Stratholme
| Stratholme | |
|---|---|
| Strat | |
 | |
| Stratholme loading graphic | |
| Location | Plaguewood, Eastern Plaguelands |
| Race(s) |   Human Demon |
| End boss | Balnazzar (Main Gate) Lord Aurius Rivendare (Service Entrance) |
| Advised level | Main Gate: 42-52 Service Entrance: 46-56 |
| Player limit | 5 |
Bosses
| |
- This article is about the history of Stratholme. For the instances, see Stratholme Main Gate and Stratholme Service Entrance.
- For the Caverns of Time instance, see Culling of Stratholme. For the original instance, see Stratholme (original).
Contents |
History
Stratholme was the second largest human city in Lordaeron, matched only by the capital. At the beginning of the Second War, Stratholme, specifically the Alonsus Chapel, was the location where the Archbishop Alonsus Faol founded the holy Order of the Knights of the Silver Hand, and indoctrinated its first five members, including Uther the Lightbringer and Saidan Dathrohan.
The original Stratholme was a port town built on the northeast edge of Darrowmere Lake. Stratholme was the chief source of Alliance oil in the north. During the Second War, it was preparing to deliver massive amounts of Oil to the kingdoms in western Lordaeron. The Horde sabotaged its refineries and platforms to halt their shipment, and destroyed the city. With the destruction of Stratholme, the Alliance supply lines to Quel'Thalas were severed.[2]
Between wars
Stratholme was apparently rebuilt in landlocked northern Lordaeron after the Second War. In its glory days, it housed nearly 25,000 people,[3] and included many well known buildings, from the glorious keep to Fras Siabi's famous tobacco shop.
The city was also where the one of the original paladins, Tirion Fordring, was tried for treason against the Alliance for defending the orc Eitrigg. The trial was conducted by Uther the Lightbringer himself and overseen by various leaders of the Alliance. Tirion was found guilty, stripped of his powers (unsuccessfully), and was exiled from the Alliance lands. The following day the city came under attack by a small but well trained band of orcs under the command of the young warchief Thrall, determined to save Eitrigg. Admist the chaos Tirion and Eitrigg escaped into the countryside.
Third War
Just before the Third War the Plague reached Stratholme in infected shipments of grain, most likely from Andorhal. The populace, unaware of the plague, baked and consumed the infected grain. The dreadlord Mal'Ganis was silently overseeing the operation.
Soon after, as the first undead started to rise, Prince Arthas and a contingent of soldiers arrived at Stratholme, but realized that the city had already been infected. Arthas thought that the only way of keeping the plagued (but not yet turned) citizens out of the hands of Mal'Ganis was by killing them. Most of the soldiers, including Uther the Lightbringer and Jaina Proudmoore chose not to help Arthas, thinking his purge was madness. Arthas and some soldiers, however, went on, and the city's population was almost completely massacred by them, along with the undead. Arthas confronted Mal'Ganis inside the city, but the dreadlord told him to seek him out in Northrend, fleeing from the site. The majority of the few survivors left with Jaina Proudmoore.
Stratholme was later taken under the control of the Undead Scourge. After the end of the war, when Arthas was called back to Northrend, the lich overlord Kel'Thuzad established Stratholme as his capital and positioned his floating fortress, the Necropolis Naxxramas, above the ruined city.
After the Third War
Stratholme was quite possibly the largest stronghold held by the Scourge in all of Lordaeron. Leading Scourge forces in the city below was a former noble turned death knight by the name of Baron Rivendare, who coordinated the efforts of the Lich King in the Plaguelands, where he constantly battled the force of the Argent Dawn. However, one small area remained under the control of the living: the Scarlet Bastion, from where the Grand Crusader Saiden Dathorohan himself led the Scarlet Crusade against the Scourge. However, the Crusade's fanaticism led them to believe that any who were not members were corrupted by the undead, and must be destroyed. As a result, the Argent Dawn sent adventurers to kill the Grand Crusader. However, they discovered that the Grand Crusader had in fact been dead for years, having been replaced by the dreadlord Balnazzar. They eventually overcame the demon, however, leaving the remnants of the Scarlet Crusade to deal with the Scourge alone.
Cataclysm
Stratholme is divided into two instances: the Main Gate, and the Service Entrance.
Balnazzar, having survived the attempt on his life, has shed his human form and killed all of the Crusaders, raising them into undeath and calling them "the Risen". Cannon Master Willey, Archivist Galford and Malor the Zealous are now undead and known as Willey Hopebreaker, Instructor Galford and Commander Malor.
Baron Rivendare, having traveled to Naxxramas, has been replaced by his son, the fallen paladin Lord Aurius Rivendare.
Crusade Commander Eligor Dawnbringer, Master Craftsman Wilhelm, and Packmaster Stonebruiser offer quests just inside the main gate; Crusade Commander Korfax and Archmage Angela Dosantos are inside the service entrance.
An invisible wall blocks any attempts to access the un-instanced Stratholme with a flying mount.
Geography
Maps and subregions
Scarlet side.
Undead side.
Atlas map showing various shops that were in Stratholme.
Quests
Main Gate
-
[45D] A City Under Siege
- [46D] Cutting the Competition
- [46D] Of Love and Family
- [46D] The Great Fras Siabi
- [47D] The Dreadlord Balnazzar
Service Entrance
- [50D] Liquid Gold
- [50D] Argent Reinforcements
- [50D] Man Against Abomination
- [50D] Weapons for War
- [51D] Lord Aurius Rivendare
References
External links
| |||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
