Chapter Summaries

Herad encountered a Withered near the Azurewing Whelplands and learned how the Blue Dragonkin struggled to keep them away from their sacred grounds. He gathered hundreds of Withered and transported them to Quel'Thalas, then continued toward Suramar, where even more lived.

• Herad silenced a Withered that tried to drain his magic, then fed it mana and asked a Blue Dragonkin warrior about Withered who retained their memories and abilities.
• The Blue Dragonkin warrior explained that stronger-looking Withered were more likely to be special specimens and warned Herad that they required a great deal of magical energy.
• Herad flew over a bridge between Azsuna and Suramar, drawing several hundred Withered after him.
• Herad opened a Temporary Portal to an unused warehouse in Quel'Thalas and used a strong wind to send all the gathered Withered through it.
• Herad continued flying toward Suramar's main city, where the Withered were most numerous.

Herad arrived outside Suramar City and found its Nightborne unwilling to admit him through the Barrier. He opened a Temporary Portal in an abandoned tower and recruited the Withered into his growing workforce, while the Nightborne watched from inside the city.

• Herad examined Suramar City and its Barrier, while the Nightborne mistook him for a degraded refugee and refused to let him in.
• Herad left the city and chose an abandoned stone tower as a place to open a Temporary Portal.
• The Withered rushed into the tower to reach Herad, but the portal sealed off the stairs and drew them into a world rich with arcane energy.
• Special Withered were swept into the portal along with the others, and Herad saw them as the beginnings of a powerful magic army.
• The Nightborne watched the Withered disappear into the tower and hoped Herad would return to take more of their unwanted refugees.

Herad brought the Withered into his new workshop and began training them to speak by rewarding them with food. He then used them against the Orcs of Elwynn Forest, where they easily overwhelmed the camp and showed how formidable they were.

• Herad prepared the workshop to build The Mechanar and planned to use the Withered as laborers for its Draenei crystal Arcane Furnace.
• Herad discovered that most of the Withered had forgotten how to speak, so he taught them to say “bread” and rewarded those who asked correctly with food and juice.
• The Withered learned quickly as they sought better food, and Herad sent them to terrorize the Orcs in Elwynn Forest.
• The Orcs fled or fought back, but the Withered endured their weapons, strangled the Orcs Infantry, and drained the camp’s strongest fighters.
• The Withered army easily defeated an equal number of Orcs despite not having fully recovered their strength.

Herad’s Withered army annihilated the Orc force in Northshire Valley, allowing the Allied Forces to begin reclaiming Elwynn Forest and prepare to advance toward Westfall. Herad continued building his Withered forces and training spellcasters to construct an Arcane Furnace.

• Herad’s Withered raided the remaining Orc camps, drove most Orcs out of Elwynn Forest, and saved Northshire Valley for last.
• The Withered launched a night raid on Northshire Valley and, with the Small Arcane Golem, annihilated fifty thousand Orc infantrymen without losing anyone.
• Herad told Sir Lothar to begin reclaiming Stormwind City, and the Allied Forces entered Elwynn Forest as the Orcs gathered in Westfall.
• Herad began training spellcasting Withered to cast Draenei crystals for an Arcane Furnace, though their daily output remained small.
• Herad captured more Withered in Azsuna and Suramar, while the Blue Dragonflight imprisoned them for him and the Nightborne cheered him on from behind their magical barrier.

Herad searched western Suramar for the Withered and the hidden underground ley line tunnels, then used the Doomhammer to split open the earth and uncover a massive passage. He sent summoned Earth Elemental Creatures into the tunnel to capture anything they found.

• Herad searched the caves and hills of western Suramar for the buried ley line tunnels after finding the Withered scattered across the region.
• Herad used the Doomhammer's Earth Rift to tear open a fissure more than a dozen kilometers long, while Elisande and the Nightborne leaders watched in astonishment.
• Herad found a huge magical-stone pipe beneath the ground, punched a hole through it, and descended into the illuminated tunnel.
• Herad summoned an Earth Elemental Creature and ordered it to capture any creatures it encountered deeper in the tunnel.
• Herad planned to summon more Earth Elemental Creatures to pursue and capture targets throughout the tunnels.

Herad explored the vast ley line complex with summoned earth elementals, discovering a commander-tier Stone Giant rich in magic crystals. The elementals captured Withered in another courtyard and sent them through Herad’s Temporary Portal, leaving him pleased with his growing supply of conscripts.

