Ulduar

Ulduar
Type	Titan city
Leader(s)	Mimiron; Freya; Hodir; Thorim
Formerly	Loken †; Odyn
Race(s)	Titanic watcher; Earthen; Mechagnome; Iron dwarf; Iron vrykul
Affiliation(s)	Titans, Old Gods
Location	Northern Storm Peaks[42.2, 24.8]
Status	Active
Travel	Flight Master(s); Mass-transit; Portal(s)

For the raid instance of the same name, see Ulduar (instance).

Ulduar
Halls of Stone (5)
Maiden of Grief Krystallus Tribunal of Ages Sjonnir The Ironshaper
Halls of Lightning (5)
General Bjarngrim Volkhan Ionar Loken
Ulduar (10/25)
Flame Leviathan Ignis the Furnace Master Razorscale XT-002 Deconstructor The Assembly of Iron Kologarn Auriaya Mimiron Freya Thorim Hodir General Vezax Yogg-Saron Algalon the Observer (summoned)

Ulduar (pronounced /'əlduːɑr/)^[1] is the biggest titan-forged complex on Azeroth. Situated in the Storm Peaks, it notably encompasses the Halls of Stone, the Halls of Lightning, and the prison of the Old God Yogg-Saron.

The Halls of Valor were a section of Ulduar until Helya ripped, and stationed them in the misty heavens above Azeroth.^[2]

History

Official Blizzard description

For millennia, Ulduar has remained undisturbed by mortals, far away from their concerns and their struggles. Yet since its recent discovery, many have wondered what the structure's original purpose may have been. Some thought it a city, built to herald the glory of its makers; some thought it a vault containing innumerable treasures, perhaps even relics of the mighty Titans themselves. Such speculations were wrong. Beyond Ulduar's gates lies no city, no treasure vault, no final answer to the Titan's mysteries. All that awaits those who dare set foot in Ulduar is a horror even the Titans could not, would not destroy, an evil they merely... contained.

Beneath ancient Ulduar, the Old God of death lies, whispering.... Tread carefully, or its prison will become your tomb.^[3]

Since discovering Ulduar in the Storm Peaks, adventurers had journeyed to the titan city to learn more about its mysterious past. Further exploration revealed that the magnificent complex included a prison, intended to permanently confine the Old God Yogg-Saron. This ancient horror had corrupted its guards, and was breaking through the last of its restraints.

Faced with the peril of Yogg-Saron's imminent freedom, a band of mortals made preparations for a sweeping assault on the city. Overcoming the legions of iron minions and towering defenses at the city's entrance took tremendous strength, but even that great victory may not be enough to overcome the madness that dwells below.^[4]

Ancient history

After the proto-dragons defeated Galakrond, the keepers saw them worthy to be the protectors of Azeroth and wished to call upon the mighty titans to bless them for that purpose. However, Odyn, Prime Designate and ruler of the keepers, resented this idea. He did not trust the proto-dragons and so he sought to create his own elite army, one of steadfast and valiant stature. He saw the vrykul, children of the titan-forged, to be the most desirable candidate for his army. However, the other keepers did not concur with Odyn's aspirations and attempted to dissuade him from his plan. Odyn was unyielding to their request and continued with his scheme.

Within the halls of Ulduar, Odyn secured one of the sections to be the headquarters for his new army. He summoned the titan-forged sorceress and friend Helya and with her power, she ripped the division of Ulduar and stationed it in the misty heavens above Azeroth. This would be known as the Halls of Valor, home of the mighty Valarjar.^[2]

Wrath of the Lich King

This section concerns content related to Wrath of the Lich King.

Ulduar is located at the very northern end of the Storm Peaks, making it the most northern location in all of Azeroth. After various quests, it is revealed that Loken attacked the city with his iron dwarves and took it from the resident earthen.

The Halls of Stone can be found on the western edge of the "island", the Ulduar raid to the northwest, and the Halls of Lightning to the northeast.

The small Alliance and Horde camps were replaced with a medium-sized camp named Copperpot Camp, run by human Chester Copperpot and guarded by Copperpot Goons — all level 80 elite humanoids of various races. A meeting stone is located just nearby.

To the southwest of the Halls of Stone lies the Temple of Wisdom.

It is possible to uncover this map segment without the use of flying by swimming along the coastline very closely to the shore.

Following the defeat of the Lich King, Orik Trueheart spent his time around Ulduar learning about Tyr, as he was the only titan keeper who fought Loken during his betrayal. He also found a vrykul saga describing a powerful shield Tyr crafted for his vrykul champion to carry into battle.^[5]

Legion

This section concerns content related to Legion.

