The Northrend Commonwealth is an organization founded by those who were forced from their homeland by the Lich King and his Scourge, and fled south to Kalimdor and the Eastern Kingdoms. Created as a simple, nameless aid organization to assist refugees in settling into their new homes, as well as find loved ones lost on the journey south, the burning passion of the Northrendic people pushed it beyond its original intent.

Driven by the hope of returning to their homeland and a desire for vengeance against those who took it from them, the remnants of Northrend's people banded together and created a name for themselves: The Northrend Commonwealth. Though now part of(and loyal to) the Alliance, the Commonwealth considered themselves independent of the kingdoms that laid within. As such, they would strive to recolonize Northrend as the people of Northrend, not in the name of Stormwind, Ironforge, or any other member of the Alliance. They would remain a proud, independent people.

With no living members of Northrendic royalty(or any other member of government authority) remaining in their ranks, the opportunity to lay the framework for their own system of rule arose. Understanding how easily a group as small as theirs could be manipulated, and knowing none of them had a higher claim at rank than the other, they turned to a simple concept: voting.

A Prime Minister would be elected from volunteers that stepped forward, as well as a cabinet of Ministers. The Ministers would assist the Prime Minister in administrative tasks and maintain a balance of power. Should the people of the Commonwealth feel the Ministry was not fulfilling their duties properly, a new election would be held to remove that Minister from their chair, should the majority vote against them.

The first Prime Minister, Lady Vaerana Kyor, was selected nearly unanimously. Her stay in the position was brief, voluntarily vacating her chair after working diligently to be sure the Commonwealth's internal government was running smoothly. She named Lady Morwen Gunnhildr temporary Prime Minister until an election could be held. Vaerana Kyor has since departed the ranks of the Commonwealth, though strong ties remain.

An election was held soon after Lady Vaerana stepped down, with Morwen Gunnhildr winning by a landslide. Following in the footsteps of the previous Prime Minister, Morwen worked endlessly to be sure the young organization worked smoothly, also dabbling heavily into relations with other guilds and forming alliances with similar-minded forces in the Alliance.

During Morwen's time as Prime Minister, the Commonwealth rose in infamy and popularity, attracting many others to their cause. Individuals of all the Alliance's races threw their lot in with the organization, some seeking vengeance of their own, or eager to assist in establishing a new home for themselves as well, agreeing with the goals of the Commonwealth.

Lady Gunnhildr also ended her time as Prime Minister prematurely, deciding that it was not as a politician that she could best serve the people of Northrend. The priestess Fellina Lamere was given the position until an election could be held, and much like Lady Gunnhildr, Fellina won the election that followed.

Early in her career, Lady Lamere began to stress the importance of the Light amongst the Commonwealth, and worked closely with her cabinet of Ministers to establish a Code of Conduct, and solidify their goals for the future. Their numbers had grown beyond what the Commonwealth had imagined. They would have their vengeance, and their homeland. Additionally, it was not only personal attachment to Northrend that drove them anymore. Many people of all races and backgrounds looked to Northrend for a home, and Lady Lamere swore to give her all to see it happen.

It has been over two years since the priestess was elected, and she has been all but uncontested in two additional elections since then. The Ministry as a whole has remained mostly constant in that time, only a handful of members vacating their chairs, and all of them willingly. During this time, tightly knit alliances have been forged with groups such as the Unbroken, and the scholars of Alligare.

The Northrend Commonwealth keeps its eyes looking north, as their compass rose emblem displays, though they fully understand they are not yet prepared for the task that lies ahead. They take to the battlefield on many fronts, upholding the virtues of the Light and gathering the power necessary to achieve their ultimate goal.

In recent times, the Commonwealth and its allies have become increasingly aggressive against the evils of Azeroth and Outland and gathering the armaments that lie in the darkest corners of the worlds. When questioned on their sudden resolve, Lady Fellina responded with only the words: “Our time comes soon.”

It is said that looking into the eyes of a member of the Ministry is to look into the eyes of war itself. The Northrend Commonwealth has waited for years to reach the shores of their homeland once more, and it seems their final preparations are nearly complete.

No one seemed to notice the scarcity of Wildesana’s presence around Northrend’s Guild house. With the new threats of Outland and old threats still lurking in Azeroth, the citizens of the Northrend Commonwealth were not the only ones so busy. In truth, it seemed that the only time the Guild of Guilds saw each other was when they were fighting a new enemy or holding a strategy meeting to discuss an enemy. The times of merriment had indeed been rare.

It came as a shock when the well-regarded mage by the name of Frostraven took leave, sending in her place a shaman, Aerix. Frostraven was indeed an asset as a mage, but she was also a friend. Frostraven’s absence was, in fact, the reason behind the less frequent sightings of Lady Siwind, for they had been investigating a source of magic deep within a little known valley in Azeroth for almost two months.

