Nexus, a fanmade expansion idea. Discussion thread

[Golden Yak]

Maps look great as always Azalar. Both look like they have some really spooky areas!

Have you had a chance to listen to the audio drama Thousand Year War? Has it had any effects on your story regarding the new insights into Light and Void?

[Azalar]

Maps look great as always Azalar. Both look like they have some really spooky areas!

Have you had a chance to listen to the audio drama Thousand Year War? Has it had any effects on your story regarding the new insights into Light and Void?

Thank you Yak!

Yes! I've listened to the audio drama. It has had its effects, yeah. We'll have the chance to see personally how the Light isn't as good as it appears to be. And how Void isn't as bad either. The colliding of Light and Void is the ultimate threat, though!

[Aeluron Lightsong]

Thank you Yak!

Yes! I've listened to the audio drama. It has had its effects, yeah. We'll have the chance to see personally how the Light isn't as good as it appears to be. And how Void isn't as bad either. The colliding of Light and Void is the ultimate threat, though!

Don't trust the Locus Walker(Probably should put him in Twofold Light).

[Azalar]

Don't trust the Locus Walker(Probably should put him in Twofold Light).

He's definitely gonna be around. I loved his character as soon I met him!

[Nyel]

After Argus and 7.3 I really don't want an Ethereals / Void / Space expansion anytime soon (although you're concept is very good! Keep up the great work).

[Azalar]

After Argus and 7.3 I really don't want an Ethereals / Void / Space expansion anytime soon (although you're concept is very good! Keep up the great work).

Exactly, this concept isn't conceived to happen anytime soon. It's rather one in the future where Blizz would let me do things as I wanted without dealing too much with ongoing lore.

[Magistrate]

I mean, it works fairly well in Guild Wars 2.

And Torchlight, and Elder Scrolls.

[Azalar]

I've written a little bit more about lore! This time it's some love for Velath'nul. Soon there'll be more info on the new artifact system. As always, I try not to bloat any post much with text. I prefer to be rather simple xD

Velath’nul is a place of wonder, a conglomerate of voidwarped zones that challenge the very fabric of reality.

Some of the areas to be found in Velath’nul are the following:

· The Extinct’s Repose

The Void War ripped all living beings off one of the few lush zones to be found in K’aresh, a small jungly region hidden between mountains blessed with an oasis. There lived a tribe who worshipped a mysterious deity they would call Ulvasar.

Ulvasar manifested one day before the shamans of the tribe. It bestowed the blessing of the Void upon them. The vision of an infinity of fates, the quantum of multiple truths would lead the shamans to spread the words of madness. In time, the whole tribe would eventually fall under Ulvasar’s influence.

The tribe conceived Dimensius’ apocalypse as an ascension instead of their extinction, and would happily be torn apart by the Void. The hollow molten shadow husks of the Ulvasari walk as mindless incorporeal creatures of the Void through their jungle.

· Ruins of Qu-Rhad

One of the first Ethereal hometowns to fall to the Void. Shattered in a number of floating islands to the southeast edge of Velath’nul, Qu-Rhad once stood as a blooming trading city in the desert. Traders came and went, often selling rare technological pieces released from the nearby Complex of Velath’nul.

Nowadays, the restless voidtorn souls of its inhabitants still linger in the place, echoing and wailing into the infinity of the Twisting Nether longing for respite that may never come.

[Azalar]

Updating this a bit!

I've added a new feature. Cyphers! An alternate approach to Artifact Weapons in Legion without AP and quest/story based. They feature a smaller progression line than artifacts, but have a greater impact in actual gameplay (some more than others) and you can have access to more than one Cypher. I want them to be tied to the story (both past and present) of K'aresh and develop them from there. Here are some examples (traits are mostly placeholders and numbers are orientative). I recommend reading about them here, as the forum isn't really friendly for formatting these.

At this stage I'm more interested in hearing your opinion on flavor texts/microstories and overall first impressions. So any thoughts are welcome <3

[The Cursed Idol of Ulvasar] – Attuned for Shamans.

“Ulvasar first claimed their prayers. Then their mind. Then their soul. Then their life. Then…”

Equip: The elemental energies you harness to ascend are twisted by Ulvasar’s influence, magnifying their power. [Ascension] has increased functionality.
Unlocked traits: Become attuned to Ulvasar’s cursed embrace and further grasp his increasing power. This cypher brings on some additional buffs to the Shaman’s

[Ascension]. Here are some sample traits.
[Ascendant’s Rage]: While in [Ascension], the Shaman’s critical damage and critical healing is increased by 50%.
[Endless Hunger]: While in [Ascension], the Shaman’s haste is increased by 20%.
[Dark Lust]: The Shaman’s damage and healing while in [Ascension] is increased by 1.25% every second, up to 25%.
[Forbidden Ritual]: The Shaman is able to move while casting during [Ascension].

