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The War of the Ancients: How the Legion first entered Azeroth

The War of the Ancients: How the Legion first entered Azeroth

•Lore•Brendo Arruda

"Legends of Warcraft" series — Legends #8. The prehistory of Warcraft in order, from the creation of the universe to the last Guardian of Tirisfal. The episodes are listed in order at the end of the post.

What was the War of the Ancients?

Ten thousand years before the events of WoW, Azeroth was dominated by the Highborne-a cast of Nocturnal Elves obsessed with arcane magic. They drained the Well of Eternity without limit, and this energy was detected in the Nether by the Burning Legion.

Sargeras, the fallen titan who leads the Legion, sent his forces to Azeroth through a portal opened by the Highborne themselves-who thought they were summoning servants but opened the doors to destruction.

The political and magical context before the invasion

The society of Nocturnal Elves was stratified. The Highborne, led by Queen Azshara, had unrestricted access to the Well of Eternity. The rest of the population-druids, warriors, hunters-lived under this system.

Azshara didn't just allow the invasion — she wished it. She believed Sargeras was a being worthy to rule alongside her. As the Legion entered Azeroth, she prepared a reception.

How the Legion made way for Azeroth

The process was gradual:

  1. The Highborne expanded the use of the Well, creating a huge signal in the Nether
  2. The Legion detected and sent advanced demons to test the defenses
  3. A stable portal has been established within the Well of Eternity
  4. Mannoroth, Archimonde and the main forces entered Azeroth

The invasion didn't come as a total surprise to everyone. Malfurion Stormrage, trained by the demigod Cenarius, realized what was going on and began organizing resistance with the loyal Night Elves, the Tauren, and others.

Illidan Stormrage — brother of Malfurion — also fought in the war, but with methods that already anticipated his future trajectory: he absorbed magic from the Well into himself, becoming something different from a normal elf.

Key leaders and factions involved

Resistance side:

  • Malfurion Stormrage — first mortal druid, connection to Cenarius and the nature spirits
  • Tyrande Whisperwind — priestess of Elune, military commander
  • Jarod Shadowsong — unlikely general who emerged as de facto military leader
  • The Tauren and other races who joined the cause

Legion Side/Highborne:

  • Queen Azshara — leader of the Highborne, conniving with the invasion
  • Lord Xavius — the first Satyr, Azshara's advisor corrupted by the Legion
  • Archimonde — commander of Legion forces in Azeroth

The immediate consequences of war

Resistance won — but the price was immense:

"The Well of Eternity has been destroyed" Azeroth's most powerful source of magic exploded, shattering the continent into several pieces. It was the Great Sundering.

  • Original Kalimdor fragmented into Kalimdor, the Eastern Kingdoms, Northrend and other continents we know today
  • Azshara and the Highborne were swallowed up by the ocean — she transformed into Queen Azshara, the Naga, N'zoth's servant
  • Illidan was imprisoned by Malfurion for secretly creating a second Well of Eternity (atop Mount Hyjal)

The legacy for future expansions

The War of the Ancients explains:

  • Why does the map of Azeroth have the shape it has — the continents are fragments of the original continent “Why are the Night Elves so wary of arcane magic?” It was arcane magic that nearly destroyed the world “Because Mount Hyjal is sacred,” the Well of Eternity was recreated there, and the Third War ended there as well “Why does Illidan carry so much weight,” he tried to do the right thing in a way no one forgave

In WotLK, the echo of this war appears in the Vrykul, the architecture of Ulduar, and the very nature of Northrend as titanic territory. Azeroth's history is long — and the War of the Ancients is the defining chapter of almost everything that came after.

"Legends of Warcraft" series

← Previous: Legends #7: The new empires Next → Legends #9: After the Sundering

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