#1 - Aug. 9, 2012, 5:31 p.m.
Blizzard Post

Every week this summer, we’re challenging you to get together with a few friends to explore a part of Azeroth that you may not have seen in a while, or perform a feat that you may have never done. They're World of Warcraft Summer Challenges, and we’re going to be playing along with you as we hunt down rare achievements, get screenshots of amazing bosses, and try to find some awesome gear for our transmogrification sets.

This week’s challenge is: Zul'Aman and Zul'Gurub.

Zul'Gurub was the capital of the Gurubashi jungle trolls, a tribe that once controlled the vast jungles of the south. It was here that Jin'do the Hexxer summoned the savage loa Hakkar the Soulflayer into Azeroth. Of late, these efforts have begun anew amid an alliance between the Gurubashi and Zandalar trolls that seeks to establish a unified troll empire.

While they aren't as unusual to visit as Ahn'Qiraj or Black Temple, Zul'Aman and Zul'Gurub offer some highly desireable loot that we're determined to acquire this week. Unlike previous weeks, we can run these dungeons repeatedly and increase our chances of getting what we're looking for. In particular, we're after the two sweet mounts that drop in Zul'Gurub, the Amani Battle Bear from Zul'Aman, and for obvious reasons, the Miniature Voodoo Mask. Everyone should own a trinket that calls forth Voodoo Gnomes.

Recommended guides:

Notable Achievements:

  • Ohganot So Fast, Defeat Bloodlord Mandokir in Zul'Gurub on Heroic Difficulty without killing Ohgan.
  • It's Not Easy Being Green, Do not get hit by Bloodvenom, Pool of Acrid Tears, or Venomous Effusion in the High Priest Venoxis encounter in Zul'Gurub.
  • Gurubashi Headhunter, Defeat Gub, Mortaxx, Kaulema, Mor'Lek, the Florawing Hive Queen, a Lost Offspring of Gahz'ranka, Tor-Tun, and the Gurubashi Master Chef in Zul'Gurub.
  • Bear-ly Made It,Save all four prisoners before they are sacrified in Zul'Aman.
  • Ring Out!, Defeat Daakara in Zul'Aman on Heroic Difficulty without any player leaving the rectangular turquoise stonework inscribed on the floor in the center of his area.
  • Tunnel Vision, Defeat Halazzi in Zul'Aman on Heroic Difficulty without killing any of his totems.

Desirable gear

Echoes of unfulfilled vengeance linger in the one-time capital of the Amani tribe, Zul'Aman. Though the Amani trolls answered their warlord's call to arms, Zul'jin was denied his goal of restoring the empire to its former glory. Where he failed, the Zandalar tribe will succeed. Left unchecked, the united tribes will reclaim their lands and savor a merciless retribution. Seething with hatred against his ancient enemies in the Alliance, and spiteful towards his former allies among the Horde, who chose to ally themselves with the blood elves, Zul'jin rallied an army of trolls and sealed power from the Amani animal gods within the strongest of his warriors in pursuit for revenge. Zul'jin was slain and his army scattered, but the potent magics invoked in Zul'Aman remain. Now, along with several other tribes, the Zandalar trolls, devastated by the Cataclysm, have come to see Zul'Aman as a symbol of salvation for their people. They have traveled to the ancient forests to see Zul'jin's plan brought to fruition - and, with it, the rise of a unified troll empire, filled with godlike power and prepared to claim dominion over all of Azeroth.

Please join us in this discussion thread, where we’re talking about this week’s challenge, and looking forward to your stories about how it went for you this week, your screenshots, and your suggestions for other fun reasons to take on this challenge.