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Relatively speaking, Humanity is one of the youngest races of the world. Unlike
Elves and Dwarves, Humans live brief lives full of change and strife. Thus,
Humanity pushes itself to achieve great heights in empire-building, technology,
and magical study. It is for this reason that Human kingdoms have expanded so
drastically in such short periods of time. Overall, Humanity values virtue and
honor and seeks only to safeguard itself against the forces of darkness. Aided
by the Holy Light, Humanity has fought the hardest and suffered the most during
the war against the Orcish Hordes.
The savage, green-skinned Orcs are one of the most prolific races of the Warcraft
world. Born on the hellish world of Draenor, the Orcs were brought into the
kingdom of Azeroth through the dimensional gateway known as the Dark Portal and
forced to make war upon the Humans. The Orcs are typically believed to be brutal
and mindless, possessing no humanity or empathy for other races. Although few
are aware of it, the Orcs once cultivated a noble, Shamanistic society on the
world of Draenor. Yet the proud Orc clans were corrupted by the Burning Legion
and used as pawns in the Legion's invasion of Azeroth. In recent years the Orcs
have begun to release themselves from the Demons' corruption, and rekindle their
ancient, noble traditions.
The reclusive Night Elves were the first race to awaken in the World of Warcraft.
These shadowy, immortal beings were the first to study magic and let it loose
throughout the world nearly ten thousand years before Warcraft I. The Night
Elves' reckless use of magic drew the Burning Legion into the world and led to a
catastrophic war between the two titanic races. The Night Elves barely managed
to banish the Legion from the world, but their wondrous homeland was shattered
and drowned by the sea. Ever since, the Night Elves refused to use magic for
fear that the dreaded Legion would return. The Night Elves closed themselves off
from the rest of the world and remained hidden atop their holy mountain of Hyjal
for many thousands of years. As a race, Night Elves are typically honorable and
just, but they are very distrusting of the 'lesser races' of the world. They are
nocturnal by nature and their shadowy powers often elicit the same distrust that
they have for their mortal neighbors.
The horrifying Undead army called the Scourge consists of thousands of walking
corpses, disembodied spirits, damned mortal men and insidious extra-dimensional
entities. The Scourge was created by the Burning Legion for the sole purpose of
sewing terror across the world in anticipation of the Legion's inevitable
invasion. The Undead are ruled by Ner'zhul, the Lich King, who lords over the
icy realm of Northrend from his frozen throne. Ner'zhul commands the terrible
plague of undeath which he sends ever southward into the human lands. As the
plague encroaches on the southlands, more and more humans fall prey to
Ner'zhul's mental control and life-draining sickness every day. In this way,
Ner'zhul has swelled the ranks of the already considerable Scourge. Though
Ner'zhul and his Undead Scourge are bound to the will of the Burning Legion, the
Lich King constantly strives to free himself and gain vengeance upon the demons
for damning him so completely.
These descriptions were written by Blizzard.
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