Overview
Eastern Plaguelands,the dreaded land of The Scrouge.Located south of Ghostlands,north of The Hinterlands,and east of The Western Plaguelands.Only a selected few have been here and lived to tell the tale.There are three dungeons,one instanced (Stratholme),and one raid dungeon (Naxxramas),and a micro dungeon (Tyr's Hand).The flight hub is located in Light's Hope Chapel.As of WOTLK expansion,this region is also the starting area for Death Knights.
History
Before the events in The Third War,this wasteland was once a part of The Kingdom of Lordaeron.The goverment was seated in Stratholme,the regions largest city.Other smaller cities were
The Purge of Stratholme Darrowshire,Corrin's Crossing and Tyr's Hand.The quest of stopping The Scourge led Prince Arthas and Jaina Proudmoore trough the cities of Andorhal and Hearthglen ( now Western Plaguelands) to Stratholme.Once there,Prince Arthas,in his selfish quest for vengence over Mal'Ganis,orderd a purge of the city's inhabitans,seeing them as they were taken by the Plague of Undeath.Uther refused to obey him,and left together with Jaina to inform the King.Meanwhile,Arthas went into Stratholme,and tried to slain Mal'Ganis,but in doing so,lost himself,and he became a Death Knight.After he slained Mal'Gains in Northrend,he returned to Lordaeron,and killed his own father,King Terenas.After the fall of the capitol,The Plague destroyed what was left of Lordaeron,and is now called Western Plaguelands,and Eastern Plaguelands,respectivly.
Regions
Acherus: The Ebon Hold
The starting area for all death knights of both the Alliance and the Horde. It is considered a sanctuary, so no PvP combat is permitted inside.The Ebon Hold is a Scourge necropolis floating above the town of New Avalon in a region called the Scarlet Enclave, east of Tyr's Hand in the Eastern Plaguelands. Death knights — starting out in the service of the Scourge — are tasked with killing Scarlet Crusaders who reside in the town below, and other assorted tasks to learn their class and use their powers. It is originally a stronghold of the Lich King, but after the Battle for Light's Hope Chapel, it becomes the base for the Knights of the Ebon Blade. It is said to be an even more powerful Necropolis than Naxxramas itself.Death knights may return to the Ebon Hold using the spell Death Gate, which works similarly to Teleport: Moonglade for druids.
Blackwood Lake
A polluted lake in the Eastern Plaguelands. Its waters are infested by corrupted Water Elementals.Blackwood Lake has been mentioned in the quest item Extended Annals of Darrowshire from the quest Brother Carlin as being the resting place of Horgus the Ravager's head.
Browman Mill
A haunted mill just north of Light's Hope Chapel in the Eastern Plaguelands. Currently, the mill is crawling with skeletons, banshees and Abominations.
Corin's Crossing
Used to be a fairly prosperous crossroads trading town. Surrounded by the farmlands of Lordaeronand located strategically at a crossroads connecting Andorhal, Stratholme, and Tyr's Hand, Corin's Crossing was a common stop for traders and travelers. After the Scourge turned the breadbasket of Lordaeron into the toxic Plaguelands, Corin's Crossing has become an outpost of the Scourge. Travelers are advised to give the town a wide berth, as it is crawling with minions of the Scourge . Even rogues using stealth are advised not to attempt to sneak through the town, as there are Unseen Servants present which are invisible and can detect other stealthed or invisible enemies.
Map of Eastern Plaguelands
Crown Guard Tower
A ruined tower located in the Eastern Plaguelands, and an objective in the Game of Towers world PvP event. It is located in the south western part of the map, overlooking the main road. When players capture this tower, anyone in their faction can use a nearby graveyard, located just north of the tower.
Because of its out of the way location, this tower is less likely to be captured by Stratholme groups doing PvP before a run. Thus, once captured, it has a higher likelihood of staying captured.
The Crypt of Remembrance
Located in southern Havenshire, south of the Havenshire Farms and just north of New Avalon's wall. In the Scarlet Enclave, Baron Rivendare and Prince Keleseth - Scourge bosses in Stratholme and Utgarde Keep, respectively - give quests here.