[The Edict of Na’karat] – Attuned for Retribution Paladins.

“Although the teachings of Na’karat gave many a faith to live by, who Na’karat was remains one of K’aresh greatest mysteries.”

Base effect: Your main skills have a chance to grant one of three Words of Na’karat: Freedom, Truth and Passion.
[Word of Na’karat: Freedom]: Increases Haste by x.
[Word of Na’karat: Passion]: Increases Critical Strike by x.
[Word of Na’karat: Hope]: Increases Mastery by x.

Unlocked traits: Unravel the teachings of Na’karat and relish in the [Glory of Na’karat], an ability that can only be used if all three Words of Na’karat are active. Unleash the power of all three words, releasing a burst of light in the target area location that deals massive damage to enemies and heals allies for a great amount. After unleashing its power, the Paladin or Priest gains a buff called Glory of Na’karat, which amplifies their secondary stats by an amount depending on how effective [Glory of Na’karat] was.

[What Lies Beneath] – Attuned for Shadow Priests.

“Few dare to dabble in the void, but even fewer dare to become one with it. Only then will you understand what lies beneath.” – Locus Walker

Equip: The Priest’s [Void Eruption] deals 400% increased damage, refreshes all damage over time effect durations and has no cast time.
Unlocked traits: Delve further into the Void and grasp the unknown, gaining extra Insanity pool, slower Insanity drain and more ability depth while in [Voidform]. Some sample traits are the following:
[Cross the Void]: Insanity will not be drained while under silence or control impairing effects as long as the Priest is in [Voidform].
[Growing Madness]: Re-entering [Voidform] with active stacks of [Lingering Insanity] increases the Priest’s maximum Insanity pool by 10 per stack remaining for the duration of that [Voidform]. This effect may ramp up over time.
[Unyielding Taint]: [Void Bolt] increases the damage of the next [Void Bolt] within 4 sec by 5%. This effect stacks.
[Whispers of Manyfold Truths]: Gain 0.5% critical hit chance and 1% critical damage per stack of [Voidform].
[Void Entropy]: Insanity drains 10% slower. For the 6 seconds after using [Void Torrent], this effect is increased to 20%.
[Shadow Vortex]: While in [Voidform], your [Dispersion] now also exudes void energy, unleashing [Void Eruption] every 2 seconds.
[Void Radiation]: For the next 4 seconds after using [Void Eruption], enemies affected by the Priest’s damage over time effects radiate with void energy, causing massive area damage over the duration.

[The Tesseract of the Q’ru] – Attuned for Mages.

“The enigmatic race of the Q’ru were believed to have faded into a multiplicity of parallel dimensions, existing in all of them at once.” – Arcanist Shazaad

Equip: The Mage is accompanied by three copies of [Mirror Image] at all times.
Unlocked traits: Empower [Mirror Image] further. NYI.

[Ael’ael’s Chalice of Stars] – Attuned for Holy Priests.

“Priestess Ael’ael collected droplets from waters upon which the stars had bestowed their nocturnal reflection. The blessed caduceus was lost in time, but the stars she collected ascended into prayers for eternity.”

Equip: The Priest is granted access to the [Lightwell] ability, which gathers overhealing and healing from [Echo of Light] to heal injured targets.
Unlocked traits: Empower [Lightwell] further and increase its synergy with other abilities. NYI.

[Halphas’ Hollow Husk] – Attuned for Blood Death Knights.

“The seared remains of Halphas, one of the Thalaz’ir, were given burial in an underground necropolis. His hollow husk became an ageless testament of the cruellest consequence of the use of the Arcane.”

Equip: The Death Knight is permanently protected by an uncharged version of [Bone Armor].
Unlocked traits: Empower [Marrowrend] and [Bone Armor] further. Here are some sample traits:
[Ossein Bolt]: Whenever a [Bone Armor] charge is lost, an [Ossein Bolt] is shot in that direction, dealing moderate physical damage to all enemies in the way. The Death Knight’s movement speed is increased by 10% per enemy hit, up to 50% for 3 sec.
[Lidless Wall]: When a charge of [Bone Armor] is lost, gain [Lidless Wall], an effect that shields the Death Knight for 10% of their maximum health for 6 sec.
[Bonestorm]: [Marrowrend] now also causes a storm of bones to whirl around the Death Knight for 3 seconds, causing moderate damage for the duration to all nearby enemies. While [Bonestorm] is active, the Death Knight is impervious to movement speed reductions and roots.
[Cruel Endurance]: While at or under 50% health, you receive up to 50% healing from yourself. The amount of increased self-healing increases as the Death Knight’s health decreases.

