Gryphon riders of Northeron lend aerial support against the Horde

Full History

The gryphon riders of Northeron brought aerial power to the Alliance during the Second War. Dwarven warriors mounted on great gryphons could strike enemies inaccessible to troops on the ground and answer threats posed by the Horde's new flying weapons. Their enchanted Stormhammers became distinctive arms of the northern coalition.

Ironforge had already provided weapons and technical skills, but dwarven contributions were not confined to workshops or mountain defenses. Gryphon riders came from traditions associated with the Wildhammer dwarves and their northern homes. The bond between rider and mount created a type of combat different from gnomish observation craft or the dragons deployed by the Horde. Where one helped commanders see across distance, the other could meet a flying enemy directly.

The riders' service helped the Alliance contest the skies in a war that extended from land to sea and air. Kurdran Wildhammer and Sky'rie would later gain renown for fighting enemy dragons, joining that tradition to the Alliance expedition beyond the Dark Portal. The history of gryphon warfare thus spans the defense of the Eastern Kingdoms and the campaigns that followed the Horde's defeat.