Food Production: Agriculture

After a lengthy diversion, this post continues the series on food production in Azeroth by looking at the fine art of digital agriculture. Grains, vegetables, fruits—if the grocers and bakers in Dalaran sell it, then a farmer probably provides it. All this food production seems to happen invisibly, but surely there must be enormous spice fields supplying raids with buff food, rippling wheat fields providing flour for each faction's traditional bread, large-scale orchards whence fruit-sellers like Applebough get their organic wares, and vast vineyards stocking the wine-cellars in every town inn (keeping in mind that when in Dalaran, the custom is to drink only half one's glass of wine, inflating the quantity required to quench Dalaranian thirsts).

I took a brief tour through Azeroth in search of large-scale agricultural endeavors that might supply Azeroth's hungry citizens. My observations are mostly focused on the Alliance; the Horde can probably get by just fine relying solely on cannibalism or grazing (I kid, I kid). In my opinion, Humans seem to be the only ones pursuing any kind of organized agriculture; the Draenei and Gnomes are both still coasting on their refugee status, the Dwarves enthusiastically stave off hunger with beer, and the Night Elves simply hibernate in the Emerald Dream when they get a little peckish. Well not really, and in fact there are some respectable Dwarven farmers in the mountains between Ironforge and Menethil Harbour. There are fields in a number of Azeroth's zones, primarily in the Eastern Kingdoms where the Humans have radiated from their ancestral home of Stromgarde and developed various kingdoms. But the farms are, for the most part, now overrun by bandits, zombies, rabid beasts, or anything fundamentally hostile. All things considered, I think we should brace ourselves for widespread famine that is sure to come on the heels of agriculture's collapse, particularly if Azerothians continue to consume with reckless abandon.

Hillsbrad Foothills Food Industry

The Hillsbrad Foothills offer some of the most fertile soil in the upper Eastern Kingdoms. Tucked in the Alterac Mountain range, Ravenholdt Manor looks out upon a well-tended garden. Although Simone Cantrell (pictured at left) calls herself a "Landscape Architect," her modest garden plot features edible crops like mushrooms and leafy vegetables. This alpine garden is hidden away from inquisitive travelers with the aid of a well-guarded tunnel, and the Ravenholdt don't share their bounty with outsiders.

At lower altitudes, the commercial agriculture starts in earnest. The area known as Hillsbrad Fields, in particular, boasts thriving orchards, vineyards, and vegetable patches that produce bumper crops, with scores of peasants working industriously to bring in the harvest. Although fertile, this farming region probably only provides enough food for the Hillsbrad Foothills area; perhaps some surplus is sent to Stormwind via the port at Southshore, but likely not much. The Hillsbrad Fields region primarily supplies the produce section of the grocery store; grain crops are raised elsewhere in Azeroth.

Hillsbrad Fields boasts two whole fields of apple trees, industriously tended by peasants filling bushel baskets with the ripe fruit. In addition, the region is home to pumpkin patches (a crop that thrives just about everywhere in Azeroth, including plagued areas) and grape vines.

Grain Farming

Westfall was probably once the breadbasket of Azeroth; the sunny plains are just right for grain on the numerous farm estates. Unfortunately, the many of the fields have been overrun by hostile squatters, so production has stalled in much of the zone. Nevertheless, there are still respectable farmers—like the Saldeans—who keep their foothold in Westfall.

Some of the encroaching squatters are bandits, like the Defias gang or the Riverpaw clan of gnolls. Vicious murlocs generally steer clear of the farmland, but hold the beaches of Westfall. In some areas, mechanical harvest golems appear to have malfunctioned and become dangerous, chasing farmers off their land—a classic tale of robotic inventions turning against their makers. Hungry vultures have descended on some fields, undeterred by scarecrows and wreaking havoc on crops. And on top of all this, prairie dogs run rampant throughout the entire zone, nibbling from fields and grain stores. There is little the farmers can do against such persistent enemies; calling in bounty hunters hardly makes a dent in their numbers. Most farmers, like Farmer Furlbrow, have been run off their own land and now spend their time fretting about belongings they have left behind, bereft of even a handful of oats with which to feed their loyal workhorse.

