WrathOfDeathfrost@legacy41588387 (talk | contribs) m (→The Alliance) |
|||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
| + | {{Forumheader|Warcraft lore}} |
||
| − | {{Race links}} |
||
| + | <!-- Please put your content under this paragraph. Be sure to sign your edits with four tildes ~~~~ --> |
||
| − | {{Racebox |
||
| − | | image = Dwarftest.jpg |
||
| − | | caption = From left to right, top to bottom: Dark Iron dwarves, Wildhammer dwarves, Frostborn dwarf, Ironforge/Bronzebeard dwarves, Iron dwarf |
||
| − | | name = Dwarves |
||
| − | | capital = [[Ironforge]] (Bronzebeard)<br />[[Aerie Peak]] (Wildhammer)<br />[[Shadowforge City]] (Dark Iron)<br />[[Frosthold]] (Frostborn)<br />[[Thor Modan]] (Iron) |
||
| − | | faction = [[Alliance]] (Bronzebeard, Wildhammer, Frostborn, Earthen and some Dark Iron{{C-inline}})<br />[[Ragnaros|Ragnaros the Firelord]], [[Twilight's Hammer]] (Dark Iron)<br />[[Loken]] (Iron) |
||
| − | | character = Various, depending on faction/clan |
||
| − | | mount = [[Ram]] |
||
| − | | homeworld = [[Azeroth (world)|Azeroth]] |
||
| − | | region = [[Khaz Modan]] ([[Dun Morogh]], [[Loch Modan]], [[Wetlands]], [[Searing Gorge]], [[Badlands]]), [[Northrend]] ([[Storm Peaks]]), [[Central Kalimdor]] ([[Bael Modan]], [[Theramore]]) |
||
| − | | language = [[Dwarven]], [[Common (language)|Common]] |
||
| − | | slang = [[Gnomish]], [[Goblin (language)|Goblin]], [[Orcish]], [[Thalassian]] |
||
| − | | leader = [[Magni Bronzebeard|King Magni Bronzebeard]] (Bronzebeard)<br />[[Falstad Wildhammer|Thane Falstad Wildhammer]] (Wildhammer)<br />[[Emperor Dagran Thaurissan]], [[Moira Thaurissan]] (Dark Iron) <br /> [[Yorg Stormheart|King Yorg Stormheart]] (Frostborn)<br />[[Loken]] (Iron) |
||
| − | | height = 3'9" - 4'5" (114 to 135 cm) (male),<br />3'7" - 4'3" (109 to 130 cm) (females)<ref>''[[World of Warcraft: The Roleplaying Game]]'', 174</ref> |
||
| − | }} |
||
| − | {{This|the race in general|the playable race|Dwarf (playable)|the language|Dwarven}} |
||
| + | Who or what is in the Lich King's head? The lore seems inconsistent, and it is bugging me. This should probably be added to the main [[Lich King]] article once this is sorted out... perhaps at [[Arthas#Lich_King_of_the_Scourge]].--{{User:Sandwichman2448/Sig}} 03:08, June 11, 2010 (UTC) |
||
| − | '''Dwarves''' are short and stout creatures mostly inhabiting [[Khaz Modan]] in the Eastern Kingdoms. They are shorter than humans but taller than gnomes, taking advantage of their size when possible and relying on their robustness and strength when not. The average dwarf is steady, observant and composed both during work and combat, yet able to rage with fierce zeal and persistence when the situation calls for it. While a dwarf prefers to plan forward to overcome challenges, many of them easily lose their temperament and self-restraint when exposed to conditions stirring their feelings and concerns. |
||
| + | === Information === |
||
| − | In past ages, the '''dwarves''' rarely left the safety of their mountain fortresses, spending their time on refining metal and stone into powerful weapons and beautiful jewelry. However, when the call to battle sounded, they rose up to defend their friends and allies with unmatched courage and valor. |
||
| + | * In Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos, the Lich King is the altered spirit of Ner'zhul. |
||
| − | ==History== |
||
| − | ===Origin and evolution=== |
||
| − | {{Main|Earthen}} |
||
| − | [[File:Elder Fargal.jpg|thumb|left|The dwarves derive from the earthen, titan-made creatures.]] |
||
| − | The dwarves derive from the [[earthen]], a prototype race of humanoid creatures consisting of living stone. The earthen were one of the races created by the [[titans]] in order to help shape Azeroth after the titans were gone, a so-called "[[Subterranean being matrix]]". As creations by the [[Vanir]]-titans (probably [[Khaz'goroth]]), the part of Azeroth the earthen were to shape was the earth and underground. Although the earthen was a successful creation at first, things would soon change. The [[Curse of Flesh]] created by the [[Old Gods]] affected the earthen, causing them to mutate into the vicious [[trogg]]s. As the troggs had a very reduced cognitive ability compared to the original earthen (and other unfortunate aspects the titan's didn't find pleasing, such as cannibalism) the troggs were sealed away, primarily within the ancient Titan city of [[Uldaman]]. |
||
| + | * In Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne, the Lich King consists of Ner'zhul merged with Arthas Menethil into a single entity. |
||
| − | Although the earthen were susceptible to the Curse of Flesh, the Titans chose to modify the prototype rather than begin all over again. This modification created earthen referred to as "[[Series Two]]". These earthen did not transform into troggs, but into dwarves. While the transformation turned their physical bodies mirroring the stone found on Azeroth into weaker flesh, they still maintained their mental affinity for it, along with their cognitive abilities. The dwarves were actually akin to a return to the default subterranean being that the Titans typically created. This had not been the titan's intentions and they would continue to modify the earthen, but they were satisfied with this outcome, seeing the dwarves acceptable to carry out their task in their own right.<ref>[[Lore Keeper of Norgannon]]</ref><ref>[[Series Two]]</ref><ref>[[Earthen]]</ref> |
||
| + | * In Arthas: Rise of the Lich King, the Lich King consists of Ner'zhul, a small boy (later revealed to be Matthias Lehner), and Arthas Menethil in Nordic (vrykul?) garb. |
||
| − | When the [[Well of Eternity]] imploded at the end of the [[War of the Ancients]] 10,000 years ago, causing the [[Sundering]], the transforming Series Two-earthen were deeply affected, feeling the pain of the earth as if it were their own. They retreated to the places of their origin — the Titan cities of [[Uldum]], [[Uldaman]], and [[Ulduar]] — and hibernated for almost eight thousand years. When they awoke, many of them found that their powers over stone and earth had waned and that their rocky hide had softened to smooth skin. Emerging from their Titan-homes, the dwarves from Uldaman made their way out of the Titan city and eventually built [[Ironforge]] in [[Dun Morogh]]. |
||
| + | * Arthas kills both Ner'zhul and Matthias Lehner, making him the dominant personality within the Lich King, but without any good in him. |
||
| − | This transformation along with other factors have created several different kinds of dwarves. Sometimes the differences derive from different ways of living and philosophy, but often they manifest themselves in the amount of change a dwarf has evolved from the earthen. Some dwarves, like the ones living in Ironforge, has undergone a rather complete transformation (with the exception of [[Stoneform]], see ''The Explorer's League'' below), becoming fully fleshy creatures. Others seems to have undergone a semi-change, having aspects of both a fleshy creature and the traits of the earthen, like the [[Frostborn]]. The Titans eventually found a way to make earthen that were immune to the Curse of Flesh, which became newly produced by the [[Forge of Wills]] and other systems. These earthen never experienced being affected by the Curse of Flesh, still consisting of soil and stone, such as the few remaining [[Eastern Kingdoms]] earthen found in Uldaman and the earthen of Ulduar found in Northrend. |
||
| + | * Arthas physically removed his heart and what is left of Matthias Lehner along with it, and Arthas' heart is later destroyed. |
||
