Second War #12: burn it all!

August 2, 2026•Lore•Brendo Arruda

"Second War" series — Second War #12. The story of Warcraft II, from the exodus of Stormwind to the destruction of the Dark Portal. The episodes are listed in order at the end of the post.

The Horde needed more allies, and it found one that hated the elves more than anyone: the Amani trolls. Orgrim freed their leader, Zul'jin, who was held prisoner by the humans, and in return the trolls joined the Horde. Together, they attacked Quel'Thalas. Gul'dan broke the Runestones that protected the kingdom, and the dragons set the forests of Eversong on fire.

Freeing Zul'jin

Zul'jin was the leader of the Amani trolls and was held prisoner by the humans near Durnholde. Orgrim freed him and made a deal: the trolls would fight alongside the Horde, and in return they would get a chance to take revenge on the elves who had taken their forests thousands of years earlier.

The Wildhammer join the war

Before reaching Quel'Thalas, the Horde besieged Aerie Peak, the home of the Wildhammer dwarves, in the Hinterlands. Lothar broke the siege, and Kurdran Wildhammer's clan joined the Alliance with their gryphons.

Orgrim split his army and took part of it north. Turalyon went after that force.

The burning of Quel'Thalas

Zul'jin gathered the trolls in Zul'Aman, and the Amani and the Horde attacked the elven lands. The big obstacle was the Runestones, which held up the magical barrier of Quel'Thalas. Gul'dan took these defenses apart, and with that the Horde's magic worked again inside the kingdom.

The red dragons were used to set the forests of Eversong on fire. Part of Quel'Thalas burned. But the protection of the Sunwell held the Horde back at Silvermoon, and the elven capital did not fall.

Orgrim changes course

Unable to take Silvermoon, Orgrim fell back to the south, toward Alterac, and left the Amani behind. The Horde's next target was the capital of Lordaeron. But before that, Gul'dan had a strange request to make.

What this changes in the story

The burning of Quel'Thalas left a wound between the elves and the humans. The elves felt the Alliance did not protect them as it should have, and King Anasterian pulled Quel'Thalas out of the Alliance after the war. It is one of the first cracks in the Alliance.

Zul'jin also becomes one of the elves' greatest enemies. He loses an eye and an arm in the wars against them and returns in TBC as the boss of the Zul'Aman raid, seeking revenge. The hatred between the Amani and the elves lasts all the way to Midnight.

This episode also shows that the Sunwell protected Silvermoon. Years later, in Warcraft 3, Arthas achieves what the Horde could not: he crosses Quel'Thalas and defiles the Sunwell.

Episode timeline

Orgrim frees Zul'jin near Durnholde.
The Amani trolls join the Horde.
Lothar breaks the siege of Aerie Peak, and the Wildhammer join the Alliance.
Gul'dan takes apart the Runestones of Quel'Thalas.
The dragons set Eversong on fire, but Silvermoon holds.
Orgrim falls back to the south, toward Alterac.

Who's who in this episode

| Name | Who they are | |------|--------| | Zul'jin | The leader of the Amani trolls, freed by Orgrim. | | Kurdran Wildhammer | The leader of the Wildhammer dwarves, who joined the Alliance with the gryphons. | | Gul'dan | The warlock who took the Runestones apart. | | Runestones | The monoliths that held up the magical barrier of Quel'Thalas. | | Silvermoon | The elven capital, protected by the Sunwell. |

Where to see it in WotLK

Zul'Aman, in the Ghostlands: the TBC raid where Zul'jin is the final boss.
Eversong Woods and the Ghostlands: the forests of Quel'Thalas.
The Hinterlands: Aerie Peak, the home of the Wildhammer.
Hillsbrad Foothills: Durnholde, the fortress where Zul'jin was held prisoner.