Darrowshire
A small town located in the southern part of what is now the Eastern Plaguelands. During the Third War (though the Annals of Darrowshire erroneously refer to it as the Second War), Darrowshire came under attack by a Scourge force led by the ghoul lord Horgus the Ravager and the death knight Marduk Blackpool. Though the Alliance defenders made headway at first, the defenders (and civilians) of Darrowshire were eventually slaughtered.Today, Darrowshire is silent, and remains in ruins — a place where only ghosts and memories remain. Those defenders who fell now litter the Eastern Plaguelands as ghouls in the service of the Scourge, their spirits trapped in their rotting corpses.
Death's Breach
A plateau below Acherus: The Ebon Hold in the Eastern Plaguelands, to the west of Havenshire. It can be accessed directly by going through the cave in the Noxious Glade.
Players can access the Ebon Hold by taking the teleporter located in the northern part of the breach, directly east from the tunnel to the Noxious Glade. A ramp on each side of the plateau leads down into the Ruins of the Scarlet Enclave.
Eastwall Gate
The side entrance to the city of Stratholme, located in the Eastern Plaguelands. The Eastwall Gate enters directly into the Elder's Square near the Alonsus Chapel where Aurius resides.
Eastwall Tower
A ruined tower located in the Eastern Plaguelands, and an objective in the Game of Towers world PvP event. It is situated close to Light's Hope Chapel, in the eastern part of the map. When players capture this tower, spectral NPC soldiers of the controlling player's faction mill around outside Northpass Tower.Eastwall Tower's proximity to Light's Hope Chapel and the graveyard there means that, of all the towers in Eastern Plaguelands, this is the one most likely to be fought over, despite the lackluster reward.
The Fungal Vale
One of the most corrupted areas of the Eastern Plaguelands, where the Plague of Undeath has taken a strong hold over the land. The ground is a dark purple and the Vale is filled with a murky haze. The Fungal Vale is infested with members of the Scourge and the Cult of the Damned, at levels 57-60. Rich Thorium Veins can be found here, and the higher level mobs can drop Invader's Scourgestones. The Vale is found north of the Marris Stead and Crown Guard Tower.
The Infectis Scar
A deep pitfall in the blighted earth of the Eastern Plaguelands. Unlike the Pestilent Scar, which is a natural gorge (possibly a dried-up lake of some kind), the Infectis Scar is the result of dark magic. When his runesword was broken against the shield of a dwarf captain near Corin's Crossing, the death knight Marduk Blackpool discarded the blade and kept the hilt with him. The evil blade sunk into the earth creating the chasm that exists today.
Lake Mereldar
A large lake in the Eastern Plaguelands, located south of Corin's Crossing. This polluted water body is infested by corrupted water elementals.
Light's Hope Chapel
The Argent Dawn's base of operations in the Eastern Plaguelands, currently used for diplomatic negotiations between the Argent Dawn and the Scarlet Crusade. Located in the far east of the region, it serves as quest hub for both Horde and Alliance heroes. Scourgestones may be turned in here for reputation with the Dawn.
The Marris Stead
Rests atop a small ridge in the Eastern Plaguelands near the border of the Western Plaguelands, located northwest of the ruins of Darrowshire. It is the long time family home of Nathanos Marris the Blightcaller, who still makes the stead his home, despite being one with the Forsaken and hunted by the Alliance.
Mazra'Alor
The large ziggurat temple located at the heart of Zul'Mashar in the Eastern Plaguelands. It is populated by a few forest troll shadow hunters of the Mossflayer tribe.
Northdale
A town north of Light's Hope Chapel and southeast of the entrance to Quel'Thalas. It is where Taelan Fordring renounced the Order of the Silver Hand and joined the Scarlet Crusade. The ruins of the town is inhabited by banshees and invisible Eyeless Watchers, and the nearby lake is populated by corrupted Water Elementals.
Northpass Tower
A ruined tower , and an objective in the Game of Towers world PvP event. It is, as the name implies, the farthest north of the towers, lying along the road to the Ghostlands and Quel'thalas. When players capture this tower, members of their faction can use an alter located inside the tower, which grants a 30 minute buff that increases the player's hp by 5%.Northpass is another tower likely to be fought over regularly, as the reward and location are both relevant to groups running Stratholme. The possible presence of spectral reinforcements from Eastwall Tower also make this one of the more fun towers to fight over.
