Darion Mograine

Darion Mograine is the leader of the Four Horsemen and the former Highlord of the Knights of the Ebon Blade, an order of death knights which turned renegade after they were freed from the will of the Lich King. The son of Alexandros Mograine, a former knight of the Argent Dawn, he came into possession of the corrupted Ashbringer after his father was murdered by his brother Renault Mograine. Darion used it to kill himself and free his father's soul.

The Lich King then raised him to be the Highlord of Acherus: The Ebon Hold, once again wielding the corrupted Ashbringer. He and his fellow death knights broke free from the Lich King's control in The Light of Dawn (quest) and spearheaded the attack against the Scourge alongside the Argent Crusade during the war against the Lich King. Following Bolvar Fordragon becoming the Jailer of the Damned, Darion continues to lead his knights in keeping all of Azeroth safe, helping the Alliance and Horde stop threats beyond the Scourge.

The Ashbringer
On the day of Darion's birth, he was stillborn. Alexandros, in a hurry, rushed the baby to a nearby stream, and from the freezing water, Darion Mograine entered the world. However, the joy his father felt quickly turned to grief as his wife and mother of his children, Elena, died due to complications from the birth.

In a battle within the plagued city of Stratholme, in which young Darion insisted on fighting, he took a serious wound and fell unconscious for a day. Upon awakening, the boy described his experience as being surrounded by darkness, before being shown a light that he followed back to life.

Following the death of his father, Darion began to question the Light before being confronted by the troll priest, Zabra Hexx. After being counseled by the troll to search out his father in a fortress floating above a burning city, Darion joined the newly formed Order of the Argent Dawn.

With a handful of Argent Dawn volunteers and a mysterious mage known as Castillian, Darion infiltrated the fortress of Naxxramas. After besting the lords of the Necropolis and losing his entire party to the Four Horsemen, the Corrupted Ashbringer came into Darion's possession. The sword's voice led him to the Scarlet Monastery where, unaware of the actual treachery of his brother, Renault Mograine, Darion was attacked by Renault who considered him to be the last link from his past, coming to torture him. The spirit of Alexandros Mograine appeared from the Ashbringer, beheading his traitor son and forgiving him afterward.

Realizing that his father's soul was trapped within the Ashbringer, Darion stole a steed from the Scarlet Crusade and ran away. Fairbanks then visited him in a dream, telling him to go and find Tirion Fordring. Darion followed the ghost's orders and eventually found Tirion, telling him what happened to his father, though only after arguing with the pariah. Afterward, Tirion told him of how he was banished. He told Darion that nothing could be done for Alexandros. When mounting his stead, Tirion told him that only an act of love greater than the act of evil could free his father's soul. Darion then invited him to join the Argent Dawn and despite Tirion's outright refusal, left the option open by asking him to "Be a Hero".

After his meeting with Tirion, Darion ventured to Light's Hope Chapel where he came across a Scourge army waiting to attack. Maxwell Tyrosus, overjoyed at his return, told him about the one thousand souls of the champions that died defending Capital City from Arthas Menethil and the Scourge and were later carried beneath the chapel. Darion took his place in the lines of The Order of the Argent Dawn in defense of the fallen. During the night he experienced a terrible vision about a world without the Light, a world where the Scourge were triumphant. In the morning, a call to arms was made to the soldiers as the First Battle for Light's Hope began. As the tide began to turn against the Argent Dawn, Tirion arrived riding Mirador and managed to save a woman from an abomination as he joined the fray. As it seemed as though the Light-blessed soldiers of the Argent Dawn might prevail, Kel'Thuzad himself joined the battle. Understanding that the Lich King's right hand had appeared, Darion charged forward, wielding the Corrupted Ashbringer as his father had long ago, and fought his way to Kel'Thuzad himself. The lich showed no fear and said that even the Ashbringer was not powerful enough to stop him. At that very same moment, Darion realized what Tirion's words meant. Darion, as an act of love not only for his father but also for the cause they believed in, plunged Ashbringer through his heart with the words "I love you, dad." In response to his noble action, the souls of a thousand vengeful knights erupted in pillars of light that purged the hills around the chapel of all traces of the Scourge. All that remained were the figures of Kel'Thuzad and the undead figure of Darion Mograine, the Corrupted Ashbringer still pierced through his chest.

