Moira Thaurissan

Queen-Regent Moira Thaurissan (born Bronzebeard) is the daughter of King Magni Bronzebeard of Ironforge and the widow of Emperor Dagran Thaurissan of the Dark Iron clan. As such she is both Princess of Ironforge as well as Empress of the Dark Iron clan. She is the Dark Iron representative of the Council of Three Hammers that rules Ironforge following the petrification of her father.

Background
Moira Bronzebead was born to King Magni Bronzebeard, King of Ironforge. Magni was upset that Moira was not the male heir he had hoped for, and he treated Moira poorly. Upset by her father's neglect, Moira ran off and married Dark Iron Emperor Dagran Thaurissan, who she claimed showed her the respect her father did not give her. King Magni Bronzebeard, upset that Moira ran off and married his arch enemy, sent a team to kill Emperor Thaurissan and retrieve the presumably ensorcelled Moira back to Ironforge. Yet Moira refused to come home and announced that she was pregnant; additionally, the death of her husband has left a terrible, fiery rage within her heart. She disappeared, estranged from her father, who still believed she was captured and seduced via magical means. Despite the rift between father and daughter, Magni hoped that someday Moira would return to Ironforge, and never made any move to disinherit her.

In the wake of King Magni’s petrification, Moira returned to Ironforge with her infant son Dagran Thaurissan II to claim the throne. Backed by the Dark Iron clan, Moira ruled Ironforge arrogantly and with an iron fist. She held all the people of Ironforge hostage--including Prince Anduin Wrynn, who was there as a Stormwind diplomat that would aid the dwarves in such troubling times. In a dinner with Anduin Wrynn, Moira revealed that she was not ensorcelled by her husband but rather fell in love with him because he respected her, unlike her father who always wanted a son and didn’t think a female was fit to rule.

When King Varian Wrynn heard that Moira and her Dark Iron clan had taken over Ironforge and held his son hostage, he was enraged. Varian and eighteen 7 operatives embarked on a mission to liberate Ironforge and assassinate Moira. When Varian was about to execute Moira, Anduin--who had rushed back to Ironforge--convinced Varian that it would be better to guide Moira to be a better leader instead. Despite Moira being a tyrant who held the city hostage, she was still the legitimate heir to the throne and killing her would only put the succession of Ironforge into question, thus leading to more chaos and conflict. Where as if she lived; through her and her son all dwarven clans could unite. Varian slowly agreed, but was also conflicted as Moira had caused so much chaos and had already threatened the safety of his son. Varian agreed to spare Moira’s life but stipulated that if Moira was to be a leader and unite the dwarves, then she’d have to earn her crown by earning her people's respect. In order to take into account the opinions of all dwarves, Varian called for the formation of the Council of Three Hammers, which includes Moira's uncle Muradin and Wildhammer Thane Falstad Wildhammer.

Cataclysm
During the Dun Morogh storyline, Moira is involved in the following quests:



Even though Moira is Queen-Regent to the Dark Iron clan, some Dark Irons are not loyal to her or her son. Moira refuses to believe that Dark Irons are attacking Ironforge until Muradin vouches for the loyalty of the messenger. After Muradin and Falstad call her out for not being able to control her own people, she determines who is responsible for the attacks and has Dark Iron Ambassador Slaghammer, who is working for the Twilight's Hammer, arrested for treason.

Ironforge

 * Greetings
 * You stand before Moira, Queen-Regent of the Dark Iron Clan. Watch your tongue!
 * Why have you approached me? Take care, my patience is short!
 * Ironforge has need of our sorcery, as well as our strength.
 * In time, my son shall rule the Dark Irons, and perhaps all of Ironforge as well.


 * Aggro
 * IMPUDENCE!!! YOU WILL DIE FOR THIS!
 * How DARE ye!!


 * Killing a player
 * Hail to the QUEEN!
 * No mercy for the weak!


 * Death
 * My son... shall avenge me...

Trivia

 * Due to storyline issues, Moira is the only racial leader that can be killed by her own race and faction.