Wetlands

The Wetlands is a large, wet region below Stonewrought Dam and north of Loch Modan, covered with small rivers, lakes, and ponds. Bordered on three sides by mountains, the Wetlands are open to the ocean to the west. Adventurers seeking a route to the Wetlands must either come through sieged Dun Algaz from Loch Modan or cross the damaged Thandol Span from Arathi Highlands.

The Wetlands is a vast, cold swamp. Mists cloak the ground, and the overcast sky makes the land a uniform gray. Many Ironforge strongholds once stood in this region, but war has reduced them to rubble. Wild creatures, murlocs and orcs of Dragonmaw Clan now control the land. The main bastion of Alliance's power in the region, the Menethil Harbor, has partially sunk and flooded due to irregular tectonic activity caused by the Shattering. The night elves also maintain a small holdout in the eastern parts, the Greenwarden's Grove - home to the fabled Rethiel the Greenwarden.

History
The Wetlands have been the site of many a battle through the times. Nestled among the mountains and open to the ocean as it is, it is a prime location for invading forces. It was historically part of the original dwarven kingdom while the three tribes were united, but after the War of the Three Hammers, it fell under the control of the Wildhammer clan. The Dark Irons invaded Grim Batol and almost succeeded in taking full control of it, but were driven back at the last minute. During the Second War, the bastion finally fell prey to the invading orcs, most notably by those of the Dragonmaw clan.

Although the orcs took possession of Grim Batol for a time, they were subject to the wrath of the red dragonflight who, when freed of their enslavement from the orcs, destroyed their bases and burned their catapults, killing orcs en masse. The orcs who survived the onslaught fled south to the mountains, where they live to this day.

The shadow of Grim Batol, yet still looms ahead. The fanatical Twilight's Hammer, under service of Neltharion himself and the malevolent Old Gods, has seized the fortress as part of their expansion within the highlands on the east, brutally pushing back red flight's forces. The dwarves and allied humans built the port city on a small island in Baradin Bay, which they named after King Terenas Menethil II — Menethil Harbor.

The Cataclysm caused a flood of the western part of the Wetlands and of Menethil Harbor, sweeping a good number of ocean dwellers with it.

The flood from Loch Modan's Loch distressed with local wildlife's and brought threshadons as well.

Getting there

 * Horde: From Hammerfall in the Arathi Highlands, run south/southwest to the large bridge, the Thandol Span. The Wetlands are on the other side.
 * Alliance: From Ironforge go east through Dun Morogh to Loch Modan. Take the road in the Loch north to Dun Algaz in the the Wetlands. You can also take the boat from Theramore, which leads to Menethil Harbor.

Geography
There are currently no dungeons or battlegrounds in this area.

Maps and subregions


A topographic map of the pre-Cataclysm Wetlands.

Flight paths from Slabchisel's Survey

 * Thelsamar, Loch Modan
 * Greenwarden's Grove, Wetlands

Flight paths from Greenwarden's Grove

 * Slabchisel's Survey, Wetlands
 * Whelgar's Retreat, Wetlands
 * Dun Modr, Wetlands

Flight paths from Whelgar's Retreat

 * Greenwarden's Grove, Wetlands
 * Menethil Harbor, Wetlands
 * Dun Modr, Wetlands

Flight paths from Menethil Harbor

 * Ironforge, Dun Morogh
 * Thelsamar, Loch Modan
 * Whelgar's Retreat, Wetlands
 * Refuge Pointe, Arathi Highlands

Flight paths from Dun Modr

 * Greenwarden's Grove, Wetlands
 * Whelgar's Retreat, Wetlands
 * Refuge Pointe, Arathi Highlands

Notable characters




Quests
Adventurers help the Alliance outposts of the Wetlands get back on their feet after the disastrous land-altering effects of the Shattering. Play courier via ram, uncover a ghostly mystery, do archaeology by beating up skeletal raptors, and deal a final blow against the Dark Iron on the Thandol Span.

Resources



 * Cloth
 * Linen Cloth
 * Wool Cloth
 * Silk Cloth
 * Herbalism
 * Mageroyal
 * Swiftthistle
 * Briarthorn
 * Stranglekelp
 * Bruiseweed
 * Wild Steelbloom
 * Grave Moss
 * Kingsblood
 * Liferoot
 * Leather
 * Light Leather
 * Medium Leather
 * Black Whelp Scale (Skin Ebon Whelps - only source in game)
 * Mining
 * Copper Ore
 * Tin Ore
 * Silver Ore
 * Iron Ore
 * Gold Ore

Battle pets

 * Water Snake
 * Dark Whelpling - Zone drop
 * Razormaw Hatchling - Object loot
 * Clockwork Gnome - Archaeology only
 * Black Rat
 * Crimson Whelpling - Zone drop
 * Toad
 * Cockroach
 * Mountain Skunk
 * Tiny Bog Beast
 * Highlands Mouse

Wild creatures



 * Bog beasts
 * Crocolisks
 * Dark Iron dwarves
 * Dragonspawn
 * Ghosts
 * Gnolls
 * Murlocs
 * Oozes
 * Raptors
 * Sharks
 * Spiders
 * Whelps

In Cataclysm
The Wetlands became a 25-30 zone. Between the tidal effects of the Cataclysm and the destruction of the Stonewrought Dam, large portions of this zone have became flooded, including Menethil Harbor.

