I've been holding back on doing the Book of Heroes, because it's a staggered release. I've basically been adding to this post as more and more chapters are added into it. Released during Scholomance Academy, "Book of Heroes" is essentially an interesting story mode that recaps significant moments in the history of the ten basic heroes in Hearthstone. We'll cover each of the heroes themselves first, then the bosses that haven't shown up in Hearthstone yet.
This one covers Jaina, Rexxar, Thrall, Garrosh, Uther and Anduin.
For longer, more intricate lore about all the nine heroes, click here. Because some of the bosses have appeared before in Warcraft, whenever possible I'll simply link to where I cover them as a card.
I'm slowly working to update the older articles. Alternate heroes have been updated with Annhylde and Hamuul Runetotem; 'Neo-Classic' will continue being our repository for any new card added to the Core set. Speaking of the Core set, I did a mini-review talking quickly about the changes and new cards there in my previous reaction to the Core/Barrens expansion, so check out that post from a couple of days ago.
___________________________________________________
Jaina:
The first fight in Jaina's Book of Heroes chapter pits her against Archmage Antonidas, which happens at some point during Jaina's tutelage ends up learning in the mage-city of Dalaran. Most of her time in this period has mostly been alluded to in novels or tie-in material. The second fight in Jaina's Book of Heroes is against Prince Kael'Thas. Both of them were known to study together in Dalaran prior to the Third War, and Kael is known to have courted and attempted to win Jaina's hand in love during this period.
The first fight in Jaina's Book of Heroes chapter pits her against Archmage Antonidas, which happens at some point during Jaina's tutelage ends up learning in the mage-city of Dalaran. Most of her time in this period has mostly been alluded to in novels or tie-in material. The second fight in Jaina's Book of Heroes is against Prince Kael'Thas. Both of them were known to study together in Dalaran prior to the Third War, and Kael is known to have courted and attempted to win Jaina's hand in love during this period.
The third fight (or 'spar') is against Prince Arthas, who was Jaina's love interest for much of the early parts of Warcraft III and the time prior to it. The Hearthstone boss fight is an adaptation of the brief argument that Jaina has with Arthas prior to the Culling of Stratholme, where Arthas went too far in his crusade against the Scourge, and became much more militant. Some lines in their dialogue are taken verbatim from Warcraft III.
The fourth battle, against Grom Hellscream, is a rough adaptation of the final mission of the orc campaign in Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos, where Thrall and Jaina have to work together to do battle against the demon-corrupted Grom Hellscream and do a ritual to free Grom's soul from demonic corruption. Again, some dialogue is taken verbatim from Warcraft III.
The sixth battle, against Garrosh Hellscream, takes place during the bombing of Theramore, which took place during the build-up to the Mists of Pandaria expansion. Garrosh leads a brutal siege on Jaina's city of Theramore, culminating in the detonation of a mana-bomb that wiped out the entire city of Theramore and killed most within. Like depicted at the end of this fight, Jaina was teleported away to safety by her allies. Some of the characters depicted here (Vol'jin, Baine Bloodhoof, Malkorok, Kalecgos, Vereesa Windrunner, Shandris Feathermoon and notably Rhonin, who died here) are present in the event, as chronicled in the novel 'Tides of War'.
The seventh battle, against Thrall, takes place after the bombing of Theramore, where Jaina, driven mad by grief, attempted to use the powerful magical artifact, the Focusing Iris, to summon a giant tidal wave made up by water elementals to drown Orgrimmar in revenge against the destruction of Theramore. While Thrall and Kalecgos manages to talk Jaina down from causing mass murder in retaliation, this does end with Jaina's loss of faith with the Horde.
The final battle, against Aethas Sunreaver, took place during the Mists of Pandaria expansion in the event known as the Purge of Dalaran, where Jaina, convinced that the supposedly neutral-to-politics representatives of the blood elf Sunreavers in Dalaran used Dalaran to aid the Horde's theft of the Divine Bell, caused Jaina to lead a massive battle against the blood elves in an attempt to drive them all out of Dalaran. Notably, this purge ended up with Jaina leaving the Kirin Tor, and the ending of secret negotiations between the blood elf regent in an attempt to defect to the Alliance.
Archimonde the Defiler
Archimonde the Defiler was born an eredar before the race's corruption, ruling the peaceful people in the world Argus alongside Kil'jaeden and Velen. When they were approached by the mysterious entity known as Sargeras, Archimonde and Kil'jaeden eagerly joined him and were easily seduced by the promises of power and knowledge. Already hungry for power, Archimonde was vastly enhanced by the transformation into a demonic being, and quickly rose among the ranks as Sargeras's military commander, leading the razing of many worlds under the heels of the Burning Legion. Under his rule, he drew out and tempered the strength of the Burning Legion's savage demons, and it was noted that he was personally responsible for the transformation of the Annihilan (Pit Lords) into a warlike race.
Archimonde was among the demonic leaders that arrived on Azeroth thousands of years in the past, during the War of the Ancients. During this event, Archimonde personally fought against one of the most powerful wild gods, Malorne, and snapped the Ancient's neck. He also captured the night elf Jarod Shadowsong and sadistically toyed and tortured him. However, the combined efforts of the night elves, dragon aspects and other forces of Azeroth, the demonic forces of the Burning Legion were draw and sucked back into the portal, banishing them back into the Twisting Nether.
Putting his own demonic lieutenants in charge of the Scourge forces, Archimonde dismissed the Lich King and the other sentient undead -- and in his pride, did not realize that the Lich King and his champions had plans to offset Archimonde's. The invasion of Lordaeron continued unabated as Archimonde and his lieutenants rampaged, led by the dreadlord Tichondrius and the pit lord Mannoroth. Sending Mannoroth out to Kalimdor to corrupt the orcs and use them as a tool to get rid of the demigod Cenarius, Archimonde would finally sail across the ocean and unleashed the undead and demons upon the night elves, narrowly managing to kill Tyrande Whisperwind.
As Archimonde continued to invade Kalimdor, the forces of the Alliance, Horde and Sentinels combined and banded together. Archimonde's generals were slain (Mannoroth by Grom Hellscream and Thrall; Tichondrius by Illidan Stormrage), and this ultimately led to a confrontation as Archimonde attempted to scale Mount Hyjal and destroy the world tree Nordrassil and claim the Fountain of Eternity within. All the assembled forces of Azeroth banded together to buy time, while Malfurion summoned ancient spirits from the forest. Archimonde's ascent was delayed but seemed inevitable, as one by one his armies crushed the bases and defenses erected before him. Growing in size as he reached the World Tree and ready to consume the energies within, thousands of wisps rose from the forest and amassed upon Archimonde, causing a massive detonation that killed Archimonde, the World Tree, and the forests around it, ending the second invasion of the Burning Legion.
In the alternate timeline of Warlords of Draenor, an alternate-dimension (the official sources are split on this) Archimonde arrived to invade the alternate Draenor, leading an army of demons into Draenor to invade it in a more direct fashion. Archimonde was the final encounter in the Hellfire Citadel, but his armies of demons were destroyed and Archimonde was attacked by an army of Alliance and Horde adventurers as well as the locals of the alternate Dreanor. As Archimonde was about to be slain, one of his last acts was to blast the Gul'dan from the alternate timeline to the 'prime' timeline through the Black Gate. Once more, however, Archimonde's plans was foiled and he was slain.
Shandris Feathermoon
Shandris Feathermoon was the adoptive daughter of the High Priestess Tyrande Whisperwind of the night elf Sentinels. A young child during the War of the Ancients, Shandris's village was razed and her family was wiped out by the demons, but Shandris was rescued and eventually came to the care of Tyrande Whisperwind. With no one to care for her, Shandris became fond of the priestess and idolized her, and wanted to join the Sentinel warriors in battle, driven by her hatred towards the demons. Shandris's constant sneaking into battle would prove fruitful when she aided Malfurion in defeating the treacherous satyr Xavius. After this events, Shandris would formally join the Sisterhood of Elune, participating in battle against the demons in Mt. Hyjal. As a member of the Sentinels, Shandris would remain vigilant for thousands of years, guarding the forests of the night elves in Kalimdor and participated in the War of the Satyr, until the events of the Third War. Shandris (represented in Warcraft III as a unique Ramger bunit) was among the first to meet the strange visitors from across the sea, the Orcish Horde. She fought against the corrupted fel orcs of the Warsong, and would participate in combat against the demonic Burning Legion alongside her mistress and adoptive mother Tyrande. Shandris was also known to participate in the battle of Mt. Hyjal, bearing witness to the cooperation between Alliance, Horde and Sentinel and the ultimate destruction of Archimonde.
As of World of Warcraft, Shandris was promoted to the general of the Sentinels, and resided in Feralas' Feathermoon Stronghold, and would interact with adventurers and seek their aid in fighting against enemies of the night elves, like the naga and silithid. During Cataclsym, Feathermoon Stronghold was destroyed and Shandris set up shop in the Forgotten Coast, and assisted their new worgen allies in training, and continued to lead Sentinel efforts in fighting against many enemies. She would also eventually bore witness to the marriage of her adoptive parents, and be reunited with her childhood friend Jarod Shadowsong. Prior to Mists of Pandaria, Shandris participated in the defense of Theramore from a Horde siege. In Legion, Shandris represents the night elves Sentinels in the hunter organization known as the Unseen Path, doing a dual role in being an Alliance commander and a member of the Unseen Path, and assisted other members of the Unseen Path in taking down Hakkar the Houndmaster.
During Battle for Azeroth, Shandris was the leader of the night elven fleet that was sent to Silithus, too late to realize that it was all a plan to leave Ashenvale and Darnassus vulnerable to Horde attack. Shandris fought bravely against this deception, but it led to a night elf defeat. She would later be involved in the Alliance/Horde conflicts on Zandalar and Darkshore, participating in many battles against the Horde and other forces that threatened the Alliance.
Aethas Sunreaver
Archmage Aethas Sunreaver is the leader of the Sunreavers, a group of blood elves that were part of the Kirin Tor in Dalaran. While relatively young, he was already a member of the Council of Six at some time after the Third War, and was present when Dalaran was transported to Northrend, and participated alongside the rest of Dalaran in fighting against the crazed blue dragon aspect of magic, Malygos. Aethas would also later be instrumental in arranging an audience between himself, representing Dalaran, and the leaders of the blood elf people in Silvermoon, and would lead to a chain of events that led to the blood elves dedicating a lot of their forces to the Northrend campaign during Wrath of the Lich King. Aethas and the Sunreavers were the primary Horde presence in the traditionally Alliance-allied city of Dalaran, starting the path of Dalaran becoming a city for mages of all races as opposed to merely humans. Through his efforts, Aethas would see that the blood elves -- and the Horde -- would be finally admitted into Dalaran.