As Kel'Thuzad stood triumphant, he commented on how he was willing to sacrifice his own forces if it meant claiming the last Mograine's soul. In an eerily similar fashion, he asked Darion, "Who do you love?" Now lifeless in the service of the same force he swore to eliminate, the newly risen death knight pulled out the Corrupted Ashbringer, accompanied by a sickening noise as the blade exited his flesh, and answered back, "No one."

Wrath of the Lich King
Some time later Darion was made Highlord of the Death knights of Acherus, an order of Death Knights with the sole purpose of annihilating the remaining living in the Eastern Plaguelands. He also planned and formulated not only the forces in the Eastern Kingdoms, but also the strategy of the forces of Northrend and the would-be assault on Kalimdor. He gave command to all newly created Death Knights under his authority, orders to aid in the taking of the Eastern Plaguelands in the name of the Lich King from the fortress that is Ebon Hold.

After the crushing of the Scarlet Crusade, the Death Knights of Acherus began preparation for their final assault on Light's Hope Chapel. Darion assembled his most worthy and strongest Death Knights to begin the Second Battle for Light's Hope. There he learned that the Ashbringer would refuse to strike down any foe, and refused to obey his commands. One of his three generals then fled, as he was forced to face the tremendous power of Lights Hope Chapel's consecrated ground. As Tirion arrived, Darion admitted defeat to the superior forces of the combined Silver Hand and Argent Dawn. At that moment, his father's spirit appeared to him briefly, before the Lich King appeared and trapped his soul within Frostmourne. After the Lich King admitted to sending the Death Knights to their doom just to bring Tirion Fordring out of hiding, Darion attempted to attack his master, only to be sent flying. As the Lich King was about to end the Death Knight's life, Darion threw the Corrupted Ashbringer to Tirion who in turn was able to purify it and push the Lich King back with the combined forces of the redeemed blade and the sacred ground.

In response to the Lich King's betrayal, Darion now leads the newly freed Death Knights, now known as the Knights of the Ebon Blade, in a campaign to wipe out the forces loyal to the Lich King from Ebon Hold and establish it as a neutral haven for all Death Knights to call home.

He can be found initially at the Argent Vanguard in Icecrown discussing tactics with Tirion Fordring; after completing The Last Line Of Defense, he moves to an area in the Valley of Echoes near the Light's Breach. During these events he is disguised as The Ebon Watcher.

Darion appears again, this time undisguised, during The Air Stands Still, summoned by the player to fight Underking Talonox in Scourgeholme, and again in the Cathedral of Darkness in Tirion's Gambit, accompanied by Thassarian, Koltira Deathweaver and a group of Ebon Knights.

During the The Fate of Bloodbane Darion leads a group of Knights of the Ebon Blade in fighting Orbaz Bloodbane and his Host of Suffering.

Fall of the Lich King
Tirion Fordring and Darion Mograine next appear together in Icecrown Citadel at Light's Hammer where they lead the Ashen Verdict, a union of the Argent Crusade and the Knights of the Ebon Blade.

He is also involved in the creation of Shadowmourne.

Should a raid member with the Unsealed Chest bring Alexandros' Soul Shard to Darion, he will reunite with his father, the Ashbringer Alexandros Mograine. Alexandros explains that during his time of captivity in Frostmourne, the one memory that allowed him to keep his sanity was Darion's sacrifice. Darion proclaims that for his father, he would give his life "a thousand times". In gratitude, Darion gives the player his personal steed, the Reins of the Crimson Deathcharger.

Warlords of Draenor
Taking the chance to discover the secrets of Ner'zhul for Bolvar's salvation, Darion Mograine has traveled to and can be found in the Lunarfall Inn (Alliance) and the Frostwall Tavern (Horde), offering the quests Shadowy Secrets and Secrets of Soulbinding.

Legion
When Acherus moved to the gates of Icecrown Citadel, Darion wasn't surprised with the Lich King choosing the chosen death knight to be his hand since they know of their exploits. He exclaims that they are not bound to the new Lich King, but he could be a valuable ally to deal with the Burning Legion. It is also in their best interests that the Scourge stay contained. After one of the artifacts are recovered, the Lich King made the death knight who obtained it the Deathlord of the Ebon Blade. Mograine, more than happy to not be wielding yet another fate-altering magical weapon, pledged himself as the first follower under the Deathlord.

