STORMRAGE WORLD OF WARCRAFT® STORMRAGE RICHARD A KNAAK Gallery Books A Division of Simon & Schuster, Inc 1230 Avenue of the Americas New York, NY 10020 www.SimonandSchuster.com This book is a work of fiction Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental Copyright © 2010 by Blizzard Entertainment, Inc All rights reserved Warcraft, World of Warcraft, and Blizzard Entertainment are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Blizzard Entertainment, Inc., in the U.S and/or other countries All other trademark references herein are the properties of their respective owners All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever For information address Pocket Books Subsidiary Rights Department, 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020 First Gallery Books hardcover edition February 2010 GALLERY BOOKS and colophon are registered trademarks of Simon & Schuster, Inc For information about special discounts for bulk purchases, please contact Simon & Schuster Special Sales at 1-866-506-1949 or business@simonandschuster.com The Simon & Schuster Speakers Bureau can bring authors to your live event For more information or to book an event contact the Simon & Schuster Speakers Bureau at 1-866-248-3049 or visit our website at www.simonspeakers.com Manufactured in the United States of America 10 ISBN 978-1-4165-5087-7 ISBN 978-1-4391-6066-4 (ebook) For the twelve million and more who have breathed life into Azeroth ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Special thanks go to those involved in this project and my other forays into Azeroth! Here’s to the folks at Blizzard in no particular order—Rob, Gina, Evelyn, Micky, Tommy, Jason, Glenn, Samwise …and everyone else I may have missed! At Gallery Books—my hardworking editor Jaime, Anthony, Marco, and more! And, with the utmost appreciation, Chris Metzen, who’s been there from the beginning! Again, thanks, everyone! “Our time at these festivities is at an end,” She of the Dreaming added “Congratulations to you, my child,” the mistress of the Emerald Dream said to Malfurion “Be worthy of her…” “I will always try to be.” Ysera became more serious “This is only your beginning, both of you…but you, most of all, my Malfurion, have entered a new stage When there is time…and I say when…you have a complex level of training to start, one which no other has faced before.” “I look forward to your teachings, great one…” The Aspect cocked her head “This is not something that I can teach you…this is something that must be learned by yourself You have done what no other, not even I, could do.” After a pause, the dragon added, “But I will be happy to offer advice, though if I were Malfurion Stormrage, I would listen most to she next to you…” Malfurion squeezed Tyrande’s hand “Oh, I will.” Alexstrasza and Ysera nodded, then, without further words, transformed They rose into the air, again the great behemoths The two night elves glanced at one another Tyrande quickly nodded To Ysera, the archdruid called, “Ysera…great one…we give our condolences for brave Eranikus!” “And they are welcomed…” She of the Dreaming bowed her head, sadness and gratitude vying in her tone “From this happy place, I go to mourn! His sacrifice I will honor forever…” “As we all,” Alexstrasza added With that, the two soared high into the sky Korialstrasz and the green male joined them, the red briefly giving the night elves a knowing nod “Thank you, my good friends…” he rumbled before departing The party of dragons circled over Darnassus Most expected them to simply depart, but then, as one, the huge beasts issued a triumphant roar…their final homage to Malfurion and his bride And as Ysera and Alexstrasza led their kind away, the archdruid and the high priestess turned back to those who had come to honor them Malfurion looked upon the assembly and wondered if Azeroth might have any chance not only to completely recover from the Nightmare, but even move beyond it, to that future that might have hope Then Malfurion recalled what still held sway over the Rift of Aln and grew troubled It was not a threat that could be left untouched for long The archdruid began pondering what they would have to do— He felt Tyrande squeeze his hand She leaned and kissed him “Enjoy today, Mal…that’s all we can ever ask…today together …” She kissed him again, then added more strongly, “And then we shall begin dealing in earnest with the foulness that guided Xavius’s evil…” The archdruid nodded, accepting her wisdom He would enjoy today—and all his time with Tyrande—and knew that he could indeed ask for no more than that Still, both of them could not also help but have some hope for the future… And Malfurion Stormrage was well aware that great things had been successfully built upon far less than that… ABOUT THE AUTHOR Richard A Knaak is a New York Times bestselling author of some forty novels and numerous short stories, including works in such series as Warcraft, Diablo, Dragonlance, Age of Conan, and his own Dragonrealm He has scripted a number of Warcraft manga with Tokyopop, including the top-selling Sunwell trilogy and the upcoming Dragons of Outland trilogy, and has also written background material for games His works have been published worldwide in many languages Recent releases include Legends of the Dragonrealm, an omnibus featuring the first three novels of his original epic fantasy series; Beast-master: Myth, a heroic tale that brings the classic film and television character back to his roots in an all-new adventure; and The Gargoyle King—the third in his Ogre Titans trilogy for Dragonlance He is presently at work on several other projects Currently splitting his time between Chicago and Arkansas, he can be reached through his website: http://www.richardaknaak.com While he is unable to respond to every e-mail, he does read them Join his mailing list for e-announcements of upcoming releases and appearances The story you’ve just read is based in part on characters, situations, and settings from Blizzard Entertainment’s computer game World of Warcraft , an online role-playing experience set in the award-winning Warcraft universe In World of Warcraft , players create their own heroes and explore, adventure, and quest across a vast world shared with thousands of other players The rich and expansive game also allows players to interact with and fight against or alongside many of the powerful and intriguing characters featured in this novel Since launching in November 2004, World of Warcraft has become the world’s most popular subscription-based massively multiplayer online role-playing game The game’s second and most recent expansion, Wrath of the Lich King , sold more than 2.8 million copies within its first 24 hours of availability and more than million copies in its first month, breaking records to become the fastest-selling PC game of all time The next expansion planned for World of Warcraft is titled Cataclysm, and more information on it can be found on worldofwarcraft.com FURTHER READING If you’d like to read more about the characters and circumstances that shaped Azeroth and led to the events of World of Warcraft: Stormrage, the sources listed below provide additional pieces of the story • You can find more information about Malfurion Stormrage’s past, including his valiant struggle against the Burning Legion and its agents, in Warcraft: The Well of Eternity, Warcraft: The Demon Soul, and Warcraft: The Sundering, books one, two, and three of the War of the Ancients trilogy by Richard A Knaak These three novels also explore Malfurion’s relationship with Tyrande Whisperwind • Broll Bearmantle plays a key role in the monthly World of Warcraft comic book by Walter and Louise Simonson, Ludo Lullabi, Jon Buran, Mike Bowden, Sandra Hope, and Tony Washington The comic also reveals influential moments from Broll’s past, such as the tragic death of his daughter, Anessa, in issue #4 and the battle against his own rage inside the Emerald Dream in issue #5 • Tyrande Whisperwind’s history with Malfurion Stormrage and her rise to the rank of high priestess of Elune are chronicled in the War of the Ancients trilogy by Richard A Knaak More than 10,000 years after the War of the Ancients, Tyrande encounters Broll Bearmantle and Varian Wrynn in issue #6 of the monthly World of Warcraft comic by Walter Simonson, Ludo Lullabi, and Sandra Hope • The creation of Broxigar’s enchanted ax is portrayed in Warcraft: The Well of Eternity, book one of the War of the Ancients trilogy by Richard A Knaak Broxigar goes on to slay many demons with the powerful weapon, and he even uses it to face the malevolent Dark Titan, Sargeras, in Warcraft: The Sundering, book three of the War of the Ancients trilogy • The mysterious Idol of Remulos’s history and the reasons why the idol was gifted to Broll Bearmantle are revealed in issue #4 of the monthly World of Warcraft comic by Walter Simonson, Ludo Lullabi, and Sandra Hope • Archdruid Fandral Staghelm witnesses the horrific death of his son Valstann during a battle with the qiraji and the silithid in “Warcraft: The War of the Shifting Sands” by Micky Neilson ( o n worldofwarcraft.com) The archdruid also makes an appearance when Broll Bearmantle gives him the Idol of Remulos in issue #6 of the monthly World of Warcraft comic by Walter Simonson, Ludo Lullabi, and Sandra Hope • Sargeras’s corruption of Lord Xavius, counselor to Queen Azshara, is portrayed in Warcraft: The Well of Eternity and Warcraft: The Demon Soul, books one and two of the War of the Ancients trilogy by Richard A Knaak These