Pre-Cataclysm Elemental Invasions

The Pre-Cataclysm Elemental Invasions were attacks made against the nations of Azeroth by elementals in conjunction with the earthly disruptions caused by Deathwing's preparations for his Invasion of Azeroth. Nearly every major capital city of both the Grand Alliance and New Horde was attacked by the elementals, prompting emergency councils by their respective faction leaders.

Elemental Invasion of Stormwind
The elemental invasion of Stormwind began with a strange disruption originating from the heart of Westfall. Not long after the Stormwind Circle of Magi sent a band of mages to investigate, reports of similar elemental fonts of power began to spring up across the Eastern Kingdoms. Without warning, elementals of fire, air, earth and water erupted from these fonts of power and marched on Stormwind City, sundering the gates and terrorizing its citizens. King Varian Wrynn led the forces of Stormwind in a desperate defense against the elements, eventually pushing them out of the city.

The victory was short lived, however. In the days before the Cataclysm wrought by Deathwing, portals from the Elemental Planes opened up throughout the city. Elementals surged into the streets, setting fire to the city and leaving the populace in total chaos. Only when aid arrived from the Earthen Ring after the Cataclysm were the Elementals subdued, but not after Stormwind was razed to its foundations.

Ironforge Provides Elemental Arms
To combat the rise of elemental attacks throughout the Eastern Kingdoms, the Mountain Guard led an initiative to outfit the armies of the Grand Alliance with weapons enchanted to send elementals back to the planes from whence they came.

At the prompting of Hragli Runeforge, Thane Grungnir Orcbane selected which troops received imbued weapons and rallied them to continue the fight against the elementals.