Pandaria

Pandaria is the homeland of the pandaren and the birthplace of their old empire, in the south of Azeroth. After the Great Sundering its last emperor, Shaohao, wrapped it in a magic mist, and for ten thousand years it was only a legend. The only pandaren seen outside were those who had left on the back of the great turtle Shen-zin Su, including the famous brewmasters.

The mists parted because of the Cataclysm, just as the Alliance and the Horde were at their most hostile. Garrosh Hellscream led the Horde to Pandaria's shores, and Varian Wrynn led the Alliance to protect it. The locals were wary at first, since the outsiders' fighting woke the sha, but soon fought beside them against the sha, the mantid and the returned Thunder King. The war ended with the Siege of Orgrimmar.

Pandaria is the main setting of the fourth expansion, Mists of Pandaria, which also brought the Monk class. The whole continent draws on East Asian cultures. Its zones change mood a lot, from calm and green to dark and threatening, and some are big: the Jade Forest is about half again as large as the Twilight Highlands.

You first reach Pandaria through short quests that start in Orgrimmar and Stormwind City; at first adventurers flew there on gunships from the capitals. There are no regular ships or zeppelins. Instead, portals link the capitals to the Jade Forest:

• Alliance: at the Tushui Pandaren camp near the Eastern Earthshrine in Stormwind City, leading to Paw'don Village.
• Horde: at the Huojin Pandaren camp in the Valley of Honor in Orgrimmar, leading to Honeydew Village.

• Dungeons: Temple of the Jade Serpent, Stormstout Brewery, Shado-Pan Monastery, Mogu'shan Palace, Gate of the Setting Sun and Siege of Niuzao Temple.
• Raids: Mogu'shan Vaults, Heart of Fear, Terrace of Endless Spring, Throne of Thunder and Siege of Orgrimmar.
• Battlegrounds: Deepwind Gorge (Valley of the Four Winds) and Temple of Kotmogu (Vale of Eternal Blossoms).
• Arenas: Tiger's Peak and Shado-Pan Showdown, both in Kun-Lai Summit.

Besides the pandaren, Pandaria's native peoples include the jinyu, hozen, mogu, mantid, grummles, yaungol, saurok and virmen.