Blackrock Mountain is a zone between the Burning Steppes and the Searing Gorge, linking the two regions. It is hotly contested; between the forces of Ragnaros and his Dark Iron servants and the black dragon Nefarian with his draconid minions and orcish followers. Both Ragnaros and Nefarian now wage a brutal war for supremacy and control of the mountain.

Ragnaros controls his Dark Iron Dwarves and is aided by the leadership of Emperor Dagran Thaurissan, who rules from the volcanic labyrinth of Blackrock Depths. He also enlists a personal army of beasts and powerful lieutenants such as Baron Geddon, Garr and Sulfuron Harbinger found in the 40-man raid zone Molten Core.

Nefarian, however, has taken over the vast Blackrock Spire, having forced out the Dark Iron Dwarves. Nefarian now rules his domain from the highest point of Blackrock Mountain and can be found in the 40-man raid zone Blackwing Lair, accompanied by his army of dragon and draconid lieutenants. From this point, he commands the Blackrock tribe of orcs and their leader, Warchief Rend Blackhand, and small armies of trolls and ogres located throughout Blackrock Spire under control of the dragonkin Overlord Wyrmthalak and General Drakkisath.

In Cataclysm, the Blackrock Mountain becomes home of two additional instances: the 5-man dungeon Blackrock Caverns and the raid Blackwing Descent. The Caverns seem to serve as a transport route from the mountains to the Twilight Highlands, where the Twilight Hammer's base of operations can be found. Blackwing Descent is an extension of the Blackwing Lair. According to the lore, after Nefarian's death at the hands of heroes, Deathwing collected the heads of his children (Onyxia was dead, too) from the cities they were held in as trophies, and resurrected the two dragons. Nefarian now rules from the center of Blackwing Descent.