Classic Anniversary Phase 6 Overview
Kel'Thuzad in his Naxxramas lair - but he wasn't always the lich we now know him as...
In the Road to Damnation short story, we get a glimpse into Kel'Thuzad's life as an archmage of the Kirin Tor. Ke'lThuzad was a human who had risen to prominence within the circle of mages inhabiting the magical city of Dalaran. His power search, however, had begun putting him in opposition with the leaders of the faction. Not only was he hiding the research he was conducting from the rest of the Kirin Tor, but he had received several warnings that he must end this research. Knowing his eventual rise as a Necromancer, it is no surprise to us that he was practicing dark resurrection magic.
Excerpt from "Road To Damnation" by Evelyn Fredericksen
Antonidas tapped his staff to the floor, silencing him, and turned to the other magi. “He has turned the buildings into laboratories for a series of foul experiments. See for yourself, colleagues. Behold the fruit of his labors.” He opened the chest and tilted it so that all could see.
The decaying remains of several rats. Two were still scrabbling clumsily at the sides of the chest in a vain attempt to escape.
Turning back to the captive rats, Kel’Thuzad saw that they had collapsed and stopped moving. Another set of failures, apparently. No matter. Someday, he would create a stable undead specimen. His hard work would be vindicated. It was only a matter of time.
We also learn that a mysterious voice is speaking to Kel'Thuzad in his head, guiding him not only in his Necromantic research but also in the ways of other spellcraft. The discovery of these failed undead rats is the final nail in the coffin for Antonidas, who gives Kel'Thuzad an ultimatum: stop his research, or be exiled from Dalaran.
But Kel'Thuzad had no intention of stopping his research. He saw his work as misunderstood, and throughout the short story, we catch glimpses of his motivation not being driven by evil or domination, but by the defense of his homeland. But his hunger for power and knowledge was stronger than his loyalty to the Kirin Tor, so he followed the guidance of the mysterious voice in his head and headed to Northrend. More specifically, he was guided to the peak of Icecrown.
Human Kel'Thuzad in Old Hillsbrad from TBC, and a simulacrum of him from The War Within.
By the time he reached the citadel at the top of Icecrown, he was exhausted and cold. And the reception he received was equally cold - all of the inhabitants of the citadel were undead. He encountered a swathe of different raised creatures. From ghouls to stitched-together abominations, from undead animals to Nerubians (a spider-like race), he was given a full tour of the citadel, with a special focus on the necropolis Naxxramas.
His tour guide was none other than Anub'arak, the previous king of the Nerubian race, now the crypt lord and commander of the undead Nerubians. Their introduction impressed Kel'Thuzad, as he learned that not only had his mysterious guide conquered the Nerubian kingdom and raised them to undeath, he also commanded them against their will.
In one wing of Naxxramas, Kel'Thuzad witnessed the transformation of a human woman into a bloodthirsty undead, who slays her husband in front of Kel'Thuzad's eyes. The encounter sobers Kel'Thuzad, who teleports out of the citadel and promptly throws up. He had not understood the intent of the necromancer he was seeking, and had a revelation:
Excerpt from "Road To Damnation" by Evelyn Fredericksen
What had he gotten himself involved in?
One by one, his scattered thoughts fell into place. The necromancer was no simple academic, interested in studying a widely condemned field of magic. Nor did he plan to stop at fortifying his home against attack. He was mass-producing a fluid that converted people into zombies. Naxxramas also had an enormous stockpile of supplies, weapons, armor, training grounds….
These weren’t defensive measures. They were preparations for war.
Before Kel'Thuzad could flee, he was set upon by a set of wraiths. They told him that he cannot escape the master, and in that moment, Kel'Thuzad made a decision: if he becomes this necromancer's apprentice, perhaps he can learn enough to overthrow him. He followed the wraiths deep into the citadel, until they at last reached a vast cavern with a spire of ice in the middle - with the Frozen Throne at the top.
The ascent to the top of the spire was excruciating, not only because of Kel'Thuzad's exhaustion but because of the necromancer's raw power. It was weighing him down, and he had to crawl the last distance to the throne. Inside the throne, in a block of ice, he saw a set of plate armor and a large sword etched in runes.
There are some truly powerful descriptions of what we know is the Lich King in this section. The armor "seemed to devour all light, hope, and sanity" as he saw the blade, he thought "Here was power. Here was despair", and the Lich King said "Let this be your first lesson. I have no love for you or your people. On the contrary, I intend to scour humanity from this planet, and make no mistake: I have the power to do it."
Finally, when Kel'Thuzad was truly beaten into the ground, all bravery and power drained from him, the necromancer laid down his demands:
Excerpt from "Road To Damnation" by Evelyn Fredericksen
As my lieutenant, you will gain knowledge and magic to surpass your most ambitious dreams. But in return, living or dead, you will serve me for the rest of your days. If you betray me, I shall make you into one of my mindless ones, and you will serve me still.
Serving this spectral being--this Lich King, as Kel’Thuzad was beginning to think of him--would assuredly bring Kel’Thuzad great power… and damn him for all eternity. But that knowledge came far too late. Besides, damnation had little meaning without the prospect of true death.
“I am yours. I swear it,” he said hoarsely.
This is how Kel'Thuzad fell from grace. In his pursuit of protecting his home and gaining power, he came upon the one force he could not subdue. Instead, it subdued him, and he would follow that force for the rest of his life, his undeath, and all of eternity.
That was the beginning of the story of Kel'Thuzad. We saw the continuation of it in Warcraft 3, and now in Phase 6 on the Anniversary realms, you can relive the ending. At least the first ending.
Did this story give you a different opinion of Kel'Thuzad? Do you think he deserves his end? Let us know in the comments!
