Sylvanas Windrunner


 * ''"We are the Forsaken. We will slaughter anyone who stands in our way."
 * — Lady Sylvanas Windrunner

Lady Sylvanas Windrunner is the leader of the Forsaken, the self-styled Dark Lady, and the banshee queen. In life, Sylvanas was the valiant ranger-general of Quel'Thalas, a high elf whose leadership acumen and martial prowess were without equal. During the Third War, she bravely defended her kingdom from a Scourge invasion led by the death knight Arthas. Ultimately, however, Sylvanas fell in battle. Rather than honor the ranger-general with a quick death, Arthas ripped out her soul and transformed it into a banshee: a cunning and vengeful agent of the Lich King empowered by hate.

When the Lich King’s control over his minions weakened, Sylvanas broke away from her tyrannical master's control and reclaimed her body. Vowing to avenge her death, Sylvanas gathered other renegade undead and set out to wage war against the Scourge. Thus it was that the Forsaken and their banshee queen came to be. Under Sylvanas' command, the Forsaken joined the Horde and later helped bring about the Lich King's fall in the frozen wastes of Northrend.

Yet many challenges still lay ahead for Sylvanas. After an uprising within her ranks that killed other members of the Horde, the banshee queen is now mistrusted by many of her allies. Most recently, Sylvanas began fortifying her territory within the Tirisfal Glades in order to establish a proper kingdom for her followers. While Sylvanas maintains that her loyalty to the Horde is undiminished, some of the faction's members are uncertain about her true intentions.

Ranger-General of Silvermoon
Sylvanas was a member of the prominent Windrunner family of the high elves. Her siblings were Alleria, Vereesa, and at least two other brothers. Her family lived at Windrunner Spire in the tranquil forests of Quel'Thalas. Sylvanas joined the rangers and eventually became their leader, rising to the rank of Ranger-General of Silvermoon, military leader of all high elven forces.

The Second War
During the Second War the high elves initially sent only token support to the Alliance, though Sylvanas' older sister Alleria took her squad of rangers as well. Soon after the forests of Quel'Thalas mysteriously began to burn. Sylvanas and her rangers set out to discover the cause when she came across both her sisters being chased by a band of forest trolls, whom they dispatched quickly. Alleria alerted Sylvanas of the coming orcish Horde, and that it was they who were burning Quel'Thalas with dragon fire. Sylvanas and her rangers moved quickly to meet the Horde and trap them between themselves and the Alliance forces under the command of the paladin Turalyon. The battle took many turns but ultimately the Horde abandoned Quel'Thalas. Sylvanas stayed behind to hunt down any remaining orcs. Shortly after, the Horde was defeated, the Dark Portal destroyed, and the Second War ended.

While Quel'Thalas was still an (albeit, uneasy) part of the Alliance of Lordaeron, Sylvanas admitted the highly talented human ranger Nathanos Marris into the ranks of the Farstriders. This decision surprised many of her compatriots, such as Halduron Brightwing, Lor'themar Theron and Renthar Hawkspear. Some of Sylvanas' comrades took note of the inordinate amount of pride Sylvanas took in her human disciple, and opposed the notion of allowing a human to train with the elven rangers.

Even the high elven prince Kael'thas Sunstrider took an issue with this, and sent a letter to Quel'Thalas demanding Sylvanas dismiss Nathanos from the ranger corps. Despite this opposition, however, Sylvanas persisted, and her response was simply that Nathanos would be a loyal ally. This would prove correct, as Nathanos' talent allowed him to become the first and last of the human Ranger Lords, and was responsible for victories spanning a decade of conflict.

Invasion of the Undead Scourge
After the high elves withdrew from the Alliance, Sylvanas and her rangers were the primary guard against any would-be attackers on Silvermoon. Despite the odd forest troll, murloc, or gnoll every now and then, Sylvanas saw little action, and a peaceful tranquillity had descended upon the forests. She remained, however, ever vigilant, knowing that this peace — however refreshing — was tenuous at best.

Her fears were soon realized, when Arthas Menethil, the betrayer of Lordaeron, arrived unexpectedly on the doorstep of Quel'Thalas with a horde of undead at his back. Kalmarin, one of Sylvanas' scouts, quickly informed her of the swarm of undeath fast approaching the first elfgate. Sylvanas organized her Farstriders, and went to observe the despoiler of Lordaeron herself.

She came face-to-face with Arthas, and suggested that the death knight turn back. However, Arthas retorted that death itself had come to Quel'Thalas, and began his assault on the first elfgate. Despite the Farstriders' best efforts, Arthas was able to successfully crash through it with his necromantic allies, and hulking Nerubians acting as sentient siege engines. Sylvanas and her surviving rangers fled back to the second gate, and Sylvanas came to the grim realization that she could not win this battle. However, she held out hope that the magisters at the Sunwell - if they knew what was approaching - could still turn the battle around. She had another ranger rush to inform them that Quel'Thalas may have been betrayed, and observed as the undead Scourge wrought a trail of dark, unholy destruction upon the land.

Arthas continued relentlessly towards the second gate, killing every elf who got in his way. Arthas marched onwards, his goal being the second elfgate which was only passable with the use of the Key of the Three Moons, assembled from the Mooncrystals hidden within the forest. Sylvanas destroyed the bridge leading to the second gate in an attempt to halt the undead advance, though this proved in vain as Arthas ordered his mind-devoid minions to create a huge bridge of bodies to supplement the destroyed passage.

