Azeroth (world)

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Map of the World of Azeroth as it appears in the game World of Warcraft
Map of the World of Azeroth as it appears in the game World of Warcraft

Azeroth is an Earth-like world in the fictional Warcraft Universe, inhabited by a diverse array of species. Most of the action of the Warcraft games takes place in this world. Due to the continual battle being waged in the Warcraft Universe, the official boundaries of kingdoms and countries tends to change throughout the world's history. Reflected here is the world as seen in World of Warcraft after the events of the Third War.

Contents

[edit] History

[edit] Locales of Azeroth

The world of Azeroth is divided into three continents; Northrend, Kalimdor and the Eastern Kingdoms, as well as a multitude of islands, most notably the Broken Isles and the as yet unnamed island containing the goblin capital of Undermine.

[edit] Eastern Kingdoms

Map of the Eastern Kingdoms in during the World of Warcraft.
Map of the Eastern Kingdoms in during the World of Warcraft.
The Eastern Kingdoms as it was prior to the fall of the nation of Quel 'Thalas.
The Eastern Kingdoms as it was prior to the fall of the nation of Quel 'Thalas.

The Eastern Kingdoms is actually not a continent, but a supercontinent, traditionally divided into three continents. The southern continent of Azeroth comprises one of the few remaining human bastions on the world of Azeroth. This portion of the Eastern Kingdoms consists of all the lands south of Blackrock Mountain. North of Azeroth lies Khaz Modan, the ancestral homeland of the Dwarves, which comprises all areas to the north of Blackrock Mountain, but south of Thandol Span. Finally furthest to the north is the continent of Lordaeron, the original seat of power for the Alliance. Lordaeron, prior to the Second War was home to 6 human nations, the high elven nation of Quel'Thalas, and Aerie Peak, home of the Wildhammer Dwarves. Following the devastation caused by the Second and Third Great Wars, many of these nations were either completely destroyed or rendered greatly weakened.

[edit] Azeroth

The Kingdom of Azeroth (now commonly referred to as the Kingdom of Stormwind, for its capital) was once the strongest human nation of the world of Azeroth. However, after the Dark Portal was opened and Orcs and Ogres began invading the country of Stormwind the people were forced to flee to the nations of Lordaeron. After the victory of the Alliance over the Horde in the Great War, the Alliance reclaimed their nation, albeit at a fraction of its former strength. After having lost much of Lordaeron to the undead, the Kingdom of Stormwind has become one of the last bastions of human rule.

  • Blasted Lands - Red rock region, site of the Dark Portal
  • Burning Steppes - Volcanic wasteland north of Elwynn Forest, covered by ash
  • 'Deadwind Pass - Haunted mountain pass between Duskwood and the Swamp of Sorrows
  • Duskwood - Haunted forest south of Elwynn
  • Elwynn Forest - Fertile temperate forestland, home to Humans and human farms
  • Redridge Mountains - Mountains east of Elwynn, plagued by the Blackrock Orcs.
  • Stranglethorn Vale - Tropical rainforest south of Westfall, encompasses a large peninsula jutting out to the south
  • Swamp of Sorrows - Forbidding swamp north of the Blasted Lands
  • 'Westfall - Once fertile fields west of Duskwood; many of its farms are now abandoned and under control of thieves and looters.

[edit] Lordaeron

Connected to Azeroth by the Thandol Span in northern Khaz Modan, this smaller continent was much more suitable for farming and had a much larger Human population than Azeroth until only recently, when the Plague of Undeath was set loose by renegade mage Kel'Thuzad. Now it is home to a faction of the Undead known as the Forsaken, led by Sylvanas Windrunner, the Dark Lady. Much of this once lush landmass is now plagued by blight and the curse of the dead.

