WoW Chronicle Volume 4: Faction Raid Completion by Expansion
Chronicle Volume 4 canonizes which faction cleared each raid and dungeon from Mists of Pandaria through Shadowlands, with a breakdown by expansion.
By:
John Langan
Key Takeaways
- Chronicle Volume 4 was published July 16, 2024 by Dark Horse Books and covers five expansions: Mists of Pandaria, Warlords of Draenor, Legion, Battle for Azeroth, and Shadowlands.
- The Siege of Orgrimmar was cleared by both factions, but with an internal split: Alliance champions defeated Galakras while Horde champions took down General Nazgrim.
- Warlords of Draenor is the most Alliance-weighted expansion in the book: five instances canonically went to the Alliance versus two for the Horde.
- Crucible of Storms is the only faction-locked raid in Battle for Azeroth, assigned to the Horde.
- Legion and Shadowlands raids were almost entirely "Both Factions," reflecting WoW's gradual move toward cross-faction cooperation.
- Dragonflight content has no faction assignments in the book because cross-faction gameplay was already normalized when those events took place.
The sections below detail Volume 4's expansion-by-expansion faction breakdown and its broader lore significance.
What Is Chronicle Volume 4?
World of Warcraft Chronicle Volume 4 is the fourth official lore book in Blizzard's Chronicle series, published July 16, 2024 by Dark Horse Books. Written by Matt Forbeck and Marty Forbeck and illustrated by Bayard Wu, Joseph Lacroix, Olivier Dubard, Stacey Phillips, and Tyler Edlin, the 224-page hardcover carries a retail price of $49.99.
Where Volumes 1 through 3 covered Warcraft prehistory through the Cataclysm era, Volume 4 picks up at Mists of Pandaria and carries the narrative through Shadowlands: 38 pages of MoP coverage, 38 pages of Warlords, 36 of Legion, 50 of Battle for Azeroth (the book's most detailed chapter), and 46 of Shadowlands.
The book canonizes a question players have debated since WoW's early years: which faction cleared which raid? Because both Alliance and Horde characters can complete the same dungeons and raids in-game, Blizzard never formally committed to whose champions "really" did it until the Chronicle series. Volume 4 closes that question for five full expansions at once.
Expansion-by-Expansion Faction Breakdown
The tables below reflect what Chronicle Volume 4 establishes as the canonical record. "Both" means the book credits champions from both factions with the clear.
Mists of Pandaria
Most Pandaria content was a joint effort. Temple of the Jade Serpent, Stormstout Brewery, Shado-Pan Monastery, and Mogu'shan Palace were all cleared by both factions. The notable exceptions: Heart of Fear was a Horde clear, and Terrace of Endless Spring went to the Alliance. The Siege of Orgrimmar carried the most intricate answer: both factions fought inside, but the book specifically identifies Alliance champions as those who brought down Galakras while Horde forces defeated Nazgrim, a split within the same raid.
Warlords of Draenor
Warlords of Draenor produced the most lopsided faction split in the book. Five instances canonically went to the Alliance: Upper Blackrock Spire, Shadowmoon Burial Grounds, Grimrail Depot, The Everbloom, and Highmaul. The Horde claimed Iron Docks and Blackrock Foundry. Auchindoun, Skyreach, and Hellfire Citadel were shared by both factions.
Legion
Legion is the most evenly distributed expansion in the book. Nearly every raid and dungeon — Eye of Azshara, Halls of Valor, Darkheart Thicket, Black Rook Hold, Seat of the Triumvirate, Emerald Nightmare, Trial of Valor, Nighthold, Tomb of Sargeras, and Antorus the Burning Throne — is credited to both factions. The only exceptions: Court of Stars (Alliance), Neltharion's Lair (Horde), and The Arcway (Horde).
Battle for Azeroth
Geography governed most of the BfA split. The Kul Tiran dungeons — Shrine of the Storm, Waycrest Manor, Siege of Boralus, and Tol Dagor — canonically went to the Alliance. Zandalar's dungeons — Atal'Dazar, Temple of Sethraliss, and King's Rest — went to the Horde. Mechagon, Uldir, Battle of Dazar'alor, The Eternal Palace, and Ny'alotha the Waking City were all "Both." The outlier: Crucible of Storms is the only faction-locked raid in BfA, assigned to the Horde.
Shadowlands
All Shadowlands content — Tazavesh, Castle Nathria, Sanctum of Domination, and Sepulcher of the First Ones — is listed as cleared by both factions. Cross-faction grouping arrived in Patch 9.2.5 during Shadowlands, which the Chronicle reflects through its increasingly shared designations as the timeline approaches that point.
