Scarlet Crusade

The Scarlet Crusade (also known as the Scarlet Brotherhood or simply the Crusade) is a fanatical religious sect that evolved from the Knights of the Silver Hand, dedicated to the eradication of the undead from Lordaeron. A major adversary of the Forsaken and Scourge, their name has become synonymous with corruption and extremism, and several quests in Tirisfal Glades involve attacks on Scarlet Crusade troops, leaders, and strongholds. The Scarlet Crusade maintains several bastions throughout the former lands of Lordaeron, namely the Scarlet Monastery, and up until the Cataclysm - Hearthglen, Tyr's Hand, the fortified Scarlet Bastion of Stratholme, and several smaller camps and scout towers spread throughout the whole area of northern Lordaeron.

It is one of the hierarchies left over from the kingdom of Lordaeron after its destruction by the Scourge. After the attack on the Scarlet Enclave, the Scarlet Crusade renamed itself to the Scarlet Onslaught and operated in Northrend, though some members of the original Scarlet Crusade did not transfer to the Scarlet Onslaught.

Since the fall of the Lich King, the Scarlet Crusade has experienced a downfall, losing many of its holdings in the now-recovering Plaguelands to the Argent Crusade, and many of its surviving members, ironically, to undeath as the Risen.

During the third invasion of the Burning Legion, the remnants of the Scarlet Crusade in Lordaeron regrouped at the Monastery under the command of High Commander Goodchilde, they were soon assaulted by the Knights of the Ebon Blade who totally wiped them out, in order to resurrect Sally Whitemane as a member of their new Four Horsemen. In Northrend, while the Scarlet Onslaught was largely dismantled and originally stated to be the replacement for the Crusade, New Hearthglen continues to operate, even though it has lost the majority of its leadership and its goals have been dashed away, and was interchangeably referred as the Crusade and as the Onslaught.

As of the end of the Fourth War, the "Scarlet Brotherhood" was formed, marking a resurgence of the Scarlet ideology in Lordaeron, they declared themselves to be House Menethil loyalists and were politically opposed to the Alliance, which they saw as being led by a traitor.

Third War
Those who would later become the founders of the Crusade met in Southshore during the Third War, where together they purified a dark crystal into what would become the core of the holy Ashbringer sword. By that time a faction had started growing in the Knights of the Silver Hand, largely led by Abbendis. This faction was intolerant of what they deemed as the "lesser races".

The core of the Crusade's forces began as a group of survivors of the Silver Hand who regrouped in Hearthglen after an offer of Taelan Fordring. Ashbringer in hand, Highlord Alexandros Mograine led the knights of the now disbanded Silver Hand through Lordaeron. Such were his acts that he and his weapon quickly became legends.

The Ashbringer
Following the death of Terenas and Uther at the hands of Arthas Menethil, the core of the Crusade's force came to a meeting in Hearthglen to determine whether they should pursue and eliminate Arthas or fight to take back Lordaeron from the Scourge. Their meeting concludes with the decision of Saidan Dathroan to focus their efforts on Stratholme and Andorhal to stop the spread of the undead epidemic.

During an assault on Stratholme, however, became separated and lost during the assault. They were overjoyed when he finally reappeared, but none of them could have imagined the truth: that during his absence he had been killed and replaced by the dreadlord Balnazzar.

The remnants of the Silver Hand managed to strike an alliance with the communities of Tyr's Hand while also establishing a forward base in an old monastery not far of Capital City. However, dissensions started appearing in the leadership of the human resistance. Lord Maxwell Tyrosus suggested that in order to retake their fallen cities, the order should recruit among the night elves of Kalimdor and the dwarves and gnomes of Khaz Modan. Other prominent leaders such as High General Abbendis disagreed, considering the fate of Lordaeron the affairs of men.

When Alexandros Mograine showed the will to attack the Forsaken, Balnazzar began manipulating the organization to serve his own ends. Together with his brother Varimathras, he devised a plan to remove a serious threat to both of them: Mograine and his Ashbringer sword. As Saidan Dathrohan, he started talking a lot with Alexandros's son Renault, playing on his desire for approval and recognition, until he eventually managed to convince him to betray his father. Renault led his father and into Stratholme, where they were set upon by the Scourge. Though Alexandros fought bravely, and many undead fell before his blade, he eventually dropped the Ashbringer, which Renault used to stab his father through the back before fleeing. Fairbanks, who had been buried beneath the undead bodies and thought slain, eventually returned to the Scarlet Monastery and tried to tell the others what had happened. Saidan Dathrohan claimed he had been tainted by the undead, and he was executed. However, there were those who believed that their comrades had fallen from their once-noble purpose, and left to form their own order, the Argent Dawn. Those that remained formally named themselves the Scarlet Crusade.

One day, Renault's younger brother, who had joined the Argent Dawn, came walking into the chapel of the Scarlet Monastery. Renault initially assumed he had come to join the Scarlet Crusade, until he saw what he was carrying: the Ashbringer. Furious, he began to savagely beat Darion, not noticing that a strange shadow was emerging from the blade. The shadow coalesced into the form of Alexandros Mograine and, after accusing his son of betrayal and murder, killed him. Darion took the Ashbringer and left, and soon after Taelan Fordring was appointed as commander at the Monastery.

