Isle of Quel'Danas
- This article is about the zone. For the raid from the Midnight expansion, see March on Quel'Danas. For the raid from the The Burning Crusade expansion, see Sunwell Plateau.
 Isle of Quel'Danas | |
|---|---|
| Level: 25-30 | |
 | |
| Capital(s) |
 Sunwell Plateau |
| Races |
  Blood elf  High elf  Felblood elf Wretched  Draenei Murloc  Naga  Undead    Demon |
| Ruler(s) |
 Lor'themar Theron |
| Former ruler(s) |
  Kael'thas Sunstrider † |
| Major settlements |
Magisters' Terrace Sun's Reach |
| Minor settlements |
Dawnstar Village |
| Affiliation | Kingdom of Quel'Thalas, Shattered Sun Offensive |
| Former affiliation(s) | Sunfury, Burning Legion |
| Location | Northern Quel'Thalas, between the North Sea and Forbidding Sea |
| PvP status | Contested territory |
Isle of Quel'Danas (/ˈkwɛlˌdə.nɑs/ KWEL də-nahs)[1] (also known as the Sunwell Isle[1][2][3] or simply Quel'Danas)[4] is an island located north of the Eastern Kingdoms and one of three areas that make up Quel'Thalas. The island's highlights include the Sunwell Plateau, the site of the sacred Sunwell from which Kil'jaeden was being summoned; Magisters' Terrace, the place Kael'thas Sunstrider made his final stand; and Sun's Reach, a town reclaimed by a combination of Aldor and Scryers forces known as the Shattered Sun Offensive. The Dead Scar, the path of desolation left by the Scourge that splits Quel'Thalas in two, abruptly ends about halfway across the island, near the entrance to the Sunwell Plateau. It was described as being older than Silvermoon City and as the most sacred place to the sin'dorei.[1]
Added in patch 2.4, it was the first outdoor zone added to the game via a patch, including many daily quests as well as the last raid and dungeon content released prior to Wrath of the Lich King.
History
Creation of the Sunwell
- Main article: Sunwell
Around 6,800 BDP, the Highborne exiles under the leadership of Dath'Remar Sunstrider arrived at the forested woodlands one day known as Quel'Thalas. Dath'Remar had long sought a suitable homeland for his people, practitioners of arcane magic abhorred by their brethren across the Great Sea. Unveiling a stolen vial of water from the Well of Eternity, he poured its contents into a lake situated at a convergence of powerful ley lines, the Sunwell Grove. A brilliant fount of energy tore through the skies of Azeroth, and Dath'Remar proclaimed that this new source of power would one day surpass its predecessor. The Sunwell was named after Dath'Remar, in honor of the Highborne leader's bold quest to reignite Highborne culture, and over time, the Highborne lost their characteristic kaldorei looks and shunned the moon to embrace the sun. They would become known as the high elves, or quel'dorei, and the Sunwell became the heart of their culture.[5] The Sunwell's power allowed the elves to build their cities and shape their land,[1] as well as defend their city; during the Second War, the elven Magisters notably used its power to erect a shield around Silvermoon City to hold off the Old Horde's invasion.[6]
Fall of Quel'Thalas
During the Third War in 20 ADP, when the corrupted Prince Arthas Menethil led the Scourge in its rampage through Quel'Thalas. During the siege of Silvermoon City, Grand Magister Belo'vir Salonar came to acknowledge that defending the capital was impossible, and tasked Archmage Rommath with the evacuation, instructing him to transport as many elves as he could to the safety of Quel'Danas.[7]
Overwhelmed, High King Anasterian Sunstrider and the survivors gathered aboard their fleet and retreated to Quel'Danas. Protecting the Sunwell became their primary focus; they could always rebuild their capital, but the fount of arcane magic was irreplaceable. When the Scourge shattered the capital's defenses, Arthas used the power of Frostmourne to create a bridge of ice linking Quel'Danas to the mainland, giving the elves little time to marshal a counter-attack.[8] On the southern shores of Quel'Danas, the wielder of Quel'Delar, Thalorien Dawnseeker, made a last stand and held off waves of Scourge so his men could safely reach the Sunwell. He was killed by the death knight Morlen Coldgrip, and the legendary elven blade was lost for the time being.[9]
