Human (Warcraft)

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Humans are one of two races which appear as playable in every game of the Warcraft franchise.

Contents

[edit] Overview

Humans have appeared as a playable race in all of the Warcraft computer games released by Blizzard:

Humans have typically been the "good guys" in the Warcraft saga, being constantly thrown into battle with the savage orcs in the first two games. However, in Warcraft III, with the orcs as a good race, and two new races Night Elves and undead, their distinction as the "noble humans" has been blurred. Also in later games they have done less noble things like enslaving the orcs (it should be noted the Orcs had just launched attacks against the entire human nation in an attempt to destroy it) and attempting genocide against the Blood elves (with this being the action of an individual, and not the human race as a whole). Some fans now also think of the Humans as the "bad guys" in the World of Warcraft saga, for these crimes mentioned before, and their continued fighting of the Orcs (who are now free from demonic corruption) and their allies in the Horde (but it should be pointed out the Horde brought a lot of this on themselves, as many quests in World of Warcraft involve attacking Humans, Night Elves, etc, many of which are civilians or just healing the lands they're part of. Of course, many of the Allied quests involve killing Horde races as well). It should be noted, however, that while a great part of the orcs' misdeeds came from being under demonic corruption, the humans actively and knowingly broke the frail truce that was formed after the different factions banded together to defeat the demons during the opening of the Dark Portal.

Though a flawed and questionable race at times, the Humans are a victim of circumstance; beset on all sides by Demons and Undead, they still uphold the virtues of the Holy Light.

[edit] Humans in each game

  • In Warcraft: Orcs & Humans, the humans were one of two playable races. The human side comprised only human beings, and represented the good side in the game.
  • Similarly, in Warcraft II, the humans were the good side. However, the "human" side of the game was composed of humans, elves, dwarves and gnomes.
  • In Warcraft III, the side is formally known as the Alliance of Lordaeron, and consists of humans, high elves, and dwarves.
  • In World of Warcraft, "human" represents just the race of human beings, on the side of the Alliance.

[edit] Story of the humans

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.
Illustration of a human in victory after the player beats the human campaign in the demo version of Warcraft II.
Illustration of a human in victory after the player beats the human campaign in the demo version of Warcraft II.

A proud and versatile race in Azeroth, the Humans once lived peacefully throughout the Eastern Kingdoms of the world of Azeroth, with major settlements in the nations of Azeroth and Lordaeron.

This all changed the day the Orcish Horde was led by the Burning Legion through the Dark Portal in the Blasted Lands, into Azeroth. From that day, the humans have been locked in a bloody conflict with the orcs.

The First Great War (Warcraft: Orcs & Humans) ended tragically for mankind, with the assassination of King Llane and the razing of Stormwind Keep. At the end of the war, the humans of Azeroth were forced to retreat to the Great Sea and sail to the northern land of Lordaeron.

There, they formed the Alliance, which involved the seven human nations and the elves, dwarves and gnomes. However, they were pursued by the still corrupted and fierce Horde, and thus began the Second War (Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness).

This war raged across the Eastern Kingdoms, from Lordaeron through Khaz Modan and finally back to Azeroth, where, despite betrayal by the human nation of Alterac, the humans were able to close the Dark Portal and kill or capture most of the remaining orcs.

In Warcraft II: Beyond the Dark Portal, a small band of humans led by Turalyon and Khadgar travelled through the portal (which was reopened by the orcs) and shut it down forever from the inside.

In the next fifteen years (between the second and third wars), with the orcs in captivity and no common enemies, the Alliance splintered into disarray, with several of the nations and races breaking off completely. Thus, by the time of the Reign of Chaos (Warcraft III), the humans had descended into a bickering race ill-prepared for the coming conflict.

Problems began to arise in the kingdom. A scourge of undead soon swept across Lordaeron, while the Orcish leader Thrall escaped from an internment camp with a band of Orcs. Swearing revenge against the undead Dreadlord Mal'ganis, Prince Arthas Menethil travelled to the far-northern continent of Northrend, where he was corrupted into an agent of the Scourge. Thus, he returned to Lordaeron, slew his father, King Terenas, and proceeded to destroy Lordaeron and the home of the High elves, Quel'thalas.

At the same time, while mankind was slowly being destroyed, Arthas' former lover Jaina Proudmoore took a band of humans, elves and dwarves across the sea to Kalimdor, at the request of a mysterious prophet. There, she led the survivors of Lordaeron into a historic alliance with the Orcish Horde and Night Elf Sentinels, and to victory against the Undead Scourge and Burning Legion.

