The Seven Wonders of Azeroth

With Cataclysm on its way, the face of World of Warcraft's Azeroth is soon to be changed forever. While we still can, I figured it would be entertaining to try an identify the seven most impressive locations in all of Azeroth: the Seven Wonders of Azeroth if you will. Keep in mind, this is just my opinion of the most epic places in World of Warcraft. Feel free to share your ideas in the comments.

Stormwind City

The seat of power for the kingdom of Stormwind and the largest Human city in all of Azeroth, Stormwind is stuffed from wall to wall with architectural wonders. Rebuilt after being razed by Orcs by the able hands of the masons now known as the Defias, Stormwind's scale and design is breath taking.

Whether taking in a cool breeze at Stormwind Harbor, marveling at the statues in the Valley of Heroes, reflecting in the Cathedral of the Light, or visiting Stormwind Keep, the city presents wonder after wonder and is therefore more than deserving of a spot on this list.

Stonewrought Dam

Built by the Dwarves of Ironforge to grow Loch Modan and drain the Wetlands, the Stonewrought Dam is one of Azeroth's most striking and impressive constructs. Adorned with massive stone heads spewing the Loch's water, the Dam is at the pinnacle of Dwarven engineering. The technical achievement of the Dam as well as its role in transforming the ecology of the Eastern Kingdoms make it one of Azeroth's greatest wonders.

Blackrock Mountain

This gargantuan volcano was created when Ragnaros the Firelord was accidentally summoned by Dwarven Emperor Thaurissan during the War of the Three Hammers. As striking as the volcano itself may be, it is nothing compared to the massive Dwarven City constructed throughout its entire structure.

From the corridors of Blackrock Spire and Blackwing Lair carved out of the volcano's upper regions, to Blackrock Depths near the mountain's molten core, Blackrock Mountain is a marvel in every sense of the word and is perhaps one of the most significant structures in all of Azeroth's history.

The Temple of Atal'Hakkar

Created by the Atal'ai Trolls over a thousand years ago as a shrine to the blood god Hakkar, the Temple of Atal'Hakkar is a massive example of Troll architecture. Unfortunately, the Temple's nefarious purpose drew the ire of the green dragon Ysera and nearly the entire structure was sunk beneath the waters of the Swamp of Sorrows. Today, the Temple is more generally known as simply the "Sunken Temple."

Though the Troll cities of Jintha' alor in the Hinterlands and Zul'Aman in the Ghostlands are similarly awe inspiring Troll creations, the mystery, history and danger surrounding the Temple of Atal'Hakkar set it apart as one of Azeroth's principal wonders.

Dalaran

As a tribute to the mortal use of magic, only the Blood Elves' Silvermoon can come close to rivaling Dalaran. Now magically suspended in the chill air above Northrend, the Kirin Tor's city of magic has become untouchable in more ways then one.

Adorned with towering spires and a sprawling sewer system, Dalaran is as mysterious as it is majestic. To be fair though, what do you expect from a city built and maintained by Azeroth's most powerful mortal magic users?

Wyrmrest Temple

Believed to be the location where the five Dragon Aspects received their powers, Wyrmrest Temple not only dominates the Dragonblight's landscape, but also its history. Constructed by the Titans long ago, the Temple has survived the onslaught of both Northrend's arctic winds and a present day incursion by Malygos' forces.

Wyrmrest Temple is one of Azeroth's principal wonders not only because the towering structure is awe inspiring, but also because the Temple serves as a central base of operations and monument to some of the most powerful beings to ever roam the land.

The Sunwell

The Sun Well is likely the most potent sources of magical energy in all of Azeroth. Shaped by the High Elves atop the intersection of powerful magical ley lines using water from the Well of Eternity, the Sunwells history has been repeatedly tainted by tragedy. The misfortune which has surrounded the Well, however, has not diminished its significance or the awe it inspires.

Did one of your favorites not make the list? Think one of my choices missed the mark? Feel free to share in the comments.

Warcraft Race Origins: Goblins

In the final edition of our series exploring the lore origin behind World of Warcraft's playable races we look ahead to the second race which will be added in World of Warcraft: Cataclysm, the Goblins. As much of the Goblin's origin story will be told when Cataclysm is released, there are spoilers and speculation to be found below, so read with caution.

The Goblin race originally hails from the Isle of Kezan, a tropical island southwest of Zandalar. At their beginning, the Goblins were a far different race then they are today. Exceptionally weak and slow witted, early Goblins were nothing more than slaves to Kezan's large jungle Troll population. Relegated to mining the tunnels under Kezan for their Troll masters, life was tough for the Goblins until a single magical mineral drastically changed the course of their existence.

The material was called kaja'mite and although the Trolls recognized a fraction of its worth and used the mineral in voodoo rituals, it was the Goblins who uncovered its true power. Hording away their own supply of kaja'mite in the tunnels below Kezan, the Goblins began to create all manner of magical objects from it. Beyond leaving the Goblins well equipped, the kaja'mite had the added magical effect of dramatically boosting the Goblins' intelligence. Using their newly enhanced brains and the crude technology which sprang therefrom, the Goblins quickly obliterated their former Troll masters.

