Swamp of Sorrows

The Swamp of Sorrows (also once known as the Swamps of Sorrow) is a contested territory in the southern part of the Eastern Kingdoms. Among its murk-ridden marshes stand settlements built by the orcs, humans, and goblins, as well as the ancient troll temple of Atal'Hakkar.

Overview
Far distant from civilization, the Swamp of Sorrows is a stagnant marshland of sucking bogs and weeping trees. The ocean seeps into the fen, making the water brackish and ideal for alligators and crocolisks. Salt deposits encrust fallen logs and protruding rocks. Bog beasts slog through the interior. Despite these dangers, the Horde has taken advantage of the region's distance from Stormwind to establish a colony in the zone. A flight of green dragons guards the Lost Temple, or Temple of Atal'Hakkar, an ancient troll edifice that channels demonic energy and drives living creatures to madness and violence.

The Swamp of Sorrows stands on the eastern side of Azeroth, east of Deadwind Pass, north of the Blasted Lands and south of the Redridge Mountains. Most of the swamp is dominated by nature. Wild beasts like crocolisks, spiders, and jaguars hunt for prey, while aggressive Murloc and Gilblin tribes populate the coast and nearby caves. Draenei led through the Dark Portal years ago, driven mad due to homesickness and transformed into Lost Ones, have settled in the northern swamps.

The orc outpost of Stonard, built during the First War and rebuilt under Thrall's rule, was until recently the only civilized town in the swamp. Though isolated from other Horde settlements, it has served as an important base of operations for the Horde's presence in this section of the continent, especially since the re-opening of the Dark Portal in the nearby Blasted Lands. Alarmed by the increased presence of Horde so close to their towns and cities, the Alliance have set up the outpost of Marshtide Watch to directly combat the Horde and push them out of the swamp.

Previously there were only two roads in, from Duskwood (via Deadwind Pass) and the Blasted Lands. With the newly settled goblin resort town of Bogpaddle in the northeast, a highway was built along the Redridge Mountains, allowing for fast transport from the Burning Steppes.

History
Originally, the Swamp of Sorrows was the northern part of an enormous swampland called the Black Morass. After the fall of the Gurubashi Empire, a renegade faction of trolls, the Atal'ai, fled into the swamp and built a large temple, the Temple of Atal'Hakkar. Ysera of the green dragonflight learned of their evil plans, drowned the temple into the largest bog, and sent several members of her flight to guard the ruins.

Years later, in the southern part of the Morass, the Dark Portal was opened, and the Horde invaded the area. The orcs built two settlements in the Swamp of Sorrows, Rockard and Stonard. These towns, and later Blackrock Spire farther north, were the Horde's main bases during the First War against the humans. During the war, Rockard was destroyed and Stonard was severely damaged.

With the implosion of the Dark Portal during the Second war, the southern part of the morass was separated and transformed into the barren Blasted Lands. The implosion left some groups of draenei on Azeroth, forever changed by the disaster. Most of them went mad from homesickness and the separation from their land, transforming into the hostile Lost Ones. A small group, calling themselves Broken Exiles, managed to escape that fate and struggle along.

The northern part of the Black Morass is now called the Swamp of Sorrows and the southern part is the Blasted Lands.

After the Warchief, Thrall, assumed command of the Horde, the old outpost of Stonard was rebuilt by the orcs to its former glory. Researchers have come to study and exploit ancient magical artifacts, as well as the abundant flora and fauna of the swamp.

Following the crash of the Exodar, some draenei arrived to help their broken cousins, staying neutral towards the Horde and building the small village of The Harborage.

After the Shattering, two new settlements were founded in the swamp: The resort town of Bogpaddle in the northeast run by goblins from Gadgetzan, and the human outpost of Marshtide Watch, set up to combat the increasing Horde presence in the area. The Alliance have begun taking an aggressive stance against the local Horde, starting by pushing for the destruction of Stonard. The Harborage at some point became hostile towards the Horde.

Geography
The swamp is aptly named, as water from the ocean estuary encrusts fallen logs and rocks with salt deposits. The road rises mere inches from the water, painstakingly built to allow travel through this wretched area. This stagnant land is made worse by the jaguars, the hulking bog beasts and the crocolisks, many-toothed beasts that lurk at the water’s edge waiting for travelers.