Grim Batol (instance)

Introduced in World of Warcraft: Cataclysm, Grim Batol is a level 85 dungeon with normal and heroic 5-man versions. It is located in the Grim Batol complex located in the Northwestern portion of the Twilight Highlands, North of the Bastion of Twilight and South of the Vermillion Redoubt.

Background
Heroes brave enough to infiltrate the brooding depths of the stronghold must confront Deathwing's agents to thwart the mysterious evil within. With the reemergence of Deathwing into the world of Azeroth, the black dragonflight and Twilight's Hammer cult have driven the red dragons away, and converted the dwarven-forged stone halls into a training ground. Grim Batol has once again become a battlefront.The red dragonflight has begun to assault the gates of Grim Batol from the air, but their assault is jeopardized by the black dragons, who fight back with characteristic intensity and viciousness. If the red flight doesn't receive support soon, the battles raging around Grim Batol will calm at last - and the fortress will rest firmly in the grasp of evil.

Dungeon Journal
''Don't be fooled by Grim Batol's humble exterior; many of this mountain fortress's desecrated chambers are buried deep in the Twilight Highlands. Once the stronghold of the Wildhammer dwarves, and later seized by orcs as a prison for Alextrasza,[sic] the city is now in the clutches of the Twilight's Hammer cult. Heroes brave enough to infiltrate the brooding depths of the stronghold must confront Deathwing's agents to thwart the mysterious evil within.''

Announcement
''During a bloody civil war among the three dwarven factions of Ironforge, the Bronzebeards ousted the Wildhammer and the Dark Iron clans from the ancient corridors of the mountain city. In the wake of the defeat, the Wildhammers ventured north and forged a new home, Grim Batol, in the mountains of what is now the Twilight Highlands. However, although they worked tirelessly to create a better future for themselves, the Dark Irons, who established the city of Thaurissan in the Redridge Mountains, could not move beyond the memory of their defeat. Consumed by the desire for revenge and desperate to control the entire dwarven region of Khaz Modan, the Dark Irons led a two-pronged assault on the Bronzebeards in Ironforge and the Wildhammers in Grim Batol. Despite their past differences, these two embattled rivals joined forces and drove the Dark Irons out of Khaz Modan, decimating the armies of the treacherous clan's sorcerer-thane, Thaurissan. Yet victory carried grave consequences. Although Thaurissan's wife and queen, Modgud, was slain during the attack on Grim Batol, her death tainted the mountain fortress. While the Bronzebeards rebuilt their glorious city of Ironforge, the Wildhammers felt forever changed by the horrors they witnessed at Grim Batol. They fled their cursed home and never returned.''

''The abandoned city's defiled corridors later became home to a number of nefarious plots. When the Demon Soul was discovered by the Dragonmaw clan and used to force Alexstrasza's drakes to serve the Horde, Grim Batol acted as the red Dragon Aspect's torturous prison. The Dragonmaw held Grim Batol through the Second War, before they were driven out by Deathwing, who planned to steal Alexstrasza's eggs. Yet as Deathwing carried out his plan, the Demon Soul was destroyed, and the powers locked within were returned to Alexstrasza, Ysera, Nozdormu, and Malygos. Deathwing narrowly escaped an assault by the four re-empowered Dragon Aspects, although he did not leave empty-handed; in his grasp were the eggs of Alexstrasza. For their vile transgressions, the fleeing Dragonmaw were shown no mercy, and the struggle came to a quick end. Members of the red dragonflight were left behind to keep watch over Grim Batol, and for years they successfully guarded its desolate halls from further intrusion... until the arrival of the Twilight's Hammer, a sinister cult who worshipped Azeroth's malefic Old Gods.''

''The cult, seduced by Deathwing's thirst for absolute domination over Azeroth, has claimed the Twilight Highlands as its base of operations. The black dragonflight has driven off the agents of the red dragonflight who guarded Grim Batol so that it may be used as a fortress for training Deathwing's minions. The halls of Grim Batol run so deep into the highlands that it is unknown to what twisted end the Twilight's Hammer is using this doomed dwarven marvel.''

''Called to action by the red dragonflight in the Twilight Highlands, players will be charged with putting a decisive end to the foul machinations developing within the level-85, 5-player dungeon of Grim Batol. The ferocity of the enemies within should not be underestimated, and with the assistance of brave Red Drakes and a handful of explosives, players can thin the ranks of Grim Batol's occupiers through bombing flights into the ruined city's corridors. Regardless of how successful these attacks might be, General Umbriss will not allow his army to fall so quickly. In the end, adventurers will be left to their own devices, venturing into the darkest recesses of the dwarven fortress, where a nightmarish enemy is taking shape. Will you be able to uncover Grim Batol's secrets and emerge unscathed, or will your destiny be sealed within this tortured city, like so many brave heroes before you?''

Geography
The first goal when assaulting Grim Batol will be to launch a bombing run through the halls, in order to thin the massive forces deployed by the Twilight's Hammer within the fortress. To get there, a few pulls will be necessary, but the path will be obvious - specifically, five red drakes caught in nets. After clearing the groups from around the drakes, cut them free and each player should mount up. Once mounted, the bombing run will commence almost immediately. The flight path is set - players cannot deviate. The bombing run will allow the group to damage various groups of NPCs in the first (Umbriss') and third (Drahga's) sections of the dungeon. Try to focus fire as much as possible in order to minimize pulls. It should be noted that unlike all other instances, in the event the group dies, these NPCs do not regenerate health.

After killing Forgemaster Throngus or Drahga Shadowburner respectively, if you should run back in from the graveyard, mounting a drake will fly you to the area of the last boss your group has done, namely Khardros' Anvil or Scarred Terrace.

Quests

 * Closing a Dark Chapter
 * Kill the Courier
 * Soften them Up
 * Vengeance of the Wildhammer

Achievements

 * Grim Batol (achievement)
 * Heroic: Grim Batol
 * Umbrage for Umbriss
 * Don't Need to Break Eggs to Make an Omelet
 * Heroic: Grim Batol Guild Run

Trivia

 * Grim Batol seems to re-use Ironforge's design and architecture, much like Shadowforge City and Thor Modan, as they are all dwarf cities.
 * Some of Grim Batol's aesthetic revolves around gryphons, which should be inconsistent to the Wildhammer lore. While Wildhammers did bond with gryphons, and do base most of their present aesthetic with them in mind, this was only after the loss of Grim Batol and settling in the Hinterlands where gryphons are native.
 * The massive molten fissure dividing the fortress in half was likely related to an idea where Deathwing would slice the entire mountain in half upon landing after his initial rampage. This idea can be seen (unclearly) on this concept map. The mountain around Grim Batol is still intact but other zones hints that the developers wanted to do more with the concept.