novels also recount Xavius’s bitter history with Malfurion, including the brutal final showdown between the satyr and the druid • Further details about Ysera the Dreamer are revealed in the War of the Ancients trilogy by Richard A Knaak Ysera also plays a role in stopping the vile schemes of the black Dragon Aspect, Neltharion, in Warcraft: Day of the Dragon by Richard A Knaak • Other tales of Alexstrasza the Life-Binder and her struggle to safeguard Azeroth are told in the War of the Ancients trilogy by Richard A Knaak, Warcraft: Day of the Dragon by Richard A Knaak, and World of Warcraft: Tides of Darkness by Aaron Rosenberg • Prior to the events of World of Warcraft: Stormrage , the wise archdruid Hamuul Runetotem aided Broll Bearmantle and Varian Wrynn in issue #3 and issues #23–25 of the monthly World of Warcraft comic by Walter and Louise Simonson, Ludo Lullabi, Sandra Hope, Mike Bowden, and Tony Washington Hamuul will also be featured in the upcoming Christie Golden novel World of Warcraft: The Shattering: Prelude to Cataclysm • Before she was taken under Tyrande Whisperwind’s wing, Shandris Feathermoon was orphaned during the War of the Ancients Shandris’s first encounter with Tyrande and subsequent role in fighting the Burning Legion are depicted in Warcraft: The Demon Soul and Warcraft: The Sundering, books two and three of the War of the Ancients trilogy by Richard A Knaak • Although King Varian Wrynn leads the people of Stormwind in World of Warcraft: Stormrage , his path to becoming king was long and difficult His early years are detailed in World of Warcraft: Arthas: Rise of the Lich King by Christie Golden, World of Warcraft: Tides of Darkness by Aaron Rosenberg, and World of Warcraft: Beyond the Dark Portal by Aaron Rosenberg and Christie Golden Varian’s more recent struggles are depicted in the monthly World of Warcraft comic book by Walter and Louise Simonson, Ludo Lullabi, Jon Buran, Sandra Hope, Mike Bowden, and Tony Washington Varian will also appear in the upcoming novel World of Warcraft: The Shattering: Prelude to Cataclysm by Christie Golden • Tales of the foul nightmares tormenting three of Azeroth’s most important figures—Warchief Thrall, Lady Jaina Proudmoore, and King Magni Bronzebeard—are told in Warcraft: Legends Volume “Nightmares” by Richard A Knaak and Rob Ten Pas • In this volume, the once-beloved queen of the night elves, Azshara, haunts Tyrande Whisperwind in the Emerald Nightmare The details of Azshara’s corrupt past are recounted in Warcraft: The Well of Eternity, Warcraft: The Demon Soul, and Warcraft: The Sundering, books one, two, and three of the War of the Ancients trilogy by Richard A Knaak • Sylvanas Windrunner’s torturous transformation into a banshee—an event that plagues her dreams in World of Warcraft: Stormrage—is portrayed in World of Warcraft: Arthas: Rise of the Lich King by Christie Golden THE BATTLE RAGES ON For now, Malfurion and his allies have defeated the insidious evil that took hold of the Emerald Dream—an evil so powerful and corrupting that even two of Azeroth’s great Dragon Aspects, Ysera and Alexstrasza, could not defend against it without help Yet another evils still persist on Azeroth, evils that seek to transform the world into a place of chaos and suffering … and you can play a part in stopping them in World of Warcraft World of Warcraft ’s first two expansions, The Burning Crusade a nd Wrath of the Lich King , take players to the alien world of Outland and the icy wastes of Northrend In the upcoming third expansion, Cataclysm, players will witness the face of Azeroth being altered forever, as the corrupted Dragon Aspect Deathwing awakens from his subterranean slumber and erupts onto the surface, leaving ruin and destruction in his wake As the Horde and Alliance race to the epicenter of the cataclysm, the kingdoms of Azeroth will witness seismic shifts in power, the kindling of a war of the elements, and the emergence of unlikely heroes who will rise up to protect their scarred and broken world from utter devastation To discover the ever-expanding world that has entertained millions around the globe, go to worldofwarcraft.com and download the free trial version Live the story .. .STORMRAGE WORLD OF WARCRAFT? ? STORMRAGE RICHARD A KNAAK Gallery Books A Division of Simon & Schuster, Inc 1230 Avenue of the Americas New York, NY 10020 www.SimonandSchuster.com... deny that the new World Tree was a wonder of the world, a phenomenal nurturing of nature through the world of Azeroth’s own magic as wielded by the druids The width and breadth of Teldrassil’s... collection of pieces of bark “The forest is the lifeblood of the world, ” Fandral intoned “The forest is the lifeblood of the world, ” Broll and the other druids repeated “Teldrassil is the lifeblood of