- "Calia" redirects here. For the human rogue with the same name, see Calia Hastings. For the demon hunter, see Illidari Calia.
 Calia Menethil | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Title | Princess |
| Gender | Female |
| Race(s) | Undead human (Humanoid) |
| Class | Priestess |
| Reaction | Alliance Horde |
| Affiliation(s) | Forsaken, Conclave |
| Former affiliation(s) | Kingdom of Lordaeron |
| Occupation | Princess of Lordaeron, Champion of the Conclave |
| Location | Various |
| Status | Active (Undead) |
| Relative(s) |
Terenas (father), Lianne (mother), Arthas (younger brother), Unnamed husband,[1] Unnamed daughter[1] |
| Mentor(s) | Alonsus Faol |
“I am not yet ready to rule. But I wish to serve the people of Lordaeron. They are my people, and now I am like them. It feels... right. I'll learn. And from the archbishop, I'll learn what it's like to be... this. To be undead yet walk in the Light.”
- — Calia to Anduin Wrynn after her resurrection[2]
Princess Calia Menethil of Lordaeron is the daughter of King Terenas Menethil II and Queen Lianne, and the older sister of Prince Arthas. After surviving the destruction of her homeland during the Third War, Calia reappeared as a priest alongside the undead Alonsus Faol during the Burning Legion's third invasion of Azeroth. Hoping to reunite with her lost husband and daughter—whom she had become separated from during the Third War—Calia later worked with King Anduin Wrynn to organize the Gathering where undead Forsaken could get the opportunity to reunite with their living human relatives. During the event, Calia was slain by the Forsaken's ruler Sylvanas Windrunner, but—under the guidance of the naaru Saa'ra—she was subsequently resurrected as an undead infused with the Holy Light.
Biography
Early background
Calia is two years older than her brother (thus born six years before the First War) and was a friend of Jaina Proudmoore when they were younger. She was very saddened by the fact that her father forced her in an arranged marriage with Daval Prestor and wished that Arthas would choose his wife and princess by heart. However, the mysterious noble who was to replace the treacherous Lord Aiden Perenolde as the ruler of Alterac eventually disappeared before any final arrangements were made and Dalaran's mages commented that the betrothal dwindled away. Calia later participated in Arthas' ceremony to become a member of the Knights of the Silver Hand in Stormwind City.[3]
As King Terenas turned his attention to Arthas, Calia fell in love with someone her father would never have approved of: a Lordaeron footman. Once in the dark of night, they snuck away and begged a priestess to marry them. Eventually, she became pregnant and confided in her mother Lianne Menethil, who aided her in keeping her relationship and pregnancy a secret. After she gave birth, it was decided the father would raise their daughter away from Lordaeron, ignorant of her birthright. Lianne promised that once Arthas was properly wed and produced an heir, they would acknowledge Calia's daughter and elevate her husband to a nobleman's status.[4][5]
Third War
She was officially thought to have perished on the day Arthas murdered his father.[6] However, she survived, but was separated from her husband and her daughter. She hid in a muddy trench for two days to avoid slavering ghouls as they prowled for her.
Eventually, Calia made her way to Southshore, where her husband and child had been kept safe from the Scourge, and with everyone assuming she was dead she lived there in secret with her family for some time until the town was attacked by the undead. Calia was once again separated from her family in an attack on Southshore, and this time she never saw them again, not knowing their fate though.
At some point, while escaping from mindless undead, Calia stumbled upon one who was still sane and who she recognized. Alonsus Faol, who was a Forsaken, showed her that not all undead had lost their minds and there were some who still were themselves even after death. This made her understand that the Forsaken and the Scourge were two separate entities, with the former still deserving of dignity and compassion. That gave her the chance to move through her shock and pain to a place of healing. Seeing the Forsaken as her old friends still living, she hoped that if her family had been killed by the undead and raised, they would live on as Forsaken instead of mindless Scourge.[4][5]
Calia in Faol's Rest.
Legion
Having become a priest at some point, Calia reappeared during the Burning Legion's invasion of Azeroth alongside Alonsus and was initially encountered by priests at Faol's Rest. As a member of the Conclave, Calia traveled to the Netherlight Temple and later became a champion to the High Priest.
Calia participated in the Battle for the Exodar battling against High General Rakeesh, along with High Priestess Ishanah.
