Seeing how Blizzard came up with 6 original zones for Shadowlands, which was previously just a grey version of Azeroth, i came up with my own version for an Emerald Dream expansion.
Most people would think the Emerald Dream is just a green, lush forest and therefore has no potential at all. But, i disagree. Being based on Dreams, it has huge potential and variety to it.
"Dreams can have varying natures, such as being frightening, exciting, magical, melancholic, adventurous, or sexual." https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dream
Based off of these categorizations of Dreams in real-life, i devised 6 zones for an Emerald Dream expansion.
Since Zereths have the power to restart reality, the Emerald Dream would be the go-to place to shape it. Azeroth's Dreams are, currently, predominantly good. If one was to set the Nightmare zone, for example, as the predominant dreaming state - then "evil" cosmic forces, like the Void, Death and Fel, would have an advantage.
Frightening
This zone would be based on the Emerald Nightmare, of course. But, i want it to be more than just a red colored zone with some Satyr mobs in it. I want it to feel scary. I want the experience within it to physiologically affect the player, like Horror games do.
Nightmare "The word nightmare is derived from the Old English mare, a mythological demon or goblin who torments others with frightening dreams."
A nightmare is an unpleasant dream that can cause a strong negative emotional response from the mind, typically fear or horror, but also despair, anxiety and great sadness. The dream may contain situations of danger, discomfort, psychological or physical terror. Sufferers usually awaken in a state of distress and may be unable to return to sleep for a prolonged period of time.
Night Terror A night terror, also known as a sleep terror or pavor nocturnus, is a parasomnia disorder that predominantly affects children, causing feelings of terror or dread. Night terrors should not be confused with nightmares, which are bad dreams that cause the feeling of horror or fear.
Sleep Paralysis Sleep paralysis is a state, during waking up or falling asleep, in which a person is aware but unable to move or speak. During an episode, one may hallucinate (hear, feel, or see things that are not there), which often results in fear. Episodes generally last less than a couple of minutes. It may occur as a single episode or be recurrent.
Some scientists have proposed sleep paralysis as an explanation for reports of paranormal phenomena such as ghosts, alien visits, demons or demonic possession, alien abduction experiences, the night hag and shadow people haunting.
Therefore, i want all 3 antagonistic cosmic forces to feature there: Fel (demons), Death (undead) and Void (aberrations). They could be combining forces to defeat us or fight among themselves there for supremacy.
Based on the Sleep Paralysis experience, i want the atmosphere and dynamics of the zone to affect the player from time to time:
You are frozen in place, unable to move, act or speak while a terrifying elite mob approaches you. You'll be disarmed of your weapons and silenced. The ambient sounds would emphasize the terror, with things like whisperings, screams, laughter and growls. The music will become even more eerie than it is. Your vision would reduce significantly and so would your health and resource bars slowly drain. I want this zone to be in perpetual darkness, with creatures coming out of the darkness for you, like in Uuna's 'A Dark Place' scenario (with an option for people with poor eyesight to have it less dark):
Survival mode
Inspired by survival games, such as the Last of Us, your resources would be limited and depleted quickly. Therefore, you won't be able to use your abilities as much as you'd like. You'd constantly have to monitor your health and resource, and be dependant upon consumables for health and resource regeneration. As for abilities, a lot of them would require you to collect resources to use them, like how Soul Shards worked for Warlocks in Vanilla. You won't be as strong as you are accustomed to be. Collecting and killing a cluster of mobs would not be possible. I want the feel of dread when you encounter mobs on your journey (like encountering a bloater on TLoU). Therefore, the layout will be different. Less so like the current game and more like Vanilla's. The mobs would spread farther apart and the terrain would be more leveled.
Lovecraftian influence
I want it to have new lovecraftian horror creatures for the Void to use:
Diablo IV influence
Diablo has some disturbing creatures to offer inspiration for this place:
Phobias
I want it to feature massive phobias influence, so that it would reach as many people as possible. Think of something like IT's transformative powers or that of the Boggart from Harry Potter:
I am aware that this is mostly a young audience game. But, looking at the state of it, i believe Blizzard should up their game, if you know what i mean.
Exciting
In this zone, "all of your dreams would come true".
Think of it as something like Harry Potter's Mirror of Erised.
Always wanted to excel in PvE? well, now you're a Master Slayer, going through enemies like they were butter. Blizzard can draw upon Torghast's Anima Powers to make this extra fun.
