Siege of Dalaran

This article is about the battle of the Third War. For the corresponding mission from Warcraft III, see The Siege of Dalaran (WC3 Undead). For the unrelated mission from Warcraft II, see The Siege of Dalaran (WC2 Orc).

Siege of Dalaran
Location	Dalaran
Result	Decisive Scourge victory Death of Antonidas Archimonde is successfully summoned on Azeroth Destruction of Dalaran
Belligerents   Undead Scourge   Magocracy of Dalaran Kirin Tor Sorcerers' League Mages' Guild Violet Council
Commanders and leaders   Undead Scourge  Arthas  Kel'Thuzad  Tichondrius  Archimonde  Mannoroth  Kazzak   Magocracy of Dalaran  Antonidas †  Conjurus Rex †  Landazar †  Fordred Aran †  Ur †  Dalar Dawnweaver †
Casualties and losses   Undead Scourge Heavy   Magocracy of Dalaran Very heavy

Antonidas and Arthas speaking before the battle.

The Siege of Dalaran was the last major battle of the Third War in Lordaeron.

Battle

In preparation for the undead attack, a small group of wizards (which included Antonidas) prepared a special spell that would do damage to any undead that entered Dalaran. The majority of Dalaran's citizenship was evacuated prior to the battle. Kel'Thuzad was able to sense the wizards and revealed to Arthas that the auras causing the damage to the Scourge would disperse upon the deaths of their casters. With a clear target in the mind for their mission of claiming the Book of Medivh, the Scourge began the invasion of Dalaran and quickly slew the first wizard and freed the first level of Dalaran of the aura harming them. Additionally, Arthas and Kel'Thuzad freed creatures that the Kirin Tor had caged for studying and that engaged the Kirin Tor in battle as well.

With their new unexpected allies in tow, the Scourge was able to locate the second wizard (who had hidden himself) and destroy the second Kirin Tor outpost in the city. With the outpost destroyed the Scourge began to ready themselves for their final push against Antonidas. However, while the first wizard was camped in the entrance of Dalaran and the second hidden (each with a few defenders), Antonidas had a whole army defending him as he kept up the final aura.

With no other course of action, the Scourge engaged said army in battle and after a fierce intense battle, the undead were victorious. Arthas, Kel'Thuzad and Tichondrius entered a vault where Antonidas awaited them. Although the battle was fierce, Antonidas was slain, and the Book of Medivh fell into the hands of Kel'Thuzad. Tichondrius also took the Skull of Gul'dan at the same time.

The Scourge moved to a hill outside Dalaran where Kel'Thuzad worked on the summoning spell while Arthas and his units defended him. The remnants of the mages had regrouped and now sent numbers of mages on the Scourge. The effort was ultimately fruitless as the demons were successfully summoned. In addition to various troops, the great Mannoroth and Kazzak were summoned as well. The summoning was complete with the coming of Archimonde who, moments later, razed the city's spires to the ground.

Forces

Undead Scourge

• 1 Death knight
• 1 Lich
• Ghouls
• Crypt fiends
• Gargoyles
• Abominations
• Meat wagons
• Frost wyrms
• Necromancers
• Banshees
• Infernals
• Felhunters
• 2 Rock Golems
• 1 Ogre mage
• 5 Black spiders
• 2 Blue drakes

Dalaran

• 6 Archmages
• 9 Council Wizards
• Footmen
• Riflemen
• Sorceresses
• Priests
• Knights
• Gyrocopters
• Mortar teams
• Gryphon riders
• Water elementals
• Enchanted Prisoners of the Violet Hold

In the RPG

This section contains information from the Warcraft RPG which is considered non-canon.

Kilnar Goldensword was killed by Arthas himself when the Scourge attacked Dalaran.

Notes and trivia

• The Warcraft III mission had five random archmages helping Antonidas. Canonically, the names of three were set in stone in The Frozen Throne, and World of Warcraft revealed the last two, Ur and Dalar Dawnweaver.
• Illidan Stormrage later created a portal to Outland by using the small rift left behind from the portal Kel'Thuzad made to summon Archimonde into Azeroth.
• In Reforged, it is portrayed that Antonidas made his last stand in the Violet Citadel and that the wizards released prisoners from the Violet Hold at the invaders.
• The term "Siege of Dalaran" is also used to refer to the Burning Legion's invasion of Dalaran when it was above Deadwind Pass in Legion.
• In another timeline called the Warlands, the Alliance defeated the Scourge at Dalaran and descended into civil war upon which the victors renamed themselves the Great Glorious Alliance and declared war on the Blood Horde, turning the world into a desiccated wasteland.