Patch 1.11.0: Shadow of the Necropolis is a content patch for World of Warcraft that released on 19 June 2006. It introduced the last significant content to World of Warcraft before its first expansion, The Burning Crusade, making the Naxxramas raid and its ruler Kel'Thuzad the effective "final boss" of the pre-expansion era of the game. Light's Hope Chapel received a corresponding update to serve as the quest hub for the new raid. Mages and Shaman received talent and balance overhauls. Other changes included the addition of keyrings, updates to item cooldown mechanics, balance changes in Ahn'Qiraj raids, quite a few new flight paths, and more UI support for raids and instances.
In the Lich King's haste to spread the plague of undeath over Azeroth, he gifted one of his greatest servants, the lich Kel'Thuzad, with the flying citadel of Naxxramas, a horrific base of operations for the Scourge. Consistent attacks from the Scarlet Crusade and Argent Dawn factions weakened the defenses of the floating fortress, enabling an incursion that led to Kel'Thuzad's defeat. However, a traitor among the ranks of the knightly order of the Argent Dawn absconded with Kel'Thuzad's cursed remains and fled to Northrend, where the fallen lich could be reanimated.