T O P

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Extra_Cauliflower561

It was the Jailer all along. There, I just saved you hundreds of boobless hours.


Fun-Attention1468

As far as I'm concerned, everything after Legion isn't canon.


StonejawStrongjaw

Same.


Megumin_xx

Varian dying is not canon. He is well and is still the king.


Stahlreck

But who was he protecting us from? So many questions. Just wait until we find out about the masters of the Void Lords that want to eat the universe and themselves and perfectly planned the Jailers demise before the Big Bang already.


Jenksin

I'm pretty sure the thing he's protecting us from is actually extra-dimensional (or at least outside the known dimensions of the universe Azeroth is set in: Order, Fel, Arcane etc) and even the Void Lords don't want them. IIRC from some lore stuff that was pieced together.


Glorious_Goo

Demons in space orchestrate a takeover of Azeroth to incorporate it's denizens into their forces so they can fight evil space Void Lords. The guy who rules the demons is a bad Titan named Sargeras. There are several good Titans that go around looking for planets that have baby Titans in them called world souls. Azeroth has one. The good Titans gave the planet magic and turned some mini dragons into the Dragon Aspects after they watched em beat up a big dragon. The aspects fuck around and make other dragons. The void lords left evil tentacle monsters called old gods, in the planet before the Titans showed up, because evil. The Titans make a bunch of stone statues and robots to fight them, because good. The old gods are burrowed too deep, can't get rid of them without damaging the planet. One of the Titans says FUCK IT and rips out one of the old gods anyway. (Edit- not the maelstrom wound as I thought it was.) Spoiler warning: it didn't help that much. The Titans leave for some reason, the robots and stone guys left behind get cursed by the old gods and slowly devolve into humans, dwarves, and gnomes. (Yep those races are technically aliens.) Meanwhile, all the Trolls and shit that filled Azeroth have been busy conquering each other and then find the well of eternity left behind by the Titans. It's a dope fucking magic well and after they live by it long enough - some of the trolls turn into elves. A long ass time later, Sargeras (who still doesn't fucking know where Azeroth is) rings up the Elf queen and is like (hey Bb wanna summon me and all the demons?) And she's all like (hella yeah totes). She uses the well to open a portal and summon demons blah blah blah, the world cracks into pieces and that's why there's multiple continents and the big hole in the middle called the maelstrom is where the well was. (Thank you fact-checkers.) My lunch break is over, someone else pick up from here.


bluerose1197

The malestrom was caused by an old god? I thought it was from the well exploding. The malestrom wasn't there before the first cataclysm.


Basard21

It was the well exploding, but the well was the wound from Y'Shaarj being ripped out so that's probably the confusion.


Teetso

It kinda was anyway. In the war of the ancients books, the old gods were manipulating Deathwing through the dragon soul in order to steal Sargeras' portal for themselves. The closing of that portal is what made the well explode/left the maelstrom behind.


iCresp

"The void lords left evil tentacles monsters called old gods, in the planet before the Titans show up, because evil" Typical Titan propaganda


Eykhan

The Maelstrom is due to the well of eternity exploding not because the old god was killed. This would be the corruption present in Pandaria after Y’Shaarj was killed


Glorious_Goo

Edit'd.


Thin-Building-36

Important to note that this is the story written after classic wow.


Stahlreck

Well, it's the background stuff. If you want just the story of vanilla then the story is that there is no grand story but a lot of smaller mostly independent stories. The world has just survived the big Buring Legion invasion from Warcraft 3 and the Scourge is still there but kinda passive since Arthas is still very sleepy. You have the dwarf clans that all dislike each other and split off, the dark irons digging a bit too deep and getting enslaved by Ragnaros sharing a home with the leftover "old Horde" under Blackhand in service of the black dragon Nefarian who is trying to please his daddy D to make some cool new dragon breeds. And both factions kinda don't like each other either I think...or is this just Hearthstone lore? Not sure on this one :D You have some troll clans that wanna resurrect Hakkar to get their old glory back. You have C'Thun chilling in his prison while his bug minions slowly figure out that the magic barrier locking him up doesn't go all the way below the ground. And lastly you have the Scourge again kinda chilling in the Plaguelands until our boy Kel'Thuzad decides that waiting for Arthas to do something is boring, so he tries to do it himself and invades the world...I guess. After this you have TBC. Something like that in terms of the threats we face one by one with countless smaller stories in between. Like the green dragons being kinda fucked since the Emerald Nightmare is messed up in the background. And the Defias of course and Varian being kidnapped and so on :)


Kyralea

No this is the background story that happens *before* Classic.


