In the fictional Warcraft universe, Kilrogg Deadeye was the leader of the Bleeding Hollow Clan.
The Bleeding Hollow Clan, led by Kilrogg Deadeye, was one of the largest and most powerful of the Orcish Clans, but years of civil war on Draenor and after the genocide of the Draenei drastically reduced their numbers. Kilrogg, eternally loyal to the Blackrock Clan, which, before the passing, had been forged through the Thunderlord Clan, followed them unerringly to Azeroth, and Deadeye was elected to lead the attack upon Stormwind Keep alongside Cho’gall the Ogre-Mage.
The attack was catastrophic, and Deadeye immediately blamed Cho’gall's incompetence. However, just before it seemed that the Horde would erupt into civil war once again, Blackhand arose to quell the uprisings. He was deemed Warchief, the first since the war on the Draenei.
Deadeye served Blackhand loyally throughout the First War, and Doomhammer even more so in the Second War. Deadeye moved the Bleeding Hollow Clan to Ironforge in Khaz Modan, the former stronghold of the Dwarves and Gnomes, and began to oversee and protect the mining operations there. Deadeye and his clan were routed by Azerothian forces as the war drew to its bloody end, but fled before they could be captured. In the years that followed the end of the Second War, Alleria's scouts were appointed to hunt down and eradicate the Bleeding Hollow Clan.
Deadeye knew that he was not safe in Azeroth, and so, through unknown methods, he contacted Ner'zhul on Draenor, who helped the chieftain to escape through the Rift at Nethergarde.
Deadeye's men were heralded as heroes when they returned to Draenor, and Deadeye told Ner'zhul all he knew of the lands of Azeroth, pledging his clan to Ner'zhul's will as thanks for allowing their forces back into Draenor. He distributed the Goblins, Trolls, Dragons, and Death Knights amongst the other clans.
Deadeye assisted with intelligence and manpower to recover the artifacts Ner’zhul needed for his dark scheme. When that scheme eventually came to fruition, Deadeye, with Grom Hellscream, escaped back into Azeroth. Despite the aged chieftain's best efforts, he was captured and placed in an internment camp.
The Bleeding Hollow banner was an eye with a gash going down through it cross ways and with blood dripping down from it. This was a symbol of its leader, Killrogg Deadeye, who had lost his eye.
References in World of Warcraft
The warlock class can summon a floating eye, called an Eye of Kilrogg (as with the Ogre Mage spell in Warcraft 2) to scout around the warlock. There is a beach named Deadeye Shore in Durotar, the Orcish adopted homeland, in honor of Kilrogg. There is also a server named after him.
Also, in the instance Zul'Farrak, there is an orc warlock with the surname Deadeye.
In Outland, Kilrogg's uncorrupted son Jorin Deadeye resides as a Mag'har living in Garadar.
The Bleeding Hollow Clan, led by Kilrogg Deadeye, was one of the largest and most powerful of the Orcish Clans, but years of civil war on Draenor and after the genocide of the Draenei drastically reduced their numbers. Kilrogg, eternally loyal to the Blackrock Clan, which, before the passing, had been forged through the Thunderlord Clan, followed them unerringly to Azeroth, and Deadeye was elected to lead the attack upon Stormwind Keep alongside Cho’gall the Ogre-Mage.
The attack was catastrophic, and Deadeye immediately blamed Cho’gall's incompetence. However, just before it seemed that the Horde would erupt into civil war once again, Blackhand arose to quell the uprisings. He was deemed Warchief, the first since the war on the Draenei.
Deadeye served Blackhand loyally throughout the First War, and Doomhammer even more so in the Second War. Deadeye moved the Bleeding Hollow Clan to Ironforge in Khaz Modan, the former stronghold of the Dwarves and Gnomes, and began to oversee and protect the mining operations there. Deadeye and his clan were routed by Azerothian forces as the war drew to its bloody end, but fled before they could be captured. In the years that followed the end of the Second War, Alleria's scouts were appointed to hunt down and eradicate the Bleeding Hollow Clan.
Deadeye knew that he was not safe in Azeroth, and so, through unknown methods, he contacted Ner'zhul on Draenor, who helped the chieftain to escape through the Rift at Nethergarde.
Deadeye's men were heralded as heroes when they returned to Draenor, and Deadeye told Ner'zhul all he knew of the lands of Azeroth, pledging his clan to Ner'zhul's will as thanks for allowing their forces back into Draenor. He distributed the Goblins, Trolls, Dragons, and Death Knights amongst the other clans.
Deadeye assisted with intelligence and manpower to recover the artifacts Ner’zhul needed for his dark scheme. When that scheme eventually came to fruition, Deadeye, with Grom Hellscream, escaped back into Azeroth. Despite the aged chieftain's best efforts, he was captured and placed in an internment camp.
The Bleeding Hollow banner was an eye with a gash going down through it cross ways and with blood dripping down from it. This was a symbol of its leader, Killrogg Deadeye, who had lost his eye.
References in World of Warcraft
The warlock class can summon a floating eye, called an Eye of Kilrogg (as with the Ogre Mage spell in Warcraft 2) to scout around the warlock. There is a beach named Deadeye Shore in Durotar, the Orcish adopted homeland, in honor of Kilrogg. There is also a server named after him.
Also, in the instance Zul'Farrak, there is an orc warlock with the surname Deadeye.
In Outland, Kilrogg's uncorrupted son Jorin Deadeye resides as a Mag'har living in Garadar.
In the fictional Warcraft universe, Archmage Khadgar was one of the most powerful wizards to have ever lived, and one of the greatest heroes of the Alliance. At an age of 17, Khadgar was sent by the Kirin Tor to apprentice under Medivh in his tower at Karazhan. At first, Khadgar believed Medivh to be nothing more than he appeared to be, a kindly, middle-aged, if slightly eccentric wizard, but it wasn't long before he began to sense something was drastically wrong with his master. Though he never suspected that Medivh was actually being controlled by Sargeras, the Dark Titan, he became suspicious of his master's actions and motives. Eventually, he unravelled Medivh's plot to open a portal between Azeroth and Draenor, after meeting a Horde emissary, the half-Orc assassin Garona. Knowing it was already too late to stop the Dark Portal from opening, Khadgar rushed to King Llane of Azeroth for help. Khadgar, along with Lord Lothar and a group of soldiers returned to Karazhan to find Medivh in psychic link with the Orc warlock Gul'dan. Khadgar managed to defeat Medivh in combat, banishing both his soul, and that of Sargeras who was controlling him.
