Danath Trollbane

Danath Trollbane is a member of the House of Trollbane, the royal family of the kingdom of Stromgarde. During the Second War, he served as a captain in the Stromgarde militia and later as tactical advisor and second-in-command to General Turalyon during the Alliance Expedition to Draenor. Since the sealing of the Dark Portal, he has been the master of Honor Hold, the Expedition's headquarters in Hellfire Peninsula.

With the death of Prince Galen Trollbane, the heir to the throne, Danath was considered by some to be the legitimate leader of Stromgarde, as the nephew of Thoras Trollbane, and awaited his return from Outland. Danath ultimately fulfilled this desire, and became the leader of a newly rebuilt Stromgarde during the Fourth War, before the Horde laid siege to the kingdom during the Battle for Stromgarde.

Second War
A veteran mercenary captain in the Stromgarde Militia at the beginning of the Second War, he became the tactical advisor to General Turalyon during the conflict.

Danath made a name for himself as a great leader during the final battle for the liberation of Khaz Modan. By the end of the war, he was considered one of Stromgarde's most celebrated soldiers and one of the war's most prominent veterans. His status as a great general and fighter elevated him to the position of Overseer at the orcish internment camps system in Azeroth, based at New Stormwind.

Beyond the Dark Portal


Danath was called to reinforce Nethergarde Keep when the Horde reopened the Dark Portal. Taking half of the standing forces and all of the mercenaries in Stormwind City, Danath headed out to Nethergarde where he was ambushed by the death knights and the new Warsong clan. Knowing that the Horde was going to win the battle, the men sacrificed themselves so Danath could warn Khadgar, the wizard in charge of Nethergarde. Against his wish to stay with his men, Danath could not let their sacrifices be in vain and galloped to Nethergarde where they were under siege by the Warsong led by Grommash Hellscream until they were relieved by his friend and commander, General Turalyon. Danath would never forget the guilt for leading and then leaving his "boys", as he called them, to be slaughtered.

When Ner'zhul took the Book of Medivh, among other items, to Draenor, Danath joined the Alliance Expedition as second-in-command and the tactical advisor to General Turalyon. After taking Hellfire Citadel, Danath led half of the Expedition along with Kurdran Wildhammer's Gryphon Riders and half of Alleria's rangers led by Talthressar (who became his advisor) after Ner'zhul; while the rest went after the items. During the chase, Kurdran was struck down by Ner'zhul. Enraged with the loss of his friend, Danath relentlessly pursued the Horde and was determined to launch a full attack at once on Auchindoun where the Horde had taken refuge, but at the urging of Talthressar he quickly calmed down.

As they waited, Talthressar and Danath encountered the arakkoa Grizzik. Learning that Kurdran was still alive, Danath quickly followed Grizzik as he led them into the tunnels of the Auchindoun. There Danath met the draenei priest Nemuraan. Convincing the draenei that they were going to rid the ancient temple of the orcs, Nemuraan aided them by calling the ancient draenei spirits and leading them into the tunnels. With the aid of his newfound allies, Danath led the Alliance against the orcs there where the humans, elves, and dwarves would fight for the first time alongside the draenei who would one day become members of the Alliance.

After rescuing Kurdran, Danath comes face to face with the renowned orc chieftain Kilrogg Deadeye: who barred the way to Ner'zhul. After fighting a fierce but honorable duel, Danath slew the great orc warrior, but the delay had given Ner'zhul enough time to escape.

Parting from his new friends, Danath rejoined Turalyon and laid siege to the Black Temple where Ner'zhul was opening new portals. When the planet was starting to tear itself apart, Danath and his friends defended Khadgar against overwhelming forces while the mage closed the Dark Portal to Azeroth. Then, with the rest of the expedition, he disappeared into one of the rifts Ner'zhul created to escape the dying world of Draenor.

Danath Trollbane has since been immortalized in stone, along with the other leaders from the expeditionary force, in the Valley of Heroes in Stormwind.

