Things were well within the Horde. Though the Shadow Council kept the warring clans pacified by the promise of escape from the dying world, I knew that this new order - much like the war against the Draenei - would provide only brief respite if I could not find new lands for the Orcs to conquer. My contemplation on this matter was disturbed late one night when I was surprised by the sound of screams emanating from the Warlocks' Tower. I arrived to find many of the apprentices locked in deep trances, their faces twisted into masks of pain. The Warlocks, whom I questioned in detail, could tell me only that they had felt an unexplainable presence in their dreams. I returned to my Stronghold deeply puzzled by the fact that whatever it was had contacted the Warlocks, had made no attempt to reach me.

I sought the council of Kil'jaeden about this presence. He also was touched by this power - a power that was beyond any he had ever experienced before. Whether it was the image of a force so awesome that it could cause this baneful Daemon to actually feel fear, or my own trepidation, I fled - moving aimlessly through the Twisting Nether for what seemed an eternity.

It was during my fevered flight that the Presence finally made contact with me. It radiated untold power, but it lacked the emotionless control displayed by Kil'jaeden. My senses seemed to take control over the dread that had engulfed me, and my mind began to cipher and reason. I knew that if I could divine the desires of this force, no matter how powerful, I could use it to further my own ends. The presence identified itself as Medivh, a sorcerer from some far and distant world. We communicated not in words, but in a guarded joining of minds. His mind seemed boundless, but his thoughts moved so swiftly that it was difficult to learn anything from him. All the while, I knew that he was probing me - learning more and more about the Orcs and our magic. I could never learn as much from him as he would from me, and I soon broke contact with him.

I sought the counsel of Kil'jaeden, but he refused to answer my summons. Somehow I knew that he had forsaken his students because he was afraid of this Medivh. I found myself again doubting my skills. Could I content with a being who could intimidate my own master? I continued to venture into the Twisting Nether for several weeks, all but forgetting the disturbance that had caused me to question myself. Then one night, Medivh appeared to me in dreams...

"You fear me, for you do not understand me. See my world and understand your fear. Then fear no more"

I was powerless to resist what came next.

...barren wastes...
...dark swamps, teeming with life...
...endless fields of emerald grasses...
...forests of magnificent trees...
...farmland filled with rich harvests...
...villages of proud, strong people...

Images came, flashing much too quick to comprehend. And then... something. A fleeting picture that left a longing stirring inside my soul...

...buried deep beneath...
...the ocean; dark and ruined, but still breathing...
...still pulsing with the lifeblood of earth itself...
...an ancient power...
...ancient and terrible...

I awoke. I embraced consciousness knowing all along that the dream had been real. Medivh had shown me the wonders of his world, knowing that the Horde would not be content until his world was ours...

I met with the members of the Shadow Council concerning the visions that we had seen. Although there was much debate as to the true intentions of this Medivh, informed the Shadow Council that a way to escape from our world would soon be ours. I would seek the aid of Medivh in creating a way to get to his world, and then we would subjugate his race as we had done to all others who stood before us. Although he had appeared to many Warlocks with these images of a new and fertile world, we agreed to keep the knowledge of this enigmatic message to ourselves. Those Warlocks outside of the Shadow Council who had shared in the visions were killed; for if the secret were revealed before preparations were made, the Horde would tear itself apart. Weeks passed with no word from Medivh. My attempts to contacts him were fruitless. It was as if he had erased any trace of himself from the Twisting Nether. Some members of the council gave up any hope of the wizard ever returning.

...Then the rift appeared...

It took considerable time to expand the rift enough to send the massive frame of an Orc through. The first scouts to return from the other side seemed to be driven completely mad by what they had seen. These early failures did not deter us, and subsequent quests confirmed that the world beyond this rift appeared similar to what was depicted our visions. With the combined powers of the Horde's Warlock clans and the Shadow Council, we were able to enlarge the mysterious rift so as to create a Portal. This Portal was used to move great number of Orcs into this unknown land. A small outpost was quickly built on the other side of the rift, and Orc scouts were sent to explore the surrounding areas.

The agents of the Shadow Council reported that the denizens of this world were called Humans, and their lands were known as Azeroth. We found that these Humans were a weak race, farming their fields and living peacefully in the countryside. I feared that they would prove no more a challenge that the Draenei, and would not appease the hunger of the Orcish war machine for long. The clan chieftains, quickly swayed by their lust for blood and war, a greed that it was time to leave this dying world and lay claim to the domains of Azeroth.

While agents of the Shadow Council kept close watch over the workings of the Horde, the masses looked to the clan chiefs as their leaders. Two chieftains arose who were well respected and feared by the various clans - Cho'gall, the Ogre-Mage of the Twilight's Hammer clan, and Kilrogg Deadeye of the Bleeding Hallow Clan These powerful leaders were expected to direct the Horde to a swift and savage victory over the Humans. Thus, as the Horde gradually channeled through the rift into Azeroth, Cho'gall and Kilrogg began to plan their assault against the Human stronghold of Stormwind.

The attack against Stormwind was catastrophic. Our armies, expecting to meet weak resistance, charged headlong into the enemy fortress. Surprisingly, the Human soldiers held our forces at bay. Then they unleashed warriors mounted upon beats of muscle and sinew to devastate our troops. The Humans forced our troops to retreat back into the swamplands surrounding our outpost and the Portal where, only by the invoking the shrouding mists of shadow, were we able to escape. This decisive and humiliating defeat threw the Horde into chaos. Cho'gall and Kilrogg blamed each other's incompetence for the failure, and the Orcs quickly polarized into factions that supported either chieftain. The Shadow Council desperately sought a remedy to the violence that was sure to follow, but the volatile nature of the Orcs made it difficult to appeal or wisdom. I realized that the Horde needed a strong leader that could unify the clans under his control - and be kept in his place. Thus did I first learn of Blackhand the Destroyer...

Blackhand, chieftain of the young Blackrock clan and a Raider in the Sythegore Arm, was well honored by most Orcs within the Horde. More importantly, he was extremely lustful, and this made him easily corruptible. With help from the Shadow Council, I set the eager Blackhand upon the horned throne of the War Chief. To his credit, Blackhand was a ruthless dictator who inspired awe and terror from his warriors. While the Horde rallied under Blackhand and the other chieftains acquiesced control to him, it was I who dictated policy by blackmailing and bribing Blackhand.

With Blackhand's ascension to War Chief, order was restored to the Horde. I was visited again by the visage of Medivh, who appeared ore in control of his powers, but less in control of his mind. Petitioning the Horde to destroy the kingdoms of Azeroth, but to make him ruler of its people, Medivh offered all manners of treasures and baubles to me. I assured him that his world was ours for the taking, and that he had nothing that could persuade the Horde to do his bidding. His face broke into a wicked sneer as he proceeded to show me the image of ancient tomb upon which was etched the name of Daemonlord Sargeras. The tomb of Sargeras! The Daemonlord who had instructed my own tutor Kil'jaeden was entombed upon this pathetic little world! Destiny had chosen to lay the hand upon my shoulders alone, for Kil'jaeden had told me that the lost Tomb contained power absolute - enough to make any who could control it into a living god. Medivh pledged that he would grant me the location of the Tomb if only I would use the Horde to destroy his enemies...

Thus, the Orcish Hordes made war against the kingdom of Azeroth.

Continue reading: The First War of Orcish Ascension
or return to The Rise of the Shadow Council