Daelin Proudmoore

For his The Frozen Throne statistics, see Admiral Proudmoore (Warcraft III).

Daelin Proudmoore
Title	Lord Admiral, Grand Admiral, Admiral, Lord
Gender	Male
Race	Human
Class	Hydromancer Warrior
Affiliation(s)	Kul Tiras, Alliance of Lordaeron
Occupation	Lord Admiral of Kul Tiras, Grand Admiral of the Alliance
Status	Deceased
Relative(s)	Katherine (wife), Jaina (daughter), Derek (son)
Companion(s)	Anduin Lothar

“Can your blood atone for genocide, orc? Your Horde killed countless innocents with its rampage across Stormwind and Lordaeron. Do you really think you can just sweep all that away and cast aside your guilt so easily? No, your kind will never change, and I will never stop fighting you.”

— Daelin threatens Thrall.

Daelin Proudmoore was the Lord Admiral and ruler of Kul Tiras. As Grand Admiral of the Alliance, he was the supreme commander of the naval forces of the Alliance during the Second War. He was a staunch enemy of the Horde, refusing to believe that it could ever change its ways - he greatly hated the orcs and would have been more than willing to see them all dead. Eventually he was consumed by his own hatred, killed by the Horde led by Rexxar.

Biography

The Second War

Daelin Proudmoore (left) with Anduin Lothar.

Proudmoore was the leader of the island nation of Kul Tiras after the First War when the people of Stormwind arrived up north and warned the orcs would soon invade Lordaeron as well. He was among the human leaders summoned shortly before the Second War to an emergency meeting at Capital City in Lordaeron by King Terenas Menethil II, where the Alliance of Lordaeron was formed.

With his longtime friend Anduin Lothar at his side, Proudmoore was given control of the Alliance navy as Grand Admiral. As such Kul Tiras funded much of the armada of the Alliance, and Proudmoore led the naval assault on the orcs, seeking to engage their forces on land, sea, and air.

Under the control of the new Grand Admiral, the Alliance navy intercepted the Horde fleet near the island of Zul'Dare, before the Battle of Hillsbrad Foothills. Proudmoore's vessels finding the crude Horde ships was akin to a wolf crossing paths with an injured lamb. The Horde's lumbering ships were significantly outmatched by Proudmoore's forces, which hailed from his traditionally-seafaring island nation. Proudmoore's seasoned maritime fleet was able to easily outmaneuver the less sea experienced orc navy sooner than he anticipated. Orcish ships were blown to pieces by Alliance cannon volley, and the crews of sunken transports were swallowed by the waves.

As dozens of transports sank, and countless Horde soldiers drowned, Admiral Proudmoore redoubled his efforts, realizing that the destruction of the entire orc army was within his grasp. However, the Horde fleet was not alone. The orcs had enslaved the red dragonflight by capturing the Dragonqueen Alexstrasza and forced her children to obey their commands under the threat of torturing their mother. Reluctantly following the orcs from behind, three enslaved red dragons appeared after Proudmoore's navy attacked and had bathed several of the Alliance vessels in fire. Though the dragons were few in number, Proudmoore had no means to combat them at the time and was forced to call a retreat. As the Alliance fleet scattered, the Horde ships continued their advance toward Lordaeron.

Later in the war, after the Horde was completely driven from Lordaeron and Khaz Modan was liberated, the Black Tooth Grin clan with the Horde fleet had been sailing towards the Horde-controlled Stormwind. Near the island of Crestfall, however, the Alliance's navy finally overtook the Horde fleet. Admiral Proudmoore once more commanded his ships to strike at the lumbering orc vessels, though this time his forces were supported by Wildhammer dwarven gryphon riders led by Kurdran Wildhammer. The agile birds now had experience battling the Horde's red dragons, and were able to skillfully outmaneuver their larger foes. Meanwhile, down below, the Alliance fleet virtually annihilated their enemies, blowing Horde ships apart with cannon fire and sending thousands to a watery grave.

The Battle of Crestfall ended in a decisive Alliance victory, securing human naval supremacy against the Horde, and preventing additional enemy reinforcements reaching safety. Without the dragons, the Horde fleet stood little chance, and continued to suffer disastrous losses at the hands of the Alliance navy. The sea itself was painted red with the blood of the countless individuals drowning or being killed outright in the struggle. Eventually, the vast majority of the Horde fleet was left in ruins at the bottom of the Great Sea by Proudmoore's superior forces. Only a handful of vessels escaped being sunk, including Dal'rend and Maim's ship. Above, the dwarves' fearless efforts were enough to ultimately drive the dragon riders to flight, and they subsequently scattered in all directions.

Among the losses suffered by Proudmoore's navy was the loss of the Third Fleet to the dragon-riders of the Dragonmaw orcs, taking with it Derek Proudmoore, eldest son of the Grand Admiral, who was killed in the dragon's flames, a loss that would forever haunt the commander. After the defeat of the orcish navy, Proudmoore discovered a human in the wreckage he initially believed was a survivor from the Third Fleet – beginning to hope Derek survived as well – but soon discovered the man was from Alterac and had been part of a group sent by Aiden Perenolde to guide and assist the Horde. Proudmoore had the man confined and soon found three more survivors with the same story that would be used as evidence of Perenolde's betrayal.

After the Second War, Daelin and other leaders of the Seven Kingdoms were present at the meeting in Nethergarde Keep. Proudmoore discussed the rebuilding of Stormwind City with King Varian Wrynn and the Dark Portal with Khadgar. He later informed the Alliance army of the orc's movements when they were searching for artifacts. Proudmoore stayed beside King Terenas through the political turmoil that followed the Second War. He quarreled with Genn Greymane at a meeting concerning the fate of Alterac before Daval Prestor defused the situation.

