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Timeline

For other timelines, see Timeline (disambiguation).

This article compiles all the official timelines and sources published by Blizzard into a non-exhaustive timeline of recorded important events in the Warcraft universe. This should not be considered as an official timeline but should be as accurate as, and more complete than, any timeline that Blizzard has provided.

Numbering in this timeline is based on the opening of the Dark Portal, as this is the method used by the official sources. All dates are considered to be spans of time from one to the next since many events are only given vague ordering and estimated dates. Warcraft products are displayed in italics.

Mythos

Primordial history

Unknown date
-150,000[3]
-25,000 (approx.)
-20,000
-16,000
-15,000
  • The Curse of Flesh affects the Dragonflayer vrykul, causing their offspring (whose descendants would later become known as humans) to be born stunted and weak.[10]
  • The Curse of Flesh affects the mogu, who break apart into warrior clans and begin fighting amongst themselves in the Age of a Hundred Kings. Meanwhile, several new races — the hozen, jinyu and pandaren — settle in the Vale of Eternal Blossoms. The mogu Lei Shen seizes power from Ra and founds the mogu empire, enslaving the other races in the region.[11]
  • A tribe of dark trolls gradually migrate towards the heart of ancient Kalimdor and settle along the shores of the Well of Eternity. Over generations, the arcane energies emanating from the Well transform them into a new race of highly intelligent beings, who call themselves "kaldorei" ("Children of the Stars") or night elves.[12]
  • The kaldorei begin to actively study and practice arcane magic. They bend magic to their will and use it to build beautiful cities, craft artifacts and reshape the land. Some kaldorei resist the lure to use the Well of Eternity's power and warn others of the dangers of abusing it. Their warnings go unheeded.
  • A group of upper-class kaldorei begin to refer to themselves as the Highborne and revel in the use of magic.
-13,000
-12,200
  • Lei Shen attempts to invade Uldum and seize the Forge of Origination for his empire, but is killed when Uldum's tol'vir guardians activate the Forge's destructive power. In the process, Uldum's lush jungles are scorched into a harsh desert. Lei Shen is followed by a succession of various mogu emperors.[14]
-12,000
-11,900
-10,000
  • The War of the Ancients.[19]
    • War of the Ancients Trilogy (past)
    • Sargeras senses the Highborne's use of the Well of Eternity and decides to invade Azeroth. Corrupting Queen Azshara and her followers, a portal is opened through which the Burning Legion enters the world and lays waste to the night-elven civilization.
    • Emperor Shaohao, the last emperor of the Pandaren Empire, is told of the impending invasion by a jinyu waterspeaker. After purging himself of his emotional burdens, he becomes one with the land and isolates Pandaria behind a veil of thick mists, which protects it from the war and ensuing disasters but also keeps it hidden from the rest of the world for millennia.
  • The Sundering of the World
    • Several night elves led by Malfurion Stormrage are able to destroy the Well of Eternity, preventing Sargeras from entering the world, and stopping the Legion's invasion. However, this also creates a massive cataclysm known as the Sundering, where eighty percent of Kalimdor's landmass is plunged between the waves, leaving only a handful of isolated continents.
    • The Dragon Isles are sealed away from the world.

