In the weeks after the death of the Lich King, the members of the Horde Expedition noticed a change in Garrosh Hellscream. Whereas once he was hot blooded and short tempered he was now patient and tempered. As well to the surprise of many he would apologize to Saurfang for his previous brashness and disrespect he had shown the elder orc and told him he would petition Warchief Thrall to replace him as commander of what Horde troops would remain in Northrend as he wished to continue receiving his counsel, wisdom and knowledge of strategy and tactics. This did much to repair relations between the Orcs and Varok did admit the sooner he could leave this cursed continent, the better. All of this sparked rumors and allegations of Garrosh being either possessed or under magical influence.
This would in turn cause brawls among Horde troops and adventurers as there were those that took strong offense at what they viewed to be falsehoods. Soon enough it became clear that such brawls were becoming all too frequent and far too violent and resolved to end them and the rumors about him. Garrosh would undergo a number of tests which showed without a doubt that he was Garrosh Hellscream and under no one's control, though privately he knew the former was technically not true though a fact he would keep to himself. With that resolved Garrosh would focus during his remaining time on Northrend, overseeing the drawdown of troops, reading over old reports and speaking with troops and adventurers to learn more about their lands and peoples. Eventually Garrosh and a final group of soldiers would depart with the arrival of a ship with one Cairne Bloodhoof aboard.
Bloodhoof would spend a short time inspecting Warsong Hold and like many before was rather shocked by the personality change by Garrosh, but he could deny he much preferred this how he was now compared to the last time he saw him. The voyage back was peaceful despite the expectations of some of a Kvadir attack. Their return to Durotar kicked off a major celebration to honor Hellscream and that of his warriors' achievements. The celebration could have been far grander but Hellscream had pushed back against things he viewed as being frivolous spending when the resources of the Horde were not infinite and especially after such a major conflict. Every Horde veteran and those that labored in Northrend that chose to participate were honored in a massive parade stretching a good bit into beyond the gates of Orgrimmar with the various units and laborers being honored as they entered the city with Garrosh with him being the final to enter and with it being clear by him receiving the loudest cheers who the people most liked and a fact not lost among the Horde leadership present.
As the people celebrated, Thrall would honor Garrosh with a banquet held in his honor and present to him Gorehowl, the axe of Grom Hellscream upon Garrosh. Garrosh displayed a natural affinity for the mighty weapon, like his father before him. During the banquet Thrall would discuss the various issues afflicting the people of Durotar, such as the drought afflicting the Barrens and Durotar and the Night Elves having cut off trade, the people of Durotar faced famine. As a result Thrall, Cairne and Hamuul Runetotem resolved to negotiate peacefully with the night elves and that Hamuul would lead the Horde delegate. Garrosh respectfully pointed that negotiations at this time would be unpopular to say the least among the orcs as the Night Elves had cut off trade after Wrathgate, blaming them for the actions of traitors and doing this during a drought. Which as Thrall had pointed out earlier threatened famine which the Night Elves would use as leverage to get back what they want the most, Eastern Ashenvale.
Which if we're to happen would threaten unrest at best and revolt at worst, a fact that came up multiple times before in previous discussions and something that would impede the success of any negotiations with the Night Elves. Still Garrosh wished Hamuul success in his upcoming negotiations. Deep into the night, festivities would continue until bonfires combined with a conflagration that began to spread with the city sprinting into action to contain and put out the fires. Thrall himself tried to calm the flames using his shamanic powers but found that the fire was hell-bent on destruction, resolving to snuff out the flames forcibly, an act he regretted. He realized that something was very wrong with the elements and that they were out of control, and pondered the situation.
There were other troubles, such as an orc attack on a group of Sentinels in Ashenvale which was in direct violation of the Horde-Alliance treaty. The Sentinels had been skinned and then chopped up into pieces, left for carrion feeders. Whether or not they had been alive when they were skinned was debatable. The skins of the murdered night elves were hung on trees that had painted Horde symbols depicted on them; written with elven blood. Since the night elves had cut off trade with the Horde in protest of the incident at the Wrathgate, many orcs celebrated this attack.
Thrall as well received a letter from King Varian Wrynn demanding to denounce the attacks and turn over any attackers he could find to the Alliance for justice. Thrall refused to turn over violators of the treaty (he had suspects but didn't have proof and it would likely inflame tensions in Durotar) and also refused to apologize for the thievery of the night elves' goods, the murders, or the brutal methods in which they were performed. Though he did express anger that the treaty had been violated, his unwillingness to publicly reprimand those who had assaulted Alliance members only furthered worsened relations between the Horde and the Alliance. After a meeting with Jaina Proudmoore and Eitrigg and no longer able to converse with the now maddened elements of Azeroth, Thrall decided that he was going to have to travel to Nagrand in Outland to converse with the elements there and try to discover why the elements in Azeroth were so out of control. Before setting out on his quest, Thrall decided that an acting Warchief would need to be appointed while he was gone.
Giving it some thought he would decide upon Garrosh. Garrosh was massively popular even more so than Thrall and had led the Horde to victory in its worst crisis since the Third War. Not to mention unrest was gripping Durotar and now was not the time to appoint the first non-orc as Warchief. As well with his views having Summoned to Grommash Hold, Garrosh was appointed with him swearing to lead the Horde honorably and defend its interests. With leadership of the Horde secured, Thrall would say goodbye to the people of Orgrimmar and depart to begin his quest.
Now as the highest authority figure within the Horde, Garrosh quickly put to use said authority meeting separately with Horde generals, admirals, peon overseers and quartermaster Nargol to issue new orders and then dismissed them to begin carrying them out. Activity and work within the city rose to a level not seen since the War against the Lich King as supplies were gathered, new weapons, armor forged as units and sailors were organized and readied for new deployments and finally outside of the Gates of Orgrimmar construction of a new massive system of fortifications named Dranosh'ar Blockade named after the fallen Dranosh Saurfang. Garrosh would then have Gazowle brought before him to inform his reconstruction contract for the city had been cancelled and then before he could protest this decision was then informed he would be given a contract to expand a nearby bay and as well to build a port and shipyard for it. This more than mollified the goblin and then became ecstatic upon learning additional contracts would be issued to his cartel in the near future. Gazowle quickly set out and began survey work for the newly named Bladefist Bay.
After sending a missive to Undercity, Sylvanas Windrunner would arrive via a portal for an hour long meeting with the new Warchief and then would depart with multiple groups of Horde adventurers in tow back to her realm which just like Durotar became abuzz with activity and work. While all this was going on the peace summit kicked off in western Ashenvale though this quickly would end in tragedy when a group of Orcs invaded the gathering and slaughtered all those present except for Hamuul Runetotem though greatly wounded would survive due to being mistaken for dead and sent an owl to inform Cairne of what had transpired. Who then in turned informed the Horde and Alliance of what had occurred which of course worsened night elf and orc relations. Garrosh to the surprise of the Alliance would denounce the attack as dishonorable, placing the largest ever Horde bounty on the leader of the perpetrators, Gorkrak. He also sent letters to inquire about a joint Horde-Alliance effort to capture those responsible and to hold a tribunal joint tribunal for those captured alive. Finally he also informed them of his intentions to annex certain parts of Kalimdor and Northrend to avoid any potential misunderstandings about the upcoming movement of Horde troops and fleets.