As the undisputed rulers of Kezan, the Goblins built a sprawling capital city in the labyrinthine mines they had once worked. Called the Undermine, the massive Goblin city was the birthing ground for many of Azeroth's most innovative and dangerous technological advances. Much of the technology was powered by kaja'mite and the Goblins grew wealthy peddling their wares all across Azeroth. Unfortunately, the Goblin's kaja'mite supply ran dry and both their innovation and intelligence began to wane. As the Goblin's searched desperately across Azeroth for more kaja'mite, their technology took many steps backward as they suddenly lacked the materials and wit needed to maintain their more complex inventions.

No longer able to rely on their ingenuity alone, the Goblins began to use their gold supply to create a massive commercial empire. Profiteering their way through the First War, the Goblins became exceedingly wealthy as their society was dominated by various trade princes and their designated cartels. By the time the Second War rolled around, the Orcs shelled out gold sufficient to persuade the Goblins to be the Horde's exclusive arms and mercenary provider. Though this provided an opportunity for some camaraderie between the two races, the Goblins returned to neutrality following the war to enhance their profits.

In the events following Deathwing's sundering of Azeroth, a massive volcano is reawakened on Kezan and many Goblins begin to fear that the Undermine's end is nigh. Other Goblins see an opportunity to profit from the growing panic and begin charging exorbitant fees to ferry goblins away from Kazan. To expand their bottom line, some unscrupulous transporters even sell their passengers into slavery or leave them abandoned on desert islands. One such transport vessel runs afoul of fire from an Alliance fleet, stranding its passengers on a mysterious island chain called the Lost Isles. The Goblins there have many unfavorable run ins with Alliance forces and turn to the Horde for assistance. Thus a small faction of Goblins are brought into the Horde and become Cataclysm's playable Goblins.

Goblins are already a strong neutral presence all across Azeroth. It will be interesting to see what effect the new Horde affiliated Goblins have on the race as a whole. Additionally, the Cataclysm provides ample opportunity for Blizzard to more fully explore Goblin history as well as the chance to direct the course of their future. One can only hope that the Goblins are able to hold on to their quirky, profiteering ways even while battling alongside the Horde.

Warcraft Race Origins: Gnomes
Warcraft Race Origins: Trolls
Warcraft Race Origins: Night Elves
Warcraft Race Origins: Tauren
Warcraft Race Origins: Humans
Warcraft Race Origins: Orcs
Warcraft Race Origins: Dwarves
Warcraft Race Origins: Forsaken
Warcraft Race Origins: Draenei
Warcraft Race Origins: Blood Elves
Warcraft Race Origins: Worgen

Warcraft Race Origins: Worgen

In today's exploration of the lore behind World of Warcraft's playable races, we will be looking ahead towards one of the two races which will be made playable in the games next expansion, World of Warcraft: Cataclysm, the Worgen of the Alliance. Since the tale of the playable Worgen still largely remains to be told, keep in mind that much of the following information is speculation.

The distant origins of the Worgen race are a bit convoluted in that they are simultaneously the victims of a potent curse and beings from another world. The Worgen hail from a dark and violent world where they are constantly at war with an enemy thus far known only as the Lords of the Emerald Flame. Some have speculated that their ancestral enemy might be the Burning Legion while others entertain the idea that the Lords of the Emerald Flame are members of the Green Dragonflight and that the Worgen's home world is actually the Emerald Dream. Regardless of who their enemy might be, the Worgen fight tirelessly, their aggression fueled by the blood lust which accompanies their curse.

Worgen first appeared in Azeroth after being summoned by the Human Archmage Arugal. Using research from a Dalaran magician called Ur, Arugal was able to portal an army of Worgen from their home world to Azeroth. Arugal had planned to use the monsters in the ongoing battle with the Scourge, but they proved impossible to control and killed both friend and foe alike. Driven mad by his failure, Arugal began to see the Worgen as his children and started living amongst them in Shadowfang Keep.

Ultimately, Arugal uncovered the secrets of the curse which generated the Worgen and began to spread it amongst the Humans living near his keep. The nearby Human kingdom of Gilneas, which had already been rather isolationist, sealed itself off behind the massive Greymane Wall in an effort to avoid the curse. Unfortunately, their efforts were to no avail and the Worgen curse ravaged Gilneas' people. Ultimately, however, the people in Gilneas proved stronger than the dark magic and developed a means of controlling their Worgen ferocity. Still being Humans at heart, the Worgen of Gilneas make natural bedfellows for the Alliance following the opening of the Greymane Wall when Cataclysm is released.

There is still a great deal of mystery to the Worgen's origin and it is almost certain that their history will play a large part in World of Warcraft: Cataclysm. Perhaps, as many speculate, some tie between the Worgen and Night Elf Druidism will be uncovered. Here is hoping the newest members of the Alliance have as rich a back story as their other companions.

