Chapter Summaries

The rangers captured Dead Volcano, driving the ogres into their caves with gunfire and tear gas. Herad and Alleria confronted the Ogre Lord, and after Herad disrupted its footing, Alleria wounded it and gained the upper hand.

• The rangers hunted down the ogres around Dead Volcano, while rifle fire suppressed the defenders and the Small Arcane Golem’s vanguard secured the summit.
• The rangers threw Tear Gas Grenades into the caves and cleared out the incapacitated ogres using gas masks and melee weapons.
• Herad and Alleria entered the larger cave where the two-headed Ogre Lord lived, and the tear gas impaired the armored giant.
• Alleria attacked the Ogre Lord with her Adamantite Shortsword but struggled to pierce its armor until Herad made its footing unstable.
• Alleria stabbed the Ogre Lord in the knee joint and continued attacking while Herad watched the fight turn in her favor.

Alleria killed the Ogre Lord and decided to turn its Adamantite Shortsword into arrowheads, while Herad brought in Arcane Golems to harvest the Dead Volcano’s rare ores. The group continued hunting Ogres as Herad secretly removed the deposits, planning to blame the missing minerals on the Ogres.

• Alleria stabbed the fallen Ogre Lord in the neck, and the Small Arcane Golem carrying Ulthalesh captured its soul.
• Alleria suggested making Adamantite Arrowheads, and Herad agreed to enchant them so she could retrieve the arrows.
• Alleria kissed Herad and ran off to hunt more Ogres while the Small Arcane Golems raced the rangers through the caves.
• Herad opened a Portal to bring Arcane Golems from the Armory and used Earth Magic to extract the Dead Volcano’s Thorium and Mithril ores.
• Herad removed the hidden ore deposits without leaving excavation traces and planned to tell the Dark Iron Dwarves that the Ogres had mined them.

Herad used the ores from the Dead Volcano to supply his foundry and forged adamantite arrows for Alleria. After testing their armor-piercing and returning enchantments, he created a mithril glove to safely guide the arrows in flight.

• Goblin and Gnome engineers watched Arcane Golems bring rare ores from the Dead Volcano, and Herad used the haul to make Mithril golem bodies, Thorium armor, and large batches of Thorium arrows.
• Herad returned to the Armory to forge twenty adamantite arrowheads from the remaining adamantite and enchanted them with armor penetration and returning.
• Herad tested an adamantite arrow and confirmed that it pierced a steel target before flying back to him.
• Herad realized returning arrows could injure their users and forged a mithril glove enchanted to guide slow-moving projectiles.
• Herad used the glove to control the returning adamantite arrows as they flew around him.

Herad inspected the stalled Demigod Arcane Golem project, then returned to the Dead Volcano as the Rangers ambushed Orc reinforcements in the Redridge Mountains pass. The Orcs Warlord finally sealed the pass and refused to attack, forcing the Rangers to abandon their siege while Herad rewarded them and waited for the Alliance army to gather.

• Herad saw that two sets of Demigod Arcane Golem armor were complete, but a shortage of obsidian had stalled construction, so the Silvermoon City Council sent envoys to negotiate with the Night Elves.
• Herad returned to the Dead Volcano and saw Rangers ambush Wolf Riders, killing more than two hundred while the trapped wild wolves helped draw in further Orc reinforcements.
• The Rangers continued shooting Orc troops as they investigated the gunshots, and the Orcs Warlord realized he had lost at least ten thousand soldiers.
• The Orcs Warlord shut the Redridge Mountains pass and forbade attacks, so the Rangers abandoned their operation and Herad rewarded each Ranger with twenty thorium arrows.
• Herad waited for the Alliance forces to assemble, as the Dwarves, Gnomes, and Stormwind army had arrived or were nearing the Dead Volcano while other kingdoms lagged behind.

Herad developed Dead Volcano as a base and discussed engineering with Mekkatorque before planning an arcane-furnace-powered Mechanar. He considered salvaging the Draenei starship wreck on Draenor and sought Akama’s help to uncover the Cipher of Damnation.

• Herad strengthened Dead Volcano’s lower slopes and leveled its summit into runways, pleasing Mekkatorque.
• Herad explained jet-engine principles, and Mekkatorque began revising his design.
• Herad planned to study arcane furnaces and build a Mechanar to power arcane golems.
• Herad considered salvaging the damaged Draenei starship wreck at Oshu'gun, but recognized that orcs and the Burning Legion could obstruct him.
• Herad remembered that Akama had once been an archbishop-level Priest and might be able to read the Skull of Gul'dan’s secrets.