Khadgar fled from the ruins of Azeroth with Lord Lothar and the rest of the Azerothians to Lordaeron. He spent the Second War fighting with the Alliance, all the while studying Medivh's spells and the nature of the Dark Portal. This knowledge would come in useful when the tide of the War turned and the Alliance managed to push the Horde back to the Portal itself. Using all of his powers, Khadgar destroyed the Dark Portal, effectively severing the link between Azeroth and Draenor. Even as the Alliance celebrated its victory, Khadgar suspected that perhaps the Dark Portal wasn't completely vanquished after all. The powers that Medivh had unleashed in creating it were too potent to be destroyed in one spell. Now an Archmage of considerable influence, Khadgar directed the building of Nethergarde Keep, a fortress which would watch over the Blasted Lands, and the wreckage of the Dark Portal.
Khadgar's fears would be validated only a year after Nethergarde's completion, when the portal opened again, and fresh Orc forces began pouring out. Fearing a second invasion, Khadgar joined the expeditionary force led by Turalyon and marched into the Orc homeworld. Khadgar quickly discovered that the situation in Draenor was even worse than he had feared. The Orcs, under the leadership of the shaman Ner'zhul, were already in the process of opening doorways to new worlds for the Horde to plunder. Unable to stop Ner'zhul from opening his portals, and unable to contain the terrible energies they unleashed, he and the expeditionary force were now sitting on a dying world.
Khadgar and Turalyon, knowing that the destruction of Draenor would cause untold havoc on Azeroth, realized that they had to take drastic action to protect their homeworld. The Archmage used Medivh's spellbook to close the Dark Portal from the other side, thereby shielding Azeroth from the final cataclysm of Draenor's destruction. It is unclear whether or not anyone from the expeditionary force managed to successfully escape Draenor. Archmage Khadgar has since been immortalized in stone, along with the other leaders from the expeditionary force, in the Valley of Heroes in Stormwind.
"Khadgar" means "trust" in Dwarven. In Warcraft: The Last Guardian, Medivh often calls his apprentice "Young Trust".
Also, as stated in the novel, Khadgar is destined to die on Draenor along with a small group of human soldiers unable to hold off the orcs. It is unknown whether this will indeed take place as the vision Khadgar saw in Karazhan might have been false (although all others he saw were true). When he asks the un-tainted Medivh, who is looking at him from the future, if it is true that he dies on Draenor, that Garona kills King Llane, and that Stormwind falls to the Horde, Medivh does not answer.
Khadgar in World of Warcraft
The fate of Khadgar and the other heroes of the expedition to Draenor has been the subject of rumors and speculation since Beyond the Dark Portal. At the E3 convention in 2006, Blizzard developer Jeff Kaplan confirmed that the heroes of the Alliance expedition would be found in Outland in the expansion. According to the rumors, Khadgar would return to the world of Azeroth and warn of the Burning Crusade, and assist in reopening the Dark Portal. It has also been rumored that he will have something to do with questing in Medivh's tower of Karazhan.
The Mystic Council has been set up to find Khadgar, this council thrives on obtaining divine power. They intend to gain this with the help of Khadgar and his knowledge.
However, with the release of The Burning Crusade, Khadgar has been found. He neither returns to Azeroth nor has a hand in the opening of the Dark Portal (which was instead opened by Medivh). Instead, he sits on the ruling council of the city of Shattrath in Terokkar Forest, where he had met the Naaru, a collection of benevolent and majestically wise entities entirely devoted to the Light, much like human Paladins in the Warcraft series. Khadgar can be spoken to, and he states that he learns more in five months from the Naaru than all his years of study at the Kirin Tor.
There are also items in World of Warcraft that bear Khadgar's name. Khadgar's Whisker is a herb found in middle-level areas such as Stranglethorn Vale, and Khadgar's Essays on Dimensional Convergence is a quest item drop.
cs:Khadgar
fr:Khadgar
Khadgar fled from the ruins of Azeroth with Lord Lothar and the rest of the Azerothians to Lordaeron. He spent the Second War fighting with the Alliance, all the while studying Medivh's spells and the nature of the Dark Portal. This knowledge would come in useful when the tide of the War turned and the Alliance managed to push the Horde back to the Portal itself. Using all of his powers, Khadgar destroyed the Dark Portal, effectively severing the link between Azeroth and Draenor. Even as the Alliance celebrated its victory, Khadgar suspected that perhaps the Dark Portal wasn't completely vanquished after all. The powers that Medivh had unleashed in creating it were too potent to be destroyed in one spell. Now an Archmage of considerable influence, Khadgar directed the building of Nethergarde Keep, a fortress which would watch over the Blasted Lands, and the wreckage of the Dark Portal.
Khadgar's fears would be validated only a year after Nethergarde's completion, when the portal opened again, and fresh Orc forces began pouring out. Fearing a second invasion, Khadgar joined the expeditionary force led by Turalyon and marched into the Orc homeworld. Khadgar quickly discovered that the situation in Draenor was even worse than he had feared. The Orcs, under the leadership of the shaman Ner'zhul, were already in the process of opening doorways to new worlds for the Horde to plunder. Unable to stop Ner'zhul from opening his portals, and unable to contain the terrible energies they unleashed, he and the expeditionary force were now sitting on a dying world.
Khadgar and Turalyon, knowing that the destruction of Draenor would cause untold havoc on Azeroth, realized that they had to take drastic action to protect their homeworld. The Archmage used Medivh's spellbook to close the Dark Portal from the other side, thereby shielding Azeroth from the final cataclysm of Draenor's destruction. It is unclear whether or not anyone from the expeditionary force managed to successfully escape Draenor. Archmage Khadgar has since been immortalized in stone, along with the other leaders from the expeditionary force, in the Valley of Heroes in Stormwind.
