Shadowmoon Valley (alternate universe)

Shadowmoon Valley is a zone in south-eastern. A lush valley engulfed in eternal night, the Pale Lady shines so brightly here that it even replaced the sun as the valley's primary light source during the day. Shadowmoon serves as one of the key centers of draenei civilization on the world of Draenor, its heart being the sacred temple of Karabor. Lately, the Iron Horde began advancing on the draenei settlements through the and naval attacks targeting Karabor itself.

The Alliance expedition arrives in the zone after the completion of the introductory mission in Tanaan Jungle, which involves the destruction of the Dark Portal.

Introduction
Shadowmoon Valley is a very distinctive land, located in southeastern Draenor. The valley's bright daytime isn't caused by Draenor's sun, unlike other lands of the planet, but its larger moon illuminating its vast, lush landscape and starry skies - hence its name. It features blue-ish flora, vast plains and rocky mountains, as well as numerous draenei settlements - including the sacred temple of Karabor. The valley is populated with majestic beasts of the primordial world, such as elekks, nether rays and others.

It also features a mushroom forest named Umbrafen at the northern coastline, much like the other regions of Draenor. The southern coastline leads to the Evanescent Sea.

The orcish Shadowmoon clan, led by Ner'zhul also populates the region and seemingly have practiced their magic for some time, and are possibly the ones who erected the stone obelisks dotting some parts of the valley. After the Iron Horde began their march against the draenei civilization, the Shadowmoon Clan also participated as part of the greater orcish union that intended to consolidate their race's power over their homeworld, and later - the worlds beyond. The Shadowmoon clan is also notable for dabbling into the void magics.

Not all orcs share the Shadowmoon clan's fascination with void magics, though. The Shadowmoon Exiles have split from the Shadowmoon clan, seeking a peaceful life for themselves and trying to co-operate with the draenei and recently arrived Alliance forces, even if it means killing their former tribesmen in order to prevent greater bloodshed.

Chapter 1: Establishing a Foothold
After landing on the shores of Shadowmoon Valley, the champion, Khadgar,, Vindicator Maraad, Yrel and the Draenei rescued from the were greeted by , who was eager for allies against the Iron Horde. Velen led the champion to the ruins of Lunarfall, a commanding position at which the Alliance might build a base. Khadgar opened a portal to Stormwind for reinforcements and supplies and through it came a small army of footmen and peasants ready to break ground. Construction was briefly interrupted by attacks by local fauna, but the champion subdued the local wildlife and the garrison was completed.

Chapter 2: Shadows Awaken
With the garrison constructed, Yrel asked the champion to accompany her back to her home of Embaari Village. When they arrived, Yrel introduced the champion to her sister Samaara, who was overjoyed and a little surprised to see her younger sister was still alive. However, they learned that the nearby village of Arbor Glen was under siege by the. The champion left to stop the invasion and rescue survivors, joining with Velen and Yrel to confront at the Teluuna Observatory. Ner'zhul kidnapped Samaara and summoned the void lord Karnoth to distract the champion while he made his escape.

Chapter 3: A Sister's Sacrifice
The champion, Velen and Yrel traveled to Twilight Glade, a village near the Shadowmoon capital of Shaz'gul. In spite of Yrel's doubts, Velen placed Yrel in charge of the Rangari of the area with orders to sabotage the Shadowmoon camp and rescue the captives. While Yrel and the Rangari performed reconnaissance on Shaz'gul, Velen prepared a prophetic elixir to peer into the future of Karabor with the champion's assistance. In their shared vision, Velen and the champion saw the Dark Star, a naaru allied with the Iron Horde rain destruction upon Karabor as an endless stream of Iron Horde soldiers invaded the city and slaughtered its defenders. Velen and the champion both resolved to prevent this catastrophe, and the champion left to assist Yrel with the infiltration of Shaz'gul while Velen contemplated their next move.

Yrel and the champion disguised themselves as Shadowmoon orcs and infiltrated Shaz'gul. The champion placed explosives in key locations around the city and attempted to rescue the captive draenei, but the captives had already been moved to Anguish Fortress before they arrived. The failure to rescue the captives hit Yrel particularly hard, and it was only the depth of the champion's experiences on Azeroth that gave her the courage to detonate the bombs. Their cover blown, the champion and Yrel then fled the ruined city for Twilight Glade.

