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All of the latest Mists of Pandaria newsBlizzard releases details on Icecrown Citadel
by Matthew Rossi 
Sep 30th 2009 at 1:22PM
It seems that Horde and Alliance each get their own juicy lore goodness in addition to loots, as players will be able to accompany Sylvanas Windrunner or Jaina Proudmoore as they seek a path into the heart of Icecrown Citadel for their individual reasons. (It's safe to say Sylvanas is probably looking to shoot Arthas a lot.) Once inside the Frozen Halls, players must confront the bosses of the Forge of Souls and the Pit of Saron before finally confronting Arthas himself. Sounds pretty bloody epic to me.
The text indicates that each section will have its own unique means of challenging the players before confronting the bosses. With names like Bronjahm the Godfather of Souls (is that a James Brown reference) and Scourgelord Tyrannus, I think it's safe to assume we're not going to be offered tea and crumpets, unless of course they're evil tea and necromantic crumpets.
So there you have it. Go forth and feast your eyes on screenshots of this 'massive, sprawling 5 player dungeon' if I may paraphrase.
Since we know many of you can't access WoW's official website at work, the complete details from Blizzard are reproduced after the break.
From the official page:
Icecrown Citadel will feature a massive five-player dungeon sprawling across three wings of the citadel's foundation. While the Lich King's attention is focused on the Argent Crusade and the Knights of the Ebon Blade ripping through the front gates, players will be tested as they assist Jaina Proudmoore (Alliance) and Sylvanas Windrunner (Horde) in infiltrating the citadel through an alternate entrance.
An epic quest line will present adventurers with the task of weakening Icecrown Citadel's forces, requiring that players defeat the challenges in each dungeon wing before venturing into the next one. Normal and Heroic versions of the dungeon will be accessible to players, although each wing will be considered a separate instance; therefore, on Heroic difficulty, each wing will have its own separate lockout timer. All-new rewards -- including item level 219 (normal) and level 232 (Heroic) loot -- will be offered to those who destroy some of the Lich King's most formidable allies.
The Forge of Souls
Serving as the first wing in this expansive dungeon, the Forge of Souls will quickly put players to the test of carving through the Scourge stronghold into deeper, more treacherous locations. Jaina will command Alliance forces, and Sylvanas will direct Horde forces. The goal is to ruin the twisted engines known as soul grinders found in this portion of the citadel, and then players can advance -- that is, if the Horde and Alliance forces can overcome the foes who confront them.
Bosses
- Bronjahm, the Godfather of Souls: An instrument of reckoning, Bronjahm watches over the engines in the Forge of Souls. He must be killed if the soul grinders are to be destroyed.
- The Devourer of Souls: As the chief operator of the engines found in this wing, the Devourer stands guard over the souls stolen by the Lich King.
Accessible only to those who have laid waste to the Forge of Souls' unholy operations, the Pit of Saron will bring Horde and Alliance forces deeper into the Lich King's domain. Players who venture here will immediately be confronted by the lord of this lair, Scourgelord Tyrannus. But defeating him will not be as easy as it seems. Before they can present a threat to Tyrannus, the adventurers, instructed by their leaders, will need to free enslaved allies who have been trapped by the Scourge. Until that happens, Tyrannus will leave all adversaries to his minions, workers of the citadel's mines. Perhaps the challenges here will lend clues as to the whereabouts of the Lich King's private chambers outside of the Frozen Throne, deep within the Halls of Reflection.
Bosses
- Forgemaster Garfrost: A master of Scourge weaponry, the forgemaster hauls stocks of saronite ore and other precious materials to the cold forges where the mechanisms of death are born. With a host of rime weapons and exotic alloys at his disposal, it could get cold in here.
- Krick and Ick: Zombies serve as mindless muscle in the Pit of Saron's mines, stockpiling metals for Forgemaster Garfrost, and Krick -- a devious leper gnome -- supervises the operations from atop Ick, Krick's ghastly means of transportation.
- Scourgelord Tyrannus: Tyrannus is a terrible force who will no doubt demonstrate his powers to those brave enough to enter the Pit of Saron. The scourgelord must die if players hope to make their way into the third and final wing of this dungeon.
With Jaina and Sylvanas leading the way, adventurers who make it as far as these frigid halls will quickly recognize the weapon that lies ahead: Frostmourne, the corruptive, legendary device of the Lich King himself. The Lich King's private chambers are within reach, although they may be the death of anyone who ventures there.
Bosses
- Falric and Marwyn: Captains for Arthas Menethil in life, Scourge commanders for the Lich King in death, Falric and Marwyn will be summoned to the Halls of Reflection for one purpose: destroying all intruders.
