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Were you looking for the RTS game Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness?

Booknovel
This article or section contains lore taken from Warcraft novels or short stories.

Tides of Darkness is a novel by Aaron Rosenberg focusing on the events of Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness.

Summary[]

This novel covers the events of the Second War. It features Turalyon, King Terenas, Anduin Lothar, Orgrim Doomhammer, Gul'dan, Khadgar, Zul'jin, Cho'Gall and Alleria Windrunner as main characters.

The Orcish Horde, now led by Orgrim Doomhammer, has destroyed the nation of Azeroth. Anduin Lothar knows that land is lost, and so hatches a desperate plot; take the people away and enlist the aid of humanity's rivals, the Elves and Dwarves. King Terenas summons the other leaders of his neighbour nations, and after some long discussions and planning, they agree to form the Alliance of Lordaeron. However, there are internal conflicts in the Alliance. Greymane is not willing to lend anything but token support, and Alterac is also hesitant to join. They also gain a minor support by the high elves. However, in the Horde, internal conflicts are also present. Orgrim Doomhammer is now keeping Gul'dan on a short leash, and Blackhand's sons are now also against his rule. In secret, Gul'dan plans to claim godlike powers and desert the Horde, and makes fake submission to Doomhammer. He also makes new Death Knights and Ogre Mages to show his "loyalty". However, the Horde also makes new allies, as Doomhammer finds the forest trolls, and convinces their fearsome leader, Zul'jin, to join them after he was rescued from the humans. With both Stormwind and Khaz Modan in their iron grip, their next goal is Lordaeron.

The first battle begins near Southshore, where the Alliance is ready for the Horde.  Here, the Paladins are assembled; the battle is long and violent, with both sides struggling to gain the upper hand. But eventually, the Horde "flees", though Anduin Lothar later realizes they had just been distracted. They hurry to catch up with them.

Meanwhile in the Hinterlands, we meet Kurdran Wildhammer, who discovers that the orcs are allied with the trolls, and ready to strike at Aerie Peak. However, the Wildhammers are also great warriors, known for their fearsome flying skills and powerful stormhammers. But the Alliance later comes to aid the Wildhammers, and when they are victorious, Kurdran Wildhammer, impressed by Lothar's leading skills, gladly joins the Alliance. However, the joy is short-sighted, as Alleria Windrunner realises that they have been tricked once again, and that the Horde is heading for Quel'Thalas.  Anduin Lothar and half the humans stay behind and hunts the remaining orcs down with the Wildhammers, while Alleria, Turalyon and Khadgar, along with the other half of the troops, heads for Quel'Thalas.

Somewhere around this point, Zuluhed finds out what the Demon Soul, which he found in a vision, is capable of, but realises he can't control that magic. He then summons his most trusted clanmember, Nekros Skullcrusher, and asks him to find out how to use the disk. He then enslaves none other than the Red Dragonflight and their mighty queen, Alexstrasza, and makes her his slave, so they can use her children as their secret weapon.

As the Horde marches through the mountainpass to reach Quel'Thalas, Turalyon and the others are on their way as well, while Zul'jin and his brethren are already in the forests, preparing for the Horde by slaughtering as many elves they can with extreme joy.  Hungry for vengeance. Gul'dan is also experimenting with the Runestones in Quel'Thalas, to use them for his new creation: the two-headed Ogre Mage.  When the Alliance arrives, Alleria is furious to see the forests burning, and hurries to Silvermoon to warn Anasterian about the Horde and their troll allies. On the way, she meets her younger sister, Vereesa Windrunner, and together they run as fast as they can.  She also meets her other sister, Sylvanas Windrunner, who is Ranger-general of Silvermoon. Alleria convinces Anasterian to make the high elves official members of the Alliance, and sends the troops to help Turalyon and his men fight the orcs, who already had the upper hand.  The battle at Quel'Thalas takes many turns.  First the orcs have the upper hand, then Sylvanas, Alleria and the other rangers arrive to help, but then the ogres and ogre magi come, smashing many humans and elves in one hit.  Luckily, as the orcs seem about to have the upper hand again, Kurdran Wildhammer arrives along with his fellow Wildhammers, and kills several ogres with their mighty stormhammers.  Sadly, they are in the end forced to retreat, as the horde reveals their secret weapon: the dragons. The horde slashes and burns all the way up to Eversong, but here they are unable to move further due to the Sunwell protecting against them.  The Horde eventually retreats as well.

