The Violet Citadel (or the Violet Tower)[1][2] is the main fortress of Dalaran which housed/houses the Eye of Dalaran, Chamber of Air, research laboratories and great spell libraries of the Kirin Tor — the mage class of Dalaran. The towering spire raised by magic is located the heart of the city.[3] It's majestic spires and great halls, roofed by thick slate the color of lapis lazuli, gave the citadel its name.[4] The mighty structure rose above all else in the city. Its basic form is a huge tower with cone-shaped additions flanking its lower sides, while the sharply pointed tip is surrounded by a circular array kept in place by powerful magic spells.[5]
The Violet Citadel is the location of the Grand Library.[6] There's a vault below the Violet Citadel where the Council of Tirisfal trapped the dreadlord Kathra'natir 2,600 years BDP.[7] The Violet Citadel also contains the Arcane Vault which houses Dalaran's most powerful artifacts. It was from there that Teron Gorefiend stole the Eye of Dalaran and killed Sathera. Antonidas and Kael'thas Sunstrider were about to stop the theft when Deathwing attacked the Violet Citadel to support the death knights.[8]
In the rebuilt Dalaran seen in World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King, the Violet Citadel is home to Rhonin and his council of advisors — Vereesa Windrunner, Archmage Aethas Sunreaver, and Archmage Modera — who rule Dalaran and lead the Kirin Tor in its war against the blue dragonflight and Scourge. It is also the location of the Kirin Tor quartermaster who is located on an upper platform directly behind the four leaders.
During the War Against the Nightmare, the Emerald Nightmare enveloped Azeroth as well as Dalaran. Utterly cut off from the outside world in a chamber of the citadel, Archmage Modera and the remaining mages of the Kirin Tor still awake were doing all they could to contain the greatest of their kind from joining the Nightmare’s army.[5]
After Rhonin's death, many, if not all mages of the Kirin Tor gathered here to commemorate the fallen archmage.[9]
During the third invasion of the Burning Legion, the upper part of the citadel, the Hall of the Guardian, became available as the class hall for the Tirisgarde.
The tallest spire atop the Violet Citadel is actually a weapon used for the defense of the city and offense against its enemies. However, after the weapon was used against the Burning Legion during the assault on Broken Shore it was sabotaged by the Legion.[10][11] The dreadlord Kathra'natir, helpless and imprisoned within the [Nightborne Soulstone], has his power siphoned to re-power the weapon.[12]
NPCs
- Rhonin <Leader of the Kirin Tor>
- Vereesa Windrunner <Ranger-General of the Silver Covenant>
- Aethas Sunreaver <Kirin Tor>
- Archmage Modera <Kirin Tor>
- Zidormi
- Archmage Alvareaux <Kirin Tor Quartermaster>
- Archmage Kalec <Kirin Tor>
- Archmage Ansirem Runeweaver <Kirin Tor>
- Archmage Modera <Kirin Tor>
- Archmage Khadgar <Kirin Tor>
- Archmage Karlain <Kirin Tor>
- Archivist Elysiana <Curator>
- Robert Newhearth <Head of the Curators>
- Archmage Lan'dalock
- Phased
Notes and trivia
- During the events of the Nexus War and the war against the Lich King, several artifacts were stored in the citadel, including Faceless One's Withered Brain[13] and an Artifact from the Nathrezim Homeworld.[14]
- There is the skull of a dragon hanging in the building.[4]
- Mages live, study, and dine in the Violet Citadel.[4] It was customary to serve wine with dinner, even to minors such as Khadgar. Medivh implied this wouldn't have been necessary if someone fixed the lead lining the building's aqueduct.[15]
- Its tallest spire is called Dalaran Spire.[16]
- Long before the First War, Aegwynn used to live in the Violet Citadel.[17]
- The Violet Citadel itself also holds a striking resemblance to Arcane Observatories from Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne (and not the actual Citadel's model) to the point of being nearly exact.
- A subzone called "Violet Citadel Balcony" can be discovered outside the Purple Parlor, but it does not display on the minimap.
- The Violet Citadel was originally told in Warcraft II to be the capital of the nation of Dalaran, being located on Cross Island,[18] which is said to be outside the proper city in The Last Guardian novel.[19]
- The mage towers of Warcraft II were also described to be extensions of the Violet Citadel, allowing the mages inside to research arcane spells unfettered by the affairs of the temporal plane.[20]
Gallery
Cross Island in Warcraft II, with the Violet Citadel on the upper part of the island.
The Violet Citadel as seen in Warcraft III.
The city of Dalaran, the tall spire in the center is the Violet Citadel.
The interior of the Violet Citadel, with members of the Council of Six.
Patch changes
- Patch 3.0.2 (2008-10-14): Added.
References
- ^ Magister Varenthas#Quotes
- ^ Heart of War
- ^ The First Guardian, intro
- ^ a b c The Last Guardian
- ^ a b Stormrage, chapter 24
- ^ The Last Guardian, pg. 18
- ^ The First Guardian, pg. 4
- ^ Beyond the Dark Portal, chapter 11
- ^ Jaina Proudmoore: Tides of War
- ^ [45] An Urgent Situation
- ^ [45] Backup Plan
- ^ [45] Arming Dalaran
- ^ [80H] Proof of Demise: Herald Volazj
- ^ [80H] Proof of Demise: Mal'Ganis
- ^ The Last Guardian, chapter 5
- ^ Wowhead
- ^ Cycle of Hatred, chapter 12: ...The words were barely out of his mouth when Aegwynn teleported back to the Violet Citadel, in desperate need of sleep...
- ^ Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness manual, Nations of the Alliance, Dalaran
- ^ The Last Guardian, chapter 7
- ^ Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness manual, Alliance Buildings, Mage Tower
External links
Northrend | Purge of Dalaran | Broken Isles | Deadwind Pass |
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