  • Alterac Mountains - Snowy peaks north of the Hillsbrad Foothills; once center of the nation of Alterac, but after betraying the Alliance to the Horde during the Second War, Alterac was destroyed by the Alliance, leaving nothing but ruins that are now inhabited by ogres.
  • Arathi Highlands - Hilly plains east of Hillsbrad and south of the Hinterlands, home to the fallen human nation of Stromgarde.
  • Eastern Plaguelands - Once lush fields in the eastern part of Lordaeron, now covered with toxic blight.
  • Hillsbrad Foothills - Lightly forested region south of the Alterac Mountains.
  • The Hinterlands - Green, lightly forested plains south of the Western Plaguelands. Home to the Wildhammer Clan, a dwarven clan independent of the Alliance, though friendly towards it.
  • Silverpine Forest - A diseased forest south of the Tirisfal Glades where the Forsaken and refugees from the city of Dalaran fight.
  • Gilneas - A human nation which has never fully supported the Alliance. Barricaded behind the Greymane Wall, it is believed to not to be affected by the plagues.
  • Tirisfal Glades - A forbidding, shadowy forest where the Forsaken dwell, in the northwesternmost parts of Lordaeron.
    • The Undercity - Underground fortress of the Forsaken under the ruins of Lordaeron's capital.
  • Western Plaguelands - The grain producer of Lordaeron, now warped by the Scourge's taint.
  • Quel'Thalas - The former home of the High Elves, until it was destroyed by Arthas Menethil and the Scourge in Warcraft III. Now, parts are plagued yet much still remains untouched. The Blood Elves, in a fit of anger began to take up darker magics to wield against the Undead Scourge.
    • City of Silvermoon - Having recently been rebuilt, it serves as the Blood Elves base of operations on Azeroth.

[edit] Kalimdor

Map of Kalimdor
Map of Kalimdor

This vast landmass in western Azeroth was only recently discovered by those of the Eastern Kingdoms. It was Medivh, the Last Guardian of Azeroth, who was able to convince Orc Warchief Thrall to journey beyond the vast Great Sea and seek refuge from the imminent invasion of the Burning Legion therein. Thrall and the Orcs landed in the hostile Dustwallow Marsh, and from there ventured into the depressing Barrens, gathering for themselves a false impression of Kalimdor's true nature; for while a great part of the coast is rocky and barren, and the Barrens themselves little more than a dry savannah, most of northern Kalimdor is covered by lush forests and sweeping plains. Central Kalimdor's landscape is dominated by the Barrens and harsh lands such as Durotar and Dustwallow Marsh. The sandy desert of Tanaris, the lush jungle of the Un'Goro crater, and the massive uncharted wasteland of Silithus make up the greater part of southern Kalimdor.

  • Ashenvale Forest - Enchanted forest, watched over by the Night Elves
  • Azshara - A wasteland of sorts located east of Ashenvale. Inhabited by many, including undead, naga, and Timbermaw Furbolgs. Home of the queen of the naga, also named Azshara.
  • The Barrens - Large savannah in Central Kalimdor
  • Darkshore - A cursed forest on the northwestern coast.
  • Desolace - An empty, barren wasteland to the west of Mulgore. The centaurs are said to have originated here.
  • Durotar - Harsh land, new kingdom of the Orcs
    • City of Orgrimmar - Capital of Durotar, the Orc kingdom in Kalimdor
  • Dustwallow Marsh - Forbidding swamp south of Durotar, east of the Barrens; location of Theramore, the capital of Lordaeron's exiles
  • Felwood - Northwest portion of Ashenvale, corrupted by the Burning Legion before the Battle of Mount Hyjal
  • Feralas - A lush jungle to the west of the Thousand Needles, south of Desolace, and north of Silithus.
  • Moonglade A small valley in northern Kalimdor where the Druids of Darnassus and Thunder Bluff dwell in relative harmony.
  • Mount Hyjal - Site of the deciding battle of the Third War.
  • Mulgore - A lush grassland that was, until recently, home to many centaur. Now, the Tauren live here.
  • Silithus - An uncharted wasteland that is southwesternmost Kalimdor. Home to the Silithids and their capital city, Ahn'Qiraj.
  • Stonetalon Mountains - Red mountains south of Ashenvale and northwest of the Barrens
  • Tanaris - A great desert that makes up southeasternmost Kalimdor.
  • Teldrassil - The new World Tree, forms an island off the northwestern coast of Kalimdor
    • City of Darnassus - The Night Elves' capital city, amongst the branches of Teldrassil
  • Thousand Needles - A great canyon south of the Barrens, north of Tanaris. There are salt flats to the east.
  • Un'Goro Crater - A jungle-esque crater home to many large reptiles, west of Tanaris.

[edit] Northrend

Map of Eastern Northrend.
Map of Eastern Northrend.
Northrend from Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos.
Northrend from Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos.

The arctic landmass of Northrend is a comparatively small continent, composed mostly of frigid tundra permanently encased in ice. Once home to a small human population in ages past, the coming of Ner'zhul, the Lich King, ended such forever, their place being taken by hordes of Undead.

