The First War: Orcs, the Dark Portal and the Fall of Stormwind
Vanilla WoW Classic 1.12 · x5 realm · wowx5.ru
The First War is the event where the familiar Horde versus Alliance conflict begins. It was then that the orcs first invaded Azeroth and the sinister Dark Portal appeared on the map of the world.
The Dark Portal still stands today — on the edge of the Swamp of Sorrows. It is one of the most recognizable landmarks in WoW Classic.
The enslavement of the orcs
On the distant world of Draenor the orcs were a shamanic people living in harmony with the spirits. All that changed with the warlock Gul'dan and his Shadow Council: at the Burning Legion's command they led the clans to drink the blood of the demon Mannoroth. Poisoned by fel corruption, the orcs lost their honour and united into a bloodthirsty Horde under the warchief Blackhand.
The opening of the Dark Portal
The Legion needed a bridge to the new world. It was given by Medivh — a mighty Guardian mage secretly possessed by the spirit of Sargeras. Together with Gul'dan he opened the Dark Portal, joining Draenor and Azeroth in the marshes now known as the Swamp of Sorrows. Through the gate the Horde poured.
The fall of Stormwind
First in the conquerors' path stood a human power — the kingdom of Stormwind (Azeroth). The war was hard and bloody:
| Figure | Fate in the First War |
|---|---|
| King Llane Wrynn | Ruler of Stormwind, slain by the half-orc Garona |
| Anduin Lothar | Commander who led the survivors north |
| Medivh | Traitor Guardian, slain by Lothar and Khadgar |
| Blackhand | Warchief of the Horde, conqueror of Stormwind |
Despite the defenders' valour, Stormwind fell. King Llane was treacherously murdered and the city burned.
Legacy and the road onward
The commander Anduin Lothar gathered the survivors and led them north by sea to Lordaeron. There he would warn the other kingdoms of the new threat — and this would be the beginning of the Second War. Stormwind itself would later be rebuilt: it is there, in the Vanilla era, that Lady Prestor weaves her schemes.
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FAQ
How did the orcs reach Azeroth?
Through the Dark Portal in the Swamp of Sorrows. It was opened by the warlock Gul'dan and the mage Medivh, possessed by the spirit of the fallen titan Sargeras, joining the worlds of Draenor and Azeroth.
Why did the orcs turn aggressive?
They were enslaved by the Burning Legion: after drinking the blood of the demon Mannoroth, the orc clans fell into a bloody frenzy and became a tool of invasion under Gul'dan's Shadow Council.
How did the First War end?
Stormwind fell and King Llane was slain, but the surviving humans under Anduin Lothar fled north by sea to Lordaeron to raise a new alliance there.