Midnight 12.X Patches & World Soul Saga Speculation Thread

[Merryck]

Speculating is one thing, but never go full pyro.

But the fraaaccctttaaalllsss ...

[whoisqnx]

Wonder if Midnight login screen will be the same style as War Within but instead dark blue/purple with those voidglass effects and in the middle its Silvermoon. Pretty lazy but atleast new warband camp screens are nice to have every patch.

[Raetary]

Wonder if Midnight login screen will be the same style as War Within but instead dark blue/purple with those voidglass effects and in the middle its Silvermoon. Pretty lazy but atleast new warband camp screens are nice to have every patch.

I dunno, they did add the Dornogal portal after people complained about the login screen being uninspired.
So they know people didn't like the change.

I think they'll go back to scenic-gateways, i hope it's either the gates of Silvermoon or the Sunwell.

[Makorus]

Sure, but I am not reading "merge in a single faction" into any of this. This is what the forums and fans do. Exactly as I was saying and its happening right now. Not to be rude, but You are proving my point.

To be exact, We know a reunification is on the horizon, but what that exactly means is very much unclear. I am just not trying to read more into it, then what we have been told. For example: Repeating to yourself, that the blood elf race or void elf race will vannish and merge into a singular high elf race (popular high elf fan theory) is a wild claim, but simply doesnt seem likely and has no real ground, then "we want that". People go full pyro on this expansion pack and you just shouldnt do that for your own and other peoples sanity. It sets up dor dissapointment as well.

How else would you reunify?

Yeah, gameplay-wise, Blood Elves/Void Elves will still exist, but is it that far of a reach to assume that High Elves and Blood Elves are gonna reintegrate?


I genuinely don't see how else you can interpret "reunify the scattered Elven tribes".

Just because you don't want it to happen doesn't mean it's not going to happen.

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Main city is in Zul'Aman, Silvermoon is an enemy hub
All playable elf races made neutral like Pandaren
SoD Styled specs (Healing Mage, Tank Rogue, Tank Shaman) plus Tank Priest, and Healing Warlocks
Launch zones are Quel'thalas, Zul'Aman, Plaguelands, and Nendis
Housing coming before launch, on launch Midnight is adding an additional neighborhood in Quel'thalas
Archeology rework to tie in with secrets/puzzles

To be honest, while fake, this is actually somewhat believable and would be insanely cool. Tank Priest sounds really cool.

Zul'aman as a player hub would piss people off, but I think it would actually be hype AF.

[Viridiel]

I really hate the idea of conflating all the Thalassian elves or turning them into a mighty gestalt to wank Quel'Thalas.

Here's my position: all of the Thalassian elves are products of different choices and have cultures wholly shaped by those choices: the high elves were those who did the right thing from the beginning, casting off their xenophobia and dependence on magic. The blood elves are those who were lost and subsequently found, having had an extra opportunity to mature as a race that the high elves didn't necessarily receive—you can see this in how much less vindictive (take, for instance, their intent on sitting out taking revenge on Arthas until Sylvanas effectively forced their hand) the blood elves are now compared to Alleria et al., and in the new identity of the blood knights. The void elves are those that never learned their lesson and kept digging.

These differences are sufficient to serve as the foundations for interesting cultural differences. Each race, in addition to having undergone a different arc, have different arcs ahead of them—they have unique flaws and perks beyond the Thalassian gestalt. The high elves, if they fully reunited with the blood elves in a neutral Thalassian bloc, would in the process lose their historical identity—the elves who abandoned their dependency on magic and stuck with their allies over their homeland would reach a conclusion that undoes them instead of allows them to progress in any interesting way. Similarly, the blood elves' descent out of having a unique identity would be fully complete when there are ways to progress them without doing so. It would also require the vindication of the void elves, which totally contradicts the blood elves' story arc—magic run out of control is corrupting, but apparently chugging crazy juice and letting the ends justify the means is just a fasttrack to yassqueen bait.

