Darkshire

Darkshire (formerly known as Grand Hamlet) is a once-quaint little woodland village located in Duskwood, but it has fallen on literally dark times. The surrounding forests have been corrupted after the death of Medivh, cloaking the land in constant darkness for decades. The walking dead choke the graveyards, and foul creatures known as worgen have overrun many of the outlying farmsteads. Even worse, the political instability orchestrated by Lady Katrana Prestor in Stormwind City caused the abandonment of the town and its surrounding areas by the authorities and the Stormwind Army. This has left the stubborn people of Duskwood little choice but to defend themselves. Besides its town hall, the village also has a blacksmith and an inn.
Prior to the third invasion of the Burning Legion and their adherence to the Veiled Hand cult, Lord Ello Ebonlocke and the Council of Darkshire ruled the town while Althea Ebonlocke led the Night Watch, a local militia that works to keep the roads free and the creeping darkness that plagues the land back for as long as possible. Following the Fourth War, Sarah Ladimore succeeded the late Althea as the commander of the organization. The people of Duskwood are a jumpy and suspicious lot, but they are desperate for any aid they can get against the evil that now surrounds their homes.
Before their treason, the Council of Darkshire was responsible for enforcing justice in the town, notably by ordering death sentences for those who sold the bodies from cemeteries in Duskwood.Crime and Punishment (Classic) In the town hall, Clerk Daltry keeps records on the people that live and pass through the town, although some of his records are a little outdated.The Caravan Road According to Tobias Mistmantle, he had to hide his "true self" from the people of Darkshire as they react poorly to worgen.Part of the Pack
==History==
Centuries ago, throughout the Eastern Kingdoms, the disparate human nations flourished, among them the smallest and most isolated of the kingdoms was Stormwind that found prosperity through the farmsteads which dotted the surrounding fertile region of Azeroth. Over the years, as its population grew, small towns sprang up in the nearby regions, notably Grand Hamlet in Brightwood.
The Ebonlocke family already used to live in the town before the First War.Ebonlocke#Quotes
===First War and aftermath===
Around the beginning of the First War, Grand Hamlet lost several of its nobles at a party in Karazhan when Medivh, driven insane by the demon within,World of Warcraft: Exploring Azeroth: The Eastern Kingdoms, pg. 27 drained the life of all humans nearby in order to battle his mother Aegwynn. A few years later, when Medivh was killed by Khadgar and Anduin Lothar, fel energy unleashed by his death corrupted Brightwood, slowly turning the land into a dangerous, thorny blight.
At some point during the war, Grand Hamlet was the target of orc raiding parties, as they were amassing a large army to march against the town. While the armies of Stormwind managed to repel them for a time,Grand Hamlet (WC1 Human) the town was ultimately destroyed by the Old Horde.Grand Hamlet (WC1 Orc) Following the victory of the Alliance of Lordaeron in the Second War, the town was rebuilt with the help of the Supreme Commander Turalyon who oversaw the efforts to repatriate the kingdom's citizens
===Legends===
In the aftermath of the Second War, the paladin Dougan and his wife Adena settled near Grand Hamlet with their twin baby girls, Loania and Lieren. However, as the corruption continued to spread over time in Duskwood, Grand Hamlet was renamed Darkshire, and several townsfolk decided to investigate Karazhan, the presumed source of the curse. When they disappeared, Dougan summoned his friends Kardan and Voldana for a rescue mission. However, the paladin was killed in the tower and his comrades had no choice but to adopt his children, as his wife lost her mind due to the grief and couldn't protect them anymore from the dangers of Duskwood.
