Descent

Descent is the 11th installment of the World of Warcraft comic.

Description
Magni returns to Ironforge, along with Lo'Gosh and his comrades in arms. In Stormwind, Marshall Windsor goes missing after stumbling upon clues to the disappearance of King Varian. It's off to Blackrock Depths for our heroes — but are they prepared for what they will find?

Plot
Following the battle of Thandol Span, King Magni returns to Ironforge with Lo'Gosh, Broll, Thargas, and Valeera aboard the goblin dirigible. A crowd gathered outside the city gates exchange whispers about the newcomers: pointing out that Lo'Gosh looks almost identical to King Varian, except for his facial scar; the oddness of Broll's antlers, with one onlooker even speculating that he is actually a returned Malfurion Stormrage; and surprise over the fact that Magni would welcome a blood elf to Ironforge.

As the group walks inside, Magni initially calls Lo'Gosh "Varian", but the human points out that it might be safest if he remained as simply "Lo'Gosh" for now. Magni explains that Prince Anduin has asked Bolvar Fordragon to look into his father's disappearance and return, and Magni himself has talked to both Bolvar and Varian's old friend Reginald Windsor about what's amiss. Like Magni, Windsor was troubled by Varian's passiveness and began investigating the possibility that an impostor — possibly even a dragon — had taken the king's place.

Valeera tells Broll that she hungers for magic. She suddenly notices a human approaching Lo'Gosh with a dagger burning with arcane energy. Exclaiming that she "must have it", Valeera leaps up behind the human, curses in Eredun, and stabs him in the back. Enraged, the man reveals his true form by transforming into a black drake but flies off after Lo'Gosh hurls an axe at him. The crowd is awed by the three strangers having just fought off a dragon. One of the onlookers asks who the dragon was, and another explains that he called himself Kalaran Windblade and posed as a spy reporting on Dark Iron activity. Still in a frenzy, Valeera continues screaming in Eredun and tries to attack Broll until she passes out. Broll concludes that it's now pretty obvious that the black dragonflight is somehow involved in the attempts on Lo'Gosh's life.

In Stormwind, Anduin and "Varian" are out riding with Katrana, Bolvar, and some guardsmen. While near a particularly treacherous part of the trail, Anduin begins telling his father of Marshal Windsor's theory about what's been going on in Stormwind. Suddenly, however, someone behind them throws a rock that strikes the leg of Anduin's horse, causing it to lose its footing and fall off a nearby cliff. Varian throws himself forward and manages to grab hold of Anduin's arm with one hand and the cliff ledge with his other hand. As he holds his son, Varian is suddenly enveloped by visions of the Defias Brotherhood, of being tortured by hooded wizards, of being attacked by naga, and of another cliff and almost certain death where salvation seems just out of reach. Varian and Anduin are pulled to safety by the guards and resume their ride. The king recounts the rush of memories he experienced, but Bolvar notices that he seems to become befuddled as soon as Katrana touches his chin. Bolvar decides that Anduin is right to ask questions about Varian's disappearance and, for the time being, they would all do well to stay as far away from Lady Prestor as possible.

Bolvar contacts King Magni in Ironforge via scrying glass. Magni confirms that Marshal Windsor was right and that black dragons are definitely involved in "this Stormwind business". Bolvar states that Windsor's last report indicated that he was close to discovering the dragon's identity, but now Marshal Maxwell reports that Windsor is held captive by the Dark Irons in Blackrock Depths.

Later, Lo'Gosh, Thargas, Broll, Magni, and Valeera discuss the matter and decide to sneak into Blackrock Depths to rescue Windsor. However, Valeera is outraged when Lo'Gosh informs her that she will not be coming with them. Broll concurs, stating that Blackrock Depths is littered with fel and arcane artifacts and that they can't risk Valeera reaching out for the relics and betraying the group's need for secrecy. He tells her that Magni will keep Valeera in a chamber in Ironforge until her craving for fel has lessened and she is herself again. From a chamber high up in the city, Valeera watches her friends leave and throws a bowl of Broll's herbal draught across the room in rage, before beginning to sob and planning to escape and go after them.

Lo'Gosh, Broll, and Thargas enter Blackrock Depths, killing a guard patrol and approaching Golem Lord Argelmach's chamber. Thargas explains that Ragnaros has found a way to create beings of living stone, with one such war golem being what they faced on Thandol Span, and that Argelmach is creating an army of such constructs in his lab. Moments later, the group runs into the golem lord, who sends his creations against the intruders. While Thargas and Broll fight the golems, Lo'Gosh kills Argelmach by slicing him across the throat. As the trio continue deeper into the mountain, they overhear Marshal Windsor being tortured by High Interrogator Gerstahn, whom Thargas is painfully familiar with and who is trying to find out why Windsor was spying in Blackrock Spire when he was captured by the Dark Irons.

Meanwhile, in her cell in Ironforge, a delirious Valeera sees a vision of her dead parents expressing contempt for the friends who have "abandoned" the elf in her cell, before also scolding their daughter for her weakness and disappearing through a nearby door. Desperate to catch up with her parents, Valeera attemps to follow them and ends up falling a great height down a ledge and crashing into the snow outside. Her parents appear again and begin to tell her that the world is corrupt, that it can only be cleansed by death, and that she should join them in letting the world begin anew. Suddenly, however, a ray of light appears and Valeera hears Aegwynn's voice banishing the creatures. A vision of Aegwynn explains that a demon of the Burning Legion is trying to possess Valeera, and that while the former Guardian does not have the power to completely dispel his influence, she can help Valeera fight his attempts to control her. The blood elf finds herself back in her cell, where Aegwynn reminds her that she is not alone, and that there are people who care about her and will not abandon her.

In the Blackrock Depths, Thargas storms into Gerstahn's chamber and kills her with a single blow from his hammer while Lo'Gosh frees Windsor from his bonds and confirms that he knows the identity of the dragon that has been orchestrating the recent calamities. The group begins hurrying out of the depths but are intercepted by a Dark Iron patrol accompanied by a fire elemental. However, the chase is cut short when the heroes cross the bridge that surrounds the Black Anvil and the pursuing elemental ends up burning itself right through the unsupported part of the bridge and into the lava below. Lo'Gosh's party are able to make the rest of their exit unchallenged and return to Ironforge.

Back at the city, the party is greeted by Valeera, who has now recovered from the curse; the fel runes from the Mark of Kathra'natir are no longer visible on her skin. As they now know the identity of the dragon, Magni will allow Valeera to go with her friends. As for Magni himself, he emerges from the city to welcome Varian and Windsor back and invites them inside to discuss strategy, after which they are to ride for Stormwind to destroy the dragon and retake Varian's rightful place as king.