Is Arathi controlled by the alliance or is it going to be a independent state lore wise (stupid question ik)
Stromgarde is Alliance controlled. The assumption is with the Horde defeated in the Warfront it does belong to the Alliance right now.
11 Likes
The only possible Horde territories left are Hammerfall and (really iffy but) maybe witherbark village due to the Zandalari/Horde alliance.
3 Likes
No witherbark village are forest trolls. Not zandalari trolls. And they are against the horde.
1 Like
Technically speaking⌠itâs contested.
I understand this, but the reason I said that was because itâs unclear whether or not the other tribes followed under the Zandalari or not. The basis for use to think itâs possible is the new customizations trolls get for Shadowlands which includes ones that might represent Sand Trolls and others.
1 Like
The Witherbark are hostile to Horde characters even in the updated version of the zone.
To our knowledge the only forest trolls in the Horde are the Revantusk.
1 Like
In the recent novel there were Horde refugees fleeing Arathi, and with Stromgarde rebuilt and fortified, I have a feeling that the Horde may have abandoned Arathi. I havenât seen anything concrete one way or another though.
5 Likes
It appears from the latest novel that the surviving Horde presence is fleeing the Arathi Highlands and being routed out and removed from this area of Lordaeron.
I suspect with the victories in the Warfronts and the Alliance nominally controlling Lordaeron area and Gilneas reclaiming their former home. That in due time much of the Northern part of Lordaeron will be reclaimed leaving Quelâthelas with no allies on their part of the continent. To the South would hopefully remain the Argent Crusade as a âneutralâ party, but I would suspect that theyâd give deference to the Alliance presence over any Horde. We do know that Arathi Highlands has been completely taken by the Alliance and Lord Danath Trollbane rules over Stromgarde.
2 Likes
Maybe it was wishful thinking, but I got the feeling that the Horde refugees were going towards Hammerfall from central Arathi. I guess it might have been something I wanted to happen, because I would be sad to lose Hammerfall. It would be fine by me, if the Alliance claimed the majority of the zone. But Hammerfall would be sad to lose.
It wasnât clear to me from the text where they were going or from where they were fleeing. I just guessed they were going North, and if they were going North East from the ruins of Arâgorok, they were heading to Hammerfall.
I will point out that based on where the refugees were headed, and where the Alliance search party was at the time that they would have been headed to where Hammerfall is located.
They were located shortly past the Span, and were heading to the North East, which would be heading them to Hammerfall, not to the wall.
While its possible that Hammerfall has been abandoned, I think it would have been more explicitly stated than only vaguely alluded to.
Ultimately though, a lot of the current state of the world is left to a frustrating degree of guesswork with the fates of large swaths of land having having to be assumed or inferred the state of instead of being outright told the state of various regions in the World.
9 Likes
Yeah. From the words used in the novel, it appeared they were fleeing to Hammerfall to me. I am glad it wasnât just my wishful thinking, and might have a basis lol.
I went and re-checked the chapter, and while I didnât find a passage saying the refugees were heading Northeast, I did find one that said the Dark Ranger had come from Hillsbrad, and another that said the refugees were past the Thandol Span. So it does seem accurate that they were heading for Hammerfall.
To be honest Iâm surprised the Horde is still holding Hammerfall. I understand it has significance to the Orcs as the place Orgrim Doomhammer fell, but itâs also in an incredibly perilous position geographically, cut off from allies, and boxed in by enemies on all sides.
1 Like
Before the Alliance reclaimation of Arathi / Stormgrade, the region was fairly free-for-all in that both factions could reliably move along the roads with only the occasional problem with bandits and the like. (With reduced risk if the groups had sufficient guards and the like)
In addition, both Horde and Alliance controlled farmland in the region that allowed both bases to be self sufficient, not to mention the resources that were being fought over in Arathi Basin as well. Assuming the Horde farmland near Hammerfall was not razed / destroyed Hammerfall should still be able to supply itself. Furthermore, assuming the Armistice holds the Horde would have no reason to abandon their holdings in Hammerfall especially with no risk of destruction. The Horde and Alliance seem to be both pretty dedicated to keeping up every base and post they have as evidenced by Crushblow still being maintained (and warranting expansion) as per the Vulpera Recruitment Quests. (Seriously, I will never get over how odd it is for Crushblow to still be fortified / manned)
In a more âaliveâ Azeroth, thereâs no reason they couldnât establish a Zeppelin route to Hammerfall from the Twilight Highlands as well.
1 Like
Officially in lore? Yes. Same goes with Darkshore and probably Ashenvale. Possibly Felwood too.
Ingame? Probably not.
2 Likes
Theyâre vague enough that they havenât limited themselves on the area. Thatâs pretty standard fare. It is similar to the EK style Alliance in Kalimdor. Itâs Schrodingerâs faction.
You can largely think what you want and not be provably wrong, until we get more info.
Practically speaking, there arenât a lot of great reasons for the Horde to throw resources at the place any longer, but by the same token, it is such a strategic backwater now, there arenât a lot of reasons for the Alliance to be concerned with it. Not that Blizz worries about such things remotely- WoW lore just doesnât work like that.
3 Likes
witherbark land
1 Like
Teleportation magic redefines the concept of âboxed inâ.
1 Like
Iâd say itâs technically contested but with a HEAVY Alliance lean. Hammerfall is probably still there but Iâd say thatâs likely the only foothold the Horde has left, and they lack the means to expand out or even defend anything other than Hammerfall after Arâgorok fell.
Iâve been giving this some thought, and youâre not wrong. However, I question how effective the Hordeâs methods of mass transportation by portals/teleporters would be. Teldrassil was evacuated over the course of several days via portal, and the casualties were still considered high enough to be called a genocide.
So, assuming the Horde fights to keep Hammerfall, can they bring in troops faster than the Alliance can?
I think the Alliance had an edge on this one. Not only does it have portal mages of itâs own, but also Void Elves with void rifts, and the Lightforged Draenei with the Vindicaar and their own teleport pads as well. The closest major Horde bastion would be QuelâThalas and Silvermoon, and Iâm not aware of any air support significant enough they could send south, and even then, theyâd have to cross Wildhammer air space on the way to Hammerfall.
Right now in a theoretical battle of Hammerfall, Iâd say Hammerfall stands no chance without resorting to WMDs to destroy Stromgarde. Good news on that front is, QuelâThalas is the closest manufacturer of them (Mana Bombs), so getting a supply may not be out of the question.