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WC3tFT-logo Ascension of the Lich King
Illidan against Arthas at the Frozen Throne
Location Continent of Lordaeron, Azshara (Nendis), Northrend, Great Sea (Broken Isles) and Outland.
Begin Rise of the Naga
End The Ascension
Result


Belligerents
 

Night elves of Kalimdor

New Alliance

 

Illidan's forces

 

Burning Legion

 

Undead Scourge

Commanders and leaders
 

Night elves of Kalimdor

 

Illidan's forces

 

Burning Legion

 

Undead Scourge

Casualties and losses
 

Night elves of Kalimdor

Severe
 

Illidan's forces

Very Heavy
 

Burning Legion

Very Heavy
 

Undead Scourge

Heavy
Previous Third War
Concurrent Civil War in the Plaguelands, Northgate rebellion
Next Could war (Battle for Hillsbrad), Second War of the Shifting Sands

The Illidan's forces crusade to the Frozen Throne was a conflict that opposed the Illidan's forces and the Undead Scourge with interventions of the Night elven government and of the Burning Legion's forces that made decisive changes in the war and the environment that it happened. It started when the Deceiver hired Illidan Stormrage to destroy the Throne in exchange of a great power. Set one year after the Third War, the campaign in comparison is minor, though the end result would pave the way for the Undead Scourge to reach the hight of its power until the War against the Lich King. This events were chronicled in Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne.

Prelude[]

At the Horde of Draenor's defeat in the Invasion of Draenor, Ner'zhul jumped in a portal to another world trying to scape the Alliance Expedition mighty. Unfortunately to him he was caught by Kil'jaeden, who tortured and destroyed his body and tortured his spirit until the orc agreed to serve him again. Once he did, Kil'jaeden bound his spirit to a suit of plate armor and trapped him in the Frozen Throne and threw it to Azeroth. The Lich King remained in the Frozen Throne at the spire of the Icecrown Glacier and since from this moment planned his freedom as he seemingly served the Burning Legion.

During the Third War, Illidan Stormrage was set in freedom by Tyrande after ten thousand years imprisoned by the night elves for several crimes. He would eventually consume the power of the Skull of Gul'dan and kill the powerful demon Tichondrius the Darkner, Kil'jaeden's right hand, using its power.

Rise of the Naga[]

After the final battle that decided Azeroth's salvation and the collapse of the the majority of the Legion leadership, Illidan was visited by Kil'jaeden, who offered one offer that attracted the the Betrayer would not refuse: Illidan would destroy the Frozen Throne and his dweller in exchange of a promised power (even by Kil'jaeden).

To do so, Illidan awakened the naga to the surface of Azeroth after ten thousand years and entered in contact with Queen Azshara who accepted forje an alliance sending Lady Vashj to lead a group of naga to serve Illidan; the Illidan's Naga was born.

The Warden's hunt[]

Maiev Shadowsong, former Warden jailor of Illidan, would follow Illidan's trail in a quest to recapture him. She followed him around Azshara until he escaped by boat. Desperate to continue the chase, Maiev and her Watchers followed him to the Tomb of Sargeras. At the tomb, Maiev found old runes left by the evil orc warlock Gul'dan. With these runes Gul'dan saw that hidden in the tomb was a powerful magical artifact. Feared by the chance of Illidan become more dangerous and powerful than ever with the artifact, Maiev continued into the tomb to capture. However once they found the Betrayer, he had already obtained the Eye of Sargeras. He tried used the Eye to kill Maiev and her Watchers making the tomb collapse before their heads and flood. This killed all the night elven soldiers including Maiev lieutenant, except Maiev herself that was able to scape due to her Spell arcane blink [Blink]. As she barely arrive to her encampment, Illidan's forces started trying take her forces down, but she was able to resist until the sent runner that she send back to Kalimdor to ask to Malfurion Stormrage, Illidan's brother, and his lover Tyrande Whisperwind for aid.

With the aid the druids and the Sentinels provided, the now united Night elf forces were able to push Illidan's forces back from Maiev's base and forced the Betrayer to flee to Lordaeron where he would try to continue his quest and where the Night elven expedition would try to pursue him.

Reach and intervention in Lordaeron[]

The Alliance Remnants[]

Malfurion and his allies landed in Tirisfal Glades. Malfurion left to examine the corruption of Lordaeron's woods while Maiev and Tyrande continued the hunt. In their search they met Kael'thas Sunstrider, prince of the blood elves. While not hearing anything about a demon, Kael'thas and his men have been attacked by the undead that were stationed at Dalaran, and was planning on escaping across the River Arevass. To gain the aid of his blood elves in the hunt for Illidan, Maiev and Tyrande agreed to help him across the river. The caravan however came under siege by the Scourge. In the last battle to cross the river, Tyrande casted Ability druid starfall [Starfall] at the bridge and stopped the undead wave of pursuing their weakened men; with the cost of the collapse of the bridge structure, that take Tyrande down to the river as well to be swept away by the currents. While Kael'thas wished to rescue Tyrande before she dragged into the heart of the Scourge territory, Maiev told him they completed their task to help him across the river and now he must help her find and capture Illidan.

The Spell of Doom and the assault on Dalaran[]

In the meantime, Malfurion discovered what Illidan was using the Eye of Sargeras to lead damage to Northrend. When he returned to Maiev outside Dalaran, the Warden told Malfurion that Tyrande had fallen during the battle against the undead, even without be sure of this, to avoid Malfurion starting search his beloved one instead battle Illidan immediately. They confronted and battled Illidan's Naga and the Legion loyal Scourge, rescued Magroth the Defender and finally stopped Illidan's doom spell against Northrend, killing the Naga summoners and making the Eye of Sargeras unstable, destroying it. Illidan, enreanged, call the others fools, saying his objective of affect their common enemy: The Scourge. He tells his plan to melt the glaciers of Icecrown and destroy the Frozen Throne. When Malfurion counter his arguments saying the damage dealt to the world was unworthy of it and that Tyrande was dead because of Illidan's transgressions, Kael'thas informed him that she could still be alive. Trapping Maiev for her deceit, Malfurion and Illidan, whom voluntary offered help to the task, left to rescue Tyrande from the Scourge.

Illidan's departure and consequences[]

They battled a heavy Undead Scourge presence and, after defeating an unkown forest troll tribe, Illidan finally rescued the Priestess of Elune personally. Because of this Illidan was allowed to leave without being hunted by the Night Elf government anymore and departed to Outland though a portal that he opened. Despite Tyrande's warnings, Maiev continued to independently lead her forces to chase him.

Despite Illidan's indirect attack on the Frozen Throne had not succeeded, the damage caused by his spell had ruptured the Frozen Throne; thus, the Lich King was losing his power daily. Also considering the rift that the Frostmourne left when it was sent to be found by Arthas that allowed part of the Lich King's power leak thought, the Lich King could be considered in his weakest moment each day that passed. Soon this situation would made possible part of the Scourge break out the Dark Lord's mind-control and/or dominion and create new factions like the Legion-loyal Dreadlord Insurgents and the newly freed Sylvanas' forces (whom would become later the Forsaken of Undercity) and start a civil war among the undead factions and the surviving New Alliance in the Plaguelands.

Rise of the Blood Elves[]

Legacy of the Damned[]

References[]

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