Alterac Mountains

The Alterac Mountains was once known as the kingdom of Alterac, and its cities included Alterac City and Strahnbrad. The city-state of Dalaran is located here as well. It has been overrun by Ogres, while the Syndicate controls Strahnbrad. Dalaran is enclosed within an impregnable magic shell. Once inhabited by noble humans, Alterac is a shattered realm struggling to survive the wars’ carnage. An organization called the Syndicate is strong in this region. The Syndicate is a group of thieves who were once Alterac nobles and nowseek to reclaim their lands.

History
The Alterac Mountains have traditionally been a home for the humans of the Alliance. Once the smallest nation in the Lordaeron Alliance, Alterac’s king, Perenolde, betrayed the Alliance in the Second War. Alterac’s honor has been blemished ever since. Like all of Lordaeron’s regions, Alterac suffered horrendously when the Scourge blazed through the continent. The Syndicate struggles to regain control of a wild land, while ruins dot the mountainsides and ogres patrol their territory

The three cities were all bases of human activity, and were in the beginning at peace with each other. Then, during the second war, Alterac betrayed the Alliance and sided with the orcs. Enraged, the Alliance executed the king of Alterac and sacked the city, sending its people fleeing in all directions. Some of these people grew a hatred for the Alliance, and formed a new band of rogues and assassins dedicated to overthrowing the other human nations and reclaiming their home. They call themselves the Syndicate.

The ruins of the city of Alterac has since been claimed by a tribe of ogres, and the majestic city of Dalaran was annihilated by the demon lord Archimonde during the third war. What little Alliance activity is left in the region is centered around the entrances to Alterac Valley, where the Stormpike and Frostwolf factions vie for supremacy.

Getting There

 * Horde:From Tarren Mill in the Hillsbrad Foothills, follow the road west out of the town, and then turn north at the junction. Follow the road north for a short while.
 * Alliance:From Southshore in the Hillsbrad Foothills, follow the road north out of the town, and then turn east at the junction. Follow the road east until just past a tower, where the road splits again. Take the north fork and continue straight past the next crossroads. When the terrain rises up beneath, you'll have reached Alterac.

Geography
The Alterac Mountains are high peaks rising up north of the Hillsbrad Foothills. Covered with snow at their highest point, these mountains were once the location of three major human cities. Now two of those cities, Alterac and Strahnbrad, lie in ruins and are controlled by hostile forces, while the third city Dalaran is sealed off by a magical barrier. The mountains themselves are home to several high-altitude creatures, such as yeti and mountain lions, as well as the rare herb Wintersbite.

There are no flight paths, dungeons or raid dungeons in the Alterac Mountains. However, the Alterac Valley, a high level PvP battleground, lies within these mountains. In addition, the Ruins of Alterac are home to many elite ogres, and are considered a micro dungeon.

Maps and subregions


Topographic map of Alterac Mountains

Micro dungeons
Ruins of Alterac: The ruins of the once mighty city are now home to a powerful band of ogres. Several quests from the nearby Hillsbrad Foothills send players on forays into these ruins.

Battlegrouns
Alterac Valley: Both the Horde and Alliance entrances to Alterac Valley can be found in these mountains, just below the snow line.

Notable Characters


The Alterac Mountains are home to several characters of note. At the entrance to Alterac Valley, Lieutenant Haggerdin seeks aid in the battle against the Frost Wolves, and Warmaster Laggrond has similarly declared war on the Stormpikes. At his manor, Lord Jorach Ravenholdt attempts to teach adventuring rogues the true skills of their trade. And at Dalaran, Archmage Ansirem Runeweaver sends bold adventurers to the jungles of Stranglethorn in search of his missing daughter.

Quests
Both Alliance and Horde quests in the Alterac Mountains begin in the low 30s and continue into the low 40s. The quests, for the most part, come from Southshore and Tarren Mill, respectively, in the Hillsbrad Foothills which border the mountains. For some reason, most of the Horde's Alterac Mountains quests are categorized as Hillsbrad Foothills, though the Alliance quests seem to be more properly categorized. Alterac is unique in the game in having no proper quest hub for either faction. For this reason, many of the quests obtained in Hillsbrad Foothills send players north into Alterac.

Resources

 * Herbs
 * Stranglekelp
 * Bruiseweed
 * Wild Steelbloom
 * Grave Moss
 * Kingsblood
 * Liferoot
 * Fadeleaf
 * Goldthorn
 * Khadgar's Whisker
 * Wintersbite (Alterac Mountains is the only zone you can gather it.)
 * Ore
 * Copper Vein
 * Tin Vein
 * Silver Vein
 * Iron Deposit
 * Gold Vein
 * Mithril Deposit
 * Truesilver Deposit

Wild Creatures

 * Bears
 * Dalaran Wizards
 * Earth Elementals
 * Mountain Lions
 * Ogres
 * Spiders
 * Syndicate Bandits
 * Turtles
 * Yetis

Trivia

 * The Alterac Mountains are one of the locations featured in South Park ' s "Make Love, Not Warcraft" episode.