To make a vial worthy of holding the magic within the valley, quite a few difficult materials were needed. First, four of the best elements were needed to make a mighty primal, and the vial needed twelve of these mighty primals, difficult enough with the length of time needed for resting between making each primal. Then Frosty, as Wildesana affectionately called her friend, had to let a mixture of Gron blood from the largest Gron, black lotus, root of a decaying blood tree (from Bloodmoon, of all places), and spores willingly given by a Sporregar sit in an iced cauldron for 22 days. The last was easiest, as, though both ladies had to become honored with the Sporregar, they were easy to please and quite friendly. So with much time and effort, Frostraven finally completed one small vial with which to capture their findings.

Wildesana and Frosty prepared to go into the valley that day, packing up bags, carefully rolling the vial in a cloth of the finest netherweave, and sending a message to the guild house explaining what they were bringing back.

“Ana!” Frostraven yelped.

Wildesana, startled to hear her name in such a way, knew there was something wrong. (You see, Frosty was one of two people who knew Wildesana’s given name was simply Ana. When Ana left Northrend to learn the ways of a mage, her parents did not approve. Soon, Ana became known around Northrend as Wild Ana. When Northrend perished, Ana was desperate for something of the place to hold onto, so she took her nickname and made it her own, so that a part of Northrend would always be with her. Frostraven only called Wildesana Ana when she was cross with her or needed her attention. But this is another story, shall we continue then?) “What is it?!” Wildesana ran to where Frostraven was crouched over the edge of the cliff.

“I think I see … something … stirring in the valley,” Frostraven motioned to what looked like a colony of ants gathering food. “What is that?”

Wildesana remembered her ornate spyglass was tucked away in one of her bags and pulled it out to get a better look. Far down in the valley, Ana saw some of the strangest creatures she had ever laid eyes upon. Their rotund heads were largely disproportionate to their small pudgy bodies. Their faces seemed continually in sadness, as their eyes were shaped like tears and their down-turned mouth had wrinkles all around it. They were naked except for what looked like a sagging mushroom on their heads, and a crimson band around their waists. It was true that Ana and Frosty had seen creatures like these before, but the oddity of them was still intriguing.

“Those are the lost Draenei from the looks of it, here, see?” Ana handed Frosty the spyglass and went to tend to the last of the packing.

“What are they doing here though? Living in the Swamp of Sorrows, sure, but the Stonetalon Mountains? Not only is it very unlike their old habitat, but it is infested with harpies and other creatures not likely to enjoy their presence. You know though Ana, this does explain a little more about that gas we found. Maybe they brought it with them?”

Ana kneeled and thought for a moment; “Well, if they are indeed the ones who brought this magic to Azeroth, maybe they can tell us exactly what it is. If we can talk to them, we would save time and resources on research later. Hand me a quill Frosty? I’m going to send another letter to Minister Aislinana to let her know it might be a few more days before we return.”

“We’ve already passed any mailboxes, Ana, how do you propose to send it?” But Frosty answered herself, “You’re going to send Emlyn, aren’t you?” Ana just smiled as she pat the snow colored gryphon and attached the letter to its back. “Well, I rather like flying better, but land travel is okay I guess.” Frosty helped send Emlyn off, and she and Ana made their way down the valley.

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“Minister Aislinana, a letter from Lady Siwind has arrived.” The gnome smiled.

Dear Aislinana,

Frostraven and I have been investigating a source of magic we found in a valley in the northern mountains on Stonetalon. We were able to discover what kind of vial was needed to carry the gaseous magic, and have transmuted the vial. I must tell you Aislinana, I am a little worried. Frostraven and I wore protection masks when we first entered the valley, but the gas seemed to want to permeate even that. It is a resilient magic, and we are still unsure as to what it will do. We should be back soon, please tell Gradar that Frostraven is doing well.

Light Guide,

Wildesana Siwind

Aislinana looked at the letter for a moment and thought. This gas sounded familiar, where had she heard something like this before? Aislinana got up and went to a bookshelf. "Mmhmm, aha, Mmhmm." She perused the book then shut it loudly. "Oh dear. Not good, not good at all." Aislinana went to the door and called for one of the young mages training across the hall. "Barock, send a memo to all the mages of the Guild of Guilds. I need to meet with them about a dangerous situation that has come up." The little gnome ran off to do as he was told as Aislinana went back into her office and shut the door. She would need some potions.

