When it comes to opening up new zones in World Of Warcraft: Shadowlands, players tend to miss hidden gems and features within the expansion that can lead to rewarding experiences. While some of these questlines and meanings are easier to spot, it's worth noting the amount of time and effort World Of Warcraft puts into the intricacy of gameplay and its intriguing lore (some of which hasn't been done justice in Shadowlands).
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Ardenweald has become a fan-favorite due to the similarities of the zone to other beloved areas, like Teldrassil in Azeroth and Suramar on the Broken Isles. Like these places, both the players and NPCs share a close bond with nature and life energy. However, Ardenweald has its special hidden features that make it stand out from the group.
10 The Swift Gloomhoof
One of the most anticipated additions to Shadowlands, new mounts are always a welcome sight (just look at the great ones that await in World Of Warcraft Classic's Burning Crusade). Ardenweald is no exception, with several hidden mounts present within the zone for players to compete for. The Swift Gloomhoof is attained by killing the Night Mare elite spawn, which can be found by using a Dreamcatcher in Dreamshine Basin.
The Dreamcatcher is made from a Broken Soulweb (which can be found at 19.8 63.4), and then repaired by Elder Gwenna at Glitterfall Basin using the Soulweb and 10 Lightless Silk. Once this is done, Ysera will bless it and then the Dreamcatcher is ready for use!
9 The Reference To Star Wars: The Mandalorian
Fans of the recent Star Wars series The Mandalorian will notice the striking similarities between the show and one of the more eventful questlines available in Ardenweald. As the plot of this zone unfolds, it becomes apparent that players will have to directly intervene to save the spirits that are being nurtured in the afterlife.
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The quest This Is The Way has the synopsis of a rugged adventurer babysitting a green, extraordinary child that should be familiar to anyone who has played previous expansions. This child is carried around in a similar crib to the one used in the Mandalorian, which can then be gained as an in-game Wildseed Cradle mount for the player themselves.
8 The Emerald Dream And Ardenweald Are Connected
The Emerald Dream existed in its own corner of reality, created by the Titan Freya, as the foundation of life on Azeroth. Within Shadowlands, however, it is revealed that the two zones are related to one another. Comparing them to the seasons, The Dream is considered the spring and summer of life, while Ardenweald is the fall and winter.
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This connected reality also creates the constant transfer of souls and their anima (a fascinating process) between the two realms, as they pass in and out of life. Throughout the events of Azeroth's history, many Wild Gods have fallen in battle or perished while protecting the planet, and Ardeweald opens up the possibility for their return back into the Emerald Dream.
7 The Wild Hunt
Throughout the player's time in Ardenweald, The Wild Hunt is a constant presence. The Wild Hunt is an assembly of the strongest hunters and fighters of the realm, serving the Winter Queen and hunting down the Drust. However, the history of The Wild Hunt predates their inclusion in World Of Warcraft lore.
This group of spectral hunters is cited in Norse Mythology (among others) as the protectors of the mystical afterlife, Tír na nÓg. One of the famous stories of The Wild Hunt relates the death of Herne The Hunter, who happens to have a character in the game as well named Lord Herne.
6 Two Characters Inspired By The Witcher
Gwynceirw and Daffodil have become two iconic characters along with the various questlines in Ardenweald. As much as this is a result of their hilarious antics, the pair are actually inspired by two characters with similar names from The Witcher.
To make this reference more compelling, Gwynceirw is called the "Winter Wolf" and Daffodil has a tendency to break out into a song about tossing seeds at hunters.
5 The Arboreal Gulper
The Arboreal Gulper is one of the newest mounts introduced in Shadowlands (and among the easiest to acquire) and is a rare treat for anyone traveling through Ardenweald. It drops from Humon-gozz, which resides in the Dreamsong Fenn area of Ardenweald. There isn't an associated timer, so players can collect Unusually Large Mushrooms to toss onto the ground and spawn the elusive frog at their leisure.
While the Arboreal Gulper is only one of 84 mounts available in the expansion so far, there is no questioning the prestige that comes with hopping into battle in style.
4 Marasmius The Mushroom
While Mushrooms tend to pop up all over Shadowlands (among lots of other interesting things added with the expansion), the father of mushrooms in Ardenweald claims that all of these organisms are connected. Marasmius' story has yet to be fully fleshed out in this expansion, but it is clear that it predates almost all other beings in Ardenweald, referring to its memory of pre-Winter Queen activity.
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Marasmius also comments on memories of the last Drust invasion, which was an extremely long time ago. Another interesting element that also adds to the mushroom's mystery is the Underweald, the much more gloomy underworld to Ardenweald, which Marasmius has access to.
3 The True Identity Of The Strange Cloud
Players on their adventures throughout the zone of Ardenweald may come across an unusual phenomenon: a Strange Cloud that wanders the expanse of the forest and stuns anyone who gets close to the mass of mist. While it appears as a rare mob on the mini map, the art of engaging this opponent is even more confusing than the roaming cloud itself.
The main source of working around this is to use an AOE attack or to utilize Eyes of The Beast for hunters to engage the mob directly. Once the mystery is unraveled, it is revealed that the misty marauder is The Sleeping Emperor moth.
2 The Meaning Of The Naming Of Trees
Within the boundaries of each grove lies a great tree. All of the trees within Ardenweald have their respective names and are responsible for capturing the anima that will be used to nurture the spirits within the realm. Names like Tirna Rowan and Tirna Fenn have symbolic meaning in the lore of World of Warcraft (which was deep and complex even before Shadowlands' arrival) and Druidic folklore.
Tirna comes from the term Tír na nÓg, the Irish otherworld in Celtic and Druidic mythology. Combined with various forestry terms like Rowan, which is a type of tree, the great anima basins of Ardenweald get their trademark names.
1 The SpongeBob Squarepants Reference
The character Seaharper in Ardenweald makes for a surprising reference to SpongeBob Squarepants. During the dialogue, Seaharper has a sponge that is displayed to the player, with the following dialogue that this sponge lives under the sea with its friend, a starfish.
With all the various crossovers and references that take place in World of Warcraft, it's no surprise the sponge under the sea would make an appearance. It's one that's easily overlooked, however.