When Yrel and the champion returned, Velen informed them that they were going to seek the help of and the other exiles of the Shadowmoon. The champion traveled to Exile's Rise on Velen's behalf. When the champion arrived, Rulkan explained that Ner'zhul seeks the power of the Dark Star because had threatened to wipe the Shadowmoon out if they didn't join the Iron Horde. The Shadowmoon were a simple and spiritual tribe of nomads that did not have anything to contribute to the Horde in martial might or weaponry, so Ner'zhul opted to offer the only thing they had: magic. He led the Shadowmoon away from their ancestor worship and into necromancy and dark magic, violating all of the Shadowmoon's ancient taboos to prove his loyalty to the Iron Horde and stay the wrath of the Warchief. Rulkan than gave the champion her keystone to open the entrance to Anguish Fortress.

The champion led the attack on Anguish Fortress, using the keystone to disable its magical barrier from the inside, defeating the void creatures the Shadowmoon had summoned with the souls of their ancestors and the captured Draenei and rescuing the draenei captives that had not been sacrificed yet. However, Samaara was not among the rescued captives. With the defenses disabled, Yrel and Velen joined the champion to confront Ner'zhul at the Terrace of the Stars. Before they could act, Ner'zhul sacrificed Samaara to summon the void lord Arkeddon to demonstrate to Grom Hellscream what the Dark Star was capable of. Ner'zhul and Grom left to begin their preparations for the invasion of Karabor while the champion, Yrel and Velen destroyed Arkeddon. After Arkeddon was defeated, Samaara lay dying at the ritual altar. As Samaara died in her arms, Yrel resolved to work with the champion destroy the Iron Horde.

Chapter 4: The Light Prevails
With Ner'zhul beginning the ritual to control the Dark Star at Light's Fall, Velen sent the champion ahead to delay the ritual long enough for him to prepare to stop it. The champion confronted and fought Ner'zhul at Light's Fall. As Ner'zhul began to weaken, Velen arrived and told Ner'zhul that he could still turn from the path of destruction and that the draenei would protect him. Ner'zhul refused, saying that he could no longer redeem himself. Ner'zhul then summoned a Void Horror in a last ditch effort to forestall the champion. The void beast bought Ner'zhul the time he needed to complete the ritual and Ner'zhul summoned the Dark Star in triumph. With the knowledge of what the Dark Star would do to Karabor if left unchecked, Velen knew must be done. He gravely looked at Yrel and passed her the prophetic sigil he bore, anointing her the leader of the draenei and sacrificed himself to restore the Light in the naaru and defeat the Dark Star.

While Ner'zhul's plan was thwarted, Maraad arrived with grave news—Karabor's defense crystal had fallen. Maraad urged Yrel and the champion to gather up the draenei survivors and flee. Yrel refused, resolving that Velen's sacrifice would be in vain if Karabor fell anyway. She and the champion gathered up the survivors and departed to Karabor to break the siege. On wings of fey dragons, Yrel, Maraad and the champion broke the siege at Karabor's gates and fought through the city until they reached the docks.

Thanks to Velen's sacrifice at Light's Fall, the naaru that was the Dark Star, was on the other side of the battle from the vision at Twilight Glade. The champion and Yrel protected K'ara while he prepared a devastating counterattack. Commander Vorka himself attacked K'ara to stop her, but the champion and Yrel overcame his assault. With the Iron Horde's forces breaking, K'ara unleased the Light upon the Iron Fleet in the harbor, sinking their ships and vanquishing the remaining assault.

After resting from their victory, Yrel mailed the champion The Prophet's Arcanum, which the champion used at Karabor to receive a message from Velen. Velen's memories told the champion that Dark Star was in fact K'ara, ejected from the Genedar when it crashed upon Draenor. Velen had kept this a secret, worried what the knowledge might do in the wrong hands. Ner'zhul and the Shadowmoon had independently discovered this, and Velen needed to give his life—his Light—to redeem K'ara and stop Ner'zhul.

