Corthan

{{#ifeq:-|-||Template:Sort}}[[File:{{#switch:neutral|alliance=Alliance|boss=Boss|combat=Combat|hostile=Combat|horde=Horde|aldor=Aldor|scryers=Scryers|kirin tor=Kirin Tor|rare=Rare|elite=Elite|both=Both|kyrian=Kyrian|necrolord=Necrolord|night fae=Night Fae|venthyr=Venthyr|neutral|#default=Neutral}}_{{#switch:{{{2}}}|xlarge=64|large=32|small=15|#default=32}}.png|{{#switch:neutral|alliance=Alliance|boss=Boss|combat=Mob|hostile=Mob|horde=Horde|aldor=Aldor|scryers=Scryers|kirin tor=Kirin Tor|rare=Rare|elite=Elite|both=Alliance & Horde|kyrian=Kyrian|necrolord=Necrolord|night fae=Night Fae|venthyr=Venthyr|neutral|#default=Neutral}}|link={{#switch:neutral|alliance=Alliance|boss=Mob|combat=Mob|hostile=Combat|horde=Horde|aldor=Aldor|scryers=Scryers|kirin tor=Kirin Tor|rare=Rare mob|elite=Elite mob|kyrian=Kyrian Covenant|necrolord=Necrolord Covenant|night fae=Night Fae Covenant|venthyr=Venthyr Covenant|both|neutral|#default=Faction}}]]Corthan
{{#if:|Level: {{{level}}}}}{{#if:| Battle Pet Level: {{{battlelvl}}}}}
{{#if:Ruins of Corthan.png|}} Ruins of the City of Corthan
Type	Kingdom
Capital(s)	City of Corthan
{{#if:|Last known population|Population}}	{{#if:|{{{lpop}}}| }}
Races	Human
Government	{{#if:Absolute monarchy|Absolute monarchy}}
Ruler(s)	[[File:IconSmall_{{#switch:human |night elf=NightElf |blood elf=BloodElf |high elf=HighElf |#default=Human}}{{#if:Male|_Male}}.gif|{{#ifeq:{{{3}}}|Large|26px|16px}}]] Marauder King Corthan
Major settlements	City of Corthan
Minor settlements	Ruins of Zeth
Languages	Common
Faiths	Lord of the Living Flame
Affiliation	Independent
Location	Eastern Kingdoms
PvP status	{{#switch: |alliance=Alliance territory |horde=Horde territory |contested=Contested territory |combat=Combat zone |sanctuary=Sanctuary }}
Status	Defunct

Corthan (or the Kingdom of Corthan<ref>{{#ifeq:-|-||Template:Sort}}{{#ifeq:-|-||Template:Sort}}[[File:{{#switch:neutral|alliance=Alliance|boss=Boss|combat=Combat|hostile=Combat|horde=Horde|aldor=Aldor|scryers=Scryers|kirin tor=Kirin Tor|rare=Rare|elite=Elite|both=Both|kyrian=Kyrian|necrolord=Necrolord|night fae=Night Fae|venthyr=Venthyr|neutral|#default=Neutral}}_{{#switch:small|xlarge=64|large=32|small=15|#default=32}}.png|{{#switch:neutral|alliance=Alliance|boss=Boss|combat=Mob|hostile=Mob|horde=Horde|aldor=Aldor|scryers=Scryers|kirin tor=Kirin Tor|rare=Rare|elite=Elite|both=Alliance & Horde|kyrian=Kyrian|necrolord=Necrolord|night fae=Night Fae|venthyr=Venthyr|neutral|#default=Neutral}}|link={{#switch:neutral|alliance=Alliance|boss=Mob|combat=Mob|hostile=Combat|horde=Horde|aldor=Aldor|scryers=Scryers|kirin tor=Kirin Tor|rare=Rare mob|elite=Elite mob|kyrian=Kyrian Covenant|necrolord=Necrolord Covenant|night fae=Night Fae Covenant|venthyr=Venthyr Covenant|both|neutral|#default=Faction}}]] [37] A King's Plea</ref>) was an ancient kingdom of Azotha<ref name=":0">Moriena from the Turtle WoW Community Discord - "Corthan was a kingdom of the Azotha"</ref><ref name=":1">The History of Corthan</ref> situated in the present-day region of the Badlands. They were a warlike people<ref name=":1" /> who conquered and subjugated the lesser tribes of the area. Corthan's ruler was called the Marauder King; those who took up this mantle were also thereafter called Corthan.<ref>Gheor from the Turtle WoW Community Discord - "It is basically implied that all high priests and their children are named after Zeth. The FK's name is Zeth, and his daughters name is Zetharia. At one point in time the duty of High Priest was given to his daugther - they abandon their old names when they get these titles -, same as Corthan."</ref>