High General Abbendis was later mortally wounded by the undead and died in his daughter's arms while defending Hearthglen. The reinforcements from the Monastery led by High Inquisitor Whitemane managed to save the city.

A Cleansing Fire
In year 24, the Scarlet Crusade patroled Lordaeron villages, checking them for the plague. On one such patrol, Saidan and Sir Thomas led a group of crusaders into a village, which was deemed corrupted by the Grand Crusader. Thus, the crusaders slew the townsfolk.

Later, the crusaders struck at a settlement north of Dalson's Tears in the Western Plaguelands which housed Sir Thomas' family. Unbeknownst to him, Thomas killed his family, and it was too late when he realized what he has done, and went mad. The other crusaders dragged him back to the Scarlet Monastery. Saidan then convinced Thomas to join the crusaders in an attack against the Scourge during Hallow's End. Although he killed Scourge, Thomas also killed his fellow crusaders. As such, the Crusade was forced to cut down their former brother. Then, the soldiers brought his body back to the monastery.

World of Warcraft


The Crusade seemingly established their own Church to persuade the folk to join in.

At some point, rumors flew that a plaguebearer was hiding around a village. The Scarlet Crusade had seen to it that every last inhabitant was rounded up and burned alive. Among the villagers was the family of the paladin Lord Thorval, who yearned to hunt down the Crusaders.

Due to its origins as the regrouped survivors of the Silver Hand, the Scarlet Crusade counted members from citizens and races of all over the Alliance of Lordaeron, including high elves of Quel'Thalas, dwarves of the Alterac Mountains and human citizens of Stormwind, Alterac, Kul Tiras and Dalaran. Their opinion of the exterior world turned sour, however, and they started seeing other races than humans as unclean. Human outsiders were still recruited but only after facing dangerous trials. It was additionally suspected that the organization had ties to wealthy intolerant families that supported them.

The Scarlet Crusade continued to cling to their scattered holdings, obsessed with eradicating the undead and retaking their once-beautiful homeland. The Crusaders became intolerant of all non-human races, regardless of alliance or affiliation. They started believing that any and all outsiders were potential carriers of the undead plague - and must be destroyed. The Scarlet Monastery was converted into a Scarlet Crusade stronghold by Scarlet Commander Mograine, who commanded a large garrison of fanatically devoted warriors, and High Inquisitor Sally Whitemane, the true master of the fortress. However, after Commander Mograine's mysterious death, he was eventually replaced by High Commander Goodchilde.

At some point after the formation of the Scarlet Crusade, the Scarlet Monastery was attacked by the Scourge three times in the Summertide Assaults. The Crusade also attempted a strike against the Scourge base in Northrend, and built a fleet specifically for that purpose. The attempt failed, although the Crusaders reached as far as the mouth of Icecrown Glacier. There were many casualties among the high ranks of the Crusade, including its first and only Grand Admiral, first Captain General and first Chief Assassin.

The Scarlet Crusade also created many new anti-undead weapons, such as an attempt at a second Ashbringer in the form of a staff they called Light's Wrath. However, Balnazzar intervened, interrupting their efforts and triggering a violent magical explosion. The damaged staff's power proved nearly uncontrollable. After several wielders tried and failed to use the staff safely, the elite magi of the Kirin Tor hid it away lest it unleash further deadly calamities. The human mage Timolain was also commissioned to create powerful new bows and guns.

The Scarlet Crusade has been raiding the Forsaken's holdings, and the Forsaken of Brill have fended off their incursions, retaliated in kind, and tested their poisons on Captured Scarlet Zealots. The Forsaken in turn has enlisted Horde adventurers to aid Nathanos Blightcaller in conducting strategic strikes against the Scarlet Crusade in Tyr's Hand in order to soften them up for the assault on Stratholme. Nathanos directed adventurers to slay Demetria — the chief advisor to Grand Crusader Saidan Dathrohan.

Meanwhile, Tirion Fordring enlisted the aid of adventurers to redeem his son Taelan Fordring, who has risen through the ranks of the Scarlet Crusade and is now their Highlord. Tirion has the adventurer collect numerous mementos  and deliver them to Taelan in order to restore his faith in honor and nobility. Tirion's plan worked; Taelan was moved by the mementos and desires to reunite with his father so they can both become heroes of the Alliance and of Lordaeron. Taelan and the adventurer sneak out of Hearthglen to regroup with Tirion but they were caught by Grand Inquisitor Isillien who murdered Taelan for his desertion. Tirion Fordring slays Isillien in retribution while the adventurer dispatched Isillien's Crimson Elites. In the aftermath of the battle, Taelan's death had spurred Tirion to redeem the Order of the Silver Hand so that evil, regardless of its politics or pleasantries, is extinguished from the world.