[The Seven Petal Lotus] – Attuned for Windwalker Monks.

“The fact that an ancient alien lotus shaped device with seven petals delights at your harmonious movements fills you with determination.”

Equip: The Monk has access to [Seven Petal Strike], which deals a massive amount of damage to the target. This ability requires 7 charges of [Lotus Blossom] to be activated. These have a chance to be obtained by using offensive abilities that are not a repeat of the previous one.
Unlocked traits: Empower [Seven Petal Strike] further and gain other bonuses. NYI.

[Coalescing Blood of Vorxallas] – Attuned for Fury Warriors.

“Vorxallas the Everbleeding roams the Twisting Nether shedding globs of its own blood across the cosmos. Rare is the planet its blood has not bathed.”

Equip: The Warrior’s [Bloodthirst] now also deals a portion of bleed damage called [Blood of Vorxallas], which stacks on the target and enhances other of the Warrior’s abilities.
Unlocked traits: Empower [Bloodthirst] and other abilities further. NYI.

[Atma’s Unending Wail] – Attuned for Shadow Priests and Affliction Warlocks.

“Tales have it that Atma’s lament echoes across universes.”

NYI

[The Vyr’aat Oculus] – Attuned for Arcane Mages.

“Vyr desired his magnum opus be preserved in time. With it, so did his power, secrets… and arrogance.”

NYI

[Shaal’nahar’s Down] – Attuned for Fire Mages.

“The flames of the phoenix Shaal’nahar took care of the first fleshy Ethereals with its most candid warmth.”

NYI

[Val’axis Frostheart] – Attuned for Frost Mages.

“The planet Val was destroyed and scattered into the Twisting Nether. Its fragments fused into an icy comet that flashed across the cosmos. One of the shards eventually collapsed into K’aresh, bringing alien ice and snow to the planet for the first time.”

NYI

[0R15 Defense System] – Attuned for Demolition Tinkers.

“0R15 was the first prototype of defense sentry the technomancers of Velath’nul created. It was eventually deemed outdated and obsolete, and thus discarded. With a few tweaks here and there, it could be reworked into an impenetrable bastion.”

NYI

[Quintessence of the Sea of Infinity] – Attuned for Restoration Shamans.

“How could one even fathom a sea of intangible water? The elements never fail to impress! What more mysteries await?”

NYI

[Swirling Circlets of Vex’an’uuj] – Attuned for Beast Mastery Hunters.

“Vex’an’uuj is a beast of wonders. Its mouth swallows and warps the very land into wormholes leading to another places in the cosmos.” – Thal’kiel’s ‘Void Monsters and Where to Encounter Them’

Equip: [Kill Command] now also summons the [Maw of Vex’an’uuj] beneath the target, which causes massive Shadow damage to the target and all nearby enemies.
Unlocked traits: Empower [Kill Command] further and other abilities. NYI.

[The Twin Fangs of Great Mother Khala] – Attuned for Survival Hunters.

“Beast lore has it that nether rays yield a part of their body as a sign of gratitude. Great Mother Khala will forever be thankful for saving her from the void. May this pair of fangs prove useful in your war against the darkness.”

NYI

[Pulsarys’ Map of Constellations] – Attuned for Balance Druid.

“Each star you can see in the sky is a vessel of forlorn hopes and dreams. When stars share a common purpose they align and form a constellation. When a constellation is born, so does the wish it embodies.” – Astromancer Pulsarys

NYI

[Handcuffs of the Last Aldrachi] – Attuned for Vengeance Demon Hunters.

“Sargeras himself shackled and tortured to death the greatest champion of the Aldrachi. The lingering unyielding spirit of the victim still resides within these handcuffs.”

NYI

[Ysera’s Astral Embrace] – Attuned for Druids.

“Ysera watches us across the stars. Even in death.”

Equip: The Druid has access to [Emerald Blast], an ability that deals strong Nature damage and heals a nearby injured ally for the same amount and can be used in all forms. Mastery further increases its damage, critical damage and reduces its cooldown and cast time. 10 sec cooldown.
Unlocked traits: Empower [Emerald Blast] and its synergy with other abilities. NYI.

[Irisynne’s Wisp] – Attuned for Restoration Druids.

“Irisynne hoped she could bring life to this ravaged land. And she did. At the cost of her own life. May her spirit rest in peace.”

Equip: The Druid’s direct healing spells leave a lesser version of [Efflorescence] under the target’s feet.
Unlocked traits: Empower [Efflorescence] and its synergy with other abilities. NYI.

[Golden Yak]

Hey Azalar, I read through your work with the Cyphers, I wanted to comment on it. I love all the little bits of lore introduced in the flavor text of each one - I think one thing Legion has shown us is that the universe of Warcraft and Azeroth is vast and the potential for storytelling is huge. All the snippets of information about different worlds feel like they match the style and theme of the Legion Legendaries.

