The second World of Warcraft expansion takes place on the continent of Northrend. It is mostly known as the home of the Lich King, lord of the Scourge. Besides the fight against him there are a side plots about Malygos, the leader of the blue dragonflight and Yogg-Saron, one of the old gods.

Dalaran

In the center above Northrend is Dalaran, the flying city. The city is ruled by Kirin Tor, a group of powerful mages. It’s a neutral sanctuary city so you can meet honorble Allience members and spawns from the dispicable horde. Kirin Tor moved Dalaran to Northrend to fight Malygos of the blue dragonflight as he is trying to take away the mortals ability to use magic. They might also help with the Lich King but mostly it’s about magic for them. As a wizard i must say that i agree. I refuse to use a tinderbox like a common peasant when a fireball can light the fire faster.

The Violet Hold

Like any respectable ruler the mages have a prision in the city. Not sure why as it would be more efficent to throw people over the edge of the city. The ground below will solve the rest. With a prision you always have the risk of people fleeing or that it turns into a bad season of prision break. The later is the problem in Violet Hold as the blue dragonflight try to break up the seals to the prision. The dungeon is a arena fight with waves of dragons jumping out of portals so fight them and the prisioners they release.

I’m your new warden and follow my rules and we will all be fine

Crusaders’ Coliseum

In northeastern Icecrown is the Argent Tournament Grounds. It’s a base of operations for the Argent Crusade as they stage attacks on Icecrown citadel. It’s center piece is the Crusaders’ Coliseum where they train to prepare for the coming battles.

Trial of the Champion

A slog of five bosses in a literal arena. Not sure why but a arena fight in a arena makes it extra bland. The only fun thing was the horse at the start of the fight. I’m so tired of pure boss fights that i enjoy even the smallest things to mix up the tank and spank life.

I’m on a horse

Caverns of Time

Remember the base game where you could see the aftermath of Arthas deeds in Stratholme. The horrible things that happended there that you been told about. Well show don’t tell is the new hot thing and with caverens of time you can be part of everyones backstory.

The Culling of Stratholme

Revisit Stratholme when the sky was blue, the grass was green and the people was not rotting corpses on fire. Stroll around with Arthas and murder people in the city for the greater good. At the end Mal’Ganis show up for a fight. A bit historical revisionism as in Warcraft III they did not fight and i think he was more green. Well, to the ends of the earth with it!

Ohh, you people are about to get fu…

Azjol-Nerub

Azjol-Nerub is a vast underground Nerubian empire. They are a arachnid race related to the Qiraji in southern Silithus. Unlike the Qiraji the Nerubians do not worship the old gods. All was good for them until the Scourge attacked. Now the empire is filled with undead Nerubians.

Azjol-Nerub

The upper kingdom is ruled by the last king of the nerubian empire, Anub’arak. In the form of a undead crypt lord he now watch over the eggs that will create new undead Nerubians. Can’t break a undead empire without breaking some eggs.

I suspect the next boss will have eight legs

Ahn’kahet: The Old Kingdom

The underground city looks nice. The Nerubians need to learn from Dwarf fortress and not dig to deep. If you do something will eat your people. In this case they found worshipers of the old god Yogg-Saron.

Nice underground city

Zul’Drak

The Drakkari was once a powerful ice troll empire. The temple city of Zul’Drak takes up almost a whole zone in in eastern Northrend. It is now overun by the Scourge, crazed Drakkari, water elementals, argent crusade, the alliance, the horde and undead nerubians. With no faith in left towards the animal gods they had they started to sacrifice them. Drinking the blood of the gods the Prophets of Drakkari focused on power for themselvs.

Drak’Tharon Keep

This was a Drakkari fortress that guarded the entrance to Zul’Drak from the south. Now the Scourge control it with the undead Prophet Tharon’ja as the ruler. Inside is also a devilsaur, King Dred.

What god did you kill for that form Tharon’ja

Gundrak

The capital of the Drakkari empire is now used for sacrifice and the blood of the gods flow. Not the best plan to be honest. Time to get inside Gundrak and lay waste to the High Prophet that perform the sacrifice.

Water and fire always look good

Ulduar

Ulduar is large titan-forged complex in the northen part of Northrend. It is also the prison of the old god Yogg-Saron. Most prisions in Azeroth have a bad sequrity record and this one is no exception. Loken is the watcher that was assigned the role of jailor to Yogg-Saron. Eons of whispers from the old god made him betray the other titans. Now they fight each other instead of guarding the squid monster in the deep.

