Much speculation surrounded the new Alliance race to be introduced in The Burning Crusade, with rumored choices including the Draenei, Centaurs, and Dark Trolls. Even the remaining High Elves were mentioned as a possibility. However, on May 10, 2006, Blizzard announced at E3 that the Draenei would be the new Alliance race in the upcoming expansion. In an interview with Gamespot.com[citation needed], it was revealed that Blizzard chose the Draenei not only for their connection to the Blood Elves and desire to visit Outland, but also because the Alliance lacked a “large” species like the Tauren, and the typical male Draenei is about the same size as a male Tauren.

The Draenei are uncorrupted (as opposed to those led by Akama, as seen in Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne), worship the Holy Light, and are also highly intelligent. Fleeing the shattered realm of Outland after learning of their brothers’ corruption, the Draenei (who travel in an interdimensional ship) crashed in Azeroth on the Azuremyst Isles, northwest of Kalimdor. Azuremyst is the Draenei starting area, and they also have a “Secondary Area” for levels 10-20, which has been named the Bloodmyst Isle. Those that choose to play as the Draenei can play as a Mage, Paladin, Priest, Hunter, Warrior, or Shaman, a class previously only available to the Horde.

After the events of the First Great War, Lord Lothar from the nation of Azeroth met with King Terenas of Lordaeron, together they united all the Human kingdoms with the Dwarven nation of Khaz Modan, the High Elves of Quel’Thalas, and the Gnomes of Gnomeregan in order to defend themselves against the Horde, which had destroyed the nation of Azeroth and left its people homeless.

The first Alliance.
All nations joined with conviction besides Alterac and Gilneas. Gilneas was one of the smallest nations at the time, but their King, Greymane, didn’t want to lose control of his own forces to the Alliance High Command and he felt that the nation could defend its own borders from impending invasion, as Lordaeron already effectively shielded it from Horde attack. However, he shortly afterwards hesitantly joined the Alliance out of necessity to ensure Gilneas’ survival, realising if the Alliance fell Gilneas would be unable to stand alone against the Horde and thrust its support into the war effort. The weakest nation, Alterac, little more than a city state high in the mountains of middle-Lordaeron, officially joined the Alliance but secretly had formed a partnership with the Horde, and started trading valuable tactical information with the warlocks of the Stormreaver Clan. The Alliance found out this duplicity after Alterac soldiers had started a riot in Tyr’s Hand and had attempted as assassinate the first paladin, Uther the Lightbringer. King Terenas was furious at this treachery and sent his forces to destroy the nation of Alterac. The city was razed, its lords stripped of their lands, and the populace dispersed. Today the city is in ruins and is currently occupied by Ogres, the nation of Alterac is no more.

The Alliance coat of arms — a combination of the racial crests of its members (the hammer, the eagles and the shield, the cog and the arrows representing dwarves, humans, gnomes and night elves respectively) — as seen in the World of Warcraft.However, after the events of the Third Great War, contact was made with the Night Elves from Kalimdor, who have joined the Alliance as well. Many of the surviving High Elves, their kingdom destroyed, had begun to use warlock magic because of the loss of their Sunwell. They became known as Blood Elves, and have joined the ranks of the Horde to sustain their need for a source of magical power. They have become a playable race for the Horde in the newest World of Warcraft expansion, The Burning Crusade. Although within the Warcraft lore, the total Alliance strength is considerably larger than the Horde, the Alliance is decentralized and without a strong leader such as Thrall; therefore, the effective strength of both sides is about the same.

Currently, the Horde has been striving to rebuild their society. The Orcs are rediscovering the sacred shaman rituals of their forefathers, learning more and passing knowledge down throughout the generations. The Darkspear trolls, exiled from their homeland, are struggling to find their place in the other lands of Kalimdor and Azeroth, using the combined Horde’s vast resources to rebuild a civilization. The Tauren, also driven from their ancestral home, continue to lay down roots in their adopted home of Mulgore. The Tauren were also key in restoring shamanism to the Orcs. After breaking free from their bonds under the Lich King, the Forsaken turn to their new leader to guide them to a greater future. The undead’s lust for magical power and alchemical knowledge keep them isolated in their sepulchral Undercity, where untold experiments of magic and alchemy take place. It is still to be seen how the Blood Elves, with their singular purpose, will fit into the complete Horde and if their added influence will strengthen their new united allies. Currently the Horde and the Alliance have forged a fragile peace in order to combat the Burning Legion effectively. If the Burning Legion is defeated, then it is highly likely the peace will be shattered, and hostilities between the Alliance and the Horde will be renewed. In such situation, the enmity that separates the two factions will reach a peak, and in future conflicts, no quarter will be asked, and none given.

In Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos, the orcs, freed of their demonic curse, left the land of Azeroth and traveled west to the land of Kalimdor, along the way they earned the trust of a tribe of Jungle Trolls known as the Darkspear Tribe. Soon afterwards on Kalimdor, they were joined by the noble, shamanistic Tauren. In Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne, they allied with a number of goblins and Stonemaul Ogres. Their main stronghold and desired sanctuary became Durotar, which was founded by their warchief, Thrall in honor of his father (Durotan).

The Horde first appeared in Warcraft: Orcs and Humans. It was then composed solely of Orcs and was referred to as the “Orcish Hordes”. The Orcs were cursed by the blood of a demon of the Burning Legion named Mannoroth. The Horde, secretly led by the Shadow Council, threw away their shamanistic heritage, and became warlocks. Before they left their home world of Draenor, the Shadow Council was approached by Medivh, who at the time was being controlled by the leader of the Burning Legion-Sargeras. Medivh conjured the Dark Portal, allowing the Orcish Horde to invade Azeroth. Under Warchief Blackhand’s official leadership, and the Shadow Council’s secret leadership, the Horde was set loose upon Azeroth which lead to the First War.