Several years later, the twin sisters returned to their childhood home with their adoptive parents. There, they were attacked by ghouls until Watcher Dodds and the Night Watch came to help and brought them to Darkshire, where Althea Ebonlocke announced their mother's death. At Raven Hill Cemetery, the twin found an army of undead heading for Darkshire, and among them the reanimated corpse of their mother. The group and the watchers later managed to save the town by eliminating all the undead.Warcraft: Legends Volume 2, Warrior: Divided
===World of Warcraft===
Before he retired from active duty, Marshal Haggard and the Stormwind Guard used to get drinks at the Scarlet Raven Tavern in Darkshire.The Legend of Stalvan (9)
After the Third War, Morgan Ladimore returned to Duskwood but only to find his house ruined and his family missing. He traveled to Darkshire and met a priest who advised him to check for their gravestones at Raven Hill Cemetery. However, he refuted everything and rode from Darkshire to nearby Lakeshire, thinking that perhaps his family had fled. He ended his life when he discovered the truth, and later returned as the undead Mor'Ladim, killing many innocents and watchmen of Darkshire until he was put down by adventurers.The Story of Morgan LadimoreMorgan Ladimore (quest)Mor'Ladim (quest)
Following King Varian Wrynn's disappearance, the political manipulations of Lady Katrana Prestor led the kingdom to pull all their troops out of Duskwood. Left to fend for themselves, the Night Watch was established to defend against the various threats that plagued the town.The Night Watch (Classic) Formed and trained entirely by the people of the forest;Ebonlocke's Response to Solomon they had to contend with marauding wolvesWolves at Our Heels (Classic) and various undead.The Night Watch (2)The Night Watch (3) They were involved in the battle against the necromancer Abercrombie and his abomination Stitches;The Embalmer's Revenge as well as the manhunt for the murderer Stalvan Mistmantle.The Legend of Stalvan quest chain
When Magistrate Solomon required the assistance of the Night Watch to save Lakeshire from the Blackrock orcs,Messenger to Darkshire Lord Ello Ebonlocke had to refuse because the town would have been overrun by evil before the guards could even reach the edge of the forest.Messenger to Darkshire (2)
Some Darkshire citizens have also set out to deal with the evils of the region, such as the Carevin family, which has dedicated itself to battle against the demons, undead, wild worgen, and their allies.Worgen in the Woods quest chain
At some point, Jitters traveled to Darkshire and rented a room at the Scarlet Raven Tavern for a few days. He spent his nights at the bar, writing, until he left the town in a hurry as he was hunted by the Dark Riders.Inquire at the Inn
===The Burning Crusade===
When the draenei learned that Duskwood was a place filled with evil and undeath, Anchorite Delan came to Darkshire in order to help its inhabitants in pushing back the darkness.Travel to Darkshire
===Wrath of the Lich King===
During the war against the Lich King, Unit Darkshire was sent to the Dragonblight to help the Alliance forces in Northrend.A Deserter
===Dark Riders===
Prior to the Cataclysm, Archmage Karlain traveled to Darkshire in search of his son Mardigan. The watchers he questioned revealed that the young man had recently been in the town, questioning everyone he could about the Wolf Cult, until he disappeared once more while investigating his leads. After he retrieved the Scythe of Elune from the worgen in Roland's Doom, the priest Revil Kost returned to Darkshire and spent the night at the Scarlet Raven Tavern, where he met Brink of the SI:7.Dark Riders
===Cataclysm===
Around the time of the Cataclysm, a number of townsfolk were complaining about someone nailing disturbing letters to their doors in the middle of the nights. While the culprit could not be identified, the Council of Darkshire discovered that the Twilight's Hammer cult were trying to recruit the citizens with their apocalyptic notes. As such, the mayor was notified of the situation and the Night Watch was placed on high alert by Role Dreuger.The Art of Cataclysm, pg. 16
During the Elemental Unrest, the town was invaded by furious elementals through the Elemental Rifts appearing across Azeroth. They were driven back by the adventurers.
Following the Cataclysm, Stormwind's forces were so taxed by greater evils that they couldn't spare a single footman to protect Darkshire.The Night Watch (quest) However, many adventurers were later ordered by King Varian Wrynn to report to Commander Althea Ebonlocke, as the Night Watch forces were stretched thin defending against marauding wolves and bands of wild worgen. Althea also sent a letter to Bailiff Conacher in Lakeshire for more reinforcements.Hero's Call: Duskwood!
