ChronicleDungeon Under Ironforge
Hall of Thanes Opens at Level 13 as Blizzard Unlocks First Beta Dungeons
rab your mining picks and check your lantern oil, because the foundations of Khaz Modan are rumbling! For two decades, Alliance initiates endured a long, perilous rite of passage: grinding boars, troggs, and snow leopards across cold mountain crags until level eighteen before finally gathering a party to trek all the way to the Deadmines in Westfall. But with the opening of the World of Warcraft: Forever Closed Beta, Blizzard has delivered a seismic revelation: an entirely new, fully-fledged instanced dungeon sitting directly beneath Ironforge itself, accessible as early as Level 13!
The subterranean delve, known as the Hall of Thanes, represents a massive shift in early-game pacing for Alliance characters. Situated deep below the Great Forge in the subterranean foundations of Ironforge, it gives Dwarves, Gnomes, and daring Humans arriving via the Deeprun Tram immediate access to 5-player dungeon challenges without having to travel across the realm.
With Hall of Thanes (Lv. 13–18), Alliance adventurers now have a dedicated starter dungeon right in their capital mountain kingdom:
• Direct Mountain Access: Located directly beneath Ironforge, giving Alliance players an immediate level 13–18 group dungeon close to home.
• Classic 5-Player Delve: Designed as a traditional instanced dungeon encounter, offering early group coordination, quest turn-ins, and classic dungeon loot.
1. Hall of Thanes (Lv. 13–18) — Serving as the primary testing grounds for Alliance adventurers beneath Ironforge.
2. Ruins of Lordaeron (Lv. 15–20) — Serving as the Horde's starter testing grounds, located in the courtyards and crypts above Undercity.
With the closed beta currently operating under an introductory Level 20 cap, Blizzard is concentrating initial feedback on server stability, early leveling flow, and low-level dungeon tuning before expanding the level brackets.
For those still waiting on beta invitations to clear in Battle.net: additional waves of access will roll out as testing continues.
A dungeon under Ironforge. A hundred years of digging into the granite, a hundred years of Hall of Thanes! We are going to delve under that mountain forever, ten thousand boss pulls, over and over until the servers turn to molten slag!
Steel your nerves, polish your bucklers, and we will see you deep beneath the Great Forge.
The subterranean delve, known as the Hall of Thanes, represents a massive shift in early-game pacing for Alliance characters. Situated deep below the Great Forge in the subterranean foundations of Ironforge, it gives Dwarves, Gnomes, and daring Humans arriving via the Deeprun Tram immediate access to 5-player dungeon challenges without having to travel across the realm.
The Alliance Answer to Early Dungeon Delving
Ever since Vanilla launched in 2004, Horde players held a major advantage in early dungeon accessibility. An Orc or Tauren could casually stroll into Ragefire Chasm at Level 13 right inside Orgrimmar. Alliance players, meanwhile, had no equivalent low-level instance in their home territory—unless daring adventurers were willing to attempt a stealth trek through the Barrens to sneak into Durotar.With Hall of Thanes (Lv. 13–18), Alliance adventurers now have a dedicated starter dungeon right in their capital mountain kingdom:
• Direct Mountain Access: Located directly beneath Ironforge, giving Alliance players an immediate level 13–18 group dungeon close to home.
• Classic 5-Player Delve: Designed as a traditional instanced dungeon encounter, offering early group coordination, quest turn-ins, and classic dungeon loot.
Week 1 Beta Scope: Two Starter Dungeons Available
While Blizzard confirmed that World of Warcraft: Forever will feature nine brand-new dungeons across the leveling journey, official dispatches from the Beta Launch Announcement confirm that only two dungeons are available for Week 1 testing:1. Hall of Thanes (Lv. 13–18) — Serving as the primary testing grounds for Alliance adventurers beneath Ironforge.
2. Ruins of Lordaeron (Lv. 15–20) — Serving as the Horde's starter testing grounds, located in the courtyards and crypts above Undercity.
With the closed beta currently operating under an introductory Level 20 cap, Blizzard is concentrating initial feedback on server stability, early leveling flow, and low-level dungeon tuning before expanding the level brackets.
The Full Roadmap: All 9 New Dungeons Confirmed
Based on official developer dispatches and beta assets, the complete list of nine new dungeons coming to WoW: Forever and their confirmed level brackets includes:| Dungeon Name | Level Bracket | Testing Status |
|---|---|---|
| Hall of Thanes | Lv. 13–18 | Available Now (Beta Week 1) |
| Ruins of Lordaeron | Lv. 15–20 | Available Now (Beta Week 1) |
| Excavation Site: Wetlands | Lv. 24–29 | Upcoming (Unlocks with Level 30 Beta Cap) |
| City of Dalaran | Lv. 28–33 | Upcoming (Unlocks with Level 30 Beta Cap) |
| The Drowned City | Lv. 35–40 | Future Phase / Global Launch (TBD) |
| Krol’dok Stronghold | Lv. 40–45 | Future Phase / Global Launch (TBD) |
| Alcaz Prison | Lv. 48–53 | Future Phase / Global Launch (TBD) |
| Blackmaw Hold | Lv. 55–60 | Future Phase / Global Launch (TBD) |
| Shaper’s Terrace | Lv. 58–60 | Future Phase / Global Launch (TBD) |
What to Expect Next
For adventurers currently in the closed beta, Hall of Thanes and Ruins of Lordaeron are ready for exploration today. Blizzard confirmed that additional dungeons will unlock progressively as the closed beta advances and the level cap expands toward Level 30.For those still waiting on beta invitations to clear in Battle.net: additional waves of access will roll out as testing continues.
A dungeon under Ironforge. A hundred years of digging into the granite, a hundred years of Hall of Thanes! We are going to delve under that mountain forever, ten thousand boss pulls, over and over until the servers turn to molten slag!
Steel your nerves, polish your bucklers, and we will see you deep beneath the Great Forge.
Primary Sources & Dispatches Cited
This article synthesizes official announcements and external community dispatches into original Chronicle reporting. Review the primary source scrolls below:
- The World of Warcraft: Forever Beta is Now LiveBlizzard Official
- WoW Forever Beta Dungeon Testing Schedule & Krol'dok Stronghold DiscussionBlizzard Official
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