WoW player outlines potential future for game’s most mysterious, unused zone

There's a lot of empty space around Azeroth.

Players fighting Cthun boss in Ahn Qiraj raid in Vanilla
Image via Blizzard Entertainment

There are countless hidden locations across World of Warcraft, with Azeroth being home to many secrets. One of the most strange, cloistered-off sections of the world can be found in the northern section of the Eastern Kingdoms, in a zone that has remained unmarked throughout the entire 19-year history of the game. 

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Just above the Western Plaguelands on the map is an inaccessible zone that very clearly has boundaries like any other area in the game but cannot be reached by players. While it may look to the naked eye like something goes on there, it’s completely barren. In a post on the WoW Classic subreddit earlier today, one WoW player detailed what they’d do to the blank canvas of the zone if Blizzard ever handed them the keys. 

The zone, which the original poster—a user by the name of ChromedDragon—calls “Northern Lordaeron,” would serve as an extension to the Eastern Plaguelands, which is right next door to the unmarked area on the map. In their mockup, the Scourge and the Scarlet Crusade battle for control of the southern and eastern portions of the zone, while the Alliance and Horde stake their claims in the north and west ends, respectively. 

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The two major factions have their own questing hubs, with the Horde having access to a town called “Ash Hollow,” and Alliance quests coming from a place called “Hearthstead.” A road in the center of the zone would lead straight into a new raid called the “Scarlet Citadel.” According to ChromedDragon, the area would be ideal for levels 55 to 60. 

An in-game WoW screenshot that puts an emphasizing red circle on an unmarked area of the Eastern Kingdoms map just above the Western Plaguelands.
What even goes on here? Screenshot by Dot Esports

A new questing hub in an unmarked zone like this one would be perfect for a gameplay system that Classic fans have been wanting for some time now: Classic+. The system would build upon what’s already in place in WoW Classic, while adding new content to the already-existing game. Additions like new raid tiers, questing zones, and deepened storylines would mirror features from mid-expansion patches and updates similar to those you’d find in retail WoW, but in the familiar setting of Classic.

Beyond the rehashed content of The Burning Crusade and Wrath of the Lich King, new content that’s catered to players on Classic-era realms at level 60 is something that’s often been mentioned but never come to light. A zone like the drawn-up “Northern Lordaeron” could be a template for future zones, raids, and other forms of content that may eventually be added to an endlessly growing game like WoW Classic

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Image of Michael Kelly
Michael Kelly
Staff Writer covering World of Warcraft and League of Legends, among others. Mike's been with Dot since 2020, and has been covering esports since 2018.