World of Warcraft: Burning Crusade introduces one of the most thrilling and loved villain characters of Warcraft II: Beyond the Dark Portal, long forgotten by Blizzard Entertainment.  Teron Gorefiend was the first Death Knight raised by Gul’dan from the dead warlocks of his Shadow Council—assassinated by Orgrim Doomhammer.  Teron later served Ner’zhul in retrieving various artifacts from Azeroth so that Ner’zhul could open rifts to other worlds.

Had it not been for Teron Gorefiend, there wouldn’t be a plot for World of Warcraft: Burning Crusade.  Those rifts or portals were what caused Draenor to be torn apart resulting in the floating debris of what is now known as Outland. You can read the mission briefings of Warcraft II: Beyond the Dark Portal in our section.

Blizzard introduces Teron Gorefiend once more in an epic event where players are fooled by his disguise into bringing his cloak, truncheon and armor.  With these he escapes his spiritual prison by possessing the player.  Players will be able to fight a Draenei spirit using Teron Gorefiend’s model ... and best yet, his abilities: Death and Decay, Haste and Death Coil.

In the early days of World of Warcraft - back in 2004, Duskwood quests mentioning the Dark Riders of Karazhan, the story of the Scythe of Elune, Arugal and the Worgen created a collective myth that fans have questioned over and over, and fantasized with, thinking that Teron Gorefiend was boss of the Dark Riders (Death Knights) in Karazhan.  That Teron may have escaped through one of the rifts of Ner’zhul and successfully taken over the homeworld of the Worgen or another world.

This is far from the truth as the storyline of the Burning Crusade expansion has proven everyone wrong.  The final boss in Karazhan is not Teron.  For Teron has been dead for years, bound and imprisoned within the constraints of the Altar of Shadows.  Teron’s spirit, disguised, manipulates you into gathering some armor in Shadowmoon Valley with the excuse to divinate the fate and location of Teron Gorefiend.  Once you have gathered three pieces of armor, he reveals to you his true identity and possesses you as his new vessel. The spirit of a Draenei attempts to destroy Teron to stop the unevitable.  Teron Gorefiend is back to life ... and it is your fault. The experience of playing as Teron Gorefiend, though briefly, it is astounding.  Once the event is over, he mounts his steed and yells: “Death incarnate has been released upon the world once more!  Teron Gorefiend has returned ... !”

Nevertheless, the dark riders of Karazhan do resemble the ghostriders of Karabor.  And the horse of Attumen the Huntsman—Midnight—is the exact model of the Ghostriders Teron Gorefiend asks us to retrieve his truncheon from these Ghostriders of Karabor who ride around the roads of Shadowmoon Valley.

Now the important stuff ... how to get this quest.  On the horde side, go to Shadowmoon Village - a Horde base. Talk to Chief Apothecary Hildagard. At first she gives you a very simple quest to gather ashes located all around the edge of Deathforge, to the southeast.  Once you return 15 ashes, the next quest is Spectrecles.

SPECTRECLES

Chief Apothecary Hildagard: I call them “Spectrecles.” Clever, no?  When you equip these goggles, you will be able to see the spirits of Shadowmoon Valley.

Before I let you have them, though, you must promise me that you will help us clear out the ghosts at the village.

Take the goggles and destroy any and all spirits that you see wandering about Shadowmoon Village.  Hopefully, destroying these spirits will force any that remain to move elsewhere.

QUEST OBJECTIVES

Chief Apothecary Hildagard at Shadowmoon Village in Shadowmoon Valley wants you to slay 12 Shadowmoon Zealots.

Note: When spirits are destroyed, they emote many messages that surprised to say the least:

Shadowmoon Zealot emotes:

1. Pray that the chilling embrace of Teron Gorefiend does not reach out for you ...
2. We will never dissipate mortal ... Our fate is tied to Gorefiend…
3. It is you who have invaded our home.  Gorefiend will avenge us!

Apothecary Hildagard: If you lose your goggles, let me know and I will craft another pair.  Gorefiend?  T ... Teron Gorefiend?  But ... How?

How could Gorefiend be here?  This is impossible!

The legend of Teron Gorefiend is one that causes even the Forsaken to tremble in fear.  By all accounts, Gorefiend was a warlock of Gul’dan - extremely powerful in his own right.  When Gorefiend was slain by Orgrim Doomhammer, Gul’dan took the soul of the fallen warlock and placed it inside the broken shell of a slain knight of Stormwind.  And so was born the first death knight of the Horde.

TERON GOREFIEND - LORE AND LEGEND

Stories abound about the life of Teron Gorefiend, but most are just that - stories.  We do not know what happened to Gorefiend after he returned to Draenor.

The only thing we are certain of is that he has already died once.

I have heard the scouts here speaking of an ancient orc spirit that resides at the Altar of Shadows, far to the southeast, across the Netherwing Fields and through Netherwing Pass.  Take the Spectrecles and track this orc down.  He will surely have more information on Gorefiend.

QUEST OBJECTIVES

Chief Apothecary Hildagard at Shadowmoon Village in Shadowmoon Valley wants you to find the Ancient Shadowmoon Spirit.

If you lose your Spectrecles, Chief Apothecary Hildagard can make you a new pair.