I think a system like this one would be a good substitute for the Legion Legendary system. I don't bother paying much attention to gameplay so I didn't really come to grief regarding legendaries the way a lot of people seem to have, but I did like reading the flavor text for each one. Tying that sort of thing to archaeology, or a system like the Cyphers, is a good way to retain that little extra bit of lore that devs don't have time to include in longer quest-chains or other content.

My favorite ones are probably about Vorxallas the Everbleeding, the pheonix Shaal'nahar (I love the elemental pheonixes and I love the idea of them being a cosmos-spanning species), and the reference to the technomancers of Velath'nul. Also the sound of the beast Vex’an’uuj that creates portals. Really, anything that builds up the known cosmos beyond Azeroth is pretty great.

[Yassy]

I like the name. The most original name so far including the expansions. Blizzard has a pretty dull naming scheme, lacking in any literary flares, or clever wordplay.

One comment: The forlorn canyon looks nothing like a canyon.

Thats a pretty common thing in popular fantasy though isnt it? Star Wars, Star Trek, Lord of the Rings, Warcraft, the Two Towers, Return of the Jedi. Simple is often better.

[Azalar]

Hey Azalar, I read through your work with the Cyphers, I wanted to comment on it. I love all the little bits of lore introduced in the flavor text of each one - I think one thing Legion has shown us is that the universe of Warcraft and Azeroth is vast and the potential for storytelling is huge. All the snippets of information about different worlds feel like they match the style and theme of the Legion Legendaries.

I think a system like this one would be a good substitute for the Legion Legendary system. I don't bother paying much attention to gameplay so I didn't really come to grief regarding legendaries the way a lot of people seem to have, but I did like reading the flavor text for each one. Tying that sort of thing to archaeology, or a system like the Cyphers, is a good way to retain that little extra bit of lore that devs don't have time to include in longer quest-chains or other content.

My favorite ones are probably about Vorxallas the Everbleeding, the pheonix Shaal'nahar (I love the elemental pheonixes and I love the idea of them being a cosmos-spanning species), and the reference to the technomancers of Velath'nul. Also the sound of the beast Vex’an’uuj that creates portals. Really, anything that builds up the known cosmos beyond Azeroth is pretty great.

Hello, Yak! Always a pleasure to have you here.

I agree wholeheartedly on everything you've said. I really love how cyphers make up little stories that make the world feel truly alive. I wanted to make K'aresh feel as if many civilizations had been there before we have even set foot on the planet. As such, there are cyphers from many different ages, some older some more recent, matching the theme of K'aresh being a nexus of scattered alien planets.

Also, since you stated certain creatures, I'll give you some more details about them.

Vorxallas would be something like a lovecraftian shapeless fleshy blob of cosmic blood that floats adrift around the Twisting Nether. The blood it drips has sown seeds of void corruption on its wake for aeons.

Shaal'nahar is as old as K'aresh itself. The ancient phoenix spirit is in part responsible for the planet's particular warmth. However, the Void War extinguished its fire and all that's left of the spirit are its ashes, hidden deep in the Everblaze Shrine, a part of the Thieves' Hideout dungeon.

The Velath'ir were a sect of high technomancers, cloistered in a futuristic technomagical citadel. Most Ethereal technology comes from prototypes discarded by the Velath'ir when they came up with a new version. This led to the proliferation of trading settlements close to Velath'nul, where merchants would come and go searching for Velath'ir artifacts and mechanical oddities they barely understood.

Vex'an'uuj is a beast of the void, much like Vorxallas. Imagine a gargantuan void gyroworm that burrows portals onto the ground. The idea of a giant space worm creating wormholes was quite fun, so I decided to keep it.

I'm happy to answer and expand on everything you are especially curious.

Stay tuned because I'll update this later <3

- - - Updated - - -

Hello!

As promised, I'll update things a little. First of all, though, I'll answer some Qs I've received about the concept.

Q: Will Locus Walker have any presence in the game?
A: He definitely will! He is even part of the reputation of the Aether Walkers, a group of individuals that travel across the Twisting Nether for their own purposes. He'll be some sort of mediator between the forces of the void and us. He is also the one who offers the Shadow Priests' cypher, called [What Lies Beneath].

Q: How are Lightstorms and Voidstorms represented gamewise?
A: I envision them like zone wide events such as the Paraxis in Antoran Wastes or Legion Invasions in the Broken Isles. During one of either, special events may be triggered, as well as special WQs or open new areas otherwise inaccessible. Lightstorms would be like some rain of light, dazzling players and limiting vision due to the high brightness. As for voidstorms, they'd be showers of liquid shadow, causing void creatures to emerge from the ground (like tentacles, for example), also limiting vision in dark, tearing up void rifts and altering gravity.