In Stratholme, the undead Scourge — led by the powerful lich, Kel'Thuzad, is locked in battle with a contingent of Scarlet Crusaders, led by Grand Crusader Dathrohan. Both forces held portions of the ravaged city and both sides were locked in constant, violent combat. The Argent Dawn has been sending adventurers into Stratholme to contend with both factions. Despite their tenuous alliance, Duke Nicholas Zverenhoff of the Argent Dawn condemned the Scarlet Crusade as blasphemers and directed adventurers to slay Archivist Galford and burn down his archives in order to take away the Scarlet Crusade's most valued documents and punish them for their heretical zealotry. Adventurers eventually confronted Grand Crusader Dathrohan and during their battle with him, uncovered that he was really the nathrezim Balnazzar in disguise. Adventurers sent the Head of Balnazzar to Duke Nicholas Zverenhoff as proof of Balnazzar's evil masquerade. Zverenhoff was shocked that the Crusade was manipulated by such an evil force and pondered what the ramifications of Balnazzar's corruption will have on the Scarlet Crusade should the truth come out.

At some point, the Scarlet Crusade seems to have launched a first assault on Northrend. Admiral Barean Westwind, Invar One-Arm and Orman of Stromgarde were all lost there.

Some Scarlet Crusaders allied with the Argent Dawn at Light's Hope Chapel in order to attack Naxxramas, though the temporary truce was not sanctioned by the Grand Crusader.

The Burning Crusade
By that point, the Scarlet Crusade's misguided zeal was so strong that it had even tainted the blessing spoken over their holy water. The Blood Knights of Quel'Thalas sought to exploit that taint to prepare a mixture that was to extinguish the eternal flame of the Alonsus Chapel in Stratholme.

Wrath of the Lich King
There was, however, one region of the Eastern Plaguelands which had been remarkably untouched by the plague that had despoiled the remainder of northern Lordaeron. This region was appropriately known as the Scarlet Enclave, consisting of the Scarlet capital of Tyr's Hand led by Lord Valdelmar, and the towns of Havenshire and New Avalon. These towns came under the protection of the Crusade forces after successful negotiations between Silver Hand knights and local administration. Crusaders stationed in Tyr's Hand, led by High General - one of the Crusade's original founders.

All that changed with the arrival of Acherus in the skies above the Enclave. In short order, the Scourge had established a base camp in the Ebon Hold's shadow and began their campaign of destruction. As the death knights of Acherus began to march on Havenshire, Abbendis claimed to receive visions from the Light, instructing her to take the most faithful of her troops and journey to Northrend. This became known among the Scarlet troops as the "Crimson Dawn", a revival of the Crusade and its "holy mission".

The Fall of the Scarlet Enclave
By that point, the death knights had laid waste to Havenshire and were now seeking to find out more about this "Crimson Dawn" mentioned in New Avalon's registry, taken from the town hall after they murdered New Avalon's Mayor Quimby. They discovered that a courier had been sent from Hearthglen by High Commander Galvar Pureblood, informing Abbendis that an army of Crusaders from Hearthglen and Tirisfal were being assembled to reinforce the Enclave and battle the forces of Acherus. One of the death knights, disguised as the courier (having murdered the real courier, taking his clothing and Pureblood's message), delivered the message to Abbendis. Realizing that the Plaguelands were lost, Abbendis ordered "the courier" to return to Pureblood, inform him to turn his armies around and prepare for the journey to Northrend. She gave "the courier" a copy of her diary, claiming it would explain everything. It was at this point that she declared that the Scarlet Crusade was no more - that they were now the Scarlet Onslaught.

The message never reached Pureblood, and his forces were annihilated by the Scourge as a result. With the combined army marching to their doom, High General Abbendis boarded her flagship, the Sinner's Folly, and set sail for Northrend, leaving the Crusade to its fate.

Cataclysm
With the exposure of Balnazzar and Mal'Ganis, the senior leadership eliminated, the Lich King's defeat, and Tirion Fordring retaking his old town of Hearthglen for the Argent Crusade, the Scarlet Crusade has become a shadow of its former self. Due to the decline of the Scarlets in the Plaguelands, the Argent Crusade has become the strength in the region, effectively succeeding the Scarlets as the new hierarchy of the former Kingdom of Lordaeron. Only a few loyal members have survived and remained in the Western Plaguelands, such as the Scarlet Smith, the Scarlet Judge, the Scarlet Interrogator and the Scarlet High Clerist, clinging to the hope that Abbendis would return and tortured by hunger.

It has been discovered that the Crusade has completely lost Stratholme, with Balnazzar shedding his disguise and killing the remaining Scarlet Crusaders within the city. Balnazzar then used his necromantic powers to resurrect them as the Risen. Unknown how, but a similar fate has befallen the Scarlet presence in Tyr's Hand, including the members formerly found at Light's Hope Chapel. Hence, in an ironic twist of fate, the eastern Scarlet holdouts in Lordaeron have literally become what they sought to destroy.

What is known is that the Scarlet Crusade have expanded their fortifications to the west of the Solliden Farmstead, in a new, small area called the Scarlet Palisade, and that they managed to keep the Scarlet Monastery in their control. Thus, the Tirisfal Glades appear to be the last remaining bastion of living Scarlet Crusade activity, and dissident crusader Joseph the Awakened intends to bring other crusaders back to their senses. However, he seems to fall into the grips of insanity either with the knowledge that he was forced to kill his former comrades or through some unknown means. So even if Joseph completes his goal the Scarlet Crusade may still be lost in the sway of insanity.

