Line #54 Recap/Warcraft


1	A story recap for the original RTS games in the Warcraft video-game franchise. Due to retcons that were done to the stories that were seen within the first two games, this page follows what Blizzard considers to be their official lore.
2
3	'''Beware of Spoilers!'''
4	----
5
6	!!Warcraft I
7	!!!Orcs and Humans
8	Stormwind, the southern human kingdom of Azeroth, is one day attacked by a Horde of [[OurOrcsAreDifferent green-skinned marauders]] originating from the world of Draenor, who are hell-bent on exterminating the human population. The player is either a valiant human lord, Anduin Lothar, who beats back the orcs, and gets crowned the monarch of Stormwind after King Llane dies, or an orc general, Orgrim Doomhammer, who betrays the Horde warchief, [[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast Blackhand]], to become its new leader, and then leads the Horde against humanity to crush Stormwind's capital city.
9
10	!!Warcraft II
11	!!!The Tides of Darkness
12	We discover that though elements of both campaigns of the original ''Warcraft I'' happened, the orc campaign victory (where the southern human kingdom of Stormwind had been destroyed by the Horde) was the {{canon}} ending, rather than Lothar winning and becoming the new king.
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14	Doomhammer, who replaced Blackhand in the the previous game, goes about building a Horde more dangerous than ever by enlisting creatures such as trolls, ogres, dragons, and goblins into his ranks, whereas the surviving humans of Stormwind (led by the human commander from the previous game, Lord Anduin Lothar) have fled across the seas to the northern countries of Lordaeron and enlist an army consisting of humans, high elves, dwarves, and gnomes. Soon, the two juggernauts face each other over global domination as Doomhammer sends his Horde north to conquer the kingdom of Lordaeron. However, he is met by Lothar's newly established Alliance faction, who finally begin to push back the Horde's advance.
15
16	While the game has two interweaving campaigns with alternate endings, the canon ending is found in the Alliance campaign. Some events within the Orc campaign are considered canon, such as the razing of the cities of Dalaran, Stratholme and Stromgarde, and the raiding of the nearby High Elven lands of Quel'thalas by the Horde in search of the runestones to use for dark magic (as it explains why the High Elves left the Alliance later on as they blame "incompetent" human leadership for the destruction of their lands). The point of divergence is the final Orc campaign mission called the Fall of Lordaeron where the Horde lays TheSiege to Lordaeron's Capital City and conquers the land. Instead, Gul'dan's [[NiceJobFixingItVillain timely]] betrayal where he takes several Horde factions along to seek out the Tomb of Sargeras in order to obtain immense demonic power ended up weakening the Horde forces, which allowed for TheCavalry of the Alliance to come in and save the Capital City.
17
18	As a result of saving the Capital City, the momentum shifts towards the Alliance to truly push the Horde back. The Human campaign then plays out where along with removing the Horde from the lands they took, the vengeful Alliance's march also has them destroying the traitorous human nation of Alterac who sided with the Horde. Auduin Lothar ends up being killed during the march, but the Alliance succeeds in pushing the Horde all the way back to the Dark Portal. The Horde officially being defeated with the Alliance arch-mage, Khadgar, destroying the Dark Portal. As a result of his Horde losing, Ogrimm Doomhammer ends up going into exile.
19
20	!!!Beyond The Dark Portal
21	After the Horde had retreated back through the now destroyed Dark Portal, Ner'zhul, a powerful Orc warlock, unites the beaten Horde tribes on their original world of Draenor in order to launch a new Azeroth invasion. Despite the destruction of the Dark Portal, the portal connection between Azeroth and Draenor turns out to still be in existence, which allows for Ner'zhul to open a new Dark Portal to Azeroth. Ner'zhul's Horde then charges through the portal to invade Azeroth once more. However, under the guise of being an invasion, Ner'zhul steals several powerful Alliance artifacts, as well as acquiring the Book of Medivh. Ner'zhul then returns to Draenor with the stolen artifacts in order to push forward a much darker end-goal.
