Warcraft Chronicle Vol 2 (Warning: Spoilers)

[Sfinna]

I am only here for art of Turalyon, Alleria, and Lothar.

Does anyone have such things?

[Shampro]

I am only here for art of Turalyon, Alleria, and Lothar.

Does anyone have such things?

They all appear in some of them yes.

[Therougetitan]

Exactly, that's not how it works. Everything from previous works is canon as long 1) Blizzard doesn't say otherwise 2) New lore doesn't blatantly and unmistakably clashes with old lore.

100% this. Chronicles is a summary of events, and nothing advanced.

You hit the nail on the head.

I didn't want to break people's enthusiasm, but the second war and beyond the dark portal are pretty short and devoid of detail compared to the earlier chapters.

Hell, I think I even mentioned it earlier but people seemed to dismiss it completely.

imo I think that was expected. Chronicles is getting into the territory of the RTS games which we already know the lore of so nothing much new. Chronicle volume 3 may be lackluster due to that.

[DeicideUH]

You hit the nail on the head.

I didn't want to break people's enthusiasm, but the second war and beyond the dark portal are pretty short and devoid of detail compared to the earlier chapters.

Hell, I think I even mentioned it earlier but people seemed to dismiss it completely.

Understandable, but a shame. I think the Second War is so rich in details that it could sustain an entire Chronicle book by itself.

[ravenmoon]

This lingering feeling of betrayal, whether actually warranted or not, would make a handy level later when the fallen kingdom of Lordaeron essentially attacks Quel'Thalas under Arthas' banner

I also don't like the use of that term like that, feels like media spin/manipulation, are we spinning things now? It was the scourge not the fallen kingdom . It's one thing to postulate that perhaps the blood elves saw it as the fallen kingdom of Lordareon in the warping heat of great grief, shock and addiction withdrawal, and the only reason they don't view the Forsaken as that is because of twisted logic. But I hope no one thinks that's the actual narrative. The scourge was not the alliance or the kingdom of Lordaeron - they destroyed one and nearly the other.

[Ethenil]

imo I think that was expected. Chronicles is getting into the territory of the RTS games which we already know the lore of so nothing much new. Chronicle volume 3 may be lackluster due to that.

I doubt it, since it will cover WoW up to Cataclysm, and that era is in serious need of streamlining.

- - - Updated - - -

Understandable, but a shame. I think the Second War is so rich in details that it could sustain an entire Chronicle book by itself.

From what we know of real-world books in wars, the Second War could sustain many, many volumes.

[Kralljin]

Yeah, it makes more sense that way. Never imagined the Horde of old as a military might on the seas. Heck, even the Iron Horde proved to be sort of ineffective on the seas despite their ginormous dreadnoughts, very sturdy navy but way too heavy and with little mobility. I'm still wondering how those iron monstrosities even managed to stay afloat.

It was quite a poor idea to put so much effort into Naval warfare on Draenor.

I mean the only enemies that also have a naval fleet are Draenei and Ogres.

I think Highmaul could be have brought to it's knees without that much resources going into Ships, i mean they dedicated so much effort in the Blackrock Foundry just to produce new Dreadnaughts.

And Draenei, yeah, they have ports but no ships, at least not ingame.

Next to that, for conquering Azeroth the dreadnaughts are useless because you can't get those through the portal, so that leaves the seas of Draenor as training ground, getting actual Iron Horde ships floating on Azeroth seas would have required a massive logicistical effort.

In other words, Iron Horde Naval fleet is yet another shortsighted point among ideas Garrosh had for the Iron Horde.

Could obviously turn this into "Well in the Second War the Horde lost badly on sea so he wanted to fix that!", but yeah, perhaps just leave ship building to goblins, had no issues inviting them into the Iron Horde anyway.

[Zulkhan]

In other words, Iron Horde Naval fleet is yet another shortsighted point among ideas Garrosh had for the Iron Horde.

I sometimes wonder how many of the Iron Horde's plans came from Garrosh and which ones may have come from the Warlords themselves, most specifically Blackhand. As foolish Garrosh seemed to be at times, I don't see him put too much focus on ships the orcs couldn't even bring to Azeroth when taking revenge on that world was basically his entire goal. I wouldn't be surprised if Blackhand came up with a lot of personal ideas and most of them weren't really that good.

