| The Kingdom of Stromgarde | |
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| Cities and Towns | |
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Capital |
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Major Settlements |
Refuge Pointe |
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Minor Settlements |
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| Demographics | |
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Culture |
Stromic |
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Language(s) |
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Demonym |
Stromic (official) |
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Religion(s) |
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| Government | |
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Type |
Hereditary Monarchy |
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King |
Danath Trollbane (de facto) |
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Legislature |
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| Geography | |
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Location |
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Area |
≈70 000 square miles |
| Economics | |
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Currency |
Stromic Coinage
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| Emblems | |
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Fauna |
Eagle |
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Colour(s) |
Red |
| Other | |
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Allegiance |
Independent (formerly) |
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Status |
Active (contested) |
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This article is part of a series on | |
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Stromgarde City · Arathi Highlands · Arathi Basin | |
Stromgarde Army · Stromgarde Navy · League of Arathor · Kingdom of Stromgarde | |
Liam Trollbane · Thoras Trollbane · Galen Trollbane · Danath Trollbane | |
| See also, House of Trollbane, Stromgarde Peerage, Stromgarde Organizations, Empire of Arathor | |
Stromgarde is a human nation historically located in the Arathi Highlands. Its capital city, Stromgarde, rests upon the site of the original capital of the Empire of Arathor, Strom. The Kingdom traces itself back to the final defenders of the Empire once it had fractured into the Eastern Kingdoms. It was conquered by Galen Trollbane with the Forsaken, temporarily bringing the kingdom under heel of the Horde until Galen seceded and was later killed by the Knights of the Ebon Blade after betraying them during their quest to raise his father Thoras as the second horseman of the Ebon Blade.
The ruins of Stromgarde were later retaken by the Alliance under Galen's cousin Danath Trollbane, who rebuilt and restored the outlying areas and began resettling the Highlands, resulting in the constructions of the towns of Newstead and High Perch.
During the Second War, Thoras Trollbane, Lord of Stromgarde, joined his kingdom with the Alliance of Lordaeron. The kingdom declined rapidly following the Third War, losing control of much of its territory and capital city. The national colour of Stromgarde is red, and its symbols are a closed fist and a bird with its wings spread.
History[]
Arathor[]
The city of Stromgarde was founded by the Arathi tribe of humans in the Arathi Highlands during the Troll Wars. Originally named Strom, the city became the capital of the great Arathorian Empire. Following the peak of the empire's power, many of its citizens left to found other cities, including Dalaran, Alterac, Lordaeron, and Stormwind. Many of these newer cities began to attract settlers at an astonishing rate, and it was only a matter of years before the once-powerful Arathi Empire was splintered into seven independant states following a great civil war. At the end of the war, Strom was no longer the center of the human lands, and it was during this time that the leaders of the remaining Arathorian Legion changed the city's name to Stromgarde.
Second and Third Wars[]
By the time of the Second War, Stromgarde was a harbor city that controlled the Arathi Highlands and the island-fortress of Tol Barad. Though not the largest, it was one of humanity's most powerful kingdoms. Led by Thoras Trollbane, it was also a close and loyal ally of the Kingdom of Lordaeron, and their mutual friendship would facilitate the nation's quick entry into the Alliance of Lordaeron just before the Second War. Following the start of the Second War, Stromgarde sent half of its standing army to join the main Alliance forces, the rest of its army left to defend the highlands from invasion through the dwarven realm of Khaz Modan.
After the end of the war, Stromgarde left the Alliance upset at King Terenas' decision to not execute the captured orcs.
During the Third War, Stromgarde managed to prevent the Scourge from ravaging through its lands, and sent a detachment of troops, the Stromgarde Brigade to accompany Lady Jaina Proudmoore and the human expedition across the sea to Kalimdor. Despite this, the darkest hour of Stromgarde was yet to come. Thoras Trollbane was assassinated under mysterious circumstances, and Stromgarde came under siege by both the forces of the Syndicate and the Boulderfist Ogres. Outnumbered and isolated, the city of Stromgarde fell the the invading forces.
Recent History[]
After Thoras' death, his son, the Prince Galen Trollbane, became the leader of the remains of Stromgarde, and actually managed to retake a large portion of the city until his own demise at the hands of the Horde The remaining forces of Stromgarde form the League of Arathor, which fights to free the rest of the Arathi Highlands, and in the Arathi Basin, to keep its many resources from the hands of the Forsaken and the Horde forces who fight from the former internment camp now Horde base of Hammerfall.