Sylvanas retreated to Fairbreeze Village, and had its citizens evacuated. With little more than her most stalwart rangers left by her side, Sylvanas resolved to make a final stand before Arthas could push his way into Silvermoon. Every runner she sent to Silvermoon was murdered, and Sylvanas coordinated an aerial Dragonhawk attack to counter the invaders. However, this too proved mostly futile. Knowing that her own death approached, Sylvanas could think only of her sister, Alleria, and gazed upon a necklace gifted to her by her elder sibling. Sylvanas mused that they would likely be reunited soon.

Sylvanas' final stand was against Arthas himself, fast closing in on Silvermoon, who at this point was frustrated at the harsh resistance Sylvanas had given him. The two engaged in combat, though the exhausted Ranger General was unable to match the power of Frostmourne. Sylvanas was cut down, and Arthas stood before her.

Sylvanas the banshee


The official story given by the high elves of Silvermoon had the Ranger-General having perished valiantly in battle against the undead Scourge in the defense of Quel'Thalas, and her body being burned to ashes in the fire that had devastated half the capital.

The true story, however, was quite different. Sylvanas was not killed, but rather captured. Barely clinging to life, Sylvanas Windrunner was brought before Arthas in his dark temple. She protested, saying she deserved a clean death, but Arthas, having had to fight her every step of the way, responded by telling her after what she had put him through the last thing he would give her was the peace of death. She was tortured, mutilated, and finally killed for Arthas' pleasure. He desecrated her spirit, corrupting her body and soul, and brought her back as a whirlwind of torment and hatred. Thus Sylvanas Windrunner became the first of the high elven banshees. Her body was flung onto a meatwagon, lost among the thousands more the Scourge had claimed, and would later be locked in an iron coffin as a further act of vengeance upon the Ranger General.

Sylvanas, now an undead banshee, was granted a number of unconventional abilities by Arthas. Though bound to his will completely, in a process she likened to a puppet master pulling strings, Arthas allowed her to retain her self-awareness - so that she might witness the destruction she would bring to her people firsthand. Sylvanas the banshee was paraded in front of Silvermoon as something of a trophy, and though the high elves were shocked to the core, Sylvanas could not help but feel pride as they continued their futile, brutal struggle against Arthas. Though Arthas had been able to fill the first crossing with bodies to form a passage, Sylvanas gloated to him that he would never be able to do so to reach Quel'Danas and the Sunwell. Arthas plunged Frostmourne into the ocean, and created a path of frost for his army to use instead.

Arthas began his brutal assault on the Sunwell, and Sylvanas watched helplessly as he engaged in single combat with the high elven ruler, High King Anasterian Sunstrider. She hoped dearly that the aged king could put an end to him, though knew that it was not possible. Her hopes were raised when Anasterian managed to dismount Arthas by grievously wounding his skeletal steed, Invincible, though the act only served to enrage Arthas further, and King Anasterian fell, both body and soul, before Frostmourne. Sylvanas witnessed the rebirth of Kel'Thuzad via the destruction of the Sunwell, and overtaken with grief, let out a banshee's screech that almost deafened the army but only amused Arthas. However, Sylvanas could not help but feel elated to see Quel'Thalas' traitor - Dar'khan Drathir - cut down by Arthas too.

With that, the mighty elven homeland of Quel'Thalas suffered its darkest hour. The former Ranger General accompanied Arthas to a demon gate, where Kel'Thuzad communed with Archimonde. The demon instructed them to attack Dalaran next, and Sylvanas mocked Arthas for a hint of regret she could sense within him - pertaining to someone he perhaps had "fond memories" regarding - Jaina Proudmoore. Arthas quickly silenced her, exerting his dominion over her spirit, though Sylvanas could not suppress a smirk of satisfaction.

Return to Lordaeron
Sylvanas became one of Arthas' primary generals, and she remained behind in Lordaeron with Kel'Thuzad under the watchful eye of the dreadlords, whom had been left stationed in Lordaeron to protect it in the name of the Legion. When Archimonde was defeated at the Battle of Mount Hyjal, Sylvanas would quickly learn of this news from Kel'Thuzad. As the months passed, the dreadlords were still ignorant of their masters' defeat. Varimathras, Detheroc and Balnazzar, the three prime dreadlords overseeing Lordaeron, were convening under Sylvanas' undead, watchful eyes when Arthas stormed into the stronghold, fresh from his journey to Kalimdor. He informed them of the Legion's failure and his intentions to take control of the Scourge. The dreadlords fled, outraged but unwilling to risk their lives by battling Arthas' army.

Arthas approached his servants, and ordered that Lordaeron be purged of all life as a tribute to Ner'zhul. Kel'Thuzad, however, informed him that human refugees had begun to flee from the outer villages, and that, should they escape into the mountain passes, they would be impossible to track. Arthas stationed himself and his two generals on the three possible escape routes and they each led detachments of undead troops against the fleeing humans while taking great pains to ensure that few, if any, made it past their blockade to safety. Despite the efforts of the paladin Dagren the Orcslayer and his companions, Sylvanas led her banshees into battle against the human refugees, aided in the destruction of all the remaining villages in her area, and slaughtered any human trying to escape. Finally, Sylvanas, Arthas, and Kel'Thuzad arrived at the central headquarters of the paladins and killed them all in a vicious battle, annihilating the last of the civilian presence in Lordaeron.