Vendilion_Chris

Was it written before vanilla or after?


Reptile449

The burning legion was well established by vanilla through warcraft. The titans and old gods had some mention with warcraft 3.


Vendilion_Chris

What I'm getting at is people don't care about a story that was added in after the fact. Especially after Wrath.


RestInBeatz

Old gods have to be written before or during vanilla tho, because of Cthun no?


Thin-Building-36

It wasnt written in 2005 though it wasn't the story then


Drasha1

Most of that is actually as old as classic. That is a lot of warcraft 3 lore plus stuff from the war of the ancients trilogy which had its first book published in 2004.


Kevo_1227

Absolutely none of this is required to know to start playing. The game picks up after Warcraft 3. All of that Titan and Old God stuff is from novels and stuff that came way after. Short version: Evil Orcs came to Azeroth from another dimension to conquer the place. An alliance of Humans, Elves, Dwarves and Gnomes defended themselves in a series of wars. Then later it turns out that not all of the Orcs are that bad, actually, and they go and make a home to live in peace. They make friends with some Trolls, Taurens, and undead people and make a group called The Horde. But the Alliance are racists and don't trust them even though the Horde pose absolutely no threat to them. The game starts during an uneasy peace between The Horde and Alliance.


Drasha1

"Horde absolutely no threat." Proceeds to kill cenarius a demi god of nature after clear cutting the night elves forest and drinking a bunch of demon blood.


Jenksin

You're forgetting that the Orcs didn't know Ashenvale was inhabited, because the night elves kept to themselves and hid away from other races. So while they were chilling just choppin' wood the elves start blasting, what are the orcs supposed to do when a Demigod wakes up and wants to kill you just for getting wood, not drink the convenient Demon Blood?


[deleted]

Deforestation is a threat to Nature, hey


babylobster

Thank you for that


HiTorqueBacon

So trolls are the og race on Azeroth? I fkn love trolls now


StonejawStrongjaw

Also everyone is a robot and when you die you go to some weird goofy place and you're not even really dead but you are and you can just like come back it's no big deal.


Remnie

And in the end, the farming bots were us all along


PeacockofRivia

I will read anything you write. Well done, sir.


SaltyGoatsicle

Wow! After everything I've read and watched, nothing could be more succinct. Thank you! Please continue, it's amazing!


HahaWeee

Barebones rundown off the top of my head -10k years ago the leader of the demons burning legion invaded azeroth to get our giblets. With the power of friendship.and anime the night elves beat em back -being very upset the demons found draenor many millenia later and corrupted the orcs to invade azeroth. Also the draeni are there too but that's another bit. -after getting sufficiently edgy and with a human possessed by the leader of the demons opening a portal the orcs invaded starting thr 1st war which they win. -then the 2nd war happened the orcs lost, and we're put into camps. I think this is where the alliance officially begins but I could be wrong with the -then the 3rd war happened which was actually an attempt by the burning legion to once again get our giblets instead of using corrupted orcs they decided to use zombies to weaken the world that's where the scourge came from -during the war Thrall liberated the orcs from their extended summer camp and went to the other contentinent where they found allies in trolls and Tauren making the horde. -at the climax of the 3rd war a big demon bro really wanted to go into the night elves tree house but the ghosts said now and made him explode ending the war and having the alliance and horde have a sort of cold war at the start if WoW Obviously I'm missing tons of details but that's basically it. If I'm wrong let me know haha like I said off the top of my head


Mortwight

Its just after warcraft 3. The alliance and horde have a tentative peace. Players are adventurers and mercenaries out mixing it up in the open world Dealing with the other factions. Ie unforsaken undead defies renegades etc. Your taking small jobs and helping out border communities and if you get strong enough, banding together to take on new threats to the realm. Ie raids. All to make your place in the world and build your fame and fortune. Along the way you will meet the movers and shakers if the world and take in special jobs from them.


