Balnir Farmstead

The Balnir Farmstead is a ruined farm in eastern Tirisfal Glades, northeast of the Ruins of Lordaeron. It was the home of the Balnir family, who bred the famous white horses of Lordaeron (most famously Arthas Menethil's InvincibleArthas: Rise of the Lich King, chapter 1 and Anduin Wrynn's Reverence),Exploring Azeroth: The Eastern Kingdoms, pg. 106 but is now inhabited only by a few roaming Scourge. The farm's most notable feature is the grave of Invincible, left empty since Arthas resurrected the horse during the Third War.
==History==
===Ancient history===
Arathorian settlers began establishing farmsteads in Tirisfal during Arathor's expansion around 2,700 BDP. Around 1,200 BDP, immigrant noble families from Strom established the city-state of Lordaeron and used their wealth to buy up large plots of land developed by earlier settlers in Tirisfal, including the Balnir Farmstead.
===Great Wars===
The Balnir farm, among others, was known for breeding the great white horses of Lordaeron that were regularly bought as mounts by the royal household. By the time of the First War, the farm was run by Jorum Balnir and his wife Vara. In addition to breeding horses, they kept chickens and Vara cultivated snapdragon flowers. The young Prince Arthas Menethil often sneaked off to the farmstead to play with Jorum's son Jarim, and during one such visit assisted in the birth of the colt Invincible, who would later become his own personal mount. Moments after Invincible's birth, Lord Uther came to fetch Arthas back to Capital City due to the arrival of Stormwindian refugees fleeing the end of the First War.
As Arthas and Invincible grew up, they often went riding in the hills near the Balnir Farmstead.Arthas: Rise of the Lich King, chapter 3 After Invincible died in an accident during one such ride, he was buried on the grounds of the farmstead on Arthas' request.Arthas: Rise of the Lich King, chapter 4
Reverence, the mount of King Anduin Wrynn of Stormwind, also comes from the Balnir stock.
On the day that Capital City fell in the Scourging of Lordaeron, the Scourge attacked the Balnir Farmstead and killed the entire family. After murdering his father, Arthas, now a death knight, ran directly to the farmstead and used Frostmourne to raise Invincible into undeath,Arthas: Rise of the Lich King, chapter 16 leaving the horse's grave gaping open.
===World of Warcraft===
Following the Third War, the Balnir Farmstead became a haven for Scourge forces from the Plaguelands who managed to slip past the Bulwark into Tirisfal. Deathguard Linnea sent adventurers to thin their numbers in the area.Rear Guard Patrol The snapdragons once cultivated by Vara Balnir continued to grow in the farm's garden. Anastasia Hartwell sent Horde magi to gather some so that the apothecaries could study them and determine whether or not corruption from the Plaguelands had spread into Tirisfal.The Balnir Farmstead
As of the Cataclysm, Scourge forces continued occasionally slipping past the Bulwark. Deathguard Linnea reported sporadic Scourge activity near Death's Watch Waystation, with a concentration around the Balnir Farmstead.Forsaken Duties
==Inhabitants==
* Fellicent's Shade (rare)
* Bleeding Horror
* Wandering Spirit
==Notes==
*Invincible's grave was added to the farm during the Zombie Infestation event in patch 3.0.2. It has a readable plaque.
*Since , no quests take place here.
==Patch changes==
*
==References==
==External links==
Category:Farms
Category:Scourge territories
es:Hacienda Balnir