A New World

-10,000
-9,400
-9,300
-7,300
-6,800
-6,000
-4,500
-4,000 (approx.)
-3,000
-2,800
-2,700
-2,680
-2,610
  • The Council of Tirisfal finds a way to empower a champion permanently with their powers, in order to fight threats that the Council can't handle by themselves. Thus the office of the Guardian of Tirisfal is created, with Alodi becoming the first Guardian. Each new Guardian takes the mantle for a hundred years, before passing their powers to an apprentice.[38]
-2,500
-2,000
  • On Draenor, Gnarlgar rallies the Primals against the Apexis and creates a new Sporemound known as Taala. The Apexis annihilate the Primal army with the Breath of Rukhmar, permanently destroying the Evergrowth and preventing it from ever returning again, leading to a golden age of mortal civilization on Draenor.[43]
-1,500
-1,200
  • The Seven Kingdoms[45]
  • After living hidden in Eldre'Thalas since the Sundering, Tortheldrin and his followers killed most of their Shen'dralar elven kin in order to hoard the demon Immol'thar's power for themselves. Most of the city is abandoned, and other creatures start moving in. While many Shen'dralar escaped into remote regions of Kalimdor or went into hiding, those still within the dying city continued to feed and grew ever dependent on their fel addiction.[46]
  • The Apexis civilization is destroyed in a civil war. The Breath of Rukhmar explodes, shattering Arak's single spire into numerous smaller ones.[47]
-1,100
  • The tauren inadvertently awaken the slumbering Princess Theradras, who drains the fertile lands of Mashan'she of energy, turning the region into a barren plain later called Desolace. Zaetar arrives to investigate but falls in love with Theradras, and from their union the centaur are born. After killing their father, the centaur proliferate across Desolace and begin hunting down the tauren, igniting a long and bloody war between the two races. Maraudon, the site of Zaetar's tomb, becomes treated as holy ground by the centaur.[48]
-1,000
-975
-823
-800
  • Liu Lang defies Pandaria's belief that the rest of the world had been destroyed in the Sundering, and travels through the mists on the turtle Shen-zin Su. He returns every five years to bring more people along with him. Shen-zin Su grows large enough to become the Wandering Isle, with pandaren creating permanent settlements on his back.[55]
  • The orcs emerge from the subterranean caverns of Gorgrond and begin to spread across Draenor, forming various clans.[56]
-700 (approx.)
-600
  • Aegwynn decides to stay as the Guardian of Tirisfal indefinitely, partly due to her concerns about the Council of Tirisfal meddling with the politics of different nations, and partly due to Sargeras' influence. She builds Karazhan as her secret abode, but after the Tirisgarde find her, she moves to the Guardian Sanctum in sunken Suramar.[58]
  • Pridelord Karash of the Bloodmane saberon declares war upon the high arakkoa but is defeated by the Talon King Terokk. Terokk establishes the city of Skyreach but is later betrayed by the Anhari priesthood, who wish to retain sole control over arakkoan society. Terokk and his daughter Lithic are thrown into the Sethekk Hollow to become Outcasts. Lithic dies in the fall, but Terokk and his followers are guided by Anzu to create the talonpriests and establish the city of Skettis. Terokk eventually becomes insane and is sealed in a realm of shadow by his followers.[59]
-500 (approx.)
-403
  • Imperator Molok of the Gorian Empire sends an ogre army to claim the Throne of the Elements and the power of the elements by force. The dissonance between the ogres' reckless arcane magic and the lingering power of Grond's remains creates an explosion that blows apart the orcish temple, leaving behind only a few standing stones and throwing the elements into disarray across Draenor.[63]
-402
  • At the Kosh'harg festival, the orcish clans band together to combat the ogres at the urging of Nelgarm.[64]
-400
  • The orcs lay siege to the ogre capital Goria. Molok and his sorcerers create the red pox, which begins to spread among the orcs, but Nelgarm and his fellow shaman convince the elements to completely destroy Goria.[65]
  • The last gnome king,[66] King Mechagon, leads his followers in search of a mystical land of technology.[67]
-300 (approx.)
-231 (approx.)
-230
-200
-195
-180
  • The Temple of Karabor is founded. The Shadowmoon orcs begin to worship the darkened naaru K'ara as a deity, calling it the "Dark Star", but quickly outlaw the practice after discovering that wielding the Dark Star's power causes insanity.[77]
  • The naaru K'ure begins attracting the souls of deceased orcs to the wreckage of the Genedar. Orcish shaman begin making pilgrimages to the site to commune with their ancestors, naming the crystal mountain "Oshu'gun".
  • A group of orcish exiles dwelling below Nagrand begin tapping into the Void energies bleeding from K'ure. This allows them to use shadow magic but also turns their skin a sickly white, causing the exiles to begin calling themselves "the Pale".[78]
-100
  • The goblins of Kezan, granted heightened intelligence by the kaja'mite ore, break free of their slavery under the Zandalari and establish various cartels.[79]
  • Imperator Hok'lon leads the Gorian Empire in an attempt to retake the ruins of Goria from the draenei. The attack is easily repelled by the draenei and Hok'lon is killed. The ogres flee after Velen appears on Shattrath's ramparts, wreathed in light, and tells them that they will be allowed to leave unharmed.[80]
-99
  • The orc clans debate over how to respond to the draenei. The Bladewind clan begin raiding draenei caravans, but the attacks gradually cease when the draenei send Vindicators to guard the caravans.[81]
-91
-75