In his relentless advance, Arthas was confronted by Anasterian who used Felo'melorn to destroy the path of frost with his fiery magics, forcing the undead to the ocean.[10] After a fierce duel, however, the Lich King's champion ultimately shattered Felo'melorn and pierced the king's heart to steal his soul.[7] With his most powerful obstacles all removed, the dark prince began his final assault on the Sunwell Plateau. Some of the Scourge split off from the main army to attack Sunstrider Isle, with nothing else left in sight to destroy, while their main forces were slaughtering the population and several prominent figures, including High Priest Vandellor, Grand Magister Belo'vir, and the Convocation of Silvermoon.[7]
Victorious, Arthas reached the Sunwell and submerged Kel'Thuzad's remains within the fount of power, resurrecting the necromancer into a lich. However, it came at great cost, as the ritual befouled the Sunwell with corrupted energies that gradually permeated the lands of Quel'Thalas, the surviving quel'dorei, and everything they had ever built. The death knight then gathered the Scourge and marched south toward Dalaran, leaving only ruins and death in his wake.[11] The brothers Solanar and Falon later managed to secure the king's body during the battle, taking it away from the carnage and sparing Anasterian the fate of undeath.[12]
When Prince Kael'thas Sunstrider returned from Dalaran, he discovered that the greatest danger to his people was not the Scourge remnants, but the Sunwell itself. Given enough time, the necromantic energies would kill them all, and the prince painfully concluded that the Sunwell, the heart of their society, had to be destroyed. With the aid of the most powerful remaining magi, who had come to the same conclusion, the prince executed a plan that would irrevocably change the fate of his people, and succeeded in destroying the Sunwell through a great ritual.[12] After a three-way struggle between the elves, the Scourge remnants, and an armada of emboldened Amani trolls seizing an opportunity to secure the Sunwell for their own purposes, the elven magi detonated the Sunwell and escaped, leaving the undead and trolls alike to perish in the ensuing blaze.[13]
The Sunwell Trilogy
Despite its destruction, the remaining essence of the Sunwell endured, kept hidden by a mysterious mage known as Borel.[14] Some time after the Third War, Dar'Khan Drathir returned to Quel'Danas, along with a human girl named Anveena. The blood elves guarded the isle to some capacity, as their presence was soon discovered, informing Regent Lord Lor'themar Theron and Ranger-General Halduron Brightwing who immediately led a group of Farstriders to the site of the Sunwell. During their confrontation, the traitor raised undead elves and sent them against the living ones, forcing the Farstriders to retreat. On their way to save Anveena, the blue dragon Kalecgos and his group encountered a felhound on the isle. It was there that they met Borel, later revealed to be the red dragon Korialstrasz, who originally created Anveena as the avatar of the Sunwell's essence. Wishing to become a god and make even Arthas Menethil bow to him, Dar'Khan then attempted to cast a spell that would allow him to absorb the energies from her, however with the aid of her allies, and a diversion from Sylvanas Windrunner, Anveena manifested the Sunwell's power and wielded it against him. The betrayer then made a final desperate attempt to drain the energy from her directly but was unable to withstand its brilliance and was burned away. After their victory, Lor'themar and Halduron vowed to protect Anveena, keeping her safe for several years, along with Kalec.[15]
The Burning Crusade
- Main article: Battle for Quel'Danas