| − | Although the titans marked their presence all over Azeroth, dwarves evolving from earthen are limited to [[Northrend]] and the [[Eastern Kingdoms]]. In Northrend, the orignal earthen from [[Ulduar]] evolved into the [[Frostborn]] while in the Eastern Kingdoms, the original earthen from Uldaman evolved into [[Ironforge dwarf|Ironforge dwarves]] (which later split into the Wildhammer-, Dark Iron- and Bronzebeard-clans, see ''War of the Three Hammers'' below). |
||
| + | * Uther's ghost says that "Arthas" still exists within "the Lich King", and is holding the Lich King back. Why there is still good in him is unexplained. |
||
| − | ===The Alliance=== |
||
| − | [[File:Zecker3.jpg|thumb|[[Brymidaine Zecker]], a dwarven [[tinker]]. His inventions appear to be created by using gnomish technology.]] |
||
| − | The dwarves and their progenitors' (the Earthen) interaction with other races and factions (except from with the titans) has been most related to the [[Alliance]]. Albeit the dwarves are the major actors in this event, earthen were also called upon to join the Alliance during the War of the Ancients.<ref>[[Earthen]]</ref> While the Alliance did not actually exist during this time (the name is probably referring to the gathering of various leaders whose races later would join the future Alliance, some of the leaders were actually sent from the future when the Alliance did exist, such as [[Rhonin]]) this event was probably the first time the earthen encountered races like humans and dragons. |
||
| + | * Arthas is killed, and the good part of him is freed. The Lich King still exists inside the helmet. |
||
| − | As said, the now-flesh dwarves have played a much greater role in the Alliance. While the dwarves in Northrend have stayed rather inactive and never ventured far away from Ulduar, the dwarves emerging from Uldaman have traveled across much of the world and interacted with many other races. They encountered the humans, perhaps their most important allies, ca. 1800 years before the [[First War]] and at the same time the [[high elves]] as the elves and humans were already allies.<ref>[[High elf#New world patterns and the Thalassian kingdom]]</ref> Interaction between the dwarves and the humans increased, and the two races soon became allies. For instance, it was the humans who taught the dwarves how to write in common.<ref>[[Dwarven]]</ref> The humans also introduced the dwarves to the [[Church of the Holy Light|Holy Light]].<ref>[[Paladin]]</ref> The dwarves on their side used their knowledge to craft powerful weapons for the humans (such as the [[Ashbringer]]). Apparently, it was also humans who came up with the name "dwarf", although the night elves had already used it as a derogatory term for earthen before the War of the Ancients.<ref>[[Earthen]]</ref> One of the few humans against this union of dwarves and humans was [[Lord Garithos]] who discarded all other races than humans as freaks, calling the dwarves idiots and the like. He was however killed by the [[forsaken]] at the end of the [[Third War]]. |
||
| + | * Bolvar merges with the Lich King. |
||
| − | 200 years ago the dwarves also met the [[gnomes]] which they shared a flair for technology and creativity with. Since this union began, the gnomes and dwarves have often been treated as one faction instead of two.<ref>[[Alliance of Lordaeron]]</ref> By helping each other building amazing devices and weapons, this union has served the Alliance well, supplying the front lines with heavy artillery and explosives.<ref>[[Alliance technology]]</ref> One of the most important events deriving from this friendship was the building of [[Gnomeregan]] where both races built the city of gnomes together. When Gnomeregan later was overtaken by troggs after the [[Third War]] the gnome refuges moved to Ironforge in order to plan a counterattack. They still remain there, in [[Tinker Town]].<ref>[[Gnome]]</ref> |
||
| + | * At BlizzCon 2010, Metzen claims that "Ner'zhul is done." |
||
| − | These four races were further joined together during the [[Second War]] (which occurred '''after''' the ''War of the Three Hammers'', see next section below), when the humans sought the aid of the various kingdoms inhabiting Lordaeron in the battle against the [[Horde]].<ref>[[Alliance of Lordaeron]]</ref><ref>[[Second War]]</ref> Originally only the humans were invited, but races such as the dwarves (with the gnomes) and the high elves applied as well when they saw their lands being ravaged. Political leaders like King Terenas and Anduin Lothar gathered the dwarves (of the Ironforge- and Wildhammer-clans), gnomes, high elves and humans into the [[Alliance of Lordaeron]] which ultimately defeated the Horde and laid ground for the present-day [[Alliance]]. Although this organization has changed much since then, with the departure of some members like most of the high elves (now [[blood elf|blood elves]]) and the gaining of new members like the [[draenei]] and the [[night elves]], dwarves still stand as one of the core parts of the Alliance.<ref>[[Dwarven relations]]</ref> |
||
| − | === |
+ | === Conclusions and Speculation === |
| − | [[File:Warofthethreehammers.jpg|thumb|250px|Dark Factions]] |
||
| − | {{Main|War of the Three Hammers}} |
||
| − | The dwarves of Ironforge were originally a part of the [[Ironforge clan]]. They later were divided into three factions: the [[Bronzebeard clan]] who controlled the city, the [[Wildhammer clan]] who controlled the foothills of the mountain, and the [[Dark Iron clan]] who lived in the shadows of the mountain. When the high king of all the dwarves, [[Modimus Anvilmar]], died, violence broke out into a civil war which resulted with the victorious Bronzebeard clan keeping Dun Morogh, the Wildhammers settling in [[Grim Batol]] in the [[Wetlands]], and the Dark Irons settling in the [[Redridge Mountains]] and founding the city of [[Thaurissan]] — named after their leader. |
||
| + | * There seems to be a third entity, "The Lich King" existing inside Arthas' body. It likely came about when Arthas merged with Ner'zhul. Arthas: Rise of the Lich King implied that it was Ner'zhul, Arthas' good side, and Arthas' bad side, and that may still be true. |
||
| − | The Dark Irons were bitter about their loss and attacked both kingdoms all at once to prevent one to come to the other's aid. Thaurissan led his army to Ironforge and was ultimately defeated. Thaurissan's wife, [[Modgud]], invaded Grim Batol and used her magic to break through the gates and lay siege to the Wildhammers. [[Khardros Wildhammer]], ruler of Grim Batol, slew the dark queen and was victorious. The clan of Ironforge then went on the offensive and marched onto the Dark Iron clan's capital. But the Dark Irons had accidentally summoned [[Ragnaros]], the lord of fire. Ragnaros ravaged the Redridge Mountains and enslaved the Dark Iron clan. Seeing this terror those of Ironforge turned back to their homes. Unfortunately, Modgud's magic had made the Wildhammer homeland uninhabitable, so they left and migrated north and settled in the [[Hinterlands]] and founded the city of [[Aerie Peak]]. There, the Wildhammers became more bonded with nature and learned to ride the mighty [[gryphon]]s. |
||
| + | * The good part of Arthas died thrice (twice if the first time was symbolic of the removal of the heart). |
||
| − | ===The Explorer's League=== |
||
| − | {{Main|Explorers' Guild}} |
||
| − | The Explorer's League, or Explorer's Guild as it is also called, is a recent organization founded by dwarves seeking to uncover their past and relation to the titans. Searching for titan (and all other kinds as well, for that matter) artifacts and ruins, their dig sites and camps can be found all over Azeroth - some are even stationed in [[Outland]]. Information recovered is carefully analyzed and stored in the [[Hall of Explorers]] in Ironforge. The shared duties of either being out on adventure, digging in the ground for lost treasures, or sitting home in Ironforge while filing reports and schedules have given the Explorer's League a effective system with a rapid development. Information recovered increases all the time, and so does the league's members. |
