Arise, My Champions!

An ode to one of WoW’s most beloved dungeons.

- Emily Marlow

Scarlet Monastery, originally a set of four separate spaces introduced into World of Warcraft in 2004, was a dungeon painted in vivid narrative brushstrokes. It was a commitment, an ordeal even, but also it was a campy, horror tale full of pop culture references. It spoke of Hammer horror, of Sleepy Hollow, of The Exorcist and Raiders of the Lost Ark. It is, to this day, a fond memory for many a nostalgic World of Warcraft player, because we all remember Scarlet Monastery.

For WoW players, Scarlet Monastery became a rite of passage. Similar to its plotline of zealots deep in devotion to their cause, Scarlet Monastery required you to commit to it. If you were from the Alliance you would have to travel through countless map zones to arrive at the monastery, including travelling quite close to the Horde-controlled Under city. It took hours. Because many players would originally attempt the dungeons at a low level and couldn’t yet ride a horse, the journey to Scarlet Monastery also had to be undertaken on foot. Whilst workarounds were eventually invented to cut the walk down, this epic march (or should I say pilgrimage) was part of what made Scarlet Monastery so memorable. And of course, no Alliance trip to Scarlet Monastery was complete without a lighthearted Under city raid after the dungeon was cleared.

THEY’RE BAAACK