Stranglethorn Vale

The Stranglethorn Vale is a vast jungle south of Duskwood.

The Vale was the primary center of the trolls of the Gurubashi Empire, and their cities were dotted all over the region. After the Empire's fall, the cities of the troll empire fell into ruin, although they are still populated by trolls. In recent years, the Humans of Stormwind attempted to forge trade routes through this savage jungle. Though they did manage to establish the small port town of Blackwater Cove, they were quickly overwhelmed by a crazed pack of Trolls and driven back to their homeland. In the wake of the Humans' departure, the crafty Goblin Trade Princes arrived on the jungle's shores and quickly set up their mining and deforesting operations. The Goblins have maintained a tenuous hold over these remote facilities, but they remain threatened by the Jungle Troll's growing obsession with purging their ancient lands of any and all foreign invaders.

Stranglethorn is as deadly as it is beautiful. It is inhabited by a large variety of Beasts and Hostile Creatures that low leveled characters should not face alone. The primary sapient inhabitants are the Bloodscalp and Skullsplitter trolls, in the northwest and east respectively. The troll city of Zul'Gurub sits in a valley to the northeast of Stranglethorn, which was once the capitol of Troll civilization in Stranglethorn. In the north is a small village controlled by the renegade Colonel Kurzen. Other inhabitants include an encampment of ogres. Off the southeast coast is Jaguero Isle, inhabited by the enormous gorilla King Mukla. There is a renegade group of sailors, known as the Bloodsail Buccaneers, who have built camps on the southwestern and southern shores of Stranglethorn Vale. A small population of Naga can be found in the southwest, and murlocs inhabit some underwater ruins in the northwest. The Venture Company also has two mining operations in Stranglethorn. In northwest, the Zandalar Tribe has its base in Yojamba Isle.

The weekly Stranglethorn Fishing Extravaganza event happens every Sunday from 2-4pm.

PvP
In addition to the inhabitants listed above, the zone is populated by a large variety of relatively high level wild creatures. On PvP servers, it is a strategically important area, given that it is sandwiched between both Horde and Alliance territories, and thus it is also often one of the most actively contested areas in the game. This is particularly true of the area immediately surrounding Nesingwary's Expedition at the north end of the zone.

Stranglethorn should probably be avoided by players under level 30, and even those above level 30 would be well advised to travel in groups of three or more. This is not an area that should be entered while alone.

History
Stranglethorn Vale has for millennia been the home of the jungle trolls, under the leadership of the Gurubashi tribe. Over time, the Gurubashi came to be unduly cruel, sacrificing trolls of the other tribes to their evil god Hakkar the Soulflayer. After an extensive civil war, the tribes of Stranglethorn split, forever becoming enemies with each other tribe. The Darkspear tribe was one of these tribes, eventually driven offshore by a band of rampaging murlocs and taken in by the Horde. To this day, Stranglethorn remains a wild place full of danger.

The Stone Of The Tides

Excerpt from Legends of the Gurubashi, Volume III

"The ancient Gurubashi Empire was a source of many fascinating and intriguing legends that can be, no doubt, traced to their Environs. As examinations of their belief systems Societal practices have pointed to a great reverence for their natural surroundings. The Gurubashi Empire was surrounded on three sides by sea, so it comes as little surprise that water would figure prominently as an aspect of their society. Recent discoveries during Surveys of the Troll ruins in Stranglethorn have shown reference to an object called the "Stone of the Tides". Various fragments of troll legends can be pieced together to paint a rather complete picture of the stone and its importance to the Gurubashi Empire. It appears that the Stone of the Tides allowed its bearer to control water in its many forms."

In Troll legends, it is said that the Stone first made its appearance on the coast of Stranglethorn. It was found and picked up by a Troll warrior that was wandering in the area. Intrigued by the Blue stone he found, he took it with him on his Journey. As time passed, the Troll had discovered that the stone had given him control over water. He could summon Water Elementals, manipulate the Tides and accomplish feats that only powerful Mages of the Kirin Tor were able to manifest. The Warrior traveled back to Zul'Gurub to show his newfound abilities to the Emperor. He gained the courts audience easily with his powers and gained the title "Tidebearer", leaving his old name behind. The Troll also had gotten his place of honor in the Court of Gurubashi. Tidebearer had served the Gurubashi Empire for years, but as the years went on, he became more reclusive. The Stone of Tides carried a curse as well. The Bearer of the stone would start to fade over time until he would disappear from the physical world forever. Keeping this secret from the Empire, the Tidebearer went to the beach where he found the stone and walked into the water, where he disappeared. Many Generations later, the stone would wash upon the Vale once more and be picked up by a new Tidebearer. This process would continue, and Tidebearers would come and go just as the last before them.

Geography
Stranglethorn Vale is 3,520 yards long. This is exactly two miles.

Maps and Subregions


Topographic map of Stranglethorn

Micro dungeons

 * Mosh'Ogg Ogre Mound
 * The Vile Reef

Flight paths and zeppelins from Grom'gol Base Camp

 * Durotar (Zeppelin)
 * Tirisfal Glades (Zeppelin)
 * Booty Bay, Stranglethorn Vale (Flight path)
 * Stonard, Swamp of Sorrows (Flight path)
 * Kargath, the Badlands (Flight path)

Flight paths from Booty Bay

 * Stormwind
 * Sentinel Hill, Westfall
 * Darkshire, Duskwood
 * Grom'gol Base Camp, Stranglethorn Vale
 * Stonard, Swamp of Sorrows
 * Kargath, the Badlands

Boat destinations from Booty Bay

 * Ratchet, the Barrens

Notable characters


Stranglethorn Vale is home to several characters of note. In Booty Bay, Baron Revilgaz and Fleet Master Seahorn seek aid in the battle against the Bloodsail Buccaneers. In Grom'gol, Kin'weelay attempts to rid the jungle of the bloodthirsty Bloodscalp and Skullsplitter trolls. In the Rebel Camp, Lieutenant Doren and his men seek to usurp the choke hold the evil Colonel Kurzen has put on the northern forest, and at his expedition camp, Hemet Nesingwary Jr. sends bold hunters into the deepest parts of the vale in search of rare and exotic animals.

Resources

 * Herbs
 * Stranglekelp
 * Wild Steelbloom
 * Kingsblood
 * Liferoot
 * Fadeleaf
 * Goldthorn
 * Khadgar's Whisker
 * Purple Lotus
 * Leather
 * Thick Murloc Scale (Skinning level 30-35 murlocs)
 * Shadowcat Hide (Skinning level 37-43 Panthers)
 * Ore
 * Tin Vein
 * Silver Vein
 * Iron Deposit
 * Gold Vein
 * Mithril Deposit
 * Truesilver Deposit

Wild creatures

 * Basilisks
 * Crabs
 * Crocolisks
 * Frenzies
 * Ghouls
 * Goblins
 * Gorillas
 * Murlocs
 * Naga
 * Ogres
 * Panthers
 * Raptors
 * Sea Giants
 * Sharks
 * Tigers
 * Water Elementals