Wintergrasp: Why Horde and Alliance Fight There

The Horde and the Alliance fight in Wintergrasp over two things: a valuable mine and the titan relics kept in the Vault of Archavon, beneath the fortress. Whoever controls Wintergrasp Fortress controls access to that vault, and that is why the war there never stops.

This post tells the story of the zone. If you want to know what to do in the battle, the site already has the Wintergrasp guide for beginners and the summary of how Wintergrasp works. Here the focus is different: what this place is and why it is worth so much blood.

What is Wintergrasp in the story of WotLK?

Wintergrasp is a high plateau in west-central Northrend. It sits between Sholazar Basin, the Borean Tundra, Dragonblight and Icecrown. The official zone description says it looks down on the frozen plains of Dragonblight and the wilds of the Borean Tundra.

For a long time, no one touched it. Icy winds blew between the ancient titan fortifications scattered across the landscape. The Warcraft Wiki even classifies the zone as a titan complex. Then the Horde and the Alliance came to Northrend, and the peace of the plateau ended.

A curious detail: Wintergrasp was once the site of a huge lake, Lake Wintergrasp. Today what you see is a frozen plateau full of ruins.

| Who's who | Side | Role in Wintergrasp | | --- | --- | --- | | Warsong Offensive | Horde | Garrosh's army in Northrend; Commander Dardosh fights for it in the zone | | Valiance Expedition | Alliance | Bolvar's army in Northrend; Commander Zanneth fights for it in the zone | | Wintergrasp Fortress | Titans (later, whoever wins) | Central fortress that guards the entrance to the Vault | | Archavon, Emalon, Koralon and Toravon | Giants | Guardians of the relics inside the Vault | | Elementals and revenants | No one | Creatures that roam the plateau |

Why do the Horde and the Alliance fight over Wintergrasp?

There are two reasons, and both are on the wiki itself.

The first is material. Wintergrasp has a valuable mine, and both factions fight over it. In Northrend, every resource counts. The two sides are at war with the Scourge, but they do not trust each other either.

The second reason is much bigger. The fortress with its domed towers guards the entrance to the Vault of Archavon. According to the wiki, the vault holds titan relics of incalculable power, protected by ancient giants. For a faction at war, that is too tempting to leave in enemy hands.

That is why the fight does not stop even with the Lich King right there, in Icecrown. The Horde does not want the Alliance to get the relics. The Alliance thinks the same of the Horde.

Warsong Offensive vs Valiance Expedition

The troops fighting in Wintergrasp did not come out of nowhere. They are the same ones that landed in the Borean Tundra.

The Warsong Offensive is the Horde's main army in Northrend. Garrosh Hellscream commanded it from Warsong Hold. In Wintergrasp, the orc Commander Dardosh is affiliated with the Warsong Offensive and gives Horde players the quest "Slay them all!".

The Valiance Expedition is the Alliance's main army in Northrend, led by Bolvar Fordragon and headquartered at Valiance Keep. In Wintergrasp, the human Commander Zanneth stands at the Valiance Landing Camp, is affiliated with the Valiance Expedition and gives the quest "No Mercy for the Merciless".

In other words: the rivalry that starts in the tundra climbs the plateau and turns into open war. To understand how the two armies reached Northrend, read the story of the Borean Tundra. The camps of each side in Wintergrasp even carry their names: Warsong Camp and Valiance Landing Camp.

The Vault of Archavon and the four watchers

The Vault of Archavon is Wintergrasp's hidden treasure. For years there were rumors of an ancient titan vault beneath the fortress. The rumors were true.

Four giants live inside. The wiki says they see it as their duty to protect the artifacts and that they are bitter about the invasion by both sides. It does not matter if you are Horde or Alliance: to them, everyone is an intruder.

Each watcher has an element:

• Archavon the Stone Watcher: stone giant. He is the first, present since patch 3.0.2. The wiki describes him as hostile to all invaders.
• Emalon the Storm Watcher: iron giant, tied to storms. Arrived in patch 3.1.0.
• Koralon the Flame Watcher: fire giant. Arrived in patch 3.2.0.
• Toravon the Ice Watcher: ice giant. Arrived in patch 3.3.2, the last to join the giants of the Vault.

Their titles already show each one's theme: stone, storm, fire and ice.

A lore detail that shows up in the mechanics: watchers who are not in combat turn to stone 10 minutes before each Wintergrasp battle. It is as if the vault closes while, outside, the factions decide who gets in.

The wiki does not say who built the Vault, nor does it tell each giant's story. It only confirms that the place is titanic and that the relics belong to the titans. To understand what the titans left in Northrend, see Ulduar as a titan center.

If you want the practical side (bosses, mechanics and loot), it is all in the Vault of Archavon guide.