"Khadgar" means "trust" in Dwarven. In Warcraft: The Last Guardian, Medivh often calls his apprentice "Young Trust".
Also, as stated in the novel, Khadgar is destined to die on Draenor along with a small group of human soldiers unable to hold off the orcs. It is unknown whether this will indeed take place as the vision Khadgar saw in Karazhan might have been false (although all others he saw were true). When he asks the un-tainted Medivh, who is looking at him from the future, if it is true that he dies on Draenor, that Garona kills King Llane, and that Stormwind falls to the Horde, Medivh does not answer.
Khadgar in World of Warcraft
The fate of Khadgar and the other heroes of the expedition to Draenor has been the subject of rumors and speculation since Beyond the Dark Portal. At the E3 convention in 2006, Blizzard developer Jeff Kaplan confirmed that the heroes of the Alliance expedition would be found in Outland in the expansion. According to the rumors, Khadgar would return to the world of Azeroth and warn of the Burning Crusade, and assist in reopening the Dark Portal. It has also been rumored that he will have something to do with questing in Medivh's tower of Karazhan.
The Mystic Council has been set up to find Khadgar, this council thrives on obtaining divine power. They intend to gain this with the help of Khadgar and his knowledge.
However, with the release of The Burning Crusade, Khadgar has been found. He neither returns to Azeroth nor has a hand in the opening of the Dark Portal (which was instead opened by Medivh). Instead, he sits on the ruling council of the city of Shattrath in Terokkar Forest, where he had met the Naaru, a collection of benevolent and majestically wise entities entirely devoted to the Light, much like human Paladins in the Warcraft series. Khadgar can be spoken to, and he states that he learns more in five months from the Naaru than all his years of study at the Kirin Tor.
There are also items in World of Warcraft that bear Khadgar's name. Khadgar's Whisker is a herb found in middle-level areas such as Stranglethorn Vale, and Khadgar's Essays on Dimensional Convergence is a quest item drop.
cs:Khadgar
fr:Khadgar
Lady Jaina Proudmoore is a fictional character in the Warcraft universe.
Lore
Jaina is the daughter of Admiral Proudmoore, who was introduced as the leader of Kul Tiras, one of the Human factions in Warcraft II. A protégé of Archmage Antonidas during her studies at Dalaran, she is the most powerful living sorceress in the Warcraft universe. She is also the former lover of both Kael'thas Sunstrider and Arthas Menethil, the one-time Prince of Lordaeron.
Warcraft III
Jaina's first appearance is in Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos, where she joins with Arthas to investigate the first signs of the Undead Plague. She leaves him and returns to Dalaran when the prince's thirst for vengeance against Mal'ganis becomes too great. After Arthas returns from Northrend, she rallys the Alliance forces of Lordaeron and flees from the Undead Scourge, traveling west to the continent of Kalimdor per the prophet Medivh's instructions.
There she makes pacts with Thrall, the visionary leader of the Horde, and Tyrande Whisperwind, the High Priestess of the Night Elves. Together the fragile alliance successfully defends the World Tree and defeated the Burning Legion's Second Invasion, led by Archimonde, at the Battle of Mount Hyjal.
Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne includes a "bonus" Orc campaign, in which it is revealed that Jaina later retreated to Theramore Isle, off the coast of southeastern Kalimdor. There she has founded an Alliance stronghold, the only bastion of Human power on the western continent. However, with the founding of the Orcs' new homeland, Durotar, tensions rise when Jaina's father, Admiral Proudmoore, arrives with forces from Kul Tiras.
As Rexxar the Beastmaster, the player discovers that Admiral Proudmoore's forces have begun to attack Horde settlements despite Jaina's wish for peace. Retaliation follows, and when the Kul Tiras forces are pushed all the way back to the Theramore Isles, Jaina appeals to Thrall and Rexxar to spare the citizens of Theramore. Though Jaina's father is slain in the ensuing battle, the Orcs and their allies leave her and the island in peace once their own security is assured.
Cycle of Hatred
Jaina next appears in the novel World of Warcraft: Cycle of Hatred, which once again picks up on the storyline involving her city and the Horde. Theramore and Durotar remained at relative peace for three years, though the two former archenemies were still wary of each other. Eventually, a series of minor shipping incidents led to extreme tension between the two powers, enough so that the Goblins, who controlled the region's only neutral port, complained.
Despite the tension, Thrall requested Jaina's aid in relocating a herd of Thunder Lizards displaced by a mysterious logging operation at Thunder Ridge. Jaina intended to relocate the Lizards to a largely unpopulated region on the far side of Mulgore, but was astonished to discover that the area was magically warded to protect its single inhabitant: Aegwynn.
The former Guardian brushed off Jaina's admiration, but filled in the gaps of what had been happening amidst the tensions between Theramore and Durotar: a minor demon, Zmodlor had revived the Burning Blade and was playing the two powers against each other.
Jaina and Aegwynn hastily returned to Theramore, where they discovered that Jaina's own chamberlain had been corrupted by the Burning Blade. After dealing with the turncoat, they took on Zmodlor himself. Unfortunately, the demon was backed by a small cabal of Warlocks (either Eredar or Satyr, the text is unclear).
After they dealt with the traitors in Jaina's ranks, and Thrall's in his, both leaders proposed a more official treaty.
World of Warcraft
In World of Warcraft, Jaina resides at the top of her tower in Theramore Isle. Alliance players can be greeted by her in person after completing the quest "The Missing Diplomat" and Horde players can fight against her. She is not considered one of the main Racial Leaders, and as such will not give the same honor awards that the likes of Thrall and Sylvanas Windrunner would. Nonetheless, as the most powerful sorceress alive, she is an incredibly tough opponent and only a skilled level 70 raid party would ever hold a chance of taking Jaina down.
Jaina also appears in an instance that allows players to relive the Battle of Mount Hyjal, where as in Warcraft III she is part of the first lines of defense against Archimonde's forces.