As it turned out, Galen Trollbane himself bears responsibility for much of the decline of Stromgarde, for his impatience for the throne led him to assassinate his father Thoras, which left Stromgarde leaderless during a time of immense peril, and despite his ambition, Galen was simply not the man his father was, his leadership resulting in Stromgarde's many enemies converging on the capital city and seizing much of the kingdoms territory.
Danath Trollbane, Thoras Trollbane's nephew, vowed that he would one day return to Stromgarde and restore it to its greatness, but, for the time being, he is bound to his duties in Outland. Stromgarde is still remembered as the starting point of humanity. Stromgarde's armies were once far from defeated and maintained a base of strategic operations at the crevasse known as Refuge Point in the Highlands, and some areas of the partially reclaimed Stromgarde City such as the Sanctum after Prince Galen's death.
Everything changed in the Fall of Stromgarde however, as hostilities and tension grew tight between the Grand Alliance and New Horde. Following a week-long conflict between the Alliance and Horde within and near Stromgarde City (that would be later known as the "Fall of Stromgarde"), the Forsaken launched the plague upon the city, bringing it to its final seemingly irreversible demise. Galen Trollbane himself would be reanimated as a Forsaken and aided the Forsaken in their campaign against his former home and people, showing an immense indifference to the fate of his former people.
Galen would later rebuild the city as a city for the undead citizens of Stromgarde, however, he defected upon the Forsaken at the apex of the Burning Legion invasion, allowing him to conquer the city as his own. Now an independent undead kingdom, he promised the Ebon Blade the power of Trol'kalar and his father, Thoras Trollbane, if they removed the last of the Vilebranch tribe holding out in the mage district of Stromgarde.
After the deed was done, Galen attempted to betray the Ebon Blade to prevent the raising of his father to no avail, resulting in his own death, and the abandonment of undead Stromgarde. It is now unknown who will rule over them, as the undead civilians and soldiers now struggle to come to terms with their new, leaderless, situation.
Return to Glory[]
Before the Fourth War had even begun, the Grand Alliance was already assessing the ruins of Stromgarde City for their potential as a possible foothold into Lordaeron and Gilneas where the Alliance had once held such power. Eager to regain their former holdings, the Alliance began moving men and materials into the City to begin preliminary reconstruction. During this period of reconstruction, King Anduin Wrynn of the Alliance would attempt to mend fences between the Alliance and Horde, who were on the brink of total war.
Hosting an armistice between humans and their undead relatives in the Forsaken, King Anduin tried to orchestrate a peaceful reunion between families. However, the presence of the living Princess Calia Menethil of Lordaeron complicated matters. Inspired by her kind and peaceful words, some Forsaken decided to defect from the Horde and return to their families in the Alliance. This attempt was foiled by Sylvanas Windrunner, who upon seeing her own people leave her put an end to the armistice by murdering each Forsaken who was still in the Highlands. Calia Menethil was also killed in the volley of arrows.
With no further chances for peace on the horizon, the full militarization of Stromgarde commenced. Citizens long displaced from their homes flocked to Stromgarde in the thousands, inspired by the return of Stromgarde's rightful heir, Lord Danath Trollbane, who as last surviving member of the Trollbane line, held sole claim to rulership over the kingdom. An ardent supporter of the Alliance, Danath worked alongside legendary Alliance heroes like High Exarch Turalyon and Muradin Bronzebeard to return the city to greatness. The Alliance and Kingdom of Stormwind in particular extended a generous amount of support with troops, materials and war machines being directed to the city every month, and the ruins of Stromgarde were soon restored to the ancient fortress city that had been the bulwark and home of humanity for thousands of years.
The Horde would also construct their own fortress in Arathi over the ruins of Northfold Manor, seeking no strategic benefit other than stymieing the progress of the Alliance in Lordaron. Between Stromgarde City and the newly constructed Ar'gorok, the Arathi Highlands would become one of the epicenters of the Fourth War, experiencing much of the fiercest fighting on mainland Azeroth. Horde soldiers would seek to attack by the week, both sides employing their newly developed Azerite weaponry in an attempt to turn the tide of the war. Slowly but surely, the Alliance would see continued progress in Lordaeron with Stromgarde leading the way and their Worgen and Dwarven and Human allies reclaimed more and more territory across the eastern kingdoms.
After many long months of fighting, the Soldiers of Stromgarde pushing back and forth across the western highlands, the defenses of Ar'gorok at the last faltered. Reinforced by Stormwind, the Kingdom of Stromgarde would finally declare victory over the Horde invaders at Ar'gorok, shattering its walls and causing the remaining Horde soldiers to flee. Stromgarde's survival was at last secured, so it seemed. After the Fourth War, most Stormwind reinforcements withdrew from the region, leaving a modest presence to deter further Horde aggression. Stromgarde continues to rebuild to this day.