Highwaymen and menacing vultures aren't the only trouble, though; at that latitude, a perpetual autumn has set in. Although this makes for very fine harvesting conditions, the growing conditions aren't as prime. Everything has subsided into a dry, brown dormancy, with only the occasional patch of forlorn crop still standing unharvested. This zone certainly can't sustain vineyards anymore, like the one pictured at left. Those crackly brown leaves have died off, and no gentle spring rain will renew them.

One product Westfall does abound in are haystooks. The hay standing in golden bundles across the landscape could feed many livestock corrals, but Westfall itself has no meat industry. The hay could be exported to places like Hillsbrad that don't have much grain farming, but with the way things are looking in Westfall ecologically, it would likely be a non-renewable resource. The cropland is too dessicated—not to mention war-torn—to provide ongoing supplies of cattle feed. Perhaps some day the climate will change enough to raise new crops, and the Westfall farmers will reclaim their homeland from the bandits and wayward robots. Until then, the fields will lie in fallow and the stooks will stand mouldering.

In addition to Westfall's recently-abandoned agricultural lands, the other former Human kingdoms display fields in more advanced stages of decay. In Western Plaguelands—clearly once a farming region—both town and countryside has fallen to hordes of undead, and a thick hazy blight hangs over the land. In a grotesque twist of irony, the major farmsteads—once fertile sites of grain production—are now monstrous sites of plague production. There, enormous festering cauldrons perpetually brew a Plague of Undeath, distilling the plague into the air and creating the cloak of poison that hangs over the land. Tirisfal Glades—surrounding the pestilent Forsaken city festering below the ruins of Lordaeron—still holds decaying farming structures like windmills and granaries, but its fields are now zombie stomping-grounds.

Orchards

Some regions of Azeroth carry a reminder of long-abandoned agriculture. Total darkness has taken its toll on the Rotting Orchard, pictured at left. Located in Darkshire, this stand of lifeless, skeletal trees is now overrun by malevolent worgen. Evil lurks everywhere in the shadowy forests of Darkshire, and it would take massive ecological change for that zone to support agriculture again. Far to the north, overgrown orchards left over from happier times can be found in Silverpine Forest (pictured at right).

Fruits and Vegetables

Who doesn't love pilfering a ripe pumpkin fresh from the patch? Or plucking a succulent watermelon and enjoying it right off the vine? Pumpkins are an Azerothian favourite, and can be found in both well-tended commercial fields and small family patches. In Elwynn Forest, the major pumpkin supplier once cultivated Brackwell Pumpkin Patch in the Southeast; but beware if you're a green young toon hankering after a moon harvest pumpkin—both Defias thugs and dangerous swine currently patrol this farm. Similarly, Fulbrow's Pumpkin Patch in Westfall has been taken over by the Defias gang and feral harvest golems. Rogue pumpkin patches can also be found in overrun areas like Tirisfal Glades, thriving despite the contagion of their neighbours.

Watermelons, too, seem to be a favourite Azerothian crop. Elwynn Forest's Stonefield Farm is (so far) free from Defias banditry, though the farm's rivalry with the nearby MacLure Vineyards is a battle unto itself.

So commercial agriculture certainly exists in Azeroth, though perhaps not on a scale that could stave off food shortage. Tune in later in the Food Production series, when I'll tackle such fascinating topics as livestock, foraging, and hunting.

Seaworthy vessels

Last week's post on Azeroth's fishing industry brought me in mind of one of my favourite aspects of WoW: ships! Normally the idea of Azerothian ships automatically conjures an image of the waterborn-tavern feel of Human-style passenger ships; on further reflection and research for the purposes of this post, however, I now realize there is an enormous wealth of ship designs and purposes. There are numerous "inactive" boats in Azeroth that players will have occasion to visit throughout their adventures, but I'm going to focus on those ships used specifically for (primarily Alliance) transportation—perhaps another time I'll look at fun things like piracy and sunken wrecks and viking invasions.

Ship travel is the lifeline linking many Alliance settlements, just as zeppelins are the web by which the Horde is connected. Boats in Azeroth are crafted by shipwrights of varying cultural background, as evident in the design of their vessels.

