Beginning as the Commander's personal mission on the Eonar server, and later a loosely coordinated effort among a few people on the Kirin Tor server when it opened in October of 2005, the Watch has been assisting people in figuring out how the game works and generally getting "settled in" and feeling welcome ever since. The effort became its own independent organization in August of 2006, with an initial crew of 12. It continues to work today, and has recently branched out to operate on the Moon Guard server in the fall/winter of 2007, and the Wyrmrest Accord server in January of 2009.

The work that our volunteers does is not cheap by any stretch of the imagination. Thankfully, our efforts are partially funded by the generosity of several civic-minded individuals, guilds, and organizations. Together they have provided enough materials, money, and equipment to allow our agents to fully prepare hundreds of guests since 2006.

The Watch and Ward of the Combined Nations of Azeroth began as a loose association of local militias in 596 during the upheavals when military support from established nations was no longer available. Left to fend for themselves, the outlying communities started a rotating system of patrolling freemen who would give chase in the event of a crime and could call on any number of armed men from the village or town to assist them.

As injured veterans returned from the fronts in the war and began to participate, the original haphazard hue-and-cry became more organized and the duties of the constables were better defined. And of course, old soldiers keep in touch...

As a result of all this back-and-forth between veterans, the militias were able to coordinate their efforts and anticipate trouble before it started. During this time, patrols began to expand beyond village limits to the hamlets and carriage-stops where refugees and hopeful youths from distant farms would come searching for a better life - these 'new beginnings' or 'new-b's were easy prey for bandits or unscrupulous mercenary forces recruiting in those areas. On the advice of one of Lothar's lieutenants, in or around 610 the individual village watches were brought under one umbrella and the leadership of Kutho Forgetracker, the first Commander of the Watches, whereupon they began receiving minor logistical assistance from the Grand Alliance.

During the return to relative peace in the following years, the armed forces reclaimed jurisdiction in most of the cities and towns proper, while the Stormwind Guard and similar forces policed the capitals. Used to doing things their own way, the Watchmen could not be integrated into the returning army. Rather than waste trained men by disbanding the organization, the Watch was re-designated a Special Police Force with a writ of jurisdiction that would not (in theory) cause friction with territorial police forces. A series of measures during the 15 years strengthened the powers and improved the structure and organization of the forces. Common methods of recruitment were adopted and pay scales and superannuation standardized.

In theory, The Watch works for the Home Office. In practice, each force is maintained by a police authority or joint board called the Watch Oversight Committee, made up of community leaders from interested sponsoring guilds. Forces are divided for operational purposes into regional commands corresponding to the specific county (Bureau), faction (Ward), or complete command (Parish). Constables usually work in whatever area they are most familiar with, for maximum efficiency and best use of their time.

To this day - because of its unusual nature and mission - The Watch remains a small, forgotten, and almost invisible force in the world. But it does continue to function, mainly due to generous patrons who remember the nice man or woman in the black uniform who gave them a bag or two and told them how to not take a knife in the gut right after they arrived in town...