Q: Who is Na'karat?
A: SPOILERS AHEAD BEWARE. Na'karat is Locus-Walker's name. He was one of the Firstborn (pre-Ethereals) to heed the call of the Light. However, such was his misfortune that he ultimately found himself communing with the source of light of K'aresh, the nascent naaru V'iru. The naaru intended to drain Na'karat's will away and render him Lightforged. Unable to confront such unexpected foe spiritually, Na'karat improvised a plan B. He did what he'd never thought he would do. He cursed and called heressy upon the Light. He defiled his very own life purpose. V'iru emitted a chant of dissonance at the Firstborn's now twisted devotion. Such dissonance filled his mind with whispers of doubt that were neither his own or V'iru's. These whispers described a multiplicity of possibilities Na'karat would have never thought of. Delving through the cacophonic whispering labyrinth he saw a door: Salvation. Na'karat crossed the void.

Ashamed and proud in equal terms, Na'karat would no longer be the Highfather of the Light he had been. He had been betrayed by his own faith and found salvation in what the Light abhorred most. The tether between Na'karat and the Light was then lost. He would pilgrim through all the obelisks he had carved, defiling the Light's holy words with his own. Instead of Servitude, Devotion and Obedience, he'd stir the values of Freedom, Hope and Passion as he truly believed. Those would become his three words. As time passed, the figure of Na'karat would fade in the nether winds. What he did afterwards remains a mystery.

Q: About Val, is there more about it? I found it very interesting.
A: Val was an icy planet shattered by the Legion. Its remains clustered in the Twisting Nether and formed an icy comet. The comet was lured into the remains of K'aresh, where it impacted, sundering the land into an icy crater. As I wrote in the blog, Val was already in K'aresh when we players visited it through the portal in Argus. We just happened to explore a very little part of it!

Q: How do the Ulvasari look like and what will be their purpose in the story?
A: Ulvasari are a corrupted small alien shamanistic race that would reminisce of Pygmies, Fetishes or Grummles. However, after being voidwarped they left their physical form to let a small voidwalker-like appearance take grasp of them. What's more characteristic of them is a strange headpiece they all wear made of molten void. The Ulvasari represent the price a mortal race pays for pledging servitude to the void. They would be yet another way of the void's ways. Their story would also reminisce to Arkhaan's in Mac'aree. They are also related to Shaman's cypher [The Cursed Idol of Ulvasar].

Q: What is the relation between the Constellar and the Ethereals?
A: Constellar are the primal form of Ethereals. First came the Constellar, then the Firstborn, and finally the Ethereals after the Void War. Primal Constellar are very rare across the Twisting Nether. One of the Thalaz'ir and his order, Vyr and the Vyr'aat discovered more on their own origins, and managed to find some ways of primal reversion to become Constellar again. The results weren't as they would have expected, though.

Q: About the Q'ru, what is their purpose and how they look like?
A: Oh, I love the Q'ru! They're a reduced group of space travelling people committed to research. Much like Lorewalkers, but on a cosmic scale. Not much is known about them. They are a very tall and slender race that remind me of a mix between grey aliens, nightfallen, withered and slendermen. Although not as fancy as GoldenYak's, I've drawn a bare naked model for them. You can check it here https://twitter.com/Azapls/status/964559078163931139

I've even contemplated them becoming an allied race or neutral race in the future.

Q: Will you make a bestiary detailing the new creatures in this expansion concept?
A: I should try to make a brief list describing the most important types of creatures, yes. But I am doing this right now with this small update!

Okay now, leaving Q&A aside, I've added more cyphers to the list! https://thetwofoldlight.wordpress.co...ystem-cyphers/

Opened a page for Dunes of Na'karat and wrote a few subzones: https://thetwofoldlight.wordpress.co...es-of-nakarat/

The Bloom (Dunes of Na'karat)
A great dried oasis to the northwest of Na’karat, close to the Undersands. The Shamans of the Earthen Ring and Cenarion Circle Druids have joined forces here to replenish the life of the oasis. After a short quest chain, the dried oasis phases into a lush lake blooming with vegetation. However, not everyone seems to be fully content with bringing back life to the planet. The leader of the Druids of The Bloom (faction), a Night Elf Druid named Irisynne, reported to have been unable to sleep since the restoration, claiming to have been hearing whispers in the night.

Repose of the Fallen (Dunes of Na'karat)
Although there are many crypts and tombs buried and scattered beneath Na’karat. Not far from The Bloom lie the ruins of a great necropolis named Repose of the Fallen, home to revived restless ancient Ethereals by the Lightstorms that ravage the land.

Below the ruins are the Na’karat Undersands (dungeon), a cave complex that leads to the inner shrine of the necropolis.