The Dark Ranger


Around this point, the weakened Ner'zhul began to lose control of the minds of Sylvanas and a number of banshees. She kept this discovery from Arthas and Kel'Thuzad while continuing to serve. The dreadlords contacted Sylvanas and explained that they knew the cause, and arranged a secret meeting with her. They told her that Ner'zhul's—and by extension Arthas'—powers were beginning to diminish. The nathrezim intended to use this opportunity to seize control of Lordaeron. Sylvanas tentatively agreed to assist, but under the condition that her aid would be provided on her own terms.

The dreadlords planned on killing Arthas within the capital, but Sylvanas created a contingency plan in the case of Arthas' escape. She arranged for her banshees to feign allegiance and escort him to a place in the woods where she would be waiting for him. After Arthas survived the dreadlords' ambush and escaped the capital, Sylvanas' loyal sisters saw him to the arranged place, and then killed his bodyguards.

Sylvanas had at this point succeeded in using her abilities as a banshee to repossess the body that belonged to her in life. Sylvanas was now a corporeal undead creature. Hiding in the shadows, she struck him with an arrow she had crafted — a venomous sting that would paralyze him. Arthas was furious at her betrayal, and demanded that she finish him. But Sylvanas refused to show him the mercy of a quick death and intended to make him suffer — as he had made her suffer in undeath. She was about to begin her grisly work when Kel'Thuzad arrived and intervened, killing her banshees and chasing her off.

Back in her physical body she realized that the natural world would never respond to her wishes again. Angered by this development, she turned to the arts that were becoming more and more natural to her: necromancy. She then altered her elven ranger teachings into a new form. Thus the dark rangers were born.

Queen of the Forsaken


Arthas left for Northrend, having been summoned by the Lich King, and Kel'Thuzad went into hiding. Sylvanas and her sisters were freed, but Sylvanas was still troubled. Though free from Ner'zhul, she and the other free-willed loyalists remained monstrous abominations in appearance.

Her thoughts were interrupted as Varimathras arrived on the scene. The dreadlord invited the banshee to join him and his brothers in their new order. But Sylvanas was not so quick to relinquish what freedom she had just gained. She told him that her assistance was enough, and demanded to be left alone. Varimathras ominously warned that those who were not part of this new land would be cast aside, and that she had best not vex the new rulers of the Plaguelands. Sylvanas was adamant. As Varimathras departed, Sylvanas knew that an attack was imminent. But with only her banshees and some lesser undead to serve for her, Sylvanas was certain that she would soon fall. She needed to acquire an army.

Scouting the outer wilderness, Sylvanas found a plethora of creatures who would serve her well, and with her banshees at her disposal, they would have little choice in the matter. She sent out her banshees to possess Mug'thol the leader of the local ogres, the Bandit Lord Blackthorn, the gnoll ruler Snarlmane, and the Murloc Puddle Lord. Those she did not possess were killed. With so many new allies, Varimathras was quick to fall before her. But after she defeated him, Varimathras begged for his life, saying that he could serve her well. He knew his brothers' tactics, and where their bases were located. Sylvanas knew trusting such an insidious creature was a risk, but felt that she could control him enough for her purposes. With Varimathras' assistance, they moved against Detheroc's forces.

Detheroc had acquired a human puppet, Garithos, and his men, and was using them to protect himself. Sylvanas had his scouts possessed, and then infiltrated his base while their guard was down. As they slept, Sylvanas swept through the twin bases and slaughtered any before her. Though they eventually awoke and raised the alarm, it was too late. Sylvanas disabled the humans and ravaged Detheroc's forces, eventually coming to the dreadlord himself, and killing him swiftly. With the dreadlord dead, Garithos was freed from his mental control. Sylvanas saw him as arrogant and foolish, but felt that she could use him. She lied and promised to relinquish control of the Capital to him if he helped her kill Balnazzar.

Garithos attacked from the rear entrance to the city as Sylvanas and Varimathras came from the front. As they moved into the city, Sylvanas found caches of items left by the Lordaeron royals, and used them to further the assault. Despite the dreadlord's demonic allies, his forces were destroyed, and, as a final test of loyalty, Sylvanas demanded that Varimathras kill Balnazzar. Varimathras froze, saying that it was forbidden for one Nathrezim to kill another. But she required Varimathras to prove his loyalty to her. Varimathras obeyed, and struck down Balnazzar. However, whether by accident or design, Balnazzar survived, later re-emerging as a leader of the Scarlet Crusade. Varimathras was not so reluctant when Sylvanas ordered him to do the same to Garithos.

With all their enemies dead, Sylvanas made a proclamation to Varimathras. They would rule the Plaguelands as the Forsaken, and would stake out their own destiny, where none would get in their way.

Sylvanas quickly went about founding her new empire of undeath. Freeing many undead from the Lich King's dominion, and organizing them into a new nation of their own, Sylvanas attacked the royal catacombs beneath the ruins of Capital City - the Undercity - and took it over for the Forsaken. The Forsaken have since worked to complete Arthas' plans in the Undercity; extending its dungeons and tombs considerably to forge a functional capital for their own use.

