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For the Darkmoon Faire faction and event information, see Darkmoon Faire (faction). For the event prior to patch 4.3.0, see Darkmoon Faire (Classic).
NeutralThe Darkmoon Faire
The Darkmoon Faire
Type Faire
Leader(s) IconSmall Silas Silas Darkmoon
Race(s) Various
Resource(s) Entertainment, Inv misc ticket darkmoon 01 [Darkmoon Prize Ticket]
Affiliation(s) Darkmoon Faire
Location Southern Darkmoon Island
Status Active (first week every month)
Characteristics
Facilities

Undone Inn          Undone Mailbox

Undone Stables

Done Anvil & Forge

Undone Bank       Undone Auctions
Trainers Undone Class
Done Profession
Travel Undone Flight Master(s)
Undone Mass-transit
Done Portal(s)
Darkmoon Faire
The subject of this article or section is part of Darkmoon Faire, an ongoing event that lasts one week. Once the event has run its course, this will no longer be available until next month.
Ahead of You, Down the Path
A Majestic, Magical Faire!
Ignore the Darkened, Eerie Woods
Ignore the Eyes That Blink and Stare
Fun & Games & Wondrous Sights!
Music & Fireworks to Light Up the Night!
Do Not Stop! You're Nearly There!
Behold, My Friend: THE DARKMOON FAIRE!
—Arrow signs along the Darkmoon Path guiding visitors to the fairegrounds

The Darkmoon Faire (or the Darkmoon Theater Troupe)[1] is a large gathering of activities on the southern area of Darkmoon Island, brought together by Silas Darkmoon. The faire opens on the second Sunday of the month at 3 AM realm time and lasts for one week. At the conclusion of that week, players on the island are automatically teleported off the island, back to Elwynn Forest/Mulgore.

Prior to patch 4.3.0, the Darkmoon Faire could be found at one of three locations: Outside Goldshire in Elwynn Forest, outside Thunder Bluff in Mulgore, and on the outskirts of Shattrath City in Outland's Terokkar Forest.

Attendees can complete daily quests associated with each sideshow game to win a Inv misc gift 04 [Darkmoon Game Prize] containing a Inv misc ticket darkmoon 01 [Darkmoon Prize Ticket] and possibly another prize. Each game requires a Inv misc token darkmoon 01 [Darkmoon Game Token] which is purchasable from vendors scattered throughout the faire. Tokens and prize tickets are also rewarded from once-per-faire profession-specific quests, which grant +5 skill in the appropriate profession. Prize tickets can be used to purchase pets, mounts, vanity items, heirlooms, and replica armor for use in transmogrification. Plus, there's a carousel that boosts experience and reputation gain.

Traveling to and from the Faire[]

The Darkmoon Faire 2

The Darkmoon Faire

Silas Darkmoon HS

Silas Darkmoon, the leader of the Darkmoon Faire.

The Darkmoon Faire showcases the weird and extraordinary. Gathering the exotic from around the world, Silas Darkmoon presents the Darkmoon Faire as a celebration of the wonders and mysteries found in Azeroth. The faire spends most of its time in parts unknown but is available from time to time by accessing portals in Elwynn Forest and Mulgore.[2]

Players can reach Darkmoon Island via the portal in the Darkmoon Faire Staging Grounds that are set up near one of their major cities:

AllianceAlliance
The Alliance Darkmoon Faire Staging Grounds are in Elwynn Forest, just south of the crossroads in Goldshire, which in turn is just down the road from Stormwind.
HordeHorde
The Darkmoon Faire Staging Grounds for the Horde are in Mulgore, just southwest of Thunder Bluff. They're reachable without flying by taking the western lift down from the city.

To quickly get to the staging grounds, players may speak to Darkmoon Faire Mystic Mage located in each major city to for a teleport - they charge a low price that varies by character level. Once on the Island, the Darkmoon Path leads down the ridge to the Faire to the south, and mounts are provided for players who are too low level for standard riding.

Players need only travel to the southernmost point of the island, to the Darkmoon Boardwalk, where a "Portal Back" is under a small tent. The portal returns players to the staging grounds in either Elwynn Forest or Mulgore, depending on faction. There is a similar portal at the start of the Darkmoon Path for players who arrive on the island only to remember they forgot something (such as materials for the various profession quests at the Faire).

Additions[]

New in patch 9.2.0[]

  • The Darkmoon Faire Dance added.