While Velen, Jaina and Gelbin approved of Garrosh suggestions the other Alliance leaders were far less receptive to them but eventually did agree begrudgingly. As for this new Horde expansion, the only way to prevent this would be miltary action but that inevitably mean the start of a Fourth War and being Alliance would be acting to keep the Horde from possessing lands to prevent a famine, Velen, Jaina and Gelblin made it clear such a course of action was taken they would not take part in any offensives against Horde forces. The various factors of weakening Alliance unity, bad optics, and war weariness among their people made the other Alliance leaders even more begrudgingly accept the upcoming Horde expansion. Garrosh to the summit massacre was as well supported by the people of Durotar and the wider Horde, with even most of the hardliners agreeing with Garrosh decision as this action was simply indefensible. His announcement of the Horde expanding the lands under its control and to end the threat of famine with the resources of those regions had sent his popularity in Durotar skyrocketing as this pleased pretty much every orcish faction.
As the manhunt across Kalimdor for those responsible dragged on the first phase of Hellscream's plan began as three armies marched through the Barrens with one heading west to Stonetalon Mountains and the other two headed southwest. A fleet would carry a fourth army south, its destination being southern Tanaris and several squadrons of ships heading east. As the western marching army arrived and began its rapid conquest of the eastern part of Stonetalon, the other two armies arriving in the southern Barrens, with half an army splitting off to establish new bases and fortifications including at the pass into Dustmallow Marsh, something that Theramoore had recently been informed of. The rest of those troops would arrive in Feralas and fought the most difficult and bloodiest of the campaigns happening at the time. Horde troops would battle gnolls, harpies, yetis and the most dangerous of all the Gordunni clan.
Such resistance would prove to be futile against the might of the Horde with the first three groups wiped out and the surviving Gordunni forced to join the Stonemaul in their new settlement in the southern Barrens. In southern Tanaris Horde troops would come ashore as peons began building the Horde newest port city Drakmar, named after Thrall's mother Draka. With some quickly built fortifications manned by a detachment of troops with the rising settlement as well under the protection of a fleet, the rest of the army would march into Tanaris proper with adventurers as guides. The Hordes arrival does not however go unnoticed, with Farraki scouts rapidly bringing word back to Zul'Farrak of this Horde invasion and throwing it into a frenzy. To Chief Ukorz Sandscalp it was clear if the Horde were to establish a presence in Tanaris and able to dig in, than any chance to reclaim Tanaris for the Farraki would be gone.
In a gamble, Chief Ukorz rallied nearly every warrior he had and marched south with the goal of crushing the Horde army and with the assistance of his new allies to repel any Horde counterattack while giving his people time to rebuild their empire. Overconfident they would make a detour to Gadzetan which would see it brutally sacked though the defenders of the goblin settlements to the surprise of Chief Ukorz had killed far more of his warriors than expected. Still he believed he had more than enough warriors to defeat the Horde and resumed pushing south at a rapid pace. The Horde army meanwhile was focused on bringing southern Tanaris under its control and that meant dealing with the Dunemaul clan and the Wastelanders. The Wastelanders raiders were easily dealt with, their families were marched to Drakmar and shipped north and basically dumped onto the docks of Theramoore to the confusion of Jaina and the rest of the island.
The Dunemaul on the other hand would not be expelled and instead a Horde adventurer would kill Chief Sandscraper in one on one combat and the rest of the clan would join the Horde after some threats by the Horde general in command of the army. With the Horde now the only power in the south of the region, they prepared for the arrival of the Farraki army that Horde scouts had been tracking with makeshift defenses rapidly thrown up and cannons pushed into position. Soon enough the two armies clashed and it would be where Chief Ukorz dream of an imperial rebirth would die a bloody death. While the Farraki did have an advantage somewhat of an advantage in numbers they were not at their best and had little after their march through the desert and had little experience besides fighting Horde and Alliance adventurers. Fighting them was a Horde force containing veterans of past wars supplemented by cannons, Dunemaul ogres and experienced adventurers.
While the Horde would suffer sizeable losses in the end they would prevail while the remnants of the surviving Farraki army would flee back north though without Chief Ukorz who had lost his head during the course of the battle. General Glubgok quickly wrote a report summarizing what had taken place and included a request for reinforcements and sent it south with the dead and wounded to Drakmar. The general would then reorganize his forces and then marched north, establishing a few outposts but keeping most of the troops with the army before finally arriving in the ruins of Gadestzan where they would make camp. Additional supplies, adventurers and mercenaries would be hired from Steamwheedle, with their forces strengthened somewhat they would march west leaving only a few dozen soldiers to man the camp and easily seizing the Sandsorrow Watch and cutting off Zul'Farrak from the rest of the region. Speaking of Zul'Farrak, panic had broken when the remnants of the army had returned and it quickly became apparent the disaster that had happened.
The surviving leaders of the army had formed a council to rule the city and tried their best to prevent anarchy but met with little success. Instead they shifted focus to preparing for a siege and armed everyone they could. A week later a Horde fleet would anchor at Steamwheedle Port, offloading an army and everything needed for a siege. They would join up with the forces at Sandsorrow and while the Glubgok was pleased with additional supplies and siege equipment, he was far less pleased with the soldiers who were largely fresh recruits. Still he had more than enough to take the city and marched his troops to its outskirts and began the Siege of Zul'Farrak.
For seven days, the Horde pounded the city before storming it in a bloody assault. The city's inhabitants put up a fierce resistance but nonetheless the city fell to the Horde with the flag of the Horde raised from the highest point in Zul'Farrak signaling the end of the Farraki as independent people and the Horde as the dominant power in the region if one did not count the Bronze Dragonflight. General Glubgok had the survivors gathered up and marched them to Steamwheedle to be loaded up into the waiting fleet. Horde troops unexpectedly had to defend the trolls from Gadzetan survivors though one could understand them not being pleased to see the Farraki. As the Farraki boarded they are convinced that their destination will be a slave market and destined to spend the rest of their lives in servitude.
Instead they found themselves at the Echo Isles with Chieftain Vol'Jin and Warchief Garrosh before them. As soon as word had reached Durotar of the shattering of the Farraki army, discussions were held between Garrosh and Vol'Jin over what to do with them after they had been conquered. Various ides were considered but in the end Garrosh suggested them being assimilated into the Darkspear tribe. While there would be issues that would arise, Vol'Jin saw it as a chance to solve a long standing problem for the Darkspear. That problem being his tribe having only a fraction of the size it was during the Third War.
Various wars and Zalazane betrayal had greatly depleted their numbers and their taking part in the Hordes current campaigns to add new lands to their control was only further depleting their numbers. So while there would be complaints about a sudden influx of foreign trolls into the tribe, such things were trivial compared to ensuring the future of the Darkspear. For the surviving Farraki they were given two choices, either swear loyalty to Vol'Jin as their Chieftain and To the Horde as new members of the Horde or death by combat. Only a few would choose combat while the rest pleaded their allegiance to Vol'Jin and the Horde. The swelling of the tribes numbers as expected caused friction though with time two tribes became one.
With the campaigns over, the Horde turned its attention to settling, developing and protecting its new lands. Forts, outposts and settlements popped up across eastern Stonetalon and new lumber and mining operations were established becoming the backbone of the region's economy. In Feralas lumber camps and farms were set up by orc settlers who poured into the region along with new forts in case the Centaur struck from their territories in the Desolace. As well two major cities would be built in Feralas with the ruined city of Dire Maul becoming Gromgard, named for Garrosh's father. It would eventually become a version of Dalaran for the Kalimdor Horde races on the orders of Warchief Garrosh seeking to ensure the Horde would not be lacking for mages in case the Blood Elves and Forsaken left the Horde.
