Alterac (kingdom)

"Alterac" redirects here. For the area in which Alterac is located, see Alterac Mountains. For the battleground located in this region, see Alterac Valley. For other uses, see Alterac (disambiguation).

"Alteraci" redirects here. For the original human tribe who dwelled in the Alterac Mountains, see Alteraci tribe.

Kingdom of Alterac
Main leader	Disputed
Formerly	King Aiden Perenolde †
Secondary leaders	Prince Aliden Perenolde † Nobles of Alterac  General Hath
Race(s)	Human
Capital	Alterac City
Government	Hereditary monarchy (Perenolde family)
Affiliation	Independent
Formerly	Old Horde, Church of Light, Alliance of Lordaeron, Arathorian Empire
Status	Defunct and remnants reformed as the Syndicate

The Kingdom of Alterac was one of the seven human nations, and was situated in the foothills and mountains of the land known as the Alterac Mountains. Originally an Arathorian city-state founded after the Troll Wars, it became an independent kingdom after the empire split apart. Lastly ruled by King Aiden Perenolde, Alterac was the weakest kingdom to join the Alliance of Lordaeron during the Second War, and was a relatively small contributor of soldiers and supplies. As the war raged, King Perenolde lost hope of victory for humanity and betrayed his allies, forming an alliance with the Old Horde. In exchange for their protection, the orcs could pass through their lands without resistance. When the betrayal was revealed, Alterac was besieged by the Alliance of Lordaeron and put under martial law by King Terenas Menethil II.

Following the Alterac crisis and the death of King Perenolde, the Alteraci people are now scattered, and many of them are affiliated with the Syndicate; a criminal organization created by Lord Aliden Perenolde and led by villainous nobles of Alterac. The masks worn by the Syndicate members are orange, just like the national color of the fallen kingdom.

History

Early history

Alterac and the city-states of the Empire of Arathor.

2,700 years BDP, following their victory in their war against the trolls, the humans of Arathor expanded the kingdom in size and power. After the death of King Thoradin, the empire founded new city-states in the wilderness - including Alterac. The early human settlers built a city nestled in the Alterac Mountains, once the home of the Alteraci tribe, likely exploiting its position on important trade routes through the mountains. They migrated to Alterac Fortress as well as to the smaller forts that had been built during the Troll Wars, which soon flourished into bustling trading outposts. As the centuries passed, Alterac had grown to be culturally distinctive from those in the imperial capital of Strom, yet all the while remaining staunchly loyal to its authority. Its army had grown to be one of the strongest in the empire, and Alteraci and Gilnean explorers were among those to map out the lands of Khaz Modan and initiate diplomatic relations between Arathor and Ironforge.

1,200 years BDP, the kingdom of Arathor disintegrated. Over time the power of Gilneas and the other city-states grew as that of Strom waned, eventually the empire splintered into independent kingdoms. Its once-small trading outposts and cities had grown into independent city-states, which over generations became increasingly distant and insular. It was a relatively small kingdom compared to the others, and the capital came to be known as "Alterac City", likely to distinguish itself from the kingdom's name. Most of the nation's territory was rugged and mountainous terrain of the Alterac Mountains.

Before the Great Wars

75 years prior to the First War, King Barathen Wrynn of Stormwind sent envoys to beseech Lordaeron, Alterac, and the other human kingdoms for aid during the Gnoll War. But they would not send assistance, seeing no advantage in helping the smaller, rural nation, as Stormwind was self-sufficient and trade with the other kingdoms was rare.

Before the coming of the orcs, the human kingdoms of Lordaeron faced challenges and obstacles from each other as the games of politics played out. Amidst those nations, there were no two rivals like Alterac and Stromgarde. The proximity of the two and the apparent ambiguity of their mountain borders had led to several wars and skirmishes. On more than one occasion, King Thoras Trollbane led the armies of Stromgarde into battle against the honorable General Hath of Alterac. The tension of their repeated discord was noticeable at the Alliance summit as Perenolde glared at Trollbane. It is conceivable that this discord alienated Alterac from other nations that had positive relations with Trollbane, contributing to Perenolde's willingness to turn against his allies in the midst of the Second War.

Before the Second War happened, Alterac was a sizeable kingdom, with several towns and forts besides its palace and capital city. The kingdom owned the southern shores of Darrowmere Lake, and also owned land east of the Darrowmere River, notably the area near Ravenholdt Manor.

Second War

Alterac's borders prior to the Great Wars.