Meanwhile,Aiden Perenolde, King of Alterac, summons Doomhammer to make a deal for the Horde to leave Alterac unharmed; Doomhammer would get a map which showed a quick way to Capital City.  Doomhammer accepts the deal, and rallies his troops for a surprise attack.  The attack happens while most soldiers of the Alliance are spread apart, so they attack the walls, eager to kill Terenas.  But Terenas orders his men to throw burning oil at the orcs, which burns their flesh off.  However, more and more orcs appear, and eventually Terenas sends pigeons carrying messages to the other kingdoms.  When Thoras Trollbane of Stromgarde receives the pigeon, he quickly realises that Perenolde had betrayed them. Furious, he sends his troops for the mountains, and kills the remaining  orcs.  Back in Lordaeron, Turalyon arrives at Capital City to find the orcs attacking the walls, and charges, despite knowing that the Horde force outnumbers them.  However, Doomhammer gets a message from Torgus of the Dragonmaw that Gul'dan and his followers had deserted the Horde and had set sail for the Tomb of Sargeras to claim godhood and take over the Horde. Furious, he grudgingly orders a retreat and sends Rend and Maim out to kill the betrayers.

At the Tomb of Sargeras, Gul'dan and his followers searches the tomb for the Eye of Sargeras, while Cho'gall and the Twilight's Hammer clan guards the tomb. However, when Gul'dan reaches the eye, he is ambushed by demons. Only too late does Gul'dan realize that he had been a tool, a joke, and runs for his life, though it is in vain, in the end. But on the isles, a battle rages between the Black Tooth Grin, lead by Rend and Maim, and the Twilight's Hammer, lead by Cho'Gall. Eventually, Cho'gall and his followers are defeated, and Rend and Maim returns to Lordaeron.

But the Kul Tiras navy is prepared for the orcs, and manage to shoot down several of the ships. Sadly, the red dragons come while they were about to win the battle, and the whole Third Fleet, along with Daelin Proudmoore's oldest son, Derek, gets consumed by flames. Daelin Proudmoore, furious, tries to shoot them down, despite knowing that it is in vain. However, when it looks like Daelin Proudmoore is going to die like his son, Kurdran Wildhammer appears once again, and kills the dragons along with his brethren.

Back in Lordaeron, the Alliance is ready to attack at Blackrock Spire and to finish off the Horde once and for all. The battle rages for long, and Anduin Lothar and Orgrim Doomhammer clash in a titanic battle. Eventually, however, Doomhammer manages to kill Lothar and shatter his sword. Turalyon, furious, suddenly charges at Doomhammer, ordering the Horde arrested after they are defeated. Afterwards, they head towards the Dark Portal. many orcs escape back to Draenor, but Khadgar summons a spell so incredible that it shatters the Dark Portal. The Alliance are in the end victorious.

Back of Book Description[]

After killing the corrupt Warchief Blackhand, Orgrim Doomhammer was quick to seize control over the Orcish Horde. Now he is determined to conquer the rest of Azeroth so that his people will once again have a home of their own in the World of Warcraft.
Anduin Lothar, former Champion of Stormwind, has left his shattered homeland behind and led his people across the Great Sea to the shores of Lordaeron. There, with the aid of the noble King Terenas, he forges a mighty Alliance with the other human nations. But even that may not be enough to stop the Horde's merciless onslaught.
Elves, dwarves, and trolls enter the fray as the two emerging factions vie for dominance. Will the valiant Alliance prevail, or will the Horde's tide of darkness consume the last vestiges of freedom on Azeroth? [1]

Characters[]

Main characters[]

Alliance
Horde

Supporting characters[]

Alliance
Horde
Other

Minor characters[]

Note: These characters were only mentioned or had little to no role during the story.

Alliance
Horde
Other
  • IconSmall Alexstrasza Alexstrasza
  • IconSmall Medivh Medivh
  • IconSmall Wildhammer Male Alpin
  • IconSmall Wildhammer Male Beathan
  • IconSmall Wildhammer Male Farand
  • IconSmall Wildhammer Male Iomhar
  • IconSmall Wildhammer Male Jaryn
  • IconSmall Wildhammer Male Lachtin
  • IconSmall Wildhammer Male Moray
  • IconSmall Wildhammer Male Murkhad
  • IconSmall Wildhammer Male Oengus
  • IconSmall Wildhammer Male Seaghdh
  • IconSmall Wildhammer Male Tearlach
  • IconSmall Wildhammer Male Zoradan

External links[]


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