Arthas Menethil: Encyclopedia II - Arthas Menethil - Arthas' Role in Fighting the Plague

Arthas Menethil - Arthas' Role in Fighting the Plague

Arthas and Jaina began their frantic journey northward in a desperate bid to outrace the plague, at every step confronted by a necromancer by the name of Kel'Thuzad. The necromancer seemed to be testing their limitations, always leaving with cryptic remarks directed towards Arthas about his eventual fate. However, it was Kel'Thuzad's fate that was the first to be met, for eventually Jaina and Arthas caught up to the necromancer and slew him. Yet their victory was ill-achieved, for they had arrived too late and the plague-ridden grain had been distributed across the countryside by unwitting farmers and merchants. Their defeat left Arthas in great agony, his mind wandering down paths of anger and hate; and upon their arrival at the city of Stratholme, as the first signs of madness began to appear in him, Jaina left Arthas on his own, having heard of his plan: he was determined to destroy the infected population of Stratholme. In a nighttime raid on the city, and aided by loyal knights and their retainers, Arthas succeeded in slaying the vast majority of the city's population, cutting them down as they slept, and all in the name of good; all to stop the plague. Due to the refusal of his mentor, Uther Lightbringer, to obey his order, Arthas dismissed the Knights of the Silver Hand from service. During this time Arthas was tormented by a demon, a Dreadlord by the name of Mal'Ganis who taunted Arthas with the effects of the plague, and in the end fled to the northern continent of Northrend. Sinking deeper into madness fueled by rage, grief and guilt, Arthas pursued his quarry.

Upon arrival at the northern continent, alone but for a smattering of loyal men, Arthas began making progress in chasing Mal'Ganis. His travels led him to encounter a group of dwarves exploring the continent in search of a runeblade named Frostmourne. Arthas quickly enlisted their aid, and with the assistance of their leader, Muradin Bronzebeard, an old friend of Arthas, they cut through the Undead defenses. The madness was descending faster upon Arthas, and hearing that his father was summoning him back to Lordaeron, he hatched a desperate plan. Recruiting some mercenaries, Arthas used them to burn the ships that had he had used to sail to Northrend, effectively stranding his men. Arthas then blamed the mercenaries for the burning of the ships, and the desolate men of his company tore them apart. This second act of evil succeeded only further to confirm the Dreadlord's words, that Arthas was quickly staining his soul with the blood of the innocent.

Yet, it was the final conflict that would hammer the last nail into the coffin of his humanity. Muradin and his dwarves, as previously mentioned, had come to Northrend in search of the legendary runeblade, Frostmourne. The closer the dwarves got to the runeblade, however, the more undead they encountered. As the Alliance assault moved further towards the citadel of Mal'Ganis, Arthas and Muradin took a force of men through monster-infested caverns to reach the blade, hidden deep under a mountain. Upon reaching Frostmourne, Muradin was quick to realize it was cursed, yet, despite such, Arthas took it up anyway. Even as he lifted it from its ageless cover, the blade began to whisper in his mind: the voice of Ner'zhul, now known as The Lich King, lord of the Undead. It commanded him to sacrifice something to wield its power. The Lich King warned that it would be something that Arthas felt was precious, initially it is thought that Arthas would lose his soul and he accepts this deal. However it turns out that the sacrifice was his friend Muradin, and the dwarf loses his life.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Arthas' Role in Fighting the Plague", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki