Andorhal

The destroyed human city of Andorhal is located in the Western Plaguelands, formerly known as the western Eastweald, Lordaeron's breadbasket. One of the largest cities in northern Lordaeron, Andorhal was the main agricultural distribution point in the region. It is from here that the plague of undeath started to spread. The Scourge would eventually take control of the ruined city, until the Alliance and the Forsaken fought in the Battle for Andorhal to expel the undead. The waters around Andorhal are still contaminated by the plague.

Early history
After the Troll Wars and King Thoradin's reign of Arathor, many humans expanded the nation settling in the northern lands of Lordaeron, formerly ruled by the Amani forest trolls. These humans populated the Eastweald some 2,700 years before the Dark Portal and founded new Arathi settlements.

The Church of the Holy Light, with its origins tracing back to the chaos of the Troll Wars, was founded some centuries later in Lordaeron. It became a predominant human religion and the church constructed temples and shrines throughout the human lands. Among the oldest and most revered of these holy sites were the temples in the Eastweald, including Andorhal.

The region eventually fell under the sway of the Kingdom of Lordaeron.

Scourge invasion
Andorhal was once the distribution center for all agricultural supplies in the northern provinces of Lordaeron east of Lordamere Lake before the Third War. It was used by Kel'Thuzad to spread the plague, infecting the grain there, which was sent to different northern villages in the King's Road and towns such as Hearthglen and Stratholme. Andorhal was gripped by the original outbreak of the Plague of Undeath, but remained uncontrolled by Scourge agents. As Prince Arthas Menethil and Jaina Proudmoore entered the city, he found burning buildings and no villagers nor undead. Suddenly, Kel'Thuzad appeared but quickly escaped. Arthas initially searched the city for the empty granaries and then resolved to kill Kel'Thuzad. Galloping north of the city, Arthas killed any undead he found, and quickly discovered Kel'Thuzad and killed him.

Prince Arthas eventually became a death knight and a commander of Scourge, responsible for the fall of Lordaeron. After the fall of Capital City, Arthas set out to Andorhal to recover the remains of Kel'Thuzad as per his new instructions from Tichondrius, expecting no one but undead at the charred timbers around the city. However, Kel'Thuzad's tomb and the city were taken by the Order of the Silver Hand, with the paladins Gavinrad the Dire, Ballador the Bright, Sage Truthbearer, and their forces maintaining a strong hold over the city and the surrounding area. Christoph was also one of the soldiers present. The paladins were overwhelmed as Andorhal fell at the hands of Arthas. The watches of Andorhal, much like the large clock on the ruins of the town hall, were all frozen in time at three o'clock.

On the outskirts of the city, moving slowly along the road, on foot, was a small funeral procession, Arthas' next target. The death knight marched against the military funeral of several men in armor in a single file, with Uther the Lightbringer in the center carrying the urn of King Terenas. The former teacher and student dueled, and with the death knight killing Uther and taking the urn.

The desperate defenders of the city, seeing no hope of rescue, had set the city ablaze so that the Scourge couldn't raise more warriors.

The city, however, remained in the hands of the Scourge for the years to come.

World of Warcraft


Following the defeat of the Burning Legion and the consolidation of the Western Plaguelands by the Scourge, Andorhal became a regional bastion effectively separating the lands of the Lich King from those still under mortal control. Later, Andorhal became the headquarters of the lich Araj the Summoner who used the ruined city as the base of operations, from which he oversaw the use of the mighty plague cauldrons situated throughout the Western Plaguelands.

The roads leading north out of Andorhal were occasionally patrolled by forces of the Scarlet Crusade — either survivors of Andorhal or troops sent from nearby Hearthglen.

The flow of time was disrupted here and Chromie speculated to be the workings of the Scourge.

Failed Retaking of Andorhal


During the time of The Burning Crusade, Andorhal was invaded by Maddox and an army of mercenaries and the Argent Dawn. However, the army consisted of just 100 soldiers and they were easily beaten by the Scourge.

Cataclysm
After the Shattering, both the Alliance and the Forsaken started making major efforts to expel the Scourge from Andorhal. The ruined city became a warzone between the Alliance under the command of Thassarian, and the Forsaken under the command of Koltira Deathweaver. The Alliance established a hold on the southwestern side of the city, reinforced by Chillwind Camp. The Forsaken obtained a strong front on the northeastern side of the town. Araj the Summoner leads what remains of the Lich King's forces in Andorhal, their power diminished by the death of their lord.