Interestingly, reports say Sylvanas moves to and from Northrend; it's unknown if she is scouting for a possible attack on the Lich King, or if she has darker plans. There are rumors that Lady Sylvanas Windrunner is setting up a Forsaken city up there somewhere. In any case, she remains an enigmatic figure — her motivations unknown even to her most trusted advisors.



The Sunwell
Sylvanas, the Banshee Queen, and leader of the Forsaken traveled to Quel'Thalas for her own reasons, but soon encountered the traitor Dar'Khan, confronting him in the ruins of Silvermoon. She aided Kalecgos in attempting to stop the traitor from claiming the Sunwell's energies; though she was initially unsuccessful, she distracted Dar'Khan long enough for Anveena to regain her power and vaporize him. Sylvanas agreed to keep Anveena's identity a secret in the interests of preventing Arthas from gaining the Sunwell's power.

Hallow's End
The Forsaken have incorporated the notion of Halloween into a core part of their culture. Sylvanas hails it as the night where the Forsaken are strongest - the night where their enemies fear them the most - and appears in a ghostly form outside of the Undercity to burn the large wickerman, much to the crowd's delight.

Joining the Horde


The Forsaken, having carved a functional empire of their own and with growing numbers by the day, knew that the next step to realizing their vengeance upon Arthas was to secure their place in the world. Though Sylvanas had presided over the civial war in the Plaguelands, and successfully conquered the ruins of Lordaeron, how long the relatively small faction of the Forsaken could keep their holdings was unclear.

As such, Sylvanas looked to finding allies. She sent numerous ambassadors to the Horde under Warchief Thrall, though the Forsaken's admittance as an official member state was contested by a number of the faction's existing members. With the strong backing of the enigmatic Grimtotem tribe, and even the Earthen Ring holding the belief that the Forsaken could be "saved," Thrall reluctantly accepted the Forsaken into the Horde. This alliance of convenience has granted the Horde a better footing in the mostly Alliance controlled Eastern Kingdoms, and in turn, with the Horde's protection, and even the assistance of the Argent Dawn, the Forsaken were able to keep their holdings in Lordaeron.

The Forsaken's dominion
Having carved out an alliance with the Horde, the Forsaken looked to expanding their ever-growing empire of undeath. By freeing the minds of the undead under the sway of the Lich King, Sylvanas came to preside over an impressive faction of her own. During this time, Sylvanas also freed her former disciple, Ranger Lord Nathanos Marris, from the Scourge's cold grip. Nathanos was named the champion of the Banshee Queen, and took up residence on the Marris Stead to train and direct his Queen's new champions.

Sylvanas sent adventurers to train under Nathanos, and later to help remove the zealous Scarlet Crusade presence constantly harassing Forsaken lands. Sylvanas sanctioned the creation of the Deathstalkers, which has quickly become one of the most powerful spy organizations on Azeroth, and also oversaw the early production of a master plague capable of bringing the Scourge to its knees - the Royal Apothecary Society rising to meet this goal.

The Burning Crusade


In death, Sylvanas still considers herself one of the foremost protectors of Quel'Thalas, and repeatedly offered assistance in the form of supplies and troops to the blood elves. This may be due in some part to the fact that the Dark Lady still grieves over her failure to protect Quel'Thalas from the Scourge invasion during the Third War, when she fell in battle. Though the sin'dorei initially declined most of Sylvanas' offers, fearing a trick, the beleaguered elves eventually allowed Sylvanas to station Forsaken soldiers in their lands, most prominently in the village of Tranquillien. Sylvanas played a large part in convincing Thrall to accept the blood elves into the Horde.

During the battles in the Ghostlands, blood elven adventurers would travel to Windrunner Spire - Sylvanas' former residence - and acquired The Lady's Necklace, what was once a gift to Sylvanas from her elder sister, Alleria. It is delivered to the Banshee Queen herself, and Sylvanas is briefly taken aback by the sight of it. However, she quickly composes herself, and lashes out at the adventurer - ensuring them that it means nothing to her, and that Alleria Windrunner is a long dead memory; dropping the necklace. She dismisses the adventurer from her chambers, though in a rare moment of emotion, summons a choir of high elven banshees and begins to sing a melancholic song for her bereaved homeland. She then kneels down to pick up the necklace.

Sylvanas would later assist sin'dorei Blood Knights on behalf of Mehlar Dawnblade in the creation of a powerful Scourgestone; Sylvanas' intimate knowledge of the Scourge's workings proving an essential compenent to aiding in its creation.

A council for war


The time had finally come to deal with the Scourge. Sylvanas and her chief apothecary, Putress, met with Warchief Thrall, High Overlord Saurfang, and Garrosh Hellscream to plan their next move. After the duel between Garrosh and Thrall (fueled by Garrosh's belief that immediate action needed to be taken) was interrupted by a Scourge assault, Sylvanas helped to defend Orgrimmar. After the Horde victory, Thrall declared war upon the Lich King. Pleased, Sylvanas dispensed Putress to assist the Horde in Northrend - his vast knowledge of the plague surely being a beneficial addition to its arsenal.