[Avateau]

Chapter 6 incoming!

CHAPTER 6: BEYOND THE DARK PORTAL

Part 1: Reforging the Horde (8 years after the Dark Portal)
• Stark life for orcs on Draenor, Warsong and Shattered Hand wanted violence
• Ner’zhul, having remained on Draenor, still held lands in Shadowmoon Valley
• Had fallen into despair, visions of dead orcs, skull tatooed on face like Pale
• Teron Gorefiend remembered ancient relics spoken about by Gul’dan
• Gorefiend planned to retrieve three relics of power
• Book of Medivh: tome of power, detailed blending different types of magic
• Eye of Dalaran: crafted by Kirin Tor, could amplify and focus magical energies
• Scepter of Sargeras: could open gateways between worlds, crafted by Legion
• Gorefiend and death knights cared only for themselves, wanted to conquer world
• With artifacts, orcs could create portals to other worlds in order to conquer
• Did not know of artifacts exact locations, would also need Horde’s help
• Gul’dan’s former allies not trusted, especially the death knights
• Only Ner’zhul had influence to rally and lead clans of Draenor
• Ner’zhul resisted offer, did not trust death knights any more than he had Gul’dan
• Gorefiend persisted, Ner’zhul relented, decaying of Draenor was imminent
• Gathered remaining chieftains: Grommash, Kargath, Fenris, they thirsted for battle
• Opening Portal first time required lots of power, restoring it now much simpler
• Gorefiend told Ner’zhul to use lingering power in skull of Gul’dan
• Skull had been passed between orcs as prized trinket, now claimed by Ner’zhul

Part 2: Return of Garona
• Garona wandered alone after Second War, still resisting Shadow Council’s impulses
• Confident she could resist, she decided to find only person she trusted: Khadgar
• Infiltrated Nethergarde Keep during night, had not seen each other since Medivh
• Confessed to killing Llane, Khadgar believed her that she had been compelled
• Could sense Shadow Council’s magic still woven in her thoughts
• Knew at least one member of Shadow Council still alive on Azeroth
• Over several months, Khadgar worked to unravel Council’s hold on Garona
• Finally free, Garona vowed to hunt down Shadow Council on Azeroth

Part 3: Fel Omens
• Khadgar, sensing energies from rift, summoned Alliance leaders to Nethergarde Keep
• Leaders reluctant to come, kingdoms still rebuilding, but they came anyways
• Southern half of Black Morass now wasteland known as Blasted Lands
• Northern half of Black Morass named Swamp of Sorrows to honor the fallen
• Warned leaders that fel energies surging, someone attempting to open Portal
• Leaders gave full support to Khadgar, Turalyon coordinated military from Stormwind
• Tasked Danath Trollbane with leading small army to Blasted Lands
• Turalyon to rally rest of Alliance forces and march south

Part 4: Reopening the Dark Portal
• Drawing on skull’s energy, Ner’zhul succeeded in opening rift after few weeks
• Grommash led Warsong, Shattered Hand, Laughing Skull, and Thuderlords
• Soldiers invaded Blasted Lands accompanied by Gorefiend and death knights
• Orcs constructed physical frame for Portal so no need for constant influx of power
• Kilrogg and Bleeding Hollow had been watching Blasted Lands for signs of return
• Kilrogg informed of what happened since war, sent back to Draenor for rest
• Trollbane’s small army stood little chance against sheer numbers of orcs
• Danath only member of army to survive, fled back to Nethergarde Keep
• Danath confident he could hold orcs until Alliance reinforcements arrived
• Orcs not numerous enough for full invasion, but had different objective
• Horde seemingly prepared for assault, but Gorefiend went searching for artifacts
• Death knights and Fenris went too, all unnoticed by the Alliance
• Garona noticed, began tracking them to discern what they were searching for

