Shadow Vault

The Shadow Vault
Type	Outpost
Leader(s)	Duke Lankral
Formerly	General Lightsbane
Race(s)	Human; Blood elf; Forsaken; Dwarf; Undead
Language(s)	Common, Thalassian, Gutterspeak, Dwarven
Affiliation(s)	Knights of the Ebon Blade
Formerly	Scourge
Location	Northern Icecrown
Status	Active
Characteristics
Facilities	Inn Mailbox Stables Anvil & Forge Bank Auctions
Travel	Flight Master(s); Mass-transit; Portal(s)

"The Shadow Vault" redirects here. For the Scholomance subzone, see Shadow Vault (Scholomance).

The Shadow Vault is an outpost of the Knights of the Ebon Blade, located near Aldur'thar: The Desolation Gate in northern Icecrown. Overlooking the North Sea, the Shadow Vault is like a part of Icecrown Citadel wandered off and settled to brood over the water, its bladed crown striking out from the mountains. Just to the south and down a lot of elevation is the Weeping Quarry.^[2]

History

Wrath of the Lich King

This section concerns content related to Wrath of the Lich King.

During the war against the Lich King, the Shadow Vault was originally controlled by the Scourge, until adventurers were sent by either Thassarian onboard the Skybreaker or Koltira Deathweaver onboard the Orgrim's Hammer, the flying battleships that patrol the skies of Icecrown — to work with the Knights of the Ebon Blade in taking it as a base. After taking the Shadow Vault, the Scourge were constantly attacking it, while the death knights used it as a base of operations, as it provided a strong strategic position for attacking the vrykul of Jotunheim.^[2]

Once in their hands, the Shadow Vault has all of the amenities of an inn: An innkeeper, vendors for general goods, trade supplies, and food. There are also runeforges for death knights, a flight path, and the quartermaster for the Knights of the Ebon Blade. The Shadow Vault's quests focus on taking out Jotunheim, a vrykul town in which the vrykul engage in combat to be ascended to Ymirjar as well as the nearby scourge saronite mine, the Weeping Quarry.

Cataclysm

This section concerns content related to Cataclysm.

At some point after the Lich King's fall, the orc warrior Kingslayer Orkus brought a frostwyrm named Kasha to the Shadow Vault where the Knights of the Ebon Blade nursed her back to health, she then served as his mount.^[2]

Shadowlands

This section concerns content related to Shadowlands.

Following the destruction of the Helm of Domination by Sylvanas Windrunner, the Ebon Blade temporarily lost control of their fortress when the Scourge attacked and caught them by surprise. Seeking to reclaim the structure, Duke Lankral recruited champions of the Horde and the Alliance in wresting control away from the enemy,^[3] and was able to retake it.

Exploring Azeroth

This section concerns content related to the Warcraft novels, novellas, or short stories.

Following the war against the Jailer, the brothers Bronzebeard reported that the fortress is still under the control of the Ebon Blade, but now that the Scourge is no longer under Bolvar Fordragon's control, it's only a matter of time before a counterattack, since it's such a plum location.^[2]