- This article is about the region known as Stormwind. For other uses, see Stormwind.
|Capital||Stormwind City (200,000)|
|Races|| Human (140,000)|
|Ruler||King Varian Wrynn|
|Location||Northwest of Elwynn Forest|
Stormwind is the name of a region (land or area), it is a small, coastal zone west of the Burning Steppes, south of Dun Morogh and northwest of Elwynn Forest, on the western coast of the Eastern Kingdoms. This region includes an area north of the Stormwind City and the city itself. Today, with the collapse of Lordaeron and Stromgarde, Stormwind is the brightest bastion of humanity on Azeroth.
The Stormwind region itself does not go much beyond the boundaries of Stormwind City; it begins at the Valley of Heroes and extends into the mountains north of Stormwind City. Stormwind City stands firm on Azeroth's northwest coast and is the capital of both the Stormwind region and kingdom, and contain one of the few remaining great human cities. Stormwind firmly backs the Alliance; its knights, priests, paladins, and mages served in the three wars against the Horde. Primarily a human settlement, a fair number of high elves, Ironforge dwarves, and even a few night elves and gnomes dwell here as well. Stormwind still exists as the strongest unified human force in the world, but enemies and wilderness now surround it. Stormwind holds out on the west coast.
The region is known as Stormwind and is the location of Stormwind City, as established in Lands of Conflict and Warcraft The Roleplaying Game. The mountains around the glorious city of Stormwind Keep have an impressive ley line pattern that is responsible for the occasional sudden squalls that give Stormwind its name. Wild beasts including harpies and dire wolves inhabit this area.
A grand city with new construction that still gives a nod to human and dwarven architecture of old, one can move about Stormwind on foot, rent one of many mounts or even have a small boat take them through the several canals that bisect the city. The mountains north hold some nastier sorts of beasts that will sometimes venture south to see what they can pick from the road. The passage is no stranger to harpy attacks, and even dire wolves are spotted north of the city. The locals assume the creatures have escaped from the Blackrock orcs in the Burning Steppes.
Aside from the rebuilt settlements lay evidence of the constant warring of recent years. Hard-edged debris of wartime fortresses stand softened by wind and rain. Grapevines entwine abandoned siege machines, and battlefields are carpeted in wildflowers. Wolves stalk herds of wild pigs around the stumps produced by decades of harvesting and among the saplings that now grow to take their place.
Even as the humans rebuilt, much of Stormwind reverted to wilderness, closer to the world's natural state than in a thousand years. The tribes of forest trolls and the ogre lords emerge to stake claims on the wild lands, resulting in rising clashes between all races.
A reasonably large shipyard lies on the northwestern part of the city and provides the Alliance with naval craft. The lush valley of heroes lies south of the city and all visitors must pass through it, as it is the only entrance to Stormwind on foot. With all the rebuilding efforts in the past thirty years, the city has several notable structures. These include: the Academy of Arcane Sciences, Cathedral of Light, Pig and Whistle, Stockade and Vault, and Stormwind Keep. The mighty walls surrounding Stormwind are somewhat invulnerable to small scale attacks. Crossbowmen can be stationed upon the ramparts, heavy ballistae keep watch for enemy artillery, and of course waves of guards are willing to sacrifice their lives to defend the city.
- In the map of Warcraft: Orcs & Humans this area is represented by Stormwind Keep, some mountains and an unmarked forest.
- In two official sided map released by BradyGames its shown that the northrend part of the region is mountainous region.
- The part of this region that doesn't include Stormwind City is currently inaccesible in World of Warcraft. In the Cataclysm beta patch 4.0.0, it was finally removed and replaced with water.
- North of this area, on the other side of Coldridge in Dun Morogh, is a long valley that continues northward behind the mountain entrance of Gnomeregan. Under normal circumstances it, too, is inaccessible.
- In World of Warcraft the coastline belongs to Westfall - actually, Westfall waters continue even to southern Dun Morogh - however, the coastline belongs to Stormwind according to World of Warcraft: The Roleplaying Game. It is possible that it's just a gameplay limitation.
- ^ a b c Lands of Conflict, pg. 52.
- ^ a b Horde Player's Guide, pg. 9.
- ^ a b c World of Warcraft: The Roleplaying Game, pg. 13.
- ^ a b c Lands of Conflict, pg. 53.
- ^ a b c d Warcraft: The Roleplaying Game, pg. 215.
- ^ Horde Player's Guide, pg. 6.
- ^ Warcraft: The Roleplaying Game, p.125, 214
- ^ Monster Guide, p. 20
- ^ Lands of Conflict, pg. 52, 53.
- ^ More Magic and Mayhem, pg. 47.