Warcraft Race Origins: Gnomes
Warcraft Race Origins: Trolls
Warcraft Race Origins: Night Elves
Warcraft Race Origins: Tauren
Warcraft Race Origins: Humans
Warcraft Race Origins: Orcs
Warcraft Race Origins: Dwarves
Warcraft Race Origins: Forsaken
Warcraft Race Origins: Draenei
Warcraft Race Origins: Blood Elves
Warcraft Race Origins: Goblins

Warcraft Race Origins: Blood Elves

For the next installment of our examination of the history behind World of Warcraft's playable races we will be looking at the Horde's most recent additions: the Blood Elves.

The Blood Elves and the Night Elves are in fact the same race, the Kaldorei. The distant history of the Night Elves then adds a great deal to the Blood Elves origin story. Where the Night Elves rejected their racial lust for magic and turned to Druidism, the Blood Elves reveled in it.

After the Well of Eternity was destroyed by Sargeras, the Kaldorei nobility failed to learn from the lessons of their past and elected to seek out a new source of magical power. Known as High Elves because of their former prestige amongst the Kaldorei, the Elves battled back the Troll Amani Empire founded the kingdom of Quel'Thalas in Lordaron. At its heart, the High Elves created a new beacon of magical energy using water from the Well of Eternity. They called their new boon the Sunwell and it provided all the magical energy their addiction required. Aside from assaults from the Amani Trolls, which the High Elves battled back with the help of the Humans, the High Elves lived rather peacefully for many years.

Unfortunately, once again the Elves magical beacon attracted the wrong kind of attention. Requiring the Sunwell's power, the Lich King's avatar Arthas Menethil launched a massive Scourge assault on Quel'Thalas. Many High Elves were killed and the Sunwell was tainted. After the loss of the Sunwell, it became clear just how magic addicted the High Elves had become. As a result, the Humans began to forsake their former allies forcing the Elves to seek other comrades in their battle against the Scourage. Ultimately, they turned to the Naga, severing any ties which might have bound them with the Humans. In fact, the Humans began capturing the High Elves, including their leader Kael'thas, with the intention of putting them to death.

The leader of the Naga, Lady Vashj, came to the imprisoned Elves rescue, helping them escape to Outland. There, Kael'thas pledged allegiance to the only being who appeared capable of feeding his peoples hunger for magic, the "Lord" of Outland, Illidan Stormrage. Kael'thas sent a representative to those High Elves who remained on Azeroth promising his eventual return and an ultimate solution to the race's magic addiction. The Elves remaining on Azeroth, calling themselves Blood Elves because of the hardships they had endured, began preparations for their leader's return, motivated by their belief in his lofty promises.

In need of allies to fight the Amani and the Scourge, the Blood Elves turned to the Horde because all bridges with the Humans had been completely burned. After retaking much of their capital, Silvermoon, the Blood Elves came to discover the true nature of Kael'thas' solution to the Blood Elves addiction, feeding it by drawing on powerful demonic forces. Feeling betrayed and heart broken, the Blood Elves have attempted to carry on the reclamation and reconstruction of Quel'Thalas, but progress has been slow.

The Blood Elves are a broken people in a soon to be broken world. Addicted to magic and barely holding on to the remains of their kingdom, it is uncertain how the Blood Elves will fare when Azeroth is torn asunder. Perhaps the coming defeat of Arthas will give the former nobles the inspiration they need to defeat both their metaphorical and physical demons. Only time will tell.

Warcraft Race Origins: Gnomes
Warcraft Race Origins: Trolls
Warcraft Race Origins: Night Elves
Warcraft Race Origins: Tauren
Warcraft Race Origins: Humans
Warcraft Race Origins: Orcs
Warcraft Race Origins: Dwarves
Warcraft Race Origins: Forsaken
Warcraft Race Origins: Draenei
Warcraft Race Origins: Worgen
Warcraft Race Origins: Goblins

Warcraft Race Origins: Draenei

In today's edition of Warcraft Race Origins, we will be looking at the story behind the Alliance's newest members, the Draenei.

The Draenei originally hail from the world of Argus. Then known as Eredar, the Draenei were an ancient, powerful race especially gifted in the use of magic. Unfortunately for the Eredar, the races strength and magic use drew Sargeras, a fallen Titan of unimaginable power, to Argus. The evil being gathered the three Eredar leaders and, without revealing his diabolical intentions, offered them unimaginable power. Two accepted: Kil'jaeden and Archimonde. Only the Velen refused, having had a vision of the demonic monsters the Eredar would become as a result of the deal.

Seeing doom for his race on the horizon, Velen cried out to the heavens for assistance. Salvation came in the form of a Naruu, a powerful light being from a distant world. The Naruu helped Velen and other Eredar who had refused Sargeras' offer escape the Titan's wrath by transporting them to another world. That world came to be known as Draenor and Velen's ban became the Draenei or "Exiled Ones."

