Father rescues son from Icecrown Citadel

The Deathbringer Saurfang encounter provides for a very tantalising and moving lore moment. Not only is the more recent death knight dilemma explored, but also it draws from history as far back as the First War.

A father (Varok Saurfang, also known as High Overlord Saurfang ingame) talks to the reanimation of his son (Dranosh Saurfang, the Younger), the latter of which is obstructing the former's passage. A commentary on the more detailed Horde version of the dialogue is offered in a Q&A format.

High Overlord Saurfang yells: Kor'kron, move out! Champions, watch your backs! The Scourge have been...
Deathbringer Saurfang yells: Join me, father. Join me and we will crush this world in the name of the Scourge. For the glory of the Lich King!
High Overlord Saurfang says: My boy died at the Wrathgate. I am here only to collect his body!
Deathbringer Saurfang yells: Stubborn and old. What chance do you have? I am stronger and more powerful than you ever were!
High Overlord Saurfang says: We named him Dranosh. It means "Heart of Draenor" in Orcish. I would not let the warlocks take him. My boy would be safe, hidden away by the elders of Garadar.
High Overlord Saurfang says: I made a promise to his mother before she died: that I would cross the Dark Portal alone - whether I lived or died, my son would be safe. Untainted...
High Overlord Saurfang says: Today, I fulfill that promise.
High Overlord Saurfang charges!
Deathbringer Saurfang yells: Pathetic old orc. Come then heroes, come and face the might of the Scourge!

High Overlord Saurfang weeps over the corpse of his son.
High Overlord Saurfang says: You will have a proper ceremony in Nagrand next to the pyres of your mother and ancestors.
High Overlord Saurfang says: Honor young heroes, no matter how dire the battle. Never forsake it!

The Horde version of the Deathbringer Saurfang encounter dialogue.

Neither of them look like uncorrupted brown orcs. What happened to both of them?
Both formerly were brown orcs, but were corrupted in different ways:

• Varok turned green as a result of exposure to warlock magics. This was a consequence of the agreement the orcs made with the Burning Legion, which also involved drinking the blood of Mannoroth to enhance physical strength. Although they eventually broke off from Legion, and almost fully reversed the effects of the blood, the skin colour change was permanent and now is a remnant of those dark times.
• Dranosh, on the other hand, lived in Garadar, away from practising warlocks and the like. While Garadar was originally set up as isolation from the red pox, it also managed to keep his skin from turning green. However, having died at the Battle of Angrathar the Wrathgate, the Lich King collected his body and had his spirit broken, allowing his turning into a death knight. As a result, he developed pale skin and glowing blue eyes.

The Turned Champion in a Yogg-Saron vision, possibly Dranosh after his breaking.

Why does Varok refer to Dranosh in the third person when talking to him directly?
Deathbringer Saurfang is not Dranosh, at least in the natural sense. The body may be there, but the spirit was claimed by Frostmourne and integrated with the Lich King's vast consciousness. Dranosh did not have control of the actions of his body, and behaved the way the Lich King wanted him to behave. Simply, Varok was talking to the Lich King and not his son.

What of the father-son relationship evident in this dialogue?
The son is said to reflect the qualities of the father. In the Saurfang case, both have strong warrior spirits. However, being relatively young and inexperienced, Dranosh is noticeably foolhardy and overconfident, and it is Varok's responsibility to discipline him accordingly. It is also the parents' responsibility to keep the children safe from harm, and despite Dranosh's already being dead, Varok strove to stop him from suffering any further under the Lich King's influence.

What is the significance of the ceremony for Dranosh in Nagrand?
The orcs formerly enjoyed a rich shamanic culture (involving communion with the elemental spirits of the land), and after breaking their Blood-induced bloodlust, managed to rediscover it. The Lich King effectively replaced that culture with his own when Dranosh was broken. Now that he is dead again, he has been released from that assimilation and is once again open to the old ways. As is following shamanic customs, dead bodies cannot simply left as is, for the spirit still lives on, and the wandering spirit will find it very uncomfortable if their corporeal presence is not properly prepared. Most importantly, Dranosh's funeral ceremony recognises his return to noble orc traditions.

Does this mean that the players helped fulfil Varok's promise to his wife?
Since the dying process de-tainted Dranosh, yes.

What are the perks of choosing the Blood major as a death knight?

Two vials of human blood. Blood is vital for transporting nutrients and wastes around the body.

As a Blood specialist, a death knight has great control over the very lifeblood that flows inside living animals. They can manipulate it in several ways, including boiling it, explosively elevating its pressure and having it sucked out by various summoned parasites. Most significantly, they can extract the very lifeforce from it, reinforcing their own vitality.

EDIT 19Dec09: Appended question on father-son relationship.