Warlords of Draenor Zone Preview: Shadowmoon Valley
Originally Posted by Blizzard (Blue Tracker / Official Forums)
Hidden under a shroud of perpetual night broken only by bright starlight, the lush idyllic forests of Shadowmoon Valley are home to a majestic draenei tomb and sanctuary: Karabor. While many of Shadowmoon’s denizens study prophecy among Karabor’s ancient stone circles, plotters with darker ambitions lurk in the valley’s vast underground cave network, gazing greedily at the sacred temple.


In Warlords of Draenor, Shadowmoon Valley serves as the starting zone for Alliance players once they’ve endured the initial rigors of Tanaan Jungle and survived their first encounter with the Iron Horde. To take you on a journey through Shadowmoon’s forests, temples, and secrets, we’ve tapped one of the creative minds behind the zone, Senior Designer Helen Cheng.


What’s the story in Shadowmoon Valley?

Helen Cheng: After a daring escape from the Iron Horde in Tanaan Jungle, Alliance players crash land on the northern shores of Shadowmoon Valley.

The valley is tranquil and serene. Rolling green hills give way to lush, violet forests. Draenei temples stand proudly beneath a star-studded sky. Here, the draenei have built wonders of their civilization—the town of Elodor with its majestic Altar of Sha’tar serves as the proud home of the great Exarchs, while the shining Temple of Karabor acts as the font of all holy learning. Under Prophet Velen and Exarch Akama’s watch, all is well.

But times are changing. The Iron Horde have called the native orc clans to join their ranks. The Shadowmoon Clan, led by Warlord Ner’zhul, yearns to prove itself worthy to Grommash Hellscream. Beneath the valley’s bright moon, a dark star hangs in the sky. For centuries, the Shadowmoon have been forbidden to tap its void-touched energy . . . until now. Will Warlord Ner’zhul succeed in harnessing the star’s power to destroy the draenei and the Temple of Karabor? Or will Prophet Velen, aided by his disciple Yrel—and a few fearless heroes—be able to stop him?


Meanwhile, trouble brews amongst the Exarchs, the most powerful and influential draenei heroes. Even as they debate the future of the draenei on their adopted homeworld, there is growing evidence of a traitor among their ranks. Who can be trusted?

The night elf Wardens sense a demonic presence in the northern woods of Shadowmoon Valley. As they hunt for the source of the fel energy, a sinister truth is revealed: Gul’dan, the Destroyer of Dreams, has returned.

Most importantly, as a proven champion of the Alliance, you are charged with establishing the Alliance foothold on Draenor. The land is harsh and unforgiving, and the Iron Horde has amassed an enormous army without equal. Before you can hope to defeat them, you must build a stronghold—your Garrison—from the ground up and gather allies to face this indomitable foe.

What are some of your favorite places within the zone?

Helen Cheng: Shadowmoon Valley is one of the most beautiful places on Draenor, with a breathtaking variety of stunning areas. I would say that the two most striking aspects of Shadowmoon Valley are the draenei and Shadowmoon orc areas.

The draenei architecture in Shadowmoon is really impressive. You get everything from a merchant town in Embaari Village to the valorous training grounds of the Exarchs in the north to the crystalline dome that is Teluuna Observatory. The draenei are cultured and sophisticated. Theirs is the pinnacle of an advanced society, and their towns and cities reflect a perfect balance of beauty and function. I really love all of the draenei locations—and there are more in other zones—but the Temple of Karabor has to be one of my favorites. The sheer size and scale of the place is incredible, and it’s remarkable to see it in its glory before the events of The Burning Crusade, which turned it into the Black Temple under Illidan’s control.


The Shadowmoon clan structures are impressive as well. The Shadowmoon were once a wise people, with a deep respect for the elements and a natural curiosity about the stars. They are natural-born leaders with a strong affinity for magic. However, since they joined the Iron Horde, Ner’zhul has strayed from the ancient ways. You can see this gradual decay reflected in their way of life. The Burial Fields is a place where the Shadowmoon traditionally bury and honor their dead. That place has become defiled and corrupted with void magic. Their ancestors, whom they once revered, are now being brutally tormented. Ner’zhul’s stronghold, Anguish Fortress, is an open-air ziggurat with a sacrificial pit in its center. In a nearby dungeon, players will see that there are more dark secrets hidden beneath this compound.

Tell us more about the Alliance garrison!

