The Lich King

[Bradford]

Can anyone tell me the origins of the Lich Kings armor? Did Ner'zhul sport this armor in War2? The lore that I read on the offical site says that Kil'Jaden encased Ner'Zhul in a block of the crystal ice found only in the twisted nether. I know all thats left is his armor ,and Arthas sports that now, but what happened to his body? Also, at what point did Kil'Jaden snatch Ner'zhul up and imprison him? The last I can remember is that he was opening all sorts of portals on Dreanor, which lead to its demise, but when did he put him in the ice, and why did he do so? What did Kil'Jaden have to gain from keeping Ner'Zhul alive? Gul'Dan was far more powerful and had more to offer. Again, how did putting him in Ice make him soooo strong?

[Kenzuki]

Can anyone tell me the origins of the Lich Kings armor? Did Ner'zhul sport this armor in War2? The lore that I read on the offical site says that Kil'Jaden encased Ner'Zhul in a block of the crystal ice found only in the twisted nether. I know all thats left is his armor ,and Arthas sports that now, but what happened to his body? Also, at what point did Kil'Jaden snatch Ner'zhul up and imprison him? The last I can remember is that he was opening all sorts of portals on Dreanor, which lead to its demise, but when did he put him in the ice, and why did he do so? What did Kil'Jaden have to gain from keeping Ner'Zhul alive? Gul'Dan was far more powerful and had more to offer. Again, how did putting him in Ice make him soooo strong?


All you really need to know.

The Birth of the Lich King

Ner'zhul and his followers entered the Twisting Nether, the ethereal plane that connects all of the worlds scattered throughout the Great Dark Beyond. Unfortunately Kil'jaeden and his demonic minions were waiting for them. Kil'jaeden, who had sworn to take vengeance on Ner'zhul for his prideful defiance, slowly tore the old shaman's body apart, piece by piece. Kil'jaeden kept the shaman's spirit alive and intact, thus leaving Ner'zhul painfully aware of his body's gross dismemberment. Though Ner'zhul pleaded with the demon to release his spirit and grant him death, the demon grimly replied that the Blood Pact they had made long ago was still binding, and that Ner'zhul still had a purpose to serve.

The orcs' failure to conquer the world for the Burning Legion forced Kil'jaeden to create a new army to sow chaos throughout the kingdoms of the Azeroth. This new army could not be allowed to fall prey to the same petty rivalries and infighting that had plagued the Horde. It would have to be merciless and single-minded in its mission. This time, Kil'jaeden could not afford to fail.

Holding Ner'zhul's spirit helpless in stasis, Kil'jaeden gave him one last chance to serve the Legion or suffer eternal torment. Once again, Ner'zhul recklessly agreed to the demon's pact. Ner'zhul's spirit was placed within a specially crafted block of diamond-hard ice gathered from the far reaches of the Twisting Nether. Encased within the frozen cask, Ner'zhul felt his consciousness expand ten thousand-fold. Warped by the demon's chaotic powers, Ner'zhul became a spectral being of unfathomable power. At that moment, the orc known as Ner'zhul was shattered forever, and the Lich King was born.

Ner'zhul's loyal death knights and Shadowmoon followers were also transformed by the demon's chaotic energies. The wicked spellcasters were ripped apart and remade as skeletal liches. The demons had ensured that even in death, Ner'zhul's followers would serve him unquestioningly.

When the time was right, Kil'jaeden explained the mission for which he had created the Lich King. Ner'zhul was to spread a plague of death and terror across Azeroth that would snuff out human civilization forever. All those who died from the dreaded plague would arise as the undead, and their spirits would be bound to Ner'zhul's iron will forever. Kil'jaeden promised that if Ner'zhul accomplished his dark mission of scouring humanity from the world, he would be freed from his curse and granted a new, healthy body to inhabit.

Though Ner'zhul was agreeable and seemingly anxious to play his part, Kil'jaeden remained skeptical of his pawn's loyalties. Keeping the Lich King bodiless and trapped within the crystal cask assured his good conduct for the short term, but the demon knew that he would need to keep a watchful eye on him. To this end, Kil'jaeden called upon his elite demon guard, the vampiric dreadlords, to police Ner'zhul and ensure that he accomplished his dread task. Tichondrius, the most powerful and cunning of the dreadlords, warmed to the challenge; he was fascinated by the plague's severity and the Lich King's unbridled potential for genocide.


And that's the story.

[Timolas]

Hehe; kinda ironic. The Scourge was supposed to be free of infighting that plagued the Horde, but we end up with 3 different undead factions, the Forsaken and Dreadlord Insurgents and the Scourge. :p Order is not really a Legion thing is it.

[Kenzuki]

Hehe; kinda ironic. The Scourge was supposed to be free of infighting that plagued the Horde, but we end up with 3 different undead factions, the Forsaken and Dreadlord Insurgents and the Scourge. :p Order is not really a Legion thing is it.

The Dreadlord Insurgents were absorbed back into the forsaken and scourge. Also, to the Lich King the Forsaken are merely lost sheep that will soon be brought back into the fold. But hey, the Scourge did what the Horde could not.

