Alterac Mountains

For the original zone before the Cataclysm, see Alterac Mountains (Classic). For other uses, see Alterac (disambiguation).

Alterac Mountains
Capital(s)	Ruins of Alterac
Formerly	Dalaran
Races	Ogre  Human  Orc  Forsaken  Dwarf  Kobold  Harpy  Gnoll  Trogg
Ruler(s)	Unknown   Mug'thol
Former ruler(s)	Aliden Perenolde †   Aiden Perenolde †
Major settlements	Strahnbrad Dalaran Crater Crushridge Hold
Minor settlements	Dandred's Fold (abandoned) Ravenholdt Manor Brazie Farmstead Slaughter Hollow
Affiliation	Crushridge, Syndicate, Frostwolf clan, Forsaken, Horde, Stormpike Guard, Stormpike clan, Alliance, Dalaran, Ravenholdt
Former affiliation(s)	Kingdom of Lordaeron, Alliance of Lordaeron, Kingdom of Alterac, Old Horde
Location	Northern Hillsbrad Foothills

The Alterac Mountains (or Mountains of Alterac) are a range of towering, snow-capped mountains in central Lordaeron. Formerly a standalone zone, it is now considered part of the Hillsbrad Foothills. The mountains were home to the former human nation of Alterac and included the settlements of Alterac City and Strahnbrad, whose ruins are now occupied by either Crushridge ogres or the Syndicate.

In the past years, little action has been seen in the mountains apart from the skirmishes in Alterac Valley, until the Fourth War, when the Horde took control of part of the region by reclaiming and fortifying the ruins of Alterac City and Strahnbrad, for their operations in Lordaeron.

History

Troll Wars

The slopes of the Alterac Mountains were once home to the human Alteraci tribe, who became part of the Empire of Arathor after their leader Ignaeus was bested in a duel by King Thoradin. During the Troll Wars, generals of Arathor established the stronghold of Alterac Fortress at the base of the mountains, and the final and most decisive battle between the Amani Empire and the combined human and high elven armies took place at the foot of the mountains. As Arathor began fracturing in the centuries after the Troll Wars, the city-state of Alterac was established among the peaks and came to hold dominion over much of the northlands.

First War

During the First War, the exiled Frostwolf clan of orcs arrived from Azeroth to the Alterac Mountains and established their new home deep in Alterac Valley.

Second War

This section concerns content related to Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness or its expansion Beyond the Dark Portal.

The Ruins of Alterac, the remains of the region's capital.

During the early days of the Second War, the high elves of Quel'Thalas sent a contingent of archers south to survey the supposed orcish threat for themselves. Shortly after passing through the Alterac Mountains the elves were ambushed by Horde troops and brought to a prison camp near Tarren Mill.

Some time later, the treachery of the humans of Alterac was revealed by the Alliance of Lordaeron, and an army was sent to the Alterac Mountains to strike the traitors at their heart. An Alteraci prison camp was also situated near Alterac City, containing captured Dalaranian citizens.

After the end of the war, military outposts maintained by Lordaeron and Stromgarde were built along the borders of the Mountains. The question of what to do with the mountains led to heated debates within the Alliance. These military outposts were later raided by the Horde of Draenor in order to get the Book of Medivh back from the Alteraci.

At some point Lordaeron at least partially annexed the Alterac Mountains. At the outset of the Third War, Arthas Menethil traveled through the King's Road toward Strahnbrad, and its inhabitants considered him their lord, with the citizens also taking up arms for Lordaeron. A new resistance against them had appeared, however, in the form of the Syndicate, led by former Alteraci prince Aliden Perenolde after he rose up in the Durnholde military under the teachings of his new mentor Aedelas Blackmoore.

Third War

This section concerns content related to Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos or its expansion The Frozen Throne.

The Alterac Mountains in Warcraft III.

At some point, the mountains were invaded by gnolls. The dwarven mountain king Murgen Hammerfall used his abilities to decimate the gnolls. Kobolds also infested the deep tunnels of the mountains.

The Alterac Mountains were home to a large portion of the demon-worshiping orcish Blackrock Clan and its allies. Though they regrouped after the Alliance's retribution for their attack on Strahnbrad, they were thoroughly defeated by the Scourge on its march to Dalaran. Other inhabitants included gnolls, the human Bloodhill Bandits, murlocs, and ice trolls.

After the fall of Quel'Thalas, the Scourge led by Arthas later returned and amassed at the Alterac Mountains, setting out to wipe out the Blackrock clan villages when Kel'Thuzad communicated with Archimonde through their Demon Gate. Here, the orcs still controlled red dragons and were allied with ogres, forest trolls, and goblins.

