Chapter Summaries

Aaron led his group into Drak'Tharon Keep after Truthguard warned of a nearby abnormal presence. A dying ice troll revealed that a plague had struck the keep, leaving Aaron to decide whether to investigate further despite fearing the Lich King had claimed it.

• Aaron entered Drak'Tharon Keep with paladins, rangers, and mages after Truthguard reacted to an abnormal presence.
• Aaron found a weakened, unresponsive ice troll and used Holy Light to revive him.
• The troll warned Aaron that there was a plague in the keep before collapsing again, and Xal'atath said his life force was already exhausted.
• Aaron suspected the plague had turned the keep's trolls into Undead and told his companions what had happened.
• Aaron asked whether they should leave or investigate further, and Orsonn urged them to check the keep because the furbolgs still needed a home.

Aaron and his companions explored Drak'Tharon Keep and decided to lure King Tyrannosaur Dred out rather than risk killing it where the Scourge might raise it again. Halduron successfully drew Dred beyond the keep, leaving Aaron to wonder why he could cast Divine Shield on others.

• Aaron's group found King Tyrannosaur Dred blocking their path and agreed to lure the beast away instead of fighting it.
• Aaron explained that killing Dred could let the Scourge resurrect it, and Halduron recounted how the Blood Knights had burned the animated specimens in Utgarde.
• Aaron persuaded Halduron to act as bait, then cast Divine Shield on him and was questioned by Bolvar about having been a Priest.
• Halduron calmly led Dred through the keep using obstacles and arrows while Aaron followed and questioned why he could cast Divine Shield on others.
• Halduron used a phantom to evade Dred near the keep's exit, and Aaron waved goodbye as the beast was lured outside.

Aaron and Halduron discovered a hidden chamber of undead Trolls inside the fortress and fought their way through them. As Aaron regrouped with Halduron after a sudden attack, the hidden assailant introduced himself as Novos and threatened to deliver them to his master.

• Halduron showed Aaron his limited mirror image spell and explained how he used it to escape in the woods.
• Aaron's glowing shield alerted him to nearby danger, and he and Halduron found and killed oversized spiders that were not causing the shield's reaction.
• Halduron spotted concealed stone doors, and Aaron opened them to reveal a chamber of undead Trolls.
• Aaron and Halduron split up to fight the undead, with Halduron charging in with his spear while Aaron battled the larger Trolls with Holy Light.
• Aaron unleashed Divine Storm, then dodged a streak of black light and regrouped with Halduron as Novos revealed himself and threatened to present them to his master.

Aaron and Halduron fought the Lich Novos, who raised the fallen Troll Undead and attacked them with frost magic. Aaron destroyed Novos with Vereesa’s help, and Vereesa told him she and Bolvar had found a Troll who seemed free of the plague.

• Aaron and Halduron identified Novos as a Lich, and Aaron provoked him into attacking.
• Novos’s spells failed to break Aaron’s shield, but his summoning spell reassembled the fallen Troll Undead around them.
• Aaron unleashed Holy Light to scatter the undead, then charged Novos with Halduron while blocking his frost attacks.
• Aaron used Divine Shield and Blessing of Freedom to reach Novos, and Vereesa’s arrow struck the Lich’s eye socket.
• Aaron shattered Novos’s skull and purified his soul with Holy Light.
• Vereesa explained that she had come looking for Aaron and told him that she and Bolvar had found a Troll who seemed uninfected by the plague.

Aaron, Vereesa, and Halduron returned to the raptor pens after joking about finding Halduron a powerful bow, where they discovered Bolvar guarding the Ice Troll Drakuru. Aaron suspected Drakuru had spread the plague through the fortress, but Drakuru insisted they should focus on the greater threat: the Undead.

• Halduron asked why Vereesa's arrows had struck their target, and Vereesa showed him Titans' Strike and explained how she had obtained it.
• Aaron teased Halduron with stories of other legendary bows, then promised to keep an eye out for a suitable weapon for him.
• Aaron considered the complications of acquiring the Spear of the Eagle but decided not to mention it to Halduron yet.
• Vereesa told Aaron that she and Bolvar had found Drakuru hiding in the raptor pens and had spared him because he showed no signs of plague.
• Drakuru told the group that he wanted no quarrel with them and urged them to recognize the Undead as their real enemy.
• Aaron suspected Drakuru had spread the plague, while Bolvar asked whether he could help and Halduron watched him with open hostility.