The other city established was Golkar on the coast, named for Garrosh mother with Golkar becoming the largest Horde port on the western side of Kalimdor and its shipyards becoming a major source of ships for the Horde navy along with the other newly built shipyards. In Tanaris the Horde would purchase the ruins of Gadgetzan and the surrounding lands from the Steamwheedle Cartel while also moving into Un'Goro Crater with the settlements built there exporting lumber and exotic goods to Drakmar helping to fuel its growth. New trade routes would form and connect to existing ones as the Horde colonization progressed. Though it was not without its negatives as it greatly decreased the population of Durotar and shrank the economy there. This would be somewhat countered by the development of Bladefist Bay and the settling of the Farraki among the Darkspear. Around this time the Warchief announced rules to establish new clans and one of the rules being that the income of the new and old clans would be taxed to help makeup for some of the lost tax revenues.
It was a move approved of tradinalists and those that never found their place in the society established by Thrall. Many new clans would be established of varying sizes with the Rageroar clan led by Karga Rageroar having one of the more interesting names and unique in that it would be the only clan to have Darkspear trolls among its members. Rules would as well be set up for adoptions by clans which the Warsong would benefit the most from as they would use it to greatly replenish their numbers after so many had died during the Third War. With the shrinking of the population, meant less people that could serve as warriors in case Durotar was invaded, so new defenses and forts were built to counteract this as the population recovered to its previous peak. Observing these events unfolding was Jaina Proudmoore who wondered if there was an opportunity in this and sent a courier to Orgrimmar requesting a meeting with the new Warchief.
Garrosh suspected why the meeting was requested but still gave his consent to the meeting. Jaina and a small teleported to a short distance from the Gates of Orgrimmar where she could see much had changed since her last visit. There were the defenses and fortifications being in front of the entrance to the city and in the distance she could faintly see some of the construction going on at Bladefist Bay. Entering the city it was far less crowded and far less buildings as ones damaged by the fire had been torn down along with vacant ones. That latter as part of Garrosh new edicts to reduce the spread of any future fires and to reuse to build new buildings or used as firewood.
Later a dinner was held where Garrosh would talk about Draenor and surviving on Outland against first the Burning Legion and later Illidians forces. In turn Jaina would talk about what Kul Tiras, Dalaran and Lordareon were like before the Third War. The others were dismissed leaving only the two leaders at the table to discuss the reason Jaina had asked for this meeting. Garrosh point blank asked if this meeting was to ask him to restart negotiations with the Night elves which she confirmed. Garrosh then shattered her hope for new negotiations as he told her that he had no interest in any further talks with the Night elves as their major demand would be the return of Eastern Ashenvale and that is a non starter as he would not evict his clan from their homes and that he would not risk the internal stability of Durotar or any of the orcish provinces just for the hope of better relations with the Night Elves and for supplies that they could now provide for themselves.
Jaina then tried to argue that talks were necessary to help keep the peace between the Horde and Alliance. Garrosh did prefer the peace would last but pointed out that a failed conference could worsen tensions which would not be helpful for the peace. He felt that trying to keep the peace was noble but that there is too much hatred and bad blood between the two factions for any peace to be lasting though he would try to the best of his ability as acting Warchief and later as an advisor after Thrall returned to make the peace last as long as possible. Jaina could see Garrosh's mind was made up and so thanked him for the meal and departed back to Theramoore. Not the result Jaina wanted but better than the alternative and as she teleported home she couldn't help but think about the drastic personality change of Garrosh.
Across the Great Seas, the Forsaken embarked upon their own conquests to expand their borders. A large army commanded by the Dark Lady herself would liberate Andorhal from the Scourge warlord Araj the Summoner. The Forsaken with Andorhal under their control would as well annexing a sizeable chunk of the Western Plaguelands as they pushed into Eastern Plaguelands and landing forces on the coast leading both the Alliance and the Argent Crusade to understandably conclude that was the focus of the Forsaken. This in turn led to a surge of Alliance resources and recruits to the Argent Crusaders in order to deny as much territory as possible from the Forsaken which in turn would allow it to sustain campaigns in the coming months to liberate the northern part of the Eastern Plaguelands from the Scourge warlords that had begun to carve it up. Sylvanas in fact had far greater ambitions than just the Plaguelands.
This would become apparent with her invasions of Alterac and southern Silverpine with nearly all of the latter falling rapidly facing little resistance besides some Worgen packs. What the Forsaken didn't conquer was Ambermill and some lands connecting it to Hillsbrad Foothills at the insistence of Warchief Garrosh to avoid a crisis with Dalaran and the Alliance while the Horde is consolidating control over new territories. In Alterac the Forsaken first blows would come via Horde rogues wiping out Syndicate patrols and what few bases known to the Horde allowing Forsaken troops to enter the former country unopposed though not for long. Soon the Syndicate became aware of the invasion and began launching hit and run strikes upon the invaders causing some losses though their ability to fight an insurgency was crippled when what remained of the Alterac civilian population became aware of the Forsaken and promptly fled south to the Hillsbrad Foothills. If it had been the Alliance who had invaded, they would have stayed and fought, but the Forsaken is a different altogether matter and saying there anti-human would be putting it lightly.
As supplies began to dry up, desertion began to plague the Syndicate as their numbers dwindled as the Forsaken sought to hunt down every last one of their members. All of these issues combined soon caused the organization to collapse with its remnants in Hillsbrad reorganizing as new gangs that would plague the region for years to come. With the Syndicate taken care of the Forsaken would turn their attention to the other power in Alterac, the Crushridge ogres. Unlike the Syndicate which tried to fight an insurgency, the Crushridge would make a stand in the ruins of Alterac City. The Forsaken would march into the city under the command of Sylvannas, recently returned from the east and while she of course sought to bring all out of Alterac under her control she also had a personal reason and being to kill the Crushridge leader, Mug'thol for breaking away from her control all those years ago.
For every ogre that died, several Forsaken would be lost but the odds were simply stacked against the Crushridge and the Forsaken would emerge victorious with Sylvanas slaying Mug'thol and having his head carted back to Undercity as a trophy. The final Forsaken campaign around this time would be them along with forces from Hammerfall securing eastern Stromgarde not for themselves but rather for one of the Hordes newest members, the Witherbark Tribe. A controversial choice due to them abandoning the Old Horde and later betraying the Horde under Thrall rule, but Warchief Garrosh felt they could be a useful ally in Stromgarde but made it clear another betrayal would not be tolerated. There were those opposed to readmitting the Witherbark as a member to the Horde however such opposition was no match for the massive popularity of Garrosh and so the Witherbark Tribe rejoined the Horde. The Witherbark themselves were not enthusiastic about this but it was clear they only had the choice of Horde membership or that of annihilation and that was a rather easy choice.
In a bit of irony the Witherbark would betray an ally, though not the Horde but rather the Boulderfist. Like other ogre clans defeated by the Horde recently they would put up a fierce resistance but against the combined might of the Forsaken, Witherbark and Horde troops they stood no chance. The Horde built new forts to better defend its once again ally and make clear what it's border was with the other powers in Stromgarde. As well, construction began on Port Zalas named after the Witherbark leader to provide a base for the Forsaken fleet and to make it easier to bring in supplies by sea. With so much of the northern Eastern Kingdoms falling to Horde control an emergency summit of Alliance leadership was quickly organized and held in Stormwind.
