War for Stormwind's Independence

The **War for Stormwind's Independence** was a great civil conflict between the Arathorian Empire and the Stormwind Militia that resulted in the founding of the Kingdom of Stormwind and the expulsion of the Arathorian Legion from continental Azeroth.

The King's Calendar (Years in KY) is based on this war; namely, that the current year is recorded by how many years it has been since Stormwind won its independence.

## Settlement of Azeroth

When a number of nobles of the Arathorian Empire made their exodus to the verdant lands south of Khaz Modan some thousand years ago after war and strife that left regions such as Lordaeron and Gilneas independent and the empire in dire need of colonial outlet, they brought with them a contingent of Arathorian Legionnaires of to clear the land and assist in constructing the fledgeling colony of Azeroth. These settlers were led by the descendants of Thoradin, the ancestors of Sir Anduin Lothar.

The Arathorian Legion encountered several native human clans in the forests of Azeroth, whom initially welcomed the soldiers in appreciation for their subjugation of the gnoll and murloc tribes. Of fair skin and hair, the native humans of Azeroth maintained a culture of martial prowess and family duty. Such was absorbed into the colonial efforts of the Arathorian Legion, where Legionnares intermarried with the local population and the people of Azeroth took on Arathorian customs.

As time passed, the colony became a key source raw materials. Present day Elwynn, Redridge, Westfall, and Duskwood were settled and developed, their verdant forests and rich mountains yielding wood and iron in vast quantities. Thus the colony of Azeroth supported both its hardy colonists and the needs of distant Arathor. Stormwind City was constructed as Arathor's primary base of power in the region, its ports bustling with the trade and military vessels that shipped Azeroth's goods to the far-flung reaches of the empire.

After the colony enjoyed more than a century of growth and prosperity, Faldir I was named King of Azeroth as the the land was incorporated into the Arathorian Empire as a formal holding.

## Azora and Illgalar

When the Kingdom of Azeroth was established a holding of the Arathorian Empire, King Faldir I invited from Arathor his loyal magisters; Azora and Illgalar. Trained in the arts that were passed down by the first one hundred magi, the two wizards each founded their own towers in the untamed wilderness. Azora, the younger wizard, established the Tower of Azora in what is now the heartland of Elwynn Forest. Illgalar, the eldest, preferring solitude, travelled to the east and constructed the Tower of Illgalar deep within the Redridge Mountains. From their ivory towers they defended the Arathorian territory from magical threats, working diligently with the Council of Tirisfal and each other to hunt down demons that manifested in the wilds. While Illgalar worked alone in his tower, Azora took on several apprentices that he trained in the use of magic. Illgalar often scoffed at Azora, believing the younger wizard too inept to handle affairs on his own. The Kingdom-Colony of Azeroth expanded and matured as the years passed. A number of Azora's apprentices struck out to found their own destiny.

## Tensions with the Empire

Seeking to establish his seat in Stormwind Harbor as the new capital of the Arathorian Empire, King Faldir I launched several costly campaigns to build monuments to Arathor and his own image throughout the colony of Stormwind. Extravagant public forums and statues were carved from granite shipped in from Alterac at the colonists’ expense. Many soldiers and laborers in the colonial capital of Stormwind went unpaid for their work as King Faldir drained the colony’s coffers to afford imported materials. When the capital’s colonists were bled dry of coin from imposed taxes, Legate Lennitus Condriga, the commander of the Stormwind Colonial Legion, ordered his men to seize the livestock and commodities of the outlying outposts as payment for their service. King Faldir blessed this order, too engrossed in his monuments to care for the common man.

The mages of Azeroth were not spared from the subjugation of the land. Azora, Illgalar, and their pupils were commanded to assist in the construction of several monuments to the Arathorian Empire. While the two Archmagi were able to shape and levitate stone with ease, the younger mages struggled to apply their magics to architecture. After one mage adept accidentally shattered a sculpture of King Faldir, he was dragged to a public square and flogged by Stromic Legionnaires. Although Illgalar supported the Empire's efforts, Azora came to resent King Faldir's use of the mages' talents.

