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To whomever shall read this,
The third legion invasion into Azeroth is upon us, and the battle has focused upon the Broken Isles. Under the guide of the Kirin-Tor we have been working to recover the “Pillars of Creation”. Yet these trials have seen us doing nothing more than work as emissaries, settling border disputes and age old rivalries. The only minor instance where we have ACTUALLY faced against the legion was in Azsuna, and even then the Court of Farondis is more occupied by the Naga than this.
We have yet to make a legitimate strike against our enemy, consistently clashing with the cannon fodder the Legion always seems to accumulate. The Naga, the Vrykul, the Drogbar, the Nightborn, The Satyr; all take up our time and resources while the legion itself kicks back and continues to place their full plans and forces into effect uninterrupted. We have been all over these isles, even infiltrating Suramar City with the Nightfallen…but one place we have yet to look is the closest among us.
Straight below the City of Dalaran lays the Broken Shores, the site of the first clash with the Legion. Be it out of shame or ignorance, the leaders of the Horde and Alliance have yet to go back to face the real threat. Only a small Illidari force lays on the island, and even that is nothing more than a scouting camp. Various interactions with the isles are touch and go among class orders, but nothing substantial.
So I decided for my trial of service, I would make the first step, and by the Mandate, lay the foundation of our return to the Broken Shore. I did not go alone, accompanying me was the Death Knight Jorlkal who too just began her final Trial of Service to the Grim.
`Mai’Kull Fireweaver
*Scribbled on the map are various markings made by the Archmage, depicting key locations, such as Flightpath, Demon Locations, Gunship Wreck Locations, and the Hideout of the Warlock Drak’Thul*((Right Click and select “View Image in new Tab for larger picture))
We began our journey at the remains of the crashed Alliance Gunship, the thing was a complete wreck, nothing of note or worth was recovered from this pile of junk. Just east of here was an abandoned Murloc camp built outside of a cavern. It is just out of view and influence of the Legion, and could support a strike force for shelter and command center.
We made our way south around the shoreline, where we happened upon an Orc in a makeshift camp. He was very dismissive of us, but after some digging, I discovered THIS orc was none other than Drak’Thul, a Warlock of the former Stormreaver Clan that served under the origional Gul’dan. Clearly he has no connection to this new Gul’dan, else he would already be at his side. He is simply an old, senile and delusional Orc. I was able to recover a Relic of his, but that was not enough to bring life back into the old Orc.
What I find odd, is when I returned with the relic I found maps of the Broken Isles witin the Orc’s encampment. Several markings were made on these maps, but before I could study them, Drak’thul hid them away. I don’t know who this Warlock is working for, but I do feel further investigation is in order to find out what he is up too.
Scattered across the Broken Shore are some of the most prominent generals and commanders to the Legion, each making their own establishment among the terrain. I counted 16 initial Demons, and most of them we have defeated or killed previously. Some are returning from the previous Invasion; others are Demons we have faced on the broken isles themselves, meaning they have a VERY fast recuperation rate. This proves the testament of our own intel that we cannot simply “Caveman” our way through this campaign. The Legion is unending in our realm, the only way to truly be rid of these demons is to kill them in their own world, or cut off their access to our ours for good.
Below is a list of these Demons, ones who were previously encountered, and believed to be defeated, yet they stand ever vigilant for orders on the Broken Shore. Their locations are marked on the map, should verification be required.
(1) Kathra’Natir
Kathra'Natir was a dread lord who was banished by Alodi, the first Guardian of Tirisfaland the Council of Tirisfal, over 3000 years ago. He resurfaced during the 3rd Legion Invasion, found to be trapped within the Archmage Meryl Felstorm. Free and armed with the knowledge of the mage, the Demon possessed the Kirin-Tor Archmage Vargoth and attempted to recover the Nightborn Soulstone, an artifact said to have the power to control countless people. The Tirisgarde (Mages Guild) was able to stop this demon, and we THOUGHT we had trapped the Demon within the soul stone, rendering it useless to us. Clearly we were wrong…
(2) Varudis
Varudis is a dread lord who made his first appearance during the Battle of the Broken Shore. Little is known about him, and I hope he doesn’t get the chance to make any history in our world either.