22
23	Under the leadership of Khadgar, the arch-mage gathers an army backed by several of Azeroth's most well-known Alliance heroes to push the invaders back once more. Only this time, Khadgar leads an Alliance Expedition Force through the Dark Portal to fight the Horde on their own homeworld of Draenor. Once there however, they discover Ner'zhul's true objective; a plan to open portals from Draenor to other worlds for the Orcs to conquer. Khadgar's Expedition Force foils the warlock's plot, but the after-effect of Ner'zhul's failed portal spell ends up tearing Draenor apart. Ner'zhul, and his remaining followers, escape through one of the few portals he managed to open while what remains of Khadgar's Expedition Force closes the portal to Azeroth from their side to keep their homeworld safe from the portal storm, and would then go into hiding amongst what was left of the now broken world of Draenor. Afterwards, the Orcs remaining on Azeroth are rounded up and placed in internment camps. The other creatures of the Horde, such as the Ogres, Forest Trolls, and Dragons, go their own ways.
24
25	!!Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos
26	!!!Exodus of the Horde
27	The Horde is now under Warchief Thrall, a young adult orc living in the wilderness of Lordaeron. Thrall is met by the human prophet, Medivh, who's now a wandering spirit after being killed by the Alliance back in ''Warcraft I'' for bringing the orcs to Azeroth. Medivh warns the young Warchief of the demons returning, and that in order to face them, the orcs will find their true destiny on the western continent of Kalimdor. Agreeing to sail west, Thrall moves to rally the Lordaeron orcs, such as bringing along Grom Hellscream, the Warsong Clan Chieftain who appeared in ''Beyond the Dark Portal''. Once the Horde is assembled, Thrall and company steal a few ships from the Alliance, and start their journey west across the sea.
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29	Along the way to Kalimdor, Thrall's Horde stops to repair their damaged ships on an island where they befriend a group of trolls known as the Darkspear Tribe. However, they are soon attacked by a group of Murlocs led by a powerful Sea Witch who kill the Darkspear leader, Sen'jin. Before his death, Sen'jin asks for Thrall to take his tribe with him. As a result, Thrall offers the Darkspear Tribe a place within his Horde, which they accept. The combined orc and troll Horde then escape the island on the fixed ships before the Sea Witch's Murloc army could overtake them. Afterwards, Thrall's Horde returns to sailing west towards Kalimdor.
30
31	!!!The Scourge of Lordaeron
32	Following his escape from Draenor, Ner'zhul ended up getting captured by a demonic race. The demons proceed to rip him apart and transform him into the Lich King, an almost formless existence that resides within an ice crystal that the demon race situated in the frozen north of Azeroth. The Lich King, now controlling a large undead army known as the Scourge, assaults the Alliance within the kingdom of Lordaeron, which ever since the 2nd war was already beginning to fracture politically.
33
34	Later on, Medivh arrives at Lordaeron's Capital City. He begs the leaders of Lordaeron to head west in order to prepare for an approaching threat. However, he's forced out by a disbelieving King Terenas. Meanwhile, Lordaeron's crown prince, Arthas, is introduced serving as a paladin in the Order of the Silver Hand under Uther Lightbringer. The two of them go about protecting the nearby villages from orc raiders of demon-worshiping Blackrock Clan, which is a remnant of the 2nd war Horde. Afterwards, Medivh is seen at Lordaeron's wizard city of Dalaran trying to convince its leader, Antonidas, to head west. However, Medivh is once again turned down. After Medivh departs, Antonidas remains worried about a growing "plague" that has recently devastated several of Lordaeron's villages, which he sends his young wizard apprentice, Jaina Proudmoore, to investigate.
35
36	Jaina eventually arrives on the scene to travel with Arthas as they investigate the plagued Lordaeron villages, which they turn out to be overrun by the undead of the Scourge. Despite WorkingWithTheEx, they are able to accomplish their mission after discovering and killing the leader behind the plague, Kel'Thuzad, at the city of Andorhal. Before his death however, Kel'Thuzad warns that the true leader behind the Scourge is the dreadlord, Mal'Ganis. As a result, Arthas and Jaina travel to Stratholme in order to kill Mal'Ganis. During the journey to Stratholme, Arthas and Jaina arrive at the village of Hearthglen that's about to be attacked by a large force of undead. Arthas is left to defend the village alone while Jaina teleports away to call for reinforcements. Seeing that Hearthglen received an infected grain shipment from Andorhal that starts turning the townsfolk into zombies, it's here that Arthas realizes that the plague turns people into undead. Arthas struggles to hold out until Uther and Jaina arrive in time to turn the tide against the undead. However, it's made clear at this point that Arthas is growing frustrated with his inability to save his people.
