Midnight 12.X Patches & World Soul Saga Speculation Thread

[Hitei]

I still haven't been able to find this reference to a giant magic flower I have no idea what I could've missed. Was it buried in quest text?

I believe it's a grey item or quest item from the sidequest where you infiltrate the Skeins library in Azj-Kahet.

https://www.wowhead.com/item=215159/pillaged-trophy

Far from a record of scouting logs, this well-worn tome is filled to the brim with charcoal sketches of magnificent and vaguely familiar plant life.

Of particular note is a dog-eared page towards the back which depicts a massive blossom situated in the heart of what appears to be a cave.

Note that this seems to be a copy of

https://www.wowhead.com/item=191405/alvis-ledger

[Viridiel]

https://www.wowhead.com/item=215159/pillaged-trophy



Note that this seems to be a copy of

https://www.wowhead.com/item=191405/alvis-ledger

Thank you! This has bugged me since the expansion came out.

I think there's probably still something to it if it's copied from Zaralek considering Blizzard seem to be painting this picture that underground creatures travel around just as much as creatures on the surface. The Rootlands seems to predate the World Soul Saga as a concept, so I wouldn't be terribly surprised if they had it in mind at the time.

Or it could be nothing. It doesn't exactly give us a whole lot to speculate on, but I like to think that they've already planned out some underground areas. I'm sad we still haven't seen more Underlight creatures in TWW, so hopefully we return underground at some point in the future. I feel like the Underlight has gotta be a place across the Undersea where the kobyss come from.

[Dracullus]

If TWW was typical expansion, Rootlands+Worldcore+Ethereals couldn't be more obvious for 11.2. But since it's trilogy, even direct foreshadowing could be about Midnight or even Last Titan.

I still, ekhem, root for it cause it would be very weird to abandon Khaz Algar, randomly go to space and return here in later expac. And it make more sense to go to core in underground expansion and full void zone in space in Midnight. Also, Orweyna would be simply cut, this character make sense only if it leads to patch with bigger Haranir presence.

[Viridiel]

Do we have any lore about Excavation Site 9 and the titan facilities that seem to be there? It seems odd that it's all generic titan design rather than the earthen stuff up top. Were they experimenting with the Black Blood?

[Nymrohd]

Do we have any lore about Excavation Site 9 and the titan facilities that seem to be there? It seems odd that it's all generic titan design rather than the earthen stuff up top. Were they experimenting with the Black Blood?

Earthen stuff don't have ruin assets.

[Ersula]

Earthen stuff don't have ruin assets.

It matches the Uldaman earthen stuff. I think its a safe assuption its from before the playable earthen overthrew the keeper.

[Cheezits]

If I have any issue with Undermine it's that Hobgoblins are entirely skipped over. Either they wanted to focus on goblins entirely and have more in store for hobs, or they didn't bother to touch on them as they are kind of a slave/thrall race (and SL/DF proved modern audiences aren't okay with that kind of idea considering how many people whined about the Stewards and Dragonkin).

I don't think there's anything wrong with slave races in fiction but its clearly a sensitive topic for modern WoW players.

[Ersula]

If I have any issue with Undermine it's that Hobgoblins are entirely skipped over. Either they wanted to focus on goblins entirely and have more in store for hobs, or they didn't bother to touch on them as they are kind of a slave/thrall race (and SL/DF proved modern audiences aren't okay with that kind of idea considering how many people whined about the Stewards and Dragonkin).

I don't think there's anything wrong with slave races in fiction but its clearly a sensitive topic for modern WoW players.

I'd like to play as a hobgoblin but I can see why its not a popular race. But if anything I think Undermine shows them as fully integrated in Goblin society. They see them as goblins. There's even hobgoblin scientists so clearly Ogre's problems didn't affect them on a genetic level.

[Nymrohd]

I'd like to play as a hobgoblin but I can see why its not a popular race. But if anything I think Undermine shows them as fully integrated in Goblin society. They see them as goblins. There's even hobgoblin scientists so clearly Ogre's problems didn't affect them on a genetic level.

Yeah that is pretty much it. They are not presented as slaves, rather as a different type of goblin. Could have used some hobgoblins in a position of power but hey. Would have loved female hob models though.