Helen Cheng: Nestled near the northern shores and with a commanding view of the main road, the Alliance Garrison location is of immense strategic importance. Prophet Velen will give the land to players as a thank-you for their deeds in the jungles of Tanaan, the intro zone. But there isn’t much time to rest—as great as the Prophet is, he needs your help. Your Garrison is awfully close to Shadowmoon territory, so be prepared to defend it.

Your Garrison will start as little more than an outpost, and your laborers will quickly run into trouble as they discover that even the forests of Draenor can be their enemy. But before long, you should have a comfortable Town Hall to call home and a Barracks that you can use to train new recruits. One of the perks of having your home base here is the ability to sound a “call to arms” anywhere in Shadowmoon, and Alliance troops will rush to your aid.

Kick your feet up – after all, the Garrison is all yours.

Could you name three of your favorite locations players should check out on their journey through the zone?

Helen Cheng: Once you’ve settled in, you should take a quick jaunt over to the town of Elodor, home of the revered Altar of Sha’tar with its stunning view of Karabor and the surrounding ocean. There you can meet the five Exarchs who act as the hand of the Prophet, guiding draenei society, and you can witness their own internal conflicts as they argue about their place in this savage land. Don’t miss the nearby Rangari Enclave, where the elite scouts of the draenei train—you won’t see mushrooms that size for another 30 years!

If you're the adventurous type, try spelunking in Bloodthorn Cave. Don’t mind the flesh-eating pale orcs—they only kill you when provoked. Also, don’t eat the local mushrooms. They can be rather . . . potent.


We’ve heard mixed reviews about Gloomshade Grove. Some folks rave about the pristine beaches, while others are just never heard from again. If you see anything that looks like a flower, makes a sound like “mawarwaawa,” and has very sharp teeth, run away! Though it’s probably too late for you, so oh well. Don’t say we didn’t warn you!

You’re probably wondering if there are any creatures on Draenor that won’t bite your head off. Try heading over to the Shimmering Mor. This enchanted forest glade is home to wild faerie dragons. Awww, they’re just so cute! No, you can’t take one home . . . oh, who are we kidding? You’ll probably find an egg or some-such to raise eventually.

Finally, don’t forget to stop by Embaari Village. This draenei merchant town is known for its delicious food and exotic wares. No trip to Shadowmoon is complete without a tasty meal and a mug of honey mead.

As with all places on Draenor, Shadowmoon Valley is filled with sights to see, adventures to be had, and savage enemies to destroy. Enjoy your journey!

Next, our voyage will take us north into the Horde starting zone of Frostfire Ridge. Stay tuned for more!
This article was originally published in forum thread: Warlords of Draenor Zone Preview: Shadowmoon Valley started by chaud View original post
Comments 84 Comments
  1. Queen of Hamsters's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Calamari View Post
    Kind of feel bad for horde players, Shadowmoon Valley looks stunningly beautiful and personally can't wait to plant my hovel there, something I couldn't say with a straight face about Frostfire Ridge. : / Would be pretty cool if both zones were accessible for both factions, but faction segregation is probably gonna stay a thing.
    No need to feel sorry for me, I detest constant darkness. I can't even stay in Valley of the Four Winds when it starts to rain there because the zone gets so dark. I much prefer the Frostfire Ridge zone with fire, snow, skulls and monsters.

    No doubt Shadowmoon Valley is pretty, but yeah...I prefer zones with a proper cycle of daytime and nighttime.
  1. Duridi's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Rorcanna View Post
    I detest constant darkness.
    Same. I play Alliance though, so I'll have to put up with it if I'm gonna play. It is so annoying on the eyes.
  1. Calamari's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Rorcanna View Post
    No need to feel sorry for me, I detest constant darkness. I can't even stay in Valley of the Four Winds when it starts to rain there because the zone gets so dark. I much prefer the Frostfire Ridge zone with fire, snow, skulls and monsters.

    No doubt Shadowmoon Valley is pretty, but yeah...I prefer zones with a proper cycle of daytime and nighttime.
    For me the only thing prettier than Shadowmoon Valley would be Shadowmoon Valley when it rains.. :p Nagrand would be an amazing place for player housing, daytime Nagrand was very beautiful in TBC. Well everyone has a different taste, so it's kinda sad they give us the option to build in only one zone. ;(
  1. Granyala's Avatar
    Stop teasing Blizzard and get going. It starts to be annoying.