## Massacre at Lakeshire and the Stormwind Militia

Riots broke out throughout the colony of Stormwind as the Legion under Lennitus Condriga pillaged foodstuffs and other goods from the very lands they were charged with protecting. Sources vary as to who dealt the first attack of the war of independence, but the most accepted claim is that legionnaires under the command of Legate Condriga executed nearly one hundred protesting frontier colonists in present day Lakeshire to make an example of the empire's sovereignty in January of 6 P.C. This act was named the Culling of Lakeshire, and was used as a rallying cry for those who protested Arathorian rule. Almost immediately after the demonstration, local militias sprung up and took up arms against the Arathorian Legion. Rebellion and mutiny spread elsewhere within the colony of Stormwind; unpaid soldiers struck out for themselves as mercenaries while colonists formed militias to protect their property. King Faldir I brought in reinforcements from Arathor in attempt to regain control.

Logan Wrynn I, an influential Azeroth-born lord from the Northern Elwynn Mountains, rallied an effective militia army comprised of colonists and Arathorian deserters, which came to be known as the Stormwind Militia. The gathered militia ravaged the defenses and outposts surrounding Stormwind City before the legionnaires of the colony could adequately respond - then fleeing into the countryside as Arathorian reinforcements arrived.

## Battle of the Three Corners

After their surprise attacks on the defenses of Stormwind City, the Stormwind Militia retreated and regrouped in the Redridge Mountains in order to avoid the wrath of Arathor. Legate Lennitus Condriga fled Redridge and gathered reinforcements from the other garrisons of the Kingdom. Seeking to crush the rebellion in one glorious battle, he marched the majority of his forces towards Redridge from Stormwind Harbor. Instead of withdrawing to Lakeshire and its garrison, Lord Logan ordered the Stormwind Militia to meet the legion at the 'Three Corners,' constructing barricades and that would prevent the legion from making use of their superior numbers in crossing the mountain rivers. Shield walls clashed and blood spilled freely, giving the mountains their namesake - "Redridge." After days of fighting, the order was given for the Arathorian Legion to break off of the attack and regroup. This victory would cement the Stormwind Militia and grant it a much-needed boost in morale that would carry it through the rest of the war.

Despite their victory at the Three Corners, the forces of the Stormwind Militia suffered defeat after defeat against the well-trained legionnaires. Unable to remain in the Redridge Mountains, the militia retreated into the heartlands. The Arathorian Navy turned the tide of the war, effectively supplying legionnaires in their spread across the land. The mages of Azeroth were called to serve their king, but many of the younger magi fled into the wilderness to join the rebel forces. Azora begrudgingly joined Illgalar in his support for King Faldir and swore to bring his former pupils to justice.

## Azora versus Illgalar

It did not take long for the Archmagi to encounter their former pupils on the field of battle. Believing fully in the cause of the Stormwind Militia, Azora's pupils did not hold back when they encountered their former master. During the battle, one young mage managed to scorch Illgalar and permanently disfigure his face. The Archmagi eventually won the battle for the forces of Arathor, capturing three rebel mages and several dozen others of the Stormwind Militia. Once it was determined that the rebels were mere footsoldiers of the rebellion, the Legionnaires accompanying the archmagi began to execute the captives one by one. Enraged by his disfigurement, Illgalar lashed out at the rebel magi, killing one where he stood in a gruesome explosion.

Azora recoiled in horror. Unwilling to stand by and watch his remaining pupils be slaughtered like animals, legend has it that Azora teleported himself and the two remaining magi to his tower in Elwynn Forest. At first, Azora urged his pupils to flee into the wilds. They pleaded for Azora to join Logan Wrynn's cause, citing King Faldir's self-serving misuse of their magical talents. Knowing that he was now already considered an enemy of the state by aiding in his pupils' escape, Azora agreed to join the rebels and meet with their leader.

Azora's pupils led him deep into the mountains of southern Elwynn. Avoiding Arathorian patrols, they eventually came to a rocky clearing. Logan Wrynn emerged from behind a field of rocks, flanked by his elite guard. Legend has it that right as Azora stepped forward to greet the future king, a magical explosion rocked the valley. Illgalar had magically tracked Azora. He emerged from the crater wrought from his teleportation spell and called out to his peer, demanding to know where Azora placed his loyalty. The air sparked with magic as the tension between the two archmagi grew. Logan Wrynn gathered his bearings as his guard prepared to defend him with their lives. Tears welling in his eyes, Azora professed his loyalty to Logan Wrynn. Illgalar spat at Azora, calling him a traitor. Both wizards drew their wands.

Illgalar struck first, hurling an arcane missile at his younger counterpart. Azora deflected the attack, countering with a torrent of flame. Each wizard fought fiercely. Illgalar's fury was fueled by Azora's betrayal; Azora's wrath was fueled by his own desire to protect his pupils. The battle endured for more than an hour as fire and ice scorched the valley. Azora's pupils leapt into the fray, forcing Illgalar to divide his focus.