- The Lich King: Sylvanas, thirsty for vengeance against the corrupted prince who sentenced her to an existence as an undead monstrosity, and Jaina, eager to find a flicker of Arthas's soul locked somewhere within the Lich King, have brought their hand-picked allies to this final confrontation. Arthas's true power may only now be discovered. Is there any hope in this mission, or does only death await?
Filed under: Patches, Analysis / Opinion, Odds and ends, Blizzard, News items, Instances, Lore, NPCs, Wrath of the Lich King, Europe
Reader Comments (Page 10 of 10)
vulco.jacques Oct 1st 2009 8:46AM
FRom what I've read off wowwiki, there will be the 3 5-man instances of the Frozen Halls and then the actual Citadel raid. Maybe Jaina and/or Sylvannas will be turned and become bosses within the Citadel.
The Citadel will have 12 bosses, including Sindragosa and of course LK.
Jayded Oct 1st 2009 9:15AM
Halls of Reflection was merely a small setback ^^
Sithril Oct 1st 2009 10:58AM
I just finished reading Arthas - RotLK , and now this ?
I nearly feinted , wonderfull !
Cam Oct 1st 2009 1:05PM
Now to get my paladin to 80 before 3.3
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And to get a successful onyxia kill on my shaman
bleww Oct 1st 2009 3:08PM
will arthas drop that pony
Demonfel Oct 2nd 2009 5:31PM
Why is arthas only a 5 man? He should be like at least 25. Blizzard should do the right thing and bring back 40 man raiding for Arthas and other, for lack of a better word 'story-important' characters.
Moon Oct 6th 2009 11:57AM
Fail again.219 and 232 item lvl thats sucks most of us are all ready where 245 item lvl gear from the welfare badges... Come on blizz stop nerfing the game...
Vandalkilla Oct 20th 2009 12:32AM
Alright this is the way I see the Icecrown raid encounter:
Considering how Arthas is suppose to be uber leet then tirion fordring and darion mograine will aid in the encounter. Tirion healing whoever has threat (obviously the tank) and darion dealing massive dps do to the lich kings huge health pool. Players will encounter him on a small platuea just below his thrown on the frozen thrown while argent, horde, alliance, and the other inhabitnats r battling the scourge on the ground.
The fight starts with the lich king as a pretty straight foward boss. At around 50% tirion will cast a sort of redeeming spell which will invoke uthers spirit. Uther tries to persuade the good to remerge from the lich king but although its clears that the 2 souls are conflicting they dont seperate. At around 10% tirion casts the spell again this time summoning arthas' father (king terenas) who eventually persuades arthas to seperate. After a brilliant flash of light arthas in his paladin armor and the spirit figure of an orc in the lich kings armor remain.
After a short dialogue between arthas and ner'zhul eaither jainna or slyvannas arrive depending on faction. As the lich king is getting ready to finish a defenseless arthas two things can happen depending on faction
-Jaina jumps in the way n saves arthas from dying
-Slyvannus blinds ner'zhul with an arrow saving arthas
Now for the last 10% tirion tosses the Ashbringer to Arthas to finish the lich king. Arthas advises the group to leave because he wants to end all the suffering that he has brought. Slyvannus also stays wishing to finnaly end her undeath (slyvannus dies, Nathanos Blightcaller now leads the forsaken) Now the last 10% percent while arthas dps' the lich king is a race to the bottom of the collapsing frozen thrown.
If you succeed in making it to the bottom (timer would probably be around 2-3 minutes) tirion will give you a quest to look through the rubble. You find the remains of arthas, nerzhul, and a treasure cache and loot them. The ashbringer is recovered but the horde and alliance are already at odds even after this desecive victory, garrosh and varian exchange words and both leave the citadel angry and preparing for the next war. Setting up the 3rd expansion cataclysm.
Marcosius Oct 24th 2009 5:06PM
Kael'thas was a boss of many instances, so why can't the LK be? My guess is you will forge the Shadowmourne/Quel'delar or something in this 5 man, then use it to defeat him in a raid. That is if you care about raiding (shock horror shock not all people do). But at least we get to fight him, us poor lamers who have to watch the ending cinematic from youtube to get our dose of lore.
Avenus Nov 30th 2009 3:33PM
Damn good story telling Vandalkilla!
I like new five man instances, they are a fun diversion and take the pressure off raiding.
However, I can only see the encounter ending either by you killing the lich king, the lich king killing you, you defeating the lich king and him limping off, or the fight ending in a stalemate. Three out of the four solutions rely on deus ex machina storytelling, where factors beyond your control complete the encounter, which any writer knows is an ungratifying literary technique. The fourth is just plain depressing: after all the work you've done, all the blood, sweat and tears, you're still not good enough to beat him. That too, is a bad way to treat your consumers.
And if you do manage to kill him, he'd need to have a Marvel death to appear in the raid encounter, and everyone who cleared Tempest Keep knows how unsatisfying it was to kill him once and then again in Magister's Terrace.