During the events of Tides of War, Aethas's main priority was keeping the Sunreavers in Dalaran neutral, and cast a vote in favour of sending a token force to assist Theramore. However, Aethas's agent Thalen turned out to be a Garrosh loyalist, and abandoned the Kirin Tor post and allowed the Horde army to break through. The resulting chain of events resulted in the destruction of Theramore via mana bomb, and Jaina's slow descent into aggression and insanity. Aethas apologized fervently, but maintained the Council of Six's neutrality. During Mists of Pandaria, Aethas and his regent-lord, Lor'themar Theron, chafed under the leadership of the warlike Garrosh Hellscream. Aethas highly disapproved of a group of Horde mages that used Kirin Tor resources to aid the Horde war effort in stealing a powerful artifact known as the Divine Bell, but kept it hidden from the Kirin Tor to protect the lives of his mages. Jaina found out anyway, and this led to her going on the warpath to purge the Sunreavers from Dalaran. Aethas was imprisoned in the Violet Citadel, but was rescued by his ally Rommath and a group of Horde adventurers. Aethas, Rommath and the Sunreavers escaped and informed High Regent Lor'themar Theron of this, and the events put a sour note in the blood elves' relationship with the Alliance, but also with Garrosh.
Aethas participated as a member of the blood elven army in much of the Pandaria campaign, being a quest-giver for many Horde quests in Pandaria, particularly during the assault on Lei Shen's stronghold. Aethas would also participate in the Siege of Orgrimmar, and the blood elven forces attacked Bladefist Bay to seize it from Hellscream's forces. During Legion, Aethas attempted to make amends in favour of the Horde to the Kirin Tor. Ultimately, a series of events that included Aethas's recovery of the sacred runeblade Felo'melorn, and the help of his friend Archmage Modera and a particularly powerful fire mage (a player character), Aethas would recover the blade and was readmitted after an unanimous vote. He would aid the warriors in their fight against the Burning Legion throughout this, being featured in several minor quests.
Staff of Antonidas
Some of the items in the game have lore! The Staff of Antonidas is, well, the green-jewel-tipped staff that once belonged to Archmage Antonidas, but was gifted to Jaina at some point prior to the third war. The staff was named and briefly involved in a minor quest in Mists of Pandaria, where Jaina seeks the aid of an adventurer to empower the staff with remnants of the power of Lei Shen the Thunder King.
Focusing Iris
Archmage Bigglesworth
_________________________________________________________
Rexxar:
The first fight in Rexxar's storyline takes place prior to the First War, where the first Horde/Old Horde was first being consolidated. This segment of Rexxar's life is chronicled in the various novels written about pre-war Draenor. A youthful Rexxar had intended to join the Old Horde, believing that it was a way for his secular tribe of Mok'nathal (half-ogre, half-orc) people to find resources, food and water. This put him at strong odds against his father, Leoroxx, who banished him from the tribe. Like Jaina, a lot of the cards in Rexxar's deck at this point is changed in order to be more lore-friendly -- the changing of Rexxar's Animal Companion into "Beast Companion", which summons Draenor beasts instead of Azerothian beasts.
The third fight in Rexxar's storyline takes place after the fall of the Old Horde at the end of the Second War, where Rexxar, disillusioned with war, ends up encountering a bear, Misha, and rescuing her and making her his primary animal companion.
The third fight in Rexxar's storyline is against a 'Ferocious Quillboar', but is essentially the prologue segment of the "To Tame a Land" campaign starring Rexxar in Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne. In this segment, Rexxar and Misha encounter a wounded orc grunt, Mogrim, and aids him in battle against feral Quillboars of Durotar. While Mogrim would die in the fight, he would impart a crucial report to his warchief, Thrall, leading to the fateful meeting between Rexxar and the warchief of the New Horde, Thrall. The dialogue string that plays upon Mogrim's death, as well as his meeting with Thrall, is taken word-from-word from the Warcraft III campaign.
The fourth fight is Rexxar fighting, as a champion of the New Horde, against the mysterious naga sea witch, Lady Darkscale. This takes place during the Warcraft III campaign, where Rexxar finds out that there are multiple different forces at play, among them the Naga that assaulted both the forces of the Horde, of the Horde-allied humans from Theramore, and a different human faction, which is revealed to come from Kul Tiras. Like in Warcraft III, Rexxar and his allies learn of this from a wounded footman. (The 'Wounded Footman' minion has lines identical to his WCIII counterpart)
The fifth fight shows Rexxar fighting Khiragg. While the name 'Khiragg' is original to Hearthstone, Rexxar did have to rescue Baine Bloodhoof from centaurs that kidnapped him, in order to secure the aid of the Tauren of Mulgore in the upcoming fight against the humans of Kul Tiras.
The sixth fight shows Rexxar fighting Daelin Proudmoore. After finding out that Jaina's extremely xenophobic father, Daelin Proudmoore, was behind the recent attacks on Horde forces, Rexxar, Thrall and their assembled allies went on to do battle, laying siege on the city of Theramore (where Daelin has holed up) and fighting through the navy of Kul Tiras before facing off against Daelin and slaying him. Many of the dialogue in this fight is lifted directly from Warcraft III as well. The fight also has the dialogue from Jaina that shows that while she finds it regrettable, she understood why
The final fight shows Rexxar fighting Gorgrom, the Dragon-Eater, an event that is loosely adapted from Burning Crusade. Rexxar returns to Outland during the events of Burning Crusade, and with the aid of an adventurer, manages to regain the respect of his old Mok'nathal tribe. Gorgrom himself is part of an unrelated quest, although they were in conflict with the Bloodmaul ogres.
Haratha
As with the Jaina segment, I'll put in the newly-arrived-to-Hearthstone cards and bosses here! First up is Haratha, who was Rexxar's beast companion for much of his time during his tenure in the Old Horde. Haratha was seen in the novel Beyond the Dark Portal, accompanying Rexxar throughout the Horde. During the Horde's mass retreat into the Dark Portal, Haratha was killed protecting her master from a warlock who attempted to drain health to rejuvenate himself. While Rexxar avenged his slain companion, this act of betrayal was caused him to abandon the Horde to live in the wilds of Azeroth.
Spirit
One of Rexxar's abilities in Warcraft III and Heroes of the Storm is to 'summon Hawk', and, like the unnamed boar that was later christened 'Huffer' in WoW, Rexxar's hawk would be called Spirit. Spirit shows up as a level 20-30 Horde-friendly NPC in Blade's Edge Mountains with Rexxar.
Tethik
While Sporlar and Tuffer, the other two options from Beast Companion, are original to Hearthstone, Tethik is the name of Leoroxx's lynx, who wanders the Mok'nathal Village in Blade's Edge Mountains.
Blackhand
Warchief Blackhand the Destroyer was the first Warchief of the Old Horde, particularly known for his brutality. The chieftain of the Blackrock Clan was always brutal and powerful, maintaining rigorous order within his army due to his penchant for battle. When the shaman Ner'zhul gathered the orc clans and formed the first Horde to do battle against the Draenei, Blackhand was convinced by the visions of the shamans to attack the draenei, and eventually became the leader of the combined orc clans known as the Horde. However, Blackhand himself was a mere puppet, and the true power that directed his actions were the Shadow Council led by the warlock Gul'dan, who, in turn, was working under the orders of his demonic masters of the Burning Legion. Stoking Blackhand's ego, Gul'dan convinced Blackhand and easily directed him. Under the popular Blackhand's leadership, the Old Horde was whipped into a machine of war. Its shamans became warlocks, its chieftains drank the blood of the demonic Mannoroth, and even had the ages of his children accelerated so that they became ready for battle faster.
Under Blackhand's leadership, the draenei settlements in Draenor fell one by one, and eventually the orcs crossed over to Azeroth through the Dark Portal, clashing against the kingdom of Stormwind and its king Llane Wrynn in the event known as the First War. The First War was bloody and Blackhand proved a shrewd enemy despite his brutishness, but was ultimately outwitted by the forces of the Alliance. Outflanked and suffering many casualties, the Horde retreated and lost many of their number. The betrayal of his daughter Griselda and the sudden fact that the warlock Gul'dan fell into a coma while searching for the Tomb of Sargeras, Blackhand's position grew weaker and weaker until his second-in-command, Orgrim Doomhammer, challenged Blackhand's leadership. This led to a mak'gora, a ritual fight in which Doomhammer slew Blackhand and crushed his skull, becoming warchief in his stead and leading the Horde to victory in the First War.
In the alternate-timeline of Warlords of Draenor, the alternate-universe Blackhand was second-in-command of the Iron Horde, among the first orcish leaders to follow the instructions given by the mysterious time-traveling Garrosh Hellscream. This incarnation of Blackhand had a hand encased in elemental stone, which earned him his name. A fierce leader of the Iron Horde, Blackhand was ultimately attacked by adventurers from Azeroth in Blackrock Foundry, and served as the final boss in that raid, slain by adventurers.
Maim Blackhand
Son of Warchief Blackhand of the Horde, Maim and his brother Rend were the primary enforcers of his father and later the co-leader of the Black Tooth Grin clan, an offshoot of the Blackrock. Rend and Maim went through the Dark Portal and continued leading the crusade against the Alliance, even after his father's death. Notably, Rend and Maim were known to pursue Gul'dan when he betrayed the Horde to go into the Tomb of Sargeras, and slew many of Gul'dan's minions before retrieving Gul'dan's skull after he was killed by demons. During this campaign, however, the Black Tooth Grin fleet was crushed by the Alliance. Rend and Maim escaped and with survivors of the Old Horde, took control of Blackrock Mountain, continually fighting against the Dark Iron Dwarves. At some point during this period, Maim was killed, either by the dwarves or when Nefarian took over the Old Horde as his minions.
Mogrin the Injured
Mogrin was an orc warrior and a messenger for the Horde, represented by a Grunt model in Warcraft III. He was supposed to send a crucial report for Thrall in the newly-founded Horde city of Orgrimmar, but was waylaid by quillboars and was mortally wounded. While the beastmaster Rexxar arrived in an attempt to rescue him, Mogrin died from his wounds, pleading with Rexxar to help him complete his mission so he would not die with honour. Mogrin perished, but his death would kickstart a chain of events that would lead to Rexxar's aid in the founding of Orgrimmar.
Quillboar Hunter
The Quillboar Hunter shares its name with the common Quillboar Hunter enemies found in the Durotar campaign in Warcraft III, and are Quillboar units with the 'evasion' ability.
Frenzied Crocolisk
Frenzied Crocolisk shares its name with level 85 crocolisk mobs found in World of Warcraft's Lost City of the Tol'Vir.
Lady Darkscale
Lady Darkscale is the name of a Naga Sea Witch that led an attack on a coastal base manned by Kul Tiras soldiers on the shores of Durotar. Alongside her fellow sea witch Scilla Murkshadow, they have kidnapped multiple wounded human survivors from the razed coastal base. Rexxar, Jaina and their allies arrived and slew the Naga. Lady Darkscale's "Tornado" hero power in Hearthstone is based on the ultimate ability of the Naga Sea Witch hero in Warcraft III, which summons, well, a tornado!
Daelin Proudmoore
Lord Admiral Daelin Proudmoore was the ruler of Kul Tiras, and during the Second War, was the representative of the nation among the Alliance. Due to his nation's maritime superiority, Daelin was appointed the Grand Admiral of the Alliance fleet during the Second War, and served through many battles during the Second War. During the Second War, Proudmoore and Kul Tiras's sleek vessels and their experience allowed them naval superiority during the early stages of the Second War, but they suffered great losses at the hands of the Horde's enslaved red dragons. During the Battle of Crestfall, Daelin's son Derek Proudmoore was killed, and this would further Daelin's burning hatred towards the orcs. After the end of the Second War, Daelin remained a staunch ally with Stormwind and Lordaeron despite the defection and desertion of several other human nations. During this time, Daelin's daughter Jaina was enrolled as a member of the high mages of Dalaran.
Daelin was too late to assist his allies in Lordaeron during its fall to the undead Scourge and their demonic masters. He would take a large portion of the Kul Tiras fleet and eventually make his way to Kalimdor to search for survivors from Lordaeron. Unaware of the events that had transpired and the alliance between the humans of Theramore and the New Horde, Daelin's forces immediately took a hostile stance towards the orcs. Daelin and the Kul Tiras fleet took up base in Theramore Isle and he was overjoyed at seeing his daughter alive... but was immediately disgusted at the company that Jaina took -- Rexxar, Rokhan and Chen, champions of the Horde. Jaina took a stand against her father, causing Daelin to usurp command over Theramore's forces, using the keep-city as the staging ground for his campaign to wipe out the orcs, refusing to listen to reason. However, the Horde gathered their allies, and besieged Theramore, leading to a confrontation between Rexxar and Daelin, which resulted in the admiral's death. (Daelin's 'Monsoon' spell in Hearthstone was based on one of his abilities in Warcraft III)
Daelin's death caused a ripple of effects in the politics among the human nations. The people of Kul Tiras furiously isolated themselves from the rest of the Alliance for years at the perceived betrayal, and Jaina Proudmoore herself also became ostracized. Daelin's ghost would linger, long enough until the time of Battle for Azeroth, where he bore witness to Jaina reaffirming her intentions to take a stand against the enemies of the Alliance. Daelin's ghost and memory would appear multiple times in Battle for Azeroth in flashbacks of his daughter Jaina and his wife Katherine.
Gorgrom the Dragon-Eater
Gorgrom the Dragon-Eater is one of the seven sons of Gruul the Dragonkiller, and lives in Blade's Edge Mountains where he is found on top of one of the houses in Bloodmaul camp. He is known to be the one behind the Bloodmaul ogre's attacks on the night elf settlement Sylvanaar, and a minor quest for Alliance and Horde members would send adventurers to slay him.
Bloodmaul Brute, Bloodmaul Mauler
Both the Bloodmaul Brute and Bloodmaul Mauler are mobs in Blade's Edge Moutnains, from the level range 20 to 30. Not much to say here, they sure are ogres.
__________________________________________________________________
Garrosh:
Garrosh's Book of Heroes segment pits Garrosh throughout most of his life. The first fight pits him against Greatmother Geyah, showing Garrosh as a well-intentioned but naive member of the uncorrupted Mag'har orcs in Burning Crusade, before Thrall and the adventurers of the Horde discovered them and recruited them into their ranks. Note that Karnuk, a Hearthstone-original character from Ashes of Outland, cameos as one of Garrosh's cards here, showing where he came from before he wandered Outland. The second battle, against Rehgar Earthfury, is Garrosh joining and sparring against warriors of the Horde, showing how some of Thrall's more conservative supporters clash against Garrosh's more glory-hungry mentality.
The third battle, against Underqueen Zarzhet (who is a member of the Scourge original to Hearthstone), takes place during the Northrend campaign in Wrath of the Lich King, where Garrosh acquitted himself as a member of the Horde war-machine and gained popularity among the Horde warriors. The Searing Fire Elemental represents the early battles in the events leading to the Cataclysm expansion, where various Horde and Alliance cities were besieged by elementals emerging out of rifts.
Garrosh's appointment as chieftain of the Horde, and the subsequent battle against Cairne Bloodhoof leading to Cairne's death via Magatha Grimtotem's treachery, is chronicled in the novel 'The Shattering', a prelude to Cataclysm. (We covered Cairne and Baine before, but worth noting that Cairne's hero power here is "War Stomp", one of his Warcraft III abilities) As mentioned above, the fight against Jaina (mirrored in-game!) takes place when Garrosh decimated Theramore during the lead-up to Mists of Pandaria.
The fight against Anduin takes place during the Pandaria campaign, where Garrosh confronts Anduin over the great artifact called the Divine Bell, as Garrosh's popularity wanes among most of the Horde population, while he consolidates his loyalists as well as powerful artifacts. This leads to Horde and Alliance players attacking Garrosh during the Siege of Orgrimmar raid at the end of Mists of Pandaria, where, as showcased here, Garrosh consumed the Heart of Y'Shaarj (which is his 1000-wins portrait in Hearthstone) and transformed into an Old God corrupted version of himself.
Greatmother Geyah
Greatmother Geyah is the leader of the Mag'har people, a group of orcs left in Outland that are uncorrupted by the demon blood given to the rest of the orc people. Geyah was also the mother of Durotan, and grandmother of Thrall, though Thrall was not aware of her existence until the events of Burning Crusade. A wise leader of her people, Geyah was instrumental in curing a debilitating disease called the red pox that nearly wiped out a significant portion of Draenor's orc population. When adventurers from Azeroth arrived on Outland during Burning Crusade, they explored the untouched lands of Nagrand and would ultimately meet Geyah. Horde adventurers would meet Geyah and realize that she is Thrall's grandmother. Many Mag'har under Geyah's care, among them Garrosh Hellscream of the Warsong, would join the Horde to explore Azeroth.
Geyah would be reunited with her grandson, and she would reveal the birth name that Thrall was supposed to obtain from his parents -- Go'el. During the events leading up to the Cataclysm, Geyah instructed Thrall of the ways of the elements of Outland. She also introduced Thrall to one of her students, Aggra, who would eventually become Thrall's wife.
Rehgar Earthfury
Rehgar Earthfury was first introduced in World of Warcraft: The Comic, born on Draenor to a world of war. Enslaved by ogres and used as a training tool for their youth, Rehgar instead grew powerful and became particularly fierce for his young age. He found his way into the First Horde, but was ultimately captured by humans and enslaved once more as a gladiator in underground arenas, gaining infamy. However, after obtaining freedom from his victories, Rehgar instead became a shaman, following Thrall's teachings. Rehgar continued to act as a gladiator ultimately training the blood elf Valeera Sanguinar, and the night elf Broll Bearmantle. In order to replace one of his fallen warriors, Rehgar ended up recruiting an amnesiac human later dubbed Lo'Gosh. After a string of victories and battles, the group would discover that the amnesiac human was, in fact, the missing king of the kingdom of Stormwind, Varian Wrynn. Varian, Broll and Valeera escaped from Rehgar's employ, though the orc, having grown fond of them, ended up supporting them from afar. Retiring from gladiatorial combat, Rehgar went to serve Thrall as one of his trusted advisors.
During the events leading up to Cataclysm, Rehgar often butted heads with Garrosh due to their opposing views on relations with the Alliance. He aided the defense of the Alliance city Theramore against the minions of the Twilight's Hammer cult, and would participate among a gathering of shamans to aid Thrall in mending the world. In Legion, Rehgar would work alongside an elemental shaman adventurer to retrieve the Fist of Ra-Den, and would assist the shaman adventurer (later Farseer of the Earthern Ring) in uniting the Elemental Lords. Rehgar would be a champion for the shaman hall. Non-Shaman players would see Rehgar represent the Earthern Ring, being the successor of the Doomhammer.
Rehgar also gained fame for being one of the playable characters in the MOBA Heroes of the Storm.
Varok Saurfang
Varok Saurfang was born on Draenor as an orc of the Blackrock clan. Alongside Orgrim Doomhammer and Eitrigg, Varok Saurfang was the three primary lieutenants of Warchief Blackhand when the First Horde was formed. As part of the Horde, Varok committed many atrocities, participating in the saccking of Shattrath and the mass slaughter of Draenei. Prior to the opening of the Dark Portal, Varok's mate Remda died, with her dying wish that their son not be exposed to warlocks or cross the Dark Portal. Varok thus hid his son Dranosh away at Nagrand, under the care of Greatmother Geyah. Varok afterwards participated as a major commander of the Horde under warchief Blackhand (and later Orgrim Doomhammer), noted to be unstoppable in battle until the final battle of the Second War when the Horde was defeated (in Hearthstone, Uther was the one who beat him!). Varok would join the survivors of the Second War in following Thrall all the way to Kalimdor, fighting in the Battle of Mt. Hyjal. Varok would help many Horde veterans in coming to terms with the atrocities done under the blood curse, but his own slaughter of many humans and draenei haunted him.
In World of Warcraft, Varok Saurfang was a high-ranking orc stationed in Orgrimmar's Valley of Strength, and would participate in the War of the Shifting Sands, acting as Supreme Commander in the war against the silithid. Varok would be reunited with his adult son Dranosh in Burning Crusade. He would once more lead the Horde's forces into battle in Wrath of the Lich King, first defending Orgrimmar from the Scourge, and then commanding Horde forces in Warsong Hold. He was known to nearly come to blows against the hot-headed Garrosh during this campaign. Varok's son Dranosh was slain by the Lich King and turned into one of the foul undead. During the final fall of the Lich King, Saurfang would personally command the gunship Orgrim's Hammer in the final assault in Icecrown Citadel. Varok would confront his son, transformed into Deathbringer Saurfang -- though the circumstance would be different depending on whether the player is part of the Alliance or Horde. Regardless, Dranosh is put to rest, and the remains returned to the grieving Varok. The death of Varok's son shattered the old orc, and he would retreat from being a major player in the Horde.