• Herad healed the glowing plants trampled by the earth elementals as he followed them to a huge ley line courtyard.
• Herad summoned more earth elementals to explore the courtyard’s upper level, and a commander-tier Stone Giant formed.
• Herad rode the Stone Giant through the tunnels and found that its body held at least two hundred kilograms of magic crystals.
• Herad’s scouting elementals encountered Withered in another courtyard, knocked them down with earth-shaking spells, and trapped them in Rock Shackles.
• Herad opened a Temporary Portal and had the elementals push the captured Withered through, ordering them to handle their prisoners more gently.

Herad led the stone creatures through Fal'dorei territory, where the stone giant and Small Arcane Golem routed the Fal'dorei and pursued them toward their lair, Falanaar. The stone creatures stayed behind to search spider-silk cocoons for Withered who might still be saved.

• Herad suspected the crystallized tree was a failed Arcan'dor but prioritized capturing Withered over finding Falrodin.
• The stone creatures encountered Fal'dorei attacking them and struggling to capture Withered, so Herad ordered the creatures killed.
• Herad sent in the stone giant, which knocked down Fal'dorei warriors, trampled spellcasters, and helped the stone creatures defeat the rest.
• The stone giant and Small Arcane Golem drove the surviving Fal'dorei toward their lair, Falanaar.
• The stone creatures opened humanoid cocoons and smacked the motionless Withered inside to see whether they reacted.

Herad and the stone giants cleared Withered from the upper and lower areas, then the stone giants and Small Arcane Golems slaughtered the Fal'dorei in Falanaar. Herad found a dead Arcan'dor and brought the Blue Dragonflight to it, leaving the Nightborne on guard as the dragons dug it up and returned to Azsuna.

• Herad treated the Withered rescued from the Fal'dorei and teleported them to the Armory.
• The stone giants and Small Arcane Golems attacked the Fal'dorei lair in Falanaar, killing many Fal'dorei and feeding their souls to Ulthalesh.
• Herad found a dead, crystallized Arcan'dor and went to the Azurewing Whelplands to tell Senegos about it.
• Senegos and the Blue Dragonflight flew to Falanaar to retrieve the Arcan'dor and its energy crystals.
• The Nightborne grew alarmed when Senegos crossed their border, but the blue dragons dug up the Arcan'dor and returned to Azsuna.

The Nightborne and Blue Dragonflight joined forces to research how to recreate Arcan'dor, hoping its fruit could replace the Nightwell and ease their dependence on arcane energy. Herad proposed using the abandoned Mage Tower of Karazhan as a cultivation site, leaving Khadgar with an ominous feeling as he traveled to Stormwind.

• Tel'arn recognized the excavated tree as Arcan'dor, and Etraeus confirmed its identity as the Nightborne leaders discussed its potential to replace the Nightwell.
• Elisande asked Tel'arn to develop a way to recreate Arcan'dor, and he promised he could do so if he examined a living sample.
• The Nightborne leaders decided to deactivate their magical barrier from sunrise to sunset each day to conserve arcane energy instead of exiling their people.
• Senegos invited Tel'arn to join the Blue Dragonflight's research, and the two groups shared expertise while Herad explained the dangers of Arcan'dor's past mutations.
• Herad suggested growing Arcan'dor at Karazhan, whose tower stood atop a ley line node, while Khadgar traveled toward Stormwind and sensed that something was wrong.

Herad and the Allied Forces turned the Karazhan Mage Tower into a base for cultivating Arcan'dor, while High Elf Rangers hunted orc deserters in Duskwood. Tel'arn planted an oak-based crystal seed in the tower's Energy Pool, where it rapidly grew into a ten-meter Crystal Oak before its growth slowed as it consumed the available arcane energy.

• Senegos, Tel'arn, and the others inspected the Karazhan Mage Tower and agreed to use it as an Arcan'dor testing site.
• Herad repaired the Mage Tower and sealed the breaches, causing Duskwood's darkness to lift as its stored arcane energy accumulated in the Energy Pool.
• High Elf Rangers used their Flying Battle Armor and bird pets to hunt down orc deserters in the newly brightened forest.
• Herad watched the rangers' combat footage and considered how magic items depended on their users having enough mana.
• Tel'arn planted an oak-based crystal seed in the Energy Pool, and it rapidly grew into a ten-meter Crystal Oak.
• The Crystal Oak drained the liquid energy in the pool and continued absorbing its reserves, leading Tel'arn to note that planting it in the Nightwell could have caused the Nightborne to become Withered.

