Ashenvale

Ashenvale, also known as Ashenvale Forest, is a wilderness region south of Darkshore and Felwood, west of Azshara, and north of the Stonetalon Mountains and the Barrens. Ashenvale is also the term used for the larger forested region which includes most of western Hyjal including Azshara. It is the ancestral homeland of the night elves, who remain in control of several holdings through the zone, including Astranaar, Maestra's Post, Silverwing Grove, and the Shrine of Aessina. The Horde has more recently established a settlement in the eastern part of the woods — Splintertree Post — as well as a smaller camp on the western beach — Zoram'gar Outpost — along with several Warsong camps situated from Kargathia Keep all through the southeast to the Mor'shan Rampart in the far south, and also captured and deforested Silverwind Refuge. The zone is heavily populated with furbolgs, satyr, and wild creatures such as spiders, wolves, and bears. The region is quite large, and running from the Zoram Strand to the Warsong Lumber Camp is quite an undertaking.

Since the zone is contested there is often a lot of skirmishing going on throughout the woods, and attacks on the faction-based settlements are not uncommon. The zone is also a major travel hub for both Horde and Alliance, even at higher levels.

History


Ashenvale is an ancient forest, and has been in the caring hands of the night elves for thousands of years. It was not until more recent years that things changed, with the coming of the Horde's lumber harvesting camps, as well as other much more insidious groups. The demons of the Burning Legion have holdings in Fire Scar Shrine, Felfire Hill, Demon Fall Canyon and Demon Fall Ridge. The vile satyr inhabit ancient elven ruins at Xavian, Night Run, and Satyrnaar. Cursed green dragonkin have slipped out from the Emerald Dream portal at Bough Shadow, and corruption taints the Ruins of Stardust. The Horde have seized control of several holdings in the eastern parts of the forest, and beyond their base at Splintertree Post, they have harvested the trees for lumber at the Warsong Lumber Camp and the Warsong Labor Camp. The Horde clash with the night elves over control of Eastern Ashenvale, with the Warsong Outriders vowing to continue their lumber harvesting operations, and the Silverwing Sentinels vowing to drive the Outriders from their lands once and for all.

Ashenvale is a vast primordial wilderness long given over to beasts and nature’s savage ways. The night elves who settled on Kalimdor after the Sundering hunted in Ashenvale’s wilds but never settled within its borders. When the Burning Legion invaded in the Third War, the night elves ceased even hunting in order to battle the demons. The lack of hunting has allowed many creatures to live and thrive within the vast woodland, creating danger for all who venture into the forest. Ashenvale forest runs in a great arc south of Mount Hyjal, with Stonetalon Mountains to the southwest and the Barrens directly south. The ruined lands of Azshara lie across a river to the east. Ashenvale is an old forest, long untouched by any mortal race. The weather is fairly mild, though rain is almost constant. The woods are so old and thickly grown that only trickles of precipitation get through the thick canopy. The forest has become ever wilder since left to its own devices after the start of the Third War. Any roads through are overgrown, some even impassable. In contrast, the game trails see increased traffic as beasts living in the shelter of the massive trees grow in number and boldness. Those traveling through Ashenvale will wisely keep their guard up at all times. In recent years, the demons and satyr have corrupted parts of Ashenvale, and other parts of it are cut down by the Horde to fuel their expansion efforts. The Forsaken, too, have begun experimenting on sleeping druids within the Dor'Danil Barrow Den, unbeknownst to the Horde but not the Alliance.