Following the First War and destruction of Stormwind City, the Council of Seven Nations was formed by Sir Anduin Lothar and King Terenas Menethil II with the intent of convincing the other kingdoms to band together to repel the invading Orcish Horde. However, Gilneas and Alterac were not as easily convinced because of Deathwing, who disguised as a human noble and spread rumors in Lordaeron that the tales of orcs were merely fabrications meant to hide growing problems with human rebels, which had seemed far more believable than Stormwind's cries for help. Consequently, both kingdoms showed open suspicion about whether or not there had been an invasion by otherworldly creatures at all, believing that there had to be some other explanation. Even when gnome and dwarf refugees arrived after the orcs conquested Khaz Modan, King Aiden Perenolde and King Genn Greymane stubbornly resisted calls for creating an alliance, as they feared that by unifying they would lose some of their regional power. Divisions widened between the kings, and the arguments grew so heated that Gilneas and Alterac threatened to abandon the council entirely. Nevertheless, this diplomatic incident was avoided when the priest Turalyon presented himself with Stormwind's young prince Varian Wrynn at his side, and delivered an impassioned and charismatic speech of union to the gathered rulers, which have got through to even the most doubtful present. The council later voted unanimously to form the Alliance of Lordaeron, comprising all of humanity's kingdoms. Perenolde initially asked if the orcs would be open to negotiation, but after seeing every other kingdom eventually join, and fearing being left alone to fight the Horde, Alterac finally decided to join the Alliance.

Following the beginning of the Second War, while the rest of the Alliance remained in the Hinterlands to deal with the Horde there after the Battle of Hillsbrad Foothills, the other potential routes to Lordaerons capital seemed secure as the kingdom of Alterac was holding the line to the east. King Perenolde had set his garrisons to barricade those mountain passes, so if the orcs tried to march on the city through that route, the defenses would slow their approach. Some Alteraci soldiers also joined Anduin Lothar's armies and loyally fought against the Horde in Hillsbrad and the Hinterlands, though in lesser numbers than those sent by Lordaeron and Stromgarde.

As the Horde ravaged its way through the southern realms up to the elven kingdom of Quel'Thalas, Perenolde started fearing for the safety of Alterac, and the Horde's arrival in the Alterac Mountains had finally pushed him to betrayal. The king directly contacted Warchief Orgrim Doomhammer through a messenger bird and secretly met with him. Impressed that Doomhammer was able to speak Common, Aiden started finding the orc a cultured and honorable warrior. The two leaders negotiated an agreement: in exchange for free passage through the Alterac Mountains and other means of help from the kingdom, Doomhammer would keep his soldiers in check and not kill Alteraci citizens or raid Alteraci settlements. The Warchief even promised that after his conquest of Lordaeron, he would place Alterac under his protection, so that none may violate it, keeping the realm safe. Pleased with this agreement, Perenolde explained how to avoid the defensive positions in the mountains, and later came back to his castle where he announced to his general staff that starting immediately, Alterac would renege its vows with the Alliance and side with the Horde instead. Not all in the Alteraci leadership agreed with this decision, but they still obeyed their king.

Perenolde arranged for a convoy of high elves passing through Tarren Mill to be ambushed by forest trolls, organized a peasant revolt in Tyr's Hand to cover mining operations there, and attempted to assassinate Uther the Lightbringer by employing pirates to tamper with the Order of the Silver Hand. Perenolde also allowed the Horde through his kingdom unimpeded through mountain passes in Alterac leading towards Capital City. To accomplish this, he ordered his military leaders to garrison several northern mountain passes and avoid several south routes. Alteraci agents were eventually embedded into some of the orc clans, rendering them any assistance necessary.

Alterac sailors and soldiers were eventually caught fighting for the orcs during various battles of the war, including the major naval battle of Crestfall. When word of King Perenolde's betrayal reached the scattered Alliance forces, no one could believe it was true, as no one could fathom that any human would pledge loyalty to the bloodthirsty Horde. But it was true, and the implications were disastrous. With the Alterac Mountains fully barricaded, Doomhammer's journey west should have taken months. With a safe passage open to them, the Horde's soldiers had already reached Lordaeron to start the Siege of Capital City. After Perenolde's treachery was uncovered, the army of Stromgarde, led by Thoras Trollbane, traveled to the small kingdom. General Hath reluctantly confirmed Perenolde's treason once confronted by the king of Stromgarde. He then dispatched his troops to join Trollbane's in halting the orcish advance through the mountain passes.

