The Fall of Lordaeron: How the Kingdom of Men Perished
Vanilla WoW Classic 1.12 · x5 realm · wowx5.ru
The Fall of Lordaeron is one of the darkest chapters in the history of Azeroth and the key to understanding half the zones of WoW Classic. The mighty human kingdom, the bulwark of the Alliance in the Second War, was destroyed from within — by the betrayal of its own heir.
Want to walk the ruins of Lordaeron? Travel to the Eastern and Western Plaguelands — this is the perished kingdom.
The plague and the doomed city
When the Lich King unleashed the plague of undeath upon the north, the first city on the brink was Stratholme. Crown Prince Arthas Menethil arrived too late: the grain fed to the citizens was already spreading the infection. Certain that all were doomed to turn into zombies, Arthas made a monstrous choice — to put the whole city to the sword rather than surrender it to the Scourge. This culling of Stratholme was the prince's first step into darkness.
The prince's betrayal
Consumed by vengeance, Arthas pursued the dreadlord Mal'Ganis into icy Northrend and there took up the cursed sword Frostmourne. The blade drank his soul. Returning home now a death knight of the Scourge, Arthas entered the throne room and killed his own father, King Terenas Menethil. The capital fell and the kingdom sank into undead chaos.
| Figure | Role in the fall |
|---|---|
| Arthas Menethil | The prince turned death knight |
| King Terenas | Ruler of Lordaeron, slain by his son |
| Kel'Thuzad | The lich raised by Arthas |
| Sylvanas | Slain and raised, later leader of the Forsaken |
The birth of the Forsaken
Not all the undead remained slaves. In time, as the Lich King's will weakened, part of the Scourge won free will. They were led by Sylvanas Windrunner — in life the ranger-general of the elves, slain by Arthas and raised as a banshee. So arose the Forsaken, who made their home in the Undercity beneath the ruined capital and joined the Horde of Thrall.
Legacy in the Vanilla era
Fallen Lordaeron gave rise to half the stories of the Eastern Kingdoms: the fanatical Scarlet Crusade defending the Scarlet Monastery, the knights of the Argent Dawn and Tirion Fordring, the necromantic school of Scholomance and the floating citadel of Naxxramas. All of these are the kingdom's unhealed wounds.
Ready to join the struggle for Lordaeron's fate? Join WowX5 x5 — for the Forsaken or against the undead, the choice is yours.
FAQ
What happened to the kingdom of Lordaeron?
It perished in the Third War: the plague of undeath and the betrayal of Prince Arthas turned the prosperous human kingdom into the Plaguelands, and its capital became the undead Undercity.
Why did Arthas carry out the culling of Stratholme?
The city was infected with the plague of undeath. Arthas judged that its people were doomed to become zombies and ordered them all killed to keep them from swelling the Scourge — a choice that doomed his soul.
Where did the Forsaken come from?
They are undead freed from the Lich King's will. Their leader is the banshee Sylvanas Windrunner, in life the ranger-general of the elves, slain and raised by Arthas.