Halion and Ruby Sanctum: the bridge to Cataclysm

Halion the Twilight Destroyer is a twilight dragon who leads the black dragonflight in an attack on the Ruby Sanctum, the red dragonflight's sanctuary beneath Wyrmrest Temple. The goal of the attack is to break the Wyrmrest Accord and clear the way for Deathwing's return, which makes the raid the bridge between WotLK and Cataclysm.

The focus here is the lore. Tactics are in the guide Ruby Sanctum: how to prepare.

What is the Ruby Sanctum?

The Ruby Sanctum is the red dragonflight's sanctuary. It is in the Chamber of the Aspects, the chamber beneath Wyrmrest Temple, in Dragonblight. The same chamber holds the Obsidian Sanctum, of the black dragonflight.

Wyrmrest Temple is the seat of the Wyrmrest Accord, the alliance of dragonflights that faces Malygos in WotLK. The temple is watched over by Alexstrasza, the Life-Binder, with her consort Korialstrasz, whom players know as Krasus. The whole zone is covered in Dragonblight: lore.

The raid came to the game in patch 3.3.5, on June 22, 2010. It was the last raid released in Wrath of the Lich King, after Icecrown Citadel. It has 10 and 25 player versions, each with normal and heroic modes.

Why did the black dragonflight attack the Ruby Sanctum?

After the Aspects drove Deathwing away, his agents kept working in the shadows. They experimented on the eggs of other flights to create "a new and more powerful breed of dragon". The result was the twilight dragons.

During the Nexus War, a new clutch of twilight eggs appeared in the Obsidian Sanctum. The guardian of the place was Sartharion the Onyx Guardian, with three twilight drakes: Tenebron, Shadron and Vesperon. Korialstrasz had his resources stretched thin because of the Scourge and the blue dragonflight. So he warned the Council of Six, in Dalaran, and asked for adventurers to destroy the clutch.

The heroes beat Sartharion and the eggs were destroyed. The guide Obsidian Sanctum for beginners explains the fight.

The black dragonflight did not forget. It attacked the Ruby Sanctum in retaliation.

The surprise attack, as told by Xerestrasza

The one who tells what happened is Sanctum Guardian Xerestrasza, a red dragon in the form of an elf. She is one of the few survivors. When players arrive, she is trapped inside a tree, calling for help, while Baltharus tries to break her barrier.

After Baltharus dies, she explains the attack. The black dragons "materialized from thin air" and attacked before the reds could react. Her brethren died all around her. She retreated and barred the entrance.

The invaders killed with "cold efficiency". But, according to her, their real focus seemed to be the eggs kept in the Sanctum.

Xerestrasza also gives two clues. The commander of the troops on the ground is a cruel brute named Zarithrian. But she fears there are "greater powers" behind it. In the first assault, she saw the true leader: "a fearsome full-grown twilight dragon". That dragon is Halion.

Who's who in the Ruby Sanctum

| Name | What it is | Role in the story | | --- | --- | --- | | Halion the Twilight Destroyer | Twilight dragon | Leader of the attack and "herald of Deathwing" | | Baltharus the Warborn | Black drakonid | Lieutenant; tries to break Xerestrasza's barrier | | Saviana Ragefire | Black drake | Halion's lieutenant | | General Zarithrian | Black dragonspawn | Commander of the troops on the ground | | Sanctum Guardian Xerestrasza | Red dragon | Survivor who tells of the attack | | Krasus (Korialstrasz) | Red dragon, Alexstrasza's consort | Receives the warning and sends the heroes to investigate |

Baltharus, Saviana and Zarithrian: Halion's lieutenants

Three lieutenants of the black dragonflight come with Halion. All of them serve the plan to break the Wyrmrest Accord and prepare Deathwing's return.

Baltharus the Warborn is a black drakonid. He is the first one the heroes meet, trying to reach Xerestrasza. His taunt to her sums up the mood: "Your power wanes, ancient one... Soon you will join your friends." In the fight, he creates a clone of himself.

Saviana Ragefire is a black drake. From time to time, she flies over her enemies and marks them with fire. Her lines make it clear whom she serves: "Burn in the master's flame!" and "Halion will be pleased."

General Zarithrian is a black dragonspawn and the commander of the ground assault. He is surrounded by a wall of fire, which only drops after Saviana and Baltharus die. He summons helpers, the Onyx Flamecallers. His opening line shows that the black dragonflight knows who sent the heroes: "Alexstrasza has chosen capable allies... A pity that I must END you!" When he dies, he shouts: "HALION! I..."

Who is Halion the Twilight Destroyer?

Halion is a twilight dragon, of the twilight dragonflight. His title is the Twilight Destroyer. His master is Deathwing.

