It is common knowledge that the Orcs came through the Dark Portal from the world of Draenor many years ago. The rift was formed by the demonic magic of Medivh and Gul’Dan, and over the years of the first and second war the bloodthirsty Horde poured through, ever vigilant of their precious gateway.
When the second war ended, the Alliance victorious over the Horde, the portal was ordered destroyed. The Orcs already on Azeroth were trapped with no hope of ever seeing the Red World again. While they were rounded up and placed in internment camps, the Citadel of Nethergarde was constructed to watch over the ruins of the portal which became known as the Black Morass. Eventually, just as foreseen, the portal began once again to grow and take shape on its own. Ner’Zul the shaman had found a way to re-open the portal and had led a small army of Orcs back into Azeroth. King Terenas of Lordaeron could not afford to take the chance and think that Ner’Zul’s quick retreat would be the end of the conflict, thus he sent General Turalyon with a contingent of troops into Draenor to stop the Horde once and for all.
Ner’zul however had discovered a way to open many portals and planned to use them to march on and invade other unsuspecting worlds. Little did he know that the collective energies generated by these open portals threatened to rip Draenor apart. Seeing the world shaking itself apart, Turalyon made a selfless decision. Rather than idly stand by and watch the destruction ripple through and take Azeroth as well, Turalyon and his group destroyed the portal from their side. No one would ever know the fate of the heroes who saved so many.
Unknown to Turalyon was that while in Draenor, a rescue mission was assembled and dispatched to the portal from Nethergarde. The garrison, knowing that they would be the first to fall if the Horde was not stopped, advanced on the portal hoping to reinforce Turalyon’s position. Before reaching the portal, a group of Orcs left behind by Ner'Zul ambushed the garrison in a bloody skirmish. The deadly troups of Clan Shadow Moon, aided by their dark magic, were able to surprise and nearly cripple the opposing force. The humans fought with unmatched valor on that day and with a great charge they were finally able to cut the orc line in two. Just as things started to look up for the humans, the portal collapsed before their eyes filled with horror, its energies dissipating in a furious storm. In the confusion, the fugitive orcs escaped and the garrison ordered back.
A young officer in the armed forces attempted over many weeks to rally support for an effort to find some way to discover the fate of General Turalyon. Disgusted by a complete lack of interest from his superiors and The Alliance as a whole, Officer Arnault gathered a small mercenary force to ensure Nethergarde would stand always to guard against the threat of Draenor. Over time, the mercenaries grew close together and became much more than mere paid troups. They became comrades, brothers and sisters in arms.
To this day, The ‘Wardens of Nethergarde’ stand guard and hunt down any who ally themselves with the bloodthirsty Horde, and eagerly look for the day when, on the fields of battle, they will get to meet those who got in their way . . .
