Uldaman

Uldaman is a huge and ancient, massive vault created by the titan keepers, buried deep within mountains of Khaz Modan. Prior to the Third War, it was partially excavated by the dwarves from Ironforge, but has since fallen into the hands of the troggs and Dark Irons, who find the place ideal to dig for earthly riches. It was previously a titan-forged facility.

Uldaman contains many artifacts for those willing to seek them out, primarily archaeologists and adventurers, who are slowly digging up this ruin of a titan-forged city. There are members of the Explorers' League, but also of the Reliquary, equally eager to get their hands on ancient treasures.

Uldaman is located in the Badlands, west of the entrance to Loch Modan. The enemy level range is 35 to 40, and the minimum level required to enter it is 35.

History


After a failed experiment that resulted in the creation of the troggs, Ironaya built a small subterranean vault named Uldaman, which was to act as a stasis chamber for the troggs. However, some of the troggs managed to escape and wandered the world.

After the death of Tyr, Archaedas and Ironaya fled to Uldaman and expanded the site, carving new chambers to hold the Discs of Norgannon and vowing to protect it. Years later, some of the earthen that had followed the keeper and the giantess showed signs of the curse of flesh. Archaedas heard their fears and agreed to place them in hibernation until a cure could be found, promising them to wake them in the future. As such, some earthen were sealed within Uldaman's vast vaults, while others decided, along with the mechagnome followers, to stay awake, watch over Uldaman and maintain its machineries. Over the years, Archaedas and Ironaya would retreat into the lowest chambers of Uldaman to work on the cure for the curse of flesh, spending years in quiet contemplation. Eventually, the two would enter hibernation as well.

As the Great Sundering tore the world, the active earthen felt the pain of the world. As a result, they tunneled deep within Uldaman and locked themselves away within the hibernation chambers with their sleeping brethren. Only the mechagnomes remained to watch over the facility, but they too eventually succumbed to the curse of the flesh, and a majority of them became fleshy beings known as gnomes. They left Uldaman to the nearby mountains and caverns, leaving only a handful of mechagnomes in Uldaman. Even they eventually degraded and died out until only one remained. Although this lone mechagnome did her best to maintain Uldaman, much of the stronghold fell into disrepair. This mechagnome was eventually transformed into a gnome as well and grew old. When she neared death, the gnome worked her way to free the earthen hibernating deep within Uldaman, and she did so with her dying breath. The hibernation chambers soon stirred with life, but they were changed and known later as dwarves. Just like gnomes years ago, the dwarves too left Uldaman for the nearby mountains.

For thousands of years, troggs slept in the deep reaches of the Uldaman fortress. Prior to the Third War, the dwarves of Ironforge delved into Uldaman to gather artifacts and knowledge. They inadvertently woke the troggs who, in turn, slaughtered most of the explorers. The survivors escaped back to Ironforge. Unbeknown to them, the troggs follow them through the ground, tunneling their way to Dun Morogh. As they neared Ironforge, noises from the nearby Gnomeregan attracted their attention, and they invaded it. The initial Explorers' League excavation team that discovered Uldaman counted Gryphon Master Talonaxe's father among their ranks.

Years later, the Shadowforge clan made their way to Uldaman, seeking lost artifacts there, under the supervision of Ambassador Infernus. The League later returned to Uldaman to excavate it, but were once again driven away. Dwarves working on its digsites included individuals like Sigrun Ironhew and Hammertoe Grez, who was working with Historian Karnik on finding lost artifacts of the titan site. In their hurry, the dwarves abandoned many wagons and crates of supplies along the way.

As of the Cataclysm, the League and the Horde's Reliquary took an interest In Uldaman. At some point, adventurers infiltrated the place and deactivated Archaedas. Mathias Shaw has learned of a rumor on how to access Ironaya in the Chamber of Khaz'mul with the Staff of Prehistoria.


 * Uldaman is an ancient Titan vault that has laid buried deep within the earth since the world's creation. Dwarven excavations have recently penetrated this forgotten city, releasing the Titans' first failed creations: the Troggs. Legends say that the Titans created troggs from stone. When they deemed the experiment a failure, the Titans locked the troggs away and tried again - resulting in the creation of the dwarven race. The secrets of the dwarves' creation are recorded on the fabled Discs of Norgannon - massive Titan artifacts that lie at the very bottom of the ancient city. Recently, the Dark Iron dwarves have launched a series of incursions into Uldaman, hoping to claim the discs for their fiery master, Ragnaros. However, protecting the buried city are several guardians - giant constructs of living stone that crush any hapless intruders they find. The Discs themselves are guarded by a massive, sapient Stonekeeper called Archaedas. Some rumors even suggest that the dwarves' stone-skinned ancestors, the earthen, still dwell deep within the city's hidden recesses.

Geography
Uldaman is located in the northern part of the Badlands.

Achievements

 * Uldaman (achievement)
 * Uldaman Guild Run

Resources

 * Skinning
 * Scorpid Scale (from )
 * Thick Leather
 * Medium Leather
 * Heavy Leather
 * Thick Hide
 * Heavy Hide
 * Ore
 * Iron Deposit
 * Mithril Deposit
 * Truesilver Deposit
 * Gold

In the RPG
Uldaman is a famous dig site hiding ancient Titan relics and remnants. It has produced many important finds, and more undoubtedly wait within its depths. Ironforge's entire population is eager to see what's down there. Unfortunately, the site is currently inhabited by Stonevault troggs who were buried for millennia inside the ruins. Ironforge prospectors uncovered the ruins and inadvertently set the troggs loose upon Khaz Modan.

Speculation
The layout of Uldaman on the floor, and the use of a staff, created from a medallion and a shaft, to create a beam to show the opening to a hidden chamber, are most likely a reference to Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark; more specifically, to the map chamber that showed the way to the Well of Souls, where the Ark of the Covenant was held in the film. Like Tanis in the film, which was buried under the sand in a sandstorm that lasted a whole year, Uldaman was buried beneath the earth (presumably due to The Sundering and is being excavated for its powerful contents. The Explorer's League/The Reliquary are likely representative of Indy and his cohorts, and the Dark Iron dwarf excavators are likely representing the Nazis, as they are the less savory group.