The Arathi Highlands are located in
southeastern Lordaeron, east of Hillsbrad Foothills and south of the
Hinterlands. It is a flat but craggy region that has traditionally been the
home of the humans of Arathor, who gave the region its name. The main hubs of
activity are now Refuge Pointe and Hammerfall, which houses bases for Alliance
and Horde, respectively. The large city of Stromgarde lies in ruins to the
southwest, and pockets of Syndicate resistance dot the land. The Boulderfist
Orges also infest Arathor, and prove to be a constant threat to the Alliance,
Horde, and Syndicate factions vying for supremacy.
The Syndicate, Boulderfist ogres and the
beleaguered human defenders of Stromgarde battle for supremacy in this gray,
dismal realm. Prince Galen Trollbane leads the human defenders, and his mighty
city of Stromgarde is a ruined battleground where the three factions wage
guerrilla war. The Trollbane family’s holdings include several ancient human
artifacts, and a group called the Caretakers protects and preserves the most
important pieces. To the south is the Thandol Span, a massive dwarven
construction that bridges the canal between Lordaeron and Khaz Modan. Due to
the bridge being the only land connecting path from Lordaeron to Khaz Modan,
the Arathi Highlands have become quite a hotspot for trade between the
separated continents.
History
The Arathi Highlands were once the cradle
of Human civilization, as it marks the place where the Empire of Arathor was
founded and where the first real contact between elves and humans was made,
during the Troll Wars. From the great city of Strom, the Human Empire
controlled nearly all of the eastern lands. After the Empire's collapse, the
city of Strom was largely abandoned save for a contingent of the Imperial
Guard. These Guardsmen founded a new martial kingdom known as Stromgarde,
establishing their capital in the old city of Strom. Over time, they also built
a village (later known as Hammerfall) further to the east. During the Second
War, the forces of Stromgarde, now ruled by Thoras Trollbane, were an
instrumental part of the Alliance's ground forces. Despite this, the Arathi
Highlands, and Stromgarde itself was overrun by the Horde.
After the Second War, Stromgarde was
rebuilt, and the former village that was to become Hammerfall was converted
into an internment camp to hold the hated Orcs. The nation managed to escape
the Plague of Undeath but was soon afterward overrun by the Syndicate and
Ogres. The remnant of the army was forced to flee the city and take refuge in a
small canyon to the north, in what is now known as Refuge Pointe. Now, four
years after the Third War, the area has become a battle zone between many
different factions. The Alliance fights to aid the former nation of Stromgarde
in recapturing its capital and reestablishing control over the region. The
Horde, now in control of the internment camp that once held them prisoner
(naming it Hammerfall in honor of the fallen warchief Orgrim Doomhammer), is
attempting to establish a forward base to protect its new allies against
Alliance attack. The Syndicate is also in the area, trying to claim yet another
territory for its jealous nobles. Finally, the Ogres and Forest Trolls in the
region are trying to drive out all others and establish a permanent settlement
for themselves.
In
Cataclysm
Unlike its neighboring regions of Hillsbrad
Foothills and the Wetlands, the Highlands were spared during the Cataclysm.
Very little has changed. The Horde, flush from victory within Hillsbrad, have
pushed slightly into the Highlands and have established a camp near the border.
On the Alliance side, the dwarves have burrowed a deep pass through the
mountains north into the Hinterlands, and now a clear path runs from behind
Stromgarde Keep to Faldir's Cove. The dark iron dwarves have abandoned their
camp near Thandol Span, retreating within the structure, and now the camp is
home to a friendly Dark Iron Entrepreneur.
In
Before the Storm
Arathi Highlands serves as a meeting place
between humans and Forsaken wishing to reunite with loved ones. The meeting
takes place under the eyes of Anduin Wrynn and Sylvanas Windrunner and their
respective troops, brokered by Alonsus Faol and Calia Menethil.
The meeting ends in tragedy as Calia's
identity is revealed while attempting to assist Forsaken in defecting. The
Horde archers open fire, killing the Forsaken on the field, and Sylvanas
personally slays Calia.
Geography
The Arathi Highlands have a higher
elevation than Khaz Modan's Wetlands, but otherwise the geography is similar.
To the north is Thoradin's Wall, now collapsed and gaping wide. South is the
Thandol Span, which bridges the gap between Lordaeron and Khaz Modan. Mountains
to the east prevent easy access to the sea, and the Highlands' western coast is
bleak, windswept and cold.
The Arathi Highlands are an area of grassy
land in Southeastern Lordaeron. Notable features include the great circles of
binding, which are protected by elementals and used to keep some unknown entity
imprisoned. The region lies just north of the huge canyon running between the
highlands and the Wetlands to the south, which can only be crossed by the
Thandol Span. The area is home to the ruins of Stromgarde Keep, which has been
overrun by ogres and the Syndicate. The wildlife of the highlands includes
giant spiders, carrion birds, and raptors.
There are no instanced dungeons in the Arathi
Highlands, though the ruins of Stromgarde Keep are one of the most well known
micro dungeons in the game, and the The Tower of Arathor micro dungeon can also
be found here. The entrance to the Arathi Basin battleground can also be found
in this zone.
Travel
Alliance: From Ironforge run east towards
Loch Modan; take the road in the Loch north through Dun Algaz pass and into the
Wetlands. Follow the road as it runs north, northeast, then west. When the road
splits and heads north follow it north. You'll pass over the ruined Thandol
Span and you'll be in the Highlands.
Horde:From Tarren Mill in Hillsbrad
Foothills, run eastwards across the river and catch up with the main road.
Follow the main road eastward until you go through Thoradin's Wall. Continue following
the path for a considerable time, until you see a signed turnoff to the north
to Hammerfall. Take that turn off and continue running until you get to
Hammerfall.
Inhabitants
Raptors
Sharks
Spiders
Vultures
Air elementals
Earth elementals
Fire elementals
Water elementals
Dark Iron dwarves
Forest trolls
Kobolds
Nagas
Ogres
Notable
characters
The Arathi Highlands are home to several
characters of note. At Refuge Pointe, Skuerto seeks aid in the battle against
the Boulderfist ogres. In Hammerfall, Tor'gan attempts to raise the spirits of
those who still reel from the loss of Warchief Orgrim Doomhammer. And in
Faldir's Cove, Captain Steelgut and his trusted crew seek an end to their prime
threat — naga.
Notes
April 2005 Patch: "Kinelory in Arathi
Highlands is now PvP-enabling, so Horde players who attack here will be flagged
for PvP."
It is possible to swim along the
southeastern edge of the zone to get to the undefined brown area southeast on
the zone map. This area is in fact an isolated plains containing a couple of
crops, two male dwarven farmers, cats, rams, rats, and a wooden chair that you
can sit in. The region has no name, and visiting it will not reveal it on the
zone map.
The Arathi Highlands was one of the
locations featured in South Park's "Make Love, Not Warcraft" episode.
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