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*-9,999 — [[Illidan]] recreates the [[Well of Eternity]] at the summit of [[Hyjal]].<ref name="how1" />
*-9,999 — [[Illidan]] recreates the [[Well of Eternity]] at the summit of [[Hyjal]].<ref name="how1" />
*-9,000 — Alexstrasza, Ysera, and Nozdormu descend on the night elves and are alarmed about the creation of a new Well of Eternity. Alexstrasza plants an acorn that becomes [[Nordrassil]]. Nozdormu enchants the tree to grant the night elves immortality while it still stands. Ysera links the tree and in turn druids to the [[Emerald Dream]].<ref name="how1" />
*-9,000 — Alexstrasza, Ysera, and Nozdormu descend on the night elves and are alarmed about the creation of a new Well of Eternity. Alexstrasza plants an acorn that becomes [[Nordrassil]]. Nozdormu enchants the tree to grant the night elves immortality while it still stands. Ysera links the tree and in turn druids to the [[Emerald Dream]].<ref name="how1" />
*-7,300 — The remaining [[Highborne]] are banished from night elven society.<ref name="how1" /><ref name="APG160" />
*-7,300 — The remaining [[Highborne]] are banished from night elven society after unleashing a magical storm upon [[Ashenvale]].<ref name="how1" /><ref name="APG160" />
*-6,800 — The Highborne settle in what later becomes [[Quel'Thalas]]. They rename themselves Quel'dorei or "high elves".<ref name="APG160" />
*-6,800 — The Highborne settle in what later becomes [[Quel'Thalas]]. They rename themselves Quel'dorei or "high elves".<ref name="APG160" />
*c. -5,000 — [[Draenei]] begin working the fields of [[Draenor]].<ref>[[Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness]] manual, pg. 59</ref>
*c. -5,000 — [[Draenei]] begin working the fields of [[Draenor]].<ref>[[Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness]] manual, pg. 59</ref>
*c. -3,000 — A violent earthquake shakes the [[Stonetalon Mountains]], levelling some mountains and building up new ones. Twelve massive, mysterious stone columns arch out of the ground now and appear as ribs. These are later known as the [[Bones of the Earth Mother]] and become sacred to tauren shamans.<ref>''[[Horde Player's Guide]]'', pg. 112</ref>
*c. -3,000 — A violent earthquake shakes the [[Stonetalon Mountains]], levelling some mountains and building up new ones. Twelve massive, mysterious stone columns arch out of the ground now and appear as ribs. These are later known as the [[Bones of the Earth Mother]] and become sacred to tauren shamans.<ref>''[[Horde Player's Guide]]'', pg. 112</ref>
*-2,800 — Humanity is united as the [[Empire of Arathor]].<ref name="APG160" /> With the high elves in the [[Troll Wars]], the power of the [[Amani trolls]] is shattered.
*-2,800 — Humanity is united as the [[Empire of Arathor]].<ref name="APG160" /> With the high elves in the [[Troll Wars]], the power of the [[Amani troll]]s is shattered.
*c. -2,500 — The [[earthen]] awaken in [[Uldaman]], their rocky hides having become skin. They rename themselves "dwarves" and venture out into the world. They find the tallest mountain in the area and name it Khaz Modan, or "Mountain of Khaz", in honor of the Titan, Khaz'goroth. They construct an altar to Khaz'goroth in the form of a forge. The city that grows around it becomes known as Ironforge.<ref name="how2">[https://web.archive.org/web/20041105080659/http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/info/story/chapter2.html#15 ''History of Warcraft'', chapter 2, archived from November 2004]</ref>
*c. -2,500 — The [[earthen]] awaken in [[Uldaman]], their rocky hides having become skin due to the [[Curse of Flesh]]. They rename themselves "dwarves" and venture out into the world. They find the tallest mountain in the area and name it Khaz Modan, or "Mountain of Khaz", in honor of the Titan, Khaz'goroth. They construct an altar to Khaz'goroth in the form of a forge. The city that grows around it becomes known as Ironforge.<ref name="how2">[https://web.archive.org/web/20041105080659/http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/info/story/chapter2.html#15 ''History of Warcraft'', chapter 2, archived from November 2004]</ref>