The high elves, blood elves, and void elves are all interesting races that are better off going their own way instead of getting assimilated into one execrable Thalassian gestalt. All of them have potential for future development that would be kneecapped by that decision.

I agree that the Thalassian elves should have their identities strengthened rather than combined, but are people really suggesting that their cultures would become completely combined together rather than them just becoming closer politically to the point that they can live alongside each other without trying to kill each other? Even if they're combined to a single playable race with distinct subraces in some new system, their cultures would still surely remain distinct (provided Blizzard actually decides to make high elves distinct outside of being defined by their opposition to the blood elves).

Blizzard have actually stripped away the unique identity of high elves every step of the way. They absolutely did not abandon their dependency on magic -- they survive by being allowed to feed off magical artefacts stored in Dalaran. At the start of TBC they were distinct because the blood elves were feeding off of Fel magic instead of Arcane, but that fell away once the Sunwell was restored. Things then got worse in WotLK when the high elves, who should be fully integrated members of Dalaran society, became a subordinate group whose existence is dedicated to opposing blood elves. Their only defining feature was their allegiance to the Alliance over their own homeland, which could be meaningful but instead just lead to them being pawns for Jaina and Vereesa's blood feuds and now they're so forgotten Blizzard can't even spell their leader's name half the time.

I think high elves being allowed back into Quel'thalas could only serve to strengthen their identity. They need something new that sets them apart from blood and void elves, and they need a place where they can actually settle and develop a culture rather than playing second fiddle in a human kingdom. I'd probably rather them set up somewhere else, but maybe this is just the first step.

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It's important that it's reunify, and not reunite. Similar words, however different meaning. You are right, we can only take what we have at face value, however, what we have right now is that groups of Elves are gonna merge into one faction. We know the expansion takes place in Quel'thalas. Who are the scattered elven tribes from Quel'thalas?

Alright, I guess that answers my question. What does merging into a single faction look like to you? Do you mean a faction on the level of Horde and Alliance, just a political alliance, or the three races being merged into a single race with no subraces or distinct racial leaders?

[Limayria]

I agree that the Thalassian elves should have their identities strengthened rather than combined, but are people really suggesting that their cultures would become completely combined together rather than them just becoming closer politically to the point that they can live alongside each other without trying to kill each other? Even if they're combined to a single playable race with distinct subraces in some new system, their cultures would still surely remain distinct (provided Blizzard actually decides to make high elves distinct outside of being defined by their opposition to the blood elves).

Blizzard have actually stripped away the unique identity of high elves every step of the way. They absolutely did not abandon their dependency on magic -- they survive by being allowed to feed off magical artefacts stored in Dalaran. At the start of TBC they were distinct because the blood elves were feeding off of Fel magic instead of Arcane, but that fell away once the Sunwell was restored. Things then got worse in WotLK when the high elves, who should be fully integrated members of Dalaran society, became a subordinate group whose existence is dedicated to opposing blood elves. Their only defining feature was their allegiance to the Alliance over their own homeland, which could be meaningful but instead just lead to them being pawns for Jaina and Vereesa's blood feuds and now they're so forgotten Blizzard can't even spell their leader's name half the time.

I think high elves being allowed back into Quel'thalas could only serve to strengthen their identity. They need something new that sets them apart from blood and void elves, and they need a place where they can actually settle and develop a culture rather than playing second fiddle in a human kingdom. I'd probably rather them set up somewhere else, but maybe this is just the first step.

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Alright, I guess that answers my question. What does merging into a single faction look like to you? Do you mean a faction on the level of Horde and Alliance, just a political alliance, or the three races being merged into a single race with no subraces or distinct racial leaders?