King Terenas Menethil II later marched his forces into Alterac and declared martial law, deposing the traitorous Perenolde and imprisoning him. The custody soon turned to a mere house arrest, confining Perenolde to his palace and the rest of his family on close watch, and the kingdom was put under Alliance control. As a sovereign king, he could not be exiled, executed, or simply imprisoned (in order to avoid worrying the other kings that the same reaction would occur if they disagreed on anything). After the war, Turalyon spearheaded the efforts to rebuild the Eastern Kingdoms, and the Alliance leaders agreed to pool their resources to mend their war-ravaged nations, and due to its betrayal, Alterac did not take part in this meeting. The human leaders were still debating how to deal with the rogue kingdom, and the discussions would continue for many weeks. They wanted Perenolde to abdicate his position as king, so that he could be executed as a lesser noble. However, he refused, knowing it would mean his death. His kingdom had been put under martial law as a temporary solution on Daval Prestor's suggestion. Alterac's treasuries were also added to the Alliance's in order to finance the incoming measures that would happen after the war.

The Alterac crisis

Main article: Alterac crisis

An Alteraci mage "guarding" the Book of Medivh.

During a meeting at Lordaeron's palace, King Terenas Menethil II, King Thoras Trollbane, and Ambassador Muradin Bronzebeard discussed King Aiden Perenolde and the danger he represented by remaining "free" without appropriate judgment. Although they agreed that Prince Aliden Perenolde had no leadership skills, and the same personality as his father, they agreed that he was legitimate to take the throne and that his ignorance of his father's betrayal was to his advantage. When King Thoras mentioned that Alterac's betrayal cost many lives, King Terenas corrected him that it was Perenolde's betrayal, and that very few of Alterac's citizens even knew of their king's treachery. It was less a question of Alterac helping the Horde than of its king granting the orcs free passage and keeping his own citizens out of the way. The meeting concluded with Thoras approving his old friend's words, mentioning that he had known many from Alterac over the years, and that most were fine folk.

Following the reopening of the Dark Portal by the Horde of Draenor, Alteraci survivors, particularly the dethroned king, aided Ner'zhul's forces during the shaman's quest to steal magical artifacts to open new portals. During an orcish attack on New Stormwind, King Perenolde had the Book of Medivh stolen by his spies in an attempt to use for future leverage, and the Book was taken by an Alterac mage. When the death knight Gorefiend infiltrated Alterac and found Perenolde, the king was erratic, boisterous, making demands; as his sanity had slipped away after Deathwing, disguised as Lord Daval Prestor, had made sure his “distant cousin” had lost his mind so that the king could not contradict the lies the dragon was telling in Lordaeron. Gorefiend agreed to wipe out the king's lands of the vengeful troops of Stromgarde and Lordaeron in exchange for the artifact. With the Book of Medivh in their possession, the death knight and his followers left the mad king alive and made their retreat from the city, while the Alliance soldiers stationed in Alterac could do little to fight off the black dragons' relentless onslaught, and the garrison was eradicated by Deathwing. Prince Aliden was disgusted by the action of his father, knowing it would destroy everything he had done to try to clear the family name for two years.

When King Thoras Trollbane demanded that the eastern portion of Alterac be annexed to Stromgarde, in recognition of its efforts and sacrifices during the conflict, King Terenas Menethil II was undecided on what to do, thinking about giving the throne to Perenolde's son, Aliden. King Genn Greymane of Gilneas also joined the dispute, supporting the claims of a nephew of Perenolde, Isiden, who had taken refuge in Gilneas. Deathwing, disguised as Lord Daval Prestor, attempted to magically convince the leaders of the Alliance into making him Alterac's new ruler. Although he succeeded, and King Terenas planned to give control of the area to Lord Prestor, the plan was abandoned when Prestor "disappeared" (following Deathwing's defeat at Grim Batol).

Recent times

Main article: Syndicate

The ruins of Alterac City in the Alterac Mountains.

At some point King Aiden Perenolde died, leaving the door open for Lordaeron to at least partially annex the Alterac Mountains. At the outset of the Third War, Prince Arthas Menethil traveled through the King's Road toward Strahnbrad, and its inhabitants considered him their lord, with the citizens also taking up arms for Lordaeron. A new resistance against them had appeared, however, in the form of the Syndicate, led by former Alteraci Prince Aliden after he rose up in the Durnholde military under the tutelage of his new mentor Aedelas Blackmoore.

Prior the Siege of Dalaran, Lady Jaina Proudmoore worked tirelessly to rally as many refugees as she could after she had been convinced by the mysterious Prophet that sailing west to Kalimdor was the only course to save humanity. When she set sail for Kalimdor, her forces included members from nearly every Alliance race, including survivors from Lordaeron and other nations in the region.