The relationship between Jaina and Thrall
After Jaina's and Thrall's forces were forced to work together after the meeting with Medivh, the two leaders soon became good friends. As to why they became so close nobody knows. Although according to Thrall, Jaina reminds him of Taretha Foxton, a human girl who befriended Thrall during his childhood. Their relationship is strong nonetheless, having endured Jaina losing her father and Thrall a lot of his warriors. They still consider each other as allies. A few fans speculate that Thrall and Jaina must have had (or have or will have) a romantic relationship. The only clue is the translation of a Gnomeregan binary punchcard, which states:
"Thrall and Jaina, sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G"
Lore
Jaina is the daughter of Admiral Proudmoore, who was introduced as the leader of Kul Tiras, one of the Human factions in Warcraft II. A protégé of Archmage Antonidas during her studies at Dalaran, she is the most powerful living sorceress in the Warcraft universe. She is also the former lover of both Kael'thas Sunstrider and Arthas Menethil, the one-time Prince of Lordaeron.
Warcraft III
Jaina's first appearance is in Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos, where she joins with Arthas to investigate the first signs of the Undead Plague. She leaves him and returns to Dalaran when the prince's thirst for vengeance against Mal'ganis becomes too great. After Arthas returns from Northrend, she rallys the Alliance forces of Lordaeron and flees from the Undead Scourge, traveling west to the continent of Kalimdor per the prophet Medivh's instructions.
There she makes pacts with Thrall, the visionary leader of the Horde, and Tyrande Whisperwind, the High Priestess of the Night Elves. Together the fragile alliance successfully defends the World Tree and defeated the Burning Legion's Second Invasion, led by Archimonde, at the Battle of Mount Hyjal.
Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne includes a "bonus" Orc campaign, in which it is revealed that Jaina later retreated to Theramore Isle, off the coast of southeastern Kalimdor. There she has founded an Alliance stronghold, the only bastion of Human power on the western continent. However, with the founding of the Orcs' new homeland, Durotar, tensions rise when Jaina's father, Admiral Proudmoore, arrives with forces from Kul Tiras.
As Rexxar the Beastmaster, the player discovers that Admiral Proudmoore's forces have begun to attack Horde settlements despite Jaina's wish for peace. Retaliation follows, and when the Kul Tiras forces are pushed all the way back to the Theramore Isles, Jaina appeals to Thrall and Rexxar to spare the citizens of Theramore. Though Jaina's father is slain in the ensuing battle, the Orcs and their allies leave her and the island in peace once their own security is assured.
Cycle of Hatred
Jaina next appears in the novel World of Warcraft: Cycle of Hatred, which once again picks up on the storyline involving her city and the Horde. Theramore and Durotar remained at relative peace for three years, though the two former archenemies were still wary of each other. Eventually, a series of minor shipping incidents led to extreme tension between the two powers, enough so that the Goblins, who controlled the region's only neutral port, complained.
Despite the tension, Thrall requested Jaina's aid in relocating a herd of Thunder Lizards displaced by a mysterious logging operation at Thunder Ridge. Jaina intended to relocate the Lizards to a largely unpopulated region on the far side of Mulgore, but was astonished to discover that the area was magically warded to protect its single inhabitant: Aegwynn.
The former Guardian brushed off Jaina's admiration, but filled in the gaps of what had been happening amidst the tensions between Theramore and Durotar: a minor demon, Zmodlor had revived the Burning Blade and was playing the two powers against each other.
Jaina and Aegwynn hastily returned to Theramore, where they discovered that Jaina's own chamberlain had been corrupted by the Burning Blade. After dealing with the turncoat, they took on Zmodlor himself. Unfortunately, the demon was backed by a small cabal of Warlocks (either Eredar or Satyr, the text is unclear).
After they dealt with the traitors in Jaina's ranks, and Thrall's in his, both leaders proposed a more official treaty.
World of Warcraft
In World of Warcraft, Jaina resides at the top of her tower in Theramore Isle. Alliance players can be greeted by her in person after completing the quest "The Missing Diplomat" and Horde players can fight against her. She is not considered one of the main Racial Leaders, and as such will not give the same honor awards that the likes of Thrall and Sylvanas Windrunner would. Nonetheless, as the most powerful sorceress alive, she is an incredibly tough opponent and only a skilled level 70 raid party would ever hold a chance of taking Jaina down.
Jaina also appears in an instance that allows players to relive the Battle of Mount Hyjal, where as in Warcraft III she is part of the first lines of defense against Archimonde's forces.
The relationship between Jaina and Thrall
After Jaina's and Thrall's forces were forced to work together after the meeting with Medivh, the two leaders soon became good friends. As to why they became so close nobody knows. Although according to Thrall, Jaina reminds him of Taretha Foxton, a human girl who befriended Thrall during his childhood. Their relationship is strong nonetheless, having endured Jaina losing her father and Thrall a lot of his warriors. They still consider each other as allies. A few fans speculate that Thrall and Jaina must have had (or have or will have) a romantic relationship. The only clue is the translation of a Gnomeregan binary punchcard, which states:
"Thrall and Jaina, sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G"
Illidan Stormrage is a character in the fictional Warcraft universe. He appeared in Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos and its expansion The Frozen Throne, and has more recently appeared in the World of Warcraft expansion, The Burning Crusade
He was, at a time, a member of the Night Elf race and is one of their most ancient, influential and infamous figures. He has also become one of the most popular characters in the Warcraft universe.
Appearance
Illidan is like the Naga and especially the Satyr - a transformed corrupted Night Elf.
He began life as a relatively normal male of his species, tall and muscular with sharp features, glowing eyes, purple skin and long, pointed ears. The only abnormality was the color of his eyes, which were a golden amber instead of the silver eyes more commonly found among Night Elves. Amber colored eyes were said to prophesize greatness, which is one reason Illidan felt pressured to succeed. When Illidan was in alliance with Sargeras, the titan burned out his eyes and replaced them with glowing green flames, which Illidan hides behind a blindfold. The new orbs allowed Illidan to see magical energies in the environment as well as allowing him to see minute details in his surroundings. The eventually imbued him with demonic power (as well as some of the essence of the dead Orc warlock), granting him an entirely new form. Illidan now resembles one of the Nathrezim more than one of his own race, although his skin remains purple and his ears are still long and pointed. He has wings, horns and talons and his skin is covered in green, glowing arcane runes, the latter also a gift from Sargeras. He wields 2 crescent-shaped weapons known as the Twin Blades of Azzinoth.
