Midnight 12.X Patches & World Soul Saga Speculation Thread

[Limayria]

Yorsaj? Ya mean Y'Shaarj?

Also, idk about that. I just think the moons were always there lol. Afterall, other worlds have moons in WoW.

i sure did lollll had the cata prog on my mind XD i dont think every moon is formed that way, but azeorth having a moon (like earths own moon) that was formed from a chunk of azeorth ejected to space would be pretty sick

[Foolicious]

I just noticed how similar the 10.1 epilogue cinematic was to 11.1.



I still think Ethereals invading the worldcore makes more sense narratively, but maybe i underestimated the probability of K'aresh a bit.

[Therougetitan]

Nothing, huh? At this point I hope blue post is wrong and turbulent timeways are longer, 6 weeks PTR for major patch seems short.

Turbulent Timeways was moved to the start of the patch but they moved Winds of Mysterious Fortune buff that goes from July 15 to August 12 so the original estimate is still on course.

[Lady Atia]

I just don't see that being a logical plot shift. She made a risk in making a deal with the Goblins (who she clearly views as beneath her) because she needed the Dark Heart fixed, and when she finds out that the Ethereals took it, she immediately abandons Gallywix in pursuit. I don't think Xal'atath has a plan B. I think Xal'atath's entire gambit is focused through the Dark Heart and after spending so much time empowering it and preparing for whatever it is she plans to do, a rogue group of Ethereals has stolen it from her to use for their own purposes. She's immediately going after it, and we'll be right behind her when we find out.

The War Within will end on a patch that is not underground or within Azeroth, but instead in a War Within a split Ethereal people. As we help the good and defeat the bad, K'aresh will be presented as a cautionary tale of doom to a world by the hand of the Void, so that way when we fail at the end of 11.2 we're not given just purple skyboxes, but real stakes.

I just genuinely do not see how the Rootlands fit in right now without justifying it by a Xal'atah or Ethereal invasion to make it fit the evidence we already have.

I just had another thought how to fit in Rootlands and K'aresh - asuming that K'aresh overall is smaller than Argus, they could give us Rootlands as a catch up zone after that aswell (basically as an empilogue with us dealing with the black blood remnants there while also giving us another teaser at TLT). IIrc Timeless Isle also released after SoO and was initially planned as the bridge between MoP and WoD storywise (well, we got a few Kairos quests but that whole plot pretty much got abandoned and dealed with offgame).

[Timester]

Guys, the sooner you consider TWW as First Act of a longer narrative, the easier it's to understand why it seems some plots are dragging. Because they aren't supposed to be answered now.

At least we know they will be answered down the pipehole, it's already being written. Because so many time Blizzard introduced a plot and was forgotting on the next patch and when brought back was just "oh, wait, we had this to finish up".

Answers like the worldsoul and what is Xal's doing and more will keep the narrative moving on TWW, Midnight and TLT. That's the point of a SAGA.

[Catastrophy349]

Guys, the sooner you consider TWW as First Act of a longer narrative, the easier it's to understand why it seems some plots are dragging. Because they aren't supposed to be answered now.

At least we know they will be answered down the pipehole, it's already being written. Because so many time Blizzard introduced a plot and was forgotting on the next patch and when brought back was just "oh, wait, we had this to finish up".

Answers like the worldsoul and what is Xal's doing and more will keep the narrative moving on TWW, Midnight and TLT. That's the point of a SAGA.

Yeah, I've been preaching that logic since its inception. However, that logic also further affirms what most people are fighting over (K'aresh vs. Rootlands (or deep underground equivalent)). You can easily make an argument that the "Roots" lore in Khaz Algar is being saved for later (built up now) similarly to how the Ethereals, and more specifically, the Ethereal cinematic at the end of the raid, could also be saved for later (built up now). Alternatively, both or either could be the next patch.

[Zers Editor]

My theory on Faerin and Anduin following the rest of the saga.