Always desired to win in PvP? Well, now you can as you are a Champion of the Ring. In this scenario, you'd have the upper hand over AI players (as against real players would probably be unfair).
Dreamed of being excellent at your profession? Well, in this place there are new profession quest chains and fun, quirky items for you to create. Blizzard could draw inspiration from Mechagon when designing this place.
Ever dreamed of being a faction leader? Well, with new and exclusive armor and weapon models, and a new title, you would be leading a group of AI NPCs through the zone. Blizzard could draw upon the Withered Training from Legion (if it's questing), the Warfronts of BfA (if it's a PvP situation), or Scenarios/Islands (if it's an instanced PvE).
Always coveted that sweet transmog, mount or battle pet? Well, in this place you can have them all.
Always dreamed of meeting a long gone, or missing, character? well, in this place you choose who you want to drive the story forward. Miss Garrosh? well, guess who's back. Arthas, perhaps? yea, baby... he's there . Sylvanas? Illidan? maybe even Khadgar or his mentor Medivh? What about Vol'jin, or better yet, Cairne? It doesn't matter. As long as you want it, it's there. Blizzard would have to put an option for a character model to be replaced by the player (i don't think it's impossible).
Do you desire, deep deep inside, to be a villain rather than this boring-ass hero all of the time? Well, guess what? you can! In this scenario, you are the villain of this zone and responsible for all the terrible things that happened. Drawing inspiration from Illidan's (or Ysera's) memories questline, and the Void Wraith secret of 8.3, where you play as them against "players" or become an attackable mob, you are transformed into a boss NPC with unique abilities and a huge health bar, terrorizing the poor and innocent NPCs and players that are found there. Go have fun .
Magical
This zone would be based on the Arcane, especially its reality changing capabilities (time and space).
Imagine something like Karazhan, where the laws of physics do not apply.
The zone would be designed like M.C. Escher's relativity painting, where up is down, down is up, left is right, right is left, and nothing basically makes sense direction-wise.
The layout will always change and you'll never know what to expect, even if you've been to that segment of the zone before. I want to give it a feeling of an ever-changing and dynamic labyrinth.
In this place, time would sometimes either slow down, speed up, stop or run backwards (think of Slow, Time Warp and Alter Time).
You would see many alternate versions of yourself walking around from time to time (think of Mirror Image).
You would sometimes be teleported a short range around, randomly (think of Blink/Shimmer).
Your (or other mobs'/players') power would substantially increase/decrease randomly (think of Incanter's Flow) or you would be getting buffed/debuffed (think of Time Anomaly).
Gravity doesn't work as intended. As a result, it's either very light (causing you to float) or very strong (making movement difficult).
Many portals would randomly pop around, leading you to an unknown location throughout this "Maze".
You would sometimes be transformed into another mob, NPC or player, randomly. Alternatively, mobs and NPCs around you would do same. Thought you encountered a random chicken on your journey? well, guess what? It's actually a terrifying elite mob.
Power-ups, speed boosters and health regen interactive buffs would sometimes appear out of nowhere to aid you in this strange place (think of battleground's Berserker, Speed and Restoration). Or, you would find them to be dangerous downgrades of your power, slowing you down and draining your health. The choice is yours. Choose carefully.
Due to the volatile energies of this place, your abilities do not work as intended. Either, they don't operate as you press them, or surprisingly, they perform another function. For example, you might be trying to cast a Frostbolt, but end up casting Solar Wrath. You might be even launching 2 or 3 spells with a single cast, who knows...
You would switch, occasionally, to a different dialect, making it hard for other players to understand you. As you write something and send it, you discover that it is in old dwarvish or even in gutterspeak. Good luck with communication .
The fabric of reality is not strong here. You would find yourself, or others, sometimes losing connection with it, making you disappear and reappear during the course of your time there (basically, what you call 'sharding' ).
Think you're safe? well, sometimes you (or other mobs/players) would be getting shielded, while sometimes you will find yourselves naked.
Nothing is guaranteed in this place, not even your size. As you venture along, you would find yourself, and others, being either extremely big or extremely small.
Nothing is certain. Not even Death. As you, or others, die you have a chance of getting resurrected on the spot. Destructible objects might get rearranged spontaneously.
Melancholic
This zone would be hella depressive. Therefore, its coloration would be totally grey, from the surroundings, to the characters and the abilities.
It would be something like Underrot.