During the invasion of Outland in 26 ADP, Prince Kael'thas Sunstrider was revived by the shivarra Priestess Delrissa after his defeat at Tempest Keep.[16] Filled with a new determination, the corrupted Sun King returned to the Isle of Quel'Danas through a portal at the Throne of Kil'jaeden[17] with the objective of reinvigorating the Sunwell; not for the sake of his people, but instead as a means to summon the demon lord Kil'jaeden on Azeroth. With the aid of the Burning Legion, as well as his Sunfury, Kael'thas kidnapped Anveena Teague, the mortal embodiment of the Sunwell's energies, and personally led an attack on Silvermoon City with felblood elves to seize the naaru M'uru. At the Sunwell Plateau, the prince leeched away their power to re-form the ruined Sunwell, causing a brilliant explosion of energy to erupt from the fount, and then fortified his ritual to create the gateway with energy from the mana cells he had gathered in the Netherstorm.[18]
When the Sun King's forces seized the isle, the spellbreakers, whose headquarters was located on Quel'Danas, were overwhelmed, but some managed to survive the attack.[19]
In retaliation, the Sha'tar — masters of Shattrath City — rallied the draenei priests of the Aldor and the blood elf magisters of the Scryers into a unified army, and dispatched them to Azeroth to end the Legion's nefarious scheme. Known as the Shattered Sun Offensive, their forces claimed the outpost of Sun's Reach, and soon began a campaign to reclaim the island from Kael'thas' legions.[20]
Through their efforts, the Shattered Sun forces had disrupted Kael'thas's spellwork long enough for more help to arrive. Under the lead of Lady Liadrin, the Horde's champions hunt down the Sun King in the Magisters' Terrace, where they succeeded to kill him.[18] After they established a small foothold within Sunwell Plateau, a strike team of Alliance heroes was deployed to clear the way forward.[18] The final confrontation began when Kil'jaeden emerged from the portal. While they desperately fought the demonlord, Anveena Teague was suspended above the Sunwell to power the portal until she intentionally sacrificed her own life to weaken her jailor. Thanks to her help, the mortal champions banished Kil'jaeden back into the Twisting Nether; thus shutting close the Legion's gateway into Azeroth.[21]
Following their victory, the corruptive energies once more fouled the Sunwell's waters; the tainted well threatened to spread through Quel'Thalas and engulf the blood elves. The kingdom's regent, Lor'themar Theron, considered destroying the fount to avert this catastrophe, but another solution presented itself: accompanying a repentant Lady Liadrin to the plateau was the draenei Prophet Velen, who recovered the naaru M'uru's heart and used it to purify the Sunwell.[18] Cleansed of its corruption, the Sunwell's energies were now made of both arcane and Light energy.[22] After some of its darkest days, and with some unlikely aid, the Sunwell's rebirth and the victories on Quel'Danas have inspired all of Quel'Thalas to forge a brighter future.[23]
Wrath of the Lich King
By the time of the Scourgewar in 27 ADP, Quel'Danas had been completely reclaimed by the kingdom of Quel'Thalas, with Silvermoon Builders repairing various locations across the island, while Ranger-General Halduron Brightwing was seen inspecting the Blood Elven guards protecting the renewed Sunwell. The remnants of the Shattered Sun Offensive were watching over the builders. With Quel'Delar in tow, the adventurers were tasked to submerge the Prismatic Blade within the Sunwell's holy power, and only those with the Ranger-General's personal permission were allowed entry. Within the plateau, a number of high elves had been permitted to make pilgrimages to the restored fount of power, with Captain Auric Sunchaser as their representative.[24]
Legion
During the third invasion of the Burning Legion in 32 ADP, Quel'Danas was attacked by felhounds led by Maag the Ravenous. The demons were killed by the priest champions of the Conclave who traveled here in order to get the pure Light from the Sunwell.[25]
The sin'dorei have teamed up with the ethereal transmogrifiers to put on a grand Azerothian fashion tournament. Adventurers compete against four others to determine who is the best dresser.[26] The event is held in the Magisters' Terrace assembly chamber.
