Tanaris is a sandy desert found on Kalimdor’s southern tip. The region harbors one of the largest Goblin trade cities, Gadgetzan, near the entrance to the Thousand Needles to the north. Gadgetzan is the hub of trade for the Goblins and if a vendor there does not have what you want, they can easily obtain it. The troll city of Zul’Farrak is to the northwest with the Steamwheedle Port to the northeast. Strangely enough, there have yet to be any reports of boats docking at the port so its presence is somewhat perplexing. If you travel east, you will encounter two things: the first are a fanatical gang of pirates and their base of operations at Lost Rigger Cove. The second is the Caverns of Time, the home of the Aspect of Time, the bronze dragon Norzdormu.

A large mountain range runs along the western and southern borders of Tanaris. The Trolls have much of the northwestern area under their control but further south, you encounter the Noxious Lair. Here, the armies of Ahn’Quiraj are breaking through the sand. (This area, along with the Gaping Chasm in the southeast, contained countless Silithid warriors during the world event in patch 1.9.) If you look hard enough, you might discover the only path that leads safely down into the Un’goro Crater.

A group of unexplored ruins dot the southern regions of Tanaris. Exploration is impossible as the Dunemaul Ogres live here. Why they so zealously guard these ruins is a matter of speculation. Of even greater speculation is a set of gigantic doors in the southern mountains. The dwarves call this area Uldum and is thought to have housed the Titans as they shaped the world. No one has been able to gain entrance but from a distance, you can see a hole in the great doors that suggests something made its way OUT of Uldum. It is not only the dwarves who have great curiosity about this place.

Water is of great value in Tanaris. The Goblins and the eastern pirates battle for control of the water towers along the coastline. The Goblins will happily pay great sums to adventurers who battle the pirates and return their water skins. Without water, travelers are assured of death, the sandstorms grinding their bones to dust.