New in patch 8.3.0[]

  • The Mechafun Arcade added.

New in patch 8.1.5[]

  • A rollercoaster ride added.

New in patch 8.0[]

New in patch 7.2.5[]

New in patch 7.0[]

Toys
New vendor

New in patch 6.2[]

Collectables[]

Battle pets[]

Darkmoon Tonk HS

Darkmoon Tonk in Hearthstone.

21 battle pets are available from the Darkmoon Faire.

Seven pets are available for purchase for 90 Darkmoon Prize Ticket each:

Two can be obtained from defeating the pet tamers:

Two pets drop from world bosses:

One pet can be fished up:

Two pets can be purchased from Flik for 1g:

Two pets can be purchased from Galissa Sundew:

One pet is a quest reward:

Two pets are achievement rewards:

Two wild pets can be captured:

Mounts[]

Four mounts are available for purchase:

Toys[]

Balloon Merchant HS

Balloon Merchant in Hearthstone.

Fifteen toys are available during the Darkmoon Faire.

Four are available for purchase:

One is a quest reward:

Eight are achievement rewards:

Two are boss drops (or found on the Auction House):

Other[]

This section consists of items that don't fit in any of the sections above:

One can be purchased from a vendor:

Two are achievement rewards:

Sideshow games[]

The Darkmoon Faire contains several sideshow-inspired minigames. Each minigame costs one Inv misc token darkmoon 01 [Darkmoon Game Token] to play for a fixed amount of time. Each one also has has an associated repeatable quest which can be completed over the course of multiple play sessions - or a single one, with enough luck or skill. Completing each quest awards one Inv misc gift 04 [Darkmoon Game Prize].

The Darkmoon Cannon[]

DMF Cannon

The Darkmoon Cannon!

Located across from the Eastern Pavilion, the Blastenheimer 5000 Ultra Cannon, owned by Maxima Blastenheimer, launches guests through the air towards a target sitting in the waters near the boardwalk south of the faire grounds. Getting a bullseye earns 5 points, landing close to it earns 3 points, and getting near it earns 1 point. A mage is located on the beach next to the target and will teleport anyone who has recently launched from the cannon back for additional attempts, or simply to continue their Faire-going...for a price.

The associated quest is N [1-70 Daily] The Humanoid Cannonball and requires 5 points - a single bullseye. Getting a bullseye also awards the Ability hunter mastermarksman [Blastenheimer Bullseye] achievement.

Ring Toss[]

DMF Ring Toss

Ring Toss!

Located next to the Southern Pavilion, this game provides guests with 10 rings in which to toss onto the pole attached to Dubenko, a turtle in a large circular pen. Dubenko moves a few yards from time to time, and the ring toss itself is not entirely precise. Jessica Rogers runs the game and provides the associated quest, N [1-70 Daily] Target: Turtle, which asks for 3 rings on the pole.

In patch 6.1.0, a new achievement was added: Inv jewelry ring 03 [Triumphant Turtle Tossing], which is awarded for a perfect run of getting all 10 rings on the turtle. The achievement awards the Inv jewelry ring 03 [Darkmoon Ring-Flinger] toy. See the achievement article for a strategy.

Shooting Gallery[]

DMF Shooting Gallery

Shooting Gallery!

Located next to the Western Pavilion, Rinling has finally opened his shooting gallery after years of collecting engineering parts for his equipment. Guests are given a pellet rifle to shoot the targets that light up. Players will have 60 seconds to earn 25 points, which completes the quest, N [1-70 Daily] He Shoots, He Scores!.

Notes
  • You have to manually turn your body to face the target you want to shoot.
  • A Quick Shot is earned by shooting a target right after it lights up. This awards two points and the Inv ammo bullet 01 [Quick Shot] achievement.
  • The reload on the rifles is fast enough that unlagged players can fire twice on the same target (three times if a Quick Shot is made) before it deactivates and stops granting points.

Tonk Challenge[]

DMF Tonk Challenge

Tonk Challenge!

Located next to the pastry tent, guests are given a steam tonk controller with which to pilot their tonks, within a "town" modeled with small paper buildings and surrounded by a fence. Players will have 60 seconds to destroy 30 targets, while being attacked by enemy tonks and MiniZeps at the same time. Finlay Coolshot runs the game and offers N [1-70 Daily] Tonk Commander.