Night Elves

Night Elf boats are sleek and simple in their design: a single mast with a single, decorative triangular sail; a graceful prow; an elevated aft that provides a roofed space (inaccessible to passengers); a wooden hull—one might consider their simple and natural elegance to reflect Night Elves' general appreciation for and love of nature. The major Night Elf harbour hub is at Auberdine; from there, one can catch a ride to nearby Darnassus, the new Stormwind harbour, or the Exodar. The Auberdine-Stormwind ship (The Bravery), however, is of Human design, though Night Elves (and even a High Elf) are represented in its multi-faction crew. Boats like Auberdine-Exodar Elune's Blessing and Auberdine-Darnassus The Moonspray are of Night Elf design, as well as being crewed solely by Night Elves (complete with wisps). Being an island town, Feathermoon Stronghold also has a harbour-link to land, but its short-haul ferry only carries passengers to the coast of Feralas (it is often faster to swim, and definitely faster to chug a water-walking potion and ride across the channel).

Humans

Human boats are lovely, creaky wooden things, clipper ships straight from European exploration and trading history. Both their early European design and their warm-hued, pub-like atmosphere are aesthetically congruous with Human building architecture on land. Unlike the Darnassian boats, human ships have squat square rigging and multiple masts—between this and the ample below-decks space (which usually contain hammocks for weary passengers and a barkeep with ample supplies of liquor), they're much more suitable (and comfortable) for long-distance voyages. The Lady Mehley, running between the human settlements of Theramore and Menethil Harbour, is crewed exclusively by humans, though other factions are occasionally to be found on human-style ships (as is the case with The Bravery).

The pirate town of Booty Bay is of course WoW's exemplary harbour town; it's such a salty place that the Boots of the Bay reward from the Kalu'ak fishing derby can instantly port the wearer to Booty Bay's Salty Sailor Tavern. Although all the buildings are situated along a multi-level series of docks, the harbour only offers a single transportation route to Ratchet. Passengers on this human-designed transport ship (The Maiden's Fancy) might be surprised to know that the crew piloting the boat are actually pirates belonging to the Blackwater Raiders. But, since the Blackwater Raiders are sworn enemies of the Bloodsail Buccaneers, you can rest assured that you've entrusted yourself to the "good" pirates.

In addition to their cargo/passenger transport clippers, Humans have also designed more resilient ships to foray through the Frozen Sea to Northrend. Two human-crewed "icebreakers" link the Eastern Kingdoms with Northrend: the Stormwind-Valiance Keep ship The Kraken and the Menethil-Valgarde Northspear. Strangley, these ships each have two masts with rigging, though they neither need nor use sails; rather, they are steam-powered to enable them to cut through the northern ice. Despite the colder climes and icebergs of the northern Frozen Sea, the icebreakers do not offer any cabin shelter or amenities for passengers.

Tuskarr

Up north, the Tuskarr have harnessed the power of giant turtles, upon whose living foundations they construct their ships. Remember when the carrot-on-a-stick used to encourage your mount to give 103%? The Tuskarr use this same technology to manipulate their naturally-driven boats; a team of two drivers uses a mechanism involving pulleys, a fishing rod, and of course a carrot, while the turtle flails its flippers and propels itself forward in an attempt to catch the carrot.

The Tuskarr administer two "active passenger" turtles: the Walker of Waves and Green Island. It takes Green Island roughly three minutes to chase a carrot between Dragonblight's Moa'ki Harbour and Howling Fjord's Kamagua Harbour. Once he reaches the Tuskarr drivers' destination, the carrot is reeled out of sight and the turtle enjoys a 1-minute rest before the carrot is lowered for the return trip. Walker of Waves has a similar experience, with his route connecting Moa'ki Harbour with Unu'pe in Borean Tundra. In addition to these two passenger turtles, Moa'ki Harbour is home to The Half Shell, a turtle boat who is permanently docked and even abandoned by any crew who could kindly reel the tempting carrot out of sight. The turtle-driving technology of the Tuskarr is ingenious, though I imagine the D.E.H.T.A. crew would have something to say about animal rights. But the Tuskarr (who appear to have only recently diverged from walruses in their evolutionary history) are a benevolent and nature-loving race, and no doubt have a sort of symbiotic understanding with turtles, depending upon them for both sea-travel and cavalry on land.