    I detest constant darkness.
    Heh. I'm the opposite. I prefer dim light and avoid the sun.
    Bright places hurt my eyes IRL and in gaming.

    As such Shadowmoon valley is perfect for me. Too bad such a place doesn't exist in the real world.
  1. Sugarpuff's Avatar
    I can't believe how beautiful Shadowmoon Valley was before the Burning Legion and Orcs ruined it. It's absolutely breathtaking!
  1. Naposim1337's Avatar
    Don't want to be a whiner... and i love the zone and all, but those night elves objects from 2004 http://media.mmo-champion.com/images.../smvprev04.jpg hopefully PH
  1. CasCrow's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by NatePsychotic View Post
    I wonder when the next Artcraft is, last one we had was 20th May. Surely there's going to be one very soon I hope.
    I wonder when the part 2 of garrisons will come.
  1. SkyTides's Avatar
    that extra screenshot...

    just wow
    10char
  1. furydeath's Avatar
    Meh wonder what one will pull a jade forest and be redone.
  1. Dawnshadow's Avatar
    Embaari is to the letter how I described my main's hometown. (Trade village in Shadowmoon, midway between Karabor and Nagrand, sees traffic between Karabor and Shattrath.)

    This is the best coincidence ever.
  1. Sukoden's Avatar
    i might be a little bit wrong here but
    if you want my money .. open a new server and i will gladly pay to play .. all ive seen here is a timewarp of what is going to be current / obsolete
    altho lets be honest the devs have long gone from playing the game from start to finish , remember hex for trolls and talent trees that actually gave you a choice
    i mean omg there was weather effects and a voicecom at 1 point oh dear i think im talking about the burning crusade
  1. Zorgen's Avatar
    As a Horde player will there be any reason to visit Shadowmoon?
  1. Lessthanzer0's Avatar
    alpha realm maintenance. looks like the alliance zone might be available today. someone asked if ally zone was opening up and this was the blue's response....
    http://i.imgur.com/yCD2Uxm.gif
  1. Raxxed's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Sukoden View Post
    i might be a little bit wrong here but
    if you want my money .. open a new server and i will gladly pay to play .. all ive seen here is a timewarp of what is going to be current / obsolete
    altho lets be honest the devs have long gone from playing the game from start to finish , remember hex for trolls and talent trees that actually gave you a choice
    i mean omg there was weather effects and a voicecom at 1 point oh dear i think im talking about the burning crusade
    I have a headache.
  1. Sukoden's Avatar
    why is that raxxed
  1. mmocc9ece2ba7d's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Calamari View Post
    Kind of feel bad for horde players, Shadowmoon Valley looks stunningly beautiful and personally can't wait to plant my hovel there, something I couldn't say with a straight face about Frostfire Ridge. : / Would be pretty cool if both zones were accessible for both factions, but faction segregation is probably gonna stay a thing.
    Don't feel sorry for us Horde - SMV is indeed amazing but personally, I prefer snow zones, and what they have done in FFR is stunning from the mood to the music and I love that our Garrison really feels like it's out in the savage wilds. All the zones in this are looking amazing and getting back to decent fantasy roots - can't wait to see Tanann!
  1. Faenavi's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Strafer View Post
    Uh, it's called Shadowmoon Valley. Not Daylight Valley.
    haha awesome

    I can't wait to play through this area and explore the whole map, especially the faerie dragon that was mentioned. The zone is so beautiful I will have to find a cozy spot to lay on my back and watch the sky for a while
  1. mmocc9ece2ba7d's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Rorcanna View Post
    No need to feel sorry for me, I detest constant darkness. I can't even stay in Valley of the Four Winds when it starts to rain there because the zone gets so dark. I much prefer the Frostfire Ridge zone with fire, snow, skulls and monsters.

    No doubt Shadowmoon Valley is pretty, but yeah...I prefer zones with a proper cycle of daytime and nighttime.
    Speaking of proper night times, has anyone heard anything about darkening the nights? I get that SMV wouldn't be that great to be pitch black all the time, but everyone seems to want more atmospheric night cycles for other zones.
  1. Faenavi's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by NatePsychotic View Post
    I wonder when the next Artcraft is, last one we had was 20th May. Surely there's going to be one very soon I hope.
    I am right there with you, I do hope to see one soon™
  1. Rorixis's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Nindoriel View Post
    Night Elf architecture on Draenor?
    I agree like what the hell?

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