In the Shadow of the Sun
With the Horde now dedicated to a Northrend campaign, Lady Sylvanas and a group of Royal Dreadguards travelled to Sunfury Spire to gain the support of the blood elves towards the war effort. She is met by her old comrade, Lor'themar Theron, Regent Lord of Quel'Thalas, along with Grand Magister Rommath and the current Ranger-general of Silvermoon, Halduron Brightwing. Sylvanas instructs Lor'themar to send a force of blood elves to Northrend, though Lor'themar is apprehensive - reasoning that he had only just overcome the war on Quel'Danas. Sylvanas notes that the blood elves are a part of the Horde, and that if they do not mobilize, they would surely lose its support - and Forsaken support in their lands.

With his arm twisted, Lor'themar relents, and agrees to send a contingent of blood elves to the Undercity. Sylvanas prepares to leave, though Rommath is outraged at this turn of events. He throws Sylvanas' offers of aid back at her, stating that this situation is simple blackmail. Sylvanas informs him that all she desires is the strength to defeat their greatest foe - and that moreover, her offers were just that - offers. Lor'themar quickly ends their conversation, and Sylvanas' eyes flash for the briefest of moments at his Thalassian farewell. She silently leaves.

Wrath of the Lich King
The Horde thus began their assault on the frozen region of Northrend. While the main Horde advance, led by Garrosh Hellscream, attacked from Borean Tundra, the Forsaken - coming under the banner of the aptly named Hand of Vengeance - assaulted the region from Howling Fjord. Under Sylvanas' direct leadership, the Hand of Vengeance brought with it everything in the Forsaken's arsenal - including the penultimate phases of their enigmatic plague, which would be perfected during their time in Northrend. One of the new Forsaken camps in Northrend is New Agamand, where most of the Royal Apothecary Society's members took up residence to finish perfecting the plague to unleash upon the Lich King. Lady Sylvanas had been methodically and patiently overseeing the creation of this contagion for several years now, and it seemed the time at last had come to test it on the Scourge.

However, Grand Apothecary Putress, whom Sylvanas had deployed in Northrend, would soon come to undertake this honor - by hurling the perfected, ravenous plague at the Scourge, the Alliance, and even the Horde during the Battle of Angrathar the Wrathgate.



Battle for the Undercity
As the combined Horde and Alliance forces began their assault upon Angrathar the Wrathgate, an uprising broke out within the Undercity. Varimathras and hordes of his demonic brethren overran the city, slaying all those who would not submit to their dark rule. Sylvanas herself nearly died in the coup, but managed to escape with a number of loyalists and fled to Orgrimmar. Determined not to allow the dreadlords a foothold in Horde territory, Thrall and Sylvanas planned an immediate counter-attack. In the midst of their planning however, Jaina Proudmoore arrived with terrible news: in the wake of Bolvar Fordragon's death, Varian Wrynn had ordered an assault on the Undercity to bring Putress to justice and liberate Lordaeron for the Alliance.

Sylvanas returned to the Undercity at the head of a Horde army, determined to retake her city. Along with Thrall and Vol'jin, she led the assault into Undercity itself, a cry for her people upon her lips. In the Throne Room, Sylvanas fought and finally slew Varimathras, retaking her throne. King Varian entered the Royal Quarter shortly after Varimathras' defeat, and charged the Warchief and the Dark Lady. However, he was quickly teleported out of the battle by Jaina, who took the Alliance forces back to Stormwind.

With the battle over, Sylvanas was thus able to reclaim her throne, with the treacherous rebels put to death. However, the entire Wrathgate fiasco did not sit well with Thrall, who dispensed a contingent of Kor'kron to keep watch over the Forsaken. With that, Sylvanas herself made the journey to Northrend - to finally deliver her vengeance upon Arthas.

The Frozen Halls


Sylvanas leads Horde forces to the Frozen Halls inside Icecrown Citadel, to confront the Lich King and gain her vengeance against Arthas for destroying Quel'Thalas and damning her to undeath. She instructs Horde heroes in their battles through the accursed halls, and joins with several Horde champions of the Argent Tournament. Following the defeat of Ick and Krick, Ick begs for mercy before Sylvanas, and attempts to sate her with the knowledge that Frostmourne itself is within the halls - unguarded. Ick is ultimately disposed of by Scourgelord Tyrannus, and Sylvanas makes the journey to the Halls of Reflection.

Upon reaching Arthas' private chambers in the Halls of Reflection and standing so close to Frostmourne, Sylvanas felt the pain of her death to this blade renewed. Nonetheless, she attempted to commune with the spirits within the sword, hoping that "salvation lies within". At that point, the spirit of Uther the Lightbringer appeared, warning her that the Lich King was on his way, and of the foolishness of attempting to defeat him there. He reveals that even if Arthas were to be destroyed, there must be someone to take his place as master of the Scourge, lest they wash across the world like locusts, consuming everything in their path. To defeat the Lich King, Uther said, he must be destroyed at the place he was created: The Frozen Throne.

Just then, the Lich King arrives and reclaims his blade, consuming the soul of Uther within it. He summons Falric and Marwyn, his two top lieutenants, to kill the intruders. While her escorts (the players) battle the pair and the ghosts they summon, Sylvanas and Dark Ranger Loralen give chase as the Lich King flees to his inner sanctum. Upon defeating the death knights and their ghostly allies, the party finds Loralen dead in the hallway and the sounds of battle coming from the chamber before them - Sylvanas and the Lich King in single combat. Realizing he was too powerful to confront there, as Uther had warned, Sylvanas and her escorts flee, breaking through the ice walls and packs of undead minions the Lich King summons to slow their progress. As they reach the outside, they realize that it is a dead end, and resolve themselves to dying in battle against the Dark Lord. Just then, the gunship Orgrim's Hammer arrives on scene to rescue them. As they flee the Halls of Reflection, Sylvanas realizes that the Lich King's powers have increased tenfold, and that to defeat him, a mighty army was needed, one greater than even the Horde could muster.

