Northwatch Hold

Northwatch Hold (or Northwatch Keep)Cycle of Hatred, chapter 3 is a massive Alliance fortress located between the Merchant Coast in the Southern Barrens and Dustwallow Marsh. Following years of destructive warfare, it is one of the most important Alliance bases left in Kalimdor.
Northwatch's location is strategic, blocking the coastal approaches to Dustwallow from the north, forcing any Horde assault to travel south and navigate the marshes if they wanted to reach Theramore Isle before its destruction. Nowadays, Northwatch is still important as a human foothold inside Horde territory. The large naval base is known for its massive walls, gates and its various facilities, such as an archery range, stables, a mage tower, a blacksmith, tents, and two scout towers at the top of the mountain which the fort is located upon. The Hold had its own scrying stone for quick communication with Theramore.
==History==
===Third War===
Northwatch Hold was built right after the Battle of Mount Hyjal by Alliance survivors. Because of its position inside what was then considered neutral territory, it turned into a source of mistrust between orcs and humans, despite the temporary peace after Hyjal. That distrust turned to bloodshed soon enough, when Grand Admiral Daelin Proudmoore arrived to Kalimdor and used the keep as his strongholdCycle of Hatred, chapter 17 to further his mission to root out the Horde.World of Warcraft: Exploring Azeroth: Kalimdor, pg. 138 The orcs fought and defeated his Kul Tiran forces there.Cycle of Hatred, chapter 1: "We should leave Northwatch," the merchant said. "The Barrens are neutral territory, that was agreed to from the beginning." The soldier stiffened. "You're crazy if you think we're givin' that up." Margoz said, "That is where the orcs fought Admiral Proudmoore."Old Hatreds Tidefury Cove events
After Daelin's death in Theramore Isle, Northwatch Hold was retaken by the Theramore Guard and became once again an essential part of their defenses. Jaina Proudmoore wasn't pleased by the Hold's continued presence but was under considerable pressure to keep it manned despite her stance on war and her personal friendship with Warchief Thrall.Cycle of Hatred, chapter 2
===Cycle of Hatred===
For the next three years, the Hold stayed under command of Major Davin. It harbored a convoy ship helmed by Captain Avinal and who patrolled the waters between there and Ratchet.Cycle of Hatred, chapter 4 Tensions were then still running high with the orcs about Northwatch being so close to the borders of Durotar. The Burning Blade cult's manipulations worsened things even further, and at some point Northwatch footmen started escorting even civilian ships such as the Passion's Reward. Captain Joq's arrest by the bruisers of Ratchet led Major Davin to think an orcish invasion was imminent and to request more reinforcements.Cycle of Hatred, chapter 11 His request was heard by Chamberlain Kristoff, who sent him more than twenty boats and than four hundred soldiers, including Theramore's Elite Guard, all under the command of Colonel Lorena and her senior staff.Cycle of Hatred, chapter 13 The Horde, on its side, sent more than six hundred footsoldiers and a fleet of dozens of boats carrying more orcs and trolls to battle.Cycle of Hatred, chapter 19
This all led to Burx's orcs and Davin's human armies clashing here after Burx tried to force the humans out. Thrall ended the battle by revealing Burx's secret allegiance to the Burning Blade and then ending his life.Cycle of Hatred, chapter 23 Shortly after that, Major Davin handed his letter of resignation, ending his tenure as commandant of Northwatch Hold.Cycle of Hatred, epilogue
===World of Warcraft===
The inhabitants of Northwatch were friendly towards the Alliance but the area had no civilian amenities there, featuring no vendors, trainers, or quests for adventurers.
The eastern tower was then home of Cannoneer Smythe while Cannoneer Whessan resided in the western tower. There was also a captured high elf, Gilthares Firebough, chained to an iron ball in the central tower, seeking help and rescue from his crew. At the top of this tower resided Captain Fairmount, new leader of Northwatch Hold.
Captain Thalo'thas Brightsun hired Horde adventurers to kill Fairmount and some of her crew for attacking his fleet.The Guns of Northwatch (Classic)
===Cataclysm===
The day before the Cataclysm, Alliance forces streamed out of Northwatch and marched up the Gold Road, besieging Crossroads as dusk fell. Then, in the heart of the night, they force-marched southward, leaving their campfires burning behind in order to surprise attack Honor's Stand at dawn's first light.Kilrok Gorehammer#Quotes After the Cataclysm, Northwatch expeditionary forces reached as far as Durotar and the Stonetalon Mountains, but eventually the Horde forces of the Rageroar clan attacked back and besieged the hold itself.