The Burning Crusade


Danath and his men survived the cataclysm that created Outland and now reside at Honor Hold, which has stood since before the sealing of the Portal. Honor Hold was left to its own devices in the battle against the Burning Legion and the fel orcs of Magtheridon, until Lord Kazzak reopened the Portal decades later. Danath, along with the rest of the Alliance forces, was presumed to be dead by those that remained on Azeroth. It turned out that many of them were still alive, including Danath. With General Turalyon missing, Danath has taken up leadership of the Sons of Lothar in Turalyon's absence. Reunited with the Alliance, he has welcomed the much-needed supplies and reinforcements from Stormwind and Nethergarde.

Through these reinforcements, Danath has learned of the fate of his beloved Stromgarde, destroyed during the events of the Third War. Once his duty in Outland is done, Danath wishes to return to Stromgarde and restore it to its former glory.

Danath is the last of the five leaders of the expedition to remain at Honor Hold. Khadgar settled in Shattrath after his journeys to other worlds. Kurdran and most of his Wildhammer brethren set up a base in Shadowmoon Valley. Danath has not heard from Turalyon or Alleria in over a decade.

Turalyon and Alleria's son Arator, accompanying the Alliance reinforcements, visited Danath and wanted to find his parents. Danath told him that his father had long been missing.

When the gan'arg took control of the Honor Hold Mine, he told Foreman Biggums that he would take away ale rations from him if the dwarf didn't resolve the problem.

Cataclysm
Danath's possible return to Stromgarde is hinted at when players speak to Skuerto in Cataclysm: "I'm sick of sittin' in this hole. I hope whatever sorry pencil-pusher is holdin' up Danath's return gets a punch in the jimmies."

Legion
Danath returned during the third invasion of the Burning Legion as the quest starter for the warrior artifacts. While being accompanied by the Alliance warrior on a reconnaissance flight above the Broken Shore he was struck by Legion siege weapons, then disappeared after his gryphon fell toward the sea, telling the player that he would find an alternative way back.

Danath can later be found at A Hero's Welcome. He comments that he had almost been killed by demons twice now, and they will not get a third chance. If the character is a warrior, he is glad to see they survived as well, stating he never doubted them, and that he would return to the front soon.

When it is discovered that Alleria and Turalyon are still alive, Khadgar reunites with them on Argus, homeworld of the Burning Legion. He tells them that Kurdran and Danath both live, though he does not get to see them as much as he would like, and the three decide that when the fighting is over the Sons of Lothar will hold a reunion feast.

Battle for Azeroth
Danath now wears a crown, and refers to Arathi as "his". He returned to Stromgarde Keep to lead his kingdom, and was one of the Alliance commanders during the Battle for Stromgarde. He leads the Stromgarde military into battle, with his elite forces consisting of Veterans of Stromgarde and various members of the League of Arathor.

Throughout the battle, he boasts about Stromgarde's defenses. He shows a heightened animosity towards Eitrigg, whom he repeatedly refers to as a "green skin", stating they do not belong in Stromgarde; the "rightful home of the Trollbanes". The battle ultimately ended in the Alliance's favor.

After the Fourth War, outriders reported to Danath that a Horde group was passing through the Arathi Highlands. Danath informed Alleria Windrunner and Turalyon about it.

When Mathias Shaw presented himself to Stromgarde during his mission for King Anduin Wrynn, Danath blessed him to inspect the Sanctum and the Crypt.

Abilities

 * Battle for Stromgarde

Quests

 * Force Commander Danath (quest)
 * Know your Enemy
 * The Legion Reborn
 * Trollbane is Looking for You
 * Drill the Drillmaster
 * Overlord (quest)
 * The Fall of Magtheridon (Alliance)


 * Turning the Tide (BC Classic)
 * Dark Tidings (Alliance)
 * Heart of Rage (BC Classic) (Alliance)
 * Entry Into the Citadel (Alliance)
 * Grand Master Dumphry


 * Forgotten Heroes
 * Assault on Mageddon (Alliance)
 * Revered Among Honor Hold
 * Mission: Be the Messenger (Alliance)
 * Mission: End All, Be All (Alliance)


 * Advancing the Campaign (Alliance)


 * An Important Mission
 * Return to the Broken Shore (Alliance)

Valley of Heroes monument


When Deathwing descended upon Stormwind City after his violent exit from Deepholm, Danath's monument was toppled into the moat. Only the feet remained standing on its pedestal. Foreman Wick and Mason Goldgild were once again hired to set it back in place. In patch 4.0.3a, they had already retrieved the statue from the water.

