༺The Aurendale Archives༻
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What Once Was
Aurendale History
Where We Stand
Regional Lore
People of the Land
NPC Profiles
The Work We Share
Joinable Organizations
The Living Story
Ongoing Story Arcs
༺What Once Was༻
Once upon a time, there was a small hamlet called Aurendale. It was a Human settlement nestled in an isolated region of the Hillsbrad Foothills. Life was simple there, and that's just the way everyone liked it. They flew the Lordaeron banner, but their survival was purely in their own hands. The people there didn't know much about the outside world, and they rarely needed to. Each year they'd harvest their crops and life continued on quietly.Everything changed once the Third War ravaged the land. For a time, the plague was only a distant rumor. Isolation bought them time, but not safety. When the sickness finally reached their fields, the villagers fled. A few reached safety, but many suffered terrible fates. Some became undead, wandering the once peaceful hills as mindless echoes of who they once were. Others were cut down before they reached walls strong enough to protect them. Aurendale was left silent, broken, and swallowed by ruin.Many years later, a son of Aurendale returned to what once was. He laid to rest those he could, honored the memory of those he lost, and began the long work of clearing the town’s bones. Slowly, life returned. Word spread of a war-torn hamlet rising again. Survivors came home. Pioneers joined the effort. Wanderers without a hearth found one at the frontier crossroads.The story of Aurendale is far from over. What happens next will be decided by the brave souls who live there.
༺Where We Stand༻
To create a more immersive experience and a shared set of reference points, we’ve written unique landmark names and descriptions specific to Aurendale. These locations override the default Founder's Point names used in-game. Some places simply offer a name to use in RP, while others will carry their own stories, secrets, or history to be revealed over time.
☙Geography❧
Aurendale sits within the temperate foothills of Hillsbrad next to the Havenbough Woods, a region known for its cool weather, rolling mists, and frequent coastal rain. Summers are mild and green, while winters bring deep frosts and regular snowfall. Fog often settles across the creeks and fields at dawn, giving the land an old, quiet stillness. Though beautiful, the hills carry the lingering memory of the Third War, a place where nature has reclaimed what was once scarred.While in-game the eastern set of mountains drop off into a coast, for our purposes the eastern Dunmar Mountains narratively connect to the mainland. Aurendale is on the coast, but not an island.
༺The North Side༻
Aurendale is informally split up into the North Side, South Side, and West Side. There is no East Side. If pressed for an answer to why, old locals will either not answer or just point at the mountains. The North Side is most commonly referred to the area around the Town Center.
☙Town Center❧
Coordinates: 52, 38At the heart of Aurendale lies a small, open gathering space where old stone foundations meet new timber beams. The town center is where announcements are made, goods are traded, and neighbors pause long enough to share a story or two. It isn’t grand, just a simple crossroads marked by lanterns, benches, and the worn remnants of what the original village once was.
☙The Old Road Gate❧
Coordinates: 57, 27During the days of Old Aurendale, this gate was once the main point of entry from the main road. Much has changed over the years, and this gate now serves as the town's hub for portals.
☙Memorial Theatre❧
Coordinates: 56, 39The Aurendale Memorial Theatre, named in honor of Old Aurendale and all who lived there serves as a meeting place for the town and a place for merriment and entertainment.
☙Hobble Creek❧
Coordinates: 46, 42Originally named for the amount of awkward sized rocks that forced you to hobble along if you walked through the water, Hobble Creek is one of two creeks running through town.
☙Minnow Creek❧
Coordinates: 47, 54This creek flows a little slower than Hobble Creek, and has less pesky stones, making it a popular place for local fishermen.
☙Lanternman's Grotto❧
Coordinates: 58, 46Named in recent history by children who are convinced that this cave is the home of the ghost "Lanternman." Most of the town has given up explaining that it's a torch, and that it was likely placed there by the town guard.
☙Mount Menethil❧
Coordinates: 60, 37The founders of Aurendale named the tallest mountain in the Dunmar Mountains after the kings of Lordaeron. One of the few remnants of a kingdom now long gone.
☙Bridal Veil Falls❧
Coordinates: 53, 30In days past, new brides would often visit these falls, named for the waters that cascade in lacy layers like a bridal veil. Some would even wash their veils in the pool below, believing the waters would bless them with a long and healthy marriage.
༺The West Side༻
The West Side is generally referred to the area of town along the coast and nearby places.
☙Littlebrook Farm❧
Coordinates: 40, 32Once belonging to the Littlebrook family before the fall of Old Aurendale, this land has since been reclaimed as a shared community farm. Anyone in town is welcome to till the soil, tend the animals, or harvest what grows here. Though no Littlebrooks remain, their name lives on in the fields they once cared for. Extra produce is stored away for the needs of the community.