The Lich King's voice spoke to the Deathlord, telling them that the time of the Four Horsemen is at hand and they will bring them back into the fold. Darion explains to the Deathlord that the Four Horsemen of Naxxramas were no ordinary death knights, as they were born of pure unholy power gifted from the Lich King to Kel'thuzad. Now this power had been passed onto the Deathlord and he is sure that they will wield it with great conviction.

Nazgrim was the first to be raised as a part of the new Four Horsemen, an act which Darion knew would outrage the Horde. The next Horseman, Thoras Trollbane, was the previous king of the fallen kingdom of Stromgarde. When the third Horsemen was announced, Darion was surprised to learn that it was the Scarlet Crusade fanatic Sally Whitemane. He told the Deathlord that Whitemane was not listed in the annals of history alongside the names of fallen heroes. But despite her madness and zealotry, she held a bond to the Light unmatched by even the greatest paladins. Darion was sure that she would serve the Ebon Blade without compromise.

When the Lich King announced the identity of the last Horseman, Darion was outraged, claiming that the Lich King demanded too much by asking to raise Tirion Fordring. Darion reluctantly obeyed but warned the Deathlord that there would be no redemption for what they were about to do. Furthermore, the Silver Hand would never hand Tirion to them and the blood that they were about to spill would stain their hands forever. Upon reaching Light's Hope Chapel, Darion informs the Deathlord that there's a tomb behind the chapel where the power of the Light is weak. The Deathlord then raised the dead from within the tomb distracting the guards long enough for them to make their way to the chapel. Darion strangulates Maxwell Tyrosus allowing the Deathlord to enter into the paladin order hall and tells them that he and the horsemen would meet them in there. When Liadrin fell before the Deathlord, Darion and the horsemen walked up to the tomb. As Darion passes by Liadrin she calls him a monster to which he sadly responds that "without monsters, there can be no heroes". He then asks the Deathlord to raise Tirion. However, when raising Tirion from his tomb, the Light cancels the channeling knocking the Deathlord across the room, stunning the death knights and ravaging their bodies. Darion, not willing to allow his faction to fall, creates a Death Gate which the horsemen use to retreat back to Acherus, after which he Death Grips the still stunned Deathlord, telling them to take the Death Gate before pushing them through it, saving them from certain death. Unfortunately, Darion himself didn't manage to step through the Death Gate quickly enough, and he was struck down by the power of the Holy Light. Back at Acherus the Deathlord and the three horsemen gather around Darion's body. Nazgrim exclaims that they must do something before Darion is truly lost to them but Whitemane tells him that the Light has completely ravaged Darion's body and that there's nothing that they can do for him. Trollbane then commends Darion's sacrifice, saying that despite having seeing a lifetime of war he had never before seen such a sacrifice. It's then that the Lich King contacts the Deathlord telling them how Darion had sacrificed more for the Ebon Blade than any other and that while his broken and scarred body was now laying in front of them, death was only meant for the living and it had no power over the damned. The last member of the Four Horsemen, was laying before the Deathlord and at their command Darion was raised from the dead once again and ordered by the Lich King to take leadership of the group.

Corrupted Ashbringer
Maxwell Tyrosus together with the Highlord of the Silver Hand arrived to Acherus demanding an audience with the Four Horsemen. Though they weren't nicely welcomed, Maxwell reminded Darion and the other Horsemen that the death knights were indebted to the Order of the Silver Hand for attacking Light's Hope in an attempt to raise Tirion as one of theirs. Agreeing, the Horsemen corrupted the Ashbringer with their energies.

Legionfall
Darion was one of the class order champions who met with Khadgar and Velen at Krasus' Landing to discuss the Pillars of Creation.

Rimefang's Harness appeared in Icecrown Citadel and the Deathlord wanted to retrieve it personally. Minerva Ravensorrow went to scout ahead there to be there to lend a hand. When the Deathlord and Minerva returned, the Knights of the Ebon Blade strategized what to do with the harness. They could utilize its power to bind the spirits of deceased drakes of Daumyr brood. Upon return, the Deathlord made quite the entrance that made the Four Horsemen mount up for battle upon the Broken Shore. Darion proclaims that the Burning Legion will fall and that the Ebon Blade shall strike them down for Azeroth.

Aftermath
When Magni called upon the champions of the Armies of Legionfall to draw the corruption out of the Sword of Sargeras, Darion carried Apocalypse if the player was not a death knight, representing the Knights of the Ebon Blade.