Doom of Draenor

For events taking place in the alternate Draenor timeline in Warlords of Draenor during this period, see the Warlords of Draenor section.
-45
-31
  • On the eve of his fourteenth birthday, Medivh's dormant powers awake and lash out, killing his father Nielas. Medivh lies dormant for many years after this, tended to by clerics at Northshire Abbey.[85]
-26
-21
  • Medivh awakens from his coma. The Gurubashi trolls begin launching raids on human settlements in retaliation for the humans pushing farther and farther south into Gurubashi territory. King Barathen dispatches soldiers to intercept raiding parties but forbids them from striking into Gurubashi lands.[89]
-19
  • After a gruesome attack on three Westfall towns by the Gurubashi, Medivh and his two friends Anduin Lothar and Prince Llane Wrynn sneak into Stranglethorn to assassinate the Gurubashi leader, Jok'non. They succeed, but only after Medivh unleashes his full might as a Guardian.[89]
-18
  • The Gurubashi War.[89]
    • The Gurubashi rally under Jok'non's son, Zan'non, and march to war against Stormwind, launching an attack on Stormwind City itself. Barathen dies during the battle and Llane is forced to convince Medivh to unleash his full Guardian powers to repel the attack. Llane, Medivh and Anduin are hailed as heroes by the kingdom.[89]
  • Medivh is confronted by his mother Aegwynn at Karazhan. She urges him to isolate himself from the world and leaves him with a caretaker, Moroes. The Council of Tirisfal discover Medivh and begin sending apprentices to study under him, but none last for longer than a day. Moroes notices Medivh's ever-darkening mood and convinces him to begin launching banquets and feasts to lift his spirits.[89]
-13
  • Two young orcs, Orgrim Doomhammer and Durotan, are saved from an ogre by a group of draenei. The draenei invite them to the nearby settlement of Telmor, where Velen requests an audience with them before the two orcs are escorted back to the borders of Gorgrond.[90]
-12
  • Talgath discovers the draenei civilization on Draenor. Kil'jaeden commands him to observe the inhabitants of the world for the time being.[91]
-11
-10
  • The orc Gul'dan is exiled from his clan and seeks out the Throne of the Elements, where the elements reject him. Kil'jaeden reaches out to him and grants him the power of fel magic in exchange for agreeing to help the Burning Legion manipulate the orcs against the draenei. Gul'dan accepts, becoming the first orcish warlock.[92]
  • Gul'dan inundates the Throne of the Elements with fel magic, throwing the elements into disarray across the world, and also uses his magic to create the worst outbreak of the red pox in orcish history. Many orcs contract the plague at the Kosh'harg festival. Under the leadership of the Frostwolf chieftain Garad, the plague bearers establish a village in Nagrand to quarantine the afflicted. The village is named Garadar in Garad's honor after he succumbs to the pox.[92]
  • Medivh continues to study demonic lore and Azerothian history and becomes convinced that the world is inherently flawed, too divided by petty rivalries to ever unite into a single force in case of a demonic invasion. He concludes that he needs an army to change things and begins venturing out into the cosmos, eventually discovering Draenor and the orcs.[89]
-8
  • Gul'dan returns to his home village and burns it and everyone within it to ash to prevent anyone from learning about his past. He then ventures to the Shadowmoon clan and convinces them to let him join them, claiming that his home village was destroyed by ogres. Gul'dan wins the friendship of the Shadowmoon chieftain, the shaman Ner'zhul, allowing Kil'jaeden to begin manipulating Ner'zhul's thoughts.[93]
  • Gul'dan manipulates the Bladewind clan into launching raids on draenei caravans, killing and kidnapping dozens of draenei. Vindicator Maraad and the draenei retaliate and storm the Bladewind village, but when Maraad sees the corpse of his sister Leran he goes into a rampage across the village. Gul'dan kills the few surviving Bladewinds as they attempt to flee. He then returns to the Shadowmoon and tells of how the draenei launched an unprovoked massacre against the Bladewinds. Meanwhile, Kil'jaeden appears to Ner'zhul in his dreams, disguised as the spirit of his deceased mate Rulkan, and tells him that the draenei are planning to destroy the orcs. Ner'zhul calls for a clan meeting at Oshu'gun, where the orc chieftains agree to band together to defeat the draenei, marking the creation of the Horde.[93]
-7
  • The orcs begin launching sporadic attacks against draenei hunting parties. The draenei, assuming that the orcs have simply been agitated by the elemental turmoil, begin organizing and constructing new defenses.[93]
  • Ner'zhul's apprehension about the war with the draenei grows. Kil'jaeden appears to him in the form of Rulkan and tells him of powerful beings who could aid the orcs, and the night after Kil'jaeden appears again as a radiant elemental entity and urges him to push the Horde to victory and exterminate the draenei. Ner'zhul secretly embarks on a journey to Oshu'gun to seek the guidance of the ancestors, but Kil'jaeden is aware of his plans and tells Gul'dan to gather allies to control the Shadowmoon, since Ner'zhul can no longer be relied upon. Gul'dan recruits Teron'gor and several other shaman and begin teaching them fel magic.[93]
  • At Oshu'gun, the real Rulkan and the other ancestors tell Ner'zhul that he was being manipulated by Kil'jaeden and condemn the shaman for having been used by the demon lord. Ner'zhul falls into despair and is captured by Gul'dan's followers, who treat him as little more than a slave.[93]
-6
  • Displeased by the disarray and infighting in the Horde, Kil'jaeden commands Gul'dan to find a single, true leader for the orcs — a warchief. Gul'dan convinces Blackhand to take up the position after training some of the Blackrock clan's shaman how to wield fel magic and magically age young orcs, including Blackhand's young sons, Dal'rend and Maim.
  • Gul'dan forms the Shadow Council to watch over the orcs and includes Blackhand in the organization, but Gul'dan's trusted Shadowmoon warlocks secretly form the inner circle of the organization. The warlock recruits new members for the council, including Cho'gall and Garona, and creates a group called the necrolytes.[94]
  • Zagrel, Chieftain of the Whiteclaw clan, is assassinated by Garona on behalf of Gul'dan for speaking out against the Horde.[94]
-5
  • At a clan meeting at Oshu'gun, Gul'dan persuades many shaman into becoming warlocks and convinces the clan chieftains to unanimously vote for Blackhand as their warchief.[94]
  • Blackhand orders the construction of the Citadel, later known as Hellfire Citadel, and organizes the various clans into specific roles within the Horde. He also forms a new clan known as the Black Tooth Grin and names Eitrigg, Orgrim Doomhammer and Varok Saurfang as his lieutenants in the Blackrock clan.[94]
  • Blackhand sends warlocks to magically age the adolescents of other clans. The orcs' skin begins to turn a sickly green.[94]
  • Cho'gall recruits the pale orcs into the Horde and forms the Twilight's Hammer clan.[94]
-4
  • The draenei's morale begins to founder as the orcs launch coordinated assaults on minor settlements and outposts across the dying world. Velen and the exarchs, knowing that their only chance of survival is to hold off the onslaught and hope that the Burning Legion does not launch a full-scale invasion, order their forces to withdraw to Shattrath and Karabor. The elemental spirits pool their power into the mighty Firelord, Cyrukh, to stop the desecration of the land.[94]
  • The orcs gather for an assault on Karabor. Cyrukh appears in a nearby volcano to confront them, but Gul'dan and his warlocks gather on the volcano's slopes to shatter the being's physical form and infuse its power into the orcs, shattering the last connection between the orcs and the elements. The volcano becomes known as the Hand of Gul'dan.[94]
  • The draenei hold the orcish assault at bay for a time but are defeated when the Horde uses the power of the Dark Star to kill or drive insane many of the defenders and permanently darken Karabor, turning it into the Black Temple. Velen and the survivors manage to flee via the harbor.[94]
-3
  • The orcs gather at a mountain near the Citadel and drink the blood of Mannoroth at Gul'dan's urging. Durotan forbids the Frostwolves from drinking after having received an anonymous message from Ner'zhul, while Orgrim refuses out of suspicion for the growing corruption of the orcs and Draenor. Those who do drink the blood are driven into a ferocious bloodlust and march against Shattrath as Gul'dan infuses the mountain with fel energy, transforming it into the Throne of Kil'jaeden.[94]
  • The victims of the red pox quarantined in Garadar remain isolated from the fel corruption, leading them to become known as the Mag'har, "Uncorrupted".[94]
  • Velen leads many Shattrath civilians to a refuge in Telredor. The orcs launch an assault on Shattrath, unleashing the red mist against the draenei. Before long, the city falls to the Horde.[94]
  • Many of the survivors retreat to Auchindoun. Teron'gor and other Shadow Council agents are dispatched to the mausoleum, but when they are repelled by the draenei and Auchindoun's spirits they attempt to summon a powerful demon to aid them. Instead, they accidentally summon Murmur, whose arrival blasts Auchindoun apart and levels the surrounding forests. The warlocks bind Murmur within Auchindoun to prevent it from wreaking havoc on the Horde.[94]
-2
  • More draenei survivors arrive at Telredor. The ones afflicted by the red mist mutate into Broken, and the populace of Telredor exile them into the wilds out of fear that the condition might spread. Some Broken continue to degrade into Lost Ones.[94]
  • Blackhand turns his attention on Draenor's other inhabitants. Kilrogg Deadeye and the Bleeding Hollow clan launch a campaign against Farahlon, while Grommash Hellscream and Cho'gall topple Highmaul. Elsewhere, the Frostwolf, Whiteclaw and Thunderlord clans are charged with hunting down the ogres, ogron, gronn and magnaron, though only the Thunderlords obey.[94]
  • Kargath Bladefist leads a force to conquer the arakkoa capital, Skyreach. The orcs ally with the Outcast arakkoa, who agree to infiltrate Skyreach and sabotage the high arakkoa's superweapon. Kargath and his forces then slaughter high and cursed arakkoa alike, casting some of the former into Sethekk Hollow. These cursed high arakkoa rally under Grizzik, who leads his people to take refuge in Auchindoun.[94]
  • Kil'jaeden ceases to communicate with Gul'dan on Sargeras' orders. The orcs begin to flounder on Draenor as the world slowly dies. The threat of starvation causes the orcs to hunt many of Draenor's native creatures to extinction and begin fighting amongst themselves.[94]
-1

