Ghostlands
- For the book in The Sunwell Trilogy, see Ghostlands (book).
 Ghostlands | |
|---|---|
| Level: 1-30 Battle Pet Level: 3 - 6 | |
 | |
| Capital(s) |
 Tranquillien Zul'Aman Deatholme |
| Races |
    Scourge  Blood elf  Forest troll  Undead troll  Forsaken  High elf  Night elf  Human  Gnoll  Murloc |
| Ruler(s) |
 Lor'themar Theron |
| Former ruler(s) |
Daakara †  Zul'jin †   Dar'Khan Drathir † |
| Major settlements |
Farstrider Enclave Sanctum of the Sun Shalandis Isle Sanctum of the Moon Dawnstar Spire Windrunner Spire |
| Minor settlements |
An'telas An'daroth An'owyn Goldenmist Village Suncrown Village Windrunner Village Zeb'Nowa Zeb'Sora Zeb'Tela Hatchet Hills |
| Affiliation | Kingdom of Quel'Thalas, Horde, Amani tribe, Shadowpine tribe, Amani Empire, Blackpaw clan, Nerubis, Scourge, Sentinel spies |
| Location | Southern Quel'Thalas |
| PvP status | Horde territory |
The Ghostlands is a part of the original Eversong Forest from which Eversong Woods was later reclaimed. This shadowy region of Quel'Thalas has seen much death and destruction in recent years. Ruined and deadened by the Scourge's march to Silvermoon City, the Ghostlands are a haunted, plagued, decrepit, and dangerous area. Vengeful phantoms of the battles with the Scourge and a majority of the undead remnants left over from the invasion of Quel'Thalas still linger here, as well as one of the most vile traitors to the elven people. Since the Third War, the region is unaffected by the magic that holds the rest of Quel'Thalas in a perpetual state of springtime.
The zone appears on the world map north of the Eastern Plaguelands and south of Eversong Woods. The forest troll instance Zul'Aman is located here.
History
Once a part of Eversong Forest, the Elrendar River was all that separated these forests from the northern woodland. Its largest settlement was Tranquillien, and housed the abode of the renowned Windrunner family. An'owyn, An'telas, and An'daroth, three locations in the forest from which key ley lines forked, were each imbued with a mooncrystal that connected all the way to Quel'Danas. With the crystals in place, they passively empowered Ban'dinoriel, the great magic shield protecting Silvermoon. The mooncrystals' locations were hidden in an invisibility stasis and protected by guardians, to ensure no invaders learned their secrets.[1] The fierce Amani trolls also based their power in this region of Quel'Thalas, from their foreboding city of Zul'Aman.
Formal entrance to Quel'Thalas is taken through the Thalassian Pass, located far to the south.
Second War
During the Second War, the Old Horde invaded and set fire to Eversong Forest. The southern stretches of the forest were burned by their actions. Khadgar of the Kirin Tor tried to suppress the fires by summoning a vast storm, which stretched across the entire battlefront and exhausted his entire magic supply. The weather made the fighting soggy and miserable, but only managed to put out the fires for a time, as the red dragons' waves of flame were so hot that under their breath trees blackened in an instant, crumbling to ash despite being soaked minutes before.[2]
Third War and reclamation
The Ghostlands claimed their name during the Third War, in which the undead Scourge invaded Quel'Thalas and capriciously defiled, slaughtered, and tore their way through the woodlands. The Elfgates were overcome, the mooncrystals were pilfered, their guardians slain, and the entire southern woodland fell to the Scourge's corruption. Most, if not all of the elven settlements were obliterated during the invasion, not to be reclaimed until years later. Towns and villages were razed, and human necromancers saw to the reanimation of fallen elves. Under Ranger General Sylvanas Windrunner, the Farstriders put up a vicious but impossible fight against the Scourge, and were forced north.
The elves, now calling themselves the blood elves in honor of the perished, eventually gathered their strength and began taking back portions of Eversong Woods, restoring much of their kingdom, including their beloved capital. However, the elves were divided on how to approach the Ghostlands. Some were content to remain north, while others (such as Lady Liadrin) would not rest until all of Quel'Thalas was reclaimed, the Scourge destroyed and driven from the land forever.[1] When the Blood Knight order was formed, several of their first missions took place in the Ghostlands, and the Farstriders also began re-establishing a presence.
It was also in the Ghostlands that Dar'Khan ambushed the Blood Knights as well as set Lor'themar Theron ablaze before being killed by the Regent Lord.[1]
The Burning Crusade
By the time of the invasion of Outland, remnants of the Scourge still dwelled in the deadened forests, lingering spirits continued to aimlessly haunt the land they had lost their lives defending, and all manner of undead horrors still plagued the land. However, the blood elves, reinforced by their new Forsaken allies - Sylvanas Windrunner's people - have begun to make real progress against the invaders. Among other things, adventurers were tasked with reclaiming the fallen spires and towns, laying restless spirits to rest, battling the opportunistic Amani trolls, and finding a way to bring the great traitor Dar'Khan Drathir to justice once more.
