Boralus

For the Battle for Azeroth dungeon, see Siege of Boralus.

Boralus
Type	Capital city
Leader(s)	Jaina Proudmoore  Katherine Proudmoore
Government	Hereditary monarchy
Race(s)	Human  Dwarf  Gnome
Faith(s)	Tidemother, Holy Light
Affiliation(s)	House Proudmoore, Proudmoore Admiralty, Admiralty of Kul Tiras
Formerly	Alliance of Lordaeron, Arathorian Empire
Location	Eastern Tiragarde Sound[71, 33]
Status	Active

Boralus (pronounced "bohr-AH-luhs") is the capital and largest city of the island kingdom of Kul Tiras. It is located on a large strait within the central region of Tiragarde Sound. Boralus serves as the seat of House Proudmoore, and as a center of trade and military power for the entire nation.

Standing as one of the largest ports on Azeroth, the city possesses its own unique personality. A safe port of call in unsafe waters, Boralus Harbor is, aside from Proudmoore Keep, the most heavily guarded part of the city. Merchants from all over Azeroth dock here to trade their goods. It is usually the only place most visitors ever get to see. Recently, it has been characterized by political squabbling and criminal activity, and has become a focus of the Fourth War and an important territory for the Alliance.

History

Early history

Kul Tiras and the Arathorian city-states.

Circa 2,700 years BDP, the Arathorian Empire prospered after humanity won the Troll Wars. After the death of King Thoradin, the empire began to expand, founding new city-states in the wilderness - including Boralus. In 1,200 years BDP, the empire disintegrated. Over time, the power of Kul Tiras and the other city-states grew as that of Strom waned; eventually they developed their own customs and beliefs, and the empire splintered into independent kingdoms. Its once-small trading outposts and cities had grown into independent city-states, which over generations became increasingly distant and insular.

Folk & Fairy Tales of Azeroth

This section concerns content related to the Warcraft novels, novellas, or short stories.

Main article: Why the Mermaids Left Boralus

In its oldest days, when almost no one thought of themselves as "Kul Tiran" and when old folk still referred to Gilneas as "home", Boralus was little more than a collection of houses on a rock. Its citizens—fishers, shipwrights, sailors, and pearl-divers—did not live easy lives, for while the town was sheltered from the south by the escarpments of Tiragarde, from the north by the mountains of Stormsong Valley, and from the west by the delta where the three islands of Kul Tiras met, there was nothing to protect it from the Great Sea in the east. Each year produced at least one storm that destroyed the ships in the harbor and threatened to permanently wipe the rocks clean of both houses and people. It's said that in the morning, the harbor was so filled with drowned bodies that the living simply covered them with weighted nets to sink them down to the seafloor. It was impossible to build a seawall due to the immense depths of the waters between the spit, and the work of repairing the wall after each storm would've claimed as many lives as it saved. The people of Boralus figured that they would have to get by on their wits and bravery alone.

According to folklore, mermaids lived openly near Boralus in those days. The humans falsely believed that the creatures portended storms and drowned sailors for amusement, but this changed as a result of the mermaid Halia and the tidesage Ery, who fell in love with each other and began meeting in secret. One day, a great storm unexpectedly came to Boralus. It continued for several days, dashing the ships and their crews against the rocks and sucking the people of the town into the waves. Ery and the handful of tidesages who were present gathered in small boats at the river's mouth to divert the water. The sea priests faltered one by one until only Ery was left, and with Halia's help she stopped a great wave coming for the town. Halia then began constructing a seawall at the bottom of the harbor while Ery continued holding back the water. Halia was soon joined by other mermaids, and together they built the wall higher and higher with rocks, mud, ship debris, and sailors' bones until it broke the surface and continued to rise under Ery's feet, though a number of mermaids died in the process, their power spent. The tidesage eventually collapsed from exhaustion and fell into the water. Without her power to hold them back, the waves crashed into the seawall, but it held steady. Halia saved her beloved's life by slitting her feet and jumping with her into the harbor, prompting the Mother to turn her into a mermaid. As long as Boralus' mighty seawall has stood, its people now swear on mermaids as symbols of the highest honor and good luck, as well as sacrifice, for no mermaids were ever seen in the harbor again. On certain calm sunsets when the red is deeply reflected on the surface of Boralus Harbor, old sailors call it "Ery's blood", which presages good weather, in remembrance of the dutiful tidesage and the mermaid who loved her.

Second War

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

During the Invasion of Draenor in 8 ADP, Kul Tiras was assaulted by an expedition of the Horde of Draenor.

Battle for Azeroth

This section concerns content related to Battle for Azeroth.