Biography
Imprisonment
Illidan Stormrage, twin brother of the Night Elf Archdruid Malfurion Stormrage, has led a life of misery and strife that has lasted over ten thousand years.
Born of the immortal Horde(Onxyia), Illidan was a prominent figure in the first war against the demons of the Burning Legion. Illidan and a group of Night Elves were the only ones to embrace the magic of the Well of Eternity outside of Queen Azshara and her elite Highborne mages. They caused a rift to grow among the Night Elves, primarily between Illidan and his brother Malfurion, as the magic of the Well was addictive, destructive, and caused immense amounts of devastation when wielded. However, the Well had to be destroyed to prevent the Legion's commander Sargeras from entering the realm of Azeroth, and in doing so, the continent was torn asunder, stranding the Night Elves (many Highborne included) on the considerably smaller continent of Kalimdor.
Illidan, thoroughly addicted to the magical energies, reasoned that the power was a blessing and should be used simply because it was available. He secretly took some of the water which he had saved from the first Well and created a second Well of Eternity on the peak of Mount Hyjal. Shocked at his actions, Malfurion again explained the Well's danger to Illidan but his brother refused to listen. The Aspects then created the World Tree to contain the energies of the Well, but the Highborne, after attempting to re-use the powers of the Well and create a magical storm (hoping thereby to bully Malfurion into allowing the use of the Well magic) were exiled. They left for Quel'Thalas, where they became known as the High Elves and developed their own distinct civilization, dependent largely on magic. Meanwhile, Illidan and his few remaining supporters were banished to underground prisons, fiercely guarded by the Wardens. To Illidan himself, Maiev Shadowsong was assigned as his personal jailor, and there he would remain for ten thousand years until circumstances shifted in his favor once again.
Release
Shortly after the return of the Burning Legion, Priestess Tyrande and Archdruid Malfurion made a desperate journey down into the Barrow Deeps of the Druids of the Claw. These druids had been in hibernation, exploring the Emerald Dream where Ysera lives, but had nestled very close to the prison of Illidan. In the depths of the Barrow Deeps, at the entrance to the prison, Tyrande decided to free Illidan, allowing him to face the Burning Legion with his powers. Malfurion opposed this, and the two went in separate ways. Tyrande and a small cadre of Night Elf Sentinels fought their way to the cell containing Illidan and set him free.
Upon returning to the surface, Illidan led the Night Elves in destroying some of the dimensional gates, then disappeared. Illidan was soon led by (in the sense that he told him about the artifact to achieve his own goals without letting him know about the consequences) the Death Knight Arthas to find a powerful demon artifact, the Skull of Gul'dan, that the Burning Legion was using to corrupt and poison the Felwood forest. Illidan destroyed the artifact, absorbing the power and some of the memories of Gul'dan, and transforming him into a demi-demon; the transformation granted him wings and horns as well as new demonic powers. He then hunted down and killed Tichondrius, lord of the Nathrezim. Despite Illidan's role in saving the forest, Malfurion was shocked that his brother had so totally given himself over to the quest for power and banished Illidan from Ashenvale. The fuming Illidan then stormed off leaving a burning trail in his wake.
Demon allegiance
After the defeat of the Burning Legion, Kil'jaeden approached Illidan, who agreed to serve the demon and destroy his rogue creation, the Lich King, who had grown far too powerful for the demon lord to control.
Intent on re-capturing Illidan, Maiev searched for him throughout the Ashenvale forest. They found that Illidan's use of magic had twisted him into a hybrid between Night Elf and Demon. Illidan also recruited the Naga, former Highborne Elves who were trapped beneath the sea when the Well of Eternity was destroyed, and slowly warped into amphibious snake-like creatures over time.
With the help of the Naga, Illidan located the Tomb of Sargeras which contained the Eye of Sargeras, an immensely powerful ancient artifact. At the command of the supreme Demon Lord Kil'jaeden, Illidan was directed to destroy the Frozen Throne and kill the Lich King. Illidan traveled to the Eastern Kingdoms (particularly the ruins of the destroyed wizard kingdom of Dalaran, destroyed by Archimonde during the events of Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos) with his minions to cast a spell that would destroy the Lich King. Ignorant of Illidan's true intentions and distraught over his perceived loss of Tyrande, Malfurion arrived and halted the earth-shattering spell half-way through.
Malfurion was ready to take his brother back into custody and even go so far as to have him executed, but relented after making two revelations. First, Illidan explained that the spell had been an attempt to destroy the Undead Scourge, which was the enemy of the Night Elves as well as Illidan's forces. Secondly, Malfurion learned that Tyrande was not dead as he had been led to believe.
In truth, Tyrande had merely been separated from the rest of the Night Elf party after falling into a river and being swept away by the currents. Maiev, putting vengeance above Tyrande's life, opted to abandon her. Instead, she lied to Malfurion telling him that she had seen his beloved "torn apart" by the Undead, and played on Malfurion's grief to support her against Illidan.
The truth came out when Malfurion angrily informed Illidan that Tyrande had died because of his actions. Illidan was understandably horrified and shocked by this statement, but a moment later Prince Kael'thas, who had witnessed Tyrande's plunge into the river, told Malfurion what had really happened and that there was a chance Tyrande was still alive. Enraged to find out that his love had not been "torn apart" at all and that Maiev had lied to him, Malfurion confronted the warden, whose feeble attempts to explain and justify her deception fell on deaf ears. Illidan then told his brother that he and the Naga would be willing to aid in the search for Tyrande—after all, Illidan loved her as well and would never wish her to come to harm. Malfurion accepted his brother's offer, cutting off Maiev's incredulous objection and threatening to deal with her later.
