Ashenvale storyline

Ashenvale is a level 20-25 contested zone in northern Kalimdor, directly between the Alliance zone of Darkshore and the Horde zones of Azshara and Northern Barrens. With its location between one Alliance zone, two Horde zones and two contested zones, many of the quests directly involve the conflict between the factions.

The progress of the storyline is tracked in the achievement Ashenvale Quests.

This quest chain starts at Orendil's Retreat and spans much of the early zone, going through quest givers at Maestra's Post, Astranaar, and Raynewood Tower. In it, players are trying to heal the young night elf Relara Whitemoon at the bequest of the elf Orendil Broadleaf. He and his apprentices have players collect the leaves of the ancient Bathran and then sanctify them in the moonlight. When that doesn't work, players seek out Elune's Tear and purify it in a moonwell - however in return they are asked to redeem the satyr Avrus Illwhisper. Upon completing this task, the young night elf is healed.

Players are sent here from Orendil's Retreat to investigate the Naga presence in the area.

Sentinel Onaeya sends players out to repel the Horde's forces attacking Maestra's Post:

• 1) A Squad of Your Own
• 2) Respect for the Fallen

Liladris Moonriver and Moon Priestess Maestra have players clear out the Furbolg attacking the ruins behind the post:

• Rear Guard Duty / The Reason Why

After completing the other quests, Sentinel Avana offers Astranaar Bound, taking the player to Astranaar, the main city in Ashenvale.

This quest chain starts at Maestra's Post and spans much of the zone. It requires the completion of the Relara Whitemoon quest chain up to and including Bathed in Light. In this quest chain, players recreate the mysterious Dartol's Rod with the help of the Dryad Shael'dryn at Raynewood Retreat, then use it to incite an uprising of the Horde's captured Furbolg at the bequest of the escaped Furbolg Krolg.

When the player first enters Astranaar, it is on fire, under attack from Watch Wind Riders. Sentinel Thenysil sends players to resist this attack:

• 1) Astranaar's Burning!
• 2) Return Fire (quest)

Completing these two quests phases the fires and attackers out.

Vindicator Palanaar sends players to Forest Song via A Helping Hand (Ashenvale).

Raene Wolfrunner starts a quest to clear out the Furbolg, but soon finds that they were intentionally set against Astranaar by the Trolls. In the process players meet Hephaestus Pilgrim, who sends them to his sister Sabina at the nearby volcano. The volcano is being controlled by Lord Magmathar and with the help of the other three elements (earth, water, wind), players defeat him.

Faldreas Goeth'Shael sends players to find his friends the Edunes and while doing so, players help prevent a demonic attack on Ashenvale together with the Ancient Big Baobob.

The quests here involve fighting satyr in the two camps west of Forest Song, Satyrnaar and Xavian.

Architect Nemos and Kayneth Stillwind start the Satyrnaar quests, collecting the ancient artifact the Chalice of Elune from there:

• A Shameful Waste / The Lost Chalice

Illiyana starts the Xavian quests, retrieving the Branch of Cenarius and slaying the Satyr present in the area:

A Shameful Waste is turned in to Gnarl at the Warsong Lumber Camp, letting the player proceed there.

Sentinel Luciel Starwhisper and Gnarl start the Horde chain, destroying the Lumber Camp with the help of the Horde's conveniently-placed explosive barrels:

Vindicator Vedaar and Gnarl start the Legion chain, which then unlocks the Dor'Danil Barrow Den chain. In it, players fight against the forces of the Burning Legion being pulled in through portals in the area. While fighting, they discover the Legion's intention to invade Forest Song and put a stop to those plans. Then players head into the Dor'Danil Barrow Den to retrieve the Forest Heart so Gnarl may purify it of the Horde's corruption.

Return to Astranaar to get to the final part of the Ashenvale experience.

Players come to Raynewood Tower on He Who Would Be Forgiven and Dryad Delivery along larger quest chains. There is also a small self-contained quest chain here, defending the Raynewood Tower from Horde attackers.

This chain starts at Sentinel Thenysil in Astranaar. It concludes the Ashenvale storyline for the Alliance and moves on to the next zone, Stonetalon Mountains.

In addition, Sentinel Velene Starstrike offers Rebels Without a Clue, a breadcrumb to the Northern Stranglethorn storyline, should the player prefer to continue questing in the Eastern Kingdoms.

This storyline features players investigating the Goblin Skunkworks and finding a massive bomb, appropriately called The Bomb. It is later carried onwards into the Stonetalon Mountains.

During Do Yourself a Favor, the player briefly enters the Stonetalon Mountains zone, but with no way down further forward except by jumping down the cliff. The player then "officially" proceeds into that zone with Hellscream's Legacy, and the quest chain continues into the Stonetalon Mountains storyline.