Tranquillien, Farstrider Enclave, and the Sanctum of the Sun have been reclaimed as key points to stand strong against the elves' many enemies. Dar'Khan ruled the lingering undead from Deatholme, while the Amani have scattered outposts across the zone. A regiment of night elves, far from Kalimdor, also arrived in the Ghostlands in a hostile manner. The Magisters and the Farstriders, with help from adventurers, later succeeded in killing Dar'Khan and halting his plans for the region. Zul'jin, the feared warlord of the Amani, would also fall in the months to come, ridding the Ghostlands of two of its most hated enemies.
Although the blood elves had made progress against the Scourge, even without the presence of Dar'Khan, the undead still occupied the land in great numbers. The vigilant Farstriders hold onto the land tenuously, relying on continued Forsaken aid and, recently, the support of the Sunfury.[3]
When Quel'Thalas entered into negotiations about joining the Horde, the faction leaders traveled all the way through the Ghostlands to Farstrider Farstrider Enclave to finalize the acceptance.[4]
Cataclysm
When the Zandalari formed a new troll empire, the Amani remnants, now led by Warlord Daakara, pledged their allegiance to it. Instructed to gather in Zul'Aman and marshal their forces, the Amani found enemies in Silvermoon's ranger-general Halduron Brightwing and his Farstriders, as well as his Horde ally Vol'jin of the Darkspear and his Atal-Mhuto, and Vereesa Windrunner and her rangers from Dalaran. The three of them combined their forces, and the Amani's latest attempt to reassert dominance ended in failure.
War Crimes
The Ghostlands was used as a covert meeting location by Sylvanas and Vereesa Windrunner, who bonded in the place of their birth. The Scourge still seems to be active in the Ghostlands to some degree.[5]
Windrunner: Three Sisters
After the Argus Campaign, the Windrunner sisters reunited and traveled to the Ghostlands to witness the corruption. They passed through the Goldenmist Village and killed its ghostly inhabitants. They continued to the Windrunner Spire, defeating the undead elves stationed there. Sylvanas had planned to ambush Vereesa and Alleria bringing her dark rangers along, hiding near the Spire. Sylvanas didn't give the signal for the ambush, so Sylvanas' sisters left the area via teleport without knowing about the threat.[6]
Legion
In search of the exiled group of blood elves led by Magister Umbric, Alleria returned to the Ghostlands, accompanied by the Alliance adventurer. They traveled to the Sanctum of the Moon, Andilien Estate, and Dawnstar Spire finding clues about Umbric's research of the Void and whereabouts.[7]
Battle for Azeroth
As part of a ceremony of remembrance held each year in the kingdom, Lor'themar Theron accompanied the blood elf adventurer throughout the Ghostlands, shining the light of the Sunwell to reenact the Scourge's invasion of their lands and the sacrifices made in Quel'Thalas' darkest hour. The journey took them from Tranquillien to the Thalassian Pass, where the battle began;[8] north through the Dead Scar, where the elves made a valiant but futile attempt to halt the invaders' advance;[9] to Windrunner Spire, where specters of slain rangers were laid to rest and a statue has been erected to honor the heroism ranger-general Sylvanas displayed in life.[10] The adventurer continued the ceremony in Eversong and Quel'Danas before returning to Silvermoon.
After being deposed as Warchief of the Horde, Sylvanas briefly returned to the Ghostlands to rendezvous with her most loyal followers at her family's fallen spire. She did not sojourn there long, hunted on both continents by the blood elf Farstriders, night elf Sentinels, and troll headhunters,[11] and left for parts unknown after sharing her parting thoughts on the war and what was to come.[12]
Shadowlands
Rallied by Vorath, a san'layn warlord who'd risen to power after the Jailer's fall, Scourge forces poured from the Dead Scar and besieged Tranquillien. Rather than risk its loss as they waited for the support of their Horde allies, Silvermoon's leaders agreed to call upon Blood Knight trainees to reinforce the battle.[13] While veteran Blood Knights held the line, Grand Magister Rommath and Archmage Aethas Sunreaver established arcane protections around the town, and Lady Liadrin instructed blood elf heroes and her ward Salandria to empower a ranseur capable of bringing Vorath his final death. The Scourge resurgence was routed in the Dead Scar, and the Blood Knights fought Vorath back to Deatholme, where the san'layn was slain for good. With Vorath's death, Liadrin noticed how the Scourge began to scatter and declared that the remnants could be taken care of in time.[14]
Geography
Maps and subregions
Instances
| Dungeon name | Level range | Group size | Approximate run time |
|---|---|---|---|
 Zul'Aman |
85 | 5-man | Unknown |
Travel hubs
- Flight paths from Tranquillien
- Silvermoon, Eversong Woods
- Fairbreeze Village, Eversong Woods
- Hatchet Hills, Ghostlands
- Light's Hope Chapel, Eastern Plaguelands (Patch 2.3)
- Tranquillien, Ghostlands
- Light's Hope Chapel, Eastern Plaguelands (servicing Zul'Aman for higher-level players; available in patch 2.3)
- Sun's Reach, Isle of Quel'Danas (servicing Sunwell instances for higher-level players; available in patch 2.4)[15]
Adjacent regions
| Zone name | Faction | Level range | Direction | Access |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eversong Woods |
|
1 - 20 | North | Flight path and by foot |
| Eastern Plaguelands |
|
40 - 60 | South | Flight path (from Hatchet Hills, patch 2.3) and by foot (through  portal south of the Thalassian Pass.)
