Siege of Orgrimmar: Azshara

The **Campaign in Azshara** was a collaborative siege effort made by members of the Grand Alliance and the Horde Rebellion. Though the two forces were somewhat aware of each other's presence in the area, there was no coordinated effort to unite the forces and each went about their own devices against Garrosh Hellscream's True Horde forces.

The Campaign consisted of taking control of one of the few regions still in True Horde hands, the forests of Azshara just north of Orgrimmar. The campaign was brought about by several key factors. It was deemed of vital importance by the Alliance due to the area being one of the last remaining zones to continue to supply the Orcish city unmolested; while the Horde was interested in disrupting the subjugation of the Goblin populace in Bilgewater Harbor and controlling the last remaining gate into the city that had not yet been compromised.

## Alliance Campaign

The Gilnean re-establishment order, The Blades of Greymane, arrived in the area a week before the arrival of The Sunguard by way of the newly crafted gunship, *The Wolfheart*. Arriving by way of Northern Azshara, the craft was intercepted by a heavily armored Kor'kron patrol zeppelin.

After a brief period of fending off the Kor'kron forces, Garrosh's men were repelled off of the large flying ship. Deeming the area too hostile to move the floating fortress forward, Lord Berenal Grayblade ordered a forward team to accompany him into the forests of Azshara on foot. During this time, *The Wolfheart* was ordered to remain over the waters just off the coast while it was repaired and to await orders once the mainland had been made safer.

After a small trek through the woods, the Blades had successfully made contact with the local furbolg tribe, the Blackmaw Tribe. Previously having sought out admittance into the Grand Alliance, negotiations had been botched by an unknown diplomat. With time having healed the wounds caused by the inept diplomat, the Blades were able to successfully make a pact with the furbolgs, securing a ground base by way of Blackmaw Hold.

After preparations and a failed attempted assassination on several Blades leaders, the group moved forward into Azshara; claiming parts of the Azshara rocketway that was used to ferry supplies and men quickly through the area. Unknown to the Alliance forces, the Goblins had been subjugated under the True Horde, and as such when the group assaulted Gallywix's Pleasure Palace, they were met with fierce resistance. Deeming the palace of non-import, the group focused their attentions to the Mountainfoot Stripmine, which was supplying valuable resources to the True Horde.

A failed charge led by Caridis Grayblade led to the Blades being disrupted from their movements towards the mine, and with increased activity on the shore, attentions were turned to the Ruins of Eldarath; which was held by remaining naga in the area. After several fierce battles, the Blades secured a key victory by enraging the local enslaved Sea giants, causing a rampage that decimated the forces of the Naga in the area and secured the ruins along the shore.

In the following days, *The Wolfheart* was finally moved onto land, occupying the airspace over the ruins while ground forces secured the now weakened Mountainfoot Stripmine. By the end of this movement, it had been revealed that Bilgewater Harbor had been liberated, and the rear gate of Orgrimmar had been secured by The Sunguard. Deeming their mission mostly complete, Lord Grayblade stationed *The Wolfheart* and one of the divisions of the Blades to remain in the area while the rest of the order returned to Gilneas to over see rebuilding in the Headlands.