Battle for Azeroth
Under Bolvar's command, Darion and the other other horsemen acquired fallen champions of both the Horde and Alliance, and following its completion witnessed the new generation of death knights being raised. Darion personally sent the new death knights to travel to Orgrimmar if the death knight is Horde or Stormwind if it is Alliance and make a choice from the Hero's Call Board.

We Ride Forth
Believing that Bolvar had fallen to the powers of the Lich King, Darion attempted to kill him. However, Bolvar forcibly controlled the former's body and made him return to Acherus: The Ebon Hold, while taunting him about requiring his fellow horsemen. Though wary of it being a trap, the horsemen agreed to kill the Lich King, and decide who would wield the Helm of Domination after Bolvar was slain. However, en route to Icecrown Citadel, the Four Horsemen, using their connection to the Lich King, discovered him locked in combat with Sylvanas Windrunner, and learned that this was all part of Bolvar's gambit to have the horsemen arrive and kill the winner of the conflict.

Darion was outraged at learning this deception, but privately acknowledged that if he knew of the plan, he would fight to have been there when Sylvanas had arrived. Darion and the others were stunned when Sylvanas won and destroyed the helm instead of claiming ownership of it. With the Scourge no longer under control, Darion ordered Nazgrim and Sally Whitemane to rescue Bolvar, while he and Thoras Trollbane fought to keep Acherus under their control.

Shadowlands
Following the events at Icecrown Citadel, Darion steps down as highlord and passes the mantle to Bolvar Fordragon. Darion led the Ebon Blade's charge alongside an adventurer into the Maw to save the captured leaders of the Horde and Alliance. The Jailer's forces attacked them all at the exit and only the adventurer made it out, with the others including Darion captured.

The adventurer later returned and saved Darion while searching for the soul of a Maldraxxi baron. As it turned out, the baron was none other than Alexandros Mograine. After father and son reunited, they followed the hero out of the Maw. Alexandros returned to Maldraxxus, and Darion can afterward be found in Oribos, alongside Bolvar and the Knights of the Ebon Blade.

As the covenants rallied together to defend Ardenweald from Sylvanas and the Mawsworn, Darion led the Knights of the Ebon Blade in defending Oribos.

Quests
He is involved in the following quests in and around the Ebon Hold:
 * 1) The Might Of The Scourge
 * 2) Report To Scourge Commander Thalanor
 * 3) Victory At Death's Breach!
 * 4) The Will Of The Lich King
 * 5) Scarlet Armies Approach...
 * 6) The Scarlet Apocalypse
 * 7) The Lich King's Command
 * 8) The Light of Dawn (quest)
 * 9) Taking Back Acherus
 * 10) The Battle For The Ebon Hold
 * 11) Where Kings Walk / Saurfang's Blessing

He is involved in the following quests in Icecrown:

He also starts most of the quests:
 * 1) The Sacred and the Corrupt
 * 2) Shadow's Edge (quest)
 * 3) A Feast of Souls
 * 4) Unholy Infusion
 * 5) Blood Infusion (quest)
 * 6) Frost Infusion
 * 7) The Splintered Throne
 * 8) Shadowmourne...
 * 9) The Lich King's Last Stand
 * Personal Property
 * Mograine's Reunion

In Warlords of Draenor, he now offers the following quest from Lunarfall Inn / Frostwall Tavern:
 * 1) Shadowy Secrets
 * 2) Secrets of Soulbinding


 * The Dead and the Damned
 * The Call of Icecrown
 * The Call of Vengeance
 * Return of the Four Horsemen
 * The Firstborn Rises
 * Rise, Champions (death knight)
 * The Ruined Kingdom
 * The King Rises
 * The Scarlet Assault
 * The Zealot Rises
 * The Fourth Horseman
 * Champion: Darion Mograine (quest)
 * A Hero's Weapon (death knight)
 * Making Preparations
 * Return to Acherus
 * The Peak of Bones
 * The Bonemother
 * On Daumyr's Wings
 * We Ride!


 * Mograine's Oath


 * Through the Shattered Sky
 * A Fractured Blade
 * Ruiner's End

Member of the Scourge

 * Greetings
 * "We exist only to serve him."
 * "Ours is not to question, only to act."
 * "His eyes are upon you, at all times!"
 * "The life we had before is meaningless."
 * "Obey, or be eliminated."