It'd be pretty interesting if the 12.0 MSQ ends with us pushing back the void and then every future patch in the expansion has a rebuilding focused game play loop, we start with silvermoon and build it into a home for the blood elves and the nightborn and maybe we move down and rebuild a damage tranquilen or wind runner spire or something in the ghost lands as a new home for the high elves and void elves, or even just allowing the blood elves to have more than one major settlement in their homeland

[Makorus]

I agree that the Thalassian elves should have their identities strengthened rather than combined, but are people really suggesting that their cultures would become completely combined together rather than them just becoming closer politically to the point that they can live alongside each other without trying to kill each other? Even if they're combined to a single playable race with distinct subraces in some new system, their cultures would still surely remain distinct (provided Blizzard actually decides to make high elves distinct outside of being defined by their opposition to the blood elves).

Blizzard have actually stripped away the unique identity of high elves every step of the way. They absolutely did not abandon their dependency on magic -- they survive by being allowed to feed off magical artefacts stored in Dalaran. At the start of TBC they were distinct because the blood elves were feeding off of Fel magic instead of Arcane, but that fell away once the Sunwell was restored. Things then got worse in WotLK when the high elves, who should be fully integrated members of Dalaran society, became a subordinate group whose existence is dedicated to opposing blood elves. Their only defining feature was their allegiance to the Alliance over their own homeland, which could be meaningful but instead just lead to them being pawns for Jaina and Vereesa's blood feuds and now they're so forgotten Blizzard can't even spell their leader's name half the time.

I think high elves being allowed back into Quel'thalas could only serve to strengthen their identity. They need something new that sets them apart from blood and void elves, and they need a place where they can actually settle and develop a culture rather than playing second fiddle in a human kingdom. I'd probably rather them set up somewhere else, but maybe this is just the first step.

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Alright, I guess that answers my question. What does merging into a single faction look like to you? Do you mean a faction on the level of Horde and Alliance, just a political alliance, or the three races being merged into a single race with no subraces or distinct racial leaders?

I think Void/High/Blood Elves are going to merge into an unified Elven society, with a fancy new name (or maybe they are going back to Quel'dorei because that name is just too good). As much as that concept is overdone, it would have to be a council. I just don't really see one central figurehead that would represent everyone equally other than maybe Alleria, but she has been out of Azeroth for too long to really be received well by Blood Elves.

Quite frankly, I don't think much is going to change at all in terms of High Elves. High Elves have been irrelevant in grand scheme of WoW for a long time, and they just don't really have anything noteworthy going on, and really, Blood Elves have been red High Elves since Wrath.

I think the real meat of that plotline will be the Blood Elf/Void Elf dynamic and probably why Blizzard is doing that. You have a lot of interesting similiarities between Blood Elves and Void Elves like their reliance on dangerous magic and them being outcasts, plus it continues on from the Nightborne Recruitment quest.

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It'd be pretty interesting if the 12.0 MSQ ends with us pushing back the void and then every future patch in the expansion has a rebuilding focused game play loop, we start with silvermoon and build it into a home for the blood elves and the nightborn and maybe we move down and rebuild a damage tranquilen or wind runner spire or something in the ghost lands as a new home for the high elves and void elves, or even just allowing the blood elves to have more than one major settlement in their homeland

I still think Silvermoon is gonna go from an enemy zone to a player hub that is getting rebuilt over several patches.

[elbleuet]

During the big void apocalypse that will occur in Quel'Thalas, I still think a lot of blood elves will be turned into blood elves (a minority, but still relevant)

[Viridiel]

Quite frankly, I don't think much is going to change at all in terms of High Elves. High Elves have been irrelevant in grand scheme of WoW for a long time, and they just don't really have anything noteworthy going on, and really, Blood Elves have been red High Elves since Wrath.

I think it's precisely because they have nothing unique left that they have a strong chance of developing a brand new identity. Blizzard still seems to want to drag them along even though every potential interesting storyline for them has been cannibalised (as recently as the introduction of arathi elves), so I think they want to do something new with them.