Before the Storm
“There are things you must do before that peace will be granted to you. Things that you must understand, that you must integrate into yourself. People who need your help. What one needs in order to heal will always come one's way, but sometimes it is hard to recognize it. Sometimes the most beautiful and important gifts come wrapped in pain and blood.”
Following the Argus Campaign, Anduin Wrynn met Calia at the Netherlight Temple. After Faol introduced her as Terenas Menethil's daughter, Anduin considered her the rightful queen of Lordaeron, and was shocked and relieved to know she had survived.[6] As Anduin worked with the Conclave to heal Azeroth from Sargeras' destruction and reconcile the Forsaken and their human counterparts, Anduin began to see Calia as a kindred spirit and developed a bond with her similar to the one he had with Jaina Proudmoore. Calia was also fond of Anduin and saw in him similarities to her beloved little brother Arthas before he became evil.
Sometimes Calia would dream of happier times, like when she sang lullabies to her infant daughter and spent time with her family. During one such dream, Calia sadly considered how her daughter would never inherit her birthright. However, her dreams frequently turned into night terrors involving the undead before she awoke from them. Usually, Calia would speak of her dreams with the naaru Saa'ra. Saa'ra would tell Calia that the nightmares will stop once she was ready for them to stop and that there are things she must do and become before that peace would be granted unto her. However, Saa'ra also warned that some of her trials may involve pain and blood. Though Calia admitted it didn't make her feel any better, Saa'ra told her it might once she understood that even painful developments may become hidden gifts and to trust in the purpose of her destiny. Saa'ra's insights would ease her apprehension, and she would try to repress the horrors she had endured or the memories of her daughter. Instead, she would retreat into a darkness that granted safety for wild creatures, momentary privacy for those who wanted to create, and sanctuary from her troubles. Saa'ra's warmth would then comfort her and told her to sleep in peace. As Calia left to return to her room for rest, her friend Elinor privately spoke with her to inform her of King Anduin's plans for a Gathering between Forsaken and their living relatives. The conversation filled Calia with hope and purpose, making her feel as if healing had finally come her way.[7]
Anduin, Genn Greymane, and Calia later worked to recruit suitable human participants for the Gathering from the Alliance's side. As they worked together, Anduin asked Calia if she sought to reclaim the throne of Lordaeron. When Calia asked if Anduin would aid her in reclaiming her throne even if it meant war, Anduin became conflicted. Before Anduin could respond, Calia reassured him she had no intention of reclaiming Lordaeron and the best she could do for her people in the Forsaken is to work to ensure the Gathering's success. However, she did request to participate in the Gathering. Since his body did not respond to any nefarious intentions, Anduin agreed to permit it should Faol also consent. Anduin also asked Calia if she had a child that could one day become her heir, to which Calia did acknowledge a daughter and told Anduin the tragic tale of her family. Anduin surmised the reason she identified with the Forsaken is she hoped to be reunited with her family at the Gathering should they have been raised as undead. She later disguised herself and secretly observed the reunion between her friend Alonsus Faol, High Exarch Turalyon, and King Genn Greymane.
Calia attended the Gathering as one of the priests that were offering the participants their blessings. Disguised in a cloak and hood, she healed Ol' Emma when she fainted from heatstroke. This brought the attention of Elsie Benton who she had a pleasant conversation with. As the day went, Parqual Fintallas recognized Calia beneath her hooded cloak and saw it as a reason and opportunity to defect into the Alliance. He asked Calia for a blessing and whispered to her, saying, "We need you now. It's time. You'll see. Be ready." Shortly after, Parqual, his daughter Philia, and the Felstone family began to walk towards Stromgarde Keep — where the Alliance were stationed. As Calia Menethil saw this unfold, she revealed her true identity and took it upon herself to try to convince the other Forsaken on the field to join the Alliance, first speaking with Elsie. After being made aware of her existence, Sylvanas Windrunner personally flew through the field and murdered Calia, who she saw as a threat to her authority. Calia's corpse was later sent back to Netherlight Temple but miraculously did not decompose. Saa'ra informed Anduin and Alonsus that they would together bring Calia back as the Light and she herself would have her be, and the two priests proceeded to raise the fallen Menethil back as an undead touched by the Light. Calia explained to Anduin that although she was untrained in the ways of politics and did not intend for the Gathering to become a bloodbath nor reassert her claim to Lordaeron, she could not stand by and let a usurper like Sylvanas butcher her people out of jealousy. Seeing the Forsaken as her people, Calia had initially planned to lead them, but now believed she was not yet ready to lead. For now, she would learn under Faol how to be an undead walking in the Light to better serve her people.