It was agreed that resources and manpower would be provided to strengthen Alliance holdings bordering Horde territory in case it decided to go after Alliance lands with less and lands not part of the Horde or the Alliance. Those holdings chiefly being Theramoore, Hillsbrad and Stormwind colonies in Northrend. On the matter of Stromgarde it was agreed that the Alliance had failed the League of Arathor and the people of Stromgarde despite all the blood they had shed for the Alliance in recent years. While the Alliance had been in disarray for much of the period after the Third War and focused on various internal matters and foreign threats, the League should have been provided with far more resources so as to be able rebuild their nation instead of just enough to fight skirmishes with Horde forces. Now the League would be given what it needs to rebuild and as much as assistance to expel groups such as the Syndicate occupying land in Western Stromgarde.
To lead this reconstruction and what remained of Stromgarde, would be Danath Trollbane, last living member of House Trollbane. The final thing agreed at the summit was to withdraw the Stormpike Guard with the fall of Alterac making its continued presence in the Alterac Valley untenable. All present of course were aware such a move would be unpopular with so much recent Horde expansion and as expected protests erupted at the decision with the worst disturbances being in Ironforge territory in the form of small riots started by drunken dwarves. It was a time of growing tensions and skirmishes across Azeroth as generals and admirals updated war plans and to many it felt like the period before the Dark Portal reopened. The eruption of war between the Alliance and Horde was averted though only due to another eruption and that being Deathwing violently emerging from the earth.
His return would soon be called the Cataclysm for the death, destruction and displacement it would cause across Azeroth. Relief operations rapidly began to rescue and assist those in need. An unexpected example would be Horde ships acting on earlier issued orders from Warchief Garrosh arrived to provide assistance and assist in repelling a Naga attack on what remained of Feathermoon Stronghold. For the surviving defenders of the fortress it was a bit of an odd experience but the assistance was appreciated and even Tyrande Whisperwind would express her thanks to Garrosh in a letter. It would be the first example of Alliance-Horde cooperation in this new era.
There would be another group that would as well receive assistance, Gilneas. In the aftermath of the Cataclysm, Sylvanas would receive a letter from the Warchief requesting that she establish contact and render assistance if they needed it. Also advising the the greeting party should be solely blood elves for rather understandable reasons. An unexpected request but a reasonable one in her view. She could send some ships along the Gilnean coast to try to make contact with the Gilneans. She could see two benefits from doing this, trade with wealthy Gilneas and gain some favor with the only Horde leader willing to give some benefit of the doubt to her people.
If the Gilneans were hostile and fired upon the Forsaken, they would simply retreat. A squadron of ships would be dispatched traveling south along Gilneas western coast till they finally made contact with its people. The town they arrived not surprisingly panicked at their arrival with the local militia scrambling to take up position near the dock while word was sent out about the arrival of a foreign fleet and to call for reinforcements. The blood elven diplomats were however able to defuse the situation before bloodshed erupted, though the town remained suspicious and distrustful in large part due to the Forsaken sailors with the diplomats informed to stay on their ships. For several hours they would remain on the ships watching along with the Forsaken as militia and soldiers poured into the town which in turn would put the crews on edge as the Gilneans marshaled an army in the town and nearby.
The ambassadors would eventually be informed by the town mayor that they would be escorted to meet King Genn Greymane where they would be guests of His Majesty. Which the elves knew meant that they would be hostage to ensure the Forsaken fleet did not try anything. None of the Horde members were happy with this but they had orders and complied. They were escorted across the countryside, where they saw countless patrols, fortified towns and the refugee camps till they finally arrived at Greymane Manor. They would be wined and dined by the Greymane royal family and explained what had happened since Gilneas had closed themselves off from the rest of the world part way through the Third War.
The King in turn told them about the civil war, the Worgen curse and their exodus which saw what was left of his kingdom crammed into a small southwestern chunk of the country. He then tentatively asked to what extent did the Hordes aid constitute. The ambassadors could clearly read between the lines and saw that the king was asking if the Horde would be willing to provide military assistance to help him reclaim the rest of his kingdom. The Horde would provide food and humanitarian assistance, though on the matter of troops that would be up the Horde leaders and most of the troops would likely be Forsaken due to the various crises facing the Horde. The king considered this and decided he had rather take help from the Horde then go crawling back to the Alliance for help.
The Blood elves would send aid to alleviate the starving and famine afflicting the Gilneans, while the Forsake would send an army. The combined Gilnean-Forsaken force would sweep across the country, while Horde druids would help those afflicted by the Worgen curse ensure they did not become feral, while returning the humanity of the feral Worgen that would be captured alive. With their country reclaimed the Gilneans would begin the long process of reconstruction. It quickly became apparent that there would be a major unemployment problem but in this problem nobles saw an opportunity. It quickly became apparent conflict was spreading across Azeroth, piracy was surging and the Naga were attacking coastal communities. So they pooled their resources to found new mercenary outfits which they saw having three main benefits.
Decrease number of unemployed in the country, who in turn could support their families, reducing the threat of revolt, rebuild their wealth and in turn invest it in new business opportunities. So countless Gilneans found themselves serving on numerous battlefields, defending settlements and ships or to simply provide security. Great wealth would be generated for these outfits and sizeable revenue tax for the Gilnean government at the expense of many dead and crippled Gilneans. Few of these merc groups shut down due to the wars, a few have remained operational and profitable and waiting for the day war would return to Azeroth.
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Across Azeroth many found themselves refugees due to the Cataclysm, with the goblins of Kezan probably the most affected with them forced to flee due to the eruption of Mount Kajaro. The Kezan exodus would see them fleeing across the sea with many settling in Horde provinces of Kalimdor seeing opportunity there in comparison to the debt bondage they could expect in the remaining goblin ports. Stranded goblins would as well be rescued by Horde ships settling islands with most notable group being rescued was the Bilgewater cartel who would settle settle in Azshara with Bilgewater Harbor becoming their new capital and new leadership headed by Trade Princess Mida Silvertongue following the ouster, trial and execution of Jastor Gallywix. These goblin immigrants quickly adapted to their new homes looking for opportunity and establishing businesses. Their arrival would form one of the foundations for the transforming economy of the Hordes Kalimdor territories ensuring strong growth for the Hordes economy in the coming years.
Warchief Garrosh would as well hire the service of some of them to establish the Bank of Durotar to sell government bonds to Horde members, primarily purchased by goblins and blood elves in the early days of the bank. The Bank of Durotar as well helped to fund various reconstruction and settlement efforts and of course helped fund the Horde war efforts. It would also be useful in funding his post war initiatives in Durotar. Besides goblins, the Horde would also soon add as members the Highmoutain Tauren, Dragonmaw Clan and San'layn. The Alliance on the other hand would only add the Dark Iron dwarves having substantial numbers but in turn suffering defections to the Twilight Hammer.
New sources of soldiers that would be very appreciated as the two power blocks found fighting in numerous battles Twilight Hammer and others allied with Deathwing such as Ragnaros, Al'Akir and the Naga. Other groups such as the centaur, quilboar, gnolls of Redridge would take advantage of the Horde and Alliance forces being spread across Azeroth. The long disunited centaur clans would be united and rallied by one known as Aratas who then commanded small forces to raid farms and settlements across Kalimdor to keep the Horde off balance before unleashing his armies. The Horde would hold its ground against this resurgent centaur threat, rally and then counter attack against centaur holdings outside the Desolace before turning their attention to the centaurs homeland. The Horde invasion would be overseen by Warchief Garrosh and the newly promoted General Nazgrel with Horde forces in Stonetalon striking south and their counterparts in Feralas striking north into the Desolace.
