Chapter 3: The Doom of Draenor
Kil'jaeden and the Shadow Pact
Around the time of Medivh's birth on Azeroth, Kil'jaeden the Deceiver sat and
brooded amongst his followers within the Twisting Nether. The cunning
demonlord, under orders of his master, Sargeras, was plotting the Burning
Legion's second invasion of Azeroth. This time he would not allow any
mistakes. Kil'jaeden surmised that he needed a new force to weaken
Azeroth's defenses before the Legion even set foot upon the world. If the
mortal races, such as the night elves and dragons, were forced to contend
with a new threat, they would be too weak to pose any real resistance when
the Legion's true invasion arrived.
It was at this time that Kil'jaeden discovered the lush world of Draenor
floating peacefully within the Great Dark Beyond. Home to the shamanistic,
clan-based orcs and the peaceful draenei, Draenor was as idyllic as it was
vast. The noble orc clans roamed the open prairies and hunted for sport,
while the inquisitive draenei built crude cities within the world's towering
cliffs and peaks. Kil'jaeden knew that Draenor's denizens had great potential
to serve the Burning Legion if they could be cultivated properly.
Of the two races, Kil'jaeden saw that the warrior orcs were more susceptible
to the Legion's corruption. He enthralled the elder orc shaman, Ner'zhul, in
much the same way that Sargeras brought Queen Azshara under his control
in ages past. Using the cunning shaman as his conduit, the demon spread
battle lust and savagery throughout the orc clans. Before long, the spiritual
race was transformed into a bloodthirsty people. Kil'jaeden then urged
Ner'zhul and his people to take the last step: to give themselves over entirely
to the pursuit of death and war. Yet the old shaman, sensing that his people
would be enslaved to hatred forever, somehow resisted the demon's
command.
Frustrated by Ner'zhul's resistance, Kil'jaeden searched for another orc who
would deliver his people into the Legion's hands. The clever demonlord finally
found the willing disciple he sought - Ner'zhul's ambitious apprentice,
Gul'dan. Kil'jaeden promised Gul'dan untold power in exchange for his utter
obedience. The young orc became an avid student of demonic magic and
developed into the most powerful mortal warlock in history. He taught other
young orcs the arcane arts and strove to eradicate the orcs' shamanistic
traditions. Gul'dan showed a new brand of magic to his brethren, a terrible
new power that reeked of doom.
Kil'jaeden, seeking to tighten his hold over the orcs, helped Gul'dan found the
Shadow Council, a secretive sect that manipulated the clans and spread the
use of warlock magics throughout Draenor. As more and more orcs began to
wield warlock magics, the gentle fields and streams of Draenor began to
blacken and fade. Over time, the vast prairies the orcs had called home for
generations withered away, leaving only red barren soil. The demon energies
were slowly killing the world.
Rise of the Horde
The orcs became increasingly aggressive under the secret control of Gul'dan
and his Shadow Council. They constructed massive arenas where the orcs
honed their warrior skills in trials of combat and death. During this period, a
few clan chieftains spoke out against the growing depravity in their race. One
such chieftain, Durotan of the Frostwolf clan, warned against the orcs' losing
themselves to hate and fury. His words fell on deaf ears, however, as stronger
chieftains such as Grom Hellscream of the Warsong clan stepped forward to
champion the new age of warfare and dominance.
Kil'jaeden knew that the orc clans were almost ready, but he needed to be
certain of their ultimate loyalty. In secret, he had the Shadow Council
summon Mannoroth the Destructor, the living vessel of destruction and rage.
Gul'dan called the clan chieftains together and convinced them that drinking
Mannoroth's raging blood would make them utterly invincible. Led by Grom
Hellscream, all the clan chiefs except Durotan drank and thereby sealed their
fates as slaves to the Burning Legion. Empowered by Mannoroth's rage, the
chieftains unwittingly extended this subjugation to their unsuspecting
brethren.
Consumed with the curse of this new bloodlust, the orcs sought to unleash
their fury on any who stood before them. Sensing that the time had come,
Gul'dan united the warring clans into a single unstoppable Horde. However,
knowing that the various chieftains like Hellscream and Orgrim Doomhammer
would vie for overall supremacy, Gul'dan set up a puppet warchief to rule
over this new Horde. Blackhand the Destroyer, a particularly depraved and
vicious orc warlord, was chosen to be Gul'dan's puppet. Under Blackhand's
command, the Horde set out to test itself against the simple draenei.
Over the course of a few months, the Horde eradicated nearly every draenei
living on Draenor. Only a scattered handful of survivors managed to evade
the orcs' awesome wrath. Flushed with victory, Gul'dan reveled in the Horde's
power and might. Still, he knew that without any enemies to fight, the Horde
would consume itself with endless infighting in its unstoppable appetite for
glorious slaughter.
Kil'jaeden knew that the Horde was finally prepared. The orcs had become
the Burning Legion's greatest weapon. The cunning demon shared his
knowledge with his waiting master, and Sargeras agreed that the time of his
revenge had finally come.
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