Lore · October 29, 2026

Stormpike vs Frostwolf in WoW Forever: Alterac Valley's War

The Stormpike Guard, a dwarven expedition from Ironforge's Stormpike clan, and the Frostwolf Clan, orcs whom Gul'dan exiled and who settled a hidden valley in the Alterac Mountains, have fought over Alterac Valley since the dwarves arrived to dig for relics and resources. In World of Warcraft: Forever (WoW Forever) their war is the Alterac Valley battleground, which Warcraft Wiki's Forever map comparison lists unchanged from Classic. Warcraft Tavern says it was not in the beta.

Quick answer: The Stormpike Guard, led by General Vanndar Stormpike, hold Dun Baldar in the north. The Frostwolves, led by the elder shaman Drek'Thar, hold the south. The Frostwolves call the dwarves intruders, the dwarves say they were attacked without provocation, and in the original game a match ends when one General falls.

Stormpike Guard compared with Frostwolf Clan: Alliance dwarves led by General Vanndar Stormpike from Dun Baldar, against Horde orcs led by the elder shaman Drek'Thar in the southern valley, fighting over Alterac Valley, where in the original game killing the enemy General ends the match. — The two sides of Alterac Valley, from Warcraft Wiki, Wowpedia and the Vanilla WoW Archive.

A valley with two flags has two stories, and neither army calls itself the intruder.

Key facts

Alliance: Stormpike Guard, led by General Vanndar Stormpike from Dun Baldar (Warcraft Wiki)
Horde: Frostwolf Clan, led by Drek'Thar (Warcraft Wiki; Vanilla WoW Archive)
Frostwolf origin: exiled by Gul'dan, later led to a hidden Alterac valley (Warcraft Wiki)
Classic-era format: kill the enemy General; up to 40 a side, minimum level 51 (Vanilla WoW Archive)
In Forever: not in the beta; honor gains were tuned around it (Warcraft Tavern)

Who are the Stormpike Guard?

Warcraft Wiki's Alterac Valley page says the Stormpike Expedition came to search for natural resources and ancient titan relics, and that the dwarves say they were attacked without provocation. Warcraft Wiki and Wowpedia both say King Magni Bronzebeard gave the Stormpikes a "sovereign imperialistic imperative" to take the valleys of Alterac for Ironforge. Warcraft Wiki says Vanndar Stormpike rules from Dun Baldar in the northern valley. Read Dwarves of Ironforge and Muradin and Magni Bronzebeard.

Who are the Frostwolf Clan?

The Frostwolves are Thrall's own people. Warcraft Wiki says Durotan and Draka were Thrall's parents, that Thrall found the Frostwolves in Alterac and was trained by Drek'Thar, and that they stayed in the valley rather than join him in Orgrimmar. Its Drek'Thar page calls him the clan's elder shaman and former farseer, and the Vanilla WoW Archive says they consider the valley home. See Thrall's story and the orcs of Azeroth.

Why do they fight over Alterac Valley?

Warcraft Wiki says opinions are divided on who struck first, and that the Frostwolves regard the dwarves as interlopers. Wowpedia says the dwarves' search for relics has led to "open war" with the Frostwolf orcs. In the original game, Warcraft Wiki puts the Alliance entrance north of Southshore and the Horde entrance northeast of Tarren Mill. See Alterac and Perenolde and the Alterac Mountains zone.

How does Alterac Valley work in WoW Forever?

Warcraft Wiki's Forever map comparison lists Alterac Valley with no change flagged. Warcraft Tavern's October 7, 2026 PvP article says Blizzard adjusted honor gains so players are not pushed to farm Alterac Valley, and that the battleground is not in the beta. One source, kami-labs, reading beta-client data collected October 10, 2026, lists 40 players a side at levels 51 to 60. See the battlegrounds guide and honor guide.

What is not confirmed yet

No source I opened shows whether Stormpike Guard or Frostwolf reputations, rewards or quests carry over to Forever.
Team size and level conflict. Classic-era (Vanilla WoW Archive): up to 40 a side, minimum level 51. Warcraft Wiki: up to 40 per team, queue from level 45, with no Forever figures. kami-labs says Forever uses 40 and levels 51 to 60. I found no Blizzard figure.
Warcraft Wiki's page names the Horde base both Frostwolf Village and Frostwolf Keep.

How can the Lore Forever add-on and Willo help you follow the war?

The free Lore Forever add-on covers quests, NPCs, zones, cities and dungeons up to level 30, with place lore for the rest of the world. Hover an NPC, press your key, and that NPC's entry opens; a Lore button on a quest opens its story. Willo is a separate Windows companion app: hold your talk key, ask why the Stormpikes and Frostwolves fight, hear the answer, and keep per-character to-dos in her notebook. She is free to start with 50 answers a day, works without the add-on, and can be wrong. Lore Forever is fan-made and not affiliated with Blizzard.

Frequently asked questions

Who are the Stormpike Guard and the Frostwolf Clan?

Alliance dwarves and Horde orcs fighting for Alterac Valley, according to Warcraft Wiki.

Why are the Stormpikes and Frostwolves at war?

According to Warcraft Wiki, the dwarves came for resources and titan relics, and the Frostwolves, who see them as intruders, vowed to drive them out.

Are the Frostwolves Thrall's clan?

Yes. Warcraft Wiki says Thrall's parents Durotan and Draka were Frostwolves, and Drek'Thar trained Thrall.

Is Alterac Valley in WoW Forever?

Warcraft Wiki's Forever map comparison lists it unchanged. Warcraft Tavern says it was not in the beta.

Who leads each side?

General Vanndar Stormpike leads the Stormpike Guard, and Drek'Thar leads the Frostwolves, per Warcraft Wiki.

Sources

Reviewed October 29, 2026. Original-era lore only. Lore Forever is fan-made and is not affiliated with Blizzard Entertainment.