Changes: Ashbringer

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Ashbringer, Blade of the Scarlet Highlord, is the sword of former Highlord Mograine of the Scarlet Crusade. The term "Ashbringer" is applied to both the sword and Mograine himself, for his ability to smite the undead to nothing but a cloud of ash. Mograine was betrayed and murdered by his son, Renault, and the sword was believed to be lost. Recently it has been discovered that Mograine was reincarnated as a Death Knight by the lich Kel'Thuzad, and he still possesses his blade, albeit in a corrupted state due to the circumstances surrounding his death along with the fact that he and his sword behaved as one entity. Ashbringer is one of the most hyped and lore-rich items thus far in the World of Warcraft, but is not yet obtainable by players.

History

File:Ashbringer.JPG

Ashbringer, Blade of the Scarlet Highlord

During the Battle of Blackrock Spire in the Second War, Highlord (then Commander) Mograine of the Silver Hand claimed a dark crystal from an orc lieutenant. The crystal was said to be the "living embodiment of shadow," and originated from the orcish homeworld of Draenor.

Ashbringer crystal — The dark crystal from which the Ashbringer would be crafted, both before and after its purification.

When the first whispers of the Scourge reached Lordaeron, Commander Mograine revealed his crystal to the council of the Silver Hand and suggested to use it against the impending undead holocaust. The other leaders initially rejected his plan and attempted to destroy it with a powerful holy spell. Unexpectedly, upon casting the spell, the crystal became its antithesis - a crystal of pure light. The crystal would then be used by Archmage Timolain to forge the Ashbringer. (This council can be seen in the Southshore Inn inside the Caverns of Time: Escape from Durnholde Keep.)

After the Scarlet Crusade was formed, Mograine was appointed to its top position of Highlord, and Ashbringer became the most lethal weapon in the arsenal of the Crusade - so much so that it quickly gained the attention of the lich Kel'Thuzad. Once Saiden Dathrohan (who was secretly murdered or possessed by the Dreadlord Balnazzar) became Grand Crusader, he struck a deal with Kel'Thuzad to eliminate Mograine - the bane of the Scourge would be destroyed, and Balnazzar would take over Mograine's position and control the Scarlet Crusade. Balnazzar corrupted Mograine's son, Renault, and made plans to set a trap for the Highlord. Renault led his father and High Inquisitor Fairbanks to Stratholme, where legions of the Scourge were waiting for him. Fairbanks was ignored by the undead (who were only after Mograine), but became trapped under a pile of corpses. Mograine smote the many waves of undead with ease, but was eventually overcome. Renault (being ignored by the Scourge) claimed his father's sword and slew him, defiling the blade. He left his father's body and sword and reported to the Crusade that it had been lost. It is unclear whether Renault murdered his father in cold blood, or was tricked by Balnazzar into believing his father was mortally wounded and killed him to ease his passing.

Renault's betrayal was witnessed only by the unseen Fairbanks, who could only listen as Renault murdered his father. Fairbanks remained there until he regained his strength and left the besieged city a few days later. He fled to the Scarlet Monastery where he told of Renault's actions to anyone who would listen. Those who believed him broke away from the Crusade and formed the Argent Dawn. However, the majority refused to believe him and had him killed. His body was discarded in a secret chamber in the Scarlet Cathedral.

Meanwhile, Kel'Thuzad resurrected Mograine as one of his Death Knights, and took up his corrupted blade. Since then Mograine has fallen into madness, and resides in Naxxramas. Renault became the Scarlet Commander, and Balnazzar gained complete control over the Scarlet Crusade.

In-Game Existence

Although the Ashbringer has been in the game files since release, it is not currently known to be acquirable on public realms. The rumors regarding an acquirable Ashbringer persisted until a French CM admitted that it is not currently in-game. Eyonix soon confirmed on the US forums:

"It's true that currently Ashbringer is not in the game, although one day in the future it will be, but not until after there is an awesome legendary item for casters. ;)"

Posted on 2-24-06 at 2:15PM

A now obvious reference to [Atiesh, Greatstaff of the Guardian], which implies that Ashbringer will be the next legendary item in-game.

The stats of Ashbringer found in the game files will be updated before the sword is made available on live servers (confirmed by CM posts).

Quotes

Several NPC's allude to the existence of the Ashbringer, resulting in rumors that the Ashbringer can be acquired by players:

Bardu Sharpeye: "Hello. I've set up camp here at the Bulwark to make my preparations for my journey into the Plaguelands. I've heard rumor that a great human wizard took up residency in Hearthglen not terribly long ago. He was commissioned by the Scarlet Crusade to fashion their warriors and hunters new bows and guns. It's said that he completed a remarkable weapon before the Crusade killed him. I guess their mistrust of the arcane has grown."

Caretaker Alen: "The what-bringer? Oh, ASHbringer? Never heard of it ... What? Stop bothering me!"

Shen'dralar Zealot: "The Master holds great interest in the Lair of Nefarian. If only someone would defeat the dragon and his minions and retell the tale to the Prince. I bet that would loosen the Prince's lips. The Ashbringer could be found!"

