Tigole: “Karazhan is slated to be a max level, 10 person raid instance in the expansion. Its absolutely massive. Its also non-linear although it does become linear at certain points. There are at least a dozen bosses in there so far. Using the raid saving tech, well be able to make a small raid dungeon (only 10 people) where players can save their progress if they cannot do the whole thing in one night. We’re trying to implement ways for them to quickly get back to where they were if theyve already made progress in the dungeon. For example, after you kill certain bosses, you can open a door thats a shortcut from the entrance.”

This tower is known as the Tower of Kharazhan—located in Deadwind Pass, between Duskwood and Swamp of Sorrows.  This tower was mentioned in Warcraft: The Last Guardian novel—written by Jeff Grubb(famous D&D writer).  When Sargeras was inside Medivh’s body, it is said he would perform demonic rituals in the underground side of the tower.  The tower is very high, but underground is an exact copy of the tower, in reverse.  Since instances—like BRS and BRD, have a Lower and Upper side, this would be the case as well. Khadgar was the apprentice of Medivh, sent by the Kirin-Tor of Dalaran to spy upon Medivh.  Long time ago, there was an explosion of unknown origin in this area of the Redridge Mountains, that created a deep crater.  The explosion irradiatiated the crater with strange energy emanations … warping reality.  It is unknown what caused the explosion that carved the crater of Kharazhan.  The Tower of Medivh and later the town of Kharazhan were built upon the crater.

The crater is a place where the Universe wears thin, allowing it to double back on itself.  It may allow entry to the Twisting Nether or to other worlds—as described by Medivh—in page 89.  This tower was described by Medivh as an Hourglass.  As the sand particles flow slowly through the hourglass clock, time flows in different places of the glass—as described in page 92 of Warcraft: The Last Guardian.  Likewise, time flows through the tower, and randomly Khadgar was able to see visions of the past and the future in different areas of the tower.

Through one of these visions, Khadgar was able to see Aegwynn defeating Sargeras over eight hundred years in the past.  Another vision, Khadgar watched an old man with long white hair and beard.  The old man was with fellow Alliance soldiers behind a scarlet sky.  The old man saw into Khadgar’s eyes as if he could see Khadgar through the vision.  As Khadgar set his eyes upon the old man’s eyes, Khadgar panicked.  The old man was his future-self.  Shortly, the old man was surrounded by green-skinned beasts.  The vision vanished, leaving Khadgar with a sense of worriness and uncertainty. (Note: Khadgar had never seen an orc before this vision).  Later on, Khadgar met Garona and in the library a new vision manifested.  Garona’s future-self ripped King Llane’s throat with a knife.  Garona couldn’t believe she would kill a good man and friend like King Llane and refused to accept that would be her future.  A different vision, Khadgar saw Aegwynn and Medivh engage a verbal fight.  Medivh’s second psyche came forth revealing himself before Aegwynn to be Sargeras.  Over 800 years ago, Aegwynn thought to have slain the leader of the Burning Legion by transmuting his avatar and burrying him deep in the sea within the halls of an ancient temple.

In fact, Sargeras’s spirit inhabited her own body for hundreds of years until she conceived Medivh.  Sargeras possessed the baby at the womb, and awaited his plan to take effect.  Aegwynn had transfered the powers of the Guardian onto her successor and son Medivh.  Khadgar watched as Sargeras/Medivh exiled Aegwynn somewhere.  The human side of Medivh couldn’t kill his mother.  She was exiled to a place far enough that Stormwind and Azeroth would have been Sargeras’s before she were able to return.

Note: To see the fate of Aegwynn and her exile, and plenty of lore about the Order of Tirisfal—read World of Warcraft: Cycle of Hatred Pocketbook—released on February 2006.

Shortly, Khadgar searched the tower until he found a secret doorway to a basement.  Within, he discovered a perfect copy of the tower above, underground.  The tower goes backwards—in reverse—down to the bottom.  The copy of the Library above, is populated by demons instead of books.  The room of Medivh, at the top of the tower, exists as a copy at the very bottom of the tower below.  There Khadgar and Garona fought Sargeras-Medivh.  Sargeras grabbed Garona by the forehead, and her memories were twisted.  She was gone, leaving Khadgar alone (Her fate came to be as she traveled to Stormwind to kill King Llane).  With a spell, Sargeras accelerated Khadgar’s metabolism turning him into an old man.  Khadgar was afraid his vision of the future was too close, too early.

With the help of Lothar who joined the fight, Medivh was beheaded.  Medivh’s spirit was thrown into the astral plane, free to roam.  Sargeras’s spirit fell to the abyss.  Khadgar grabbed the most important books of Medivh, including the Spellbook of Medivh, and sealed the Library with a magic ward.  Lothar fled to Stormwind to let the King know of what transpired in the Tower of Medivh.  Khadgar buried Medivh’s beheaded corpse near the Tower.  Suddenly, Medivh’s spirit came upon the Tower’s entrance looking down to Khadgar.