During the Siege of Orgrimmar in Mists of Pandaria, Varok Saurfang returned to rejoin Thrall and the rest of the Horde loyalists in opposing his former protege Garrosh. Varok was wounded by a mantid attack during the fight, however, and was dismayed to learn of the death of his friend Nazgrim, who chose to side with Garrosh. In Legion, Varok would participate in the battles against the Burning Legion, becoming one of the major officers representing the orcs (succeeding the dead Garrosh and the retired Thrall). He would also personally defend the Barrens from Legion incursions, and would be recruited into the ranks of the Valarjar due to his might and prowress.
In Battle for Azeroth, the new warchief Sylvanas Windrunner consulted Varok on how to best attack Stormwind, something that Varok was very reluctant to do -- though Sylvanas's rationale on securing a future for the Horde won Varok over, so long as victory was earned with honour. Despite his misgivings, Varok ended up going through with Sylvanas's plans, pretending to be in conflict with Sylvanas and causing the Alliance to marshal their forces in Silithus thanks to their spies witnessing the conflict. Thus distracting the Alliance forces, Varok led an invasion on the night elven capital of Darnassus, though they met heavy resistance from Malfurion and the rest of the night elves there. The battle was fierce and long, but ultimately Sylvanas and Varok prevailed. During the fight, Varok struck a dishonourable blow against Malfurion, wounding him severely through an axe toss. Sylvanas gave Varok the honour of finishing Malfurion off, but the orc could not bring himself to do so dishonourably. This hesitation allowed Tyrande Whisperwind to arrive and heal Malfurion. Varok's failure in slaying Malfurion caused conflict between him and Sylvanas. The siege of Teldrassil would lead with Sylvanas setting the World Tree on flames with her war-machines -- something that Varok thought to be contrary to their plans, for they were supposed to divide the Alliance by slaying the night elf leaders; but such a horrendous act of mass murder would instead only unite the Alliance.
Varok made his way to eastern Redridge, meeting with a young troll Zekhan, who he befriended before. Zekhan led the Horde adventurer to aid Varok, narrowly rescuing him from a group of Sylvanas's Dark Rangers. As Varok left, he told Zekhan to gather those who would see the original Horde return. Varok traveled to his old home of Nagrand, seeking former warchief Thrall, who had taken residence there. After fighting Sylvanas's assassins, Thrall and Varok returned to Azeroth to fight for the Horde, and began gathering allies against Sylvanas.
Varok and Anduin had another discussion on the eve of the battle to depose Sylvanas, ultimately agreeing that they both fought for Azeroth. Before battle could commence, in an attempt to prevent the spilling of Horde blood, Varok challenged Sylvanas to mak'gora. Wielding Thrall's axe Dra'gora and Anduin's blade Shalamayne, Varok listed all of Sylvanas's failures as warchief, bloodied Sylvanas across her eye, and caused her to reveal that her loyalties was never to the Horde. She attacked Varok with a blast of magic, killing him before escaping and abandoning the Horde. Thus earning his warrior's death, Varok Saurfang was buried in Nagrand, but his legacy led to the renewal and rebirth of the Horde. Click here for Blizzard's lovely collection of the major cutscenes of Varok Saurfang!
Searing Fire Elemental
The Searing Fire Elemental is one of the many mobs that attacked major cities during the 'Elemental Unrest' world event leading up to Cataclysm, where elementals emerged from rifts at the command of Deathwing's minions. Various major NPC's fought alongside the adventurers, among them Garrosh. The Hearthstone fight represents this by having Elemental Rifts disgorge elementals into the battlefield, while Garrosh's deck contains card versions of Rexxar and Thrall.
Magatha Grimtotem, the Elder Crone
Magatha Grimtotem is a tauren shaman that rose up through the ranks of the Grimtotem clan. Ambitious since she was young, Magatha is suspected to have married for power, and arranged her mate's death in a climbing accident. Under Magatha's leadership, the Grimtotem tribe has been transformed into having designs in wiping out lesser races from Kalimdor and taking the land for only the tauren. This leads her to come into conflict with Cairne Bloodhoof, leader of the tauren people. Among some of her deeds as part of the Horde is arguing for the inclusion of the Forsaken into the Horde (a decision many suspect as her attempting to build up allies for later), and attacking Lo'Gosh (the amnesiac Varian Wrynn) when he arrived in Thunder Bluff to seek his memories. Throguhout the founding years of the Horde, Magatha continued to discredit Cairne's leadership.
Magatha's biggest role is during the events chronicled in the novel The Shattering, taking place prior to Cataclysm. Seeing the up-and-coming orc Garrosh as someone who could become her ticket to power. The aggressive Garrosh, placed in command of the Horde by Thrall, butted heads with Cairne much on how to run the Horde, leading the elderly Cairne to challenge Garrosh to Mak'gora -- ritual combat. Magatha meets with Garrosh, and offers to be the shaman who would bless Garrosh's weapon, openly showing her allegiance with Garrosh. Instead of ritual oils, however, Magatha instead applies poison to the blade of Gorehowl (represented in Hearthstone with the 'Poisoned Gorehowl' card). This leads to an overly easy victory in Garrosh's favour, and the death of Cairne. Seeking this as an opportunity, Magatha's loyalists attacked and slew many of Cairne's loyalists. Cairne's son Baine managed to esccape, and gather allies to retake Thunder Bluff. Magatha's supposed ally, Garrosh, was disgusted by the treachery, seeing that he has been robbed of a proper victory, and refused to aid Magatha. Baine and his allies retook Thunder Bluff, and Magatha was banished from tauren lands. Magatha and her loyalists were exiled to Stonetalon Mountains.
During Cataclysm, Horde forces have whittled down Magatha's loyalists, forcing the Grimtotem to enter an uneasy truce with the Alliance, asking Alliance adventurers to aid her in getting rid of her clan's incompetent members, and gain powerful artifacts. Magatha was eventually captured by the forces of Twilight's Hammer, but used her imprisonment to her advantage, and absconded with the powerful artifact called the Doomstone, leaving and promising that she will return. She returned in Legion, where she lost the Doomstone to the Burning Legion. She sought an adventurer for aid, asking the shaman organization of the Earthern Ring for help. The Earthern Ring are rightfully distrustful of her, but the Farseer (a.k.a. a shaman player) decides to lend Magatha aid to free her comrades and reobtain the Doomstone from Legion agents. The Farseer refuses to return the Doomstone to Magatha, and this led to Magatha's uneasy membership within the Earthern Ring.
Beram Skychaser
In World of Warcraft, Beram Skychaser was a Shaman trainer residing in Thunder Bluff. He was noted to be the one that blessed Cairne's runespear for the mak'gora against Garrosh Hellscream (as shown in Hearthstone as well) and was one of Cairne's most vocal supporters in the events chronicled in The Shattering novel. Beram was subsequently murdered by the Grimtotem tribe after Magatha rose to power, and he was removed from the WoW game in Cataclysm.
Shenqing the Divine Bell & Harmonic Mallet
The two artifacts known as the Divine Bell and the Harmonic Mallet are artifacts heavily featured in Mists of Pandaria. Created during the reign of Lei Shen the Thunder King was Shenqing, the Divine Bell, created from the flesh of Titans. When the bell was rung, Lei Shen's warriors became more vicious, hateful and powerful, while Lei Shen's enemies would be stricken with fear and doubt. At some point, the Pandaren rebels created the Harmonic Mallet to counter the bell, which would be able to create pure harmony when it struck the Divine Bell. The Divine Bell was buried in a crypt by the Mogu, to await for the Thunder King's return. In the present day, the night elves of Darnassus found the Divine Bell, but it was soon stolen by Horde agents and brought to the hands of Garrosh Hellscream, who planned to use it to empower his warriors.
The Harmonic Mallet was stolen at some point by the ancient Hozen called the Monkey King, who snapped the mallet in two and hid it for fear of what the Mogu would do if they get their hands on it. The young human prince Anduin Wrynn, trapped behind enemy lines, would go on his own quest to discover the Harmonic Mallet. He would confront Garrosh, trying to talk the aggressive Horde warchief down, and managed to use the Harmonic Mallet to disable the Divine Bell. This came at great cost, however, as Garrosh would attack Anduin with the bell itself, shattering the young prince's bones.
Heart of Y'Shaarj
The Heart of Y'Shaarj is the heart of the dead Old God, Y'Shaarj, who was killed in prehistoric times by the titan Aman'thul. The pieces of the great Old God scattered all across Azeroth, but the most powerful piece, his heart, would be interred by the Titanforged Highkeeper Ra in the Vale of Eternal Blossoms, in an intent to study the Old Gods and how to better counter them. It was later excavated and claimed by Garrosh Hellscream. Using the power of the magic pools of the Vale, Garrosh unleashed the Sha of Pride, who wreaked havoc in the Vale. The Heart was taken to Garroah's Inner Sanctum in Orgrimmar. Garrosh used the Heart to infuse his champion Malkorok and transform him into a Void-powered monster; and the Mantid faction known as the Klaxxi allied with Garrosh as a result of it. During the final battle of the Siege of Orgrimmar, Garrosh used the Heart to fight the adventurers of the Alliance and the Horde, utilizing dark powers granted to him by the Heart, before ultimaetly fusing with the Heart of Y'Shaarj itself.
Warsong Peon: Peons have been around since the very first Warcraft: Orcs & Humans game as the lowest, non-combat workers among the Orcish Horde's forces, existing only to gather resources. This card's voice lines ("Something need doing?" "I'll try.") are taken verbatim from the Peon voice of Warcraft II and Warcraft III. Specific mobs called 'Warsong Peon' have shown up several times in World of Warcraft as NPC's in Ashenvale, the Borean Tundra, Dragonblight and Icecrown Citadel.
Most of the other cards I don't mention (Clan Warrior, Clan Trainer, Warsong Axe, Supply Tower, et cetera) are all original to this mode.
__________________________________________________________________
Uther
Perhaps one of the heroes with the shortest amount of lore to pull from, most of Uther's storyline comes from Warcraft II and Warcraft III. His first fight against Alonsus Faol represents the transformation of Uther and various other priests into Paladins, the first of their order, holy warriors blessed by the Light which first saw use in the Second War. The second and third battles -- against the then-warchief Orgrim Doomhammer and the Horde hero Varok Saurfang -- took place during the Second War. The fourth battle, against the Dark Portal, is the final battle in Warcraft II, where the heroes of the Alliance charged to push the incoming orc Horde back to the portal, while the archmage Khadgar struggled to collapse the portal in upon itself, leading to Alliance victory at the end of the Second War.
