Nexus, a fanmade expansion idea. Discussion thread

[Dreadlack]

Stopped reading when I saw the word tinker.

No thanks, I'd prefer not

[Azalar]

Stopped reading when I saw the word tinker.

No thanks, I'd prefer not

I would suggest not judging a whole expac just because one feature. You could always choose not to play tinker

[Vonazak]

I would love to play another expansion with the aesthetics of BC, you did a great work, and ill preorder right now that expac.

[Azalar]

Sooo, here's a mockup for the logo with both names. Which one looks better?
Also, for smaller size view https://imgur.com/a/MhP3KNO



- - - Updated - - -

Hello!

After some thinking, I think the final name will be "The Voice of Silence".

"Sound of Silence" is neat, but overlaps with so very known "hello darkness my old friend" song and there are plenty of stuff under that name already so I needed a less overused name, and "Voice of Silence" sounds just as right.

Thoughts?

Also, have a nice BlizzCon everyone!

[Azalar]

Update!

Here's a look at Na'karat's (Locus-Walker) past story. I hope you like it as much as I've enjoyed writing it. Keep in mind I had to keep it simple and short, all of it could as well be very much expanded.

Na’karat the Prophet
One of the Firstborn tribes was especially sensitive to the mystical flow of light surging from the planet, the tribe of Na’karat. His was a small tribe who used to visit other nomad gatherings to give them blessings and wish good journeys. Encountering the tribe of Na’karat became a beacon of high hopes among other Firstborn caravans and the name of Prophet Na’karat began being spoken.

One day, as Na’karat was exploring an uncharted region, he experienced a rapturous vision upon eyeing a piece of glass he had found scattered on the sands, Ael’ael, a kind hearted Firstborn from the same tribe found him laying atop the crest of a dune. She poured some oasis water from an ancient chalice relic she recovered over Na’karat’s body, which reanimated him after a few attempts. Ael’ael brought the dazzled man back to the camp. Na’karat used to leave his own tribe at times to explore on his own and reflect that often lasted several days, but never had he met such a fate. He would be forever thankful to Ael’ael.

Na’karat reflected upon the vision. It showed him a path of light through the sands that led to what seemed a pool surging with purifying liquid light. A place of wonders. He once again set on a journey, following this time the trails of light across the dunes. After what seemed to be an eternity for him, he finally reached the location he could fathom in the vision. The mere sight of the pond of light filled the weary Na’karat with hope. He was limping towards the pond before he could even realize it. Na’karat seemed to levitate over the lake of light.

He was being lured into a divine trap. A mysterious statue of what looked like a gauntlet materialized in front of him as soon as he reached the middle. When he struggled to let go of the lure, he fainted. Na’karat felt the light pulsating within him like a surge of emotions. It was as if all the light and faith he believed in materialized in a burst of inner fire.

He could feel clarity, yet he was very confused.

He could feel determination, yet he could not see why.

He could feel hope, yet there was none for him.

A chiming and charming voice rushed through his mind, compelling Na’karat into devotion. The Prophet could not make up his mind, for it was not his. He fought the alluring whisper, which gradually grew stronger and louder until he could hear no longer, but Na’karat did not give in. He wished to understand. The deafening presence manifested as an abstract entity of harmonious and beautiful forms called V’iru.

Then he understood, but he was not allowed to understand.

V’iru showed him the only path, the one path for salvation. Worlds bathed in joyful light. Races he had never seen before living in harmony and peace. Na’karat truly wished for those visions to become real, but… not like this. His faith crumbled, he grew sorrowful. V’iru rebuilt the cracks in Na’karat’s faith in the light. The Prophet became less and less like himself, until there was only a husk of his own self reforged in light. He could see his own reflection standing there in front of him, proud and tall, but he was now bare, deprived of faith, devoid of hope, darkened. A castoff. Na’karat yelled into the abyss in despair.

And it yelled back.

The overwhelming light turned off in a black flash. He was now floating in an endless void. A myriad voices whispered at him at once. He could hear familiar and unknown voices, Na’karat focused on one, and flowed with it. The void whispered into his shattered mind and he finally understood, but he would never truly understand. The light would never take away what lies beneath. So is the nature of the void.

When Na’karat regained conscience, he was not fully himself. He was not in the golden pool of light where V’iru mesmerized him. He was surrounded only by dunes and an infinite sea of sand. He wandered the wastelands for what could be weeks, only to find more sand.