Farath, the Last Bastion (Dunes of Na'karat)
Legend has it that the settlement of Farath was the last one to succumb to the Void. It is also alleged that the most skilled warriors lived there. As a consequence, the remains of this southeastern city have become a beacon for warriors who long to scavenge any bit of information on their ancient marcial training.

Also added names for a few subzones as well as a small description for them.

· Warpgate (Velath'nul)
A latent black hole that pulses in an abyssal rift between the borders of the Vale of Naughts and Velath’nul. The hungering Warpgate slowly devours the area surrounding it. A wonderous source of destruction. Some say the Warpgate was originated after the Void Wars and contains a shattered fragment of power from the planet itself.

This place is environmentally special, as the state of the Warpgate may grow or diminish in size and power depending on the day, leading to different daily events and World Quests. The bigger it grows, the stronger the inward pull towards the hole players will suffer.

· Temple of Naughts (Vale of Naughts)
Hidden amidst a mountain pass lies the Temple of Naughts, where Nexus-Princess Tal’avyl has settled and congregated her cult of followers, the Monks of the Void Soul. In turn, they also form a faction of their own, The Order of Naughts (Faction).

This now sacred temple was in past times an asylum where the many tribes of Ethereals would jail the insane, fearing their madness would reach others. The voidtorn husks of The Devoid (Faction) still linger and wander in the deepest levels of the Well of the Devoid (Raid), although the monks have not dared enter.

Tal’avyl and her Monks of the Void Soul long for an eternity of enduring the pain their inner void inflicts onto their souls.

· Heart of Val (Vale of Naughts)
Val was once a planet of ice and eternal winters. After it was destroyed, its shards fused into an icy comet that flashed across the cosmos. It eventually crashed into a fragment of K’aresh, boring a sundered crater deep into the rocky core of the Vale of Naughts (players have already raided an area of the Heart of Val during the Argus campaign). Unveil the mysteries of the frozen crater of Val and enter the blizzard.

· Amketh’ir Waterway (Amketh)
A great aqueduct crossing the crumbled remains of the province of Quramanas, southeast of Amketh. In better times, it used to transport water from oases in regions now forgotten to supply Thalaz. Ethereal waters now course through the waterway, ending in a great waterfall that forms the astral Sea of Infinity, which “bathes” the southern coastline of the K’areshi Wastes. Ethereal water is just a ghostly echo of the water that once existed, not actual liquid water. It glows with an eerie light about it.

Part of the questline for the Restoration Shaman’s cypher [Quintessence of the Sea of Infinity] takes part here.

· Quramanas Cliffs (Amketh)
Right beneath the Amketh’ir waterway are the ruins of Quramanas, a desolate town inside the very own waterway and the cliffs to the southeast. Ethereals survivors have gathered there and rebuilt the town looking for a brighter future.

Architectonically, Quramanas features ethereal water conduits all throughout the town. Ethereal water is its primary visual theme since it is right in a waterway.

Most of the Amketh Wayfarers representatives (faction) can be found here.

Part of the questline for the Restoration Shaman’s cypher [Quintessence of the Sea of Infinity] takes part here.

[CCRyder]

As I've said before, really enjoying how this concept unfolds. The zones reveal a very detailed yet enigmatic world and the ethereals continue to have a vibrant culture amidst all this. I've actually become most interested in the Order of Naughts and how Ethereal monks actually utilize void abilities, I feel that is utterly unique and would probably make me switch to a monk in a heartbeat.

If I may ask, you've revealed a bit more about this mysterious V'iru, who is fairly obviously a Naaru (or at least was) and his relationship with Locus Walker. In the raid instance, he is described as the "Twofold Light" and is at the epicenter of light and void, so he is likely both a product of light and void energies.

Now, how did that happen? Is this a result of Dimensius' attack on K'aresh, causing it to be suffused with both light and void? Or has he been marked by Locus-Walker's blasphemy?

Or, was Locus-Walker's blasphemy what called Dimensius to K'aresh in the first place?

I understand that the overall theme for this expansion is more about exploring a fascinating world and uncovering secrets and histories, which I most definitely enjoy. Yet, there must be something of a wider story going on, as there must be some sort of reason we are eventually fighting this V'iru.

[Azalar]

As I've said before, really enjoying how this concept unfolds. The zones reveal a very detailed yet enigmatic world and the ethereals continue to have a vibrant culture amidst all this. I've actually become most interested in the Order of Naughts and how Ethereal monks actually utilize void abilities, I feel that is utterly unique and would probably make me switch to a monk in a heartbeat.

If I may ask, you've revealed a bit more about this mysterious V'iru, who is fairly obviously a Naaru (or at least was) and his relationship with Locus Walker. In the raid instance, he is described as the "Twofold Light" and is at the epicenter of light and void, so he is likely both a product of light and void energies.

