- This article is about the kingdom known as Stormwind. For other uses, see Stormwind.
 Kingdom of Stormwind | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Capital(s) | Stormwind City (200,000)[1] |
| Population | Circa 220,000 |
| Races |
  Human (140,000)  Ironforge dwarf (28,000)  High elf (20,000)  Half-elf (8,000)  Night elf (4,000)  Half-orc[2]  Gnome[3] |
| Government | Hereditary monarchy |
| Ruler(s) |
King Varian Wrynn (current) Regent Lord Bolvar Fordragon (former) King Anduin Wrynn (former) Regent Lord Anduin Lothar (former) King Llane Wrynn I (former) King Adamant Wrynn III (former) King Landen Wrynn (former) |
| Affiliation | Alliance |
| Location | Stormwind |
The Kingdom of Stormwind[4] (also called Kingdom of Azeroth[5]) is a human kingdom,[6][7] nation[8][9][10] and country[11] on the southern continent of the Eastern Kingdoms, Azeroth - with its capital at Stormwind City.[3] Originally settled by descendants of the Arathi,[12] Stormwind flourished until the First War when it was conquered and laid waste by the Orcish Horde. The survivors of that conflict, led by Anduin Lothar, sought refuge in Lordaeron, but were able to reclaim their homeland at the end of the Second War with the aid of the Alliance of Lordaeron.[13]
Stormwind is ruled by the House of Wrynn from their court at Stormwind Keep. Presently, the throne is occupied by King Varian Wrynn, father of Anduin Wrynn - who reigned in the absence of his father for a few years. Anduin was governed by his co-regents, Lady Katrana Prestor and Highlord Bolvar Fordragon. Also aiding in the governing of Stormwind is the House of Nobles, an executive branch of Stormwind's government who currently aids King Varian in Stormwind, during the difficult times the Alliance face now.
Stormwind's control and influence extends to other regions including Elwynn Forest (including Northshire Valley), the Redridge Mountains, and Duskwood (though they each have their own democratic governments, but ultimately answer to Stormwind's monarchy). Westfall is currently independent,[14] although it was once part of Stormwind's territory.
History
Kingdom during the First War.
The nation of Stormwind was originally founded approximately a millennium before the First War by the descendants of the Arathi bloodline, who had migrated south from the nation of Arathor.[15] It had a long and peaceful history, with the king served loyally by the knights of the Brotherhood of the Horse and the clerics of the Holy Order of Northshire Clerics. Prior to the First War, the Wrynn dynasty ruled over the entire kingdom.
Azeroth's idyllic existence was shattered with the opening of the Dark Portal and the invasion of the Orcish Horde. After a long and bloody war, which cost the lives of both King Wrynn III and his son King Llane Wrynn, the orcs overran the entire kingdom, forcing the survivors to flee to the shores of Lordaeron. Anduin Lothar became regent lord, guiding the refugee nation in the name of the young Varian Wrynn.
Stormwind was the first kingdom invaded by the Horde during the First War. Beloved King Llane was killed in the attacks, and it was in his name that Sir Lothar led the Alliance forces to take the city back. With Stormwind under its control once again and serving as a strong base of operations, the Alliance eventually wrested most of Azeroth from the Horde's grip. The Alliance set to rebuilding, calling on whoever could spare artisans. Stormwind City was later rebuilt as New Stormwind after the Second War. Afterwards, the nation was split into several regions. The city became the capital of the kingdom of Stormwind.[16] Most of Azeroth's former regions became separate democratic regions, but still influenced or controlled by the kingdom of Stormwind — with the exception of Westfall, which has fallen under anarchy, and is controlled by the Defias Brotherhood.
Now it holds one of the few remaining great human cities. It boasts a powerful city guard and a strong army, and it is a base of magical/divine study and contemplation in Azeroth.[7]
With the fall of the northern kingdoms, Stormwind is by far the most populated city in the world. Boasting a population of two-hundred thousand people (predominantly human), it serves in many ways as the cultural and trade center of the Alliance, even with remote access to the sea. The humans living in the city are generally carefree and artistic, favoring light and colorful clothes, cuisine, and art.