37
38	Medivh once more appears to try to convince Arthas to head west, but is shut down again as Arthas only cares about protecting his home. Though a watching Jaina starts to become convinced that Medivh may be right. Once Arthas, Jaina and Uther get to Stratholme, it turns out that its people have all already been infected with the plague. The result is Arthas taking the... [[WellIntentionedExtremist interesting]] step of ordering the entire city to be put to the sword before they all turn into undead. Uther rejects the wholesale slaughter of civilians, which causes Arthas to strip Uther of his office. This causes Uther to leave, which Jaina leaves as well, not wanting anything to do with the butchery. Mal'Ganis then starts to turn Stratholme's people into undead, which Arthas races against time to keep the Dreadlord from transforming Stratholme into an undead bastion for the Scourge. Despite Arthas' best efforts, Mal'Ganis escapes his grasp. The Dreadlord last informing Arthas that their true battle will be in Azeroth's icy northern continent of Northrend. Arthas immediately gives chase, as a disbelieving Jaina and Uther look on. Medivh arrives once more, and takes the opportunity to convince Jaina to lead an army of Lordaeron survivors to Kalimdor.
39
40	At Northrend, Arthas links up with a dwarven expedition led by Muradin Bronzebeard, sent in search of a FamedInStory runeblade called Frostmourne. The two forces team up to fight against Mal'Ganis. However, before long, word arrives from Lordaeron that the king has re-instated Uther and recalled his son's errant expedition; Arthas is "forced" to destroy his own ships to make sure that his troops stay with him. He and Muradin then set out to find Frostmourne, which they eventually find the sword's hidden chamber. The powerful sword encased in an ice pedestal. Muradin reads the inscription on the sword and realizes it's cursed, but Arthas is willing to make a DealWithTheDevil if it will save his people. As the sword is freed, its casing of ice shatters, slaying Muradin, but Arthas leads his army to destroy Mal'Ganis' primary stronghold, and kills Mal'Ganis for good. Despite the victory, it comes at the cost of Arthas having been driven mad due to Frostmourne taking away his soul.
41
42	Later on, Arthas returns home to cheers from the people of Lordaeron for his success in Northrend, and meets with King Terenas in the Capital City throne room. Here, Arthas kills his father, which begins the fall of Lordaeron.
43
44	!!!Path of the Damned
45	Arthas, his StartOfDarkness completed, is now a Death Knight in service of the Scourge (and is basically their only warrior whose heart is actually beating) as well as their field commander. He encounters the Dreadlord, Tichondrius, in the wilderness, who congratulates Arthas for handing Lordaeron over to the Scourge. Under order of Tichondrius, Arthas rallies the nearby undead to build up an army for himself, and then travels to Andorhal to pick up the ash remains of Kel'Thuzad. Upon claiming the ashes at an Andorhal crypt, the spirit of Kel'Thuzad appears before Arthas. From then on, Kel'Thuzad's spirit travels with Arthas to act as the latter's advisor along with warning Arthas to not trust the Dreadlords as they're the "jailors" of the Lich King. Arthas then assults Andorhal, which he kills Uther while there in order to acquire a special urn that will protect Kel'Thuzad's remains. Afterwards, Tichondrius holds a meeting with his fellow dreadlords to discuss Arthas' journey so far. Despite Tichondrius remaining suspicious of Lich King Ner'zhul and Arthas possibly going against them, the dreadlords agree to stay to the current plan since nothing will be able to stand in their way once their Demon Lord leader is summoned to Azeroth.
46
47	Arthas next travels to the nearby High Elven lands of Quel'Thalas in order to resurrect Kel'Thuzad using the energies of the elves' Sunwell. Arthas' path to the High Elf capital where the Sunwell resides near it is constantly stalled by the elven forces led by the Ranger General, Sylvanas Windrunner. However, he's eventually able to corner and kill the ranger, which he decides to turn her into one of the undead as well. Arthas then storms the High Elven capital of Silvermoon, and upon reaching the Sunwell, he places Kel'Thuzad's ashes within it. Kel'Thuzad's spirit then enters the Sunwell, and once returned to (un)life, he returns as a powerful lich and Arthas' most loyal lieutenant. In the end, Arthas' march left much of the High Elven lands destroyed, and a majority of its elf inhabitants killed.
