Jormungar

A jormungar in the Borean Tundra.

Jormungar concept art.

Jormungar by Red Knuckle, colored version of the above art.

Jormungar are creatures that can be encountered in Northrend in World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King. They have muscular, flattened bodies with rows of crystalline spines along either flank. They are known to easily burrow through hard snow and ice.

From the official  WorldOfWarcraft.com Wrath of the Lich King — Bestiary:

The fiercely aggressive jormungar are a marvel of evolution, possessing rows of chisel-like teeth capable of boring through solid rock, as well as muscular, flattened bodies well adapted to rapid underground navigation.

Legends tell of the nerubians' using the jormungar as creatures of labor, forcing them to carve massive tunnels through Northrend's subterranean ice and lay the groundwork for the nerubians' ancient civilization. With the fall of the nerubian empire, swarms of rogue jormungar ran amok, drilling through the region's permafrost, attacking surface dwellers, and devouring everything in their path.

According to the Vrykul Astrid Bjornrittar the Jormungar are the children of the titanic watcher Loken. Further legends tell of the nerubians' using the jormungar as creatures for burrowing.

A massive jormungar the size of Veranus attacked the group of Frostborn dwarves who had found Muradin Bronzebeard close to death. After swallowing a dwarf whole, the dwarves began to fear. Muradin despite his wounds became an Avatar and threw his hammer at the beast, killing it, and nearly taking its head off.

A group of jormungar are eating the mountain giants of the Crystal Vice. Some jormungar are tamed by the earthen to fight the Iron Colossus.

Notable jormungar

•  Acidmaw
•  Dreadscale
•  Jormuttar
•  Rattlebore
•  Yggdras

Types

•  Deep Jormungar
•  Disembodied Jormungar
•  Hulking Jormungar
•  Hungry Jormungar
•  Ice Heart Jormungar Feeder
•  Ice Heart Jormungar Spawn
•  Infesting Jormungar
•  Jormungar Behemoth
•  Jormungar Tunneler
•  Jormungar Worm
•  Massive Jormungar
•  Ravenous Jormungar
•  Roaming Jormungar
•  Snowdrift Jormungar
•  Snow Worm
•  Tamed Jormungar
•  Winter Jormungar
•  Yggdras Worm

Myth

The name is a reference to or inspired by the World Serpent of Nordic mythology, Jörmungandr, which was said to be so large that its tail had to be stuffed into its mouth to prevent it growing larger than the world. Jörmungandr was one of the three children of Loki, the mischievous Aesir God of Nordic mythology. In the quest Quest:The Slithering Darkness, the quest giver says that the jormungar are the children of Loken, whose name is inspired by Loki.

Speculation

 This article or section includes speculation, observations or opinions possibly supported by lore or by Blizzard officials.*

It is speculated (given the carvings on the pillars around Uldum) that this worm, or one like it, escaped from the Uldum complex in Tanaris. The door to the complex seems to have a giant hole in it, sticking outward.

• There are several holes with this theory now that more information on the worms is available from the official website. Firstly, it is said that there are many jormungar and they have been around since the early days of the nerubians. Second, they are native to Northrend. Last, but not least, it is stated they are able to effortlessly bore through solid rock and ice. It would make no sense to attempt to hold jorumungar in a stone prison. They would simply tunnel their way out.

See also

• Lava worm
• Rock borer
• Sand worm