Great Wars

First War

0[95] (Year 592 by the King's calendar)[96]
1[98] (Year 593 by the King's Calendar)
  • To combat the Horde, the Northshire Clerics begin entering the battlefield, the humans' first view of a priest on the frontlines.
  • The Old Gods begin contacting Cho'gall and the Twilight's Hammer clan. Cho'gall agrees to follow the Horde, but only for his own motives.
  • The Frostwolves arrive in Alterac Valley, having almost entirely avoided Azeroth's other races thanks to the elements.
  • Thrall is born.
  • Shocked at their child's green skin, Durotan sends messages through the elements to meet with Orgrim near Loch Modan. The two meet to discuss this revelation and go their separate ways. Orgrim sends his most trusted friends with Durotan and his wife, Draka, for protection, but they turn out to be loyal to Gul'dan. They murder Durotan and Draka and leave Thrall for dead, but the infant is soon found by Aedelas Blackmoore.
3[99] (Year 596 by the King's Calendar)
  • Redridge falls to the Horde.
  • The Shadow Council moves their operations to Blackrock Mountain.
  • The Horde begins their first siege of Stormwind. It's met as a stalemate and the Horde retreat.
  • Garona is allowed entrance to Stormwind by the word of Khadgar, who warns King Llane about Medivh's fall to the Legion.
  • Khadgar and Garona go to confront Medivh and a battle ensues. Sargeras' spirit, still inside Medivh, magically ages Khadgar well past his prime. Gul'dan sees the battle through Garona's eyes and frantically connects with Medivh, mulling through the Guardian's memories for more details on the Tomb of Sargeras' location. Khadgar slays Medivh and Gul'dan is put into a coma. The death of Medivh, whose body was still infused with fel, caused a catastrophic explosion, scorching the land around Karazhan into Deadwind Pass and turning Brightwood into Duskwood.
  • Seeing the Shadow Council's weakness after Gul'dan's coma, Orgrim challenges Blackhand to a mak'gora. The duel ends in Orgrim crushing Blackhand's skull with his family heirloom, the Doomhammer.
  • Garona and Khadgar return to Stormwind to inform Llane of the Guardian's death. In the battle, however, Gul'dan had implanted thoughts of killing allies into Garona's mind. These messages flared bright in her head once more, and she assassinates Llane.
  • Stormwind comes under siege from the Horde and the front gates fall. The city falls to fire, and Lothar is forced to gather what refugees he can and flee north.
  • Warcraft: Orcs & Humans ends«
  • Cycle of Hatred (Past) ends«
  • Tides of Darkness begins
  • Arthas: Rise of the Lich King begins»