48
49	Leaving a ravaged Quel'Thalas to return to Lordaeron, Kel'Thuzad informs Arthas of the Burning Legion, a race of dimension-hopping demon types who go around consuming worlds, and how the Lich King and its Scourge was created to pave the way for the Legion's invasion of Azeroth. Arthas and Kel'Thuzad attack the Blackrock Clan in order to talk to the Burning Legion's Demon Lord leader, Archimonde, through said clan's functional demon gate. Seeing that Kel'Thuzad can summon the Burning Legion to Azeroth, Archimonde orders them to attack Dalaran in order to retrieve the Book of Medivh, a spell-book MacGuffin that will make this possible.
50
51	Following the order, Arthas and Kel'Thuzad assault Dalaran. The wizards of Dalaran put up a stiff defense, but Arthas prevails in acquiring the Book of Medivh along with slaying Antonidas in the process. Thereafter, Kel'Thuzad learns the summoning spell from the book, and then begins the summoning ritual outside of Dalaran. Arthas and his undead having set up defensives to protect the Lich. Despite Dalaran launching a final offensive to try to stop the ritual, Arthas' forces hold out long enough for Kel'Thuzad to successfully summon Archimonde and the Burning Legion into Azeroth. Archimonde then orders Tichondrius to take over as the leader of the Scourge as the Burning Legion begin the invasion of Azeroth, giving barely an acknowledgement to Kel'Thuzad and none whatsoever to Arthas. Suddenly kicked out of their own faction, Arthas asks Kel'Thuzad what their fate is to be. Kel'Thuzad answers that the Lich King already has a plan...
52
53	Meanwhile, Archimonde tests out his power on Dalaran. He draws a spell on the ground that creates a sand castle replica of the wizard city. Whatever part of the sand castle he destroys, that part of Dalaran is destroyed as well. In the end, Archimonde destroys the entire sand castle, which reduces Dalaran to rubble.
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55	!!!The Invasion of Kalimdor
56	Across the sea, Thrall's Horde have landed on the western continent of Kalimdor. However, their ships ended up separated due to a storm. While searching around to reassemble the Horde, Thrall comes across and befriends a native race, the [[OurMinotaursAreDifferent Tauren]]. Thrall's Horde helps protect the Tauren from the raids of the nearby centaurs, and then help them migrate to a new home in the lands of Mulgore. The Tauren Chieftain, Cairne Bloodhoof, tells Thrall of an Oracle at Stonetalon Peak who might have the wisdom necessary to help Thrall learn the Horde's true destiny. During the Horde's journey there, they come across Grom and his Warsong Clan currently battling an Alliance group that have also arrived in Kalimdor. Thrall decides to hire Zeppelins from the nearby goblins in order to evade the humans. However, Grom voices extreme displeasure, preferring the more traditional orc method of destroying their enemies through war. Unable to trust Grom's BloodKnight tendencies, Thrall orders him to take his Warsong Clan to Kalimdor's northern forests (known as Ashenvale) to build the Horde a settlement while Thrall's forces continue on to the Oracle.
57
58	Meanwhile, back at Lordaeron, the Burning Legion continues to destroy the kingdom. Tichondrius is seen informing the [[OurDemonsAreDifferent Pit Lord]], Mannoroth, that his pet orcs have moved to Kalimdor, much to Mannoroth's confusion. He goes about claiming to Tichondrius that the orcs will always be his. Archimonde then appears, and hearing that the orcs have moved to Kalimdor, he gets an idea.
59
60	Grom and his Warsong Clan arrive in Ashenvale where they're able to build a large Horde settlement due to the immense forests in the area. However, they've managed to anger a race known as the Night Elves living there, and are attacked by their Lord of the Forest, Cenarius. Mannoroth has also arrived at the forest; following along with Archimonde's idea to use the orcs to get rid of an old foe of theirs before the Burning Legion begins the invasion of Kalimdor. Mannoroth proceeds to corrupt an Ashenvale fountain with his own blood in order to lure Grom's orcs towards it. Needing more power to fight Cenarius, Grom and his Warsong Clan manage to locate and drink from Mannoroth's blood fountain, which they're transformed into Fel Orcs; a force of destruction that results in the death of Cenarius. Mannoroth then arrives and welcomes Grom and his clan back into the Burning Legion[[note]]The Orcs were a relatively peaceful warrior race until they were corrupted by Mannoroth's blood through Gul'dan's machinations[[/note]].