In patch 6.1.0, a new achievement was added: Ability vehicle siegeenginecannon [Ace Tonk Commander], which is awarded for getting 45 points in a single run (more than the 30 needed for the quest). This achievement awards the Inv gizmo goblingtonkcontroller [Darkmoon Tonk Controller] toy.

Whack-a-Gnoll[]

DMF Whack-a-Gnoll

Whack-a-Gnoll!

Located near the entrance, guests receive a mallet to whack some stuffed gnolls that pop out of nine barrels in the area. Players will have 60 seconds to earn 30 points. The gnolls come in three types: normal, Hogger, and baby, awarding 1 point, 3 points, or a knockdown, respectively. Mola runs the game and gives the quest N [1-70 Daily] It's Hammer Time.

In patch 6.2.0, the Inv misc head gnoll 01 [That's Whack!] achievement was added. It requires scoring 45 points in a single session of Whack-a-Gnoll and rewards Inv belt 46b [Hogs' Studded Collar].

Firebird's Challenge[]

DMF Firebird's Challenge

Firebird's Challenge

Added in patch 6.0.2, near the fireworks vendor, guests are given ten seconds of flight and tasked to fly through 15 floating rings of fire, which are spread out all over Darkmoon Island (and not just the Faire area). Each fire ring flown through refreshes the 10-second flight timer. Fly through 10, 20, or 50 rings in a single Darkmoon Game Token-costing session to earn achievements: Spell shaman firenova [Flying High], Spell shaman improvedfirenova [Ringmaster], and Inv shoulder leather firelandsdruid d 01 [Brood of Alysrazor], respectively. Completing the Brood of Alysrazor achievement awards the toy Inv shoulder leather firelandsdruid d 01 [Blazing Wings]. Ziggie Sparks runs the game and gives the quest N [1-70 Daily] Firebird's Challenge.

Darkmoon Races[]

DMF race

Darkmoon Races

Malle Earnhard runs the Darkmoon Races, starting at the boardwalk. The objective is to make it from the start/finish line to a set number of colored checkpoints, and then back to the finish line in as few bell tolls as possible, while taking advantage of speed and jump boosts and avoiding electrified fences.

There are a few quests:

  1. N [1-70] Welcome to the Darkmoon Races
  2. N [1-70 Daily] The Real Race
  3. N [1-70] Let's Keep Racing! (repeatable)

Wait, speed boosts? There are a number of power-ups, which can be triggered by running over objects on the race course, including:

  • Speed Boost (boot) - +100% movement speed
  • Super Jump (spring) - launch about 50 yards forward in the direction of motion

While racing, players have access to a special ability while on the Racing Strider.

  • Achievement guildperk fasttrack rank2 Jump To Banner 100 yd range — Jumps to a banner and grants immunity to hazards for 4 sec. Instant (10 sec cooldown)

The Real Race is timed, and there are achievements awarded for completing the race in a set amount of time:

  1. Inv checkered flag [Darkmoon Racer Novice] (25)
  2. Inv checkered flag [Darkmoon Racer Jockey] (20)
  3. Inv checkered flag [Darkmoon Racer Leadfoot] (15)
  4. Inv checkered flag [Darkmoon Racer Roadhog] (11, rewards the Inv misc flaskofvolatility [Fire-Eater's Vial])

Schedule[]

Each month, a new wrinkle is added. Old options are still available, and achievements are possible using each combination

March
The Real Race, with the Racing Strider
April
The Real Big Race is added, with the Rocketeer
May
The Wanderluster is added
June
The Powermonger is added

Race map[]

Here is the map for "The Real Race":

Darkmoon Faire Dance[]

Added in patch 9.2, Simon Sezdans runs the Darkmoon Faire Dance in the South Pavilion. Square off against dance masters and earn combos by matching their moves. Do your best and earn the following achievements.

Profession quests[]

Darkmoon Faire - Legends

Darkmoon Faire as seen in Legends: Blood Runs Thicker.

The Darkmoon Faire offers a quest corresponding to each primary and secondary profession. These can only be completed once per monthly faire, and only by players who have the corresponding profession. Some quests can be completed at the faire, and some require ingredients imported from outside the faire, but Archaeology is the only one that asks for anything that cannot be purchased at a goods vendor near the Faire Staging Areas. Completing each quest awards one Inv misc token darkmoon 01 [Darkmoon Game Token], a few Darkmoon Prize Tickets, and 5 skill points in the associated profession!

All the profession quests require the player's skill level to be at least 75 in order to see the following quests.

