Recommended Game Story · Warcraft Part 38

Terror of the Tides — The Past Returned from the Sea and the Pursuer's Vow

Spoiler Warning: This covers the first half of the Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne Night Elf campaign. It follows the arrival of Illidan and the Naga, Maiev's pursuit through the forests and ports, the Broken Isles and the Tomb of Sargeras, the collapse resulting in Naisha's loss, and the dispatching of a messenger to summon reinforcements from Moonglade. This long narrative is split into two parts without abridgment. Chapters 1-8 of this 38th installment continue into chapters 9-16 of the 39th. This is a novelized commentary based on official events, not a translation of official novels. It does not present new dialogue or unverified inner thoughts as official facts.

Table of Contents for this Part

Chapter 1: The Exile Left After Victory · Chapter 2: The Warden's Path · Chapter 3: The Burning Sails of Nennis · Chapter 4: The Tomb Exposed Above the Sea · Chapter 5: Gul'dan's Final Path on the Walls · Chapter 6: The Eye of Sargeras and the Collapsing Gate · Chapter 7: The Messenger of the Survivors · Chapter 8: From Moonglade to the Sea · Index of Characters, Artifacts, and Locations · Further Reading · Official Game Guide.

Chapter 1 · The Exile Left After Victory

The victory at Hyjal did not bring the same dawn to everyone. Those who held back the Legion beneath Nordrassil looked back at the broken defensive lines and accepted the world that had survived. However, before that victory arrived, Illidan Stormrage had already been exiled from the forest. After absorbing the Skull of Gul'dan and defeating Tichondrius, his body had grown demonic horns and wings. The brothers could not reconcile the fruits of the battle with the way he had obtained that power. There was no place in the forest Malfurion sought to protect for his brother's new form and dangerous choices.

The opening scene of The Frozen Throne does not begin with the cheers of war, but with Illidan facing the sea. He did not choose to return to those who abandoned him to offer explanations. Beneath the waves lay the history of a kin the Night Elves had long forgotten. The Naga, descendants of the Highborne who vanished into the depths during the War of the Ancients and the Great Sundering, answered his call. The forms cutting through the water possessed both elven faces and serpentine bodies. A past that the forests of Kalimdor had not forgotten was now returning in a form unlike the forest.

Among their leaders was Lady Vashj. If one understands the Naga simply as demonic soldiers created on the spot by Illidan, the meaning of this encounter is lost. They were once part of Night Elf civilization and were a force with their own memories and purposes. Vashj and Illidan's cooperation was intertwined with ties from the past. However, one cannot confirm all the intimate loyalties of the Naga or the plans revealed later based solely on the introduction of this campaign. What is confirmed here is that Illidan summoned the power from beneath the sea to take new action, and Vashj's Naga aided him.

Illidan's next target was set by the command of Kil'jaeden. It was a mission to eliminate the Lich King, who was trying to escape the Legion's control. This background becomes clear in the official manual and later official retrospectives. However, those who began to hunt him in the forest were not omniscient observers who knew that command from the start. What they saw was a freed prisoner, a changed body, destroyed villages, and the appearance of the Naga. While the reader can follow along knowing the background of the mission, one must not insert information unknown to the pursuers into their judgments. This discrepancy in information creates the subsequent conflicts.

Chapter 2 · The Warden's Path

Maiev Shadowsong was the leader of the Wardens who had kept watch over Illidan. To her, the ten-thousand-year imprisonment was not a chapter in a history book. It was a place where the duty to protect had continued for a very long time. Even after the War of the Ancients ended, Illidan's actions did not cease, and imprisoning him was the community's way of controlling dangerous power. When Tyrande opened the prison to fight the Legion, that decision shattered the order maintained on the other side. The liberation scene in Part 37 now leads to the story of a person who cannot accept that liberation.

The first thing Maiev confirmed were the traces left in the forest. Scouts followed the direction of Illidan's movement and reported finding new tracks. However, the experience of watching a prisoner for so long did not apply directly to the current Illidan. He no longer fought with the body that had been in prison. Maiev warned her subordinates not to face him alone. Naisha also questioned whether they could handle the changed Illidan. This pursuit was not a short patrol to bring back a familiar fugitive, but an expedition chasing a power whose scale was not yet known.

On that path were ruined villages and the corrupted inhabitants of the forest. Just because the Legion was defeated at Hyjal did not mean all the wounds remaining in Kalimdor healed on their own. The corruption of the Furbolgs and the threat of the Satyrs intruded upon the journey across the forest. The damage Maiev encountered made her mission more urgent. However, this does not change the judgment that a specific individual cannot be saved immediately into a setting where the entire race can never recover. In war, a crisis that cannot be solved right now and the permanent fate of the world are different issues.