Dungeon: Shadowmoon Burial Grounds
Though they were defeated in the Defense of Karabor, Ner'zhul and his closest allies retreated deeper into the Anguish Fortress to revive the souls of the dead and attack Karabor again. The champions of the Alliance and Horde invaded and defeated Ner'zhul and his lieutenants, ending the Shadowmoon threat once and for all.

Sidestory: The Pursuit of Justice
With their garrison built, the Alliance champion and Vindicator Maraad quickly realized that garrison's ever-growing army was going to quickly run out of food. Maraad contacted Exarch Akama in Elodor about sharing in their harvest. Akama agreed, provided that the champion supply additional labor to help with the harvest. A caravan led by Foreman Zipfizzle set off to Elodor with labor and plans to return with food.

The champion and most of the caravan arrived in Elodor unscathed, but the wagon Maraad was riding in fell behind. When it didn't turn up with the rest, the champion and Akama went back across the plain to find it. When they found it, they learned the Shadowmoon had ambushed them. The farmers were panicked, but Akama encouraged them to stand their ground, as even a sickle is a powerful weapon when wielded with the force of the Light behind it. The Shadowmoon repeatedly attacked as the champion, Akama, Maraad and the farmers made the rest of the way to Elodor, but there were no casualties of the champion's company.

After arriving in Elodor, Akama and Maraad left to meet the Council of Exarchs while the champion was introduced to Exarch Hataaru and helped him repair Elodor's defense crystal. A brief attack by the Shadowmoon followed, which the champion and the Elodor defenders quickly repelled. While the defense crystal was proven fully operational, the alien technology agitated the local fungi and an Enraged Fungal Giant attacked it shortly after the Shadowmoon retreated. After the champion and Elodor defenders subdued it, the champion was brought to the Council by Maraad. The Exarchs greeted the champion genially but cautiously. The champion resolved to win the trust of the Exarchs by assisting them with their own pressing concerns—Exarch Hataaru with a malfunctioning crystal in the Elodor Dig and with a poisonous spore population in the Umbrafen.

When the champion returned to the council, however, they found Maladaar had gone missing. When the champion found Malaadar, he said that he was worried that the Burning Legion had infiltrated the city. With Maladaar's help, the champion tracked down a Legion hideout in a cave under the city and killed a demon that was hiding there. When the champion went to the Council to report what they had discovered they found Exarch Hataaru dead. Maladaar took investigating Hataaru's assassination into his own hands and with the help of Soulbinder Nyami was able to commune with Hataaru's spirit. Maladaar asked why Hataaru was killed and Hataaru said it was under an Exarch's orders. When Maladaar asked Hataaru who had him killed, Hataaru's spirit pointed at Nyami and Nyami abruptly ended the ritual, saying that his spirit was in great agony.

Maladaar provided the champion with a device to install upon Exarch's Rise to reveal the traitor. When the champion used the device, it revealed that Exarch Othaar was the traitor. Othaar had taken a new name as a man'ari--Socrethar and fought the champion until he became weak and retreated. For the champion's efforts on their behalf, the Council resolved to support the Alliance fully and permitted the champion to hire a follower from Elodor for their garrison to serve as their ambassador.

Sidestory: Gloomshade Grove
Ken Loggin informed the champion that Shelly Hamby and her crew of lumberjacks traveled to Gloomshade Grove to harvest lumber but haven't returned in several days. The champion decided to investigate. Outside the grove, the champion found a pack mule used by the crew that was suspiciously unattended. After entering the grove, the champion met a podling named Phlox who helped the champion follow a trail of clues to a grotto along the beach. Here, Phlox revealed that he had captured the lumberjacks and attempted to kill the champion. Phlox was easily overcome, and the champion found Jarrod Hamby dying in the cave behind where Phlox attacked them.

Jarrod explained to the champion that the podlings ate Ryan Metcalf and that he was mortally wounded himself. Jarrod died, asking the champion to kill the podling king, Deathbloom. The champion killed many of podlings in vengeance for their murdered peasants and assassinated Deathbloom at his lair. The champion found Shelly Hamby bound in vines nearby. After releasing her, Shelly broke down about her husband's murder and swore to serve the champion as a follower as long as she gets to kill as many podlings as possible.