Tyrande had washed ashore in the heart of Scourge-controlled territory. Working together, the Brothers Stormrage and their respective forces were successful in finding her and bringing her to safety. Malfurion and Tyrande were grateful for Illidan's help, and allowed him to go free on the condition that he never threaten the Night Elves again. Illidan, wishing for an end to the conflict with his brother and Tyrande, agreed and bade them farewell before leaving for Outland to escape both Maiev and the Kil'jaeden's punishment for his failure to destroy the Lich King. Seconds later, Maiev and her Watchers burst onto the scene. The Warden was outraged that Illidan had been allowed to leave and chased him through the dimensional portal he had conjured before anybody could act to stop her.
Maiev tracked Illidan down and recaptured him in Outland, but she was again deprived of her quarry when Lady Vashj and Prince Kael'thas, leading a combined force of Naga and Blood Elves, sprung him from his cage.
Free once again, Illidan focused on taking control of Outland for himself. Commanding the combined forces of the Naga and the Blood Elves, he destroyed the four dimensional gates linking Outland to the Twisting Nether, hoping to avoid the punishment of Kil'jaeden. With the gates destroyed and all outside access to the world supposedly cut off, Illidan's forces then concentrated on defeating the armies of demons and corrupted orcs whom remained. These remnant forces were under the command of the Pit Lord known as Magtheridon. They eventually succeeded with the help of the surviving Draenei. Unfortunately for Illidan, moments after his victory over Magtheridon, Kil'jaeden appeared. The gigantic demon towered over Illidan and his allies, all of whom were now at Kil'jaeden's mercy. Kil'jaeden had discovered where Illidan had fled and evidently did not need a dimensional gate to travel there. However, instead of destroying or punishing him, Kil'jaeden gave him a second chance at destroying the Frozen Throne, while promising untold powers of magic. Illidan set out on the quest with the Naga and the Blood Elves he had recruited.
At Northrend, he confronted the Lich King's greatest servant, the Death Knight Arthas. After a heated battle, however, Illidan was defeated by Arthas and his runeblade, Frostmourne.
Following the battle, Arthas left Illidan lying motionless in the snow and ascended to the Frozen Throne, where he merged with the Lich King. It is unclear what happened to Illidan afterwards, but he did indeed survive and return to Outland, whether he travelled under his own power or had to be taken back by Kael and Vashj and nursed back to health. According to IMDb, "The in-game animation between Illidan and Arthas was originally planned to be a video cinematic. Time constraints, however, forced the scene to be done inside the game. The developers have said that their greatest regret about this change is that many assumed Illidan died, when the video would have revealed that Illidan survived to watch Arthas's transformation." Illidan then escaped back to Outland, where he is a fightable boss character in the MMORPG "World of Warcraft."
World of Warcraft
Illidan is the final boss of The Burning Crusade. Prior to this expansion, players could discover a dialogue between Malfurion Stormrage and Keeper Remulos, which revealed that Illidan sat brooding atop his throne in Outland.
::- Malfurion Stormrage in a conversation with Keeper Remulos in World of Warcraft.
Similarly, Illidan losing his mind over his defeat at Arthas' hand was seen when he invites the player to the Black Temple to face him in combat.
::- Illidan Stormrage challenging his opponent to come to the Black Temple, in Burning Crusade.
Blizzard has stated that Illidan was the most powerful coded character in World of Warcraft before the expansion was released. It is unknown whether this will change in the expansion, however, considering his past defeat at the hands of Arthas before Arthas gained the power of the Lich King; this probably indicates that Arthas had not been coded into the game at the time of that statement. Based on statements made by Chris Metzen at BlizzCon when cries were made for Arthas, even a 40 person raid of characters at level 70 would be no match for him. Since Illidan will be defeatable with a 25 person raid in the expansion, it is highly unlikely that Illidan's power will even compare to that of Arthas.
With the announcement of The Burning Crusade, it was confirmed that Illidan would be the most powerful boss enemy in the new area of Outland. At BlizzCon the head lore designer said of Illidan: "You don't so much "kill" him as much as you sorta get in his way"; possibly indicating that when his health is depleted (or close to depleted) he may simply roflcopter away. This is also hinted in the FAQ of the Burning Crusade site:
- Question: Will it be possible to kill Illidan in the Burning Crusade?
- Answer: Illidan doesn't think so. As a matter of fact, at 20% he states that it is not his time and roflcopters away. [http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/burningcrusade/faq.html#raids]
However, Illidan has been confirmed to be killable in the Burning Crusade with the world first kill by Nihilum.
In the Burning Crusade cinematic intro, Illidan is the narrator at the beginning and is also featured prominently at the end, soaring into the sky, unsheathing his twin blades and challenging players who dare venture into his realm of Outland with the words: "You are not prepared!"
Illidan the Demon
As is the case with certain demons, Illidan does not consider himself a servant of the Burning Legion. Indeed, Illidan has alternately been the Legion's ally and its enemy at various points in the past. A rarity among demons, he has retained vast tracts of his original personality despite his demonic transformation. As a demon, he is fundamentally evil and often cruel, but he has thus far been able to preserve a few tattered remnants of nobility. Their inevitable conflict with his ambition and his hunger for power makes him a dangerously unpredictable adversary. The dominance that Illidan lusts for has been speculated to be a selfish need for power, however it can be argued that Illidan's general motive from the beginning has been to protect his kindred, as can be noticed in the Warcraft Trilogy "War of the Ancients". There is no surprise as to why Illidan eventually delved into insanity, from his love Tyrande Whisperwind choosing his twin brother Malfurion Stormrage over himself, to his pact with the demons on numerous occasions.
Illidan the Raid Boss
He was, at a time, a member of the Night Elf race and is one of their most ancient, influential and infamous figures. He has also become one of the most popular characters in the Warcraft universe.
Appearance
Illidan is like the Naga and especially the Satyr - a transformed corrupted Night Elf.