On Draenor, the Draenei came in contact with the shamanistic Orcs and the two races lived in peace for many years. It was only a matter of time, however, before the now demonic agent of Sargeras, Kil'jaeden, was able to track down Velen and his band of exiles on Draenor. In an effort to destroy the Draenei, Kil'jaeden began corrupting the Orcs with demonic blood. Driven into an uncontrollable rage, the Orcs began slaughtering the Draenei in huge numbers. The Orc attacks were so ferocious and effective that only a small portion of the Draenei survived, including Velen.

Once again sensing impending doom for his people, Velen hatched a plot to flee Draenor. Velen and the remaining Draenei traveled to the inter-dimensional ship known as Tempest Keep and hijacked one of its satellite structures. Using the vessel, the Draenei fled, ultimately crashing on the world of Azeroth. Seeking allies to aid in their struggle against the Burning Legion and recently having been slaughtered in large numbers by the Orcs, the Draenei were brought into the Alliance fold.

Since the release of Wrath of the Lich King, very little has been done to expand upon the Draenei's back story. They are, for all intents and purposes, strangers exiled on a distant land. It is uncertain how, if at all, the events of the coming Cataclysm will affect the Draenei. Perhaps, as they have before, Velen and his band will begin making plans to flee the sundered world. Alternatively, the Draenei could elect to make their stand on Azeroth with their new allies, come what may. Hopefully, unlike Outland, the story of the Draenei is not left behind as World of Warcraft's lore develops.


Warcraft Race Origins: Gnomes
Warcraft Race Origins: Trolls
Warcraft Race Origins: Night Elves
Warcraft Race Origins: Tauren
Warcraft Race Origins: Humans
Warcraft Race Origins: Orcs
Warcraft Race Origins: Dwarves
Warcraft Race Origins: Forsaken
Warcraft Race Origins: Blood Elves
Warcraft Race Origins: Worgen
Warcraft Race Origins: Goblins

Warcraft Race Origins: Forsaken

For today's look at the lore origins of World of Warcraft's playable races, we will be discussing Azeroth's most chaotic and least trustworthy race, the Forsaken.

The existence of the Forsaken can ultimately be traced back to the poor decisions of a single Orc, Ner'zhul. Corrupted by a host of evil artifacts and physically obliterated by Kil'jaeden, the surviving portion of Ner'zhul's spirit became the evil entity known as the Lich King. More a force than a person, the Lich King was charged by Kil'jaeden with destabilizing Azeroth in preparation for the Burning Legion's invasion. Toward that end, the Lich King began to create a massive army of all manner of reanimated corpses known as the Scourge.

To speed the growth of his undead army, the Lich King conjured a terrible disease called the Plague of Undeath and used his magical prowess and the aid of other malefic forces to spread it across Azeroth. The biological attack was outstandingly effective, wiping out many populations. Especially hard hit were the Humans, who saw there numbers drop by as much as 50%. Every loss amongst Azeroth's mortal races grew the Lich King's power and it was feared that the entire world was doomed.

On the heals of the spreading Plague, Arthas Menethil, the Human prince of Lordaeron, set about tracking down the Lich King in Northrend. Ultimately he was successful, but not before losing his mind and soul along the way. Rather than destroying the Lich King, Arthas freed the entity from the influence of Kil'jaeden's Burning Legion and assumed it into himself. Thus the Lich King and Scourge of modern Azeroth was born.

Kil'jaeden was not keen on letting such a powerful slave slip through his fingers. To eliminate Arthas and bring the Lich King back under the Burning Legion's control, Kil'Jaeden backed the twisted Night Elf Illidan Stormrage as he launched an attack on the Lich King's Frozen Throne. To repel Illidan's advance, Arthas was forced to abandon his new base of operations in the catacombs of Lordaeron and head for Northrend.

Though Arthas defeated Illidan, the Lich King was sufficiently weakened and distracted that a group of Scourge were able to shake off his enslaving magical influence. Led by the powerful former Elf general Sylvanas Windrunner, now reborn as a banshee, the newly liberated undead quickly grew in numbers. Named the Forsaken by Sylvanas, the former Humans and Elves claimed the sewers beneath Lordaeron as their home dubbing it the Undercity. Hating Arthas and the Scourge above all else, the Forsaken forged a tenuous pact of convenience with the Horde to better combat their sworn enemies.

The Forsaken are currently living some of the most important moments of their history. The battle against Arthas is presumably nearing a conclusion and it will be interesting to see where destiny next carries the Forsaken. The Forsaken are also facing extreme internal and external pressure following the recent insurrection and the skeletons it uncovered. It will be interesting to see if the Forsaken's tenuous alliance with the Horde survives the coming Cataclysm and perhaps, as things move forward, the factions true intentions will ultimately be revealed.