Boralus canals in Battle for Azeroth.

A few months prior to the Fourth War in 33 ADP, Lord Colm Stormsong fell to the maddening whispers and withdrew from the rest of Kul Tiras, along with most of his Tidesages. He claimed that he sought to take control of the shattered admiralty and restore it to its former glory, seeing the elite of Boralus as haughty folk who give nothing in return for his people's work. Unbeknownst to most of the nation, the missing Kul Tiran fleet was being held captive in a massive artificial storm by the Tidesages who sought to deliver the fleet to their new mistress, Queen Azshara.

In order to defeat the Horde, Jaina Proudmoore volunteered to persuade her people to help the Alliance with their naval power. Though her ship was allowed to dock in Boralus, Lady Katherine had nothing but scorn and anger for her daughter, holding her responsible for Lord Admiral Daelin Proudmoore's death during the invasion of Durotar. While Katherine had taken over the Admiralty, it was in a precarious state, rife with piracy and corruption, with precious few resources to combat it, the Kul Tiran fleet had been missing for months, and the local guards were stretched thin.

At the head of House Ashvane, one of the four ruling houses of Kul Tiras, Lady Priscilla Ashvane sought to bring Boralus under her control. She secretly plotted to usurp Katherine's rule, using the Ashvane Foundry to manufacture Azerite weapons for the pirates of Freehold. After the Irontide Raiders destroyed Daelin's Gate, the Lord Admiral was about to step down in favor of Ashvane, until Taelia Fordragon and the Alliance adventurers revealed the latter's treachery, forcing her to escape.

In time, Priscilla gathered her forces for a major attack on the capital, using her Azerite weaponry to breach its walls. The Proudmoore Guard grappled with the invaders in the streets, while the Alliance heroes crushed the leaders of the siege, until the defeat of the kraken Viq'Goth signaled victory over the invaders. However, another fleet, led personally by Priscilla, prepared to descend on the city, whose defenses were no longer able to resist. From the battlements of the Great Gate, Jaina used her father's pendant to call back her brother Tandred Proudmoore and the Kul Tiran fleet, who immediately surrounded the enemy vessels near the capital, ending the siege.

Shadowlands

This section concerns content related to Shadowlands.

Boralus Harbor under attack during the Tazavesh, the Veiled Market events.

During the war against the Jailer in 35 ADP, Jaina Proudmoore was targeted by the Mawsworn who captured her in Boralus and took her to the Maw. The city was later attacked by pirates of the Hourglass, captained by Timecap'n Hooktail, as part of her heist. A small portion of the harbor was caught in flames, and fighting erupted on the ramparts, which were defended by the Boralus Guard. The adventurers eventually killed Hooktail, who revealed herself to be an infinite dragon, and departed with Al'dalil before the guards asked them questions.

Heartlands

This section concerns content related to the Warcraft novels, novellas, or short stories.

In Year 42 ADP, Proudmoore Keep hosted a joint meeting between several Alliance and Horde leaders who answered Jaina and Thrall's call, where they prepared the strike force for Khaz Algar.

Geography

The city of Boralus from a distance.

Boralus is located on a cluster of small islands in the eastern part of Tiragarde Sound, and it is a city beholden to the sea. Roughhewn wooden planks line intertwining walkways, terraces, and stairs. Sea-weathered rooftops and awnings adorn the buildings, while amber-lit windows and walkway lanterns lend honeyed tones to the atmosphere. Stone thoroughfares and hanging colorful nautical flags strike a contrast to the sea-worn brick-and-wood construction, creating a sense of warmth despite the chill of the surrounding sea. The sounds of Tiragarde gulls can be heard crying overhead.

Iron-reinforced locks in the center of Boralus Harbor bar the way from the sea into the inner channels at the heart of the city, while cannons on either side serve as an additional deterrent to vessels approaching with ill intent. Great galleons make their berth in the harbor.

Within the harbor's Tradewinds Market, visitors will find everything they need for an extended stay in Boralus. Merchants from all over Azeroth are drawn here to hawk their wares, traveling well-established trade routes between here, the town of Hatherford, and the fertile lands of Stormsong Valley.

Maps and subregions

Map of Boralus.

