WoW Forever Beta Lore of Azeroth Timeline
Lore of Azeroth spans thousands of years. This timeline covers major events from ancient times to the present.
For broader content, see our NPC Lore, Faction Lore, and Zone Lore articles.
Quick summary: Major events: Sundering + Third War + Cataclysm. Total timeline: 25,000+ years. Current era: post-Sundering.
Ancient era
| Era | Event | Years ago |
|---|---|---|
| Troll Empire | First civilization | 25,000+ |
| Aqir / Qiraji | Insect empire | 15,000+ |
| Night Elf Empire | Azshara’s reign | 10,000 |
| Sundering | Sylvanas emerges | 10,000 |
| War of the Ancients | Broxigar + others | 10,000 |
Human era
| Era | Event | Years ago |
|---|---|---|
| Arathor founded | Human kingdom | 2,800 |
| Troll Wars | Human vs Troll | 2,500 |
| Stormwind founded | First Alliance | 2,500 |
| First War | Orcs invade | 30 |
| Second War | Dark Portal | 25 |
| Third War | Lich King | 10 |
Cataclysm era
| Era | Event | Years ago |
|---|---|---|
| Deathwing returns | Cataclysm | 5 |
| Thrall steps down | Garrosh Warchief | 4 |
| Pandaria discovered | MoP | 3 |
| Siege of Orgrimmar | Garrosh fall | 2 |
Modern era (WoW Forever beta)
| Era | Event | Years ago |
|---|---|---|
| Warlords of Draenor | Time travel | 1 |
| Legion | Sargeras | < 1 |
| Battle for Azeroth | Faction war | < 1 |
| Shadowlands | Afterlife | < 1 |
| Dragonflight | Dragon Isles | < 1 |
| WoW Forever beta | 2026 | present |
Key characters
Alliance leaders
| Character | Role |
|---|---|
| Anduin Wrynn | King of Stormwind |
| Tyrande Whisperwind | Night Elf leader |
| Moira Thaurissan | Dark Iron leader |
Horde leaders
| Character | Role |
|---|---|
| Thrall | Former Warchief |
| Sylvanas Windrunner | Banshee Queen |
| Baine Bloodhoof | Tauren chief |
Key factions
Alliance
| Faction | Race |
|---|---|
| Stormwind | Human |
| Ironforge | Dwarf |
| Darnassus | Night Elf |
| Skyborne | Skyborne |
Horde
| Faction | Race |
|---|---|
| Orgrimmar | Orc |
| Undercity | Undead |
| Thunder Bluff | Tauren |
| Sen’jin | Troll |
FAQ
When was the Sundering?
10,000 years ago.
Current era?
Post-Cataclysm / Dragonflight.
Final verdict
Azeroth lore = 25,000 years. Current era: Dragonflight.
For more content, see our NPC Lore, Faction Lore, and Zone Lore articles.