Mists of Pandaria
Recent events indicate that the Scarlet Crusade is still active in their last bastion in Tirisfal Glades, the Scarlet Monastery and are slowly rebuilding the order. New members have been appointed to lead the Scarlet forces inside, as well as one surviving member of the former leadership, Sally Whitemane, the High Inquisitor of the Scarlet Crusade. Along with Commander Durand, who replaced Renault Mograine as Scarlet Commander - they are responsible for the operations inside and possibly outside the Monastery. Due to the corruption wrought by Balnazzar in the Plaguelands and Mal'Ganis in Northrend's branch of the Crusade, the Scarlet Onslaught, the Scarlets became ashamed of their past and have tasked their new archivist and lead mage, Flameweaver Koegler to burn the pages of history.

In the Hall of Champions, Armsmaster Harlan has dedicated his life to the art of wielding the weapons and indelicate instruments of the Scarlet Crusade, and he is pleased to provide a demonstration for the Crusade's blasphemous enemies.

According to Lilian Voss, the only way to bring the Crusade to an end is to eliminate Whitemane, and this deed can only be accomplished by thrusting the Blades of the Anointed into her body, otherwise she will keep coming back.

Soon after Lilian and the heroes of the Horde and the Alliance entered the Monastery and killed many of the remaining forces along with Sally. Following this, some members of the order went into hiding, while others started to regroup and reoccupy the Monastery.

Legion
At the time of the third invasion of the Burning Legion, the Knights of the Ebon Blade assaulted the Scarlet Monastery, now led by High Commander Goodchilde, in their quest to resurrect Sally Whitemane as a member of their new Four Horsemen. Thassarian declared they would not leave until every last crusader had been killed and every banner burned.

The Scarlet Onslaught in New Hearthglen appeared to be still alive and well after the death of their leaders, executing heretics and betrayers. A few former crusaders along with their apostate champion Mariella the Heretic later joined the ranks of the Conclave. Several Crimson Pilgrims also appeared in Dalaran.

A lone Scarlet Quartermaster settled at Darkmoon Island in order to sell Crusade-related paraphernalia in an attempt to raise funds for the order.

Battle for Azeroth
A set of Scarlet Brotherhood propaganda pamphlets can be found near the Calston Estate in Tirisfal. In the pamphlets, the Brotherhood proclaims that King Anduin Wrynn of Stormwind is an undead-loving traitor who worked with his "lover" Sylvanas Windrunner to stage a fake massacre at the Gathering in the Arathi Highlands. According to the Brotherhood, this was done in order to drum up sympathy for the Forsaken and to lure out Princess Calia so that she could be murdered and raised into undeath, allowing Anduin to marry her and usurp Lordaeron. The pamphlets advise members of the order to rally behind the worgen king Genn Greymane and help him wipe out the Forsaken, after which they will turn on Greymane and destroy the worgen as well in order to ensure that Lordaeron belongs only to "pure-blooded humans". Finally, the pamphlets state that the Brotherhood has secretly raised someone that they claim to be the son of Princess Calia and an Arathi nobleman and therefore the rightful king of Lordaeron, whom they will reveal and place on the throne after the undead and worgen have been wiped from the land, thereby restoring the Menethil dynasty.

Most of these pamphlets, if not all, are not true. Of note, Calia's child is actually a daughter, not a son, and her husband was a Lordaeron footman, not an Arathi nobleman. Whoever the Scarlet Brotherhood has, if they have anyone, is likely not actually the Menethil heir as they claim.

Following the Fourth War, Mathias Shaw mentioned in his reports that the Scarlet Crusade in the Eastern Plaguelands has retreated, its influence having waned over the last few years, but above all that he was informed, at least from what they know, that the Crusade was totally wiped out by the Ebon Blade when they went to the Monastery to destroy them and resurrect Sally Whitemane to integrate her into the Four Horsemen. He also mentions the existence of a group which calls itself the "Scarlet Brotherhood", and whose only attacks consist of anonymous pamphlets uttering absurdities.

Shadowlands
In the Shadowlands, Houndmaster Loksey and Fanatic Crusaders could be found atoning for their sins in Revendreth.

By the time the Forsaken started rebuilding Brill, Scarlet Warriors patrolled the road to Cold Hearth Manor and around Stillwater Pond.

Years later, following the war against the Jailer, the Bronzebeard brothers reported that even with their leadership wiped out by the adventurers, there were still enough members of the Scarlet Onslaught in New Hearthglen to continue their twisted crusade against anyone they think an enemy. They also mentioned a surprising number of crusaders in the Onslaught Harbor.

Territories
Once, the Scarlet Crusade controlled much of the Plaguelands in northern Lordaeron. All of their major holdings have been destroyed or taken over by other forces.

In the Eastern Plaguelands they had the city of Tyr's Hand, and the Scarlet Bastion within the ruins of Stratholme under their control. Both fell to the undead when its inhabitants were transformed, at least in Stratholme, into the Risen. Some time prior to the war against the Lich King they lost the Scarlet Enclave, east of Tyr's Hand, to the Scourge. Its survivors would organize into the Scarlet Onslaught and sail to Northrend where they would begin anew.

