Blackrock Depths
The Blackrock Depths (BRD) are the deepest parts of Blackrock Mountain, ruled by the Dark Iron dwarves led by Emperor Dagran Thaurissan. Several minions of the Firelord Ragnaros also call their home in these lava-lined depths. Blackrock Depths is one of the few sources of Dark Iron Ore, and the Black Forge required for smelting the ore is located within. It also the location of the Black Anvil, which is required by blacksmiths for crafting any dark iron equipment.
The Scholomance
The seat of the House of Barov, the Manor on Caer Darrow is quite an imposing sight. One of the wealthiest families in Lordaeron with holdings in Brill, Tarren Mill, and Southshore, the Barovs were greatly accustomed to their life of privilege, becoming cruel and cold to all they deemed of "lower standing". Lord Alexei Barov, head of the family, made a dark pact with the necromancer Kel'Thuzad. In exchange for immortality, the Barovs would grant a large portion of their wealth, as well as the Manor on Caer Darrow, to convert it into a school of Necromancy. Known as the Scholomance (skoh-loh-MANSE) this imposing mansion became a dark, forbidding house of death and horror, where the innocent were kidnapped to have vile rituals performed upon their corpses to educate the students of Kel'Thuzad and his necromancers.
Uldaman
Before the start of the third war, the Dwarves of Ironforge, led by the Bronzebeard clan, began to take a new interest in their ancient history. After a decree from King Magni Bronzebeard, numerous expeditions - several led by his brothers Muradin and Brann - put the dwarven affinity for mining to a different use: Archaeology. In an effort to learn more about their origins, numerous dwarven dig sites began appearing over Khaz Modan and even further afield. Located in the forbidding Badlands of Khaz Modan, the ruins of Uldaman were unearthed. But the dwarves also uncovered something they were not expecting - troggs! With the noises from the digging, as well as sounds of pitched battle echoing through the caverns, another unexpected surprise awoke. Ancient dwarven precursors known as %26#8216;Earthen' began to rise and join the struggles of dwarves and troggs.
The Temple of Atal'Hakkar
There have been several dark periods in the history of the troll race. But none so dark as the time of Hakkar the Soul-flayer. The ancient Blood god was summoned to assist the trolls in regaining their power over the world. But as their empire grew, the trolls realized that they had made a terrible mistake in summoning Hakkar back from exile. At the cost of their now regained empire, not to mention countless troll lives, the trolls managed to reinforce the exile that was placed upon Hakkar. However, one tribe, the Atal'ai, fought bitterly against their one time allies. Convinced that the source of their power was Hakkar, they secretly plotted to resummon Hakkar. Journeying to the north of the remnants of the Gurubashi Empire, the Atal'ai built a temple to Hakkar. The great dragon of the green dragonflight Ysera, discovered their plans and caused a great earthquake to drown the temple in the Swamp of Sorrows in an attempt to prevent the summoning. While the ritual was interrupted, the Atal'ai were not destroyed, and still inhabit the depths of the temple. Ysera set her dragonkin to guard the upper reaches of the temple to protect against the next attmept.
Stratholme
The second largest human city in Lordaeron, matched only by the capital, Stratholme was the base of key oil refineries in the Second War. In its glory days this jewel of humanity's largest and proudest nation housed more than 20,000 people, and included many well known buildings, from the glorious keep to Fras Siabi's famous tobacco shop. The city's population was almost completely massacred by Arthas, who thought the only way of keeping the plagued (but not yet turned) citizens out of the hands of Mal'Ganis was by purging (killing) them; the majority of the survivors left with Jaina Proudmoore. When Arthas was called back to Northrend, the lich overlord Kel'Thuzad established Stratholme as his capital and positioned his fortress, the Necropolis Naxxramas, above the ruined city.
Today, the city is split between the overzealous Scarlet Crusade led by Grand Crusader Dathrohan, and the Scourge forces led by the death knight Baron Rivendare.
Eastern Kingdoms
Many dangerous dungeons can be found scattered over the length and breadth of the Eastern Kingdoms, from the haunted Plaguelands in the north to the teeming jungles of Stranglethorn in the south. Here is a brief overview of these perilous places.
The Deadmines
Located in the once bountiful plains of Westfall in Azeroth, the Deadmines have a tumultuous history. Exploited by the marauding Orcs in the First Great War, these dank caverns are now populated by the murderous Defias Brotherhood and their hirelings, lead by the notorious Edwin Van Cleef. With their plan to overthrow the kingdom of Azeroth by infiltrating and corrupting the city of Stormwind nearing fruition, the Defias are entering the final phases and becoming more and more brazen with their opertions by the day. The People's Militia of Westfall are preoccupied with defending their homes from the Defias and have sent out a cry for help to Stormwind for any and all assistance possible.
Shadowfang Keep
During the Scourge Invasion of the Third War, many different tactics were employed to try to advance the march of the Scourge. Many mages and wizards employed daring and unconvential methods to try to halt the invasion. Once such person, a brilliant archmage of Dalaran named Arugal determined that no force on Azeroth could combat the Lich King's Undead. To those ends, Arugal opened a rift to another world and summoned the Worgen, vicious lupine humanoids, to combat the ever-growing threat of the Scourge. The Worgen, however, made no distinction between friend and foe, and slaughtered all in their path, undead and human alike. Driven to madness by the abject destruction of his friends and family, Arugal %26#8216;adopted' the Worgen as his new family. He now haunts the ruined halls of Shadowfang Keep - where the ghosts of its slain inhabitants haunt him - while the %26#8216;Sons of Arugal' prowl the surrounding forest.
