Alteraci

"Alterac is the weakest of the Human nations and is only a minor contributor of troops and equipment to the Alliance. Although Lord Perenolde praises Lothar and Terenas for their ongoing efforts, he is beset by the fear that when the Horde comes, the Alliance will fail, and only the surrender of his forces and his sovereignty will save the lives of his subjects. Perenolde alone knows whether or not - when the final call to arms is sounded - Alterac will fight for its freedom alongside the other nations of the Alliance."

- Introduction

The Alteraci are an ethnic group of humans that lived in the Kingdom of Alterac.

Alterac was was one of the seven human nations to join the Alliance of Lordaeron during the Second War. It was situated in the foothills and mountains of the land now known as the Alterac Mountains. Formerly ruled by King Aiden Perenolde, Alterac was the weakest kingdom in the Alliance and a relatively small contributor of soldiers and supplies.

The Alteraci people are scattered, many of them form what is now the Syndicate.

History
Alterac was founded during the third millennium BDP as the Empire of Arathor expanded across southern Lordaeron. The early human settlers built a city nestled in the Alterac Mountains, likely exploiting its position on important trade routes through the mountains. The settlement grew into a powerful city-state around the same time as Gilneas and Kul Tiras.

As the centuries past, Alterac had grown to be culturally distinctive from those in the imperial capital of Strom, yet all the while remaining staunchly loyal to its authority. Its army had grown to be one of the strongest in the empire, likely from its position on the empire's northern frontier. Alteraci explorers were among those (along with Gilneans) to map out the lands of Khaz Modan and initiate diplomatic relations between Arathor and Ironforge.

Independence from Arathor
Alterac's independence did not come out of a revolution or formal decree. Instead, independence grew slowly as Arathor began to decline. Strom's leadership was willing to surrender its authority to the city-states within its borders rather than deal with affairs themselves. By 1,200 BDP, Alterac was fully independent once the last of the Arathi emperors left Strom. It was a relatively small kingdom compared to the others. The capital came to be known as "Alterac City", likely to distinguish itself from the kingdom's name. Most of the nation's territory was rugged and mountainous terrain of the Alterac Mountains.

Before the Second War
Before the coming of the orcs, the human kingdoms of Lordaeron faced challenges and obstacles from each other as the games of politics played out. Amidst those nations, there were no two rivals like Alterac and Stromgarde. The proximity of the two and the apparent ambiguity of their mountain borders had led to several wars and skirmishes. On more than one occasion, King Thoras Trollbane led the armies of Stromgarde into battle against the honorable General Hath of Alterac. The tension of their repeated discord was noticeable at the Alliance summit as Perenolde glared at Trollbane. It is conceivable that this discord had alienated Alterac and its leader from the other Alliance nations who had positive relations with Trollbane. This alienation, in turn, would contribute to Perenolde's willingness to turn on those allies midway through the Second War.

The Second War
When news of the Orcish Horde arrived to Lordaeron, Alterac, led by King Aiden Perenolde, was initially reluctant of joining the Alliance of Lordaeron. True to his nature of evading confrontations he did not think himself capable of winning, Perenolde sought to avoid military actions with the Horde and instead pursue diplomatic options. However, after seeing every other kingdom eventually join, and fearing being left alone to fight the Horde, Alterac finally decided to join the Alliance.

However, the start of the Second War favored the orcs, and the future looked grim for the Alliance. Fearing for his kingdom should the Alliance fail, Lord Perenolde collaborated with the Orcish Horde, supplying them with information in exchange for the survival of the kingdom. Perenolde arranged for a convoy of high elves passing through Tarren Mill to be ambushed by trolls, organized a peasant revolt in Tyr's Hand to cover mining operations there, and attempted to assassinate Sir Uther Lightbringer by employing pirates to tamper with the Order of the Silver Hand. Perenolde also allowed the Horde through his kingdom unimpeded through mountain passes in Alterac leading towards Capital City. To accomplish this, he ordered his military leaders to garrison several northern mountain passes and avoid several south routes.

After Perenolde's treachery was uncovered, the army of Stromgarde, led by Thoras Trollbane, traveled to the small kingdom, quickly imposing martial law. General Hath reluctantly confirmed Perenolde's treason once confronted by the king of Stromgarde. He then dispatched his troops join Trollbane's in halting the orcish advance through the mountain passes.

Alteraci survivors, particularly the dethroned Aiden Perenolde, later aided Ner'zhul's forces during the shaman's quest to steal magical artifacts to open new portals.

Aftermath of the Second War
Following the end of the war, Thoras Trollbane demanded that the eastern portion of Alterac be annexed to Stromgarde in recognition of its efforts and sacrifices during the conflict. King Terenas of Lordaeron was undecided on what to do, thinking about giving the throne to Perenolde's son, Aliden. Greymane of Gilneas also joined the dispute, supporting the claims of a nephew of Perenolde, Isiden, who had taken refuge in Gilneas. Deathwing, disguised as Lord Prestor, attempted to magically convince the leaders of the Alliance into making him Alterac's new ruler. Although he succeeded, and King Terenas planned to give control of the area to Lord Prestor, the plan was abandoned when Prestor "disappeared" (following Deathwing's defeat at Grim Batol), and the remnants of Alterac were left in the ruins they are today.

As a kingdom, Alterac effectively ended when the forces of Lordaeron and Stromgarde overthrew Lord Perenolde. However, the Syndicate that arose during the anarchy-filled days after the nation’s dissolution became a politically active as well as militarily forceful entity. Though severed from their snowy heartland, the last of the Alteraci nobility, now leading the Syndicate, has sought to exact its revenge upon its old foe of Stromgarde.

Since the Shattering in Year 28, the old Alteraci territories continue to be disputed between the Crushridge ogres, the orcish Frostwolf clan, the dwarven Stormpike clan, and several bands of Syndicate brigands scattered across Strahnbrad and the Uplands.

Appearance
The Alteraci appear the same as a standard human.

Trivia

 * The Alteraci are the only known human forces thus far to align themselves with the Horde.
 * Valimar Mordis (formerly undead, now deceased) may have once been an Alterac noble.