Exile's Reach



Exile's Reach is an uncharted island located within the North Sea which will serve as a level 1-10 starting zone in World of Warcraft: Shadowlands. New World of Warcraft players will automatically start in Exile's Reach before moving to their faction's capital and entering Battle for Azeroth leveling content. Existing players starting new characters will be able to choose if they want to start in their race's regular starting zone or in Exile's Reach before moving on to 10-50 content. The story through the island culminates in a mini-dungeon of two bosses designed for 1 to 5 players, with scaling difficulty and no role requirements. Players can choose if they want to take on the challenge alone or with friends. Overall, the experience is intended to introduce new players to the world and the basics of the features seen later in the game.

Exile's Reach will not be available for allied race characters and death knights and demon hunters. Allied races will begin at level 10. Non-Allied race death knights and demon hunters will automatically begin at level 8 and play through their own starting experience before moving on around level 10.

History
At an unknown time but described as "long ago" by the vrykul Hjalmar, he was slain by the ogres who trapped his spirit here for daring to defy them.

The Horde and Alliance sent an expedition to the island, but it was never heard from again. Novice adventurers travel to the island as part of a bigger and stronger expeditionary force to find out what happened. As with many such journeys, the adventurers find themselves as part of a crew aboard a ship bound to their last known location. When things take a turn for the worse, they make landfall on the island of Exile's Reach, eventually discovering that the previous expedition was captured by an ogre necromancer who intends to sacrifice them to raise an undead dragon.

Geography
Exile's Reach is a small island part of an archipelago in the North Sea, located to the northeast of the Broken Isles—at a considerable distance off the coast of Stormheim —and in between Northrend and Lordaeron. The island has large mountains, vistas, waterfalls, dark forests, and a variety of familiar monsters. Ogre ruins dot the central area of the island.

The islands surrounding Exile's Reach have vrykul settlements and night elven ruins.

Notes and trivia

 * A hidden underwater cave can be found in the northern part of the river that goes through Exile's Reach. Three tortollans found here will transport you back to your camp.
 * The ogre architecture on the island is distinctly Gorian, making it one of the very few places on Azeroth to use the imperial ogre craftsmanship, the other being ruins on the Seething Shore and on Un'gol Ruins.
 * The island sits in the center of a large archipelago of unreachable islands, most of which are copy and pasted bits of terrain from the Stormheim zone.
 * At BlizzCon 2019, death knights and demon hunters were originally stated to also start at level 1 on Exile's Reach with the option for veteran players of playing their original hero class starting experiences as an alternative.
 * Each race has its own introductory statement during the cutscene of when the player is flying into their faction's capital cities.
 * Alliance Races
 * Humans: "As one of the mightiest human kingdoms, Stormwind upholds an enduring tradition of brave knights and legendary heroes."
 * Gnomes: "Though small in stature, as a gnome your unrivaled ingenuity and fierce determination allow you stand tall beside your allies."
 * Night Elves: "As one of the ancient and elusive night elves, you have ventured forth from the sacred forests to aid your allies and protect the wilds."
 * Dwarves: "Representing the stout and enduring dwarves of Ironforge, you have emerged from the mountain and stand ready to face any challenge."
 * Draenei: "Fleeing a distant world overcome by demonic corruption, you and your fellow draenei have secured a new home among steadfast allies."
 * Worgen: "Though the worgen curse ravaged your home kingdom of Gilneas, you have mastered your feral rage as a weapon against your rivals."
 * Pandaren: "Like many pandaren, you have known a life of harmony on the traveling isle of Shen-zin Su. But your intrepid spirit yearns for adventure."
 * Horde Races
 * Orcs: "Though the orcs came to this world seeking conquest, your people now stand proudly among its greatest champions."
 * Trolls: "Renouncing the brutality of other troll tribes, you and your fellow Darkspear protect your allies with cunning ferocity."
 * Tauren: "As one of the wise and noble tauren, your physical might and spiritual resolve honor the legacy of your ancestors."
 * Undead: "The undead Forsaken may be shunned by the living, but your people strive to rise above the ruins of the past and forge a new future."
 * Blood Elves: "Though the blood elf homeland was nearly lost to tragedy and betrayal, your people have reclaimed your birthright and seek a brighter destiny."
 * Goblins: "As members of the Bilgewater Cartel, you and your fellow goblins have sided with the Horde for the promise of adventure... and profit!"
 * Pandaren: "Like many pandaren, you have known a life of harmony on the traveling isle of Shen-zin Su. But your intrepid spirit yearns for adventure."

Speculation
It may or may not be the same archipelago that once featured on the world maps before Wrath of the Lich King.