The elves are defined by their source of magic. The night elves derive their magic from nature/Elune, the nightborne the arcan'dor, the blood elves the Sunwell, and the void elves the Void. I see the high elves as being stuck between two extremes -- either they double down on sourcing Arcane magic and they start getting it directly from Azeroth (either via leylines or through some direct connection to the worldsoul) or they actually become completely magicless as penance for their crimes against the amani. The latter could be something they choose for themselves, or it could be some sort of curse from the amani.

[Makorus]

I think it's precisely because they have nothing unique left that they have a strong chance of developing a brand new identity. Blizzard still seems to want to drag them along even though every potential interesting storyline for them has been cannibalised (as recently as the introduction of arathi elves), so I think they want to do something new with them.

The elves are defined by their source of magic. The night elves derive their magic from nature/Elune, the nightborne the arcan'dor, the blood elves the Sunwell, and the void elves the Void. I see the high elves as being stuck between two extremes -- either they double down on sourcing Arcane magic and they start getting it directly from Azeroth (either via leylines or through some direct connection to the worldsoul) or they actually become completely magicless as penance for their crimes against the amani. The latter could be something they choose for themselves, or it could be some sort of curse from the amani.

Honestly, turning High Elves into "Azeroth Elves" might be an incredibly cool concept, especially because there aren't a lot of them.

[Xilurm]

During the big void apocalypse that will occur in Quel'Thalas, I still think a lot of blood elves will be turned into blood elves (a minority, but still relevant)

Interesting.

[Hitei]

I really hate the idea of conflating all the Thalassian elves or turning them into a mighty gestalt to wank Quel'Thalas.

Here's my position: all of the Thalassian elves are products of different choices and have cultures wholly shaped by those choices: the high elves were those who did the right thing from the beginning, casting off their xenophobia and dependence on magic. The blood elves are those who were lost and subsequently found, having had an extra opportunity to mature as a race that the high elves didn't necessarily receive—you can see this in how much less vindictive (take, for instance, their intent on sitting out taking revenge on Arthas until Sylvanas effectively forced their hand) the blood elves are now compared to Alleria et al., and in the new identity of the blood knights. The void elves are those that never learned their lesson and kept digging.

These differences are sufficient to serve as the foundations for interesting cultural differences. Each race, in addition to having undergone a different arc, have different arcs ahead of them—they have unique flaws and perks beyond the Thalassian gestalt.

I agree that the Thalassian elves should have their identities strengthened rather than combined, but are people really suggesting that their cultures would become completely combined together rather than them just becoming closer politically to the point that they can live alongside each other without trying to kill each other? Even if they're combined to a single playable race with distinct subraces in some new system, their cultures would still surely remain distinct (provided Blizzard actually decides to make high elves distinct outside of being defined by their opposition to the blood elves).

This is really the actual issue. And one that extends to races in general, not just the Thalassians (actually it extends to basically all fictional groups, but that's a larger conversation). The homogeneity of any (or at least most) given faction/race is artificial in nature and their distinctiveness depends on, well... poor writing.

By which I mean that all factions are actually made up of individuals.

To use goblins as an example, people have expressed being upset that goblins have turned away from their historical characterization as the greedy, sleazy, cut-corners, chase profits group. They argue that goblins (and many other races) have been degraded. Watered down to basically just be "another human". But what's actually causing this is is the opposite: that the races in question have more nuance than ever before, and with that nuance comes the necessary acknowledgement that intelligent species are people. Goblins aren't greedy, or not greedy, they are an entire species with all sorts of internal subgroups and subcultures and even their prevailing racial culture is more amenable to some individuals and less to others. There are particularly greedy, sleazy, asshole sorts of goblins like Gallywix, and much more selfless, earnest, collectively-minded individuals like Gazlowe or Renzik.

