Black Citadel ( TFT ) The Black Citadel ( aka Black Temple ) was Magtheridon ' s fortress in . He was defeated and dethroned when Illidan and his new allies infiltrated it . This article concerns the event as it was originally told in The Frozen Throne expansion of Warcraft III ( with additional material from the Warcraft RPG ) . History . The Black Citadel was a menacing structure in the Hellfire Peninsula region of Outland . Shortly after the destruction of Draenor by Ner ' zhul ' s many portals , a pit lord named Magtheridon used the Black Citadel as a throne from which to began his rule over Outland . Magtheridon used the the portals Ner ' zhul created to summon members of the Burning Legion , bolstering his armies and hold on Outland . Illidan Stormrage and his lieutenants - Lady Vashj of the Naga , Kael ' thas Sunstrider of the Blood Elves ( " " This group of blood elves then helped defeat Magtheridon and claimed his Black Citadel as their own . " " ) and Akama of the Broken - led their followers through Outland in an effort to hide Illidan from his master , Kil ' jaeden . He attempted this by destroying all portals in Outland , the access points to Twisting Nether from which the Burning Legion could enter . Thinking himself finally safe from Kil ' jaeden ' s wrath , Illidan shifted his goal from simple self - preservation to conquest . He set out to take control of Outland from the cruel Magtheridon and rule over Outland in his place . The Citadel , however , was heavily guarded . Magtheridon controlled a variety of demon s , including the corrupted Fel orc s that relentlessly attacked Illidan ' s forces . Infernal Contraptions sat silently along the walls to hurl devastating attacks on intruders . A huge abomination named The Butcher lingered in the dark recesses , waiting for prey . Six Fel Orc Blademasters were set up to guard : Bonethirst , Maim , Bloodgrin , Nera ' thor , Sagra ' nel and Rend . Guarding the final areas were the Master of Pain and Mistress of Torment along with an army of Burning Legion minions . In order to get through these defenses , Illidan enlisted Lady Vashj to attack the Citadel by water and Akama to infiltrate Magtheridon ' s inner chambers through stealth . Illidan and his company succeeded in defeating Magtheridon , and named themselves the new rulers of Outland . The victory was short lived as Kil ' jaeden appeared to remind Illidan that he could not escape the far - reaching gaze of the Burning Legion , not even in the Black Citadel . Illidan ' s Black Citadel . Illidan the Betrayer stands as the lord of Outland , and rules his domain from a massive , black iron ziggurat . Ner ’ zhul was originally responsible for this hulking edifice — but now blood elves , naga , and Illidan ’ s few other allies roam its corridors . The naga live in underground sewers , and the upper levels teem with blood elves , traps , evil and death . Rumors tell that beneath the citadel sprawls a great prison ; trapped within are heroes from previous wars , languishing in unknown solitude . " Hellfire Peninsula . This great tract of land spreads before the distant Black Citadel . " Illidan the Betrayer stands as the nominal head of Outland , ruling from a fortress called the Black Citadel . As the Black Temple . It has been confirmed that the Black Citadel later became the Black Temple ( although its unclear why it was moved from Hellfire Peninsula to Shadowmoon Valley ) . For a full analysis of this issue , please see Black Citadel and Temple .