| Burning Steppes | |
|---|---|
 | |
|
Type |
Region |
|
Capital |
Blackrock Spire |
|
Major Settlements |
Blackrock Stronghold |
|
Minor Settlements |
Morgan's Vigil |
|
Races |
Human |
|
Government |
Military Rule |
|
Major Exports |
Minerals |
|
Affiliations |
Contested |
|
Faith and Beliefs |
Shamanism (Majority) |
Once a verdant, mountainous land teeming with lakes, streams and forests, what was known as the Red Steppes before the War of the Three Hammers is now a hellish wasteland of fire and brimstone. The Burning Steppes was once a province settled by the Kingdom of Stormwind, ruled by the House of Morgan. Now virtually abandoned by Stormwind, the Burning Steppes is controlled by the Blackrock Clan, minions of the black dragonflight and agents of the firelord Ragnaros.
Geography
In the northwest of the Burning Steppes sits the impossibly high Blackrock Mountain. It is a volcano that is still active over two hundred years after its birth at the summoning of Ragnaros. The Burning Steppes are mostly under the control of the Black Dragons and their Blackrock Orc allies. In the midst of the barren Steppes are the Thorium Brotherhood's town of Chiselgrip and the Ruins of Thaurissan, the ancient Dark Iron capital that was destroyed in the summoning of Ragnaros. In the north, the Horde maintains a small outpost at Flame Crest. In the southeast, the Alliance clings to the scarred ruins of the town now known as Morgan's Vigil.
Lacking the grace and beauty of Khaz Modan's peaks, the Burning Steppes' mountains show the force of the energy that twisted them. The very rock melted when the volcano was formed, and lava changed the surrounding areas forever. The Blackrock Spire is awe-inspiring in its sheer mass and obvious devastation, while the rest of the land visibly attempts to recover from the damage done by the summoning of the Firelord, Ragnaros.
This rugged region is full of craggy foothills, scattered boulders and warring factions. Rivers of lava dot the landscape, as well as charred earth and burning ruins. The sky is a red hue here, due to sporadic eruptions from Blackrock Mountain. Blackrock Spire, an orc stronghold in the Second War, stands proud and defiant among the mountains. Black dragons and Twilight's Hammer cultists under Nefarian hold the spire's upper levels, while hostile Dark Iron dwarves dwell in the depths. The surrounding countryside is home to Blackrock orcs and Fire-Gut ogres, all brutal castoffs from the Second War. The Molten Span, a massive stone edifice in the north, bridges a river of fire and leads to Khaz Modan.
The Burning Steppes are located north of the Redridge Mountains and south of the Searing Gorge. It is dominated by Blackrock Mountain in the northwestern area. It is a central location housing the Blackrock clan, the black dragonflight and various creatures.
History
Prior to recorded human history, the steppes were teeming with life - the home of many mountain species including goats, ettins, and mountain lions. In fact, it is said that the very icon of the Kingdom of Azeroth was inspired by the mountain lions of the Red Steppes - a sad fact, as the mountain lions went extinct shortly after the War of the Three Hammers.
The Fateful Duel
Given their namesake, the "Red Steppes", by human settlers from Stormwind in the 7th Century P.C., the land was colonized by the Arathorian Empire and its bountiful supplies of iron were quickly tapped. After the War for Stormwind's Independence, the House of Wrynn granted the House of Morgan reign over the province within the realm of the Kingdom of Stormwind.
After their exile from Ironforge Mountain, The Dark Irons settled the Red Steppes' plains and established a colony called Thaurissan. Their sorcery and trickery turned out to be their undoing. Their thane, a mad sorcerer named Thaurissan, tried to summon elemental minions to aid him against the Bronzebeard and Wildhammer dwarves, but instead he summoned the elemental fire lord Ragnaros. Ragnaros' arrival melted several mountains in this range and forged a great volcano in the blast's epicenter. Now, the remaining Dark Irons live as puppets to Ragnaros and his fire elementals, who dwells under Blackrock Spire.
Orcs also came here after the Second War and maintained settlements around and within the volcano, the climate being to their liking. The Horde conquered Blackrock Spire and used it as a base of operations during the campaign against the Alliance of Lordaeron in the Second War. Warchief Orgrim Doomhammer slew the human hero Anduin Lothar by the foot of the volcano near the war's end, though Lothar's death turned the tide and spurred the Alliance on to crush the failing Horde.
Monument to Anduin Lothar
After the end of the orcish wars, a grand monument was constructed in honor of Anduin Lothar, its sword pointing directly at the gates leading into Blackrock Mountain. Once a year, the Brotherhood of the Horse makes a pilgrimage to the site, honoring the sacrifice made by their beloved Grandmaster.
Settlements
Blackrock Mountain
Though once one of the highest peaks in Azeroth, the volcano of Blackrock was formed following the Dark Iron Dwarves' disasterous attempt to bring Ragnaros the Firelord to Azeroth, in the end the Dark Iron Clan was successful and because of their actions turned the peaceful land of the Red Steppes into its current form as the Burning Steppes. Later secured by the Orcish Horde, the Mountain is now the site of many groups battling for control of it, from Blackrock remnant to Dark Iron.
Blackrock Stronghold
Formed during the Second War by the Blackrock Clan, the stronghold was abandoned following the Second War after the Alliance routed the Horde from Blackrock Mountain. Years later, in the aftermath of the Cataclysm, the Blackrock Clan has been spotted within the ruins of the fortress.
Chiselgrip
Constructed by members of the Thorium Brotherhood following the Cataclysm, the camp of Chiselgrip lies southwest of the Ruins of Thaurissan. The settlement serves as a camp for any travelers in the region to find protection when traveling through the area.
Morgan's Vigil
Though once a thriving Kingdom of Stormwind outpost in the region, it has been left all but abandoned in recent years as the namestake of the town, Morgan, having moved to Blackrock Mountain to continue coordinating with Alliance forces and adventurers to stop nefarious threats in the region.
Flamestar Post
Recently constructed, along with Chiselgrip, Flamestar Post is a Thorium Brotherhood Outpost, where members of the Brotherhood have been working day and night to determine ways to undermine and destroy the Blackrock Orc presence in the region.
Flame Crest
Once a mixed outpost of blood elves, goblins, and dwarves, Flame Crest has since become the only New Horde outpost in the region and is where Eitrigg once guide Horde forces in the region in attempting to undermine the Blackrock Clan.
Resources
Agriculturally, the region has not provided substantial, if any, crop yields in centures - in part due to the volcanic nature of the region. Herbs have since adapted to the region's ecosystem and some, like Firebloom, now dot around pools of molten lava. The main wealth of the region comes in the forms of minerals. Tons of gold, iron and more are found in abundance in the Steppes, both in deep caverns dug by the Dark Irons and humans, and across the surface. Yet this region has one more mineral that makes it so tempting for prospectors; mithril. The Burning Steppes and Searing Gorge both seem to hold vast, mostly untapped, veins of mithril.
In recent years with booming population across the Kingdom of Stormwind, and never ending wars. The Kingdom of Stormwind saw need to greatly expand agriculture production in her provinces. As such, merchants and 'ash fishers' took to the Steppes, collecting tons of volcanic ash to be sold throughout the Kingdom.