Warcraft Race Origins: Gnomes
Warcraft Race Origins: Trolls
Warcraft Race Origins: Night Elves
Warcraft Race Origins: Tauren
Warcraft Race Origins: Humans
Warcraft Race Origins: Orcs
Warcraft Race Origins: Dwarves
Warcraft Race Origins: Draenei
Warcraft Race Origins: Blood Elves
Warcraft Race Origins: Worgen
Warcraft Race Origins: Goblins

Warcraft Race Origins: Dwarves

For the next edition of our series on the lore behind World of Warcraft's playable races we will be taking a look at one of Azeroth's hardiest races: the Dwarves.

After the Titans finished shaping early Azeroth, they decided to create guardians which they would leave behind to tend to the world they had ripped from the primordial chaos sown by the Old Gods. Fashioned out of living stone, the humanoids they created came to be known as the Earthen. The Titans' methods for creating the Earthen were imperfect and the first batch succumbed to underground pressures and the curse of flesh, ultimately becoming modern Azeroth's Troggs.

The second batch, Earthen Series Two, was more successful for the Titans, but still ultimately a failure. These new Earthen were not disfigured and agitated by the pressures which surrounded them, but they still ultimately fell victim to the Old Gods' Curse of Flesh. Thus, the Dwarves were born.

As the Series Two Earthen awoke in various Titan vaults across Azeroth, reborn as Dwarves, they separated into various clans and factions. Those from the vault at Uldaman, the Bronzebeard Clan, the Wildhammer Clan, and the Dark Iron Clan, made their way to Dun Morogh and created Ironforge. Following a brief civil war between the clans, the Wildhammer Clan settled in the Hinterlands and pursued a deeper relationship with nature, the Dark Iron Clan found themselves enslaved by the Fire Lord Ragnaros, and the Bronzebeard Clan was left to Ironforge. It is from the Bronzebeard Clan that player controlled Dwarves are drawn.

Though the Dwarves are largely content to stay underground and seal themselves away from Azeroth's troubles, when the Orcish invasion was launched the Dwarves of Ironforge were quick to come to the aid of the Humans and their newly formed Alliance. Ultimately, they brought the Gnomes into the fold as well.

The Dwarves have always been exceptionally curious about their history and, as a result, Blizzard has had many opportunities to explore the story of their creation. Odds are those explorations will continue in World of Warcraft: Cataclysm when another Titan Vault, Uldum, is opened. Additionally, Ragnaros, master of the Dark Iron Clan, will be reappearing following Deathwing's sundering of Azeroth. Lastly, Shamanism will be coming to the Dwarven race, likely through the members of the nature attuned Wildhammer Clan which may give players the opportunity to play as Dwarves outside Ironforge's Bronzebeard Clan. Of all the races of Azeroth, perhaps none is more hardy than the Dwarves and their resilience is sure to be put to the test as Azeroth's destiny unfolds.


Warcraft Race Origins: Gnomes
Warcraft Race Origins: Trolls
Warcraft Race Origins: Night Elves
Warcraft Race Origins: Tauren
Warcraft Race Origins: Humans
Warcraft Race Origins: Orcs
Warcraft Race Origins: Forsaken
Warcraft Race Origins: Draenei
Warcraft Race Origins: Blood Elves
Warcraft Race Origins: Worgen
Warcraft Race Origins: Goblins

Warcraft Race Origins: Orcs

The next stop on our travels through the story behind World of Warcraft's playable races is Draenor, the ancient home world of the Orcs.

The Orcs of the Horde trace their lineage to the plains of Nagrand in the world of Draenor, now known as Outland. Throughout their early existence, the Orcs were a shamanistic, tribal race. Though they were fierce warriors, they were generally peaceful unless roused to battle.

Sadly, the fate of the Orcs took a turn for the worse when the demonic Burning Legion arrived in Draenor. Led astray by Orcish shaman Ner'zhul, the Orcs fell under the influence of the Legion's Fel Magic in the form of the Blood Curse. The Blood Curse, brought on by drinking the blood of a powerful, demonic Pit Lord caused the Orcs to become aggressive and warlike. Furious with blood lust, the Orcs began to rampage across Draenor, cutting down many races including the benevolent Draenei.

Once there were no more enemies on Draenor to be cut down, the Orcs turned to infighting and nearly destroyed themselves. In an effort to create peace between the different Orc war bands, Orcish spiritual leader Gul'dan, with the assistance of the Shadow Council, began searching for worlds beyond Draenor which the Orcs could band together to conquer. Eventually, Gul'dan's search was rewarded when, through the help of the human sorcerer Medivh, the Orcs managed to find a rift (the Dark Portal) through which they could enter the world of Azeroth.

Their blood lust renewed by the discovery of a new world to pillage, the Orcs flooded through the Dark Portal and began laying siege to human settlements across Azeroth. Many battles were fought with victories laid at the feet of both sides. Slowly, but surely, however, the Orcs began to push back the humans even despite the assistance of their new Dwarven, Gnomish, and Night Elf allies. The Orcs were on the verge of crushing the Alliance when Gul'dan diverted a large band of Orcish forces to pursue the demonic power he believed to be locked away in the Tomb of Sargeras. Between the loss of Gul'dan's Orcs and the forces diverted by other leaders to pursue them, the Orcs opened themselves to an Alliance counterattack and were routed.