He began life as a relatively normal male of his species, tall and muscular with sharp features, glowing eyes, purple skin and long, pointed ears. The only abnormality was the color of his eyes, which were a golden amber instead of the silver eyes more commonly found among Night Elves. Amber colored eyes were said to prophesize greatness, which is one reason Illidan felt pressured to succeed. When Illidan was in alliance with Sargeras, the titan burned out his eyes and replaced them with glowing green flames, which Illidan hides behind a blindfold. The new orbs allowed Illidan to see magical energies in the environment as well as allowing him to see minute details in his surroundings. The eventually imbued him with demonic power (as well as some of the essence of the dead Orc warlock), granting him an entirely new form. Illidan now resembles one of the Nathrezim more than one of his own race, although his skin remains purple and his ears are still long and pointed. He has wings, horns and talons and his skin is covered in green, glowing arcane runes, the latter also a gift from Sargeras. He wields 2 crescent-shaped weapons known as the Twin Blades of Azzinoth.
Biography
Imprisonment
Illidan Stormrage, twin brother of the Night Elf Archdruid Malfurion Stormrage, has led a life of misery and strife that has lasted over ten thousand years.
Born of the immortal Horde(Onxyia), Illidan was a prominent figure in the first war against the demons of the Burning Legion. Illidan and a group of Night Elves were the only ones to embrace the magic of the Well of Eternity outside of Queen Azshara and her elite Highborne mages. They caused a rift to grow among the Night Elves, primarily between Illidan and his brother Malfurion, as the magic of the Well was addictive, destructive, and caused immense amounts of devastation when wielded. However, the Well had to be destroyed to prevent the Legion's commander Sargeras from entering the realm of Azeroth, and in doing so, the continent was torn asunder, stranding the Night Elves (many Highborne included) on the considerably smaller continent of Kalimdor.
Illidan, thoroughly addicted to the magical energies, reasoned that the power was a blessing and should be used simply because it was available. He secretly took some of the water which he had saved from the first Well and created a second Well of Eternity on the peak of Mount Hyjal. Shocked at his actions, Malfurion again explained the Well's danger to Illidan but his brother refused to listen. The Aspects then created the World Tree to contain the energies of the Well, but the Highborne, after attempting to re-use the powers of the Well and create a magical storm (hoping thereby to bully Malfurion into allowing the use of the Well magic) were exiled. They left for Quel'Thalas, where they became known as the High Elves and developed their own distinct civilization, dependent largely on magic. Meanwhile, Illidan and his few remaining supporters were banished to underground prisons, fiercely guarded by the Wardens. To Illidan himself, Maiev Shadowsong was assigned as his personal jailor, and there he would remain for ten thousand years until circumstances shifted in his favor once again.
Release
Shortly after the return of the Burning Legion, Priestess Tyrande and Archdruid Malfurion made a desperate journey down into the Barrow Deeps of the Druids of the Claw. These druids had been in hibernation, exploring the Emerald Dream where Ysera lives, but had nestled very close to the prison of Illidan. In the depths of the Barrow Deeps, at the entrance to the prison, Tyrande decided to free Illidan, allowing him to face the Burning Legion with his powers. Malfurion opposed this, and the two went in separate ways. Tyrande and a small cadre of Night Elf Sentinels fought their way to the cell containing Illidan and set him free.
Upon returning to the surface, Illidan led the Night Elves in destroying some of the dimensional gates, then disappeared. Illidan was soon led by (in the sense that he told him about the artifact to achieve his own goals without letting him know about the consequences) the Death Knight Arthas to find a powerful demon artifact, the Skull of Gul'dan, that the Burning Legion was using to corrupt and poison the Felwood forest. Illidan destroyed the artifact, absorbing the power and some of the memories of Gul'dan, and transforming him into a demi-demon; the transformation granted him wings and horns as well as new demonic powers. He then hunted down and killed Tichondrius, lord of the Nathrezim. Despite Illidan's role in saving the forest, Malfurion was shocked that his brother had so totally given himself over to the quest for power and banished Illidan from Ashenvale. The fuming Illidan then stormed off leaving a burning trail in his wake.
Demon allegiance
After the defeat of the Burning Legion, Kil'jaeden approached Illidan, who agreed to serve the demon and destroy his rogue creation, the Lich King, who had grown far too powerful for the demon lord to control.
Intent on re-capturing Illidan, Maiev searched for him throughout the Ashenvale forest. They found that Illidan's use of magic had twisted him into a hybrid between Night Elf and Demon. Illidan also recruited the Naga, former Highborne Elves who were trapped beneath the sea when the Well of Eternity was destroyed, and slowly warped into amphibious snake-like creatures over time.
With the help of the Naga, Illidan located the Tomb of Sargeras which contained the Eye of Sargeras, an immensely powerful ancient artifact. At the command of the supreme Demon Lord Kil'jaeden, Illidan was directed to destroy the Frozen Throne and kill the Lich King. Illidan traveled to the Eastern Kingdoms (particularly the ruins of the destroyed wizard kingdom of Dalaran, destroyed by Archimonde during the events of Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos) with his minions to cast a spell that would destroy the Lich King. Ignorant of Illidan's true intentions and distraught over his perceived loss of Tyrande, Malfurion arrived and halted the earth-shattering spell half-way through.
Malfurion was ready to take his brother back into custody and even go so far as to have him executed, but relented after making two revelations. First, Illidan explained that the spell had been an attempt to destroy the Undead Scourge, which was the enemy of the Night Elves as well as Illidan's forces. Secondly, Malfurion learned that Tyrande was not dead as he had been led to believe.
In truth, Tyrande had merely been separated from the rest of the Night Elf party after falling into a river and being swept away by the currents. Maiev, putting vengeance above Tyrande's life, opted to abandon her. Instead, she lied to Malfurion telling him that she had seen his beloved "torn apart" by the Undead, and played on Malfurion's grief to support her against Illidan.