Fall of the Lich King


With the death of the Lich King, an adventurer bearing finds a, containing various items, among them a vial of blood. The adventurer brings the vial to Sylvanas, waiting in Light's Hammer.


 * say
 * say
 * say
 * say
 * say
 * say
 * say

Cataclysm
In an interview Chris Metzen revealed that Sylvanas was ordered to move south into Gilneas because the Horde wanted a port in northern Lordaeron. Metzen mentioned Sylvanas was "in the dog house" with the Horde after the Wrathgate events and has to move when the leadership of the Horde orders her to do so. It is also implied that Sylvanas did not invade Gilneas for land alone. Through her ally, Ralaar Fangfire, she has learned that the legendary Scythe of Elune was in Gilneas and seeks custody of it. Following the Wrathgate fiasco, the Forsaken as a whole have come under scrutiny from the wider Horde. Use of the Forsaken Blight has been explicitly banned, though the apothecaries are permitted to work on a considerably weaker strain. Sylvanas spearheads the attack on Gilneas, and is initially successful in conquering the city thanks to the efforts of her Gilnean Wolfcult allies.

However, the Forsaken had not counted on the Gilneans controlling the worgen curse that had spread among Gilneas' citizens, and the Gilneans uniting their forces after internal struggling to push the Forsaken out of Gilneas City. Backed into a corner, Sylvanas faces off against King Genn Greymane, Darius Crowley, Prince Liam Greymane and a Gilnean resistance force. She quickly turns the tables despite her disadvantage, and aims a poisoned arrow at Genn - though Liam hurls himself in its way; dying in the process. Frustrated, and with the new Warchief's presence breathing down her neck, Sylvanas orders the city to be drenched in blight to secure a certain victory. The Gilneans learn of this, and begin to evacuate their citizens. With the battle over, and Gilneas once again in Forsaken hands, Sylvanas retreats.

However, the Forsaken lose their holdings in Gilneas after a night-time raid by the 7th Legion. In a meeting with Garrosh Hellscream (whom Sylvanas does not appear to think particularly highly of), Sylvanas reveals the newest allies of the Forsaken - the val'kyr, the ascended vrykul women who once served the Lich King, and uses them to raise dead enemies as Forsaken as a solution to the undead not being able to procreate. After an insulting exchange with the highly revolted Garrosh, High Warlord Cromush is dispensed to "guard" the Dark Lady and keep tabs on the Forsaken.



Sylvanas personally takes to the battlefield in Silverpine Forest, leading her army against the Alliance counterattack from Gilneas. The Forsaken come under heavy fire from the Gilneas Liberation Front, backed by the Bloodfang pack and the 7th Legion troops. While the Forsaken forces begin to push forward with the help of their allies, old and new (Orcish reinforcements and the Val'kyr, respectively), the latter efficiently bringing in the fallen to bolster their ranks, Sylvanas devises a plan to end the battle in victory- beginning with the resurrection of Lord Godfrey.

After Godfrey captures Lorna Crowley and delivers her to Sylvanas, Sylvanas heads towards the shattered Greymane Wall and gives Darius Crowley a choice: the surrender of the Gilneas Liberation Front or Lorna becomes one of the Forsaken. Darius decides to surrender and Sylvanas allows him to leave with his daughter and his men. Shortly afterwards she is killed by Godfrey, who quickly flees to Shadowfang Keep. High Warlord Cromush orders the val'kyr Agatha, Arthura, and Daschla to fix her. After a moment of thought the three val'kyr sacrifice themselves and give Sylvanas life once more. This convinces Sylvanas beyond a shadow of a doubt that the val'kyr are the future of her people.

The Dark Lady and her forces are eager to conquer the Arathi Highlands, and the fallen (and resurrected) Prince Galen Trollbane, now a member of the Forsaken, along with Dark Ranger Alina are presiding over the possible conflict. Sylvanas herself mused to Alina that the Forsaken's complete conquest of Lordaeron may be the only way they can find satisfaction, and perhaps, relief.

During the Battle for Andorhal, Sylvanas disguises herself as Lindsay Ravensun. She expresses dissatisfaction with how Koltira Deathweaver deals with the Alliance - especially after the Alliance forces assault the Forsaken's side of Andorhal, despite Koltira's apparent truce with the enemy commander, Thassarian. Sylvanas steps in to turn the battle around, unleashing the Val'kyr to secure a safe victory.

After the Alliance is defeated, Sylvanas confronts Koltira about his ill-fated truce with Thassarian, and scolds him for being weak. A portal to the Undercity is opened and Koltira is pulled through by a hooked chain, where Sylvanas will attempt to purge him of his compassion for Thassarian and make him more of a servant of the Horde - more specifically, a servant of Sylvanas and the Forsaken.

Lady Sylvanas later sends Lady Cozwynn to the Twilight Highlands, to serve as the Horde liason to the new Dragonmaw Chieftan, Warlord Zaela, in order to improve her relations with the Warchief and "mend broken fences."

