Midnight 12.X Patches & World Soul Saga Speculation Thread

[Nymrohd]

Alex says why in the opening cinematic.

"The world is healing. But her fate is yet uncertain. Together, we shall be Azeroth's protectors once again. Here, the new Age of Dragons shall begin!"

In the short story "The Vow Eternal", which was published shortly before the expansion, it is also given a bit of context. The dragons feel a "call". Basically they were homesick, and the beacon of Tyrhold was summoning them home. But the Aspects all had different reasons of their own as well, primarily focused around restoring their flights or sorting out issues of their past.

In my opinion, they're being brought back for a reason. They are, after all, intended to be Azeroth's guardians -- its first line of defence -- against external threats, primarily the Old Gods.

The question is, why do we give a shit?
I mean I do care about the Primalists because they are an actual threat. But the drama of the dragons just seems useless.
We also still have no idea how anyone found out about them and knew how to release them.

[Jaggler]

I mean Dragons with Aspect powers are really fucking strong allies it would be stupid not to help them.

[Wangming]

Alex says why in the opening cinematic.

"The world is healing. But her fate is yet uncertain. Together, we shall be Azeroth's protectors once again. Here, the new Age of Dragons shall begin!"

In the short story "The Vow Eternal", which was published shortly before the expansion, it is also given a bit of context. The dragons feel a "call". Basically they were homesick, and the beacon of Tyrhold was summoning them home. But the Aspects all had different reasons of their own as well, primarily focused around restoring their flights or sorting out issues of their past.

In my opinion, they're being brought back for a reason. They are, after all, intended to be Azeroth's guardians -- its first line of defence -- against external threats, primarily the Old Gods.

We've been doing just fine without them though.
But okay, poor Lexi is uncertain. I'm not certain what flavour of burrito I will have for lunch.

[ChairmanKaga]

Not to mention they lost their Aspect powers at the end of Cataclysm yet we were doing just fine for five expansions.

In that span the world got Legion invaded, stabbed, a full on Old God almost got directly to the gestating Titan, not to mention Shadowlands Blue Meanie almost rebooting all of reality. The aspects might have been useful to have around to fend off some of that.

[Jaggler]

Yep. I mean they say as much, quite often, don't they? The Old Gods, I mean. The roots of World Trees reach very deep. It's a link between all sorts of things below. Azeroth's heart. Old God prisons.

Here's an interesting text from Wowpedia:

"The Rift of Aln is a vast, deep fissure in a small corner located deep within the Emerald Dream, from which it is thought by the druids that the Dream itself originated. The druids also believe that it bleeds into the Twisting Nether and the Great Dark Beyond."

Would be neat if this fissure was the one, or similar to, Sector AR-938 (Khaz Algar). Some kind of mysterious force seeping out from deep below the ground, perhaps an ancient life-giving power of Azeroth, or an Old God.

I still think the fissure near AR-938 should be the hole Elun'Ahir has been ripped out of, with the life energy of the remaining roots turning the earthen there fleshy/living

[Wangming]

In that span the world got Legion invaded, stabbed, a full on Old God almost got directly to the gestating Titan, not to mention Shadowlands Blue Meanie almost rebooting all of reality. The aspects might have been useful to have around to fend off some of that.

I mean Ysera was around to help with Xavius. it went well.

Well yeah, because there hasn't been a Harbinger to bring about the Hour of Twilight since the days of Deathwing... which is when the Dragon Aspects last had their power.

The Legion is broken. Death is restored. The Void remains to be dealt with. Therefore, the Dragon Aspects are needed.

We will only know in hindsight. 11.0 and 12.0 will tell us how useful it was.

[Jaggler]

I can't recall what the launch quest say about our reasons for going there. I think they basically just approached the player character and said: "Hey, there's adventure to be had on the Dragon Isles!" and off we went with our expeditions. I guess Khadgar gave it some extra urgency.

The Dragon Isles opened, the Dracthyr came with the Blacks and Nozdormu to tell us of the primalists and we also assembled an expeditionary force to go there. We basically had three goals: Stop primalists, restore aspects and explore the isles.

Elves that can shapeshift to dragons and live in buildings sized for their elf forms are not that cool.

Well it's not only the big dragons that live there, but also a very sizeable amount of various dragonkin. Aspect-sized buildings would be rather impractical for them.

I mean Ysera was around to help with Xavius. it went well.

Well, she didn't have aspect powers then, she was just a slightly stronger dragon.

[Santandame]

Is there any real reason for why the majority of leaks and theories are so convinced that we're going to Avaloren in 11.0?

It’s the only place that’s been seeded in game. Every expansion since MoP has led into where we’re going next, with subtle hints dotted about as well.

There’s only one other place this expansion that has gotten similar sort of hints (albeit nowhere near as many), and that’s Tel’Abim - and for whatever reason, a fair few in this thread don’t consider it or don’t want to.