The centaur under Aratas made the Horde pay dearly for every advance but in the end Horde was victorious claiming much of Desolace though the Horde had to deal with Naga, the Burning Blade and satyrs before the region was under Sole Horde control. The surviving centaur and those captured before were marched and then settled in newly built settlements guarded by a new militia force known as the Garad'kra in the now Northern Barrens with the Warchief implementing policies to hopefully one day make the centaur into willing members of the Horde. This of course generated great controversy among orc farmers who had suffered repeatedly at their hands and among the Tauren who had nearly been driven to extinction by them. Garrosh made it clear there was no honor in slaughtering a defeated people, a position few were willing to argue against and Cairne made public his support of the Warchief decision regarding the centaur believing they should be given a chance at redemption. While some agreed with the High Chieftain, others would use this controversy to make political gains such as the Grimtotem.
Like the centaur, the quilboar tribes sought to take advantage of the opportunity created by the Cataclysm in order to expand their territory but their successes would be short lived before they soon conquered by the Horde and like the gnolls and centaur before them, were sent to settlements with the hope of them one day becoming part of the Horde. A far less controversial decision as most simply did not care about the quilboar. Then there were the gnolls of Redridge who would be unified by General Fangore though it was suspected by SI:7 that the Twilight Hammer was involved though that was never proved. Whether or not they were involved, what was unarguable is that this opened up yet another front, an under pressure Stormwind army would have to fight. Like the Horde, despite being spread across various fronts, Stormwind would emerge victorious, shattering the gnolls army and then capturing the survivors and their villages though this created a new problem in what to do with all these gnolls.
A solution came via Jaina bearing an offer from Garrosh to resettle them in Horde territory with the Horde covering the expenses of moving them across the sea. If the Horde wanted them King Varian was happy to dump this problem into their lap and gave his consent and the gnolls were marched to Westfall with ships hired from Booty Bay waiting for them. They loaded up, shipped up across to and unloaded at Golkar and then settled with the remnants of the Woodpaw. Then there was the Zandalari War which brought yet more war to Azeroth. Years before the prophet Zul warned King Rastakhan of a terrible Cataclysm. For Zul had seen a vision of a great armored dragon clenching the world in his ferocious jaws.
Months later Zul returned, bearing more grim news from his visions. He saw a legion of serpents pouring forth from a gaping fissure that tore open the floor of the ocean. Still, King Rastakhan did nothing. Finally, mere months before the Cataclysm, Zul returned. Tearing his clothes and throwing his staff to the ground, Zul spoke of earthquakes and tidal waves.
He described the golden capital of Zandalar slowly sinking beneath the waves in the aftermath of the Cataclysm, its once-great people drowning as their mighty works slipped forever beneath the sea. He advised the council and the king to unite with the other troll tribes and to abandon their doomed homeland. Despite Zul's infamy, the council refused to believe in the scope of the disaster to come. Many felt that Zul was grandstanding to increase his own status and power. King Rastakhan tired of Zul and his troubling nightmares.
To be rid of the prophet, he granted Zul the use of his largest ships, so that he and his followers could seek a new land if his visions came to pass. They scoffed as he and his followers began assembling a war fleet and reaching out to the lesser troll races. The old prophet sailed all around the oceans, meeting with the other tribes like the Farraki or the Drakkari. But Zul's visions were true. Deathwing's Cataclysm rocked Zandalar to its foundation.
The spine of the land broke in two, and soon, the city and all its riches began to slide into the hungry sea. The Zandalari people turned to their King for help, but there was only one Zandalari equipped to help them: The prophet Zul. Even now the mighty and enigmatic troll empire slides into the sea, and Zandalari peasants and warriors alike flock to Zul for guidance on what to do next. But though Zandalar was indeed damaged and sinking, it did not sink as Zul predicted. While Zul and the Golden Fleet left Zandalar believing themselves to be the saviors of their people they would instead be the downfall of the Zandalari.
Zul would send out a call for the various tribes to meet to discuss the future of troll kind. Six other tribes would attend, Darkspear, Frostmane, Amani and the tribes of the Stranglethorn. Zul would talk of the grand past of their peoples and then how much they had fallen from the peak of their power and that they were now facing extinction. Though such a fate could be avoided by uniting under the Zandalari who would provide them with aid, reclaim their long lost lands and a golden age they could've never dreamed of. Five of the six representatives would agree to Zul's proposal though Vol'Jin made it clear his people's loyalty was to the Horde.
Conflict would quickly erupt with the Frostmane supported by an Zandalari army threatening Ironforge while the Vilebranch allying with the Amani would attack the Wildhammers, Witherbark and Revantusk. The Zandalari while having great ambition and much power, what they had of the latter would pale into comparison to the combined power of the Horde and the Alliance. Garrosh seeing an opportunity in this crisis to improve relations between the two power blocks and benefit in ending this new threat and as well reached an agreement on the fate of the various tribes. The first to fall would be the Frostmane at the hands of Ironforge with support from Stormwind, with the survivors being expelled to the Witherbark lands. The next to be defeated would be the Amani by armies composed of Darkspear, Forsaken, Blood Elves and High Elves, followed by the remaining Amani given a one way trip to Witherbark territory.
After that there was the Vilebranch whose early gains were quickly reversed as the Wildhammers, Witherbark and Revantusk with assistance from adventurers would crush them in several battles while a Forsaken fleet would crush what few ships opposed them before landing their troops on the coast who then joined together with their allies in the west for a siege of Jintha'Alor. The city would hold out for a time but still none the less fell. The Vilebranch, unlike the other tribes, would not be expelled but instead lose some lands to the Wildhammers and Revantusk. Instead they would be annexed by the Witherbark with Horde troops helping to keep the peace in their ally's new dominion. Finally there were the tribes of the now split Stranglethorn Vale.
A joint Horde-Alliance invasion was launched into the now two regions with the local trolls fiercely resisting and making the invaders bleed as they advanced ever deeper into their lands. The tribes would even attempt to drain the power of Hakkar but were foiled by a strike force of adventurers though Hakkar in the Veil was released. Like the tribes before them, Zul'Gurub would fall to the combined forces of the allied powers. In line with the agreement previously signed the tribes were sent north to the Witherbark expanded realm while Stormwind colonists moved in to start taming the kingdom's newest territory. With this concluded the fighting in the Eastern Kingdoms, the war would however continue on a different and very unexpected continent.
Soon after the new Warchief had taken up his position he had ordered a portion of the navy to head east, claiming islands for the Horde which would become a source of contention with the Alliance later on. More importantly was that one of these squadrons would discover or rather rediscover the long hidden continent of Pandaria. The Alliance would be informed of this major discovery and would send an expedition to learn more about this continent and as well to ensure their interests in these new lands. Unfortunately a third power would as well become aware of Pandaria, the Zandalari who seeing an opportunity would invade and reestablish their ancient alliance with the Mogu. Adventurers would be rapidly dispatched to delay the plots of the Zandalari while what forces that could be spared would make their way to the continent.
This war would have a number of consequences for Pandaria, the most dangerous would see the sha rise to menace Pandaria again. The sha would corrupt many of the insectoid Mantid and their Grand Empress Shek'zeer driving them to break through the Serpent's Spine into Pandaren lands while also displacing the Yungol whom would seek new lands spreading yet more war across the continent. Eventually these various threats would be ended though at a great cost to the people of these lands. At the same time the war against Deathwing and his forces raged on with famous campaigns and battles such as the Defense of Mt. Hyjal, Firelands Invasion, Battle of Darkshore among others being fought. Near the end of the war the aspects would gather to discuss how to end Deathwing once and for all, though there was only one weapon that could do it, the Dragon Soul and it had been destroyed years ago.
