Is only one of the Covenant Campaigns canon?

[Sondrelk]

What? From what I understood there was only one Heart of Azeroth, and the player's character is the only Champion of Azeroth. BfA's story was built around that idea. As my character was the only emissary for his faction. I mean, in Nya'lotha, N'Zoth is not destroyed by several champions each using their Hearts of Azeroth, but by my character who channelled the energy from the Halls of Origination through the Heart of Azeroth.

There were several hearts of azeroth, though only your character got the intro and speech and such, all the other ones presumably just got it from Magni in a less elaborate manner.

[Greyfang]

What? From what I understood there was only one Heart of Azeroth, and the player's character is the only Champion of Azeroth. BfA's story was built around that idea. As my character was the only emissary for his faction. I mean, in Nya'lotha, N'Zoth is not destroyed by several champions each using their Hearts of Azeroth, but by my character who channelled the energy from the Halls of Origination through the Heart of Azeroth.

It's in the very tooltip of the item.

"A living symbol of hope, borne by the champions of a dying planet. The fate of Azeroth will be shared by all her children."

https://wow.gamepedia.com/Heart_of_Azeroth

Also in this official description in Blizzard Museum

The Heart of Azeroth is an artifact medallion entrusted to only the worthiest of heroes by Magni Bronzebeard.

https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/wo...20180908104739

It's possible only ONE of the Champions gave the final Kamehameha to N'zoth, but there were more than one artifacts and champions.

[Frontenac]

It's in the very tooltip of the item.



https://wow.gamepedia.com/Heart_of_Azeroth

Also in this official description in Blizzard Museum



https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/wo...20180908104739

It's possible only ONE of the Champions gave the final Kamehameha to N'zoth, but there were more than one artifacts and champions.

Well, if my character is the only one doing all the job that leads to that conclusion, who cares who else has an Heart of Azeroth. Those are wannabes! Ultimately there is only one Champion.

[Greyfang]

Well, if my character is the only one doing all the job that leads to that conclusion, who cares who else has an Heart of Azeroth. Those are wannabes! Ultimately there is only one Champion.

Maybe, but the point is that if the HoA provided a link to the world soul, it means there can be multiple Maw Walkers.

Another confirmation is this yell by Grandmaster Vole in the Theater of Pain:

Grandmaster Vole yells: Victory and glory are yours! May you fight forever, Maw Walkers!

https://www.wowhead.com/npc=167208/g...er-vole#sounds

This is also not true. There was only one Heart of Azeroth.

See my other post with in-game and blizzard official confirmation, there's multiple.

[Frontenac]

Maybe, but the point is that if the HoA provided a link to the world soul, it means there can be multiple Maw Walkers.

Another confirmation is this yell by Grandmaster Vole in the Theater of Pain:



https://www.wowhead.com/npc=167208/g...er-vole#sounds

Maybe they call "Maw Walkers" all the mortals who followed the Maw Walker? Because it doesn't make any sense that there are several Maw Walkers running around, able to enter and escape the Maw.

[Frontenac]

It's in the very tooltip of the item.



https://wow.gamepedia.com/Heart_of_Azeroth

Also in this official description in Blizzard Museum

"The Heart of Azeroth is an artifact medallion entrusted to only the worthiest of heroes by Magni Bronzebeard."

https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/wo...20180908104739.

Well, that's English and its vagueness for you... Because when I read that sentance, what I read is that the Heart is AN artifact medallion (there is one) entrusted to only the worthiest of heroes (the one most worthy).

And really, what does artifact mean in WoW? Because in Legion, there was only one Ashbringer, one Doomhammer, one Xal'atath. And only one wielder of these weapons.

[Greyfang]

Your proof is overreading wording to make a stretch that doesn't make sense.



How many champions are there on this dying planet though? Because we're only made aware of one, and that would still fulfill the requirement of the text.



This is also incorrect. Magni didn't entrust the user with it - Azeroth did. In fact, Magni specifically tells you that he's wary of you if you're Horde.

He brings you to the Heart chamber because Azeroth told him to. He tells you specifically that "Azeroth has a gift for you." She chose your character as the Champion of Azeroth. Magni is the facilitator, he didn't entrust you with anything, and for that matter - How many heroes are the "worthiest of heroes?"

We also then learn that the Heart of Azeroth isn't related to saving Azeroth - It's a key to N'zoth's prison. How many people are carrying around keys to the prison of the Old Gods? (Hint: One, because there's only one key.)

