Theka the Martyr

Theka the Martyr is an undead sand troll who still guards his tomb in Zul'Farrak, long after he died for his city. Scarabs swarm around him; legend says they are his killers, cursed for what they did. He carries the first of the two Mosh'aru tablets, and the Tablet of Theka beside him holds the names of troll gods, so several quests lead to his shrine.

Background

Theka is a hero of the Sandfury tribe. According to the game's Adventure Guide, he was killed long ago in a brutal war between the trolls and insect warriors, and Zul'Farrak survived because of his sacrifice. Even dead, he keeps watch over the city. The dozens of insectoid warriors who killed him were cursed to live on as mindless scarabs (Scarab), scuttling at their victim's side forever.

The guide calls the enemy "qiraji", which no other source mentions; it may be a slip for the ancient war between the trolls and the aqir, the insect empire of old Kalimdor.

Abilities

• Fevered Plague: a disease that hits for 250 nature damage and keeps doing damage over time. Its cast can be interrupted, and the disease can be cured.
• Theka Transform: when Theka is badly hurt, he transforms and becomes immune to physical and shadow damage for a time. Before patch 1.12 the immunity was permanent.

Strategy

Theka is close to an ordinary elite fight with one twist. When his health gets low, around a quarter to a third, he transforms and stops taking physical and shadow damage. Groups handle it in one of two ways:

• Burn him with spells: mages, druids, shamans and paladins can finish him with their spells, and hunters with Arcane Shot and Serpent Sting. Warlocks should switch to fire spells, and priests to Smite or Holy Fire.
• Stun him: a rogue or warrior who keeps him stunned through the last part of the fight can stop the transform from happening.

He is undead, so paladins' Exorcism and Holy Wrath work on him, and priests can use Shackle Undead. Avoid area attacks near him: the scarabs around his shrine join the fight in numbers if they're hit.

Loot

From our database (patch 1.12):

Theka has no rare drops of his own; his value is in the tablet and the quests.

Quests

• The Prophecy of Mosh'aru: Yeh'kinya in Tanaris wants both Mosh'aru tablets, one from Theka and one from Hydromancer Velratha. The prophecy on them tells how to contain the essence of Hakkar the Soulflayer, and the chain leads on to the Sunken Temple.
• The Spider God (Horde): Master Gadrin in Sen'jin Village wants the name of the Witherbark spider god, which is written on the Tablet of Theka in his tomb.
• Troll Temper: Trenton Lighthammer in Gadgetzan collects the Troll Temper that many Sandfury trolls carry, Theka included.

Sources

• Theka the Martyr, Warcraft Wiki
• WoWDB quest and loot data for patch 1.12