Vindicaar

The Vindicaar (pronounced VIN-di-kar) is a space-faring vessel, similar in design to the naaru dimensional ships, created by the draenei of the Exodar in order to return to their homeworld of Argus. The vessel would go on to take part in the Argus Campaign against the Burning Legion, in which it acted as headquarters for the mortal forces.

The ship can maintain instant connections to various nearby and distant locations at a given time through the use of Lightforged beacons. The Vindicaar is also equipped with powerful defensive shields, as well as offensive air-to-surface weaponry.

Currently, the Vindicaar has come under the control of the Army of the Light, who use the vessel as their primary base after the Xenedar's destruction, and who have since joined the Alliance.

Development
Preparations to make the Vindicaar operational first began immediately following the Battle for the Exodar, during the third invasion of the Burning Legion, when the demons led by High General Rakeesh almost seized control of the draenei capital. These efforts were ordered directly by Prophet Velen, and overseen and handled by Grand Artificer Romuul. The Exodar itself had long been crippled by the crash that brought the draenei to Azeroth many years ago, and so its restoration was not an option.

The Vindicaar's development would become a massive objective for the draenei. According to Velen himself: "Every spare moment, every resource, has gone toward the birth of a new vessel." As it finally neared completion, the need for such a ship became dramatically apparent, as a rift in the skies above Azeroth opened and connected it to the demon planet of Argus in the wake of Kil'jaeden's death. It was quickly decided that an all-out assault on Argus would be the key to finally bringing an end to the war against the Burning Legion, and that the Vindicaar would take the role of spearheading this attack.

Shadows of Argus


In preparation for the journey to Argus, forces from across Azeroth, including the Alliance and Horde, converged on Azuremyst Isle to form an assault force. Light's Heart was also brought on board the Vindicaar at this time, and many key figures such as Illidan Stormrage, Archmage Khadgar, Vereesa Windrunner, Lady Liadrin and more arrived to take part in the coming campaign. The decided upon a plan of attack involved the Vindicaar rendezvousing with the Army of the Light on board the Xenedar upon reaching Argus itself, and from there launch a united offensive against Sargeras's forces.

, arriving above the region of Krokuun a short while later. Events quickly began to spiral out of control, however, as the Xenedar, upon also arriving at the meeting point, was devastated by a barrage from heavy Legion artillery, and crashed into the Argussian landscape. Desperate to prevent the same from happening to the Vindicaar, the forces on board launched an immediate assault on the demonic positions below, ultimately succeeding in neutralizing their long-range artillery in the area.

With the ship temporarily safe from destruction, the mortal champions began to secure the area, foremost by reestablishing contact with the Army of the Light. Throughout the remainder of the Argus Campaign, the Vindicaar would serve as a mobile base and launching point for operations across Argus, eventually traveling to the Antoran Wastes and Mac'Aree regions. Early in the battle, the former main weapon from the Xenedar known as Light's Judgment was successfully salvaged and installed on the Vindicaar, providing formidable firepower in the fight against the Legion.

Battles and other operations would continue to be launched across Argus, and almost every base on the ground remained connected to the Vindicaar through various Lightforged beacons; using the Navigation Console in the Vindicaar itself could allow instant travel to any such beacons anywhere on Argus. The vessel also rapidly became the home of the Army of the Light survivors, as well as elements of the Argussian Reach faction of broken.

As the command ship for the invading mortal forces, the Vindicaar would come under heavy fire from Legion artillery in most locations on Argus (particularly the Antoran Wastes) though its shields were able to prevent serious damage. In charge of maintaining these defenses, Grand Artificer Romuul also ordered the recovery of a specific variety of crystal from the ancient constructs scattered around Mac'Aree, which were vital to these efforts.



Velen and his allies would ultimately work to reassemble the ancient eredar artifact known as the Crown of the Triumvirate, believing its power to be vital in the Legion's defeat. Once all pieces were recovered and the relic restored in the Vindicaar's bridge,, the old purple color of its hull replaced with a holy gold. At this stage, all was now prepared for the final assault on the Burning Legion's main base of Antorus, the Burning Throne, and the last struggle to end Sargeras's Crusade.

Turalyon and Alleria would lead the main assault of the Army of the Light on the ground, while the Vindicaar itself provided fire support and transport from the skies above Antorus. Light's Judgement was notably used to force entry into some of the fortress's deeper reaches. Ultimately, the mortal heroes would fight their way to the Seat of the Pantheon located in the Great Dark Beyond, where they battled and defeated the world-soul of Argus the Unmaker. All surviving victors (with the exception of Illidan Stormrage) then, as the Titan Pantheon united to permanently imprison Sargeras.

From the vessel the mortals watched as the dark titan, before being dragged to his prison, buried his sword into Azeroth's surface, with the Vindicaar only narrowly avoiding his desperate grasp on its flight. Afterwards, with the threat of the Burning Legion finally defeated, the mortals gathered on board to make closing remarks on the conflict.

