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Then and Now:
Conflict and Triumph in the World of Warcraft
wo years have passed since the founding of Durotar...
Although
the armistice between the mighty Horde and the noble Alliance has held,
tensions between the two factions continue to mount as worldwide
conflicts draw the two sides closer to all-out war.
Fighting has erupted in the strategic battlegrounds of Alterac Valley,
Warsong Gulch, and Arathi Basin, and more recently in Eastern
Plaguelands and Silithus.
Even as these old enemies have
renewed their quarrels, many ancient threats have resurfaced to menace
the beleaguered races of Azeroth. As if spurred by unseen forces, dark
agents have labored to push the world closer to the brink of oblivion.
Within
Blackrock Spire, the legacy of the black dragon Deathwing continued to
unfold as Nefarian followed in his father's contemptible footsteps.
With the aid of his sister Onyxia and the orchestrations of their human
personas, Nefarian worked toward replenishing the black dragonflight.
To that end, he created chromatic dragons: unspeakable hybrids of both
red and black dragons.
Meanwhile, the priests of Hakkar enacted
primitive rituals on behalf of their fiendish blood god. First, priests
at the Temple of Atal'Hakkar succeeded in calling forth the god's
avatar. Then, within the crumbling ruins of Zul'Gurub, priests summoned
the bloodthirsty, diabolical Soulflayer physically into Azeroth.
Nor
was the spread of evil limited to the physical realm alone. Several
green dragons, once Ysera's trusted lieutenants, have been corrupted by
the Emerald Nightmare, emerging from dream portals across the world to
threaten the very lives they once protected.
Throughout
Silithus, insect swarms surged as if guided by some malignant, ancient
intelligence. Behind the gates of the Scarab Wall the merciless qiraji
stirred once again. Empowered by the Old God C'Thun, the qiraji
prepared their legions for a worldwide assault to avenge their bitter
defeat at the hands of the night elves a thousand years ago.
Worst
of all, the Lich King's icy grip descended upon Azeroth once again as
the Scourge renewed its assault against living and undead alike.
Foreboding necropoli recently appeared over several major cities. 
Alliance
and Horde forces mobilized and drove the Scourge back. Nevertheless,
questions remain. Was this defeat truly a setback for the Lich King? Or
did this first attack further a different goal for the Scourge?
Whatever the case, Kel'Thuzad is clearly setting the stage for a
full-scale, apocalyptic invasion from his seat of power in Naxxramas.
The
heroes of the world have bravely faced these challenges and more,
struggling to ensure the continued survival of their races. The
greatest perils, however, remain unseen. Many of these new threats have
the inhabitants of the world wondering if peace will ever find a home
in Azeroth...
Shadows Return
eep within Deadwind Pass,
restless ghosts roam the darkened halls of Karazhan, where the
demon-possessed wizard Medivh spent his final days. Tempted by rumors
of the time-lost secrets kept within, adventurers have begun
infiltrating the haunted tower. Within the secret passages of the
arcane stronghold, horrific nightmares have awakened.
Elsewhere,
the brooding dragon Nozdormu stirs. The Timeless One has sensed a
threat to his beloved timeways. Shadowy agents have infiltrated the
Caverns of Time, attempting to sabotage three key historical events:
Thrall's escape from Durnholde, the monumental Battle of Mount Hyjal,
and Medivh's creation of the Dark Portal. 
In
the face of this overwhelming threat, Nozdormu is enlisting heroes to
help him prevent the fabric of time from unraveling forever.
With
the future in peril, a relic of the past has also surfaced, radiating
renewed energy. This relic has enabled Lord Kazzak to activate the
current Dark Portal, thereby reopening the gateway to...
The Shattered Realm of Outland
ere, before Draenor was torn apart by Ner'zhul's portals,
the orcs and draenei once lived in peace. Now this wasteland is ruled
by the one-time defender of the night elves: the power-mad Betrayer,
Illidan Stormrage.
