First War #11: Confronting the Magus

July 22, 2026•Lore•Brendo Arruda

"First War" series — First War #11. The story of Warcraft I, from the clans of Draenor to the fall of Stormwind. The episodes are listed in order at the end of the post.

The end of the First War happens in a few days and changes everything. Lothar and Khadgar storm Karazhan and kill Medivh. The Guardian's death leaves Gul'dan in a coma. Without Gul'dan, Orgrim Doomhammer overthrows Blackhand and takes over the Horde. In the middle of all this, Garona kills King Llane, and Stormwind falls. The survivors flee by sea to Lordaeron, and the road to the Second War is open.

The assault on Karazhan

Lothar and Khadgar entered Karazhan ready to face their friend and master. Medivh was waiting for them. The fight was hard: the Guardian was the most powerful mage in Azeroth, and Sargeras fought through him.

During the battle, Medivh cast a spell on Khadgar that stole years from the apprentice's life. Khadgar left the tower with the body of an old man, even though he was still young. That is why he appears with a white beard for the rest of the story.

In the end, Lothar and Khadgar defeated Medivh. The Guardian died, and with him Sargeras's influence over Azeroth seemed to die as well.

Gul'dan in a coma

At the exact moment of Medivh's death, Gul'dan was inside the mage's mind, trying to tear out the secret of the Tomb of Sargeras. When Medivh died, the link broke violently, and Gul'dan fell into a coma.

The Shadow Council was left without a leader, and the Horde was left without anyone controlling it from behind the scenes.

Orgrim Doomhammer takes over the Horde

Orgrim Doomhammer, Durotan's friend, had distrusted Gul'dan for a long time. Durotan had told him the truth about the Shadow Council and was killed for it, along with his wife, by Council assassins. Their son survived and, years later, became known as Thrall.

With Gul'dan out of the picture, Orgrim challenged Blackhand to a duel, the mak'gora, and killed him. Orgrim became the new Warchief and hunted down the Shadow Council. But instead of killing Gul'dan, he accepted the warlock's help when he woke up, a mistake that will cost him dearly in the Second War.

The death of King Llane

The worst blow for the humans came from within. Garona, the emissary who had been helping Stormwind, killed King Llane Wrynn. The most accepted version is that she did not act of her own free will: the Shadow Council had ways of controlling her mind, and that is what led her to the crime.

For the humans, it was an unforgivable betrayal. For Garona, it was proof that she had never been free.

The fall of Stormwind

Without its king and with the Horde united under Orgrim, Stormwind could not hold. The city was taken and destroyed. The kingdom of Azeroth ceased to exist.

Anduin Lothar gathered the survivors, including young Prince Varian, Llane's son, and took them by ship to the north, to the kingdom of Lordaeron. There, he would ask King Terenas Menethil and the other human kingdoms for help. This is the start of the Second War.

Episode timeline

Lothar and Khadgar storm Karazhan and face Medivh.
A spell from Medivh ages Khadgar all at once.
Medivh dies, and Gul'dan, linked to his mind, falls into a coma.
Orgrim kills Blackhand in a mak'gora and takes over the Horde.
Garona kills King Llane.
Stormwind falls, and Lothar takes the survivors to Lordaeron.

Who's who in this episode

| Name | Who they are | |------|--------| | Anduin Lothar | The commander of Stormwind, who killed Medivh and took the survivors to Lordaeron. | | Khadgar | The apprentice who aged all at once in the fight against his master. | | Medivh | The Guardian possessed by Sargeras, killed in Karazhan. | | Gul'dan | The warlock who fell into a coma when Medivh died. | | Orgrim Doomhammer | The orc who killed Blackhand and became Warchief. | | Llane Wrynn | The king of Azeroth, killed by Garona. |

Where to see it in WotLK

Karazhan, in Deadwind Pass: the tower where Medivh died, now a haunted TBC raid.
Stormwind: the city rebuilt after the First War by the stonemasons who would later form the Defias Brotherhood.
Blackrock Mountain: the orcs of the Blackrock clan, of Blackhand and his son, Rend.
Shattrath: an aged Khadgar, leading the heroes in Outland.