- This article is about the character biography of Dranosh Saurfang. For information on how to defeat him in Icecrown Citadel, see Deathbringer Saurfang.
 Dranosh Saurfang | |||||||||
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| Title | <Kor'kron Warlord> [1] | ||||||||
| Race | Orc (Humanoid) | ||||||||
| Level | ?? (Boss) Elite | ||||||||
| Class | Death knight, Warrior(formerly) | ||||||||
| Affiliation(s) | The Scourge, formerly the Horde, Mag'har | ||||||||
| Occupation | Death Knight of the Scourge, formerly Commander of the Kor'kron Vanguard | ||||||||
| Location | Mag'hari Procession, Nagrand; Kor'kron Vanguard, Dragonblight; Icecrown Citadel, Icecrown | ||||||||
| Status | Deceased; raised as The Deathbringer; buried in the Ancestral Grounds, Nagrand | ||||||||
| Relative(s) | Varok (father), Broxigar (uncle), Thura (cousin) | ||||||||
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- "The son is the father... May the spirits have mercy on those that stand in his way. "
- — Farseer Corhuk
Dranosh Saurfang, often called Saurfang the Younger, was the son of Varok Saurfang and nephew of Broxigar the Red. His mother's identity is not known. Dranosh was very much like his father and uncle, a fierce warrior to the end.
After he fell to Frostmourne at the Battle of Angrathar the Wrathgate, he was raised in undeath by the Lich King and brought to Icecrown Citadel, where he bars the path of any champions seeking to lay siege to his new master's fortress.
Dranosh Saurfang is voiced by Chris Metzen.[2]
Background
Dranosh means "Heart of Draenor" in orcish. Before his mother died, his father promised her that their son would remain safe and untainted. Before Varok crossed the Dark Portal, he had the elders of Garadar hide Dranosh away so the orcish warlocks would not find him.
The Burning Crusade
Dranosh in Outland
Dranosh Saurfang first appears in Nagrand. Though he is not the leader of the Mag'har, he is classified as a level ?? Boss.
Following a murkblood raid, a group of adolescent orcs from Garadar formed a war party and set out to seek vengeance. They reached Sunspring Post, but most of them were killed by the broken. Dranosh was one of the few survivors of that party - he sustained severe injuries and narrowly escaped.
After he recovers, Dranosh decides not to return to Garadar, as he believes that his destiny lies elsewhere. Upon hearing this, Farseer Corhuk says, "The son is the father... May the spirits have mercy on those that stand in his way".[3]
- Quests
[67] The Missing War Party- [67] Once Were Warriors
- [67] He Will Walk The Earth...
[67] 
Wrath of the Lich King
Dranosh in Northrend
Dranosh Saurfang later appears in Northrend alongside the Warsong Offensive.[41, 18]
His father, High Overlord Varok Saurfang, has placed him in command of the Kor'kron Vanguard, a fortress at the base of Angrathar the Wrathgate. He was also given his father's armor and axe.
During the Battle of Angrathar the Wrathgate, Dranosh charged the Lich King. With a single blow, Frostmourne shattered his axe, struck him down, and stole his soul.
Though his body disappeared in the aftermath of the battle, Horde players are asked by Alexstrasza to retrieve his shattered armor and deliver it to his father.
- Quests
Undeath
Deathbringer Saurfang
- Main article: Deathbringer Saurfang
One of the visions in the Yogg-Saron encounter shows the Lich King alongside an Immolated Champion and a Turned Champion, which were believed to be visions of Bolvar Fordragon and Dranosh Saurfang respectively. This would ultimately be confirmed as the Deathbringer in Icecrown Citadel is in fact Dranosh Saurfang raised from the dead in the service of the Scourge. He is described as the Lich King's most powerful death knight.[4]
Death
After being defeated by players, Dranosh's grieving father arrives and claims his body. He promises to give him a proper burial in Nagrand, next to the pyres of his mother and his ancestors.
Legacy
Shortly before the Shattering, Thrall prepared to leave for Nagrand in order to learn more about the elemental unrest. As such, he was unable to retain his position of Warchief, and began to consider a temporary successor. Among the possible candidates were Cairne Bloodhoof and Varok, though Thrall expresses the belief that the younger Dranosh would have been the ideal Warchief, having inherited his father's might and wisdom.
Thrall would ultimately name Garrosh Hellscream the acting Warchief, who would go on to honor Dranosh by creating the Dranosh'ar Blockade.
Quotes
- They died. All of them...
- As the Murkbloods cut through us, something took hold of me that I cannot understand. Tell me, have you ever felt a rage so great that whole of your being burns? A heat that wilts the living? A heat that incinerates the blood in you veins? That is what i felt.
- <Saurfang's eyes glow red for a brief moment.>
- I was the last one left alive. 30 of them surrounded me... Murkbloods... I remember nothing beyond that vision. I blacked out and awoke some time later.
- "I believe that my destiny lies elsewhere - that I will serve a greater purpose someday."
- "My father has gifted me with his battle armor and axe. Soon I put it to good use."
- "Rise up, sons of the Horde! Blood and glory await us! Lok'tar ogar! For the Horde!"
- "I couldn't let the Alliance have all the fun today". (To Bolvar Fordragon after arriving at Angrathar the Wrathgate with the Kor'kron Guard)
- Enough talk! Let it be finished!
- Join me, father. Join me and we will crush this world in the name of the Scourge - for the glory of the Lich King!
Notes
Dranosh draws a number of parallels with Garrosh Hellscream. Both are considered Orcish prodigies, and both are the sons of renowned Orcish heroes - Varok Saurfang and Grom Hellscream, respectively. While Dranosh inherited much of his father's might and wisdom, along with his warrior spirit and strong sense of honor, Garrosh inherited similar traits that Grom had possessed, including his own sense of honor. Garrosh seems to have gleamed some of Grom's less flattering traits, however, such as his recklessness, something picked up on by a number of his critics.
Both Dranosh and Garrosh were considered by Thrall to be potential candidates for the position of Warchief, though Dranosh was killed before Thrall had to step down.
Gallery
Saurfang the Younger in the Trading Card Game.
Deathbringer Saurfang in the Trading Card Game.
After the Deathbringer is killed, Varok Saurfang comes to claim his son's body.
References
- ^ {{{title ref}}}
- ^ World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King Collector's Edition. Blizzard Entertainment. WotLK Behind-the-Scenes DVD
- ^ [67] He Will Walk The Earth...
- ^ http://blue.mmo-champion.com/13/21035174537-icecrown-citadel-testing--november-1014.html