At some point, feral worgen managed to break into the town hall and tore the place to shreds, destroying half the archives in the process.The Stolen Letters
After years of fight, Jonathan Carevin and his family still continued their expulsion of all evil and heresy in Duskwood, asking the help of adventurers in their quest to defeat the Nightbane pack.Worgen in the WoodsThe Rotting Orchard (quest)Worgen in the Woods (2)
===Legion===
During the Burning Legion's third invasion, the town was caught in chaos. The ruling Council, a few citizens, and some Night Watchers joined the fanatical Veiled Hand cult, which used the town as their base of operations. Led by Sister Ebonlocke, the cultists murdered several innocent inhabitants under the orders of The Herald, in order to organize a demonic ritual in Stormwind Keep. Among the loyal watchers, Sarah Ladimore could be seen protecting several citizens and mentioned that the defection of her comrades was certainly due to dark magic. The slaughter was later discovered by the Shadow of the Uncrowned who stole the ritual reagents to buy time and also attempted to kill Althea Ebonlocke.Cloak and Dagger (quest) However, the assassination attempt failed, and while Althea escaped to Stormwind City where she was killed by Garona Halforcen, the councilmen seemingly managed to escape.The Unseen Blade
===Terror by Torchlight===
In the aftermath of the Fourth War, the township was still active and free from the Veiled Hand, while Sarah Ladimore succeeded Althea Ebonlocke as the new Commander of the Night Watch. At some point, an unnamed necromancer attempted to overwhelm Duskwood and Darkshire with an army of undead by corrupting the :Torch of Holy Flame. The advance of the undead was slowed down by the efforts of the watchers, until Mathias Shaw and Flynn Fairwind defeated the necromancer and recovered the purified holy torch. The Spymaster later told to Ladimore that he would send Stormwind guards as reinforcements after the necromancer hinted that the threat was not over.Terror by Torchlight
===Shadowlands===
During Death Rising, the town came under attack from the Scourge. To fight against the undead, troops of the Argent Crusade under the orders of Lieutenant Vernon were mobilized to protect the inhabitants.Field Reports (Alliance) Some adventurers later helped to reduce the Scourge's numbers in the area, before transmitting a report from the Lieutenant to Commander Gregor in Stormwind City to brief them on the situation in the region.Damned Intruders (Alliance)Return of the Scourge (Alliance)
==Travel connections==
;Flight
* Rebel Camp, Northern Stranglethorn (0:48)
* Goldshire, Elwynn Forest (0:55)
* Lakeshire, Redridge Mountains (1:00)
* Raven Hill, Duskwood (1:03)
* Sentinel Hill, Westfall (1:27)
* Stormwind City, Elwynn Forest (1:28)
* Nethergarde Keep, Blasted Lands (1:37)
* Booty Bay, Cape of Stranglethorn (2:52)
==Inhabitants==
==Items==
*Crest of Darkshire
*Darkshire Mail Leggings
*Seal of Darkshire Nobility
*Shield of Darkshire
==Film universe==
Set to the south of , Grand Hamlet is the hometown of Queen Taria Wrynn and her brother , a place as quiet and quaint as . Prior to the arrival of the , it had a garrison of thirty men, loyal to .
After falling mysteriously silent, soldiers in Elwynn Forest spotted Grand Hamlet burning in the distance, heralding the Horde's arrival in Elwynn.
==Notes and trivia==
*The human rogue Bellthazor hailed from Darkshire.Legends Volume 2, Miles to Go
*A priest of the Church of Light is, or was, present in the town.
*The story of the Embalmer is retold as a children's story in Darkshire.Bride of the Embalmer
*The dire wolves of Duskwood are the most common threat to the townsfolk.Wolves at Our Heels
*Any mention of Stalvan Mistmantle name is met with terror and suspicion by the citizens.The Legend of Stalvan (quest)
==Gallery==
File:Warcraft I - Map of Azeroth.jpg|Grand Hamlet on the Azeroth map at the time of the First War.
File:WarCraft-Orcs%26Humans-Orcs-Scenario3-GrandHamlet.png|The region of Grand Hamlet in Warcraft: Orcs & Humans.
File:Darkshire Overhead.jpg|View of Darkshire as seen from above.
File:Midsummer Fire Festival camp - Darkshire.jpg|Midsummer Fire Festival camp in Darkshire.
File:Darkshire 2 - Dark Riders.jpg|Darkshire in Dark Riders.
File:WoW Town Hall Duskwood 2.jpg|The very early version of Darkshire's gates during classic alpha in late 2001.
File:Darkshire TAoW.jpg|Darkshire in The Art of World of Warcraft.
;Hearthstone
File:Darkshire Alchemist HS.jpg|
File:Darkshire Councilman HS.jpg|
File:Darkshire Librarian HS.jpg|
File:Steward of Darkshire HS.jpg|
==References==
==External links==
Category:Human territories
Category:Villages
Category:Alliance settlements
Category:Alliance quest hubs
es:Villa Oscura
pl:Darkshire