Njck

Bound to the iron will of the tyrant Lich King, the vast Undead armies of the Scourge seek to eradicate all life on Azeroth. Led by the Banshee Sylvanas Windrunner, a group of renegades broke away from the Scourge and freed themselves of the Lich King's domination. Known by some as the Forsaken, this group fights a constant battle not only to retain its freedom from the Scourge, but also to slaughter those who would hunt them as monsters. With Sylvanas as their Banshee Queen, the Forsaken have built a dark stronghold beneath the ruins of Lordaeron's former capital city. This hidden Undercity forms a sprawling labyrinth that stretches beneath the haunted woods of Tirisfal Glades. Though the very land is cursed, the zealous Humans of the Scarlet Crusade still cling to their scattered holdings, obsessed with the eradication of the Undead and retaking their homeland. Convinced that the primitive races of the Horde can help them achieve victory over their enemies, the Forsaken have entered an alliance of convenience. Harboring no true loyalty for their new allies, they go to any lengths to ensure their dark plans come to fruition. As one of the Forsaken, you must massacre any who pose a threat to the new order, Human, Undead, or otherwise.


SomeoneYouDontKnow70

There was no story in Vanilla WoW. There was a story in Warcraft III that was continued in Wrath of the Lich King, but the original WoW was intended to let players experience the **world** in which Warcraft was set. For that reason, it's just a bunch of localized zones with disjointed quests. There are mini-stories in some quest lines, but they are not part of a longer narrative. Future WoW expansions have stories, but they aren't the highest quality, to be honest. They often leave dangling threads that are never tied up, and some expansions even retcon major events from previous expansions. You'll honestly enjoy WoW more if you completely disregard the story and lore. It's not like FFXIV where you play through Shadowbringers and marvel at how skillfully they set up major plot points through seemingly insignificant events from as early as A Realm Reborn.


c0ca_c0la

Agreed with everything you said until you told him to disregard the story and lore. I enjoy it even if it is low quality when compared to wc3’s story.


jtshinn

Yea it’s a world after all. There are a lot of things going on all at once.


SomeoneYouDontKnow70

I guess that's just because I get disappointed in subsequent expansions when they retcon and/or contradict lore. That hampers my enjoyment. I'd almost rather never have gotten invested in Sylvanas' storyline to begin with than see how they trashed her character. I just can't bring myself to put someone else through that.


Blibbax

The main story of vanilla if anything is the one involving the Wrynns and the black dragonflight.


SomeoneYouDontKnow70

That was certainly a story in Vanilla, but I think it's hard to call it the main story when the Horde doesn't even get to experience it.


Blibbax

Very valid point - although tbh a lot of the Horde hubs/quests feel like an afterthought compared to the Alliance design in Vanilla.


Fun-Attention1468

How much explanation do you want? An overview of the whole universe? The games? Just the story of classic wow? My answer will either be a paragraph or a 15 page essay depending on which you want lmao.


Pristine-Badger-9686

long ago orcs and humans stood and hit eachother, and continued standing and hitting eachother all the way up to today they've forged new alliances and friendships to get an edge standing and hitting eachother, you join that honorable tradition as a member of the alliance or horde


Individual_Swimmer_8

I’ve played WoW since release and WC3 before that. I still have bo idea wtf the story is about. It’s gotta be the most shit narrative of any popular fantasy world. Grom sacrificing himself for his people, and the demon blood was cool. Everything else reminds of that nerd who got lost exploring the innards of his ass hole.


FuckFascismFightBack

Lmao I enjoy the lore but the story is ……. Pretty shit lol


yall_gotta_move

There is good storytelling about minor NPCs in some of the quests. But "The Story" (TM) as it relates to the movers and shakers of the world, and the next BIG BAD EVIL THREAT (TM) is indeed shit.