☙The Gilded Goblet❧
Coordinates: 45, 58Aurendale's first inn & tavern. It's small, and can't serve the whole town, but it's got plenty of drinks and decent food. Their seafood dishes are especially fresh, fish being prepared right out of Minnow Creek every morning.
☙Ding Dong Cove❧
Coordinates: 30, 45The full story of why the cove was named "Ding Dong" was lost in oral history, but it had something to do with a belltower that no longer exists. It is part of the Driftwood Coast that runs north and south beyond Aurendale.
☙King Crab Isle❧
Coordinates: 21, 29There is a local legend about a crab they called the king of all crabs. Some claim it was the size of a wagon. Others insist it wore a crown of driftwood and chased fishermen for sport. Whatever the truth, the locals still call the little spit of land King Crab Isle, keeping the legend alive.
༺The South Side༻
The South Side is centered around Aurendale Cemetery, which leaves the area in a constant fog. It is a spiritual place, one full of memory and scars to the land.
☙Aurendale Cemetery❧
Coordinates: 58, 64Aurendale Cemetery is a place where the veil feels thin. The land still remembers the tragedy of the Third War, and the spirits here drift quietly, unsettled but not unkind. The South Side bears this weight more than anywhere else, creating a somber calm that settles over the grounds.
☙The Moonwell❧
Coordinates: 50, 60The moonwell was established by the first kaldorei settlers who aided in Aurendale’s reconstruction. Its waters are tended quietly and reverently, offering a rare place of stillness for anyone seeking clarity, healing, or a moment of peace beneath the boughs.
☙Mushroom Pond❧
Coordinates: 59, 51Named simply for its abundance of fungi. Locals treat it as a quiet, pleasant spot, though no one can quite explain why the mushrooms grow so large there.
☙Croaker's Hollow❧
Coordinates: 64, 57A cool, shadowed hollow where water collects beneath overhanging trees. The place is home to a thriving frog population whose nightly croaks echo through the foothills.
༺Town Hall༻
Aurendale's town hall is the center of government and logistics for the town. The town council operates from within its halls. It is an ever-evolving structure that will grow and develop as the town does.
☙The Guard Station❧
The Guard Station serves as Aurendale’s first line of defense and point of contact for matters of safety. Here, residents can report threats, request aid, or bring concerns before the town’s guard. Notices, patrol schedules, and ongoing investigations are kept here, a quiet reminder that while Aurendale is a place of refuge, it is never unguarded.
☙The Welcome Desk❧
The Welcome Desk serves as Aurendale’s point of introduction and coordination. Overseen by the Herald, it is where newcomers are received, information is shared, and town matters are directed to the appropriate hands. It is a place of organization and reassurance, meant to make even strangers feel that they have arrived somewhere intentional.
☙Sage's Office❧
The Sage’s office is a quiet, welcoming space set aside for reflection and care. Here, the Sage meets with residents seeking guidance, support, or a steady presence during times of change. Ritual items, soft light, and simple comforts reflect the Sage’s role in tending to Aurendale’s spiritual and emotional well-being. It is a place for blessings, private counsel, and moments of calm amid the demands of frontier life.
☙Lorekeeper's Office❧
The Lorekeeper’s office serves as Aurendale’s archive and investigative center. Accounts of past events, local legends, and unresolved mysteries are gathered here, alongside ongoing notes about the town’s more unusual phenomena. The Lorekeeper studies patterns, preserves memory, and ensures that the lessons of the past remain accessible to those shaping Aurendale’s future.
☙Quartermaster's Office❧
The Quartermaster’s Office is a working space first and foremost. Tools, ledgers, crates, and half-finished plans reflect the ongoing effort of building and maintaining Aurendale. From construction projects to supplies and logistics, this is where materials are accounted for and priorities are set. It may lack ceremony, but it keeps the town standing one decision, delivery, and repair at a time.
☙The Meeting Hall❧
The Meeting Hall serves as the heart of Aurendale’s governance. Around this table, disputes are heard, plans are made, and the future of the town is shaped through discussion rather than decree. It is a space built for cooperation, where every decision carries the weight of shared consequence.
☙Gaeryn's Quarters❧
Gaeryn’s Quarters are the only locked room within the Town Hall. A firm knock will rouse him or summon him if he’s needed, especially in times of emergency. More often than not, the room sits empty. Gaeryn is usually somewhere in town, working or keeping watch, and returns here only to rest.