The next battle, against the unnamed Blackrock Blademaster, is a rough adaptation of the second mission of the human campaign in Warcraft III, "Blackrock and Roll". Again, as with everything from WCIII, many lines of dialogue are lifted verbatim from the game, albeit re-dubbed with Hearthtstone's voice actors.
The fifth battle is a very loose adaptation of the fifth mission of the WCIII human campaign, "March of the Scourge". Uther arrives to save Arthas from being overwhelmed by the unstoppable forces of the Scourge, although Uther here actually gets to fight against one of the Scourge's liches as opposed to just arriving and smiting minor undead. Again, more dialogue lifted from WCIII. The sixth battle presumably takes place at some point around the iconic sixth mission, "the Culling", though in the WCIII campaign Uther simply leaves Arthas behind before any conflict against the Scourge. Here he fights Mal'Ganis! (The final conversation is actually the opening cutscene for The Culling mission).
Uther's final mission is also his death, which is the second mission of the undead campaign where in Warcraft III Arthas as a death knight faces off and kills Uther, who is protecting the Royal Urn containing King Terenas's ashes. Again, dialogue is lifted straight from WCIII.
Alonsus Faol
Alonsus Faol is the Archbishop of the Church of the Holy Light during the Second War, and was present as one of the leadership figures in the Alliance. Many clerics were killed when Northshire Abbey was sacked by the First Horde, an event that troubled Alonsus greatly. Faol would be responsible in creating the first Paladins of the Silver Hand, among them his apprentice Uther Lightbringer. After the Second War, Alonsus Faol worked ceaselessly to rebuild the kingdom of Lordaeron and bring aid to the other nations of the Alliance, constructing many churches to the Light in various human nations. Faol died at some point prior to the Third War, presumably of old age. During the arrival of the Scourge on Lordaeron, Alonsus Faol's body was one of the many raised as a mindless undead. When Sylvanas Windrunner broke free from Scourge control and founded the Forsaken, Alonsus was one of those who became an independent-minded undead.
Prior to Legion, Alonsus Faol would meet Princess Calia Menethil, sister to Arthas, who survived the Scourge. Alonsus Faol would show that not all undead have lost their minds, and many were still themselves in death -- something that he demonstrated not only to Calia, but also to other members of the Alliance. Faol would emerge from hiding during the events of Legion, having worked alongside Moira Thaurissan in her fight against the Twilight's Hammer, and worked together with the priest adventurer of the Conclave to search for powerful artifacts, and served as one of the major members of the priest order hall, informing the High Priest (a.k.a. you) of any potential recruits to their order.
During the events of Before the Storm (the prequel novel to Battle for Azeroth), Alonsus and Calia would be introduced to Anduin Wrynn, and the sight of the undead archbishop with his senses still intact caused Anduin to believe that there might be reconciliation between the living and the undead. Among others whose minds were changed (albeit more reluctantly) are Turalyon and Genn. Sylvanas's lieutenant Nathanos Blightcaller confronted Alonsus about this, but he pledged his allegiance not to kings and queens, but to the Light. An attempt to have survivors of Lordaeron meet their Forsaken relatives ended in disaster and the death of Calia Menethil after Sylvanas saw this as an attempt to usurp her authority over the Forsaken. Alonsus, Anduin and the naaru Saa'ra resurrected Calia... but she rose as a sentient undead like Alonsus, surprised but accepting at her new lot in life.
Orgrim Doomhammer
Orgrim is an orc of the Blackrock clan, who developed a close friendship with Durotan of the Frostwolf clan as children, and would grow into great leadership positions in their respective clans. As youths, he and Durotan were rescued from fatal wounds by Draenei, and gained perspective on the other dominant race of Draenor. Orgrim soon rose into second-in-command of the Blackrock Clan, second only to Blackhand. Orgrim was present at the formation of the First Horde, even if it meant slaughtering the Draenei. He and Durotan began harbouring suspicion against Gul'dan and his warlocks, however, and refused to drink from the pool of Mannoroth's blood on grounds that he was not worthy to drink from the same cup as his clan leader. Throughout the First War, the widespread corruption and bloodlust that tainted the orcish race bothered Orgrim. Meeting with the exiled Durotan where they discussed of the corruption within the Horde, Orgrim would see his closest friend and his wife assassinated by Shadow Council agents.
Biding his time, Orgrim also continued to be a major leader for the Horde's first campaign on Azeroth, and Orgrim was personally responsible for the destruction of Grand Hamlet, outposts in Redrige Mountaints, Sunnyglade, Northshire, Goldshire and Moonbrook. As Gul'dan fell into a coma near the end of the First War, Orgrim Doomhammer seized the chance to gain power. With Gul'dan's Shadow Council in disarray, and Blackhand reeling from a failed attack on Stormwind City, Orgrim decided to get rid of the corruption paguing the Horde. He challenged Blackhand to ritual combat of Mak'gora, and slew Blackhand with his family's weapon Doomhammer. The orc leaders proclaimed Orgrim Doomhammer as the new warchief of the Horde, and Orgrim swiftly rooted out the agents of the Shadow Council, revealing their treachery and utilization of fel magic to the rest of the Horde. Orgrim also mobilized the Horde and crushed Stormwind City, ending the First War with Horde victory. (Orgrim was essentially the orc player character in Warcraft: Orcs and Humans.)
However, on the final days of the Second War, Gul'dan and the death knights and warlocks loyal to him fled to enter the enigmatic Tomb of Sargeras, with the mad warlock obsessed with finding and serving his demon master. (This treachery is shown in the Book of Heroes battle) Gul'dan's treachery caused massive losses in the Lordaeron campaign, and the Horde was forced to fall back to Blackrock Spire. Doomhammer and the Horde fought the final battle of the Second War against the Alliance of Lordaeron, with Doomhammer slaying the leader of the Alliance army, the human hero Anduin Lothar. However, Lothar's protege Turalyon rallied the Alliance, and personally bested Doomhammer with the broken blade of his mentor.
Doomhammer was not killed, and was held prisoner with the hopes of peace between the two races... but Doomhammer escaped from his prison and went into one of the internment camps where the orcs are held prisoner. After the destruction of the Dark Portal, Doomhammer saw that the orcs have became lethargic and wasted. Doomhammer would live as a hermit in the depths of the kingdom of Lordaeron, until he was visited by Drek'Thar of the Frostwolf clan, who introduced Doomhammer to Thrall, the son of his old friend Durotan. Doomhammer, under the guise of an old orc hermit, met with Thrall to judge the boy's worth. Seeing that Thrall was equal parts able to be a warrior but also capable of showing mercy, Doomhammer became a mentor to Thrall, and would end up aiding him in freeing the orcs from the internment camps with the aid of the Frostwolf and Warsong clans. Doomhammer was slain by a human knight during this effort, but handed both his familial weapon and the title of warchief to Thrall, trusting rightfully that the younger orc would lead the Horde to glory.
In Warlords of Draenor, the alternate-universe Doomhammer is also the second in command of the Blackrock clan. While loyal to the Iron Horde, he was aghast at Blackrock's plan to massacre every draenei in the city of Shattrath and opposed him. Despite aid from the universe-hopping Alliance and Horde, the alternate-universe Blackhand enhanced himself with foul magics and slew Doomhammer with his own weapon.
King Terenas
King Terenas Menethil II was born to the royal family of the kingdom of Lordaeron, one of the strongest human nations. Terenas was well-regarded as a wise and just ruler, loved by his people. However, war would descend upon the human nations when the orcish Horde arrived. When Stormwind fell at the end of the First War, refugees from Stormwind led by Sir Anduin Lothar and the young prince Varian Wrynn would seek refuge in Lordaeron. Terenas gathered all the other kings of the human nations, as well as the high elves of Quel'Thalas and the dwarves and gnomes of Khaz Modan, creating the first Alliance to defend the Capital City of Lordaeron against the onslaught of the Horde, and even joined in battle during the siege itself. Ultimately the Alliance triumphed, but Terenas did not wish to murder the imprisoned orcs, and even sought for a way to make peace.
Some years later, the costs of keeping the orcs in internment camps drew a rift between the human kings. Likewise, infighting between various kings over how to divide up the treacherous kingdom of Alterac caused the kings of the Alliance to fall apart. The elves of Quel'Thalas withdrew back to their forests, while King Genn Greymane of Gilneas and King Thoras Trollbane of Stromgarde both seceded from the Alliance. On the eve of the third war, Terenas' hold on the Alliance continued to weaken -- not helped by a new warchief among the Horde, Thrall, freeing many orcs from internment camps and escaping to sea. A number of 'death cults' sprung in his provinces, and rumours of a plague slowly spreading through Lordaeron caused Terenas to send paladins -- Second War veteran Uther Lightbringer, and his very son Arthas Menethil -- to investigate. Terenas also ignored the warning from an enigmatic raven wizard (in reality Medivh) to sail to the West. This would lead to the massive chain of events that would lead to Arthas falling into corruption and becoming a powerful Death Knight. As Lordaeron rejoiced at the return of their prince, who claimed to have been victorious over the evil in Northrend... Arthas strode into his overjoyed father's throneroom and slaughtered him with Frostmourne. This led to the destruction of Lordaeron under its own prince. Terenas's ashes were kept in a magical urn guarded by Uther (the urn is a card in the final Uther chapter), and Arthas would slaughter Uther, dump Terenas's ashes and steal the magical urn for his dark ritual.
Terenas's soul was trapped in Arthas's blade Frostmourne, and would aid agents of the Alliance and Horde in Wrath of the Lich King when they went to confront Arthas. Terenas would aid these heroes within the soul-world of Frostmourne, and aided the adventurers in fighting the spirit warden of the sword, allowing the adventurers to reclaim their body. As Arthas, the Lich King, falls to the combined might of the heroes of the Alliance and Horde, Terenas's spirit emerged and resurrected the dead adventurers, allowing them to finish off the Lich King. Terenas's soul would pass away after a short moment with his fallen son.
Blackrock Blademaster
The unnamed Blackrock Blademaster is the boss of the second chapter of the human campaign in Warcraft III, "Blackrock and Roll". He kidnapped many humans from a nearby village, sacrificing them to his demonic masters, delighted in the visions that the demons would soon be arriving. The Blackrock orcs' attacks drew the attention of the paladins Uther and Arthas, and Arthas would march into his base and kill the Blademaster after dealing with his forces. As noted above, many of the dialogue is lifted verbatim from Warcraft III.
