Kanrethad Ebonlocke

Kanrethad Ebonlocke is a powerful human warlock and former leader of the Council of the Black Harvest, a group of like-minded warlocks gathered after the defeat of Deathwing.

Biography
Kanrethad was present, ostensibly as a member of the Alliance, in the battle where Illidan Stormrage was killed during the siege of the Black Temple. Following the battle he shared the secrets of Illidan's transformation with the Council. After Deathwing's downfall, he gathered great warlocks together to form the Council of the Black Harvest and they decided to go after the powers left behind by Ragnaros and Cho'gall, and return in a year's time. He partnered himself with the undead warlock Jubeka Shadowbreaker and together they went to accomplish their mission on Outland.

Travels through Outland
Kanrethad and Jubeka traveled throughout Outland, studying the various demons of the fel-infested land - the fel imps, voidlords, observers, and doomguard - seeking to learn the sources of their power, as well as the secret to how Illidan was able to control them while not being a servant of the Burning Legion. From a captured doomguard in the Blade's Edge Mountains, Kanrethad learned that the doomguard had been servants of the Titans who punished those who worked in sacrificial magics. Near the Hand of Gul'dan, the great fel volcano in the center of Shadowmoon Valley, Kanrethad revealed his ultimate intention - to possibly become a demonic entity himself, recognizing that it came with incredible risk. He recognized that Jubeka feared that he would do to Azeroth what Gul'dan had done to Draenor, the world Outland had once been; he revealed that he had chosen Jubeka as his companion because if he failed, she would have to banish him forever.

Apotheosis and banishment
Kanrethad and Jubeka returned to the Black Temple, evading the Ashtongue Deathsworn under Akama who had reclaimed the temple after Illidan's death. Entering the Shrine of Lost Souls, Kanrethad recognized it as the power source that allowed Illidan to control demons without their being corrupted by the fel energies endemic to the Legion, and theorized that it had been originally intended as the power source to replace the Sunwell when Kael'thas Sunstrider and his blood elves aligned with him. Since Illidan's death, it grew in strength and power, waiting to be harnessed. The two warlocks prepared a crystal to absorb the arcane magics within the Shrine, leaving it to do its work when they heard Ashtongue patrols hunting them.

An adventurer who studied warlock magics soon came on their trail, locating a strange book known as the Codex of Xerrath from a creature on the Isle of Thunder in Pandaria. Upon speaking to their warlock trainer, they learned of the Council and its mission after Deathwing's demise, and followed the trail left by Jubeka into the Black Temple. Reclaiming the now-empowered crystal and taking it to the summit, the warlock witnessed the opening of a massive gateway, and from it stepped Kanrethad in a monstrous demonic form, utterly corrupted by absorbing too much fel energy. He declared that the Black Harvest would enslave hordes of demons and destroy anyone who stood against them, on Outland or on Azeroth. The warlock who stood against him used all of the powers at their disposal, taking control of Kanrethad's pit lord minion and using its powers to augment their own. Though Kanrethad's powers were formidable, the warlock perservered long enough for Jubeka to arrive and fulfill Kanrethad's earlier request to banish him. The warlock then absorbed some of the fel magic, corrupting their fire spells into a sickly fel-green.

With Kanrethad defeated, Jubeka brought him to the Altar of Damnation, in the shadow of the Hand of Gul'dan, where she intended to keep him banished forever.

Legionfall
A group known as the Cult of the Green Flame have been lured by Kanrethad's power and seek to be near him at any cost to share in it. From the other side of the cult's portal in Azsuna where they are attempting to undo Kanrethad's banishment, Kanrethad calls out to Jubeka, who has arrived after feeling his presence, telling her not to let the Legion take him for he could not endure such a fate. It is then that Jubeka realizes that some of her friend remains in the demon he has become.

Using crystals stolen from the cult, Jubeka and the rest of the Black Harvest siphon the fel from Kanrethad at the Broken Shore, turning him back into a human. Jubeka gathers the crystals used to absorb Kanrethad's fel energies, for if any were to break then the energy would go right back into him. Still recovering, Kanrethad is brought to the council's new base, Dreadscar Rift. He recognizes the council's new leader, the Netherlord, as the same warlock who he fought at the Black Temple. Assuring the Netherlord that he has no intention of becoming the leader again, Kanrethad asks to serve the Netherlord and the council for there is much they can learn from each other.

Quests

 * Champion: Kanrethad Ebonlocke

Quotes

 * I remember you, . We met long ago within the Black Temple. How could I forget such power?


 * It seems fitting that the council chose you as its leader in my absence.


 * Rest assured, I have no desire to challenge their decision. I owe you my life.


 * Let me serve you and the council. There is much we can learn from each other.


 * Greeting
 * Hello.
 * How can I help?
 * Yes?


 * Pissed
 * What is wrong with you?
 * Surely the leader of the Black Harvest does not have time to waste like this.
 * I am not to be trifled with!
 * Do you really want to wake the demon?
 * Jubeka should have banished you instead!


 * Farewell
 * Safe travels.
 * Farewell.
 * Until next time.

Combat ally

 * Spawn
 * say
 * say
 * say


 * Aggro
 * say
 * say
 * say


 * Killed a mob
 * say
 * say
 * say


 * Defeated
 * say
 * say
 * say

Notes and trivia

 * Kanrethad is the name of former game designer Alexander Brazie's warlock character. He was a game designer who spearheaded the green fire quest chain during Mists of Pandaria.
 * Kanrethad wears the Nemesis Raiment, but with a shirt instead of a full robe.
 * Between Wrath of the Lich King and Mists of Pandaria, there was an orc warlock named Kanrethad and wearing the same gear as the namesake human hidden in the Strand of the Ancients. He had the title of, and was seemingly at one point during Wrath of the Lich King's development stage planned to give a quest to death knight characters which never made it into the official game. It is possible that the character's name and appearance were reworked into the modern Kanrethad.
 * During the Mists of Pandaria beta, the description of the warlock talent Soul Link featured a quote from Kanrethad: "The strongest of bonds is one which shares pain and pleasure equally." This quote, along with most of the others previously seen in the beta, appeared on the abilities of any warlock that completed the Green fire quest chain.
 * Kanrethad is present in the list of words created by the in-game language parser for the Draconic, Draenei and Eredun (Demonic) languages. It is however probably not an actual word.
 * Despite Kanrethad being a Demonology warlock in Mists of Pandaria, studying demons and even becoming one himself, he is Affliction in Legion.
 * Despite being present when Illidan was killed atop the Black Temple, he is not seen in the Legion scenario that depicts the battle from Illidan's point of view.
 * Kanrethad appears as HS Kanrethad Ebonlocke (a legendary card) for the warlock class in the Ashes of Outland expansion for Hearthstone. Upon death, he shuffles back into the player's deck as HS Kanrethad Prime, depicting him in his demonic form. His flavor text reads: "After Illidan's downfall, Kanrethad formed the Council of the Black Harvest to study Illidan's fel magic. Some say he was... green with envy."

Relatives
"Ebonlocke" seems to be a family of some renown within Darkshire, with the town's mayor and head of the militia members of it, as well as a noble ghost in Karazhan. Kanrethad also being an Ebonlocke would seem to imply that he is from Darkshire.