Currently, Lady Sylvanas and the Forsaken as a whole have come under the observation of the neighbouring Argent Crusade forces and certain members of the Ebon Blade. As similarities between her and the Lich King increase, the Forsaken are now being watched very closely.

Quests


She starts the following quests:
 * Quest:Meeting the Warchief
 * Quest:Ancient Evil
 * Quest:The Champion of the Banshee Queen
 * Quest:The Crimson Courier

And finishes the following quests:
 * Quest:Journey to Undercity
 * Quest:Envoy to the Horde
 * Quest:Wisdom of the Banshee Queen

Tactics
Battle with the Dark Lady can prove disastrous if certain steps are not taken to ensure the raid's survivability. Sylvanas now pulls with her Battlemasters regardless of which side of her platform is taken, and she engages with a Forsaken Bat along with a scaled Bragor Bloodfist and Aleric Hawkins. Though Hawkins is easily disposed of, her other allies in the Royal Quarter are formidable and hit hard. The best tactic is to use two tanks, one to hold the Battlemasters and guard spawns, and one to keep on Sylvanas and her skeleton minions.

Sylvanas uses a variety of abilities- her multi-shot, regardless of range, is capable of hitting up to ten targets at once for a moderately powerful 15-17k. She can use a DOT curse (a special version of Black Arrow), to inflict 20k shadow damage every three seconds on a target. The potency of her summon skeleton ability has been increased, and now brings forth five level 85 skeletons each with 84,000 HP. She has also retained her vanish ability, though even one application of Faerie Fire is enough to disallow her its use. The moment she is pulled, every other NPC in the room including her elite Royal Dreadguards will come to her aid.

Due to the large amount of enemies, speed is a key factor in downing the Dark Lady. If allowed to vanish and not picked up immediately after, there is an infrequent glitch where she will reset to 100% HP, wasting valuable time. Focusing on her over her allies, while a second tank holds them, is the best strategy to employ.

Sylvanas was often considered the most powerful faction leader, having battled alongside Varimathras until Wrath of the Lich King. More recently, this position has been disputed by the encounter with Garrosh Hellscream.

Sylvanas' downfall is the objective of Downing the Dark Lady.

Ranger General Sylvanas

 * "Our land is impregnable. He will not enter. Do not fear. Have faith... in the Sunwell's strength, and the strength and will of our people."
 * "I am Sylvanas Windrunner, Ranger-General of Silvermoon. I advise you to turn back now."
 * "Do your worst. The elfgate to the inner kingdom is protected by our most powerful enchantments. You will not pass."
 * "Shindu fallah nah! Fall back to the second gate! Fall back!"
 * "Make for the Sunwell Plateau. Tell them what we have seen here. Tell them to be prepared. Tell them... we may have been betrayed."
 * "Attack! For Quel'Thalas!"
 * "Finish it... I deserve... a clean death."

The Frozen Throne
Sylvanas: ''Hate him. I have my own reasons for seeking vengeance. Arthas murdered my people and turned me into this...monstrosity''. Sylvanas: ''A quick death...like the one you gave me? No. You're going to suffer as I did. Thanks to my arrow, you can't even run. Give my regards to hell, you son of a bitch.'' Varimathras: Come now, you have no intention of giving them their lands back. Sylvanas: ''Of course not. The humans are simply a means to an end.'' Varimathras: You sound more like one of us with every passing day, my lady. Sylvanas: Watch it, dreadlord. Sylvanas: We will find our own path in this world, dreadlord, and slaughter anyone who stands in our way!
 * Balnazzar: The lich, Kel'Thuzad, is far too loyal to betray his master. But you, on the other hand...
 * Sylvanas: You walked right into this one, Arthas. It's time to even the scales.
 * Arthas: Finish me, then.
 * (After promising to let the human forces reclaim their land in exchange for joining her against Balnazzar)
 * (After conquering the capital city and the killing of Balnazzar and Garithos, Sylvanas says to Varimathras)

Aggro

 * Let none survive! (Also Said in WCIII: Frozen Throne)
 * May my aim be true.(Also Said in WCIII: Frozen Throne)

Greetings

 * We are the Forsaken. We will slaughter anyone who stands in our way.
 * What are we if not slaves to this torment? (Also Said in WCIII: Frozen Throne)
 * What joy is there in this curse? (Also Said in WCIII: Frozen Throne)
 * I have no time for games. (Also Said in WCIII: Frozen Throne)

''Note: After Patch 3.2.0 Sylvanas has appeared to have gotten a new voice actor, her quotes all remain the same however. She is currently voiced by P.J Mattson, best known for her voice of Catwoman in the game "Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe".''



