“The sprawling Borean Tundra is home to
both the walrus-like tuskarr and the enigmatic taunka. Here also, deep within
the mountainous Coldarra, the blue Dragon Aspect, Malygos, has awakened and
resumed his guardianship of all magic. Commanding the blue dragonflight from
his mystical base, the Nexus, Malygos is determined to seize control of magic
throughout the world.”
— The Art of World of Warcraft: Wrath of
the Lich King, pg. 68
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, and blue dragons. The Undead Scourge and the
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. 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.
Borean Tundra contains bases of both
factions, and does not have an emphasis for a specific faction. There is 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. There is a
murloc town that may be used 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.
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, 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.
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 (though these plans have been thrown off course
by their defeat by the Kvaldir, a clan of Vrykul which are also raiding the
tuskarr). 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.
The landscape varies greatly. Hard but farmable soil in the south lead to
nourishing steam pools in the middle. Along the west edge, nasty cliffs rise up
and then shear off into the Westrift. The north is home to grasslands and an
area of steep hills. The east is snow-covered and the most brutal this area has
to offer.
At its northeast edge the tundra runs into
the mountain range of 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. The zone is
separated from the Dragonblight by an unnamed river.
To the northwest, one can see the high
plateau of Coldarra. It is high enough to be blanketed in snow year round.
Lately, rumblings have shaken the earth around the lone island. Geologists are
concerned with the appearance of rifts in the crust and worry that a massive
earthquake could tear Coldarra apart. This would have massive repercussions on
the stability of Borean Tundra and possibly Northrend itself.
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. The tundra avoided most of Northrend’s problems for a
while, but the Scourge have been sighted fortifying holdings in the northeast.
Perhaps the Borean Tundra owes its fortune to its relative isolation. Access to
the land can be found along its southern edge through the ocean.
Warsong Hold has a zeppelin tower
connecting it to Durotar, and Valiance Keep has a dock connecting it to
Stormwind City.
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.
Wild
creatures
Naga
Blue dragonkin
Arcane wyrms
Rhinos
Snobolds
Mammoths
Magnataurs
Gorlocs
Makrura
Orcas
Caribou
Hawks
Condors
Saber Worgs
Jormungars
Spider Tanks
Crowd pummelers
Mechagnomes
Alarm-o-bots
Skeletons
Skeletal warriors
Ghouls
Abominations
Gargoyles
Liches
Nerubians
Nerubian flyers
Nerubian spiderlings
Nerubian spiderlord
Kvaldir
Capital(s)
The Nexus
Kaskala
Valiance Keep
Warsong Hold
Ruler(s)
General Arlos
Varok Saurfang
Elder Atuik
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