Now, how did that happen? Is this a result of Dimensius' attack on K'aresh, causing it to be suffused with both light and void? Or has he been marked by Locus-Walker's blasphemy?

Or, was Locus-Walker's blasphemy what called Dimensius to K'aresh in the first place?

I understand that the overall theme for this expansion is more about exploring a fascinating world and uncovering secrets and histories, which I most definitely enjoy. Yet, there must be something of a wider story going on, as there must be some sort of reason we are eventually fighting this V'iru.

Oh, sorry, I hadn't seen you had posted here too! D:

The Void Monks embrace serenity from the feelings and emotions springing from the void. They find strength in emptiness, in all they've been deprived of. They reach wholeness and harmony through chaos and nothingness. The main difference between these and Pandaren teachings is that Pandaren feed upon the August Celestials' lore, while this group of Ethereals have their own wave of philosophy. They haven't learned what they know from anyone else but themselves through insight and introspection.

V'iru is a nascent prime naaru whose birthcycle had been altered by Dimensius' corruption, having been purely a being of light until the voidlord came. Locus-Walker is one of the major victims of the attempts of V'iru to become Lightforged, but not the only one. He wasn't poweful enough to darken a being of cosmic dimensions on his own. Although we as players don't know this until the end really, V'iru is slowly consuming everything, attracting and devouring pieces of the Twisting Nether in order to birth. It's not really that V'iru is corrupted or truly evil, he only embodies the destructive and corruptive natures of both Light and Void.

It's probably V'iru's essence which lured Dimensius, but I like the idea of Locus-Walker's first contact with the Void alluring the voidlord too.

The main storyarc unfolds as players find out the location of two artifacts, the Key of Dawn and the Key of Dusk, which eventually are combined in Thalaz and accidentally open up the Conflux.

Also, I've updated many things! I've added the Siegecrafter Tinker spec. The Medic one is a WIP. Added pieces of info about many zones and dungeons, added art inspiration for them... Added two new dungeons: Quramanas Depths and Val'axis Frostheart, updated maps and cyphers and some more things. I'll soon begin a bestiary page, as requested by some people. Feel free to recheck things and see what new info you find!

[Azalar]

Quick update!

Here's a new dungeon map: Quramanas Depths. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did making it. It's probably my fav one so far.

[Choppersan]

Very nice dungeon map,keep making them!

Will you add more dungeons? I think there's still space for 1/2 more of them.

[Azalar]

Very nice dungeon map,keep making them!

Will you add more dungeons? I think there's still space for 1/2 more of them.

Hello again Choppersan and ty for posting!

I've recently added 2 more, being these Quramanas Depths and Val'axis Frostheart. There are 15 in total right now and I don't think I'll add more.

[Azalar]

Hello!

Quick update! I'd like to gather some feedback on Tinker class concept, especially on Siegecrafter (Tank) and Medic (Healer), the latter is still talentless. I want to know what you guys think about them!

https://thetwofoldlight.wordpress.co...-class-tinker/

Thank you!

[Azalar]

Hey there!

Here's today's little update:

I expanded a little bit the Ethereal page with a brief description.

Ethereals are survivors of the Twisting Nether, nomads and magnificent traders. They are the scions of the Constellar race, known in K’aresh as the Starbound. Most of the Constellar perished when they first crashed into K’aresh, their astral corpses faded into the sand turning into masses of stardust. When the Obelisk of Thalaz collapsed into the planet and wove the Ley-lines, its Arcane energy slowly breathed life again into the slumbering corpses of sand, reawakening them over time. And so, the Firstborn began to appear.

The accident and the process that twisted the Starbound into Firstborn caused them to find their memories erased from their mind. They had become empty husks of fleshy sandskin. It was their time to start anew.

The Firstborn explored the astral debris and strata of countless alien civilizations that had ended up in K’aresh, discovering ruins and interacting with otherworldly sentient races. This nomadic behavior shaped their culture, lore and traditions, leading to the creation of the first settlements with the unearthing of the Obelisk of Thalaz.

I also made Ethereals able to unlock special cosmetic appearance options as we progress through the expansion.

Special customization options:

Ethereals are able to alter their shape using a special machine next to the Transmogrifier and Void Storage NPCs. These special skins are unlocked in a similar way to Legion Artifacts skins and have each of them a few personalization and recolor options.

Starbound skin (x.2) – Complete Vexelon’s Starfall chapter of the Valley of the Nexus-Kings quests to unlock.
Velath’ir Voidsuit skin (x.2) – Complete Zaathir’s Darkening chapter of the Forges of Infinity quests to unlock.
Firstborn Regression skin (x.3) – Complete the achievement [Legacy of the Firsborn], involving the storylines of all of the First Thalaz’ir.