Shen'dralar Zealot: "Has the Prince recanted the tale of the Ashbringer? It is our most favorite of his stories. His favorite is the follow up to the Ashbringer. Of course, nobody has ever been able to get that story out of him."

Alexia Ironknife: "Greetings. Don't have too much time to talk -- I'm just using Chillwind as a camp to get some rest before heading to Hearthglen. I've heard word that before they went crazy, the Scarlet Crusade had a mage working for them who was trying to create powerful bows and guns for their soldiers. I'm not sure if he succeeded or not ... the Crusade killed him before any of his finished product made it out. Maybe they killed him to keep it a secret ... or maybe they distrust the arcane that much."

Narain Soothfancy: "Don't tell me! Shhh! You are here about the Ashbringer?!? Yes ... Yes ... No! My bad. What can I help you with, (race)?"

[Nat Pagle's Guide to Extreme Anglin']: "... and so that's where you'll find the legendary sword of the Scarlet Highlord, Ashbringer. Ain't it amazing, what you run into in an ordinary day of fishin'?"

Commander Eligor Dawnbringer: "The Ashbringer is dead and there will never be another like him. The lesser Mograine is a far cry from the man his father was. You know this, Commander! It was, after all, your own leadership that was responsible for the death of the Scarlet Highlord Mograine.

It was your leadership that manipulated a grieving child to try to recover the sword. A child that has grown into a man with nothing but vengeance and hatred in his heart! And for what? You are no closer to the sword now than you were five years ago.

Yet you think that recovering Ashbringer will somehow turn the tide of battle? Let me let you in on a little secret, Commander. The power of the Ashbringer came from the man who would wield it... I was there, Commander. I watched him burn legions of undead in righteous fire before he would even unsheath the blade. Alas, your grasp on history is... lacking.

Now be silent and note where you are, lest I inform Lord Fordring and his knights that you are no longer here on amicable terms. I am certain he would take great pleasure in seeing to your 'atonement.'"

These quotes imply that Nat Pagle and Prince Tortheldrin know the location of Ashbringer. However, no player has successfully received any information from them.

Corrupted Ashbringer

MograineDK — Highlord Mograine, as seen in Naxxramas

Players meet Highlord Mograine in Naxxramas in the Four Horsemen encounter. Mograine is seen as a Death Knight wielding [Corrupted Ashbringer]. Corrupted Ashbringer may be looted from the Horsemens' cache.

Upon wielding the blade, the player becomes friendly with the Scarlet Crusade (although it does not appear in the reputations window) and hated with the Argent Dawn. Upon entering the Cathedral in the Scarlet Monastery, the wielder initiates a triggered event beginning with Commander Mograine welcoming the player:

"Scarlet Commander Mograine yells: Bow down! Kneel before the Ashbringer! A new dawn approaches, brothers and sisters! Our message will be delivered to the filth of the new world through the chosen one."

Unexpectedly, Highlord Mograine's ghost appears in full Dreadnaught, revives High Inquisitor Fairbanks and smites his son (Renault, the Scarlet Commander). Fairbanks proceeds to tell the story of Renault's betrayal and that the Corrupted Ashbringer is beyond redeeming. However, Mograine has another son who resides in Outland and has the ability to forge a new Ashbringer. Fairbanks does not give any quests.

See the [Corrupted Ashbringer] article for the full script of the event.

Rumors

This article or section includes speculation, observations or opinions possibly supported by lore or by Blizzard officials. It should not be taken as representing official lore.

Future Quest

It is likely that Ashbringer will be the next obtainable legendary weapon after [Atiesh], based on High Inquistor Fairbanks' instructions to find the other Mograine in Outland, the fact that the crystal from which the original Ashbringer was crafted originated from Draenor, and Eyonix's comments about a caster legendary preceeding Ashbringer.

Identity of Mograine's Second Son

Thus far, Mograine's other son has not been found, and even his precise identity remains unknown. Fairbanks' comments imply that he was a member of the Alliance Expedition during the Second War. It is likely he knows nothing of the Ashbringer, or his role to play in reforging it, considering his father did not create it until the Third War, and there has been no communication between Azeroth and Outland since the Dark Portal was closed at the end of the Second War.

Fan speculation has pointed to at least three possible candidates for Mograine's lost son:

Khadgar: Beyond his apprenticeship to Medivh and his involvement in the invasion of Draenor, his background is unknown.
Turalyon: Also with little known history, other than the fact that he was Anduin Lothar's lieutenant and later the Expedition's High General.
David Wayne: A blacksmith found in Wayne's Refuge in Terokkar Forest. He makes reference to leaving the Alliance Expedition because he thinks he is meant to be part of "something larger."[1]

Judging by the fact that Mograine was formerly a paladin, some lean more towards Turalyon, who is also a paladin; his fate remains unknown (though Blizzard has confirmed that he will appear in World of Warcraft eventually). Alternatively, David Wayne is a blacksmith and is involved in a series of quests[2] for both Horde and Alliance in which he's called upon to forge powerful swords.[3]

It is also possible that he is not a character of lore at all, and may be just another common soldier in the Alliance Expedition. However, judging by the fact that he has not been located, it is believed that the other son of Mograine is a prisoner of Illidan and is being held in the dungeon beneath the Black Temple in Shadowmoon Valley, which remains unopened.