Ashvane Company Yards Salt and Shanty Ashvane Docks Priscilla's Parlor Crosswind Commons The Shark Dampwick Ward Anchor's Away Dampwick Tavern The Drunken Gryphon Hook Point Hook Point Market The Loose Cannon Ruff Waters Scribes & Nobles Hops, Line, & Sinker Brewing Mariner's Row The Curious Octopus Lost At Sea That's A Moray Proudmoore Academy Proudmoore Barracks Proudmoore Keep Lord Admiral's Rest Ravens Flock Tavern Stormsong Monastery Monastery Archives Unity Square Upton Borough Barrel & Crate Catty Cathy's Dock 1 Exports Tucker's Toys

Boralus Harbor Harbormaster's Office Tradewinds Market Hudson Archaeological Sanctum of the Sages The Snug Harbor Tradewinds Counting House Wind's Redemption

Undisplayed locations Admirality Office Boralus' shops and services Daelin's Hall Erickson Hall Great Gate Harbor Hall Kelp Club Orphanage

Inhabitants

Please add any available information to this section.

Main article: Boralus NPCs

•  Human
•  Worgen
•  Dwarf
•  Gnome
• Mechagnome
•  High elf
•  Draenei
•  Lightforged draenei
•  Night elf
•  Void elf
•  Pandaren
•  Tortollan
•  Ethereal
•  Tuskarr
•  Jinyu
•  Grummle

Animals

• Horse
• Mule
• Dog
• Corgi
• Wolf
• Cat
• Rat
• Pig
• Gryphon
• Crab
  • Hermit crab
• Puffer fish
• Dolphin

Getting there

A character of any level can get to Boralus by boarding The Relentless in Stormwind Harbor. A two-way portal between Boralus and Wizard's Sanctum in Stormwind City also becomes available upon completing  [10-60] Sanctum of the Sages.

Travel connections

Flight paths

...

Boats

• Stormwind City, Eastern Kingdoms (The Relentless)
• Xibala, Zuldazar, Zandalar (Wind's Redemption, requires Zuldazar foothold)
• Fort Victory, Nazmir, Zandalar (Wind's Redemption, requires Nazmir foothold)
• Shatterstone Harbor, Vol'dun, Zandalar (Wind's Redemption, requires Vol'dun foothold)

Portal

• Stormwind City
• Ironforge City
• The Exodar
• Silithus

In the RPG

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

Boralus, Kul Tiras' capital, lies on the island's west coast. The city's population has dwindled since Jaina's and Daelin Proudmoore's exodus, and many houses and surrounding farms lie empty. Currently the city's population stands at four-thousand heads. The people have drawn in away from the fringes and toward the coast; one can wander for a while through the abandoned residential districts and market places in the city's east side. An ideal place for a secret society or hidden cabal as the town is eerily quiet.

Still, Boralus is a friendly enough harbor, though almost all its citizens carry long knives to "gut the murlocs and naga". Kul Tiras's diminished fleet patrols the waterways leading to the harbor, so merchants from Southshore, Menethil Harbor and (rarely) Kalimdor make Boralus a regular stop.

Notes and trivia

• Kennings Lodge in Tiragarde Sound is the largest supplier of furs and leather to Boralus.
• A group of gnomes lived in the city. However, some time ago they all went missing. Their abandoned machinery still inhabits the Abandoned Junkheap in Tiragarde Sound.
• Piracy is considered one of the most vile of crimes under Kul Tiran law. Those caught and charged with piracy are sentenced to death and publicly executed in Boralus.
  • The death penalty by hanging is also applied for thieves in the city, it was notably the case of Flynn Fairwind's mother, Lyra Fairwind.
• Boralus is the only human capital to not share a name with its nation (e.g. Stormwind, Gilneas).
• The denonym for something from Boralus is "Boralan".
• Despite having a capital with a different name than the nation, Kul Tiras is still sometimes described as a city-state.
• Before the geography of the island was retroactively changed in Battle for Azeroth, Kul Tiras was the name of the capital and not Boralus. The name Boralus only existed in the non-canonical RPG to refer to the capital of Kul Tiras.
  • The dot on the Warcraft II map labeled as "Kul Tiras" may be the current-day Boralus. Both are on the southeastern parts of the island. Chronicle Volume 1 moved the dot to a central location.
• In the StarCraft universe, Boralis is the name of the capital city of the planet Braxis.

Gallery

• 

  Kul Tiras during the Invasion of Draenor.
• 

  Boralus canals.
• 
• 

  Boralus during rain.
• 

  Concept art of the Great Gate in Boralus Harbor.
• 

  Concept art.
• 
• 

Maps

• 

  Kul Tiras' position in Warcraft II.
• 

  Kul Tiras' position in World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 1.
• 

  Kul Tiras' position in World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 3.

Patch changes

• Hotfix (2026-03-05): Fixed an issue where quests sending you to Boralus would direct you to go into the Silvermoon portal in Stormwind's portal room.
  
• Patch 8.0.1 (2018-07-17): Added.
  

External links

• Wowhead
• WoWDB
• Wago