The most common inhabitants of Northrend are the spider-like creatures known as Nerubians. Once, their subterranean kingdom of Azjol-Nerub was the most prosperous in the harsh land of Northrend, their people thriving in conditions which bested all others. However, the coming of the Lich King was the end of their reign as well. The infusion of his death plague was actually ineffective against live Nerubians, but it still worked on dead ones, turning them into servants of Ner'zhul. Thus, the War of the Spider began. While the spider-people did their best to fight off the Lich King's Undead, the fall and Undead rebirth of Anub'Arak, one of the lords of Azjol-Nerub and its people, spelled an end to their struggles. The Undead Nerubians were incorporated into the vast ranks of Ner'zhul's undead army, called The Scourge, becoming the Crypt Fiends and Crypt Lords. Impressed by the Nerubians efforts in battle and resistance to his plague, the Lich King decided to use Nerubian architectural style for Scourge buildings, so some of their culture still remains in Northrend.

Northrend is currently the base of operations for Arthas, who was corrupted by the sword Frostmourne, a mystic weapon fashioned by the Lich King.

Northrend is not accessible in the World of Warcraft, but some of the locations that were mentioned in Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos and Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne are:

  • Drak'Tharon Keep: Undead stronghold which Arthas besieged to take revenge upon the dreadlord Mal'Ganis, whose foul tactics and use of the undead plague forced Arthas to slaughter the human citizens of the city of Stratholme in order to prevent them from turning into Undead.
  • Icecrown Glacier: Site of the Frozen Throne, where the Lich King resides.
  • Azjol-Nerub: Great subterranean spider kingdom; now in ruins.
  • The Great Dragonblight: Where ancient dragons would go to die.
  • The Borean Tundra : Located at the far western edge of Northrend, the Borean Tundra is a habitat for the Tuskarr race. The most important places within the region are the Tuskarr capital Kaskala.
  • Coldarra: Among the places of interest within Northrend, the Dragon Aspect of Magic - Malygos - lives in a cavern named the Nexus, located at the island Coldarra
  • Crystalsong Forest: The place has an epic history of a battle between black dragons and blue dragons. When an elder Blue dragon casted a spell to turn the black dragons into ice, the loose magic in the air accidentally amplified the spell -- causing the natural green forest to turn into crystal. The only thing spared from such fate was the Emerald Dream Tree (The Great Tree).
  • Grizzly Hills: Places of interest in the Grizzly Hills are: Grizzlemaw, Draktharon Keep and Thor Modan. The Grizzly Hills are inhabited by over 20,000 Furbolgs living at their settlement Grizzlemaw. Thor Modan was built by Ironforge Dwarves.
  • Howling Fjord: The major settlement within the Howling Fjord is Valgarde. The population is composed of Humans and Dwarves. According to World of Warcraft Collector's Edition Behind the Scenes DVD, a map of Isle of Kezan (Undermine) shows a Zeppelin-route from Undermine to a town of Northrend, known as Valgarde -- at the southeastern-most side of the continent.
  • Sholazar Basin: Not much is known of this region except that the place has no ice and barely has snow. Some have settled farms in this terrain. The place is a copy of Un'Goro -- with hot springs, steam vents, geysers, and a tropical jungle.
  • The Stormpeaks: The epic battle of Sargeras and Aegwynn - known as Dragon Hunt- took place in Northrend over 800 years ago (-823 before the Dark Portal). According to the World of Warcraft pen-and-paper roleplaying game, the third base of the Titans is in the Storm Peaks of Northrend.
  • Zul’Drak: This is the Drakkari Ice Trolls homeland. The Ice Trolls have lived here since before the Great Sundering. They are cannibalistic, practice voodoo, are larger and more solidly-built than other types of trolls.

[edit] Inhabitants of Azeroth

Races native to the world of Azeroth:

[edit] Major Races

[edit] Foreign Races

Races which migrated to Azeroth from Draenor:

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

Warcraft Universe
Azeroth | Draenor | Eastern Kingdoms | Gnomeregan | Kalimdor | Northrend | Lordaeron | Khaz Modan | Azeroth Kingdom | Quel'Thalas | Dalaran | Darnassus | The Exodar | Ironforge | Silvermoon | Stormwind | Orgrimmar | Shattrath City | Thunder Bluff | Undercity | Well of Eternity
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