(3) Gorgonnash
Little is known about Gorgonnash as well. There are minor reverences to a Pit-Lord of the same name during the 3rd War, but nothing confirming this is the same one. However, given the return of several other old “friends” I believe it could very well be the same.
(4) Baelinar
Another new, fairly unknown dread lord that has appeared within the 3rd Invasion.
(5) Anostronoth
Another new, fairly unknown dread lord that has appeared within the 3rd Invasion.
(6) Arkethrax
An Eredar Commander in the Felblaze Ingress, He was fallen by several adventurers who halted the Legions advance from Suramar into Aszuna. Noted by Marius Felbane to be “a creature of cunning evil”
(7) Hakkar the Houndmaster
Hakkar was one of the primary lieutenants of the Burning Legion. He was the first member of the Legion to set foot upon Azeroth through the well of Eternity. Hakkar is one of the many demons summoned by Gul'dan in front of the Tomb of Sargeras to attack the forces of Azeroth at the Battle of the Broken Shore. Hakkar's primary weapon was a whip which could be used to summon a seemingly limitless supply of felhounds to do Hakkar's bidding, all of whom are immune to most magic. Hakkar was allegedly killed within the Violet Hold by the Unseen Path (Hunters Guild). Hakkar also has a breeding pit for his felhounds within Faronnar.
(8) Dantalionax
Dantalionax is a dread lord who was manipulating the spirits within Black Rook Hold. Many adventurers, including myself have ventured within the Hold to free the tormented spirits, and defeated this demon. Though we obviously failed to ensure the demons demise, our efforts to free the Highborn spirits were not in vain.
(9) Lady Sacrolash
One of Two Sisters, first encountered under the command of Kil’jaeden during the Siege of the Sunwell by the Shattered Sun Offensive. Scarolash is never without her sister, and fights akin to that of a Shadow Priest or Affliction Warlock. When one sister falls, she will be absorbed by the surviving sister to increase their power. There is rumor however that some of the Council of the Black Harvest (Warlock Guild) are able to summon the power of Sacrolash briefly.
(10) Grand Warlock Aythess
One of Two Sisters, first encountered under the command of Kil’jaeden during the Siege of the Sunwell by the Shattered Sun Offensive. Aythess is never without her sister, and fights akin to that of a Destruction Warlock. When one sister falls, she will be absorbed by the surviving sister to increase their power. There is rumor however that some of the Council of the Black Harvest (Warlock Guild) are able to summon the power of Aythess briefly.
(11) Brutallus
Brutallus is another Pit-Lord from the Siege of the Sunwell. If memory serves me correct, he was a Giant beast we barely managed to kill after it got into a fight (And won) against a member of the Blue Dragonflight. I’m sure once enraged he will return to his Gargantuan size. He has blades for hands, and prefers “Squishing” things up close and personal.
(12) Azoran
Another Eredar Commander faced recently by adventures within the Broken Isles. Azoran was a commander aboard the Legion Citadel “Lightbreaker” stationed at Felsoul Hold, just outside of Suramar.
(13) Lord Hel’Nurath
A Dread lord from our past. Warlocks are said to have performed a ritual to summon this Demon in Dire Maul. Defeating him granted them the ability to summon the Dread steed.
(14) Imp Mother Fecunda
An…ugly ass demon, found in Azsuna. She is killed after the Nightwatchers enlist Adventurers to siege Legion Forces in Faronaar. As the name suggests, she is surrounded and continuously summons Fel Imps to her.
(15) Malinoth
Another Pit-Lord summoned by Gul’Dan. There are faint records that the blood of this Pit Lord can be used to traverse the Twisted Nether, but I cannot find any validity to these claims.
