— Regwyn, Human Paladin (Alliance) —

My Dearest Katelyn:

Tomorrow, ere dawn, I will travel south, away from the Abbey and toward a small village called Goldshire. Much have I accomplished these past few days: Marshal McBride sent me to eliminate some of the vicious Kobolds camped to the north, near Echo Ridge Mine, and I served him admirably, slaying many of the vermin before I braved the mine’s fetid depths to root out the evil living there.

Deputy Willem also tasked me with important duties as part of our fight against the encroachment of the Defias Brotherhood. I killed 12 of their members, collecting their distinctive red bandanas as proof of my achievement, and swung my mace with ferocity as I battled their local leader, Garrick Padfoot. Oh how I wish you had seen Willem’s face when I dropped Padfoot’s still-grimacing head at his feet.

Follow Me. One of several forms of intra-continental travel between cities.

Such was Willem’s reaction to my prowess that he bade me to speak with Brother Sammuel, who started my training as a full-fledged Paladin, protector of the Light. Brother Sammuel taught me much in the defensive and offensive arts, enabling me to both better protect myself and rain heavier blows on my enemies. I feel as if the strength of 10 oxen fills my body and yet Brother Sammuel says I have much more to learn.

Marshal McBride handed me my parchments not long ago. They ask Marshal Dugan in Goldshire to confer deputy status upon me and assign me more tasks in the defense of Elwyn Forest. I know the dangers will only multiply as I set foot into a wilderness teeming with all manner of awful beasts and twisted men. Earlier I heard two men speaking in hushed tones of the horrors inhabiting the Hillsbrad Foothills far to the north, where the Undead have infected the farmlands with their vile diseases.

“Maximum level players can go on raids, which are massive dungeons or epic battles with loot, monsters and bosses more spectacular than anything else in the game. Soon we will also add hero classes, which allow characters who hit the cap to continue to advance in power.”

I know that eventually I will be tested by such awful circumstances, but fear not for me. The Light is strong and will protect all of us, even our unborn child. Stay indoors as much as you can until I return. May the Light bless us all.

— Scynthia, Undead Warlock (Horde) —

I marvel at this journal, which brims with page upon page of my wicked exploits since I woke up in the Deathknell Crypt so long ago. What I was before then I do not know, and I do not care. Free of the Lich King’s foul grasp, I care only to serve my queen, the Dark Lady Sylvanas Windrunner. Hers is the cunning sort of mind that gives me hope in our war against the pathetic Humans. I have died a thousand deaths for her and will gladly die a thousand more. And when I am no more, may my remains be fed to the sewers running through Undercity.

Party Hearty. A group of brave adventurers takes on the horrors found in Shadowfang Keep.

My journey has brought me to the Hillsbrad Foothills, where High Executor Darthalia, under direct orders from Varimathras and the Dark Lady herself, commands me to raid the nearby farms and kill as many farmhands as possible. With my Voidwalker, Juk’nar, at my side, the task has been all too easy, even when the footmen guarding the fields confront us. My spellbook brims so full that sometimes I can’t decide whether to finish them off by draining their souls or slicing their guts open with a shadow bolt.

And yet I am troubled by goings-on to the south, where Humans have amassed at Southshore and taken to raiding Tarren Mill. Some of them possess powers not seen by my eyes, abilities beyond my own and certainly in excess of those exhibited by the pathetic farmers. I must be wary of them, but I can wait; I will bide my time until my strength equals their own. Then we shall see who rules Azeroth.

— Adoray, Night Elf Hunter (Alliance) —

When Conservator Ilthalaine entrusted me with the task of helping maintain the balance of nature in Shadowglen Forest, I knew something was amiss among the sturdy boughs of Teldrassil. We have forsaken our immortality to repel the Undead, but at what cost?

Have we paid a price so great that 10,000 years of life in the Ashenvale Forest could become nothing more than a faint memory whispered among the stars? I have traveled by Gryphon to Darkshore — I have seen the corruption that eats away not only at the Kalimdor mainland but also at the trunk of the great tree in which we live.

“There are literally thousands of quests, through which you learn more about the current state of Azeroth and the continuing threat of the Undead Scourge, remnants of the demon invasion from Warcraft III.”

And so it was with a heavy heart that I undertook the quest given to me by Priestess Almora, who dwells in the fair city of Darnassus. I must travel to the outermost edges of Teldrassil’s massive limbs and gather the silvery spinnerets of Lady Sathrah, the spider matriarch whose mind races with madness brought on by the disease. My pet wolf, Lathrak, walks with me, but I fear that he too will be overmatched by the dangers we face. As I left Darnassus, I paused to stand in the shade of the enormous Ancient Protector who keeps vigilant watch just inside the city walls. His presence gives me hope.

Massacre at the Crossroads. Looks like an Alliance raid hit the Barrens.

If you have found this letter on my cold body, then I failed in my quest. Take it up on my behalf, if you possess the courage. Whatever you decide, sing my praises at the next inn you come across, for you must know that I fought with valor. Do not let my memory die. Do not allow Teldrassil to rot from within.

— Murallah, Orc Warrior (Horde) —

Lord Thrall, I send word from the Barrens. Regthar Deathgate, who mans a lone outpost to the west of the Crossroads, asks me to send tidings. At his bidding, I and a group of other Orcs — a Shaman, a Warlock and a Rogue among them — have finished eliminating the Kolkar centaurs infesting our lands. We destroyed their local leaders before facing legions of invaders and Warlord Krom’zar. I thought I detected a smile on Regthar’s face as I handed him Krom’zar’s tattered war banner.

Walk Toward the Light. A ghost starts the long trek back to his corpse.

But I was not done. This morning, I journeyed with the same group to the Wailing Caverns. A Tauren named Nara Wildmane, who dwells in Thunder Bluff, commanded us to bring her the gems of Cobrahn, Anacondra, Pythas and Serpentis, the four leaders of the Druids of the Fang. We defeated each of them, as well as their snake guardians, before venturing deeper into the caverns to awaken Naralex, whose nightmares had brought forth the corrupt creatures living there.

We destroyed those monsters too, freeing Naralex from his nightmares. How I wish I could inflict those visions on the Human city Stormwind! I will soon return to Orgrimmar, where the war drums rumble day and night, and offer you complete details of my other journeys.

For the Horde!

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