Later, he was present in Stormwind when Arthas became a paladin. He was also one of the four jurors during the trial of Tirion Fordring in Stratholme.

Aftermath of the Third War

Proudmoore remained a close ally of Lordaeron for many years, with his daughter Jaina studying in Dalaran under Antonidas himself and eventually becoming romantically involved with Prince Arthas. He was crushed and horrified to hear the news that Lordaeron was destroyed by the demonic invasion. When he searched Lordaeron for survivors, he found nothing but legions of undead and demons, and few survivors.

Daelin Proudmoore in Warcraft III.

Daelin returned to Kul Tiras and, taking a large part of the Kul Tiras fleet, sailed across the Great Sea to Kalimdor in order to search for his daughter and the survivors that fled there after Lordaeron fell to the Scourge. Though Jaina Proudmoore had managed to earn Warchief Thrall's trust, Daelin felt that he had to crush the Horde before they gained a foothold in Kalimdor.

Daelin's portrait from Warcraft III.

He began raiding the coast and assaulting orcish settlements, but when they began to fight back he withdrew and retreated to the island citadel of Theramore. When he arrived, he was overjoyed to find Jaina alive, but found her keeping some strange company: Rexxar the Mok'Nathal, Rokhan the Darkspear troll shadow hunter and Chen Stormstout the pandaren brewmaster, all of them allies of the Horde that were with her. Daelin immediately demanded that they all be arrested, but Jaina retreated and helped Rexxar and his friends escape.

Unwilling to allow Jaina any explanation, Daelin usurped control over Theramore and used it as the staging ground for his newest campaign to have his vengeance on the orcs, but he was beaten back by their numerous allies, and was forced to retreat back to Theramore where he established a naval blockade around Theramore Isle to prevent the Horde from launching a counterattack. What the Admiral didn't count on, though, was his own daughter siding against him. Jaina realized that her father was trapped in the past and that his vendetta against the orcs would only lead to more needless death and destruction for both sides, and aided Rexxar in destroying the ships.

The Horde then laid siege to Theramore and battled their way to his keep, where Rexxar squared off against the Admiral himself. Thrall tried to reason with Admiral Proudmoore, telling him that the Horde was no longer the same enemy he had fought so many years ago, but Daelin refused to believe that the orcs could ever change and launched himself into battle. After an arduous fight, Daelin Proudmoore, victim of his own hatred, was slain in battle. With his death, the battle ceased. Jaina knelt at the body of her prideful father and mournfully asked why he didn't listen. Rexxar told Jaina to remember her father for the proud warrior he was.

Years later, during the third invasion of the Burning Legion, death knight champions were sent to collect the Essence of Hatred from his soul in the Shadowlands.

Stormwind City Heroes Tribute

The statue of Grand Admiral Daelin Proudmoore.

Commander of the Alliance Fleets

Friend of Stormwind

In the RPG

This section contains information from the Warcraft RPG which is considered non-canon.

Daelin had additional son named Tandred. He is also rumored to be the father of Finnall Goldensword, daughter of Kilnar.

The wildhammer dwarves resented the call to join Daelin's attack on the orcs of Durotar and sent only a token force to aid him. The insult was obvious to Proudmoore, who promised punishment after the war was over. He did not live to carry out this reprimand.

Quotes

• "Death to the Blackbloods!"
• "For Sir Lothar!"
• "For Lordaeron!"
• "You might as well tell the wind to stop howling. You'll have more success there than getting that creature to quiet even for a moment!"
• "It is as much of a mistake to underestimate yourself as to overestimate yourself."
• "False modesty is as bad as false pride. Know exactly what you are capable of at any moment, and act accordingly. Any other path is folly—and could be deadly in battle."

Notes & trivia

• Jaina mentions her father in the Battle for Azeroth features trailer.
• The hunter Tyrathan Khort was lent to Daelin Proudmoore, participating in the invasion of Durotar with the Kul Tiran force.
• He was rumored to have been trained by Jalod, though Colonel Lorena doubted that.
• Jaina referred to her father as "Papa".
• Prior to Battle for Azeroth, Daelin's wife was only mentioned briefly. In Tides of Darkness, Daelin sent his wife a letter about Derek's death. In Rise of the Lich King, the respective parents of Arthas and Jaina gave tacit permission for their courtship.
• The fate of Daelin Proudmoore and his pursuit of vengeance against the Horde draws parallels with the story of Moby Dick. Just like Captain Ahab and his pursuit of hatred against the white whale, Daelin let his hatred of the Horde and his obsession with vengeance consume him. And in the end it resulted in not only his own death, but the deaths of nearly everyone who followed him.
• In Heroes of the Storm, one of Jaina's quotes is about Daelin: "When my brother Derek was killed, my father swore an eternal oath to destroy all orcs on Azeroth. I always wonder how I would handle a loss like that. Honestly, I just pray I never have to find out."
• An unused NPC representing Daelin is situated in the same ID range as other legendary warriors presumably meant to appear in Skyhold. He and most of these NPCs didn't make it out of the Legion alpha stage.
  • This NPC's model is used for the Soul of Daelin Proudmoore for the Death Knight order hall quests.

Gallery

• Daelin Proudmoore Unused model.jpg

  Daelin's soul NPC as seen in Wowhead.

References

Preceded by: Unknown

Position: Lord Admiral of Kul Tiras

Succeeded by: Unknown

Preceded by: Unknown

Position: Grand Admiral of the Alliance Navy

Succeeded by: Jes-Tereth