Second War

4[100] (Year 597 by the King's Calendar)
5[101] (Year 598 by the King's Calendar)
6[102] (Year 599 by the King's Calendar)
  • The Battle of Hillsbrad Foothills ensues, leaving much of the landscape in ruin.
  • The Horde frees Zul'jin from human captivity, who in turn pledges his tribe, the Amani, to the Horde's cause.
  • Garona escapes capture from her handler, Eitrigg.
  • Horde forces move through the Hinterlands, suffering attacks from the Wildhammer clan of dwarves.
  • The Horde moves to Quel'Thalas and Gul'dan assists in dismantling the elven runestones, which he later utilizes to create two-headed ogres.
  • With the assistance of the Horde, the Amani finally begin retaking parts of Eversong. The high elves are pushed back to the walls of Silvermoon, but fail to breach them. Orgrim realizes his resources should be pooled elsewhere and moves his forces southwest towards Alterac, leaving the Amani. Zul'jin would never forgive the Horde for this.
  • Realizing the might of the Horde, Aiden Perenolde strikes a deal with the orcs. They will be allowed passage through Alterac if they spare his city. Orgrim readily accepts and moves on to Capital City.
  • The Horde begins their siege of Capital City but is met with a strong opposition. Gul'dan, having finally learned the location of the Tomb, abandons the Horde with the Twilight's Hammer and Stormreaver clans, causing the Horde's loss in the Second War.
  • Gul'dan raises the Broken Shore and makes his way through the Tomb. Defying Kil'jaeden's plan of turning the Tomb into a portal for the Legion, however, the warlock attempts to take all its power for himself. He and his followers are torn apart by monstrous demons while the rest of his clan is defeated by the Dragonmaw.
  • Cho'gall and the Twilight's Hammer clan flee west to Kalimdor.
  • The Horde flees south but is quickly followed by the Alliance, the Kul Tiras fleet and the Wildhammer clan.
  • Khaz Modan is liberated and the dwarves and gnomes readily join the Alliance.
  • Siege of Blackrock Spire - the Alliance lays siege to Blackrock Mountain.
    • Orgrim slays Lothar in combat but is swiftly defeated by Turalyon and captured.
  • Khadgar destroys the Dark Portal.
  • The Second War ends with victory for the Aliance of Lordaeron.

Aftermath of the Second War

7[103] (Year 600 by the King's Calendar)
8[104][105] (Year 601 by the King's Calendar)
10 (Year 602 by the King's Calendar)
16-17[109] (Year 608 - 609 by the King's Calendar)
18[112] (Year 610 by the King's Calendar)
  • Aegwynn uses her power to summon Medivh's spirit on Azeroth. Free of the taint of Sargeras, the Last Guardian decides that he will be the catalyst to unity and decides to warn the other races of the upcoming return of the Burning Legion.
  • Gelbin Mekkatorque is elected High Tinker of Gnomeregan.[113]

Third War

20 (Year 612 by the King's Calendar)
21[117] (Year 613 by the King's Calendar)

Rise of the Lich King

22[118] (Year 614 by the King's Calendar)
23[123][97] (Year 615 by the King's Calendar)
24 (Year 616 by the King's Calendar)
  • Cycle of Hatred[97]
  • The Great Lakeshire Drought and the Great Ironforge Flood, caused by a portal being opened within the lake to Ironforge without a liquid filter.[124]

World of Warcraft

25[97] (Year 617 by the King's Calendar)
  • Gnomeregan is lost after Sicco Thermaplugg convinces Gelbin Mekkatorque to release lethal radiation in the city, irradiating not only the invading troggs but most of the gnomes as well. Mekkatorque and the gnomes are granted refuge in Ironforge by the dwarves, establishing Tinker Town.[125]

World of Warcraft

Mysteries of Maraudon

Ruins of the Dire Maul

  • Dire Maul
    • Warpwood Quarter
    • Capital Gardens
    • Gordok Commons
  • In Year 25, the majority of elves, including the Prince Tortheldrin, were killed by the Horde when they raided Dire Maul. The surviving ones fled the ruined city and wandered in the woods for years, trying to wean themselves off demonic power and feel whole again.[126]

Battlegrounds

Assault on Blackwing Lair

Rise of the Blood God

Dragons of Nightmare

The Gates of Ahn'Qiraj

Shadow of the Necropolis

Drums of War

The Burning Crusade

26[129] (Year 618 by the King's Calendar)

Before the Storm

The Burning Crusade

The Black Temple

The Gods of Zul'Aman

Fury of the Sunwell

Wrath of the Lich King

Echoes of Doom

Wrath of the Lich King

27[137] (Year 619 by the King's Calendar)

Secrets of Ulduar

Call of the Crusade

Fall of the Lich King

Cataclysm

28[139] (Year 620 by the King's Calendar)

The Shattering

Rise of the Zandalari

Rage of the Firelands

The Hour of Twilight

29[144] (Year 621 by the King's Calendar)

Mists of Pandaria

Mists of Pandaria

30[145] (Year 622 by the King's Calendar)

Landfall

The Thunder King

Escalation

Siege of Orgrimmar

31[147] (Year 623 by the King's Calendar)

Warlords of Draenor

-4, alternate timeline

Warlords of Draenor

  • Grom rejects the demon blood, kills Mannoroth, and captures Gul'dan.
31, main timeline[148][149] (Year 623 by the King's Calendar) / -2, alternate timeline[150]

Fury of Hellfire

  • Gul'dan persuades the Iron Horde's remaining leaders to serve the Burning Legion, imprisons Grommash, and also recruits the aid of Shadow-Sage Iskar and the Sethekk arakkoa.
  • Gul'dan takes control of Hellfire Citadel, intending to use it as a staging area for the Legion to invade Draenor. He then proceeds to summon the demon lord Archimonde.
  • The heroes of Azeroth assault the citadel’s gates, invading from both land and sea.
    • Aided by Khadgar, Yrel, Durotan, and a freed Grommash, Azeroth's champions battle their way through the horrors unleashed within Hellfire Citadel.
    • After a harrowing struggle that nearly destroys Draenor, the heroes are able to cast down Archimonde.
  • As he falls, Archimonde hurls Gul'dan through a portal to fulfill his pact with the Legion.
32[151][152][153] (Year 624 by the King's Calendar)

Legion

Return to Karazhan

  • The Burning Legion invades the magical tower of Karazhan, seeking to turn it into a second gateway to Azeroth as they did with the Tomb of Sargeras.
  • Helya is killed in her realm of Helheim during the Trial of Valor, finally freeing Prime Designate Odyn and his Valarjar army from the Halls of Valor.