Despite the apparent difficulties Foreman Wick and Mason Goldgild had with the statue (and each other), Danath's statue was returned to its former splendor in patch 5.2.0, alongside most of the other superficial damages that Deathwing caused in the Valley of Heroes.

Quotes
For Danath's Warcraft II quotes, see Quotes of Warcraft II.
 * I am Danath Trollbane, commander of the Alliance army. I have slain many orcs, and you won't be the last. And I will pass!

Honor Hold, Hellfire Peninsula

 * The men and women of Honor Hold have shed such blood and have lost their youth in this monstrous land... and yet they still hold their spirits high!


 * Now, you and your cohorts from Azeroth can help us turn the tide. You give us hope that we may one day return to our homelands.


 * Many years ago, my men and I followed the wizard Khadgar and the paladin Turalyon to this world. Our sole aim was to annihilate the orcs and their vile kin.  Yet something when terribly wrong in the final hours of our war.


 * Ultimately, this dark world was ripped asunder - and my dear friends were lost to the void.


 * We, the Sons of Lothar, have remained here ever since - fighting... dying... praying that a day like today would come - a day when the Portal would open and our brothers would come to deliver us home.


 * Overjoyed as we are, duty still calls. There is much to be done before we can depart this world and take our rest.


 * Romus informed me of the tragedies that beset my beautiful city. There are no fitting words for the sorrow I felt upon hearing of Lordaeron's fate - and the fate of my own, beloved Stromgarde.


 * Twenty years ago, no one had heard of the Burning Legion... Damn those cursed devils! [sic] (The following paragraph break is shown as it exists in-game, do not alter.)
 * Rest assured, ; should I ever return to Azeroth, Stromgarde will once more rise as a force of reckoning. This I swear...


 * The Fall of Magtheridon
 * yell
 * yell

Battle for Azeroth

 * Greeting
 * Stromgarde will stand proud once more.
 * My life for the Alliance.
 * Whatever comes, we will face it together.
 * We will fight for what is ours.
 * Azeroth calls and we must answer.


 * Pissed
 * Khadgar and I get together once a week for a game of checkers. Spoiler alert: he cheats.
 * Thank the Light I'm FINALLY out of Honor Hold! That place was getting more than a bit ripe.
 * So Turalyon is all glowy, Alleria goes all shadowy, Hmm. Guess now that I'm back in action, I better find some kind of fancy gimmick.


 * Farewell
 * Fight well, friend.
 * The Alliance will prevail.
 * For the Alliance!
 * For Stromgarde!
 * We each must do our part.

In the TCG

 * "The Sons will yield to no orc - green, brown, and now red. We will overcome them or die trying."
 * "You will find him at the Pools of Aggonar. If not, his evil will most certainly find you."
 * "Go in expecting trouble, and you'll be more likely to survive. And then you can call yourselves Sons of Lothar."
 * "They will be like waves crashing against an adamantite wall."

In the RPG
In the RPG, Danath was oddly referred to with different last names: Dungalion and Trollbane. He is the uncle of Cristof Dungalion.

Notes and trivia

 * Danath's Copper Coin is among the coins that can be fished up from the Dalaran Fountain. "I hope a troll dies, right... NOW."
 * Danath was mentioned on Durnholde Keep's bulletin board in the canceled game Warcraft Adventures: Lord of the Clans.
 * Danath is voiced by Bill Roper in Warcraft II: Beyond the Dark Portal, and by Todd Stone in Legion and Battle for Azeroth.
 * During the Battle for Azeroth beta, Danath could summon ghosts of his Trollbane Ancestors to aid him during the warfront. They would attack in a line, dealing heavy damage to anyone who they made contact with. It didn't make it to live.
 * According Mathias Shaw, Danath would prefer to be cremated after his death, not wishing to become an undead like some members of his family.

Speculation
A TCG image of Danath shows him wielding a sword identical to how Trol'kalar is depicted in Lands of Conflict. Since the only known depiction of the legendary blade is from Lands of Conflict, which is part of the Warcraft RPG and therefore non-canon, it is unknown if the sword wielded by Danath in the TCG is meant to be Trol'kalar. It is reasonable to assume that they were meant to be the same at the time, though Blizzard is no longer bound to this.