Storm Peaks

The Storm Peaks are a mountain range and zone located in the northeast of Northrend. It is where a mysterious race of giants named the storm giants live. The third known titan city of Ulduar is also located here. The winds that rip through the mountains are extremely violent and dangerous.

It was in the Storm Peaks that a titanic battle occurred between Aegwynn, then the Guardian of Tirisfal, and Sargeras's avatar, the now-dormant Lord of the Burning Legion.

Also shown on the map in Lands of Mystery is the Temple of Storms. The purpose of said temple was unknown. In Wrath of the Lich King, it is now shown to be the home of Thorim.

History
The Storm Peaks have a mysterious history. Long ago, the titans lived here. They created Ulduar as their city, and it is from here that they conducted their experiments. It is said that the Storm Peaks are the origin of the storm giants, and perhaps the dwarves and troggs as well. When the titans disappeared, the races were left to fend for themselves. The dwarves moved south into warmer climates, but the storm giants remained and claimed Ulduar as their own. They developed crystalline golems to aid them in their research and as guards. Over time, the storm giants have dwindled in number and grown ever more reclusive. Now only a handful remain.

The storm giants make their home in the Storm Peaks. They are of an impressive size, more than 30 feet tall and powerfully built. The storm giants are capable of summoning small storms. They keep to themselves, hiding in their caves and tunnels below the surface, and avoid visitors. Myths say that the titans created the storm giants; perhaps dwarves have an origin in common to the storm giants. It is possible that the storm giants may know more about the dwarves' past than the dwarves do themselves — however, they are not likely to tell anyone about it. The storm giants like their privacy, and their crystalline golems help maintain that. They are the same golems that reside in Crystalsong Forest, gathering crystals to bring back to their masters. In Crystalsong Forest, they are servants and couriers. In the Storm Peaks, they function as door wardens and bodyguards, making sure no intruder gains entrance to the storm giants’ lairs. Magnataur and wendigo are known to roam the area. The magnataur are solitary and easy to spot.

Geography


The Storm Peaks have treacherous paths, powerful winds, jagged cliffs, and hungry monsters. They are also home to the storm giants, one of the oldest races in the world and the keepers of the titans' legacy. The two biggest dangers in the Storm Peaks aren’t necessarily its inhabitants. The wind is fierce and constant, and can easily tug someone off a cliff. One look at those paths it has cut through the cliffs and one realizes how deadly wind can be. The second danger is sunlight. The peaks are covered in ice and the light reflects from every angle. Up here the ice is everywhere. Wearing dark glasses is the only way to survive — otherwise a person is blinded every time he moves his head, and before long he will take a misstep and tumble off a cliff or down a ravine. The weather doesn’t help — it is either clear and sunny, with the nasty glare, or dark as night and pouring, with sheets of freezing rain, hail, or snow battering down and making every surface as slick as oil.

One would think the Storm Peaks were mountains, but that is not entirely accurate. They do have the highest elevation of any other region in Northrend. On the edge of the peaks, one can look out over Icecrown Glacier to the west, Crystalsong Forest to the south, Zul'Drak to the east, and the ocean to the north. But they are not mountains. They are actually cliffs. The "peaks" are the spots where wind has not cut away the ice and rock, as opposed to the narrow paths it has carved. Through large parts of this region, a person can literally leap from peak to peak, provided the wind does not throw him over the edge. Ulduar, like much of Northrend, is sparsely inhabited. The storm giants stay hidden, their golems don’t bother anyone unless someone approaches their masters’ homes, and the magnataur and wendigo are infrequent and large enough to spot from a distance. It is a good place to be alone with one's own thoughts, if you don’t mind the biting wind, the searing cold, and the repetitive stretches of ice and rock. The peaks are handsome in an austere way. Little grows here — a random bush sprouting in a nook along a cliff face or a few tough blades of grass in a crack. Everything else is stone and ice. Animals appear to be rare, and its unknown what the wendigo and magnataur eat to survive. Perhaps they eat each other and any travelers they can find.

No one lives here except the storm giants, their golems, and beasts like the wendigo and magnataur. The latter have caves they have found or dug into the ice and rock. The storm giants have their city, Ulduar, and the Temple of Storms.

Map and subregions




Travel hubs

 * Flight paths from K3
 * Dun Niffelem, Storm Peaks
 * Grom'arsh Crash-Site, Storm Peaks
 * Frosthold, Storm Peaks
 * Ebon Watch, Zul'Drak
 * Dalaran
 * Windrunner's Overlook, Crystalsong Forest
 * Sunreaver's Command, Crystalsong Forest


 * Flight paths from Frosthold
 * Bouldercrag's Refuge, Storm Peaks
 * K3, Storm Peaks
 * Ulduar, Storm Peaks
 * Argent Vanguard, Icecrown


 * Flight paths from Grom'arsh Crash-Site
 * Camp Tunka'lo, Storm Peaks
 * Bouldercrag's Refuge, Storm Peaks
 * K3, Storm Peaks
 * Ulduar, Storm Peaks
 * Argent Vanguard, Icecrown


 * Flight paths from Camp Tunka'lo
 * Grom'arsh Crash-Site, Storm Peaks
 * K3, Storm Peaks
 * Ulduar, Storm Peaks
 * Zim'Torga, Zul'Drak


 * Flight paths from Dun Niffelem
 * K3, Storm Peaks
 * Ulduar, Storm Peaks
 * Zim'Torga, Zul'Drak


 * Flight paths from Bouldercrag's Refuge
 * Frosthold, Storm Peaks
 * Camp Tunka'lo, Storm Peaks
 * Grom'arsh Crash-Site, Storm Peaks
 * Ulduar, Storm Peaks


 * Flight paths from Ulduar
 * Frosthold, Storm Peaks
 * Camp Tunka'lo, Storm Peaks
 * Grom'arsh Crash-Site, Storm Peaks
 * Bouldercrag's Refuge, Storm Peaks
 * Dun Niffelem, Storm Peaks
 * Zim'Torga, Zul'Drak

Notable characters

 * Thorim
 * Loken
 * King Jokkum

Resources
Please add any available information to this section.

Dig sites
The Storm Peaks has three dig sites:
 * 1) Valkyrion; contains Vrykul Archaeology Fragments.
 * 2) Sifreldar Village; contains Vrykul Archaeology Fragments.
 * 3) Brunnhildar Village; contains Vrykul Archaeology Fragments.

Wild creatures
Please add any available information to this section.

Rare creatures
Time-Lost Proto Drake is known to live in the Storm Peaks.

Rare Elite NPCs associated with the achievement.
 * Dirkee
 * Vyragosa