Deadwind Pass

Deadwind Pass is a gray, lifeless canyon between Duskwood and the Swamp of Sorrows, dominated by the dark tower of Karazhan, once home of the last Guardian, Medivh. In Classic it has no quests, no towns and no dungeon that players can enter. Most people only cross it on the road, but its high-level ogres and ghosts and its brooding tower made it one of the most atmospheric places in the old world.

Geography

The pass is a narrow, winding valley through the mountains. The trees are dead husks, the ground is dry and the sky is always overcast.

• Deadman's Crossing, in the west, is where the road comes in from Duskwood.
• Karazhan, in the south, is Medivh's tower, standing in a crater surrounded by a ruined village and a graveyard.
• Ariden's Camp, an abandoned camp, overlooks the tower.
• Grosh'gok Compound and the Sleeping Gorge hold the Deadwind ogres.

The road from Duskwood to the Swamp of Sorrows runs through the north of the zone. Travelers who stay on it see little danger, but the creatures off the road are much higher level than those in the zones on either side.

History

Karazhan was built on a crater formed by a magical explosion long ago, on a meeting point of powerful ley lines. The Guardian Aegwynn raised the tower, and her son Medivh later made it his home. Possessed by the demon lord Sargeras, Medivh helped the orcs open the Dark Portal, and so brought on the First War. He was killed in his tower by his friend Anduin Lothar and his apprentice Khadgar.

After Medivh's death, the tower was left empty, but its magic did not fade. Ghosts of the tower's servants and strange visions of the past are said to linger there, and the land around it slowly died. The nobles of Darkshire who went in to investigate were never seen again.

Creatures

Deadwind Pass is meant for characters near level 60, even though it sits between level 20 and level 40 zones. Its creatures include:

• Deadwind Brute, Deadwind Mauler, Deadwind Ogre Mage and Deadwind Warlock, the ogres who live in the pass's camps.
• Sky Shadow, flying beasts that hunt the open ground.
• Restless Shade and Wailing Spectre, ghosts that drift around Karazhan's grounds.

These creatures are a fair source of cloth and gold for players at level 60, but low-level players who wander off the road die quickly.

Karazhan in Classic

The gates of Karazhan are sealed in Classic. Players could walk around its base and the graveyard beside it, but the tower itself could not be entered. The building's presence, and the steady stream of rumors about what was inside, made it one of the most talked-about locked doors in the game.

Getting there

From Darkshire in Duskwood, follow the road east. From the Swamp of Sorrows, follow the road west out of Misty Valley. The pass has no flight point, so players usually fly to Darkshire or Stonard and walk.

Later history

Karazhan opened as a 10-player raid in The Burning Crusade, and players finally climbed the tower to face the spirits of Medivh's past. The tower returned as a dungeon in the Legion expansion.

Sources

• Deadwind Pass, Warcraft Wiki
• Karazhan, Warcraft Wiki
• Creature data from WoWDB (patch 1.12)