Profession Quest Reward Required external items
Cooking N [1-70] Putting the Crunch in the Frog 3 Darkmoon Prize Ticket 5 Inv misc food wheat 01 [Simple Flour]
Fishing N [1-70] Spoilin' for Salty Sea Dogs 3 Darkmoon Prize Ticket
Archaeology N [1-70] Fun for the Little Ones 3 Darkmoon Prize Ticket 15 Trade archaeology fossil fern [Fossil Archaeology Fragment]
Alchemy N [1-70] A Fizzy Fusion 4 Darkmoon Prize Ticket 5 Inv drink 02 [Moonberry Juice]
Blacksmith N [1-70] Baby Needs Two Pair of Shoes 4 Darkmoon Prize Ticket
Enchanting N [1-70] Putting Trash to Good Use 4 Darkmoon Prize Ticket
Engineering N [1-70] Talkin' Tonks 4 Darkmoon Prize Ticket
Herbalism N [1-70] Herbs for Healing 4 Darkmoon Prize Ticket
Inscription N [1-70] Writing the Future 4 Darkmoon Prize Ticket 5 Inv inscription papyrus [Light Parchment]
Jewelcrafting N [1-70] Keeping the Faire Sparkling 4 Darkmoon Prize Ticket
Leatherworking N [1-70] Eyes on the Prizes 4 Darkmoon Prize Ticket 5 Inv potion 15 [Blue Dye], 10 Inv misc orb 03 [Shiny Bauble], 5 Inv fabric linen 03 [Coarse Thread]
Mining N [1-70] Rearm, Reuse, Recycle 4 Darkmoon Prize Ticket
Skinning N [1-70] Tan My Hide 4 Darkmoon Prize Ticket
Tailoring N [1-70] Banners, Banners Everywhere! 4 Darkmoon Prize Ticket Inv potion 15 [Blue Dye], Inv fabric linen 03 [Coarse Thread], Inv potion 11 [Red Dye]

Other activities[]

Darkmoon Cards[]

Deck of Lunacy HS

Deck of Lunacy in Hearthstone.

An important function of the Darkmoon Faire is to allow the return of decks of Darkmoon Cards. These are collectible sets of cards which may be created through inscription or (for level 60 and level 70 cards) found as loot. When all the cards in a set are collected, they form a deck. Higher-level decks may be returned to The Darkmoon Faire for an epic trinket. Lower-level decks reward the returner with more modest items. Returning any kind of deck also awards reputation with the Darkmoon Faire.

Refer to Darkmoon Cards for a complete list of the rewards, and the sources of the cards.

Fortunes[]

See also: Sayge's Fortunes

Located between the Southern Pavilion and the Ring Toss, Sayge, a wise gnoll, will give guests a fortune after answering a couple of questions. With this fortune guests are given a buff, which will depend on the answers given. This buff lasts two hours.

Test Your Strength[]

Kerri Hicks challenges adventurers to go forth and challenge worthy opponents and bring back trophies of your victories to show just how strong you can be. She offers the quest N [1-70] Test Your Strength, which requires the Inv misc book 16 [Darkmoon Adventurer's Guide] to be in the bags. Kerri gives 10 prize tickets for bringing back 250 trophies.

It is anticipated that players will carry the adventurer's guide with them even when the faire is not accessible to keep accumulating artifacts and trophies to turn in when the faire returns.

Darkmoon Zoo Bizarre[]

Petting Zoo HS

Petting Zoo in Hearthstone.

Near the end of the faire, is the zoo, which is run by Yebb Neblegear. The zoo contains many animals and even a petting area with penguins, bush chickens, rams, and even ponies. The rams and ponies can also be ridden. There's a special VIP waiting area in which random VIPs wait for a tour. Oddly, Yebb calls his zoo a "Bizarre" rather than a Bazaar.

Animals
Petting Zoo

Respond to /pet, /pat, and /hug

VIP section

VIP guests that occasionally appear

Deathmatch Pit[]

Deathmatch Pavilion HS

Deathmatch Pavilion in Hearthstone.

Located at the Deathmatch Pavilion, contestants compete every three hours (starting at midnight) for a chance at the Darkmoon Treasure Chest. Enter through the gate at any time to enter the contest, or for some free for all action, even when no prize is available.

Korgol Crushskull will announce when the chest is soon to appear.