In a climactic final effort to destroy Azora, Illgalar summoned a firestorm that rained meteors from the sky. Several of Logan Wrynn's guards were incinerated by the impacts, reduced to nothing but ash. The ground buckled as pillars of earth shifted beneath the wizards' feet. Azora conjured an ice lance. Just as he flung it at his former peer, he stumbled as the ground beneath him cracked. The shard of ice pierced Illgalar's heart and killed him instantly. As the firestorm subsided, Azora collapsed at Illgalar's side and wept. Logan Wrynn watched Azora carefully before joining him at Illgalar's side. He offered the wizard his hand. Azora took it after several moments, pledging his service to the future king and swearing to oust King Faldir from the throne.

Azora committed himself fully to the cause of the Stormwind Militia, enchanting their arms and advising Logan Wrynn on the workings of King Faldir's defenses. Reunited with his apprentices, he lead them in the war against the Arathorian Legion.

## Attrition in the Forests

Forced onto the defensive, Lord Logan withdrew his forces into the wilds of Elwynn Forest and Brightwood, spiriting away to isolated camps. Legate Condriga gave pursuit, but ultimately lost the militia in the thick forests. He sent out wave after wave of Legionnaires into the wilds in attempt to capture Lord Logan. Most, unaccustomed to warfare in the thick forests, were torn apart by ambushes and well-placed traps.

All would have been lost if not for the second front that opened against the Arathorian Empire. The Kingdom of Kul Tiras, a nation bitterly rivaling and coveting the Arathorian Empire's naval dominance, upon hearing of the conflicts in Azeroth, offered to aid the Stormwind Militia in its time of need. The Tirassian fleet harassed the Arathorian navy, disrupting the stream of reinforcements that were funneling into Azeroth.

For months, Lord Logan bided his time - reviewing strategy with his Generals and sending agents to secretly secure the support of other Lords or their servants throughout the Azerothian colony. A number of Arathorian soldiers deserted to the militia's cause, and it was not long before the Stormwind Militia could not easily hide due to its growth.
The Stormwind Militia forged weapons of war and built siege engines from what materials they could scavenge or seize from Legion patrols.

## Siege of Stormwind City

Fall turned to winter as the Stormwind Militia evaded the Arathorian Legion. The call to launch the attack on Stormwind Harbor grew louder and louder amongst the soldiers loyal to Logan Wrynn as their stockpile of siege weapons grew harder and harder to conceal. In late January, word came from the Kingdom of Kul Tiras that the island nation would directly aid the subjugated colonists of Stormwind in their fight against Arathorian rule. On the third of February, a day that would become legend amongst the men and women of Stormwind, Logan Wrynn ordered his men to march on Stormwind Harbor and take the city for themselves. With a force of just over three thousand militia and soldiers drawn from the fringes of the colony, the Stormwind Militia was outnumbered two-to-one by Lennitus’s army of professional legionnaires. However, Logan Wrynn had the advantage of consolidating his forces while Lennitus’s Legion was spread throughout the colony. More than half of Lennitus’s forces were deployed elsewhere in colony while two thousand legionnaires remained to guard the capital. Logan had to breach the gates of Stormwind Harbor and take control of its walls before the rest of the legion could gather and overwhelm the Stormwind Militia.

When the sentinels posted at the gates of Stormwind Harbor saw the approaching army, they sent ten horsemen to alert the rest of the Legion elsewhere in the colony. Logan Wrynn sent his fastest riders in pursuit of these messengers as he marshalled his forces for a frontal assault on the gates. The Stormwind Militia charged through a hail of arrows and catapult-fire with their shields raised, towing behind them a great battering ram made from Elwynn Oak. Woodsmen loyal to Logan Wrynn returned fire to the archers on the walls, their aim keen from generations of hunting. Archmage Azora and his pupils hurled fireballs at wall’s defenders. The wooden gates of the city were shattered, allowing the Stormwind Militia to pour into the colony’s capital and engage the defending legionnaires in brutal close-quarters combat. Azora erected a magical barrier over the shattered gate, preventing any from fleeing or entering the city. Logan’s soldiers mounted the walls and raised blue and gold banners at the watchtowers, tearing down the standards of Arathor. As the battle within the city’s walls raged on, three of the ten messengers were able to reach the outposts of the Legion to tell of the Stormwind Militia’s attack. Legate Lennitus, then on the frontier in Stranglethorn Vale, called for all of the colonial legionnaires to regroup with him in order to retake Stormwind Harbor.

