The Frozen Throne #1: Maiev's hunt

September 12, 2026•Lore•Brendo Arruda

"The Frozen Throne" series — The Frozen Throne #1. The story of Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne, from Illidan's escape to Arthas becoming the Lich King. The episodes are listed in order at the end of the post.

The Frozen Throne begins with a chase. Illidan is free, and Maiev wants to imprison him again. This is the first chapter of the night elf campaign, Terror of the Tides: Maiev Shadowsong hunts Illidan Stormrage across the sea, through a forgotten tomb and all the way to the ruins of Dalaran. Along the way come the naga, a demonic artifact and a lie that almost costs Tyrande her life.

Who Maiev is and why she hunts Illidan

For ten thousand years, Illidan was locked in an underground prison. His warden was Maiev Shadowsong, leader of the Watchers, the guardians who watched over the night elves' most dangerous prisoners.

At the end of the Third War, Tyrande released Illidan to fight the Legion. He consumed the Skull of Gul'dan, became half demon and was banished by his brother. To Maiev, none of that mattered. Illidan was her prisoner, and he had escaped.

The escape by sea

Maiev follows Illidan's trail to the eastern edge of Ashenvale.

And she finds the naga. They say they want to reclaim the surface world. At the port of Nendis, in Azshara, the naga burn the ships. Illidan had already set sail.

Maiev boards the ships that are left and goes after him.

The Broken Isles

The chase takes Maiev to an archipelago that appeared on no night elf map: the Broken Isles. The islands had risen from the sea not long before. Maiev recognizes in them the ruins of Suramar, the city that sank thousands of years ago.

On the islands, she meets Drak'thul, an orc who had once been a warlock and lived surrounded by ghosts. He tells her what happened there. About twenty years earlier, Gul'dan raised the islands from the bottom of the sea to take the power of Sargeras. But the demons guarding the tomb killed Gul'dan and his clan.

Maiev defeats the naga camps and reaches a great temple. She sees Illidan blow open the gates and go inside.

The Tomb of Sargeras and the Eye

Inside the Tomb of Sargeras, Maiev finds the runes Gul'dan left behind. They show that the warlock was searching for the Eye of Sargeras, a demonic artifact, and that he died crawling before a sealed gate.

Further on, there is a statue of Queen Azshara with a serpent's tail. That is where Lady Vashj appears. She explains that the naga were once the Highborne, elves who were cursed and cast to the bottom of the sea when the Well of Eternity imploded. Now they serve Illidan to win back their place in the world.

In the central chamber, Illidan already has the Eye. He says that, by consuming Gul'dan's skull, he gained the warlock's memories. Illidan uses the Eye and the chamber collapses. Maiev escapes with Blink. Her lieutenant, Naisha, and the rest of the troops are buried.

The call for help

Surrounded by the naga, Maiev sends a messenger to ask Malfurion for reinforcements. The messenger escapes by sea.

Maiev holds out in the ruins of the library of Izal-Shurah, with almost no troops left. Then Malfurion Stormrage and Tyrande Whisperwind arrive. Malfurion turns trees into treants and brings mountain giants from Ashenvale.

The meeting is not a calm one. Maiev treats Malfurion with respect, but accuses Tyrande of having freed Illidan and asks for her to be arrested. Malfurion tells them both to stop. Meanwhile, Illidan escapes by boat. Most of the naga, with Vashj, had already gone to Dalaran to prepare a ritual against the Lich King.

Tyrande and the river

The night elves reach Lordaeron, in Silverpine Forest. Malfurion leaves to commune with the land and leaves Maiev and Tyrande together.

They meet Prince Kael'thas and the blood elves, hard pressed by the Scourge. Tyrande offers to help escort their caravan to the other side of the river Arevass. In return, Kael would help hunt Illidan.

During the crossing, Tyrande holds a bridge alone against a wave of undead. She casts Starfall, which destroys many enemies, but also the bridge. Tyrande falls into the river and is swept away by the current into Scourge territory.

Kael wants to rescue her. Maiev refuses: the hunt comes first.

The spell in the ruins of Dalaran

In the ruins of Dalaran, Illidan uses the Eye of Sargeras to cast an enormous spell. Four naga summoners channel the magic. Malfurion feels the spell as physical pain, as if the earth were cracking.

Maiev tells Malfurion that Tyrande is dead, "torn to pieces". It is a lie. She had seen Tyrande fall into the river, not die. And she preferred capturing Illidan to wasting time on a rescue.

Malfurion, the blood elves and Maiev take down the summoners. The Eye is destroyed, and Malfurion binds Illidan with roots. Illidan says the spell was not what it seemed. Then Kael tells the truth: Tyrande may be alive, carried off by the river. Malfurion realizes Maiev lied, binds Maiev with the roots and frees his brother.

The Stormrage brothers

Illidan offers to rescue Tyrande together with Malfurion. Malfurion holds off the Scourge while Illidan and the naga go down the river and destroy the undead bases along the way. Tyrande, who was surrounded in a camp in Silverpine, at first thinks Illidan has come to kill her. Then she learns that the brothers fought together to save her.

Illidan is let go

Illidan explains that, by helping the night elves, he betrayed his new master, Kil'jaeden, and that his fury may be the end of him. He says he never wanted to rule the world, only power and magic.

Malfurion answers that Illidan will never be forgiven for the suffering he caused. But he saved Tyrande. That is why Malfurion lets him go, with a warning: never threaten his people again.

Illidan opens a portal and vanishes. Maiev suddenly appears, calls them both fools and goes through the portal with her Watchers. Malfurion says she has become vengeance itself. The hunt continues in Outland.

What this changes in the story

This campaign sets up the rest of the Frozen Throne. The Dalaran spell targets the Frozen Throne, and its failure makes Illidan flee to Outland. Kael's alliance with the naga begins here. And Maiev's obsession only ends years later, in the Black Temple.

Episode timeline

Maiev pursues Illidan from Ashenvale to the port of Nendis.
On the Broken Isles, Drak'thul tells the story of Gul'dan.
Illidan takes the Eye of Sargeras; Naisha dies buried in the rubble.
Malfurion and Tyrande save Maiev; Illidan flees to Lordaeron.
Tyrande falls into the river; Maiev lies that she died.
The Eye is destroyed at Dalaran; Kael reveals the lie.
The brothers save Tyrande, and Illidan leaves through a portal.

Who's who in this episode

| Name | Who they are | |------|--------| | Maiev Shadowsong | Illidan's warden, leader of the Watchers. | | Illidan Stormrage | The Betrayer, now half demon and servant of Kil'jaeden. | | Lady Vashj | The naga sorceress who leads Illidan's servants. | | Malfurion Stormrage | The archdruid, Illidan's twin brother. | | Tyrande Whisperwind | The high priestess of Elune, who falls into the river. | | Kael'thas | The prince of the blood elves, who reveals the lie. |

Where to see it in WotLK

Black Temple: the Burning Crusade raid where Maiev finally faces Illidan.
Azshara and Ashenvale: the regions of Kalimdor where the hunt begins.
Alterac Mountains: the crater where Dalaran stood, the stage of Illidan's spell.
Silverpine Forest: the region of Lordaeron where Tyrande is swept away by the river.