Venim Iceblade
Venim Iceblade is one of the many Liches in service of the Scourge, transformed into a more powerful form after being a member of the Cult of the Damned. He fought against Alliance forces throughout their campaign through Lordaeron. In older versions of Warcraft III, Venim Iceblade will always be one of the Lich leaders (alongside his comrade Calis Wraithson) who assaulted the town of Hearthglen, besieging the town and its villagers, forcing Arthas and his forces to hold the line while the mage Jaina Proudmoore teleported off to summon reinforcements. Venim was presumably destroyed by either Arthas's forces, or Uther's reinforcements of knights. In later versions of Warcraft III, Venim's fixed role in the Hearthglen level was replaced with a randomly-generated Lich, though 'Venim Iceblade' could still show up as a randomly-named lich at any part of the Warcraft III campaign that asked for one. Interestingly, Venim's deck in Hearthstone uses a lot of cards from the Naxxramas adventure bosses. Appropriate!
Divine Storm: Divine Storm is a level 23 Retribution-specialist paladin ability introduced in Wrath of the Lich King, where the paladin unleashes an AoE blast of holy damage to multiple enemies.
Blackrock Raider: Blackrock Raiders are level 59 mobs in the Burning Steppes, which are, unsurprisingly, raiders from the Blackrock clan.
Hammer of the Lightbringer: Uther's hammer haven't actually been named in any Warcraft game, but was given this name in a Warcraft RPG sourcebook.
Many other cards (Unbroken Faith, Tired Recruit, et cetera) are original to this mode, and many collectible Libram and Lightforged cards (as detailed below) are given Uther-lore-friendly names and artworks.
__________________________________________________________________
Anduin
The first series of battles in Anduin's story takes place in the events chronicled in The Shattering novel (the Book of Heroes draws a lot from that book). The first battle is a representation of Varian Wrynn's pressure on Anduin to become a warrior like him. The second battle takes place when Anduin is kidnapped by Moira Bronzebeard, but managed to use an artifact to teleport to his mentor Jaina Proudmoore, asking her aid in looking for a peaceful resolution to the dwarven civil war. The third battle, with Anduin dressed up in SI:7 garb, is the conclusion of Anduin's story in The Shattering, where he snuck into Ironforge as Varian is about to march in and murder Moira, convincing both Varian and Moira to stand down, a decision that would prove to make Moira a loyal member of the Alliance. The fourth fight is against Prophet Velen as Anduin finds his true calling as a Priest of the Light.
The fifth battle takes place in the Mists of Pandaria expansion, where Anduin was stranded behind enemy lines and captured by Garrosh's minion, the orc general Nazgrim. Anduin would escape (with the aid of an Alliance adventurer) and recover the Harmonic Mallet from the Monkey King. Heading off to confront Garrosh, Anduin confronts Garrosh himself, managing to stop his plans with the Divine Bell though suffering intense injuries in the process.
The final battle takes place many years later in Battle for Azeroth, where Varian has died and Anduin has succeeded him as King of Stormwind and leader of the Alliance, and takes place during the Battle of Lordaeron, one of the biggest battles between the Horde and the Alliance. Anduin's conflict was primarily against the then-warchief Sylvanas Windrunner; as well as other Horde leaders Varok Saurfang and Nathanos Blightcaller. Among other events shown in the battle is Sylvanas using the blight cauldron to kill both soldiers of the Alliance and the Horde. Jaina Proudmoore, Genn Greymane, Alleria Windrunner and Gelbin Mekkatorque show up in Anduin's deck.
High Priest Rohan
High Priest Rohan is found in the Hall of Mysteries in the dwarven capital of Ironforge, where he would give minor quests to young, burgeoning priest adventurers. When Anduin Wrynn visited Ironforge shortly before the Cataclysm, he befriended the elderly Rohan, who was perhaps one of the more instrumental people in letting Anduin see his path towards priesthood. Rohan and Anduin aided many of the fallen dwarves when earthquakes hit Ironforge, but Anduin's dwarven bodyguard and friend Aerin was killed in the process. Rohan was present during the cofrontation between Moira and Varian, and would continue to stay in Ironforge afterwards.
Monkey King
The Monkey King was an ancient Hozen that became the leader of an ungovernable people prior to the War of the Ancients. Ascending to power without spilling a single drop of Hozen blood, and beloved by every tribe -- by simply claiming to be 'the Monkey King' to all the tribes and claiming that all the tribal leaders respected him. Thus, with this bold lie, the Monkey King's lie became truth, and no one dared to disagree with it, causing peace to come across the brutal Hozen tribes. The Jade Serpent Yu'lon saw the Monkey King's motivation -- he disliked battle and blood, and the ancient spirit visited the Monkey King in disguise. Convinced that the Monkey King had no desire for violence, Yu'lon presented the Monkey King with Fu Zan, the Wanderer's Companion -- an artifact staff of the Titans. The staff can only be picked by the Monkey King, and allowed him to dodge from any attack. He became quick friends with the ancient Pandaren emperor Shaohao. With a series of masks carved to represent the emperor's doubts, Shaohao and the Monkey King purged the Sha. Shaohao would sacrifice himself to save Pandaria from the Sundering. Throughout the years that passed, the Monkey King would wander the land, and tales about an enigmatic, mystical hozen that could dodge any blow and tricked would-be warlords into falling into traps. Thus, the Monkey King did this to make sure conflict never emerged in Pandaria, as a way to honour his old friend Shaohao.
However, at one point, a Mogu warrior called the Jade Warlord found one of Lei Shen's caches of knowledge at the Monkey King's wild suggestions. While he detested violence, the Monkey King knew that he was the only one who could stop the Jade Warlord. And during the confrontation, the Jade Warlord, unable to control Lei Shen's power, frozen both himself and the Monkey King in jade for hundreds of years.
In Mists of Pandaria, when Prince Anduin Wrynn attempted to search for the holy item known as the Harmonic Mallet, he sought out the Monkey King in the Tomb of Conquerors. Anduin cast a spell that freed both the Monkey King and the Jade Warlord from their stasis, and Anduin's Alliance adventurers defeated the Jade Warlord. Ever-mischievous, the Monkey King asked Anduin three riddles (shown in the game's fight as well) before he would inform him about the Harmonic Mallet. After Anduin solved them, the Monkey King gave him directions to the locations of where he had hidden the pieces of the Mallet. These riddles, as well as the fight against the Jade Warlord, is adapted into the Monkey King's fight in Hearthstone.
The Monkey King would later be seen with various allies of Pandaria on the Timeless Isle, and would return the sacred staff Fu Zan to the Jade Serpent Yu'lon, passing the staff back into her care until another one worthy can hold it. Said worthy warrior was a Brewmaster-specialist Monk (your character) in Legion, who claimed the staff with the Monkey King's help, the Monkey King also helped to defend Tian Monastery from Legion invaders. In Battle for Azeroth, the Monkey King hangs out in the Hozen Throne tiki bar in Zuldazar, giving quests to adventurers in dealing with intelligent gorillas in Gorilla Gorge.
Jade Warlord
The Jade Warlord is a level 20-35 mogu warrior that was imprisoned in jade in ages past alongside his foe the Monkey King, after finding a cache of secret arts left by the Thunder King Lei Shen, but was unable to control the jade-based spells. When Anduin freed the Monkey King from jade imprisonment, so was the Jade Warlord. he rampaged, but was swiftly killed by Alliance adventurers. Jade Warlord's Hearthstone art is a repaint of the Jade Chieftain collectible art.
Untamed Ambertail
The Untamed Ambertail is a level 30-35 Amber Scorpion found in the Chittering Coast, appearing after an Alliance adventurer interacts with the Untamed Amber object. The adventurer needed to slay the Ambertail to claim its untamed amber, as the answer to the first of the Monkey King's riddles.
Sam the Wise / Metal Brew
As part of the Monkey King's second riddle, Anduin and the adventurers have to obtain the "Metal Brew" from a Pandaren brewmaster found at the Shrine of Fellowship. Sam the Wise wanders around the Shrine, and adventurers have to fight him to obtain the Metal brew. Sam the Wise named after IRL Blizzard employee Samwise Didier, otherwise known as the Blizzard employee who added the huge amount of panda references into Warcraft III which would be the direct genesis of the Pandaren race.
High Regent Lor'themar Theron
Lor'themar Theron is the Regent-Lord of Quel'Thalas, and currently acts as the ruler of the blood elves of the Horde. During his early life, Lor'themar was a lieutenant of the High Elven Farstriders, often clashing with the Amani trolls that encroached into high elven territory. During the Second War, the High Elves would join the Alliance in fighting against the incoming Horde, who allied themselves with the High Elves' ancestral enemy of the Amani trolls. Lor'themar beccame second-in-command to Ranger-General Sylvanas Windrunner, and battled against the forces of the Old Horde in the Second War, developing a respect towards many of the human heroes who he fought with in the war. Lor'themar was promoted to the rank of ranger lord after the Second War.
While Arthas left Quel'Thalas, his mindless undead minions remained there. Lor'themar organized the resistance in Silvermoon against the Scourge, rescuing the survivors of the massacre. He was soon reunited with prince Kael'thas Sunstrider. The leaders of the high elves had to also deal with the fact that the high elves were suffering from withdrawal of magic after the Sunwell's destruction. Kael'thas renamed their people as the 'Blood Elves' in honour of those that died, and appointed Lor'themar as Regent Lord in his stead while he sought a cure for their people.
While Kael'thas and approximately fifteen percent of the surviving blood elves went on and joinerd the Alliance remnants (and later circumstances would cause him to travel into Outland and serve Illidan Stormrage), Lor'themar remained in Quel'Thalas, rebuilding their broken people. During this period of time, Lor'themar met once more with the treasonous Dar'khan Drathir, who was pursuing the human Anveena Teague. Allying himself with Anveena's ally, the blue dragona Kalecgos and Tyrigosa, in retrieving Anveena -- who they find is the mortal avatar of the Sunwell -- and destroying their common enemy Dar'khan.
Prior to the events of Burning Crusade, Kael'thas sent Grand Magister Rommath back to Silvermoon with orders to rejoin their people in the haven of Outland -- with Kael having learned of an ability to absorb arcane magic to satiate the blood elves' addiction. Rommmath and his magisters also aided in reclaiming and rebuilding Silvermoon City almost overnight. During this time, Lor'themar began negotiating with the Horde, aided by his close friend Halduron, the Blood Knight Liadrin and Grand Magister Rommath in this period of time. In Burning Crusade, Lor'themar had to deal with Scourge remnants, Amani trolls, the emergence of the Wretched, reports of Kael'thas's instability, and news that the Burning Legion is massing in Outland. With bridges burned with the Alliance thanks to Kael'thas's actions, Lor'themar found aid from a most unlikely place -- the Ranger-General Sylvanas, now Banshee Queen of the Forsaken and member of the Horde. Aiding the blood elves in reclaiming the Ghostlands, the Forsaken arranged a meeting with the other leaders of the New Horde, and seeing that there was no better option, the Blood Elves joined the Horde, and were thus able to reach Outland. There, the Blood Elves learned of their prince's fate, falling into madness thanks to overuse and addiction of fel magic, having betrayed Illidan for a far darker master -- Kil'jaeden of the Burning Legion. Lor'themar and the other blood elves despaired, but was resolute in vanquishing Kael'thas for his treachery, and battled against Kael'thas multiple times as he attempted to bring Kil'jaeden into Azeroth. Kael was ultimately slain, and with the aid of the draenei prophet Velen, the Sunwell was reborn into a font of holy magic. Lor'themar became sole leader of the blood elves, a role he begrudgingly accepts.