Battle Pets[]

Just south of the Shooting Gallery where the Tonk Free-for-All originally was is a spectator ring, with Gilnean Master Pet Tamer Jeremy Feasel ready to take on all challengers. You may challenge Feasel once a day with one Inv misc token darkmoon 01 [Darkmoon Game Token] for a bag of Inv misc bag felclothbag [Darkmoon Pet Supplies]. There is a rare chance of getting a new companion from the bag, the Spell shadow evileye [Darkmoon Eye]. The associated quest is N [1-70 Daily] Darkmoon Pet Battle!.

In 6.0.2, Christoph VonFeasel has appeared to show up Jeremy. Use a Darkmoon Game Token and defeat Cristoph to receive a bag of Inv misc bag 31 [Greater Darkmoon Pet Supplies]. Rarely in the bag is the magical pet Inv misc fish 102 [Syd the Squid]. The associated quest is N [1-70 Daily] A New Darkmoon Challenger!.

Merry-Go-Round[]

Carousel Gryphon HS

The Merry-Go-Round in Hearthstone.

The Darkmoon carousel has been installed between The Darkmoon Cannon and the Shooting Gallery. For 50c to 1g, varying by level, Kae Ti sells a Inv misc book 02 [Ride Ticket Book], which contains five Darkmoon Ride Tickets. Stepping onto or riding the carousel will grant the Spell misc emotionhappy [WHEE!] buff, granting +10% to reputation and experience gains, the duration of which will increase in 5-minute increments every couple seconds the Carousel is ridden up to a maximum of 1 hour. Players will be teleported out of the area if they have no ticket, in the same way they are removed from the sideshow areas without having started (or at the end of) the respective game.

Tickets are consumed when a fresh buff is granted (without having one yet or after it has expired), whereas returning before the buff falls off allows refreshing of the duration without paying a new ticket. You are still required to have a ticket with you in order to enter the area, so each character that plans to employ the buff during the event needs 2 tickets, one to get in the first time, and one to refresh the duration. The tickets are not soulbound and can, therefore, be sent to alts accordingly.

A player may also save 98s by buying the tickets at a low level and sending them to 5 high-level characters - remember, mailing costs money too.

Sandbox[]

A children's sandbox is located at the northeastern side of the fairgrounds. It contains several rideable Sandbox Tigers, which function identically to Darkmoon "Tiger"s. Around the sandbox are four tonk controllers, available for free-for-all matches.

The Tauren Chieftains' concert[]

At the top of every hour The Tauren Chieftains perform Power of the Horde on their own stage.

Darkmoon Despoiler[]

Players equipped with a Inv misc book 16 [Darkmoon Adventurer's Guide] have the opportunity to obtain artifacts that are occasionally dropped by instance bosses and enemy players. These artifacts can be accumulated even when the Faire is not active, and start quests to turn themselves in to Professor Thaddeus Paleo (for the most part - Sayge and Yebb Neblegear each also accept one item). Each of the nine can only be redeemed once per Faire, but all nine items may be turned in each month, and reward Darkmoon Prize Tickets for everyone. Completing all nine quests awards the Trade archaeology dwarf runestone [Darkmoon Despoiler] achievement, including 2 sub-achievements for the dungeon-specific and PvP-specific drops separately.

Quest Starting item Reward Related achievement Source
N [1-70] A Curious Crystal Inv misc crystalepic2 [Imbued Crystal] 10 Darkmoon Prize Ticket Inv misc book 06 [Darkmoon Dungeoneer] Dungeon
N [1-70] A Wondrous Weapon Inv weapon shortblade 96 [Ornate Weapon] 10 Darkmoon Prize Ticket Inv misc book 06 [Darkmoon Dungeoneer] Dungeon
N [1-70] An Exotic Egg Inv egg 03 [Monstrous Egg] 10 Darkmoon Prize Ticket Inv misc book 06 [Darkmoon Dungeoneer] Dungeon
N [1-70] An Intriguing Grimoire Inv misc book 06 [Mysterious Grimoire] 10 Darkmoon Prize Ticket Inv misc book 06 [Darkmoon Dungeoneer] Dungeon
N [1-70] The Master Strategist Inv misc book 08 [A Treatise on Strategy] 15 Darkmoon Prize Ticket Inv misc book 06 [Darkmoon Dungeoneer] Heroic dungeon
N [1-70] Tools of Divination Trade archaeology dwarf runestone [Soothsayer's Runes] 10 Darkmoon Prize Ticket Trade archaeology dwarf runestone [Darkmoon Despoiler] Raid
N [1-70] A Captured Banner Inv bannerpvp 03 [Banner of the Fallen] 5 Darkmoon Prize Ticket Inv bannerpvp 03 [Darkmoon Defender] PvP
N [1-70] The Captured Journal Inv misc book 09 [Fallen Adventurer's Journal] 5 Darkmoon Prize Ticket Inv bannerpvp 03 [Darkmoon Defender] PvP
N [1-70] The Enemy's Insignia Inv jewelry necklace 39 [Captured Insignia] 5 Darkmoon Prize Ticket Inv bannerpvp 03 [Darkmoon Defender] PvP

