1st Legion

The **1st Legion** (or the **Expeditionary Forces**) was the name of the Alliance military forces who accompanied Prince Arthas in his quest to Northrend to destroy the nathrezim Mal'Ganis. They were ultimately betrayed and slain by Arthas before being raised as undead. Some of their ghosts are still haunting their original landing zone at the Forgotten Shore and the souls of yet more members were once trapped in Frostmourne.

## History

### Third War

 **This section concerns content related to *Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos* or its expansion *The Frozen Throne*.**

The Expeditionary Forces came to Northrend under the command of Prince Arthas in order to combat the Undead Scourge and slay the dreadlord Mal'Ganis. Soon after arriving in Northrend they met up with Muradin Bronzebeard and his expedition and the forces united with one another. In time an Emissary arrived from King Terenas who ordered the expedition to return to Lordaeron, after Lord Uther had persuaded him to do so. Captain Luc Valonforth, in order to avoid the undead, ordered the expedition forces to cut their way through the woods in order to reach their ships. As the men began chopping their way through the words Captain Valonforth enlightened the Prince to their new orders. Knowing that he needed his men in order to slay Mal'Ganis, Arthas and a reluctant Muradin ventured forth to burn the ships in order to keep the men by his side. By the time the expeditionary forces finished cutting through the forest, the last of their ships were burning and with Prince Arthas before them. Arthas quickly blamed the mercenaries (who he had hired) for burning the ships and led the expeditionary forces against them himself.

After that, the First Legion accompanied Arthas to defeat Mal'Ganis. Arthas and Muradin went with a group to obtain the runesword Frostmourne, Arthas returned with the bad news that Muradin died, but that they were able to obtain the sword.

After Arthas finally destroyed the dreadlord, the prince along with Froustmourne disappeared into the frozen wastes, leaving the First Legion stranded in Northrend; during that wait, food was scarce and the cold was fierce; In the midst of that, the dwarf Baelgun Flamebeard took command of the original expedition of Muradin's dwarves and they parted ways with the 1st Legion and subsequently venturing into the broken kingdom of Azjol-Nerub.

Captain Falric went to find Arthas but did not return. Arthas slaughtered him and turned him into a death knight. Afterward, Falric slaughtered Thassarian, and subsequently Arthas wiped out the majority of the First Legion. Apparently continuing without their leader, the 1st Legion forces made it to Icecrown after their prince became a death knight, and it was there that they met their end. Two soldiers, Orik Trueheart and William Allerton, managed to escape.

Afterward, Valgarde became the first home of the lucky few who survived Arthas' betrayal.

### Wrath of the Lich King

 **This section concerns content related to *Wrath of the Lich King*.**

At the time of the war against the Lich King, Orik and William joined different forces and traveled once more to Northrend. Orik returned to the Forgotten Shore, which had been the base of the First Legion during the Third War. Several souls of soldiers from the First Legion who accompanied Arthas in the past were found on the coast, these souls did not seem to know of Arthas' betrayal. Orik enlisted the adventurer's help to free the souls from their torment.

In the Halls of Reflection of Icecrown Citadel, the heroes had to face the ghosts of members of the 1st Legion.

## Members

* Luc Valonforth
* Falric
* Marwyn
* Thassarian
* Torgal
* Maxwell
* Orik Trueheart
* William Allerton
* Forgotten Captains
* Forgotten Knights
* Forgotten Footmen
* Forgotten Riflemen
* Forgotten Peasants
* Lordaeron Captain
* Lordaeron Footsoldiers
* Ghostly Priests
* Phantom Mages
* Spectral Footmans
* Tortured Riflemen

## In the RPG

 **This section contains information from the Warcraft RPG which is considered non-canon**.
Oni'jus was one of Prince Arthas' infiltrators before the Third War.

## Notes and trivia

* Some undead models were changed in China due to not being allowed to show bones. Interestingly, the Bone Guards and Risen Soldiers were given the models of Forsaken wearing the tabard of Lordaeron instead, indicating that they may have been previous members of the 1st Legion.
* In *Warcraft III: Reforged*, instead of using the name of Expeditionary Forces, Arthas's forces use the name of First Legion.

## Gallery

* The Expeditionary Forces hacking their way through the woods in *Warcraft III*.
* Arthas ordering his men to kill the mercenaries in *Warcraft III*.
* Arthas slaughtering and raising his own men.

## See also

* 7th Legion
* Risen Legionnaire

## References

 1. ^ a b Dissension (WC3 Human)
2. ^  [25-30] Army of the Damned
3. ^ Halls of Reflection events
4. ^ The Shores of Northrend (WC3 Human)
5. ^ Frostmourne (WC3 Human)
6. ^ *Death Knight*
7. ^ *Exploring Azeroth: Northrend*, pg. 18
8. ^  [15-30] The Truth Shall Set Us Free
9. ^ *Lands of Conflict*, pg. 163, 165