Instances
Blackfathom Deeps [BFD] - Level 24-32 - Ashenvale
Blackrock Depths [BRD] - Level 52-60 - Blackrock Mountain
Blackrock Spire (LOWER) [LBRS] - Level 55-60 - Blakcrock Mountain
Blackrock Spire (UPPER) [UBRS] - Level 55-60 - Backrock Mountain
Blackwing Lair [BWL] - Level 60 - Blackrock Spire
The Deadmines [VC] - Level 17-26 - Westfall
Dire Maul (EAST) [DM] - Level 56-60 - Feralas
Dire Maul (NORTH) [DM] - Level 56-60 - Feralas
Dire Maul (WEST) [DM] - Level 56-60 - Feralas
Gnomeregan [Gnomer] - Level 29-38 - Dun Morogh
Maraudon [MARA] - Level 46-55 - Desolace
Molten Core [MC] - Level 60 - Blackrock Depths
Naxxramas [NAX] - Level 60 - Stratholme
Onyxia's Lair [ONYX] - Level 60 - Dustwallow Marsh
Ragefire Chasm [RFC] - Level 13-18 - Orgrimmar
Razorfen Downs [RFD] - Level 37-46 - The Barrens
Razorfen Kraul [RFK] - Level 29-38 - The Barrens
The Ruins Of Ahn'Qiraj [AQ20] - Level 60 - Silithus
Scholomance [Scholo] - Level 58-60 - Western Plaguelands
Shadowfang Keep [SFK] - Level 22-30 - Silverpine Forest
The Stockade [Stockade] - Level 24-32 - Stormwind City
Stratholme [STRAT] - Level 58-60 - Eastern Plaguelands
The Sunken Temple [ST] - Level 50-60 - Swamp Of Sorrows
The Temple Of Ahn'Qiraj [AQ40] - Level 60 - Silithus
Uldaman [ULDA] - Level 41-51 - Badlands
Wailing Caverns [WC] - Level 17-24 - The Barrens
Zul'Farrak [ZF] - Level 44-54 - Tanaris
Zul'Gurub [ZG] - Level 60 - Stranglethorn Vale
The Scarlet Monastery
The Scarlet Monastery is a dungeon made up of four separate instances: The Graveyard, The Library, The Amory, and The Cathedral. These last two require the Scarlet Key, which can be found in the Library.
The entrance to the Scarlet Monastery is located in the northeast corner of Tirisfal Glades, deep in the heart of Horde territory. For Horde characters, the entrance is an easy walk (or ride) from the The Undercity. Alliance characters have a harder time getting there. Most choose to travel from Southshore, north to the Dalaran, swim Lordamere Lake, and then northeast to the instance, careful to stay far away from the Undercity guards. Some prefer to fly into Chillwind Point and travel through the Western Plaguelands, past the Bulwark and north to the instance. Although shorter, this route is more dangerous.
The western blue portal takes you to the Library. Inside you'll find a hallway with a several types of Scarlet Crusade mobs. The key to sucessfuly running this instance, like elsewhere in the Scarlet Monastery, is controlling runners. All the humaniods in the Scarlet Monastery run when they are low on health. The mobs are densely packed and one runner can easily add three or four more.
The west arch of the courtyard leads to another hallway, with more followers of the Scarlet Crusade. At the end of this hall is the book "Beginnings of the Undead Threat" needed for the Horde quest Test of Lore.
The Stockade
No city is without its seedy underbelly, and the proud city of Stormwind is no exception to this rule. Located deep under the canals and streets of Stormwind lurks the Stockade, the dungeon where society's miscreants are imprisoned for various crimes against civilization and humanity. Some of the deadliest and most deranged of society's castoffs can be found in the dank cells of the Stockade, recently populated by those of the Defias Brotherhood unlucky enough to be captured. Recently however, the balance of power has shifted and the brave guards of the Stockade are fighting a losing battle to keep the evil within imprisoned. It is also beginning to appear that those criminals leading the riots in the Stockade were wrongly spared the executions that are warranted for their crimes.
Gnomeregan
Gnomeregan is a mid-level instance located in northwestern Dun Morogh. It is unique in that it possesses a friendly NPC section inside the dungeon itself, including vendors, guards, a repair station, some new quests and even a mailbox, though some features are only available to Alliance players.
Located in Dun Morogh, the technological wonder known as Gnomeregan has been the gnomes' capital city for generations. Recently, a hostile race of mutant troggs infested several regions of Dun Morogh - including the great gnome city. In a desperate attempt to destroy the invading troggs, High Tinker Mekkatorque ordered the emergency venting of the city's radioactive waste tanks. Several gnomes sought shelter from the airborne pollutants as they waited for the troggs to die or flee. Unfortunately, though the troggs became irradiated from the toxic assault - their siege continued, unabated. Those gnomes who were not killed by noxious seepage were forced to flee, seeking refuge in the nearby dwarven city of Ironforge. There, High Tinker Mekkatorque set out to enlist brave souls to help his people reclaim their beloved city. It is rumored that Mekkatorque's once-trusted advisor, Mekgineer Thermaplugg, betrayed his people by allowing the invasion to happen. Now, his sanity shattered, Thermaplug remains in Gnomeregan, furthering his dark schemes and acting as the city's new techno-overlord.