If anything, this is further proof that there is only one, as Magni didn't go up to every hero of both Horde and Alliance and invite them to solve the Azerite crisis. Only the Champions of Azeroth faction, of which the only members seem to be:
1) Magni
2) Titan Keepers
3) The Champion (Your character)
4) Sort of Wrathion at the end, but moreso cause he appeared with information related to N'zoth and would likely be more considered a consultant, not a member.

Wether it was Magni who entrusted the HoA, or Magni as a facilitator for Azeroth is all technical. The point is that both official sources mention multiple heroes being given a HoA. As you say it MAY be vague enough to have a little wiggle room, and I don't think theres any word of god regarding the HoA situation, so you can interpret it as you will. There IS word of god regarding being more than one Maw Walker, so that should be enough, together with the rest of the references in-game.

If you choose to interpret that there are more than one HoA entrusted to heroes, and that the HoA provided the link to the world soul necessary to escape the Maw, then the whole thing makes sense. If there was only one HoA there should only be one Maw Walker (provided it's only the HoA which allows us to use the waystone and not something else), but it's pretty clear there are multiple Maw Walkers.

[tommyhil622]

I'm sorry, but one NPC shouting an S is not "word of god proof" of there being more than one Maw Walker, and the repeated instances of NPCs saying "This doesn't happen often, you're the only one capable of doing this since ages long past" is in fact word of god AGAINST what you say.



Except that there is still only one Maw Walker.



There is only one Maw Walker. Every NPC in Oribos refers to this. I mean hell, you are specifically requested as THE Maw Walker to go into the Maw repeatedly for different covenants because you are the only one who can do so. That wouldn't be the case if you aren't the only one who can do so.

(Although the wowpedia page for Maw Walker makes a good point - Technically, Sylvanas Windrunner is the first Maw Walker we see in Lore. She's the first mortal to leave the Maw that we see. But not by the First One's Waystone, which is how we got our name as the Maw Walker, so nobody refers to her as that. But for that matter, it isn't clear that an attachment to a world soul is what activates the Waystone - In fact, most would think the opposite, because the First Ones are supposed to be unrelated to the Titans, so why would a Titan World Soul have anything to do with their waystone anyway?)

@huth

"Kyrestia the Firstborne: Agreed. For the good of the Shadowlands, each mortal must choose a covenant."

"Tal-Inara says: Nothing has ever escaped the Maw. At least, until certain mortals like this one proved able to return from it."

[fathom81]

It seems that you should be doing dungeons and raid after chapter 9 of campaigns cause the order is all messed up...its all messed up

[Greyfang]

I'm sorry, but one NPC shouting an S is not "word of god proof" of there being more than one Maw Walker, and the repeated instances of NPCs saying "This doesn't happen often, you're the only one capable of doing this since ages long past" is in fact word of god AGAINST what you say.



Except that there is still only one Maw Walker. But for that matter, it isn't clear that an attachment to a world soul is what activates the Waystone - In fact, most would think the opposite, because the First Ones are supposed to be unrelated to the Titans, so why would a Titan World Soul have anything to do with their waystone anyway?



There is only one Maw Walker. Every NPC in Oribos refers to this. I mean hell, you are specifically requested as THE Maw Walker to go into the Maw repeatedly for different covenants because you are the only one who can do so. That wouldn't be the case if you aren't the only one who can do so.

(Although the wowpedia page for Maw Walker makes a good point - Technically, Sylvanas Windrunner is the first Maw Walker we see in Lore. She's the first mortal to leave the Maw that we see. But not by the First One's Waystone, which is how we got our name as the Maw Walker, so nobody refers to her as that.)

By Word of God I meant the Interview with Danuser that was quoted before in this thread, where he says:

In Shadowlands, the player's character becomes known as a Maw Walker, though this is not a singular title; fictionally, a number heroes of Azeroth like yourself have demonstrated the ability to enter and leave the Maw.

https://www.windowscentral.com/world...ry-shadowlands

Now, I agree that it's still not clear what activates the Waystone. Its been speculated (and we've been running with that theory in this thread so far) that it was the HoA which provided the attachment to the World Soul. But it's not confirmed. If it was, then it would follow that there were multiple HoA.

As it stands, the HoA situation is vague and may be interpreted as many or only one. The Maw Walker situation has been confirmed to be multiple, by in-game references and the Danuser interview. There's not much to go against that unless you want to ignore what Danuser says (Im no fan, but he should be considered word of god).

[Deadmedic]

You pretty much verified that Azeroth has multiple champions with this. At least one for each artifact in legion. We have also cannonically never been alone. Its always "a group of heroes" that defeat the big bad at the end.

