The Alliance's newfound cooperation was driven by necessity. The looming threat of the Horde forced the various factions to set aside their self-interest and unite against a common enemy.
Even a relative newcomer to politics like Galen could discern the underlying power plays between the national leaders. For seasoned veterans like Lothar and Anduin, it was plainly a matter of exchanging favors and resources.
Meanwhile, the Horde remained hidden in the hills, their intentions unclear. For over a month, Stormwind's newly formed SI:7 had engaged in numerous skirmishes with the Horde's blademasters, managing only to pinpoint the enemy's general location.
The Alliance, still lacking sufficient troops, awaited the arrival of the second wave of reinforcements. Lothar, unwilling to risk a direct confrontation with his current forces, adopted Galen's strategy of "strengthening the walls and clearing the fields." This involved fortifying key strongholds like the Wall of Thoradin in the east and Durnholde Keep in the north with extensive defenses, making them temporarily impregnable to the Orcish onslaught.
During this period of standoff, Kel'Thuzad actively led elite mage squads in repeated engagements against Gul'dan. The mages of Kirin Tor, however, found his zeal puzzling. Kel'Thuzad, normally a reclusive figure who preferred his laboratory, was surprisingly diligent in confronting the Orcs.
The fighting culminated in a destructive clash during the Feast of Winter Veil, leaving the Hillsbrad region devastated. Arcane and shadow energies saturated the land, rendering it infertile and uninhabitable. Hundreds of nobles who had sought refuge in Southshore lamented that even a victorious outcome would leave them with a ruined land. The exorbitant cost of purifying the magical pollution, a task only the mages of Dalaran could undertake, was beyond their means.
Galen, with his characteristic shrewdness, seized this opportunity. He contacted the desperate nobles and purchased their land deeds at market value, amassing a significant territory stretching from Dun Holde Keep in the north to Nascent Valley Farm in the south, and westward to the Southshore River.
The nobles, relieved to have received any compensation, quickly squandered their newfound wealth, dreaming of purchasing small manors in the relatively untouched Wilds region of Lordaeron. They hailed Galen as a generous prince.
Galen, upon hearing this moniker, smiled and patted the stack of land deeds in his possession. His territory had just increased substantially.
"You petty nobles can't purify this land," he mused, "but I can! I have a large number of warlocks and priests under my command. I'll simply relocate a wave of people here and cleanse the land with purification spells!"
In his imagination, elementals and other corrupted creatures would vanish, leaving behind pristine land.
For a moment, Galen entertained the idea of colluding with the enemy, opening a western passage for the Orcs to invade Hillsbrad. In the ensuing chaos, the nobles would flee, and he would buy up their lands.
Stop! he told himself. I cannot allow the creatures of Azeroth to suffer for my personal gain. I am a force for justice!
Galen then contacted the Firebeard clan of Wildhammer dwarves, seeking a meeting with their High Thane in Aerie Peak. He hoped to persuade the Wildhammers to join the Alliance.
The Wildhammers, fiercely independent and accustomed to their freedom in the forests, were reluctant to commit to the Alliance. They did, however, express gratitude to Galen for protecting the dwarves in the Northeron Highlands. Several smaller Wildhammer clans, including the Firebeard , had taken refuge in Galen's Eastshore, seeking protection from the Dragonmaw clan, who now controlled Grim Batol Keep and the red dragons.
Galen had done all he could. If his plans did not come to fruition, he resigned himself to the fact that when Aerie Peak eventually fell, the Alliance would have to decide whether the Wildhammers were worth saving.
Returning to his defenses at Thoradin's Wall, Galen found little time to relax. Sylvanas, despite Alleria's strong objections, had chosen to be stationed there as well. Alleria, unable to dissuade her sister, remained by Lothar's side, acting as a liaison between the high elves and the humans.
As the year drew to a close, Galen took stock of his forces.
Since the fall of Stormwind City, Galen's focus had been on the Orcish threat, leaving little room for territorial expansion. The only new addition was a town hall, four barracks, and two arcane sanctums in the Mudsprocket base in the Swamp of Sorrows.
Durnholde Keep, while under Galen's influence, was primarily a fortified garrison.
Galen's domain included 530,000 farmers, who formed the backbone of his economy. Their labor ensured a stable food supply, with the surplus used to attract refugees from Hillsbrad.
Excluding Stromgarde, Galen's territory, while resource-rich, lagged behind Lordaeron in population, a crucial factor in national power. Galen eyed the depopulated Hillsbrad region as a solution. With Thoradin's Wall secure, he reasoned that any fighting would occur on someone else's land, while he would profit from feeding the refugees.
Approximately one-fifth of Galen's population, or 100,000, worked in the mines. Since reclaiming the Southeast Mine, the mining operations in the Arathi Highlands and the Barrens had reached full capacity.
Galen's primary source of income had shifted from mining to trade. Instead of converting raw materials into gold, he now used them to produce weapons and equipment in his blacksmith shops. This approach ensured the sustainable use of Azeroth's resources and prevented him from leveling every mountain on the continent.
"Azeroth's number one arms dealer, grain merchant, and sea merchant – those are my goals," Galen mused.
The second-largest segment of Galen's forces comprised human footmen and riflemen, numbering 280,000. This included the soldiers resurrected after the Westfall campaign.
However, Galen's records permanently listed 4,000 fewer footmen. Some had been incinerated by dragonfire, while others had exceeded the resurrection time limit, their souls lost to the Heart of Origin or the Shadowlands.
Galen's heavy cavalry, the high knights, had surpassed 10,000 strong. His dream of leading a massive heavy cavalry charge was within reach. With these 10,000 knights, Galen believed he could sweep across the seven human kingdoms.
His forces also included over 10,000 warlocks, 8,000 priests, and 6,000 gryphon knights, providing a well-rounded combination of aerial and ground-based physical and magical offense, along with healing support.
Farming is the way to go. As I farm, I become the big brother! Galen thought. If I just lie low for a few more years, will I be able to dominate Azeroth?
Galen's base population had reached 880,000.
Eighty-eight, lucky number! he thought, pleased.
He anticipated reaching a population of one million by the next quarter, which would allow him to upgrade his level three castle to a level four palace. Galen looked forward to that day.