(16) Oublion
Oublion is a Jailer who was manipulating the Makrura, off the Shores of Azsuna. Reports claim adventurers killed this demon, and the beasts under its control. Yet another prime example of wasted effort…
Next leads me to why they are here, and what they have to guard. Pictured above is what is known as a Soul Engine. More of these buildings are popping up around Legion Controlled camps in the Broken Isles Such as Felsoul Hold, and Faronaar. Their main purpose is to collect the souls of enslaved victims and transfer them into power for their warfront. Be it opening and maintaining portals, or powering their massive citadels.
However, the Soul Engine we discovered in the Black City…has no one. No guards, no slaves, yet it is still active. I believe this location was a test, to see if they could tap into the Ley Lines, and use the near infinite source of magic beneath the earth to power the Legion Portals, that test succeeded and now they are implementing them elsewhere.
Anyone who has worked with the Nightfallen in Shal’aran, know of the power of the Ley-Lines. Nightborn have near perfected the art of manipulating them. Suramar is built on ancient Ley-Lines, and arcane coils in the tunnel system run beneath Suramar and the surrounding areas which tap into those Ley-Lines power. Since the creation of the Nightwell, the Ley-Lines have become redundant and the arcane coils abandoned, so they are ripe for the picking, and makes the Nightfallen’s actions undetectable for the time being. There are also unearthed Ley-Lines under the Ley-Ruins of Zarkhenar in Azsuna.
So the places Ley-Lines are more prevalent, the Legion (who has been all for manipulating others to do their dirty work for them) comes out in force to secure these sites. Coincidence? Not that enslaving people is off the table for them, however using the Ley-Lines which have been sitting idle, and unguarded is a more stable source of magic, with less work and risk on their part.
If we are going to cut off their power source, we have to cut off their access to the Ley-Lines and destroy the soul engines. My research has found that during the War of the Ancients, the Legion did use Ley-Lines in a similar fashion, however, the Highborn crafted something called “Sarcen Stone” which was used to redirect Ley-Lines and draw power away from the Legion's portals.
The Blue Dragonflight once had access to something called “Arcanomicon”, it was a magical database charting Ley-Lines all across Azeroth, a pet project of Lord Malygos. If it survived his downfall, and we can locate it, it would help us to chart the Ley-Lines in Suramar, to be able to cut off the feeds to the Soul Engine, similar to damming up a river and digging a ditch to re-direct the water flow.
Our final destination was the Temple of Elune, now known as the Tomb of Sargeras. Many people have sought entrance into this temple. Some of the most fabled artifacts of power are said to be housed within. Eye of Sargeras, which was destroyed during, or after the 3rd war was one of these artifacts. Jeweled Scepter of Sargeras is supposedly in the hands of the Council of the Black Harvest. So what’s in there they they could want so bad?
During the War of the Ancients, the Burning Legion attempted to open a second portal besides the one at the Well of Eternity in the temple in order to attack the highborn on two fronts. The Pillars of Creation were used by the highborn to close the portal and put several seals on the temple. Which means, aside from the Nightwell in Suramar that the Legion controls, there is another well inside the temple, capable of opening a portal greater than the one used in the War of the Ancients. And again, while we are piddling around with emissary fetch quests, Gul’dan and his minions are working away.
We tried to gain access to the temple, but it is protected. Almost like the magic seen with the Eye of the Litch King, except it is without physical manifestation. The closer you get to the temple; your life force seems to just be sucked out of your body. No manner of mechanism or magic can stop this siphoning. The entrance to the Temple holds a large portal. It’s unknown if this leads to the key Legion realm, or into the Heart of the Temple itself. I do intend to go back and continue my attempts to breach the Tomb’s walls.
We were rescued by a small Illidari force that makes camp in the Northwestern Isle, but they are not pressing forward onto the island yet, and were not too keen to share details with us as to their plans.
There is still much to be done, much to be explored and discovered, and much more fighting ahead of us. I’ll continue my research, and hope that my work can help bring the will of the mandate to the Burning Legion, and all who serve it. In my research I have neglected my training, and overexerted my brain. For now, I shall rest and when the horizon catches flame once more, I shall rise and continue my campaign, to bring peace through annihilation!
`Respectfully
Mai’Kull Fireweaver
The Maleficar