An enigmatic shrouded figure appeared beside him. It spoke under the name of R’saat, which sounded like a soft melodic whisper caressing the dunes. Na’karat could listen but not fathom a face under the hood. R’saat was witness to what Na’karat had experienced, but never told him. R’saat explained Na’karat he had been torn apart, that he was no longer who he thought he was. R’saat wished to show the castoff prophet.

The hooded voice guided Na’karat through the infinite desert on a mystic voyage for understanding. Na’karat faced engraved crystal obelisks with holy words he once preached. He did not want anyone follow them any longer. R’saat erased these words and wrote a new set of Holy Words: Freedom, for no one was to be slave of their own beliefs; Passion, for life was to be lived wholeheartedly; and Truth, for one was to reflect the true fathoms of the soul.

Na’karat was enlightened. A symphony of abstract sounds rushed through his mind and heart. The prophet obeyed R’saat and cast divine heressy upon the old symbols. Na’karat now spoke the words of Freedom, Passion and Truth. R’saat and Na’karat continued for a long time, rewriting all that was holy into the new neutral faith.

The prophet’s journey came to an end when R’saat guided him to an ancient temple where no one had been before. In a murmuring breeze, R’saat explained the temple itself was the final learning ordeal. The shrouded wind opened up a gateway where there first was a wall and accompanied Na’karat through the threshold. There was a long stairway down that led to three chambers, symbolizing each of R’saat’s Holy Words. Na’karat experienced what each word meant in all plenitude, and felt spiritually refreshed. R’saat led the way to another corridor that opened up to a holy dome made of iridescent crystals. She ascerted Na’karat would find understanding in the fractal reflections of the ceiling. The Mural of R’saat was an otherwordly and unimaginably beautiful sight. It explained events Na’karat would struggle to fathom.

R’saat’s abstract voice enveloped the prophet again, and let the prophet know she had to make her leave. She had fulfilled her purpose, but it was time that the Firstborn prophet fulfilled his own. Hers was a mission of enlightening and understanding, not one of ordering or imposing. What would change the course of fate was the prophet’s deed. And before Na’karat could even realize what she meant, R’saat was already gone in a melodic swirl of sounds.

The prophet was left alone in the Atrium of Plenitude, walking, learning and reflecting. He finally understood what R’saat meant. He was no longer Na’karat, V’iru had ripped that aspect off him, and although he was now free and unshackled, he held a heavy curse he had yet to lift.

The absence of the cleansing voice of R’saat let the prophet focus on the actual silence. He could perceive faint whispers that were familiar to him, and when he could clearly hear them it was already too late.

The visions of the abyss and the endless void still haunted him from the deepest fathoms of his mind. Little did he know, but he was about to set on a quest to understand the call of the void, and this time he would not let anyone or anything control him again.

The nameless castoff took up the name of Locus-Walker in behalf of his journeys to many different places of the mind, heart and soul.

The legacy of Na’karat would slowly fade away from the memory of many Firstborn, only to be learned again from the tablets and obelisks he had rewritten under R’saat’s candid surveillance.

[Azalar]

I think the name is a big problem, expansion names are always simple and very effectively sum up the theme, and give a clear indication of what is going on

No offence, the twofold light is just such a vague name. It sounds cool, but it doesn't tell us anything.

I understand, and I want to find a solution to it.

I want to find a title that evokes the same as Mists of Pandaria, but wouldn't like using K'aresh in the title. The one I'm trying at the moment is Voice of Silence, but isn't really telling anything either. Or well, it does, but after we get to a very advanced stage in the expansion, which can also be problematic.

'Nexus' could be a nice title, but it might be too simple.
'Ethereal' could just be too Ethereal-centered xD

Oh, well...

[Azalar]

Not to make fun of it at all, I actually really like a lot of your ideas. I'd say the writing here is definitely better than that of BFA if I'm perfectly honest. I'd play it

I know, and I appreciate the support <3

[Azalar]

Quick update!

I've added another lore chapter of the K'areshi Chronicles: "The First Thalaz'ir and the Departure"

I hope you like it <3

The First Thalaz’ir and the Departure
Several tribes were alerted in the dead of the night by an object in the black sky. It seemed like a huge needle piercing through the sky. It clashed like thunder, releasing rays and forms of an energy no Firstborn had seen before. The falling artifact stung the land like a strike at the heart. The land shuddered and a great pulse of energy rushed across the planet, weaving and drawing lines of ley-magic and infusing the sands with a new power.

