Howling Fjord

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Howling Fjord concept art

The Howling Fjord is a zone located in southeastern Northrend. Its southern coast forms Daggercap Bay, where the forces of Arthas originally landed on the continent. Stranded by the young prince, the 5,000-strong expedition set up the outpost of Valgarde. The small settlement has since become the center of Alliance activity on Northrend.

The majestic fortress known as Utgarde is located in the center of this zone; it is a dungeon complex and one of its sections, Utgarde Keep, is one of the two first instances (the other one being the Nexus) that players encounter when first arriving to Northrend.
Howling Fjord contains bases of both factions and does not have a faction-specific emphasis. From the tuskarr settlement of Kamagua on the Isle of Spears, located off the southwestern coast, there is a giant turtle vessel able to transport players to Moa'ki Harbor in the Dragonblight and from there on to Unu'pe in the Borean Tundra.

Introduction

Howling Fjord has dark forests, open plains, treacherous rocks, and what used to be the only city — and port — on the continent. The north edge of the Howling Fjord has low hills and thick forest. The land smooths out to the south, however, and the trees fade back, to be replaced by grain and a few hardy fruits and vegetables. Daggercap Bay dominates the southern end, which is all rock. Most people live in Valgarde or in a semicircle above it. The fjord has its share of wildlife. Bears, wolves and other creatures prowl the forests, and small animals sneak through the farmland as well. Birds roost in the trees and steal grain and seeds, and the warmer climate and rich soil draws insects and other vermin as well.

Howling Fjord received its name because the wind that races in from the sea on all three sides produces a constant howl, like a maddened beast seeking its prey. Other than the noise, Howling Fjord is pleasant. It’s not as heavily forested as the Grizzly Hills, or as hilly, but the temperature here is a little milder; between that and the flatter terrain it’s an ideal place to grow grain and other crops. Small farms dot the landscape, particularly down south near Valgarde. To the north the trees begin again, and creatures roam there from the hills above, making it more dangerous but also an excellent place for hunters.

This is the only region in Northrend that was dominated by humans and dwarves. That’s entirely because of Valgarde, however — without that city it would be an even match between those humans and dwarves and the Drakkari and the furbolgs, not to mention the murlocs as well. Almost everyone lives in Valgarde. The exceptions are the farmers, who have their thickwalled farmhouses by their fields, and the hunters and trappers, who live in small camps among the trees and come south only to trade or sell. This region is also the only Alliance-dominated region in Northrend. The Howling Fjord really is Alliance territory, though, and here the Drakkari and even the furbolgs are the ones at risk.Template:Cite

Recently, the vrykul have appeared and the Forsaken have built a city contesting the region's Alliance territory status.

History

Howling Fjord was a favorite on Northrend from the first time explorers reached the continent through Daggercap Bay. The natural harbor provided an ideal launching point for expeditions throughout the continent. After the Lich King arrived, the Scourge swept across the continent, conquering its races and claiming many of the towns and citadels. During the Third War, Prince Arthas of Lordaeron arrived with soldiers to destroy the dreadlord Mal'Ganis and punish him for the plague unleashed in Lordaeron. Arthas and the noble Muradin Bronzebeard joined forces against Mal’Ganis, then thought to be the Lich King's lackey. When Arthas’s father summoned him home again, the prince responded by burning his own ships, thus forcing his men to stay and fight. He obtained the cursed sword Frostmourne in the nearby region of Dragonblight, killing Muradin in the process, and defeated Mal’Ganis but lost his soul to the Lich King as a result. Arthas staggered away alone after the battle, and his men were left behind, stranded on Northrend. These humans and dwarves founded Valgarde. They also built the fortifications that protect it to this day. As Valgarde grew, its residents forced the Drakkari and furbolgs back into the Grizzly Hills and beyond, making the region safe enough for brave farmers to till the land.Template:Cite

In Wrath of the Lich King, the settlers of Valgarde have to deal with newly reawakened vrykul warriors, who raid them from their home of Utgarde Keep. In addition, Ironforge prospectors have discovered a new race of iron dwarves which may hint to their own ancient origins. Finally, the Forsaken have settled here and engineered a new plague, ready to strike at the Lich King. Their main settlements are Vengeance Landing and the town of New Agamand, named after the famous mills family which once lived in the Tirisfal Glades.

Geography

Howling Fjord

For the Alliance, there is a boat port connecting the town of Valgarde with Menethil Harbor in the Wetlands. For the Horde, a zeppelin (served by what is unquestionably the most annoying-to-ascend zeppelin tower ever designed) connects the town of Vengeance Landing with Undercity in Tirisfal Glades.

Howling Fjord map

Dungeons

Dungeon Name	Level Range	Group Size	Approximate Run Time
Utgarde Keep: Utgarde Keep	70-72	5 man	45 min - 1 hour
Utgarde Keep: Utgarde Pinnacle	80	5 man	?