In the Western Plaguelands they once settled the town stronghold of Hearthglen, but they would ultimately lose it to the Argent Crusade who transformed it into their new headquarters. They held outposts throughout Western Plaguelands as well, though, these have all been purged; such as the Charred Outpost.

In Northrend, the Onslaught primarily operates out of New Hearthglen, located in the Dragonblight, on Northrend's southern coast. There are two other bases in the Dragonblight: the Onslaught Base Camp located north of the Carrion Fields beneath Naxxramas, and the Scarlet Point east of the Crystal Vice. There is also a more secluded base, the Onslaught Harbor, set on a broken island off the mountainous, western coast of Icecrown.

The last bastions of the Crusade were located in the Tirisfal Glades. The Scarlet Monastery, a peaceful monastery that was converted into a stronghold of the fanatical Crusade, and the Scarlet Palisade, an outpost which protects the Solliden Farmstead, as well as several towers scattered through the zone. One of these towers, the Scarlet Watchtower, was dispatched by the Forsaken, killing its leader, Captain Perrine. The Forsaken ultimately dispatched the Crusaders at the Scarlet Palisade as well after rescuing Lilian Voss, removing it as a threat. The Scarlet Watch Post was then slaughtered when their leader, High Priest Benedictus Voss was killed by his daughter, Lilian, in vengeance. The monastery was noted as being attacked several times, though it was ultimately finished off by the Knights of the Ebon Blade when they sought to raise Sally Whitemane as one of the Four Horsemen.

The status and safe locations of the Scarlet Brotherhood are largely unknown. They reference having the last Menethil heir in a secure safe location, which is specified to be secret. While it is possible this location, and heir, is fabricated (namely as Calia was noted as having a daughter, not a son as the Scarlet Brotherhood claims); it is unknown. The only hint of their presence is that the Brotherhood's pamphlets are entirely centralized in Tirisfal Glades, namely near the Calston Estate. The last remaining Scarlet tower in Tirisfal to not have been destroyed is the Crusader Outpost. Led by Captain Vachon, the area is assailed by adventurers sent by High Executor Derrington. Rather than kill the captain, however, the area is merely assailed to set the Crusade back and the Captain is never actually killed; despite being present through both this attack and a previous attack from Lilian Voss. Whether he or any of his remaining crusaders became part of the Brotherhood or were slain another time is unknown.

Relations
Though the Crusade's ranks are all human, it is not openly welcomed by the Alliance. However, its mission appeals to most within the Alliance, who generally agree that the undead need to be removed from Lordaeron so its citizens can return home. As news of the Crusaders' rising madness compete with tales of their good deeds and names of heroes amongst their ranks, especially the less informed peasants of regions far away from former Lordaeron still view this organization as a stalwart defender against the undead threat. In part, this is true, as the Crusade has indeed rescued refugees and defended civilian settlements in the Plaguelands many times, including a project to re-settle villages that have been destroyed by the Scourge during the war. Scarlet Crusaders protected the Solliden Farmstead and its inhabitants, making it one of the few places in northern Lordaeron where the native farmfolk were able to survive to this day and also one of the few places in Lordaeron where they can get food that is unaffected by the plague of undeath. Until the Forsaken sent their newly risen champions from Deathknell to deal with the situation.

Generally, the actions of the Scarlet Crusade are tolerated out of ignorance, and both the Alliance and the Church of Holy Light distance themselves from the Crusade's activities officially, but without trying to interfere. The Scarlet Crusade, maintained recruitment officers within the Alliance prior to its destruction - examples can be found in the Cathedral of Light in Stormwind and in the Alliance outpost of Nijel's Point.

The Scarlet Crusade has killed countless refugees fleeing the horrors of the Scourge, regarding them as possible carriers of the plague or even undead sympathizers, and their growing zealotry made the Crusade enemies all over Azeroth. Travelers were advised to stay clear of Scarlet Crusaders regardless of whether any undead are in the party.

Despite their "alliance" against Kel'Thuzad in the flying citadel of Naxxramas, the Scarlet Crusade and the Argent Dawn were strongly opposed to each other. At Light's Hope Chapel, Duke Nicholas Zverenhoff denounced the blind zealotry of the Crusade, and how they have destroyed many innocents in the name of the Light, even calling them blasphemers for their crimes. During their meeting, Eligor Dawnbringer of the Brotherhood of the Light managed to keep relations between the organizations from turning violent, but he threatened them to leave them to the justice of Tirion Fordring and the Knights of the Silver Hand if the representatives of the Crusade were no longer present on amicable terms. Another example of their hostility, after raiding a Scarlet Crusade prison house, the Death knight of Acherus discovered that there were a number of Argent Dawn prisoners there, with apparently most of them already dead.

Scarlet Onslaught
The rallied forces of Brigitte Abbendis that sailed to Northrend to combat the Lich King. Establishing numerous footholds, such as New Hearthglen and Onslaught Harbor; they sought to find justice for Lordaeron and their own crusaders who had been slaughtered fighting the Scourge. Despite this, they remained overtly hostile to any and all outside forces; leading to the Argent Crusade under Eligor Dawnbringer to dispatch Abbendis and many of her subordinates. Rallied by Barean Westwind, the legendary Scarlet admiral who was found by Abbendis wandering Northrend (claimed to have survived by a miracle of the light); the remaining Onslaught members moved to Onslaught Harbor to assail the Lich King directly. Here, they were once again harried by heroes at the behest of the Knights of the Ebon Blade; where it was revealed that Barean had indeed died years ago in Northrend.