[Timolas]

Yep they did :)
The Dreadlord Insurgents do remain actually... Balnazzar endures :D

[Kenzuki]

Yep they did :)
The Dreadlord Insurgents do remain actually... Balnazzar endures :D

Balnazzar doesn't control the Undead now does he?

[wushui]

Balnazzar doesn't control the Undead now does he?

Yup but the cunning Varimathras is working behind the scenes in the Forsaken faction. I doubt he actually submitted to the Banshee Queen as evident by Balnazzar's survival.

[Vicious]

Yup but the cunning Varimathras is working behind the scenes in the Forsaken faction. I doubt he actually submitted to the Banshee Queen as evident by Balnazzar's survival.

It´s a grey area, we don´t know exactly the loyalties of Varimathras, he did killed Detheroc.

[Ersinus]

He helped kill Detheroc, but he didnt kill him.

[Timolas]

Balnazzar CONTROLLED undead, but he doesn't now. Anyway, as long as the Forsaken survive the Scourge is splintered.

[Bradford]

Balnazzar is dead too. I killed him last night in my search of the orbs for my enchanting mats. Im the new hero!!!! Add Bradford to the list of adventurers that will kill Sergeras soon!!!

[Vicious]

He helped kill Detheroc, but he didnt kill him.


So?

It would prove his betrayal to his brothers.

[Kenzuki]

So?

It would prove his betrayal to his brothers.

Then explain why Balnazzar lives when Varimathras obviously "killed him" right in front of Sylvanas. I doubt he could fake it by himself.

[Kaziel]

Varimathras is a gray area because we aren't really sure how Balnazzar survived his "death" at the hands of his traitorous brother.

First option (least likely) is that a Dreadlord cannot kill another Dreadlord. The rule of "A Nathrezim will not kill another Nathrezim." is actually a time twisted version of the truth, and Varimathras was the first to break this rule in many years.

Second is that Varimathras and Balnazzar planned for contingencies, and Varimathras submitted to Sylvannas so that he could "kill" Balnazzar. Of course this plan has the huge flaw of that Sylvannas was the one who ordered Varimathras to kill Balnazzar. Hinging the whole plan for their survival on that Sylvannas would have Varimathras kill Balnazzar sounds a lot more risky than I would imagine a Dreadlord would do.

Final option (and most likely, IMO) is that Balnazzar faked his death independant of Varimathras. For example, he created a doppleganger when he saw the battle against Sylvannas and the Alliance Remnant was going badly, and used the confusion of battle to escape. Sylvannas caught the fake Balnazzar, and had Varimathras slay him, while the real one used his "death" as a chance to move about undetected, and eventually took command of the Scarlet Crusade.

And while I doubt it will, I'm hoping that Naxxramas will clear up how he survived his death. Would kinda be cool if Balnazzar bust in during your fight with Kel'Thuzad and helped you fight him. :O

[Vicious]

Varimathras is a gray area because we aren't really sure how Balnazzar survived his "death" at the hands of his traitorous brother.

Exactly, we don´t have enough information from either character on what really happened there.

And while I doubt it will, I'm hoping that Naxxramas will clear up how he survived his death. Would kinda be cool if Balnazzar bust in during your fight with Kel'Thuzad and helped you fight him.

Again?

I think we got him for good in the Scarlet bastion, he was kinda pissed when he killed him.

[Kenzuki]

Varimathras is a gray area because we aren't really sure how Balnazzar survived his "death" at the hands of his traitorous brother.

First option (least likely) is that a Dreadlord cannot kill another Dreadlord. The rule of "A Nathrezim will not kill another Nathrezim." is actually a time twisted version of the truth, and Varimathras was the first to break this rule in many years.

Second is that Varimathras and Balnazzar planned for contingencies, and Varimathras submitted to Sylvannas so that he could "kill" Balnazzar. Of course this plan has the huge flaw of that Sylvannas was the one who ordered Varimathras to kill Balnazzar. Hinging the whole plan for their survival on that Sylvannas would have Varimathras kill Balnazzar sounds a lot more risky than I would imagine a Dreadlord would do.

Final option (and most likely, IMO) is that Balnazzar faked his death independant of Varimathras. For example, he created a doppleganger when he saw the battle against Sylvannas and the Alliance Remnant was going badly, and used the confusion of battle to escape. Sylvannas caught the fake Balnazzar, and had Varimathras slay him, while the real one used his "death" as a chance to move about undetected, and eventually took command of the Scarlet Crusade.

And while I doubt it will, I'm hoping that Naxxramas will clear up how he survived his death. Would kinda be cool if Balnazzar bust in during your fight with Kel'Thuzad and helped you fight him. :O

Yeah, cause a five man boss is really going to be helpful vs a being that is stronger than C'Thun or Nefarion lol.

[Vicious]

Yeah, cause a five man boss is really going to be helpful vs a being that is stronger than C'Thun or Nefarion lol.

The instances don´t really reflect the character´s power IMO.

Now way 5 guys could clean everyone in the Dead Mines and kill Vancleef in 1 hour.....same for pretty much every instance in WOW.

[Kaziel]

Again?

I think we got him for good in the Scarlet bastion, he was kinda pissed when he killed him.Hey, we thought he was dead before, didn't we...

[Kenzuki]

Doesn't Anyone stay dead anymore? - King Arthas.