61
62	Arriving at Stonetalon Peak, Thrall's Horde is greeted by the arrival of Cairne, and several of his Tauren, who have come to join the Horde as repayment for their earlier assistance. They also manage to protect a group of Wyverns from the nearby harpies, who also join the Horde, and fight their way into the dungeon within Stonetalon Peak. Fighting through the dungeon, Thrall and Cairne eventually reach the location of the Oracle, who reveals himself to be Medivh. Jaina arrives as she was also looking for the Oracle, which before a fight breaks out, she's convinced by Medivh that if their world is to survive against the Burning Legion, then [[EnemyMine the Horde and Alliance must band together]]. Thrall is also informed that Grom's Warsong Clan has been corrupted by the Burning Legion, which forces Thrall to take his Horde to the Warsong settlement. With the help of Jaina's Alliance forces, Thrall is able to fight through the Warsong Clan, and bring Grom back to his senses. Afterwards, Thrall and Grom take the fight to Mannoroth, and are able to kill the Pit Lord, though at [[HeroicSacrifice the cost of Grom's life]].
63
64	!!!Eternity's End
65	The Night Elves, led by Tyrande Whisperwind, see the outlanders as despoiling Kalimdor, and continue to consider the Horde and Alliance as their enemy. However, they soon realize that they are faced again with the Burning Legion after ten thousand years, which causes Tyrande to decide to awaken the druids.
66
67	Acquiring the Horn of Cenarius, Tyrande uses it to awaken Malfurion Stormrage, who then follows along with her in order to awaken the Druids of the Talon. The two then go underground to awaken the Druids of the Claw, but split up upon coming across the prison for Illidan Stormrage. Illidan, Malfurion's brother, was a pivotal figure in the First Invasion of the Burning Legion ten thousand years ago, bringing both victory and defeat to the Kaldorei, and the decision was made at the time to imprison him. Tyrande decides that his expertise could be useful, and kills the prison Watchers to free him. Meanwhile, Malfurion enters deeper into the cave and is able to awaken the Druids of the Claw. Upon exit, the two brothers meet and begin verbally fighting, but is stopped by Tyrande; reminding them that they have a more pressing matter at hand; the Burning Legion.
68
69	Finally out in the world again, Illidan embraces his freedom, but is greeted by Arthas who engages Illidan in a duel. Illidan figures that they are evenly matched, which Arthas informs him that if Illidan wants more power, he should seek out the Skull of Gul'dan, which has been corrupting the forests. Illidan fights his way through the corrupted Satyrs and Demons, and is able to claim the skull; gaining a demon form in the process. He then decides to test his power against the Burning Legion, and is able to kill off Tichondrius in the process. However, he is banished afterwards by Malfurion for succumbing once more to the thirst for power that got him imprisoned in the first place. Later on, Tyrande and Malfurion are greeted by Thrall and Jaina; they have all been summoned by Medivh to combine their forces for one last stand against the Burning Legion at Mount Hyjal, the base of the World Tree of Nordrassil. The truce between the Horde and Alliance expands to include the Night Elves, and their combined forces are enough to break the Burning Legion's advance and slay its leader, Archimonde.
70
71	The forces of Azeroth have prevailed, but at some cost: the Night Elves are no longer immortal, Lordaeron is ravaged, the High Elves have lost 90% of their numbers, and the Scourge is feasting on the bones.
72
73	!!Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne
74	!!!Terror of the Tides
75	[[strike:[[VideoGame/DefenseOfTheAncients Anti-Mage]]]] [[AntiHero Illidan Stormrage]] is ordered by the Burning Legion's new demon lord, Kil'jaeden, to kill the Lich King, the ruler of the Scourge, who, through his machinations and his dealings with Illidan, had ensured the demons' loss despite ostensibly serving the Legion. Illidan hires the serpentine Naga, night elves corrupted by ancient magic, to help himself achieve the task, but is pursued by a group of Night Elves led by the Warden, Maiev Shadowsong, who had previously been Illidan's jailer for ten thousand years.
