The Alliance nations were all pleased with the Silver Hand's recruitment initiative.
When Archbishop Faol first announced the creation of the Paladin order, the rulers of the various nations, despite their trust in the esteemed archbishop, remained somewhat skeptical.
As a result, apart from Liadrin—who was personally recommended by Alaric and provided her own supplies (in the form of Seals)—the other five founding Paladins were handpicked by Faol himself.
Once the initial batch of Paladins completed their training, they demonstrated their abilities before the Alliance leadership.
While many of the powerful Paladin skills of the future had yet to be developed, these warriors imbued with the Light still made a profound impression on the assembled kings and nobles.
The reason was simple: the Alliance lacked a melee combat class with exceptional individual prowess and supernatural strength.
Thus, the emergence of the Paladin order was timely, positioning them as the chosen champions of the era.
Compared to elite warriors—who were rare due to the intense physical talent required—Paladins were far more accessible to the masses.
This does not mean that becoming a Paladin was easy. Quite the opposite: while ordinary warriors only needed basic combat skills, Paladins required not only exceptional physical conditioning but also a strong spiritual resolve.
However, the upper limit of a Paladin's potential far exceeded that of an ordinary warrior, and outstanding Paladins emerged more frequently.
Although the Silver Hand's six founding members were not yet on par with legendary warriors like Anduin Lothar, they were not far behind.
Faced with this new class that could mass-produce powerful fighters, the nations of the Alliance were eager to take part.
Led by the Kingdom of Lordaeron, various nations dispatched their most talented warriors and priests to Stratholme, hoping they would be chosen as recruits for the Silver Hand.
Their material support for the order also steadily increased.
Even the High Elves, who had traditionally viewed the Light with skepticism, recognized the value of Paladins in bolstering their forces. At Alaric's invitation and under Prince Kael'thas's leadership, they sent their own candidates to Stratholme.
Ultimately, the first batch of Silver Hand recruits numbered around a hundred, with several dozen being High Elves. Under the guidance of the five remaining founding Paladins, they began their training.
Why only five?
As one of the original Paladins, Turalyon's inability to wield the Light as a Paladin was an embarrassment. With Lothar's approval, he was reassigned to serve as Lothar's adjutant.
As for Alaric, although he retained his roles as an advisor and adjutant, his battlefield accomplishments had elevated his status.
He was no longer burdened with minor administrative duties; instead, the Alliance preferred to entrust him with overseeing magical and supernatural warfare.
When necessary, he was even granted command over his own forces.
In short, he had been promoted.
Meanwhile, Turalyon—the future commander of the Alliance Expeditionary Force—not only lost his chance to court his original timeline's wife, Alleria Windrunner, but also found himself serving under both Lothar and Alaric.
Overall, Lothar and Alaric were satisfied with Turalyon's performance. While he tended to revere Lothar as a legendary figure and was overly deferential to Alaric, his intelligence, loyalty, and diligence were undeniable. In the end, he was an excellent... tool.
While the Alliance was meticulously preparing for the upcoming war, the Horde was also making its own moves.
With resources secured from Khaz Modan and Death Knights replacing Warlocks as spellcasters, Warchief Orgrim Doomhammer still faced significant challenges in launching an invasion of Lordaeron.
To reach human lands by land, the Orcs would have to cross the treacherous marshlands of the Wetlands.
This route was fraught with dangers, and transporting siege engines while leading a massive army through such terrain would be incredibly difficult.
Additionally, the Horde would need to traverse the Thandol Span—the only bridge connecting the two landmasses of the Eastern Kingdoms—before reaching Lordaeron.
However, the Thandol Span was narrow and heavily defensible, making it an ideal chokepoint for the Alliance.
By now, Alliance forces had already stationed themselves in Hillsbrad Foothills, engaging in training exercises and preparing for war. If the Horde attempted a land invasion, the Alliance would be able to respond swiftly.
Most within the Alliance assumed that the barbaric Orcs, lacking naval expertise, would attack from the land.
Thus, Doomhammer decided to defy expectations and build a fleet to launch a naval assault on the heart of the Lordaeron Alliance.
Although no one openly questioned the Warchief's decision, many within the Horde were uneasy.
Orcs were naturally ill-suited for seafaring. In Draenor, they had never undertaken such an endeavor, and most superstitious clans harbored deep fears of the vast ocean.
Unexpectedly, Gul'dan and the Stormreaver Clan played a crucial role in convincing the Horde to embark on this naval campaign.
They argued that traveling by sea was far safer than by land and that this strategy was the wisest course of action.
While Doomhammer was pleased with this development, he remained highly wary of Gul'dan's true motives.
In fact, Gul'dan indeed had his own motives. He too wanted the Horde to have a powerful fleet, allowing him to carry out his own agenda, the specifics of which remained undisclosed for now.
In a bay located in the southwest of the Wetlands, the orc shipyard was hidden away, with Orgrim personally overseeing the construction of this massive fleet.
Orcs knew nothing about shipbuilding, but fortunately, some ogres were skilled in navigation.
The Zandalari trolls, who lived on islands in the sea, relied on ships to communicate with their scattered kin across the world.
These ogres assisted the orcs in building massive warships and also taught them how to construct smaller, lighter vessels that could navigate both seas and rivers more efficiently.
Additionally, the Doomhammer made contact with a new race—the goblins.
These cunning and shrewd beings lurked in the shadows, observing not only the arrival of the Horde but also witnessing the powerful orcs conquer Stormwind.
Amid the chaos, they sought an opportunity to profit.
Thus, instead of avoiding the Horde, the goblins actively approached these invaders.
Having just arrived in Azeroth, the Horde had much to learn about this world and its cultures. The goblins offered to provide new technologies, maps, and other valuable intelligence—so long as the price was right.
Unlike most warlike and reckless orcs, the cunning Orgrim did not resort to enslaving these bold goblins, as many of his kin might have suggested.
Instead, he generously rewarded them with wealth looted from human lands in exchange for their assistance.
With the goblins' help and the support of other members of the Horde, the orcs began rapidly constructing their fleet.
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