Humans and Architecture

I've been playing my warlock a lot recently (primarily for her jewelcrafting, but I am enjoying the class), and I have to say—I treat her very well. My druid doesn't mind sleeping under the stars, in the snow, or even hovering in Swift Flight Form. My death knight is lucky if she gets to stand in the threshold of an inn (and she usually has to stand there for days on end). But for some reason, I tend to pamper my warlock: a cherry grog every time she takes the ferry, a square meal at least once a day and a bedtime snack. And she always gets to stay in the best hotels—not just in the threshhold, either, but in an actual bed or at the very least in a chair by a cozy fireplace. She lives in Dalaran now, but her inn of choice while leveling was The Gilded Rose in Stormwind, and in particular the room where Fuzz the cat sleeps (which at first I thought was a dead rat on the table). If I found myself in Kalimdor at 3 am, I'd always take the extra few minutes to fly her to Theramore.

I really love Human architecture in WoW. Goblin towns are too gritty and sandy for my tastes, and the low little mud igloo-type buildings just don't seem hospitable to me. I hate making my toon spend a night in one of those goblin inns where all the beds are in the lobby beside a table laden with decomposing food. For the most part, I also dislike dwarven architecture (except the hobbit-holes at the Wetlands farm between the Dun Morogh airfield and Menethil Harbour). The dank industrial atmosphere of Ironforge conjures up a stuffy, claustrophobic feeling. Even though my main is a Night Elf, I find their architecture rather drafty. And the Draenei seem to fashion their buildings out of heaps of rubble. I've never played a Horde toon more than a few levels, but Orgrimmar seems too spikey to me, Undercity too maze-like (as well as dank), Silvermoon too distant, and Thunder Bluff too cows. You know, too cows. I'm not saying these other styles of architecture are inferior—they're certainly highly interesting, and I intend to look at each one in turn in the future—and I don't dislike the styles as such (how Derridean of me); but if I was in my toon's greaves, I'd find these places more or less inhospitable.

When it comes to architecture in WoW, I love what the Humans do. I love Stormwind in the evening when golden lamplight streams from the windows. I love the thatched roofs and the cobblestone streets, the ivy crawling over all the buildings, the cheery pubs. I love the Elizabethan-style leaded windows and half-timbered walls, alongside massive fortifications made from blocks of hewn stone. When I step into the harbour I always imagine seagulls and a fresh salty breeze. Inside the pubs, the coziness of the crackling fireplace is almost tangible. To me, Human architecture is all about hospitality, comfort, and good cheer, and reaches back to an Early Modern style.

The city itself was rebuilt with the aid of the Ironforge Dwarves (who contributed the Deeprun Tram at this time) after the Second War, during which it was reduced to ruins and overrun by the orcs of the Twilight's Hammer clan. Stormwind as it exists today, then, was built by the joint efforts of Human and Dwarven artisans, who were united in the form of the Stonemasons Guild led by Edwin VanCleef. Some of the builders lent their skills for free, while others afterward demanded payment from the Human nobles (who, in turn, refused to pay and ordered the Stonemasons to disband). If you recall The Green Hills of Stranglethorn, the father of Nesingwary's buddy Sir S. J. Erlgadin became disillusioned with the nobility for this very refusal to pay the builders. VanCleef led his betrayed Stonemasons out of Stormwind, while Baros Alexston (also an original member of the Stonemasons) chose to stay in Stormwind and became City Architect, a title which he holds to this day as he stands in City Hall. Whether or not the tale of the Stonemasons inspires compassion, we are pretty much required by the game to disapprove of the lot of them: they have evolved into the criminal organization of the Defias Brotherhood, and we still venture out to punish VanCleef.

So there you have it: a brief history of the building of Stormwind. But the essence of the Human architectural style preexisted the reconstruction of the capital city. Before that, Human cottages clustered around the SW fortress and in small villages elsewhere. Just as the style itself looks back to earlier Elizabethan times in our own world, the architecture visible in Stormwind and Human villages elsewhere is based on a time earlier than Stormwind itself, earlier than the statues in the Valley of Heroes (which pay tribute to heroes of the Second War). Those earlier edifices survive in rustic Old Town, Stormwind's oldest area, some of which survived the razing.