Illidan Stormrage
Illidan is a transformed corrupted Night Elf. Who wields 2 crescent-shaped weapons known as the Twin Blades of Azzinoth.
Illidan relies on spellcasting to hammer his opponents. His strong combat abilities are a secondary strategy to throw off his enemies as he buys time to cast bigger and better spells of destruction. If it's one-to-one, he goes hand-to-hand. Against larger groups, he tries to take them apart tactically rather than through sheer brawn.
History:
Events pre-Warcraft
Spoiler:
Illidan (aka The Betrayer), twin brother of Malfurion, practiced the Highborne magic. In his youth, he attempted to master the druidic forces, as his brother had, but the sorcery called to him in a way that the magic of the land did not. Unlike this brother, Illidan was born with golden eyes, at the time a sign of a great destiny - however, this actually indicated inherent druidic potential. When Malfurion and Tyrande had found their destiny, Illidan was still searching for his. Though not a Highborne himself, he became the personal caster of the military leader Ravencrest.When Archimonde's invasion of Azeroth had begun and Azshara's treachery became known, Malfurion convinced Illidan to leave his queen. Illidan followed his brother. But as Cenarius and the Dragons entered the battle, Malfurion came to understand that their adversaries were too powerful to fall in combat. To end the invasion, he plotted the destruction of the Well of Eternity.
The idea appalled Illidan. The Well was the source of his magic - and likely of the elves' immortality - and its loss was a price far too dear for him to pay. In addition, the Night Elf found that he increasingly admired the powers of the Burning Legion, seeing a magical purity that underlay their chaotic behavior. Where the Night Elves struggled to maintain their ground, the Burning Legion seemed to grow ever stronger. [citation needed]. The Satyr Xavius seized upon his doubts, exploiting his confusion to plant seeds of distrust into Illidan's mind.
Illidan had strong feelings for Tyrande Whisperwind, a novice priestess in the Sisters of Elune. Illidan so desired to impress Tyrande that he often acted without thinking, particularly in magic; he never realized that these displays weren't quite what the priestess was looking for in a mate. But while Illidan struggled to win her heart, none of them realized that the battle was over soon after it had begun; Tyrande had chosen Malfurion almost from the beginning. Xavius magically planted the suggestion in Illidan's mind that if Malfurion were to die, Illidan would no longer have a rival for Tyrande's love. Finally the sight of Tyrande in the arms of his brother Malfurion shattered his final link with the defenders.
Illidan, with a new plan spurred into his mind, journeyed to Zin-Azshari. There he feigned allegiance to Azshara and Mannoroth. Illidan's plan was to obtain the Demon Soul, an artifact of great power created by Deathwing, which had the ability to close the portal which was allowing the demons to enter Kalimdor. However to put this plan in action, Illidan had to gain more power.
Illidan was eventually brought before Sargeras himself, who quickly discovered the night elves' plan to obtain the Demon Soul for the Legion. Sargeras was pleased with this plan, and gave Illidan a "gift" in return for his allegiance. Illidan's eyes were gouged out, and orbs of mystic fire set in their place that allowed Illidan to see all forms of magic, and arcane tattoos covered his body. Azshara was fascinated by the "new" Illidan (who was wary of her advances), but remained cautious, sending Captain Varo'then to accompany Illidan in his search for the Demon Soul.
After the Great Sundering, Illidan scaled the peaks of Mount Hyjal, where he found a small, tranquil lake. There he poured the contents of three of the vials into the waters. The chaotic energies quickly manifested, tainting the lake and twisting it into a new Well of Eternity. Illidan's joy was short-lived however, when his brother, Malfurion, Tyrande and the rest of the kaldorei leadership discovered him - and all were horrified at what he'd done.
Unable to accept that his brother had committed such treachery, Malfurion tried again to explain to Illidan the folly of his ways. The magic, he insisted, was chaotic by nature, and it could only bring about destruction so long as it existed. Illidan refused to listen, so enraptured by the magic's power that his brother seemed to him an unknowing fool. His preservation of the Well, he thought, vindicated his treachery. He had saved the power. Future generations would know magic. Sorcery would not perish.
The lack of remorse shook Malfurion to his core and he raged at his brother, understanding now that Illidan was lost forever to the magic's sway. He ordered him imprisoned deep below Hyjal in a jail kept far from sight and mind. To Tyrande he confessed his greatest fear: if Illidan were ever freed from his prison, his reckless use of the magic would lure the demons back to Azeroth - Illidan was probably the single most powerful user of the arcane left.
Warcraft 3: Reign of Chaos Events
Illidan languished for 10,000 years in a lightless prison. Califax, a Keeper of the Grove, and a contingent of night elves kept constant guard over the Betrayer. Release came at the unexpected hands of Tyrande, who slaughtered the night elf guards in the hopes of using Illidan against the Legion, which had returned to Azeroth at the hands of the Scourge. With his love for Tyrande undampened through the millennia of confinement, Illidan agreed to help. He swore to throw back the Legion and to depart from the night elves forever.
Malfurion opposed Tyrande's decision, thinking the murder of the guards vile and the release of Illidan a catastrophic mistake. Frustrated that his brother remained unchanged and eager to prove to him that the demons had no hold over him, Illidan left Malfurion behind, leading a force of night elves into Felwood to hunt down the Legion. While in Felwood, he encountered Arthas, Champion of the Lich King, and they engaged in combat. The fighters were equally matched, and the combatants reached an impasse. Illidan stopped the duel and demanded to know why Arthas had tracked him. Arthas responded openly, telling Illidan about the Skull of Gul'dan, the demonic artifact that had corrupted Felwood. He explained that if the artifact were destroyed, the corruption of the forests would halt. To ensure that Illidan would take the bait, Arthas spared no detail of the Skull's power, adding that his master knew of Illidan's thirst for power.
Although Illidan did not trust Arthas, he nevertheless sought the Skull and its power out.
A great Demon Gate defended the Skull as Illidan and his forces had to fight mightily to gain access to the artifact. Driven by necessity and influenced by the belief that with the increased power, he could at last redeem himself in the eyes of Malfurion, he shattered the demonic seal and used the Skull's powers for his own.
Strength he found but peril greater than power came to him at once.
The battle for control of the Skull came with a heavy price and the artifact's powers changed him. Transformed into a demon, Illidan wrapped himself in shadow and utterly decimated Tichondrius and his forces. But with victory came devastation. Tyrande and Malfurion sensed the demonic power lurking within Illidan and turned away with disgust and despair. Malfurion chastised his brother, convinced that Illidan had traded his soul for more power. Enraged, Malfurion banished his brother from the forests.
Feeling his sacrifice and effort were unappreciated, Illidan muttered "So be it... brother," and left the Night Elf lands
......Continued onto the next post
A list of Illidan's Abilities and Spells:
acid splash, detect magic, detect poison, ghost sound, light, mage hand, mending, read magic, touch of fatigue, disguise self, feather fall, moonglaive, shadowmeld, true strike, arcane lock, cripple, detect thoughts, invisibility, mana burn, fly, nondetection, protection from elements, tongues, dimension door, dimensional anchor, immolation, lightning shield, cone of cold, passwall, sending, telekinesis; 6th - greater dispel magic, legend lore, mislead, delayed blast fireball, greater teleport, plane shift, discern location, greater planar ally, iron body, gate, starfall, wish.