*c. -2,000 — The [[dwarf|dwarves]] meet [[human]]s. The human writing system is transmitted to the dwarves, who combine it with their existing [[Titanic]] glyphs.<ref>''[[Alliance Player's Guide]]'', pg. 140</ref>
*c. -2,000 — The [[dwarf|dwarves]] meet [[human]]s. The human writing system is transmitted to the dwarves, who combine it with their existing [[Titanic]] glyphs.<ref>''[[Alliance Player's Guide]]'', pg. 140</ref>
*-1,200 — The [[Empire of Arathor]] begins breaking up.<ref name="APG160" />
*-1,200 — The [[Empire of Arathor]] begins breaking up.<ref name="APG160" />
*c. -970 — [[War of the Shifting Sands]]: silithid and qiraji swarm across [[Silithus]]. The night elves and dragonflights are unable to defeat them fully, but are able to seal them away.<ref>''[[The War of the Shifting Sands]]''</ref><ref>''[[Horde Player's Guide]]'', pg. 184</ref>  
*c. -970 — [[War of the Shifting Sands]]: silithid and qiraji swarm across [[Silithus]]. The night elves and dragonflights are unable to defeat them fully, but are able to seal them away.<ref>''[[The War of the Shifting Sands]]''</ref><ref>''[[Horde Player's Guide]]'', pg. 184</ref>  
*-581 (1 [[King's Calendar]]) — The [[Kingdom of Stormwind]] is founded.
*-581 (1 [[King's Calendar]]) — The [[Kingdom of Stormwind]] is founded.
*c. -500 — The high elven [[Farstriders]] are formed, whose roots stretched back to the Troll Wars.<ref>''[[Dark Factions]]'', pg. 152</ref>
*c. -500 — The high elven [[Farstriders]] are formed, whose roots stretch back to the Troll Wars.<ref>''[[Dark Factions]]'', pg. 152</ref>
*-230 — [[War of the Three Hammers]]: upon the death of High King [[Modimus Anvilmar]], civil war breaks out among the [[Bronzebeard clan|Bronzebeard]], the [[Dark Iron clan|Dark Iron]], and the [[Wildhammer clan|Wildhammer]] clans. [[Ironforge]] is kept by the Bronzebeard clan, but the Wildhammer clan loses [[Grim Batol]] due to Dark Iron magic. The Dark Iron clan is beaten back severely and in desperation accidentally summons [[Ragnaros]] the Firelord, destroying much of the [[Redridge Mountains]] in the process. The Dark Iron clan is subsequently enslaved by Ragnaros, while the Wildhammer clan is forced to relocate its capital to the [[Hinterlands]].<ref name="APG160" />
*-230 — [[War of the Three Hammers]]: upon the death of High King [[Modimus Anvilmar]], civil war breaks out among the [[Bronzebeard clan|Bronzebeard]], the [[Dark Iron clan|Dark Iron]], and the [[Wildhammer clan|Wildhammer]] clans. [[Ironforge]] is kept by the Bronzebeard clan, but the Wildhammer clan loses [[Grim Batol]] due to Dark Iron magic. The Dark Iron clan is beaten back severely and in desperation accidentally summons [[Ragnaros]] the Firelord, destroying much of the [[Redridge Mountains]] in the process. The Dark Iron clan is subsequently enslaved by Ragnaros, while the Wildhammer clan is forced to relocate its capital to the [[Hinterlands]].<ref name="APG160" />
*c. -200 — Goblin [[Trade Fleets]] begin sailing the world.<ref>''[[Dark Factions]]'', pg. 114</ref>
*c. -200 — Goblin [[Trade Fleets]] begin sailing the world.<ref>''[[Dark Factions]]'', pg. 114</ref>
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*24 (606 [[King's Calendar]]) — On the Eve of Summer, a freak darkness covers the [[Black Morass]]. The mages at [[Nethergarde]] are unable to discern it, but feel that the rift at the ruins of the Dark Portal is growing. The [[Bleeding Hollow clan]] escapes through the Dark Portal back to Draenor.<ref>[[Warcraft II: Beyond the Dark Portal]] manual, pp. 9–10</ref>
*24 (606 [[King's Calendar]]) — On the Eve of Summer, a freak darkness covers the [[Black Morass]]. The mages at [[Nethergarde]] are unable to discern it, but feel that the rift at the ruins of the Dark Portal is growing. The [[Bleeding Hollow clan]] escapes through the Dark Portal back to Draenor.<ref>[[Warcraft II: Beyond the Dark Portal]] manual, pp. 9–10</ref>
==Design Notes==
Dates before the opening of the Dark Portal are almost entirely based on canon through [[Wrath of the Lich King]], but dates after the opening are scaled off the original RTS game where possible. This is not terribly different from the oldest lore obviously, but the time scale diverges aggressively by the time of [[Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos]].