In this zone, you'd see characters you love die and perish. You'd be so depressed that your abilities and spells would often miss, get blocked, parried or resisted. Your damage and speed would reduce significantly, and you'll basically be weak. Drop rates are also reduced to a minimum.
This zone would show you sad alternate realities that you cannot prevent from happening. Therefore, the Infinite Dragonflight will be massively involved. For the first time in the game's history, you will lose story-wise, instead of triumphing all the time.
The Drust and Thros, the Blighted Lands would also feature there, showing you all the bad deeds your character have done or witnessed.
Basically, it would be like Caverns of Time, End Time, and Garrosh's/N'zoth's visions. But, instead of preventing them, you'll hopelessly see them come to pass.
Escape from Durnhole Keep
In this reality, Thrall never escaped and he and the Orcs are still slaves under Blackmoore in internment camps.
Battle for Mount Hyjal
In this reality, the night elves never managed to defeat Archimonde with the wisps. Hyjal is destroyed and the Night elves are being hunted to extinction by demonic forces.
End Time
In this reality, Deathwing won. The Dragonflights are exterminated and the world is at the brink of chaos and destruction by his powers.
Hour of Twilight/Visions of N'zoth
In this version, the Old Gods won and have taken over the planet, transforming it in their image and converting many to their side, including Wrathion.
Garrosh's Victory
In this version, Garrosh won the war against the factions of Azeroth and their leaders. Vol'jin is killed by the assassination attempt on his life and Thrall loses the Mak'gora. The world is populated by Orcs, who are slaughtering anyone they can find, even children.
Jaina's revenge/Ragnaros' prophecy
In this reality, Jaina/Ragnaros unleashed the tidal/fire wave upon Orgrimmar, completely decimating it and its inhabitants. She sets her eyes upon the other Horde races. Her vengeance has not been quenched.
Betrayer Malfurion
To save his brother from the Burning Legion, Malfurion takes it upon himself to consume the Skull of Gul'dan and become a demon, so that his brother wouldn't. Tyrande has to watch as her beloved becomes a twisted version of his former self.
Knights of the Frozen Throne
In this version, every known character had become a Death Knight. From Jaina, to Anduin, to Malfurion, Rexxar, Uther, Gul'dan, Valeera, Garrosh and Thrall.
Everyone you care about will turn into a mindless zombie in this reality.
Night Warrior
In this version, Tyrande was never purified. She harbors hatred for Sylvanas, the Forsaken and the Horde. She even hold grudge against Anduin for standing aside while her people burned. Consumed by rage, she goes on a massacre spree to satisfy her murderous desires.
Thunder Bluff/Stormwind burns
In this reality, Thrall's words came true. Sylvanas did come for Thunder Bluff/she did keep her word to Nathanos that she sets her eyes on Stormwind. Much like the scenario of Teldrassil, these 2 cities are burned to the ground, sending their residents running for shelter - only to be ambushed by Sylvanas' forces. A grim fate.
Scourge Sylvanas
In this reality, Sylvanas never gained control or possession of her body and is a minion of Arthas against her will.
Baine's Death
In this reality, Baine was never rescued by the heroes from the clutches of Sylvanas'/Jailer's forces. Instead, he is tormented and executed in front of your eyes.
Chromie's Scenarios
In this version, you are unable to stop the different forces, who are trying to kill her, from succeeding. You watch her die brutally in every single time event.
Mechanical Future
Just as Chromie predicted, everything and everyone turned into machines. Nothing is alive. Your loved ones are heartless and emotionless machines. They want you to become one as well.
Or, basically, every catastrophic and tragic scenario Blizz devs can come up with. But, they should keep in mind that these have to be personal, rather than collective. We don't care much about random NPCs as we do known and well established ones. So, killing or corrupting those is the key for a good, depressive scenario. Not just thousands of nameless NPCs lying dead on the ground.
Adventurous
An adventure is an exciting experience that is typically bold, sometimes risky or undertaking. Adventures may be activities with some potential for physical danger such as traveling, exploring, skydiving, mountain climbing, scuba diving, river rafting or participating in extreme sports. Adventures are often undertaken to create psychological arousal or in order to achieve a greater goal such as the pursuit of knowledge that can only be obtained in a risky manner.