Similar to the Crusade's own Saiden Dathrohan, Barean's corpse was possessed by the defeated Dreadlord, Mal'Ganis, who had harbored a desire for vengeance after his near death in battle against Arthas Menethil. Disappearing and leaving the Onslaught leaderless, it miraculously survived in New Hearthglen past the war. It was revisited again by priests of the Conclave, seeking allies in their war against the Burning Legion. There, Mariella Ward and her fellow Scarlet Apostates were recruited after defeating the new Scarlet leader, Inquisitor Ward; though the Onslaught remains firmly rooted in New Hearthglen.

It is the only branch of the Crusade that is still active with a militant force; though they are extremely far from their homeland and their objectives, if they have any, are completely unknown.

Crimson Legion
An elite force of the Crusade is the Crimson Legion, led by the Grand Crusader himself. The Crimson Legion appeared to have directly linked back to Dathrohan and guarded his sanctum within Stratholme. They held their own version of the Scarlet Crusade tabard, an alternating pattern of white and red with a white version of their Scarlet flame iconography upon the middle. This tabard was also worn by high-ranking members of the Crusade, such as Brigitte Abbendis, though it is unknown if that means they were also part of the Crimson Legion. It, alongside most of the Crusade in the Eastern Plaguelands, was decimated by various forces. They were put to an end when Balnazzar revealed his treachery and shed his Dathrohan disguise; raising them all into the ranks of his Risen.

Scarlet renegades
The Scarlet renegades were former members of the Scarlet Crusade who have openly rebelled against the order. They sought to reform the order after having realized the evil corruption of the crusade. The Renegades sought redemption after the actions of the crusade and have thus allied themselves with the Alliance. They asked for their aid to seize control of the crusade and, while successful in doing so, their leadership appears to have fallen to madness.

Their status following Mists of Pandaria is unclear.

Books and other texts

 * News From The North
 * Priestly Preening: Be Like Your Betters
 * Turning the Other Cheek
 * Musings of the High General
 * Grand Inquisitor Isillien's Journal
 * The Cursed Old Wolf
 * The Last Menethil
 * The Traitor King (item)
 * The Would-Be Queen

In the RPG


The Scarlet Crusade is a group of maddened zealots so dedicated to the removal of all undead that they commonly attack the living. In the Western Plaguelands, the Scarlet Crusade strikes against the Scourge from Hearthglen. Many Knights of the Silver Hand remained on Lordaeron for several reasons ranging from missing the fleeing boats, to a sense of duty to clear their homeland of the undead. With the destruction of Lordaeron in front of them and the knowledge that Arthas had betrayed them, some knights actually went mad. They hunt the undead in Lordaeron with a zeal that frightens. Many innocent mortals have been killed through misunderstandings, or simply "just making sure". These paladins have a frightening policy: When in doubt, assume the person is undead and kill him. These knights would never admit that they walk the same dark road that led to Arthas’s damnation, but few of them continue to follow the three virtues. Those who question their leaders are assumed to be undead sympathizers and are slain. Many serve the Scarlet Crusade out of fear, as to speak up means instant death.

The Scarlet Crusade is what happens when mad zealots take over a good cause. While the Alliance is in agreement that the Scourge needs to be eradicated from Lordaeron so they can return home, few Alliance members would agree with the methods used by the Scarlet Crusade. The Crusade’s members are mostly soldiers — many are Knights of the Silver Hand — who saw such devastation wrought by the Scourge that they resort to extreme measures to destroy the undead. This includes killing any mortal they assume to be undead, killing mortals to get to undead or killing mortals who may sympathize with undead. “Sympathizing with the undead” is how Crusaders interpret someone arguing that their methods are severe. They are the natural enemies of the Scourge and the Forsaken, but they are also the enemy of anyone who cannot prove that he is alive — usually within ten or so seconds. The Crusade has indeed destroyed several undead encampments on Lordaeron. They may end up alone on the continent — or more likely, die trying. The Scarlet Crusade sees no difference between the Forsaken and the Scourge and battle the Forsaken zealously.

Despite its excesses, the Crusade is a powerful force in the eastern kingdoms, having already destroyed several undead encampments in Lordaeron and defeated a number of dangerous Liches as well as the Dreadlord Beltheris. They are expected to continue battling until either the Scourge are driven from Lordaeron or the Crusade itself is destroyed.

The Scarlet Crusade distrusts any non-humans although they once had other races, such as High Elves and Dwarves, in their ranks.

History of the Crusade
Isillien was formerly a priest of the Holy Light in Lordaeron, assigned to be the liaison for the Knights of the Silver Hand. There he worked closely with the elder High General Abbendis and his youthful charges, tutoring the young paladins in their quest for truth. Priests and paladins fought as the Scourge attacked the city, but they fled as Lordaeron fell around them. Some whisper it was the wounds both men received in battle, or perhaps just the shock of seeing their whole purpose destroyed, but since that day both Isillien and Abbendis had become quite insane. Isillien and Abbendis wandered the area as the Scourge defiled the land, destroying what undead they could, gathering what warriors would join them. They had but one concern: eradication of all that had destroyed Lordaeron.