Areas affected:


 * Angerfang Encampment – it appears the mobs here have received a skin overhaul
 * Direforge Hill – the mobs here have fled and the area is now overrun with Smouldering Ooze and Rampant Fire Elementals; west of here are more new mobs: Mouldering Mirebeast and Marsh Lasher
 * Dragonmaw Gates – past here is now the Twilight Highlands
 * Dun Modr – now has a flight path; fought over area now seems to be inhabited by dwarves loyal to the Twilight Cult (who were, evidently, loyal to the Cult all along and not really Dark Iron Clan dwarves); in the hills above here is what appears to be a crashed zeppelin
 * The Green Belt – Rethiel the Greenwarden is still here, but now a night elf-themed camp has sprung up around him called the Greenwarden's Grove, complete with a flight path; the area to the east of here is now overrun by Ebon Whelps, Ebon Slavehunters, and Dragonmaw Whelpstealers – it is unknown as of this time whether the Tiny Crimson Whelpling will still drop from these new whelps
 * Ironbeard's Tomb – a very small Dark Iron Clan camp has been set up to the NW
 * Menethil Harbor – flooded but reinforced with sandbags
 * Menethil Keep – has been taken over by Dark Iron Dwarves
 * Mosshide Fen – largely flooded due to the destruction of the Stonewrought Dam in Loch Modan; the Gnoll camp closest to Dun Algaz has been taken over by Silty Oozelings, with a Dwarven camp established nearby called Slabchisel's Survey; new mobs in this area include the Flood Elemental and Displaced Threshadon; all the Gnoll camps appear to have been destroyed
 * Saltspray Glen – the Gnoll camps are being fought over by the Gnoll and Dark Iron Dwarves; further to the west the Gnolls seem to have control over their camps; where Fradd Swiftgear is there is now a more fleshed out camp, complete with an inn
 * Thelgen Rock – in the hills above the cave is a medium sized lake
 * Whelgar's Excavation Site – taken over by Paleolithic Elementals and Living Fossils, as well as having Sarltooth as one of the undead fossils and now a rare spawn; Prospector Whelgar himself has abandoned the site for a camp just off the main road, complete with a flight path
 * Other – the 'Wetlands farm' is accessible by flying mount

In Warcraft III
A Warcraft III map exists called Wetlands. A once thriving metropolis has all but been covered by the jungle.

In the RPG
Cold and drear, the Wetlands is Khaz Modan's northernmost realm. It can be found after crossing through Loch Modan's Dun Algaz Gate. Once dominated by dwarven strongholds, the Wetlands suffered grievously in the Second and Third Wars. The strongholds have fallen, and wild creatures, murlocs and renegade orcs claim the land. The Wetlands is little more than a thoroughfare for travelers moving to and from Menethil Harbor, the only safe settlement in the area. This marsh is not nearly as cheerful as Loch Modan.

History
Horde and Scourge forces devastated the Wetlands in the Second and Third Wars, forcing the Ironforge dwarves to retreat to Loch Modan and Dun Morogh. Alliance forces have since established Menethil Harbor, but the area is still wild and untamed. The Wetlands is a buffer zone between the inhabited Khaz Modan and Scourge-infested Lordaeron.

Menethil Harbor, on the west coast, is the only Alliance settlement in the Wetlands. Menethil's people are tense and wary, as orcs and other creatures attack the walls constantly. Dark Iron dwarves claimed the fallen city of Dun Modr, in the north, as their own, while the renegade orcish Dragonmaw clan, defeated shortly after the Second War, fled to this land. The orcs, still flying their white dragon banners, refuse to ally with Thrall and raid Menethil Harbor repeatedly.

Disputed ruins dot the landscape, and murlocs, bog beasts and other creatures are perfect hunting targets. Menethil Harbor would be indebted to any intrepid individuals who eliminated the Dragonmaw threat.

The Dark Iron dwarves of Dun Modr uncovered ancient writings in their ruined fortress that spoke of an artifact called Ironbeard's Axe. They leaked this information to both Menethil Harbor and the Dragonmaw orcs, and later planed to incite both factions to race to Ironbeard's Tomb, fighting oozes and each other in the process. In the aftermath, Dark Iron agents ambushed the victors on their way out, thereby claiming the magical axe for themselves.

Geography
The Wetlands is one vast, cold swamp stretching to Khaz Modan's northern coast. Gray mist cloaks the ground, giving the area an eerie, isolated feel, while the skies are constantly overcast. To the south are a series of one thousand stone steps carved into the rock, at the top of which is Dun Algaz Gate and the entrance to Loch Modan. To the north is Lordaeron's Arathi Highlands. Ruined dwarven fortresses can be seen, thrusting their bones up from the surrounding filth. Elevation rises to the east to the mountain fortress of Grim Batol, and to the south toward Loch Modan. As if rebel orcs and Dark Iron dwarves were not bad enough, Bluegill murlocs, bog beasts and oozes roam the murky landscape.

Menethil Harbor is the only safe settlement in the Wetlands, though wrecked strongholds and other ruins draw treasure seekers to this bleak land. Many shipwrecks line the coast. Curious explorers could find many intriguing items in these shattered hulks. Brann Bronzebeard found a fork.