Part 5: Lord Daval Prestor
• Deathwing had gone into hiding shortly following Second War
• Plan had failed, orcs had no conquered, but red dragons still held prisoners
• Other dragons not taken action for fear of falling to the Demon Soul
• Deathwing sensed Portal reopening, realized orc invasion was only a feint
• Decided to manipulate humans once again, Alliance still angry with Alterac
• Debates about whether kingdom to be punished or should cease to exist
• Disguised as Lord Daval Prestor, cousin of Perenolde, joined debates in Lordaeron
• Prestor advised Terenas to establish martial law in Alterac until succession settled
• Move split attention of Alliance army, weakening response to Horde’s invasion
• Humans found Prestor charming, thought he was acting with best interest for Alliance
• Deathwing desired to reestablish black dragonflight, perhaps beyond Azeroth
• Draenor safe from eyes of Alliance and other dragonflights

Part 6: The Book of Medivh
• Gorefiend knew only of Book of Medivh’s location, located in Alterac
• Traveled to Blackrock Spire to make contact with Dal’rend and Maim
• Gorefiend needed their alliance with Dragonmaw to have access to dragons
• Meeting disastrous, Dal’rend declared himself warchief of “true Horde”
• Considered Ner’zhul coward and usurper, had no intention of helping his plans
• Gorefiend left without dragons but soon approached by Deathwing
• Deathwing to give black dragons in exchange for moving precious items to Draenor
• Told Gorefiend location of other artifacts (Dalaran and Tomb of Sargeras)
• Gorefiend could not refuse, split group into three parties with black dragons
• Book of Medivh most difficult to get, so Gorefiend went to get it personally
• Alliance in Alterac unprepared for dragons, soldiers fled upon seeing them
• Gorefiend found Perenolde, who was slipping into madness making demands
• Deathwing made Perenolde lose mind so he could not contradict Lord Prestor
• Gorefiend humored Perenolde, agreed to wipe out Alliance for the artifact
• Left king alive, honored his world and completely wiped out the Alliance garrison

[Shampro]

Back when Deathwing was cool ^

[OIS]

Does this book mention in any way that Medivh and Garona... you know...

[Avateau]

Does this book mention in any way that Medivh and Garona... you know...

Nope, sorry. :P

[OIS]

Nope, sorry. :P

Don't be sorry! Think of what this means for Med'an.

[Avateau]

This may be me projecting (probably, totally), but Khadgar and Garona seem kind of chummy...

[Ceck1993]

I simply cannot wait for this, I was hesitant to buy this book but i'm picking up Volume one today and hope its a damn good read.

[Rhlor]

I also don't like the use of that term like that, feels like media spin/manipulation, are we spinning things now? It was the scourge not the fallen kingdom . It's one thing to postulate that perhaps the blood elves saw it as the fallen kingdom of Lordareon in the warping heat of great grief, shock and addiction withdrawal, and the only reason they don't view the Forsaken as that is because of twisted logic. But I hope no one thinks that's the actual narrative. The scourge was not the alliance or the kingdom of Lordaeron - they destroyed one and nearly the other.

Do you read blood of the highborne? The high elves did not know what was really happening, they think it was a civil war and that when arthas invades quelthalas to be the winner of that civil war (arthas was well known as the heir to the lordaeron prince) was lordaeron who attacked They did not know about lich king or the scourge

[Avateau]

Part 7: Revelations
• Fighting at Nethergarde stalemate, Turalyon, Khadgar, and Danath held orcs
• Could not shake impression that orcs were not sending their full force
• More reinforcements arrived, siege became pushing orcs back into Blasted Lands
• Orcs maintained skirmish line for no reason, sacrified warriors to gain useless land
• Khadgar theorized Horde was buying time, invasion just a distraction
• Captured orc, Turalyon used Holy Light to draw out information from captive
• Orc revealed that small raiding parties had gone out to search for artifacts of power

Part 8: The Eye of Dalaran
• Gorefiend joined forces at Dalaran, discovered they still hadn’t recovered artifact
• Kirin Tor magi had cast wards on Eye, keeping it from being sensed from afar
• However, Eye not totally undetectable, Deathwing could sense
• Sent black dragons to attack for distraction, group of death knights to sneak in
• Gorefiend and knights snuck through streets of Dalaran, found Eye in a vault
• Breaking seals on vault attracted attention of Archmage Antonidas
• Antonidas and magi fought death knights in vault, Gorefiend’s group escaped
• Antonidas gave chase, but once Gorefiend reached dragons, nothing to be done