The Thalassians are the same:

all of the Thalassian elves are products of different choices and have cultures wholly shaped by those choices

This isn't really true when exampled closely. For example, an average Blood Elf ranger, or a merchant in Silvermoon did not make any choice. They didn't decide to turn to fel magic, Kael'thas and the magisters did and then the entire kingdom was saturated with fel crystals and everyone was being exposed and thrown farther down the well of magic addiction. They didn't chose to redeem themselves and switch to Light magic, a fight they weren't involved in happed at the Sunwell and it was reignited and suffused them with Light magic.

Functionally your average Blood Elf ranger has no difference in goals, culture, attitude, choices, etc. From a typical High Elf ranger. In fact, the largest contributing factor to the distinction between the two is simply that most of the outlying ranger, stationed outside of Quel'thalas, became High Elves because they simply continued working alongside the Alliance they had already been assisting, and did not even have the opportunity to give in to the addiction the same way those stationed in the homeland did.

A High Elf magister/mage continued and continues to more actively engage with magic than a run of the mill Blood Elf warrior or rogue or whatnot. There are High Elves who are more xenophobic than Blood Elves (who are hanging out with even more "objectionable" outsiders amongst the Horde). You've drawn attention to the vindictiveness of High Elves, but Lorash (the blood elf rogue from the war of thorns) was completely consumed by his vindictive crusade against the Night Elves far more than any High Elf has ever shown vindictiveness.

You've characterized the Void Elves as those who didn't learn a lesson and kept digging, but in actuality they're characterized as significantly less reckless and power hungry than the Reliquary, who fuck around with all sorts of dangerous magic in their obsession to keep digging--the only difference is that the Void Elves got kicked out and then unlucky.


People pretty easily convince themselves of these stringent ideas for races, while ignoring the deeper variety, but then also don't see that they are just describing what represents a normal subgroup of a collective. Ignore all of what I just said above and view these three groups as iron-clad, homogenous ideologies with absolutely no overlap:

How is all three of them being in Quel'thalas and part of the same "Thalassian" banner any different than Stormwind's scope? Stormwind where in one quarter you have righteous paladins and priests of the Light pursuing justice and good, and in another quarter you have power hungry warlocks holed up under the Slaughtered Lamb seeking their own betterment but content to also occasionally provide assistance, and next to them mages consumed with knowledge above all things while off in the corner SI:7 is plotting espionage?

How is it different from Darnassus Bel'ameth, where you have druids with their own self-contained choices, priorities and goals, and then you have wardens with a totally different culture and mindset, calling and choices (to the point that they were once at blows with Tyrande and her sentinels), and then you have the remnants of the Shen'dralar, mages who historically are at complete odds with most of Darnassus but have found a home there after being "lost", and the priestesses of the moon.


Tyrande and her priestesses are nothing like Maiev and her wardens, who are nothing like Malfurion and his druids, who are nothing like Mordent and his arcanists... who if anything are much more distinct as groups and cultures than Umbric and his magisters and void rangers, and Lor'themar and his magisters and rangers, and Vereesa and her magisters and rangers.

The hold here is arbitrary. Keeping them distinct is basically an appeal to factions being largely one-note, where allowing them to reunite results in an actually varied and interesting kingdom with texture to it.

[Ersula]

How is all three of them being in Quel'thalas and part of the same "Thalassian" banner any different than Stormwind's scope?

Probably because the human kingdoms were formed by natural expansion & exploration while the differences in elf cultures is that their distinctions are based on exile & genocide.

[Hitei]

Probably because the human kingdoms...

I'm not talking about the Alliance of Lordaeron as a collection of human kingdoms. I am talking about the groups within the singular Kingdom of Stormwind. One nation of people where you have a coven of warlocks assassinating nobles to keep their quest for power going smoothly and a 100 year old priest order dedicated to healing and protecting the citizens of Stormwind. Where there are groups entirely at odds to the point of hostility but who are still all part of one kingdom and land.

Much like exile and genocide didn't stop the Night Elves or Ironforge from returning to a more unified state.