Post-Legion
In the wake of the successful campaign on Argus, the Vindicaar remained a base of operations for the Army of the Light. Though their quest to defeat the Legion was now over, the Lightforged draenei of the ship continued to train new recruits (such as the ever-enthusiastic T'paartos) and induct them into the army. Shortly before the commencement of the Fourth War between the Alliance and Horde, High Exarch Turalyon met with King Anduin Wrynn and the other Alliance leaders in the Stormwind City Embassy.

Eager to once more aid his people, Turalyon pledged the loyalty of the Army of the Light, and by extension the Vindicaar, to the Alliance cause. The Lightforged draenei too desired to join their cousins from Azeroth and entered the Alliance as one of its newest allies. Grand Artificer Romuul appeared to have remained on the vessel following the events on Argus, continuing to oversee its maintenance and upkeep, and while most of its other former NPCs, including most of its non-draenei champions and the Argussian Reach emissary, have left the vessel, several old NPCs, including Tassia Whisperglen and Thelbus Wimblenod, have remained, and Vigilant Quoram has even apparently joined the ranks of the Lightforged.

NPCs (Argus Campaign)
{{columns|3|
 * Named
 * {{npc||Turalyon||High Exarch Turalyon|icon=Turalyon}}
 * {{npc||Alleria Windrunner|icon=Alleria}}
 * {{npc||Velen||Prophet Velen|icon=Velen}}
 * {{npc||Illidan Stormrage|icon=Illidan}}
 * {{npc||Khadgar||Archmage Khadgar|icon=Khadgar}}
 * {{npc||Aethas Sunreaver|icon=Aethas}}
 * {{npc||Lady Liadrin|icon=Liadrin}}
 * {{npc||Arator the Redeemer|icon=Arator}}
 * {{npc||Vindicator Boros|icon=Draenei Male}}
 * {{npc||Vereesa Windrunner||icon=Vereesa}}
 * {{npc||Captain Fareeya|The Crescent Glaive|icon=Fareeya}}
 * {{npc||Silgryn|icon=Silgryn}}
 * {{npc||Kal (owl)||Kal|icon=Owl2}}
 * {{npc||Grand Artificer Romuul|icon=Draenei Male}}
 * {{npc||Lothraxion|High Commander|icon=Lothraxion}}
 * {{npc||Toraan the Revered|Argussian Reach Emissary|icon=Broken2 Male}}
 * {{npc||Vindicator Jaelaana|Army of the Light Emissary|icon=Lightforged Female}}
 * {{npc||Adjutant Vortus|War Supplies|icon=Lightforged Male}}
 * {{npc||Grand Vindicator Sorvos||icon=Lightforged Male}}
 * {{npc||Blademaster Telaamon||icon=Lightforged Male}}
 * {{npc||Archmage Y'mera||icon=Lightforged Female}}
 * {{npc||Baraat the Longshot||icon=Lightforged Male}}
 * {{npc||Divinius|Light's Chosen|icon=Draenei Female}}
 * {{npc||Aeqinus|Light's Chosen|icon=Draenei Male}}
 * {{npc||Jost|Light's Chosen|icon=Draenei Male}}
 * {{npc||Santus|Light's Chosen|icon=Draenei Female}}
 * {{npc||Virtos|Light's Chosen|icon=Draenei Female}}
 * {{npc||Heradus|Light's Chosen|icon=Draenei Male}}
 * {{npc||Artificer Shela'na|icon=Draenei Female}}
 * {{npc||Ishanah|Innkeeper|High Priestess Ishanah|icon=Ishanah}}
 * {{npc||Anchorite Lysara|First Aid Trainer|icon=Draenei Female}}
 * {{npc||Thelbus Wimblenod|icon=Gnome Male}}
 * {{npc||Tassia Whisperglen|Stable Master|icon=HighElf Female}}
 * {{npc||Thaumaturge Vashreen|Purveyor of Exquisite Furnishings|icon=Ethereal}}
 * {{npc||Vorel|Master Jewelcrafter|icon=Lightforged Male}}
 * {{npc||Khamir|Master Blacksmith|icon=Lightforged Male}}
 * {{npc||Durael|Repairs|icon=Draenei Male}}
 * {{npc||Enstraa|Master Leatherworker|icon=Lightforged Female}}
 * {{npc||Khaela|Master Tailor|icon=Lightforged Female}}
 * {{npc||Maras|Primal Sargerite Trader|icon=Draenei Male}}