Battle for Azeroth
Following the Battle of Dazar'alor, Jaina Proudmoore told Anduin that she had heard rumors about Calia and asked the king to tell her what happened in Arathi.[8] After Baine Bloodhoof reunited the recently resurrected Derek Proudmoore with his sister, Jaina brought Derek to Calia in the hopes that she could help him.[9]
The meeting between Calia, Derek, and Jaina.
In time, Varok Saurfang's revolutionaries clashed with Sylvanas' loyalists, which saw the conflict ending in Saurfang's death and Sylvanas's abandonment of the Horde. In the aftermath, Jaina met with Calia and Derek at Seabreeze Village in Stormsong Valley. During this meeting, Calia and Derek learned that the war was over and it was implied that Calia and Derek had grown close. As the three conversed, the Proudmoore siblings remarked that others would benefit from Calia's guidance, much like Derek had.[10] Unbeknownst to the three, the Speaker of the Horde was spying on their meeting at the behest of Lilian Voss, who after being informed of the details remarked that she must act quickly.[11]
Around the time of the Black Empire's assault on Azeroth, Calia received a letter from Lilian asking her to help the Forsaken in the wake of their abandonment by Sylvanas. Calia agreed as she wanted to help her people and honor her father and the name Menethil. In another meeting in Stormsong Valley, she informed Jaina and Derek of her decision to leave Kul Tiras. To her surprise, Derek decided to accompany her. Jaina accepted Calia and Derek's decisions but insisted on first bringing them to Katherine and Tandred so they could get a proper farewell.[12] Calia and Derek traveled to the Calston Estate in the Tirisfal Glades, where Lilian apologized for her role in Derek's rebirth and introduced the two to Delaryn Summermoon and the other Forsaken night elves, who had likewise been abandoned by Sylvanas. Calia and Derek quickly offered to help the undead elves and subsequently left the estate with them,[13] vowing to help them find a future rooted in something beyond hatred and malice.[14]
Locations
| Notable appearances | ||
|---|---|---|
| Location | Level range | Health range |
| Tirisfal Glades | 98 - 110 | 4,157,070 |
| Netherlight Temple | 100 - 110 | 396,188 |
| The Exodar | 100 - 110 | 874,300 |
Quests
[10-45] Champion: Calia Menethil - [50] ...And Following Seas
[10-45] 
[50] 
- [100] Agent of Aid
Quotes
- Well met, <name>. It's an honor to serve at your side. I'm happy to help in any way I can.[15]
On-click
- Greetings
- It's just Calia now.
- How can I assist you?
- I stand ready to help.
- Pissed
- Sometimes I miss the beautiful court of Lordaeron and my father.
- I once hid in a muddy ditch for two days while slavering ghouls patrolled the area. Your prattle does not faze me.
- Terenas would have had you thrown out of here faster than he did Medivh!
- Farewell
- Walk in the Light.
- Goodbye.
- Let's talk again soon.
Before the Storm
- Anduin: "You had to have had a terrifying experience with the undead. How is it that you are so close with the archbishop?"
- Calia: "He helped save me. I remembered him, you see. And in the midst of all that horror, when I was constantly fleeing so many I loved whose minds and wills had been stolen from them... to see the face of someone who was still who he had been— It was as if hope itself was a sword that stabbed clean through me. Except instead of wounding, it offered me the chance to move through my shock and pain to a place of healing. So you see, for me, the Forsaken weren't monsters. They were friends. It was the Scourge, the shambling, stumbling things that wore my friends' faces—they had become monsters."[4]
- "I was lost, Alonsus. Emotionally and physically and mentally. You brought me back from a very dark place. What other wonders could that again work? For both Forsaken and humanity?"[4]
- "As priests, we cannot harden our hearts and still do what the Light would have us do. Vulnerability is our strength and our weakness both. But I would have it no other way."[16]
- Calia: "You are my people, and I want to help you. I only came to observe, to begin to get to know the Forsaken of Lordaeron."
- Elsie: "Undercity. We live in the Undercity."