Kel'Thuzad opened a portal for the Burning Legion near Dalaran. After Archimonde was summoned he summoned a spell that destroyed Dalaran.

After the Third War, the area near Dalaran was a battlefield between the night elves, blood elves, Scourge and Illidan's naga. Illidan later used Kel'Thuzad's rift to open a portal to Outland.

The Sunwell Trilogy

This section concerns content related to the Warcraft manga or comics.

Barony Mordis is located somewhere in the mountains. It was ruled by Valimar Mordis until the Scourge invaded and destroyed it. The undead were led by the ghoul Ichor, who wanted to use the Orb of Ner'zhul to raise dead beasts in the area, including frost wyrms and behemoths.

World of Warcraft

This section concerns content related to the original World of Warcraft.

Gallows' Corner.

The Uplands.

In the years that followed, the ruins of the city of Alterac were claimed by the ogres of the Crushridge clan, led by warlord Mug'thol. What little Alliance activity was left in the region was centered around the entrances to Alterac Valley, where the dwarven Stormpike Guard and the orcish Frostwolf clan vie for supremacy. The Syndicate also have control in the area.

Dorgar Stoenbrow, a warrior of the Scarlet Crusade and the Lord of the Red Caverns, was last seen in the Alterac Mountains.

Cataclysm

This section concerns content related to Cataclysm.

The area remained mostly unchanged with the Cataclysm. Its fingers, originally controlled by the Syndicate, turned into Alliance camps, were sabotaged by the Forsaken.

Battle for Azeroth

This section concerns content related to Battle for Azeroth.

During the Fourth War, the Horde claimed the Ruins of Alterac and Strahnbrad, fortifying them as defensible base for their operations in Lordaeron, and to fight Alliance forces from the Western Plaguelands.

Geography

The Alterac Mountains are high peaks rising up north of the Hillsbrad Foothills, and spreading to the border of the Western Plaguelands in the north and The Hinterlands in the east. Covered with snow at their highest point, these mountains were once the location of some major human settlements. Now these settlements lie in ruins and are controlled by hostile forces. The mountains themselves are home to several kinds of high-altitude flora and fauna, such as yeti and mountain lions. The rare herb  [Wintersbite] was found here.

The mountains are surrounded by green lands having the Lordamere Lake and the Dalaran Crater to the west, Chillwind Point to the east and the Forsaken settlements of Tarren Mill and Sludge Fields to the south.

The farmlands of the kingdom of Alterac were located in the Uplands.

Maps and subregions

Map of the Alterac Mountains prior to Cataclysm, before being merged with the Hillsbrad Foothills.

Brazie Farmstead/Lordamere Internment Camp Chillwind Point Corrahn's Dagger Crushridge Hold Dalaran Crater/Dalaran Gallows' Corner Gavin's Naze Growless Cave The Headland Lordamere Lake Misty Shore Ravenholdt Manor Ruins of Alterac Slaughter Hollow Sofera's Naze Strahnbrad The Uplands Dandred's Fold

Undisplayed locations Alterac palace Darrowmere River — Instanced: Alterac Valley

Lore locations Alterac Fortress Barony Mordis Halsand's estate

Warcraft III Blackrock Camp King's Road

Warcraft RPG Foothill Caverns

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  Map of the Alterac Mountains prior to Wrath of the Lich King.

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  Map of the Alterac Mountains prior to 1.5.0.

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  Map of the Alterac Mountains in Cataclysm beta.

In the RPG

This section contains information from the Warcraft RPG which is considered non-canon.

The Alterac Mountains have traditionally been a home for the humans of Dalaran and Alterac, members of the Alliance of Lordaeron. The settlements were all bases of peaceful activity, and were in the beginning at peace with each other.^{[citation needed]} 

Once inhabited by noble humans, Alterac is a shattered realm struggling to survive the wars' carnage. An organization called the Syndicate is strong in this region. They are a group of thieves who were once Alterac nobles and now seek to reclaim their lands — and any other lands they can lay their hands on — by any means necessary. They battle for control with the huge Crushridge clan of ogres that has taken over Alterac City.

Hostile factions control the few settlements that remain in the mountains.

History

During the Second War, the Horde attempted to conscript some Alliance nobles to help them in their campaign, and the weak-willed nobles of Alterac readily agreed to help the orcs overthrow the Alliance leaders and take Lordaeron. With the defeat of the Horde came the punishment for these traitors: exile from their former holdings. These exiles would eventually form the Syndicate and take back the Alterac Mountains from the Alliance.