This zone would be heavily based on known and popular adventure movies like that of Indiana Jones, Tomb Raider, Pirates of the Carribean, El Dorado, Atlantis, Jurassic Park, King Kong and Avatar. There, you would go on an epic adventure to discover old and lost tombs and crypts in order to reveal their secrets and loot their treasures; you would sail the seas and participate in naval combat as well as plunder islands: You would discover long lost cities and civilizations, whether in the jungles or underwater; You would discover primitive lands, untouched by humanoid races, where long-lost and extinct life forms are thriving and the land itself is alien and dangerous.
Adventure is the name of the game. The journey itself would be as important as the end goal. Just like in Vanilla WoW. Reading the quest text would be imperative to succeeding in this zone. You can't just skip over it, like you do now in game. There would be load of riddles and puzzles for you to decipher and solve. These could be found inside bottles, scrolls, maps, treasure chests, tablets and runes scattered around. It won't glow and sparkle, like other interactive objects in game. instead, you'd have to notice it yourself, like in some riddles from Legion and BfA. It won't be so obviously out in the open, either. It would be half buried, popping out of the ground, covered by leaves and branches, or fully buried - requiring you to use a shovel in a specific spot (without telling you where, like archaeology does today). Treasure chests would actually require you to make a key or a magic spell, find it somewhere, or call on a rogue to open it. The time of easily opened chests is over. Time to work for it a little bit. But, don't fret. The work is worth it. Because inside those chests, or tombs or crypts, you'd find treasure beyond imagination; Lore that is forgotten and unbelievably important. Expect to find unique looking, legendary items with a story behind them that would dazzle you. Everything that you find, or create, along the way will serve you on your journey. Nothing is a piece of junk to be thrown away or sold on the auction. It is not archaeology (useless grey items). Interactive items would be essential to progressing the story forward. You'd have to figure out when and where to use them, how to make them and which ones are the right ones (you are prone to failure. Don't expect it to be that easy). You'd have to read the quest text carefully and use your brain, because it is written in a riddley manner.
Lost Tombs and Crypts
When you adventure to those places, expect to be surprised and find yourself in danger. Ventured into an old tomb or crypt? don't think it would be that easy (like it is now in game). You'd be required to carry a torch in one of you weapon slots (which, you'll have to make) because it is way too dark in there. Every lever you pull, every tile you step on and every door you go through might activate a trap - from spikes to quick sand, to a chasm in the floor, to fire being shot, to revolving doors and corridors trapping you, to swinging weapons slicing you, to a boulder chasing you, and to the place getting collapsed (which, will make you race against time to find the entrance. Otherwise, you're a goner ). You might wake up a terrible boss NPC or swarm the place with a ton of mobs, forcing you to deal with it, or run the hell out of there. As with the Frightening zone, i want it to be based on Survival games. Limited and fastly diminished resources would make you calculate your steps, the actions you take or the mobs you face. Improvisation and "hit or miss" scenarios would be common in those places. There's no one way to achieving your goal.
Lost Cities
As for "lost cities" scenarios, you'd have to gain reputation with the natives to earn their trust. They obviously start off as hostile. Your mission is to discover how to approach them. making an offering to leave a good first impression? (you'd have to find what they desire, locate it or make it); talking your way through to their hearts? (multiple dialogue options, which will have an impact on how they treat you); conquering them and beating them to submission? (maybe they value strength and might over sweet talk and flattery). It's up to you to figure it out. When you do find it (or don't - you might lose reputation, making you a hunted man), you'll slowly gain access to their treasures and secrets, providing you with cool as hell items or knowledge (or, you might have to steal it or take it by force).
Piracy
Piracy scenarios would require you to gather a crew (not so easily, you'd have to work for it - convincing the crew you're hiring to work for you in multiple ways. It could be by bribing, by dueling, by helping or by threatening), build a ship and design it the way you like it (not by contributing resources like the Garrison shipyard, but by actually collecting whatever it takes to build a ship and crafting it). The design will have multiple options for you to choose from (each, requiring different materials), including colors, flags, size, wheel, cannons, sails, anchor, statues, interior and name (basically, being something like player housing). When you finally build your ship (which would start humbly and be upgraded along the way), you'll participate in naval warfare, controlling your ship's movement and lighting your cannons. In some cases, you'd board the other ship to take the fight to them (or the other way around). Damage to the ship, and dead crew members, will be a part of it. You'd have to fix it and recruit new ones. You might even lose your ship to the bottom of the sea - choose who you engage carefully. Mutinies could occur on your ship. It could be sparked by maltreating your crew (not paying them enough or sharing the loot equally; forcing them to do chores, choosing bad dialogue options and beating them); or it could be the other way around - being too soft to be viewed as a captain (being overly nice and generous to them or others on your journeys). On your journey, you'd find islands and settlements along the way, which you can choose if you want to inspect or ignore (hate to compare it to Island Expeditions, but that is what it probably would be - just without the azerite. They can try and make it more like the new Shadowlands starting experience, where the story is basically you being stranded on that island. According to some opinions, it is not that badly designed). These Islands, or settlements, would present varying quests and scenarios: from defeating a monster and looting its treasure, to helping an oppressed group rebel against their oppressors, or hunting down a rival group/character and engaging in a sort of PvP battle.
