Second War and Associated Topics

[Hexproof]

Okay, so with the WoW timeline being screwy as it is, can someone clarify to me, in server lore:

What year did the Second War start?
What year did the Invasion of Draenor happen in?
When did the Dark Portal Close / Draenor become Outland?
And what year did the Dark Portal re-open?
Also what year is it now?


Thanks!

[Piroska]

The Second War began six years after the opening of the Dark Portal (affectionately, 6 DP). Wrath of the Lich King is 32 DP. Based on our timeline, we're about a year or two beyond that (I've never had anyone quote a concrete number, unfortunately). So, twenty-eight or so years ago the Second War began.

We can actually read the in-game text "The Invasion of Draenor" on WoWWiki. This occurred shortly after the conclusion of the Second War but prior to the lethargy of the orcs, which was first recorded eight years after the opening of the Dark Portal. So, I would assume that the invasion -- and subsequent closing of the Dark Portal -- occurred between 7 and 8 DP. I learn more towards the end of 7 DP and early 8 DP since it grants a bit more allowance.

The opening of the Dark Portal as displayed in the events of the Burning Crusade was in 31 DP.

[Bovel]

DP?

[Mortiphobia]

DP?

Dark Portal, I would assume. Which refers to the opening of said portal.

[Bovel]

Is that the same as pre/post first war counting?
The timelines published for WC2 & Exp lists actual years instead of using the First War as a measure of time.

[Piroska]

The Second War began six years after the opening of the Dark Portal (affectionately, 6 DP).

The current reference of time refers to the initial opening of the Dark Portal. It's the standard by which a lot of contemporaries define the passing of the years. This is why it would be considered six years later and not the same year.

The official timeline used on the World of Warcraft website uses the same standard -- though I should note that the timeline doesn't reflect the retcon that added a number of years prior to the start of the Third War, which is really strange since it was updated to include Wrath of the Lich King. The Burning Crusade established that the opening of the Dark Portal was about thirty years before the events depicted in that expansion. The roleplaying game guides also state that the Third Year was twenty-five years after the opening of the Dark Portal.

I think that someone buggered up and just added a year each for the expansions but didn't think to actually add the five years that were retconned with the release of the Burning Crusade.

I've got to get that timeline written up for the wiki sometime soon so that we can just reference that in the future. I'm just uncertain as to how many years have passed due to server lore. I'll get it up for review one day, I promise.

[Bovel]

That would be super awesome, since I crave a decent and proper timeline that can actually give us what year we are in now.

[Piroska]

I've had the damned thing on my big list of things to do for a while now, but I keep putting it off. I'll start putting together my notes this week and see if I can get something together for the community to review.

I've also been thinking about another big fun project that some people might enjoy. I want to make an official timeline of sorts, but one based on the players of the server. It would be somewhere where players would list major events in their characters' lives, thereby putting into perspective the passage of years for them. So, for example, I'd list the births and deaths and whatever for people in one huge megathread.

I've been told by some people that the thread might get overly bloated since we have so many characters (nearly 700 listed in the Character category and that doesn't include dead/MIA characters or profiles that weren't correctly categorized), but I think it might be pretty nifty. And I'm a sucker for nifty things!

[Bovel]

Wow, that could be awesome in use with a proper timeline to start with!

If I can be of any help in your work Piroska, just bump me.