Isillien and High General Abbendis gathered together several other people to join them. Among them were Abbendis's daughter Brigitte, Alexandros Mograine (wielding the newly-forged Ashbringer) and his son Renault, Taelan Fordring, and Saidan Dathrohan. This group was focused on the singular goal of defeating the Scourge in all its forms.

In the times after the ascension of the Lich King and the rise of the Forsaken, the elder Abbendis and felt that although they had a good base, they really needed to attack the Scourge where they were the thickest: in the Eastern Plaguelands. Isillien took on the title of Grand Inquisitor, while the elder Abbendis led the majority of the forces to Tyr's Hand in the east to strike at Stratholme. As they established their bases and took in many more warriors, they destroyed any undead they found.

Taelan Fordring, one of Isillien’s protégés, adored his tutor and his general. He offered his family’s keep and land, untouched by the undead, for their base of operations. The group gained members whose lives had been ruined by the Scourge. Most members have seen a loved one die and, more often than not, be raised to fight alongside her murderer. Isillien became the spokesman for the group, his ravings gaining more followers than repelling them — and who could argue with the man that the undead were evil?

Some had reason to pause when Isillien’s young page was found with Isillien’s knife through his heart, and the priest calmly reported that the page had died that afternoon while hunting, and the undead had raised him and sent him back as an assassin. He was so convincing that the incident cemented the fear for most: if a freshly killed and raised undead can look just like a regular human, they had no idea who among them may or may not be with the Scourge. After a month of quarantine, all priests and warriors with the Crusade were declared clean. Frequently, groups of refugees fleeing the undead also fell beneath their furious swords. As the Grand Inquisitor claims, one cannot be too careful. All undead — good, evil or neutral, Scourge or Forsaken — are the rivals of the Scarlet Crusade. The undead are abominations and must be destroyed before the land and the people can heal. They count the Alliance and the Church of Holy Light as their allies, but these organizations quickly distance themselves from these fanatics and instruct all travelers to give a wide berth to any Crusaders.

Organization
The Scarlet Crusade is structured much like the military. The male Abbendis and Isillien were the leaders. Abbendis was the official head of the Scarlet Crusade. He considered himself the arm of the Crusade while Isillien is the heart. Abbendis guided the military attacks of the Crusade from Tyr’s Hand in the Eastern Plaguelands, communicating frequently with Isillien, who guides the priests in the Crusade in their new roles as inquisitors, based in the Western Plaguelands. He is in charge of questioning undead and mortals alike to ferret out whatever information he can on the movement and settlement of the undead. Isillien acts as the leader of the priests and guides the inquisitions in the west along with his impressionable paladin Taelan, while Abbendis controlled the warriors in the east. The Crusade has thirteen generals leading the lower ranks: 2,000 troops based in Hearthglen and 10,000 based in Tyr’s Hand. The generals were not only chosen by the ranks they had in the war, but also by their dedication to the cause. Few make it very high in the ranks if they do not have a burning fervor to destroy all undead. Veterans who have fought the Scourge before are quickly promoted. Any dissent in the ranks is considered to be caused by undead infiltration, for the Crusade cannot fathom a reasonable mortal having any disagreement with the elimination of the undead. Such individuals are considered to be undead themselves, or worse, deranged undead sympathizers. Thus the organization of the Scarlet Crusade is flawless, as the crusaders work with one mind towards one goal. If they do not work with total agreement, it is at least complete fear of their superiors that keeps them in line. It's based in the Plaguelands, but hunts undead everywhere it can in northern Lordaeron. With the death of the elder Abbendis fighting the scourge, his daughter took over as High General.

Currently, the head of the Scarlet Crusade is Grand Crusader Saidan Dathrohan. Serving beneath him are Demetria (the Scarlet Oracle), High General Abbendis, Grand Inquisitor Isillien, Highlord Taelan Fordring, and Crusader Lord Valdelmar. The grand crusader handles the grisly, prolonged siege of Stratholme. Abbendis commands military assaults and assists the grand crusader in the siege, while Isillien handles interrogations and intelligence in the west.

Membership
Membership in the Scarlet Crusade is high, relative to the human population of the region. The strong sense of abandonment, futility and fear runs high in all humans on Lordaeron, and the Scarlet Crusade feeds that fear with reassurance that the evil will fall while the good remain untainted. The Crusade attracts mostly warriors, people who find in this post-war state that living by the sword is the only way to survive. They feel the need for a strong community where their skills will be utilized, and the Scarlet Crusade maintains that they need strong warriors for their cause. Some priests are drawn to the righteous eradication of the undead, but they often see the Crusade for the zealots they are and rethink their entry. This, of course, is considered suspicious, and they are often slain for their misgivings. The biggest problem prospective members encounter is assuring the Crusaders that they are not undead themselves. Since the Grand Inquisitor was almost killed by his own page (so the story goes), the group is incredibly paranoid about the undead infiltrating their ranks. There is however one undead in their ranks (High Inquisitor Fairbanks) however he has been locked away in an secret room, why the crusaders haven't killed him yet remains a mystery. The supposedly common knowledge that undead are hideously deformed and easy to discern from the living makes no difference to these people; they believe necromancers are capable of disguising the undead as living. Thus, new members (if they survived alerting the Crusade to their desire to join) are quarantined for 30 days to see if they begin to exhibit signs of the plague or being an undead. They are visited by the Grand Inquisitor or the High General during this time and are "questioned". No Scarlet Crusader discusses his quarantine and initiation.