Despite now boasting a variety of facilities to be used by Alliance adventurers, including vendors, an inn, and other such aids, the hold itself has actually been hit rather hard. The lower reaches of the base have been destroyed and are contested by the orcs, who have set up their own base not too far away, and are attacking from the sea as well. The central tower has been damaged heavily, with Captain Fairmount gone missing and leaving command under Admiral Aubrey's hands.
In addition to the danger posed by Karga Rageroar's forces, the supply lines of the fort are not safe as its couriers and caravans are also attacked by the local wildlife.Scavenged Despite this, Ambassador Gaines briefly stopped at Northwatch after his unfortunate experience in the Overgrowth,A Failure to Communicate and Taurajo Looters were sent to the Northwatch brig by General Hawthorne.Clap 'Em In Irons
===Tides of War===
During the Alliance-Horde war, Northwatch Hold was utterly destroyed in a surprise attack by the Horde and their subjugated molten giants.Jaina Proudmoore: Tides of War, chapter 9 The event came to be known as the "Razing of Northwatch Hold".Jaina Proudmoore: Tides of War, chapter 11 Kalecgos observed the orcs building up their armies there for a push on Theramore Isle; Jaina Proudmoore noted that any human survivors would likely have fled to Fort Triumph.Jaina Proudmoore: Tides of War, chapter 10 Later on the Alliance fleet, under the command of Varian Wrynn, attacked the Horde presence in the area. After their victory, the King of Stormwind announced that the standard of the Alliance would fly once more over Northwatch Hold.Jaina Proudmoore: Tides of War, chapter 27
===Mists of Pandaria===
During the Darkspear Rebellion, some Northwatch Caravan Leaders were seen exporting supplies from the Northern Barrens.
===Battle for Azeroth===
Having now been rebuilt, Northwatch came under attack once again by the Rageroar clan during the Fourth War, this time using battleships. Consequently, Northwatch Hold turned their cannons against them to remove the blockade.The Defense of Northwatch Hold In order to counter the Northwatch Hold's firepower, the Horde installed goblin :Azerite cannons on the northern shore of the Great Divide.Blockade of Northwatch
==Travel connections==
===Flight paths===
; Ratchet, Northern Barrens
; Fort Triumph, Southern Barrens
; Honor's Stand, Southern Barrens
; Theramore Isle, Dustwallow Marsh
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==In the RPG==
Northwatch Hold is one of two Alliance positions held in the Barrens, the other being Bael Modan. Grim forces — soldiers loyal to Jaina Proudmoore's father Admiral Daelin Proudmoore — man the Hold, much like Tiragarde Keep in Durotar. Due to the events following the Third War and Jaina's decision to forge an alliance with the orcs, which eventually resulted in Admiral Proudmoore's death, the soldiers here harbor a hatred of the Horde and attack its people and outposts often. It is important to note that Jaina Proudmoore openly opposes their actions, which causes strife in the area's Alliance politics.Lands of Mystery, pg. 29
==Notes==
*Gilthares Firebough, the high elven prisoner who gave the quest to Horde players to free him from the Hold, was commonly thought to have been removed from the Hold as of Cataclysm. In actuality, pathing errors had caused him to appear under the now-damaged central tower he was once imprisoned in. At some point, this was fixed, as Gilthares now sits in the center of the tower, but doesn't do anything anymore.
*In Cycle of Hatred, the Hold was described to contain a small watch office and an infirmary.
*This area was planned to be available in the Southern Barrens warfront.
*In the Founding of Durotar chapter Old Hatreds, Admiral Proudmoore's castle was said to be located on Tidefury Cove, threatening Orgrimmar and Durotar with a full-scale ground assault. However, World of Warcraft changed the Barrens/Dustwallow Marsh geography and Cycle of Hatred later retconned that the orcs fought Daelin in Northwatch Hold instead.
*Jaina's mentioned pressure about having to keep Nortwhatch manned could either have come from her own military, or from the main Eastern Kingdoms Alliance, seeing as her Chamberlain Kristoff told her that their allies would launch a major invasion if she failed to keep the orcs in check.
==Gallery==
;Warcraft III
Old Hatreds - Tidefury Cove - Kul Tiran base.jpg|The defenses of Northwatch.
Kul Tiran base Tidefury Cove - Reforged.jpg|The defenses of Northwatch in Warcraft III: Reforged.
Old Hatreds - Tidefury Cove - Castle.jpg|Proudmoore's Castle
Admiral castle.png|Proudmoore's Castle in Reforged.
==Patch changes==
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==References==
==External links==
Classic	Cataclysm	Warfront
 	 	
Category:Alliance settlements
Category:Forts
Category:Camps
Category:Harbors
Category:Northwatch Expeditionary Unit
Category:Jaina Proudmoore: Tides of War
Category:Elite areas
Category:Lands of Mystery