Queen Azshara was the beloved ruler of the kaldorei ten thousand years ago, and is the current ruler of the monstrous naga. Entrancingly beautiful and beloved by her people, Azshara began a descent into madness when she was corrupted by the Dark Titan Sargeras, master of the Burning Legion. After her defeat at the hands of Malfurion Stormrage, and the Great Sundering that sent her and much of her Highborne into the depths of the sea, Azshara was transformed into the Empress of Nazjatar — progenitor of the serpentine naga. Azshara is the greatest mortal mage ever to live. In fact she may no longer be mortal...Azshara makes her first appearance in the upcoming expansion World of Warcraft: Cataclysm in a minor role at Nazj'vel in southern Darkshore opposite Malfurion Stormrage. Both Alliance and Horde players can trigger her appearance at will by killing the four Darkscale Priestess surrounding the Horn of the Ancients.

In the Q&A section of the "World of Warcraft Raids and Dungeons" panel at the 2009 Blizzcon convention, game designer Tom Chilton confirmed that appearances by Queen Azshara and the city of Nazjatar were not intended to be part of this expansion, although her Naga would make an appearance in the new leveling zone, Vashj'ir.