Lost Worlds
"Lost worlds" scenarios would have you explore the terrain and wildlife. Think of something like Un'goro Crater. There, you would venture into strange lands and unpredictable surroundings, where everything pretty much wants to kill and eat you. Therefore, Survival mode would be used again. Limited and fast depleted resources would have you running for your life, hesitating whether you should explore that cave or not (hopefully, it would encourage grouping). I want the feel of dread and awe when you see a giant devilsaur on the horizon (like it was in vanilla). There, you'd discover the origins of the place, help stranded NPCs find their way and make sure they get out alive, and contribute to the delicate and balanced ecosystem from falling into a turmoil.
Sexual
Now, i know that this is a PG-13 game and that sexual contents are prohibited from being shown and displayed. But, i think it is time for Blizzard to develop and move on from their strictly young audience and actually implement mature, and sometimes taboo, aspects to the game. I'm not suggesting making it into an adult-content game, but hints and story bits of sexual content can definitely be presented, in my opinion.
If talking about sexual contents are against the rules of this forum, i would be glad if you (moderator) just edited it out or informed me before closing this thread, because i put a lot of effort into writing it.
A nocturnal emission, informally known as a wet dream, sex dream, nightfall or sleep orgasm, is a spontaneous orgasm during sleep that includes ejaculation for a male, or vaginal wetness or an orgasm (or both) for a female.
In European folklore, nocturnal emissions were believed to be caused by a succubus copulating with the individual at night, an event associated with sleep paralysis and possibly night terrors.
A succubus is a demon or supernatural entity in folklore, in female form, that appears in dreams to seduce men, usually through sexual activity. According to religious traditions, repeated sexual activity with a succubus can cause poor physical or mental health, even death. In modern representations, a succubus is often depicted as a beautiful seductress or enchantress, rather than as demonic or frightening. The male counterpart to the succubus is the incubus.
An incubus is a demon in male form who, according to mythological and legendary traditions, lies upon sleeping women in order to engage in sexual activity with them. Its female counterpart is a succubus. Salacious tales of incubi and succubi have been told for many centuries in traditional societies. Some traditions hold that repeated sexual activity with an incubus or succubus may result in the deterioration of health, an impaired mental state, or even death.
This place will look a lot like Illidan's concubine areas in the black temple, or to a certain extent, like Silvermoon's ones (with pillows scattered around, hookas and curtains).
Blizzard could finally keep their promise of creating a male and female counterparts for demons, starting with the Succubus and Incubus:
"When incubi were requested as a warlock pet, Zarhym responded that Blizzard had plans for offering players a choice between male and female versions of all warlock demons, and that they are committed to making this happen, but that they don't have a time frame for when it might be implemented."
And guess who's gonna be their leader?
No other than Lilith herself - from Diablo IV.
She is said to be a dream demoness, and a seductive one as well.
As depicted in the Jewish mystical work Zohar and the medieval rabbinical text Alphabet of Ben Sira, Lilith was Adam's first wife, who later became a succubus. She left Adam and refused to return to the Garden of Eden after she mated with the archangel Samael. In Zoharistic Kabbalah, there were four succubi who mated with the archangel Samael. There were four original queens of the demons: Lilith, Eisheth, Agrat bat Mahlat, and Naamah.
According to the Kabbalah and the school of Rashba, the original three queens of the demons, Agrat Bat Mahlat, Naamah, Eisheth Zenunim, and all their cohorts give birth to children, except Lilith. According to other legends, the children of Lilith are called Lilin.