Aaron questioned the imprisoned Drakuru about the cause of the trouble in Drak'Tharon Keep, and Drakuru claimed Tharon'ja had spread the plague. After Orsonn reported finding Tharon'ja's remains, Drakuru realized Aaron's group could seize the keep, and Aaron released him to put him to use.

• Drakuru offered to lead Aaron's group to the source of the keep's problems in exchange for his life.
• Aaron guessed that Drakuru meant Tharon'ja, and Drakuru blamed the Wind Serpent for spreading the plague.
• Orsonn reported finding Tharon'ja's remains upstairs.
• Drakuru recognized Orsonn and realized Aaron's group had the strength to occupy Drak'Tharon Keep.
• Aaron freed Drakuru, and Halduron warned him to behave or be killed.

Aaron and his allies fought Tharon'ja after the Wind Serpent reassembled from his bones and attacked them. Aaron used Drakuru to block Tharon'ja’s life-draining spell, helping defeat the Loa, before a female Vrykul arrived to promise Drakuru the Lich King’s rewards.

• Orsonn told Aaron that the Furbolgs had cleared much of Drak'Tharon Keep before discovering Tharon'ja’s bones.
• Tharon'ja reassembled, accused Aaron’s group, and attacked them with shadow magic and a life-draining spell.
• Aaron grabbed Drakuru and threw him in front of Tharon'ja’s life-draining beam, then attacked the Wind Serpent while Orsonn and his sister helped.
• Aaron and his allies broke Tharon'ja’s skeleton apart again.
• A female Vrykul arrived and praised Drakuru, promising that the Lich King would grant him everything he desired.

Aaron pretended to cooperate with the Lich King's Val'kyr while keeping Drakuru restrained, then helped Xal'atath capture the Val'kyr Aradne. Aradne resisted, but Ner'zhul lost contact with her as he assured Tichondrius that his plan was progressing.

• Aaron claimed Drakuru was exhausted and had Halduron restrain him while pretending to care for him.
• Aaron asked the Val'kyr about the Lich King's plans, and she revealed that he wanted them to conquer Zul'Drak with three floating citadels arriving in about a month.
• Aaron introduced Xal'atath, who bound the Val'kyr with golden runes and revealed that she intended to capture her.
• Aradne resisted and sent a silver radiance toward Drakuru as her body began turning gold.
• Ner'zhul sensed that he had lost contact with another Val'kyr, then told Tichondrius that his plan was on track.

Aaron questioned Drakuru about the plague at Drak'Tharon Keep, and Drakuru revealed how he had betrayed the Ice Trolls and become trapped between the Lich King and Novos. Aaron left Drakuru's fate unresolved after confirming that Novos had already died.

• Xal'atath struck Aradne down with golden runes, and Aaron turned his attention to Drakuru, whose symptoms had vanished after Aradne infused him with power.
• Aaron questioned Drakuru, who asked to be spared and explained that he had helped the Lich King spread the plague in exchange for his own survival.
• Drakuru recounted how the Undead besieged Drak'Tharon Keep while Zul'Drak failed to answer the Ice Trolls' pleas for help.
• Drakuru said Prophet Sapphiron took the Wind Serpent god's power but succumbed to the plague, while the Lich King's agents killed several of Drakuru's companions.
• Drakuru explained that Novos became a Lich and turned the surviving Trolls into Undead, forcing Drakuru to hide in the raptor pens.
• Aaron confirmed that Novos was dead, then asked Drakuru for his last words.

Aaron forced Drakuru to reveal the plague sources hidden throughout Drak'Tharon Keep and purified some of them. He brought the jars back to the others and planned to have Aradne confirm Drakuru had told the truth before honoring their deal.

• Drakuru demanded that Aaron spare his life in exchange for revealing the plague sources, and Aaron agreed after Halduron withdrew his spear.
• Drakuru led Aaron alone to a storehouse and showed him a plague jar hidden beneath a floor tile.
• Aaron used Holy Light to purify plague jars, and Drakuru led him to five sources in total; Aaron purified three and kept two for study.
• Aaron said he would confirm Drakuru had found every source with Aradne before letting him go.
• Aaron and Drakuru returned to the keep's summit with three jars, and Aaron showed them to the waiting group.

