The icy north
Northrend is the frozen continent in the far north of Azeroth. Like the other continents it was once part of ancient Kalimdor before the Sundering. It is the source of the undead Scourge: the Frozen Throne, former seat of the Lich King, stands at the top of Icecrown Citadel. Its lands also hold the nerubian kingdom of Azjol-Nerub, the ice trolls of the Drakkari Empire and old titan works such as Ulduar.
Northrend first appeared in Warcraft III and is the main setting of the second expansion, Wrath of the Lich King. In that war the Alliance's Valiance Expedition landed in the Howling Fjord and the Horde's Warsong Offensive in the Borean Tundra, and both pushed toward Icecrown Citadel. The Kirin Tor also moved the city of Dalaran into the skies above Northrend. The continent is set to return in The Last Titan, the third and final chapter of the Worldsoul Saga.
Zones
| Zone | Levels | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Borean Tundra | 10 - 30 | Valiance Keep and Warsong Hold; the Nexus instances |
| Howling Fjord | 10 - 30 | Valgarde and Vengeance Landing; Utgarde Keep instances |
| Dragonblight | 15 - 30 | Wyrmrest Temple; Naxxramas, Azjol-Nerub and the dragon sanctums |
| Grizzly Hills | 15 - 30 | Drak'Tharon Keep |
| Zul'Drak | 20 - 30 | Gundrak |
| Sholazar Basin | 20 - 30 | Waygate to Un'Goro Crater |
| Crystalsong Forest | 25 - 30 | Dalaran floats above it; Violet Hold |
| The Storm Peaks | 25 - 30 | Halls of Stone, Halls of Lightning and Ulduar |
| Icecrown | 25 - 30 | Argent Tournament Grounds; Icecrown Citadel and its dungeons |
| Hrothgar's Landing | 25 - 30 | Added in patch 3.2.0 |
| Wintergrasp | 25 - 30 | PvP combat zone, reached only by flying mount or portal |
Getting there
Ships and zeppelins from Stormwind, Orgrimmar, Menethil Harbor and the Undercity connect Northrend with the old continents:
| Transport | From | To |
|---|---|---|
| Ship: The Kraken | Stormwind Harbor | Valiance Keep, Borean Tundra |
| Ship: Northspear | Menethil Harbor, Wetlands | Valgarde, Howling Fjord |
| Zeppelin: The Mighty Wind | Orgrimmar, Durotar | Warsong Hold, Borean Tundra |
| Zeppelin: The Cloudkisser | Undercity, Tirisfal Glades | Vengeance Landing, Howling Fjord |
Dungeons, raids and PvP
- Icecrown: Trial of the Champion, Trial of the Crusader, Forge of Souls, Pit of Saron, Halls of Reflection and Icecrown Citadel.
- Borean Tundra: The Nexus, The Oculus and the Eye of Eternity.
- Dragonblight: Naxxramas, Azjol-Nerub, Ahn'kahet: The Old Kingdom, the Obsidian Sanctum and the Ruby Sanctum.
- Others: Utgarde Keep and Utgarde Pinnacle, Drak'Tharon Keep, Gundrak, the Violet Hold in Dalaran, and the Vault of Archavon, open only when your faction controls Wintergrasp.
Northrend's battlegrounds are the Strand of the Ancients, south of the Dragonblight, and the Isle of Conquest, west of Icecrown. Its arena is the Dalaran Arena.
Sources
Game pictures: © Blizzard Entertainment · worldofwarcraft.blizzard.com