Patch 7.1.5

The Tomb of Sargeras

Patch 7.2.5

Shadows of Argus

Patch 7.3.5

33[162][163] (Year 625 by the King's Calendar)

Battle for Azeroth

33-34[145] (Year 625 - 626 by the King's Calendar)

Tides of Vengeance

Patch 8.1.5

Rise of Azshara

Patch 8.2.5

Visions of N'Zoth

Shadowlands

35-36[145] (Year 627 - 628 by the King's Calendar)

Chains of Domination

  • The Jailer pulls the realm of Korthia into the Maw. He dominates Anduin and uses him to obtain the sigils of the Archon[198] and the Winter Queen.[199]
  • The united covenants and the Ebon Blade invade Korthia as the Death's Advance.[200]
  • The Runecarver is freed and revealed to be the Primus, but the Jailer obtains his sigil.[201] The Primus declares that the Maw Walkers have to defeat the Jailer in his stronghold. The covenants create replacement sigils that they will need in order to pursue the Jailer if the assault fails.[202]
    • The nathrezim openly return to the Shadowlands[203][204] and steal Remornia, with Denathrius' essence in it.[205]
    • The Winter Queen reconciles with her sister Elune. Tyrande Whisperwind's Night Warrior powers, which had threatened to kill her, are stabilized.[206]
  • Sanctum of Domination: The Jailer expands the Maw to envelop Oribos and claims the Arbiter's sigil, the last one he needs. Sylvanas turns against him and the Jailer restores a missing fragment of her soul before discarding her and escaping with Anduin through a portal to the Sepulcher.[207]
  • The Primus sets out to find a replacement for the Arbiter's sigil so he can create a key to follow the Jailer to the Sepulcher.[1]

Eternity's End

  • Maw Walkers and covenant forces open a gateway to Zereth Mortis to conduct the final campaign against Zovaal, gaining allies with the Enlightened of Haven.
  • Sylvanas assists the heroes in an effort to save Anduin, and Maw Walkers accompanied by several heroes of Azeroth attack the Sepulcher of the First Ones. With their help, Anduin breaks free from the Jailer's domination.
  • The Crown of Wills is created from the shattered shards of the Helm of Domination, and used to protect the Maw Walkers against the Jailer's domination magic.
  • Preparations are made to build a new Arbiter with Saezurah. When the initial effort is thwarted by the nathrezim, Pelagos offers his own soul to become the new Arbiter.
  • The Maw Walkers assault the Sepulcher one last time and defeat Zovaal, bringing the end of the war against the Jailer.
  • End of the anima drought all across the Shadowlands. The souls of the dead are no longer sent in the Maw.
  • Sylvanas returns to Oribos to be judged by the new Arbiter. She submits herself to the judgment of Tyrande Whisperwind, who declares her penance to be scouring the Maw to send every soul there to the Arbiter for judgment. Sylvanas accepts and enters the Maw.
  • Haunted by his time as the Jailer's puppet, Anduin Wrynn bids farewell to Genn Greymane and joins Sylvanas in the Maw.

Patch 9.2.5

Dragonflight

40[145] (Year 632 by the King's Calendar)

Embers of Neltharion

Fractures in Time

Fury Incarnate

Guardians of the Dream

The War Within

41+ (Year 633 - (TBD) by the King's Calendar)

Future

Notes

  • A few quests mentioned that Cataclysm took place 6 years after World of Warcraft.[208][209] However, multiple other sources - including Blizzard - established that the gap between World of Warcraft and Cataclysm was only 3 years.