Within the city, the Stormwind Militia pushed towards the royal palace, overpowering the outnumbered Legion defenders. Logan Wrynn and his best warrior engaged in fierce melee with King Faldir’s Royal Guard. Despite losing many of his own vanguard, Logan Wrynn triumphed against the guard and cornered King Faldir in his throne room. The resident members of King Faldir’s family were dragged before the throne and Logan Wrynn offered his terms – that Faldir either abdicate or be executed for his crimes against the people of Stormwind, while family be exiled. Faldir knelt before Logan Wrynn and offered up his crown, unwilling to leave the fate of his family in question when the colony had all but turned against his rule. Logan took up the crown of Stormwind and spared Faldir and his kin, graciously allowing them to remain in the royal palace while the battle for the city continued. Atop the parapets, the banners bearing the eagle of Arathor were replaced with those of the lion of the House of Wrynn.

Despite the capture of the royal palace, the battle for Stormwind was far from over. Legate Lennitus, having gathered the Legion’s forces throughout the colony in addition to reinforcements from Arathor, marched on gates of Stormwind with a force four thousand strong. A small fleet of Arathorian ships docked in Stormwind Harbor and unloaded hundreds more legionnaires into the heart of the city. Logan Wrynn ordered his men to rally at the gate and hold Lennitus’s forces for as long as they could while he led his own vanguard to push the Legion out of the harbor. While the Stormwind Militia fought valiantly at the gates, Legate Lennitus’s battlemagi were able to breach the wards set by Azora. The soldiers loyal to Logan Wrynn were overpowered by the Arathorian Legion and called to retreat. Despite securing the harbor from the Arathorian Fleet, Logan Wrynn was forced to join his men in a hasty withdrawal to the royal palace.

Surrounded and outnumbered, the Stormwind Militia at Logan’s command fought valiantly to hold the perimeter of the palace. Just when all seemed lost, war trumpets sounded off the coast. The Kingdom of Kul Tiras sent a full battle fleet to intercept the Arathorians. Hundreds of Tirassian marines docked at the harbor and charged upon Lennitus’s rear lines. Emboldened, the Stormwind Militia pushed back the Legion from the royal palace and shattered their order, turning the streets of Stormwind into a bloodbath. Logan Wrynn faced off against Lennitus Condriga in single combat during the chaos. Both men were well versed in swordplay, but Lennitus overexerted himself in rage. After a lengthy bout of swordplay, Lennitus, exhausted, left himself open for a fatal slash to his throat by Logan’s blade. After the death of their leader, the remaining legionnaires were routed and forced to surrender.

## Ascension of House Wrynn

Logan Wrynn met with the leaders of the Tirassian forces in the throne room of the royal palace. He humbly thanked them for their aid, pledging that their merchant-marine would always have place amongst Stormwind’s Harbor. Satisfied to see Faldir brought low by his former subjects, the men of Kul Tiras asked of the fate of Stormwind now that it had shirked Arathorian rule. At the urging of his most trusted soldiers and advisors, Logan took up Faldir’s circlet and was crowned King of Stormwind by Archmage Azora. King Logan I named Azora his Court Wizard, forever establishing a place for the arcane at the side of Stormwind's rule. The Tirassian forces sailed home, satisfied after having crushed the divided navy of Arathor.

Such began The King's Calendar, the year in which Azeroth declared itself its own sovereign nation apart from the Arathorian Empire. The various estates of the kingdom were divided amongst the nobles who supported the independence efforts. King Logan was merciful in dealing with the nobles and surviving loyalists to the empire. He allowed many to keep their lands if they swore fealty to his new kingdom. The few who did not were given safe passage back to Arathor, allowed to take with them their personal effects. In a motion that shocked many, Faldir and those of the line of Thoradin swore fealty to King Logan I rather than return to Arathor in shame. Faldir’s daughter, Bellatrix, would marry King Logan and become his Queen. Logan Wrynn I would have three sons and two daughters by Bellatrix during the time of his rule.

A fact often overlooked is that the Royal College of Engineers was founded shortly after the establishment of House Wrynn as the ruling authority of Stormwind. A group of stonemasons and artisanal craftsmen who pledged themselves to the new royal authority were given funding to establish a school for aspiring engineers. The college was instrumental in the early days of the kingdom; for it was their technological expertise that supported the reconstruction of Stormwind City and the maintenance of the various infrastructures seized from the Empire of Arathor.