Part 9: The Scepter of Sargeras
• Third group going to Tomb of Sargeras could not make journey only with dragons
• No small islands for dragons to rest on during the trip
• Decided to steal ships from harbor where Orgrim had constructed Horde fleet
• Harbor under Alliance control now, renamed Menethil Harbor to honor king
• Many ships available, but most under command of Admiral Daelin Proudmoore
• Despite risks, only chance was element of surprise, Alliance not ready for dragons
• However, Garona had followed hunting party sent to Tomb of Sargeras
• Could not warn humans directly because they would not trust her word, wrote a note
• When dragons finally descended, humans were not totally unprepared
• Only managed to steal few ships, dragons burned any vessels that tried to follow
• Garona could not follow, returned to Blasted Lands to tell Khadgar what transpired
• Voyage to Tomb was slow, miserable, had to face demons at Tomb, many losses
• Recovered Scepter of Sargeras, only a few raiders returned to Eastern Kingdoms
• Raiders reunited with Gorefiend, who prepared to return to Draenor
• Deathwing had brought crates of precious cargo to be taken to Draenor
• Cargo enchanted to be disguised for orc eyes, turned out to be black dragon eggs

Part 10: The Sons of Lothar
• Gorefiend suspected Alliance would invade Draenor, left large contingent of orcs
• Force composed mainly of Warsong, including Grommash, and Rexxar’s mok’nathal
• Departure noticed by Alliance, Khadgar pieced together what was happening
• Found out full plan after bombarding captured death knight with arcane magic
• Turalyon and Khadgar feared not enough soldiers willing to go to Draenor
• Turalyon raised banner, saying Sons of Lothar to end Horde forever on Draenor
• Most Alliance answered call, Alleria, Danath, Kurdran brought their forces
• Garona wanted to go, but Khadgar convinced her to stay and hunt Shadow Council
• Sons of Lothar forced through Hellscream’s forces, forcing them to scatter
• Alliance expedition went through Portal to witness hellish Hellfire Peninsula
• No resistance first few days, orcs had not expected invasion force to follow

Part 11: A Deal with Dragons
• Gorefiend brought his haul to Hellfire Citadel where Ner’zhul waited
• Ner’zhul surprised at cargo, three relics plus some suspicious carts…
• Deathwing and black dragons come through Portal disguised as orcs
• Deathwing emanated power, terrified Ner’zhul, demanded skull of Gul’dan
• Ner’zhul balked but could not refuse, offered up skull, having already used it
• Deathwing wanted to use skull’s energy to empower dragons and accelerate growth
• Deathwing left portion of dragonflight to protect Hellfire Citadel from Alliance
• Left Hellfire Citadel, settled on Gorgrond as place to hide clutch of dragon eggs
• Ner’zhul needed location for ritual, chose place of ley line convergences
• Went to Black Temple, took bulk of Horde, left Kargath and Shattered Hand

Part 12: Assault on Hellfire Citadel
• Khadgar and Turalyon agreed stopping Ner’zhul was highest priority
• Believing him still in Citadel, Sons of Lothar led all-out offensive on fortress
• Orcs hoped to hold Alliance for a week, defenses fell before end of first day
• Even with dragons, no hope of defending against gryphon riders and soldiers
• Khadgar and magi joined fray, Kargath abandoned position and fled into wastes
• Sensed Ner’zhul moving southwest but skull of Gul’dan moving north
• Could not just focus on Ner’zhul, needed skull to close Portal on Draenor
• Turalyon split forces, half to track down skull, half to track down Ner’zhul
• Khadgar, Turalyon, Alleria to skull, Danath and Kurdran to Ner’zhul

[Aucald]

The later portions seem to hold up "Beyond the Dark Portal" pretty well. Additional details, but no heavy retcons in sight so far.

[DeicideUH]

The later portions seem to hold up "Beyond the Dark Portal" pretty well. Additional details, but no heavy retcons in sight so far.

Yes.

I expected them to reuse some more things from Warcraft 2. Seems like Deathwing won't use Ashran as I hoped, for instance.

[Aucald]

Yes.

I expected them to reuse some more things from Warcraft 2. Seems like Deathwing won't use Ashran as I hoped, for instance.

That makes me wonder where exactly Ashran is when compared to Outland - I wonder if the Nether Dragonflight might somehow be involved with it in some capacity.



Looks like it might just be gone after the sundering of Draenor.