Dark Elder
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Joined: 22-July 05
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Overview
Existing freely in the extra-dimensional plane of the Twisting Nether, demons of all types have joined together to form the Burning Legion. These demons comprise of beings made wholly from fel energy and others that command the darkest arcane powers with warlock magics. They exist only to destroy every world they come across in the Great Dark Beyond and devour the energies of each one to increase their own power.
Founding of the Burning Legion
Corruption of Sargeras
After the creation of the universe that sent the individual worlds spiraling into the Great Dark Beyond, a race of colossal beings called the Titans stepped forward to create order from the chaos. When these metallic-skinned gods encountered a new primordial world they started to work at creating the vast seas, mountains, and skies. They even empowered certain native races to tend to these worlds once they had left. The governing council of the Titans was called the Pantheon, and its task was to find was to safeguard the worlds they helped to shape. The biggest threat were creatures from the ethereal plane of the Twisting Nether called demons. The greatest warrior of the Titans, Sargeras, was charged with the duty to protect the universe from those that wished to destroy it.
Sargeras had no problem defeating the demons he encountered throughout the universe, but he was unable (as all the Titans were) to understand their maliciousness and depravity. Though the other Titans tried to console their brother, he began to think that the ideas of order and creation themselves were foolish. Making a decision to leave the ranks of the Pantheon, he went off to find his place in the universe. However, Sargeras's growing madness grew and eventually consumed him.
Sargeras had made the decision that the Titans themselves were responsible for the failure of creation and vowed to destroy all they had worked for over countless eons. His once molten bronze skin split open and revealed a never-ending furnace burning within him. In his newfound rage he broke open the prisons that contained the Eredar and Nathrezim he had previously imprisoned. Completely in awe of Sargeras's power, the demons quickly bowed to him and devoted themselves to whatever evil plans he had in waiting for the universe.
Enlisting Other Demons
Two great warlocks were chosen from the Eredar to serve Sargeras in his newly founded Burning Legion. The first was Kil'jaeden the Deceiver, who quickly took it upon himself to enslave the Nathrezim and put them completely under his control. His duty was to seek out the darkest races in the universe and bring them under Sargeras's control. His Dreadlords were sent to scour the universe to find other races that could be brought into the shadow. Tichondrius the Darkener was promoted as Kil'jaeden's primary agent of corruption.
The other Eredar chosen by Sargeras was Archimonde the Defiler who quickly gained disciples of his own found in the Pit Lords. This race of barbaric soldiers were lead by the great Mannoroth. Using these Pit Lords as his front line, Archimonde's duty was to lead the vast armies of the Burning Legion into battle.
No one truly knows the unimaginable number of worlds consumed by the flame of the Burning Legion before their might came across Azeroth.
Invasions of Azeroth
War of the Ancients
Although there are not many aware of it, the most recent invasion of the Burning Legion was not their first attempt to conquer Azeroth. Almost 10,000 years ago, when the world was young, a primitive race calling themselves the Kaldorei had founded a society on Azeroth's only continent of Kalimdor. The feral aspect of this race was eventually replaced by wisdom and intelligence due to their proximity to the Well of Eternity, the source of Azeroth's magical energies. As their culture expanded, they encountered a number of different races native to Azeroth, including the dragons and Cenarius, a demi-god. The Queen of the Night Elves, named Azshara, kept her servitors close to the Well and had them researching the Well's vast powers. She dubbed these scholars the "high-borne". They all agreed their reckless use of magic was dangerous, but they could not help themselves and Azshara's lust for power corrupted her.
The Night Elves use of magic is what alerted Sargeras and the rest of the Legion to Azeroth's existence and they quickly rallied to invade drain the Well's power for their own. Azshara began to be manipulated by Sargeras from the Twisting Nether through the Well of Eternity and she was too overwhelmed by the ecstasy of her magic to resist his charms. Azshara then banded her high-borne together to create a great swirling portal to allow the Legion through to Azeroth. Sargeras’s multitude of minions poured forth and brought a fiery reign of terror down across the world, while he himself still awaited the completion of Azshara ritual to expand the portal to allow him through.
As a final attempt to stop the demons, Furion Stormrage led a final assault on Azshara's temple and attempted to destroy the Well of Eternity. He theorized the Well was what was linking the demon's world to his own. Although the attack carried with it future reprocoustions, it was successful in destroying the Well. Although, the resulting cataclysm was unexpected to say the least. The Great Sundering split the world apart and darkened out the skies. The waters of the surrounding sea flooded into the hole left by the Well of Eternity and created a great never-ending storm called the Maelstrom. The Legion's forces were thrust back into the Nether and failed to achieve their conquest.
Opening of the Dark Portal
Unable to drain Azeroth of its energies, the Burning Legion resolved to continue its destructive wake elsewhere in the universe. After more centuries of destruction, the Legion came across a world with a race of beings begging to be indoctrinated into the Legion's forces -- the Orcs of Draenor. The Orcs were a society based on shamanistic beliefs and the pride and strength of a warrior. As always, the Legion began its attempt to corrupt the denizens of Draenor. The shaman Ner'zhul was the first to communicate with the demons. After making a Blood Pact with Mannoroth, the Orcs become empowered and bloodlusted. This allowed them to almost wipe out their enemies the Draenei. However, this total victory left the Orcs restless for an enemy, and in fighting soon began. In order to keep their people from killing themselves, they asked their demon lords for new worlds and enemies to conquer.