Aaron uncovered that the plague came from a set of jars and planned to have mages study them, while the expedition relocated from Utgarde to Grizzly Hills. As Aaron prepared for the coming battles, Liadrin brought him to meet an unexpected visitor.

• Aaron explained the plague jars to Bolvar and learned from Aradne that Ner'zhul had given Drakuru five sources of the plague.
• Aaron let Drakuru leave the keep, and Xal'atath waited with Aradne for someone sent to collect her.
• Orsonn's furbolgs moved into Drak'Tharon Keep and burned the stored food and troll corpses to prevent the plague from spreading.
• Aaron moved the expedition to a new camp in Grizzly Hills with help from the Kul Tiras fleet.
• Liadrin told Aaron that someone with important news wanted to meet him, and Aaron reacted with surprise when he saw the visitor.

Aaron met Aradne again and learned that the Loa were in danger as the Scourge’s plague spread through Zul'Drak. He flew with Aradne to meet the Loa and plan how to prevent Ner'zhul from gaining an advantage, where Annhylde arrived.

• Aradne visited Aaron’s camp, and Xal'atath explained that Aradne had been sent to scout Zul'Drak after joining their side.
• Xal'atath told Aaron that Ice Troll priests and prophets could seize their Loa’s power, putting the Loa at risk as the plague spread.
• Aaron agreed to meet the Loa and work out a plan, then instructed the expedition members to continue preparing for battle.
• Aaron and Aradne flew to ruins near Zul'Drak, where Aaron found and burned the bodies left behind by the Scourge’s attacks.
• Aradne explained that Ner'zhul’s plans had changed after she switched sides, then pointed out that Annhylde was approaching.

Aaron met with the Zul'Aman Loa spirits and the Drakkari Loa, who believed the warnings about the Trolls turning against them. The Drakkari Loa agreed to support Aaron's assault on Zul'Drak, and he returned to camp to prepare the attack.

• Annhylde summoned Halazzi, Jan'alai, Akil'zon, and Tharon'ja, who greeted Aaron and explained that they had come to warn the Drakkari Loa.
• Akali, Sseratus, Rhunok, and Har'koa arrived, while Har'koa said Quetz'lun could not be reached and Mam'toth had refused to come.
• Halazzi and Tharon'ja recounted how the Trolls had betrayed them, convincing the Drakkari Loa that Aradne's warnings were true.
• Aaron outlined his plan to attack Zul'Drak and asked the Drakkari Loa to strike from behind.
• Har'koa, Rhunok, and Akali pledged support for the assault, and Aaron returned to camp to prepare it.

Aaron commanded the expedition’s assault on Zul’Drak while the Loa secretly attacked the Ice Trolls from behind. Frost King Malakk ordered a retreat toward Gundrak and sought help from the Zandalari, but the expedition and the Loa’s forces overwhelmed the battlefield.

• Aaron led the expedition toward Zul’Drak, using sailors to coordinate its contingents while the Furbolgs struggled to follow signals.
• At Zul’Drak’s second wall, the Blood Knights met stiff resistance from the Ice Trolls, and Aaron waited for the Loa to strike.
• The Loa sent beasts against the Ice Trolls’ rear, throwing their ranks into chaos as Frost King Malakk ordered his troops to retreat.
• Malakk sent messengers to Gundrak to tell the Zandalari Trolls to prepare a ritual, then withdrew with his trusted followers.
• Aaron ordered the expedition to pursue the retreating Ice Trolls, and by the time the troops reached the Loa’s beasts, no Ice Trolls remained standing on the battlefield.

Aaron supervised the destruction of the Ice Troll dead to keep the Scourge from raising them, then spoke with Har'koa and Sseratus about the Undead and their followers. A tremendous explosion collapsed the third eastern wall, and the Loa identified the threatened area as Mam'toth's domain.

• Aaron ordered the battlefield bodies gathered and burned, while Orsonn's Furbolgs helped the soldiers clear the dead.
• Aaron discussed the dangers of the Undead with Har'koa and Sseratus, who described their own followers and the legacy of the Wild Gods.
• Aaron felt the ground shake and flew up to see the third eastern wall collapse in a cloud of dust, with Trolls and mammoths gathered around the crater.
• Har'koa recognized the location as Mam'toth's domain, and Sseratus wondered why the Trolls had attacked Mam'toth.

