Zangarmarsh

Zangarmarsh is a hauntingly beautiful swamp covered with a forest of giant mushrooms. Though largely teeming with life, sections of the swamp have begun to die of late, and the sapient fungi of the region seek help in returning it to life. This zone is located in Outland to the west of Hellfire Peninsula.

The marshes are the home of myriad varieties of predatory invertebrates and flora, including Fungal Giants, Spore Bats, and Spore Walkers.

History
Worldofwarcraft.com says the following about the Zangarmarsh:
 * Zangarmarsh is a tranquil area that has largely evaded the demonic influence. The marsh's innumerable lakes and pools are clean of any taint, and most native animals and fungi give off soothing phosphorescent light. Only recently has the area's self-contained ecology faltered. Something is causing the water levels to drop. The marsh's giant mushrooms are dying, as are the creatures that rely upon the mushrooms for food.

WarCraft II


Not very much is known about the past history of Zangarmarsh as it was not mentioned in Warcraft II. Its name does not appear on any Draenor-maps, but the map for the PlayStation version on Warcraft II depicts a large green area where Zangarmarsh is located. Notably, based on this map, it seems Zangarmarsh at that time was the home of the Bonechewer clan and possibly the Warsong clan. It is unknown how much Zangarmarsh suffered from Draenor's sundering.

Rise of the Horde
In Rise of the Horde, it is described as the place where Velen and his surviving followers hid after the orcish genocide and waited until their raid on the Exodar; it was also where Akama led his own followers in the trailer to Patch 2.1. It seems he and his people later moved east to the Hellfire Peninsula where they built the Draenei Village.

WarCraft III


Zangarmarsh does not appear in Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne either, in which the Outland is very similar to Hellfire Peninsula. The Outland seen in Warcraft III does however contain a large amount of giant mushrooms, which acts as Outland's "trees" (see lumber). It is possible that the giant mushrooms in Warcraft III were made into Zangarmarsh in World of Warcraft, similar to how the Black Temple was retconned to be in Shadowmoon Valley. In other words, it appears that Blizzard Entertainment used the various features in the Warcraft III "Outland-version" to create new areas in World of Warcraft's Outland. The draenei encountered in Warcraft III were also shown to build their houses of these giant mushrooms (see Draenei Village), which is similar to Telredor in World of Warcraft.

One particular area in World of Warcraft, Thornfang Hill, contains both Zangarmarsh-mushrooms and Hellfire Peninsula-terrain. Thus, it is the Outland-area in World of Warcraft which is most similar to the Outland seen in WarCraft III.

World of Warcraft


In World of Warcraft, Zangarmarsh's history is strengthened using other areas in Outland, also somewhat continuing the story about Illidan Stormrage.

In Warcraft III, Illidan, Kael'thas Sunstrider and Lady Vashj managed to seize the Black Temple from Magtheridon. As part of his conquest, Illidan closed down several dimensional gateways used by by Magtheridon to bring demons from the Twisting Nether. In World of Warcraft, it is revealed that one of these gateways was actually located in Zangarmarsh.

Illidan was originally planning to hide in the Black Temple from Kil'jaeden after failing his task of killing the Lich King by destroying the Frozen Throne. It was, apparently, still an easy feat for Kil'jaeden to find him, and he offered Illidan a second chance to destroy the throne. After Illidan failed his task once more, Kael'thas and Vashj picked up his beaten and unconscious body with them as they fled back to Outland. Kael'thas decided eventually to turn away from Illidan and join Kil'jaeden, but Vashj stayed loyal. She and most of her forces, Illidan's Naga, settled in Zangarmarsh where they begun to drain its waters, collecting it in the Coilfang Reservoir. Their exact reason for doing this is somewhat unclear; one theory is that they're attempting to control Outland's sparse amount of water - another is that they're planning to make a new Well of Eternity. They have constructed large pumping-machines on all the major lakes in Zangarmarsh; Marshlight Lake, Serpent Lake, Umbrafen Village, The Lagoon and the lake that was once at the now Dead Mire. Lady Vashj herself is the final raid boss in Serpentshrine Cavern. Before Kael'thas turned away from Illidan, he sent him five blood elves to train as demon hunters. The training was rather harsh, and only one succeeded. Three others died, and the last one became insane. He somehow ended up in Serpentshrine Cavern where he is a boss as well.

Zangarmarsh it also facing danger from the Ango'rosh tribe, a group of ogres led by Overlord Gorefist. They are likely coming from the northern Blade's Edge Mountains (where all ogres originate from), and are for some reason cutting down the giant mushrooms. By destroying the Hewn Bog, they've destroyed the food source of the fungal giants which now are going to Spawning Glen to feed on the young sporelings instead, much to the dismay of Sporeggar.

With Illidan's Naga draining the waters and the Ango'rosh tribe cutting off the mushrooms for their own needs the ecology of the marsh is being severly affected, if the Cenarion Expedition doesn't act quickly the marsh could be destroyed.

The Twilight's Hammer has also marked their presence here, somewhat being the third major organization after the naga and ogres to threaten the marsh. However, unlike the Twilight's Hammer-forces which worship Ragnaros and Deathwing in Cataclysm, the ones found in Zangarmarsh seems to be some kind of subgroup worshiping Neptulon. Each year, during the Midsummer Fire Festival, they're trying to summon the frost lord Ahune into the Slave Pens inside the Coilfang Reservoir. Ahune is supposed to enter Azeroth through the Dark Portal and fight Ragnaros on the other side, creating an elemental war which will "rend the foundations" of Azeroth and make it "a frozen paradise". Ahune's summoning within the Slave Pens is conducted by Skar'this the Summoner - "Heretic of Neptulon", a naga which seems to previously have been among Lady Vashj's forces. Both Ahune and Skar'this are killed by the player as part of the festival before they get to destroy Azeroth.

