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This article is about the Warcraft III mission. For other uses, see Culling of Stratholme (disambiguation).
The Culling
WC3-H06
Location Stratholme
Result

Alliance victory

Belligerents
  Alliance of Lordaeron
 

Undead Scourge

 

Population of Stratholme

  • Plagued Militia WC3Reforged-icon
  • Plagued Villagers (Plagued Citizen)
  • Zoo Animals WC3RoC-logo
 

Orcish Horde WC3Reforged-icon

  • Lost Patrol
Commanders and leaders
 

Alliance of Lordaeron

 

Undead Scourge

 

Population of Stratholme

  • None
 

Orcish Horde WC3Reforged-icon

  • None
Casualties and losses
 

Alliance of Lordaeron

  • Moderate
 

Undead Scourge

  • Moderate
 

Population of Stratholme

  • Annihilation of civilians
 

Orcish Horde WC3Reforged-icon

  • Total
Previous

The Prince and the Prophet

March of the Scourge
Next

Divergent Courses

The Shores of Northrend
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This article contains lore taken from Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos, Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne, the manuals, and/or official bonus maps.

The Culling is Chapter Six of The Scourge of Lordaeron.

It was the slaughter of a large portion of the civilian population of Stratholme at the hands of Prince Arthas, who sought to prevent the spread of the Plague of Undeath at any cost necessary. This event also marked the (temporary) disbanding of the Silver Hand, as Uther the Lightbringer refused to follow the order of executing civilians. More importantly, the event marked Prince Arthas's first major step to becoming a death knight by slaughtering his own people.

Loading screen[]

Early the next morning, on the outskirts of Stratholme...

Map[]

WC3RoC-logo This section concerns content related to Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos or its expansion The Frozen Throne.

Stratholme has a unique map, with Arthas attacking the city from the north. It notably contains a zoo.

WC3Reforged-icon This section concerns content related to Warcraft III: Reforged.
The Culling- Reforged

A much closer version to the World of Warcraft instance.

The map is way more similar to its World of Warcraft incarnation, with several modern landmarks like the gates of the city, the Bastion of the Silver Hand, Market Row, and Alonsus Chapel. By extension, the city's architecture has been redesigned to better suit the style of the Alliance—the orca statues and Grecian-styled columns have been removed. However, these assets will remain available in the map editor.[1] Other differences include:

  • Salramm the Fleshcrafter and Meathook show up when destroying some buildings.
  • There are a few orcish grunts and troll headhunters as a creep camp labeled "Lost Patrol".
  • When Arthas approaches the castle situated at the same approximate area as the future Scarlet Bastion, Stratholme militiamen wearing red leave the building and attack him.
  • A fun note: The city walls are revealed to avoid shadows popping in and out as you navigate the city.

Creeps[]

Zoo animals[]

Critters[]

Villagers[]

  • HumanHuman Countless unnamed villagers (males and females)
Cullingroc

Quests[]

Main Quests[]

Availablequest BTNRallyPointUndead The Culling[]

  • Destroy plagued villager houses
  • Kill 100 zombies
  • Stop Mal'Ganis from claiming 100 zombies

Mal'Ganis seeks to turn Stratholme's citizens into his Undead slaves. If he is successful, his armies will be unstoppable. You must destroy their homes and put the plagued wretches out of their misery before Mal'Ganis can claim their souls.

Transcript[]

Prelude[]

Uther, Jaina, and the Knights of the Silver Hand arrive at Arthas' base outside Stratholme.
IconSmall Arthas Arthas: Glad you could make it, Uther.
IconSmall Uther Uther the Lightbringer: Watch your tone with me, boy. You may be the prince, but I'm still your superior as a paladin!
IconSmall Arthas Arthas: As if I could forget. Listen, Uther, there's something about the plague you should know...
IconSmall Arthas Arthas: Oh, no. We're too late. These people have all been infected! They may look fine now, but it's just a matter of time before they turn into the undead!
IconSmall Uther Uther the Lightbringer: What?
IconSmall Arthas Arthas: This entire city must be purged.
IconSmall Uther Uther the Lightbringer: How can you even consider that? There's got to be some other way.
IconSmall Arthas Arthas: Damn it, Uther! As your future king, I order you to purge this city!
IconSmall Uther Uther the Lightbringer: You are not my king yet, boy! Nor would I obey that command even if you were!
IconSmall Arthas Arthas: Then I must consider this an act of treason.
IconSmall Uther Uther the Lightbringer: Treason? Have you lost your mind, Arthas?
IconSmall Arthas Arthas: Have I? Lord Uther, by my right of succession and the sovereignty of my crown, I hereby relieve you of your command and suspend your paladins from service.
IconSmall Jaina Jaina Proudmoore: Arthas! You can't just--
IconSmall Arthas Arthas: It's done! Those of you who have the will to save this land, follow me! The rest of you... get out of my sight!
The knights depart.
IconSmall Uther Uther the Lightbringer: You've just crossed a terrible threshold, Arthas.
Uther and Jaina begin to take their leave.
IconSmall Arthas Arthas: Jaina?
Jaina stops for a moment, without turning around.
IconSmall Jaina Jaina Proudmoore: I'm sorry, Arthas. I can't watch you do this.
Jaina leaves.