||
| + | * Ner'zhul died in Arthas: Rise of the Lich King. |
||
| − | The Explorer's League was founded shortly after the [[Third War]]. The dwarves had followed the humans to Kalimdor as soldiers against the [[Burning Legion]], and in the aftermath of this war the dwarves discovered they might had been created by powerful beings to shape the earth.<ref>''[[Warcraft: The Roleplaying Game]]'', page 43</ref> |
||
| − | [[File:Brann.jpg|left|thumb|Brann Bronzebeard, one of the leading dwarfs from the Explorer's League.]]Ruins in Kalimdor<ref>[[Mystery of the Makers]]</ref> suggested that the dwarves' past may have been connected to of the titans, and teams of prospectors, excavators and archaeologists were quickly assembled and dispatched to all corners of the world in order to investigate. Additionally, a new area of Ironforge was financed in order to house the league's work. As much of the information about the titans was lost during the earthen's slumber after the Great Sundering, the information has to be gathered all over again from relics and data the titans left behind. |
||
| + | * "The Lich King" still exists, and is now within Bolvar. |
||
| − | Becoming a member of the league is not an easy task. It requires the applicant (which nearly always is a dwarf) to possess supreme skills in everything from the recognition of mines and herbs to map-making and geography. The league's most profound member is [[Brann Bronzebeard]], a Dwarven explorer who has seen nearly all corners of the world, which has granted him quite the insight in the dwarves' past. |
||
| + | * Conspiracy time: Uther the Lightbringer and Terenas Menethil II were lying in some way. |
||
| − | While the dwarves' allies (such as the humans and the gnomes) do not share as much motivation for this project as the dwarves do, they still support and aid the organization. Not only does the league provide much information about distant areas and cultures, several goldmines have also been found during the league's excavations. The humans have also found a greater interest in the league's activity as result from encounters with the [[vrykul]] in Northrend, which are the progenitors of humans. Apparently, humans seem to (although somewhat indirectly) derive from the titans as well. |
||
| + | * Conspiracy time: The second Matthias Lehner was actually Yogg-Saron. That would explain how the heart was evil and Matthias Lehner was (apparently) good at the same time, but would not explain why the heart needed to be removed. |
||
| − | The league's struggle to gain knowledge of the titans has not only resulted in a better understanding of the world, it has also unlocked one of the dwarves' ancient abilities - [[Stoneform]]. This ability lets the dwarves turn their skin into stone, becoming similar to the earthen for a short period of time. While this ability is already useful against effects such as poison, the dwarves believe that this is only the first step in reclaiming their earthen-powers. |
||
| − | === |
+ | === Comments === |
| + | :Ner'zhul may or may not actually be dead, depending on how literally that scene is meant to be taken. It seemed very metaphorical and symbolic to me, and could simply have been Arthas mentally suppressing Ner'zhul, leading to him still being a part of the Lich King even after Bolvar takes control. -- [[User:Dark T Zeratul|Dark T Zeratul]] ([[User talk:Dark T Zeratul|talk]]) 03:17, June 11, 2010 (UTC) |
||
| − | The dwarves today are spread over all of Azeroth and Outland, helping their friends with everything from slaying monsters to seeking for treasures. Their talent of forging metals and ore have had a large impact on their culture and style of living - their cities consists of enormous forges and seething foundries accompanied by enchanted anvils and tools for handling molten ore.<ref>[[Great Forge]]</ref><ref>[[Blackrock Mountain]]</ref> Runes and various shapes creates intricate borders and ornaments adorning their constructs and architecture, possibly inspired by the runes passed down to them from the titans.<ref>[[Dwarven]]</ref><ref>[[Titan]]</ref> |
||
| + | :Honestly? I think Blizz just lost track of all these little bits and pieces and just kept trying to rewrite the lore from scratch, as a result we end up with the tangled mess which we have today. Personally, I like the idea that Ner'zhul is still alive (cause he is one of the greatest Orc characters EVER). Realisticly, the Lich King, was always Ner'zhul, just with his body destroyed (slowly and painfully) and his shamanistic powers, backed by deominc taint, refocused on necromancy. A powerful being trapped within ice from the nether, sitting atop the roof of the world, how could anyone just take that role? It's not a role, it is the soul of Ner'zhul and all his power. So yeah, my vote is for Arthas wasn't the champion Ner'zhul thought he would be, so he sat back and let Arthas get himself killed so a new champion could be taken. I'm also betting Bolvar wasn't his first choice either, pretty sure he would have loved to be able to dual-wield Froustmourne AND The Ashbringer, but Bolvar discovered the plan, he saved Tirion and Azeroth with his sacrafice and shall always be remembered for it. :) Ok, i'ma shut up now :P [[Image:Pokeball.jpg]] [[User:Max Krist|Max Krist]] ([[User talk:Max Krist|talk]] [[Special:Contributions/Max Krist|contribs]]) 09:29, June 11, 2010 (UTC) |
||
| − | Dwarves are aligned with all kinds of organizations and associations. One may divide them into two groups; those who serve the Alliance one way or the other, and those who do not. |
||
| + | ::Best I can tell is that the "evil" in the Lich King was always Ner'zhul and never Arthas, him being the part of the entity preventing the Scourge from overrunning Azeroth. Remember that Kil'jaedan ripped his physical being asunder leaving only his spirit in the armor. Thus Ner'zhul had no true "life" left and you can't kill that which has no life. HA![[User:AhotahThunderhorn|AhotahThunderhorn]] ([[User talk:AhotahThunderhorn|talk]]) 20:43, June 13, 2010 (UTC) |
||
| − | [[File:DwarvenPartyMachines.jpg|thumb|Members of the Alliance enjoying the dwarven culture (...)]] |
||
| − | The majority of dwarves serve the Alliance. This includes the Ironforge, Wildhammer and Frostborn dwarves. The Ironforge ones are those most populous, found as everything from guards within Ironforge to soldiers on the frontlines against whatever the Alliance is fighting. The [[Wildhammer clan|wildhammer dwarves]] are also often found as soldiers for the Alliance, but many of them spend their time at their home in the [[Hinterlands]]. The frostborn dwarves are the least active kind of dwarf within the Alliance, only found at their home, [[Frosthold]], in the [[Storm Peaks]] where they seem to be doing next to nothing. A large part of the Alliance's dwarves are also as mentioned dedicated to the Explorer's League, differing from many of the other dwarfs in the Alliance as the goals of the league (discover the secrets of the titans) and the Alliance (kill whatever threatens the nation of humans and their allies) are rather different. Still they work together, suppressing their enemies and aiding their allies while revealing the secrets of the world. The Alliance has been deeply affected by their dwarf-members since the humans began it - known for firing flaming gunshots and cannonballs at the enemy during war, while drinking ale and beer in surplus amounts during peace, dwarves have affected the Alliance's style of warfare and culture. |
||