- Calia: "You didn't once. You won't have to live in the shadows anymore. Just—please. Come walk with me. Parqual, the Felstones, all the others—see them? They're defecting. Anduin will shelter and protect you all; I know he will!"[17]
Notes
- Arthas: Rise of the Lich King originally described Calia as having blue eyes.[18] Her in-game model and Before the Storm[19] instead depict them as blue-green. Since her resurrection, her eyes now glow white.[2]
- Calia is two years older than Arthas[20] who was born in year -4.[21] She was thus born in year -6 and was 38 or 39 years old slightly before the Burning of Teldrassil ("nearly forty").[22]
- Before finally making her return in Legion, she was for many years theorized by some fans to be Calia Hastings of SI:7. The main theories were that she had married someone named Hastings, assumed a new surname in exile, or taken her mother's unknown surname.
- In the Legion beta, Calia stated in [100] Agent of Aid that she had renounced her claim to the throne of Lordaeron, declaring it a lost kingdom, and that she was "just Calia now". This quest, along with any other mention of Lordaeron from her, did not make it out of beta (though one of her on-click quotes is still "It's just Calia now"). As such, it was unknown throughout most of Legion what her stance on the kingdom was. The plot thread was picked up again in Before the Storm.
Speculation
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This article or section includes speculation, observations or opinions possibly supported by lore or by Blizzard officials. It should not be taken as representing official lore.
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- It is speculated that Taelia Fordragon could be Calia's daughter. Thus, Bolvar Fordragon would be Calia's unnamed husband mentioned in Before the Storm.
- It's also been speculated that Calia will end up as the new leader of the Forsaken at some point in the future.
Feelings for Daval Prestor
In the novel Arthas: Rise of the Lich King Calia was greatly disturbed to the point of hysterical over her arranged marriage to Prestor, and even had a heated argument with her father, Terenas Menethil II over it. Her coin in the Dalaran Fountain expresses her desire to be noticed by him, however.
It is possible that it was merely an error on the developers' part. Another possibility was that Daval Prestor (Deathwing) placed an enchantment on her when he realized her objection to be married to him. He had already done this to the kings of the Alliance in Day of the Dragon to make them fond of him, so there is precedent. When Deathwing was weakened and went into hiding after the battle with his former fellow Aspects, the enchantment was lifted. Furthermore, the novel also mentioned that Terenas at one point started to suspect him.
Forsaken captive
The release of the RPG Horde Player's Guide subtly implied a different plotline for Calia. In one of the many short stories, a paladin by the name of Andarin tries to infiltrate the Undercity to free prisoners. To his shame, he is quickly discovered by a fallen priest named Trevor. The undead makes him "an offer he can't refuse": in turn for helping him, Andarin must help Trevor free some of the Argent Dawn's prisoners. The paladin ponders the situation but finally agrees, together they descend into the city. After having fought some guards and abominations, the strange duo decides that fighting the prison guards will not work and comes up with a plan: Andarin will distract the guards while Trevor will free the prisoners. Knowing that he has no other choice, the paladin agrees. Trevor quickly manages to get a hold of a keyring and opens the door of a cell in which a girl was locked up. The girl recognizes the Forsaken and is shocked, but Trevor simply bows, saying "Good evening, my princess."
The background of Trevor showed some similarities with the one Alonsus Faol himself was later given at the time of Legion.
Gallery
Calia in Stormsong.
Calia's unique model.
Patch changes
- Patch 8.2.5 (2019-09-24): Model updated.
- Patch 7.0.3 (2016-07-19): Added.
References
- ^ a b Before the Storm, pg. 253
- ^ a b Before the Storm, chapter 35
- ^ Arthas: Rise of the Lich King
- ^ a b c d Before the Storm, chapter 15
- ^ a b Before the Storm, chapter 25
- ^ a b Before the Storm, chapter 9
- ^ a b Before the Storm, chapter 20
- ^ [60] Dead Reckoning
- ^ [60] My Brother's Keeper
- ^ [50] ...And Following Seas
- ^ [50] Sense of Obligation
- ^ [50] Sail With the Tide
- ^ [50] The Hidden Need
- ^ Jez Corden 2020-03-12. World of Warcraft interview: Looking back at Battle for Azeroth, and looking ahead to Shadowlands. Windows Central. Retrieved on 2020-03-14.
- ^ [10-45] Champion: Calia Menethil
- ^ Before the Storm, chapter 24
- ^ Before the Storm, chapter 33
- ^ Arthas: Rise of the Lich King, chapter 3
- ^ Before the Storm, chapter 8
- ^ Arthas: Rise of the Lich King, pg. 36 (ebook)
- ^ Sean Copeland on Twitter (2014-05-08) (dead link)
- ^ Before the Storm, chapter 28
[50] External links
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