Corthan maintained an ironclad grip on the region through continuous warfare. Despite their ferocity and skill in combat, the fallout of a love feud between the last Marauder King and the Keeper of of Zeth's daughter, Zetharia, ultimately spelled the doom of the nation, when the latter called forth the dark forces of the Lord of Everlasting Death, who ensnared Corthan's inhabitants in a curse of undeath forever.

History

Corthan was formed from a group of Azotha.<ref name=":0" /> Its birth predates the rise of Arathor; it is suggested that the Arathi dynasty may have been established by rebels who fled north from Corthan.<ref>Gheor from the Turtle WoW Community Discord - "The Kingdom of Corthan predates the Arathor Empire. Corthan mentions rebels going up north of the now Badlands and implies they have gone back into a tribal state - thus being the first step towards the Empire of Arathor."</ref>

The land of Corthan was ruled by many kings, who each had the strength to vie for, and dominate, the region, with "a fist of iron, and strength eternal." Corthan would go on to weather many storms, including drought, disease, and famine. The nation also warred with its neighbors constantly to maintain its dominion over the land; this penchant for warfare, however, would end up weakening the principles of its people over time.<ref name=":1" />

Corthan was still conquering neighboring tribes by the time of the last Marauder King Corthan, who solidified his rule by offering amnesty to the defeated chieftains and warlords of the area in exchange for their loyalty.<ref>Events of {{#ifeq:-|-||Template:Sort}}{{#ifeq:-|-||Template:Sort}}[[File:{{#switch:neutral|alliance=Alliance|boss=Boss|combat=Combat|hostile=Combat|horde=Horde|aldor=Aldor|scryers=Scryers|kirin tor=Kirin Tor|rare=Rare|elite=Elite|both=Both|kyrian=Kyrian|necrolord=Necrolord|night fae=Night Fae|venthyr=Venthyr|neutral|#default=Neutral}}_{{#switch:small|xlarge=64|large=32|small=15|#default=32}}.png|{{#switch:neutral|alliance=Alliance|boss=Boss|combat=Mob|hostile=Mob|horde=Horde|aldor=Aldor|scryers=Scryers|kirin tor=Kirin Tor|rare=Rare|elite=Elite|both=Alliance & Horde|kyrian=Kyrian|necrolord=Necrolord|night fae=Night Fae|venthyr=Venthyr|neutral|#default=Neutral}}|link={{#switch:neutral|alliance=Alliance|boss=Mob|combat=Mob|hostile=Combat|horde=Horde|aldor=Aldor|scryers=Scryers|kirin tor=Kirin Tor|rare=Rare mob|elite=Elite mob|kyrian=Kyrian Covenant|necrolord=Necrolord Covenant|night fae=Night Fae Covenant|venthyr=Venthyr Covenant|both|neutral|#default=Faction}}]] [37] The Land of Kings.</ref> Corthan would later enter a betrothal to Zetharia, the daughter of the Keeper of Zeth, who resided in the High Temple of Zeth. While Zetharia doted upon the Marauder King, the arrangement soon fell apart when Corthan brought his commoner mistress with him on the day of his wedding ceremony.<ref name=":2">Events of {{#ifeq:-|-||Template:Sort}}{{#ifeq:-|-||Template:Sort}}[[File:{{#switch:neutral|alliance=Alliance|boss=Boss|combat=Combat|hostile=Combat|horde=Horde|aldor=Aldor|scryers=Scryers|kirin tor=Kirin Tor|rare=Rare|elite=Elite|both=Both|kyrian=Kyrian|necrolord=Necrolord|night fae=Night Fae|venthyr=Venthyr|neutral|#default=Neutral}}_{{#switch:small|xlarge=64|large=32|small=15|#default=32}}.png|{{#switch:neutral|alliance=Alliance|boss=Boss|combat=Mob|hostile=Mob|horde=Horde|aldor=Aldor|scryers=Scryers|kirin tor=Kirin Tor|rare=Rare|elite=Elite|both=Alliance & Horde|kyrian=Kyrian|necrolord=Necrolord|night fae=Night Fae|venthyr=Venthyr|neutral|#default=Neutral}}|link={{#switch:neutral|alliance=Alliance|boss=Mob|combat=Mob|hostile=Combat|horde=Horde|aldor=Aldor|scryers=Scryers|kirin tor=Kirin Tor|rare=Rare mob|elite=Elite mob|kyrian=Kyrian Covenant|necrolord=Necrolord Covenant|night fae=Night Fae Covenant|venthyr=Venthyr Covenant|both|neutral|#default=Faction}}]] [37] The Curse of Zetharia.</ref>

