets of tusks, a mane of white hair, and blueish-gray skin.

• There is a shrine to Mueh'zala in Tal'farrak, the Sandfury enclave in Dazar'alor.
• Until Traveler: The Spiral Path, nothing about Mueh'zala was known except for his name and titles listed on the Tablet of Theka.
• Despite his prominent role in The Spiral Path and his promise of a future battle with Aram, Mueh'zala makes no appearance in the third and final Traveler book, The Shining Blade. The latter's author Madeleine Roux has speculated that Blizzard deliberately pivoted away from using Mueh'zala in the final book because some of the events from The Spiral Path didn't necessarily line up with what was planned for the character in Shadowlands, and because they wanted The Shining Blade to have a simpler plot focusing on a single antagonist.

As the one who told Vol'jin to make Sylvanas warchief, Mueh'zala may also have been the one who robbed Vol'jin of his powers on the Broken Shore.