Faerin’s departure from Hallowfall is her symbolic "burning away" of her old life in reference to Craishae’s ritual. In Midnight, she may undergo a literal or spiritual trial to awaken her ancestral power, becoming a beacon against the Void — similar to Craishae fighting a "terrible curse". Craishae’s mother was a Quel’Thalas noble. Faerin’s arrival in the old world may draw her to the Sunwell, with her Flame helping purify it and the rest of the invaded lands from the Void corruption.

Anduin's now fully established attachment to her (Jaina teasing them/"Jerek") suggests he’ll anchor her emotionally during that time. Faerin may almost lose herself to the Flame/Light like Craishae ("burned away" identity), but Anduin and her Hallowfall bonds will pull her back. Anduin’s role in all of this is to ensure her faith doesn’t consume her.

Would flow nicely with Illidan's "there can be no chosen one".

[leothar]

Yeah, I've been preaching that logic since its inception. However, that logic also further affirms what most people are fighting over (K'aresh vs. Rootlands (or deep underground equivalent)). You can easily make an argument that the "Roots" lore in Khaz Algar is being saved for later (built up now) similarly to how the Ethereals, and more specifically, the Ethereal cinematic at the end of the raid, could also be saved for later (built up now). Alternatively, both or either could be the next patch.

Or 11.2 is something completley different and has nothing to do with either K'aresh or the Rootlands.

[Nibelheimy]

I've never thought much of Faerein. I have ways seen her at best a tie in with the hints of her bloodline to the arathi empire when we visit, executed by the emperor on our arrival if her existence is perceived by them as some sort of threat to their legitimacy. Give us more of a reason to care about killing them.

However, if this story is foreshadowing as it most likely is, Faerein emerging from the sunwell with an arm of fire where her missing one is Greyjoy style would be very cool.

[Lady Atia]

My theory on Faerin and Anduin following the rest of the saga.

Faerin’s departure from Hallowfall is her symbolic "burning away" of her old life in reference to Craishae’s ritual. In Midnight, she may undergo a literal or spiritual trial to awaken her ancestral power, becoming a beacon against the Void — similar to Craishae fighting a "terrible curse". Craishae’s mother was a Quel’Thalas noble. Faerin’s arrival in the old world may draw her to the Sunwell, with her Flame helping purify it and the rest of the invaded lands from the Void corruption.

Anduin's now fully established attachment to her (Jaina teasing them/"Jerek") suggests he’ll anchor her emotionally during that time. Faerin may almost lose herself to the Flame/Light like Craishae ("burned away" identity), but Anduin and her Hallowfall bonds will pull her back. Anduin’s role in all of this is to ensure her faith doesn’t consume her.

Would flow nicely with Illidan's "there can be no chosen one".

I'm not so sure because .... imagine if they turn the black disabled girl that most biggots hate into something more akin to Sol from Smite 2 .... because that's how Craishae is desrcibed, as literal fire/light ascendant.

But yeah, she will defo come with us to QT in Midnight.

[Joshuaj]

I just noticed how similar the 10.1 epilogue cinematic was to 11.1.



I still think Ethereals invading the worldcore makes more sense narratively, but maybe i underestimated the probability of K'aresh a bit.

This is true. K'aresh could be next. However, the idea of the Ethereals invading the Worldcore (Likely as a means to bring back K'aresh's Worldsoul) is pretty cool.

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Or 11.2 is something completley different and has nothing to do with either K'aresh or the Rootlands.

This would be stupid ngl

[Timester]

Oh, I do believe it is K'aresh. It makes sense it what they presented as teasing, or else they wouldn't tease it at all.

We have to move "but doesn't it fit on the expansion theme" because clearly it's about the Saga, not the expansion. K'aresh is a good segway to the branch the bigger Void and Midnight, as Xal is its Harbringer after all, not the MAIN BIG BADDIE.