The choices of the pursuit party also reveal small stories along the roadside. Optional missions, such as finding trapped scouts or helping threatened forest creatures, briefly slow the pace of the main story. In those moments, the reader sees that Maiev's procession is not merely a prisoner transport, but a small army passing through the wreckage of war. There is no need to fix any specific path or reward as the sole canon. However, the background shown by these side paths is important. While chasing Illidan, separate lives were in danger in the forest.

Chapter 3 · The Burning Sails of Nendis

At the end of the forest was the port of Nendis. The sea was a path for Illidan, but it could be a barrier for those pursuing him. The Naga knew that difference. If the ships were burned at the docks, the fugitive would vanish over the waves, and the pursuers would be bound to that spot. Maiev's goal was not just to defeat all the enemies before her. She had to protect the ships not yet swallowed by the flames. Whether a single sail remained or disappeared determined the next chapter of the mission that began in the forest.

The battle at the port is also the scene where the appearance of the Naga is revealed at length for the first time. Warriors moving between ground and water with long tails did not move in the same way as the forest's infantry. One could not pursue an enemy fleeing to the sea only on land. Maiev's Wardens secured the docks and kept the means to cross the sea. The number of surviving ships required by the game is a condition of the mission. One should not read that as the exact size of the entire fleet in the world. The fact needed for the story is that the pursuit party secured ships to set sail.

The sails remaining beyond the black smoke were both a flag of hope and a sign of new danger. Maiev followed the traces from the forest, turning them into traces upon the sea. Her duty did not end at the boundary of the land. However, saving the ships did not make the islands and artifacts ahead any less dangerous. Now, the pursuit party had to enter a place where ancient civilization and demonic memories overlapped to find out what Illidan was seeking.

Chapter 4: The Tomb Exposed Above the Sea

On the Broken Isles remained the traces of a collapsed civilization. The temple of the forest, the ruins beneath the sea, old stones, and the energy of twisted magic overlapped in one place. At its center was the Tomb of Sargeras. Hearing the name might make one feel as if the intact corpse of the Titan who destroys worlds lies there, but that interpretation is incorrect. It is the place where the avatar of Sargeras, defeated by Aegwynn, was sealed in the ancient temple of Elune. One must distinguish between the avatar and the cosmic entity itself for the story of the previous Guardian and this expedition to connect correctly.

The greed of Gul'dan, who raised this place above the sea, changed the course of the Second War. He left the war of the Horde behind to seek the power of the tomb, and that choice led to betrayal and ruin. Drak'thul, whom Maiev can meet on the island, is a survivor who conveys that tragedy. His story shows that Gul'dan's expedition was not a triumphant exploration. Optional missions dealing with the traces of dead comrades and the curses haunting them allow one to see that past more closely. This does not make it a history that every reader must have completed in the same way.

Illidan entered the entrance of the tomb, and the Naga blocked the way behind. The door Maiev had to open was not a simple stone gate. Inside were ancient seals, Gul'dan's failure, and the memories Illidan had obtained from the Skull of Gul'dan. The knowledge of a warlock who died in one era leads a demon hunter of another era here. Even if a person dies, the power they left behind and their wrong choices can become tools for the next war.

Chapter 5 · Gul'dan's Final Path Left on the Walls

Deep in the tomb, writing survived longer than voices. Maiev read the path Gul'dan had taken by following the runes on the walls. The game inserts scenes of the past between the current exploration, allowing the living pursuer and the already ruined warlock to meet in the same passage. Gul'dan's subordinates feared the darkness. However, their master did not allow retreat, believing the power in the deeper reaches would become his own. That conviction did not protect his soldiers.

The demons in the passage welcomed the intruders. They greeted them not with the submission Gul'dan expected, but with attacks. He pushed his subordinates forward as he advanced, but in the end, he was left alone. The final trace left on the stone was not the declaration of a ruler who had grasped power, but the record of someone being chased by a threat he himself could not handle. This event does not mean that Gul'dan obtained the tomb's power and returned safely. His death, already confirmed in the previous war, is revealed again here through the traces he left behind.

For Maiev, who read that cruel path, the past became a warning for the present. However, Illidan was opening a different door. He had inherited Gul'dan's memories through the skull, and with that knowledge, he knew the location of his target. Even though they sought the same ruins, their starting points were different. Maiev was looking for a fugitive, and Illidan was looking for the power to carry out his mission. Because of that difference, while the Warden was deciphering the tragedy of the past, the one being watched was already reaching for the next danger.