Following their defeat, the Orcs were captured by the humans and placed into internment camps. An Orc named Thrall managed to escape internment and rallied with hidden bands of Orcs who had evaded capture. Thrall learned of the Orcs noble, shamanistic past and, as he led raids on various internment camps, expressed his interest in completely cleansing the Orcs of all demonic influence.

Thrall's "New Horde" quickly grew in power, eventually bringing the Darkspear Trolls and the Tauren into the fold. After the construction of Ogrimmar, named after the Orc who showed Thrall the ways of shamanism Ogrim Doomhammer, the Orcs could finally claim to be a civilized force in Azeroth.

As the Orcs of the Horde move forward, they face countless challenges. Principal amongst these hurdles is the task of overcoming the prejudices which linger on the heals of the Orcs demonically influenced past. Additionally, internal enemies such as the Shadow Council have resurfaced to threaten the Orcs' newly found stability. No one knows what fate awaits the Orcs as the events of the Cataclysm unfold. It will be interesting to see if Thrall's "New Horde" is fit to face the challenges that certainly lie ahead.

Warcraft Race Origins: Gnomes
Warcraft Race Origins: Trolls
Warcraft Race Origins: Night Elves
Warcraft Race Origins: Tauren
Warcraft Race Origins: Humans
Warcraft Race Origins: Dwarves
Warcraft Race Origins: Forsaken
Warcraft Race Origins: Draenei
Warcraft Race Origins: Blood Elves
Warcraft Race Origins: Worgen
Warcraft Race Origins: Goblins

Warcraft Race Origins: Humans

For the next installment of our journey through the lore origins of World of Warcraft's playable races, it is time to look at Azeroth's human population.

The human race is believed to have evolved (or devolved) from the Vrykul. These large humanoids were directly created by the Titans and once existed all across Azeroth. For an unknown reason, however, the Vrykul population plummeted and now they are found exclusively on the continent of Northrend. It has been speculated that the Vrykul's disappearance and the first appearance of humans sprung from the same event as Vrykul history tells of a time when Vrykul women, presumably corrupted by the Old Gods' Curse of Flesh, began birthing "weak" children. It is assumed that these weak Vrykul offspring were the first humans.

As the outcast children of the Vrykul, early humans had a rough time. A young and disorganized race by comparison, ancient humans were ruthlessly hunted by Trolls and even enslaved by early Night Elves. Nomadic and divided, humans barely survived during most of their time in Azeroth's history. It was not until they learned magic from the High Elves, who would later become the Blood Elves, and bent it towards turning the tide against the Trolls that humanity finally started to get its act together.

The various human tribes began to organize, ultimately forming a central kingdom of Arathor which was later divided into seven seperate kingdoms. Unfortunately, the agents of the Burning Crusade and the Scourge set about dismantling those kingdoms and in modern Azeroth, only a select few survive. The kingdom of Stormwind has grown to be the most prominent, largely because of its role in forming and maintaining the Alliance. Other surviving human kingdom's include the now floating Mage kingdom of Dalaran, the island nation of Kul Tiras, Jaina Proudmore's Theramore, and the soon to be revealed Gilneas.

As the leaders of the Alliance, the human race is nearly always on the front lines ready to face any threat to Azeroth. That is unlikely to change. As the events of World of Warcraft: Cataclysm unfold, it is practically certain that humanity's destiny will continue to develop. Also, a missing bit of human history will finally be revealed as the Greymane Wall is opened and the human kingdom of Gilneas is revealed for the first time in more than a decade. Interesting changes are on the horizon for the humans of Azeroth, but if their history of resilience is any indication, they should be well equipped to weather the challenges ahead.


Warcraft Race Origins: Gnomes
Warcraft Race Origins: Trolls
Warcraft Race Origins: Night Elves
Warcraft Race Origins: Tauren
Warcraft Race Origins: Orcs
Warcraft Race Origins: Dwarves
Warcraft Race Origins: Forsaken
Warcraft Race Origins: Draenei
Warcraft Race Origins: Blood Elves
Warcraft Race Origins: Worgen
Warcraft Race Origins: Goblins

Warcraft Race Origins: Tauren

In part four of our journey through the story behind Warcraft's playable races, we will be taking a look at the nomadic Tauren of the Horde.

The Tauren are believed to be an exceptionally old race, but much of their history is uncertain as it must be unearthed Tauren's own myths and stories. Being nomadic and tribal, no written account of their early existance was ever recorded. Despite this ambiguity, general wisdom places the creation of the Tauren somewhere between that of the Trolls and Night Elves.