Many a nomad gathered round the massive skyfallen spire. There was quite a commotion. Firstborn do not usually stay in the same place for long, but this case was different. The six tribes were intrigued by the event and settled around the obelisk, which they called Thalaz. The leaders of the tribes endeavored with unraveling the mysteries of Thalaz. And in time, the settlers would be known as the Thalaz’ir. The six Thalaz’ir nomad tribes were the following:

· The Halphasi tribe was one bound to disappear. They were a small gathering of tormented religious pilgrims whose faith in the light became twisted and darkened by the uncertain memories and hazy tales of a forgotten prophet they remember was called Na’karat. The twisted faith they believed in was seen with suspicion, and they were reluctantly and begrudgingly received in other nomad settlements.

· Zaathir’s nomad tribe was a congregation of tinkerers interested in scavenging and salvaging ancestral technology from the infinite ruinsites of K’aresh. It was a largely leaderless tribe since they were all together for their personal interests, but Zaathir was usually their spokesperson. They called themselves The Consortium, a name that would evolve, change and last until the present.

· The Vex’ir were a peaceful group of wandering chroniclers, astronomers and philosophers. They studied the sky and what it had to tell about the origin of worlds. Vexelon established a symbiotic -and tense- relationship with the Vyr’aat, as their ethics were dispar, but held similar interests, so the Vyr’aat protected them and provided them shelter in exchange for knowledge.

· Vyr ran an ambitious society of scholars willing to understand, control and unleash the power of ancient devices scattered throughout the world. They were not very interested in the artifacts themselves, but the power they contained. The Vyr’aat had a great knowledge of the world, which was sustained by their collaboration with the Vex’ir.

· The Quramani were one of the oldest tribes. They were a congregation mystics, oracles and sages, knowers of the waters of the oases, the endless sands and the voices of the wind. They were lead by the elementalist Quramanas and her lover Nethiri.

· Aztalah was the charismatic leader of a prosperous and bountiful caravan of traders. She was considered wise, patient and down to earth. Aztalah had a strong sense of duty and order. The Aztalan Merchants were one of the most populous nomad tribes and it was in their interest to settle and form a great nexus of commerce for the greater good of the Firstborn.

It took them many hypotheses and theories, days, nights and failures until Vyr pulled the trigger. He claimed it was a raw untapped power that required ordering before using it. Vyr was hesitant to show the other leaders his findings, but in the end he liked the feelings of grandeur, so he drew figures and forms in the sand. With a flick of his hand, arcane energy filled the furrows of the runes. Everyone was marvelled. Vyr laughed in delight.

Curious and eager to know more, the six leaders announced they would set again on a journey to continue investigating and putting the new knowledge of the arcane to the test. The leaders’ parties were very reduced, as many Firstborn preferred to remain in the soon to be prosperous town of Thalaz. The leaving of the Six was recorded as The Departure.

[BullyZJ]

I have read tinker class description and it has not relation with "expansion's" theme.

Why factions should care about a shattered world colliding against another shattered world? I haven't read all your story, excuse me if this is already answered.

Name sounds cool, but says nothing to me. IMO the name must contain a hint about what you are going to find. Maybe something related with ethereals, void or even Outland.

Anyways, great work, still much better than BfA.

[Choppersan]

Finally the piece i was waiting for,and you outdid my expectations,kudos!

Just one question,from what i was recalling the the Thalaz'ir were 7,but here i see only 6,so is there any reason for that?

[Deleted]

What about something more bold than a tinker class? I just don't see a connection between Etherials and Tinkers. We got Monks together with Pandaren. This was a good fit. Something with a connection to the void, which is quite strong with the Etherials.

[matrix123mko]

Finally the piece i was waiting for,and you outdid my expectations,kudos!

Just one question,from what i was recalling the the Thalaz'ir were 7,but here i see only 6,so is there any reason for that?

There are two in one paragraph - Nethiri and Quramanas.

[Unholyground]

Not sure why tinker keeps coming up, they are clearly headed towards another death themed class aka Dark Ranger, they have also cemented Sylvanas in the direction of leaving the horde so that this can happen.