Joined
by Prince Kael'thas Sunstrider's blood elves and the insidious,
serpentine naga, Illidan maintains a tight hold on Outland and its
multiple portals. The Burning Legion has set its sights on Outland as
well, hoping to utilize the portals to gain access to numerous
unspoiled worlds. Should the demons prove successful, no refuge would
remain against their nihilistic crusade.
Furthermore, the demon
lord Kil'jaeden has not forgotten Illidan's failure to destroy the Lich
King. Although Illidan still controls the mighty Black Temple, he
anticipates the Burning Legion's return and is preparing accordingly.
He and his allies fight to ensure that Outland's multiple portals
remain tightly sealed while he strengthens his power base.
Even so, Illidan's forces are not the only presence on Outland. Several other factions roam the scattered wastes as well.
Bands
of draenei remain, although many of them have devolved into Broken,
warped shells of their former selves. Cut off from the Light, these
Broken fight for their sanity and their lives.
In addition, much
to Warchief Thrall's horror, refugee orcs in the desolate region have
discovered and embraced a new source of demonic corruption. Recently a
new breed of fel orcs began streaming out of Hellfire Citadel, the
Horde base of operations during the First and Second Wars. Though these
savage orcs have made no secret of their presence on Outland, the
source of their newfound corruption remains a mystery.
Using
their dimensional fortress, Tempest Keep, the naaru have recently
arrived on Outland as well. These energy beings recognize the strategic
importance of the broken wastes and have vowed to defeat their sworn
enemies--the Legion--at all costs. When most of the naaru set out to
explore the ravaged territories of Outland, however, Kael'thas seized
the opportunity to strike.
The blood elves assaulted the
fortress, overcoming its automated defenses and taking command of the
keep's satellite structures. Kael'thas has now begun manipulating the
fortress' otherworldly technologies, using them to harness the chaotic
energies of the Netherstorm itself.
Despite
Illidan's efforts to keep Outland's portals closed, the Horde and
Alliance have anticipated Outland's role in renewed hostilities and
ever more perilous threats. The denizens of Azeroth are thus preparing
not only to battle each other, but also to face the inevitable
onslaught of the Burning Legion. To that end, both Horde and Alliance
have recruited new allies.
Two bold new races have stepped
forward to answer the call. Devastated by the recent Scourge invasion
of Quel'Thalas, the resourceful, magic-addicted blood elves have
rallied to rebuild much of their kingdom and take up the cause of the
Horde. Meanwhile, the draenei, who once peacefully coexisted with the
shamanistic orcs, have joined the Alliance to fight the Burning Legion
and avenge past atrocities committed by the orcs...
Flight of the Draenei
ong ago, on the world of Argus,
the brilliant and magically gifted eredar race drew the attention of
Sargeras, the Destroyer of Worlds. Sargeras offered untold power to the
three leaders of the eredar--Kil'jaeden, Archimonde and Velen--in
exchange for their unquestioning loyalty. A troubling vision soon came
to Velen, who saw the eredar transformed into unspeakable demons--the
first sentient members of the Legion, which would grow to immense size
and decimate all life.
Despite Velen's warnings, Kil'jaeden and
Archimonde decided to accept Sargeras' offer. Velen despaired at his
former friends' decision and prayed for help. To his surprise and
relief, he was answered by one of the benevolent naaru. 
These energy beings had, like Velen, foreseen the formation of the Burning Legion.
The
naaru offered to shepherd Velen and other believers to refuge. Velen
quietly gathered those of his fellow eredar who seemed trustworthy and
dubbed them the draenei, or "exiled ones". As Sargeras returned to
Argus and transformed many willing eredar into demons, the draenei
narrowly escaped their homeworld. Furious, Kil'jaeden vowed to track
Velen to the ends of creation.
Even
as the Burning Legion chased the draenei across the cosmos, the naaru
instructed the exiles in the way of the Light. Deeply affected, the
draenei vowed to honor the Light and uphold the naaru's ideals.
