Redridge Mountains

Region: Eastern Kingdoms

Level Range: 15-25

Control: Alliance (Kingdom of Stormwind)

Overview

Redridge Mountains is the rugged eastern edge of Stormwind, a land of red cliffs, a long lake and a town that feels like it has been under siege for years. It has. The people of Lakeshire have the Blackrock orcs to the north, gnolls in the hills, a mage in a tower to the east, and a kingdom that does not seem to be coming. [Game · Zone: Redridge Mountains]

Lakeshire

Lakeshire is the town on the shore of Lake Everstill, and the heart of the zone. Magistrate Solomon is its judge. Marshal Marris leads the soldiers. Foreman Oslow is trying to rebuild the bridge across the lake. [Game · NPC: Magistrate Solomon] [Game · NPC: Marshal Marris]

The lake is famous for its spotted sunfish. There are also murlocs, who are fishing it just as hard. [Game · Quest: Selling Fish] [Game · Quest: Murloc Poachers]

The bridge itself is a story. During the last orc invasion the town smelted its iron into bullets, swords and armor. When it asked Stormwind for more, a band of gnolls hijacked the caravan and ran into the hills. The bridge is still unfinished. [Game · Quest: The Everstill Bridge]

The Blackrock Menace

The Blackrock orcs came from the Burning Steppes and took Stonewatch Keep. From there they raid the lands north of Lakeshire and keep the townspeople penned inside, "like cattle." The orcs have shadowcasters with them, and their midnight orbs have struck telling blows against Redridge's defenders. [Game · Quest: Blackrock Menace] [Game · Quest: Shadow Magic]

The people of Redridge know the leaders by name. Gath'Ilzogg leads the attacks on Stonewatch Keep and the raids on Lakeshire. Tharil'zun runs the ambushes on the road between the town and the keep. Targorr the Dread served under Gath'Ilzogg as his executioner, and his methods were ruthless, even by orc standards. [Game · Quest: Wanted: Gath'Ilzogg] [Game · Quest: Tharil'zun] [Game · Quest: What Comes Around...]

The magistrate says the Blackrock Clan must be destroyed, because the mountains fall under the sovereign right of the King of Stormwind. [Game · Quest: Blackrock Bounty]

The Letters

This is the part of Redridge that tells you the most about it. Magistrate Solomon writes to the capital, begging for reinforcements. General Marcus Jonathan replies. Solomon then turns to Gryan Stoutmantle and the Westfall Militia, who answer that Stormwind has deserted them too. He tries Lord Ebonlocke in Darkshire, who refuses. The Night Watch was formed because Stormwind left Duskwood alone when the dark magic seeped into the land. [Game · Quest: Messenger to Stormwind] [Game · Quest: Messenger to Westfall] [Game · Quest: Messenger to Darkshire]

The Stormwind Army was supposed to arrive in force. It did not. Solomon says something odd is going on. The people of three zones are all writing the same letter, and nobody is writing back.

Morganth and the Gnolls

The gnolls of Redridge are not just animals. The Riverpaw have been seen along the border with Elwynn, and the Shadowhide gnolls answer to a mage named Morganth, who lives in the Tower of Ilgalar in the eastern foothills. [Game · Quest: Riverpaw Gnoll Bounty] [Game · Quest: Solomon's Law]

Theocritus of the Tower of Azora in Elwynn has been watching Morganth, and thinks he is searching for the Scythe of Elune, and that he may have found it. If he has, Redridge and Stormwind will feel his dark might. Theocritus is not ready to face him himself. [Game · Quest: Looking Further] [Game · Quest: Morganth] [Game · Quest: Theocritus' Retrieval]

Places to Know

• Lakeshire, the town on Lake Everstill
• Stonewatch Keep, taken by the Blackrock orcs
• Tower of Ilgalar, where Morganth works his magic
• Lake Everstill and the unfinished Everstill Bridge
• The Blackrock encampments on the road to the Burning Steppes

Playing in Redridge

• A Redridge human is a person who has been besieged for years. Tired, wary, loyal to the town more than the crown. That is a good place to start.
• Be careful with Stormwind. It is not evil. It is slow, or stretched too thin. Let your character be bitter about it. Not betrayed.
• The Blackrock orcs in the lore are the clan that came out of the Burning Steppes. Not every orc is the enemy of Redridge. Keep that in mind when a Horde character walks through.

In Forever, a new fork on the road leads from Redridge to the Burning Steppes, and onward to the frontier of Riverglades. [New in Forever]

More to come soon.