| + | ::Oh and one more thing, Bolvar may very well have lost all his righteousness after the whole dragonfire and torture stuff and thus MORE vulnerable to the corruption of the vengeful Ner'zhul than Arthas ever was. Let's not forget the whole time he was a pawn to a certain [[Onyxia | dragon]] so what does that say about his willpower? In other words, Arthas may turn out to have been a "nicer" Lich King than what Bolvar is going to be.[[User:AhotahThunderhorn|AhotahThunderhorn]] ([[User talk:AhotahThunderhorn|talk]]) 20:50, June 13, 2010 (UTC) |
||
| − | Dwarves not allied with the Alliance includes the Dark Iron dwarves and various dwarves working for different organizations such as the [[Venture Co]], pirates, the [[Argent Dawn]] and the [[Twilight's Hammer]]. Of these, only the dark irons resemble a "true" faction of dwarves. In the other cases, the dwarf could be swapped out with any random creature also aligned with the said faction, such as a [[gnoll]] or a [[tauren]], without any relevant change occurring. Their goals and desires differs from most other dwarves, making them freelancing individuals following whatever seemed more profitable. |
||
| + | ::: Cannot Chris Metzen give us a brief summary of what the hell actually happened. So we can move on with life! xD amagawd... --[[User:Mirdamor|Mirdamor]] ([[User talk:Mirdamor|talk]]) 15:43, July 9, 2010 (UTC) |
||
| − | ===Cataclysm=== |
||
| − | {{Cata-section}} |
||
| − | {{Main|Council of Three Hammers}} |
||
| + | ===Another Interpretation=== |
||
| − | ==Appearance== |
||
| + | I disagree with the conclusion that "The Lich King" is an entity distinct from Ner'zhul, Arthas, or Bolvar (rather than a title each of them has used). I'd like to present a different interpretation, beginning with Uther's statements in the Halls of Reflection. |
||
| − | [[File:Dwarves.JPG|thumb|450px|Bronzebeard, Wildhammer, and Dark Iron dwarves]] |
||
| − | ===Male dwarves=== |
||
| − | Most dwarven males are stocky and all of them have facial hair. |
||
| + | * '''Uther:''' Arthas is merely a presence within the Lich King's mind. A dwindling presence... |
||
| − | ===Female dwarves=== |
||
| − | Most female dwarves do not appear to have beards. However, Falstad's grandmother, a [[wild dwarf]] is described as having a beard and female [[hill dwarves]] are described as having beards. A female dwarf with a beard is referenced in a quest in ''World of Warcraft'' as well, during the Blump fishing challenge. [[Graun Blump]] is said to have a beard. Beards owned by female dwarves appear to be rare (especially in [[Ironforge dwarves]]<ref>''[[World of Warcraft: The Roleplaying Game]]'', pg. 34</ref>) however, female dwarves who sported strong beards are considered a sign of beauty among members of the race.<ref>''[[Day of the Dragon]]'', 264</ref> Two bearded sisters fought in the battle to retake Grim Batol. It is unknown if other female dwarves grow beards, but then chose to shave. |
||
| + | In this case, I believe Uther was using "Arthas" to refer to the man he and Jaina knew (as he was prior to taking up Frostmourne), and "the Lich King" to refer to the current Arthas (one corrupted by the loss of his soul and removal of his heart). He otherwise uses them interchangeably (as do most other characters). |
||
| − | ==Dwarven clans and races== |
||
| − | ===Eastern Kingdoms=== |
||
| − | [[File:Dwarffemalebeard.jpg|thumb|Two bearded female dwarves.]] |
||
| − | [[File:DwarffemalesWCA.jpg|thumb|A bearded female dwarf.]] |
||
| + | After the battle, Uther, Muradin, and Jaina speak well of Arthas. They don't seem to hold him responsible for what he did after being cursed. It makes sense that Uther would want to make some distinction between the Arthas he trained and the Lich King Arthas. |
||
| − | *[[Ironforge clan]]; Apparently the original dwarven clan which evolved from the [[earthen]]. They ruled the other clans until the death of [[Modimus Anvilmar]]. The last of the Ironforge clan, the Bronzebeard clan fought during the [[War of the Three Hammers]]. |
||
| − | **[[Bronzebeard clan]]; The leaders of Ironforge after the death of Modimus Anvilmar. Their capital is [[Ironforge]]. They continued to have control of Ironforge following the War of the Three Hammers. |
||
| − | ***[[Stormpike clan]]; A clan found primarily living in the [[Alterac Mountains]] within the "valleys of Alterac". They have ties to Ironforge and the Wildhammer dwarves.<ref>''[[Alliance Player's Guide]]'', 166, 168</ref> |
||
| − | ***[[Stonefist clan]]; Small clan belonging to the Ironforge dwarves. |
||
| − | **[[Wildhammer clan]]; An [[Alliance]] non-playable faction who was once united with the other clans by the Ironforge clan. |
||
| − | **[[Dark Iron clan]]; A hostile non-playable faction that was once united with the other clans by the Ironforge clan. |
||
| + | * '''Uther:''' I suspect that the piece of Arthas that might be left inside the Lich King is all that holds the Scourge from annihilating Azeroth. |
||
| − | ;Note: |
||
| − | [[Hill dwarf]] is a term to describe dwarves living in the hills. [[Mountain dwarf]] is a term used to describe dwarves living in the mountains. Characters described as being hill dwarves include; [[Rom]], [[Gimmel]], [[Joj]], [[Narn]]. Characters described as mountain dwarves include; [[Falstad Dragonreaver]], [[Glodin]], [[Molok]], [[Tupan]] and [[Yorg Stormheart]]. The Bronzebeard clan and the Wildhammer clan have both been described as having hill dwarves and mountain dwarves<ref>''[[Lands of Conflict]]'', ??</ref><ref>''[[Day of the Dragon]]'', ??</ref><ref>''[[Night of the Dragon]]'', ??</ref>. |
||
| + | Uther doesn't say there's "good" or "humanity" left in him - nor should there be, after he purged himself of such things. Arthas ''was'' being held back by a piece of his old personality, but it wasn't anything altruistic. He wasn't restraining the Scourge out of the goodness of his missing heart. |
||
| − | ===Northrend races=== |
||
| − | *[[Frostborn]]; a newly discovered faction. They make their home in [[Northrend]]'s [[Storm Peaks]] and have befriended the [[Explorers' League]]. |
||
| − | *[[Iron dwarves]]; It seems apparent that [[Loken]] used the earthen of [[Ulduar]]'s and the vrykul's basic design but used a different material, namely a [[saronite]]-[[iron]] composite, to create minions that can only be loyal to him, and by extension, [[Yogg-Saron]]. |
||
| + | What held the Lich King back was Arthas' pride. |
||
| − | ==Notable dwarves== |
||
| − | ===Bronzebeard dwarves=== |
||
| − | ''Note: Also referred to as [[Ironforge dwarves]].'' |
||
| − | *{{RaceIcon|Dwarf|Male}} [[Modimus Anvilmar]] - Former high king of all dwarves. |
||
| − | *{{RaceIconExt|Magni}} [[Magni Bronzebeard]] - King of [[Ironforge]]. |
||
| − | *{{RaceIconExt|Muradin}} [[Muradin Bronzebeard]] aka [[Yorg Stormheart]] - Younger brother of Magni, founding member of the Explorer's League, king of the [[Frostborn]], Bronzebeard representative of [[Council of Three Hammers]]. |
||
| − | *{{RaceIconExt|Brann}} [[Brann Bronzebeard]] - Youngest Bronzebeard brother, Azeroth's most famous explorer. |
||
| − | *{{RaceIcon|Dwarf|Male}} [[Thargas Anvilmar]] - Descendant of high king Modimus Anvilmar and current wearer of the [[Helm of the Anvilmars]] |
||
| − | *{{RaceIcon|Dwarf|Male}} [[Hjalmar Anvilmar]] - Thargas's older brother and former wearer of the [[Helm of the Anvilmars]] |
||
| − | *{{RaceIcon|Dwarf|Female}} [[Moira Bronzebeard]] - Princess of Ironforge, widow of [[Dagran Thaurissan]], [[Dark Iron]] representative of [[Council of Three Hammers]]. |
||
| − | *{{RaceIcon|Dwarf|Male}} [[Madoran Bronzebeard]] - King of [[Ironforge]] during [[War of the Three Hammers]]. Ancestor of Magni, Muradin, and Brann. |
||
| − | *{{RaceIcon|Dwarf|Male}} [[Baelgun Flamebeard]] - Watcher of [[Doorward]]. Former second of Muradin's expedition. |
||
| − | *{{RaceIcon|Dwarf|Male}} [[Rom]] - Dwarf who fought during the [[Battle of Grim Batol]] |
||
| − | *{{RaceIcon|Dwarf|Male}} [[High Priest Rohan]] - Priest Representative of the New Council of Tirisfal. |