Gryvern roller coaster[]

Added in patch 8.1.5, for a Inv misc ticket darkmoon 01 [Darkmoon Ride Ticket] sold by Mae Ti one can take a roller coaster ride on a Gryphon or a Wyvern seat. Completing a ride awards you with the Spell misc emotionhappy [WHEE!] buff.

World bosses[]

Darkmoon Rabbit

That rabbit's dynamite!

There are two world bosses on Darkmoon Island, Moonfang, a wolf that frequently spawns in the western forest, west of the main faire area, and the Darkmoon Rabbit, which rarely spawns in a cave on the southeastern shore of the island. Both will require a raid to defeat.

Darkmoon Island[]

Since the Faire is the only time they have access to it, players should make sure to explore the non-Faire portions of Darkmoon Island while they have a chance. The island's waters offer an impossible variety of fish appropriate to each fishing level and the chance to hook a Ability mount seahorse [Sea Pony], as well as Shipwreck Debris for those searching for a more unusual catch.

Ticket redemption[]

Main article: Darkmoon Prize Ticket

The tickets earned by completing quests can be redeemed for a variety of vanity items and heirlooms from vendors near the center of the Faire. Lhara sells companion pets and mounts, while Gelvas Grimegate offers souvenirs and toys, including two transmogrification items, a 16-slot bag, Darkmoon Top Hats, and another companion pet. Daenrand Dawncrest makes all Justice Heirlooms available, and Barum and Baruma will exchange tickets for numerous replica items. Additionally, Rona Greenteeth will trade for two legs of old mutton usable as maces, at her food cart in the woods outside the Faire. See the ticket page for full item lists.

Refreshments[]

Darkmoon Faire desert booth

Aimee's pie, pasty, and cakes

There's three booths found at the faire for refreshments:

The Food Stand
Run by Stamp Thunderhorn, he offers decent food for hungry guests
The Drink Stand
Run by Sylannia, she offers the usual beverages for thirsty guests
The Dessert Stand
Run by Aimee, which has traveled all the way from Dalaran in order to provided the best treats to the guests.

Unfortunately, the eating area and booths were built right next to the Tonk Challenge game, offering very little quiet while trying to enjoy your meal.

There is also a more questionable food wagon, just west of the faire in the nearby woods, that is run by Rona Greenteeth. She sells food that she has caught herself and made into dishes that may give customers pause.

Pavilions[]

Currently nothing exists in any pavilion and are currently under construction, except for the Deathmatch Pavilion.

NPCs[]

DarkmoonSots

The people of Darkmoon Faire

Inhabitants
Performers
Guards
Game operators
Vendors
Guests
Occasionally

Achievements[]

Note
Note: This list is up to date as of Patch 10.1.7

In the RPG[]

Icon-RPG This section contains information from the Warcraft RPG which is considered non-canon.
WoW RPG Darkmoon Faire by chriss2d

The Darkmoon Faire as seen in Dark Factions.

The Darkmoon Faire travels the world gathering mysterious delights and delightful mysteries. It spends most of its time in "parts unknown," as its members say, but every month or so it stops south of Thunder Bluff in Mulgore, or near Goldshire in Azeroth's Elwynn Forest.

Brann Bronzebeard tried, but he couldn't get a straight answer as to the Darkmoon Faire's history. No one seemed to know, or to want to tell him. Since the Darkmoon Faire appeared in the world only recently, it must have come to being only recently. Brann knows that Silas Darkmoon is in charge of the Faire and invented it. The Faire includes members of many different races, so his guess is that the Darkmoon Faire was once a small and forgettable operation that gradually recruited more interesting individuals until it was the Darkmoon Faire that exists today.

