Shadowlands Preview: Revendreth and the Venthyr Covenant

In Shadowlands, Azeroth’s heroes journey into the realm of the dead after Sylvanas Windrunner tears open the veil between life and death. As they explore four otherworldly zones—Bastion, Maldraxxus, Ardenweald, and Revendreth—players will meet the Covenants that rule the afterlife realms in the Shadowlands. Your final destination in the narrative arc is the shadowy realm of Revendreth.

Welcome to Revendreth

You arrive with urgent news for Sire Denathrius, the Master of Revendreth and ruler of the Venthyr. The realm is in a midst of a rebellion caused by the anima drought that’s swept over the Shadowlands. The only thing more meaningful than your survival is your discretion — you’ve walked into a den of secret keepers who are all ears as much as they are all teeth. If you are to deliver this message and save these lands you must play court and trust your instincts, for the Venthyr don’t always mean what they say and your new fickle friends can quickly turn into formidable foes.

All souls who are sent to Revendreth receive a Sinstone. Any misdeeds you’ve committed in life are inscribed upon this tombstone along with your true name. Keep its location secret and do what you must to purge any vile thing etched upon it.

Place of Pride

Revendreth is made up of seven distinct districts, each presided over by a Harvester — powerful Venthyr who have upheld the ways of this place since creation to encourage spirits to repent for their past sins. Those who are successfully reformed are presented with a choice: Return to Oribos to be sent on to another afterlife, or remain in Revendreth and become one of the Venthyr. As for those who resist redemption? They’re banished to the Maw.

Some of the Venthyr’s practices are questionable but be warned: Dissenters disappear in these dark lands.

Home to the most decadent Venthyr loyal to Sire Denathrius, the Castle Ward is dangerous to any who are unwilling to side with the Master. The nobles who reside in the inner citadel are the oldest Venthyr and have earned their place in the shadow of The Master and are kept in order by the Countess, Harvester of Desire.

When greeting the Master, show your respect by addressing him by his honorifics: Sire Denathrius, Master of Revendreth, King of the Venthyr, First Blooded, Commander of the Stoneborn, and The Fangs of the Shadowlands.

Ruled over by the Fearstalker, Harvester of Dread, the Forest Ward is comprised of hunting grounds where the Venthyr leach pride (in the form of anima) from their victims. Extraction is simple: Give victims a sense of hope and freedom then hunt them down; a harsh lesson in humility.

The first steps of Azeroth’s champions within Revendreth are in the Village Ward, Darkhaven. Lorded over by the Harvester of Envy, this humble hamlet is full of wishful dredgers and Venthyr who aspire to be welcomed into the aristocrats residing in the Castle Ward. Downwind of Castle Nathria, its citizens look on enviously as they toil away in the refuse of soul waste and desiccation of reality while the anima drought decays this place away.

Castle Nathria

Looming above all is Sire Denatrius’s fortress, Castle Nathria. This ancient stronghold houses the Master, his loyalists and—if you listen to the traitorous rebels—something sinister that could shatter societies across the Shadowlands. . .

Revendreth’s Inhabitants

Meet the denizens of Revendreth.

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These are but a few of the entities you’ll encounter in Revendreth. While adventuring, it's best to stay vigilant—you might even cross paths with long-passed heroes of Azeroth who now wander this world. . .

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Venthyr Covenant

When players reach maximum level and have explored the first four zones, they’ll be able to pledge themselves to a Covenant, like the Venthyr. Each Covenant offers its champions abilities, along with other powers and cosmetic rewards that can be unlocked through a Covenant Campaign—an epic storyline unique to the faction. This alliance also gives the player access to a Covenant Sanctum, a hall only open to players who have forged a pact with its rulers.

Power of the Venthyr

If you choose to join the Venthyr Covenant, you’ll gain two unique abilities—one class ability used in combat, as well as a signature ability to explore the world in a new way.

Here is the signature ability that the Venthyr bestow upon their champions:

Door of Shadows: Wend through the shadows, appearing at the targeted location.

To give you an idea of what to expect, you can view a list of the Covenant signature and class abilities Please keep in mind that all these are a work in progress and may have additional changes during the course of development and testing, so all abilities shown are subject to change.

Soulbinding

When you join a Covenant, you’ll be able to undergo an ancient rite to bind your soul to some of its most powerful members. By doing so, your character harnesses their power, gaining access to powerful bonuses. Over time, you can unlock new tiers of power and even switch Soulbinds when strategy demands it.

Venthyr Covenant Spoils

For your contributions to the Venthyr Covenant’s cause, you’ll be rewarded with several cosmetic rewards including: a mount, a pet, Venthyr-forged armor, and back attachments that will turn the heads of even the most aloof Venthyr.

Armor Up

Don specially crafted armor forged in the fires of Revendreth.

There are more mysteries yet to unravel in Revendreth, and not all as it seems—what the Master says is one thing, and the reality is another matter entirely. As one of Azeroth’s greatest heroes, it falls to you to shine light upon the truth.

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We look forward to sharing more information as development continues, and we hope this preview prepares you for Revendreth and perhaps selecting the Venthyr Covenant!

Will you be joining the Venthyr Covenant? Join the discussion on the forums.

Rewards and abilities are still in development and subject to change, so be sure check back for periodic updates on worldofwarcraft.com as we approach the release of Shadowlands.