User:Joshmaul/Artimus Devaneaux/Dead Man's Revenge

At the behest of Saavedro of Stratholme, Baron Artimus Devaneaux now makes war against the Scourge inside Icecrown Citadel itself, after narrowly escaping the wrath of the Lich King in the Halls of Reflection.

The Fight in the Lower Spire
Artimus accompanied Saavedro into the Lower Spire where he confronted and destroyed Lord Marrowgar, watcher of Icecrown Citadel's defenses. After Saavedro was wounded by Lady Deathwhisper, Artimus continued on at the side of Master Taeril'hane Ketiron and his Horde contingent, and destroyed the lich and her acolytes. At the Rampart of Skulls, however, Artimus and Ketiron split - the Master going to join High Overlord Saurfang onboard Orgrim's Hammer, and the Baron going to join Muradin Bronzebeard onboard the Skybreaker. During their first duel, the Skybreaker was forced to fall back due to severe damage caused by the Horde guns, but the Alliance would soon get their revenge in a second duel in the skies near Icecrown Citadel; Orgrim's Hammer had hovered nearby to cover their allies inside the Citadel.

The Skybreaker's Revenge


The Skybreaker, repaired and ready to fight once more, returned to the Citadel to extract its vengeance. Lady Samarrah, the druid leading the Alliance contingent, instructed Artimus and other melee fighters to strap on goblin jetpacks (a prospect that did not appeal to the death knight, who had no wish to have his second death be splatting onto the icy rocks below) and jump across the narrow gap to the deck of Orgrim's Hammer and kill both any Kor'kron battle-mages freezing the ship's guns and any other Kor'kron troops that may impede the progress of the Skybreaker to reach the summit. Remaining onboard throughout, Artimus and his compatriots managed to avenge their earlier loss to the Orgrim's Hammer when Ketiron made his way up into the Citadel, slaughtering much of the Kor'kron contingent, but largely avoiding the wrath of Saurfang. Continuing upwards where he met Ketiron - stalled by the movements of materiel - Artimus faced the Deathbringer, formerly the son of Saurfang, who had fallen at the Wrathgate. With Ketiron's aid and the strength at arms of his companions, the Deathbringer fell.

A small zeppelin bearing Saurfang - who had fallen back onboard Orgrim's Hammer - landed on the platform, the High Overlord coming across to claim the body of his son. Muradin attempted to block Saurfang's way, but eventually relented at King Varian's command to "let a grieving father pass". Thanking Varian for his kindness, Saurfang admonished the Horde soldiers to not forsake their honor, no matter how difficult the battle. Impressed by the dignity of the Horde commander, Artimus continued on into the inner reaches of the Spire, where the way to the Lich King's innermost defenses were laid open to them.

Into the Plagueworks


As a former general of the Scourge, Artimus knew full well the horrors that the Lich King and his minions could conjure, and so it was that he entered the Plagueworks to do battle against the armies of abominations and other creatures engineered by the dark forces. The Plagueworks were the domain of a mad scientist called Professor Putricide, who resided in his sealed lab behind the center door. To the left and right of that door were the rooms containing the abominations Rotface and Festergut, the twisted "children" of Putricide...

Lordaeron Avenged: The Fall of the Lich King
After others aided in clearing out the befouled halls of the Citadel, Artimus joined with his allies for one last push - to bring down the Lich King himself, once and for all. He had a double stake in bringing down the master of the Scourge, both as a Knight of the Ebon Blade and as a former subject of Lordaeron, loyal to the murdered King Terenas. It was here that he witnessed the Lich King's power in desperation - where the Lich King set his blade, death and disease flourished. Val'kyr soared around the Frozen Throne, and great shambling beasts were raised from the ice. Unleashing the full power of Frostmourne, the Dark Lord killed everyone on the platform - including Artimus.

With the Lich King about to raise him once more into his service, Artimus prepared himself for the oblivion to come - when Fordring invoked the energies of the Light, broke free of the icy prison that Arthas had placed him into, and leapt across the platform, shattering Frostmourne with a single blow. The ghost of King Terenas returned from within the blade and returned the champions to life, and Artimus unleashed his rage along with his comrades. Finally, Fordring struck the fatal blow - and the Lich King fell, his crown tumbling from his head, and the dark energy seeping from him until at last, he was dead. Artimus witnessed the crowning of the new Lich King, hoping that perhaps the threat of the Scourge would die along with the Fallen Prince, and that the Jailor of the Damned would keep the remaining legions at bay.

For the first time, Artimus Devaneaux felt he had fulfilled a purpose. He had seen Lordaeron avenged, and the efforts of the Ebon Blade and the Argent Crusade had at last led to this. The ghosts of Lordaeron would rest easy - but for men like him, the battle had only just begun...