||
| − | *{{RaceIcon|Dwarf|Male}} [[Vanndar Stormpike]] - Leader of the [[Stormpike Expedition]] in [[Alterac Valley]]. |
||
| + | Arthas intended to conquer the world eventually, but first he wanted to see the world's greatest heroes follow in his footsteps. To prove they could be corrupted, just as he was. That had been his plan all along, from the moment he attacked Stormwind and Orgrimmar. That's why he always spared those who foiled his plans and why he allowed them to grow stronger. To Arthas, everything that happened in Northrend was part of a game. It was a twisted version of what Tirion did with the Crusader's Coliseum. |
||
| − | ===Wildhammer dwarves=== |
||
| − | ''Note: Also referred to as [[wild dwarves]]''. |
||
| − | *{{RaceIcon|Wildhammer|Male}} [[Falstad Wildhammer]] — Current high thane, Wildhammer representative of [[Council of Three Hammers]]. |
||
| − | *{{RaceIcon|Wildhammer|Male}} [[Khardros Wildhammer]] - High thane of the [[Wildhammer]] dwarves during the [[War of the Three Hammers]]. |
||
| − | *{{RaceIconExt|Kurdran}} [[Kurdran Wildhammer]] - Chief thane of the [[Wildhammer]] clan during the [[Second War]], commander of the gryphon riders of the [[Alliance Expedition]] to [[Outland|Draenor]]. Currently located in [[Wildhammer Stronghold]] in [[Shadowmoon Valley]]. |
||
| − | *{{RaceIcon|Wildhammer|Male}} [[Maz Drachrip]] - Thane before Falstad Dragonreaver. |
||
| + | '''Interview:''' |
||
| − | ===Dark Iron dwarves=== |
||
| + | * '''1UP:''' Arthas Menethil, once the noble crown prince of Lordaeron and Paladin of the Silver Hand -- now the all-powerful Lich King, bent on turning the entire world into an army of zombie slaves. And he could, if he so chose -- push the figurative button, and every man, woman, and child in the world would be part of his army of the damned. So what's stopping him, really? |
||
| − | *{{RaceIcon|DarkIron|Male}} [[Dagran Thaurissan]] - Former Emperor of the [[Dark Iron clan|Dark Iron]]s. |
||
| + | * '''Chris Metzen:''' Arthas thinks it'd be funny if we all did it for him. He fought the good fight, fought as hard as he could, and ultimately he went nuts up in the far north. And the bad guy used him as the hammer. The bad guy sent him home to kill his dad and kill his people... and loose the plague on everything he ever fought to protect. And all these crusading heroes, with all their epic gear and all their good intentions and all their nobility and all that horses***, flood into the far north... and he's pretty much there to reel 'em in. |
||
| − | *{{RaceIcon|DarkIron|Male}} [[Sorcerer-thane Thaurissan]] - The leader of the Dark Iron clan of dwarves during the [[War of the Three Hammers]]. Ancestor of Dagran. |
||
| − | *{{RaceIcon|DarkIron|Female}} [[Modgud]] - Sorceress wife of Thaurissan during the [[War of the Three Hammers]]. |
||
| − | *{{RaceIcon|DarkIron|Male}} [[Franclorn Forgewright]] - Once was the chief architect and designer of the [[Dark Iron dwarves]] and inventor of the "Stonewrought" method. |
||
| + | '''Teaser trailer:''' |
||
| − | ===Earthen=== |
||
| + | * '''The Lich King:''' In the end, all that awaits you is death. Only then will you understand - you've been following in my footsteps all along. |
||
| − | ''Note:Earthen are often called "dwarves" by other races, and by Brann Bronzebeard when speaking of his ancestors.'' |
||
| − | *{{RaceIconExt|EarthenNorth}} [[Bouldercrag the Rockshaper]] |
||
| − | *{{RaceIconExt|EarthenNorth}} [[Brangrimm]] |
||
| − | *{{RaceIconExt|EarthenSouth}} [[Dungard Ironcutter]] |
||
| − | *{{RaceIconExt|EarthenSouth}} [[Goggeroc]] |
||
| + | '''Final battle:''' |
||
| − | ===Frostborn=== |
||
| + | * '''The Lich King yells:''' No question remains unanswered. No doubts linger. You are Azeroth's greatest champions! You overcame every challenge I laid before you. My mightiest servants have fallen before your relentless onslaught, your unbridled fury... Is it truly righteousness that drives you? I wonder. |
||
| − | ''Note:Frostborn are also referred to as frost dwarves.'' |
||
| + | * '''The Lich King yells:''' You trained them well, Fordring. You delivered the greatest fighting force this world has ever known... right into my hands -- exactly as I intended. You shall be rewarded for your unwitting sacrifice. |
||
| − | *{{RaceIcon|FrostDwarf|Male}} [[Velog Icebellow]] |
||
| + | * ''The Lich King begins to cast a resurrection spell.'' |
||
| + | * '''The Lich King yells:''' Watch now as I raise them from the dead to become masters of the Scourge. They will shroud this world in chaos and destruction. Azeroth's fall will come at their hands -- and you will be the first to die. |
||
| + | * ''The Lich King laughs.'' |
||
| + | * '''The Lich King yells:''' I delight in the irony. |
||
| + | The Lich King's arrogance and flair for the dramatic were pieces of the old Arthas. They weren't the ''good'' parts of his personality - those had been lost - but they were parts of him nonetheless. They are what drove the Lich King to act the way he did throughout WotLK. |
||
| − | ==Inspirations== |
||
| − | {{speculation}} |
||
| − | [[File:Lost Vikings Dwarves.JPG|thumb|''The Lost Vikings'' was one of [[Blizzard]]'s earlier games, and share some resemblance to the dwarves in [[WoW]].]] |
||
| + | '''Conclusions:''' |
||
| − | As in most modern fantasy, the dwarves in the [[Warcraft universe]] draw parallels to those in {{wplink|Tolkien|Tolkien's}} legendarium as well as the original race in Norse mythology. Most notably, and common to both sources, are their facility with and affinity for mining and other crafts of earth and stone. Their short stature and general appearance are common throughout mythology as well as fiction. The Warcraft dwarves' descent from the earthen also mirrors both sources. |
||
| + | * Kil'jaeden destroyed Ner'zhul's body and affixed his soul to the Helm of Domination, which granted him incredible powers. He sealed the helm inside the Frozen Throne. |
||
| + | * Arthas shattered the Frozen Throne and put the helm on his head, allowing Ner'zhul's spirit into his mind. |
||
| + | * Inside this shared consciousness were Arthas (the death knight), Ner'zhul (the orc), and Matthias (a manifestation of what little good remained in Arthas after Frostmourne took his soul). Arthas spent several years reflecting on his life, then destroyed Matthias. |
||
| + | * Once Matthias was gone, Ner'zhul expressed his desire to become "one glorious being", neither Arthas nor Ner'zhul. Arthas destroyed him as well. ''"No we. No one tells me what to do. I've got everything I need from you -- now the power is mine and mine alone. Now there is only I. I am the Lich King. And I am ready."'' |
||
| + | * Arthas cut out his heart. Those who touched it could speak with an echo of Matthias, but as Tirion says after seeing the heart, ''"Only shadows from the past remain. There's nothing left to redeem!"'' |
||
| + | * Arthas held back the Scourge, not because there was still good left in him, but because he was intent on testing and corrupting Azeroth's greatest heroes before he unleashed his counterattack. |
||
| + | * Arthas' plan was moments from success when it was foiled by the unexpected destruction of Frostmourne. After being rendered helpless by thousands of vengeful souls, Arthas was slain. |
||
| + | * Bolvar Fordragon gained the power once wielded by Arthas (and Ner'zhul before him) by having the Helm of Domination placed on his head. |
||
| + | Thus: |
||
| + | *{{RaceIconExt|Ner'zhul}} [[Ner'zhul]] — First Lich King; after the end of [[Beyond the Dark Portal]] to the end of [[The Frozen Throne]] |
||
| + | *{{RaceIconExt|Ner'zhul}} [[Ner'zhul]] / {{RaceIconExt|ArthasDK}} [[Arthas Menethil]] / {{RaceIconExt|Human Boy}} [[Matthias Lehner]] — Dormant Lich King; from the end of [[The Frozen Throne]] to the opening of [[Wrath of the Lich King]] |