|
| Isle of Quel'Danas |
|
67 - 60 | Far to the north | Flight path (from Hatchet Hills, patch 2.4) [15] |
Notable characters
- Main article: Ghostlands NPCs
Ghostlands is home to several characters of note. At Tranquillien, Dame Auriferous and High Executor Mavren work together in the battle against the Scourge. At the Farstrider Enclave, Captain Helios and his rangers attempt to fight back the relentless attacks from the Amani trolls. And at the Sanctum of the Sun, Magister Kaendris sends bold adventurers into the heart of evil itself — Dar'Khan Drathir's Tower of the Damned, in the center of his fortress of Deatholme. Outside Zul'Aman Vol'jin, Halduron Brightwing and Vereesa Windrunner discuss plans concerning the renewed Amani threat.
Quests
- Main article: Ghostlands quests
Resources
Battle pets
Wild creatures
In the RPG
In Lands of Conflict, the Ghostlands is an alternate name for the Blackened Woods, which itself is an alternative name for Quel'Thalas.[16]
Notes and trivia
- Before the changes to level ranges, Ghostlands had one of the highest level gaps between adjacent zones with its southern border to the level 40 zone of Eastern Plaguelands (Eastern Plaguelands was originally a level 55 zone, making the gap even larger). Once they finished questing in the Ghostlands, players could continue on by using the Orb of Translocation located in Silvermoon City to teleport to the Undercity. From the Undercity players had the option of traveling to Hillsbrad Foothills or taking the zeppelin to Orgrimmar, where they could then proceed to Ashenvale.
- Ghostlands was originally the only The Burning Crusade zone that had a flight path connecting it to an original World of Warcraft zone (Eastern Plaguelands), until flight points were added to the Isle of Quel'Danas from Ironforge and Silvermoon City. Since then, flight points have been implemented linking all other The Burning Crusade zones to the rest of the world.
- Ghostlands is often used by players wishing to bypass the Barrens whilst questing. See Avoiding the Barrens.
- Thalassian Pass, connecting the Ghostlands to the Eastern Plaguelands, is the only way out of Quel'Thalas by land; all the other ways are by flight paths or teleportation. Notably, players trying to swim south by the shore into Eastern Plaguelands will find their way blocked by an invisible wall. This is because Quel'Thalas, like Azuremyst Isles, actually exists on the Outland map, presumably to make it easier to block players without The Burning Crusade when it was still a separate expansion. Quel'Thalas overlaps the old Eastern Kingdoms region to the northeast of the Eastern Plaguelands, which is where players attempting the reverse trick (swimming into Quel'Thalas) will find themselves: swimming along the shore, appearing on the world map as passing right through the Ghostlands.
- During the patch 4.1.0 PTR, it was possible to fly in the Ghostlands, presumably due to the zone becoming relevant once again with the reintroduction of Zul'aman in the form of a heroic dungeon. Invisible walls were placed around the borders. These walls sloped at an angle towards Eversong Woods forcing players to land before getting too close, after entering Eversong Woods they would then be dismounted. This change was reverted before the patch became live, however.
- Ghostlands US and Ghostlands Europe are servers named after the region.
Patch changes
- Patch 7.3.5 (2018-01-16): Level scaling implemented, previous zone level: 10 - 20.
References
- ^ a b c Blood of the Highborne
- ^ Tides of Darkness, chapter 14
- ^ In the Shadow of the Sun
- ^ World of Warcraft: Sylvanas
- ^ War Crimes, chapter 14
- ^ Windrunner: Three Sisters
- ^ [40-80] The Ghostlands
- ^
[50-80] Writing on the Wall
- ^ [50-80] The First to Fall
- ^ [50-80] Lament of the Highborne
- ^ Battle at the Gates of Orgrimmar#Aftermath
- ^ [60] Most Loyal
- ^ [60] Briefing
- ^ [60] Justice Long Overdue
- ^ a b http://acaciaizm.com/?p=313#more-313
- ^ "This realm (Blackened Woods) is sometimes called the Ghostlands of Quel'Thalas.", Lands of Conflict, pg. 112
External links
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