Shadowlands Alpha - Introduction Experience
The Shadowlands Alpha servers are back up and the introduction experience is now available for testing!

CONTAINS MAJOR SPOILERS

  • You begin by taking a portal to the top of Icecrown to find the leaders of the Alliance and Horde talking to Bolvar and his death knights. Anduin, Jaina, Baine, and Thrall are suspiciously absent from this meeting however.
  • Darion Morgraine greets you, explaining that "before her minions abducted key leaders, the Banshee Queen attacked Icecrown. She cut a path to the Frozen Throne and seized the Helm of Domination. Look to the sky and you will see the results of her actions. I...have never beheld anything like this. But shattering the helm also freed Bolvar Fordragon from the burden of the Lich King. Bolvar has recovered and believes he knows where the Banshee has taken those she abducted."
  • As you approach, you find the two factions arguing. Lor'themar remarks that these are troubled times and both factions need stability. He doesn't seem to believe that sending Azeroth's leaders on a potential suicide mission is smart, and thinks those who are not present would also agree.
  • Tyrande calls him a coward and exclaims that she would pay any price to see the Banshee impaled upon her glaive. Genn says he wants the same, but agrees with Lor'themar. Anduin wouldn't want them to risk the well-being of the Alliance for his sake.
  • Calia tells Tyrande that the kaldorei will need their leader to have any hope of finding peace, to which Tyranda responds by scoffing at the idea of the Forsaken speaking of peace after what they have done.
  • Bolvar silences everyone, stating that the war is over and a more pressing threat is now at hand.
  • When you talk to him, Bolvar explains that when Sylvanas shattered the Helm of Domination, her soul became indelibly linked to the helm, much as his had when he donned it. He can now sense her presence, and knows where she has gone. He says the helm can bring us to where we need to go to rescue our leaders, but it cannot bring us back. Only we can do that on our own. He asks you to complete the ritual at the Frozen Throne to open to the rift into the Maw.
  • As you place the shards of the helm around the center rune, Bolvar talks about how he glimpsed many realms of death as the Lich King, and always felt a dark presence at the edge of his consciousness. It was not Arthas or Ner'zhul but something else. He now senses it lurking in the sky above, and it cannot be left unchecked. He lends you the Knights of the Ebon Blade for your travels.

This article was originally published in forum thread: Shadowlands Alpha - Introduction Experience started by Stoy View original post
Comments 86 Comments
  1. Onikaroshi's Avatar
    Just give us beta already, so bored of bfa, want to do some testing. lol.
  1. Hyral's Avatar
    Why are Calia and Valeera on the horde side...
  1. Darknessvamp's Avatar
    He suggests you find the dagger used to curse Baine while also helping him get a replacement weapon for himself.
    Can't we say we did but don't actually? Also is it just the lighting or does Sylvanas look more fleshy than her datamined model here?
  1. Kathranis's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Hyral View Post
    Why are Calia and Valeera on the horde side...
    There may be more development between then and now, but Valeera has been hanging out with the Horde as an envoy of Anduin since 8.3, and being a blood elf I assume Blizzard wants to position her more as a Horde face.

    Everything with Lilian and Calia points to Calia eventually becoming the new Queen of the Forsaken.
  1. Igzorn's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Hyral View Post
    Why are Calia and Valeera on the horde side...
    technically Valeera is a horde member, and Calia was build up to be the next leader of the forsaken.
  1. Unholyground's Avatar
    Well it looks like the Diablo universe and the WoW universe might be connected, even their use of color is similar.

    Remember this guy?

  1. Spiffums's Avatar
    Well at least Jania remembers she can teleport.........I guess that's something.
  1. Kyphael's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Hyral View Post
    Why are Calia and Valeera on the horde side...
    I was wondering the same...

    ALL HAIL Calia Menethil, Queen of THE FORSAKEN!!!

    OT, I'm actually liking what I read here. Great opening.
  1. StationaryHawk's Avatar
    It's not bad. These "suicide mission" prologues are getting a little stale, though.
  1. khazmodan's Avatar
    So...will we be able to cut scenes after we play through this with our main?, because I see nothing but copy paste intro stuff and dull dialogue.
  1. DeltrusDisc's Avatar
    Well... this is promising...
  1. naeblis495's Avatar
    Nothing we didn't saw a million times by now . So boring and generic
  1. Doffen's Avatar
    So Helya is back. I guess the pact she and Sylvanas had came into fruition.
  1. Utrrabbit's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Hyral View Post
    Why are Calia and Valeera on the horde side...
    Calia is undead. She is the new leader of the forsaken.
  1. Nebron's Avatar
    Doesn't look like lot's of fun to be honest, especially from the story side.

    Once again they go the path of "champion of Azeroth", huge leader gatherings, putting as many iconic characters in one play as possible. It sometimes feels like WoW story writers simply read the reddit and mmochampion forums and they push the most generic and fanfic stories they can possible get in their hands.
  1. Codah's Avatar
    The most embarrassing thing about this is the Panda DK in the back.
  1. Doomislav's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Kyphael View Post
    I was wondering the same...

    ALL HAIL Calia Menethil, Queen of THE FORSAKEN!!!

    OT, I'm actually liking what I read here. Great opening.
    Yea I am actually surprised that this is interesting!
  1. Sigxy's Avatar
    I'm confused... Sylvanas had minions abduct really, REALLY important people that are without a doubt VERY well protected. Will we ever get an good explanation as to how this was done or is this going to be a case of "just go with it" even if it will be very questionable?
  1. LemonDemonGirl's Avatar
    Looks like Coldharbour to me?
  1. Hyral's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Igzorn View Post
    technically Valeera is a horde member
    Valeera has always been independent. Technically or otherwise.

Site Navigation