The First War marks the initial large-scale armed conflict between the native kingdoms of Azeroth and the invading orcish Horde, originating from the world of Draenor. It constitutes a foundational rupture in the political, demographic, and military history of the Eastern Kingdoms and sets the structural conditions for subsequent global conflicts.
The roots of the First War lie beyond Azeroth. On Draenor, the orcish clans were manipulated by the demon lord Kil’jaeden through the warlock Gul’dan, who corrupted their shamanistic traditions and bound them to demonic power. This corruption culminated in the formation of a unified Horde and the opening of a trans-dimensional gateway later known as the Dark Portal. The Portal was anchored in the southern region of Azeroth called the Black Morass, within the Swamp of Sorrows.
Chronological conventions vary among sources, but most place the opening of the Dark Portal shortly before Year 0. Initial incursions were limited in scale, consisting primarily of scouting forces, raids, and the establishment of a defensible foothold on Azerothian soil.
Following the stabilization of the Dark Portal, the Horde began systematic military operations in the surrounding regions. Human settlements in the Swamp of Sorrows and neighboring areas were destroyed or abandoned. The orcs rapidly constructed fortified positions and secured supply lines to sustain a permanent presence.
At this stage, the Kingdom of Stormwind—then the southernmost and least populous of the human realms—bore the brunt of the invasion. Early human responses were fragmented. Initial reports underestimated the scale and intent of the incursion, delaying coordinated resistance. As a result, orcish forces advanced largely unopposed through border territories.
The Horde, under the nominal leadership of Blackhand the Destroyer and the covert influence of Gul’dan, adopted a strategy of territorial conquest combined with population displacement. This approach aimed to secure arable land and resources necessary to support the Horde’s growing numbers, as the orcs were unable to return to Draenor in significant numbers once the Portal became unstable.
As hostilities intensified, Stormwind mobilized its full military capacity. King Llane Wrynn ordered the consolidation of defensive forces and the fortification of key urban centers. The human army, commanded by Anduin Lothar, engaged the Horde in a series of battles across Elwynn Forest, Redridge Mountains, and the Burning Steppes.
Despite disciplined troops and strong leadership, Stormwind faced structural disadvantages. The Horde possessed numerical superiority, battlefield brutality unfamiliar to human commanders, and the strategic use of warlocks and ogres. Internal divisions among the orcs existed but did not significantly weaken their overall campaign during this phase.
The war reached its decisive stage with the prolonged siege of the city of Stormwind. Accounts differ regarding the exact sequence of events, but it is generally agreed that betrayal from within the city played a decisive role. Medivh, the Guardian of Tirisfal tasked with protecting Azeroth from extraplanar threats, had previously been corrupted and was instrumental in enabling the Horde’s invasion. His influence indirectly facilitated the fall of Stormwind by undermining strategic defenses.
In Year 4, the Horde breached the city’s defenses. King Llane Wrynn was assassinated during the final assault, an act commonly attributed to Garona Halforcen acting under magical compulsion, though interpretations of her agency vary. The city of Stormwind was largely destroyed, and its surviving population fled north by land and sea.
With the fall of Stormwind, organized human resistance in the southern Eastern Kingdoms effectively collapsed. The Horde secured control over much of the region, marking a strategic victory. However, the war did not result in total human annihilation. Refugees, including Anduin Lothar and the young Prince Varian Wrynn, reached the northern kingdoms, where they would later play central roles in renewed resistance.
The First War is generally considered to have ended with the destruction of Stormwind rather than through a formal treaty. Its conclusion created a temporary strategic dominance for the Horde while simultaneously galvanizing inter-kingdom cooperation among humans and their allies.
The immediate aftermath of the First War reshaped the geopolitical landscape. The destruction of Stormwind eliminated a major human power center and demonstrated the existential threat posed by extraplanar invasions. It directly led to the formation of broader alliances among the human kingdoms and set the conditions for the Second War.
From a historical perspective, the First War represents the transition from localized conflicts to truly global warfare on Azeroth. It introduced new forms of magic-driven warfare, established the Dark Portal as a permanent strategic concern, and exposed vulnerabilities in existing systems of defense. While sources differ on specific dates and personal culpabilities, there is broad consensus on the war’s role as the catalyst for the era of world-spanning conflicts that followed.