 

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There was blood everywhere. She sat up still dizzy and gazed at the gruesome scene. What had happened here? The last she remembered, she and her friend were entering the cave behind the leader of the Broken tribe in the valley. There was a flash of blue light and then a dream. She dreamed of her family and how they were killed. It was all so real, and her worst fear was seen as she saw her parents walking mindlessly toward her, obviously under scourge control. She awoke just as they were about to reach her.

“Frosty,” Ana whispered as she crawled toward a nearby tree. But Frostraven was nowhere to be seen. Wildesana sat under the tree and stared blankly into the distance. She didn’t want to move. She glanced down at her waist and noticed an empty ring on her belt where the vial had been. She could feel despair coming over her. Frostraven was gone, Wildesana was not even sure if she was alive. The vial that took so long to make was gone. The gas that had earlier seemed to permeate every inch of the valley even seemed to float away and thin. Wildesana was slipping into a state of hopelessness.

“No.” Wildesana willed her mind to think instead of how to find Frosty and the vial, and get the gas back to the Ministry. She thought of the stories of survival she had heard from General Legius, she thought of her family…Her family. She had had that dream about them and it seemed so real, so horrible. Wildesana had vowed to fight for them, hadn’t she? So why stop now…

 

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“I received the second letter just this morning. I think the ladies may be in grave danger. I have heard of a gas such as the one they describe. Why they didn’t ask me first I don’t know, but I do know that if it is the substance I have heard about, and those Broken are the ones who brought there, then we will need more than weapons to save them.” Aislinana looked at the magi in front of her with hope in her eyes. Friendship, she said, was needed in times like these.

“I have permission to utilize each of your abilities to get the ladies back here safe. Tiblet, your talents with the arcane will be needed most when we get to Ladies Siwind and Raven.” Tiblet nodded. “Vordar and Garainla, I will need you two mainly for defense, but I know that you’ll do what you need to do when the time comes.”

“Well, I feel special.” Chesible spoke up from the doorway.

“Glad you came, Chesible,” Aislinana smiled. “I was worried no one from Alligare would make it.”

“Well, you give me a chance to throw spells around and destroy things, and I’ll be there. Just got back from fishing, had to catch that last one you know!” The mages laughed.

“We’re going on a mission, I feel like a spy! So exciting.” Garainla tinkered with some metal in her bags. “Oh oh oh! We should have a name!”

“A name? We’re just mages going to rescue a fellow mage. It’s not like we’re forming some ‘Order of the Elite Mages!’, or something. I mean, after this mission, we go back to killing enemies and training.” Vordar raised his arms and flexed his muscles. “Though I must say, I am rather a stud. Being in an ‘Order of the blah blah blah’ would be good for getting the ladies.”

“Well,” Aislinana looked around at the group, “We’re all wearing red and we’re mages, how bout the ‘Order of the Crimson Magi’?” Aislinana let out a burst of giggling.

The group laughed and got their things together. Vordar jumped up and down with Garainla singing, ‘We’re in a mage order, we’re in a mage order!’ This was sure to be an interesting adventure.

…..

The Southsea Buccaneers are a band of notorious pirates who have been sailing the seas for many years. Their crew knows no race or creed, but merely demands loyalty and honor from those that would join them. (The Southseas Buccaneers hordeside are something of a reflection of this - the idea is that the crew is not composed of Horde or Alliance only, but outlaws from both factions).

Despite numerous crimes against the kingdom of Stormwind and its allies, the Buccaneers have gained amnesty through the accidental recovery of an artifact of extreme importance to the Scourge, which was delivered to the Stormwind leadership and used to bargain for pardon, provided that the pirates ceased their hostilities against Stormwind's outputs and allies. The crew chose this route after numerous run-ins with the undead Scourge, and came to the realization that the protection and resources of the Alliance would be necessary for survival in conflict against the armies of Arthas. Currently, the Buccaneers exist in a state of uneasy truce with the formal leadership of the Alliance. They do not recognize any established Alliance or Horde authority as their soverign, but work in concert with them for their mutual benefit. They do not fight the Alliance or Horde's wars against each other or other foes, but will join them in pursuit of their own interests when it suits them.

The Buccaneers have formed an alliance with the Northrend Commonwealth and its allies, as the Commonwealth has a distinct interest in reclaiming the land of Northrend from the Scourge, which overlaps the Buccaneers' purpose in resisting the growing Scourge presence in their own territories. They have joined the Commonwealth and its allies in its struggles against numerous foes, though their purposes are often different from the Commonwealth's. The Buccaneers seek riches and glory, caring little for the idealogical crusades of so many of Azeroth's other factions. Where there is profit to be gained or a name to be made, you can be certain that you'll find the Buccaneers there. In this pursuit, they have joined their allies in Outland, a rich territory ripe for plunder, and more importantly, free from the political boundaries of Azeroth.