[Jolly Roger]

https://www.wowhead.com/item=215159/pillaged-trophy



Note that this seems to be a copy of

https://www.wowhead.com/item=191405/alvis-ledger

remember the remnant of the void in the emerald dream that eventually bloomed?
possible that is similar but this time the flower wasnt uprooted

- - - Updated - - -

i think we will see locus walker turn traitor at some point this expansion because dude is so shady and we are getting more ethereal stuff.
Alleria will either turn or get possessed
Xal's identity as a fragment of the 5th old god will be revealed

rootlands and the harronir are possible this expansion just for the fact they are tied to the black blood and we are going to likely wrap that storyline up before midnight

[Nymrohd]

Btw did you all know that you can turn in CHETT lists with each of your alts to your current weekly cartel's quartermaster for 500 rep?

[Nibelheimy]

I'd like to play as a hobgoblin but I can see why its not a popular race. But if anything I think Undermine shows them as fully integrated in Goblin society. They see them as goblins. There's even hobgoblin scientists so clearly Ogre's problems didn't affect them on a genetic level.

This patch has really made me want playable Hobgoblins. Probably to fill the Ogre hole, but they are brilliant regardless.

[Eldryth]

Apparently there's been a hidden thing from Season 1 (it was discovered early on, but I only heard about it now and never saw the story impact came up) that already revealed which Ethereal faction we've been dealing with.

Each time you use Ky'veza's Treacherous Transmitter trinket in the open world, it has a rare chance of summoning an Ethereal mob that drops a toy to turn you into an Ethereal. But the important thing here is said mob's name: Ethereum Void Reaper.

So unless this is a complete red herring, we're not dealing with the Shadowguard, or a new villainous faction- we're fighting the original Ethereal villains introduced all the way back in Burning Crusade: the Ethereum.


Which also makes their agenda clear, barring any major changes that they've went through since we last fought them. The Ethereum are K'aresh's former ruling class, and are completely obsessed with getting revenge on Dimensius and his forces, no matter the cost. They consider anyone who refuses to join them an enemy, and worked to "become Void" themselves for the power they need.

So whatever they plan to do with the Dark Heart, it's most likely part of a plan to kill Dimensius. Perhaps they want to drain his power to weaken him, or empower themselves, or just use it directly as a weapon somehow; but killing Dimenius has been their clear end goal ever since Burning Crusade.


Also, on a somewhat related note, the Ethereals are pretty well-suited to have a bunch of sub-factions just like Undermine's Cartels. They could give us different rewards for the Protectorate, Consortium, and a couple new groups to flesh out their society even more.

[Joshuaj]

I mean, this would make sense, as the Ethereum hate Dimensius, and it's entirely possible Xal'atath is the All-Devouring's herald.

[Foreign Exchange Ztudent]

In all seriousness, I always felt this storyline would make more sense if the World Soul was projecting Dimensius as a physical entity into the Universe. This just feels like they want to kill Dimensius within a very short time period (From ethereums' perspective) which I don't know how that is going to be possible and I assume the Dark Heart would then be the tool to do the summoning of Dimensius unless again the Remains of K'areshs' energy which could be Azeroths in a moment "fight and flight" so it could be immense power to slurp up for the Dark Heart or the previous World Souls existing goop is used as a multiplier of the already existing Galakrond Essence/Dalaran Leylinery bs/Beledar bs.

But yeah, I mean if its the Ethereum getting their revenge on Dimensius again by killing Dimensius or.. Hell maybe the point is that the Dark Heart can slurp and contain Dimensius. But yeah, I am just spitballing. I very much assume something goes wrong and Dimensius knocks on our door after what shenanigans occur.

If nothing else Voidsongs flavor text and the events hypothetically unfolding is definitely curious at this point. I wonder how this unfolds...

[Viridiel]

Apparently there's been a hidden thing from Season 1 (it was discovered early on, but I only heard about it now and never saw the story impact came up) that already revealed which Ethereal faction we've been dealing with.

Each time you use Ky'veza's Treacherous Transmitter trinket in the open world, it has a rare chance of summoning an Ethereal mob that drops a toy to turn you into an Ethereal. But the important thing here is said mob's name: Ethereum Void Reaper.

So unless this is a complete red herring, we're not dealing with the Shadowguard, or a new villainous faction- we're fighting the original Ethereal villains introduced all the way back in Burning Crusade: the Ethereum.


Which also makes their agenda clear, barring any major changes that they've went through since we last fought them. The Ethereum are K'aresh's former ruling class, and are completely obsessed with getting revenge on Dimensius and his forces, no matter the cost. They consider anyone who refuses to join them an enemy, and worked to "become Void" themselves for the power they need.