References

 
  1. ^ a b N [60] Covenants Renewed
  2. ^ N [60] Convoy of the Covenants
  3. ^ A [10-30] Perfectly Pure
  4. ^ A [10-30] Too Big For His Britches
  5. ^ Garley's Journal
  6. ^ The Burning Crusade Townhall: Draenei
  7. ^ Scalecommander Azurathel#Quotes:
    Dervishian says: Did... did you ask Nozdormu how long we slept?
    Scalecommander Emberthal says: Nearly twenty thousand years.
  8. ^ a b c World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 1, pg. 70
  9. ^ The Lost Codex 2018-11-03. Blizzcon 2018 Interview: Alex Afrasiabi & Patrick Dawson - Story and Systems | The Lost Codex. YouTube. Retrieved on 2018-11-03.
  10. ^ A [10-30] Anguish of Nifflevar
  11. ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 1, pg. 78
  12. ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 1, pg. 93
  13. ^ N [10-45] Bringer of the Light
  14. ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 1, pg. 80
  15. ^ Game Guide: World Dungeons - Dire Maul
  16. ^ Killing Ground, pg. 7
  17. ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 1, pg. 87
  18. ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 1, pg. 91
  19. ^ http://us.battle.net/wow/en/game/lore/story-so-far/chapter-1/6#readmode
  20. ^ http://us.battle.net/wow/en/blog/8441649 (dead link)
  21. ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 1, pg. 114
  22. ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 1, pg. 115
  23. ^ a b http://us.battle.net/wow/en/game/lore/story-so-far/chapter-1/10#readmode
  24. ^ The Warcraft Encyclopedia/Cenarius
  25. ^ World of Warcraft: Exploring Azeroth: Kalimdor, pg. 53
  26. ^ a b http://us.battle.net/wow/en/game/lore/story-so-far/chapter-2/1
  27. ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 1, pg. 121
  28. ^ a b c World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 1, pg. 122
  29. ^ A [60G] Rampaging Giants
  30. ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 1, pg. 125
  31. ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 2, pg. 24 - 25
  32. ^ Brothers in Blood
  33. ^ http://us.battle.net/wow/en/game/lore/story-so-far/chapter-2/2#readmode
  34. ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 1, pg. 129
  35. ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 1, pg. 133
  36. ^ http://us.battle.net/wow/en/game/lore/story-so-far/chapter-2/3#readmode
  37. ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 1, pg. 134
  38. ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 1, pg. 135
  39. ^ http://us.battle.net/wow/en/game/lore/story-so-far/chapter-2/4#readmode
  40. ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 1, pg. 137
  41. ^ Races of World of Warcraft: Gnome
  42. ^ H [10-35] If These Stones Could Speak
  43. ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 2, pg. 25 - 29
  44. ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 1, pg. 138
  45. ^ http://us.battle.net/wow/en/game/lore/story-so-far/chapter-2/5#readmode
  46. ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 1, pg. 139
  47. ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 2, pg. 29 - 32
  48. ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 1, pg. 144
  49. ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 2, pg. 37 - 38
  50. ^ The Druids Arise
  51. ^  [The War of the Shifting Sands] "It has been nearly a thousand years since the 'War of the Shifting Sands.'"
  52. ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 1, pg. 145
  53. ^ http://us.battle.net/wow/en/game/lore/story-so-far/chapter-2/6#readmode
  54. ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 1, pg. 148
  55. ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 1, pg. 151
  56. ^ a b World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 2, pg. 39
  57. ^ N [20-30] The Etymidian
  58. ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 1, pg. 152
  59. ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 2, pg. 44 - 46
  60. ^ The Warcraft Encyclopedia: Farstriders
  61. ^ N [10-30] The Trident of Naz'jan
  62. ^ N [10-30] The Emissary
  63. ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 2, pg. 46
  64. ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 2, pg. 47
  65. ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 2, pg. 49
  66. ^ World of Warcraft manual, 174. "The gnomes have not had a proper king or queen for over four hundred years."
  67. ^ A [50] The Legend of Mechagon
  68. ^ A [10-40] Gestating Genesaur
  69. ^ A [10-40] Chasing Shadows
  70. ^ Shaman, prologue
  71. ^ http://us.battle.net/wow/en/game/lore/story-so-far/chapter-2/7#readmode
  72. ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 1, pg. 153 - 156
  73. ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 2, pg. 50
  74. ^ BlizzCon 2013 – World of Warcraft: Warlords of Draenor, The Adventure Continues Panel Transcript
  75. ^ Rise of the Horde: "K’ure was dying, trapped in the very vessel that it had provided when it had crashed into this world two hundred years past." (at the time of young Durotan's first meeting with Velen).
  76. ^ a b World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 2, pg. 53
  77. ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 2, pg. 54
  78. ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 2, pg. 55
  79. ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 1, pg. 158
  80. ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 2, pg. 56
  81. ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 2, pg. 57
  82. ^ Day of the Dragon, pg. 201 - 202
  83. ^ N [15-30] Legacy of the High Elves
  84. ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 1, pg. 159 - 160
  85. ^ a b World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 1, pg. 161 - 162
  86. ^ "Around the time of Medivh's birth on Azeroth..."
  87. ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 1
  88. ^ Dead link: Tweet; Archived: Archive lore tweets from loreology
  89. ^ a b c d e f g World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 2, pg. 105 - 111
  90. ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 2, pg. 58
  91. ^ a b c World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 2, pg. 63 - 66
  92. ^ a b World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 2, pg. 68 - 69
  93. ^ a b c d e World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 2, pg. 70 - 76
  94. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 2, pg. 77 - 100
  95. ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 2, pg. 115 - 125
  96. ^ Warcraft: Orcs & Humans manual#Chronicles of the War in Azeroth
  97. ^ a b c d e f g h i Timeline (from official site, 2007)
  98. ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 2, pg. 125 - 129
  99. ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 2, pg. 129 - 138
  100. ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 2, pg. 138 - 148
  101. ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 2, pg. 148 - 158
  102. ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 2, pg. 158 - 174