Thinking this was an opportunity to tackle the world of Azeroth again, the demons plotted to open a portal from Azeroth to Draenor. Many things had changed on Azeroth since the Great Sundering, specifically the new society of the Humans. The exiled high-borne of the Night Elves, now known as High Elves, along with the Humans had continued their practice of magic, once again gaining the notice of the Burning Legion. Through the use of these arcane powers, several demons had slipped back onto Azeroth on the continent of Northrend. A sect of protectors had been formed called the Guardians of Tirisfal, whose duty it was to protect Azeroth from the demons of the Burning Legion. The greatest warrior of the Guardians was a woman named Aegwynn. In an attempt to wipe out the presence of the demons, she came across Sargeras himself, although in a weakened state. She defeated his physical form, but his spirit lingered on. She decided to seal his carcass away in a hidden vault, but it was too late. His spirit had infected her.
Later, Sargeras’s spirit passed on to Aegwynn’s son, Medivh, at his birth. For many years the great Sargeras tried to control Medivh, and in time he won. Using his powers while inside his Human host, he open the infamously known Dark Portal that lead to Draenor allowing the Orcish Horde that the Legion had been cultivating to charge through. The Humans had no chance.
The Humans of Stormwind tried to hold their own but were ultimately defeated. After this First War, the Orcs set their sights on the northern continent of Lordaeron and all the nations and races there. In order to save themselves, the Humans, Dwarves, High Elves, and Gnomes joined together and form the Alliance held off the invasion. In time, they gained the upper hand when Gul'dan, the strongest Warlock of the Horde and the pupil of Ner'zhul, took half the Horde's forces to search for the Tomb of Sargeras in order to increase his own powers. He did this in direct opposition to Warchief Doomhammer’s orders. In the end, Gul’dan’s forces were lost when demons ambushed them within the Tomb of Sargeras. This was the point where the tide was turned for the Alliance and the Orcs were pushed back through the Dark Portal and into Draenor.
In a final attempt to take his people elsewhere, Ner'zhul opened several portals on Draenor and tried to escape, but the Humans had followed them there in order to stop the Orcish threat once and for all. The portals that were created tore the planet apart and few survived. The Orcs that returned to Azeroth were rounded up and place in internment camps, while the others were killed or lost somewhere in the Nether. One Orc in particular, Ner'zhul, was captured by his master, Kil'jaeden. Kil'jaeden was angered at his failure and the defeat of the Legion's forces for the second time when invading Azeroth.
The Third War
Not ready to give up on the Orcs' usefulness, Kil'jaeden made a new deal with Ner'zhul and created who is now known as the Lich King. The Lich King's task was to create yet another army, even more vast and powerful than the Orcish Horde to attempt the destruction of Azeroth once more. When ready, the Lich King would bring only death to the world of Azeroth.
Unknown to the Burning Legion, the Lich King and his Scourge were plotting against them and only pretended to be loyal. Years later, the Lich King allowed his army to be used by the Legion and summoned the demon Archimonde and his forces to Azeroth. While the Lich King stayed imprisoned in his icy cast, Archimonde took full command of the Undead Scourge and ravaged over all the lands of Lordaeron before continuing to Kalimdor. Attempting to gain access to the World Tree, Nordrassil, and draining it of its powers, Archimonde leveled the forests of Ashenvale stirring the Legion's ancient enemies of the Night Elves.
Only by standing together were the Humans, Elves, and newly freed Orcs able to defeat the Legion's ambitions for a third time. Archimonde the Defiler fell in this great Battle at Mt. Hyjal, and a brave new world was set before all the races of Azeroth.
Followers of the Burning Legion
All that remains of the Legion's influence on Azeroth now is its wayward followers. The sane individuals that once helped the Legion believing they would be rewarded with power and that the world would be a better place no longer delude themselves. They now see the Legion is not about conquering and ruling over the lands, but about the pure destruction of everything they find. However, there remain those that do still serve the Legion.
These beings come from all races and are normally insane, either they had always been that way or lost their minds during the last invasion. They continue on as if their masters still looked over them and were going to reward them. Even though they are hard to spot, they are far less dangerous than the perverted minds that take pleasure in the pain they cause. These individuals know they were to be destroyed like everything else in the Legion's wake, but do not care. They enjoy the freedom they have to take part in countless depravities the Legion had them do. Death cults and acts of terrorism against the rest of society are done in the Burning Legion's name.
The most dangerous group of followers the Legion retains in Azeroth is the newly reformed Shadow Council. Some members still devout themselves to the Legion believing they will return one day, while others use their position on the Council merely for their own gain. Basing their power in the corrupted forest of Felwood, they seek to undermine the control the Night Elves and other druids have over nature.
The Legion's followers are few and far between, and only represent a minor threat to the other races of Azeroth, but they manipulate those in power and their numbers are growing slowly. The demons and their followers should be watched closely at all costs.
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