So whatever they plan to do with the Dark Heart, it's most likely part of a plan to kill Dimensius. Perhaps they want to drain his power to weaken him, or empower themselves, or just use it directly as a weapon somehow; but killing Dimenius has been their clear end goal ever since Burning Crusade.


Also, on a somewhat related note, the Ethereals are pretty well-suited to have a bunch of sub-factions just like Undermine's Cartels. They could give us different rewards for the Protectorate, Consortium, and a couple new groups to flesh out their society even more.

Saprish is "Ethereum-Lord of the Shadowguard", so the Shadowguard have always had some sort of affiliation with the Ethereum, we just don't really know if one exists under the other or if they're loosely affiliated via characters like him.

[Eldryth]

Saprish is "Ethereum-Lord of the Shadowguard", so the Shadowguard have always had some sort of affiliation with the Ethereum, we just don't really know if one exists under the other or if they're loosely affiliated via characters like him.

I'd guess indirectly affiliated, but fair- we don't know for sure one way or the other.

It was said back in Burning Crusade that many of the other Ethereal factions were formed by Nexus Princes abandoning the Ethereum to pursue their own goals when it became obsessed with revenge. And as vague as the Shadowguard are, I don't really get the impression that they have the same goals as the Ethereum- it seems more like they're outright serving the Void, or chasing power for its own sake, than obsessing over revenge.

And they were pretty clearly working with Xal'atath back in the Harbinger questline in 10.2.7, which would suggest that they're not on the same side as the ones in TWW. Or that they all betrayed her in Undermined, but if that's the case, then Ky'veza wouldn't really have needed to infiltrate the palace secretly.

So I find it hard to see the Shadowguard and Ethereum's agendas lining up. I'd guess that Saprish's role is more along the lines of him being a former Ethereum member who left to form the Shadowguard.


I guess it doesn't matter that much- the Ethereum seem to be the main group here whether the Shadowguard serve them or not, so either way, we're going up against a group that's obsessed with getting revenge on Dimensius and the Void, not serving it. I do think it would be a waste to use the Shadowguard as a subordinate rather than another faction with their own, conflicting, agenda though.

[Nymrohd]

The Dark Heart can suck anything or so it seems. So maybe it is the Ethereum who use it on the Sunwell. Why? Because the only other known manifestation of Dimensius was banished by the sacrifice of a N'aaru. So maybe they are trying to recreate what T'uure did in Karkora to get their planet back.

Alternatively they might be the ones who use it on the Beledar. An even crazier scenario? They do not use it during the Saga. They use it right after to drain whatever Light reserve powers the Arathi Empire. We chase them to K'aresh in a dungeon during 11.2 but someone crucial departs with the Heart and we are OK with it as long as Xal doesn't have it. Or maybe Iridikron double crossed Xal and he is the one in league with the Ethereum

[Khaza-R]

The Dark Heart can suck anything or so it seems. So maybe it is the Ethereum who use it on the Sunwell. Why? Because the only other known manifestation of Dimensius was banished by the sacrifice of a N'aaru. So maybe they are trying to recreate what T'uure did in Karkora to get their planet back.

Alternatively they might be the ones who use it on the Beledar. An even crazier scenario? They do not use it during the Saga. They use it right after to drain whatever Light reserve powers the Arathi Empire.

The Etherium hate Dimensius. So if they gain control of the Darkheart one would think they use it on him.

Midnight when explained was phrased very interestingly. The void invasion occurs and they need to snuff out all Light on Azeroth. Which is why they target the Sunwell. But why? If they could just claim the Worldsoul for themselves it seems like an unnessary step. Unless there's some connection between the Light the Worldsoul we don't know of yet that protects it from being fully corrupted. Or something happens between now and Midnight where the Light guards the Worldsoul somehow

[Nymrohd]

The Etherium hate Dimensius. So if they gain control of the Darkheart one would think they use it on him.

Midnight when explained was phrased very interestingly. The void invasion occurs and they need to snuff out all Light on Azeroth. Which is why they target the Sunwell. But why? If they could just claim the Worldsoul for themselves it seems like an unnessary step. Unless there's some connection between the Light the Worldsoul we don't know of yet that protects it from being fully corrupted. Or something happens between now and Midnight where the Light guards the Worldsoul somehow

Maybe A'dal arrives with Tempest Keep to protect Azeroth.