Wetlands

For the zone before the Cataclysm, see Wetlands (Classic).

The Wetlands
Level: 10-30 Battle Pet Level: 6 - 7
Capital(s)	Menethil Harbor
Races	Dwarf  Dark Iron dwarf  Human Orc  Black dragonflight  Night elf  Gnome  Gnoll
Ruler(s)	Captain Stoutfist   Thargas Anvilmar   Ferilon Leafborn
Former ruler(s)	Gorfax Angerfang
Major settlements	Greenwarden's Grove Dun Modr Dun Algaz
Minor settlements	Swiftgear Station Slabchisel's Survey Whelgar's Retreat Angerfang Encampment
Affiliation	Explorer's League, Kingdom of Ironforge, Night elves, Alliance, Dark Iron clan, Dragonmaw clan, Mosshide tribe, Bluegill tribe
Location	Northern Khaz Modan
PvP status	Contested territory

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 the 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

After the original dwarven kingdom of Ironforge was left shattered by infighting, the Wildhammer dwarves traveled northeast and founded their new capital city in the mountains of Grim Batol. When the War of the Three Hammers reignited, the Dark Irons invaded Grim Batol and almost succeeded in taking full control of it, but were driven back at the last minute. Seeing their city irremediably tainted and uninhabitable, the majority of the Wildhammers turned north to settle in the Hinterlands, while the rest settled in the region of Northeron, not far from their cursed former home. After the war the dwarves of Ironforge sought to retain relations and trade with their Wildhammer cousins and built the Thandol Span to bridge the gap between Khaz Modan and Lordaeron and to serve as both an economic and a symbolic bridge between the dwarven territories.

When the Second War started several dwarven clans numbering hundreds of members lived in the area of the Wetlands. Orgrim Doomhammer chose a small island in Baradin Bay to be the place where his invasion fleet would be built. Sailing straight to the Hillsbrad Foothills would let the Old Horde avoid the ground defenses of the nascent Alliance of Lordaeron. The Bleeding Hollow clan was left behind to guard the refinement operations of the Horde, while Dragonmaw clan established itself in Grim Batol. The region suffered greatly from this occupation: wildlife became scarce as both the orcs and their dragons thrived heavily on fresh meat, and despoiled badlands become more common as plants themselves suffered. The dwarves that could fled, those that couldn't like Rom's clan hid underground and started resisting. Dragonmaw clan was eventually subject to the wrath of the red dragonflight who, when freed of their enslavement from the orcs, attacked them. The orcs who survived the onslaught fled south to the mountains, where they live to this day.

After the Second War the area was reconquered and Doomhammer's port was rebuilt as an Alliance settlement named Menethil Harbor in honor of the king of Lordaeron, Terenas Menethil II. The forces of the Horde of Draenor later attacked the harbor in order to steal ships and set sail for the Tomb of Sargeras. Grim Batol itself was taken by the Red dragonflight who patrolled its area.

This section concerns content related to Cataclysm.

The fanatical Twilight's Hammer, under service of Neltharion himself and the malevolent Old Gods, has seized the fortress of Grim Batol as part of their expansion within the highlands on the east, brutally pushing back the red flight's forces.

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

Map of the Wetlands.

Map of the Wetlands prior to Cataclysm.

Angerfang Encampment Baradin Bay Black Channel Marsh Bluegill Marsh Direforge Hill Dun Algaz Dun Modr Dragonmaw Gates The Great Sea The Green Belt Greenwarden's Grove Grim Batol Ironbeard's Tomb The Lost Fleet Menethil Bay Menethil Harbor Deepwater Tavern Menethil Keep Mosshide Fen Raptor Ridge Saltspray Glen Slabchisel's Survey Sundown Marsh Swiftgear Station Thandol Span Thelgen Rock Whelgar's Excavation Site Whelgar's Retreat

Undisplayed locations Flying Osprey Intrepid Maiden's Virtue Wave Mistress Wetlands farm

Warcraft II Thandol Valley

A topographic map of the pre-Cataclysm Wetlands.

Travel hubs

Menethil Harbor

Menethil Harbor's Deepwater Tavern

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

Adjacent regions

A sunset over the Wetlands.

Zone Name	Faction	Level Range	Direction	Access subzone	Access method
Loch Modan		10 - 60	South	Dun Algaz	By foot or Alliance flightpath from Slabchisel's Survey to Thelsamar
Arathi Highlands		25 - 60	North	Thandol Span	By foot or Alliance flightpath from Dun Modr to Refuge Pointe
Dustwallow Marsh		35 - 60	West across the ocean	Baradin Bay	By boat from Menethil Harbor to Theramore Isle
Howling Fjord		58 - 80	Northwest across the ocean	Baradin Bay	By boat from Menethil Harbor to Valgarde
Twilight Highlands		84 - 90	East	Dragonmaw Pass	By foot through the gates or flying mount.

Notable characters

Dun Modr

Main article: Wetlands NPCs

•  Forba Slabchisel
•  Rethiel the Greenwarden
•  Thargas Anvilmar
•  Prospector Whelgar

Quests

Main article: Wetlands storyline

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

Sundown Marsh

• 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

The Wetlands during the rainy season.

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

In Cataclysm

This section concerns content related to 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

• 

  Menethil Harbor docks

• 

  Menethil Harbor half-submerged

• 

  Menethil Harbor flooded

In Warcraft III

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

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

In the RPG

This section contains information from the Warcraft RPG which is considered non-canon.

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.

Notes

• The Wetlands was initially planned to be a Legion Invasion point.

Gallery

• 

  Uncolored map of the Wetlands and northern Khaz Modan in the film universe.

• 

  Colored map of the Wetlands and northern Khaz Modan in the film universe.

Videos

• Wetlands - World of Warcraft Cataclysm
• Cataclysm - Wetlands Overview

Patch changes

• Patch 7.3.5 (2018-01-16): Level scaling implemented, previous zone level: 20 - 25.
  
• Patch 4.0.3a (2010-11-23): Zone overhauled for Cataclysm.
  

External links

• Wowhead
• WoWDB