76
77	Maiev chases Illidan to the Broken Isles, the location of the Tomb of Sargeras. However, she arrives too late as Illidan is able to claim the Eye of Sargeras in order to achieve Kil'jaeden's task. Now cornered by Illidan's Naga, Maiev sends a runner back to Kalimdor to call for aid from Malfurion and Tyrande. The two arrive at the Broken Isles with an army of Night Elves, helped by the newly awakened Mountain Giants, and are able to turn the battle against Illidan in their favor. Alongside his Naga allies, Illidan flees, and escapes towards the now devastated kingdom of Lordaeron.
78
79	Maiev, Tyrande and Malfurion arrive in Lordaeron to continue the chase. As Malfurion heads off on his own to find Illidan by communicating with the forest spirits, Maiev and Tyrande encounter a band of Blood Elves that are led by Prince Kael'thas making their way through Lordaeron. The Blood Elves being the scraps of the High Elven civilization the Scourge destroyed, which the race is now suffering from a thirst for magic due to Arthas corrupting their Sunwell. Maiev and Tyrande help Kael's Blood Elves escape the pursuit of the nearby undead forces in order to secure their help to fight Illidan. However, Tyrande holding the undead back at a bridge causes her to get swept downriver during the battle. Maiev and Kael's Blood Elves then join up with Malfurion, who has discovered that Illidan is attempting to destroy Northrend with the Eye of Sargeras at the ruined city of Dalaran. Malfurion is of course concerned for Tyrande's fate, but Maiev tells him that [[BlatantLies she saw her torn apart]], and the two forces, Night Elves and Blood Elves, assault Illidan's base at Dalaran, and are able to stop the Eye of Sargeras before it could complete the spell.
80
81	Now captured, Illidan attempts to defend his actions by claiming that they shouldn't have stopped them as he was aiming to kill everyone's enemy, the Lich King of the Scourge. However, Malfurion counters by stating that his actions had put the whole world in danger, and resulted in Tyrande's death. Kael informs Malfurion that Tyrande had only been swept downriver, which angers Malfurion as he realizes that Maiev had lied to him about Tyrande's fate. He leaves Maiev, and heads off with Illidan as the two brothers work together against the undead to save Tyrande. Having helped save Tyrande, Malfurion allows for Illidan to leave in peace as Illidan opens, and leaves through a Portal to the ruined world of Draenor, now called Outland. Maiev however shows up at the last possible minute, and takes a small force of Night Elves with her through the portal to continue the chase after Illidan.
82
83	!!!Curse of the Blood Elves
84	In Lordaeron, the Blood Elves led by Prince Kael'thas arrive before what's left of the Lordaeron Alliance forces at the ruins of Dalaran in order to fight back against the undead Scourge. However, they are quickly cast aside by the Alliance's bigoted commander, Grand Marshal Garithos, and are forced to rely on the Naga led by Illidan's second-in-command, Lady Vashj, in order to achieve Garithos' impossible tasks that he provides for the Blood Elves. Garithos catches the Blood Elves and Naga working together, and considers this treason, sentencing the Blood Elves to all be executed. Afterwards, Vashj breaks Kael's Blood Elves out of their Dalaran prison cells, and promises Kael that her master, Illidan, will provide his Blood Elf people a new destiny. Making a break for it, they escape Garithos' forces through the leftover Dalaran portal that Kel'thuzad opened to bring Archimonde to Azeroth.
85
86	Along with their combined force of Blood Elves and Naga, Kael and Vashj arrive on Outland to search for Illidan. They're eventually able to find Illidan having already been captured by Maiev, which results in a battle with the Night Elves. Illidan is eventually freed thanks to Kael and Vashj coming out victorious, and after they escape Maiev's pursuit, Kael approaches Illidan in the hopes that the latter has a cure to their thirst for magic. Illidan provides the bad news that there's no cure, but he suggests to Kael a method to feed their hunger for magic. Thus, he offers Kael all the magic the Blood Elves will need that will sate their burning hunger. Agreeing to go along with it, Kael swears his, and the Blood Elves, allegiance to Illidan's cause.
