Darkshore

Full History

On Darkshore, the waves break against more than a rugged coast. Beneath the wind and rain lie remains of a civilization that once dominated ancient Kalimdor. The night elves built magnificent settlements here before the Sundering tore apart the continent. Ameth'Aran and Bashal'Aran recall that lost age through shattered architecture and lingering spirits. The coast itself was wounded when the Well of Eternity collapsed and the world changed; generations of abandonment followed the ruin of the Highborne's great works.

The kaldorei eventually returned in small numbers, but Darkshore never regained its ancient grandeur. During the Third War, many who remained moved toward Mount Hyjal and safer inland refuges. In the aftermath, Auberdine became a modest port, a stopping place for those traveling between the new island refuge of Teldrassil and northern Kalimdor. Its fishing boats, ferry traffic, and watchful defenders gave the region a new purpose. Beyond the harbor, however, much of the coastline remained under the shadow of abandonment.

The ruins contain dangers whose origins differ. Restless spirits and naga haunt places tied to elven antiquity. Corrupted furbolgs trouble the forest edges, while satyrs and other hostile creatures occupy secluded areas. The Tower of Althalaxx draws investigators into cult activity along the coast. Farther away, the Master's Glaive rises from a mysterious ancient site, where Twilight's Hammer adherents pursue sinister rites. The great weapon and strange remains are visible evidence of a forgotten conflict, but their exact original identity should not be supplied with a name drawn only from much later lore.

For travelers sent out from Auberdine, these encounters form a history lesson written into the terrain. Here is the grandeur that preceded the War of the Ancients; here are the visible consequences of the Sundering; here also is the unfinished work of restoring a living coastline. Darkshore is not merely a route toward Ashenvale. It is a place where the night elves must decide what to preserve, what to reclaim, and which ancient threats can safely be left undisturbed. In patch 1.1, the answers are still being sought.