Membership is comprised chiefly of human warriors, ex-paladins, priests and paladins (dark or otherwise), scarlet knights, scarlet inquisitors, Scarlet Chaplains, Scarlet Crusaders, and scarlet battle mages professions.

Military
Despite their increasingly small numbers, the members of the Scarlet Crusade never falter, turn aside, or retreat. The Scarlet Crusade fights directly and it fights to the death.

Most military forces fight conservatively and hoard their members, but the crusaders take no care for their own lives. They wade into battle with zealous fervor, slashing and hacking until they either fall or vanquish all enemies.

Only the backing of the priests and paladins keep the order alive, both literally and figuratively. The impassioned speeches and charismatic leadership of the order’s healers motivates their troops into battle, and their healing magic keeps their zealots whole. The military training of the order’s paladins serves the crusade well, as the paladins train the members in basic troop formations and simple tactics that increase their odds of survival.

Generally, members of the Scarlet Crusade don’t bother flanking their enemies, as they’re used to fighting undead that are slow and easy to strike and immune to backstabs. Scarlet Crusade units fight in tight formations. They form rings whenever possible, standing shoulder to shoulder, so no one member risks being surrounded by a shambling mob of undead. If forced to disperse, members try to pair up and fight back to back.

Paladins and priests freely use their healing abilities and spells in combat, not only to bolster their own troops, but to harm undead enemies. Paladins and priests try not to use their turn undead ability, as their goal is to destroy their enemies, not scatter them. If overwhelmed by superior numbers, though, or confident in their ability to destroy nearby undead with a turn attempt, the commanders call upon their holy power. Many Scarlet Crusade priests can rebuke undead; they force their undead foes to cower long enough for the knights to do their work.

When fighting living opponents, the Scarlet Crusade varies its tactics only slightly. The Crusade rarely takes on hordes of living enemies; when they do engage the living, it is usually to target individuals or small groups. Members of the Crusade do use flanking maneuvers when fighting the living. They’re most concerned with preventing the escape of their prey, as living opponents move much faster than undead, and often panic. Mounted knights run down fleeing enemies, while the foot soldiers remain behind to engage slower targets. Foot soldiers also use trip attacks to reduce the odds that their prey will escape.

Locations
The Western Crusade’s headquarters are in the rural area of Hearthglen, the inheritance of Taelan Fordring. Their main headquarters are in the Eastern Plaguelands in the small community of Tyr’s Hand. They command from the Scarlet Basilica. The community is also host to several churches including a newly built Scarlet Monastery, a massive building that draws refugees looking for safety.

Notes and trivia

 * Mathias Shaw describes them as a cruel and narrow-minded cult.
 * The Forsaken called them the Scarlet Scum.
 * Before the Cataclysm, the Scarlet Crusade in Stratholme celebrated the Midsummer Fire Festival.
 * According to Chris Metzen, the Church of the Holy Light fully supports the Argent Crusade and hates the Scarlet Crusade.
 * The Scarlet Crusade was unique among the human factions for having many houndmasters and huntsmen even before the hunter class was introduced to the human race in World of Warcraft: Cataclysm.
 * In World of Warcraft the story of the Crusade was originally slightly different: founded by High General Abbendis, High Inquisitor Isillien, and the Scarlet Highlord    Alexandros Mograine, the Crusade was at first a noble order. The madness and insane zealotry were only brought later by Grand Crusader Saidan Dathrohan, and this is presumably why the Hall of Champions in the Scarlet Monastery pays homage to various races other than humanity. The Ashbringer comic would depict the formation of the Crusade occurring after Alexandros and Fairbanks' deaths, in which case they would have never been members.
 * There is a roleplaying server called Scarlet Crusade US.

Speculation

 * Several items that dropped within the level 60 incarnation of Naxxramas bore the title "Grand Crusader" such as Belt of the Grand Crusader, Leggings of the Grand Crusader, and Spaulders of the Grand Crusader. This hints that Balnazzar may have at one time attempted to raid Naxxramas with his Scarlet Crusaders but was then repelled by the servants of Kel'Thuzad who then claimed parts of his armor in the process.


 * It is known that the naaru gave visions of the Light to several human prophets following the Troll Wars. These visions were of holiness, protection, justice, retribution, and compassion. Mereldar and the other prophets codified and wrote down these emanations of wisdom, which would eventually lead to the creation of the Church of the Light. As such, it is possible that the spiritual leaders of the Scarlet Crusade focused their worshiping on the "retribution" aspect of the Light and chose to ignore the others when they created their own version of the church.

Gallery

 * TCG