Nathanos Blightcaller
In life, Nathanos Marris was the first and only human 'ranger lord', trained by the high elves of Quel'Thalas as a Farstrider and a close confidant of the Ranger-General Sylvanas Windrunner. Even compared to his high elven compatriots, Nathanos was a tactical genius. His inclusion in the ranks of the Farstrider earned Nathanos much ire, particularly from Lor'themar Theron, but Sylvanas had insisted upon it. Sylvanas grew fond of her student, and would make time to visit him in Lordaeron, causing many rumours of a romantic relationship between the two. When the Third War began and Arthas led the Scourge through Lordaeron, and Nathanos was killed by the abomination named Ramstein the Gorger. He was resurrected as a mindless undead. Near the end of the Third War, Sylvanas, herself transformed into a powerful banshee, found Nathanos and helped him regain his senses, turning him into one of the Forsaken. Sylvanas named Nathanos as one of her champion, and he served as one of her most loyal warriors.
Styling himself as Nathanos Blightcaller, Nathanos was stationed in the Eastern Plaguelands, standing in front of his old home, the Marris Stead, with his pet blighthounds. There he would send Horde adventurers to help purge the influence of the Scourge and the Scarlet Crusaders in the area. In death, Nathanos's cruelty became amplified, and many of his victims were driven insane. Alliance adventurers that were sent by SI:7 to investigate initially thought that 'Nathanos' was killed by a Forsaken agent called 'the Blightcaller', only to realize that the two are one and the same. Varian sent Alliance adventurers to slay him, and Nathanos was seemingly killed.
Prior to Battle for Azeroth, Nathanos advised Sylvanas about the state of Undercity, and how some of the Forsaken feel neglected now that Sylvanas is warchief of the Horde. Sylvanas also confided in her plans to bolster the Forsaken population by directing the Horde into fighting the Alliance more aggressively. He helped hunt down Alliance spies in Orgrimmar, and alongside Varok Saurfang, are the only two confidants of warchief Sylvanas in planning the campaign to attack Teldrassil and shatter the Alliance. Nathanos rode alongside Saurfang, reflecting how Sylvanas did not receive the same amount of respect as someone like Saurfang has, and mocked the Horde for being weak-willed and not recognizing Sylvanas's plans that stretched beyond morality. Nathanos butted heads with Saurfang during the assault, particularly in regards to the orc's sparing of Malfurion Stormrage. Under Sylvanas's orders, Nathanos executed the burning of Teldrassil.
While all of this is going on, Nathanos sent some spies loyal to Sylvanas to infiltrate Baine
Bloodhoof's secret meetings, trying to find any evidence of treachery against Sylvanas. After finding out that Baine had helped Jaina retrieve the corpse of Derek Proudmoore, Nathanos killed one of Baine's allies and had Baine arrested. Nathanos and the Horde Speaker (your hero) led the Horde fleet when the seas parted to reveal the naga city of Nazjatar, and he disappeared to do a secret mission under Sylvanas's command -- which is to eventually reveal that Lor'themar Theron is aiding Baine Bloodhoof. He would lead acampaign to exterminate anti-Sylvanas dissidents, purging dissidents in Orgrimmar. However, before battle could commence between Sylvanas and Saurfang supporters, a mak'gora was issued. In the process, Sylvanas kills Saurfang and abandons the Horde. Nathanos escaped Orgrimmar, rendezvousing with Sylvanas in the Ghostlands. The two conversed and departed, with Nathanos calling Sylvanas 'my love'.
Nathanos Blightcaller returned to the Marris Stead, not making his presence a secret. Alliance and Horde adventurers arrived to attack him. Among them is Tyrande Whisperwind, empowered with Elune's Night Warrior powers, seeking vengeance for Teldrassil. Nathanos was bought down, but before he was killed by Tyrande, Nathanos offered cryptic answers, gloating that killing him would merely send him straight to his mistress. Tyrande killed him mid-sentence, putting the undead bowman to rest.
Windseeker Durja
Windseer Durja is a level 110 jungle troll that served as one of the Horde warriors that fought against the Alliance in the Battle for Lordaeron. A powerful shaman that can transform into an eagle and manipulate the elements, he stood in the Ruins of Lordaeron, but was ultimately slain by Alliance adventurers. His quotes in Hearthstone are the same as his battle quote in World of Warcraft.
Shalamayne:
Shalamayne is a wonderful weapon most associated with King Varian Wrynn of the Alliance. The twin blades Shalla'tor ("Shadow Render") and Ellemayne ("Reaver") were a pair of magical elven blades forged during the War of the Ancients, wielded by a pair of elven twins. The blades came into possession at some point to Jaina Proudmoore, who gifted it to Varian Wrynn, who himself was split into two people by the dark magic of the black dragon Onyxia. When the two Varians were merged into a single person, the blades were merged, too, into Shalamayne. Over time, Varian showed the ability to split the blade into its two component parts, most memorably during the Battle for the Broken Shore. (And also in this unreasonably epic Heroes of the Storm trailer) After Varian's death, Anduin picked up Shalamayne, which was split in two and left dormant until Anduin came. The blades responded to Anduin's touch and allowed him to wield it.
Fearbreaker:
Fearbreaker is the ancestral hammer of the Bronzebeard Clan, and despite coming from a completely different culture, the Light flows through its wielder from the weapon. King Magni Bronzebeard of Ironforge gave the hammer to Prince Anduin Wrynn during his visit to the city prior to the Cataclysm. As a gesture of goodwill towards the pacifistic tauren Baine Bloodhoof, who Anduin had befriended, Anduin gave Fearbreaker to Baine when he went to reclaim Thunder Bluff from Magatha. Prior to the fall of Theramore, however, Baine would return Fearbreaker to Anduin, feeling himself unworthy to wield it. Anduin was in possession of Fearbreaker for years, until Battle for Azeroth where the resurrected Magni reclaimed it to combat the Old God N'Zoth.
Training Sword: Training Swords are two-handed weapons for level 7-11 dropped by many early mobs in World of Warcraft.
Windrunner's Bow: Windrunner's Bow is, well, Sylvanas Windrunner's bow, and it's a level 378 epic bow that drops from the Echo of Sylvanas boss in the bad future called 'End Time' created by Muruzond.
Alliance Commander: A bit of a very common title, but there is a specific WoW mob, a dwarf NPC that participates in the raid on the Nexus.
As with the other Book of Heroes segments, many cards are repeated from the Jaina/Garrosh Book of Heroes. So!
__________________________________________________________________
Lore-Friendly 'Reprints'
In a nice bit of appreciation from me, a lot of the cards used by the characters in 'Book of Heroes' are collectible Hearthstone cards... but renamed or given new artwork in order to fit the flavour of whichever hero is using them. So, for example, most Draenei are taken out of the pre-Burning-Crusade fights. Plus, not mentioned here, but some cards (like Locust Swarm, Terrifying Roar, Flameheart, Val'kyr Shadowguard, etc) return from old adventure modes. Some cards also have their costs and stats adjusted, though I'm not going to list every one of those. Since a lot of these cards recur across various boss fights, here's a list of them at the end:
- Iceblast: Replaces the basic Mage hero power for Jaina; who's most commonly depicted using ice spells in Warcraft III and World of Warcraft. The artwork is recoloured from Fireblast's art.
- Iceball: Replaces the Fireball spell, essentially identical, but with new artwork.
- Stargaze Elemental: A water elemental with the exact cost, stats and effect as Stargazer Luna, to fit with the fact that Jaina and Antonidas wouldn't be exposed to Draenei during the tie of the Third War.
- Gray Cat: Black Cat without the odd/even restrictions, essentially a repainted version of the Black Cat artwork.
- Book of Runes: Identical to Emperor Thaurissan, but generic enough that basically anyone can use the card. In World of Warcraft, "Book of Runes" is a minor quest given by the Explorer's League where adventurers find the three parts of the book and combine it.
- Lordaeron Attendant: Used by Arthas, Uther and a bunch of other Paladins, a human Alliance paladin and essentially identical to the Aldor Attendant, who is a Draenei and wouldn't be around in the Third War.
- Libram of Wisdom & Libram of Justice: Doesn't get a name change, but it just shows a book and a human respectively instead of Draenei.
- Beast Companion: Because some parts of Rexxar's story takes place prior to his arrival in Azeroth (and meeting Misha, Huffer and Leokk), Beast Companion is a 'reskin' of Animal Companion, with Tethik and Sporlar being identical to Misha and Leokk; while Tuffer is a tougher version of Huffer.
- Mok'Nathal Bow: Identical to Rhok'delar, except Rhok'delar was a night elf artifact in lore, so obviously not something that Rexxar could have gotten his hands on.
- Doomhammer: The Doomhammer as it's wielded by Blackhand doesn't have the Frostwolf clan markings on it, although it was functionally identical.
- Maim Blackhand: He has lore I cover above, but I'll note that he's essentially a Wyrmguard.
- Frenzied Crocolisk: A reskin of Underbelly Fence, although changed to fit with the Barrens setting since it shows up under use of various enemies of Rexxar.
- Wink Fox: Like the Gray Cat, Wink Fox is a recoloured version of the Blink Fox, though the effect is changed from Burgle to Mind Vision.
- Enchanted Familiar: A reskinned Sorcerer's Apprentice, except a fox instead of a gnome to fit with the setting.
- Intimidation: A reskinned version of In Formation, featuring an ogre in its artwork.
- Bloodmaul Brute: An almost-identical version of Troublemaker, although the minions summoned are a bit weaker. Reskinned as a generic Bloodmaul ogre to fit with the boss using it.
- Clan Warrior: An identical reskin of Overconfident Orc -- Overconfident Orc is a fel orc, which wouldn't exist at this point of Garrosh's journey.
- Horde Armorsmith: As its name tells you, this is a reskinned Arrmorsmith. But an orc instead of a human. For the Horde!