Sound Files
/script PlaySoundFile("Sound\\Creature\\SylvanasWindrunner\\SylvanasWindrunnerAggro01.wav") /script PlaySoundFile("Sound\\Creature\\SylvanasWindrunner\\SylvanasWindrunnerAggro02.wav") /script PlaySoundFile("Sound\\Creature\\SylvanasWindrunner\\SylvanasWindrunnerGreeting01.wav") /script PlaySoundFile("Sound\\Creature\\SylvanasWindrunner\\SylvanasWindrunnerGreeting02.wav") /script PlaySoundFile("Sound\\Creature\\SylvanasWindrunner\\SylvanasWindrunnerGreeting03.wav") /script PlaySoundFile("Sound\\Creature\\SylvanasWindrunner\\SylvanasWindrunnerGreeting04.wav")

During Hallow's End

 * yell
 * yell
 * yell
 * yell
 * yell
 * yell

During The Battle For The Undercity

 * say
 * say
 * say
 * say
 * say
 * say
 * say
 * say

Meeting in Silverpine

 * say
 * say
 * Portals from Orgrimmar arrive with Hellscream, Hellscream's elite, and High Warlord Cromush.
 * Hellscream jumps from the portal down to Sylvanas.
 * say
 * say




 * Garrosh makes a gesture at the Val'kyr.
 * say
 * say
 * say
 * say
 * say
 * say
 * say
 * say
 * The Val'kyr Agatha proceeds to resurrect fallen corpses as Forsaken.
 * say
 * say
 * say
 * say
 * say
 * say
 * Sylvanas mockingly salutes Garrosh.
 * say
 * say
 * say
 * say

Lordaeron



 * say
 * say
 * ''Sylvanas and the player leave Forsaken High Command on skeletal horseback. Sylvanas slays any nearby Worgen fighting the Forsaken Troopers with Sunstrider's Longbow.
 * say
 * say
 * say
 * say
 * say
 * say
 * say
 * say
 * say
 * say
 * say
 * say
 * say
 * say
 * ''Sylvanas reaches the Sepulcher, and two large rows of Forsaken Dreadguards salute the Dark Lady and the player as they pass.
 * say
 * say
 * say
 * say
 * say
 * say

The Battle for Andorhal

 * yell
 * Koltira walks downstairs from the courtyard of the Forsaken base and kneels before Sylvanas.
 * say




 * say
 * say
 * say
 * say
 * say
 * say
 * Sylvanas opens a portal to the Undercity.
 * say
 * yell
 * A hooked chain lashes out from the portal, grasping Koltira and completely immobilizing him.
 * say
 * say
 * Koltira is pulled into the portal...to whatever fate awaits him.

Other

 * "Those who do not stand with the Forsaken stand against them. And those who stand against the Forsaken will not stand long."
 * "I haven't lost any love for my homeland or its people, as you know. I've fought tooth and nail for Silvermoon to be allowed a place beside Undercity and Orgrimmar at the negotiating table."
 * "Someone ought to teach that death knight a little military strategy!"
 * "Among the first of my champions was Nathanos, now known as the Blightcaller. Few exist with more dedication or vigor amidst our ranks."
 * "You try my patience dangerously by bringing these to me. However, it is clear your heart seeks the same vengeance as I."

Other information
As the leader of the Forsaken and the Horde on the Eastern Kingdoms, Sylvanas is a military genius. The middle sister of Alleria and Vereesa Windrunner, she was Ranger-General of the high elf kingdom of Quel'Thalas. She fought valiantly against Arthas when he invaded Quel'Thalas, but during the fall of Silvermoon, Arthas raised her as an undead minion as a form of petty revenge. When the Lich King's hold on his minions weakened, Sylvanas, among other undead, regained her free will, and she led her forces against the dreadlords who had taken hold over Lordaeron, ultimately affirming her sovereignty by killing off two of the nathrezim and bending the third, Varimathras, to her will. She renamed her force of self-aware undead the Forsaken and declared herself their queen.

Under her leadership the Forsaken have managed to not only fend off the Scourge, but also the Scarlet Crusade. She has a certain mastery of leadership, military strategy, and the bow. She is also adept at demon magic — having the ability to drain life, create skeletons, and use mind control. Sylvanas is the best archer on Azeroth — she claimed she could hit a flying bird in the eye. She wields Sunstrider's Longbow — once owned by Dath'Remar Sunstrider, it was passed on to Sylvanas when she became Ranger-General.

Sylvanas' form



 * Though in life Sylvanas was a high elf, her original model in the World of Warcraft was that of a tall female night elf, but this is because that was the closest model available before The Burning Crusade. During the Wrath of the Lich King beta she was given a retextured blood elf model, and by patch 3.0.2 she was given a unique undead high elf model more reminiscent of how she appeared in The Frozen Throne. Interestingly, the outfit she wears in the Sunwell Trilogy is more similar to those of Sentinel archers than the high elf rangers in the same book.
 * In Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos, Sylvanas's living model was simply retextured from Shandris Feathermoon, while her undead model is the standard Banshee model. In Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne, her undead model is shared with the Dark Ranger hero unit.


 * Though Arthas turned her into an incorporeal banshee when he killed her, Sylvanas was later able to regain her original (albeit dead) body. Ghostlands and the Manual of Monsters both depict her in her original body, with the abilities of both a dark ranger and a banshee.
 * In Warcraft III, Arthas defeats Sylvanas in the Eversong Woods and turns her into a banshee on the spot. Both Ghostlands and the Lament of the Highborne video would later depict Arthas placing Sylvanas' body on an altar, and performing a ritual that pulls her spirit from her body, while the Arthas novel returned to the Warcraft III version of the scene.

Lament of the Highborne


Sylvanas sings the Lament of the Highborne in the Burning Crusade.

Respawn time
Sylvanas, like most capital city leaders, has a 2-hour respawn timer after being killed by an Alliance raid.

Lore For Noobs
JVkYJ4bElXc } 54rjmQSTdhg

Bio
Sylvanas Windrunner Sylvanas Brisaveloz Sylvanas Coursevent Sylvanas Windrunner