The Crystal

The crystal from which the original Ashbringer is likely related to the naaru, and may in fact be a naaru. Based on what is known about their life cycle, a naaru is transformed into a void upon death. However, after a period of time, or with a proper source of holy magic, a naaru corpse can regenerate its lost energies of the light and return to full power. The crystal shown by Highlord Mograine in Old Hillsbrad demonstrates these properties. A holy spell is cast on Mograine's dark crystal and becomes a crystal of light.

Mograine also states that the crystal is from the Orc homeworld of Draenor. Given the time period though, the naaru had not yet arrived on Draenor via Tempest Keep. This leaves only a few naaru as the source of the crystal-- D'ore, who was killed in Oshu'gun's crash upon Draenor centuries before, and the first Naaru to be interred in Auchindoun, or K'ure, who resides in Oshu'gun. In the quest What the Soul Sees, D'ore himself tells the player that "without the void, the Light cannot exist,"-- which are suspiciously similar to the words used by Mograine.

Another similar theory is that the crystal is one of the Ata'mal Crystals, specifically, the Heart of Fury. The orcs stole the Heart of Fury from the draenei, according to Rise of the Horde, and it exchanged hands among various leaders of the orc armies to bolster their powers in combat. This explains the immense touch of Light that Mograine receives when he touches the purified crystal, the fanaticism of the Scarlet Crusade, and the combat abilities of Mograine himself. In addition, the Heart of Fury is known to be red, which matches the crystal seen in-game, and the markings along its side match those commonly found on naaru and draenei crystals. Furthermore, unlike any random crystal added for plot development, the Heart of Fury is deep-seated in Warcraft lore. However, it should be noted that the Ata'mal Crystals are said to be spherical, unlike the crystal displayed by Mograine.

Inconsistencies

Although Fairbanks says that Renault led his father into Stratholme and later murdered him, Commander Eligor Dawnbringer clearly states that Renault was only a child when his father was killed and was sent to retrieve the sword. It is unlikely that any sensible parent would let their child near such a dangerous place (or let a child lead them there), knowing that the city was overrun by the Scourge. Furthermore, a child would be unable to lift such a massive weapon, let alone commit murder with it. Even if Renault was a child when he killed his father, he likely did not know the immorality of his own actions.

Old Questline

Ashbringer may have been originally intended to be in the game much earlier, based on the fact that many NPC's have mentioned it to the player since launch, and that Ashbringer's original item ID was changed to host [Thunderfury]. Parts of the questline can be put together from induction.

Nat Pagle knows the location of Ashbringer, based on the fact that he writes about it in his book, [Nat Pagle's Guide to Extreme Anglin'], of which players only have the last page. The full copy of the book, A Thoroughly Read Copy of "Nat Pagle's Extreme' Anglin", can be found in Dire Maul from opening dusty tomes, however it is not readable. Prince Tortheldrin, being a historian and bibliophile, likely read the book, learned of the Ashbringer's location, and discarded the book in Dire Maul where the player finds it. Tortheldrin would offer his knowledge to any player who would bring him the head of Nefarian.

Additionally, at one time Timolain's Phylactery could be looted from Large Vile Slimes in the Weeping Cave in the Western Plaguelands. Being that Timolain crafted Ashbringer, it is likely that it was to be used in the old questline. Although it is a quest item, players did not need to be on a particular quest to obtain it, and it is unknown what quest it was used for. It has since been removed from the loot tables.

The availability of Ashbringer was likely delayed so that the story could be fleshed out with the addition of Naxxramas.

@@ Line 117: / Line 117: @@
 *[[David Wayne]]: A blacksmith found in [[Wayne's Refuge]] in [[Terokkar Forest]].  He makes reference to leaving the Alliance Expedition because he thinks he is meant to be part of "something larger."[http://www.thottbot.com/?n=1056038]
-Judging by the fact that Mograine was formerly a paladin, some lean more towards Turalyon, who is also a paladin; his fate remains unknown (though Blizzard has confirmed that he appear in World of Warcraft eventually).  Alternatively, David Wayne is a blacksmith and therefore has the ability to forge weapons.
+Judging by the fact that Mograine was formerly a paladin, some lean more towards Turalyon, who is also a paladin; his fate remains unknown (though Blizzard has confirmed that he will appear in World of Warcraft eventually).  Alternatively, David Wayne is a blacksmith and is involved in a series of quests[http://www.wowhead.com/?quest=10662] for both Horde and Alliance in which he's called upon to forge powerful swords.[http://www.wowhead.com/?quest=10679]
 It is also possible that he is not a character of lore at all, and may be just another common soldier in the Alliance Expedition. However, judging by the fact that he has not been located, it is believed that the other son of Mograine is a prisoner of [[Illidan]] and is being held in the dungeon beneath the [[Black Temple]] in [[Shadowmoon Valley]], which remains unopened.

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