With Arcan'dor growing successfully but still months from bearing fruit, Tel'arn began modifying the Black Morass's plants and slaughtering orcs. The Allied Forces crushed the orc army in Westfall and celebrated their victory, while Herad awaited Deathwing's possible appearance at the Dark Portal.

• Tel'arn began experimenting on plants in the Black Morass, creating dangerous animated growths that killed orcs throughout the swamp.
• Herad turned his attention to Westfall as the Allied Forces began their decisive battle against the orc army.
• The Allied Forces used aerial attacks, artillery, and dispersed units to break the orcs and drive them to Longshore.
• Admiral Daelin's fleet bombarded the trapped orcs at Longshore, and the Allied Forces burned the corpses and celebrated their victory.
• Herad watched the Allied Forces return to Stormwind City and waited to see whether Deathwing would appear when they took control of the Dark Portal.

The Kul Tiras fleet sailed past Stranglethorn Vale, defeating Jungle Troll attackers and forcing Goblin pirates to surrender with its ironclad ships and advanced artillery. After witnessing the fleet’s power, Revilgaz decided Booty Bay would convert its ships to steam, signaling the end of the age of sailing warships.

• The Kul Tiras fleet sailed south along Stranglethorn Vale, where Human Musketeers drove off Jungle Trolls who paddled out to attack.
• The fleet entered the southern region of Stranglethorn Vale, and its ironclads defeated the Goblin pirates by destroying their ships’ sails with long-range artillery.
• Admiral Daelin ordered the captured pirates taken to the Blasted Lands to build fortifications rather than releasing them.
• The Goblins of Booty Bay cheered as the fleet carried off their rivals, then worried that piracy had become too dangerous.
• Revilgaz decided to push for converting Booty Bay’s ships to steam power so they could at least escape the Kul Tiras fleet.

The Allied Forces fortified the Dark Portal while Herad used the blockade to draw out Deathwing. Deathwing finally appeared, crossed into Draenor in human form, and escaped the orcs trying to stop him.

• Herad built a vast stone harbor in the Blasted Lands, impressing Admiral Daelin and the arriving Allied Forces.
• The Allied Forces reached the Dark Portal and found Herad reinforcing its sinking surroundings with steep slopes, walls, and towers.
• Orcs emerging from the portal were shot down, while pirate prisoners carried equipment for the defenses and saw the enormous orc army gathering beyond the portal.
• Herad revealed that his true target was Deathwing, who had been hiding and watching the conflict while coveting Draenor.
• Deathwing shook the ground, emerged nearby, and rushed through the Dark Portal in human form.
• Deathwing swatted aside the orcs who tried to intercept him and escaped into Draenor.

Herad trapped Deathwing on Draenor by lowering the Dark Portal’s strength limit, hoping he would keep the Burning Legion occupied there. Deathwing found his secret testing grounds destroyed by gronn and began hunting them, while Herad’s Small Arcane Golem targeted ordinary adult gronn and left their king, Gruul, for Deathwing.

• Herad calmed the earthquake, identified Deathwing entering the Dark Portal, and changed its rules so powerful beings could no longer pass through.
• Deathwing flew toward Draenor’s Blade’s Edge Mountains, while the Allied Forces celebrated the weakened orc threat without knowing the Portal’s rules had changed.
• Deathwing discovered that Gruul and his gronn had destroyed his secret testing grounds and captured his black dragons.
• Deathwing restrained the flames erupting from his body and searched the Blade’s Edge Mountains for gronn to punish.
• Herad’s Small Arcane Golem hunted ordinary adult gronn and avoided Gruul, leaving the gronn king for Deathwing.

Deathwing attacked the gronn while the Small Arcane Golem secretly harvested their souls. Gruul confronted Deathwing, and as they fought, the golem continued killing gronn around the battlefield.

• Deathwing crushed a gronn that was eating roasted dragon meat and displayed its body on a rock spike.
• The Small Arcane Golem entered a gronn lair, killed the sleeping gronn, and slaughtered its fleeing ogre guards.
• Gruul hurled a boulder at Deathwing, then charged him into a battle that shook the Blade's Edge Mountains.
• The Small Arcane Golem used the chaos around the fight to kill gronn gathering to watch.
• Gruul saw his offspring being slain and furiously attacked Deathwing, who sensed something was wrong but could not investigate.

