Badlands The Badlands is a region in Khaz Modan accessed via the Searing Gorge to the west and Loch Modan to the north . The Badlands are a cracked desert of dry earth , scattered boulders , and winding canyons . Dark Iron dwarves clash with ogres and drakes , while Horde orcs man a fortress to keep watch on their renegade brethren in the eastern lands . Ironforge prospectors search this desolate land for Titan artifacts , inspired by the recently unearthed Uldaman — an immense ruin that held the first clues to the dwarves ’ lofty origins . Stonevault troggs , released after millennia of slumber , slaughtered the explorers and viciously defend their stolen city . Only the hardiest of creatures can survive in the arid wastes , such as feral coyotes , cougars and buzzards . In the far east is a region inhabited by black dragon spawn . Scattered across the Badlands are camps of ogres of the Dustbelcher tribe . In the northwest is a tiny Horde outpost . The northern reaches of this rugged land are home to ruins that were the workings of the ancient race , the earthen . These ruins are known as Uldaman . Dark Iron dwarves also have a large fortress just south of Uldaman . History . The fall of the orcish Horde at the end of the Second War left its remnants scattered and downtrodden . The Orc s who once controlled Khaz Modan were nearly annihilated in a massive push by the Lordaeron humans . The ogres and Horde settlement in this region are the remains of the early Horde forces stationed there . Aid and reinforcements have arrived from the current Horde , much to the relief of the Orcs . In the interest of tactics they dug a path through the mountains to reach the Searing Gorge , unwittingly releasing the Dark Iron Dwarves from their " prison " . There also seems to be a buried troll temple to the northwest of the Dustbowl ' s middle part . The " troll temple " has two snake head statues that are similar to those found in the Hinterlands . Geography . This desolate wasteland is cracked and dry , consisting mostly of flat stretches of land enclosed by the surrounding mountains . A few hills dot the landscape , and the eastern part of the zone is a large canyon full of black dragons . The instanced dungeon Uldaman can be found in this area . In addition , there are a few micro dungeons in the Badlands . There are no battlegrounds in this zone . Notable Characters . The Badlands are home to several characters of note . At his camp in the Dustbowl , Lotwil Veriatus seeks aid in his latest experiment . South of Hammertoe ' s Digsite , Prospector Ryedol attempts to cleanse Uldaman of the evil Dark Irons . And at Kargath , Warlord Goretooth and his men send bold adventurers into the dark Blackrock Mountain in search of retribution . Quests . The following items are used to complete various quests within the Badlands . Therefore , it is advised to retrieve the following items before going to " Badlands " : World of Warcraft : Cataclysm . The Badlands will be a 45 - 48 zone in Cataclysm . A landslide has destroyed the town of Kargath , and Deathwing ' s passage through the zone has left a swath of destruction in its wake . A new goblin port will be built . The storyline jumps across the zone with some surprising twists . Areas affected : Resources . This is an area rich in Minerals and Herbs . The minimum level of mining is around 125 - 150 , but within a few hours you can rise to the 200 area . Even Gold veins appear rather frequently .