Horde extracts power from the elven runestone at Caer Darrow

Full History

The Horde took power from an elven runestone at Caer Darrow and used its magic in the creation of ogre-magi at the Altars of Storms. A protective elven relic thus became a resource for the invaders' sorcerous armies. The act showed the Horde's willingness to appropriate the magic of the lands it attacked.

High elven runestones were bound to old traditions of protecting Quel'Thalas and controlling arcane forces. Gul'dan and the Horde's other spellcasters sought ways to make their armies more dangerous against the Alliance's varied defenders. By cutting fragments from a runestone and redirecting that energy, they produced enhanced ogres capable of wielding magic in battle. The transformation helped close a gap between brute force and the powerful spellcasters defending human and elven realms.

The event is part of the original Warcraft II account of how the Horde adapted its forces during the Second War. Its importance lies in the meeting of two magical traditions: an elven defensive inheritance and an invading army's use of stolen power. The damage to the runestone also made the conflict in the northern lands more than a struggle over castles and ports.