There however was the option of going back in time to retrieve a past version of it and bringing to the present, though to do so would need the permission of Nozdormu. After some convincing and Murozond death, a group of adventurers would travel over 10,000 years back into the past during the War of the Ancients, retrieved the Dragon Soul and returned to present finding Wyrmrest Temple under siege by the remainder of Deathwing forces. The adventures would assist the defenders of the temple to hold off legions of attackers to give the aspects time to charge the Dragon Soul. Wave after wave would attack, but the defenders held firm buying precious at a great cost in blood. When Deathwing became aware of what was occurring, he threw everything he had left, but by then it was too late as he would suffer a blast from the Dragon Soul wounding and forcing to flee with the defenders of Azeroth following right after him.
In a battle above the Maelstrom and later within it would finally see the end of Deathwing and the end of the war. With the death of Deathwing, Thrall now known as Go'el would return to Durotar after a year plus and found it to be very different and changing. New defenses and fortifications to protect the peninsula, learned new peoples such as goblins from Kezan, Farraki and Gilnean humans living within Orgrimmar. Speaking of the city it was smaller but growing fast with new homes and buildings made of iron and stone being built to allow the city to grow to its former heights without the previous risk of a fire consuming it. As he approached the now fortified entrance to the city he was greeted by Garrosh and the city's inhabitants, with many of the latter having mixed feelings about Go'El return.
While they were proud of his actions during the war, they knew his return meant the end of Garrosh tenure as Warchief and that was a prospect few were happy about after Garrosh successful reign. All of this was a fact not lost upon Go'el who had kept tabs on what was going on in the Horde. Garrosh welcomed the Warchief back and asked for his new orders. Go'el looked at those before turning his attention back to Garrosh thanking him for his service as Warchief and wished him continued success as Warchief to the shock of those gathered with exceptions such as Garrosh. Said orc would honor his predecessor with a retirement feast while minor celebrations were held in the city.
The next day Go'el would leave the city to enjoy retirement in Nagrand with his new family but promised to return to defend the Horde if called upon. Roughly three months later, armadas of Alliance and Horde ships would descend upon Zandalar to hold them accountable for the actions of Zul. The Golden Fleet would sink many ships during the invasion but in the end they were simply too outnumbered to win. The warriors of Zandalar would slay many but once again the Zandalari were overwhelmed by the numbers of their enemy and in the bloody fall of Zuldazar which would conclude with the death of God King Rastakhan. The invading powers however were not done with Zandalar as they would soon have to deal with the blood trolls and their god G'huun.
The Horde as well would defeat the Sethrak and liberate the Vulpera who in thanks for this would join the Horde as its latest members. The Alliance and Horde would depart with the riches of Zandalari and countless native animals while the Horde would have additionally the Vulpera aboard watching as their doomed island became ever more distant while looking forward to a new life in Kalimdor. For many of them this would be the last they would ever see their now former home. With the return of the Horde warriors a massive celebration was held like after the defeat of the Lich King though with far more luxury.
For the Zandalari now under the rule of Queen Talanji it is an era of decline. Little of the capital has been rebuilt with the queen viewing such resources better spent supporting the needs of her people after having paid severe reparations to the Horde and the Alliance via being looted and with more of the capital being consumed by the sea. With many seeing no future for themselves and their families has given rise to immigration to Witherbark territory and joining the Darkspear on the Echo Isles or settling in one of the Hordes Kalimdor cities. Others have taken to the seas as pirates giving rise to a new surge in piracy. With her kingdom shrinking and sinking, Queen Talanji must find a new homeland lest her people fade into history like so many troll empires before them.
In the kingdom of Gilneas it is a time of reconstruction and healing from recent conflicts. For the recovering economy, its three pillars are mercenaries, industry, and trade. Concerning the former, many Gilneans are under contract by the Alliance and the Horde protecting distant holdings such as in Northrend or too shore up troop numbers along the borders of the two power blocks. Said mercenary work helped fund the reopening and rebuilding and expansion of factories which in turn provides many of the goods that are exported. Finally, neutrality has made it a popular destination for some Alliance and Horde merchants to bypass the trade embargoes and restrictions between certain members in order to obtain certain goods. This neutrality has drawbacks as factions have begun to form with some calling for renewed Alliance membership, others pushing for Gilneas to join the Horde and finally those that believed the nation should stay neutral with the dispute largely limited to drunken brawls so far. If the nation did join one of the two factions it would shift the balance in the Eastern Kingdoms
For a majority of the orcish people, they no longer have to eke out a living among deserts now having a variety of places to live and various jobs to make a living. As well there have been other changes with schools having been built to educate orcish children, engineers trained to help manage factories owned by the Horde and finally new units using guns, artillery and explosives have been established to help modernize the way orcs wage war. This has caused protests among orc traditionalists feeling these and other changes is seeing them straying from orcish tradition, though they are far outnumbered by those that approve seeing no reason to doubt the man that has led them to victory over the Lich King, DeathWing and had ensured the current era of prosperity.
For the Bilgewater Cartel under the peace was a profitable time though still far less when they controlled Kezan. Under the leadership of Trade Princess Mida Silvertongue is determined to return to making such profits and surpassing it. They are making steady progress towards that from the various commercial and illicit activities at Bilgewater Harbor, Kalimdor mining operations and having turned Zul'Farrak into a city sized beach resort with a tunnel now connecting the formerly landlocked city to the sea. The latter being something that greatly angers the surviving Farraki but something they can do nothing about. Though there profit margin for the latter two is smaller they would like with the Horde collecting a portion of the revenue due to leasing agreements.
There are also environmental protection rules they must agree to though despite their complaints they are aware they are rather weak. Though as far as Mida is concerned, such loss profits and various rules are trivial considering the contract issued to them by the Warchief not long after Bilgewater Harbor was established. That being rocket ships could safely carry Horde colonists to other worlds for a variety of reasons including to get ahead of Azeroth becoming overcrowded or facing destruction. Good reasons to be sure but for Mida she sees the potential to exploit other worlds resources and new businesses opportunities. It will take many years but one day the Horde flag will set foot on other worlds via a fleet of Bilgewater rocket ships.
Then there is the Ratchet Cartel which of courses operates out of Ratchet which joined the Horde as a free city nearly a year after the Cataclysm following the Steamwheedle Cartel being thrown into chaos following the assassination of its top leadership and attacks on several of its holdings. It is also where a sizable portion of the Horde resources from mines, lumber yards and farms are exported to Port Bladefist to help sustain the ever growing city of Orgrimmar and other settlements on the peninsula. Then there are the goblins from Kezan not members of either cartel, who run various businesses, help man the naval and merchant fleets and assist the orcs in industrializing. While there are a few that miss Kezan, most former refugees rather prefer living in the Orcs provinces with its lack of corruption, loan sharks and far less pollution.
Lor'themar had served as regent for nearly ten years and in the view of many including himself that it is time for it to end. So as his final acts he appointed a new Convocation, far larger than the old one and resigning as regent. The new Convocation first decision would be selecting a new king. There was much arguing before finally they elected Halduron Brightwing as a compromise candidate. The nearly first three years of King Brightwing reign would be a time of renewal for the Blood Elves as their population saw a major increase.
This population recovery in turn has led to a debate among the Blood Elves if they should remain a member of the Horde considering it risks dragging them into a war with the Alliance. The pro Horde camp so far has been winning the debate citing mainly assistance if Quel'Thalas is attacked and providing the troops to finally defeat and expel the Amani though the isolationist faction remains strong. The king himself supports remaining in the Horde but is well aware of his peoples fragile recovery and so has made sure his diplomats defuse any situation that arises between the Alliance and Horde to ensure it does not spiral into war.