According to the Malleus Maleficarum, or "Witches' Hammer", written by Heinrich Kramer (Institoris) in 1486, succubi collect semen from men they seduce. Incubi, or male demons, then use the semen to impregnate human females, thus explaining how demons could apparently sire children despite the traditional belief that they were incapable of reproduction. Children so begotten—cambions—were supposed to be those that were born deformed, or more susceptible to supernatural influences.
Lilith had the power to transform into a woman's physical features, seduce her husband, and conceive a child. However, Lilith would become hateful towards the children born of the husband and wife and would seek to kill them. Similarly, Lilit would transform into the physical features of the husband, seduce the wife, she would give birth to a child. It would become evident that the child was not fathered by the husband, and the child would be looked down on. Lilit would seek revenge on the family by killing the children born to the husband and wife.
Two primary characteristics are seen in these legends about Lilith: Lilith as the incarnation of lust, causing men to be led astray, and Lilith as a child-killing witch, who strangles helpless neonates.
Based off of these, the story of the zone could be the attempt of the Burning Legion to infiltrate the mortal races' through copulation instead of by force or by impersonation, as they know that parents often hesitate to kill their offsprings. By diluting the blood line of mortal races and seeding a demon breed within them, the Burning Legion would have a stronger hold upon Azeroth, as these offsprings would integrate into the daily affairs of the different races and factions.
Another story for the zone could be Lilith's war against the other queens, as she is envious of their ability to reproduce while she can't. You'll have to choose a side. Whether you'd like to ally and help Lilith, Eisheth, Agrat bat Mahlat or Naamah. Each has their own background, desires and reasons in the overall conflict. Or, you could choose to ally with none of them, and go against all of them - in which case, they would probably combine forces against you.
Alternatively, a different story for the zone would be you allying with her offsprings, who she is trying to kill. As bastard offsprings of Demons and mortal races, this group is trying to make a place for themselves in the world and survive, because they are being hunted by the Demon Queens, especially Lilith, to extinction.
Or it could be a combination of all 4 options. The choice is up to Blizzard.
The theme of the zone would be temptation. Not just concerning sexuality, but material and status as well. Always wanted that sweet loot that you could never get? Well, you are being offered that - in exchange to sexual intercourse with a demoness. Always desired to be stronger, faster and better than everyone else? Well, you could if you would just agree to sire an offspring to the Burning Legion. Do that and you are putting Azeroth and the ones you care for in danger. The blame is on you. But, could you really resist the temptation of such possibilities? think of it as something like the Beowulf movie, where the main protagonist is faced with a difficult choice by angelina jolie , which he mistakenly accepts - leading him to a live a glorious life but at the cost of having a monster son who wreaks havoc upon the townsfolk. You might have to kill your own offspring in game (boss) if you choose to do so.
I know this isn't your typical Expansion thread, lacking features such as races, classes, dungeons, raids, battlegrounds, arenas, story, characters and locations' names. I decided to focus on the overall concept, rather than get into details. If you find it too strange, you could provide suggestions for such features. Personally, i believe it is time Blizzard changed their expansions a bit, and take risks that diverge from their usual formula - because, as it stands, they are not in a good position right now, according to some critics.
What do you guys think?
Did you like it? did you hate it? would very much like your honest opinions and suggestions. comments would be helpful.
Last edited by username993720; 2022-03-08 at 09:04 PM.
Since nobody seems to be interested in the OP, i am expanding it with some more familiar material.
Alternative/Patch Zones
"According to Chris Metzen, the Emerald Dream was partially inspired by the Dreaming from The Sandman and the Green from comics involving the Swamp Thing, both published by DC Comics."
The Dreaming
The Dreaming is the world where people go to dream, and is a vague, shifting realm of symbol, belief, and imagination. It is named after another name for the Dreamtime, a central concept in Australian Aboriginal mythology.
Therefore, this zone would be based on Australian landscapes (for all those who wished for it, this is a prime opportunity ).
The Dreaming is used to represent Aboriginal concepts of Everywhen during which the land was inhabited by ancestral figures, often of heroic proportions or with supernatural abilities. These figures were often distinct from gods as they did not control the material world and were not worshipped, but only revered.
Instead of having an ancestral zone in the Shadowlands, like many people suggested, it would feature here - in the Emerald Dream. You'd see and meet ancestral races and figures of the different races in Azeroth. That would shed some light on the origins of some races. Brann Bronzebeard will feature here, extensively. You'll meet heroic figures of the past, unmentioned anywhere prior in the lore.