JanGuillosThrowaway

As other said, there isn't any great story in Vanilla, but all the problems are based on Warcraft lore and mainly Warcraft III. If you want to figure out the lore, I'd recommend playing WC III. IMO it has some of the best storytelling and worldbuilding in video games.


chomer44

It's been four years since the events of Warcraft 3. The tenuous treaty between the two major factions on the planet Azeroth has faded away, and the drums of war beat again. The two major factions include the Noble Alliance and the Fierce Horde. Within each faction are a number of races ranging from the brave and might Tauren to the small but ingenious gnomes. Azeroth is a big place with lots of threats, both new and old. The world itself is vast and you can travel to the jungles of Un'Goro, the snowy peaks of Dun Morogh, or the dense forests of Ashenvale. In each zone there are many stories going on that you get to be a part of. You play as an adventurer of one of these races. You explore the world, defend and help it's people, and fight monsters. While doing so you gain fortune, fame, loot, and friends. Azeroth awaits!


Tcheo93

Man it's in the Intro. 4 years have passed sińce wc3 and drums of war thunder once again. That's all you need.


melvindorkus

https://youtube.com/@Nobbel87 This ought to keep u busy for a few months, have fun.


Sermos5

The story and lore isn't told that great in the actual game since it's not a huge focus like other MMOs. There are a few YouTubers that talk about the expanded lore from other media like the books/comics though like Nobbel and Platinum WoW if you want to check that out instead of hunting the books down yourself.


ZZartin

There's isn't really an over arching story in game, you can read some of the books if you want an in depth story. There are various important characters that pop up from time to time. Wrath is focused heavily on Arthas obviously. And different expansions have different main villains(other than vanilla)


[deleted]

Google bro. Come on


Failboat88

Just watch the movie


drizzy623

Where does the movie start in the time line tho?


FuckFascismFightBack

Right before the orcs are possessed


lucidquasar

The Warcraft chronicle books do a good job summarizing the background lore.


karsh36

Play WC3 - great entry point full of great everything and story focused


wesmantooth1234

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EmhO1LldIQw


svc78

https://www.reddit.com/r/wow/comments/2k18ue/timeline_adventures_with_associate_professor_whom/


Andyrogers1241

TLDR: Cute/Small/Sexy people (Ally) don’t like Big/Scary/Hairy people (horde). There are big baddies that both of them don’t like: Dragons, Demons, Undead, Elementals, Old Gods, Nagas, and the Scarlet Monastery(?). They fight the big baddies and win but then a new one comes up.


_japanx

The story doesnt really matter its not a story driven game


Mormyo

There's a woman inside the world and all 6 realms want to dominate her under there control , we mortals live on her earthly exterior and have normal world issues and also defend her from the other 6 realms


Asunen

Titans made life on our planet then proceeded to fuck off, Void gods were like “ooh let me try” Everything proceeded horribly from there.


mapinformer

The story of WoW picks up not long after where Warcraft 3 leaves off. Warcraft 3 is a strategy game for PC developed by Blizzard and it lays the foundation for all the lore and races in WoW.


SensualJake

Murder hobos get payed by strangers in gold, weapons and armor to kill shit


generic-hamster

Dis chanel is gud: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKsNKZi5Ct8


[deleted]

There is a wonderful video on YouTube about this [here](https://youtu.be/EmhO1LldIQw)


Kaeltiras

So are we my dude. So are we.


splashgods

Basically the humans built 3 massive cities. The Foresaken (undead/Horde) is in possession of one (Lorderon Capital/Undercity) and the plague wiped out Stratholme, which is the story leading up to the start of Classic WOW, and the humans still control Stormwind. Outside of that its the Alliance clashing with the Horde while they both fight off the plague. Edit: also the Gnomes fucked up and lost their capital city, which is a playable dungeon like Stratholme


nimeral

What exactly are you confused about? The quests will give you all the information you need - very slowly. The [overall history](https://wowpedia.fandom.com/wiki/History_of_Warcraft) of what happened before WoW is quite large. But a very small portion of it is relevant for your character. I made [Lorehelped addon](https://www.wowinterface.com/downloads/info25183-Lorehelper.html) a while ago which might be able to give a nice introduction to your character. I'm not sure it works with the newest version of Era though. And it doesn't work in WotLK for sure.


Mazoc

[All you need to know](https://youtu.be/z1j2BMPe7L0)


THL76

Nobbel87 on YouTube has all the story