The Darkmoon Faire has a huge variety of tasks available for heroes, from crafting items to collecting obscure trinkets from the far corners of Azeroth. Heroes could also join the Faire, if they enjoyed its particular traveling lifestyle. As members of the Faire, the heroes fight monsters and bandits that attack the caravan as it travels — and, since no one knows exactly where the Faire goes when it's not in Mulgore or Elwynn, these creatures may be strange indeed. If the heroes prove able, they may be in charge of all defense for the Faire, including police-type action when the Faire is in session.

The Faire may also send the heroes on various quests of the sorts they would normally send adventurers on; doing so gives the heroes a constant source of patronage. As the heroes are eventually quite powerful, Silas Darkmoon may let them in on the Faire's secrets, and perhaps send them to much stranger locales to gather mysteries and relics.[3]

Organization[]

The most important members of the Darkmoon Faire are those who run the booths. The booths offer many different things: You can see the self-styled strongest woman in the world, play a variety of games involving hammers and thrown balls, eat delicious food, and drink yourself silly. Each vendor (for lack of a better term — not all of them sell goods) is in charge of his or her own booth and is in a constant state of improving his or her power to draw an audience. A vendor may alter her booth by providing new attractions or with new costumes or fireworks to enhance the booth's visual appeal.

Silas Darkmoon is in charge of the Faire as a whole, but he allows his vendors pretty free rein. As long as the vendors bring in people who spend money, Silas is happy. Silas is also in charge of making sure the caravan moves when it's supposed to move and goes to the places to which it is scheduled. Many other individuals are also involved with the Faire, and these people's duties are myriad. They sweep trash and hammer spikes. They prop up tents and make the food for the vendors. They repair wagon axles and replace elderly pack animals. They are also responsible for protecting the caravan as it travels, and, as the Faire includes many noncombatants and travels through mysterious lands, this job should not be underestimated. They bludgeon their enemies with everything from maces to last year's mutton. These are tough customers![4]

Members[]

The Darkmoon Faire is unique for many reasons; one of them is that its members come from all races. Alliance and Horde races are all represented in their ranks, as are members of neutral or ordinarily hostile races. Orc children dash about, trolls hawk food and games, gnomes expound on their services from brightly-colored booths, and a gnoll fortune teller reveals the future. If it is nothing else, the Darkmoon Faire is proof that the varied races can still work together for a common goal.

The Darkmoon Faire accepts anyone willing to make the trek with them, as far as I can tell. I believe that recruits must also swear an oath of secrecy so that they do not reveal the Faire's movements. Other than that, as long as you are reasonably healthy and dedicated, you are welcome to join. Enterprising businessmen can maintain their own booths, though the costs of building, maintaining, and transporting it fall to the owner. The entrepreneur also divides his profits between himself and the Faire, but benefits from the draw the Faire creates, the prestige of being associated with it, and the protection of journeying with a large and well-armed caravan.

The Faire always needs workers, as well, who do everything from set up stages to fight hostile creatures on the caravan's journeys. These folks are usually young and join the Faire because of a desire to travel the world and experience some excitement, but don't want to take the risks of being real adventurers.

Most individuals who join the Faire share a few things in common. Since they spend so much time in foreign lands, most have no families (or don't particularly like their families). For similar reasons, the Faire attracts its fair share (so to speak) of criminals on the run, though these are usually con artists and similar types, as their skills are helpful for marketing and Silas Darkmoon allows no violence among his troupe.[5]

Darkmoon Faire Forces[]

The Darkmoon Faire is not a military organization, so it doesn't have an official military. However, the Faire travels through dangerous places as it moves across the world, and not all of its patrons have its best interests in mind. When it is set up and functioning, the gold in its coffers and the magic items in its vaults make tempting targets for bandits. Thus, the Faire needs some sort of protection, and it gets it from the Faire workers who are also responsible for hammering tent spikes and mucking out the stables.