87
88	Illidan, realizing that he will need to hide from Kil'jaeden's wrath for failing his objective, decides that he will become the ruler of Outland. He chooses to go to war with the current ruler, the Pit Lord, Magtheridon, who rules over the land with an army of Demons and Fel Orcs. With Kael and Vashj at his side, Illidan's army manages to close Magtheridon's Demon Gates along with gaining an ally in Akama and his Broken Draenei after protecting them from the nearby Fel Orcs. Afterwards, Illidan's army assaults Magtheridon's Black Temple to take the leadership away from the Pit Lord. However, Kil'jaeden discovers Illidan's location anyway, which Illidan pleads his case that he was just building up his forces to attack the Lich King again. Upon noticing that Illidan has acquired some valuable allies, Kil'jaeden gives Illidan one last chance to destroy the Lich King's Frozen Throne.
89
90	!!!Legacy of the Damned
91	Arthas, now calling himself King of Lordaeron, finds himself dealing with a rebellion led by three minor Dreadlords of the Legion: Balnazzar, Detheroc and Varimathras. Arthas starts off slaughtering whats left of the Alliance resistance within Lordaeron, but is contacted by the Lich King to return to Northrend due to the approaching threat of Illidan's forces. Arthas realizes that his strength, as well as the Lich King's, have been steadily weakening; causing Arthas to steadily lose his Death Knight powers, and the Lich King to lose his control over the undead. One of such undead, Sylvanas Windrunner, takes her newly established freedom to try to assassinate Arthas, but is rescued by Kel'thuzad at the last second, and helps send Arthas on his way to Northrend. Arthas leaves Kel'thuzad behind to make sure that the Lich keeps control over the land in King Arthas' name.
92
93	Meanwhile in Lordaeron, Sylvanas uses her undead forces, and the nearby forces that her banshees have possessed, to strike at Varimathras' base, who begs for his life, and asks to join forces with her against his brothers. Sylvanas takes the offer as the two strike at Detheroc's stronghold next; killing Detheroc, and freeing an enslaved Alliance force in the process that was led by Grand Marshal Garithos. Alongside Garithos' army, the two armies launch a two-pronged attack against Balnazzar's stronghold at the ruins of the Capital City and come out the victors. Sylvanas orders Varimathras to kill Balnazzar to prove his loyalty to her, and to also kill off Garithos for trying to force them out after completing their objective. With her enemies dead, and Lordaeron in her grasp, Sylvanas claims that they will create a new faction for themselves, the Forsaken.
94
95	Arriving in Northrend, Arthas is quickly attacked by Blood Elves, but is helped by the Crypt Lord King of Azjol-Nerub, Anub'arak. Realizing that he doesn't have the time to travel to the Lich King on foot, Anub'arak offers Arthas an alternate path by going through the depths of the fallen Nerubian Kingdom, Azjol-Nerub. Arriving at the Nerubian Kingdom, Arthas fights through whats left of Muradin's dwarf expedition, as well as the Faceless Ones that were awakened due to Illidan's previous attempt to destroy the Frozen Throne with the Eye of Sargeras. After exiting Azjol-Nerub, Arthas has his powers restored being near the Lich King, and, alongside Anub'arak, fights against Illidan, Vashj, and Kael's combined force. Eventually, Arthas and Illidan battle one-on-one, and the Death Knight defeats Illidan, sending him and his allies packing. Arthas then ascends the icy tower, and goes to his master to enact the Lich King's masterstroke--their bodies and minds fusing permanently into one of the most powerful beings on the face of Azeroth. Arthas, now as the new Lich King, is last seen sitting atop the Frozen Throne; looking down on his loyal undead.
96
97	!!!The Founding of Durotar
98
99	ACT ONE: To Tame a Land
100
101	During the time that the Frozen Throne story unfolded, Thrall, and the Horde, settle down in a region of Kalimdor that they decide to name Durotar, and begin to work on their new capital city, Orgrimmar. The traveling Beast Master of the Mok'Nathal[[note]]A half-orc/ogre race[[/note]], Rexxar, comes across a dying orc named Mogrin, and decides to finish the task for the orc by bringing the orc's report to Thrall. Arriving in Orgrimmar, and handing the report over, Thrall offers Rexxar a place in the Horde, but Rexxar claims to consider himself a traveler who needs to continue moving, and chooses to take on jobs that require completion amongst the Horde. Thrall introduces Rexxar to the Darkspear troll, Rokhan, a Shadow Hunter scout that will accompany Rexxar around Durotar.