The Forsaken now rule a nation stretching across much of Lordareon and all of Alterac. As well the Forsaken numbers have been swelled by the use of Val'kyr To make countless from Alterac graveyards into new Forsaken. With this expanded population, Sylvanas was able to build and crew countless ships and as well expand her army. As well with industrial knowledge gained from Horde goblins has built factories to make sure her lands are defended with new and deadlier weapons and that her army is not lacking when it one day fights the Alliance. Though despite this not all was well in Forsaken society. There were those unhappy with the unchanging nature of Forsaken society and a lack of reforms.
When it was clear nothing would change, some Forsaken would depart permanently for Durotar, while far fewer would settle in Gilneas, Theramoore and Stormwind among families that were willing to look past their undead status. While this did anger Sylvannas, to her those leaving are inconsequential as she makes her plans and schemes.
A new era has begun for the Tauren with the retirement of Cairne with his son Baine taking his place as High Chieftain of the Tauren. Though it will not be an easy reign. There is growing tension in Tauren society over the damage caused to the lands of Kalimdor by Goblin factories and mining operations along with the Orcs growing industrialization efforts. Though some Tauren point that the Warchief had put in place measures to limit environmental damage and that it is necessary if the Horde is to remain compete even with the Alliance. The Grimtotem have used this growing divide to make political gains and it is something that Chieftain Baine will have to resolve sooner rather than later.
The Darkspear with the addition of the Farraki and those arriving from Zandalri now enjoy numbers not seen since Sen'Jin ruled the tribe. The Darkspear provide a sizable portion of Durotar workforce and many can be found working good paying jobs at Port Bladefist. While there are some of the Darkspear unhappy with being a minority in their own tribe, they cannot dispute that these are prosperous times and that the tribe's future is bright.
For a people at first very unhappy with being forced to rejoin the Horde, the Witherbark have benefited greatly from their renewed membership. Eastern Stromgarde along with most of the Vilebranch land is now under their domain. As well their numbers have been greatly expanded with the conquest of the Vilebranch, the settling of five foreign troll tribes and then there as well the continued stream of Zandalari immigrants. Finally there are the financial benefits such as Horde resources to build Port Zalas, rebuild the Vilebranch settlements, and hire mercenaries to partly man the forts along the borders with neighboring Alliance member states and to keep an eye on the various tribes. As well their share of loot from Zandalar was helpful in funding an expansion of their fleet.
Chieftain Zalas has worked to forge these eight tribes into a nation though so far only the Zandalari immigrants and his fellow Witherbark have been enthusiastic about this. That however did not deter him from proclaiming himself Emperor of the newly founded Witherbark Empire. Though Emperor Zalas is well aware his Empire's continued survival depends upon remaining a member of the Horde for outside the protection of the Horde they would be destroyed by a vengeful Stromgarde backed up by the Alliance. Independence from his perspective is a small price to pay in his mind as he enjoys luxuries previously thought impossible and commands countless trolls from Shadra'Alor.
As for the races the Horde that has recently subjugated, one race has begun to integrate into the Horde, the Gnolls. Some of their race taken to serving in the Horde military or merchant fleets. While success has been made in assimilating the Gnolls, the Quilboar and Centaur are expected to take years if not generations.
Stormwind following the Horde conquest of eastern Stromgarde and the resulting increase in tensions, would dispatch a large fleet to strengthen the garrisons of its Northrend settlements, bring new colonists and to build them into self sufficient colonies capable of defending and contributing to the treasury rather than being a drain on the finances of Stormwind. During the conflicts following the Cataclysm, Stormwind would conquer most of the Swamp of Sorrows and with the assistance of the Horde conquer most of the now divided Stranglethorn Vale and then expel the native troll tribes. Following these new conquests would see the kingdom pour funds, resources and manpower making them suitable for settlement with the colonists arriving mainly being the impoverished that had been congregating in Westfall. The next major development for Stormwind colonies would come when it started to become apparent from SI:7 reports that the various Horde shipyards of Kalimdor were working to build an armada of ships. The possibility of the Horde shifting the balance of power, caused panic that saw funding approved for a naval expansion larger than that of the Horde and the infrastructure to make it a reality.
Ports, naval bases and shipyards were approved for Stormwind colonies and the Admiralty as well successfully lobbying for a naval base on the coast of Westfall and with the fleets they would build securing Stormwind as the largest naval power in the Alliance and later the world. The colonies would not be the only parts of the kingdom to receive major investments as word reached the kingdom of the Orcs industrializing. The idea of the orcs being more advanced than Stormwind was viewed as utterly unacceptable and so the House of Nobles approved funding aka secured a new loan from Ironforge to hire goblins to train engineers and oversee the construction of factories for a new state owned company. Initially it was planned for this new industrial activity to be located in an expanded Stormwind City but King Varian pushed back against the current proposal as this concentrated the prosperity in one place and create resentment in the rest of the kingdom and risked a second resurgence of the Defias Brotherhood or creating similar groups. The military leadership would as well point out the unwise of concentrating it one location, as a successful strike would cripple their industry.
With these testimonies, the House would adjust the plan and begin the process of Stormwinds industrialization. The towns that would see factories and foundries built there would grow into the cities they are now attracting workers from villages seeking higher wages and others forced to due to farmers while Stormwinds then existing cities growing even larger. As well these cities would attract people from Outland, Pandaria and Khaz Modan further fueling the growth of these cities and their economies. The dwarves from the latter region were a major to the Stormwind economy contributing their industrial knowledge and increasing safety in working conditions. The mining industry would feed the ever growing industry of Stormwind seeing massive profits for the nobles who have recently begun to use this amassed wealth to purchase existing factories from the state company or loan it to other nobles so they can afford too as well.
Other nobles have taken to banding together to buy factories and splitting the profits among themselves. Though it would not only be nobles among the ranks of these new factory owners as they would be joined by wealthy retired adventures. A opportune time as the House of Nobles is hammering out the final details of a bill to fund the construction of networks of rail transport to better connect most of the kingdom and speed up the movement of people and goods. Which will require much steel to construct to the delight of many companies. The army as well embraced this innovation like they had the rifle among other things. The treasury meanwhile is hoping these factories and such can put a dent into Stormwind debt which hasn't shrunk since the end of the Zandalari War.
The Dark Iron Clan no longer under the tyranny of Ragnaros have begun to forge a new path as members of the Alliance, though it has proven to be a bloody path with part of the clan having joined Deathwing and fighting those Dark Iron that remained loyal to Queen Moira. While a bloody price was paid in the period following the Cataclysm, the Dark Iron have benefitted with all of Blackrock Mountain now under their control, and has allowed for the ongoing expansion of Shadowforge City, with the goal of a city even more grand than Ironforge. As part of its commitments to the Alliance, the Dark Iron have built a navy though a rather small one as most the military resources flow to the army, which in a future war with the Horde will reinforce the Alliance on any front needing additional troops. While the future is clouded by the potential of war, the Dark Iron look forward to the future as one of their own Dagran Thaurissan II, who in about ten years will take his place upon the thrones of Ironforge and Shadowforge unifying the two kingdoms and ensuring the Dark Iron place in this new realm.
The wealth of the Kingdom of Ironforge has propped up Stromgarde and Lordareon while Stormwind has been able to maintain both its military and domestic spending in large due to Ironforge loans. As well Ironforge provides the majority of the troops for Alliance legion and military units garrisoned in Alliance members bordering the Horde. Ironforge is the economic heart for much of the Alliance and its main land power. While the leadership of Ironforge and its bankers look favorably upon this, the common people on the other hand do not. The cost of propping up Stromgarde, Lordareon, so many soldiers overseas and the upkeep costs of Alliance bases and fortresses is an enormous sum.