Travel hubs

Flight paths from Explorers' League Outpost

• None

Flight paths from Fort Wildervar

• Amberpine Lodge, Grizzly Hills
• Fort Wildervar, Howling Fjord
• Westguard Keep, Howling Fjord
• Kamagua, Howling Fjord

Flight paths and boats from Valgarde

• Fort Wildervar, Howling Fjord
• Menethil Harbor, Wetlands (steam boat)
• Westguard Keep, Howling Fjord
• Explorers' League Outpost, Howling Fjord, but only from  McGoyver <Pro>
• Kamagua, Howling Fjord

Flight paths from Westguard Keep

• Amberpine Lodge, Grizzly Hills
• Fort Wildervar, Howling Fjord
• Wintergarde Keep, Dragonblight
• Kamagua, Howling Fjord

Flight paths from Apothecary Camp

• Camp Winterhoof, Howling Fjord
• Conquest Hold, Grizzly Hills
• New Agamand, Howling Fjord
• Kamagua, Howling Fjord

Flight paths from Camp Winterhoof

• Apothecary Camp, Howling Fjord
• Camp Oneqwah, Grizzly Hills
• New Agamand, Howling Fjord
• Vengeance Landing, Howling Fjord

Flight paths and zeppelins from New Agamand

• Apothecary Camp, Howling Fjord
• Camp Winterhoof, Howling Fjord
• Vengeance Landing, Howling Fjord
• Venomspite, Dragonblight
• Kamagua, Howling Fjord

Flight paths from Vengeance Landing

• Undercity, Tirisfal Glades (zeppelin)
• Camp Oneqwah, Grizzly Hills
• Camp Winterhoof,Howling Fjord
• New Agamand, Howling Fjord

Flight paths and boats from Kamagua

• Valgarde, Howling Fjord
• Westguard Keep, Howling Fjord
• Apothecary Camp, Howling Fjord
• New Agamand, Howling Fjord
• Moa'ki Harbor, Dragonblight (turtle boat)

Adjacent regions

Zone Name	Faction	Level Range	Direction	Access
Tirisfal Glades		1-12	Southeast across the ocean	By zeppelin from Vengeance Landing only
Wetlands		20-30	Southeast across the ocean	By boat from Valgarde only
Dragonblight		71-75	West across the sea	By giant turtle from Kamagua to Moa'ki Harbor
Grizzly Hills		73-75	Northwest	By foot, or (presumably) by flight path

Notable characters

The Howling Fjord will reputedly see several famous faces on the front against the Scourge, including Sylvanas Windrunner, Tirion Fordring, and the legendary weapon Ashbringer.

Quests

Main article: Howling Fjord quests

There are well over 140 quests in the Howling Fjord.

Players who are making the Fjord their first stop in Northrend had better be prepared to defend themselves! It is a zone riven by territorial disputes: In the east, the Alliance and the Horde continue their heated rivalry in an attempt to gain the coast. In the west, the Alliance is harried by the Northsea Freebooters. Running up the center of the land mass, both factions struggle with fiercely entrenched vrykul forces.

Most of the major questlines are shared by Horde and Alliance, with only the quest NPCs and their locations being unique. This should produce elevated levels of conflict on PvP servers, as competition for quest mobs and target locations will be tight.

Regardless of who they are, players should expect to gain notoriety in the tuskarr and pirate bands as dark spiritual influences become increasingly apparent. What secrets are held by the giant races of the land? Are they best left unrevealed?

Resources

• Cobalt

Wild creatures

• Boars
• Dragons
• Sharks
• Shovelhorns
• Worgs
• Eagles
• Cats
• Turkeys
• Spiders

Gallery

More screenshots can be found on the various subzone pages.

• 

  Concept art of the Howling Fjord

• 

  The dock Alliance players will arrive at when taking the boat from one of the other two continents.

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  Valgarde, the Alliance town of the zone.

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  Daggercap Bay, the bay outside Valgarde.

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  Nifflevar, a Viking-inspired community.

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  Westguard Keep, a dwarven town.

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  Vengeance Landing, the small settlement Horde players will arrive at when taking the zeppelin from Tirisfal Glades.

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  New Agamand, the main Horde base in the Howling Fjord, led by the Forsaken.

• Howling fjord 2.jpg

  Westguard Keep.

• 

  The wilds.

• 

  A bridge to a small Alliance settlement.

• 

  A crag.

• 

  An island in the Howling Fjord, possibly in Lake Cauldros.

• 

  A vrykul settlement near Valgarde.

• 

  A sunrise vista.

• 

  Sunlight through the trees.

• 

  A scorched part of the zone with hovering dragons. Note the new flame effects.

• 

  A Vrykul Town.

• 

  A forest in the Howling Fjord.

• 

  A bridge over the Fjord.

Photos

Here follows some screens from the playable demo at GC in Leipzig.

• Ingvarmustdie.jpg

  Ingvar Must Die, a quest in Utgarde Keep given by Dark Ranger Marrah.

• Shovelthorn.jpg

  A Shovelthorn Stag (to the right, mix between a moose and a mammoth).

• Cauldros.jpg

  Lake Cauldros.

• Howlingingame1.jpg

  Dragonflayer Invaders (Vrykuls) are one of the forces attempting to attack the town of Valgarde.

• Firstquest.jpg

  Hell Has Frozen Over, the first quest one receives when arriving at the Howling Fjord.

• Vlanding.jpg

  Vengeance Landing.

• Vengeancelift.jpg

  Vengeance Lift.

• Blizzconloading.jpg

  BlizzCon-specific loading screen.

Video

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External links

• Wowhead
• WoWDB

MMO-Champion Howling Fjord highlighted on Northrend map

Reave Howling Fjord Horde leveling guide

YouTube 

YouTube