- For the raid and location from an alternate universe, see Hellfire Citadel (alternate universe).
Hellfire Citadel | |
---|---|
Type | Fortress |
Leader(s) | Unknown |
Formerly |
Kargath Bladefist † Blackhand † |
Race(s) | Fel orc |
Formerly |
Orc Ogre |
Affiliation(s) | Fel Horde (Illidari) |
Formerly | Blackrock clan, Old Horde, Horde of Draenor |
Location | Hellfire Peninsula |
Status | Unknown |
Hellfire Citadel |
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Hellfire Ramparts (5) |
The Blood Furnace (5) |
The Shattered Halls (5) |
Grand Warlock Nethekurse |
Magtheridon's Lair (25) |
Hellfire Citadel is the headquarters of the fel orcs of Outland, a nearly impenetrable bastion that once served as the base of operations for the orcs throughout the First and Second Wars. Kargath Bladefist and his fel orcs now make their home in the citadel.
History[]
Hellfire Citadel was originally referred to as simply "the Citadel", and was built as the fortress of Blackhand, the first Warchief of the Horde. It was intended as the new headquarters of the Horde, where a standing army could be conveniently quartered, trained, and equipped, something of a scale that the orcs had never done as a people before. The clans of the Horde were then ordered to abandon their ancestral homelands and gather all together at this new location, ready to follow when Blackhand would order.[1]
The fortress was originally also surrounded by other buildings: barracks, storage silos, a flat expanse of training areas that were crowded with siege weapons. During its construction, Durotan of the Frostwolves considered the Citadel as blasphemous and a blight upon the land, out of harmony with everything the orcs were, and an offense to the eyes and the spirit. It was also where the ogres were integrated in the ranks of the Horde, despite the reluctance of several orc veterans who had fought against them all their lives.[2] After the orcs' abandonment of the elemental spirits, the area around it became known as Hellfire Peninsula, and thus the citadel was given its current name.
The fortress was used as the primary staging ground of the military forces of the Horde, whereas the captured Temple of Karabor (now the Black Temple) would be used for meetings of the Shadow Council. It was from this location that the final battle against the draenei, at Shattrath City, was organized and carried out. After the creation of the Dark Portal, the Horde was organized at Hellfire Citadel and marched up the Path of Glory to what they called the "Stair of Destiny". When the Alliance Expedition entered Draenor, they managed to capture the citadel only to find that Ner'zhul was no longer there and had moved to the Black Temple.
Its fate after the destruction of Draenor was unknown until recently; it was presumably abandoned until Kargath Bladefist, Warchief of the Fel Horde, and the fel orc minions of Illidan Stormrage took possession of the Citadel as their base of operations. Illidan also used the citadel as a prison for Magtheridon, the former Lord of Outland; it is here that Illidan's fel orcs take the blood of Magtheridon and use it to create more fel orcs, much as the blood of Mannoroth was used to corrupt the original Horde.
Summary[]
Hellfire Ramparts[]
- Main article: Hellfire Ramparts
- Level 60-62 mobs, 5 player groups
- Bosses: Watchkeeper Gargolmar - Vazruden & Nazan - Omor the Unscarred
- Quest(s):
- [62D] Weaken the Ramparts
- [62D] Dark Tidings
Blood Furnace[]
- Main article: Blood Furnace
- Level 61-63 mobs, 5 player groups
- Bosses: The Maker - Broggok - Keli'dan the Breaker
- Quest(s):
- [63D] The Blood is Life (Followup to Ominous Letter)
- [10-30D] Heart of Rage
The Shattered Halls[]
- Main article: The Shattered Halls
- Level 70-72 mobs, 5 player groups
- Bosses: Grand Warlock Nethekurse - Blood Guard Porung - Warbringer O'mrogg - Warchief Kargath Bladefist
- Quest(s):
- [70D] Fel Embers
- [20-30D] Turning the Tide
- [70D] Pride of the Fel Horde
Magtheridon's Lair[]
- Main article: Magtheridon's Lair
- Level 70, 25 player raid, similar to Onyxia's Lair
- Bosses: Magtheridon
Official Info[]
Hellfire Citadel from the WoW site:
On the blasted world of Outland near the Dark Portal stands the Hellfire Citadel, a nearly impenetrable bastion that served as the base of operations throughout the First and Second Wars. For years this gargantuan fortress was thought to be abandoned... until recently. This very much operation battle station has become inhabited by marauding bands of red, furious fel orcs. Where this savage new breed came from is a mystery, but whats worse is that their numbers seem to be growing. Hellfire Citadel is the first new dungeon that players will encounter in Outland. It will consist of three complete dungeon wings designed for 5-man groups, as well as an exciting raid encounter.
Some info posted by Tigole on the WoW forums:
This is the first dungeon players will encounter in the expansion. It lies in Hellfire Peninsula, the zone just beyond the Dark Portal. We're planning on making this a winged dungeon. Right now, two of the wings are scheduled to be lower level level up wings (for players leveling to 70). One of the wings is slated to be a maximum level 5-person dungeon. And lastly, there's Magtheridon's Lair, a raid wing similar to Onyxias Lair in size and scope what I like to call a quick raid. Of course, during the development cycle this could all change. Same goes for the Beta. But thats how we're approaching this dungeon currently.[3]
Dungeon denizens[]
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Notes and trivia[]
- The novel Beyond the Dark Portal stated that the throne of the Old Horde (and then of the Horde of Draenor) was situated in Hellfire Citadel's back, in a taller tower with a peaked roof.[4] Architecturally, this would mean the tower of the Blood Furnace, but no such throne room can be found in-game.
- Hellfire Citadel is a Common Location card in the World of Warcraft: Trading Card Game's Drums of War set.
- In Warcraft II: Beyond the Dark Portal, the Citadel appeared on the various maps of Draenor but otherwise never did during any of the campaign missions.
- The trailer is narrated by Alan Shearman.[5]
- Until patch 4.2.0, access to Heroic Mode required the [Flamewrought Key], purchasable at Honored Reputation from Honor Hold or Thrallmar.
- In alternate Draenor, Garrosh Hellscream encouraged Grommash Hellscream to begin the construction of a massive stronghold at the heart of Tanaan Jungle. He suggested the name "Hellfire", as he dreamed of seeing mighty orcish iron towering over an unblighted landscape, so very different from the wasteland he had known in Outland.[6]
- Unlike the concept art, the Path of Glory does not seem to end at a door, intact or otherwise, only a small staging camp.
Gallery[]
Hellfire Citadel in Beyond the Dark Portal?
Videos[]
Patch changes[]
- Patch 2.0.3 (2007-01-09): Added.
See also[]
- Hellfire Citadel, TCG card
References[]
- ^ Rise of the Horde, chapter 16
- ^ Rise of the Horde, chapter 17
- ^ [1]
- ^ Beyond the Dark Portal, chapter 15
- ^ World of Warcraft: Burning Crusade
- ^ Hellfire Citadel (alternate universe)#Dungeon Journal
External links[]
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