Ulduar was thought to have been cleansed of the corruption that previously infested it, with the Earthen and Mechagnomes resuming command of the facility under the eyes of their Keepers. During the quest [10-45] The Diamond King, it is implied that Ulduar was normally meant to have visitors, with Visitor Information Representatives available for inquiries and curators posted to report if an area was not enterable due to repairs or maintenance. Visitors were even asked to fill out a Visitor Satisfaction Survey before they left.

During the Legion's third invasion of Azeroth, a group of demons broke into the facility intending to unearth information that would lead them to the Pillars of Creation. To make matters worse, the whispers of the previously defeated Old God Yogg-Saron were heard once more throughout the halls, and groups of N'raqi returned to Ulduar for an unknown purpose.

The Legion attacked Ulduar a second time to capture Hodir, and were fought off by the forces of the Valarjar.^[6]

An unknown entity time-traveled to Ulduar in order to tamper with and artificially age the titan locks holding Yogg-Saron in place, releasing the Old God forty millennia early. Vormu of the bronze dragonflight came too late to stop this modification of the timeline.^[7]

Battle for Azeroth

This section concerns content related to Battle for Azeroth.

Ulduar is still undergoing repairs. Brann and a dwarf adventurer traveled here to recruit Ignis the Furnace Master, who had been revived by the Keepers, to help reforge the armor of Madoran Bronzebeard.^[8]

Sections

Maps and subregions

Halls of Stone.
Halls of Lightning - First level.
Halls of Lightning - Second level.

Flight path connections

Dungeon denizens

Air elementals
Air revenants
Beetles (critters)
Clockwork giant (one, XT-002 Deconstructor)
Colossi
Constellar (one, Algalon the Observer)
Dwarf (one, Brann Bronzebeard)
Earthen
Faceless ones
Fire giant
Fire revenants
"Flame leviathan" (one, Flame Leviathan)
Golems
Iron dwarves
Iron giants
Iron vrykul
Lava elementals
Mechagnome (one, Mimiron)
Molten giants
Old God (one, Yogg-Saron)
Oozes and oozelings
Proto-dragon (one, Razorscale)
Rats (critters)
Sparks
Steam elementals
Titanic watchers
- Auriaya
- Freya
- Hodir
- Kologarn
- Thorim
Troggs

In the RPG

This section contains information from the Warcraft RPG which is considered non-canon.

Ulduar is located in the Storm Peaks and it is the storm giants' stronghold, however, they did not build it. It starts with the typical "Uld" in the name, and the architecture matches the design of two temples in Northrend and other ruins found elsewhere, so it can be assured Ulduar is a Titan city. This place might be a treasure trove of information on the Titans and their activities, so Brann Bronzebeard planned to send an expedition to inspect it properly. Ulduar is a mysterious subterranean realm of ice and stone.^[9]

Description

It is a great place but you would never know it from outside as it is completely hidden. The exterior looks like the other peaks: a jumble of rock and ice cut at angles only nature would have produced. The entrance is well-hidden and heavily guarded by those crystalline golems, but it is possible to sneak inside if you are clever enough.

Inside, Ulduar is a profusion of tunnels, stairs and balconies. For its looks, the entire place was carved out of a massive cave, and many of the levels are natural ledges. It has that feel, as if nature was improved upon rather than replaced or recreated. The surfaces are a strange mix of smooth and unaltered stone and ice, as when a master sculptor works in stone and lets the material's natural texture add depth and beauty. It shows where the dwarves got their skill in stonework, but judging by Ulduar they are still a long way from matching their creators.^[9]

History

Long ago the Titans lived in the Storm Peaks. They created Ulduar as their city, and from there they worked their experiments. The storm giants began here, and perhaps the dwarves and troggs as well. Then the Titans disappeared, leaving the races to survive on their own, so the storm giants decided to remain and claimed Ulduar as their own. There they developed crystalline golems to aid them in their research and to defend them. Over time the giants dwindled in number and grew ever more reclusive.^[9]

After a great battle between the black and green dragons ended and Crystalsong Forest was transformed, the storm giants decided to investigate the newly crystallized region. There they discovered that the crystals contained strong magic of their own, and began mining the forest for their own purposes so they created crystalline golems to handle the actual work, and left these creatures to defend the forest and carry crystals back to Ulduar.^[10]

The giants themselves are so few in number you can wander the halls of Ulduar without ever meeting one — which is probably for the best, since no one is supposed to gain entrance. From what they say, the giants are a dying race desperately avoiding their fate. They seem to think another race will vanquish them some day, and so they hide here rather than girding for battle. When the Lich King and the Scourge invaded Northrend, the storm giants, who might have been strong enough to stop him, hid away in the Storm Peaks and avoided all contact. They are too frightened to battle the undead, though they do not like them.^[9]^[11]