TERON GOREFIEND - LORE AND LEGEND (Part 2)

Ancient Shadowmoon Spirit: Gorefiend?  Why, I have not heard that name in ages!

After the Second War, Gorefiend returned here, along with his death knights.  Unable to cope with the terrible nature of his new form and without the support of his beloved leader, Gul’dan, Gorefiend killed himself.

If he walks these lands now as a spirit it is news to me.  Yet, perhaps I can divine such knowledge with your assistance.

DIVINATION: GOREFIEND’S CLOAK

Many a cruel act he commited but none so cold as the slaughter of the clerics of Karabor.

After Gul’dan’s Horde defeated the draenei of Karabor, the surviving clerics of Karabor were marched out, told that they were to be taken to Hellfire Citadel as prisoners of war.

Gorefiend, not yet a death knight, murdered each and every last one of them in cold blood.  They now roam in front of the Black Temple with vengeance in their hearts.

It is the clerics of Karabor that hold the cloak of Gorefiend.

QUEST OBJECTIVES

The Ancient Shadowmoon Spirit at the Altar of Shadows in southeast Shadowmoon Valley wants you to recover Gorefiend’s Cloak.

DIVINATION: GOREFIEND’S ARMOR

In life, Gorefiend was a bastard, but in death, Gorefiend was an unmitigated terror.

To the southeast you will find Netherwing Ledge.  What was once part of the mainland of Shadowmoon is now a floating island in the sky.

Vhel’kur, spawn of Deathwing, once called it his home, but now knows it as his grave.  He flies an endless circle above the island, seething at his defeat to Gorefiend.

QUEST OBJECTIVES

The Ancient Shadowmoon Spirit at the Altar of Shadows in southeast Shadowmoon Valley wants you to recover Gorefiend’s Armor.

DIVINATION: GOREFIEND’S TRUNCHEON

One by one they knelt before him, offering their lives as a show of allegiance.  Gorefiend hoisted his sickle and cut clean their heads.  Shortly after this slaughter, Gorefiend took his own life.

But this was not act of contrition! No, Gorefiend sought immortality!  From the corpses of the fallen death knights rose the Ghostriders of Karabor.

They now ride the roads encircling the Hand of Guldan, awaiting the day that their master returns.  It is they who hold the truncheon of Gorefiend.  Retrieve it ...

QUEST OBJECTIVES

The Ancient Shadowmoon Spirit at the Altar of Shadows in southeast Shadowmoon Valley wants you to recover Gorefiend’s Truncheon.

Only with all three united may I divine the secrets you so desperately seek!

I must have all of the pieces before I am able to divine the fate of Gorefiend.

TERON GOREFIEND, I AM ...

With Gorefiend’s items restored, there is but one last piece to this puzzle: A host.

(The ancient shadowmoon spirit’s lips curl up to form a wicked grin.)

Surely you did not believe the fairly tale that I told you.  The Altar of Shadows is my prison.  Without your help, I would have been stuck here for all eternity.  Now, I will take over your body and you will destroy my captors and break these bonds.  Refuse and we will both be stuck here forever.

Teron Gorefiend will be free!

QUEST OBJECTIVES

The Ancient Shadowmoon Spirit has used you as a pawn!  Now that you have collected the items he required, he has revealed himself to be Teron Gorefiend.  To break free of his possession, you must do his bidding and slay Krasius the Ancient Watcher.

If you succeed, return to Chief Apothecary Hildagard at Shadowmoon Village.

EMOTE:

Teron Gorefiend: Your body is mine!  Our fates are forever intertwined.

Karsius the Ancient Watcher: Your pathetic attempt to escape will be short lived, Gorefiend.  Let the girl go and submit!  Even with your armor and weapons, you cannot defeat teh ancients!

Teron Gorefiend: Waste no time, fool!  Use our power to kill those that stand in our way!  Destroy Karsius before you are subdued!

NOTE: Teron possesses you, and now your character is replaced by Teron Gorefiend’s model.  You are Teron.  Your abilities to fight Karsius are:

• Unholy Armor: 600 mana - instant cast - 1 sec cooldown - Absorbs 1080 to 1320 physical damage.  Lasts 15 sec.
  
  
• Touch of Darkness: 2500 mana - 20 yd range - Instant cast - Steals 4375 to 5625 life from target enemy.
  
  
• Death and Decay: 1000 mana - 30 yd range - 2 sec cast - 30 sec cooldown - 700 to 900 shadow damage inflicted every 2 sec to all targets in the affected area.
  
  
• Haste: 3500 mana - Instant cast - Increases your haste rating by 300 for until cancelled.

NOTE: After defeating Karsius the Ancient Watcher, Teron Gorefiend mounts on his Death Steed and rides off saying ...

Teron Gorefiend: Death incarnate has been released upon the world once more! Teron Gorefiend has returned ...

Karsius the Ancient Watcher: What ... have you done ...

NOTE: After turning in the quest with Chief Apotechary Hildagard at Shadowmoon Village ...

Chief Apothecary Hildagard: You must right this wrong.  After all, it is your fault.  Take one of these helmets.  They are each infused with the ever-burning ash that you retrieved for me.  More importantly, they will allow you to see the ghosts of Shadowmoon, including Teron Gorefiend.

Should you ever find Teron Gorefiend, destroy him.

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