[Greyfang]

And in-game proof should work better. You're looking for the most recent quest in the storyline, the one called "What the Future Holds" that happens after Thrall and all but Anduin have been set free.

https://www.wowhead.com/news=316796/...cters-spoilers



They would not have to rely specifically on us if there was more than one Maw Walker.



There's no reason to believe there's multiple HoA unless there's multiple Maw Walkers, but as proven above, there isn't.



No in game reference suggests there's more than one Maw Walker.



I'm simply considering the very Blizzard possiblity that they changed their minds since that interview. Which all signs seem to point to.

I'm also reading that Ion himself mentioned somewhere that there was only Sylvanas and the Player as Maw Walkers, but so far I haven't found that. Still looking.

Fair enough, we'll have to agree to disagree. The other in-game references have been posted around in this thread but I'm sure that won't convince you. Hopefully in the future it will be made super clear for all, but I'm not holding my breath.

Going back to the OP, to me it's clear that all the covenant campaigns are canon and happening more or less at the same time (give or take some timeline inconsistencies pointed out before) and there's at least one Hero working for each covenant.

[Flaim]

the steps of the campaigns don't happen at the same time. one step can chronologically be off from the other by quite a bit.
probably what they actually meant by "in shadowlands the time moves differently".

[Sondrelk]

I do think it be might have to consider that none of us are doing the canon version since that version might presumably only be doable once all renown is available so you can power through the entire campaign in a single week.
Until there is a specific mention of what is and isn't canon we have to simply assume that nothing is officially canon.

[huth]

@huth

"Kyrestia the Firstborne: Agreed. For the good of the Shadowlands, each mortal must choose a covenant."

What's your point? That includes Baine and Jaina, who most certainly aren't Maw Walkers. Each mortal, not each Maw Walker.

[tommyhil622]

What's your point? That includes Baine and Jaina, who most certainly aren't Maw Walkers. Each mortal, not each Maw Walker.

Not sure why you pick and choose which quotes to respond to lol... don't get it.

- - - Updated - - -

Fair enough, we'll have to agree to disagree. The other in-game references have been posted around in this thread but I'm sure that won't convince you. Hopefully in the future it will be made super clear for all, but I'm not holding my breath.

Going back to the OP, to me it's clear that all the covenant campaigns are canon and happening more or less at the same time (give or take some timeline inconsistencies pointed out before) and there's at least one Hero working for each covenant.

Unfortunately headcanon is the biggest issue we have. Even clear quotes, some continue to deny. I'll follow suit as you have. Put the evidence/lore out there if people want to reject it, then there's not much to discuss. It gets to headcanon territory.

[Eapoe]

It’s probably a safe bet that the canon portion of the game is that everything IS happening, we probably just don’t have a hand in all of it.
So, just as a for instance, the events between Bastion and Maldraxxus are happening; however, the Maw Walker might not be a part of it and their portion lies with helping in Rivendreth as that has the biggest focus concerning the raid. This might be continued with whatever raid happens next. The only reason I state that the Maw Walker participation is canon due to the raid aspect is because we are the champions that usually handle, or fight with the main NPCs like Jaina and Thrall and the like, against the major threats of the timeline.
This is all speculation obviously, but just how I figure it will play out and be explained.

[Engal]

This, we agree on. All the covenant campaigns are definitely canon. Even if there is only one Maw Walker, that would still be true - Any events which required the Maw Walker used the Maw Walker in canon, is all.

There may be several Maw Walker acknowledged.

In the hunt " soul reapers " in the beastWarrens, the MawSworn talks to us as " Maw WalkerS"

[nuffisenough]

In all seriousness, the lore and story of WoW kinda stopped mattering after Wrath of the Lich King. And it REALLY stopped mattering after Legion. Everything since has just kinda been placed there to have a reason to keep making expansions.

I wholeheartedly believe that Blizzard would be better off stopping WoW and either creating a WoW sequel or making an MMO from one of their other franchises. Of course, they won’t do this because of money, but from a lore/story perspective, WoW as we know it has basically run its course.

[Thage]

And so they send those mortals to do stuff in the Maw with the hapchance they might be able, maybe, somewhat, to activate the waystone that would send them back to Oribos?

One can assume this is done once it's realized the Hearts of Azeroth (which BFA questing makes clear there are multiple floating around in the hands of champions) that serve as this tether, since it's a direct link to Azeroth's world-soul, so yes. They send the others to the Maw to take care of things since they can get to and from.