Wintergrasp Fortress: the key to the vault

Wintergrasp Fortress is the central objective of the zone. The wiki lists the titans, the Horde and the Alliance among its affiliations and classifies it as a titan installation. It does not say who built it.

The fortress has two layers of walls. The outer one has the gates. The inner one protects the keep. At the center is the Titan Relic, a large orange sphere that players call the Orb. Whoever touches it wins the battle.

Inside the walls there is a siege workshop, quest givers, the Wintergrasp quartermaster and the entrance to the Vault. There is also a portal to the Violet Citadel, in Dalaran. Learn more about the city in the Kirin Tor and Dalaran.

The battle of Wintergrasp in a few words

Wintergrasp was the first PvP zone outside a battleground in WoW. It applies even to PvE servers. This is just a summary, because the site's guides already explain the fight in detail.

• The battle happens roughly every 2h30. The defending side holds the fortress for 30 minutes.
• The attacker has to break through the walls and touch the Relic. If time runs out, the defender wins.
• Vehicles are built at the Goblin Workshops: Broken Temple, Sunken Ring, Eastspark Workshop and Westspark Workshop. Whoever holds more workshops can have more vehicles.
• There are three types of vehicle: Catapult, Demolisher and Siege Engine. To use one, you need rank. The Catapult requires Corporal. The Demolisher and the Siege Engine require First Lieutenant. Rank goes up with kills in the battle.
• In the south are the towers Flamewatch Tower, Shadowsight Tower and Winter's Edge Tower. Destroying all of them cuts 10 minutes from the timer.

A fun fact: the WotLK box promised aerial combat in Wintergrasp. It never made it into the game. Tom Chilton, from Blizzard, said the falls were "a bit silly".

If you like open PvP, also see world PvP in Northrend.

What else the plateau holds

The war is not the only thing alive in Wintergrasp. Elementals roam several areas of the zone. They drop Crystallized Earth, Fire, Water, Shadow, Air and Life.

There are also the revenants, which always drop elements. They only appear for the faction that controls the fortress. In other words, winning the battle even changes what you see on the map.

The regions have names that match these creatures: Cauldron of Flames, Forest of Shadows, Glacial Falls and Steppe of Life. The rotating weekly quests send players right to these areas.

And there is more. Frost Lotus only grows in Wintergrasp. And Northrend bosses drop Stone Keeper's Shards only for the faction that controls the zone.

Where to see it in WotLK

• Getting there: in Dalaran there is a portal to Wintergrasp for each faction. Since patch 3.2.0, you join the queue when you try to enter the zone or by talking to a Wintergrasp Battlemaster in the capitals. You must be level 75 or higher.
• Flying: since patch 3.2.0, you can fly over the zone if you keep enough altitude. Anyone who tries to land to join the battle is removed.
• Horde: Commander Dardosh (Warsong Offensive) gives "Slay them all!". Other weeklies: "Toppling the Towers" and "Victory in Wintergrasp".
• Alliance: Commander Zanneth (Valiance Expedition), at the Valiance Landing Camp, gives "No Mercy for the Merciless". Other weeklies: "Southern Sabotage" and "Victory in Wintergrasp".
• Rotating weeklies: "Bones and Arrows" (Forest of Shadows), "Fueling the Demolishers" (Cauldron of Flames), "A Rare Herb" / "Healing with Roses" (Steppe of Life) and "Warding the Warriors" / "Warding the Walls" / "Jinxing the Walls" (Glacial Falls).
• Vault of Archavon: entrance inside Wintergrasp Fortress. A 10- and 25-player raid, open only to the faction that controls the zone.

Still leveling? Wintergrasp is endgame content. Before that, work through the leveling zones with the help of how to reach level 80 in less time. For the context of the whole expansion, go back to the Wrath of the Lich King lore hub.

Frequently asked questions

Why is Wintergrasp contested?

Because of a valuable mine and, above all, the Vault of Archavon. The vault holds titan relics. Whoever controls the fortress controls access to it.

Who built Wintergrasp Fortress?

The wiki does not say. It classifies the fortress as a titan installation and lists the titans among its affiliations. The Horde and the Alliance only occupy it after winning the battle.

Who are Archavon, Emalon, Koralon and Toravon?

They are the four giants who guard the relics of the Vault of Archavon. Archavon is made of stone, Emalon is made of iron and tied to storms, Koralon is made of fire and Toravon is made of ice. They hate both sides.

Who fights in Wintergrasp for the Horde and the Alliance?

For the Horde, the Warsong Offensive, represented by Commander Dardosh. For the Alliance, the Valiance Expedition, represented by Commander Zanneth. They are the same armies that arrived through the Borean Tundra.

Does Wintergrasp have aerial combat?

No. The WotLK box promised aerial combat, but the idea was cut before launch. The battle is fought with siege vehicles on the ground.