Interestingly, there are few traits of the Burning Legion in Zangarmarsh. In fact, it is the Outland zone which has suffered the least of its corruption. The marsh is however inhabited by several lost ones - draenei heavily corrupted by demonic magic. The ones in Zangarmarsh are members of the Daggerfen, Feralfen and Umbrafen tribes. The lost ones in Feralfen are worshiping arakkoa. One of the few (if not the only) demons in the marsh is a beholder named Xeleth who once was worshiped as a god by primitive swamp creatures. When Draenor was sundereded he retreated into a slumber deep below Marshlight Lake, close to the dimensional gate in Zangarmarsh.

Both the Horde and Alliance have established outposts here. The Horde ones, Swamprat Post and Zabra'jin, seem to have been built by the Darkspear tribe. One of the Alliance ones, Telredor, lies atop one of the mushrooms and appears to have been built by draenei. The other, Orebor Harborage, are some old draenei ruins ruled by the Kurenai.

Getting there

 * Alliance:From the Temple of Telhamat in Hellfire Peninsula, head south to the main road through the zone. Follow the road west into Zangarmarsh.
 * Horde:From Falcon Watch in Hellfire Peninsula, head north to the main road through the zone. Follow the road west into Zangarmarsh.

Geography


Zangarmarsh consists of a large expanse of swamp land, bordered by mountains to the north, south, and to some extent the east. A long stretch of coastline forms the western edge of the zone. Giant mushrooms are the characteristic feature of the area, towering above the pools of marsh water like great trees.

Zangarmarsh contains four instances all located in the Coilfang Reservoir, one of which is a 25-man raid. This area has no battlegrounds or micro dungeons, but has a world PvP zone for a graveyard nearest to the Coilfang Reservoir entry.

(Note: as of Feb 03 2008, at least for Alliance, the graveyard only works for the Slave Pens instance as the distance to instance portals is used instead of the distance to the Coilfang entry).

Maps and subregions




World PvP

 * Twin Spire Ruins: Capture the two beacons of the Twin Spire Ruins World PvP objectives and obtain a flag from the Alliance Field Scout or the Horde Field Scout to capture the graveyard and gain the Twin Spire Blessing buff in the zone for your faction. You can also obtain Mark of Honor Hold or Mark of Thrallmar for PvP killblows in this zone, which can be used at the above vendors.

Travel Hubs

 * Flight paths from Orebor Harborage
 * Sylvanaar, Blade's Edge Mountains
 * Telredor, Zangarmarsh


 * Flight paths from Telredor
 * Orebor Harborage, Zangarmarsh
 * Sylvanaar, Blade's Edge Mountains
 * Telaar, Nagrand
 * Temple of Telhamat, Hellfire Peninsula
 * Toshley's Station, Blade's Edge Mountains
 * Shattrath City, Terokkar Forest


 * Flight paths from Swamprat Post
 * Falcon Watch, Hellfire Peninsula
 * Mok'Nathal Village, Blade's Edge Mountains
 * Thunderlord Stronghold, Blade's Edge Mountains
 * Zabra'jin, Zangarmarsh
 * Shattrath City, Terokkar Forest


 * Flight paths from Zabra'jin
 * Falcon Watch, Hellfire Peninsula
 * Garadar, Nagrand
 * Swamprat Post, Zangarmarsh
 * Thunderlord Stronghold, Blade's Edge Mountains
 * Shattrath City, Terokkar Forest

Resources
Herbs
 * Blindweed
 * Dreamfoil
 * Dreaming Glory
 * Felweed
 * Flame Cap
 * Glowcap
 * Golden Sansam
 * Ragveil

Ore
 * Fel Iron Ore
 * Adamantite Ore
 * Khorium Ore
 * Eternium Ore

Miscellaneous
 * Swamp Gas → Mote of Water - Can only be harvested by Engineers

Dig sites
Zangarmarsh has two dig sites:
 * 1) Twin Spire Ruins; contains Draenei Archaeology Fragments.
 * 2) Boha'mu Ruins; contains Draenei Archaeology Fragments.

Videos of Zangarmarsh

 * Icon-youtube-22x22.png Zangarmarsh Zone

Trivia

 * The background music in many areas of Zangarmarsh is Chopin's Nocturne in C-sharp Minor, Op. 27, No. 1. Zangarmarsh's music, in a slightly different version, can also be heard in the exterior parts of Ahn'Qiraj. As Ahn'Qiraj was implemented earlier than Zangarmarsh, it could mean its music has been slightly "remixed" for the new zone.
 * Icon-youtube-22x22.png Chopin Nocturne in C sharp minor, Op.27,no.1
 * Icon-youtube-22x22.png Zangarmarsh Music
 * Icon-youtube-22x22.png Ahn'Qiraj Exterior Music


 * Shadowbreak Ravine, a subzone found in Desolace, Kalimdor, shares several characteristics with Zangarmarsh. It has several luminescent giant mushrooms, a purple atmosphere, and demons.