User:GoldenYak/New Sholazar Basin

UNDER CONSTRUCTION related to Spider Kingdom Expansion Concept

Sholazar Basin is a tropical jungle basin in the midst of Northrend. It is found between Borean Tundra and Icecrown Glacier. This land was one of the few in Northrend where the Scourge did not hold sway - the ancient relics of the titans kept the undead from entering.

In the wake of the Cataclysm, the cliff walls around the basin were breached by quakes, causing the sea's waters to flood the entire region. The natural balance of the basin has been thrown into chaos, causing elementals to run wild. The titan facilities and artifacts of the region have been damaged, causing greater havoc. Freya, Keeper of Life and one of the Titanic Watchers of Ulduar has traveled to the basin in an effort to halt the chaos.

History


A high elf scholar that once visited Kaskala believed that the titans used the Sholazar Basin as a testing ground. Some of their experiments, or at least the remains of those experiments, may still exist. Thus, the basin is a potential treasure trove of knowledge and power. Who knows what species the Titans left here, and what notes and tools?

Cataclysm
When Deathwing tore apart the world and brought down the fury of the elements, not even far off Northrend escaped. Sholazar Basin's outer walls were breached by earthquakes, causing the seas to flood the entire region. Only the highest cliffs and the towering pillars escaped the destruction. Shortly after the flood, Freya, one of the Keeper's of Ulduar, arrived with druids of the Cenarion Circle to aid in restoring balance to the region and preserving life.

The last of the Scourge in this area have been eradicated, but the Twilight's Hammer have recently arrived to exploit the relics of the titans that still remain in the region. They are led by the diabolical Dark Master Zorc.

Areas affected:


 * The Cataclysm has broken open the sea walls, causing the basin to be flooded.
 * Naga, murlocs, and other underwater monsters have invaded the flooded regions of the basin.
 * The Wolvar have relocated to cliff-side dwellings, and navigate the flooded basin using rafts.
 * Gorlocs have built floating lodges to dwell on. Their war against the Wolvar continues.
 * The Avalanche from Icecrown has been cleared away, revealing caverns and tunnels swarming with nerubians.
 * Hemet Nesingwary managed to repair his ship before the Cataclysm, and has set up new challenges hunting sea monsters.
 * Freya of Ulduar watches over the basin from atop the Suntouched Pillar, alongside the druids of the Cenarion Circle. Archmage Pentarus will send adventurers here via flying machine.
 * Freya's Avatar has been ordered by her mistress away from Sholazar to attend to other tasks.
 * The five pillars have been connected by bridges. The Twilight's Hammer have seized control of the Mosslight Pillar and the Skyreach Pillar.
 * The shattered Lifeblood Pillar is magically rebuilding itself.

Quests and Storylines
The battle between the Oracle gorlocs and the Frenzyheart wolvar has continued to rage despite the ravages the Cataclysm has inflicted upon the basin. The Frenzyheart believe that the 'bigmouths' have called down the floods that destroyed their old hunting grounds, while the Oracles blame the 'puppymen' for angering the titans. The Oracles now live on floating lodges they've built, while Wolvar have dens on high cliffs surrounding the basin, and travel across the flood-waters on wooden rafts lashed together to make primitive flotillas. Frenzyheart quests are given out at Cliffgrasp Village and many of them allow players to use rafts to move around quickly. Oracle quests come from Rainspeaker Lodge and enable both Sea Legs and Underwater Breathing to allow players to navigate the flooded floor of the basin in a manner similar to Vashjir questing.

Hemet Nesingwary and his friends managed to repair their damage ship before the Cataclysm breached the sea walls, and now sail around hunting the new underwater wildlife that the flood has brought to the basin. Hemet's underwater hunts will eventually draw him and his crew into conflict with the Sinscale naga who have invaded the flooded basin, especially after Hemet sets his sights on the enormous sharks, hydras, and kraken that they've brought with them.



Freya, the Keeper of Life from Ulduar, has traveled to the basin in the wake of the Cataclysm, seeking to restore the ravaged region to its former state. She is joined atop the Suntouched Pillar by druids of the Cenarion Circle, and will enlist the aid of travelers in their efforts to balance the rampaging elements of the basin. Before long, the Cenarion Circle comes into contact with the Twilight's Hammer, who have invaded the basin seeking to usurp the power of the titans. Hammer agents have infiltrated the titan ruins along the cliffs of the basin, and have seized control of several of the great pillars. Cultists are particularly abundant at the once ruined Lifeblood Pillar, which has mysteriously begun to repair itself.

The battle against the Twilight's Hammer will eventually draw both the Frenzyheart and the Oracles into the carnage. Freya and the Cenarion Circle, with the aid of the player, will at last bring about peace between the two factions by showing them the greater foe - Dark Master Zorc, the Twilight's Hammer lieutenant in charge of the forces in Sholazar. The conflict will eventually lead players to the Heartbreak Vortex, a whirlpool above the former River's Heart valley. Beneath the vortex, the land has broken open, and the waters of the basin slowly drain into Azeroth's underworld. Far beneath the basin in a dark, flooded cavern, players will encounter faceless ones, Undying Tendrils, and finally Zorc himself. Defeating the maniacal orc with Freya's help will force him to retreat back to Icecrown.