User:Varghedin Vikingfrost/Echobole

The Echobole is one of the three main zones that make up the furbolg starting area. Remaining mostly untouched by sapient races until recently, the Echobole has changed a great deal due to the recent earthquake caused by a Nerubian-made seismic digger. Powerful and ominous crystals dot the caves, and energy storms ripple through the tunnels. The Furbolg capital city, Barrowhome is built around a large underwater lake in the eastern part of the Echobole.

Evidence that something is tainting and mutating the natural flora and fauna of the caverns has become apparent. The furbolgs are working to halt and if possible reverse these mutations as soon as possible, to restore the natural beauty and health of the caves.

History
Very little history is known of the Echobole and the surrounding wildlands. Not frequented often by the night elves and tauren of Kalimdor due to its out-of-the-way location, the caves' indigenous creatures have been left to their own devices over the centuries. This is also the reason why the other races do not know of the furbolgs' secret haven. Tunnel openings leading up to the Mistshear Wildlands and Mount Hyjal above are scattered across the area, now used by the surviving furbolgs as a set of outposts and back entrances to their hidden home.

Some ancient civilization did exist before the furbolgs settled there. In the southern part of Darkmist Tunnels, a sprawling temple city lies darkened and empty, witness of a mysterious civilization long since abandoned. In addition, a group of renegade goblins have discovered the Echobole and have driven the furbolgs away from a few of their peripheral holdings with explosives and metal beasts. Due to their proximity to the dark crystals, these goblins have become corrupted, and have descended into a twisted version of their former selves, using dark magic and malicious technology to keep the furbolgs at bay.

Additionally, a population of the Children of Cenarius live in the western parts of the Echobole, having struck a pact with the burgeoning furbolgs. The Keepers and Dryads appear to be the protectors of a pocket of Elune's magic, but have have come under attack by invading nerubians. What the Arachnid people are doing here so far from Northrend is an enigma, but rumors abound that they seek entrance into the ruined temple city in the southern parts of the Echobole.

Geography
Sheltered from outside weather, this peaceful area lies beneath the surface of Kalimdor, but sunlight filters down through natural cave openings. Yellow and purple flowers cover the cave floor where the light reaches down, and other vegetation dot the cavern walls and bloom in the underwater lakes. The Echobole is loosely divided into three parts by north-south running mountain walls, the eastern and slightly smaller region dubbed Purpurlight Lake for its large underground water source that seems to glow with vibrant plantlife and features the location of the largest furbolg settlement. To the south lie the Darkmist Tunnels, a sprawling expanse of interconnecting caves that contain primitive wildlife and ancient structures, and the northwestern caves, large and open expanses of air where several entrances from the Mistshear Wildlands can be found.

The Echobole contains no dungeons, raid dungeons, micro dungeons, or battlegrounds. It is the starting area for the furbolgs and contains a very sheltered 1-5 leveling area, Purpurlight Lake. The furbolg city, Barrowhome, can also be found in this zone with a flight path to Mistshear Wildlands. The only other access to the surface is by foot through one of the numerous tunnels that lead outside.

Travel hubs
One can reach the surface of Kalimdor from the Echbole by foot, or by flight path from Barrowhome. There is no direct transportation beyond crossing through the Mistshear Wildlands above, but these can be reached through tunnel from Azshara and Felwood. Tunnels also lead further up to Mount Hyjal, but these technically take players through Mistshear part of the way.

Flight paths from Barrowhome

 * Sky Watch, Mistshear Wildlands

Notable NPCs
The Echobole is the new home of several notable people, and not all of them furbolgs. At the Purpurlight Lake, High Shaman Dorga and Elder Rumdi work tirelessly to keep in contact with the rest of the furbolg settlements throughout Kalimdor. At Earth Watch, Shadow Hunter Grummba watches over the people of the village. Keeper Terandis, recently forced to take shelter in the northern parts of the Darkmist Tunnels, does his best to root out the lurking evil in this area and help his newfound allies, the furbolgs. And High Mystic Jora seeks aid from the newly arrived Alliance to confront the Darkweb goblins and chase them from their lands once and for all.

Quests
The quests of the Echobole range from the early level 1-5 quests of Purpurlight Lake to the level 5-10 quests of the Great Hollow. Many players have found the quests of the furbolg starting area to be extremely enjoyable and interesting, compared to the pre-Emerald Dream quests. Quests of note include the The Prophecy of Mistrunner quest chain, in which young furbolgs enter the Emerald Dream for the first time, a quest chain involving Keeper Terandis as he learns the horrible truth of the ancient temple, and quests involving the strange Darkweb goblins and their malicious inventions.

Resources

 * Cloth
 * Linen Cloth
 * Herbs
 * Peacebloom
 * Silverleaf
 * Earthroot
 * Leather
 * Ruined Leather Scraps
 * Light Leather
 * Light Hide
 * Ore
 * Copper Vein

Wild creatures

 * Corrupted furbolgs
 * Dark Keepers
 * Darkweb goblins
 * Demons
 * Earth Elementals
 * Earthen
 * Emerald Terrors
 * Giant slugs
 * Gnolls
 * Grells
 * Moonkin
 * Moths
 * Murlocs
 * Nerubians
 * Silithids
 * Slitherers
 * Spiders
 * Sporelings
 * Water Elementals