The Sundering Ends and 80% of the Land Mass is Blasted Apart

[Edlarel]

Been reading up on lore again as we wait for BfA, and I came across this note in the War of the Ancients (on wowpedia).

When at last this great event, the Sundering, came to an end, nearly eighty percent of Kalimdor's landmass had been blasted apart. All that was left was a handful of separate continents surrounding a vast new ocean. At the center of the new sea, where the Well of Eternity once stood, was a tumultuous storm of tidal fury and chaotic energies. This terrible scar, known as the Maelstrom, would never cease its furious spinning. It would remain a constant reminder of the terrible catastrophe... and the Utopian era that had been lost forever.

What we have right now in game is only 20% of the landmass of the original continent. This is exciting because it means that Blizzard can set up a mechanism to return parts of this landmass over time as new continents on which we can explore. Ways this could work include:

* Azshara uses the stolen Tidestone of Golganeth to cast a spell that ripples throughout the world, attempting to mend it back into one continent. We, as adventurers, slow the spell down but have no way of stopping it, so that eventually (in game: whenever is convenient to plot) different landmasses surface as they slowly move toward that inevitable goal.

* The Titans, saddened by what has come of Azeroth, begin a reorigination process, taking their time so as to not destroy the races that helped them lock up Sargeras. As new continents are raised during this process, Azeroth's inhabitants can flock to them to help nurture their growth or prevent outside forces from destroying/tainting them.

This would generate content for years, and still be based in lore as a result of the above.

Any other ways we might get new continents on our side of Azeroth after exploring Kul Tiras and Zandalar?

[Deleted]

Well ... we're talking about a company that was totally certain that time travelling orcs froma parallel universe would be awesome and cool and totally logic and would not open up thousand loopholes and inconsistancies...

So... logic and common sense is nothing I would associate with Blizzard... unfortunately.

That means if Blizzard was ever in need to come up with new continents, they would probably use the most rediculous and unlogic explaination possible rather than one that has been thought through within their own lore.

[Edlarel]

Well ... we're talking about a company that was totally certain that time travelling orcs froma parallel universe would be awesome and cool and totally logic and would not open up thousand loopholes and inconsistancies...

So... logic and common sense is nothing I would associate with Blizzard... unfortunately.

That means if Blizzard was ever in need to come up with new continents, they would probably use the most rediculous and unlogic explaination possible rather than one that has been thought through within their own lore.

Hmm. I see. So, you're unable to take the time to understand the lore that exists and how it's been created to tie everything together, but you have no problem coming into the lore forum to reply to a thread asking for lore concepts with this drivel? Whatever floats your boat, I guess. I'm going to keep an eye out for somebody who isn't "OMGLOREBADSPACEORCS" and build on their reply.

[Magistrate]

Been reading up on lore again as we wait for BfA, and I came across this note in the War of the Ancients (on wowpedia).

What we have right now in game is only 20% of the landmass of the original continent. This is exciting because it means that Blizzard can set up a mechanism to return parts of this landmass over time as new continents on which we can explore. Ways this could work include:

* Azshara uses the stolen Tidestone of Golganeth to cast a spell that ripples throughout the world, attempting to mend it back into one continent. We, as adventurers, slow the spell down but have no way of stopping it, so that eventually (in game: whenever is convenient to plot) different landmasses surface as they slowly move toward that inevitable goal.

* The Titans, saddened by what has come of Azeroth, begin a reorigination process, taking their time so as to not destroy the races that helped them lock up Sargeras. As new continents are raised during this process, Azeroth's inhabitants can flock to them to help nurture their growth or prevent outside forces from destroying/tainting them.

This would generate content for years, and still be based in lore as a result of the above.

Any other ways we might get new continents on our side of Azeroth after exploring Kul Tiras and Zandalar?

I think this is just a bit too... vague, I guess? When a new continent is introduced, there's more of an epic reason for it, or more of a context. This would feel too much like a "gameplay system" versus a story. I'm not saying that within these "raised" continents there wouldn't be story, but the milieu for it would be too basic and repetitive.

Another problem: if most of these landmasses came from the ocean floor, we would be oversaturated (lol) with aquatic themes. Not restrained to them 100%, but it would have to be a lot.

Another thing: the caption says 80% of the landmass was broken apart. It does not say that most of that sunk. So, it could simply be that there's continents that didn't sink that we'll explore later, like Kul'tiras and Zandalar. (Although my understanding years ago was that much of Zandalar *was* sunken at some point, but idk if that's true.)

Also also, if you're "we only have 20% of the landmass" math comes from the 100% - 80% was broken apart, that isn't a correct line of thinking. All the landmass we have now was broken apart from the original, so it's part of that 80%, not just the 20% that wasn't broken apart.

[Deleted]

Hmm. I see. So, you're unable to take the time to understand the lore that exists and how it's been created to tie everything together, but you have no problem coming into the lore forum to reply to a thread asking for lore concepts with this drivel? Whatever floats your boat, I guess. I'm going to keep an eye out for somebody who isn't "OMGLOREBADSPACEORCS" and build on their reply.

Nope just telling you, your "idea" will never ever, even if it would be the only logical way, be used.
Lore in WoW has been sloughtered and butchered on every occession. There is no logic behind it anymore. That means you could also claim:

The new islands that occour were made by tiny gremlins during the night and are now inhabited by 10k years old creatures, which would be as likely.

[Edlarel]

Also also, if you're "we only have 20% of the landmass" math comes from the 100% - 80% was broken apart, that isn't a correct line of thinking. All the landmass we have now was broken apart from the original, so it's part of that 80%, not just the 20% that wasn't broken apart.

That is definitely another way to look at it. That we only have 80% of the remaining continent, which has been blasted apart. Still, with WoW not going anywhere any time soon, they'll have to come up with something.

As to the "overly underwater themed," there could be other aspects of these that come true as lore is written for them. Zin'Azshari itself was saved in a bubble similar to Suramar until the queen lost her strength and had to accept the Old God's request to survive. Others could be "time distorted" like the Timeless Isle, or any number of things.

Yes, I agree it's reaching, but again, this is just to spur conversation and speculation on how they might do it based on the above.

[Nevcairiel]

Just looking at the map of pre-sundering Kalimdor, and post-sundering Azeroth, I don't think "80% blasted apart" means exactly what you think it means, because it doesn't line up.

I would more interpret it like "80% of the landmass was split from Kalimdor", which means that post-sundering Kalimdor is 20%, and EK, Northrend, Pandaria, Broken Isles, etc are all part of the 80%. Now that doesn't mean that there isn't enough room in the 80% for sunken or hidden landmasses to still be discovered, but it would line up much better.

Edit:
Apparently I'm typing too slowly and someone else suggested the same line of thinking. Well consider that +1'ed!