These are the words of High General Brigitte Abbendis. She was sent to launch a Scarlet Crusade attack on Northrend called the Crimson Dawn. Instead, she renounced the Scarlet Crusade and their goals then made her own extremist group (insert Futurama meme here), naming them the Scarlet Onslaught. Then the Scarlet Crusade was subjected to further demonic manipulation, made even more enemies and had their headquarters invaded multiple times.
I remember reading somewhere that the Scarlet Crusade were wiped out in Legion, but recently I found the name of the book where I read that; “Exploring Azeroth (Eastern Kingdoms)”. I know about the “Crimson Pilgrim” NPCs and the vendor at Darkmoon faire, but after some research, those NPCs appeared before the Death Knights purged the Scarlet Monastery (and the pilgrims could be apostates from the Scarlet Crusade or Scarlet Onslaught). That ambassador at the church of Stormwind doesn’t seem to have done anything, or know anything about them; I wonder if Blizzard forgot about him, since he hasn’t been approached by any of the NPCs despite the Argent Crusade and Church of the Holy Light opposing the Scarlet Crusade.
Then the Scarlet Onslaught set up base in Northrend, where they managed to fend off attacks from undead and even recruited Death Knights at some point. But then their numbers started to dwindle due to the lack of childbirth (as far as we know) or proselytizing vs losses in battle. Then several members opposed the extremism of the Scarlet Onslaught, and these dissenters were either killed or left and joined other groups. The Scarlet Onslaught is hanging by a thread.
The Scarlet Brotherhood are either former Scarlet Crusade who made a new group or sympathizers who made their own group. What resources they have and how many members is unknown.
So the final count as of the latest lore;
Scarlet Crusade; wiped out
Scarlet Onslaught; Nominal strength.
Scarlet Brotherhood; strength unknown
The fact is the Scarlet Crusade itself is gone, yet two splinter groups remain.
It was never definitively said that the Crimson Pilgrims were members of the Scarlet Crusade. It’s inferred due to their attire, and their interaction with the Discipline Priest artifact, Light’s Wrath.
That was according to a quest chain in Cataclysm - the source Wowpedia cites for that naming https://wowpedia.fandom.com/wiki/Scarlet_Crusade#cite_note-3
For all we currently know the “Scarlet Brotherhood” could just be the mad ravings if a single person.
it is an interesting point! there was deleted Scarlet content in BFA, and it was supposed to be centred around Velonara’s personal history with Inquistor Vishras (I think he killed her mother or something.) So Thad, if you are looking for breadcrumbs for future speculation, I suggest you start looking there.
I have a speculation Tumblr post on this already, maybe I could share it here? I think it’s basically Calia’s future story. They made Lillian, Calia and Velona all allies in the Forsaken BFA finale and they set thier story to be about fighting the Scarlets again since all three of them have personal ties to the Scarlets in some way.
Yes, that particular content was deleted, but Vishas killing Velonara’s mother is still canon. That was from her Cataclysm quests. I don’t know when that could have happened. I don’t think the Scarlet Crusade ever had a strong presence in Quel’Thalas. They weren’t originally racist either, and even had Dwarves and High Elves within their ranks.
I have no proof of this speculation outside of gut feeling but I think somehow Renthar Hawkspear is actually Death Hunter Moorgoth and he’s a member of the Scarlet Brotherhood. His love for Velonara was was just a rouse to get close to her and the Forsaken.
He has a personal vendetta against Sylvanas and Nathanos.
I’m sorry I couldn’t watch the whole video you linked, it lost me on the promotion for hair loss prevention because “this video is for dudes” clearly I wasn’t invited to this lore party. So cringe.
The Scarlet Crusade was cool. It is actually kind of Amazing how many aspects of the Game Blizzard has just… Failed to capitalize on. So many thing have just fizzled out.
Exclusion was not my intention. I was focused on the lore parts video, I have no control over what the person who made it chooses to endorse.
I think Vishras was cut because he gets killed in the Halloween dungeon Scarlet Monastery Graveyard on the way to the Headless Horseman. The fact that the Velonara content was cut form the game indicates it’s not canon. Regardless, as a Forsaken, Velonara already has ample reason to oppose the Scarlet Crusade, Scarlet Onslaught or Scarlet Brotherhood.
I was seeking to prove my statement about the Scarlet Crusade being wiped out, while showing that if people want a group like that, the Scarlet Onslaught and Scarlet Brotherhood are around.
Lol, childbirth has nothing to do with an organization’s numbers in a story running on WoW’s timescale.
It’s only been, like 10 years since the Scarlet Brotherhood was originally formed. Even if they were having kids, what would they do with a bunch of 10-year-olds?
Losses are replenished through recruitment, not breeding.
It might be more like 12-13 years, depending on exactly when Alexandros died relative to Vanilla WoW. The Scarlets do have a history of training children to fight for their cause, that’s essentially Lilian Voss’ backstory.
Nothing like a giant shattered skybox, leading to the literal realm of death, causing a flood of zombies to rise up-- to get the ol’ Scarlet Crusade banners waving again.
How are the Scarlet Onslaught supposed to recruit in Northrend when they only take Light-worshipping humans, and the majority of humans there outside the Onslaught know them for what they are and shun them?
Apart from only people who’ve visited or live in Icecrown knowing about the hole in the sky, that’s a good point.
I was focused on the lore parts video, I have no control over what the person who made it chooses to endorse.