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The Hydra believes that Iron Army should be united with: Black Empire into a single page for the following reason(s): Merge and consolidate under Black Empire Please discuss it on the talk page for this article. "Will you forget the head slicing thing?!" |
| “ | Flesh is no match for iron! | „ |
| ~ Sjonnir The Ironshaper upon killing a player |
The Iron Army, also known as the iron armies or iron legions, was a formidable force in World of Warcraft, created and led by Keeper Loken under the influence of the Old God Yogg-Saron. This army was instrumental in Loken's efforts to dominate Northrend and suppress any opposition to his rule, appearing principally in the Ulduar raid instance.
The Iron Army was composed of various titan-forged beings, including iron dwarves, iron vrykul, iron giants, and iron golems. These forces were created using the Forge of Wills, a powerful titan construct under Loken's control, which he used to produce loyal soldiers infused with the Curse of Flesh.
The army's primary purpose was to enforce Loken's will across Northrend, suppress dissent among the titan-forged races, and ultimately serve Yogg-Saron's dark ambitions. The Iron Army played a significant role in the conflicts throughout the Storm Peaks and surrounding regions.
Among the Assembly of Iron, Steelbreaker is voiced by Alan Shearman, who also voices Prophet Velen, High Overlord Saurfang, General Rajaxx in the Ruins of Ahn'Qiraj raid and Instructor Razuvious in Naxxramas. Runemaster Molgeim is voiced by Jamieson Price, who also voices Count of Monte Cristo in Gankutsuou, Sojiro Sakura in Persona 5, Ovan in .hack//G.U., and Milton Grimm from Ever After High.
History[]
Creation and Purpose[]
Following his corruption by Yogg-Saron, Loken sought to consolidate power and eliminate potential threats. Utilizing the Forge of Wills, he produced the Iron Army, embedding the Curse of Flesh within these creations to ensure their loyalty and susceptibility to control. This strategy allowed Loken to replace existing planetary defenses with forces entirely under his command.
The fire giants played a key role in forging additional iron soldiers. Fjorn had the ability to create Stormforged Iron Giants, while Volkhan oversaw the Iron Crucible, where he was observed assembling iron vrykul. Ignis the Furnace Master once worked tirelessly at the Colossal Forge, crafting iron armies intended to conquer Azeroth in Yogg-Saron's name. Additionally, the Forge of Wills was capable of producing iron dwarves.
Forge of Wills
Loken's iron legions are led by three formidable generals, each embodying a distinct titan-forged race. Stormcaller Brundir, Runemaster Molgeim, and the towering Steelbreaker serve their keeper’s true master, the sinister Yogg-Saron, battling in his name.
War of the Titan-Forged[1][]
Among the Titan-Forged Keepers, none were as sharp-witted or observant as his longtime friend and ally, Mimiron. Like Loken, Mimiron had been chosen by Norgannon. He had also fought alongside Loken in the war against the Elemental Lords, using cunning and innovation to overcome Neptulon. Mimiron was, in many ways, Loken’s intellectual equal—his brilliant brother.
Unfortunately for Loken, Mimiron had begun to grow suspicious of the newly forged Iron Vrykul and Dwarves—creations born from the Forge of Wills. Mimiron sensed something wasn’t right. And if he investigated too deeply, he might uncover the truth: that in order to wield the Forge and create his army, Loken had drawn upon the corrupting power of Yogg-Saron. Blinded by madness, Loken failed to realize that the Old God had used the Forge to spread the Curse of Flesh among the Titan-Forged. But Mimiron was beginning to suspect. The flaw introduced by Yogg-Saron had caught his attention, and a thorough inspection could reveal everything. Loken couldn’t allow that.
Though it pained him, Loken decided Mimiron had to die to protect the secret. He staged the death as a tragic laboratory accident—a deadly explosion in the Temple of Invention. But Loken underestimated the ingenuity of Mimiron’s mechagnome assistants. They managed to save him by transferring his essence into a mechanical body resembling their own. Mimiron lived on, though the experience left him deeply changed—more akin to his robotic creations than ever before. (Notably, he would later use Kaja’mite to experiment on and ultimately create the Goblins.)
Now somewhat scattered in thought, Mimiron was easier for Loken to subdue. He captured him and imprisoned him within Ulduar, a move that aligned with Yogg-Saron’s broader strategy. The Keepers, after all, remained the greatest threat to the Old God’s containment.
Hodir and Freya both grew uneasy over what had happened to Mimiron, and Loken feared that one—or both—might take their concerns to Odyn, the Prime Designate of Azeroth. As Prime Designate, Odyn held the authority to summon Algalon, the celestial observer tasked with assessing a world's viability. Loken dreaded the possibility that Algalon would uncover his corruption through Yogg-Saron’s influence. Determined to prevent that outcome, Loken devised a plan to stop it before it began.
He struck quickly, launching surprise assaults on Hodir and Freya at their respective Temples using his new army of Titan-Forged, forged through the Forge of Wills and bolstered by the power of the Old God. With overwhelming force and dark magic, he subdued them both and clouded their minds, bringing them to Ulduar as captives. Yet Loken knew this wasn’t enough—Odyn, though distant in the Halls of Valor, would soon notice the disappearance of four major Keepers. Loken needed a way to permanently neutralize Odyn’s threat. A direct battle was out of the question—even empowered by Yogg-Saron, Loken couldn’t match Odyn's strength.
Only two Keepers remained free: Tyr, celebrated as the greatest warrior among them (though Odyn had led the armies during the war against the Black Empire, Tyr had been their most formidable fighter), and Archaedas, known for defeating Therazane and sealing the Qiraji tunnels during the ancient battles against the Old Gods. Unlike Loken, both were straightforward in their actions—but in his growing madness, Loken underestimated their intelligence.