Khadgar asked how long he had been standing there.  Khadgar had sensed his presence since he arrived to the Tower of Medivh announcing himself as new apprentice of Medivh.  Medivh’s spirit had been there transfixed in time looking at the events. Medivh’s spirit thanked Khadgar for freeing his spirit, and revealed that he had come from the future to meet Khadgar.  Khadgar left to Dalaran to report to the Kirin-Tor, and shortly was sent to Black Morass, where he built Nethergarde Keep to watch for any new intrusions of orcs from the Dark Portal.  Fullfiling his destiny, Khadgar led a squadron of heroes, including Alleria the Ranger, Danath, Kurdran and Turalyon, through the Dark Portal to shut the portal from within Draenor.  Once in Draenor, the vision of Khadgar’s future-self was now his present as he beheld the Scarlet sky of Draenor—Warcraft 2: Beyond the Dark Portal

Medivh’s spirit timetraveled back in time to syphon the energies of the Tower within himself:

“A single tear ran down the side of Medivh’s face.  So much sacrifice, so much pain.  Both to keep the plan of the Guardians in place, and then so much sacrifice to break that plan, to break the world free of its lock-step.  To bring about true peace.”  ….. as he syphoned the last of the tower’s energies, and memories of past and future, Medivh held his hands together embracing his new gift … ” and now all starts anew”.  Medivh shapeshifted into a raven and left.—Warcraft: The Last Guardian novel.

NOTE:  It is possible that Medivh’s spirit at the end of the War of Hyjal with the Burning Legion in Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos timetraveled back in time.  At the final cinematic, Medivh said he would be gone now to return to the legends of the past.  Back in time to the moment Khadgar killed his physical form.  It is a mystery what the plan of the Guardians is or where Medivh went to after syphoning the energies off the tower in the past.

Update: SPOILER – don’t read this part if you are spoiler sensitive – Medivh was resurrected by his mother Aegwynn.  More details at World of Warcraft: Cycle of Hatred pocketbook.

Tower of Kharazhan:
Burning Crusade Expansion


Between Duskwood and the Swamp of Sorrows lies the desolate region of Deadwind Pass, where jagged, brooding spires of granite loom over petrified, lifeless forests. As its name suggests, it is a land devoid of life.

But it was not always so…

Medivh, the Last Guardian, made his home in Deadwind, in the bright tower of Karazhan. Though he was the greatest wizard of his day (and humanity’s intended custodian) Medivh was secretly possessed by the dark spirit of Sargeras, the Destroyer of Worlds. Through Medivh, Sargeras opened the Dark Portal and allowed the orcs to wage war upon the mortal kingdoms of Azeroth.

As the war progressed, Medivh fought against Sargeras’ control. The raging conflict within him finally drove the wizard irrevocably insane. His childhood friend and the king’s lieutenant-at-arms, Anduin Lothar, suspected the mage of treachery. With the aid of Medivh’s young apprentice, Khadgar, Lothar stormed Karazhan and killed his one-time comrade. Since that day, a terrible curse has pervaded both the tower and the lands around it – casting a dark pall over Deadwind Pass and the region that is now known as Duskwood.

In recent years, nobles of Darkshire ventured into Deadwind Pass to investigate the blight that had settled over the region. They entered the dark tower ? but never emerged. In fact, witnesses maintain that the dread spirits of the nobles now reside within Karazhan’s walls, cursed to revel in the tower’s crumbling opera house for eternity. Yet far more perilous spirits reside within Medivh’s macabre study, for it was there that demonic entities responded to the deranged wizard’s summons.

Despite the myriad terrors that lie within, adventurers are still drawn to Karazhan – tempted by rumors of unspeakable secrets that may be found within the tower’s arcane libraries. It is said that the vast, magical halls house the powerful spellbooks of Medivh himself.

Only one thing is certain when visiting the dreaded tower of Karazhan…

…you may never find your way out.

The decrepit tower of Karazhan once housed one of the greatest powers Azeroth has ever known: the sorcerer Medivh. Within its halls and corridors, he summoned all manner of otherworldly beings, researching magics no other would dare touch. Karazhan now stands abandoned; with its master gone, the monstrous things and untamed powers have grown unchecked, waiting to pounce on whoever is brave or foolish enough to enter its halls. Forge a group of ten stalwart adventurers and journey to the wasted land between Duskwood and the Swamp of Sorrows known as Deadwind Pass, where the mystical tower lies. Only the strongest need apply: only those who have achieved level 70 are skilled enough to face what lies within. Prepare for:

  • Boss encounters scripted to unveil the mysteries of Karazhan and challenge your skill as a team;
  • Dozens of new items from the vaults and experiments within the tower;
  • Brand new monsters, the likes of which Azeroth has never seen;
  • And much more!

View more screenshots of the Tower of Medivh

 


Tower of Medivh Map

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