Following the First War, depicted in the game Warcraft: Orcs & Humans, the people of Stormwind retreated to Lordaeron. As a second wave of orcs poured through the Dark Portal, the dwarves of Ironforge and the Wildhammers of Aerie Peak pledged their troops and services to the Alliance. Their gryphon riders proved invaluable in the ensuing battles and were useable troops offered to the Alliance faction in Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness.

Conscripting both the ogres and forest trolls into their fold, the Orcish Horde moved first to conquer the lands of Khaz Modan and the southern lands of Lordaeron. They effortlessly decimated all opposition. They were only barred from total conquest by the gates of Ironforge. Try as they might, the orcs were ultimately unable to breach the ancient doors. As things were looking grim for the Alliance, the Horde began to splinter from within due to the treachery of the warlock Gul’dan. Seeing the weakness, the commanders of the Alliance moved in for the kill. At the final battle on the slopes of Blackrock Mountain, the mighty armies of the savage Horde were finally defeated in a terrible and bloody rout.

When the war ended, many of the members of the Alliance seceded, but the Dwarves of Ironforge pledged an eternal debt of honor to them for liberating Khaz Modan from the Horde’s control.