However, the people of Stormwind find it difficult to accept Theramore's role as the home of the eastern Alliance, convinced not only that Stormwind should be the legitimate heir of Lordaeron's role in the past, but also that Theramore is doing little against the worsening situation within the Eastern Kingdoms.
Azeroth's description in Warcraft II manual
Leader: Regent Lord Anduin Lothar
Nation Color: Blue
Background: Before the coming of the Age of Chaos when the Portal was first opened, the kingdom of Azeroth was the mightiest of all Human nations. Ruled by the wise and just King Llane, Azeroth stood as a beacon of light and truth throughout the known world. After the First War, Azeroth and all of its lands were devastated by the Horde. With King Llane dead, Sir Lothar took charge of the shattered armies of Azeroth and led the survivors across the Great Sea to the shores of Lordaeron. King Terenas, ruler of Lordaeron, agreed to support the landless Azerothiens. The people of Azeroth settled near the Southshore region of Lordaeron, pledging their loyalty to the Alliance. Battle-hardened and brave, the last of the once great armies of Azeroth now seek retribution for the loss of their homeland.[citation needed]
Territory and outposts of Stormwind
The torn flag of Azeroth.
Following the victory of the Alliance of Lordaeron over the Horde, Stormwind was reclaimed and rebuilt as New Stormwind. The kingdom is currently split into several smaller territories, including the region of Stormwind.[17]
During the absence of King Varian Wrynn, co-regent Lady Katrana Prestor managed to sow discord among the various regions of Azeroth. In World of Warcraft, her true identity is revealed and her hold over Highlord Bolvar Fordragon is broken. Recent events have led to the eventual return of Varian to his homeland and rightful throne. Now that the source of corruption is gone from within the nation, order can once again be restored to the surrounding lands.
Azeroth
Note: References below represent a period of time prior to the return of King Varian Wrynn. The current situation in Azeroth is likely different.
- Stormwind - full control; a kingdom;[7] ruled by the monarchy.
- Elwynn Forest - Alliance; close enough to Stormwind to enjoy considerable Alliance guardianship; sends its criminals to Stormwind; its own democratic government.[18]
- Redridge Mountains - Alliance; under Stormwind's control;[19] the Stormwind army maintains a token presence here and handles Redridge's few crime problems, its people discuss Stormwind and believe if the people up there would just relax then their problems would solve themselves; it is the last true area wholly under Alliance influence in Azeroth.[20]
- Duskwood - Technically part of the Alliance and under Stormwind's protection;[21] it stands within Stormwind's territory but profits little from the fact;[19] has its own democratic government;[21] it has undead, ogre, and worgen problems.[21]
- Westfall - Independent; formerly controlled by Stormwind but currently in a state of chaos ruled by Edwin VanCleef through the Defias Brotherhood.[14]
- Nethergarde Keep - A Stormwind fortress of dour mages and paladins, keeps watch over the Dark Portal, and the demons and ogres that would abuse its power.[3] Nethergarde is a heavily defended Alliance town located in the Blasted Lands. The stronghold is home to about 300 members of the Alliance.
Status of the Stormwind territories
| Region | Before First War | First War | Second War | Interim | Invasion of Draenor | Interim | Third War | Post-Third War | Current Status | Main threats |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stormwind | Azeroth Capital | razed | Horde | contested | Alliance | rebuilt | monarchy | corruption within | monarchy | Black Dragonflight |
| Elwynn Forest | part of Azeroth | Horde | Horde | contested | Alliance | Stormwind | Stormwind | independence | democracy | Defias Brotherhood |
| Redridge Mountains | part of Azeroth | Horde | Horde | contested | Alliance | Stormwind | Stormwind | Stormwind | Stormwind[20] | gnolls, orcs, trolls |
| Duskwood | part of Azeroth | Horde | Horde | contested | Alliance | Stormwind | Stormwind | independence | democracy | undead, ogre, worgen |
| Westfall | part of Azeroth | Horde | Horde | contested | Alliance | Stormwind | Stormwind | independence | contested | Defias Brotherhood |
| Nethergarde Keep | - | - | - | constructed | razed | rebuilt | Stormwind | Stormwind | Stormwind | Burning Legion |
Northrend (outposts)
- Valiance Keep - One of the two primary ports of entry for the Alliance in Northrend. It serves as the headquarters for the Valiance Expedition.
