Blood for the Blood God, Skulls for the Skull Throne

Stranglethorn Vale, a coastal bay in the central-western region.

Not far east of the beach lay the rainforest of Stranglethorn Vale. In truth, its terrain was quite similar to that of Zandalar Island, filled with hills, river valleys, peaks, and small lakes. The difference was that the mountains of Zandalar were taller and stood at higher elevations, resulting in slight differences in plant and animal species.

Stranglethorn Vale had an extremely long coastline. Just like its inland jungle, its lengthy shores were home to countless plants and animals. There were, naturally, murlocs that could survive anywhere there was water, as well as Azeroth's largest saltwater crocodiles, all kinds of lobster-men and ghostly creatures, and many other flora and fauna that liked to live and breed by the sea.

The spot where Tonatiuh's party landed had originally been the territory of saltwater crocodiles. Giant crocodiles that could easily grow over ten meters long and possessed immense strength ruled this bay. Even the murlocs, tyrants of the beach, did not dare come here. Only occasionally would some trolls or Naga come here to hunt one or two when they wanted crocodile meat or hides.

Thus, the saltwater crocodiles living here had enjoyed exceedingly comfortable lives. The warm coastal waters of Stranglethorn Vale nurtured abundant marine life, providing them with inexhaustible food. With food to eat and no natural enemies, the crocodiles here had grown larger and larger. Nearly every adult saltwater crocodile was over ten meters long.

Yet today, the saltwater crocodiles, which even Naga and trolls needed schemes and magic to deal with, fled their territory in panic at noon and ran to other beaches.

It was not because there was no food here, nor because natural enemies had invaded. Well, in a sense, it could be considered the latter. Two