Night Watch

The Night Watch is a policing militia created to defend Darkshire from the dangers plaguing Duskwood. The most prominent dangers they face are the undead of Raven Hill Cemetery and Tranquil Gardens Cemetery, and the worgen of Brightwood Grove and Roland's Doom. The Night Watch does what it can to keep the region safe, often relying on the recruitment of citizens and passersby to aid in their defense. Individual members are referred to as Watchers,Mor'Ladim (quest)The Missing Diplomat (4) Night Watchers,Terror by Torchlight or Watchmen.Morgan Ladimore (quest) They have their own office in Darkshire.
==History==
===World of Warcraft===
Sometime after King Varian Wrynn's disappearance, the political manipulations of Lady Katrana Prestor led the Kingdom of Stormwind 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 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
===Legends===
At some point, Lieren, Loania, Kardan and Voldana visited a house near the town of Darkshire only to be attacked by ghouls. Watcher Dodds and his group of night watchers killed the ghouls and accompanied them to Darkshire in order to get more information about their mother, Adena, from Commander Althea Ebonlocke. The commander told them that Adena was dead and Dodds took them to Adena's grave in Raven Hill. While they were heading there, the group saw undead who were heading to Darkshire. Dodds told the twins what direction they need to continue and he himself returned to warn Althea about the approaching undead. Dodds returned shortly after with his men only to find those undead battling with the twins group.Legends Volume 2, Warrior: Divided
===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. Commander Althea Ebonlocke later led a small group of night watchers in an ambush against the Dark Riders. When one of the riders teleported the group into Karazhan, they continued the battle with the Riders and the Curator, but the SI:7 agent Brink found an amulet and sent the watchers back in time before the ambush.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 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
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!
===Legion===
During the Burning Legion's third invasion, Althea Ebonlocke and some of the Night Watchers in Darkshire betrayed the Alliance and joined the Veiled Hand on promises of freedom and respect from the Herald, placing the town under strict watch while demonic rituals were carried out using the blood and skulls of Darkshire's population. Among the loyal watchers, Watcher Sarah Ladimore could be seen protecting several citizens and mentioned that the defection of her comrades was certainly due to dark magic.Cloak and Dagger (quest)
Watchers outside of Darkshire seemingly did not join the cult, as a Vigilant Guard was found dead within Raven Hill, showing that not all elements of the Watch managed to get corrupted. Watcher Danuser could also be found as a member of the Unseen Path, still calling himself a Night Watchman as well as using the group's title and speaking about his active duty as a watcher.
===Terror by Torchlight===
After the defeat of Althea Ebonlocke and the Veiled Hand, Sarah Ladimore became the new commander of the watch.
Shortly after the Fourth War, a human necromancer stole the :Torch of Holy Flame—an artifact used to keep Duskwood's undead in check—from Forlorn Rowe and attempted to overwhelm the region with an undead army. Her minions attacked Commander Ladimore as well as Raven Hill, killing and raising several of the watchers there and forcing the rest to escape to Darkshire. Watcher Cutford watched over the ailing commander when Flynn Fairwind and Mathias Shaw, who had come to Duskwood for a treasure hunt, set out to stop the necromancer and steal back the torch. Together they managed to purify the artifact and kill the sorceress before returning the torch to Forlorn Rowe, thereby preventing Duskwood from falling to the undead. Afterward, Shaw told Ladimore that he recommended doubling patrols and keeping a close eye on the artifact. He also promised to send extra guards from Stormwind to help, as the necromancer had hinted that the threat was not over.
Before he and Flynn left Duskwood, Shaw gave the Night Watch Flynn's treasure map, and the watchers returned with the treasure—a hand mirror—as a gift to the two rogues.
===Dragonflight===
With the return of the Dragon Isles, the Night Watch was still active in Duskwood. After twenty years of service, Korston Willard decided to resign and joined the Dragonscale Expedition for the sake of adventure and a bit of sun.
==Members==
===Named===
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===Unnamed===
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===Veiled Hand===
===Other===
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==Items==
==In the RPG==
The Night Watch Militia (or just the Night Watch) is a militia created by the people of Darkshire. The townsfolk are so desperate to rid themselves of their many woes that crime has relatively ceased. While they may fear theft or murder from those passing through, the community has banded together behind the mayor Lord Ello Ebonlocke, and the Night Watch.Lands of Conflict, pg. 46 The mayor's daughter, Commander Althea Ebonlocke, runs the militia. This small police force constitutes the town's only defense against the monsters that frequently attack it.Lands of Conflict, pg. 47
Night Watch units move deftly and swiftly through Duskwood. The crafty warriors stalk their undead prey, avoiding direct confrontation with supernatural and mundane opponents. The carefully placed tracks of a member of the Night Watch militia typically lead pursuers into a deadly ambush where eager warriors wait with bows ready. Multiple units often work together under the direction of Commander Althea. She has yet to earn the respect of many of the militia. Well known for her keen and decisive orders in the field, however, she is will on the road to gaining the Night Watch's trust.
Captain Helvas Grange commands a small unit of Night Watch scouts. Priests bless the arrows of the militia; thus, improving them when battling undead.Lands of Conflict, pg. 48
==Trivia==
*The Night Watch may be a reference to the group in the series of fantasy novels by . Both the Night's Watch and the Night Watch fight to protect the realm from an undead threat, but both have been all but forgotten by their respective kings.
*The name could also be a reference to 's famous painting called . 
*Several Night Watch members' names are references either to Blizzard Entertainment employees (such as "Danuser," "Dodds," "Jan," and "Kern") or to killers from various detective novels (such as "Blomberg," "Backus," "Keefer," "Callahan," "Keller," and "Paige").
==Speculation==
It is unclear what exactly motivated the change of allegiance that turned the Night Watch into the Veiled Hand. Watcher Ladimore speaks of dark magic being at play, suggesting the Watchers have lost themselves to demonic corruption. Further to this, Ladimore mentions the Night Watch believed the lies of the Herald, which according to Althea Ebonlocke consisted of promises of freedom and respect,Cloak and Dagger (quest) though what these two things entailed is unknown.
It can be speculated that due to the years of neglect from the Kingdom of Stormwind,Messenger to Darkshire (2)"Stormwind left us when this foul magic seeped into the land." the Herald may have persuaded the Night Watch to take the aid of the Burning Legion in rebelling for their independence from Stormwind.
==Gallery==
File:Steward of Darkshire HS.jpg| in Hearthstone.
==References==
==External links==
 
Category:Human organizations
Category:Militias
Category:Duskwood
Category:Lands of Conflict
es:Guardia Nocturna
fr:Veilleurs
pl:Night Watch