War of the Ancients

Lore & Background

Roughly one thousand years ago, the War of the Ancients erupted on Aiur not between Protoss and Zerg, but between the Khalai and Nerazim factions of the Protoss themselves. The conflict was an internal Protoss schism over the use of Void powers, with Amon's influence coming later. During the conflict, a faction of Protoss warriors embraced forbidden void powers, which the mainstream Protoss high command viewed as heresy against the Khala, leading to the permanent exile of these warriors who became known as the Nerazim or Dark Templar. The war left Aiur scarred and the Protoss divided between those who served the Khala and those who dwelled in shadow. This division persisted until the events of StarCraft II forced them back together.

In Their Own Story

The air on ancient Aiur tasted of ozone and blood. Alandor stood before the shimmering barrier, his golden armor dimmed by the encroaching darkness. Behind him, the Void pulsed with a hunger that defied logic. He gripped the spear tightly, feeling the weight of an entire civilization resting on his shoulders. The Zerg chitin scraped against the crystalline ground as they swarmed forward, blind to the trap being set. Amon's voice whispered in the back of every mind, promising power if only they would break the seal. Alandor closed his eyes, not in prayer, but in focus. He knew the cost of this victory would be measured in generations of exile and fear. With a final cry that echoed through the ages, he drove the spear into the rift. The light swallowed the shadow, sealing the god away for ten thousand years.

Reader's Guide

This conflict occurred roughly ten millennia before the events of the original game. It fundamentally explains why the Protoss society fractured into the Khalai and Nerazim factions during their early civilization. The Xel'Naga, ancient creator beings, visited Aiur to judge potential candidates for ascension into higher forms. However, their renegade member Amon sought to destroy creation and manipulate the outcome. He influenced the Zerg swarm to invade Aiur, forcing the Protoss to unite against a common biological enemy. During this struggle, those who tapped into dark void powers were cast out as Dark Templar, creating a lasting schism. The war ended with Amon's imprisonment within the Void, but his influence lingered through millennia via artifacts and whispers. Understanding this history is crucial for StarCraft II and Legacy of the Void narratives. It reveals why the Protoss fear the Void and how the Zerg connection to Amon drives their evolution against Sarah Kerrigan. This ancient struggle set the stage for the modern galaxy-wide conflict involving Artanis and the Void's return. The artifacts from this war, like the Spear of Adun, remain vital plot points in later games regarding the survival of the species.

Did You Know?

• The Dark Templar were exiled for rejecting the Khala and using Void magic, which was considered heresy by the Khalai—not because of Amon's direct manipulation.
• Amon did not directly manipulate the War of the Ancients; his influence on Protoss and Zerg history came later.
• The war occurred roughly a thousand years before the Great War, not ten thousand—the Zerg did not invade Aiur until the events of StarCraft.
• Many artifacts recovered in StarCraft II originated as weapons used during this ancient civil war.