WoW Lore: Burning Crusade and the Curse of the Dark Portal

What is the story behind the Sword World? And what allies and villains are waiting there for us? We have briefly summarized the history of Burning Crusade for you.

The World of Sword is a place shrouded in myth and legend, reminiscent of the time when this primordial world was not yet haunted by demons, devilish beasts and hell orcs. And although little remains of the former idyll, several parties claim this wasteland for their own.

While the Burning Legion rages on Peninsula, the legendary demon hunter Illidan Stormrage prepares for an uphill battle against the eredar lord Kil’jaeden in Shadowmoon Valley. But where there are demons, the forces of light are not far behind. In Shattrath, the former capital of the draenei, the mysterious naaru crystal beings pitch their tents. United under the banner of A’dal, the survivors of the Great Cataclysm face off against the Legion and the remaining villains. But the fate of Outland hangs in the balance. Without help from Azeroth, the Naaru and their few allies are doomed.

Prehistory: The Second War
The First War ended with the destruction of Stormwind, but the Alliance had no time to mourn. After only a short time, the Second War broke out. To prevent another invasion by the demonic hordes, the Alliance built the Nethergarde Fortress near the Dark Portal. Although Medivh’s former apprentice Khadgar destroyed the portal between Azeroth and Draenor, the orcs once again managed to open a small rift into their ravaged homeworld.

The Great Sacrifice of the Alliance

The Horde’s victory over the humans in the Eastern Kingdoms was short-lived. Abandoned by their demonic masters and plagued by the Blood Curse, Ner’zhul’s minions scoured the earth for artifacts to open more portals to other worlds through which the orcs could flee the Legion. When Khadgar learned of Ner’zhul’s plans, the archmage summoned the Alliance’s bravest heroes and marched a mighty army through the Dark Portal.

Once in Draenor, Khadgar closed the rift in the Dimensional Gate to protect Azeroth from the impending catastrophe. The Alliance then honored the great sacrifice of Khadgar’s expedition with an imposing monument to the hero, which still stands in front of the Great Gate of Stormwind. However, the dark gate did not remain closed for long. After the end of the Third War, Doomlord Kazzak and some Legion demons settled near the Dark Portal. At the end of Classic WoW, Kazzak reopened the portal and invited the Burning Legion to Azeroth.

Interlude in Azeroth: The Mysteries of Karazhan

The Tower of Karazhan is a massive structure built long ago by the Order of Tirisfal in the Redthroated Mountains. Built right at the crossroads of magical ley lines, Karazhan served as the headquarters and research center for the Order’s mages for several centuries. From the top of the tower, they watched over all of Azeroth and even looked out over countless alien worlds beyond the bounds of reality.

The Fallen Guardian

Medivh was the last Guardian of the Tirisfal glades. What no one knew at the time was that his spirit was possessed by Sargeras, the Demon Lord and leader of the Burning Legion. With each passing year, Medivh retreated more and more to Karazhan to pursue his forbidden experiments in the hidden rooms beneath the tower. His greatest crime was the construction of the Dark Portal, which he opened in the Black Morass to Gul’dan and his demonic hordes. Medivh’s apprentice Khadgar noticed his teacher’s madness and finally, with the help of his friends, slew the guardian. But that was not the end of Medivh! A part of him survived, and his spirit has haunted Karazhan ever since. After the Dark Portal opened again, the Burning Legion became aware of the Mage Tower, and Prince Malchezaar is now trying to destroy it.

The Tragedy of Draenor

When our heroes first step through the Dark Portal, we find a shattered world on the other side. But that was not always so. Outland was once called Draenor. This was the homeworld of the orcs, who roamed the lush wilderness as warriors, hunters, and shamans. For the mysterious draenei, this raw, savage world has long served as a refuge from the wrath of the Burning Legion. Except for a few small conflicts, both peoples lived peacefully side by side. That changed when Draenor became aware of the eredar lord Kil’jaeden and the demons of the Legion.

Kil’jaeden had a score to settle with Velen, the leader of the draenei. Disguised as Ner’zhul’s late wife, Rulkan, the eredar lord peppered the orc shaman Ner’zhul’s mind with all sorts of lies about the draenei. Concerned for his people, Ner’zhul rallied the orc clans and warned them about the draenei. Most orcs took heed of this warning and went to war against the draenei. By the time Ner’zhul saw through Kil’jaeden’s lie, it was already too late. The eredar lord enslaved many of the orcs who would willingly drink Mannoroth’s demonic blood and set them after Velen and his draenei.

World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade

Burning Crusade has the maximum level in WoW at 70 and brings 2 new playable races (Draenei& Blood Elves). In addition, there is a new continent: The Sheol

The Burning Crusade is the first expansion for the successful MMORPG World of Warcraft (WoW) from the developer studio Blizzard. The add-on introduces a new continent called Outland. There are also new races. The Blood Elves for the Horde and the Draenei for the Alliance. The classes Paladin and Shaman are now also playable for both factions. Furthermore, the expansion brings an increase in the level limit from 60 to 70 as well as flying mounts.

World of Warcraft (WoW)

The online role-playing game World of Warcraft (WoW) was released in Europe in 2005 and is an MMO with a subscription payment model. In WoW, players can complete tasks with their characters to improve their hero and meet like-minded players. There are thirteen different races to choose from when selecting a character – six of which belong to only one faction each – as well as eleven classes. In World of Warcraft, players have the opportunity to join the Horde or the Alliance, complete missions and quests with their character in the rich world, and adventure with other heroes in instanced areas for five, ten, and even 25 players. In addition, characters can take up professions, collect pets and mounts, compete against opposing players in battlegrounds and arenas, or simply unwind in the main cities and chat with their guildmates. Guides, news, videos, screenshots, reports and more about World of Warcraft and The Burning Crusade are collected on our topic pages.

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