Herad brought Gul'dan's skull to Akama, hoping to learn the Cipher of Damnation from its memories, but the skull's spirit had lost its intelligence. Velen began divining for the Cipher, a process expected to take about two months.

• Herad sent Draenei refugees from the Temple of Karabor through a Portal to Azeroth and showed Akama an Orc skull he had brought.
• Akama recognized the skull as belonging to Gul'dan, and Herad explained how Gul'dan had helped bring disaster upon the Draenei and Orcs.
• Akama tested Gul'dan's artifact spirit and concluded that its muddled state meant its memories were lost.
• Akama suggested that Velen divine for the Cipher of Damnation, so Herad took Gul'dan's skull to the Tomb of Sargeras.
• Velen began divining the skull's fate and estimated that finding information about the Cipher would take around two months.

Herad returned to the Dead Volcano base, where he used Doomhammer to supply the Allied Forces with abundant water before Sir Lothar organized their attack on Redridge Mountains. The Allied Forces seized the northern half of the region, and Herad joined Alleria in helping sweep out the orc deserters as the campaign continued.

• Herad used Doomhammer to conjure a vast supply of purified water at the Dead Volcano base, drawing the Allied Forces there to rest and prepare.
• Sir Lothar deployed the Allied Forces to bomb orc positions, push south with Steam Tanks and cavalry, and sweep the surrounding mountains with infantry.
• The Allied Forces crushed the orc defenders at the northern pass and advanced to Lake Everstill, taking half of Redridge Mountains.
• Herad warned Sir Lothar that escaped orc deserters could threaten the Kingdom of Stormwind, and Sir Lothar ordered troops to hunt them down.
• Herad joined Alleria in the mountain sweep because he worried that powerful orc warlocks might still be hiding in Redridge Mountains.

Alleria led the Rangers into the eastern forest to clear out Orc deserters, destroying the Orcs at a logging camp while Gnolls hunted the fleeing peons. After Alleria killed a Gnoll scout with a Hurricane Arrow, the surviving Gnolls fled, and the forest fell quiet.

• Alleria took Herad and the Ranger force into the eastern forest, where Orcs were salvaging lumber at a ruined logging camp.
• The Rangers fired repeated volleys that killed most of the Orcs Infantry and sent the peons running into the forest.
• Gnolls ambushed and captured the fleeing Orc peons before the Rangers arrived, then sent scouts to watch them.
• Alleria killed a Gnoll scout with a powerful Hurricane Arrow, frightening the other scouts into fleeing.
• Herad understood that Alleria used overwhelming violence to deter the Gnolls, and the forest grew quiet.

Herad and Alleria’s Rangers cleared the Eastern Forest’s fortifications and hunted Orc deserters, using magic and the Forest Will to find them. The Rangers ambushed a group of Orcs in a gnoll camp, leaving the Orcs unable to identify their attackers.

• Herad used an Earthquake Spell to drive Orcs out of the castle, where the Rangers shot them down.
• The Rangers cleared the lakeside fortifications while Orc deserters hid deeper in the forest and fought gnolls for shelter.
• High Elf Rangers used nature spells to communicate with the Forest Will, which guided them toward the Orcs.
• Alleria sent a ranger squad to attack a small group of Orcs occupying a gnoll camp.
• The Rangers silently surrounded the Orcs and launched an ambush from cover, leaving the Orcs unable to tell where their attackers were.

Herad’s forces attacked the Orc garrison at Lake Everstill, using steam tanks and High Elf Rangers to overwhelm its poorly equipped troops. The Orcs’ southern reinforcements were trapped under sniper fire, and Herad destroyed the crossroads’ tower and walls with an Earthquake Spell.

• The High Elf Rangers cleared the Eastern Forest of Orc deserters and continued south along Lake Everstill.
• Herad watched poorly equipped Orc reinforcements march toward the front as steam tanks began crossing the bridge.
• Steam tanks broke through the Orc defenses, firing buckshot into the charging infantry and driving them back.
• High Elf Rangers ambushed Orc reinforcements from sniper positions in the forest near the southern pass, inflicting heavy casualties.
• Herad cast an Earthquake Spell that swallowed the tower and the walls at the southern crossroads.

