Operation Hellgate

**Operation Hellgate** was an armed military conflict between various parties of the Alliance and Horde in southeastern Azeroth. The campaign began with strange reports coming from the Swamp of Sorrows, which detailed nighttime hit-and-run attacks on Horde and Alliance military outposts by an unknown party. Tensions between Alliance and Horde interest groups rose catastrophically until an international incident emerged. Both Stormwind City and Orgrimmar washed their hands of the conflict in an official capacity, and treated the operations as a localized ordeal in order to preserve the tenuous Post-Siege Alliance-Horde Armistice.

Many factors contributed to the escalation of tensions, including purposeful attacks on Alliance and Horde assets, a lack of communication between the opposing forces, swift and covert assaults by a presently unknown third party, pre-existing personal vendettas between Alliance and Horde officers, and international tensions following the resolution of the Siege of Orgrimmar.

## A Shadow in the Swamp

Disturbing news reached the ears of the SI:7 in Stormwind City that there were an increasing number of strange violent incidents occuring in the Swamp of Sorrows. Originally, it was believed the Blackrock Clan or Trolls of the Temple of Atal'hakkar were the culprits, but further evidence quickly proved otherwise.

Many Alliance patrols suddenly disappeared from the swamps without a trace, but later turned up mutilated, hanging from trees, or tossed carelessly into bogs. Clues near the sites of the gruesome murders included Horde insignia and banners, which led the authorities to conclude that the attacks were a deliberate sabotage by the Horde.

A sole Gnomish commando survived a night assault on an Alliance outpost, but his injuries rendered him incapable of painting a clear picture of the events to investigators. The Alliance military's first responders quickly arrived, which in turn led to an increased presence of Horde forces once word had reached Orgrimmar that the Alliance appeared to be moving a substantial amount of military assets into the area.

Stormwind's military advisors cautiously gathered testimonies and evidence regarding the situation in the Swamp of Sorrows, but results remained inconclusive at best. During the process of the investigation, Alliance and Horde companies began skirmishes and surgical assaults across the region, which led Stormwind City and Orgrimmar to swiftly denounce the activities and refer to them as a "localized incident". This mitigated damage to the already shaken Post-Siege Alliance-Horde Armistice, which was threatened by the developments in the Swamp of Sorrows.

In order to prevent wild speculation and fearmongering, the House of Nobles issued a press blackout in Stormwind City regarding the events in the southeast. Most major Stormwind publications had already begun to treat the skirmishes in the Swamp of Sorrows as the beginning of a conflict which would end the Armistice as it currently existed. As such, any intelligence regarding the Swamp of Sorrows was considered a matter of national security, and was not to be conveyed to the general public if it could be helped.

It proved difficult to determine which faction's forces initiated the first assault. Commanding officers involved in the conflict were urged by Stormwind and Orgrimmar to solve the situation quickly, and with as small of an impact on innocent life and international stability as possible. While the ensuing battles were violent, they were not nearly as brutal or desperate as past conflicts had been.

## Investigation

King Varian Wrynn mobilized the First Regiment of the Elwynn Brigade and the Fifth Battalion of the Redridge Brigade to reinforce Marshtide Watch against possible attack. The Dwarven Vanguard, Shanor and Highguard also sent troops to the area to investigate on behalf of their own national interests.

After a day of patrols around the fortress, Alliance troops discovered banners bearing the sigil of The Fireborne, a nationalist group of Blood Elves who had attacked Alliance forces independently in violation of the Post-Siege Alliance-Horde Armistice. Alliance commanders made explicit demands for the New Horde to apprehend the Fireborne, but were ignored with the basis that the Fireborne were acting outside the Horde's authority. The Alliance scoured the wilds of the Swamp of Sorrows but were unable to locate the elves in the overgrown bog.

Meanwhile, the Fireborne planned their attack on the Alliance's forces - smuggling in weaponry and arcane constructs into the mountains from the Blasted Lands. Deftly avoiding naval patrols along the eastern coast of the Eastern Kingdoms, they sailed a fleet of ships to the Cape of Stranglethorn where they were cloaked with magical enchantments.

## Fireborne Offensive

Everything changed when the Fireborne attacked. Several patrols were slaughtered in the swamp as the elves cut off the mountain pass leading into the Blasted Lands. The Fireborne's fleet emerged from around the Cape of Stranglethorn and launched a surprise attack on the paltry defenses of Nethergarde Keep, sinking their ships and establishing a blockade.

Word only reached Marshtide Watch of the Fireborne's attack a day after the blockade was established. The forces of the Alliance immediately marched on the mountain pass where the Fireborne had fortified their position while the Stormwind Navy gathered to counter the blood elven and mercenary fleet. The battle at the pass was hastily joined and subsequently fell into chaos. Despite the Alliance's greater numbers, the Fireborne's fortifications and mercenary fighters initially tipped the battle in their favor. Alliance troops fell in scores before the Fireborne retreated into the Blasted Lands. The Alliance proceeded to Nethergarde Keep.

As the Stormwind Navy engaged the Fireborne's fleet, the Alliance sent out patrols into the wilds from Nethergarde in search of the remaining Fireborne soldiers.