In
time the draenei settled on a remote world and met the shamanistic orcs
who inhabited it. The draenei came to call their new home Draenor or
"Exiles' Refuge". Kil'jaeden continued to hunt the exiles, however, and
he eventually learned of the idyllic world and its unsuspecting
inhabitants.
Working through the shaman Ner'zhul, the demon lord
gradually began corrupting the orcs. When Ner'zhul refused to serve the
Legion's agenda past a certain point, Kil'jaeden turned to Ner'zhul's
apprentice. Gul'dan worked the orcs into a frenzy of bloodlust, and the
newly formed Horde began slaughtering the peaceful draenei.
The
orcish campaign against the draenei was brutally effective. Over eighty
percent of the draenei race was destroyed, though a small group of
survivors remained, including the noble Velen.
The orcs went on
to invade Azeroth through Medivh's Dark Portal. Years later, after the
Second War, Ner'zhul's additional portals would tear Draenor to pieces.
Recently
Velen and the remaining draenei survivors gained control of one of
Tempest Keep's satellite structures and used it to escape to Azeroth.
Now they search for allies in their never-ending battle against the
Burning Crusade.
Legacy of the Blood Elves
ong ago the exiled high elves landed on the shores of Lordaeron. They struck out to find a new home, and after many battles with the trolls, established the kingdom of Quel'Thalas.
Using
a vial of sacred water stolen from the first Well of Eternity, the high
elves created a fount of mystical power at a convergence of ley
energies in Quel'Thalas. They named this fountain the Sunwell. Its
potent arcane magic fed and strengthened the high elves, and soon the
wondrous city of Silvermoon was established.
Protected
by a magical barrier, the high elves enjoyed peace for roughly four
thousand years, but that peace was not meant to last. The Amani trolls
gathered an immense army and assaulted the elven kingdom. Vastly
outnumbered, the high elves hastily struck an alliance with the human
nation of Arathor. The elves taught a small number of humans how to
wield magic. In exchange the humans aided the elves in destroying the
trolls' power base forever.
Over
the following years the high elves returned to their reclusive ways,
but during the Third War, the diabolical Prince Arthas Menethil brought
battle once again to their doorstep. Arthas craved the power of the
Sunwell and would stop at nothing to harness it. He invaded Quel'Thalas
and wiped out most of its population. In the end, even King Anasterian
Sunstrider lay dead.
Additionally it became clear that the high
elves had become addicted to the Sunwell's arcane energies. Now that
the source of their magic was gone, the few remaining high elves
quickly grew ill and apathetic.
Prince Kael'thas, last of the
royal line, returned from his studies in Dalaran to find Quel'Thalas in
ruins. Thirsting for vengeance, he gathered the survivors, renamed them
blood elves, and took a group of the strongest fighters to join
Lordaeron's campaign against the Scourge.
Due
to human prejudice, Kael'thas was forced to accept the assistance of
Lady Vashj and her reptilian naga. When the humans discovered that the
blood elves had been working with the naga, Kael'thas and the others
were imprisoned and condemned to death. Lady Vashj soon arrived to set
them free, leading them through a portal and into the broken wastes of
Outland.
There, the elves met the one being capable of putting an
end to their hunger: the renegade demon, Illidan Stormrage. Certain
that the blood elves would die without Illidan's assistance, Kael'thas
agreed to serve the Betrayer. A lone representative, Rommath, was sent
back to Azeroth with a message of hope for the blood elves remaining in
Quel'Thalas: that one day Kael'thas would return to lead his people to
paradise.
Rommath has made great progress in teaching the blood
elves advanced techniques to manipulate arcane energies. With renewed
purpose, the blood elves have now rebuilt the city of Silvermoon,
though it is powered by volatile magics. Emboldened by the promise of
Kael'thas' return, the weary citizens of Quel'Thalas now focus on
regaining their strength, even as they forge a new path into an
uncertain future.
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