In addition to bears and great cats prowling the dense woodlands, hulking beak-faced wildkin forage throughout Ashenvale. Vicious harpies are known to make massive nests in the tops of the tallest trees. They hunt at dawn and dusk when the light filtering through the canopy throws the forest into a confusion of shifting shadows. Ancients - sentient trees who act as wardens of the forest - roam Ashenvale as well. Ashenvale is under the protection of ancients and the night elf sentinels. Neither had established a community as such within the forest, though, preferring to leave the vast woodlands in its natural state. Ashenvale boasted no cities; the old forest’s inhabitants are primarily beasts, and there are few humanoid settlements. It is devoid of any notable ruins. Travelers through Ashenvale should treat these forces with respect, especially if they hope to reach their destination. The ancients a Cnd night elf sentinels guard Ashenvale zealously with constant patrols. Any who threaten the forest - cutting down live trees, poaching beasts of the forest, and the like - are met with the ancients’ powerful attacks and the sentinels’ deadly arrows. The only unified night elf presence dwelling in Ashenvale is a reclusive group of rangers, the Farstriders. They use the terrain and train other inhabitants in their specialized skills. They hold a difference of opinion amongst themselves regarding strangers in Ashenvale. Some believe that their duty is to welcome and protect travelers, as long as they show no threat to the forest. Others see any strangers as unwelcome interlopers who must be “escorted” to the southern border. Still, whatever their opinion on Ashenvale, the Farstriders bow to the wishes of the ancients and the sentinels. There is little reason to try to take the forest, since it has no cities to invade and no treasures to plunder (that anyone knows of), but the rangers and the ancients remain vigilant nonetheless.

Cataclysm
After the Cataclysm among other catastrophes, an enormous volcano has erupted in central Ashenvale. As the night elves struggle to deal with the chaos caused by the Cataclysm, the Horde is seizing what it perceives to be a golden opportunity. Garrosh Hellscream's forces are now bearing down upon the night elves and have overtaken several key positions that once served as Alliance strongholds. The Horde is barricaded inside the walls of Splintertree Post under a massive assault by the night elves and their allies. Meanwhile, Astranaar is desperately fighting off waves of Hellscream's forces.

Getting there

 * Alliance:From Lor'danel in Darkshore, run south along the main road into Ashenvale. Continue along the road south and then east into the main Alliance stronghold of the zone, Astranaar.


 * Horde:From the Crossroads in the Northern Barrens, travel north to the Mor'shan Rampart and continue along the road into Ashenvale. When the road forks, head east to the Horde stronghold Splintertree Post.

Geography
Ashenvale is a forest full of ancient trees, teeming with life. Though pockets of the forest have become tainted, overall the area is a place of deep magic and spiritual connection with nature. Several lakes are sheltered beneath the forest's boughs. A stretch of beach lines the west edge of the forest, known as the Zoram Strand, where hostile naga dwell. The forest is bordered by mountains to the south, and more forest to the north. The eastern border is the Southfury River.

Ashenvale contains Blackfathom Deeps, an instanced dungeon located in the northwestern corner of the zone (Ashenvale, The Zoram Strand: 14.0, 15.0). In addition, the micro dungeon Bough Shadow, the site of one of the Great Trees, can be found in this zone. The Alliance entrance to the battleground Warsong Gulch is located in the southern part of the forest. Travel hubs include Astranaar and Forest Song for Alliance, and Splintertree Post and Zoram'gar Outpost for the Horde.

Maps and subregions


A pre cataclysm topographic map of Ashenvale

Battlegrounds

 * Warsong Gulch (Alliance entrance): The entrance to Warsong Gulch can be found in the southern part of the forest, in an area known as Silverwing Grove. The Horde entrance is located in the Barrens.



Travel hubs
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Flight paths from Zoram'gar Outpost

 * Thunder Bluff, Mulgore
 * Crossroads, Northern Barrens
 * Splintertree Post, Ashenvale
 * Hellscream's Watch, Ashenvale
 * Sun Rock Retreat, Stonetalon Mountains
 * Cliffwalker Post, Stonetalon Mountains
 * Emerald Sanctuary, Felwood

Flight paths from Hellscream's Watch

 * Mor'shan Rampart, Ashenvale
 * Splintertree Post, Ashenvale
 * Silverwind Refuge, Ashenvale
 * Zoram'Gar Outpost, Ashenvale
 * Sun Rock Retreat, Stonetalon Mountains
 * Cliffwalker Post, Stonetalon Mountains
 * Emerald Sanctuary, Felwood

Flight paths from Silverwind Refuge

 * Mor'shan Rampart, Ashenvale
 * Splintertree Post, Ashenvale
 * Hellscream's Watch, Ashenvale
 * Krom'gar Fortress, Stonetalon Mountains