In the raid, Halion only appears after the three lieutenants fall. His arrival line is already a defeat for the reds: "Meddlesome insects! You are too late. The Ruby Sanctum is lost!"

What makes Halion different is that he exists in more than one plane of reality. That is why the raid has to split between the physical realm and the twilight realm. In one of the phases, he uses both realms at the same time. The line from that phase is the most famous: "I am the light and the darkness! Cower, mortals, before the herald of Deathwing!"

The details of positioning and switching realms are in the Ruby Sanctum preparation guide. For the lore, what matters is the idea: Halion rules both sides of reality, and that is why he is so dangerous.

How does Halion set up Cataclysm?

Halion is defeated, but he does not go quietly. His death line is the hook for the next expansion:

"Relish this victory, mortals, for it will be your last! This world will burn with the master's return!"

The "master" is Deathwing. In WotLK, he does not appear yet. But everything in the raid points to him. Saviana speaks of the "master's flame". Halion calls himself the herald of Deathwing. And the twilight dragonflight, created in secret, already shows enough power to invade the home of the Dragon Queen.

In Cataclysm, the promise comes true. Deathwing returns and causes the Cataclysm (the Shattering), which changes the map of Azeroth. His return is told in Cataclysm and the return of Deathwing.

What comes next (outside WotLK)

This part is no longer 3.3.5a content. It comes from books and later sources, and it is here only to help you understand the bridge.

• Halion's origin: the wiki says the eggs Halion was created from came from Sinestra (Sintharia), and that he was raised in captivity almost two years before the attack.
• The fate of the sanctum: in the book Thrall: Twilight of the Aspects, already after the Cataclysm, the Twilight's Hammer corrupts the eggs of every flight. Korialstrasz discovers the corruption in the new clutch of the Ruby Sanctum. To stop it from spreading, he links the portals of all the sanctums and sacrifices himself, destroying himself and the sanctums.
• The final war: the Twilight's Hammer and the twilight dragonflight are at the center of Cataclysm. See Twilight's Hammer, the Elemental Lords and the Hour of Twilight and From Firelands to Dragon Soul: how Deathwing was defeated.

Where to see it in WotLK

The raid's story has a short chain of three quests, all from patch 3.3.5:

• "Trouble at Wyrmrest": given by Rhonin, in Dalaran. He says his old friend Krasus sent word of "terrible events" at Wyrmrest and of "some sort of attack" on the Ruby Sanctum. You speak with Krasus at Wyrmrest Temple.
• "Assault on the Sanctum": given by Krasus. The entrance to the sanctum is in ruins, the guardians have been killed and the scouts sent in did not come back. You go in to investigate and find Xerestrasza.
• "The Twilight Destroyer": given by Xerestrasza. The goal is to kill Halion and repel the invasion. Then you go back to Krasus, who thanks you for driving out the invaders.

Other places to visit:

• Wyrmrest Temple, Dragonblight: the Chamber of the Aspects is beneath the temple. The entrance is a crack in the ice along the Path of the Titans. That is where the Obsidian Sanctum and the Ruby Sanctum are.
• Obsidian Sanctum: do it first, if you can. Beating Sartharion and destroying the eggs is the reason for the revenge you will see in the Ruby Sanctum.
• Dalaran: this is where Rhonin starts the chain, with the message from Krasus.

If you just hit 80 and are still building your gear, the Ruby Sanctum is endgame content. The post Fresh 80 in current content: where to start without getting lost helps you plan the way there. The temple's reputation is covered in Wyrmrest Accord: is it worth it at fresh 80?.

Read more:

• WoW History: Wrath of the Lich King
• Icecrown dungeons: lore
• Dragonblight: lore
• Alexstrasza: the Dragon Queen
• Cataclysm and the return of Deathwing

Frequently asked questions

Who is Halion in WoW?

Halion the Twilight Destroyer is a twilight dragon in the service of Deathwing. He leads the black dragonflight's attack on the Ruby Sanctum and is the final boss of the raid, released in patch 3.3.5 of Wrath of the Lich King.

Where is the Ruby Sanctum?

In the Chamber of the Aspects, beneath Wyrmrest Temple, in Dragonblight.

Why did the black dragonflight attack the Ruby Sanctum?

As revenge for the destruction of the twilight eggs in the Obsidian Sanctum. The attack targeted the red eggs and sought to break the Wyrmrest Accord to clear the way for Deathwing.

Is Halion related to Sartharion?

There is no confirmed kinship. The link is in the story: the destruction of the twilight eggs in the Obsidian Sanctum, where Sartharion stood guard, drove Halion's attack.

What does Halion say when he dies?

"Relish this victory, mortals, for it will be your last! This world will burn with the master's return!" The master is Deathwing, who returns in Cataclysm.