  103. ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 2, pg. 175 - 178
  104. ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 2, pg. 182 - 198
  105. ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 3, pg. 12
  106. ^ Micky Neilson on Twitter (2014-11-06): "I double checked - Nobundo learned shamanism in year 10."
  107. ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 3, pg. 26 - 27
  108. ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 3, pg. 29 places the War of the Spider after Year 10 but before 15
  109. ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 3 places these events in the range Years 15 - 18 (pg. 29, 37)
  110. ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 3, pg. 36
  111. ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 3, pg. 37
  112. ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 3, pg. 37 - 39
  113. ^ World of Warcraft: Game Manual#Gnomes
  114. ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 3, pg. 56
  115. ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 3, pg. 60
  116. ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 3, pg. 61
  117. ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 3, pg. 80
  118. ^ Ultimate Visual Guide
  119. ^ Micky Neilson on Twitter (2013-02-20). Retrieved on 2019-06-20.​ “Most likely a bit before Chen joined Rexxar to take on Daelin Proudmoore.”
  120. ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 3, pg. 104
  121. ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 3, pg. 113
  122. ^ Harrison Jones#Quotes
  123. ^ a b Blood of the Highborne
  124. ^ Thinking with Portals - A Memorandum on Proper Portal Usage, in 24 A.D.
  125. ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 3, pg. 114
  126. ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 3, pg. 120
  127. ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 3, pg. 131 - 132
  128. ^ Rise of the Horde
  129. ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 3, pg. 151
  130. ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 3, pg. 151
  131. ^ As seen in the Demon Hunter opening cinematic.
  132. ^ N Demon hunter [8-45] Return to the Black Temple
  133. ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 3, pg. 162 - 163
  134. ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 3, pg. 163
  135. ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 3, pg. 164 - 167
  136. ^  [The Path of Redemption]: The Alliance and the Horde were going to come en masse in response to a great plague that the Lich King was about to unleash upon them.
  137. ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 3, pg. 174
  138. ^ According to World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 3, the fall of Naxxramas took place before the Nexus War and Malygos' death, which in turn took place before the Battle of the Wrath Gate.
  139. ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 3, pg. 195
  140. ^ H [10-60] Forbidden Practices
  141. ^ H [10-60] Offensively Defensive
  142. ^ A [5-30] Evidence Collection
  143. ^ A [5-30] A Vision of the Past
  144. ^ The Deathwing Raid: Interview with Scott Mercer
  145. ^ a b c d Steve Danuser on the WoW forums
  146. ^ The Characters of Warcraft/Lor'themar Theron
  147. ^ World of Warcraft: Ultimate Visual Guide, Updated and Expanded
  148. ^ Loreology on Twitter (dead link)
  149. ^ Sean Copeland on Twitter (dead link)
  150. ^ BlizzCon 2013 - Iron Horde. "With just two years to build an army..." "This is a two year old army at most..."
  151. ^ Sean Copeland on Twitter (dead link)
  152. ^ Magni: Fault Lines: "Been four years since you turned to stone." Cataclysm happened in year 28.
  153. ^ Sean Copeland on Twitter (dead link)
  154. ^ Legion: Feature Overview
  155. ^ Harbingers: Khadgar
  156. ^ Nightborne: Twilight of Suramar
  157. ^ N Demon hunter [8-45] Illidari, We Are Leaving
  158. ^ Official Preview - "Taking place just prior to the first demon invasions of Legion"
  159. ^ Highmountain: A Mountain Divided - "I witnessed the Alliance and the Horde's counterattack against the Legion. It failed." - Mayla Highmountain
  160. ^ Druid Campaign
  161. ^  [Captain's Log of the Queen's Reprisal]
  162. ^ Before the Storm, Embrace happened 5 years ago (ch. 14); Anduin is already 18 (ch. 11)
  163. ^ <s Alex Afrasiabi on Twitter - "@Kynmarcher I believe we'd be going into 33 with BFA" (Dead link)
  164. ^ a b c Christie Golden on Twitter (2018-04-05). Retrieved on 2018-04-06.​ “Great question! YES. "Elegy" is a novella which, in tandem with "A Good War," tells both H and A sides of the burning of the World Tree. "Before the Storm" takes place BEFORE that event. They are two thoroughly different stories.”
  165. ^ a b c Christie Golden on Twitter (2018-04-05). Retrieved on 2018-04-06.​ “Someone raised a great question. "Before the Storm" focuses on Anduin and Sylvanas & takes place BEFORE the World Tree burning. Elegy" is a novella that, along with @RoBrooks13 "A Good War," depicts both sides of that event -and- has a few non-spoilery references to BtS.”
  166. ^ War of the Thorns: Chapter 1
  167. ^ The King & The Queen
  168. ^ B [50] Cause for Distraction
  169. ^ B [50] The Banshee's Champion
  170. ^ N [50] Through the Shattered Sky
  171. ^ N [50] Stand as One
  172. ^ N [50] Understanding the Shadowlands
  173. ^ N [50] Seek the Ascended
  174. ^ N [51-60] Walk the Path, Aspirant
  175. ^ N [51-60] Imminent Danger
  176. ^ N [51-60] Follow the Path
  177. ^ N [51-60] The Arbiter's Will
  178. ^ N [53-60] The Door to the Unknown
  179. ^ N [55-60] Journey to Ardenweald
  180. ^ N [55-60] One Special Spirit
  181. ^ N [55-60] Awaken the Dreamer
  182. ^ N [55-60] The Court of Winter
  183. ^ N [55-60] The Queen's Request
  184. ^ N [58-60] A Reflection of Truth
  185. ^ N [58-60] A Royal Key
  186. ^ N [58-60] Torghast, Tower of the Damned
  187. ^ N [60] The Master of Lies
  188. ^ N [60] The Looming Dark
  189. ^ N [60] Choosing Your Purpose
  190. ^ N [60] Into Torghast
  191. ^ N [60] The Search for Baine
  192. ^ N [60] Torment Chamber: Jaina
  193. ^ N [60] Torment Chamber: Thrall
  194. ^ N [60] Deep Within
  195. ^ N [60] The Captive King
  196. ^ N [60R] Redemption for the Redeemer
  197. ^ N [60] The Highlord's Vision
  198. ^ N [60] The First Move
  199. ^ N [60] The Heart of Ardenweald
  200. ^ N [60] Charge of the Covenants
  201. ^ N [60] Untangling the Sigil
  202. ^ N [60] The Primus Returns
  203. ^ N [60] They Could Be Anyone
  204. ^ N [60] Dreadlords!
  205. ^ N [60] The Nathrezim
  206. ^ N [60] The Power of Elune
  207. ^ Sanctum of Domination ending cinematic
  208. ^ A [5-30] Evidence Collection - Captain Alpert: "I haven't seen a red bandana in five years. Could this shadowy figure be attempting to reform the Defias Brotherhood?"
  209. ^ N [30-35] If You're Not Against Us... - Matoclaw: "A decade ago, a great battle took place here on the summit of Mount Hyjal. Archimonde the Defiler commanded a swarm of demons to march upon the World Tree and claim its power for his own."