By year 25 ADP, Strahnbrad had been taken over by the Syndicate and transformed into a military installation to recover the Alterac Mountains for themselves. They also successfully held control over Durnholde Keep as their base of operations in the Hillsbrad Foothills, and had domination over a big part of the ruined Stromgarde Keep in the Arathi Highlands. The organization was enemy of both the Alliance, whom they considered their mortal enemies, and the Horde, whom they considered mere brutes good for nothing but slave labor. Their leader, Lord Aliden Perenolde, believed in slavery and sought to place the orc race back into chains — to return, in fact, to the days of Alliance internment camps. On request of Warchief Thrall, the former prince was assassinated by a Horde adventurer.

Since the Cataclysm in 28 ADP, the old Alteraci territories continued to be disputed between the Crushridge ogres, the Frostwolf clan, the Stormpike clan, and the Syndicate brigands scattered across Strahnbrad and the Uplands. Unable to hold out, the organization was almost completely pushed out of the Hillsbrad Foothills, and its presence in the Alterac Mountains was much reduced.

Following the Battle for Lordaeron, both factions fought over territories and settlements which were previously held by the fallen kingdom. Horde forces dislodged the Syndicate to occupy the Ruins of Alterac and Strahnbrad, establishing defensible bases of operations in Lordaeron. In response, Alliance sent scouts to investigate the established fortifications and determine the numbers of local forces. No offensive, however, has been done to contest the region.

Culture and people

A gate at the entrance to the Alterac Mountains.

• The demonym used for the people of Alterac is "Alteraci".
•  [Hormone Free - Alterac Swiss] cheese was allegedly a favorite of Alterac's famed court.
• There is an old Alterac saying that goes: "A cat has nine lives, but needs only one."
• The Alterac brewhound is a type of mastiff famous for rescuing mountain travelers.
• According to Syndicate Master Ryson, the Alteraci people always wait until a clear victor rises from the ashes, and then strike.
• Founded centuries ago, the Church of Light spread its faith of the Holy Light in Alterac, as indicated by the chapel with symbols of the church in Alterac City.
• Like the other realms, Alterac applied the death penalty for its criminals, the task being accomplished by an executioner, as gallows could be found in the capital.

Notable people

•  Baron Vardus ^†
•  General Hath
•  Isiden Perenolde
•  Colonel Kavdan
•  Lord Falconcrest ^†
•  Lord Jorach Ravenholdt
•  Trand
•  Valea Twinblades
•  Baron Valimar Mordis ^†
•  Verand

Notable leaders

House of Perenolde

•  King Aiden Perenolde ^†
•  Lord Aliden Perenolde ^†

History	Before the Dark Portal																								Interlude																											Fourth War and aftermath
Ruler	King Aiden Perenolde																		Prince Aliden Perenolde															Disputed

Territories and outposts

Overview of the Alterac Mountains, including the Ruins of Alterac, Strahnbrad and the Uplands.

Prior the fall of the kingdom, the Alterac Mountains were home to the Alteraci people who held various territories across the snow-capped mountains.

Lordaeron

• Alterac Mountains
  • Ruins of Alterac
    • Alterac palace
  • Strahnbrad
  • Ravenholdt Manor
  • Barony Mordis
  • Gallows' Corner
  • Uplands
    • Dandred's Fold

In Warcraft II

This section concerns content related to Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness or its expansion Beyond the Dark Portal.

Leader: Lord Perenolde

Nation Color: Orange

Background: Alterac is the weakest of the Human nations and is only a minor contributor of troops and equipment to the Alliance. Although Lord Perenolde praises Lothar and Terenas for their ongoing efforts, he is beset by the fear that when the Horde comes, the Alliance will fail, and only the surrender of his forces and his sovereignty will save the lives of his subjects. Perenolde alone knows whether or not - when the final call to arms is sounded - Alterac will fight for its freedom alongside the other nations of the Alliance.

In the RPG

This section contains information from the Warcraft RPG which is considered non-canon.

Once the smallest nation in the Lordaeron Alliance, Alterac's king, Aiden Perenolde, betrayed the Alliance in the Second War. Alterac's honor has been blemished ever since. During the war, the Horde attempted to conscript some Alliance nobles to help them in their campaign, and the weak-willed nobles of the Alterac Mountains readily agreed to help the orcs overthrow the Alliance leaders and take Lordaeron. With the defeat of the Horde came the punishment for these traitors: exile from their former holdings. These exiles would eventually form the Syndicate. Led loosely by Lord Aiden Perenolde, the Syndicate retook the Alterac Mountains and currently battles with ogres and the undead to keep their lands.