- Valgarde - An early established seaport, this rough settlement sits on the shores of Daggercap Bay.
- Westguard Keep - A well-fortified base of operations situated atop the Howling Fjord cliffs.
- Fordragon Hold - The front line stronghold, spearheading the war at Icecrown Glacier.
- Wintergarde Keep - Used as base of operations for the 7th Legion veteran forces. The lower half of this tiered city has been taken over by the Scourge.
Notable Leaders
King Landen Wrynn- King Adamant Wrynn III
- King Llane Wrynn I
- Warchief Orgrim Doomhammer
- Regent Lord Anduin Lothar
- King Varian Wrynn
- Regent Lord Bolvar Fordragon
- Prince Anduin Wrynn
| History | Kingdom of Azeroth | First War and Orcish Invasion | Kingdom of Stormwind | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ruler | Landen Wrynn | Adamant Wrynn III | Llane Wrynn I | Orgrim Doomhammer | Varian Wrynn | Bolvar Fordragon Anduin Wrynn |
Varian Wrynn |
| Anduin Lothar Varian Wrynn | |||||||
Notes
- When the kingdom was first introduced it was called "Azeroth",[22] this continued to be used[23][24] until the release of Warcraft: The Roleplaying Game where it was called "Stormwind".[25] After that both terms were used interchangeably.[9][26][27] It was revealed that the kingdom was called "Stormwind" since it was founded,[15][28] however, it is mostly called "Azeroth" during the First and Second Wars, and in history books about them.[29]
- In the human campaign of Warcraft: Orcs & Humans, the humans won the First War and in the orc campaign, the orcs won the First War. Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness and all later sources shows that the orc campaign is the true outcome, but with most of the events from the human campaign as being true.
- Along with Kul Tiras, Stormwind is one of the only humans kingdoms that hasn't been destroyed or has seceded from the Alliance.
References
- ^ Lands of Conflict, pg. 52.
- ^ Horde Player's Guide, pg. 9.
- ^ a b c World of Warcraft: The Roleplaying Game, pg. 13.
- ^ Lands of Conflict, pg. 33.
- ^ Warcraft II: Battle.net Edition manual, pg. 39.
- ^ Warcraft: The Roleplaying Game, pg. 26, 33.
- ^ a b c Lands of Conflict, pg. 54. Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "LoC54" defined multiple times with different content - ^ Warcraft: The Roleplaying Game, p.50
- ^ a b Shadows & Light, p.44
- ^ Lands of Conflict, p. 20, 31
- ^ Alliance Player's Guide, p. 158
- ^ Lands of Conflict, p. 31
- ^ Lands of Conflict, p. 23-34
- ^ a b Lands of Conflict, pg. 60.
- ^ a b http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/info/story/chapter2.html
- ^ Arthaus. Lands of Conflict, 52. ISBN 9781588469601.
- ^ Lands of Conflict, pg. 40-62.
- ^ Lands of Conflict, pg. 48.
- ^ a b World of Warcraft: The Roleplaying Game, pg. 16.
- ^ a b Lands of Conflict, pg. 51-52.
- ^ a b c Lands of Conflict, pg. 46.
- ^ Warcraft: Orcs & Humans. Blizzard Entertainment.
- ^ Warcraft II: Battle.net Edition manual, p.28-29, 35-37, 39, 85, 87
- ^ Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos manual, p.3, 6-7, 10-11, 17
- ^ Warcraft: The Roleplaying Game, p.26, 33
- ^ Shadows & Light, p.41 Quote: Khadgar escaped to warn the King of Azeroth of the danger posed by the demon-souled mage, then returned to face Medivh in a final battle that defeated the demon magus but magically aged Khadgar from youth into middle age.
- ^ Alliance Player's Guide, p. 158, 161
- ^ Alliance Player's Guide, p. 160
- ^ Aftermath of the Second War "The Alliance armies led by Sir Anduin Lothar, Uther the Lightbringer, and Admiral Daelin Proudmoore pushed the orcs south into the shattered land of Azeroth - the first kingdom to fall before the orcs' ruthless onslaught."
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Template:Human nations