The Noxious Glade
A secluded glade found in the Eastern Plaguelands just north of Light's Hope Chapel up a hill. The glade suffers from the blight of the Scourge and is even more tainted then the surrounding Plaguelands. The air of the glade is a thick, sickly green and the ground is a dark purple. A plague cauldron and a few ziggurats are found within the glade, as well as several Scourge mobs. The mobs inhabiting the glade are levels 57-60.As of Patch 3.0.2, a cave at the southern end of this sub-zone has been added. This tunnel leads to Death's Breach, the northernmost tip of the Scarlet Enclave region.
The Pestilent Scar
A deep pitfall in the blighted earth of the Eastern Plaguelands. Unlike the Infectis Scar, however, the Pestilent Scar appears to be a natural gorge, possibly a lake that dried up after the Plague of Undeath struck. Now, it is inhabited by oozes, and a wrong step could lead to a potentially fatal fall.
Plaguewood
A large area directly south of Stratholme and stretching all the way to Terrordale. It is heavily occupied by the Scourge and contains large amounts of infrastructure, including ziggurats and slaughterhouses.The area is presumably named Plaguewood because of the drastic effect that Blight has had on the landscape. The soil itself resembles a sponge in appearance, and the ecology of the area has been dramatically altered since the days of the plague. Fungus grows to amazing proportions, predominantly in the form of large mushrooms or toadstools, dwarfing nearby trees. It often belches out dark brown gas, looking in appearance similar to the gas that spews from Plague Cauldrons; whether or not these fungi are a tool used by the Scourge to spread clouds of noxious plague gas is not clear.In recent times the Plaguewood has become home to an imposing structure that opens a portal to Naxxramas, the enormous necropolis of Kel'Thuzad that floats above the Plaguewood. Access to this portal is controlled by the Argent Dawn. Only those who are exalted with the Argent Dawn may enter free of cost, while others must pay a hefty fee.Despite (or perhaps because of) the prevalence of the Scourge, representatives of the Scarlet Crusade routinely travel the road to and from Stratholme. Any undead that they approach, they attack — whether Scourge or Horde alike, so Forsaken travelers should keep careful watch at all times.
Quel'Lithien Lodge
A high elven hunting lodge near the entrance to the ruined kingdom of Quel'Thalas. It is one of two major concentrations of high elves in Lordaeron. Quel'Lithien is home to Ranger Lord Hawkspear, a rare mob Alliance NPC.
The Ruins of the Scarlet Enclave
The combined region around the towns of New Avalon and Havenshire, which were destroyed by the Scourge (with the aid of death knight player characters). The Enclave is accessible by going through Tyr's Hand or the cave between the Noxious Glade and Death's Breach.Throughout the ruins, the banner of the Knights of the Ebon Blade (rather than that of the Scourge) can be seen in certain areas, such as the courtyard of New Avalon and outside the ruined Scarlet Hold.
The Scarlet Base Camp
A small barricaded fortification located on the east banks of Lake Mereldar, not far from the religious bastion of Tyr's Hand.
The Scarlet Basilica
A large cathedral located inside Tyr's Hand in the Eastern Plaguelands. It is the high seat of religious power for the Scarlet Crusade, and has close ties to the Tyr's Hand Abbey nearby as well as the Scarlet Monastery much further west in Tirisfal Glades. It is the location of Crusader Lord Valdelmar.The Scarlet Basilica is built very much like the Cathedral of Light in the city of Stormwind.
Stratholme
Once the northernmost city of the Kingdom of Lordaeron, and is the city where the Order of the Silver Hand was founded.The Scourge’s capital in Lordaeron, Stratholme is a city of evil and dark magic. Once a great human city, the mad Prince Arthas ravaged Stratholme in the Third War and the undead moved in soon after. Kel’Thuzad raised undead structures among the human ruins. Undead and necromancers control the city while gargoyles and frost wyrms patrol the sky. Noxious orange mist oozes from the buildings and poisons living creatures, transforming them into servants of the Scourge. Kel’Thuzad’s rule here is absolute, and from here he stretches his skeletal hands to control the surrounding plaguelands.The largest city after Lordaeron's capital, Stratholme was destroyed by Arthas in the opening hours of the Third War, as he massacred the city's citizenry after they were infected by the Plague of Undeath. Stratholme burns to this day, and its districts have been split between the overzealous Scarlet Crusade led by Grand Crusader Dathrohan, and the Scourge forces led by the death knight Baron Rivendare.Bosses in Straholme are:Grand Crusader Dathrohan/Balnazzar,Malor the Zealous,Archivist Galford,Cannon Master Willey,Timmy the Cruel,Hearthsinger Forresten,The Unforgiven,Skul,The Stratholme Courier,Baron Rivendare,Balzaphon (Scourge Invasion only, disappeared after it ended),Magistrate Barthilas (drops key to Scourge side),Baroness Anastari,Nerub'enkan,Maleki the Pallid,Ramstein the Gorger,Stonespine (Rare Spawn),Postmaster Malown,Black Guard Swordsmith,Fras Siabi and Crimson Hammersmith.
