Blackrock Spire

Blackrock Spire is the fortress in the upper levels of Blackrock Mountain, split into a lower city and an upper spire. The master mason Franclorn Forgewright designed it for the Dark Iron dwarves, who hollowed out the mountain's core to build it under Ragnaros's control and held it for centuries as the symbol of their power. After the Second War, Rend Blackhand and his brother Maim fled there with what remained of the Blackrock clan, and Rend proclaimed himself its Warchief.

Rend and Maim fought the Dark Irons in battle after battle for the Spire, but they drove the dwarves from the upper city only after Maim died and the black dragons arrived. Nefarian, son of Deathwing, seized the upper Spire with his dragons and made war on the Dark Iron strongholds deep in the mountain. Once he learned that Ragnaros led the dwarves, Nefarian swore to destroy them and take the entire mountain for himself.

Nefarian now rules the Spire, and Rend's Dark Horde of orcs, ogres and forest trolls fights under him, still set on conquering Azeroth though its numbers dwindle. In the lower city the black dragonspawn Overlord Wyrmthalak acts as taskmaster, with Highlord Omokk leading the Spirestone ogres and War Master Voone the Smolderthorn trolls. Beyond the Halls of Ascension, the orcs of the upper Spire hold the fire elemental Pyroguard Emberseer captive, dragonspawn tend a rookery of black dragon eggs, and Rend rides the chromatic drake Gyth in an arena. General Drakkisath, commander of Nefarian's dragonspawn armies, holds the throne room at the top.

Warlord Goretooth of the Kargath Expeditionary Force orders Omokk, Voone and Wyrmthalak killed, and documents recovered in the Spire reveal that Rend, thought dead for decades, still lives. Eitrigg, who left the Blackrock clan after both his sons died fighting the Dark Irons for the Spire, explains Rend's past, and Thrall orders Rend slain and his head brought to Orgrimmar. Using a map from the goblin spy Bijou, Marshal Maxwell at Morgan's Vigil sends Alliance adventurers after the same three leaders, then after General Drakkisath once a letter from the general turns up on Wyrmthalak's body. Both factions also need Drakkisath's blood, which Haleh of the blue dragonflight or, for the Horde, Rexxar uses to make the Drakefire Amulet that opens Onyxia's lair.

Nefarian watches the arena in his human guise, Lord Victor Nefarius, and sends waves of chromatic dragonkin and Rend's orcs at intruders before ordering Rend and Gyth into the fight. When they fall, he warns that the time of both the Alliance and the Horde is running out. The door to the upper Spire opens only for those who carry the Seal of Ascension, which Vaelan, hiding in disguise in the lower city, helps adventurers forge. A letter from Rend to his quartermaster reveals that only those branded with the Mark of Drakkisath can use the Orb of Command, the way into Nefarian's own lair, Blackwing Lair.