||
| + | * {{RaceIconExt|ArthasDK}} [[Arthas Menethil]] — Second Lich King; from the beginning of [[Wrath of the Lich King]] until its end |
||
| + | *{{RaceIconExt|Bolvar}} [[Bolvar Fordragon]] — Third Lich King; from the end of [[Wrath of the Lich King]] and into [[Cataclysm]] |
||
| + | [[User:Egrem|Egrem]] ([[User talk:Egrem|talk]]) 06:04, 1 November 2010 (UTC) |
||
| − | The Warcraft dwarven affinity for mechanical engineering may derive in part from the Warhammer games' depiction of dwarves as technologically apt or may itself simply be an extension of their affinity for mining and metalcraft. This also relates to Norse mythology where they are the creators of many of the gods' artifacts and weapons, such as [[wikipedia:Thor|Thor]]'s hammer [[wikipedia:Mjollnir|Mjollnir]]. |
||
| + | :Am I correct in thinking that you think that in the stead of Arthas' good side (that previously manifested itself as Matthias Lehner), the Arthas that was holding the Scourge back was the ''pride'' of the original Arthas? This prideful facet of the Lich King, and that facet's plan, have been known since before WotLK was announced. By infusing the obvious into the erratic, you have likely figured out the jist of this. |
||
| − | ==Trivia== |
||
| − | *Apparently, dwarves were the ones who invented the [[gun]]. While members of any race can learn to use a firearm, the dwarves still possess a certain knack for it.<ref>''[[Warcraft: The Roleplaying Game]]'', page 44</ref><ref>[[Dwarf (playable)]]</ref> |
||
| + | :However, it is not certain that what you have presented is necessarily the case in all instances. You say that Uther was using "Arthas" to refer to the man he and Jaina ''knew'', but if the bit of "Arthas" in the Lich King was not the good parts of his personality, the man that Jaina ''cared about'' (going into way off-topic territory), then why would she care ''all choked up like that''? If he was not the original Arthas with some good in him, then why would he become the touchy-feely "Father? Is it... over?" Arthas, seen in his death cinematic (no way that was just cold pride)? Even with all goodness in him removed, is Arthas as the Lich King still an emotional <strike>pussy</strike> softie? |
||
| − | *With the recent discoveries of their past, it is now possible that the dwarves might in fact be the eldest race on Azeroth, alongside the Sea Giants, having been created by the titans (as Earthen) to develop the world before the titans' departure. |
||
| + | :Also, there was another Lich King between the entities that you have dubbed the "First" and the "Dormant" Lich Kings. It was a fusion of Ner'zhul and Arthas that was strongly implied by TFT, and then confirmed by several Blizzard representatives and developers (and by his cameo in the original Naxx). Arthas: Rise of the Lich King also confirms what TFT presented... before immediately contradicting it. They ''were'' "one glorious being," but then the somehow split into three, reminisced, argued about it (with stabbing), and then got replaced by the "Arthas (minus good)" entity.--{{User:Sandwichman2448/Sig}} 22:38, 1 November 2010 (UTC) |
||
| − | *Since time before the [[War of the Three Hammers]], the dwarves of the [[Eastern Kingdoms]] have had a love for the pipe, and they go nowhere without their personal pipes. They'll even smoke something else if they have to make do. [[Rom]]'s scouting group inside [[Grim Batol]] in ''[[Night of the Dragon]]'' made a substance from ground brown mushrooms and a red weed found near water. Rom considered the stuff foul, but he smoked some anyway.<ref>''[[Night of the Dragon]]'' pg. 14-17, 130</ref> |
||
| + | ::Yes, I believe the "piece of Arthas" that held back the Scourge wasn't anything good, but rather that part of him that wanted to see other heroes follow in his footsteps. |
||
| − | *Also long in use before the War of the Three Hammers is the ritual of ''Gwyarbrawden'' between the common warriors of the Eastern Kingdoms. It isn't spoken of publicly by the dwarves, let alone to their allies. As such, very few outsiders even know about this part of dwarven society.<ref>''[[Night of the Dragon]]'' pg. 17-18</ref> |
||
| + | ::I think Jaina was getting choked up because she refused to believe that. She couldn't accept that the Arthas she loved was gone, despite evidence to the contrary. She kept saying things like "maybe I can reason with him" and "maybe there's still hope", despite Uther's protests. After facing Arthas, Jaina realizes her mistake. ''"Forgive me, heroes. I should have listened to Uther. I... I just had to see for myself. To look into his eyes one last time. I am sorry. We now know what must be done."'' |
||
| − | *Dwarves are the only race who uses 2 death animations. |
||
| + | ::When Frostmourne took Arthas' soul, he lost most of his compassion and humanity. Matthias was described as the "last dregs" of those things. When Arthas slew him, it said Frostmourne was "all but singing at having claimed the final piece of Arthas’s soul". It stands to reason that Arthas's soul was released with the others when Frostmourne was broken. That's why he spoke to his father as he did - he regained his humanity in those last few moments before he died. |
||
| − | *Apparently, dwarves will often hide things in their beards.<ref>{{quest|And Then There Were Two...}}</ref> |
||
| + | ::With regard to the fused Lich King... I think that was retconned. The last scene in TFT shows Arthas going to sleep, and the first scene in WotLK shows him waking up, years later (still frozen in the same position). The dream in RotLK fills in that period. At the end of it (which would be immediately prior to the start of WotLK), Ner'zhul is urging Arthas to finally complete their merger. |
||
| − | ==See also== |
||
| + | ::''"We are one, Arthas. Together, we are the Lich King. No more Ner'zhul, no more Arthas—only this one glorious being."'' |
||
| − | *[[Dwarven relations]] |
||
| + | ::We all ''thought'' they did exactly that at the end of TFT. That certainly seemed to be Blizzard's original plan - we were presented with such a Lich King in MoM and Naxx-60, and some CMs said the Lich King was a fusion of Arthas and Ner'zhul (they likely hadn't read the book). The decision to take Ner'zhul out of the picture and focus on Arthas probably wasn't made until relatively recently (when RotLK was being written and WotLK was being developed). [[User:Egrem|Egrem]] ([[User talk:Egrem|talk]]) 23:30, 1 November 2010 (UTC) |
||
| − | *[[Dwarven tossing hammer]] |
||
| − | *[[Dwarven flying machine]] |
||
| − | *[[Mortar]] |
||
| − | *[[Steam tank]] |
||
| − | *[[Siege engine]] |
||
| + | :::While I would like other people's opinions about it, I can not find anything really wrong with your interpretation. It should at some point be worked into the main Lich King article with as much citation as possible.--{{User:Sandwichman2448/Sig}} 00:19, 16 November 2010 (UTC) |
||
| − | == References == |
||
| − | {{reflist|2}} |
||
| − | {{Dwarven clans}} |
||
| − | {{species}} |
||
| − | {{titanic creations}} |
||
| − | |||
| − | [[es:Enano]] |
||
| − | [[fr:Nain]] |
||
| − | [[pl:Krasnoludy]] |
||
| − | [[Category:Dwarves| ]] |
||
| − | [[Category:Races]] |
||
| − | [[Category:World of Warcraft: The Roleplaying Game]] |
||
| − | [[Category:Alliance Player's Guide]] |
||
Revision as of 00:19, 16 November 2010
Forums: Village pump → Warcraft lore → The Lich King's head
Who or what is in the Lich King's head? The lore seems inconsistent, and it is bugging me. This should probably be added to the main Lich King article once this is sorted out... perhaps at Arthas#Lich_King_of_the_Scourge.--SWM2448 03:08, June 11, 2010 (UTC)
Information
- In Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos, the Lich King is the altered spirit of Ner'zhul.