༺People of the Land༻
Though Aurendale is small, a number of NPCs live alongside our players to help bring the town to life. Most of them are unnamed and just live their lives off-screen. Some exist simply for flavor and will appear in monthly vignettes; others play key roles in ongoing story arcs that unfold over time.This roster will grow and change as Aurendale does—new faces arriving, old ones departing, and some passing on as the story evolves. NPCs help fill roles that don’t need a dedicated player character, and they enrich the town’s atmosphere, history, and daily life.
Thaddeus Merrow &
Drokhan Embersong
Thaddeus Merrow and Drokhan Embersong oversee the Old Road Gate, Aurendale’s modest portal hub. Thaddeus, a human, is a long-serving veteran of the Alliance who chose to spend his retirement somewhere quiet, far from politics, paperwork, and “young mages with no respect.” Drokhan, an orc and former Horde spellcaster, left after growing tired of keeping track of who was in charge this week and deciding he'd had enough of it.The two only open portals when absolutely necessary, and on particularly exhausting days will bluntly tell travelers to “come back tomorrow.”Despite constant bickering (and an endless supply of jabs at each other's technique) they are more alike than either will admit. When asked to do something he doesn’t want to do, Thaddeus pretends he’s losing his memory, wandering in circles and muttering nonsense. Drokhan, meanwhile, suddenly “forgets” Common entirely, staring blankly and insisting he has no idea how magic works.No one in Aurendale believes either of them anymore, but the two of them remain committed to the bit.
Vynledil Aurelion
Not much is known about this quiet, dreary high elf. During the early days of Aurendale’s reconstruction, he simply wandered into town, introduced himself with little fanfare, and volunteered to serve as the mortician. No one asked where he came from, and he offered no explanation beyond a shrug and a mumbled, “Someone has to look after the dead.”He took up residence near the cemetery and quickly assumed responsibility for its upkeep. He maintains the grounds with meticulous care, pulling weeds, repairing old markers, and tending to forgotten graves. Though he performs his duties skillfully, his morbid fascination with the dead and his apparent discomfort around the living make social interactions… complicated. Vynledil means well, but his timing, tone, and conversational topics have startled more than a few residents.Despite the awkwardness, he is a valued member of Aurendale. On rare occasions, Vynledil can be spotted lingering at festivals or sitting stiffly in a tavern corner. The townsfolk have grown fond of him in their own way, an odd fixture of Aurendale who never quite blends in, yet somehow feels like he belongs.
The Aurendale Detective Agency
Aurendale's premiere mystery solvers are three young kids who are determined to uncover every secret the town has to offer.Edric Hale is a human boy and the leader of the team. He is passionate about his role as lead detective, and was the one who convinced the other two to create the agency. Sometimes serious to a fault, but also very protective of his friends.Lyssara Dawnspark is a young blood elf girl who serves as the team's doer. She is spunky, sassy, and ready to do whatever Edric asks her to. Sometimes she isn't all that interested in the mysteries, but getting to run around town with her friends keeps her happy.Baojun is a pandaren boy who's frankly afraid of most things, and would rather eat snacks. However, he's fiercly loyal to Edric and Lyssara, and always fears being left out.
༺The Work We Share༻
While Aurendale has a foundation of lore and style, the town’s roleplay is shaped by its players. Frontier communities are made up of people with many skills and interests, and this section collects the organizations created by characters to enrich that world. These groups can range from small interest clubs to organizations with real influence in the town.To establish a new organization, a player simply needs to bring the idea to the Council and gather enough “signatures” to show community interest. Organizations may be limited or selective depending on their purpose, but the Council will ensure they remain healthy additions to the town, not exclusive cliques.Characters may join as many organizations as they have time and interest for. Each group will clearly list who to contact if you’d like to get involved.
☙Current Organizations❧
The Town Guard
Character Contact: Gaeryn Elwood
Discord Contact: GaerynThe Guards are the protectors of the peace in Aurendale. It is not a part-time position. Guards report directly to the Warden. These characters will be involved in a mixture of combat scenarios and peacekeeping themes. There are no uniforms save for an insignia worn when on-duty.Guards are expected to keep regular presence in the town, respond to threats, assist citizens in need, and help maintain order during festivals and gatherings. Training and patrols are conducted as needed, and all members are encouraged to take an active role in community safety.Members of the Guard are not OOC authority figures or rule enforcers. Their authority exists only in-character, for story purposes.
The Militia
Character Contact: Gaeryn Elwood
Discord Contact: GaerynThe Militia is made up of residents who are willing to fight when the town is threatened. Unlike the Guard, the Militia is not a full-time position. Members live their normal lives until they are called upon. When danger rises, the Warden may summon the Militia to bolster the Guard, defend the frontier, or protect citizens during emergencies.Militia members are encouraged to take part in combat scenarios, patrols, training exercises, and frontier threats as their schedules allow. This group is ideal for characters who want to engage with Aurendale’s combat roll systems without committing to the day-to-day duties of the Guard.Membership in the Militia carries no IC authority. Militia members do not enforce laws or act as peacekeepers. Their purpose is simple: to stand with their neighbors when the town is in danger.
