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Warcraft III takes place in the fictional world of Azeroth. Several years before the events of the games, a demon army known as the Burning Legion intent on Azeroth's destruction corrupted a race called the Orcs, and sent them through a portal to attack Azeroth. After many years of fighting, the Orcs were defeated by a coalition of humans, dwarves and elves known as the Alliance; the surviving combatants were herded into internment camps, where they seemed to lose their lust for battle. With no common enemy, a period of peace followed, but the Alliance began to fracture. The events of Warcraft III occur after a timeskip from Warcraft II. This period was originally intended to have been documented in Warcraft Adventures, but that game was canceled in mid-development.
The Prophet, aka, Medivh, The Last Guardian: Medivh was a wizard given enormous power in order to keep the demons from Azeroth by the magic of Dalaran, who made him a Guardian of the Tristfal Order. He was, however, possessed from birth by Sargeras, of the Burning Legion, and used to bring the Orcs through as a precursor to a full invasion. He returns in Warcraft Three to ensure the Legion is defeated.
Thrall: The son of an Orcish chieftain who had refused the demonic corruption, Thrall was brought up in slavery by the humans after his parents were betrayed and killed. Having escaped from his human masters, he freed his people, imprisoned in the internment camps after their loss of the Second war. He became overall ruler ("Warchief") after the death of the previous leader in battle. He is an honourable and idealistic leader.
Grom Hellscream: The chieftain of the Warsong clan, Grom willingly acquiesced in the corruption, but as it left him he had to fight the lethargy that was usually an inevitable result. His clan were the first free orcs which Thrall found after his escape from slavery, and they became friends: they address each other as brother. Grom briefly fell again to demonic corruption after the legion's invasion, but was rescued and freed by Thrall and Jaina. Grom was killed by the action of slaying Mannoroth.
Terenas Menethil II, King of Lordaeron: Terenas was a very old man by this time. He ruled Lordearon, a kingdom involved in almost all the Campaigns, but only appeared in the game cut scenes. He was killed by his son, Arthas, who had been corrupted by the Lich King (known to many for some time as "the dark lord"), the master of the undead scourge.
Uther the Lightbringer: Uther is the first of the order of paladin, the Knights of the Silver Hand, that fight and heal by the power of the light. Although he is the original mentor of Arthas, not even he can prevent the prince's eventual corruption. In the end, he is killed by Arthas while protecting the ashes of King Terenas.
Arthas Menethil, Crown Prince of Lordaeron, Son of King Terenas: Arthas, as seen at the beginning of the story, is an honorable, althrough slightly arrogant, paladin, a pupil of Uther's, who fights with enormous devotion to save his people. Driven to madness by the battle against the plague, he seeks to end the scourge forever by journeying to Northrend, the "roof of the world". However, once there, he comes across his old friend and mentor, Muradin Bronzebeard. Although Muradin is able to slow his descent into paranoia for some time, eventually Arthas supposedly killed him by freeing the runeblade, Frostmourne, which consumed Arthas' soul. He returns to his kingdom and turns on his father, slaying him and putting himself on the path to join the Lich King.
Antonidas: An archmage in Dalaran, seen only briefly. He sends Jaina to deal with the plague and is at the forefront of the defense of Dalaran from the Scourge. He lead the forces of Dalaran during its siege, however was murdered by the mad prince when the scourge stormed parts of the city. During the battle, a tome, known as the Book of Medivh, is stolen from Dalaran. Although the remnants of his forces succeed in breaking the siege, and almost kill both Arthas and his majordomo, Kel'thuzad, Archimonde (a demon lord and leader of the Burning Legion) arrives just in time in Azeroth, and destroys the city state.
Jaina Proudmoore: A young Archmage, the daughter of Admiral Proudmoore, taught by Antonidas. She is an old flame of Arthas's and still his close friend when she first appears. She alone of the human leaders listens to the prophet, and journeys to Kalimdor. She then joins up with Thrall, Malfurion, Cairne and Tyrande Whisperwind and they defeat the burning legion, and the scourge.
Kel'thuzad: He is first seen living. He was thrown out of Dalaran for Necromancy, and submitted to the Lich King. Arthas kills him before his own fall to the scourge, and later raises him as a Lich. In this form he summons Archimonde, field commander of the burning legion, to Azeroth.
Mal'ganis: Demon and dreadlord. He is responsible for much of the plan that leads Arthas to the Lich King, and to corruption. Appears to be killed by Arthas (seemingly on the direct orders of the Lich King, which surprises the Dreadlord), but is actually alive and plotting for revenge.
Muradin Bronzebeard: A brother of one of the dwarvish kings. He was one of Arthas's mentors. He was searching for the legendary runeblade in Northrend before Arthas arrived. Believed to be killed by the shattering of the ice when Arthas picked up Frostmourne, however, recent evidence has suggested otherwise...
The Lich King (aka Ner'zhul): Ner'zhul was an orc, who, in their old homeland was deceived by the demons and served them, later trying to escape. He was caught, and his body preserved and tortured. His spirit has been frozen in a block of ice in Northrend, and his mind greatly enlarged. He controls all the vast armies of undead by his mental power. He is not an ally of the Legion when he can avoid it (this is why he kills Mal'Ganis).
Tichondrius: Demon and dreadlord. First seen overlooking Arthas's work for the Scourge/Burning Legion, later direct commander of the undead. Killed by Illidan in Felwood.
Sylvanas Windrunner: Ranger general of the High Elves. She attempts to defend her country against the scourge. Killed by Arthas, but then raised as undead, and becomes a major character in the sequel.
Archimonde: The field commander of the burning legion, at this time second in command only to Kil'jaeden. His summoning is the final object of the undead campaign, and his death the final object of the game. Killed by the ancestral spirits of the night elves on the command of Malfurion Stormrage.
Cairne Bloodhoof: The chieftain of a group of Tauren. Almost defeated by the Centaurs, Thrall befriends him and aids his people to retreat. He then joins and aids Thrall.
Mannoroth: Demon and pit lord. Responsible for both the original corruption of the orcs and the attempted recorruption. Killed by Grom Hellscream in a canyon in Ashenvale, which was named Demon Fall Canyon after this event.
Cenarius: Son of Elune (the moon goddess of the night elves), Cenarius has dwelt in Ashenvale for ten thousand years with his people. Killed by Grom in his brief demonic recorruption.
Tyrande Whisperwind: Priestess of Elune and greatly favoured by her, lover of Malfurion Stormrage. She fought in the original defeat of the Legion ten thousand years before. Until she awakens the druids, she is the sole leader of the night elves after Cenarius's death.
Malfurion Stormrage: Leader of the Druids. Woken by Tyrande to fight the legion.
Illidan Stormrage, The Betrayer: Illidan is the brother of Malfurion and a Night Elf Demon Hunter in his own right. He too fought against the demons in their first invasion, though by unconventional means that others (possibly rightly) distrusted. He was imprisoned for recreating the Well of Eternity on the summit of Mount Hyjal, an action which the Night Elves believed would cause the demons to return. He was cursed by Sargeras which left him "blind" but still able to see all magical properties around living or non-living objects. After being released from his prison 10,000 years later by Tyrande Whisperwind, he consumes enormous power with the skull of Gul'dan, and transforms into a demon (later in the game series he is half demon, half night elf, but can transform into a demon at will).