Many Aboriginal Australians also refer to the world-creation time as "Dreamtime". The Dreaming laid down the patterns of life for the Aboriginal people.
From here, the blueprint for Azeroth was created. You'll learn the ideas and works behind primordial Azeroth.
Some of the ancestor or spirit beings inhabiting the Dreamtime become one with parts of the landscape, such as rocks or trees. The concept of a life force is also often associated with sacred sites, and ceremonies performed at such sites "are a re-creation of the events which created the site during The Dreaming". The ceremony helps the life force at the site to remain active and to keep creating new life: if not performed, new life cannot be created.
This will be the subject of the zone. They must keep the rituals going, or else life on Azeroth would cease to continue.
In Australian Aboriginal art, a Dreaming is a totemistic design or artwork, which can be owned by a tribal group or individual.
"Dreamtime" or "Dreaming" is commonly used as a term for the animist creation narrative of Aboriginal Australians for a personal, or group, creation and for what may be understood as the "timeless time" of formative creation and perpetual creating. In addition, the term applies to places and localities on indigenous Australian traditional land (and throughout non-traditional Australia) where the uncreated creation spirits and totemic ancestors, or genii loci, reside.
"A Dreaming" is a story owned by different tribes and their members that explains the creation of life, people and animals.
Therefore, we will meet the Koala people there. A totemic and tribal group of people, trying to maintain the Dreamtime.
Dreamtime (or The Dreaming or Tjukurrpa or Jukurrpa) stories tell of the great spirits and totems during creation, in animal and human form that moulded the barren and featureless earth. The Rainbow Serpent came from beneath the ground and created huge ridges, mountains, and gorges as it pushed upward. The Rainbow Serpent is understood to be of immense proportions and inhabits deep permanent waterholes and is in control of life's most precious resource, water.
This will be the deity the Koala people worship.
Tjilbruke (also Tjirbruki, Tjilbruki, Tjirbruke, Tjirbuk or Tjirbuki,) is an important creation ancestor for the Kaurna people of the Adelaide plains in the Australian state of South Australia. Tjilbruke was a Kaurna man, who appeared in Kaurna Dreaming dating back about 11,000 years. Representation of Tjilbruke bearing his nephew. Created by John Dowie, it is located at Kingston Park, South Australia.
He will be one of the major figures in this zone, an important ancestor to the Koala people, that drives the story forward.
First Ones
We will find more about the First Ones, especially the one that is connected to the Dream. Based on Sandman's Endless, there will be 7 of them: Arcane, Death, Life, Fel, Light, Void and Element). The Endless, as depicted on promotional artwork for The Sandman: Endless Nights (clockwise, from left): Death, Destiny, Dream, Destruction, Desire, Delirium, and Despair. Art by Frank Quitely
They embody powerful forces or aspects of the DC Universe and have existed since the dawn of time; they are depicted as among the most powerful beings in the DC Universe. They are distinct from and more powerful than most gods.
One notable facet of their depiction is that none of them are "representations" or "personifications" of their function, they simply are their function.
One of the seven Endless, inconceivably powerful beings older and greater than gods, Dream is both lord and personification of all dreams and stories, all that is not in reality (which, in turn, Dream may define by his existence). He has taken many names, including Morpheus and Oneiros, and his appearance can change depending on the person who is seeing him.
We will learn more about him. It was not Freya that created this place. Neither did she mold it. She was merely the Titan's envoy to that place.
The Green
The Parliament of Trees - A group of plant elementals that reside in the Green, which is in turn associated with the life force of all of Earth's plant life.
You'll finally get to see the Emerald Dream as you know it - a lush, green forest or jungle.
The Swamp Thing is a fictional superhero in American comic books published by DC Comics. A humanoid/plant elemental creature, created by writer Len Wein and artist Bernie Wrightson, the Swamp Thing has had several humanoid or monster incarnations in various different storylines.
The character is a swamp monster that resembles an anthropomorphic mound of vegetable matter, and fights to protect his swamp home, the environment in general, and humanity from various supernatural or terrorist threats.
In physical form, the Swamp Thing is a chlorokinetic-transmorphic elemental entity; an Avatar of "The Green" (the plane of existence for the hive-mind and life force of all plant life on Earth). The Swamp Thing can inhabit and animate vegetable matter anywhere, including alien plants, even sentient ones, and construct it into a body for himself. As a result, bodily attacks mean little to him, he can easily regrow damaged or severed body parts, and can even transport himself across the globe by leaving his current form, transferring his consciousness to a new form grown from whatever vegetable matter is present in the location that he wishes to reach.
