Was Dar’Khan’s insider information about Quel’Thalas’s defense system the key to the eventual Scourge victory? Or do you think they still would have been able to bypass the runestones somehow? What would the failed invasion result in for the rest of Azeroth…? A quicker end to the Scourge, would Kael’thas be king? In what state would Lordaeron be now?
What are your thoughts?
Yes.
That, and overwhelming numbers on the Scourge’s part.
Without Dar’Khan’s betrayal, Arthas would have never known the location of the fragments of the Key of the Three Moons, thus he wouldn’t have been able to pierce the Ban’dinoriel and breach into Silvermoon. The Elves could have potentially remained behind their shield indefinitely.
Moreover, if Dar’Khan hadn’t murdered the magisters of the Convocation of Silvermoon, they also would have been able to maintain the Ban’dinoriel by themselves, preventing Arthas from stepping any further.
Possibly. The Nerubians could have burrowed underneath the walls and the Ban’dinoriel, but their numbers could have been manageable for the Elves to defeat, compared to the unbridled tide of death that was unleashed thanks to Dar’Khan.
No Kel’thuzad means no Archimonde and no Archimonde means no Battle for Hyjal or Fall of Dalaran.
The Third War would have had an early ending, although the Undead army would have still been a serious threat to handle even without Kel’thuzad, many more of the following horrors are likely to be averted, or at least lessened.
His father, Anasterian Sunstrider, would still be alive, so no, he would not be king yet.
Though if Anasterian died anyway, then possibly yes.
Still largely plagued, but with very angry crusaders propping up like mushrooms all throughout its lands. This time there would be no Kel’thuzad or Banshee Sylvanas to cull their numbers.
Along with the Kirin Tor and the full magical might of Dalaran, it may not remain plagued for long.
Dar’Khan Drathir really is a huge douchebag!
I think eventually Scourge would break through. It was consisting of also spellcasters and various units that could get around or extract important information. For example they could resurrect the elves they slain and extract the information from their tormented souls.
Yes
Not sure
I don’t think the shield ends at ground level; I mean it kept out the Trolls for quite a few years… and those sneaky bastards are kinda clever; one or two siply would dug a hole to go in; I think its more like a speherical shield than a dome
But my two copper, could be wrong
Survival, mostly
No Slyvanas, no dark rangers, no Kel’thuzad, no summonings… possibly no trip to Kalimdor
Kael’thas as a king and an Elven Kingdom not without the Sunwell and cripling addiction… Garithos eat your heart out
Intact, the humans foguth to the last man - or Arthas hunted them to the last man, but without the heavy hitters like Slyvanas or Kel’thuzad (especially Kel’thuzad) and with an angry Quel’Thalas (and Trolls, I think the amani quickly would realize, sh*t, these are not Bwonsamdi kind of dead… to arms mon! - even would put aside the age old feud with the Trolls, to keep the unholly filth out of their sacred land) behind them? The Scoruge would have been basically crushed eventually. No Forzen Throne, no last minute duels… nothing just shamefull defeat
Dar’khan was a #&@% 
But even if they did, the Convocation of Silvermoon would have been able to maintain the Ban’dinoriel after the Scourge got a hold of the Key of the Three Moons by having their mages channel the powers of the Sunwell into their defenses.
Dar’Khan was again instrumental in this by the fact he assassinated the magisters, rendering the Elves unable to support their impenetrable shield.
The Nerubians were in fact already burrowing underneath Silvermoon’s walls and invading the city from the underground.
However, at the point this happened in the siege the Ban’dinoriel was already dismantled by Arthas so we won’t know for sure.
Regarding Troll cleverness, by the way…a few buzzing runestones making bee noises were enough to spook them into their ruined cities for hundreds of generations, apparently.
Then, to the horror of the world, one Troll from the rest was struck by an awe-inspiring miracle, causing him to develop a terrifying new organ called “brain”.
From that day we have known him as Zul’jin: The One with Higher Thinking Capacities.
As you said Nerubians could make tunnels beneth the city and scourge would make assault from underground. And mages are syill mortals- they had tgeir limits to maintain the barrier, eventually they’d drop from exhaust by trying to stop army who doesn’t tire at all.
That is some bold words, especially after all this tirade about Darth’Remar who was a massive retcon to Sylvanas outright Telling Arthas why he cannot pass the barriers. Which was the highest example of being brainless. Funny enough same did nelves in Pandaria - thry outright told the horde where they took Divine Bell.
Cousins, distant relatives, Elves evolved from Trolls, but not that much…
I guess its run in the “Family” 
Honestly, each race has it’s dumb moments. Worgens for example kept charging onto the barrier back in Stormwind despite being knocked away. But I agree the more race is meant to be portrayed as intelligent and experienced the more embarrasing are their failures/ mistakes.
Short saying lots. Darkan sucks and betrayed his own even harder then Arthas.
Incorrect, this was never retconned.
Sylvanas still told Arthas that he would never be able to enter the Inner Kingdom for only a key could open it.
She did not tell him where this key was, and there was no way Arthas would have found it on his own - all those shrines were shrouded by cloaking spells and only the magisters knew their location.
On this subject it’s also fair to remember that in BfA, the expansion where Blizzard really wished to highlight how much a tactical genius Sylvanas is, they released an animated cinematic where she guitar slides into Frostmourne.
While this was more of an artistical representation than a literal one of the event, it was still quite funny, and immensely silly.
This is also incorrect.
“Sarannha Skyglaive says: Horde. It’s a shame you were so slow to get here. The Divine Bell is already ours. Rangers! STRIKE!”
There is no mention of Darnassus, or where they took the bell, she’s only gloating that they have it.
It is the Horde player himself, who later finds a closing portal to Darnassus guarded by Sarannha and in her dying words she gloats again that the Divine Bell is in Darnassus.
The Horde already knew it was in Darnassus at that point in time.
Edit:
Sarannha Skyglaive says: My death… means… nothing. The Divine Bell is already in Darnassus. You filthy Horde… will never have it!
This is the quote by Sarannha after the portal is found. Edited for further clarification and to the avoidance of strawmanning from Zakkaru’s part.
The thing is Arthas in WC3 got those barriers down without him. He didn’t need to have a spy to achieve it as didin campaign without all of these stuff in the background. So I believe that it was retcon.
Death
Sarannha Skyglaive says: My death… means… nothing. The Divine Bell is already in Darnassus. You filthy Horde… will never have it!
What you were saying again?
Have you watched the video?
Yes, Arthas in WC3 simply found all the Altars by himself, they weren’t guarded by cloaking spells.
Still, you said that Sylvanas’ words were retconned, and they weren’t.
i played the questline, and regardless if there was portal or not it could’ve still be misleading. The point still stands that she outright told the Horde where it was taken. If she kept her mouth shut, they might have get the clue, but it would be still uncertain and Alliance could still transport it elsewhere.
What I said wasn’t incorrect at all.
Are you arguing to prove the Horde’s stupidity, then?
They saw a closing portal to Darnassus in the spot where the Divine Bell should have been and you’re arguing they wouldn’t have been able to connect the dots?
No, I was arguing what you said:
You’re shifting goalpoint atm.
Why are you picking out only some of my words?
You made a statement, berating the Night Elves for being stupid, for revealing a vital piece of information to the Horde.
You are incorrect, the Horde was already holding that piece of information, and the Night Elves knew that they were.
I didn’t belitlle them I showed that they have a record of acting stupid as well for your original post belitting trolls.
And I corrected you, because you claimed the specific NPC never said something, and I proved she did.
Portal being there didn’t change that fact.
No, I did not.
I literally ackwnoledged it in my first response:
It was your portrayal and premise that were incorrect.
If you didn’t I wouldn’t qoute you man. If anything you’re contradicting himself. Make up your mind if NPC said something or not.
My quote of what NPC said was incorrect? Because that’s all I did.
I think we should all learn to accept that sometimes we can be wrong.
Let me explain, you used as a backup for your stance on Night Elven stupidity the fact that they released vital information to the Horde out of stupidity.
That is incorrect.
They did not release vital information that the Horde didn’t have already. It was redudant information, the Horde already knew, there was no leak of crucial knowledge to them.
The Horde learned it because of a portal, not because the Night Elves went stupid and told them.