 * Units
 * {{npc||Exodar Artificer||icon=Draenei Male|icon2=Draenei Female}}s
 * {{npc||Exodar Vindicator||icon=Draenei Male|icon2=Draenei Female}}s
 * {{npc||Lightsworn Anchorite||icon=Draenei Male|icon2=Draenei Female}}s
 * {{npc||Wounded Vindicator||icon=Draenei Male|icon2=Draenei Female}}s
 * {{npc||Krokul Guardian||icon=Broken2 Male}}s
 * Draenei bunkers
 * Damaged Warframes

Class orders

 * Illidari
 * Illidari Enforcers


 * Knights of the Ebon Blade
 * Knights of the Ebon Blade


 * Cenarion Circle
 * Tranquil Bloomers


 * Unseen Path
 * Trueshot Rangers


 * Tirisgarde
 * Kirin Tor Invokers


 * Order of the Broken Temple
 * Crane Style Masters
 * Ox Style Masters
 * Tiger Style Masters


 * Knights of the Silver Hand
 * Blood Knights
 * Silver Hand Knights


 * Conclave
 * Draenei Anchorites
 * Hexpriests
 * Priestesses of Elune
 * Shadow Priests


 * Uncrowned
 * Bloodsail Corsairs
 * Uncrowned Peacekeepers


 * Earthen Ring
 * Earthen Ring Shaman


 * Council of the Black Harvest
 * Black Harvest Acolytes

}}
 * Valarjar
 * s
 * s

Current NPCs

 * Named

Inconsistencies
Many character dialogues or gossip texts on the Vindicaar were originally in conflict with established lore, and erroneous. They were developer oversights, as some were confirmed to be and later fixed.
 * For example, Khadgar stated he had not visited "another world" prior to Argus in his gossip text. This was confirmed to be an oversight.
 * Turalyon claimed to be glad to "see again" races such as blood elves, worgen, or pandaren (due to the use of the variable) that he could not possibly have come in contact with before. This too was confirmed to be a mistake.
 * Lady Liadrin stated that the soldiers of the Army of the Light were as long-lived as the elves. Elves only live for around 3,000 years, while normal draenei alone can live for at least 13,000 years, over four times longer. Moreover, soldiers of the Army of the Light were forged in the Light itself and made immortal, so the comparison cannot even stand.
 * Lady Liadrin, similarly to Khadgar, also expressed disbelief that she set foot on another world, when she went to Outland and the alternate Draenor in the past.

Notes and trivia

 * A small area on the lower floor of the Vindicaar features banners and NPCs that change based on the player's class, representing their class order.
 * The ship would play host to the Netherlight Crucible during the Argus Campaign, a forge of Light and Shadow that offered great power to many mortal champions.
 * After the victory in Antorus, the Burning Throne, it appears that many of the Exodar draenei serving on board have chosen to become lightforged and join the Army of the Light, as several NPCs wear the exact same armor and clothing as their counterparts visible during the Argus Campaign, and their names have just changed from (e.g.) "Exodar Vindicator" to "Lightforged Vindicator".
 * After their introduction, the draenei were often derided as looking much like the Protoss from StarCraft. Ironically, the Vindicaar now looks similar to a Protoss mothership. Many elements such as the command bridge with the view on the planet and original homeworld of the blue aliens, where all the major NPCs are situated and where the missions are accessible, as well as the upgrading of the spaceship as the player progresses through the campaign and unlocks new abilities for the ship, and other small details like draenei dragoons and their warframes, the teleportation pylons, the artificer commenting and guiding the technological advancements of the ship, seem to have heavily been inspired from Starcraft II: Legacy of the Void.

Speculation

 * In Year 28, three years before the events of Legion, Vindicator Romnar claimed that the Exodar was a week away from flying again. In Legion, Grand Artificer Romuul was ordered to begin repairs on "the vessel." In Patch 7.3.0, however, the Exodar was stated to have long been crippled by the crash that brought the draenei to Azeroth many years ago. Velen then stated that all resources had gone toward a new vessel, i.e. the Vindicaar. As such, the former statement seems to have in fact been referring to the Vindicaar.
 * The Vindicaar could be a dimensional ship, as it was built from the scraps of one. However, it has not proven to be able to travel between worlds by itself or to warp time and teleport.
 * Some players have speculated why the Alliance did not simply use the Vindicaar to win the Fourth War with its considerable offensive capabilities, as the Lightforged openly participate in the conflict, and especially as it seems to be continually empowered by the Crown of the Triumvirate, which was capable of blasting through formidable Legion defenses. The Lightforged draenei trait of Light's Judgment seems to be a very limited application of the Vindicaar's considerable powers. It is possible that Anduin considered using such tactics dishonorable, perhaps fearing that it would push the Horde to further extremes, or it is also possible that the Vindicaar's resources have its limits, and they have been severely depleted by the Argus Campaign - or that there is a considerable lack of argunite especially after Argus's death, perhaps yet enough to sustain the Vindicaar's propulsion and transport systems, but not enough to sustain its most advanced attack functions.

Gallery

 * Maps