About half the Faire workers have official combat training. These are soldiers, warriors, or, more rarely, barbarians, hunters, or scouts. Scouts are particularly valuable as they are adept at blazing trails, avoiding dangerous wilderness areas, and tracking down mules and small children who wander away. If attacked while traveling, the caravan pulls into as close a formation as it can. The Faire workers move out to combat the threat. The noncombatants, including children and most of the booth proprietors, hide in the wagons. Those members who may prove useful in a fight — such as Silas Darkmoon, Professor Thaddeus Paleo, Kerri Hicks (the “Strongest Woman Alive”), and Sayge the fortune-teller — take up positions to defend the noncombatants and the stores of gold and magic hidden in the wagons. Some of them may move to the frontlines to assist the Faire workers if the situation warrants. The Darkmoon Faire has never suffered attack while it has been set up and entertaining patrons, but if it were, it would use similar tactics. Children and booth owners would hide wherever was convenient while the Faire workers grabbed whatever weapons were on hand to combat the threat. They would also petition their customers to help — and, as the Faire draws many adventurers, they could provide valuable support indeed.[6]

Special security forces in the Darkmoon Faire wear clown suits.[7]

Activities[]

The Darkmoon Faire boasts a host of entertainments for the connoisseur of the questionable. On the surface, it appears to be a business, and it makes money by inviting people in to participate in a variety of games, ogle strange beasts, and see interesting sights and individuals, including the strongest woman in the world. You can also have your fortune read.

The Darkmoon Faire is a traveling carnival. When it's not vanished into mysterious parts of the world, it sets up its colorful booths and banners in Mulgore or Elwynn (so members of both the Alliance and the Horde can partake of its wonders). The Faire offers a variety of diversions for people of all stripes. Brann admit he was a little suspicious when he passed beneath the Faire's lively green and purple bunting for the first time. He doubted there was anything in there that would appeal to him — a dwarf of deep thoughts with an eye for true mysteries. Though the fact that members of various races would get together to create something like the Darkmoon Faire does have an intrigue.

Brann think he was mostly correct — entering the Darkmoon Faire, you want to check your brain at the door. However, he underestimated the sheer entertainment value inherent in the place. The enthusiasm of the barkers and the booth minders and the patrons develops into something irresistible, and Brann found himself hooked. He also has a suspicion that the Darkmoon Faire is more than it appears.[8]

Locations[]

The Darkmoon Faire frequents two places: an area of Mulgore southwest of Thunder Bluff, and the Elwynn Forest near Goldshire. Where the Darkmoon Faire is when it isn't in either of these places, Brann was not able to discern, nor did he know how it gets from one place to another. The closest thing to a real answer he got was that the Faire spends a substantial amount of time in “parts unknown,” supposedly meaning that they have no idea where the Faire is (instead of meaning that the Faire is in an area of Azeroth that we have yet to discover).

Brann's personal theory is that the Darkmoon Faire wanders certain areas in the wilds of Azeroth, gathering secrets. He has a suspicion that the carnival is just a front. The Faire's true purpose is to gather information and uncover mysteries. He could appreciate this, as secrets and forgotten lore are far more valuable to him — and to many adventurers — than glowing table legs and a few hours of idle enjoyment. Perhaps Silas shares what he discovers, for a price, with those who know the proper way to ask.[9]

Relationships[]

The Darkmoon Faire is a business (don't be fooled by the surprisingly few goblins involved), and good business practice is to be friends to everyone. The Faire splits its time between Mulgore and Goldshire, and therefore between the Alliance and the Horde; it is certainly a neutral organization. And unlike some other neutral organizations, it does not use violence and underhanded tricks to pursue its agenda. Thus, others tend to view the Darkmoon Faire with amusement, whether or not they ever avail themselves of its services. Of special note is the Faire's relationship with adventurers. It seems the Darkmoon Faire's members always have a need for free agents for one reason or another, from making boots to gathering missing cards to collecting the eyes of dead bats. The Faire pays its benefactors with Darkmoon Faire tickets, which the recipients can turn in to receive prizes — mostly of the mysterious “What's in this box?” variety. In this way, the Faire manages to secure outside services without really paying for them.[10]

RPG notes[]

  • A gnome at the Faire tells the heroes of his new booth ideas, which they realize are unstable and could destroy a substantial part of the countryside.
  • An apothecary opens a booth at the Faire, peddling minor healing potions and other aids. His customers don't know that his potions don't cure a thing — in fact, they are samples of his latest experiments.[11]

Notes and trivia[]

  • If players visit the faire all 7 days, they have the chance to earn up to 162 prize tickets a month.
  • Without getting any artifacts, it would take approximately 3 months to earn enough for one mount and about 15 months to earn enough tickets to buy both mounts and the six companion pets.
  • The faire features as an attraction in the Blizzard World in-universe map in Overwatch, but is not seen in the in-game map itself.

Gallery[]

Hearthstone

Videos[]

Darkmoon Faire walkthrough

Patch changes[]

See also[]

References[]

External links[]

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