Well, there’s Khaz Algar too but most of us believe it’ll be rolled in with Avaloren but there’s every possibility it won’t be.

I’m fairly convinced it’ll be Avaloren, though. I’d love it to be Tel’Abim.

[Nymrohd]

Well it's not only the big dragons that live there, but also a very sizeable amount of various dragonkin. Aspect-sized buildings would be rather impractical for them.

As a servant race that the dragons barely gave a crap for until they started rebelling.
I mean we don't really know much about dragons. The book will probably help. Like, what do they eat? Can they just eat a human sized meal in their visage form and be full? E.g. D&D dragons have an elemental metabolism that is extremely efficient but they still need to eat massive amounts. How fast do they actually grow to full size (is Wrathion a good example?)

[ZyntosAran]

It’s the only place that’s been seeded in game. Every expansion since MoP has led into where we’re going next, with subtle hints dotted about as well.

There’s only one other place this expansion that has gotten similar sort of hints (albeit nowhere near as many), and that’s Tel’Abim - and for whatever a fair few in this thread don’t consider it or don’t want to.

Well, there’s Khaz Algar too but most of us believe it’ll be rolled in with Avaloren but there’s every possibility it won’t be.

I’m fairly convinced it’ll be Avaloren, though. I’d love it to be Tel’Abim.

And the leaked mount.

[night elf with coal pants]

Khaz Algar and the dwarves (or Vrikuls , or a mix with meca-gnomes ect) give us in the futur in coming , a new element in the "Old God flesh curse" with new facts where is not really Old Gods who are responsible of this "curse" (or just in part) but in reality : Its the power of Azeroth by herself (but possible been manipulated by Old Gods to accelerating the phenomen or what you want)

And for me, it will be more logical that Azeroth is the real responsible of that "curse" (who is not a "curse") by a need for her to make Titan armies in the long terms "living" by flesh because her power is more linked with the power of life than the power of arcane like titans if Azeroth is not really a "titan" but maybe more linked to the "first one" , and linked to life with other links like the link with Elune

Flesh curse was just accelerated by Old Gods to be their curse and taking control of this but in fact there is a bug in this matrix and it work bad (equal chances to fall in Old gods influence or not for an adult living humanoid creatures like human, dwarves , elves ect)

[pacotaco]

https://gear.blizzard.com/collection...on-merchandise YO THE BLIZZCON STORE IS UP? Seems like its pre-store stuff but I seen no news on this.

Edit: There is an illidan and deathwing shirt

Edit2: Is this hearthstone next xpack??? https://gear.blizzard.com/products/h...44009765830905

I dont see any infomation on showdown in the badlands at all anywhere

Error 404.

What was there?!

[Explicit Teemo Nudes]

A guy on discord said he found a list in the Emerald Dream on the PTR. He couldn't read the list in-game. I know you can trade Dragonflight reagents for some items to a vendor in the Emerald Dream, but seeing this list of fire themed items from older expansions(and some that has not been seen in-game afaik), it makes me think of goblin trade princes, which you can tie to The Undermine. Is this a hint towards the next expansion? These fire themed items could help protect us from fire damage from fire elementals...?

https://imgur.com/8Qn9TjV
"So I found some notes placed in world, which is unreadable in game (didn't popup window as for books). However in looter seems like it can be read, which is interesting (but I'm not really sure that it is and not something else?)."

[ZyntosAran]

Error 404.

What was there?!

showdown-in-the-badlands-t-shirt

[Wangming]

These fire themed items could help protect us from fire damage from fire elementals...?

"

More fire?

[ercarp]

but seeing this list of fire themed items from older expansions(and some that has not been seen in-game afaik), it makes me think of goblin trade princes, which you can tie to The Undermine. Is this a hint towards the next expansion?

What's the relation between fire herbs and goblin trade princes?

[Explicit Teemo Nudes]

What's the relation between fire herbs and goblin trade princes?

It's the trading that made me think of trade princes, not that they are fire items. But since some people are talking about us going underground and the next expansion being tied to elementals and also The Undermine, this list made me think of that.

[TheramoreIsTheBomb]

people hating on dragonflight really need to take off the nostalgia pill and rose tinted glasses and realize its one of the first expansions in a long time we've had since legion. because bfa and sl were a hot mess not just for the game but for its legacy and blizzard as a whole...

[ercarp]

It's the trading that made me think of trade princes, not that they are fire items. But since some people are talking about us going underground and the next expansion being tied to elementals and also The Undermine, this list made me think of that.

It says they bear the mark of the Artisan's Consortium. Trading is kind of what they do.

[Wangming]

people hating on dragonflight really need to take off the nostalgia pill and rose tinted glasses and realize its one of the first expansions in a long time we've had since legion. because bfa and sl were a hot mess not just for the game but for its legacy and blizzard as a whole...

So we aren't allowed to criticize three expansions in a row just cause there was less sexual harassment and more bare minimum this time?
I can and I will. I don't think I have standards they can't meet if they really want.