Flight paths from Mor'shan Rampart

 * Orgrimmar, Durotar
 * Crossroads, Northern Barrens
 * Nozzlepot's Outpost, Northern Barrens
 * Splintertree Post, Ashenvale
 * Silverwind Refuge, Ashenvale
 * Hellscream's Watch, Ashenvale
 * Krom'gar Fortress, Stonetalon Mountains

Flight paths from Splintertree Post

 * Orgrimmar, Durotar
 * Crossroads, Northern Barrens
 * Bilgewater Harbor, Azshara
 * Valormok, Azshara
 * Mor'shan Rampart, Ashenvale
 * Silverwind Refuge, Ashenvale
 * Hellscream's Watch, Ashenvale
 * Zoram'Gar Outpost, Ashenvale
 * Emerald Sanctuary, Felwood

Flight paths from Blackfathom Camp

 * Grove of the Ancients, Darkshore
 * Astranaar, Ashenvale
 * Thal'darah Overlook, Stonetalon Mountains
 * Emerald Sanctuary, Felwood

Flight paths from Astranaar

 * Lor'danel, Darkshore
 * Grove of the Ancients, Darkshore
 * Ratchet, Northern Barrens
 * Blackfathom Camp, Ashenvale
 * Stardust Spire, Ashenvale
 * Forest Song, Ashenvale
 * Thal'darah Overlook, Stonetalon Mountains
 * Theramore, Dustwallow Marsh
 * Emerald Sanctuary, Felwood

Flight paths from Stardust Spire

 * Astranaar, Ashenvale
 * Windshear Hold, Stonetalon Mountains
 * Northwatch Expedition Base Camp, Stonetalon Mountains
 * Thal'darah Overlook, Stonetalon Mountains
 * Theramore, Dustwallow Marsh
 * Honor's Stand, Southern Barrens

Flight paths from Forest Song

 * Astranaar, Ashenvale
 * Emerald Sanctuary, Felwood
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Notable characters


Ashenvale is home to several characters of note. At Maestra's Post, Sentinel Onaeya fights tooth and nail against the Horde assault. In Astranaar, Raene Wolfrunner attempts to cleanse the taint that has affected the local furbolgs. At the Zoram'gar Outpost, Je'neu Sancrea sends bold adventurers into the dark Blackfathom Deeps in search of mystical items. At Forest Song, the draenei Vindicator Vedaar oversees the construction of a Draenei outpost.

Quests
Many quests in Ashenvale for both Alliance and Horde require combat with the demons and satyrs of the zone. After the Shattering, the two factions are in direct conflict, and the quests reflect this, pitching the players directly against attackers of the opposite faction.



Resources
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Cloth

 * Linen Cloth
 * Wool Cloth
 * Silk Cloth

Leather

 * Light Leather
 * Medium Leather
 * Heavy Leather

Ore

 * Copper Ore
 * Tin Ore
 * Silver Ore

Herbs

 * Mageroyal
 * Gromsblood
 * Swiftthistle
 * Briarthorn
 * Stranglekelp
 * Bruiseweed
 * Wild Steelbloom
 * Kingsblood
 * Liferoot
 * Purple Lotus
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Dig sites
Ashenvale has four dig sites:
 * 1) Zoram Strand; contains Night Elf Archaeology Fragments.
 * 2) Ruins of Ordil'Aran; contains Night Elf Archaeology Fragments.
 * 3) Ruins of Stardust; contains Night Elf Archaeology Fragments.
 * 4) Forest Song; contains Night Elf Archaeology Fragments.



Video
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PvP
Alongside Hillsbrad Foothills and Stranglethorn Vale, Ashenvale was one of the places for PvP combat. An Alliance attack on the Crossroads in the Barrens or a Horde attack on Astraanar would result in a back and forth match as players battled across the landscape. Ashenvale was also a prime location for high level players to gank low level players as for many (Orcs, Tauren, Trolls and Night Elves) this was their first contested zone.

Like Hillsbrad and Stranglethorn, Ashenvale has quieted down significantly with the advent of Battlegrounds and increased level caps, but Astranaar/Crossroad raids are not entirely atypical.