- In Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne, the Lich King consists of Ner'zhul merged with Arthas Menethil into a single entity.
- In Arthas: Rise of the Lich King, the Lich King consists of Ner'zhul, a small boy (later revealed to be Matthias Lehner), and Arthas Menethil in Nordic (vrykul?) garb.
- Arthas kills both Ner'zhul and Matthias Lehner, making him the dominant personality within the Lich King, but without any good in him.
- Arthas physically removed his heart and what is left of Matthias Lehner along with it, and Arthas' heart is later destroyed.
- Uther's ghost says that "Arthas" still exists within "the Lich King", and is holding the Lich King back. Why there is still good in him is unexplained.
- Arthas is killed, and the good part of him is freed. The Lich King still exists inside the helmet.
- Bolvar merges with the Lich King.
- At BlizzCon 2010, Metzen claims that "Ner'zhul is done."
Conclusions and Speculation
- There seems to be a third entity, "The Lich King" existing inside Arthas' body. It likely came about when Arthas merged with Ner'zhul. Arthas: Rise of the Lich King implied that it was Ner'zhul, Arthas' good side, and Arthas' bad side, and that may still be true.
- The good part of Arthas died thrice (twice if the first time was symbolic of the removal of the heart).
- Ner'zhul died in Arthas: Rise of the Lich King.
- "The Lich King" still exists, and is now within Bolvar.
- Conspiracy time: Uther the Lightbringer and Terenas Menethil II were lying in some way.
- Conspiracy time: The second Matthias Lehner was actually Yogg-Saron. That would explain how the heart was evil and Matthias Lehner was (apparently) good at the same time, but would not explain why the heart needed to be removed.
Comments
- Ner'zhul may or may not actually be dead, depending on how literally that scene is meant to be taken. It seemed very metaphorical and symbolic to me, and could simply have been Arthas mentally suppressing Ner'zhul, leading to him still being a part of the Lich King even after Bolvar takes control. -- Dark T Zeratul (talk) 03:17, June 11, 2010 (UTC)
- Honestly? I think Blizz just lost track of all these little bits and pieces and just kept trying to rewrite the lore from scratch, as a result we end up with the tangled mess which we have today. Personally, I like the idea that Ner'zhul is still alive (cause he is one of the greatest Orc characters EVER). Realisticly, the Lich King, was always Ner'zhul, just with his body destroyed (slowly and painfully) and his shamanistic powers, backed by deominc taint, refocused on necromancy. A powerful being trapped within ice from the nether, sitting atop the roof of the world, how could anyone just take that role? It's not a role, it is the soul of Ner'zhul and all his power. So yeah, my vote is for Arthas wasn't the champion Ner'zhul thought he would be, so he sat back and let Arthas get himself killed so a new champion could be taken. I'm also betting Bolvar wasn't his first choice either, pretty sure he would have loved to be able to dual-wield Froustmourne AND The Ashbringer, but Bolvar discovered the plan, he saved Tirion and Azeroth with his sacrafice and shall always be remembered for it. :) Ok, i'ma shut up now :P
Max Krist (talk contribs) 09:29, June 11, 2010 (UTC)
- Best I can tell is that the "evil" in the Lich King was always Ner'zhul and never Arthas, him being the part of the entity preventing the Scourge from overrunning Azeroth. Remember that Kil'jaedan ripped his physical being asunder leaving only his spirit in the armor. Thus Ner'zhul had no true "life" left and you can't kill that which has no life. HA!AhotahThunderhorn (talk) 20:43, June 13, 2010 (UTC)
- Oh and one more thing, Bolvar may very well have lost all his righteousness after the whole dragonfire and torture stuff and thus MORE vulnerable to the corruption of the vengeful Ner'zhul than Arthas ever was. Let's not forget the whole time he was a pawn to a certain dragon so what does that say about his willpower? In other words, Arthas may turn out to have been a "nicer" Lich King than what Bolvar is going to be.AhotahThunderhorn (talk) 20:50, June 13, 2010 (UTC)
- Cannot Chris Metzen give us a brief summary of what the hell actually happened. So we can move on with life! xD amagawd... --Mirdamor (talk) 15:43, July 9, 2010 (UTC)
Another Interpretation
I disagree with the conclusion that "The Lich King" is an entity distinct from Ner'zhul, Arthas, or Bolvar (rather than a title each of them has used). I'd like to present a different interpretation, beginning with Uther's statements in the Halls of Reflection.
- Uther: Arthas is merely a presence within the Lich King's mind. A dwindling presence...
In this case, I believe Uther was using "Arthas" to refer to the man he and Jaina knew (as he was prior to taking up Frostmourne), and "the Lich King" to refer to the current Arthas (one corrupted by the loss of his soul and removal of his heart). He otherwise uses them interchangeably (as do most other characters).
After the battle, Uther, Muradin, and Jaina speak well of Arthas. They don't seem to hold him responsible for what he did after being cursed. It makes sense that Uther would want to make some distinction between the Arthas he trained and the Lich King Arthas.
- Uther: I suspect that the piece of Arthas that might be left inside the Lich King is all that holds the Scourge from annihilating Azeroth.
Uther doesn't say there's "good" or "humanity" left in him - nor should there be, after he purged himself of such things. Arthas was being held back by a piece of his old personality, but it wasn't anything altruistic. He wasn't restraining the Scourge out of the goodness of his missing heart.
What held the Lich King back was Arthas' pride.