The Alteraci nobility was officially ousted with the following proclamation:

BE IT NOW KNOWN that the individual called Lord Aiden Perenolde and every known ally, due to their association with the vile Horde during the war and their traitorous actions toward the Alliance and her citizens, shall be stripped of all land, holdings and wealth and known hereafter as traitors to the Alliance. They shall forfeit all rights to citizenry in the Alliance. Indeed, they are considered enemies of all citizens of Lordaeron. Let no good people of this land show them hospitality, mercy or sanctuary. Consider the honor they gave the Alliance and her citizens, and treat them no better.

So said in this seventh year of the new Alliance.

-Sir Uther Lightbringer of the Knights of the Silver Hand

The brothers Syndrissin and Aretain Naris were two religious people of Alterac who fought on the side of the Alliance during the Third War, but left it soon after.

Warcraft Adventures: Lord of the Clans

This section concerns content related to the canceled game Warcraft Adventures: Lord of the Clans and is therefore non-canon.

From Warcraft Adventures.

In the canceled Warcraft Adventures, Alterac was mentioned several times:

• It was said that Aedelas Blackmoore hailed from the kingdom, as he kept a flag of Alterac inside Durnholde Keep. Concept art for the game furthermore showed Blackmoore leading Alteraci troops in the aftermath of the Second War.
• An advertisement about recently-freed farmlands in Alterac could also be found on a bulletin board of the keep, mentioning an unknown Ambassador Perenolde.

Film universe

This section concerns content exclusive to the Warcraft film universe and is considered non-canon.

In the scene where Llane asked Garona where she had come from, a map of the Eastern Kingdoms was briefly shown. It showed Alterac covering both the Alterac Mountains and Hillsbrad Foothills, directly bordering Stromgarde to the east.

Notes and trivia

• Despite being seemingly land-locked in World of Warcraft, the kingdom bordered the Lordamere and Darrowmere Lakes and as such still had access to the Great Sea through the various rivers of Lordaeron. In Warcraft II the kingdom had its own fleet, and during the Alterac crisis Admiral Proudmoore was afraid that Gilnean influence in the region would threaten Kul Tiras' naval sovereignty.
• Out of all the human nations, Alterac is perhaps the most negatively connotated one. Almost all known Alteraci people are either Alliance traitors, slavers, criminals, demon worshipers, black dragons in disguise, sinister undead or Scarlet Crusade members, with the only modern exception being Lord Jorach Ravenholdt, who despite his allegiance to the greater good is still an assassin. Warcraft II had Alterac acting nefariously toward the Alliance, engaging in sabotage, assassination, and even direct combat against it.
  • Despite this, the Tides of Darkness novel depicted most Alteraci as being loyal to the Alliance of Lordaeron, being at worst only lied to on Perenolde's orders to avoid the Horde, and directly engaging the orcs when finally seeing them, while others, presumably more loyal to Perenolde, were being embedded in the Horde ranks.
  • In Beyond the Dark Portal, King Terenas Menethil II insisted that it was not Alterac but Perenolde's betrayal that cost many lives, and that very few of Alterac's citizens even knew of their king's treachery. King Thoras Trollbane approved his old friend's words, mentioning that he had known many from Alterac over the years, and that most were fine folk, not like their treacherous king.
• A previous account given in Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness, indicates that Alterac was completely destroyed by the Alliance forces after its treason. However, this contradicts the information later given in the Warcraft novels.
• In the Warcraft II design documents, Alterac was originally intended to be Neutral Good and to have strong air power, deploying their own gryphons to battle.
• It was stated in Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness The Official Strategy Guide that some high elves had sided with the kingdom of Alterac in its betrayal of the Alliance of Lordaeron during the Second War. This has not been mentioned since, however.
• In Heroes of the Storm, one of the skins for Rehgar Earthfury is "Alterac Drek'thar Rehgar", with him having an orange color scheme. The color could be a reference to the kingdom of Alterac and its Horde allegiance in Warcraft II.
• All of the assets used for Hillsbrad Foothills are labeled as 'Alterac'.
  • Despite this, according to World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 2 the only lands of the Foothills that would have used these assets were near the Uplands.

Gallery

• 

  The Alterac City region in Warcraft II.

• 

  The borders of Alterac.

• 

  Alterac in Warcraft II.

• 

  Alterac in Warcraft III.

• 

  Alterac briefly seen in a map of the Warcraft film.

• 

  Shield seen on a motorbike in Heroes of the Storm.

Warcraft Adventures: Lord of the Clans

• 

  Alteraci flag

• 

  Alliance-loyal Alteraci troops

Fan art

• 

  The Early Days of Alterac by Lost-In-Concept.

• 

  Alteraci human allied race fanart.

See also

• Alterac crisis
•  [Alterac Signet Ring]