Herad's super Earthquake frightened the Orcs near the crossroads into fleeing, allowing the Allied Forces to break through and defeat the remaining Orc army. Meanwhile, Gnome warplanes bombed Stormwind City with incendiary bombs, forcing the Orcs to abandon the city and hide in the forest.

• Herad's super Earthquake swallowed a watchtower and scattered the Orcs garrison near the crossroads.
• The Orcs Warlord found its reinforcements had fled as Steam Tanks and Knights broke through the front line.
• The Orcs Warlord and its personal guards launched a desperate charge, but the Knights trampled them, while Paladins saved the Allied Forces' wounded.
• Sir Lothar praised the Paladins' battlefield role and planned to develop more of them in the Kingdom of Stormwind.
• Gnome warplanes returned after bombing Stormwind City with incendiary bombs, leaving the city ablaze.
• The Orcs watched Stormwind City burn and retreated into the forest to escape further bombardment.

With the Alliance regrouping at the Redridge crossroads, Herad used necromancy to scare Orcs away from rebuilding in Stormwind City. The chapter ended with Herad reflecting on how the Draenei’s restraint with necromancy had doomed them against the Orcs.

• Herad decided the Alliance should rest at the crossroads and used underhanded methods to deal with Orc deserters in Elwynn Forest and Duskwood.
• After Stormwind City’s fires died down, Orcs entered the city and fled when they saw ghosts emerging from within.
• The ghosts chased the fleeing Orcs, killed several by devouring their souls, and drove the survivors to declare Stormwind City forbidden.
• Herad watched the Orcs panic and considered the Draenei’s strict limits on necromancy and their defeat by the Orcs.

Herad sent the Small Arcane Golem, carrying the Soul-Summoning Bell, to spread terror among Orcs and gather ghosts. After attacking a village near Stormwind City, it left survivors to carry tales of a Reaper and paused so fear could spread.

• Herad used the Amethyst Bell to draw Orc ghosts into it, then fastened the Soul-Summoning Bell to the Small Arcane Golem.
• The Small Arcane Golem flew toward an Orc stronghold, intending to spread fear rather than infiltrate quietly.
• An Orc in a village tavern told others that Galmusen Burning Blade had become a ghost, then fled when screams broke out outside.
• The Small Arcane Golem attacked the village as a Reaper, killing Orcs and collecting their damaged souls with the Soul-Summoning Bell.
• The Small Arcane Golem let a few Orcs escape with a terrifying story, then stopped to give the tale time to spread.

Herad used the Small Arcane Golem and its ghost army to terrorize and destroy Orc settlements in Elwynn Forest, driving survivors toward Westfall. He ordered the attacks intensified while continuing to study Draenei crystal technology and simplify the Arcane Furnace.

• Rescue teams concluded that ghosts were attacking Orc villages, and Orcs across Elwynn Forest tried using blood-drawn Exorcism Runes to keep them away.
• The Small Arcane Golem broke through the runes, killed a powerful High Warrior with Ulthalesh, and led ghosts in destroying an Orc gathering place.
• Orcs fled their settlements, avoided Duskwood because of its reputation for hauntings, and headed toward sunny Westfall to escape the ghosts.
• Herad learned that Orcs were fleeing to Westfall and told the Small Arcane Golems to intensify their attacks, including during the day.
• Herad returned to researching Draenei crystal technology and worked to make the Arcane Furnace easier to operate and maintain.

Herad returned to Oshu'gun to assess K'ure and collect Draenei crystals for an Arcane Furnace. He rescued K'ure from the brink of exploding and began mining, knowing demons might return within a few hours.

• Herad decided he needed roughly two thousand tons of Draenei crystals to build an Arcane Furnace and returned to Oshu'gun to check on K'ure.
• Herad found K'ure near death and used the Silver Hand Warhammer to replenish its holy energy, averting a catastrophic explosion.
• Herad sent Arcane Golems to mine the starship's crystals, and K'ure predicted the Burning Legion's demons would arrive in about two thousand of Herad's breaths.
• Herad used Sunwell water to keep the Arcane Golems working longer, while K'ure learned its companions would arrive in a few years and became more hopeful.

