The Deadmines

The Deadmines are a network of mine tunnels under Westfall that serve as the hidden headquarters of the Defias Brotherhood. The dungeon is the Alliance's first big group adventure, tuned for characters around level 17 to 26, and it ends with one of the most memorable scenes in early World of Warcraft: a fight on the deck of a pirate ship moored in a hidden sea cave.

Background

After the Second War, the Stonemasons' Guild rebuilt Stormwind City, which the Horde had razed. When the work was done, the House of Nobles refused to pay what it owed. The masons, led by Edwin VanCleef, rioted and were driven out of the city. They went underground, renamed themselves the Defias Brotherhood and set about taking revenge on the kingdom by raiding, robbing and terrorizing its farmland.

The Brotherhood made Westfall its base. Under the ruined town of Moonbrook, old gold mines lead to a cave on the coast, and there VanCleef put his masons, hired goblin engineers and a large force of miners to work building a juggernaut: an armored warship meant to bring the war to Stormwind's harbor.

Bosses

Two of VanCleef's lieutenants, the foreman Rhahk'Zor and the lumbermaster Sneed, run the mine. Sneed pilots a shredder; destroy the machine and he climbs out to fight. Gilnid the Smelter runs the foundry where the goblins cast cannons and parts for the ship.

The Blackened Defias set is the dungeon's signature leather set. [Blackened Defias Armor] drops from VanCleef and [Blackened Defias Belt] from Captain Greenskin, while [Blackened Defias Leggings], [Blackened Defias Boots] and [Blackened Defias Gloves] drop rarely from Defias miners, overseers and taskmasters.

Quests

The Deadmines quests start in Westfall and Stormwind City, and most of them are Alliance-only.

• The Defias Brotherhood: the last step of the long Defias Brotherhood chain given by Gryan Stoutmantle at Sentinel Hill. Kill Edwin VanCleef and bring back his head. The reward is a choice of [Tunic of Westfall], [Staff of Westfall] or [Chausses of Westfall], three of the best rewards available at this level.
• Red Silk Bandanas: collect 10 Red Silk Bandanas for Scout Riell at Sentinel Hill.
• Collecting Memories: Wilder Thistlenettle in Stormwind wants 4 Miners' Union Cards.
• Oh Brother. . .: bring Wilder the badge of his brother, Foreman Thistlenettle, who stands just outside the instance portal. Reward: [Miner's Revenge].
• Underground Assault: Shoni the Shilent in Stormwind wants the Gnoam Sprecklesprocket, a part carried by Sneed's Shredder.

VanCleef always drops [An Unsent Letter], which starts The Unsent Letter. It sends the player to Stormwind's guards and on to The Stockade, where the Defias have taken over the city's prison.

Strategy notes

The way in is through the Moonbrook mine, a cave full of non-elite Defias that groups must cross before reaching the portal. Inside:

• The mine tunnels are full of goblin engineers and Defias miners. Rhahk'Zor waits at the first locked door.

• Sneed's Shredder and Sneed fight one after the other. The lumber yard behind them is packed with goblin woodcarvers.

• Gilnid patrols the goblin foundry, a large circular room with walkways around a molten pool. Pull carefully to avoid adding goblins from the ledges above. The Defias juggernaut moored in Ironclad Cove

• At the end of the tunnels, a Defias cannon blasts open the heavy gate to the cove. The noise draws pirates down onto the group.

• Mr. Smite fights on the ship's deck and stops twice during the fight to swap weapons, stunning players nearby.

• Captain Greenskin and his crew stand on the upper deck. VanCleef waits in the captain's cabin at the very top and calls in Defias Blackguards at low health.

Cookie, a murloc cook with a stirring rod, stands on the ship's lower deck and can be killed for extra loot.

History

The Deadmines shipped with World of Warcraft in November 2004 and became the Alliance's best-known low-level dungeon. The name comes from Warcraft: Orcs & Humans, whose fourth campaign mission for both sides is called The Dead Mines.

Later history

Cataclysm (patch 4.0.3a) redesigned the Deadmines around VanCleef's daughter Vanessa, who leads the Brotherhood after her father's death, and added a heroic mode at level 85. The original version returned with World of Warcraft Classic in 2019.

Sources

• Deadmines, Warcraft Wiki
• Deadmines (Classic), Warcraft Wiki
• Defias Brotherhood, Warcraft Wiki
• WoWDB quest and loot data for patch 1.12