During the Mission[]

  • IconSmall Arthas Arthas: Father, forgive me for what I must do.
Mal'Ganis teleports into Stratholme, flanked by two Ghouls.
IconSmall NathrezimSL Male Mal'Ganis: I've been waiting for you, young prince. I am Mal'Ganis.
Mal'Ganis and the Ghouls destroy a nearby building and begin transforming its denizens into Zombies.
IconSmall NathrezimSL Male Mal'Ganis: As you can see, your people are now mine. I will now turn this city household by household, until the flame of life has been snuffed out... forever.
IconSmall Arthas Arthas: I won't allow it, Mal'Ganis! Better that these people die by my hand than serve as your slaves in death!
IconSmall Necromancer Necromancer: Go sniff somewhere else, pup. You best draw back to your senile father and await the end of your reign.
IconSmall NathrezimSL Male Mal'Ganis: I live once more!

Mission Complete[]

IconSmall Arthas Arthas: We're going to finish this right now, Mal'Ganis. Just you and me.
IconSmall NathrezimSL Male Mal'Ganis: Brave words. Unfortunately for you, it won't end here. Your journey has just begun, young prince.
IconSmall NathrezimSL Male Mal'Ganis: Gather your forces and meet me in the arctic land of Northrend. It is there that we shall settle the score between us. It is there that your true destiny will unfold.
Mal'Ganis teleports away.
IconSmall Arthas Arthas: I'll hunt you to the ends of the earth if I have to! Do you hear me? To the ends of the earth!

Mission Failed[]

  • IconSmall NathrezimSL Male Mal'Ganis: Obviously... you are not as strong as the Dark Lord believed. Now, feel the wrath of the Scourge, as you drown under the flood of the living dead!

Unused quotes[]

  • IconSmall Human Female Peasant: The roof is collapsing! Run!
  • IconSmall Human Female Peasant: What did we do to you?
  • IconSmall Human Female Peasant: You're suppose to be our prince!
  • IconSmall Human Female Peasant: You're suppose to be the Defender of Lordaeron!
  • IconSmall Human Male Peasant: The King's men are attacking! Run for your lives!
  • IconSmall Human Male Peasant: The walls are falling in! Get out!
  • IconSmall Human Male Peasant: What have you done? What's going on?
  • IconSmall Human Male Peasant: Mercy, milord!
  • IconSmall Human Male Peasant: What have you done!?

Forces[]

Alliance of Lordaeron
Undead Scourge
Population of Stratholme

Trivia[]

  • Originally children were meant to come out of buildings and be killable objectives for the mission, in addition to men and women. Several sound files of villagers panicking and begging for mercy are installed but unused. These were both deemed too disturbing and their triggers were turned off.[2]
    • By hacking into the game, the triggers can be simply turned on.[2]
  • Villagers do not attack before turning into undead to give the player the moral choice of waiting for them to turn first or killing them before they become a threat. This also forces the player to directly kill villagers if they choose to.[2]
  • The map editor shows unused regions around the fountains in the city called Way Gates, suggesting the map could've been originally intended to be navigated with teleporting points.[3]
  • In Battle of Azeroth, Lady Katherine Proudmoore sees this in a vision at Thros, when she finds Jaina in which Jaina thought that "We should have stopped him. He never would have turned. He'd still be alive."

Caverns of Time[]

Wrath-Logo-Small This section concerns content related to Wrath of the Lich King.

Players are able to experience this event in the Caverns of Time: Culling of Stratholme in Wrath of the Lich King.

References[]


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