Rather than confronting Loken directly, Tyr and Archaedas chose to stay hidden, carefully avoiding his forces while trying to understand the changes occurring in Ulduar. Over the years, they watched as the Curse of Flesh spread among the Earthen, Vrykul, and Mechagnomes. To those afflicted, they offered sanctuary, providing a refuge from the corruption. Meanwhile, others—disillusioned and believing they had been forsaken by their creators—turned bitter and violent, manipulated by Loken’s quiet influence into waging war.
Role in the Ulduar Raid[]
The Iron Army serves as the first major line of defense within Ulduar, tasked with preventing intruders from reaching the deeper sections of the Titan complex. As the raid begins, players must break through the outer defenses, where Iron Dwarves, Iron Vrykul, and Iron Giants operate massive siege weapons and turrets. This leads directly into the battle against Flame Leviathan, a colossal war machine designed to repel invaders. Once defeated, the raid gains access to the inner halls of Ulduar, where more of the Iron Army’s forces await.
Within the complex, the XT-002 Deconstructor serves as a guardian, designed to dismantle any unauthorized intruders. Though its personality appears childlike, it is a deadly construct maintained by smaller Iron creations that attack players during the encounter. Deeper inside, the Assembly of Iron, consisting of Steelbreaker, Runemaster Molgeim, and Stormcaller Brundir, leads the Iron Army’s efforts to suppress the raid. These three powerful Iron Dwarves act as military commanders, using a combination of brute strength, runic magic, and storm energy to challenge the players. Their defeat significantly weakens the Iron Army’s hold over Ulduar.
Downfall and Legacy[]
Despite its formidable power, the Iron Army ultimately fell alongside Loken and Yogg-Saron. However, remnants of the army persisted throughout Northrend. Notably, during the third invasion of the Burning Legion, many iron dwarves and iron vrykul, such as Dvalen Ironrune, pledged themselves to the Keepers once more and defended Ulduar from demonic assaults.
Creatures[]
- Iron Dwarves: The Iron Dwarves are corrupted versions of the original Earthen. These beings are intelligent, highly militant, and often take leadership roles in battle. Within Loken’s army, they serve as officers and commanders, directing other constructs with strategic precision
- Iron Vrykul: Forged through the same process as the Iron Dwarves, the Iron Vrykul were also shaped by the power of the Forge of Wills—this time infused with darker energy. They are towering and aggressive warriors, far more brutal and ruthless than their living Vrykul counterparts.
- Iron Giants / Iron Colossi: These massive constructs serve as the heavy hitters of Loken’s army, functioning as frontline units or powerful siege weapons. Found in places like Ulduar and the Storm Peaks, Iron Giants and Colossi are frequently tasked with guarding key locations or breaking enemy lines with overwhelming force.
- Mechanized Constructs: Loken's forces also include a variety of specialized mechanical creations. Among them is XT-002 Deconstructor, a childlike yet destructive automaton housed in Ulduar. The Leviathan, another key war machine, serves as a massive siege engine within the raid. Additionally, the Assembly of Iron (also known as the Iron Council) is a group of elite iron constructs encountered as a powerful raid boss trio in Ulduar.
- Mechagnomes (under Loken’s control): Originally designed to be assistants and engineers for the Titan-Forged, some Mechagnomes fell under Loken’s influence. Corrupted and repurposed, these once-neutral beings now serve as loyal agents in his twisted vision.
Notable Members and Sub-Groups[]
- Assembly of Iron: A trio of powerful generals leading the Iron Army's forces within Ulduar.
- Steelbreaker: A massive iron giant known for his unparalleled strength and resilience.
- Runemaster Molgeim: A master of runic magic, capable of empowering allies and devastating foes.
- Stormcaller Brundir: A commander wielding the power of storms to obliterate enemies.
- Ignis the Furnace Master: Tasked with overseeing the Colossal Forge, Ignis was responsible for creating iron constructs to bolster the Iron Army's ranks.
- Volkhan: Supervised the Iron Crucible, where he assembled iron vrykul to serve Loken's cause.
- Razorscale: Originally known as Veranus, a majestic proto-drake, she was captured and transformed into a terrifying war machine through Titan-forged technology and dark manipulation. Bound in chains and fitted with heavy mechanical enhancements, Razorscale now becomes an ironbound proto-drake. Her role within Ulduar is that of a powerful aerial threat, capable of raining devastation upon intruders with fire and fury. Her transformation symbolizes the extent of Loken’s corruption—turning even noble and ancient beings into tools of war through the influence of the Forge of Wills and the power of Yogg-Saron.
- Fjorn: A fire giant capable of creating Stormforged Iron Giants, further expanding the army's strength.
- Duronn the Runewrought: an iron golem found at the Terrace of the Makers in the Storm Peaks
- Eisenfaust: a stone giant found in the Hall of the Shaper in the Storm Peaks.
- Halefnir the Windborn: a lightning revenant found at the Terrace of the Makers in the Storm Peaks.
- Iron Sentinels: iron giants located at the Terrace of the Makers in the Storm Peaks.
Trivia[]
- Loken and his army served as a narrative ramp-up to Ulduar, one of the most iconic raids in WoW history. The Iron Army’s presence in dungeons like Halls of Lightning and Halls of Stone helped establish the scale and threat of titan-forged corruption.
External Links[]
Gallery[]
_HS_(1).jpg "Creation Protocol (Forged) HS (1).jpg (128 KB)")
.webp "Razorscale HS (1).webp (166 KB)")
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 Villains
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Mainstream The Horde Old Horde/Iron Horde Scourge Knights of the Ebon Blade Illidan's followers True Horde Pandaria The Void/Black Empire
Burning Legion Dragonflights Elementals Shadowlands Primalists
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