Undead ( playable ) The undead of the Undercity faction , better known as the undead Forsaken ( also simply called Forsaken ) is a faction of playable undead Forsaken in the " World of Warcraft " allied with the Horde . The undead ( Forsaken ) start in Deathknell , a sub - zone located in western Tirisfal Glades . Background . Bound to the iron will of the tyrant Lich King , the vast undead armies of the Scourge seek to eradicate all life on Azeroth . Led by the banshee Sylvanas Windrunner , one group of undead broke away from the Scourge in the Third War when the Lich King lost some of his power , and they freed themselves of the Lich King ' s domination . Although this freedom seemed to be a blessing at first , these former humans were soon tormented by memories of the unspeakable horrors that they had committed as mindless Scourge agents . Those who did not descend into madness were faced with a chilling realization : the entirety of Azeroth sought their destruction . These renegades call themselves the Forsaken . They fight a constant battle not only to retain their freedom from the Scourge , but also to exterminate those who would hunt them as monsters . In their darkest hour , the renegade undead were rallied together by the former ranger - general of Quel ' Thalas , Sylvanas Windrunner . Defeated during an attack on her kingdom and transformed into a powerful Scourge banshee , Sylvanas had also regained her freedom from the Lich King . Under their new queen ’ s guidance , the independent undead – known as Forsaken – recaptured the Undercity beneath the ruins of Lordaeron ’ s capital from the Burning Legion ' s agents , the Dreadlord s , thus finally gaining their true independence . While some Forsaken feared Sylvanas , others valued the security she provided . Many of the free - willed undead , however , found a purpose to their cursed existence through the banshee queen ’ s burning desire to destroy the Lich King . This hidden ' Undercity ' forms a sprawling labyrinth that stretches beneath the haunted woods of the Tirisfal Glades . From this bastion , the Forsaken wage an unending battle against the Scourge as well as the remaining humans who still seek to reclaim their lands . For though the very land is cursed , the zealous humans of the Scarlet Crusade cling to their scattered holdings , obsessed with eradicating the undead and retaking their once - beautiful homeland . Despite not being affiliated with the Scourge , the Forsaken came under threat from humans who were dedicated to eradicating all Forsaken . As a means to further her own goals and protect her budding nation , Sylvanas sent emissaries to various factions in search of allies . The kind - hearted tauren of Thunder Bluff proved to be the most promising contact . Specifically , Archdruid Hamuul Runetotem saw the potential for redemption in Sylvanas ’ people , even though he was fully aware of the Forsaken ’ s sinister nature . Thus , the tauren convinced Warchief Thrall , despite his misgivings , to forge an alliance of convenience between the Forsaken and the Horde . In the end , the Forsaken ’ s chance of victory against the Lich King was bolstered , while the Horde gained an invaluable foothold in the Eastern Kingdoms . Wrath of the Lich King . Ultimately , the Forsaken assisted the Horde with a massive offensive against the Lich King ’ s power base in Northrend and exacted vengeance upon their hated enemy . The victory , however , was not without its hurdles . During the invasion , Grand Apothecary Putress unleashed a new plague that killed friend and foe alike , while his traitorous counterpart , the dreadlord Varimathras , seized the Undercity in a coup that nearly killed Sylvanas . The usurpers were slain for their vile deeds and the Forsaken capital was restored , but the debacle created suspicion among the Horde regarding Sylvanas ’ loyalties . Now , along with being mistrusted by her own allies , Sylvanas recognizes that many of Azeroth ’ s other inhabitants still see her people as a threat , even after the Lich King ’ s defeat . As their numbers dwindle by the day , the Forsaken have begun fortifying their holdings around the Undercity , working to prove their loyalty to the Horde ’ s cause even as they ready themselves for any future attacks . Starting info . Starting quests help . The undead start in Deathknell , and after the quests are finished there , they head on to Brill . While at Brill , there are many quests that involve going to the Undercity , the undead capital city . After finishing the quest s in Brill , it is common to travel to The Sepulcher , Silverpine Forest to quest there . Alternatively , undead players can go to Durotar from the zeppelin tower near Brill , and then walk to The Crossroads , The Barrens rather than Silverpine Forest after completing the Brill quests , at about level 14 . Although the initial walk to The Crossroads is long , following this path has some advantages : With the expansion set , the Forsaken can also choose to do quests in Eversong Woods and Ghostlands using the Orb of Translocation , located in the Ruins of Lordaeron , to travel there . Racial traits . Reasons for racial traits . Though undeath was not something any Forsaken actually " chose " , it brought new capabilities and immunities ; The Will of the Forsaken reflects the sheer mental will to resist the Lich King ' s will that every Forsaken innately possesses from the day of their dark rebirth . As the Forsaken are physically dead , they have the ability to Cannibalize , metabolizing the remains of humanoid corpses to regain their own strength . The undead do not need to draw breath to fill their lungs , and can thus also stay underwater indefinitely . The nature of their unnatural existence has given the Forsaken an innate resistance to shadow magic as it is what created them in the first place . Classes . In Cataclysm . In , the undead are able to play as hunter s , while in Mists of Pandaria they can also play as monk s . Roleplaying a forsaken . Even though the Forsaken are free - minded and able to chose their own path , most remain loyal to Sylvanas Windrunner . There are very few who turn away from Sylvanas . They are a dark and mysterious people , but aren ' t very trustworthy , as shown in the battle for Gilneas when Sylvanas ordered the deployment of the plague against the request of the Warchief to stop production . The priests of the Forsaken follow a darker path than they did in life . Whether they served Elune or The Light when they were alive , the majority of Forsaken turned away from their former tenets and followed the darkness . Their speech is as you would normally talk , but most of the time they have trouble saying bigger words .