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103	With Rokhan, Rexxar goes about helping the Horde's work to forge a new homeland, as well as encountering a Pandaren Brewmaster, Chen Stormstout, who wishes to tag along on their journey. Eventually however, their work around Durotar leads to a naval Alliance force that have proven themselves to be hostile to the Horde. Seeing that the Alliance threat is arriving by sea, Rokhan fears for his tribe on Durotar's Echo Isles, which has Rexxar tasked by Thrall to help evacuate Vol'jin's Darkspear Tribe to join with the Horde on the mainland. After the evacuation, Rexxar heads off to a meeting in Thrall's place to greet an Alliance emissary for negotiations, but is revealed to have been a trap to try to corner the Warchief. The dying emissary claims that the Horde doesn't know what's coming for them, which prompts Thrall to send Rexxar's group off to the new Darkspear Tribe mainland village in order to confront Jaina Proudmoore about her people being hostile to the Horde.
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105	ACT TWO: Old Hatreds
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107	Greeting Vol'jin at the new Darkspear village, the troll tasks Rexxar's group to infiltrate Theramore Isle, the city that had been built for the Kalimdor Alliance refugees after the victory against Archimonde's Burning Legion. With the help of Blademaster Samuro providing a distraction at the nearby hostile Alliance base, Rexxar manages to sneak a boat to Theramore, and confronts Jaina about the attacks on the Horde. Jaina claims that she had done no such attacks; wanting to maintain peace with the Horde, and asks Rexxar to lead her to the people that have been hostile to them. However, they discover at the base Samuro distracted that a group of Naga has already slaughtered everyone. Fighting through the Naga, Rexxar's group, and Jaina, come across a dying soldier who claims that the Admiral will be happy to see that Jaina is still alive. At this point, Jaina realizes who has been attacking the Horde.
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109	Returning to Theramore Isle, Jaina is about to reveal to Rexxar's group the person that's has been attacking the Horde. However, trouble rears its ugly head when Admiral Daelin Proudmoore, Jaina's father, and an Alliance hero of the Kul Tiras navy from ''Warcraft II: the Tides of Darkness'', shows up. Daelin is happy to be with his daughter again, but despite Jaina claiming that the humans are now at peace with the Horde, her father still hates the orcs for their demon-fueled war crimes, and, unwilling to see that they have changed, takes control of Theramore from his daughter, and attacks Rexxar's group. Rexxar and company escape the isle with their lives intact to return to Vol'jin's village.
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111	In order to help prepare the Horde for the upcoming war against Daelin's army, Vol'jin tasks Rexxar to travel to Mulgore to recruit the aid of the Tauren. There, Rexxar's group saves the Tauren leader Cairne Bloodhoof's son, Baine, from a band of centaur, and is able to enlist the aid of the Tauren. In addition, Cairne has decided to join Rexxar's group with Rokhan and Chen. Returning to Vol'jin's village, Rexxar is next tasked to head off to Dustwallow Marsh after an injured Ogre had arrived before them seeking out help to deal with the new brutal Stonemaul Clan warlord, Kor'gall. After completing the warlord's gauntlet test to become a member of Stonemaul, Rexxar challenges Kor'gall to a duel, and proclaims himself the new leader of the Ogre clan upon the warlord's defeat; sending the Ogres off to join the Horde against Daelin's navy. Arriving at Thrall's base of operations, Rexxar is declared the Champion of the Horde by the Warchief for his accomplishments to help ready the Horde, and leads the charge against Daelin Proudmoore's base of Tiragarde Keep to push the Kul Tiras forces off Durotar's mainland, and back to Theramore Isle.
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113	ACT THREE: A Blaze of Glory
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115	At this point, the Horde sets sail for the final battle on Theramore Isle. Jaina comes before the Horde, who in return for Jaina's aid in stopping her father, Thrall agrees to spare her soldiers. After bypassing the naval blockade, Rexxar and his posse of Cairne, Rokhan, and Chen, push through the Kul Tiras forces to reach Daelin; backed by the forces of Thrall's Horde. The war ends once Daelin is slain. Jaina mourns her father's death, and the Horde leaves the city of Theramore to rebuild. Thrall offers once more for Rexxar to live with the Horde in Durotar, and while Rexxar declines the offer, he claims that he will always consider himself part of the Horde.
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Context Recap / Warcraft