It's not like it wasn't seeded. The first raid has Ethereals trying to undermine Xal, the second raid has Ethereals undermining Xal, this patch we have Ethereal/Broker backstory. The narrative is there. What's the narrative for the Rootlands? Some 11.0 never used assets?


In other hand, Faerin is establishing the Arathi Empire that will fight the Void in Midnight.

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But logically, applying Occam's razor for a bit, the most simple explanation is that they would want to have it dealt with here and now while we're in Khaz Algar and expecting underground content.

Quite the opposite, applying Occam's Razor means it is K'aresh. It's all already narratively built, even teased in raid cinematics.

[Kiivar86]

Quite the opposite, applying Occam's Razor means it is K'aresh. It's all already narratively built, even teased in raid cinematics.

I do think we should be careful not to just assume what we saw in the cinematic was K'aresh. It is a pretty safe bet but it isn't outright said, unless I missed something. It could well turn out to be something entirely different.

[Timester]

Isn't K'aresh mostly a figment of our imaginations caused by datamining?

What dataming? All was clearly on the raids and patches. And the cinematic is very hard to not be anything else BUT K'aresh. Why would they tease a random "not-K'aresh" destroyed by Void world?

[Cheezits]

Hey remember that golden arabian-looking treasure chest that was datamined around the end of Dragonflight?

If anyone knows what I'm talking about, do you have a pic of the model?

Just bumping this, does anyone know what I'm talking about here? I think it was 2023 when it popped up: I don't think it was used, so I wonder if it may be from 11.2.

It was theorized to be Uldum/Titan related but it had an egyptian vibe that could be K'aresh.

[Kiivar86]

What dataming? All was clearly on the raids and patches. And the cinematic is very hard to not be anything else BUT K'aresh. Why would they tease a random "not-K'aresh" destroyed by Void world?

All I'm saying is, they don't outright say it is K'aresh, we're just assuming it is, and that we can very much be wrong. I don't think it is likely, I do think it is K'aresh, but Blizzard can throw curveballs (after all, the ethereals not working with Xal'atath and the teaser of probably-K'aresh sure as hell weren't expected in the first place).

Just bumping this, does anyone know what I'm talking about here? I think it was 2023 when it popped up: I don't think it was used, so I wonder if it may be from 11.2.

It was theorized to be Uldum/Titan related but it had an egyptian vibe that could be K'aresh.

For what its worth, I do vaguely recall it but god knows where one could find it now.

[Foolicious]

Just bumping this, does anyone know what I'm talking about here? I think it was 2023 when it popped up: I don't think it was used, so I wonder if it may be from 11.2.

It was theorized to be Uldum/Titan related but it had an egyptian vibe that could be K'aresh.

Is it this chest you are thinking about?
https://wowpedia.fandom.com/wiki/Cac...ic_Curiosities

[Cheezits]

Is it this chest you are thinking about?
https://wowpedia.fandom.com/wiki/Cac...ic_Curiosities

Yeah, that's the one. I didn't know it was used for SoA.

[Enrif]

I've never thought much of Faerein. I have ways seen her at best a tie in with the hints of her bloodline to the arathi empire when we visit, executed by the emperor on our arrival if her existence is perceived by them as some sort of threat to their legitimacy. Give us more of a reason to care about killing them.

unlikely. The Lothars seem to be just nobles in the empire and have not much sway and have lost much of their glory. And Lothar is only important to us due to Anduin Lothar, meanwhile the name Thoradin is the big name for the Arathi, which seem to be the name of the current emperor.

[Timester]

I mean the S3 tabard, the various ethereal models, and the mention of "ethereal raid".

Those are already in-game. Nothing new as for now. No, I'm talking narratively, they have written a clear Ethereal segway since Alleria talk with Locus even before 11.0 and continued in several narrative instances. K'aresh is nothing but the natural conclusion.

I even say it's possible Metzen wants to deal with K'aresh now so can focus on Azeroth later on.