Sidestory: Purifying the Gene Pool
The champion was asked by Farmer Gehaar at the Teluuna Observatory to visit the Draakorium to investigate the recent aggressive activities of the Botani in the Southern region of the valley. Upon arriving there, the champion met with Prelate Reenu who sent them into the bog to investigate a caravan that had been recently attacked. The champion found Fiona's caravan at the entrance to the bog and Gidwin Goldbraids poisoned by local flora. The champion collected local herbs and chemicals and helped Fiona prepare a remedy for the poison.

With Gidwin cured, the champion and Rangari Arepheon ventured deeper into the bog to determine why the Botani had become more aggressive lately. They found an immature genesaur growing deep in the grove—the Botani were collecting corpses to help it grow. The champion and Arepheon then slew the genesaur before it could mature to stop the attacks. Fiona, again impressed with the champion's capabilities and thankful for the assistance in saving Gidwin, joined the champion as a follower.

Sidestory: On the Shadow's Trail
After the events in Gorgrond, Cordana Felsong delivered the champion a request to meet Khadgar at his own camp at the Starfall Outpost. Khadgar has tracked 's to the nearby village of Gul'var and tasks the champion and Cordana with capturing an observer from the village that they can use to spy on the warlocks. After capturing the demon, the champion broke its will, and used it to watch a secret meeting between Gul'dan, Teron'gor and. Teron'gor was dispatched to attack in Talador while Cho'gall left to assault. Gul'dan discovered quickly the observer's duplicity and annihilated it to the champion's horror.

While updates on Teron'gor's and Cho'gall's activities were interesting, Khadgar believed this might be a good opportunity to capture Gul'dan. He sent the champion back to Gul'var to kill some of the warlock's other lieutenants and a demon they had summoned to create a device to subdue him.

When the champion confronted Gul'dan at Shadow Rise nearby, Gul'dan struggled briefly but overcame the attempt to imprison him. He forced Razuun to attack his assailant. While the champion quickly defeated Razuun, Gul'dan escaped to Talador to assist Teron'gor with his plan. The champion returned to Starfall Outpost to report the failure to Khadgar. While mulling over the results, appeared from the shadows to attack Khadgar, who used Ice Block just in time to protect himself. Cordana and Garona traded a few blows but Garona managed to stun Cordana and escape. Cordana warned the Archmage that Gul'dan is gunning for him and he should stay at the garrison where it's safe. Khadgar, unperturbed by the attempt on his life, told her not to worry and that he can take care of himself.

Vignettes
Continuing the tradition started on the Timeless Isle, Shadowmoon Valley has a huge number of vignettes, which are one-time events like killing rare mobs, looting treasure chests, or completing scripted events. Nearly all of the vignettes reward Garrison Resources in addition to an uncommon or rare-quality item.

Resources

 * Cloth
 * Sumptuous Fur
 * Herbalism
 * Frostweed
 * Starflower
 * Draenic Seeds
 * Skinning
 * Raw Beast Hide
 * Mining
 * Blackrock Ore
 * True Iron Ore
 * Draenic Stone

Wild pets

 * Forest Spiderling
 * Moonshell Crab
 * Mossbite Skitterer
 * Royal Moth
 * Waterfly
 * Zangar Crawler

Wild creatures



 * Ancients
 * Arcane elementals
 * Boars
 * Crabs
 * Eels
 * Elekk
 * Faerie dragons
 * Fireflies
 * Groupers
 * Hydras
 * Kaliri
 * Makrura
 * Mandragoras
 * Moths
 * Nether rays
 * Orchids
 * Ravagers
 * Riverbeasts
 * Rylaks
 * Skeletons
 * Sporebats
 * Squirrels
 * Talbuk
 * Toads
 * Warp stalkers
 * Wolves
 * Void wolves

Notes and trivia

 * Shadowmoon Valley is known for having deep crystal mines.
 * While leveling, players should avoid Socrethar's Rise and Darktide Roost as these are level 100 areas. Avoiding them shouldn't be too difficult as they are out of the way during the leveling process.