Borean Tundra
From WoWWiki
| This article concerns content exclusive to Wrath of the Lich King.
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 Borean Tundra
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|---|---|
| Level 68-72 | |
 Concept Art of the Tundra Coast | |
| Affiliation | Independent |
| Population | 28,500 |
| Capital | Kaskala (12,500) |
| Ruler | Tusklord Hrak'kar |
| Government | Tribal |
| Races |  Tuskarr (22,800)
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| Location | Southwestern Northrend |
| Major settlements | Riplash Ruins (3,000) |
The Borean Tundra (pronounced BOHR-ian, not boh-REHH-an) is located in the far western edge of Northrend, and is the home of the Tuskarr. Drakkari trolls, blue dragons, the Undead Scourge, and naga also inhabit the zone. Important landmarks of the region include the Tuskarr capital of Kaskala and the Riplash Ruins. Coldarra is an island just off the coast. Kaskala is currently under siege and the tuskarr have moved to Unu'pe.
Most of the Borean Tundra is empty ice. Tuskarr are the dominant presence in the Borean Tundra. However, they keep near their villages, and one can go for days without seeing another living creature. Tuskarr mainly care about fishing, whaling and protecting their villages. Tuskarr will fend off hungry Drakkari, and even fight wayward nerubians, and are formidable foes; but they never attack anyone without a good reason. Drakkari wander the tundra, but not in any significant numbers, most are content to roam alone or in small packs. They have no city in the tundra, but live in several camps, none big enough to have names. They harass the tuskarr from time to time, but every time the tuskarr gather their forces and send the Drakkari running. Nerubians wander about as well, but only in small packs. Naga live near the south end, in the Riplash Ruins. Sometimes blue dragons from Coldarra also fly over the tundra from time to time. Scourge scouts straggle over from the lake area.
The Borean Tundra is not an important part of Northrend. It’s too isolated and too barren to be desirable and has too much shoreline to be defensible. Tuskarr like it because of that expansive shore, and the Riplash Ruins gives the naga a perfect view of anyone approaching across the ocean from the south. Drakkari hunt here because they can and because the tundra provides little cover for wildlife. Most others stay well away, preferring the forested areas to the east.LoM 93
Borean Tundra contains bases of both factions, and won't have an emphasis for a specific faction.[1] There will be a port between Borean Tundra and Howling Fjord that uses a giant turtle with a deck on its back as a quick means to travel between the 2 starting zones.[2] There will be a murloc faction that opens up after some quests for D.E.H.T.A. The murlocs can actually talk and repair your equipment. They also have quests against an infected camp across the cove.[3]
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History
The nerubians were in the Borean Tundra first, according to the ruins. However, the ruins may be parts of Azjol-Nerub that were thrust up from underground, though, unless it was an experiment to see if they could be comfortable living above ground. If the latter is the case it may have failed, since it is a ruin. The tuskarr were next — Kaskala’s oldest village is at least several centuries old, and the rest grew up around it as family members split off to start their own smaller families. The Drakkari are more recent additions to the area and have no fixed settlement. The Scourge rarely appears, and its agents never stay longer than it takes to patrol and look for potential dangers or new recruits.LoM 94
In World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King, the Horde has established the settlement of Warsong Hold under the command of the Mag'hari son of Grom, Garrosh Hellscream. The Horde has created a pact with the local and culturally similar Tuskarr, who are under siege from naga based at the Riplash Ruins. These naga intend to use their generators to melt the surrounding ice caps. Garrosh and his forces have also discovered the enigmatic taunka, an ancient offshoot of the tauren race thought to be lost forever.
Geography
The Borean Tundra is wide, flat, and cold. A solid sheet of ice covers it, and beneath that is soil frozen rock-hard. Along the west edge the ice rises up into some nasty cliffs, which then shear off into the Westrift. To the north the ice smooths out into one glittering sheet that’s glass-slick and leads right to Lake Wintergrasp. The northwest corner, up by the Sholazar Basin, has no ice and only a little snow — a few hardy souls have even set up farms there. The east is also gentler, still snow-covered but less treacherous where it leads down to the ocean.
At its north edge the tundra runs into Lake Wintergrasp, a vast frozen lake that effectively shields it from the Dragonblight and Icecrown Glacier. The only way to reach these areas overland is across the mountains bordering the Dragonblight or through the Sholazar Basin, neither which are easy. An army would be suicidal to attempt either. Not many plants can survive up here. Without any cover the wind is fierce enough to tear flesh, and people can barely hear themselves when they shout. A few trees manage to hang on, evergreens, but the small twisted kind rather than the tall proud ones out east. Wolves and rabbits and foxes and even bears, roam this area. However, most of the life is in the water.
This is the longest region in Northrend, running from its southwest tip up to Lake Wintergrasp. The ground here is more dirt than rock, and small trees and scrub dot the landscape. But everything is still frozen solid. Somehow the tundra avoids most of Northrend’s problems. The Scourge rarely comes here, the Drakkari are only a minor nuisance, and even the ice storms are less severe. Perhaps the Borean Tundra owes its fortune to its isolation. Along its south edge is the ocean, of course, and along the southwest tip as well.
