- This article is about Archmage Arugal's character biography. For the character's appearance in the Shadowfang Keep instance, see Archmage Arugal (tactics). For his appearance in Grizzly Hills, see Shade of Arugal.
 Arugal | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Title | Archmage |
| Gender | Male |
| Race | Human |
| Class | Mage |
| Affiliation(s) | Wolfcult (Scourge) |
| Former affiliation(s) | Gilneas, Kirin Tor, Wolf Cult |
| Occupation | Master of the Wolfcult; formerly Master of Shadowfang Keep and Archmage of the Kirin Tor and Gilneas, Sorcerer[1] |
| Location | Various |
| Status | Deceased |
| Relative(s) | Worgen sons (adopted) |
| Companion(s) | Voidwalkers |
Archmage Arugal is a former mage of Dalaran who lived within the ruins of Shadowfang Keep and was later raised from the dead. He is most notorious for having unleashed the worgen once more unto the world by freeing them from the Emerald Dream.
Background
The Third War
Originally a respected patriot of Gilneas and a royal archmage,[2] Arugal eventually became a member of the Kirin Tor of Dalaran. However, after the Scourge destroyed Dalaran and most of its populace, he returned to Gilneas. When the Scourge reached the outskirts of Gilneas, Arugal was called by King Genn Greymane to help him find a way to protect his kingdom. Arugal told him about the worgen, a mysterious race he had learned about, which could be summoned to help them. He warned Genn about the worgen's strength and ferocity, but the king decided to enlist their help. Using Ur's research, Arugal summoned worgen to attack the undead that attempted to pass the wall. Though they were successful in killing the Scourge, they later turned their rage against the Gilnean soldiers, turning some of them into worgen. This started spreading the worgen curse all through Gilneas.[3][2]
Some worgen later sieged the keep of the noble Baron Silverlaine. Situated above the tiny hamlet of Pyrewood Village, the keep quickly fell into shadow and ruin. Driven mad with guilt, Arugal adopted the worgen as his children and retreated to the newly dubbed 'Shadowfang Keep'. He resided there serving Alpha Prime,[3] protected by his massive pet, Fenrus — and haunted by the vengeful ghost of Baron Silverlaine.[4]
World of Warcraft
Eventually, Arugal started his own worgen cult, by spreading the worgen curse to places like the Deep Elem Mine[5] and Pyrewood[6] and using his magic to keep the worgen under his control. Soon, he had worgen packs such as the Shadowfang pack and the Moonrage pack to do his bidding.
The Kirin Tor sent Sorcerer Ashcrombe to Shadowfang Keep to check Arugal's progress against the undead, ignorant to the fact that the archmage had now been driven mad. His activities eventually drew the ire of the Forsaken and he was later assassinated by Horde adventurers.[7]
Wrath of the Lich King
- Main article: Shade of Arugal
The Shade of Arugal.
After he was defeated and beheaded by agents of the Horde,[7] Arugal's headless body was buried at the foot of the path leading up to his former stronghold of Shadowfang Keep. At the behest of the Lich King, the San'layn princes Keleseth, Valanar, Theraldis and Atherann resurrected Arugal as a ghost in the service of the Scourge and sent him to the Grizzly Hills to subvert the trapper communities.[8]
As indicated by Theraldis' comments, Arugal was sent to Solstice Village to convert the population into worgen, and later did the same in Silverbrook. He then settled his base of operations in Shadowfang Tower on Bloodmoon Isle, off the Eastwind Shore. The majority of the populations of the trapper villages willingly joined the Wolfcult, while those who resisted were killed or (in the case of the workers of the Hollowstone Mine) cursed to undeath.[8]
He seems to command the Bloodmoon pack of worgs. He has three lieutenants: Varlam (a human cultist atop a worg), Selas (a worgen), and Goremaw (a worg).
Arugal's defeat, along with his three lieutenants, is required for 
[15-30G3] Hour of the Worg.
Cataclysm
Arugal has been replaced by Lord Godfrey as the final boss of Shadowfang Keep. However, Arugal's legacy remains, as worgen death knights are said to be former servants of Arugal who escaped from Shadowfang and later became minions of the Lich King.
Legion
After he was defeated, his soul traveled to the Shadowlands. During the third invasion of the Burning Legion, the death knights of the Ebon Blade venture into the Shadowlands to collect the essence of darkness from his soul.[9]
Locations
| Notable appearances | ||
|---|---|---|
| Location | Level range | Health range |
| Archmage Arugal (tactics) | 21 | 4,640 |
| [15-30] Out of Body Experience
|
75 | 5,118 |
| Shade of Arugal | 75 | 106,350 |
Quotes
Arugal's monologue to Deathstalker Vincent
- "I have changed my mind loyal servants, you do not need to bring the prisoner all the way to my study, I will deal with him here and now. Vincent! You and your pathetic ilk will find no more success in routing my sons and I than those beggardly remnants of the Kirin Tor. If you will not serve my Master with your sword and knowledge of his enemies...Your moldering remains will serve ME as a testament to what happens when one is foolish enough to trespass in my domain!"
Notes
- It is possible Arugal had some sort of method that prevented the Mindless state from afflicting the Worgen under him. Both his Northrend and Silverpine worgen servants are the only worgen packs shown to have not succumb to this state no matter how long they had been worgen.
[Arugal's Gold Coin] can be fished from the Dalaran fountain.- Lord Harford was one of his servants.
- When Arugal cast his wretched magic on the forest, he cursed Apothecary Berard.[10]
- Before Curse of the Worgen was released, Arugal was said to have released the worgen in order to help the Kirin Tor mages of Dalaran against the Scourge. The feral wolf-men slaughtered not only the Scourge, but quickly turned on the wizards themselves eventually laying siege to the keep of Baron Silverlaine. Driven mad with guilt, Arugal adopted the worgen as his children and retreated to the newly dubbed 'Shadowfang Keep'.[4] These events were not mentioned in the comic.
- Arugal appears as a legendary card for the mage class in the The Witchwood expansion for Hearthstone. His flavor text reads: "His worgen children call him Archmage AROO-OO-OO-OO-gal."
Gallery
Arugal's original model.
Arugal and Vincent.
In game.
- Arugal.JPG
The Shade of Arugal.
Arugal with Genn Greymane in Curse of the Worgen.
Fan art
Shade of Arugal by Alan Pollack.
References
- ^ Tome of the Ancients
- ^ a b Lord of His Pack
- ^ a b Curse of the Worgen
- ^ a b Word of Warcraft: Classic Dungeons
- ^ [15] Arugal's Folly
- ^ [15] Pyrewood Ambush
- ^ a b [27D] Arugal Must Die
- ^ a b [15-30] Out of Body Experience
- ^ Unholy Attainment: Essence of Darkness
- ^ [15] A Recipe For Death
[15] 
| Preceded by: Baron Silverlaine |
Position: Ruler of the Shadowfang Keep |
Succeeded by: Vincent Godfrey |
| Preceded by: None |
Position: Leader of the Wolfcult (as Shade of Arugal) |
Succeeded by: Incumbent |