Starbound skin is basically an updated Constellar skin. Imagine a starry blue Ethereal skeleton skin.

Velath'ir Voidsuit would be a synthweave skin that covers up all the body in tech cloth.

Firstborn Regression skin brings Ethereals back to their sandy fleshy forms with silver/purple arcane runes across their skin.

The bestiary page also got three new entries: Phoenix, Arcane elemental and Clockatrix!

Phoenix
Phoenixes are powerful, bird-like elementals […]. They burn with such intensity that they damage both themselves and nearby enemies. When a phoenix dies, it creates an egg that will hatch into a new phoenix. Source.

The Phoenixes of K’aresh are thought to be offsprings of the wild god Shaal’nahar, but the cosmic wind of the Twisting Nether has altered their elemental nature, transforming them into beings of pure Arcane energy, able to adapt to the different environments of the planet. As such, there are several species of phoenixes to be found: Void, Light, Arcane and Ice phoenixes. Shaal’nahar is the last fire phoenix remaining.

However, while a magnificent sight, they are few in number.

Arcane Elemental
Arcane elementals are one of the most common creatures of the Sphere of Order. They are often summoned as familiars by mages, but are also easily found roaming near sources of Arcane power.

They are extraordinarily versatile beings and can have their shape altered into a myriad forms, as does their power.

Skilled mages can weave their Arcane essence to control them, such is so that they are often used to control mechanic constructs like golems. It is not rare in K’aresh to find Arcane elementals taking control of ancient devices, artifacts and automata without magi subduing them, which renders these elementals a potential threat to bear in mind.

Clockatrix
These hen-like animals once roamed the mountainous ridges of the Vale of Naughts. Although originally mostly harmless and peaceful (taking away their ability to temporarily turn other lesser critters into stone), the Void has twisted them into fearsome creatures.

Physically they resemble big round plump void hens, but adventurers should not be fooled by their seemingly warm appearance, as the transformation has also made Clockatrixes capable of warping time forward or backward at their desire, making them impredictable beasts.

Wild clockatrixes are territorial fowl and fiercely protect their nests and roosts. On the other hand, though, tamed ones are docile and calm.

I hope you're enjoying it as much as I am! <3

[Choppersan]

Nice to see this getting updated more and more slowly building to glorious completion!

One thing that it's not exactly clear who's going to be the endgame boss,from what i'm understanding it's Locus Walker right? But i don't understand his motives.
(Also the Ethereals needs a bit simpler names lol,i have a bit of hard time remembering who is who lol)

One thing that i would like to understand better is this,what motives do the Horde and the Alliance have for coming to K'aresh? I'm just asking because it does feel like they're not involved in there,and so it feels a bit disconnected as an expansion concept,is there any kind of introduction event like the Broken Shore in Legion? It could be based in the Outlands.
It's not a really serious complain,it's just that i want enough variety and activity,to avoid Ethereal fatigue like the Orc fatigue in WoD

Up to this point how much(use percentages)have you completed this expansion concept?

Will you make an art piece for the cover of the game case?

In the Ethereal profile page is missing the Ethereal mount,have you decided on that?
(Very nice skins btw)

Will the Tinkers get their own mount? And is there any chance for a Tinker Class Hall?

Since Allied Races are a big topic in these days,will you add some?
I would like to see the Q'ru as an Allied Race,although i'm not sure if they fit with the Horde or with the Alliance. Another Allied Race choice that i would like are the Aldrachi

Will you write questlines for getting the Cyphers?

Really like the additions to the bestiary so far! I hope you will add more original entries there.
I do have some ideas,but i'm not sure if they would fit in there. Perhaps we can discuss in PM about this.
One suggestion to organize better the Bestiary would be to divide it into types:Aberrations,Beasts,Demon,Elemental,ecc

Lore questions:
How did the Ethereals looked like when they were Firstborn?
How did the various Ethereals factions formed? Will the Ethereal,the Consortium,the Protectorate have any role?
What made the Constellar crash into K'aresh?
Beside Shaal'nahar will there be more Wild Gods?
Why did the Obelisk of Thalaz collapsed?
There are some mentions of golden skinned demons,who are they and what's their story? Are they the Aldrachi or a different race?
Who's Great Mother Kaala?
Why the Mosaic of R’saat is important?
Will you explain the relationship between the Constellar and the Titans?
Was Val destroyed by the Burning Legion and why? Since it's made of ice does it have any connection to the same ice of the Frozen Throne?
Who's Satra?
Will there be any Legion or Old Gods presence?

And final big question:
Will you make more expansion concepts after this?

Sorry for the many questions,it's just that i really like this expansion concept