Hillsbrad Fields

The Hillsbrad Fields refers to the area which included the town of Hillsbrad and a large and fertile cultivated area that provided food for the people of Southshore and the whole of Hillsbrad Foothills.

=Second War=

Early during the Second War, the Horde began construction of facilities to support the deployment of its armada within the Southshore region. Zul'jin's axethrowers and destroyers were eager for revenge on the humans who imprisoned them and assisted in preparation for the assault on Hillsbrad.

Meanwhile, Alliance scouts had discovered an orcish secret base in the Zul'Dare region of the Channel Islands, south-east of Hillsbrad. Admiral Daelin Proudmoore ordered for transports to land troops against the outpost. At the same time, Doomhammer ordered the assault on Hillsbrad, which was destroyed in a gruesome display in order to make an example. Hillsbrad was decimated, and the news spread throughout the human kingdoms.

The Alliance had succeeded in pushing the Horde out of southern Lordaeron and destroying the Horde base at Zul'Dare but at the cost of both the townships of Hillsbrad and Southshore which were left in ruins. Hillsbrad and Southshore were both later rebuilt after the war.

=World of Warcraft=

Hillsbrad and Southshore were the only regions of former Lordaeron that were not left completely devastated by the Third War or joined the Scarlet Crusade. As such, guards from both communities were still wearing the tabard of their kingdom.

Magistrate Burnside led the town of Hillsbrad from the local town hall, aided by the Council of Hillsbrad, as well as Clerk Horrace Whitesteed. The Hillsbrad Fields laid in the western part of the Hillsbrad Foothills, east of Darrow Hill, north of Azurelode Mine, and south of Dalaran.

The farms' economy appeared to be based around apple production, however, the southernmost orchard produced something else. There were also pumpkins and cows to be found scattered around the fields. Azurelode Mine was also still being exploited by the people of the town.

The people of Hillsbrad were constantly threatened by the forces of High Executor Darthalia at Tarren Mill, being repeatedly attacked in the questline Battle for Hillsbrad by the forces of the Forsaken. Peasants, farmers, and other members of the human supply line and infrastructure were especially threatened. Many of the farmers were very capable of fighting back, and staged ambushes on the undead forces, according to the quest Dangerous!. Blacksmith Verringtan and his apprentices supplied weapons to the local militia.

=Cataclysm=

The Hillsbrad Fields were seized by the Forsaken, complete with searchlight towers and plague tanks, and are now called the Sludge Fields. Before the town was taken, some of the former human residents of Hillsbrad fled to escape the fighting. Some attempted to venture east to the Arathi Highlands but they never made it, slaughtered before they reached Thoradin's Wall. Some others traveled west into Silverpine Forest, to take refuge on Fenris Isle. Magistrate Burnside and a few dozen Hillsbrad residents stayed behind to defend the town but were ultimately defeated, imprisoned, and experimented on.

See WoWPedia