==Endnotes==
==Endnotes==

Latest revision as of 8:16 PM, August 23, 2026

This article is a stub. It has incomplete information and will hopefully be done in the near future.

This is a compilation of events in the setting. No one will individually know all events here, but it will be filled out as the story continues. All dating is based on the opening of the Dark Portal, but this is not necessarily how people within the setting would view the world. Within the Alliance, much of the surviving leadership out of Stormwind still uses the King's Calendar as is tradition.

Before the Dark Portal

  • -147,000 (speculative) — The Titans arrive.[1]
  • c. -100,000 — The Titan facility now known as Bael Modan is in operation under the guidance of the Titan Khaz'goroth. Acheras the Custodian serves as its labratory assistant and information repository. Troggs, as a failed project, are entombed here due to their brutality.[2]
  • -64,001 — The Titans depart. They empower the dragonflights to protect the world and the Well of Eternity.[1]
  • c. -15,000 — Vrykul, already stricken with the Curse of Flesh, begin giving birth to the earliest humans.[3]
  • c. -12,000 — Eldre'Thalas, known as Dire Maul thousands of years later, is built to house Queen Azshara's most prized arcane secrets.[4] The Shen'dralar reside here.[5]
  • -10,000 — War of the Ancients: the Kaldorei Resistance versus the Burning Legion and Queen Azshara's loyalists.[6]
  • -9,999 — The Sundering breaks Kalimdor into separate land masses, destroying nearly 80% of the continent and sinking vast stretches of the Kaldorei Empire. Queen Azshara and her Highborne are lost beneath the waves, while the resistance escaped northwest toward Hyjal.[6]
  • -9,999 — Illidan recreates the Well of Eternity at the summit of Hyjal.[6]
  • -9,000 — Alexstrasza, Ysera, and Nozdormu descend on the night elves and are alarmed about the creation of a new Well of Eternity. Alexstrasza plants an acorn that becomes Nordrassil. Nozdormu enchants the tree to grant the night elves immortality while it still stands. Ysera links the tree and in turn druids to the Emerald Dream.[6]
  • -7,300 — The remaining Highborne are banished from night elven society after unleashing a magical storm upon Ashenvale.[6][1]
  • -6,800 — The Highborne settle in what later becomes Quel'Thalas. They rename themselves Quel'dorei or "high elves".[1]
  • c. -5,000 — Draenei begin working the fields of Draenor.[7]
  • c. -3,000 — A violent earthquake shakes the Stonetalon Mountains, levelling some mountains and building up new ones. Twelve massive, mysterious stone columns arch out of the ground now and appear as ribs. These are later known as the Bones of the Earth Mother and become sacred to tauren shamans.[8]
  • -2,800 — Humanity is united as the Empire of Arathor.[1] With the high elves in the Troll Wars, the power of the Amani trolls is shattered.
  • c. -2,500 — The earthen awaken in Uldaman, their rocky hides having become skin due to the Curse of Flesh. They rename themselves "dwarves" and venture out into the world. They find the tallest mountain in the area and name it Khaz Modan, or "Mountain of Khaz", in honor of the Titan, Khaz'goroth. They construct an altar to Khaz'goroth in the form of a forge. The city that grows around it becomes known as Ironforge.[9]
  • c. -2,000 — The dwarves meet humans. The human writing system is transmitted to the dwarves, who combine it with their existing Titanic glyphs.[10]
  • -1,200 — The Empire of Arathor begins breaking up.[1]
  • c. -970 — War of the Shifting Sands: silithid and qiraji swarm across Silithus. The night elves and dragonflights are unable to defeat them fully, but are able to seal them away.[11][12]
  • -581 (1 King's Calendar) — The Kingdom of Stormwind is founded.
  • c. -500 — The high elven Farstriders are formed, whose roots stretch back to the Troll Wars.[13]
  • -230 — War of the Three Hammers: upon the death of High King Modimus Anvilmar, civil war breaks out among the Bronzebeard, the Dark Iron, and the Wildhammer clans. Ironforge is kept by the Bronzebeard clan, but the Wildhammer clan loses Grim Batol due to Dark Iron magic. The Dark Iron clan is beaten back severely and in desperation accidentally summons Ragnaros the Firelord, destroying much of the Redridge Mountains in the process. The Dark Iron clan is subsequently enslaved by Ragnaros, while the Wildhammer clan is forced to relocate its capital to the Hinterlands.[1]
  • c. -200 — Goblin Trade Fleets begin sailing the world.[14]
  • c. -170 — Night elven Sentinels begin exterminating the satyrs, but this proves fruitless later.[15]
  • c. -120 — The Earthen Ring, a group of tauren shamans whose goal it is to keep the elements in check, becomes publicly known.[16]
  • -24 (559 King's Calendar) — Aegwynn gives birth to Medivh in the Fall.[17] He is raised in the court of Stormwind by his father, Nielas Aran.[18]
  • -19 (564 King's Calendar) — Prince Llane of Stormwind, son of King Wrynn III and Queen Varia, is born.[19]
  • -12 (571 King's Calendar) — Medivh reaches his Age of Ascension. His powers awaken, the effects of which reach Northshire Abbey; over one hundred clerics soon arrive. The clerics' abilities and the power of Nielas Aran barely contain Medivh. At the end of the onslaught, Aran lay dead and Medivh was unconscious, barely breathing. Medivh is moved to the Abbey for the safety of both him and the kingdom.[20] During this battle, Medivh inadvertently opened a gateway to Draenor.[21]
  • -6 (577 King's Calendar) — Prince Llane reaches his Age of Ascension. Medivh awakens and flies to the keep, giving the prince an hourglass that would never run out until the reign of King Wrynn III failed.[22]

