Northern Barrens
 Northern Barrens | |
|---|---|
| Level: 5 - 50 Battle Pet Level: 3 - 4 | |
 | |
| Capital(s) |
 The Crossroads |
| Races |
  Goblin  Orc  Tauren  Troll  Forsaken  Quilboar  Night elf  Human  High elf  Dark Iron dwarf  Murloc Harpy  Centaur Bog beast Makrura |
| Ruler(s) |
 Thrall |
| Former ruler(s) |
  Monte Gazlowe |
| Major settlements |
Fray Island Ratchet Thorn Hill Boulder Lode Mine |
| Minor settlements |
Grol'dom Farm Far Watch Post Nozzlepot's Outpost Mor'shan Base Camp Darsok's Outpost Dreadmist Camp Mor'shan Rampart The Sludge Fen |
| Affiliation | Horde, Bilgewater cartel, Rageroar clan, Burning Blade clan, Steamwheedle Cartel, Venture Company, Razormane tribe, Witchwing |
| Former affiliation(s) | True Horde, Southsea Freebooters |
| Location | Central Kalimdor |
| PvP status | Horde territory |
The Northern Barrens is the northern half of what was once the Barrens. Before being divided it extended into Southern Barrens without break; the two areas are now separated by the Great Divide. It serves as a proving ground for young Horde warriors, ready to seek glory in the name of their people.
During the events of Battlefield: Barrens, this zone is contested for characters level 85 and up. Mobs associated with Battlefield: Barrens are neutral rather than hostile for characters below 85.
History
- Main article: Barrens#History
Cataclysm
During the Cataclysm, Deathwing tore through the Barrens, carving a steep, magma-filled gorge across its center, from Stonetalon Mountains to the Merchant Coast. The areas north and south of the divide became near inaccessible to each other. Following this, what was once the Barrens became more commonly referred to as Northern Barrens and Southern Barrens. The Horde kept its hold on Northern Barrens, desperate to keep trade routes to Orgrimmar open.
Shortly after the Cataclysm, the centaur raided orcs farms and outposts. They were opposed by the newly-formed Garad'kra.[1]
Escalation
Events on Pandaria have caused the Kor'kron to construct new fortifications in the region, including lumber yard, an elemental camp, a meat camp, and a refinery as a response towards the anti-Garrosh uprising led by Vol'jin. During the Battlefield: Barrens, the Darkspear Rebellion and the Alliance fought over the Northern Barrens against the Kor'kron and the Blackfuse Company in order to take their resources.
Legion
The Burning Legion targeted the Northern Barrens as one of their invasion points. It was successfully defended by the Alliance, Horde and Illidari.
Following the Argus Campaign, a big Horde army crossed the Northern Barrens into the Ashenvale Forest, retaking Mor'shan Ramparts from the night elves.[2]
Battle for Azeroth
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This section is a lore stub. |
After the Mag'har of the alternate Draenor arrived on the main universe Azeroth, botani and saberon could be seen running off toward the Barrens.[3]
Following the Fourth War, two tauren braves spotted two dark ranger spies on a ridge in the Northern Barrens and alerted a senior patrol who caught the two Forsaken. They, however, swallowed a concoction and died.[4]
Rexxar and Zekhan visited the area and reported that the Crossroads remains busy with merchants and its nearby memorial place is visited by all Horde races. Alliance and Horde have abandoned interests in the Wailing Caverns' natural resources, but the corruption of the Nightmare still remains. Over the years, Mor'shan Rampart has seen many conflicts, changed hands between the two warring factions, but now it is held by the Alliance's troops.[5]
Shadowlands
During Death Rising, the Northern Barrens came under attack from the Scourge. To fight against the undead, troops of the Argent Crusade were mobilized in order to protect the region and its inhabitants.
Geography
The Northern Barrens is the northern half of what used to be the Barrens. It is bordered on the north by Ashenvale forest, east by the Great Sea and Durotar (across the Southfury River), west by Stonetalon Mountains, and south by the Great Divide, a steep, magma-filled canyon.
The territory is a large grassland, or veld-type area, dotted with trees and hills and containing three oases. To the east the plateau ends in a short cliff, separating off a small amount of land just above the neighboring Southfury River and coastline of the Great Sea. Savanna covers much of the northwest, with trees most dense near the border to Ashenvale.
Maps and subregions
Northern Barrens before patch 5.3.0.
Travel hubs
- Crossroads
- Flight paths from Mor'shan Rampart
- Orgrimmar, Durotar
- Crossroads, Northern Barrens
- Nozzlepot's Outpost, Northern Barrens
- Splintertree Post, Ashenvale
- Silverwind Refuge, Ashenvale
- Hellscream's Watch, Ashenvale
- Krom'gar Fortress, Stonetalon Mountains
Adjacent regions
| Zone Name | Faction | Level Range | Direction | Access |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Durotar | |
1 - 20 | East | On foot across the Southfury River, or by flight path from Crossroads or Ratchet to Orgrimmar |
| Ashenvale | |
15 - 60 | North | On foot or by flight path from Crossroads to Splintertree Post or Zoram'gar Outpost |
| Southern Barrens | |
30 - 60 | South | On foot or by flight path from Crossroads to Desolation Hold or Ratchet to Desolation Hold, Fort Triumph, or Northwatch Hold |
| Cape of Stranglethorn | |
30 - 60 | By boat from Ratchet |
Notable characters
- Main article: Northern Barrens NPCs
Quests
- Main article: Northern Barrens quests
Resources
- Herbalism
- Leather
- Mining
Notes
- This area was planned to be available in the Southern Barrens warfront.
Gallery
Video
Patch changes
- Patch 7.3.5 (2018-01-16): Level scaling implemented, previous zone level: 10 - 20.
- Hotfix (2013-09-12): Kor'kron related NPCs and creatures in Northern Barrens should be neutral to players below level 85 once more.
- Patch 5.3.0 (2013-05-21): New orcish fortifications and high-level content added to build up the storyline's advancement towards the Siege of Orgrimmar. Northern Barrens is contested territory for characters between level 85 and 90.
- Patch 4.0.3a (2010-11-23): Result of splitting The Barrens. While the Southern Barrens became a Contested zone, the Northern Barrens remains Horde territory.
References
- ^ Bloodsworn
- ^ A Good War, pg. 34
- ^ [40-80] Tyranny of the Light
- ^ Shadows Rising, chapter 1
- ^ World of Warcraft: Exploring Azeroth: Kalimdor, pg. 139, 141, 143
External links
| Northern Barrens | Warfront |
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