After Mam'toth's death disrupted the Ice Trolls, Aaron's forces captured the outer defenses of Gundrak and discovered Quetz'lun's fate. As the Loa prepared to attack the city, Akali revealed a secret passage into it.

• Har'koa agreed with Aaron that the Ice Trolls' disarray made it the right time to advance, and Aaron gathered his forces.
• Aaron's troops exploited a breach in the third wall and captured it, leaving Gundrak as the Ice Trolls' last stronghold.
• Aaron found Quetz'lun's remains and, with Har'koa's guidance, located her soul; Quetz'lun accepted Xal'atath's offer and asked to witness the Ice Trolls' downfall.
• Akali and the other Loa attacked the Ice Trolls outside Gundrak, killing hundreds and driving the survivors into the city.
• Har'koa asked Akali for advice on attacking Gundrak, and Akali revealed a hidden passage behind his ritual hall.

Aaron and the Loa infiltrated Gundrak through a hidden passage and defeated Frost King Malakk and the last Ice Troll defenders. Malakk died after revealing that the Zandalari had warned him of an Undead apocalypse, and the Drakkari were left destroyed.

• Akali explained that the hidden passage into Gundrak was too narrow for the main force, so the Loa and Aaron entered instead.
• Aaron and the Loa fought through the Ice Troll defenses until Har'koa killed the last Troll standing beside Malakk.
• Malakk blamed the Loa for refusing to sacrifice themselves and said he had turned against them to save the Drakkari from a plague and an Undead future foretold by the Zandalari.
• Malakk charged Akali, who parried his battle-axe with a horn and sent him crashing into a wall, killing him.
• With Malakk dead, resistance in Gundrak ended, marking the destruction of the Drakkari Trolls who had occupied the city for over ten thousand years.

After leaving Zul'Drak, Aaron discovered that Zandalari Trolls were following his fleet. Aboard their warship, Goraya heard Kairozdormu’s warning about Aaron and considered bringing the Zanchuli Council into a plan to intercept him.

• Aaron told the Loa about the possible Scourge attack, then withdrew with his allies toward Grizzly Hills.
• Aaron noticed that no Zandalari Trolls remained in Zul'Drak and soon spotted a Zandalari warship trailing his convoy.
• Kairozdormu warned Goraya that Aaron’s future fleet would threaten Zandalar and urged the Zandalari to mobilize against him.
• Goraya questioned Kairozdormu’s account but agreed to report his plan to the Zanchuli Council and Lord Zul.
• Kairozdormu flew away, while Goraya reflected that his expedition had brought back over a thousand Ice Trolls despite failing to seize Ursoc’s power.

Aaron returned to Covenant City and toured the rapidly developing harbor and city with administrator Illucia. He learned that a joint mage academy was being built there and that guests were waiting at the lord’s residence.

• Aaron parted ways with Bolvar and the Kul Tiras fleet, reminding Bolvar of their agreement concerning Utgarde Keep and the Stonemasons' Guild.
• Aaron docked the Dreadwake at Covenant City's expanded harbor and reunited with Illucia, who sarcastically noted how long he had been away.
• Illucia showed Aaron and Vereesa the city's new facilities and explained how she had adjusted the harbor to support the Ya-Mei Trading Company.
• Aaron noticed a half-built mage academy near the Blood Knights' camp and learned that Lordaeron, Dalaran, and Quel'Thalas were establishing it jointly.
• Illucia told Aaron that guests were waiting at the lord's residence, and he agreed to meet them promptly.

Aaron returned to Covenant City, met with Antonidas and Jaina about Dalaran’s role in building the mage academy, and heard Illucia’s report on the city’s changes and problems. He learned that the Orc prisoners were losing motivation and struggled with delicate work, and he said he had a solution for the latter issue.

• Illucia told Aaron that Antonidas and Jaina were visiting Covenant City, and Aaron greeted them while teasing Jaina about Arthas.
• Antonidas discussed supervising construction of the mage academy with Aaron, who agreed to Dalaran appoint a replacement supervisor later.
• Aaron asked Illucia to explain how Covenant City had changed, and she showed him the harbor-centered layout and relocated merchant district.
• Illucia reported that the Orcs Aaron had borrowed from Lordaeron were losing motivation despite her invigorating spells.
• Illucia explained that the Orcs’ work habits were slowing projects and made delicate labor difficult, and Aaron said he had a solution for that problem.