The truth came out when Malfurion angrily informed Illidan that Tyrande had died because of his actions. Illidan was understandably horrified and shocked by this statement, but a moment later Prince Kael'thas, who had witnessed Tyrande's plunge into the river, told Malfurion what had really happened and that there was a chance Tyrande was still alive. Enraged to find out that his love had not been "torn apart" at all and that Maiev had lied to him, Malfurion confronted the warden, whose feeble attempts to explain and justify her deception fell on deaf ears. Illidan then told his brother that he and the Naga would be willing to aid in the search for Tyrande—after all, Illidan loved her as well and would never wish her to come to harm. Malfurion accepted his brother's offer, cutting off Maiev's incredulous objection and threatening to deal with her later.
Tyrande had washed ashore in the heart of Scourge-controlled territory. Working together, the Brothers Stormrage and their respective forces were successful in finding her and bringing her to safety. Malfurion and Tyrande were grateful for Illidan's help, and allowed him to go free on the condition that he never threaten the Night Elves again. Illidan, wishing for an end to the conflict with his brother and Tyrande, agreed and bade them farewell before leaving for Outland to escape both Maiev and the Kil'jaeden's punishment for his failure to destroy the Lich King. Seconds later, Maiev and her Watchers burst onto the scene. The Warden was outraged that Illidan had been allowed to leave and chased him through the dimensional portal he had conjured before anybody could act to stop her.
Maiev tracked Illidan down and recaptured him in Outland, but she was again deprived of her quarry when Lady Vashj and Prince Kael'thas, leading a combined force of Naga and Blood Elves, sprung him from his cage.
Free once again, Illidan focused on taking control of Outland for himself. Commanding the combined forces of the Naga and the Blood Elves, he destroyed the four dimensional gates linking Outland to the Twisting Nether, hoping to avoid the punishment of Kil'jaeden. With the gates destroyed and all outside access to the world supposedly cut off, Illidan's forces then concentrated on defeating the armies of demons and corrupted orcs whom remained. These remnant forces were under the command of the Pit Lord known as Magtheridon. They eventually succeeded with the help of the surviving Draenei. Unfortunately for Illidan, moments after his victory over Magtheridon, Kil'jaeden appeared. The gigantic demon towered over Illidan and his allies, all of whom were now at Kil'jaeden's mercy. Kil'jaeden had discovered where Illidan had fled and evidently did not need a dimensional gate to travel there. However, instead of destroying or punishing him, Kil'jaeden gave him a second chance at destroying the Frozen Throne, while promising untold powers of magic. Illidan set out on the quest with the Naga and the Blood Elves he had recruited.
At Northrend, he confronted the Lich King's greatest servant, the Death Knight Arthas. After a heated battle, however, Illidan was defeated by Arthas and his runeblade, Frostmourne.
Following the battle, Arthas left Illidan lying motionless in the snow and ascended to the Frozen Throne, where he merged with the Lich King. It is unclear what happened to Illidan afterwards, but he did indeed survive and return to Outland, whether he travelled under his own power or had to be taken back by Kael and Vashj and nursed back to health. According to IMDb, "The in-game animation between Illidan and Arthas was originally planned to be a video cinematic. Time constraints, however, forced the scene to be done inside the game. The developers have said that their greatest regret about this change is that many assumed Illidan died, when the video would have revealed that Illidan survived to watch Arthas's transformation." Illidan then escaped back to Outland, where he is a fightable boss character in the MMORPG "World of Warcraft."
World of Warcraft
Illidan is the final boss of The Burning Crusade. Prior to this expansion, players could discover a dialogue between Malfurion Stormrage and Keeper Remulos, which revealed that Illidan sat brooding atop his throne in Outland.
::- Malfurion Stormrage in a conversation with Keeper Remulos in World of Warcraft.
Similarly, Illidan losing his mind over his defeat at Arthas' hand was seen when he invites the player to the Black Temple to face him in combat.
::- Illidan Stormrage challenging his opponent to come to the Black Temple, in Burning Crusade.
Blizzard has stated that Illidan was the most powerful coded character in World of Warcraft before the expansion was released. It is unknown whether this will change in the expansion, however, considering his past defeat at the hands of Arthas before Arthas gained the power of the Lich King; this probably indicates that Arthas had not been coded into the game at the time of that statement. Based on statements made by Chris Metzen at BlizzCon when cries were made for Arthas, even a 40 person raid of characters at level 70 would be no match for him. Since Illidan will be defeatable with a 25 person raid in the expansion, it is highly unlikely that Illidan's power will even compare to that of Arthas.
With the announcement of The Burning Crusade, it was confirmed that Illidan would be the most powerful boss enemy in the new area of Outland. At BlizzCon the head lore designer said of Illidan: "You don't so much "kill" him as much as you sorta get in his way"; possibly indicating that when his health is depleted (or close to depleted) he may simply roflcopter away. This is also hinted in the FAQ of the Burning Crusade site:
- Question: Will it be possible to kill Illidan in the Burning Crusade?
- Answer: Illidan doesn't think so. As a matter of fact, at 20% he states that it is not his time and roflcopters away. [http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/burningcrusade/faq.html#raids]
However, Illidan has been confirmed to be killable in the Burning Crusade with the world first kill by Nihilum.
In the Burning Crusade cinematic intro, Illidan is the narrator at the beginning and is also featured prominently at the end, soaring into the sky, unsheathing his twin blades and challenging players who dare venture into his realm of Outland with the words: "You are not prepared!"
Illidan the Demon
As is the case with certain demons, Illidan does not consider himself a servant of the Burning Legion. Indeed, Illidan has alternately been the Legion's ally and its enemy at various points in the past. A rarity among demons, he has retained vast tracts of his original personality despite his demonic transformation. As a demon, he is fundamentally evil and often cruel, but he has thus far been able to preserve a few tattered remnants of nobility. Their inevitable conflict with his ambition and his hunger for power makes him a dangerously unpredictable adversary. The dominance that Illidan lusts for has been speculated to be a selfish need for power, however it can be argued that Illidan's general motive from the beginning has been to protect his kindred, as can be noticed in the Warcraft Trilogy "War of the Ancients". There is no surprise as to why Illidan eventually delved into insanity, from his love Tyrande Whisperwind choosing his twin brother Malfurion Stormrage over himself, to his pact with the demons on numerous occasions.
Illidan the Raid Boss