Herad watched Deathwing kill Gruul while the Small Arcane Golem secured the Gronn king’s soul and escaped. As Elune manifested over Nagrand, the story left Herad facing the moon goddess’s arrival.

• Deathwing gradually overpowered Gruul in the Blade’s Edge Mountains while Herad watched from Nagrand and chose not to intervene.
• Elune’s orbital cannon had annihilated the Warsong Orcs in Nagrand, and Herad reflected on her plans for the Shadowlands.
• Deathwing pinned Gruul down and killed him after failing to break his exceptionally hard neck bones with his bite.
• The Small Arcane Golem captured Gruul’s soul with the artifact scythe and fled as Deathwing pursued it.
• Deathwing lost sight of the Small Arcane Golem and burned a swath of primeval forest with Shadowflame.
• As the Small Arcane Golem flew southwest from Gorgrond, a brilliant shaft of moonlight shone over Herad and Elune manifested.

Elune tasked Herad with investigating the Shadowlands and finding evidence of Sire Denathrius's crimes, giving him a keystone and divine power to help him survive. After discovering Ulthalesh was a flawed soul artifact, she taught Herad a method to cultivate souls before departing.

• Elune appeared before Herad and asked him to plan an investigation into where souls were going in the Shadowlands.
• Elune gave Herad a keystone that let him enter and leave the Shadowlands, along with a portion of her divine power for protection.
• Elune saw that Herad's Ulthalesh could not properly fuse the souls it contained and recognized that it was a crude, defective artifact.
• Elune passed Herad knowledge of a soul-cultivation method, then vanished.

Herad treated the Allied Forces to a Clefthoof feast, warned them away from the northern pass, and returned to Karazhan to deal with Ulthalesh. He used the Forge of Souls to torment and mentally break the scythe’s primary soul, leaving Ulthalesh too witless to betray him.

• Herad hunted Clefthoofs and treated the Allied Forces to a feast, then warned them not to approach the pass north of the Blasted Lands.
• Herad teleported to Karazhan’s Mage Tower, where the Small Arcane Golem guarded the rooftop and killed demons drawn by lingering arcane energy.
• Herad decided Ulthalesh’s weak soul and loyalty to Sire Denathrius made him a potential threat, and chose to subdue him with a soul spell.
• Herad used the Forge of Souls, strengthened by special arcane energy, to stretch and torment Ulthalesh’s soul while he struggled to suppress the Gronn souls.
• Herad left Ulthalesh witless but loyal, ensuring the artifact scythe could no longer turn against its wielder.

Herad strengthened Ulthalesh and prepared to enter the Shadowlands to investigate souls and fulfill Elune’s task. With K'ure’s advice and a Blessing Mark, he traveled through a temporary portal to the Ember Ward in Revendreth.

• Herad repeatedly enhanced Ulthalesh, greatly increasing the artifact scythe’s combat power while reflecting on its absolute loyalty to Sire Denathrius.
• Herad decided to seek soul metal in the Shadowlands to improve Ulthalesh and went to Shadowmoon Valley to ask K'ure for information.
• Herad found K'ure trying to communicate with K'ara, the Dark Star, and learned that restoring K'ara would require a great amount of holy energy delivered at once.
• K'ure gave Herad a golden Blessing Mark and recommended that he begin his Shadowlands journey in the relatively safe Ember Ward.
• Herad used Elune’s Shadowlands Keystone to open a Temporary Portal and crossed into the Ember Ward with the Small Arcane Golem.

Herad explored the Ember Ward, where Venthyr refugees and ghouls struggled to survive the Holy Light, and his Small Arcane Golem cut down anyone who threatened them. As Herad headed for a northern tower, he hunted a stoneborn so he could study how the living stone construct worked.

• Herad tested the Ember Ward’s air, put away his oxygen equipment, and began surveying the sun-scorched wasteland.
• Venthyr refugees tried to rob Herad and the Small Arcane Golem for the anima on Ulthalesh, but the golem killed the attackers and the survivors took anima from the corpses before retreating.
• Herad left the refugees alone and continued through the Ember Ward, where the Small Arcane Golem killed ghouls that charged at them.
• Herad learned that the Ember Ward served as an execution ground for Venthyr exiled or condemned by Sire Denathrius.
• As Herad traveled toward a northern tower, the Small Arcane Golem killed a passing stoneborn and nearby witnesses, then hid the stoneborn’s body for Herad to study.