This major conflict in this war effort came to be known as the Battle for Andorhal, in which World of Warcraft players can participate. The combined forces relentlessly slaughtered Scourge and ultimately slayed Araj. Thassarian and Koltira exchanged pleasantries, and gave each other time before they had to ultimately come to battle with one another. Shortly after, battle was joined, with Alliance militiamen taking the field, having come North to reclaim and rebuild Lordaeron and in hope of farmland that was promised, but was actually unavailable. Despite this advantage, it was revealed that Sylvanas had been observing the battle, and would not have it lost. Using val'kyr, she turns the tide of battle, forcing the Alliance to flee the city.

Despite the Forsaken victory, Sylvanas Windrunner was displeased with what she perceived as weakness on Koltira's part, knowing of his long-standing comradeship with Thassarian and the truce they made in the field. Confronting him after the victory, Sylvanas had Koltira taken to the Undercity so that he can be made to serve the Horde - or, more specifically, the Forsaken - exclusively, without any regard for his prior service to the Knights of the Ebon Blade.

NPCs
 

Cataclysm
 
 * Alliance
 * Lurid
 * Lang Loosegrip
 * Ginny Goodwin
 * Alexis Torry
 * Benjamin Henderson
 * Foreman Milos
 * Andorhal Force-Commander
 * Andorhal Defender
 * Frightened Provincial Minuteman
 * Provincial Minuteman
 * Provincial Minuteman

     
 * Mobs
 * Araj the Summoner
 * Opengut Behemoth
 * Stickbone Berserker
 * Desiccated Magus
 * Blighthawk
 * Horde
 * Lindsay Ravensun
 * Sylvanas Windrunner
 * Lois Henderson
 * Jearl Donald
 * Rhonda Molver
 * Nicolette Garner
 * Albert Garner
 * Donald Emery
 * Joseph Henderson
 * Adaleen Garner
 * Wanda Henderson
 * Roman Garner
 * Aradne
 * Andorhal Deathguard
 * Forsaken Troopers
 * Deathguard War-Captain
 * Lesser Val'kyr
 * Enthralled Val'kyr
 * Enthralled Val'kyr
 * Warcraft III inhabitants
 * Ai
 * Liana
 * Balcor
 * Dirk
 * Garak
 * Hebon
 * Joseph
 * Kenshin

Deaths of Chromie

 * Chromie
 * Adrine Towhide

 
 * Alliance
 * Briggs
 * Brother Grigory
 * Gatzin Zapwrench
 * Magus Araana
 * Potionmaster Donovan

    </li> </ul>
 * Alliance Force-Commander
 * Alliance Defender
 * Alliance Siege Cannon
 * Horde
 * Apothecary Tillings
 * Gro'thogg
 * Hexweaver Jakunda
 * Roobi Skizzelvolt
 * Talessah Towhide
 * Deathguard War-Captain
 * Deathguards
 * Horde Siege Cannon

In the RPG
One of the first human settlements to contract the undead plague, Andorhal is in the Scourge's grip. The city was once the center for grain distribution across Lordaeron and was instrumental in the Scourge's campaign. Beneath Andorhal is the School of Necromancy, a sprawling subterranean labyrinth akin to Undercity but on a much smaller scale. Undead horrors, necromancers, warlocks and Damned cultists haunt the tunnels. Darkmaster Gandling, a mummified wretch, teaches students how to raise the dead in the Lich King's name. Formerly a Dalaran wizard, he betrayed his masters for dark power and now revels in undeath. His graduates go on to Stratholme, the Scourge's capital in the Eastern Plaguelands.

Notes and trivia

 * In one of Sylvanas's visions of the future, the Bulwark, which was the last line of defense of the Tirisfal Glades was going to be assaulted by an army of humans and dwarves, fresh from their last victory in taking Andorhal.
 * The jolly paladin Soulare of Andorhal comes from this city.
 * The father and siblings of the mage Rhonin resided in Andorhal, and were killed, when the Scourge attacked.
 * A Warcraft III custom/multiplayer map exists called "Andorhal". The city had canals, and also goblin laboratories which provided faster transportation around the city.
 * In the Warcraft III mission "The Cult of the Damned", Andorhal is vaguely oval-shaped, had a land bridge to the southwest, a stone bridge to the southeast, and a single road leading north. It retains these features in the "Digging up the Dead" mission. This layout is much like the one seen in World of Warcraft.
 * After completing the Western Plaguelands storyline, the Alliance flight point in Andorhal becomes unusable.

Involvement of the Infinite Dragonflight?
The appearance of the Infinite dragonflight and their role in the attempted altering of key events in the history of Azeroth may point to them as the ones who are truly behind the attacks on the timeline here, instead of the Scourge. Although Chromie suggests that it is the work of the Scourge she wasn't completely sure (hence the use of the phrase "most likely"), and so - as she and the other Bronze Dragon's were probably unaware of the existence of the Infinite Flight at that time - directed the blame to the most powerful malevolent force known to exist in the area.