Battle for Broken Shore

SS Broken Shore

The Battle for Broken Shore was an attempt by the Alliance and the Horde to stop the third invasion of the Burning Legion before it became a full-scale conflict. The battle was lost, allowing the Burning Legion to pour into Azeroth and start their invasions.

Premise
Khadgar was there when alternate Gul'dan opened the portal inside the Tomb of Sargeras on the Broken Isles, enabling the might of the Burning Legion to cross through into Azeroth. Much like Medivh during the Third War, he warned the leaders of the Horde and the Alliance of the Legion's return.

High King Varian Wrynn immediately sent agents of 7, led by their leader, Master Mathias Shaw, to the Broken Isles to gather information regarding the Legion's numbers. Mere hours before the assault was to begin, the results were clear to Shaw: a frontal assault was absolutely not possible and doomed to failure, and he determined that the Alliance and Horde fleets had to be warned to turn back. However, the scouts were murdered by the forces of the dreadlord Detheroc, who then impersonated Shaw. As Shaw, Detheroc told the High King that they had a chance.

The assault
The heroes of Azeroth thus gathered their forces and rode to the Broken Isles in a joint faction fleet to combat the threat. The Legion unleashed armies of felbats upon the ships and infernals rained destruction down. The Argent Crusade's forces were decimated during the landfall, with the few survivors, including Highlord Tirion Fordring, taken captive by the Legion. The Alliance forces led by King Varian Wrynn and the Horde forces led by Warchief Vol'jin held their tenuous foothold on the Broken Shore, awaiting to be relieved by reinforcements.

Alliance reinforcements of the third fleet, including the now renowned brave champions of Azeroth, landed on the left side of the Shore while the Horde reinforcements landed on the right side of the beaches. Both sides started claiming ground and piercing through the demons to reach the Tomb of Sargeras. Along the way, they freed Argent prisoners and searched for Tirion. After defeating the demons of the Black City the Legion had established, they found Tirion in the hands of Gul'dan. But it was too late, and the warlock proceeded to apparently summarily execute Tirion with Krosus, and run away.

After dealing with Krosus, the Azerothian forces managed to finally reach the Tomb. There, the Alliance confronted Gul'dan while the Horde took the high ridge to cover the Alliance's flank. While the Alliance was battling many Legion commanders, a portal behind the high ridge summoned more demons than the Horde could handle. Varian ordered the famous Skyfire to advance, and instructed Genn Greymane to tell Sylvanas Windrunner to have her forces clear the skies.

The fall
Unbeknownst to the Alliance, the Horde was overwhelmed by the attack from behind. Thrall was blasted by four Legion ships simultaneously, and Vol'jin was mortally wounded by a felguard's spear. Sylvanas rode to secure her Warchief, who urged her not to let the Horde die this day. Seeing the Horde forces crumbling and incoming Burning Legion reinforcements, Sylvanas blew her war horn signaling a retreat, while her val'kyr secured injured Horde soldiers.

Varian watched in shock and disappointment as he witnessed the Horde forces quit the battlefield, leaving the Alliance vulnerable. The High King was thus forced to order a retreat via gunship but, as the Skyfire took off, Gul'dan called down an immense fel reaver which grabbed onto the airship, causing it to tip and send many Alliance soldiers plummeting to their deaths. Varian, dangling from a rope ladder on the side, passed the letter he had written during the travel to the Broken Isles to Genn, asking him to deliver it to his son Anduin. Varian then dived down and impaled the head of the reaver with Shalamayne, taking down the creature by himself.

As the gunship flew away, Varian was left to make a final stand against the demons, killing several and making his way to Gul'dan, before being impaled thrice from behind. Gul'dan gloated to the dying king that he would be remembered "as the king who sacrificed his life for nothing". Varian defiantly looked the warlock in the eyes and replied "For the Alliance!". A sore Gul'dan channeled his vile energy into his palm, and flooded Varian's body with overwhelming fel magic, utterly executing him.

Aftermath
The battle was followed by funerals for both Varian and Vol'jin, during which assassinations were attempted by demons. They were fortunately exposed in time by the Illidari demon hunters. The Legion invasions were then launched all over the world.

Trivia

 * The original concept for the Battle had a pristine elven Tomb, surrounded by a city now in ruins and populated by elven priest spirits. Tyrande Whisperwind was supposed to fight dreadlords and the scenario was 3 hours long. Concept art also showed Lor'themar Theron participating.
 * The Assault on Broken Shore scenario is a throwback and partially based on it.
 * Excavator Karla says she was part of the original landing party. Alora was among one of the gunships, and Defender Barrem also fought during the battle.