Silvermoon Ranger-General Sylvanas Windrunner was killed by Death Knight Arthas, bringing her back to life as undead. After regaining control over herself she rebelled against The Lich King and the Scourge and became the leader of the renegade undead faction, which later allied with the Horde. She has proclaimed herself the Dark Lady, Queen of the Forgotten (or Forsaken, as they are now called in WoW) an extension of her original title, "Queen Banshee."
As the leader of the Forsaken and the Horde in the Eastern Kingdoms, Sylvanas is a military genius. The middle sister of Alleria and Vereesa Windrunner, she was a Ranger-General of the high elf kingdom of Quel'Thalas. She bravely fought Arthas when he invaded Quel'Thalas, but during the fall of Silvermoon, Arthas resurrected her as his henchman, as part of some kind of revenge. When the Lich King weakened his sovereignty over his minions, Sylvanas, among other undead, regained her freedom and led her forces against the Dreadlords who had taken over Lordaeron, confirming her sovereignty over the undead released upon release. murdering two of the Nathrezim and bending the third, Varimathras, to his will. She renamed the undead who regained their will as "The renegades»And declared herself his queen.
Under Sylvanas' Leadership, the Forsaken have succeeded not only in defending themselves against the Scourge, but also against the Scarlet Crusade. She has great aptitudes in the fields of Leadership, Military Strategy and especially in the Arch. She is also an expert in the use of demonic magic, has the ability to drain life, can raise skeletons to life, and masters the art of mind control. Sylvanas is said to be the best archer in Azeroth, she claimed that she could hit a bird in the eye in mid-flight. She carries the Longbow of the Sunwalker, which once belonged to Dath'Remar Sunwalker, who gifted it to Sylvanas when she became a Ranger-General.
Biography
Silvermoon Ranger-General
Sylvanas was a member of the prominent High Elf family of the Windrunners. Her sisters were Alleria, Vereesa and she is believed to have at least two other siblings. His family lived on Windrunner Spire, in the quiet forests of Quel'Thalas. Sylvanas joined the Rangers and became their leader, rising to the post of General-Ranger of Silvermoon, leader of all High Elf military forces.
The second war
During the Second War, the High Elves initially sent symbolic support to the Alliance, Sylvanas's older sister Alleria took control of her platoon of Rangers. Soon after, the precious forests of Quel'Thalas mysteriously began to burn. Sylvanas and her rangers set out to discover the cause when she encountered her two sisters being chased by a group of Forest Trolls, which she quickly wiped out. It was Alleria who alerted Sylvanas to the Orcish Horde and that they were the ones who burned the forest with the fire of a dragon. Sylvanas went to meet the Horde and trap them between themselves and the Alliance forces under the command of the paladin Turalyon. The battle raged for quite some time, but eventually the Horde completely abandoned Quel'Thalas. Sylvanas was on the alert and ready to hunt in case any trace of orcs were found. Soon after, the Horde was defeated, the Dark Portal destroyed, and the Second War ended.
Invasion of the Undead Scourge
After the High Elves deserted the Alliance, Sylvanas and her Rangers were the primary protectors against Silvermoon's attackers. Despite scant attacks from forest trolls, the occasional murloc, or gnoll from time to time, Sylvanas saw little action, and peace and quiet took hold of the elven forests. He remained, however, always vigilant, knowing that this peace, while comforting, could not last forever.
Their fears soon came true when Arthas, the traitor of Lordaeron, unexpectedly arrived at the gate of Quel'Thalas with a horde of the undead at his back. He began to attack the most distant villages and immediately, Sylvanas and her Rangers corps faced Arthas, but the numerical superiority of the undead forces and their inexhaustible forces, kept her at bay.
Arthas continued relentlessly towards the Elven Gate, slaying every elf that stood in his way. Despite Sylvanas's efforts, the outer Elven Gate fell. Sylvanas ordered to protect the inner elven door, which was only possible to open by using the key to the "Three Moons", which were found in the Moon Crystals hidden within the Forest. Sylvanas destroyed the bridge leading to the Inner Gate in order to hinder the advances of the undead host. Despite his valiant efforts, Arthas managed to gather the Key to the Three Moons and destroyed the Inner Elven Gate, nothing standing in his way to Silvermoon anymore.
Sylvanas gathered her remaining troops and went to warn Silvermoon, but Arthas blocked her path and killed all the messengers who tried to pass. Sylvanas continued the resistance, but over time, Sylvanas had to fight Arthas directly. The two fought each other, and Sylvanas received a fatal blow. Lor'themar Theron assumed temporary leadership after the Ranger-General's death.
The Mindless Banshee
The official story given by the High Elves of Silvermoon says that the Ranger-General perished in the battle and her body was burned to ashes in the fire that devastated half the capital.
The true story was very different, Sylvanas did not die, but she was captured. Barely clinging to a thread of life, Sylvanas Windrunner was brought before Arthas in one of the strongholds of the plague. She begged Arthas for a clean death, but Arthas had something else in mind for her end, as she had to fight every step of the way. She was tortured, mutilated, and eventually, Arthas himself murdered her for sheer pleasure. It desecrated her spirit, corrupting her body and soul, and brought her back in a whirlwind of torment and hatred. Thus, Sylvanas Windrunner became a total and complete slave to the Lich King. In her undeath, she aided Arthas in his assault against his beloved Silvermoon, in order to ensure the Scourge's control over the Sunwell. Her mutilated body was sealed in an iron coffin by Arthas, in order to to carry the Forest's torture further.