The Tauren believe they were created by the Earth Mother, an omniscient goddess who they hold out as the creator and protector of all life. Many other races speculate that the concept of the "Earth Mother" is simply the Tauren's understanding of powerful known beings in Azeroth's lore such as the elemental Therazane or the Titans. Whether or not there is an "Earth Mother" and what her identity might be still remain a mystery.

Throughout much of their early history, the Tauren were nomadic and divided into countless wandering tribes. Unfortunately, their dispersed populations and lack of a homeland made them easy targets for the aggressive Centaur which shared their lands. Thankfully, salvation came for the Tauren in form of Thrall and the Orcs. Both being shamanistic and honor driven, the Orcs and the Tauren became fast friends and allies. Through the Horde's help, the Tauren were finally able to drive back the centaur and claim a homeland amongst the fields of Mulgore. With their new home came new leadership over nearly all the disparate tribes in the form of Chieftain Cairne Bloodhoof.

Today, the Tauren continue to work with the Horde both because of their kinship to the Orcs and out of respect for the group's efforts in securing Mulgore for their race. The Tauren are as peaceful and introspective as they have always been, but as the world is assaulted by chaotic forces, they continually find it impossible to stay above the fray. With the release of World of Warcraft: Cataclysm, some Tauren will be turning to the Holy Light rather than their traditional nature based worship allowing for the creation of Tauren Paladins and Priests. It will also be interesting to see how the shamanistic Tauren respond to the sundering of their ancestral homeland by Deathwing. It is almost certain that the Tauren will play a significant role in shaping the future of the Horde, if not the future of Azeroth itself.


Warcraft Race Origins: Gnomes
Warcraft Race Origins: Trolls
Warcraft Race Origins: Night Elves
Warcraft Race Origins: Humans
Warcraft Race Origins: Orcs
Warcraft Race Origins: Dwarves
Warcraft Race Origins: Forsaken
Warcraft Race Origins: Draenei
Warcraft Race Origins: Blood Elves
Warcraft Race Origins: Worgen
Warcraft Race Origins: Goblins

Warcraft Race Origins: Night Elves

In part three of our exploration of the lore behind the origins of World of Warcraft's playable races we will be looking at one of Azeroth's more reclusive and mysterious races: the Night Elves.

The Night Elves, or Kaldorei as they call themselves, are one of Azeroth's older native sentient races, perhaps younger only than the Trolls. It is theorized that the Night Elves came to be when a group of Trolls were magically infused and evolved by the Well of Eternity, a beacon of magical energy created by the Titans. Obviously the Night Elves themselves would readily deny this tale of their lineage, but the theory is reasonable.

In their early years, the Night Elves drank deeply from the Well of Eternity. Through the reservoir they gained great wisdom, magical aptitude, and ultimately immortality. Unfortunately for the Kaldorei, the Well also attracted the attention of Sargeras, Destroyer of Worlds who is an evil Titan with an eye toward destroying all life. Sargeras tricked the magic addicted Kaldorei nobility into building a portal through which began to flood Sargeras' army, the dreaded Burning Legion.

Thankfully the Druidic sect of the Kaldorei was able to uncover the plot before things were to late. Sadly, however, Sargeras' plans were sufficiently far along that turning him back cost the Kaldorei their immortality, destroyed the Well of Eternity, and left Azeroth torn in two. After the Sundering, the Keldorei nobility left to pursue new sources of magic, ultimately becoming the Blood Elves, while as the Druidic sect of the race elected to remain behind, casting aside arcane magic and returning to their natural roots. Thus, the modern Night Elves were born.

Though the exact details of the Night Elves entry into the Alliance remain untold, it is believed to be motivated by three principal things. First, the Night Elves have a powerful hatred for the Orcs stemming from the slaying of the Night Elves' patron god Cenarius by the Orc Grom Hellscream. Even though the Grom and the Orcs were under demonic influence at the time, the hatred still remains. Second, the Horde has infuriated the Night Elves by beginning logging operations in Ashenvale forest. Lastly, the Night Elves are in need of assistance in combating the Burning Legion and the growing Scourge threat and the Alliance made better bed fellows than the Horde.

Odds are, there are interesting things on the horizon for World of Warcraft's Night Elves. In World of Warcraft: Cataclysm, the realm of the Naga, a corrupted offshoot of the Keldorei, will be opened at the heart of the Maelstrom. Additionally, Deathwing, a corrupted Dragon once worshiped by the Night Elves, returns to Azeroth. Lastly, the Night Elves will be returning to the arcane arts after thousands of years of that line of magic being taboo. Here is hoping that the Night Elves have the tools they need to weather the coming storm.

Warcraft Race Origins: Gnomes
Warcraft Race Origins: Trolls
Warcraft Race Origins: Tauren
Warcraft Race Origins: Humans
Warcraft Race Origins: Orcs
Warcraft Race Origins: Dwarves
Warcraft Race Origins: Forsaken
Warcraft Race Origins: Draenei
Warcraft Race Origins: Blood Elves
Warcraft Race Origins: Worgen
Warcraft Race Origins: Goblins

Warcraft Race Origins: Trolls

Today we continuing our exploration of the lore behind World of Warcraft's playable races by taking a look at one of Azeroth's oldest native races: Trolls.

