Sign inDarion Mograine
Darion Mograine is the younger son of Alexandros Mograine, the paladin known as the Ashbringer. A paladin of the Argent Dawn, he went into Naxxramas to free his father, who had been raised as a death knight, and later took his own life with the corrupted Ashbringer to save Light's Hope Chapel. Kel'Thuzad raised him as a death knight, and he became the highlord of the Knights of the Ebon Blade in Wrath of the Lich King. In Classic he never appears in person, but his family's story runs through the Scarlet Monastery, Naxxramas and one of the most famous items in the game.
Biography
The Mograine family
Darion was born stillborn and brought to life when his father plunged him into an icy stream; his mother died from the birth. He grew up with his older brother Renault in a farmhouse in Brill, in what would become Tirisfal Glades. Their father Alexandros carried the Ashbringer, a sword built around a purified crystal that was deadly to the undead, and after the death of Uther the Lightbringer he led the Silver Hand against the Scourge.
Alexandros was too dangerous to the Scourge to leave alive. Kel'Thuzad and the dreadlord Balnazzar manipulated Renault into luring his father into an ambush at Stratholme, where Renault killed him with the Ashbringer itself. The act corrupted the blade. Kel'Thuzad took the body and the sword and raised Alexandros as a death knight, leader of the Four Horsemen of Naxxramas. Renault rose in the Scarlet Crusade, whose leadership had been taken over by Balnazzar.
The Ashbringer
Darion, who had joined the Argent Dawn, led a small group into Naxxramas. His companions were killed, but he defeated his father and recovered the Corrupted Ashbringer. Following the sword's whispers, he went to the Scarlet Monastery, where Renault attacked him. The spirit of Alexandros rose from the blade, killed Renault and forgave Darion.
Darion understood that his father's soul was trapped in the sword. Tirion Fordring told him that only an act of love greater than the act of evil could free it. When the Scourge attacked Light's Hope Chapel in the Eastern Plaguelands, Darion drove the Ashbringer through his own heart. The souls of a thousand fallen knights buried beneath the chapel rose in pillars of light, destroyed the attacking Scourge and released Alexandros. Kel'Thuzad, who had expected this, raised Darion's body as a death knight.
In World of Warcraft
Darion is not an NPC in Classic, but the pieces of his story are all in patch 1.12, told from his father's side.
The Four Horsemen
In Naxxramas, added in patch 1.11, the Four Horsemen encounter is led by [[forever:npc:16062]], "The Ashbringer". In Classic this is Alexandros, raised as a death knight, fighting alongside [[forever:npc:16064]], [[forever:npc:16065]] and [[forever:npc:16063]]. The Four Horsemen chest can contain the [[forever:item:22691]].
Other quests remember Alexandros too. [[forever:quest:9229]] tells of Ramaladni, a warrior who had been a pupil of Highlord Mograine and went into Naxxramas seeking revenge after his death, never to return.
The Scarlet Monastery event
The Corrupted Ashbringer is the only item in the game with its own scripted event. Wielding it grants an effect that makes the Argent Dawn hostile and the Scarlet Crusade friendly, and Alexandros's voice whispers fragments of his story to the wielder: "I... was... once... called... Ashbringer," "My... son... watched... me... die."
When a player carrying the sword enters the cathedral of the Scarlet Monastery, Scarlet Commander Mograine, who is Renault, welcomes them as his father's heir while his crusaders kneel. Then the spirit of Alexandros appears, kills Renault for his betrayal, and frees High Inquisitor Fairbanks from undeath. Fairbanks tells the story of the murder, and in doing so he mentions Darion, the other son, giving his location as "The Outland". This is Darion's only mention in the original game.
In the Ashbringer comic, it is Darion who brings the sword to the monastery, so the in-game event is not considered canon.
Later history
Wrath of the Lich King (patch 3.0.2) made Darion one of the most important characters in the game. As Highlord of the Death Knights of Acherus, he commands every new death knight player in the starting zone, the Scarlet Enclave. During the Battle for Light's Hope Chapel, Tirion turns the battle, the spirit of Alexandros speaks to his son, and the Lich King himself appears. Darion and his knights break from the Lich King and found the Knights of the Ebon Blade. Darion hands the Corrupted Ashbringer to Tirion, and in Tirion's hands it is purified.
The Ebon Blade then joined the Argent Crusade in the Ashen Verdict to assault Icecrown Citadel, and Darion helped players forge the legendary axe Shadowmourne. In Legion he was killed and raised again to lead a new Four Horsemen in the death knight class campaign. In Shadowlands, he fought beside Bolvar Fordragon against the Jailer.
Trivia
- When Wrath of the Lich King replaced the Naxxramas Four Horsemen, Highlord Mograine was swapped out for Baron Rivendare, and the Corrupted Ashbringer was removed from the loot.
- Darion is voiced by Taliesin Jaffe.
- When first added, Darion had twice the health of the faction leaders of the time.
Sources
Categories: Characters
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