Sylvanas became one of Arthas's top generals, and she stayed in Lordaeron with Kel'Thuzad under the watchful eyes of the dreadlords, whom they had left in Lordaeron to protect him on behalf of the Burning legion. When Archimonde was defeated at the Battle of Mount Hyjal, Sylvanas quickly learned of this news from Kel'Thuzad. As the month passed, the Dreadlords ignored their master's defeat. Varimathras, Dethroc and Balnazzar, the three terror lords charged with guarding Lordaeron, were plotting against the former general. When Arthas's watchful gaze broke into the fortress, fresh from his journey from Kalimdor. He made them aware of the legion's failure and its intentions to take full control of the Scourge. The Dreadlords fled, truly outraged but unwilling to lose their lives facing Arthas's mighty army.
Arthas gathered his entire army, and ordered that Lordaeron be purged of all life, as a tribute to Ner'Zhul. However, Kel'Thuzad informed him that the human refugees had begun to flee from the outer villages and that if they escaped to the mountain passes they would be untraceable. Arthas and his two generals positioned themselves on the three possible escape routes, along with a small group of undead soldiers. Despite the efforts of Paladin Dagren the Slayer and his companions, Sylvanas faced her bashees against the human refugees in the area, with their help they finally managed to destroy the villages that offered resistance. Sylvanas, Arthas, and Kel'Thuzad arrived at the paladins' base of operations and killed them in a fierce battle, annihilating the last trace of a civilian presence in Lordaeron.
The dark forest
From this point on, the weakened Ner'Thul began to lose control over the minds of Sylvanas and a large number of banshees. Discovering this Sylvanas and hiding the fact from Arthas and Kel'Thuzad, she continued to serve them as if nothing was happening. The Lords of Terror contacted Sylvanas and they explained that they knew the cause, and arranged a secret meeting with her. They explained that Ner'zhul's powers, and by extension Arthas's, were beginning to weaken. The Nathrezim intended to use this opportunity to gain full control over Lordaeron. Sylvanas agreed to help, but on the condition that her help would be offered on her own terms.
The Dreadlords had planned to kill Arthas in the capital, but Sylvanas also created a contingency plan in case Arthas decided to flee. She managed to get her banshees to feign loyalty to Arthas and escort him to a place in the forest, where she would be waiting. Having survived the ambush perpetrated by the terror lords, Sylvanas's loyal sisters accompanied him to the agreed location and killed his bodyguards.
Sylvanas who by then had managed to use her banshee necromantic abilities to lay down her former lifeless body. Sylvanas was then a bodily undead. From the shadows, an arrow struck Arthas's body, this arrow contained a powerful paralyzing poison, made with all the hatred Sylvanas could muster. Arthas, furious at Sylvanas's betrayal, demanded a quick death, which the elf did not have in mind. As he was about to begin his grisly revenge, Kel'Thuzad appeared, murdering his Banshees sisters and driving Sylvanas to flight.
Back in his physical body he realized that the natural world would never respond to his wishes again. Annoyed by this situation, she decided to use the art that was becoming increasingly natural for her: Necromancy. Altering his forest elf teachings in a new way. In this way the dark foresters were born.
Queen of the Forsaken
Arthas went to Northrend, having been summoned by the Lich King and Kel'thuzad chose to hide. Sylvanas and her sisters were released from the Lich King's yoke, but Sylvanas was still troubled. Though free from Ner'zhul she and her loyal servants maintained their monstrous appearance.
His thoughts were interrupted as soon as Varimathras arrived on the scene. The Dreadlord invited the Banshee to join him and his sisters in establishing a new order. But Sylvanas was unwilling to give up her newly acquired freedom so quickly. He told her that she had complied and demanded that they leave her alone. Varimathras ominously warned that those who would not be part of this new land would have no place in it, and that it would be wise not to anger the new Scourge Lords. Sylvanas didn't change her mind. Sylvanas knew that at any moment they would attack, and she only had a few undead and a few banshees. He desperately needed to get an army.
Exploring the outskirts, Sylvanas discovered many creatures that she could use for her purposes, and with her banshees, they would have no choice but to obey her. He sent his banshee to possess Mug'thol, leader of the local ogres, Bandit Lord Blackhorn, Gnoll Snarlmane, and Lord of the Murloc Puddle. With so many new allies, Varimathras was quickly defeated, as soon as he was defeated, he begged for his life, saying that he could become useful. He knew very well the tactics of his brothers, and where their bases were. Sylvanas knew that trusting such an insidious creature was a risk, but she felt she could use him for her purposes. With the help of Varimathras they faced Dethroc.
Dethroc had acquired a human puppet, Lord Garithos, and was using it as a shield. Sylvanas had possessed her scouts, managed to infiltrate their base at nightfall, when everyone was off guard. While they slept, Sylvanas gradually took control of the bases, assassinating anyone who stood in her way, reaching the Terror Lord and assassinating him. With the Dreadlord dead, Garithos was released from his mind control. The Dark Ranger saw him arrogant and idiotic, but knew that he could use them for his own good. He lied to him and I assure him that they would give him control of the Capital if he helped him kill Balnazzar.
The plan was for Garithos to attack from the back entrance and Sylvanas and Varimathras from the front. As they moved to the city, Sylvanas found the hiding places of the goods deposited by the royal family of Lordaeron and used them to further the assault. Despite the demonic magics used by his enemy the Lord of Terror, all of his forces were destroyed. With Balnazzar trapped, Sylvanas ordered her brother, Varimathras, to finish him off. Varimathras hesitated, since a Lord of Terror is forbidden to kill another, but under Sylvanas's threats he relented, ending his brother's life. He didn't hesitate so long when he was also ordered to assassinate Garithos.
With all of her enemies eliminated, Sylvanas proclaimed herself the leader of the Forsaken. They would never again follow the Scourge or the Legion, from now on they were free to go their own way, and they would kill everyone who stood in their way.
The Highborne Lament
Thanks for the tip Zelrah 😉