From wow.incgamers.com

Contents 1 Introduction 2 Lore 3 The Dungeon 4 Encounters 4.1 The Forge 4.2 Prince Keleseth 4.3 The Dragon Pens 4.4 Skarvald the Constructor 4.5 Ingvar the Plunderer 4.6 Dungeon Design 4.7 Concept Art

Introduction

The serene trip by boat into Daggercap Bay stands in sharp contrast to the scene at your final destination, the besieged town of Valgarde. As the boat comes to a stop at last, you find yourself in a town under siege. Enraged vrykul charge the town’s defenders, overwhelming them with their sheer size and savagery. Buildings catch fire and burn before your eyes, and the cries of battle mingle with the shrieks of the proto-dragons flying low overhead. Despite the chaos, your eyes are drawn to the massive stone edifice dominating your view -- Utgarde. As you gaze upon the twin skull visages on the façade that leer out upon Daggercap Bay, you feel a shiver run down your spine that has nothing to do with the frosty air.... - Blizzard

Utgarde Keep will be the first dungeon that players who arrive in Northrend will attempt. Located in Howling Fjord, the fortress looms over the vista from its lofty position, built into the side of a immense mountain. Utgarde Keep actually contains three dungeons in total; Utgarde Keep the 5 man level 70 - 72 instance, Utgarde Pinnacle the level 80 5 man instance, and a 10/25 man raid, which is yet to be revealed.

Lore

Something which a lot of players felt was lacking in The Burning Crusade was believable Lore. Blizzard were keen to make sure this didn't happen again with Wrath of the Lich King.

In regards to Utgarde, the backstory there is based on the Vrykul. Amongst other things, they are digging a tunnel from Utgarde to Gjalerbron, which is another part of Northrend. Since the Vrykul consider themselves above such things as digging, they have enlisted the scourge to do the work for them, which explains the presence of Prince Keleseth, the first boss in Utgarde Keep, Scourge ambassador to the Vrykul.

The next boss players come across is Skarvald the Constructor, together with Dalronn the Controller. Skarvald and Dalronn are probably in charge of the digging, as they are found in a tunnel near to a group of Ghould. They fight as a pair when aggroed.

Invar the Plunderer is the last boss to be tackled in Utgarde Keep, and he can be seen well before engagement, ordering his troops of Vrykul to attack targets below. He is the one behind all the Vrykul attacks.

The Dungeon

Utgarde Keep is similar to the Hellfire Citadel, in that it is the first dungeon that most players will attempt once they have reached the new continent. Another similarity is that it is also the site of 2 other dungeons, Utgarde Pinnacle, which is a 5 man dungeon for level 80 players, and a 10/25 man raid.

This dungeon is for 5 players, level 68 - 72. Blizzard have said groups should be able to battle through this dungeon pretty quickly, which is of paramount importance for levelling encounters such as this. Players can expect to take up to an hour on the first attempt of this instance, but it can be done easily in 30 minutes by a group of 5 experienced level 70 players.

It is also located very close to both the Horde and Alliance's starting areas in Howling Fjord, Vengeance Landing and Valgarde, so is easily accessible for new-comers.

Encounters

Once inside, players will face the fierce Vrykul, Viking-like half giant warriors who, as well as residing inside the Keep, have begun raiding Alliance and Horde bases across Howling Fjord. Accompanying the Vrykul are their mounts, the Proto-Dragons, as well as numerous Scourge.

The Forge

The first thing players have to deal with when entering Utgarde Catacombs is The Forge. Stunning new graphical effects show fire blasting from the forge, creating a wall of flame that can not be passed through. Groups must defeat bands of Vrykul, who are fuelling the flames. Once a group of forge workers have been defeated, the particular wall of flames they were maintaining will die, allowing safe passage through.

Prince Keleseth

The first boss in Utgarde Catacombs, Prince Keleseth is located soon after the Forge. The fight is not unlike the Baron Rivendare encounter in Stratholme, as Keleseth periodically summons groups of undead enemies to aid him during the fight.

Click her to see Prince Keleseth's Loot Table.

The Dragon Pens

Here are the stables of the Proto-Dragons, the Vrykul's mounts. It features an open ceiling which shines varying amounts of light through, depending on the time of day. The Proto-Dragons can be seen circling the sky above the dungeon through the open roof.

Skarvald the Constructor

The Vrykul boss Skarvald the Constructor, who fights alongside necromancer Dalronn the Controller, is the second boss players will come across. Players must take on the pair before reaching the rest of the Utgarde Keep instance. When the fight begins, both Skarvald and Dalronn will agro. When one dies, a spirit version of them appears that has a random agro table, therefore players should try to kill them at roughly the same time, however, with focussed DPS from a group of level 70s, both foes go down quickly enough.

Click her to see Skarvald the Constructor's Loot Table.

Ingvar the Plunderer

This area leads to the final boss, possibly Ingvar the Plunderer. The boss encounter takes place high above the Keep on the Balcony. From this vantage point it is possible to see Daggercap Bay, Valgarde and the waterfall, which is close-by. Also, watch the mounts of the Vrykul attacking targets below.

Click her to see Ingvar the Plunderer Loot Table.

Dungeon Design

A step-by-step guide to how the designers make up the fantastic end result:

Geometry

Textured

Doodads

Finished Product

Concept Art

Entrance to the Catacombs	Utgarde Keep	The approach to the Keep	Battlements
Inside Utgarde Catacombs	Leading to the final Boss?	The Balcony	The Dragon Pens
The Forge	Utgarde Hallway