In World of Warcraft, mankind practically has ceased to exist in the kingdom of Lordaeron; but Jaina's colony on Theramore Isle is home to many of the survivors of Lordaeron, and some minor towns are still intact. The southern kingdom of Stormwind remained largely untouched during the Third War and has rebuilt its strength. The Kirin Tor of Dalaran, having suffered grievously at the hands of the Burning Legion and the Scourge, have largely retreated behind the magical shield they erected around the ruined city of Dalaran as they work to rebuild. The zealous, independent fighters of the Scarlet Crusade relentlessly combat the Undead in the Plaguelands from the strongholds of Hearthglen and Tyr's Hand. Kul Tiras remains loyal to the Alliance, but its strength has waned following the death of Admiral Daelin Proudmoore, Jaina's father. The people of Stromgarde, again part of the Alliance, have seen their capital lost and currently fight against Ogres and the Syndicate to regain it. And Gilneas has sealed itself off from the rest of the world, closing the gates of the Greymane Wall and refusing entry or exit to anyone and anything.

[edit] Human nations

Kingdom of Azeroth's flag.
Kingdom of Azeroth's flag.
The fallen nation of Lordaeron's emblem.
The fallen nation of Lordaeron's emblem.

Throughout the history of the Humans many nations have risen and fallen, however during the Second Great War the human kingdoms consisted of seven nations, and in the game, each had a different color. In Warcraft III, the nations are more loosely defined, but are mostly the same.

  • Azeroth - (blue) One of the key members of the Alliance, and the original combatants of the First War. Their capital city, Stormwind City is nestled in the verdant Elwynn Forest. At the end of the Third War, it was one of the last real bastions of human strength in the world. Retroactively, the kingdom of Azeroth has been identified by its capital city (Thus "Kingdom of Stormwind), to differentiate it from the PLANET named Azeroth.
Past rulers: King Wrynn, King Llane, Lord Anduin Lothar, King Varien Wrynn, King Anduin Wrynn.
Past rulers: King Terenas, King Arthas Menethil, Balnazzar, Lady Sylvanas Windrunner.
  • Stromgarde - (red) A small but strong military nation, once the heart of the ancient Human Empire of Arathor. Most of its citizens left with Jaina Proudmoore. Now members of the Syndicate and Ogres have seized parts of the capital city, situated in the Arathi Highlands foothills.
Past rulers: Thoras Trollbane, Galen Trollbane.
  • Kul Tiras (green) - A seafaring nation that contributed to the naval forces of the Alliance during the Second War. During the aftermath of the Third War, Kul Tiras led an unsuccessful attack against the new Horde in Durotar, which saw the death of Admiral Proudmoore. Kul Tiras still maintains a weak presence in Tiragarde Keep in eastern Durotar. Other members of the Kul Tiras Navy went to live with Jaina Proudmoore on Theramore Isle.
Past rulers: Admiral Proudmoore, Tandred Proudmoore.
  • Gilneas (gray) - A distant nation which has never fully supported the Alliance. It is on a peninsula located to the south of Silverpine Forest of Lordaeron. The reclusive people are separated from the forest by the Greymane Wall for reasons that are still being debated.
Past rulers: Genn Greymane.
  • Dalaran (purple) - A city-state of mages, led from the Violet Citadel in the center of the city. Dalaran was the first nation to be attacked and completely destroyed when the Burning Legion arrived during the Third War, due to the mageocracy being the only group that could initially pose a threat to the Burning Legion. In World of Warcraft, the ruins of the city are encased in an impenetrable magical shell as its people work to rebuild. Dalaran magi have been active in Silverpine Forest.
Past rulers: The Kirin Tor.
  • Alterac (orange) - The weakest of the human nations, Alterac made a pact with the orcs during the Second War, and betrayed the Alliance. As a result of this, it was wiped out by Lordaeron forces. Today, the Ruins of Alterac are all that remain of this ancient kingdom.
Past rulers: Lord Aliden Perenolde.
  • Theramore (white) - This island city and its surrounding territory are the center of the only major human presence in Kalimdor and the new home of the Alliance. Theramore is home to the humans, elves, and dwarves who fled the invasions of Lordaeron by the Undead Scourge and the Burning Legion. It was founded soon after the end of the Third War and is the youngest of the human kingdoms.
Past rulers: Jaina Proudmoore.

[edit] Trivia

[edit] External links

Warcraft Universe
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