- Tirion Fordring: Tirion is almost identical to his collected version, but since he hadn't gotten Ashbringer at this point in Uther's story, he gives you the lesser paladin weapon Sword of Justice! His card art is edited to remove Ashbringer.
- Unbroken Faith: A functional reskin of Hand of A'Dal, making it be a more generic Paladin artwork instead of the very specific Naaru-themed collectible card.
- Radiant Lightspawn: A reskin of Aldor Truthseeker, again, because draenei haven't shown up on Azeroth during the Third War.
- Silver Hand Zealot: A reskin of Lightforged Zealot, replacing the draenei with a human.
- Silver Hand Crusader: A reskin of Lightforged Crusader, replacing the draenei with a human.
- Time Out! and Holy Wrath: Receives new artwork showing a dwarf and a human respectively instead of a draenei. Lots of draenei artwork in these paladin cards!
- Spirit of Kel'Thuzad: Identical to Headmaster Kel'Thuzad, but he's a ghost instead of a living human headmaster.
- Town Crier: Receives new artwork showing the Town Crier as a human. The pose, clothes and voicelines are identical to the Worgen version, though.
- Forbidden Words: Madame Lazul is changed to artwork of a Dark Iron Dwarf to fit the fact that it's Moira's spell.
- Merciful Heart: A reskin of Getaway Kodo, except flavoured to be a Priest ability and showing a dwarf.
Many of the cards in Book of Heroes reuses card art from the WoW TCG, and even some from Hearthstone, which, I think, is nicely becoming a bit more common to get extra solo-adventure-unique cards. Links will be provided for WoW-TCG art. Here's a somewhat-comprehensive list of all of them.
- Jaina's second portrait reuses art from her Jaina, Apprentice of Antonidas card.
- Supreme Acumen (Antonidas's hero power) is a cropped version of Tome of Intellect's art.
- Book of Heroes reuses artwork from the card Medivh's Journal, a quest item in Karazhan.
- Stargaze Elemental reuses artwork from the card Unstable Corruption.
- Iceball reuses artwork from Celee Cogfreeze.
- Defensive Strike (Arthas's hero power) reuses art from the card Buzzer Blade, a level 20 blade that drops in the Deadmines.
- Libram of Wisdom reuses art from Grand Marshal's Tome of Power, itself an item able to be bought in Stormwind City as a PvP reward.
- Lordaeron Attendant reuses art from Human Footman.
- Summon Water Elemental reuses art from Servant of Neptulon, which are mobs in Desolace.
- Archimonde and his hero power Rain of Chaos are alternate artworks for his TCG card, Archimonde the Defiler.
- Nordrassil reuses card art from its own TCG counterpart, Nordrassil the World Tree.
- Shandris Feathermoon reuses card art from her own TCG counterpart, Shandris Feathermoon.
- Theramore Guard alters the artwork for Stormwind Champion, with the Theramore tabard.
- Staff of Antonidas reuses card art from its TCG counterpart, Staff of Antonidas.
- Arcane Intensity (Aethas's power) reuses the artwork from Wild Magic, Nefarian's hero power in the Blackrock Mountain adventure mode.
- Beast Companion reuses card art from Nature Unleashed.
- Sporlar reuses card art from Bogspike.
- Tethik reuses cropped card art of itself from Leoroxx's TCG card art.
- Tuffer reuses art from Quillbeast.
- Mok'nathal Bow reuses art from Breathstone-Infused Longbow, based on an item reward in WoW added in Cataclysm.
- Haratha reuses artwork from Rayder.
- Maim Blackhand reuses artwork from Koth, Caller of the Hunt.
- Wild Thrashing (Misha's power) reuses artwork from Roar of the Ages.
- Vicious Bear Trap reuses artwork from Bear Trap.
- Quillboar Hunter reuses artwork from the Rise of Shadows card Hench-Clan Shadequill.
- Call Misha crops Misha from Rexxar's TCG card art.
- Frenzied Crocolisk reuses artwork from Darkwater Crocolisk, a mob from Black Morass.
- Mogrin the Injured reuses artwork from Orc Grunt.
- Lady Darkscale reuses artwork from the League of Explorers boss Lady Naz'jar.
- Wounded Footman and Kul Tiran Footman both also reuse artwork from Stormwind Champion, with the Kul Tiran tabard.
- Stuffed Sack (Khiragg's power) reuses artwork from a similarly-named hero power art used by the Gnomenapper boss in Witchwood.
- Enchanted Familiar reuses artwork from McCloud the Fox.
- Daelin Proudmoore reuses his TCG card art, Grand Admiral Daelin Proudmoore.
- Axe Toss reuses artwork from Primal Strike.
- Lauch Warship (Daelin's power) reuses artwork from Boat to Booty Bay.
- Monsoon reuses artwork from Riptide, a Restoration Shaman ability in WoW.
- Huntmaster's Bow reuses artwork from Windrunner's Heartseeker.
- Gorgrom the Dragon-Eater is a recoloured version of artwork from Showdown, which depicts another son of Gruul named Goc.
- Intimidation reuses artwork from Buldrug.
- Bloodmaul Mauler is a recoloured version of Warmaul Ogre's artwork.
- Spirit reuses artwork from Thunder Hawk.
- Gronn Trap shares artwork with the collectible Bear Trap card from The Grand Tournament, itself reusing artwork from Noxious Trap.
- Fresh Perspective reuses artwork from More Work?
- Clan Trainer reuses artwork from Aggra, Geyah's student and Thrall's wife.
- Clan Warrior reuses artwork from High Warlord Cromush, a mag'har orc loyal to Garrosh.
- Warsong Axe reuses artwork from Lumbering Ogre Axe.
- Rehgar Earthfury reuses his own TCG card art, Rehgar Earthfury, with blood edited out.
- Balanced Judgment (Rehgar's power) reuses artwork from Nature Resistance Totem.
- Even Totem and Odd Totem reuses artwork from Totemic Vigor.
- Underqueen Zarzhet reuses artwork from the Knights of the Frozen Throne card Nerubian Unraveler.
- Garrosh's second portrrait reuses artwork from his TCG art, Garrosh Hellscream.
- Summon Peon reuses artwork from Kor'kron Vanguard.
- Warsong Peon reuses artwork from Orc Peon.
- Horde Armorsmith reuses artwork from Shattered Hand Vanguard.
- Searing Fire Elemental reuses artwork from Bound Inferno.
- Incinerate (Searing Fire dude's power) reuses artwork from Draconic Flames.
- Elemental Rift reuses artwork from Glyph of Warding from the various single-player modes.
- Supply Tower reuses artwork from The Circle of Blood.
- Cairne Bloodhoof's hero portrait reuses artwork from his TCG art, Cairne Bloodhoof.
- War Stomp (Cairne's power) reuses artwork from Gladiator Kaniya.
- Beram Skychaser reuses artwork from Hamuul Runetotem, a major tauren druid and advocate for Alliance and Horde cooperation.
- Magatha Grimtotem reuses artwork from her own card, Magatha Grimtotem.
- Might of Hellscream reuses artwork from Grom Hellscream, the cool Hellscream.
- Equip Charged Doomhammer reuses artwork from Doomhammer.
- Y'Shaarj's Power reuses artwork from Nightmare, one of Ysera's dream cards.
- Tired Recruit reuses artwork from Scarlet Monk, swapping Scarlet Crusade colours for Alliance colours.
- Orgrim Doomhammer reuses artwork from his own card, Orgrim Doomhammer.
- Gul'dan's Reinforcements reuses artwork from Engulfing Blaze.
- Walls of Lordaeron reuses artwork from Capital City, Lordaeron.
- Unbroken Faith reuses artwork for Spirit Shield.
- King Terenas reuses an edited artwork for his TCG art, Terenas Menethil II, but with still-living eyes; the TCG depicts his ghost.
- Unbound Rage (Varok's power) reuses artwork for Demoralizing Shout.
- Blackrock Raider reuses artwork from Burom Bladeseer.
- Libram of Compassion reuses artwork from Holy Light, a paladin ability.
- Libram of Justice reuses artwork from Blessing of Trials.
- Radiant Lightspawn reuses artwork from A Fiery Reunion.
- Grim Retreat (Dark Portal's power) reuses artwork from Drom'kor, Timewalker Necrolyte.
- Bombard Portal reuses artwork from Assault on Blackrock Spire.
- Bloodclaw Dragon reuses artwork from Dragonkin Menace.
- Divert Forces reuses artwork from Light's Vengeance.
- Time Out reuses artwork from Divinity, a Holy Priest talent.
- Ravenous Drake reuses artwork from Twilight Corruptor.
- Libram of Holiness reuses artwork from Northshire Crusader.
- Venim Iceblade reuses artwork from his boss's TCG art, Kel'Thuzad.
- Infection (Iceblade's power) reuses artwork from The Promises of Darkness.
- Pure Cold is reused from a boss card used by Sapphiron, and is also used for the Knights of the Frozen Throne card Simulacrum.
- Nathrezim's Favor (Mal'Ganis's power) is appropriately reused from Mal'Ganis.
- Silver Hand Zealot reuses artwork from Auralyn the Light of Dawn.
- Silver Hand Crusader reuses artwork from Philosopher Kirilenko.
- Prince Arthas, the Uther boss, uses alternate artwork for Arthas Menethil.
- Darkness Beckons, appropriately, uses Frostmourne's TCG art.
- Royal Urn reuses artwork from Big Cauldron of Battle.
- Training Sword reuses artwork from Kelen's Dagger of Escape, an item that grants teleportation from Warcraft III.
- Polymorphonics reuses artwork from Nightsaber Cub.
- Royal Entourage, slightly hilariously, crops Falstad Wildhammer from Council of the Three Hammers.
- Infiltrator's Spyglass reuses artwork from Godfrey's Crystal Scope.
- Merciful Heart reuses artwork from Sister Remba.
- High Priest Rohan reuses artwork from Bronson Greatwhisker.
- Light Prophecy reuses artwork from Power Word: Faith.
- Horde Adventurer reuses artwork from Boum the Bloodseeker.
- Jade Warlord is a repainted version of the collectible Jade Chieftain from Mean Streets of Gadgetzan.
- Untamed Ambertail is an edited version of Skitter, extensively swapping the texture of the original scorpion with amber texture.
- Sam the Wise reuses artwork from Pandaren Brewmaster.
- Metal Brew reuses artwork from Vial of Stolen Memories.
- Bold Determination reuses artwork from Conqueror Gurzom.
- Windrunner's Bow reuses artwork of her TCG counterpart, Windrunner's Bow.
- Faith's Defender reuses artwork from Heroic Bulwark.
- Allianec Commander reuses artwork from In Defense of Halaa.
No comments:
Post a Comment