Terrordale
Nestled in the northwest corner ,it's now a ghost town due to being one of the first human settlements overrun by the Scourge. It lies west of Plaguewood and Stratholme, near the entrance to a tunnel that leads to the banks of the Thondroril River.Much like the town of Darkshire haveing once been called Grand Hamlet, Terrordale likely had a much less morbid name before the invasion of the Scourge. The game and its associated lore gives no clues as to the haunted town's previous name, however a likely candidate for the name is Cinderhome.No facilities in Terrordale remain for players to use, aside from one delusional fungi merchant, but there are a few quests to be obtained or carried out here.This area is some particular interest to those that are collecting Crypt Fiend Parts, as Crypt Fiends are very common in Terrordale and its nearby cave, Terrorweb Tunnel. Wandering the withered grounds of this area is also the neutral level 60Plagued Swine, considered a very good choice as a pet for Hunters.One visiting Terrordale must be careful, as there have been sightings of a Nerubian Overseer that walks back and forth through the west end of Terror Web Tunnel to an unspecified location in the town itself, seeking a victim to sink it's venom-coated fangs into.
Terrorweb Tunnel
A long and winding tunnel into the mountain northwest of Terrordale. It is full of Crypt Fiends (Nerubians), and stretches through the mountain from Terrordale in the north and extends south to the spring of the Thondroril River. At the entrance from the river, you can find a level 61 (elite) quest giver, Tirion Fordring.One must be very careful when travelling this path, as not only is this path crowded with many Crypt Fiends, but occasionally a very powerful and elite member of its kind, the Nerubian Overseer, stalks the tunnel.
The Thondroril River
Makes up the border between the Western and Eastern Plaguelands. It runs from near the Terrorweb Tunnel to the north and empties out into Darrowmere Lake to the south. Along the river on on both sides, you can find maggots, vampire bats, plaguebears and spiders. You can also find Tirion Fordring (a level 61 elite quest giver) near a ruined farmhouse on the Eastern Plaguelands side of the river.
Tyr's Hand
A fortified city located in Eastern Plaguelands to the southeast. Tyr’s Hand is the only major human settlement left in this part of Lordaeron (not counting Light's Hope Chapel). It is manned by an army of Scarlet Crusaders and is untouched by the undead plague. The few humans who roam the Plaguelands desperately seek the safety of Tyr’s Hand.
Tyr's Hand Abbey
The smaller of the two religious facilities at Tyr's Hand, the larger being the Scarlet Basilica. The abbey is well tended for, and has different function for the religious Scarlet Crusade than the basilica does. It is built very much like Northshire Abbey, comprised of three sections named the Main Hall, the Hall of Arms, and the Library Wing.
The Undercroft
A crypt in the southwestern part of the region. It is home to a band of undead trolls who are led by the undead dire troll Zaeldarr the Outcast. He leads occasional raids on the Argent Dawn's base at Light's Hope Chapel to steal bodies from their grave pit. It is also the location of Tirion Fordring's ersatz grave.
Zul'Mashar
Located in the north-eastern part of the region and the home of a small tribe of Mossflayer forest trolls that have been under some questionable action. Not much is known of them, and from their appearance appear to be into many undead practices or have survived the undead assault in the Plaguelands. Zul'Mashar contains the troll ziggurat Mazra'Alor, and is the home of the rare mobs Warlord Thresh'jin and Zul'Brin Warpbranch. Here Infiltrator Hameya also makes his home.
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