Battle for Azeroth
After the Argus Campaign, the Sunwell was visited by Lor'themar Theron, Grand Magister Rommath, First Arcanist Thalyssra, Arcanist Valtrois, Silgryn, and Alleria Windrunner. The visit was intended as a gesture of goodwill for the nightborne leaders and courtesy for Alleria; while the latter was estranged from Silvermoon's political climate, Lor'themar would not deny a daughter of Quel'Thalas' request to see their people's most sacred site. However, Alleria's presence attracted a group of void creatures, who invaded the plateau at Nether-Prince Durzaan's command and began spreading their corruption. The heroes, along with the Sunwell's magi, wardens, and spellbreakers, repelled the abomination until a powerful void horror, Aruun the Darkener, emerged in an attempt to contaminate the well directly but was stopped and killed. Finally, a rift portal was opened directly above the Sunwell's waters, but Rommath, Thalyssra, and Alleria combined their magics to close it before catastrophe struck. In the aftermath of the battle, Alleria was exiled by Lor'themar on the grounds that her very presence poses a threat to Quel'Thalas and the Sunwell. The battle's outcome also endeared the regent to Thalyssra, who pledged the kingdom of Suramar to the Horde.[27]
During the Fourth War in 33 ADP, as part of a ceremony of remembrance held each year in the kingdom, a blood elf adventurer, beginning in the Ghostlands, traveled through Eversong Woods to Quel'Danas bearing a lantern imbued with the light of the Sunwell, which they used to reenact the sacrifices made during the Scourge invasion of Quel'Thalas. On the isle, Lady Liadrin gave commentary on what it means to be sin'dorei,[28], and the adventurer witnessed the final battle of Anasterian Sunstrider, the last king of Quel'Thalas, against Arthas Menethil.[29] The ceremony then continued with the Sunwell Plateau, before concluding in Silvermoon City.
Midnight
When Xal'atath and the Devouring Host invaded Quel'Danas, the blood elf forces led by Lady Liadrin and Lor'themar Theron made their stand here, with the two leaders defending the Sunwell on one of the plateau's walls. During the battle, Lady Liadrin summoned the Vanguard of the Light to aid them.[30]
Geography
Maps and subregions
|
|
|
Instances
| Dungeon name | Level range | Group size | Approximate run time |
|---|---|---|---|
 Magisters' Terrace |
70 | 5-man | 1-2 Hours |
 Sunwell Plateau |
70+ | 25-man | Unknown |
- Magisters' Terrace offers normal and heroic modes and is the third 5-man dungeon in Azeroth with a heroic mode (the first two inside the Caverns of Time). To unlock heroic mode, simply run the dungeon once on normal mode; no key or specific rep level is required. Kael'thas Sunstrider appears as the final boss, continuing his storyline from Tempest Keep.
- Sunwell Plateau is the location of the Sunwell, with Kil'jaeden himself as the final boss.[31]
Travel hubs
Sun's Reach, the primary staging area for the Shattered Sun Offensive, is the primary travel hub to and from the island. This flight node is available to all level 70 players.
- Flight paths from Sun's Reach
- Silvermoon City, Eversong Woods
Ironforge, Dun Morogh- Hatchet Hills, Ghostlands
- Light's Hope Chapel, Eastern Plaguelands
Getting there
Players cannot reach the Isle by riding or walking, due to an invisible barrier that lies some distance north of Silvermoon City. The most common means of access are via flight path, portal, or various summoning spells.
The flight path to the zone from Ironforge, Hatchet Hills, Light's Hope, and Silvermoon City is learned automatically at level 65. After a certain phase of reclaiming the island (as indicated by the number of completed daily quests), a portal will be opened between Quel'Danas and Shattrath City, allowing easy transport to the island. The portal from Shattrath to Quel'Danas is located in the alcove behind where Exarch Nasuun stands and drops off the player in the Sun's Reach Sanctum. Complete the daily quest [25-30 Daily] Know Your Ley Lines to collect an item that allows a one-time-use teleport back to Shattrath.
The Alliance flight path from Ironforge to the Isle of Quel'Danas is distinctive among flight paths in that once the gryphon flies past the front gates of Ironforge the gryphon and rider are instantly teleported to the edge of the Isle of Quel'Danas zone and then fly the rest of the way normally. This saves the rider from a very long flight.
Adjacent regions
| Zone Name | Faction | Level Range | Direction | Access |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eversong Woods |
|
1 - 20 | South | Flight path to Silvermoon |
Notable characters
- Main article: Isle of Quel'Danas NPCs
The Isle of Quel'Danas is known primarily for its vendors. Smith Hauthaa is both the repair vendor and the 
[Badge of Justice] vendor on the Isle located behind the Sun's Reach Armory, while Shaani is the Jewelcrafting recipes and epic gems vendor located on the first floor of the Inn of Sun's Reach Harbor. Hauthaa begins selling her wares late in the Shattered Sun Offensive storyline, while Shaani doesn't start until the very end.