As well Ironforge has expanded its army and navy in response to the increased threat respected by the Forsaken, with the latter seeing a shipyard built in the Wetlands to support an expanded fleet. As well another shipyard would be built in the Twilight Highlands following the migration of the Dragonmaw Clan to Feralas. All together this requires an eye watering amount of increased taxes and loans to afford. The latter being a major problem for many entrepreneurs as credit to expand or even start a new business is lacking as most goes to either Ironforge, Stormwind or those businesses supplying the military. As well exports to Ironforge largest trading partner Stormwind and certain other Alliance nations is on the decline as they make ever increasing progress on their industrialization, though the blow of this has been lessened by the increased military spending by Ironforge.
As well, not all dwarves are enthusiastic about a Dark Iron to one day sit upon the throne and so all of this combined is creating growing discontent in the kingdom, which the Council of Three Hammers is aware of but has been unable to largely resolve. With these various factors and the new economic opportunities emerging in Stormwind cities has seen growing dwarven immigration, with dwarven engineers the most sought after of these immigrants by the Stormwind government and businesses, with them making wages far higher than back home. For now the discontent is not a problem though if left to fester it risks the stability of the kingdom and that of Dagran succession.
For the Night Elves the peace was a very much needed respite after the horrendous losses suffered in the various battles following the Cataclysm. The Sentinels would replenish their numbers but this would greatly diminish their pool of potential recruits and would find them lacking in manpower in a drawn out war with the Horde. The Kalimdor Horde greater numbers is not the Night Elves only problem as under Warchief Garrosh a major naval build up was initiated giving the Horde a navy far greater than the combined fleets of the Night Elves and Theramoore. The odds being even worse when one includes their armed merchant ships. To counteract the Hordes various advantages in a war, the Sentinels have constructed new fortresses and are bolstered with Alliance troops, ships and mercenaries to hold off the Horde while hoping reinforcements from the Eastern Kingdoms will survive naval squadrons, gunships and privateers based from the Horde controlled islands of the Great Sea. Despite this the Night Elves have no doubts they can weather an invasion by the Horde.
Following Sylvanas expansion, the Alliance would pour resources into the development of the Hillsbrad Foothills, with Southshore port expanded, housing built for the Alteraci refugees and finally the creation of a military and defenses for it and the nearby Fenris Isle which would unify as the Kingdom of Hillsbrad under the leadership of King Henry Maleb and a senate based at Southshore. Though the latter held most of the political power with King Henry only power being to oversee relations with other powers. One example of this was him attempting to convince Ambermill to join but they weren't interested and who preferred remaining a neutral and heavily fortified vassal of Dalaran. With a military, the sons and daughters of Hillsbrad found themselves fighting mainly in the Twilight Highlands and Zandalar where they would suffer heavy losses. A major change for the people of Hillsbrad who had become used to adventures fighting for them.
Further changes would come with the rebirth of Hillsbrad oil industry for export to generate additional income and for local use particularly for the factories of places such as Southshore and Tarrens Mill, built to transform the Hillsbrad army into a force able to along with Alliance garrisons able to hold out against the larger and more militarized Forsaken. With this industrialization would see migration to the large towns turning them into cities. Other changes would be to the detriment of the kingdom, such as the rise of crime as new gangs were formed by Syndicate members contributing to increasing discrimation of the Alteraci. The people of Alterac would tire of this and would immigrate to Theramoore for a better life. Theramore Guard and businesses would appreciate the extra manpower while Stormwind and Ironforge were displeased to say the least at this shortsightedness. Still despite this setback, the Kingdom Hillsbrad stands ready to defend its lands.
Theramoore with an infusion of labor and resources from other Alliance members has gone from a city state with a few outposts in the Dustwallow Marsh to a nation encompassing swamp transformed into farmland, settlements and inhabited by refugees from Shattrath, Pandaria and Alteraci immigrants. With this expanding population allowed for an expanded army and fleet, with the former undergoing many changes as the hiring of Dwarven engineers was the beginning of Theramoore industrialization brought about by the wave of industrizing in both the Horde and Alliance, which would see factories built and in turn led to new artillery and musketman and necessitated doctrine changes for Theramoore army. The army as well would be supported by a new generation of mages trained by Jaina and paladins trained by Brother Karman. This would not be the only changes as the Assembly of Theramore would be expanded to represent the new settlements on Dustwallow and Alcaz island. While Theramoore has greatly changed since its founding, it remains dedicated to its founding ideas and to defend the Alliance be it from threats from Azeroth or beyond.
Once more Stromgarde is a member of the Alliance, though it has fallen greatly from the power it once was during the Second War. Few of the Stromic people live within the kingdom's borders with most preferring to live in the kingdom of Stormwind rather than live in a potential front of the next war. This has left its rebuilt capital largely deserted and leaving nearly all of its other settlements as ruins. The manpower shortage also meant the wars against Deathwing and the Zandalari has left its army depleted and unable to replenish its ranks and making it reliant on Alliance troops and mercenaries to protect itself making it a drain upon Alliance resources. Then there is the shame and anger from the occupation of eastern Stromgarde by the Witherbark Empire and the only way to reclaim it being war and that being a nonstarter for several reasons. As King Danath sits upon his throne with the kingdom in a never ending decline, ponders if this can be reversed or if it simply an inescapable fate of his nation.
The Kingdom of Lordaeron has reborn with the unexpected return of now Queen Calia and the Argent Crusade ceding the lands it had recently gained, though the realm she rules from a rebuilt Stratholme is far smaller than the one ruled by her father. It is also less of a state and more like an army with a state as few Lordaeronians left Stormwind for a kingdom trying to rebuild in a landlocked portion of the Eastern Plaguelands and would be one of the fronts with the next war with the Horde. Queen Calis would attempt to expand her kingdom by sending diplomats to the Kingdom of Hillsbrad though they were rebuffed as Hillsbrad liked its independence and did wish not to subsidize the rebuilding of Lordareon. While the road to recovery will be long, Queen Calia will see her kingdom restored
Three years of peace would follow the Zandlarli defeat, though soon relations began to worsen as skirmishes were being fought by members of the Alliance and Horde along some border with increasing regularity. While tension and paranoia threaten to plunge the world into a Fourth War, such a hypothetical conflict seems to have been delayed by the outbreak of war elsewhere. On Kul Tiras civil war has broken out following Priscilla Ashvane seizure of Borlaus. With her control of the capital Ashvane seeks to consolidate her rule of the Tiragarde Sound with her various criminal and pirate allies working to enforce her will before finally crushing the loyalist forces gathering on Drustvar. Adding to the Kul Tirian troubles, is refugees from Stormsong bringing word of the island fall to some squid looking monstrosities.
Unwilling to have her homeland fall to traitors and monsters, Jaina Proudmoore has convinced the Alliance leadership to intervene to save Kul Tiras from the threats that threaten to destroy it and perhaps a chance for Jaina to reconcile with her family. The Horde meanwhile observes these events and for the moment remains at peace Warchief Garrosh prepares his forces for what he knows will soon come and the unknown threats. Whatever the latter may be he is certain that heroes both old and new will vanquish whatever rises up to threaten Azeroth.
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So a mind insert I'd guess you call it into Garrosh which works out well for the Horde and for much of the Alliance on this now alternate Azeroth. For the various troll tribes outside the Horde not good times. Also wow this ended up being far far longer than I planned. Also the end time frame is around early BFA.