The Ancient Age
| When | Event |
|---|---|
| Before time | The Old Gods rule a chaotic Azeroth through the Elemental Lords |
| — | The Titans arrive, defeat the Old Gods, imprison them, and order the world |
| — | The titan-forged are made: Earthen, giants, mechagnomes, vrykul |
| — | The five Dragon Aspects are empowered; the Titans depart |
The Kaldorei Empire
| When | Event |
|---|---|
| ~15,000 BDP | Night elves settle around the Well of Eternity; the Kaldorei empire rises |
| ~10,000 BDP | Queen Azshara and the Highborne contact Sargeras |
| ~10,000 BDP | The War of the Ancients — the Legion invades |
| ~10,000 BDP | The Sundering — Kalimdor shatters. Azshara's court becomes the Naga. Illidan Stormrage creates a second Well and is imprisoned. Nordrassil is grown. |
| ~7,300 BDP | The Highborne are exiled for practicing arcane magic |
| ~6,800 BDP | The exiles found Quel'Thalas and create the Sunwell |
The Age of Empires
| When | Event |
|---|---|
| ~2,800 BDP | Humans found the empire of Arathor |
| ~2,700 BDP | The Troll Wars — Arathor and the high elves defeat the Amani. The elves teach a hundred humans magic in payment. |
| ~2,600 BDP | The Guardians of Tirisfal are founded to secretly police the Legion |
| ~1,200 BDP | Arathor fragments into seven human kingdoms |
| ~1,000 BDP | The War of the Shifting Sands — the qiraji erupt from Ahn'Qiraj. Fandral Staghelm and the Bronze Dragonflight seal the Scarab Wall. Staghelm's son Valstann dies. |
| ~45 BDP | Aegwynn defeats an avatar of Sargeras in Northrend — and is unknowingly infected by him |
| ~25 BDP | Medivh is born, already carrying Sargeras's spirit |
The Wars of the Portal
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 0 | Medivh, possessed, opens the Dark Portal. The First War begins. |
| 3 | Medivh is slain at Karazhan by Lothar, Khadgar, and Garona |
| 5 | Stormwind falls. Refugees flee north to Lordaeron. |
| 6 | The Alliance of Lordaeron is formed. The Second War begins. |
| 6 | Quel'Thalas is burned by the Horde and the traitor Alterac |
| 8 | The Horde is broken at Blackrock Spire. The Dark Portal is destroyed. |
| 8–17 | The Interbellum — orcs interned in camps, sinking into lethargy. Alterac is dissolved for treason. |
| ~10 | Thrall is born; raised in captivity by Aedelas Blackmoore at Durnholde |
| 17–18 | The Invasion of Draenor — Ner'zhul tears Draenor apart. It becomes Outland. |
| 20 | Thrall escapes Durnholde, finds the Frostwolf clan, learns shamanism from Drek'Thar |
| 21 | Thrall frees Grom Hellscream and Orgrim Doomhammer; the New Horde is founded |
The Third War
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 23 | The Plague of Undeath appears in Lordaeron. Arthas Menethil investigates. |
| 24 | Arthas culls Stratholme, sails to Northrend, and takes up Frostmourne |
| 24 | Arthas murders King Terenas. Lordaeron falls to the Scourge. |
| 24 | Quel'Thalas is destroyed; the Sunwell is defiled to raise Kel'Thuzad |
| 24 | Archimonde destroys Dalaran |
| 24 | Jaina Proudmoore, warned by Medivh, leads the exodus to Kalimdor |
| 24 | Grom Hellscream slays Mannoroth at Demon Fall Canyon — the orcs are freed of the blood curse |
| 25 | The Battle of Mount Hyjal — Nordrassil is sacrificed to destroy Archimonde. The night elves lose their immortality. |
| 25 | Illidan Stormrage is released, consumes the Skull of Gul'dan, flees to Outland |
| 25 | Sylvanas Windrunner breaks free of the Lich King's control and founds the Forsaken |
| 25 | Kael'thas Sunstrider leads the Blood Elves through the Dark Portal |
| 25 | Arthas returns to Northrend and merges with Ner'zhul — The Lich King is whole |
The Four Years After
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 25–29 | Orgrimmar is built in Durotar. Thunder Bluff is founded in Mulgore. |
| 25–29 | Fandral Staghelm grows Teldrassil. Darnassus is built. |
| 26 | The Battle of Theramore — Admiral Daelin Proudmoore attacks the Horde and dies. His daughter Jaina Proudmoore lets it happen. |
| 26–29 | The night elves join the Alliance. Gnomeregan falls. |
| 29 | The Dark Iron summon Ragnaros into Molten Core |
| 29 | ⟶ THE CAMPAIGN BEGINS |