Additionally, the Exotic Gear Purveyors of the Sun's Reach Armory are notable for selling Season 1, Season 2 and Vindicator's gear in exchange for Tier 4, Tier 5 and Tier 6 loot tokens, as well as Veteran's gear in exchange for Badges of Justice. Karynna, Olus, Soryn, and Kayri are all located on the second floor of the Armory, starting in phase 3.
Quests
- Main article: Isle of Quel'Danas quests
All quests on the Isle of Quel'Danas are part of the Shattered Sun Offensive storyline. See the SSO quests section for a formatted list, Isle of Quel'Danas quests for the table style, or the unformatted list of all quests in the Isle of Quel'Danas category.
Resources
Phasing
During The Return of Quel'Delar quest chain, the entire isle undergoes heavy phasing to convey the recent developments there from the finale of The Burning Crusade.
In the RPG
Quel'Danas is also the island refuge of the blood elf dragonhawks. It is home to the aeries where the dragonhawks and giant eagles originated and are bred for the elite windriders. Aquel'Luer'Thala is the blood elf in charge of the units stationed on the island.[32]
Notes and trivia
- Quel'Danas already appeared in very early World of Warcraft maps as the "new elf hangout" as Silvermoon was meant to have been completely destroyed. It was featured naval routes to Valgarde.[33]
- The Isle of Quel'Danas is the only place in Azeroth in which Outland metals can be mined.
- Although Arthas made a path of ice from Eversong Woods to the Quel'Danas, the Dead Scar actually continues underwater, despite the fact the Scourge never walked underwater to the isle.
- One cannot swim between this island and the Eversong Woods, as an invisible barrier exists between the two zones, should the player attempt the swim, they will "fall" to their death.
- The North Sea surrounds the isle despite stating the Great Sea and the Forbidding Sea on the map. In lore, the North Sea should be to the west and north while the east side of the isle should be the Forbidding Sea.
Gallery
Quel'Danas at night.
- Maps
Quel'Danas in an early concept map.
Warcraft III map.
Quel'Danas on the Azeroth map before The Burning Crusade.
Quel'Danas from the World of Warcraft World Map.
Patch changes
- Patch 7.3.5 (2018-01-16): Level scaling implemented, previous zone level: 70.
- Patch 2.4.0 (2008-03-25): Added.
References
- ^ a b c d Christie Golden. "Chapter IX", Exploring Azeroth: The Eastern Kingdoms, 92, Blizzard Entertainment, narrated by John Behlmann (as Mathias Shaw), 05:34. “Also known as the "Sunwell Isle" and older than Silvermoon City itself, the Isle of Quel'Danas is the most sacred place in the world to the sin'dorei.”
- ^ Archived page
- ^ Archived page
- ^ Magisters' Terrace
- ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 1, pg. 120 - 121
- ^ Tides of Darkness, pg. 228
- ^ a b c Blood of the Highborne, chapter 2
- ^ Arthas: Rise of the Lich King, pg. 236
- ^ The Return of Quel'Delar quest chain
- ^ Arthas: Rise of the Lich King, pg. 293
- ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 3, pg. 64
- ^ a b Blood of the Highborne, chapter 3
- ^ Fury of the Sunwell trailer for patch 2.4
- ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 3, pg. 103
- ^ Ghostlands
- ^ Priestess Delrissa dungeon journal notes
- ^ Magistrix Seyla#Quotes
- ^ a b c d World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 3, pg. 159
- ^ Ask CDev - Round 1, Spellbreakers
- ^ Shattered Sun Offensive faction description
- ^ Kil'jaeden (tactics)
- ^ Ask CDev - Round 1
- ^ Blood Elf - Game Guide
- ^ Warden of the Sunwell
- ^
Holy Ground: The Sunwell
- ^ Trial of Style, Build 23958 Patch Notes
- ^ [40-80] Remember the Sunwell
- ^
[50-80] A People Shattered
- ^ [50-80] The Setting Sun
- ^ Intercession
- ^ http://www.wowinsider.com/2007/12/20/new-sunwell-details-from-swedish-mag-level/
- ^ Lands of Conflict, pg. 113
- ^ File:ABE - Lordaeron and Khaz Modan map.jpg
External links
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