Trolls as a race have presumably been in existence nearly as long as Azeroth itself. Many speculate that the Trolls wandered the chaos of Azeroth's primordial state long before the Titan's arrived to impose order on the world being ravaged by the Old Gods. Regardless, it is widely accepted that Trolls are perhaps Azeroth's oldest sentient, mortal race and they are almost certainly the first race to discover magic.

All Trolls ultimately originate from a single progenitor tribe, the Zandalar. Eventually two separate powerful Troll empires were formed. Over time, due to conflicts with the Night Elves, the High Elves, and the meddling of Blood God Hakkar the Soulflayer, the Trolls were scattered around Azeroth, separated into numerous tribes and sub-races.

Player character Trolls are from the Darkspear Tribe. The Darkspear originally called Stranglethorn Veil their home, but due to conflicts with other tribes in that region they were forced to relocate to the Broken Isles south of Durotar. Unfortunately, trouble followed the Darkspears and they soon found themselves at war with a powerful Naga sorceress, The Sea Witch, and her band of Murloc followers.

By a strange twist of fate, Thrall and his recently freed band of Orcs also found themselves on the Broken Isles. Thrall and the Darkspear leader Sen'jin were ultimately captured by the Sea Witch along with several other Orcs and Trolls. Sen'jin perished at the hands of the Sea Witch, but not before prophesying that Thrall would lead the Darkspear tribe off of the Broken Isles. Thrall freed himself, the other Orcs, and the remaining Trolls forever entwining the destiny of the Darkspear Tribe with that of the Horde.

As for the future of the Trolls, in Cataclysm, Druidic magic will apparently come to the Darkspear. Also, as Azeroth's attention begins to focus on coastal regions, it is almost certain that Trolls will have a significant role to play in developing the world's destiny. Here is hoping that Blizzard will use this opportunity to further develop the Troll's rich back story.

Warcraft Race Origins: Gnomes
Warcraft Race Origins: Night Elves
Warcraft Race Origins: Tauren
Warcraft Race Origins: Humans
Warcraft Race Origins: Orcs
Warcraft Race Origins: Dwarves
Warcraft Race Origins: Forsaken
Warcraft Race Origins: Draenei
Warcraft Race Origins: Blood Elves
Warcraft Race Origins: Worgen
Warcraft Race Origins: Goblins

Warcraft Race Origins: Gnomes

Today I am kicking off a multi-week series of lore related posts which will chronicle the origins of the various player races which populate Azeroth. For each race I will briefly work through the information available regarding where they came from and how they ultimately came to be what we know and love in modern Azeroth. What better way to kick things off than with one of World of Warcraft's more bizarre populations: the Gnomes.

There is still a great deal of mystery surrounding the Gnomes distant past, but as for their more recent history, it was the Dwarves who uncovered the first underground Gnomish village. Impressed by the Gnomes' ingenuity and technological progress, the Dwarves were quick to make friends with the tiny humanoids. The bond between the races grew quickly and was soon so strong that the Dwarves authorized the construction of Gnomeregan, a brilliant capital city for the Gnomes, within their mountains.

Unfortunately for the Gnomes, Gnomeregan fell following an invasion by the primitive humanoids known as Troggs which may have been an inside job perpetrated by one of the Gnomes own, Sicco Thermaplug. To make matters worse, a venting of radiation in Gnomeregan in an attempt to destroy the Troggs failed to do the deed and instead left the city an irradiated husk. In the wake of the catastrophe, the Gnomes have leaned heavily on the Dwarves and the rest of the members of the Alliance for their continued survival.

Prior to their meeting with the Dwarves, even the Gnomes themselves have little knowledge of their history. Recent events in Northrend have indicated that perhaps the Gnomes, like the Dwarves, were originally created by the Titans. The theory goes that the Titans created the Mechagnomes who, due to the curse of flesh, transformed into the fleshy Gnomes of modern Azeroth. The mechanical gnomes wandering the Storm Peaks would then be a living (sort of) example of the Gnomes at their creation. That, however, remains nothing more than theory, but Gearmaster Mechazod in the Borean Tundra, a Mechagnome who claims to be one of the first "Gnomes" created, seems to serve as evidence of its truth.

A great deal of the tale of the Gnomes origin remains to be told and hopefully Blizzard will continue to develop it as Azeroth evolves.

Warcraft Race Origins: Trolls
Warcraft Race Origins: Night Elves
Warcraft Race Origins: Tauren
Warcraft Race Origins: Humans
Warcraft Race Origins: Orcs
Warcraft Race Origins: Dwarves
Warcraft Race Origins: Forsaken
Warcraft Race Origins: Draenei
Warcraft Race Origins: Blood Elves
Warcraft Race Origins: Worgen
Warcraft Race Origins: Goblins