Black Citadel (The Frozen Throne)

Full History

In the original 2003 campaign, the Black Citadel stood in the shattered world ruled by the pit lord Magtheridon. From that fortress, his fel orcs and demons enforced control over surviving peoples, while separate dimensional gateways brought additional forces into Outland. Illidan Stormrage knew that an assault on such a position would be ruinous if the enemy could continue receiving reinforcements. His coalition therefore closed the gateways before marching on the citadel itself.

The citadel's layered defenses made cooperation necessary. Blood elf soldiers faced its heavy gate towers and siege weapons; Lady Vashj's naga entered through watercourses and aqueducts; and Akama's stealthy draenei were able to approach positions inaccessible to the main attacking army. By disabling crucial generators, the infiltrators helped reduce the effect of the defensive machinery. The combined forces pushed deeper into the fortress, acquiring the keys required to enter the pit lord's inner chambers.

The final confrontation ended with Magtheridon's defeat. Illidan proclaimed himself Lord of Outland and took command of the captured fortress and its surviving followers. Nevertheless, victory came at a cost and did not release him from Kil'jaeden's order to destroy the Lich King. The Black Citadel was therefore both a prize in the campaign for the shattered world and the setting for a transition to the final fighting at Northrend.

For Forever purposes, this is **the Black Citadel depicted in The Frozen Throne**, using its original name and campaign geography. It is preserved as a historical location only. No later raid, altered fortress location, or later-expansion storyline is inferred from the original mission.