Arthas intended to conquer the world eventually, but first he wanted to see the world's greatest heroes follow in his footsteps. To prove they could be corrupted, just as he was. That had been his plan all along, from the moment he attacked Stormwind and Orgrimmar. That's why he always spared those who foiled his plans and why he allowed them to grow stronger. To Arthas, everything that happened in Northrend was part of a game. It was a twisted version of what Tirion did with the Crusader's Coliseum.
Interview:
- 1UP: Arthas Menethil, once the noble crown prince of Lordaeron and Paladin of the Silver Hand -- now the all-powerful Lich King, bent on turning the entire world into an army of zombie slaves. And he could, if he so chose -- push the figurative button, and every man, woman, and child in the world would be part of his army of the damned. So what's stopping him, really?
- Chris Metzen: Arthas thinks it'd be funny if we all did it for him. He fought the good fight, fought as hard as he could, and ultimately he went nuts up in the far north. And the bad guy used him as the hammer. The bad guy sent him home to kill his dad and kill his people... and loose the plague on everything he ever fought to protect. And all these crusading heroes, with all their epic gear and all their good intentions and all their nobility and all that horses***, flood into the far north... and he's pretty much there to reel 'em in.
Teaser trailer:
- The Lich King: In the end, all that awaits you is death. Only then will you understand - you've been following in my footsteps all along.
Final battle:
- The Lich King yells: No question remains unanswered. No doubts linger. You are Azeroth's greatest champions! You overcame every challenge I laid before you. My mightiest servants have fallen before your relentless onslaught, your unbridled fury... Is it truly righteousness that drives you? I wonder.
- The Lich King yells: You trained them well, Fordring. You delivered the greatest fighting force this world has ever known... right into my hands -- exactly as I intended. You shall be rewarded for your unwitting sacrifice.
- The Lich King begins to cast a resurrection spell.
- The Lich King yells: Watch now as I raise them from the dead to become masters of the Scourge. They will shroud this world in chaos and destruction. Azeroth's fall will come at their hands -- and you will be the first to die.
- The Lich King laughs.
- The Lich King yells: I delight in the irony.
The Lich King's arrogance and flair for the dramatic were pieces of the old Arthas. They weren't the good parts of his personality - those had been lost - but they were parts of him nonetheless. They are what drove the Lich King to act the way he did throughout WotLK.
Conclusions:
- Kil'jaeden destroyed Ner'zhul's body and affixed his soul to the Helm of Domination, which granted him incredible powers. He sealed the helm inside the Frozen Throne.
- Arthas shattered the Frozen Throne and put the helm on his head, allowing Ner'zhul's spirit into his mind.
- Inside this shared consciousness were Arthas (the death knight), Ner'zhul (the orc), and Matthias (a manifestation of what little good remained in Arthas after Frostmourne took his soul). Arthas spent several years reflecting on his life, then destroyed Matthias.
- Once Matthias was gone, Ner'zhul expressed his desire to become "one glorious being", neither Arthas nor Ner'zhul. Arthas destroyed him as well. "No we. No one tells me what to do. I've got everything I need from you -- now the power is mine and mine alone. Now there is only I. I am the Lich King. And I am ready."
- Arthas cut out his heart. Those who touched it could speak with an echo of Matthias, but as Tirion says after seeing the heart, "Only shadows from the past remain. There's nothing left to redeem!"
- Arthas held back the Scourge, not because there was still good left in him, but because he was intent on testing and corrupting Azeroth's greatest heroes before he unleashed his counterattack.
- Arthas' plan was moments from success when it was foiled by the unexpected destruction of Frostmourne. After being rendered helpless by thousands of vengeful souls, Arthas was slain.
- Bolvar Fordragon gained the power once wielded by Arthas (and Ner'zhul before him) by having the Helm of Domination placed on his head.
Thus:
Ner'zhul — First Lich King; after the end of Beyond the Dark Portal to the end of The Frozen Throne- Ner'zhul /
Arthas Menethil / Matthias Lehner — Dormant Lich King; from the end of The Frozen Throne to the opening of Wrath of the Lich King - Arthas Menethil — Second Lich King; from the beginning of Wrath of the Lich King until its end
- Bolvar Fordragon — Third Lich King; from the end of Wrath of the Lich King and into Cataclysm
Egrem (talk) 06:04, 1 November 2010 (UTC)
- Am I correct in thinking that you think that in the stead of Arthas' good side (that previously manifested itself as Matthias Lehner), the Arthas that was holding the Scourge back was the pride of the original Arthas? This prideful facet of the Lich King, and that facet's plan, have been known since before WotLK was announced. By infusing the obvious into the erratic, you have likely figured out the jist of this.
- However, it is not certain that what you have presented is necessarily the case in all instances. You say that Uther was using "Arthas" to refer to the man he and Jaina knew, but if the bit of "Arthas" in the Lich King was not the good parts of his personality, the man that Jaina cared about (going into way off-topic territory), then why would she care all choked up like that? If he was not the original Arthas with some good in him, then why would he become the touchy-feely "Father? Is it... over?" Arthas, seen in his death cinematic (no way that was just cold pride)? Even with all goodness in him removed, is Arthas as the Lich King still an emotional
pussysoftie?
- Also, there was another Lich King between the entities that you have dubbed the "First" and the "Dormant" Lich Kings. It was a fusion of Ner'zhul and Arthas that was strongly implied by TFT, and then confirmed by several Blizzard representatives and developers (and by his cameo in the original Naxx). Arthas: Rise of the Lich King also confirms what TFT presented... before immediately contradicting it. They were "one glorious being," but then the somehow split into three, reminisced, argued about it (with stabbing), and then got replaced by the "Arthas (minus good)" entity.--SWM2448 22:38, 1 November 2010 (UTC)
- Yes, I believe the "piece of Arthas" that held back the Scourge wasn't anything good, but rather that part of him that wanted to see other heroes follow in his footsteps.
- I think Jaina was getting choked up because she refused to believe that. She couldn't accept that the Arthas she loved was gone, despite evidence to the contrary. She kept saying things like "maybe I can reason with him" and "maybe there's still hope", despite Uther's protests. After facing Arthas, Jaina realizes her mistake. "Forgive me, heroes. I should have listened to Uther. I... I just had to see for myself. To look into his eyes one last time. I am sorry. We now know what must be done."
- When Frostmourne took Arthas' soul, he lost most of his compassion and humanity. Matthias was described as the "last dregs" of those things. When Arthas slew him, it said Frostmourne was "all but singing at having claimed the final piece of Arthas’s soul". It stands to reason that Arthas's soul was released with the others when Frostmourne was broken. That's why he spoke to his father as he did - he regained his humanity in those last few moments before he died.
- With regard to the fused Lich King... I think that was retconned. The last scene in TFT shows Arthas going to sleep, and the first scene in WotLK shows him waking up, years later (still frozen in the same position). The dream in RotLK fills in that period. At the end of it (which would be immediately prior to the start of WotLK), Ner'zhul is urging Arthas to finally complete their merger.
- "We are one, Arthas. Together, we are the Lich King. No more Ner'zhul, no more Arthas—only this one glorious being."
- We all thought they did exactly that at the end of TFT. That certainly seemed to be Blizzard's original plan - we were presented with such a Lich King in MoM and Naxx-60, and some CMs said the Lich King was a fusion of Arthas and Ner'zhul (they likely hadn't read the book). The decision to take Ner'zhul out of the picture and focus on Arthas probably wasn't made until relatively recently (when RotLK was being written and WotLK was being developed). Egrem (talk) 23:30, 1 November 2010 (UTC)