Foreword

Last Updated on September 22, 2024 by Vik

The World of Warcraft Cinematic Quest Guide is a project I started on New Years Day 2009, shortly after the release of World of Warcraft’s second expansion, Wrath of the Lich King. At the time, the game was a turning point in MMORPG history. It revamped the talent system in PvP, introduced the first hero class, Death Knight, and significantly changed how quests were done. It was about the fateful conclusion to the Warcraft III story arc that many of us grew up with – the story of Arthas Menethil and his insidious transformation into the Lich King.

A Graphic Novel

The World of Warcraft Cinematic Quest Guide was originally meant to be an introductory Warrior-class guide, highlighting the sweeping changes made to combat mechanics. It was set through the perspective of my sole character, Vikstone, a Night Elf Warrior I first created in 2005. As I went through the zones, I focused on the story’s lore. This was the last expansion that I would ever play with my character and with my guild, Trinity, which I’ve known since the days of Star Wars Galaxies.

All life, must end…The Lich King

I loved Warcraft lore and my guild was heavy into writing fan-fiction and role-playing. I also wanted to help newcomers to MMORPGs quickly grasp the fundamentals of playing World of Warcraft. Strategies were shown for each quest through screenshots of my character fighting monsters, completing quest objectives, working together with other players – all in my first time through from late 2008 to 2009. Chronologically, Vikstone started in the Borean Tundra zone and finished the main storyline quests in Icecrown. Nearly every quest from the Alliance side in Wrath of the Lich King is chronicled in the World of Warcraft Cinematic Quest Guide. The quests are represented in a stylized format inspired by WoWHead, incorporating item tooltips and popovers. The story is portrayed like an online graphic novel.

Though I had to postpone this project for many years due to studies and it’s been a long time since the release of the expansion, I made a promise to finish what I started. I wanted to immortalize Blizzard’s conception of Wrath of the Lich King. My guild, having long since shut down since its glory days, is simply one of many guilds within an era of gaming that has never been the same since. When it comes to illustrating some of the more epic quests in this game, pictures are worth a thousand words. In the end, I intended to create a portrait of Trinity Exiles and the community of World of Warcraft as it once existed.

When Old Meets New

Online games change dramatically. World of Warcraft has always adapted and released multiple expansions after WotLK, revamping game mechanics and even re-designing older zones (as was done in Cataclysm). There is now the ability to skip old expansion content, boost to a higher level and carry on. Change is inevitable.

This guide was to preserve the visual masterpiece of art that was Wrath of the Lich King and all the good memories that came with working together to overcome challenges. And that doesn’t refer to just World of Warcraft. Decades from now, when new games make the ones we see today obsolete, we won’t forget that it was because of games like this that we have broken records and kept pushing the boundaries of what the MMORPG genre can be. There are some things that no measure of time can erase.

For those who want to experience the Wrath of the Lich King’s storyline from the Alliance perspective and watch it play out from their browser, look no further. Fans of Warcraft lore can now return and reflect on their favorite quests for a nostalgic snapshot of a simpler time.

Here are some of my favorite quests in the game. Browse the zones or simply use the site’s search bar.

•  73. A Righteous Sermon
•  72. The Truth Shall Set Us Free
•  72. Frostmourne Cavern
•  74. The Battle For The Undercity
•  74. Escape from Silverbrook
•  75. Dun-da-Dun-tah!
•  78. Reclamation
•  75G3. Wanted: Ragemane’s Flipper
• 76. Betrayal
•  76. The Storm King’s Vengeance
• 77. Rampage
•  78. Know No Fear
•  78 Daily. Overstock
•  80. Going Bearback
•  80. The Drakkensryd
•  80. Krolmir, Hammer of Storms
•  80. The Reckoning
•  80. In Memoriam
•  80 Daily. Thrusting Hodir’s Spear
•  80. The Master Explorer
•  80. The Brothers Bronzebeard
•  80. The Iron Colossus
•  78. The Purging Of Scourgeholme
•  80. Hope Within the Emerald Nightmare
•  80. Dahlia’s Tears
•  80 Daily. The Solution Solution
•  80G5. Before the Gate of Horror
•  80G5. The Guardians of Corp’rethar
•  80G5. Battle at Valhalas: Final Challenge
•  80. Army of the Damned
• 80. The Black Knight of Westfall?
• 80G3 Daily. Threat From Above
• 80. The Hunter and the Prince

Influences

Based on True Events

Special thanks and credit goes to WoWHead and WoWWiki for source information, my old friends from Trinity, and to all the random players of the Terokkar server that helped Vikstone throughout his journey. Without them, this guide would not be possible.