[Ragnarocket]

I like the idea of a tinker - and since the expansion is designed more around recon and discovery you could angle it that way to say that the races of Azeroth have been working to develop more combat oriented tinkering/engineering. We have Mechatorque's boss encounter in BoD as inspiration, the mecha gnomers/junker gnomes/Mechagon, the rivalry with the goblins being a big focus in 8.1...honestly there's a lot more there than we've had in the past.

I would even argue that setting up Death as more of an opposing force that we will be going against in the future doesn't necessarily indicate we need something like a Dark Ranger class. Although that would be incredibly cool. I'd love to see another class that is either mail or one that shares the bow/gun weaponslot with Hunters.

Question: How are you making your dungeon maps exactly? I love this "WoW map" style and I've wanted to make it for some of my raid/dungeon concepts and have nooooo clue how to do so.

[Azalar]

Hello!

Please don't let Tinkers shadow the whole concept. It would still perfectly be okay without them, but I like how they fit the expansion in the way that more advanced technology is needed more than ever.

Question: How are you making your dungeon maps exactly? I love this "WoW map" style and I've wanted to make it for some of my raid/dungeon concepts and have nooooo clue how to do so.

Hey there! I recreated the style from scratch using multiple layers and textures. It's far from being just like Blizz maps but I'm happy with how it looks. Also essentially lots of trial and error xD

[Ragnarocket]

Well it looks amazing!

I love your concept as well I admit I hadn't seen this until now. I was familiar with GoldenYak's stuff but this is very detailed. Love it!

[Soon-TM]

I would suggest not judging a whole expac just because one feature. You could always choose not to play tinker

I like the idea of an xpac taking place in K'aresh, as well as revisiting Outland themes/aesthethics. But still I have no cue about why should we care about K'aresh in the first place. Yes, it's going to collide with Outland, but Outland - as far as we are concerned - isn't of any strategic value anymore, after the Legion's final defeat. But I like the overall idea, gj so far

[matrix123mko]

I like the idea of an xpac taking place in K'aresh, as well as revisiting Outland themes/aesthethics. But still I have no cue about why should we care about K'aresh in the first place. Yes, it's going to collide with Outland, but Outland - as far as we are concerned - isn't of any strategic value anymore, after the Legion's final defeat. But I like the overall idea, gj so far

This is my problem too. I personally think that we need prepatch with (another) invasion from Outland - this time with panicking creatures like Arakkoa or these mushroom people.

[Futhark]

What's so wrong with tinkers?

I know there's been controversy over there about Tinkers with someone on the forum but still.

Wouldn't this expansion serve a crystal/ethereal based tech class better than a steam/explosive based one? Make the class exciting!

[Azalar]

Hello! Quite a bunch of quotes over here!

Finally the piece i was waiting for,and you outdid my expectations,kudos!

Just one question,from what i was recalling the the Thalaz'ir were 7,but here i see only 6,so is there any reason for that?

Thank you!

Yes. Nethiri wasn't really quite as important as Quramanas. She is now part of Quramanas' tribe.

What about something more bold than a tinker class? I just don't see a connection between Etherials and Tinkers. We got Monks together with Pandaren. This was a good fit. Something with a connection to the void, which is quite strong with the Etherials.

Tinkers are not really a HAHA MAKE FUN OF class. They're pretty serious and they mean business.

Apparently, only the Shadowguard Ethereals are void-based.

I like the idea of an xpac taking place in K'aresh, as well as revisiting Outland themes/aesthethics. But still I have no cue about why should we care about K'aresh in the first place. Yes, it's going to collide with Outland, but Outland - as far as we are concerned - isn't of any strategic value anymore, after the Legion's final defeat. But I like the overall idea, gj so far

Thanks!

Outland 'can' have strategic value if we revisit the Naaru theme. A'dal is still there and we still have some awesome spaceships lingering in Netherstorm.

This is my problem too. I personally think that we need prepatch with (another) invasion from Outland - this time with panicking creatures like Arakkoa or these mushroom people.

I could make Arakkoa an allied race, but then I'd need a horde one too, and I definitely don't want Sporeggar folk.

Wouldn't this expansion serve a crystal/ethereal based tech class better than a steam/explosive based one? Make the class exciting!

Indeed! Tinkers have race themed abilities, skills and mechs! I used steam/explosions as descriptors for general understanding.

For example, Blood Elves would use mana explosions and bombs, Undead would use plague, Draenei use crystals and light and Lightforged Draenei use holy bombs. There are already VFX for such animations, so I don't think it would be very demanding of the art team to produce such effects.