The Swamp Thing is normally human-sized or slightly larger than average, but he can grow bodies much larger.
The Swamp Thing can control any form of plant life, he can make it bend to his will or accelerate its growth.
After Mark Millar's run, the Swamp Thing had also mastered the elements of Fire, Earth, Water and Air.
he can control all forms of plant life and even grow every kind even if it is unknown to him; he can also grow from any plant life anywhere, dead or alive.
Basically, he would look like that in WoW:
But, that's not enough. I came up with the idea of combining the Botani into this zone. They were last seen running into the Barrens:
Long story short, they managed to get into the Emerald Dream. There, they are attempting to convert Azeroth's dreams into a lush forest/jungle, so that it would be translated into Azeroth. Basically, trying to shape their new home into what they're comfortable with, like they did on Draenor.
This, in turn, will start a war with the Breakers who joined the Horde. As they vie for supremacy, Azeroth's landscapes will be affected and changed.
Dreamlands
The Dream may also have been influenced by H. P. Lovecraft's Dreamlands. The Dreamlands is a vast, alternate dimension that can be entered through dreams, similar to astral projection or lucid dreaming. Experienced dreamers are among the most powerful inhabitants of the Dreamlands and may become its permanent residents after their physical deaths. A map of Lovecraft's "Dreamworld" by Jack Gaughan (1967).
The Dreamlands are apparently divided into four regions:
The West contains the Steps of Deeper Slumber (descended via the "Cavern of Flame") and the Enchanted Woods, by which many enter the Dreamlands. Other points of interest include the port of Dylath-Leen, one of the Dreamlands' largest cities; the town of Ulthar, "where no man may kill a cat"; the coastal jungle city of Hlanith; and the desert trading capital Illarnek. Here lies the fabled Land of Mnar, whose gray stones are etched with signs and where rise the ruins of the great Sarnath.
The South, home of the isle of Oriab and the areas known as the Fantastic Realms (described in "The White Ship").
The East, home of Celephaïs, a city dreamt into being by its monarch Kuranes, greatest of all recorded dreamers, and the dangerous Forbidden Lands.
The North, location of the feared Plateau of Leng, home of man-eating spiders and the satyr-like "Men of Leng".
Other locales include the Underworld, a subterranean region underneath the Dreamlands inhabited by various monsters; the Moon, accessible via a ship and inhabited by toad-like "moon-beasts" allied with Nyarlathotep; and Kadath, a huge castle atop a mountain and the domain of the "Great Ones", the gods of Earth's Dreamland.
Evidently all dreamers see the Dreamlands slightly differently, as Atal, High Priest of Ulthar, mentions that everyone has their own dreamland. In the same sentence he says the Dreamlands that many know is a "general land of vision".
Well, from what i could gather, H.P. Lovecraft pretty much envisioned how it would look like. And, unlike Sandman's places, which are kinda modern, these places seem to be fantasy-esqued. So, i guess they kinda fit in WoW.
Kuranes can be Malfurion, as he's the most notorious dreamer of all. He may have built a city while being there. And the Forbidden lands could be the Emerald Nightmare.
"Men of Leng" would of course be the WoW Satyrs:
I don't know about the Underworld, as we already have the Maw.
The Moon, or Elune, could definitely feature. Toad-like "moon beasts" allied with Nyarlathotep would be a new species of Murloc allied with an Old God.
Kadath, the domain of the "Great Ones", could be a place dedicated to the First Ones.
Ulthar sounds like Ulthalesh, a Nazthrezim (and an Affliction Warlock Artifact weapon). Atal sounds like a Troll (Atal'Dazar, Atal'Hakkar and the Atal'ai). So, they could feature there somehow.
Tel'aran'rhiod
Another similarity to the Emerald Dream is Tel'aran'rhiod, a parallel world in Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series, that is normally accessed through dreams. There are specially gifted people called "Dreamwalkers" that are able to access this reality at will.
We would be called Dreamwalkers, like we are called Mawwalkers.
From what i could gather, the plot of the book includes a Dragon Reborn, a Dark One, and zealots who call themselves "The Children of Light".
The Dragon Reborn would be Ysera:
The Dark One would either be Sargeras or Zovaal:
And the Light Zealots would obviously be the Lightbound: