Stormwind Keep

The mighty Stormwind KeepWarcraft: Orcs & Humans manual, Chronicles of the War in Azeroth, 577 (also called Stonewind Keep,:File:Warcraft I - Map of Azeroth.jpg Castle Stormwind, stronghold of Stormwind,Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness manual, The History of Orcish Ascension, The Mastery of Forces - Medivh and Blackhand Stormwind Castle,The Last Guardian, pg. 126, 268The Last Guardian, pg. 129, 133, 141, 148, 166, 186, 192 and after its reconstruction sometimes referred as Castle of New StormwindThe Seas of Azeroth (WC2 Orc)Alleria's Journey (WC2 Human)) is the seat of power of the human kingdom of Stormwind. This keep is the residence of the Stormwindian kings, currently King Anduin Wrynn. The royal court as well as some of the nobles of the kingdom are also here.
The Keep offers a view of the whole city, so that the king can watch over the masses, and provide a powerful reminder of what deserves to be defended. Citizens make good use of the garden and the Royal Library, strolling the grounds and reading, and it has private areas - the king's rooms, guest quarters for prominent visitors, and a small royal armory for extremely rare pieces. The keep has its own personal contingentStormrage, chapter 10 of fiercely devoted guards but also a considerable number of agents, posing as lesser noblemen or servants to the crown. There are also multiple secret passages.World of Warcraft: Exploring Azeroth: The Eastern Kingdoms, pg. 12
==History==
===First War===
Stormwind Keep was then a grand castle, bigger than the Violet Citadel of Dalaran. Its roof was shod with blue slate and the complex had many side buildings, towers, and halls. Arching galleries spanned between the buildings. One of the towers was a gryphon aviary, though according to Medivh it was precisely the wrong spot for such a place because of bad crosswind. The conjurers of the realm had dedicated mage-chambers, one of which housed the Conjurer-Lords Huglar and Hugarin. The castle had at least five levels.The Last Guardian, chapter 7
Some times after the First War started, a rogue demon was thought to be marauding through the city so the king and his courtiers got locked up in their quarters until Medivh investigated the problem.The Last Guardian, chapter 8
After King Llane's murder by Garona, the keep was destroyed by the Old Horde during the final days of the war.Stormwind Keep (WC1 Orc)
===Second War===
Once the kingdom was retaken after the Second War, a new castle was raised upon the foundations of the old one.New Stormwind (WC2 Orc) The Horde of Draenor raided the Royal Library for the Book of Medivh.Beyond the Dark Portal, chapter 8
At one point, Varian did battle with an assassin who had snuck into the Keep and nearly stabbed the young Anduin.Wolfheart, chapter 22
===The Comic===
Entering Stormwind Keep, Lo'Gosh, one half of Varian Wrynn, declared Katrana's masquerade was over and called her by her true name: Onyxia. Revealing her dragon form and transforming multiple guards into dragonspawn, Lo'Gosh and his allies began battle in the throne room of the keep. The arrival of Highlord Bolvar Fordragon along with Anduin greatly aided them in securing the keep, but Reginald Windsor was killed moments later by Onyxia. Anduin, surprised by seeing two Varians, urged them to stop fighting each other and face the true threat, the brood mother Onyxia. The great dragon snatched Anduin and teleported them to her lair daring Varian to follow suit in her lair.World of Warcraft: The Comic, Issue 12: The Enemy Revealed
After the death of the Broodmother, the :Drakefire Amulet she used to manipulate the kingdom's leadership was locked away in Stormwind Keep, in order to prevent anyone else from using its manipulating magic.A Window to the Past
===Cataclysm===
The statues of the Royal Gallery were damaged by the Cataclysm.World of Warcraft: Exploring Azeroth: The Eastern Kingdoms, pg. 14
===Stormrage===
During the War Against the Nightmare, the keep was initially one of the places not caught in the mists of the Emerald Nightmare, although the horrific dreamforms of the Nightmare's victims converged on the keep, while it was defended by the keep's guards and King Varian.Stormrage
===Legion===
During the Burning Legion's third invasion, the keep was infiltrated several times. First, demons disguised themselves as soldiers in the funeral ceremony for Varian Wrynn when the Alliance leaders gathered. They were exposed by their new allies, the Illidari.Demons Among Us (Alliance) Later, the city was under martial law, with the keep being extra guarded. It was, however, infiltrated by the Veiled Hand, as well as the Uncrowned who ultimately stopped the demon cult. The center of the throne room had a big demonic rune painted on the floor, and the garden had a demonic portal summoned by the traitor Melris Malagan.The Unseen Blade Later, a nathrezim, disguised as a guard, tried to assassinate Anduin Wrynn.Anduin: Son of the Wolf
===Battle for Azeroth===
During the War of the Thorns, knowing their chances of fending off the Horde army were slim to none, King Anduin Wrynn ordered that the portals from Darnassus be constantly open throughout Stormwind City, notably in the keep, where many night elven and Gilnean refugees arrived after being evacuated.Elegy, pg. 69
===Dragonflight===
Some time after the discovery of the Dragon Isles, a disgraced noble named Count Clessington arranged for the Defias Brotherhood to steal the :Drakefire Amulet from Stormwind Keep.An Urgent Matter
==Areas of Stormwind Keep==
*Petitioner's Chamber - First right as you enter the keep.
