Tanaris

Tanaris (aka The Tanaris Desert) is a desert located in Southern Kalimdor, east of Un'Goro Crater and south of Thousand Needles. It is an arid land, covered in sand dunes and frequently exposed to dangerous sandstorms. The Steamwheedle Cartel goblins have established Steamwheedle Port and Gadgetzan as their main centers of operation. The dock in Steamwheedle Port is presumably used for transport to the outer islands of the Undermine, the goblin capital, but so far the goblins have proved unwilling to share the ships with the other races.

History
Tanaris has been an endless sea of sand for aeons. Nozdormu, the great dragon of time, was said to make this land his home since time immemorial, thriving in the solitude of oppressive heat and miles of sand.

Tanaris is the ancestral home of the bronze dragonflight based out of the Caverns of Time. The titans also have a holding here in the form of an entrance to the ancient land of Uldum, found in the southern parts of the desert. It was here that Anachronos first discovered the full threat of the silithid, who had been making hives in the remote regions of Tanaris. The War of the Shifting Sands was consequently unleashed upon the western land of Silithus.

Getting there
While questing through Thousand Needles players will be sent from the Fizzle and Pozzik's Speedbarge south through the Shimmering Deep and through the mountain pass to the south. Gadgetzan will be soon after entering.

There are also portals in Dalaran (The Violet Citadel) and Shattrath (World's End Tavern, by talking to Zephyr - requires with Keepers of Time) which take you to the entry of the Caverns of Time.

Geography
Tanaris covers a vast expanse of Southern Kalimdor, just south of Thousand Needles. It is a blazing hot expanse of rolling sand dunes under a cloudless sky. The southern region is more mountainous, with large cavern networks, with some extending deep beneath the surface. A vast realm, Tanaris holds many secrets. The land is mostly desert, and below ground are gigantic tunnel networks. They remain largely unexplored, for few have the fortitude to venture into such a harsh landscape. Still, rumors tell of all manner of creatures that hide within the tunnels and slaughter trespassers without hesitation. Although the sea of dunes does not look as if it would support a variety of wildlife, humans, Sandfury trolls, hyenas, scorpids, basilisks, and silithid bugs are quite common. Occasionally, drakes are also seen soaring on the thermals that swirl over the great desert.

Tanaris contains quite a few instances, including all the Caverns of Time instances, as well as Zul'Farrak. In addition, there are several micro dungeons in this zone, but no battlegrounds.

Flight paths from Gadgetzan

 * Orgrimmar
 * Thunder Bluff
 * The Crossroads, Northern Barrens
 * Ruins of Taurajo, Southern Barrens
 * Theramore Isle, Dustwallow Marsh
 * Brackenwall Village, Dustwallow Marsh
 * Thalanaar, Feralas
 * Camp Mojache, Feralas
 * Marshal's Refuge, Un'Goro Crater
 * Cenarion Hold, Silithus
 * Ratchet, Northern Barrens
 * Mudsprocket, Dustwallow Marsh

Flight paths from Bootlegger Outpost
...

Notable characters


Tanaris is home to several characters of note such as Narain Soothfancy and Marin Noggenfogger.

Cataclysm


In World of Warcraft: Cataclysm, Tanaris is going to be retuned as level 45-50 zone. In addition the Steamwheedle Port has been destroyed although its still inhabited by goblins. This will make Gadgetzan a port.

Bornakk gave the hint that "Some Tanaris goblins wisely invested in desert real estate and reaped the benefits when it became beach-front property."

Areas affected :


 * Dunemaul Compound – to the NE is a small Horde camp, the Dunemaul Recruitment Camp
 * Eastmoon Ruins – taken by the Southsea Pirates
 * Gadgetzan – both flight masters have been brought inside the city; the lands east of here have been flooded and a dock now sits on that side of the city – the boat is functional but the destination hasn’t been set at this time; Southsea Pirate ships form a blockade further out; out the north gate a ship is being constructed
 * The Gaping Chasm – on the northern ridge is a neutral quest hub with flight master called Bootlegger Outpost
 * Land's End Beach – east of Uldum the mountains have collapsed, connecting that end of the beach to the remainder of Tanaris; a small Alliance camp sits here, Steelspark Station, manned by Gnomes; further down the beach is a camp of Bilgewater survivors, stranded on the beach
 * Lost Rigger Cove – under attack by both Goblin and Gnome forces
 * Sandsorrow Watch – cave nearby with large scorpid named Gargantapid; the northern most part of Sandsorrow is now a neutral quest hub
 * Southbreak Shore – the Southsea Pirates have extended their camp down the shoreline with more boats and tents
 * Southmoon Ruins – south of here is an Alliance quest hub with flight master, Gunstan's Dig; it appears the Horde and Alliance are fighting over the ruins
 * Steamwheedle Port – flooded with survivors clinging to tops of buildings
 * Thistleshrub Valley – mobs have vanished, but there is a new quest giver here named Adarrah (level 82), and a large stone pathway that is a secondary entrance to the Uldum zone (it is blocked by invisible walls as of build 12319)
 * Uldum – the doors are now open
 * Valley of the Watchers – SW of here is a Blood Elf Horde hub with a flight master, Dawnrise Expedition
 * Waterspring Field - flooded
 * Zalashji's Den – though the name still exists, nothing of the cave can be found
 * Other – some new mobs can be found here, including elite Dune Worms, Sand Rattlers, and Sand Lashers; due to the flooding of the coast, other areas no longer above water include: Noonshade Ruins and Wavestrider Beach
 * New Hunter Pets – Basking Cobra, Sunburst Adder, Dunemaul Broodlord (Scorpid)

Resources



 * Herbs
 * Firebloom
 * Sungrass
 * Leather
 * Heavy Leather
 * Thick Leather
 * Rugged Leather
 * Turtle Scale (Skinning level 38-53 turtles)
 * Scorpid Scale (Skinning level 40-50 scorpids)
 * Ore
 * Gold Vein
 * Mithril Deposit
 * Truesilver Deposit

Wild creatures



 * Basilisks
 * Bog beasts
 * Bronze dragons
 * Earth elementals
 * Hyenas
 * Mountain giants
 * Ogres
 * Sand trolls
 * Sea giants
 * Scorpids
 * Silithid
 * Turtles
 * Rocs
 * Water elementals