Heartbroken and enraged by Corthan's unrequited love, Zetharia confined herself to her bedroom for days, where she consulted many tomes. On the day of Corthan's marriage to his commoner sweetheart, Zetharia emerged from her room. Having made a necromantic pact with the Lord of Everlasting Death, Zetharia cursed the Marauder King, his new wife, and his very kingdom to suffer an eternity of undeath, for all time.

The kingdom once possessed a powerful Azotha artifact called the Hand of Corthan. Long after Corthan's fall, Dark Bishop Mordren sent Horde adventurers to retrieve the ancient artifact.<ref>{{#ifeq:-|-||Template:Sort}}{{#ifeq:-|-||Template:Sort}}[[File:{{#switch:horde|alliance=Alliance|boss=Boss|combat=Combat|hostile=Combat|horde=Horde|aldor=Aldor|scryers=Scryers|kirin tor=Kirin Tor|rare=Rare|elite=Elite|both=Both|kyrian=Kyrian|necrolord=Necrolord|night fae=Night Fae|venthyr=Venthyr|neutral|#default=Neutral}}_{{#switch:small|xlarge=64|large=32|small=15|#default=32}}.png|{{#switch:horde|alliance=Alliance|boss=Boss|combat=Mob|hostile=Mob|horde=Horde|aldor=Aldor|scryers=Scryers|kirin tor=Kirin Tor|rare=Rare|elite=Elite|both=Alliance & Horde|kyrian=Kyrian|necrolord=Necrolord|night fae=Night Fae|venthyr=Venthyr|neutral|#default=Neutral}}|link={{#switch:horde|alliance=Alliance|boss=Mob|combat=Mob|hostile=Combat|horde=Horde|aldor=Aldor|scryers=Scryers|kirin tor=Kirin Tor|rare=Rare mob|elite=Elite mob|kyrian=Kyrian Covenant|necrolord=Necrolord Covenant|night fae=Night Fae Covenant|venthyr=Venthyr Covenant|both|neutral|#default=Faction}}]] [40] For the Collection</ref>

People and culture

Religion

Zeth appears to have been the religion of Corthan. All high priests and their children are named after Zeth (similarly to the naming tradition of each Marauder King being called Corthan).<ref name=":2" /> While the specifics are unknown, the worship centers around an entity called the "Lord of the Living Flame." The Ruins of Zeth was once the high temple of Zeth, and it is there where the flame of kings is located, under the care of the Keeper.

Notes and trivia

• One of the runes in the Molten Core is called the Rune of Zeth; it is possible that the Lord of Everlasting Flame is Ragnaros.