Warsong Hold has a zeppelin tower connecting it to Orgrimmar and to Vengeance Landing in Howling Fjord, and Valiance Keep has a dock connecting it to Stormwind City.
Maps and subregions
Dungeons
| Dungeon Name | Level Range | Group Size | Approximate Run Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Nexus | 71-73 | 5 | ? |
| The Oculus | 80 | 5 | ? |
| The Eye of Eternity | 80 | 10-25 | ? |
Travel hubs
Star's Rest, Dragonblight
- Valiance Keep, Borean Tundra
Amber Ledge, Borean Tundra
- Nesingwary Base Camp, Sholazar Basin
- River's Heart, Sholazar Basin
- Unu'pe, Borean Tundra
- Flight paths and boats from Valiance Keep
- Fizzcrank Airstrip, Borean Tundra
- Star's Rest, Dragonblight
- Stormwind City, Elwynn Forest (steam boat)
- Amber Ledge, Borean Tundra
- Transitus Shield, Borean Tundra
- Unu'pe, Borean Tundra
Warsong Hold, Borean Tundra
- Amber Ledge, Borean Tundra
- Nesingwary Base Camp, Sholazar Basin
- River's Heart, Sholazar Basin
- Agmar's Hammer, Dragonblight
- Bor'gorok Outpost, Borean Tundra
- Warsong Hold, Borean Tundra
- Amber Ledge, Borean Tundra
- Unu'pe, Borean Tundra
- Flight paths and zeppelins from Warsong Hold
- Agmar's Hammer, Dragonblight
- Bor'gorok Outpost, Borean Tundra
- Orgrimmar, Durotar(zeppelin)
- Taunka'le Village, Borean Tundra
- Amber Ledge, Borean Tundra
- Transitus Shield, Borean Tundra
- Unu'pe, Borean Tundra
- Flight paths from Amber Ledge
- Fizzcrank Airstrip, Borean Tundra
- Valiance Keep, Borean Tundra
- Bor'gorok Outpost, Borean Tundra
- Taunka'le Village, Borean Tundra
- Warsong Hold, Borean Tundra
- Transitus Shield, Borean Tundra
- Valiance Keep, Borean Tundra
- Warsong Hold, Borean Tundra
- Amber Ledge, Borean Tundra
- Flight paths and boats from Unu'pe
- Fizzcrank Airstrip, Borean Tundra
- Valiance Keep, Borean Tundra
- Taunka'le Village, Borean Tundra
- Warsong Hold, Borean Tundra
- Moa'ki Harbor, Dragonblight (turtle boat)
Adjacent regions
| Zone Name | Faction | Level Range | Direction | Access |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dragonblight |   | 71-75 | East | By foot, or (presumably) by flight path |
| Sholazar Basin | | 75-78 | North | By foot, or (presumably) by flight path |
| Wintergrasp | | PvP | Northeast | By flight path (presumably) |
| Stormwind City | | Far to the southeast across the ocean | By boat from Valiance Keep to Stormwind Harbor | |
| Durotar | | 1-10 | To the west across the ocean | By zeppelin from Warsong Hold to a tower west of Orgrimmar |
Notable characters
Horde
- Garrosh Hellscream - Warsong Hold
- Varok Saurfang - Warsong Hold
Alliance
Quests
- Main article: Borean Tundra quests
The major questlines explore a variety of conflicts across the zone. The native tuskarr and taunka are being uprooted from their villages by the kvaldir. Multiple sinkholes are disgorging crypt fiends around the recently established fortifications of Warsong Hold and Valiance Keep. Territorial aggression is being observed in the Magmothran magnataur. The Fizzcrank gnomes have awakened a flesh-hating terror, fused from abandoned Titan technology.
In the course of battling these threats, Warcraft's player heroes will also uncover a handful of political plots. The first sparks of the Wolvar / Oracle conflict are evident as these groups also have their opponents in the Winterfin tribe of murlocs. An organization known as the Druids for the Ethical and Humane Treatment of Animals are conscripting everyone they can, to bring Nesingwary's poachers to justice. The wizards of Dalaran are investigating the kidnapping of magical talent from the areas surrounding the Amber Ledge.
Finally, after these many trials, the player will come to confront the subversive figure known as Prince Valanar, atop the floating necropolis of Naxxanar.
Resources
Unknown
Wild creatures
Gallery
More screenshots can be found on the various subzone pages.
 Valiance Keep, the Alliance base in Borean Tundra. |
 Outside of Valiance Keep |
 Tuskarr statues |
References
External links
MMO-Champion Borean Tundra highlighted on Northrend map MMO-Champion Annotated map with flight paths
Youtube WoW - Wrath of the Lich King - Borean Tundra Zone
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