 * Farewell
 * "It will be done."
 * "By his command."
 * "The might of the Scourge will not be challenged!"
 * "Go forth and wreak havoc!"
 * "We will scour the living from this world."

Member of the Knights of the Ebon Blade

 * Greetings
 * "We are driven by a single purpose: retribution."
 * "For us there is no peace, no rest."
 * "All is not lost, not yet."
 * "Harness your hate; make it useful."
 * "We know much about sacrifice."


 * Irritated
 * "Dismissed."
 * "One more nuisance I must deal with."
 * "We Mograines aren't known for our restraint."
 * "Patience is a virtue; one I no longer possess."
 * "You are expendable."


 * Farewell
 * "The Knights of the Ebon Blade will not falter."
 * "We will see it through, to the bitter end."
 * "We must forge our own destiny."
 * "A shadow of hope remains."
 * "We are eternal. We are unyielding."

On describing the Ashen Verdict

 * Ready yourself,.
 * The time has come for the Lich King's reign to come to an end.


 * The Ashen Verdict is a select group of the most talented craftsmen in the Ebon Blade and Argent Crusade. Its creation symbolizes the unity of our forces as we mount this final assault on the Lich King and his minions.
 * It is through the Ashen Verdict's efforts that we have discovered how to bend saronite to our will.


 * Speak with, . He can set you on the path.
 * Demonstrate your loyalty and their methods shall be made known to you.

After the Lich King's defeat

 * Where we go from here is unknown, hero. What we do know is that none of this would have been possible without your aid. The Knights of the Ebon Blade salute you.

Warlords of Draenor

 * I will find a way to save Bolvar, if it takes the rest of my days.

Legion

 * The time of apocalypse is upon us once again,.
 * Will you rise to the occasion?


 * "The Four Horsemen of the Ebon Blade are gathered together, but our work has only just begun. The Burning Legion has come to our world hungering for destruction, but we will feed them their own demise. Apocalypse awaits the demon invaders and we shall bring it to them! Deathlord, you have triumphed where no others could have successed. I shall lead the Four Horsemen like my father before me, and so long as I lead them our loyalty is yours! The return of the Four Horsemen is at hand!"

Combat ally

 * say
 * say
 * say

Gossip
The Ebon Blade will prevail.
 * Maw

Suffer well,.
 * Ring of Fates, Oribos initial

, it is good to see you.
 * Oribos later

Do you recognize Penelope? The lovely girl needed a proper name.

Trivia

 * Darion Mograine was first mentioned by High Inquisitor Fairbanks when the Corrupted Ashbringer was brought to the Scarlet Monastery. Fairbanks incorrectly gives Darion's current location as "The Outland", which may hint at a cut questline involving Darion or another son of Alexandros. In the Ashbringer graphic novel, Darion Mograine is the one who brings the sword to the Scarlet Monastery, and, as such, the event is not canon.
 * His deathcharger is called Iydallus and is found at the Argent Vanguard of Icecrown along with Mirador, Tirion's steed.
 * In Icecrown Citadel, the steed beside him is named Fury which was the steed of Salanar the Horseman.
 * He is wearing the Tier 8 Death Knight set. However, in Icecrown Citadel, he is shown wearing the new Death Knight Tier 10.
 * While The Ebon Watcher appears to have orange hair like his father and brother, Darion has blonde hair in the comic. In the quest The Light of Dawn, the younger version of Darion has seemingly dark blonde hair.
 * After Darion gave up the to Tirion Fordring, he dual-wielded two swords with the same model as  and . He has since upgraded to a new weapon, with the same model as the heroic Glorenzelg, High-Blade of the Silver Hand, upon entering the Citadel, and he has kept it up to present time.
 * When introduced in Wrath of the Lich King, he had twice as much health as any of the racial leaders. At a time when most racial leaders 5,578,000 HP, he had 11,156,000 HP.
 * In the Knights of the Frozen Throne expansion for Hearthstone, Darion appears as one of the Four Horsemen that can be summoned by Uther of the Ebon Blade's Hero Power.
 * Darion's TCG art from the Scourgewar set is also used by the Unrelenting Rider boss card during the Gothik the Harvester encounter in Curse of Naxxramas, which was added to the game long before Darion himself.
 * Darion is voiced by Taliesin Jaffe.
 * His generic name in the Maw is Knight of the Ebon Blade.