Other artifacts that can be found in the tomb are not all the same items. The optional mission of collecting Shadow Orb fragments is distinct from the main story event of obtaining the Eye of Sargeras. If one thinks of combining the two items into one, or that the Skull of Gul'dan is also the same jewel, the connection of the narrative collapses. The skull is linked to Illidan's transformation and the transfer of memories, while the eye is linked to a massive destruction spell. The orb fragments are separate artifacts that can be explored during play.

Chapter 6 · The Eye of Sargeras and the Collapsing Gate

What was revealed in the deep chamber was an ancient connection. The traces of Azshara in the form of the Naga were connecting the Highborne of the past with the race beneath the sea. Vashj revealed that she and the Naga were once Highborne of the land, expressing their intent to escape the darkness of long ages and return to the surface. However, one should not expand Vashj's declaration in this scene into a single cause explaining every future action of the Naga as a whole. There are relationships and plans to be confirmed separately in later history. What is important here is the moment a long-submerged force enters the war on land again.

In Illidan's hand was the Eye of Sargeras. Unlike the intensity of the name, there is no need to depict it as a literal eyeball of flesh just torn from a Titan. The actual game scene shows it in the form of a glowing magical artifact. He found that power through Gul'dan's memories, and now he possessed the tool to end his enemies. However, rather than persuading Maiev before him, he moved to cut off the pursuit. The power of the artifact and the collapse of the tomb swallowed the escape route of the Wardens.

Naisha and her companions remained in the blocked passage. For those who had braved the tomb together, the pile of stones was not a detour they could simply return from. Maiev had the ability of Blink to jump short distances, but she could not take the entire unit in the same way. The escape means possessed by one person is not a rescue means for everyone. In this scene, she saw that the path to survive and the path to protect the companions who had entered with her were diverging. If one changes this to say all the Wardens were rescued by a magic portal on the spot, the weight of the grudge thereafter vanishes.

Maiev escaped to the outside and lost Naisha. What she had to convey to the remaining troops was not just the news that she was alive. It was a report that Illidan had obtained a dangerous artifact and that the expedition to stop him had collapsed before that artifact. To the mission of reclaiming the prison was now added the event of losing comrades. Even so, one does not create new official dialogue for unconfirmed final screams or dying words. The blocked passage and the leader who returned alone are enough to convey the loss of this scene.

Chapter 7 · The Messenger Sent by the Survivor

Outside the tomb, there were still troops left to fight. They asked where Naisha was, and Maiev had to deliver the news of the comrade who had not returned with her. However, the enemy did not allow time to mourn. The Naga continued their attacks. The pursuit party had become too weak to continue chasing Illidan, who possessed the artifact, yet they could not return without knowing of the threat across the sea. Now, someone had to reach Kalimdor to inform them of the situation.

Maiev's mission split into two directions. While holding the remaining base, she had to escort a messenger to the shore. Even if they knew the path through the forest, there was no guarantee that path was open. Naga ambushes and collapsed passages blocked the messenger's movement. If the messenger fell, the artifacts they had confirmed and the sacrifices of their comrades could also be cut off above the sea. What was needed at this stage was not a flashy victory attacking the tomb again, but a persistent defense that ensured the information entrusted to one person arrived on the other side.

The messenger boarded a ship and headed for Malfurion. That small ship had a different purpose than the fleet chasing Illidan. It was a ship going to seek allies instead of pursuing the enemy. Maiev had to ask for help from the brother of the prisoner she had been guarding for so long. It was a moment when individual duty alone could not stop a greater danger. Just because she accepted that fact did not mean the conflict with Tyrande would disappear. Support could come, but the conflict with those sending the support was also coming across.

Chapter 8 · From Moonglade to the Sea

In the Moonglade of Kalimdor, another wound was being examined. Malfurion looked at the news that the roots of Nordrassil were recovering along with the deep scars left in Felwood. The victory at Hyjal had stopped the Legion, but it had not returned the forest to its state before the war. Thoughts to help with the recovery appeared in the conversation shared with Tyrande. One cannot move this forward to an event where dragons had already healed all wounds. Even for those who had ended the war, the next tasks remained.

The messenger who arrived then turned the world's attention back to Illidan. The Eye of Sargeras, the Naga, and the threat of the Broken Isles were growing outside the forest. Tyrande did not ignore her decision to free Illidan and this danger. She said she would set out on the expedition herself, and Malfurion also decided to go with the Druids. The person who had opened the prison door was now leaving to clean up what had happened outside that door. There is not only contradiction between the two actions. After making a decision in an urgent war, there is also the action of taking responsibility for the subsequent results of that decision.