*Garden - First left as you go down the main hall of the keep.
**Royal Library - Right from the Garden.
**Royal Gallery - Straight from the Garden. (removed in )
*Throne room - At the end of the main hall.
**War Room - First door, straight ahead through the throne room from the main hall.
*A dining hallThe Return
*An archery and training roomLast of the Line
*A dirigible mooring
==Residents==
Excludes the above areas.
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==In the RPG==
The mighty Stormwind Keep (or Stormwind castle)Alliance Player's Guide, pg. 160 sits watch over Stormwind atop the cliffs north of the city. Brann Bronzebeard helped construct this fine building. It houses the King himself and many of the city's nobles. It was designed with the thought of another invasion in mind: if the city fell to an army vaster than it could handle, the keep itself becomes a means of escape, with several secret tunnels entombed deep within the rock.Lands of Conflict, pg. 54
==Film universe==
Stormwind Keep is depicted close to its World of Warcraft incarnation but its interior is different. It notably contains the throne room.
==Notes and trivia==
*The keep is above city level, being partially built unto a rocky outcropping.
*The Wrynn line allows the public into the keep, which Mathias Shaw considers dangerous.World of Warcraft: Exploring Azeroth: The Eastern Kingdoms, pg. 13
*After the death of Flameweaver Koegler and Sally Whitemane in the Scarlet Monastery during the Invasion of Pandaria, several items were transferred from the Monastery to Stormwind Keep, including the Greatstaff of Righteousness, Hand of Righteousness, Triune Amulet, and Whitemane's Embroidered Chapeau.World of Warcraft: Exploring Azeroth: The Eastern Kingdoms, pg. 108
*Varian's private chamber contained a map table.Blood of Our Fathers
*The map for Warcraft: Orcs & Humans shows Stormwind Keep as Stonewind Keep. Within the game, it is called Stormwind Keep or Castle Stormwind.
*In Cataclysm, Stormwind Keep was entirely remodeled, inside, as well as outside. The path leading to the throne room is now open air and redesigned, complete with a grand walkway and a fountain. The throne room was redesigned too and the garden area before the Library now has a view overlooking the Stormwind Lake. Genn Greymane was also added to Stormwind Keep after the fall of Gilneas.
*Valeera Sanguinar knows how to infiltrate it.Before the Storm
*At one point, Velen called it a palace.Consoling the King
*The music played in Stormwind Keep is also played in the High Seat in Ironforge.
*The Keep is regularly visited by school children and their School Mistress Miss Danna which tells the story of its destruction during the First War, then its reconstruction after the Second War.
*The blog Movoto has done evaluations of Stormwind Keep to try and determine how big it is, what's its real-world equivalent location is and how much it would cost to purchase, based on the previous two factors. The answers, in brief, to those three questions are: 47,219 square feet, Caernarfon Castle, Gwynedd, Wales, and US $10,293,472 ($218 per square foot), respectively.World of Warcraft’s Stormwind Keep For Sale at the Auction House
==Gallery==
File:WC1HumanStormwind.gif|Stormwind Keep being guarded during the First War.
File:WC1 Human Victory.jpg|Human victory in the First War (WC1 human campaign).
File:WC1ScreenCapture2.jpg|Stormwind Keep before its destruction in the First War.
File:Stormwind Keep.jpg|Stormwind Keep pre-Cataclysm.
File:Stormwind Keep (distant).jpg|The Keep is visible from many areas of the city.
File:Stormwind Keep entrance view.jpg|View from the Keep's entrance.
File:Varian statue Stormwind Keep.jpg|Varian's statue.
File:The Unseen Blade - Stormwind Keep entrance.jpg|Lucas Severing guarding the entrance.
File:Dining Hall Stormwind Keep.jpg|The dining hall, as seen in The Comic.
File:Archery room Stormwind Keep.jpg|The archery room, as seen in The Comic.
File:Castle Wall HS.jpg| in Hearthstone.
==Patch changes==
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==See also==
*Fragile Model of Stormwind Keep
==References==
==External links==
	
Category:Keeps
Category:Forts 
Category:Palaces
Category:Human territories
es:Castillo de Ventormenta
pl:Stormwind Keep