Postcards from Caius – First look at Howling Fjord

 Hello again.   Zyrena here today.   My cousin,Caius, left for Northrend a while ago and he’s been sending back pictures of things that he found interesting.   I thought it may be nice to share some of them with you so that you can see what some of the areas up there are like.   So every now and then, we will include a set of his pictures so we can all enjoy his travels together.   Sarra and I have been going through the packages and thought we’d start at the beginning of the journey to one of the ports of entry to Northrend.

Menethil Harbor is out in the Wetlands of The Eastern Kingdoms.   Nice place if you like crocolisks, gnolls and raptors apparently.   Caius complained bitterly about them and the dampness.   He did, however, say he really liked the harbor.   The picture he sent is very beautiful.   He also noted that the people, for the most part, are friendly as long as you are careful in the tavern.   There are two docks here.   One has a ship that travels back and forth to Theramore in Kalimdor and the other, the one of particular interest to us today is where the icebreaker Northspear docks when coming in from or departing for Howling Fjord in Northrend.

The journey across the sea is very easy according to Caius.   He hardly noticed the time passing until the chill of the north started to penetrate the hull.   He says the time seemed to slow down at that point.   Personally, I think he just needs to stop worrying about how his robes match his belt and get something warmer to wear up there.

As he neared the coast, he noted some of the local wildlife that seemed to be having a better time with the temperature than one certain poor Draenei priest.

The fjord that is the entrance to Valgarde was impressive.   Caius said the icebreaker handled the wild currents with no indication that she felt them at all.   Such a large ship, built to handle the ice of the northern waters, rode the froth and turbulant currents with ease.

The small fjord that the Northspear travels to go in and out of the harbor is winding and the walls are so close in places that Caius said they almost scraped the hull.   Apparently the defences of this harbor are unconventional and harsh.   I never would have believed the story Caius sent us if he had not included a picture.

Apparently there are great barbed chains hanging in the channel that can grasp an enemy ship and hoist it up the very cliffs, there to be left to the mercy of the defenders.   I am unclear as to who the defenders are exactly, as the ship in the picture looks like the ships I have seen in Booty Bay, Theramore and Stormwind. But I know that the Bloodsail also use ships of similar configuration.

Caius noted that the wildlife is different in Northrend.   I guess because it’s colder there the animals have adapted in different ways to their environment than they have here in the more southern climates.   One picture he sent to me was of hammerhead sharks.   I’ve seen such things before, but they were not as big nor as bold as these specimens seem to be.  

As the Northspear pulled into the harbor at Valgarde, Caius said he was startled to find the enemy so close and actually attacking Valgarde.   He took a picture of what he thought was an interesting village on the way into the docks, only to find out later that it is occupied by a race of very large people calling themselves “Dragonflayers”.   These large warriors are using worgs and dragons to attack Valgarde from the neighboring village, Wyrmskull.

The people of Valgarde are doing everything they can to hold off the attackers long enough to create a rallying point for new arrivals in the area.   The repair crews are at work night and day to keep up with the damage.

Not everything in Valgarde has been left in ruins.   But this is due to the monumental efforts of the repair crews and the defenders who work in shifts round the clock to keep their little foothold in Howling Fjord.   Along with them are the dockworkers, quartermasters, field medics and others all giving everything they can to keep Valgarde on the map.   Caius was greatly impressed by the efforts of this fine group.   He sent too many pictures to post here, but we have selected one to give you an idea of what Valgarde actually “feels” like.

And ever curious about the livestock of the area, Caius couldn’t resist commenting on the fact that turkeys seem to be everywhere in Valgarde….I have to say it…Takes one to know one

That’s all we have for now.   But sometime soon we will post another of Caius’ packets to show you a little more of the frozen north.   Until then, keep well and talk to you soon.

–Zy and Sarra

Tags: Howling Fjord, Northrend, Valgarde, WoW, Wyrmskull