Halls of Stone

The Iron Army of Loken is made up of both iron and stone constructs. Giants, vrykul and dwarves are created by the Forge of Wills in this dungeon. To get to it one have to suffer the long boring Tribunal of Ages encounter. Stand around and kill things while Brann Bronzebeard looks at a computer.

Is that a giant hammer or are you happy to see me

Halls of Lightning

Loken sits on his throne, command his army of iron constructs and is now all in on team old god. Fun dungeon but they need to update the globe of Azeroth to include pandaria.

This dungeon looks really nice

The Nexus

The Nexus is a blue dragonflight fortress on the island of Coldarra. Malygos, the ruler of the blue dragon flight, are redirecting the lay lines of of Azeroth to the fortress to drain the magic from the land.

The Nexus

In the underground parts of the fortress they hold the red dragon Keristrasza. To quest is to save her and to free her the bosses in the dungeon need to be killed. It’s a very open dungeon so they can be killed in any order. With her free the rescue mission to save her goes like it often do. Dragon kebab anyone.

The librarians of the blue dragon flight does not approve of overdue books

The Oculus

Outdoors the nexus is a huge pillar of arcane energy with floaing platforms around it. It’s a big skybeam like the final set piece of any superhero movie. Not sure what i does but it’s a staple of evil villans so i assume it is something evil. The dungeon start on the lower rings and you ride on dragons to get to the higher ones. The final fight is against the blue dragon Eregos and it’s an airborne battle. Each player picks a dragon that give you a dps, a tank or healer role in the fight. Cool idea.

I’m reading the map, just fly and i tell you when to turn

Utgarde Keep

The vrykul are giant like warriors that look a bit inspired by earths Vikings. They think that the Lich King is kind of cool and would like to be join his raid party. They do it by providing their ancestors as an army for the scourge.

Utgarde Keep

In the lower parts of the keep the vrykul build warmachines and train proto-dragons to ride into battle. They have an ambassador from the Scourge, prince Keleseth, helping with the raids into Howling Fjord. Lay waste to everyone then stairs, stairs and more stairs to exit out on the top terrace. There is a nice view of Howling Fjord and the final boss. Second to final really as when he dies he returns as undead for a second fight. Like i said before, no one ever dies in world of warcraft. I assume they delayed shadowlands so they get more time to change so past creature classifications to undead.

No fighting in the war room

Utgarde Pinnacle

King Ymiron is the ruler of Vrykul and he sits on his throne in Utgarde Pinnacle. He have recentley lost his wife, sorry not sorry, and joined team undead so heavy is the head the wears the crown. There is also a large chamber with a treasure hoard. I think it’s cursed as no one take anything after the king is dead. Makes the dungeon a bit unrealistic. I played some tabletop role-playing game in my days and no party would leave that gold behind. Any roleplay campaign would turn into the three kings film in that room.

When you cast a spell at the king, you best not miss

Icecrown Citadel

The Icecrown Citadel is a giant fortress built around the Frozen Throne. The citadel is constructed using saronite. It’s a metal rumored to be the blood of the old gods and the mortals that mine it go insane. It is resistant against magic so it is useful for warmachines. It also makes things look cool.

The Forge of Souls

Destroy some evil machines called soul grinders. Not sure what the overall plan is here really. They eat souls i guess. Machines looks nice but they feel like a wasted set piece.

Don’t do it yellow skull

Pit of Saron

A outdoor instance where you clean up around the citadel to prepare for the assault. Slaves of the Alliance are forced to work the saronite in the pit and if they die they are reanimated to serve in the Scourge army. Rescue the prisioners and let them help with the take down Scourgelord Tyrannus. To be honest it did not all go according the plan. It ended badly both for Tyrannus and the freed prisioners. But the path is clear to the citadel now. You can’t make a pizza without breaking a few eggs or something.

I bring a lance to a undead dragon fight. Still had the gear from Trial of the Champion.

Halls of Reflection

So after Stratholme, Lordaeron, Northrend and all our friends raised as rotting corpses Jaina Proudmoore is still like, what if i can save Arthas soul? I said Nope but she is the boss so time to visit the private chamber of the Lich King and have a talk. Nice place, cool sword, some daddy issues with the decoration and the talk went as well as expected. Fly, you fools and we did run for our life to the ship to escape.

My precious