I have been mostly exploring all open regions of Northrend in the past two days and have loads of screenshots to show you in upcoming days, along with videos. Keep checking Blizzplanet for new updates. This news article focus mostly on those famous NPCs, from a lore standpoint, that have shown up in Northrend thus far. I might be missing a few, since my character is Horde, but don’t worry.

High General Abbendis was co-founder of the Scarlet Crusade shortly after Prince Arthas disbanded the Order of the Silver Hand and after the death of Uther the Lightbringer. Abbendis used to be at Tyr’s Hand, but has continued her agenda against the Scourge straight at the heart of the illness by raising a new stand against Arthas the Lich King at the southeast area of Dragonflight in New Hearthglen. The Scarlet Crusade zealots under her command are now known as Onslaught. (image)

Shade of Arugal is famous since the early lvl 20 runs through Shadowfang Keep in Silverpine Forest. Shade of Arugal may be found in Northrend on the Bloodmoon Isle at the eastern shore of Grizzly Hills.  You may find him at the top of the Shadowfang Tower. The isle is full of cultists and Worgen. These mysterious cultists wear shamanistic clothing, clawed-gauntlets, and a wolf-mask. When the Worgen die, their corpses revert back to a Cultist. (image)

Orsonn is the son of Ursoc—the huge twin bear that fought alongside other ancients during the War of the Ancients. The cave southwest of Grizzlemaw in Grizzly Hills (View map) is known as the Rage Fang Shrine. (image)

Garrosh Hellscream is the son of Grom Hellscream. He was formerly at Garadar in Nagrand.  He is now taking the war to the Lich King assisting Thrall’s Warsong Offensive team in Northrend. You can find Garrosh at the Warsong Hold in the Borean Tundra. (image)

High Overlord Saurfang is famous for being the brother of Broxigar who died as a hero fighting the Burning Legion and striking Sargeras with an enchanted Axe given to him by Cenarius. You can read about Broxigar in Warcraft: War of the Ancients Trilogy if you haven’t read the books. Saurfang is well known for other matters, and used in in-game jokes about being uber. (image)

Kel’Thuzad is known for betraying the Kirin Tor of Dalaran by serving the Lich King as a necromancer, and later as a lich risen by King Arthas at the Sunwell. Kel’Thuzad was last seen in the Naxxramas dungeon, but he is not quiet dead yet. There is a quest south of the Garrosh’s Landing area southwest of the Borean Tundra that gives you a Siege weapon (catapult) to fight legions of Ghouls, abominations and skeletons that Kel’Thuzad summons to crush you. You can find Kel’Thuzad southwest of Warsong Hold. Be very careful, he continuously summons new minions, and it is hard to ride through without getting dismounted and pwned. (image)

Deathwing’s Lair has been a mystery sought by lore scholars. Well, this is it finally. While exploring the Dragonblight, I found Maw of Neltharion—a cave with the well-known lava pits. This could be just one of his many lairs. The Cult of the Damned is attacking the black flight in this cave. You can see a black drake corpse outside of the cave with three Cult of the Damned NPCs casting on it for a ritual. Inside the cave are a lot of NPCs. At the end of the cave is Rothin the Decaying (Cult of the Damned) he is either casting on a giant skeleton or subduying a black dragon that can be barely seen submerged inside the lava.  It is named Magmawyrm. You can find the Maw of Neltharion in the western area of the Dragonblight (straight south of Fordragon Hold). (image)

Ysera the Dreamer was a nice touch and one find that made me smile. I wasn’t expecting to find her in Northrend and my eyes popped wide-open. She can be found in the Emerald Dragonshrine at the very south-center of the Dragonblight map. That green patch of land west of the New Hearthglen. (image)

Griswold is not a famous Warcraft character, but for those who played Diablo 1 (Read More about Griswold the Blacksmith), there is an easter egg in Dalaran. An NPC is named Griswold Hunderland (Plate Armor Merchant). (image)

Father Inigo Montoy is back in Northrend, but not as we left him in Light’s Hope (Eastern Plaguelands). He gave you the quest [70] The Fall of Kel’Thuzad to bring Kel’Thuzad’s Phylactery from Naxxramas (above Stratholme).  Now MrDaedalus reports he did never give the phylactery to the Argent Dawn. Rumors from the Deathknight class quests say Inigo gave the phylactery to the Lich King. Father Inigo Montoy is now a new lich named Tel’zan the Duskbringer. This may explain how Kel’Thuzad is back in Borean Tundra. Thanks, MrDaedalus.

Muradin is shown in one of the Deathknight class quests where you see a live replay of how Prince Arthas and Muradin find Frostmourne.  Muradin is struck in the head by a flying debris of the ice encasing Frostmourne.  After Prince Arthas left the place, you see Muradin stand up all confused and dizzy saying: “Wh-who am I?”—making it clear that Muradin is alive and amnesic somewhere in the world. Thanks, MrDaedalus.

Archmage Modera is one of the archmages of the Kirin Tor only shown in the pocket books. She makes the jump to in-game NPCs roster from the Warcraft pocket books lore. She has been in Warcraft: Day of the Dragon and World of Warcraft: Beyond the Dark Portal. You can find her at Star’s Rest in Dragonblight as an Image projection and most likely at the Dalaran Palace which at the moment of this article is unaccessible in the current closed beta build. Dalaran can be accessed, but not the main palace where the Kirin Tor and Rhonin are supposed to be at. (image)

Admiral Barean Westwind is one of the statues at the Scarlet Monastery Armory by Herod (The Scarlet Champion). The statue’s sign says Grand Admiral of the Scarlet Fleet. Citizen of Kul’Tiras. Lost off the Frozen Coast of Northrend. Well, Admiral Barean Westwind is alive and kicking serving High General Abbendis at New Hearthglen in the Dragonblight. Thanks, Handclaw.