Crusader Bridenbrad

Crusader Bridenbrad was a courageous, heroic, and humble paladin of the Argent Crusade, who was infected by the Plague of Undeath. Tirion Fordring sent champions on a rather elaborate mission to save him, which includes visiting several NPCs outside the zone. Bridenbrad's quest chain is cited by many players as one of the most moving stories in the game.

The quests offered concerning Crusader Bridenbrad do not reveal anything of his history before Icecrown, though all who know of him agree he was a great and brave champion of the Light. He was honored to serve alongside Tirion Fordring. He fought with the Crusade at the Broken Front when it was attacked by the Scourge, and was commended by Fordring for singlehandedly saving more than a dozen men from the carnage. Though Fordring wished to honor him for his valor, Bridenbrad chose to disappear into the mountains when he discovered he'd been infected with the Plague of Undeath, to avoid spreading it further. He does not fear death, but loathes the thought of becoming part of the Scourge.

The heroes sent by Fordring try and find a means to save Bridenbrad, resorting to asking for the help of Keeper Remulos, Alexstrasza, and finally A'dal. A humble man, Bridenbrad is flattered by intervention from beings of such importance, though perhaps mildly perturbed to have so much attention and persistence applied for his benefit. His first thought upon meeting the heroes is to avoid infecting them or others with the plague, but he grows more comfortable with them and is eventually inspired by their actions of the "great good left within this world", easing his fears that "darkness will prevail in his absence". He is glad to have them by his side in his final moments, when he ultimately cannot be saved. Upon his passing, A'dal and his naaru take Bridenbrad's soul into the Light, ensuring his rescue from undeath and promising him "paradise eternal". By doing so, the naaru bound his soul to the realm of Light away from the Shadowlands.

• 1) A Tale of Valor
• 2) A Hero Remains
• 3) The Keeper's Favor
• 4) Hope Within the Emerald Nightmare
• 5) The Boon of Remulos
• 6) Time Yet Remains
• 7) The Touch of an Aspect
• 8) Dahlia's Tears (quest)
• 9) The Boon of Alexstrasza
• 10) Hope Yet Remains
• 11) The Will of the Naaru
• 12) The Boon of A'dal
• 13) Light Within the Darkness

After the player tries to save him for a second time:

• "Thank you for everything that you have done. Your selfless actions have renewed my hope that there is yet great good left within this world - I can depart without fear that darkness will prevail in my absence.
• Go now, go with no regrets."

• Bridenbrad is a tribute to Bradford Bridenbecker, the brother of Blizzard's Vice President of Online Technologies, Robert Bridenbecker. An avid player of World of Warcraft, he died from cancer in 2007. In the Wrath of the Lich King manual, he is listed under "Special Thanks" as "Bradford C. Bridenbecker R.I.P. 6.18.2007".
• Shortly after his brother's death, Robert sent an e-mail to request a character be created in his brother's honor. Chris Metzen, who had attended Brad's funeral, heard of this and suggested two ways: to add him as part of the main storyline for Wrath of the Lich King, or to give him his own epic quest chain. Under the direction of Metzen and Alex Afrasiabi, the Bridenbrad quest chain was created in tribute to Brad Bridenbecker's battle against his illness. The quest chain can be viewed as a fairly detailed metaphor for the ups and downs of battling cancer, and for the process of dying in general.

Cruzado Bridenbrad