Why Dragonflight Has No Faction Assignments
Volume 4 ends at Shadowlands and does not assign faction credit for Dragonflight raids. This is not an oversight. By the time Dragonflight launched, cross-faction play was already the established norm; Blizzard had stopped drawing strict faction lines around who cleared what, and the Chronicle reflects that shift. The transition from "who won" to "everyone fought together" is woven into the book's structure.
What the Book Gets Right and Where It Stumbles
Chronicle Volume 4 is not without controversy. Several claims in the book have been flagged by the community as inconsistent with established game lore:
- Old God count conflict: The book states four Old Gods in one section and references five elsewhere, an internal contradiction that matches neither the in-game record nor previous Chronicle volumes.
- Purge of Dalaran: The book's handling of this event simplifies the imprisonment of the Sunreavers in ways that differ from how the in-game quests portrayed Jaina's actions.
- Character detail errors: Sections covering Gazlowe and Rokhan contain errors about their faction positions and roles that contradict established WoW lore.
- Broker origins revised: The book presents the K'areshi origin of the broker species in ways that represent a soft retcon from earlier lore.
The advertised "character family trees" did not appear in the final printed book, contrary to early promotional materials.
Lore Significance Heading Into Midnight
Chronicle Volume 4 ends its account at Shadowlands — the expansion that concluded with the Sepulcher of the First Ones and set the stage for the Worldsoul Saga. The current WoW expansion, Midnight (Patch 12.0.5 — Lingering Shadows), is the second chapter of that Saga, returning players to Quel'Thalas after nearly twenty years. Understanding who canonically cleared Ny'alotha and Sepulcher matters for anyone following the lore thread that runs from N'Zoth's defeat through to the Void-thread conflicts Midnight is now exploring.
The broader pattern across all four Chronicle volumes is an expansion of the "Both Factions" designation as the game's story moved toward alliance and unity. That arc reached its in-game fulfillment when cross-faction raiding and Mythic+ became fully normalized, and Volume 4 documents exactly where that shift began.
📌 For lore completionists: If you want the canonical raid record from Classic through Cataclysm, those are covered in Volumes 1 through 3, not this book. Volume 4 starts at Mists of Pandaria. There is no announced Volume 5 as of mid-2026.Frequently Asked Questions
Which faction canonically cleared the Siege of Orgrimmar?
Both factions, with a notable internal split. According to Chronicle Volume 4, Alliance champions defeated Galakras while Horde champions defeated General Nazgrim — different sub-bosses within the same raid. The overall clear is logged as a joint effort.
What expansions does Chronicle Volume 4 cover?
Mists of Pandaria, Warlords of Draenor, Legion, Battle for Azeroth, and Shadowlands. Volumes 1 through 3 covered everything from Warcraft prehistory through Cataclysm. There is no volume covering Dragonflight content.
Why does Dragonflight have no faction assignments in the book?
Cross-faction gameplay became the norm during Shadowlands and was fully established by Dragonflight. The Chronicle series reflects this by no longer attributing faction credit for instances where both factions fought side by side under the same banner rather than in competing campaigns.
Which expansion has the most Alliance-weighted dungeon assignments?
Warlords of Draenor. Alliance cleared five instances exclusively (Upper Blackrock Spire, Shadowmoon Burial Grounds, Grimrail Depot, The Everbloom, Highmaul) versus two for the Horde (Iron Docks, Blackrock Foundry). This asymmetry generated community debate when the book launched.
Is Crucible of Storms Alliance or Horde?
Horde, according to Chronicle Volume 4. It is the only explicitly faction-locked raid in the Battle for Azeroth chapter. All other BfA raids — Uldir, Battle of Dazar'alor, The Eternal Palace, Ny'alotha — are credited to both factions.
Does the book contain lore errors?
Several community-documented inconsistencies exist: an internal conflict about the number of Old Gods, a simplified treatment of the Purge of Dalaran, and character role errors involving Gazlowe and Rokhan. The Warcraft Wiki's Chronicle Volume 4 article lists these in detail.
When was Chronicle Volume 4 published?
July 16, 2024, by Dark Horse Books. Written by Matt Forbeck and Marty Forbeck. Available in hardcover at $49.99.
Who wrote Chronicle Volume 4?
Matt Forbeck and Marty Forbeck (father and son). Christie Golden and Matt Burns, associated with other Warcraft novels, did not contribute to Volume 4.
Last reviewed 2026-06-11 against Chronicle Volume 4 (July 2024) — Maintained by WowCarry's WoW team.