Like all of Lordaeron's regions, Alterac suffered horrendously when the Scourge blazed through the continent. The Perenolde family's current scion, Lord Aiden Perenolde, is a high-ranking Syndicate member who resides in the Uplands. The Syndicate struggles to regain control of this wild land, while ruins dot the mountainsides and Crushridge ogres patrol their territory.

The Syndicate kidnapped a wealthy dwarf merchant's son and they didn't want ransom but help in driving the ogres from Alterac City. Murrik Doubletoe, the captured dwarf's father, hired outside help to advise him and either rescue his son or defeat the ogres.

People and culture

Two major factions control the Alterac Mountains: the Syndicate and the Crushridge ogres. The Syndicate is a complicated network of bandits who were once Alterac nobles. These men and women operate mainly in the Alterac Mountains and the surrounding area, but fight, murder, lie and steal to reclaim their ancient lands. They are out for themselves, though it would work with others if doing so helped them meet its ultimate goal. Syndicate agents dress in brown and black when on the prowl, but don their aristocratic finery in their holds.

The Crushridge ogres are cunning, massive, and strong. Leftovers from the Second War, these ogres have thrown off orc rule for their own primitive ways. They live in Alterac City and kill whatever they can. The ogres and the Syndicate fight a continuous guerilla war.

The Syndicate's private war and the ogres' mindless slaughter are foolishness. Alterac shares its northern border with the Western Plaguelands, so a Scourge invasion is only a matter of time. Such an attack would spur the Syndicate to battle against the undead, and the ogres would fight to stay alive. Their numbers, however, are too few.

The Stormpike clan have taken a liking to the Alterac Mountains and defend them fiercely against the trolls and orcs invading the area.

Geography

The Alterac Mountains are not only high and temperate but also cold and misty. Few fertile valleys lie within the peaks, and those that do are fallow. Rainfall is high and the sky is often overcast with gray clouds, making the region drear. The Crushridge ogres and the Syndicate have driven away most native wildlife, but yetis still inhabit the deeper caves. Alterac resembles Loch Modan, but warmer. Huge pine trees tower over the landscape and occasional green meadows and tenacious shrubs can be found amid the gray, rocky peaks.

To the south are the Hillsbrad Foothills, east is the Hinterlands, west is Lordamere Lake and north are the Plaguelands. A magic field closes off Dalaran, to the southwest. Its wizards patrol the local surroundings, but wisely do not concern themselves with Alterac's affairs.

In the RPG book Lands of Conflict, Durnholde Keep is labeled as part of the Alterac Mountains and Hillsbrad Foothills.

The ice trolls of the Winterax tribe dwell in the mountains and valleys of Alterac, and are hated foes of the Frostwolf clan orcs and both the Stormpike and Wildhammer dwarves.

Warcraft Adventures: Lord of the Clans

This section concerns content related to the canceled game Warcraft Adventures: Lord of the Clans and is therefore non-canon.

In the canceled Warcraft Adventures, much of the story takes place here. Along with familiar locations like the home of the Frostwolf clan, Alterac is home to snowy deciduous forests and an insolated gnomish workshop. It is also inhabited by a number of species not found here in World of Warcraft or Warcraft III:

• Eagles
• Owls
• Snow beasts
• Squirrels
• Vultures
• Wendigo
• Wolves
• Razor-rats

Notes and trivia

• The grasses in Alterac are hearty and impart a strong, earthy flavor to hot tea.
• The Alterac peaks can be seen from as far north as Hearthglen and Stratholme.
• The Alterac palace used to have an impressive tapestry-map showing Alterac from edge to edge, with towns and forts picked out in threads of different colors.
• Stromgarde was once described as being situated amongst the foothills of the Alterac Mountains. Since the kingdom of Alterac used to extend east of the Darrowmere River, it is possible the patch of mountains between the Arathi Highlands and the Hinterlands is part of the Alterac Mountains.
• In Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness and Warcraft II: Beyond the Dark Portal the Alterac Mountains were much more verdant than in World of Warcraft, even being referred to as the "Alterac grasslands".
• The Alterac Mountains are one of the locations featured in the South Park episode Make Love, Not Warcraft.

Gallery

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  The Alterac City region during the Second War.

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  The Alterac Mountains borders during the Invasion of Draenor.

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  Dandred's Fold.

Fan art

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  The Early Days of Alterac by Lost-In-Concept.

Speculation

This article or section includes speculation, observations or opinions possibly supported by lore or by Blizzard officials. It should not be taken as representing official lore.

The Red Caverns may be in the Alterac Mountains.

Patch changes

• Patch 4.0.3a (2010-11-23): Zone merged into Hillsbrad Foothills. Nearly every quest involving this zone has been removed.
  

References

es:Montañas de Alterac fr:Montagnes d'Alterac