Herad learned about the Naaru from K'ure, but their conversation was interrupted by approaching Warsong Wolf Riders. Grom Hellscream fought Herad's Small Arcane Golem, and despite his formidable skill, he began to despair against its relentless attacks.

• K'ure stopped telling Herad about its past and warned that they had to leave because someone was approaching.
• Herad spotted the Warsong Wolf Riders and sent his Small Arcane Golem to attack them.
• Grom Hellscream blocked the golem's opening strike with Gorehowl but was thrown backward by its force.
• Grom and the golem exchanged blows, then clashed in Bladestorm until Grom had to stop spinning while the golem continued.
• The golem's relentless attacks chipped Gorehowl and wore Grom down, leaving him despairing as the Warsong Riders' cheers faded.

The Small Arcane Golem killed Grom Hellscream, but the souls captured by its scythe left the weapon glowing too brightly for Herad’s plans. As Ulthalesh declared it wanted to be a good guy, its knowledge of Holy Light dreadlords raised K'ure’s suspicions.

• Grom Hellscream’s Wolf Riders joined the duel, so the Small Arcane Golem summoned thousands of ghosts to overwhelm them.
• The Small Arcane Golem defeated Grom, and its artifact scythe absorbed six red orbs from Gorehowl’s fragments.
• Herad learned that Ulthalesh would need about thirty days to tame the gronn souls and dim its glow.
• Ulthalesh claimed it wanted to be a good guy, but Herad warned K'ure never to trust dreadlords.
• Ulthalesh asked how Herad knew Holy Light dreadlords existed, and K'ure realized that knowledge was highly classified.

K'ure and Herad questioned Ulthalesh about the Holy Light Dreadlord and uncovered reasons to suspect Sire Denathrius was conspiring with the Jailer. With no one able to investigate the Shadowlands directly, Herad offered to seek information through Prophecy and hoped to gain Elune's favor.

• Ulthalesh told K'ure that Dreadlords feigned faith in the Holy Light to gain its power and earn others' trust.
• Herad challenged Ulthalesh to reveal Sire Denathrius's plans, but Ulthalesh refused to betray his former master.
• Herad described Sire Denathrius's alleged anima dealings with the Jailer, making Ulthalesh question his loyalty despite the lack of evidence.
• Herad and K'ure concluded that investigating the Shadowlands would require a discreet candidate, since neither K'ure nor Ulthalesh could go.
• Herad volunteered to use Prophecy to seek information about the anima shortage, while hoping Elune had noticed his declaration and might support him.

Herad left Oshu'gun after mining enough crystals to build an Arcane Furnace, while K'ure settled into the Armory and planned a larger carrier to help recover. K'ure revealed how to make lightforging iron, offering a path to become self-reliant and escape its weakened state.

• Herad failed to attract Elune's attention, stopped mining after the Arcane Golems used up two bottles of Sunwell water, and demolished much of Oshu'gun with explosives.
• K'ure recovered in the Armory's arcane-rich surroundings but still relied on the Silver Hand Warhammer for holy energy.
• Herad proposed building a fifteen-meter Arcane Golem to carry K'ure, and K'ure designed a Titan-style construct from ordinary steel.
• K'ure explained that prolonged infusions of holy energy could turn ordinary steel into lightforging iron.
• K'ure planned to use the lightforging iron to generate more holy energy and eventually recover without outside help.

Herad settled K'ure at the Temple of Karabor, then investigated the destruction near Oshu'gun and concluded Elune had wiped out the Orc and Demon camps. With the mining site temporarily safe, he gathered Crystal Ore and began searching for obedient Mages to process it, settling on the Nightfallen exiles and Withered near Suramar as potential workers.

• Herad sent K'ure in its Arcane Golem to the Temple of Karabor to support the Draenei and Broken and fight nearby Demons.
• Herad found the Orc camp near Oshu'gun obliterated and inferred that Elune had used a Lunar Orbital Cannon to eliminate the Orcs and Demons.
• Herad brought Arcane Golems to mine Crystal Ore at Oshu'gun, taking advantage of the area's newfound safety.
• Herad considered the shortage of Mages at his Armory and weighed recruiting the Highborne Descendants in Eldre'Thalas, but feared Night Elf interference.
• Herad chose the exiled Nightfallen and Withered around Suramar as promising workers for the Armory.