After the Dark Portal


Design Notes

Dates before the opening of the Dark Portal are almost entirely based on canon through Wrath of the Lich King, but dates after the opening are scaled off the original RTS game where possible. This is not terribly different from the oldest lore obviously, but the time scale diverges aggressively by the time of Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos.

Endnotes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Alliance Player's Guide, pg. 160
  2. ↑ Horde Player's Guide, pg. 242
  3. ↑ "Anguish of Nifflevar", Howling Fjord
  4. ↑ World Dungeons, Dire Maul
  5. ↑ Lands of Mystery, pg. 52
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 History of Warcraft, chapter 1, archived from November 2004
  7. ↑ Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness manual, pg. 59
  8. ↑ Horde Player's Guide, pg. 112
  9. ↑ History of Warcraft, chapter 2, archived from November 2004
  10. ↑ Alliance Player's Guide, pg. 140
  11. ↑ The War of the Shifting Sands
  12. ↑ Horde Player's Guide, pg. 184
  13. ↑ Dark Factions, pg. 152
  14. ↑ Dark Factions, pg. 114
  15. ↑ Dark Factions, pg. 122
  16. ↑ Dark Factions, pg. 148
  17. ↑ Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness manual, pg. 36
  18. ↑ Warcraft: Orcs & Humans manual, pg. 17
  19. ↑ Warcraft: Orcs & Humans manual, pg. 17
  20. ↑ Warcraft: Orcs & Humans manual, pp. 17–18
  21. ↑ Warcraft: Orcs & Humans manual, pg. 20
  22. ↑ Warcraft: Orcs & Humans manual, pg. 18
  23. ↑ Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness manual, pg. 37
  24. ↑ Warcraft: Orcs & Humans manual, pp. 18–19
  25. ↑ Warcraft: Orcs & Humans manual, pg. 19
  26. ↑ This is based on a tweet by Sean Copeland, stating in the official timeline that Varian was born 10 years before the First War. In official lore this would have also been 10 years before the opening of the Dark Portal, which differs considerably in the oldest lore and in turn here.
  27. ↑ Calia is stated to be two years older than Arthas in Arthas: Rise of the Lich King, ch. 1.
  28. ↑ This is based on a tweet by Sean Copeland, stating in the official timeline that Arthas was born 4 years before the First War.
  29. ↑ This is based on a tweet by Sean Copeland, stating in the official timeline that Jaina was born 3 years before the First War.
  30. ↑ Warcraft: Orcs & Humans manual, pp. 19–20
  31. ↑ Warcraft: Orcs & Humans manual, pg. 20
  32. ↑ Warcraft: Orcs & Humans, The Deadmines (WC1 Human)
  33. ↑ Warcraft: Orcs & Humans, The Black Morass (WC1 Orc)
  34. ↑ Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness manual, pg. 64, but this event instead takes place after the deaths of Medivh and King Llane
  35. ↑ Warcraft: Orcs & Humans, Medivh (WC1 Human)
  36. ↑ Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness manual, pg. 64
  37. ↑ Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness manual, pp. 38 and 64
  38. ↑ Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness manual, pg. 39
  39. ↑ Warcraft II: Beyond the Dark Portal manual, pp. 9–10
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