Sholazar Basin Sholazar Basin ( pronounced SHOL - uh - zarh ) is a tropical jungle basin in the midst of Northrend . It is found between Borean Tundra and Icecrown Glacier . The zone ' s climate and safety from the Scourge is maintained by pylons , erected by the Titan s . Recently , one pylon in the east has fallen and the Scourge has taken this opportunity to invade from Icecrown to the north . They are now streaming down The Avalanche . Much like Kalimdor ' s Un ' Goro Crater , the Sholazar Basin is an anomaly . It fills the northwest corner of the Borean Tundra , and is surrounded by a nasty ridge , requiring climbing to reach it . Those that reach the top of the ridge look down into a lush tropical jungle . Hot springs dot the basin and you have to watch out for steam vents and geysers — hot enough to cook flesh from bones in an instant if something gets caught in one . Thick vegetation fills the basin , and birds and small animals are everywhere . So are insects . It is an amazing place , and hard to believe it ’ s part of Northrend . In Sholazar Basin , players will take part in a faction war between the wolvar ( Frenzyheart Tribe ) and the gorloc s ( arctic cousins of murloc s ) . The various gorloc tribes have gathered together to form the group called the Oracles . Players are only able to choose one side , but are allowed to easily change to which faction they wish to be allied with . History . A high elf scholar that once visited Kaskala believed that the titans used the Sholazar Basin as a testing ground . Some of their experiments , or at least the remains of those experiments , may still exist . Thus , the basin is a potential treasure trove of knowledge and power . Who knows what species the Titans left here , and what notes and tools ? Notable characters . Sholazar Basin is home to several characters of note . At Frenzyheart Hill , High - Shaman Rakjak leads the Frenzyheart Tribe in the fight against local fauna and their hated enemies , the Oracles , led by High - Oracle Soo - say . The wolvar are not the only new arrivals to the basin , as Hemet Nesingwary leads his band of hunters in search of new game , targeting Broodmother Slivina as the ultimate challenge to a hunter . Artruis the Heartless leads the Scourge attack on the region , but is continually held at bay by the mysterious Avatar of Freya . Quests . See the Sholazar Basin quests . Wild creatures . Many fearsome and exotic beasts dwell in the steamy jungle of Sholazar Basin . Goretalon rocs glide through the Basin and Sapphire Hive wasps buzz and go about the business of protecting their hive . The gigantic and bad - tempered shardhorn rhinos graze while hardknuckle gorillas forage nearby . Sinuous emperor cobras and massive dreadsaber s stalk their prey through the undergrowth , both of which are deadly apex predators and more than a match for an unwary traveler in the Basin . Mangal crocolisks also make their home in the Basin ' s waters and should be treated with caution as well . The Basin has more than a few unique beasts of such singularly impressive size , strength and or beauty as to earn them the distinction of being named . Some of these include : Rare elite NPCs associated with the achievement : Reputation . Sholazar Basin is the home of both the Oracles and the Frenzyheart Tribe . Both are constantly at war with eachother , and players will choose to align with one faction at a time through one of the main quest chains of the area . Players can switch their chosen faction by repeating the last quest in the starting chain and killing / saving the character of the opposite faction ( ) . Sholazar Basin also has its own hidden reputation , which is currently unused , that will increase as faction dailies are completed , and will not decrease if a player decides to switch factions .