Today I read again my PDF copy of Warcraft: Of Blood and Honor written by Chris Metzen, to feel once more that cool sensation of honor and nobility the novel inspires.

So I wanted to share that with fans that for a reason or another have never read the book or did not know it existed.

Warcraft: Of Blood and Honor takes place at year 19th—a year before Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos (RTS Game). How is this book relevant to World of Warcraft?  Its main characters are Tirion Fordring, governor of Hearthglen and Paladin of the Silver Hand; and Eitrigg the Blackrock orc.

Between the famous characters in the novel you can find Archbishop Alonsus Faol, Admiral Daelin Proudmoore, Prince Arthas, and Uther the Lightbringer as Judges on Tirion’s Trial.

In World of Warcraft, you can find Tirion Fordring as an NPC.  Tirion can be found at the western edge of Eastern Plaguelands, by the Thondroril River and Terrorweb Tunnel area.  There is a house in that area and Tirion is accompanied by his loyal horse Mirador.  Tirion is father of the Scarlet Crusade’s Highlord Taelan Fordring.  I recommend finishing all his quests.  It will be worth.

Eitrigg now serves Thrall, and may be found at Grommash Hold in Orgrimmar.  He is part of the Warlord Command questline that leads to Onyxia’s key attunement.

Warcraft: Of Blood and Honor shows Tirion and Eitrigg fighting in single combat near Hearthglen.  This fight among elder veterans showed each other that their enemy were more honorful than thought.  Eitrigg saved Tirion’s life.  Tirion sheltered Eitrigg in Hearthglen letting him hide and live freely in the woods.  His Paladin’s Oath that he would come to no harm for saving his life.  When Stratholme got word of his betrayal, Tirion was put on trial.  Uther stripped him of his Light-given powers after condemning him to excommunication. Standing before his convictions and Oath costed him to lose his Paladin duty, his position as Governor of Hearthglen, and property as he was exiled—being forced to leave a wife and son behind and to wander for years. But not before fulfilling his Paladin’s Oath … when Eitrigg would be executed by the Alliance, Tirion rescued Eitrigg.  Find out what happens when Tirion and Thrall meet face to face.

“Esarus thar no’Darador!”—“By Blood and Honor We Serve!”

In World of Warcraft, Tirion vowed to create a new order of the Silver Hand after the passing of his son before his mentor Isillien.

You can read the back story of Isillien and Abbendis—founders of the Scarlet Crusade, in Warcraft RPG: Lands of Conflict.  And a small entry about Tirion written by Prospector Brann Bronzebeard.

Warcraft: Of Blood and Honor is available as a downloadable PDF file.  Optionally, a trade paperback book titled Warcraft Archives contains four Warcraft novels including Of Blood and Honor.