༺The Living Story༻
The Tidewolf Clan
Raiders & Pillagers
The Wildeheart Circle
Primordial Reclamation
Grinning Moon Circus
Fun For All Ages
More on the Horizon...
༺The Tidewolf Clan༻
☙Prologue❧
The fisherman smiled at his young son as the boy fumbled with the spool of fishing line. It was a quiet day. Still, gentle, ordinary. So ordinary that neither of them noticed the fog rolling in until it had already swallowed the riverbank. A chill crawled down the fisherman’s spine. The world had gone silent. Then the drums filled the air.First one. Then several. Then dozens. Slow, steady, and perfectly unified, pulsing through the fog like a heartbeat.“Go… go get your mother,” he told his son, rising to his feet. The fisherman scanned the river, dread hollowing out his gut. The river was too shallow for boats. It had always been too shallow. Until the waves hit. “RUN!” he shouted, just as the first longboat tore through the veil of mist.They were orcs, but not the green-skinned warriors Azeroth knew. These were different. Their longboats were carved with snarling wolf heads, their hulls etched with the stories of hunts and victories. War drums thundered on every vessel, each beat resonating with the next. Shamans stood among them, calling to the elements. The river rose at their command, swelling into a tide that should not have existed.Wolf riders leapt from the boats as they scraped the bank, tearing into the small fishing village. The drums never faltered. By morning, nothing remained but ash, splintered wood, and silence. The orcs were gone. The river had returned to its natural depth. Everything of value now lay packed onto their longboats.Another victory for the Tidewolf Clan.
༺The Wildeheart Circle༻
☙Prologue❧
"The ritual is almost complete. Get ready."It was the dead of night. Most of the lumber camp slept soundly, unaware of the storm gathering around them. As the chanters deepened their spellwork, beasts and beast-form druids began to move through the underbrush.Then the forest rose.Vines snapped upward, entangling tents and rafters. Roots erupted beneath the dirt. Cries of alarm never had time to become screams. Fang and claw silenced them. Roars echoed through the dark as the fury of the wilds tore through the settlement.By dawn, nothing remained but broken bodies and crushed timber.As the sun crested the horizon, the druids surveyed the aftermath. Some felt only righteous vindication. Others felt quiet remorse. But none regretted their purpose. There was no turning back. Today it was a single camp; soon it would be all of Azeroth. The unchecked spread of the mortal races threatened the world itself. They would stop it. They would return the land to nature.“Where do we strike next?”Every druid turned to their leader, the eldest among them, the one whose vision bound them together. With a silent lift of their hand, the next destination was chosen.The druids marched. Beasts and creatures gathered at their heels. The fury of the wilds would not be denied.
༺Grinning Moon Circus༻
☙Prologue❧
“Step right up! Don’t be shy!”Langley had never been to this circus before. He was just a simple young man who worked hard, kept his nose clean, and tried not to make trouble. The Grinning Moon Circus had arrived overnight, as if by magic, setting up just beyond his quiet village. He’d recently been dumped, so he figured he could use a distraction.Something about this circus felt different. There was an electric charge in the air, like the promise that whatever you secretly desired, the circus could provide. Inhibitions slipped away before he realized it.The longer he stayed, the more drained he felt. Maybe he was just having too much fun. But when he looked around, he saw the same exhaustion etched on the faces of his neighbors. Despite that, they drifted from attraction to attraction, unable to stop themselves.And so did he.His eyes caught on a small booth beneath a lantern-lit sign: Kissing Booth. The woman behind the counter was the most stunning creature he'd ever seen. His cheeks burned just looking at her. When she noticed him pacing, her smirk widened.“Hello, Handsome. This one’s free.”Langley swallowed hard and stepped closer. She reached out, curling a finger toward him, and he leaned in, heart racing. Her hand slid into his hair. Her lips crashed into his. It was overwhelming, intoxicating. Too much. But he didn’t want her to stop. When the kiss finally broke, he stumbled away, dizzy and breathless. He could still taste her, still feel the way she’d pulled him in like she owned him.It got late. The circus dimmed. He knew he should go home. His mother always said nothing good happened this late, but he needed to see her again. He followed her voice into a tent and stepped inside. Then he froze.Demons of every kind stared back at him. A Sayaad stepped forward, lips curling into a familiar smile.“Hello again, Handsome.”Langley was never heard from again. Most assumed he had run away and joined the circus.