Their departure was the support Maiev needed. However, the values each sought to protect were not the same. Maiev had to reclaim the prisoner, Malfurion had to stop the world from falling into danger, and Tyrande had to both reduce the danger and clean up the power she had summoned. Just because the three people were heading to the same destination did not guarantee they would make the same judgments. Crossing the sea was not the beginning of an easy agreement, but the beginning of those whose purposes overlapped clashing on the same battlefield.

Index of Characters, Artifacts, and Locations

Maiev Shadowsong: The leader of the Wardens who kept watch over Illidan's prison. A pursuer who uses Blink and circular weapons, she continues her mission even after losing Naisha and her subordinates. The Sentinels led by Tyrande and Maiev's Warden organization cooperate in this campaign but do not merge into the same role.

Naisha: A subordinate who pursued with Maiev. She does not return due to the collapse of the tomb. One does not dress up unconfirmed dialogue in the death scene and other era events thereafter as facts of this scene.

Illidan Stormrage: An exile who gained horns, wings, and cloven hooves after absorbing the Skull of Gul'dan. His appearance in this part is different from before the prison liberation in Part 37. The mission to eliminate the Lich King, the pressure of the Legion, and the conflict with his brother act together on his choices.

Tyrande Whisperwind & Malfurion Stormrage: The High Priestess and Archdruid of the Night Elves. They made different judgments regarding Illidan's release and exile, but cooperate again in the process of stopping the danger and saving Tyrande, who was left at the river. At the time, the events of the World Tree and the expansion pack that would unfold later had not yet occurred.

Lady Vashj & Naga: A force of the sea connected to the history of the ancient Highborne. They help with Illidan's expedition and the rescue of Tyrande through the river. I have distinguished the purposes confirmed in the fixed scenes of this campaign from the additional background to be revealed in later generations.

Skull of Gul'dan & Eye of Sargeras: Different artifacts. The skull is linked to Illidan's transformation and Gul'dan's memories, and the eye is linked to the destruction spell aimed at the Frozen Throne. They are also distinguished from the Shadow Orb of the optional missions.

Nendis, Broken Isles, & Tomb of Sargeras: The port protected for departure, the islands where ancient ruins were revealed, and the place where Aegwynn sealed the avatar of Sargeras. One does not understand the name of the tomb as the death of the entire Titan.

Further Reading

The previous Part 37 covers the reasons for freeing Illidan, the Skull of Gul'dan, and the conclusion of stopping the common enemy at Hyjal. Part 28 is the event where Gul'dan abandoned the Horde's war to find the tomb, connecting to the background where the wall records were left. Part 33 covers Arthas's choice and the collapse of Lordaeron, and Parts 34 and 35 cover the disasters that befell Quel'Thalas and Dalaran, respectively. Below, I have linked only the actual addresses of the already posted parts. You can find the first part of the work and the next published part in the series table of contents on this page.

/en/community/tm-warcraft-saga-part037-20261008

/en/community/tm-warcraft-saga-part028-20261008

/en/community/tm-warcraft-saga-part033-20261008

/en/community/tm-warcraft-saga-part034-20261008

/en/community/tm-warcraft-saga-part035-20261008

Official Game Guide

To play the events of this part directly, you can select the Night Elf campaign of Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne. Below is Blizzard's official product page. In the product guide confirmed, Warcraft III: Reforged includes the Reign of Chaos and The Frozen Throne campaigns. Check the official page you accessed for regional prices, provided languages, and execution conditions. This does not mean that the official game supports all 14 language commentaries of this series.

Warcraft III — Official Product and The Frozen Throne Guide

Official Materials and Confirmation Scope

Confirmation Date: October 8, 2026 (UTC). This was written based on the settings and events confirmed in the official public materials below. For public samples and setting introductions, I have confirmed only the relevant public scope and do not indicate that I have read the entire book. The illustrations are AI reconstructions, not official images.

Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne — Fixed scenes from the Terror of the Tides campaign

World of Warcraft Official Manual — Illidan and the Frozen Throne

The Burning Crusade Classic Official Retrospective — The Eye of Sargeras and the Reunion of Brothers

Tomb of Sargeras Official Raid Introduction — Distinguishing Aegwynn and the Avatar

Blacksmith Stories: Night Elves — Maiev's Official Appearance

Warcraft III — Official Product and The Frozen Throne Guide