[Alanar]

How else would you reunify?

Yeah, gameplay-wise, Blood Elves/Void Elves will still exist, but is it that far of a reach to assume that High Elves and Blood Elves are gonna reintegrate?


I genuinely don't see how else you can interpret "reunify the scattered Elven tribes".

Just because you don't want it to happen doesn't mean it's not going to happen.
.

Well, like I said, you are reading a lot into one word and what that means. This is your idea of it and thats fine, but I dont see 2 separate playable races merge into one. I think its impressive If you read that from a single line of text.

There is to much pressure on that word and people went with it. Which is whats happening here. Hell it could all turn out to be a temporary truce, because " world ending" situation. We had many situation were unlikely allies or alliance and horde come together for the greater good. This could literally that, but now its with elves, because of the setting. We just dont know any context to be serious about this.

I also never said I dont want to see it. Interesting how you even got to such conclusion. You are taking it out of context here. If you dont understand how setting up dissapointment works in these forums, then you must be new. The wildest fan theories here, never turn out to be true.

[whoisqnx]

Found this on Youtube, not sure if it was discussed before but this vid has the "death" animation for Dimensius at the end

[Makorus]

Well, like I said, you are reading a lot into one word and what that means. This is your idea of it and thats fine, but I dont see 2 separate playable races merge into one. I think its impressive If you read that from a single line of text.

There is to much pressure on that word and people went with it. Which is whats happening here. Hell it could all turn out to be a temporary truce, because " world ending" situation. We had many situation were unlikely allies or alliance and horde come together for the greater good. This could literally that, but now its with elves, because of the setting. We just dont know any context to be serious about this.

I also never said I dont want to see it. Interesting how you even got to such conclusion. You are taking it out of context here. If you dont understand how setting up dissapointment works in these forums, then you must be new. The wildest fan theories here, never turn out to be true.

???? How is it a fan theory?

It's literally something Blizzard has stated.

What's next? "Oh, no, Midnight won't take place in Quel'thalas, you are reading a lot into a few words." "The Last Titan will not be set in Northrend, you are reading a lot into a few words", "Tazavesh wont be in 11.2, you are reading a lot into the PTR!".

but I dont see 2 separate playable races merge into one

You mean like Gnomes and Mechagnomes?

[Alanar]

I think Void/High/Blood Elves are going to merge into an unified Elven society, with a fancy new name (or maybe they are going back to Quel'dorei because that name is just too good). As much as that concept is overdone, it would have to be a council. I just don't really see one central figurehead that would represent everyone equally other than maybe Alleria, but she has been out of Azeroth for too long to really be received well by Blood Elves.

Quite frankly, I don't think much is going to change at all in terms of High Elves. High Elves have been irrelevant in grand scheme of WoW for a long time, and they just don't really have anything noteworthy going on, and really, Blood Elves have been red High Elves since Wrath.

I think the real meat of that plotline will be the Blood Elf/Void Elf dynamic and probably why Blizzard is doing that. You have a lot of interesting similiarities between Blood Elves and Void Elves like their reliance on dangerous magic and them being outcasts, plus it continues on from the Nightborne Recruitment quest.
.

Didnt alleria also hinted and leaving the void elves for the time and giving Umbric full leadership? We have to wait and see for Alleria her role. Right now, its hard to picture, knowing she was banned from Silvermoon a few years ago.

I actually agree with high elves, we dont even know whats left of the silver covenant. Most of it is literally destroyed. High elves are overshadowed by the others who do it better.

I am more interested in the reaction of the Silvermoon actual leadership and what their stance and opinion is when void elves do show up for what ever reason. They seem to be the fight fire with fire group, like demon hunters were with the legion. Idk what other actual role they would have besides this. Is it temporary? Will they start living there? No way to tell yet.

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???? How is it a fan theory?

It's literally something Blizzard has stated.

What's next? "Oh, no, Midnight won't take place in Quel'thalas, you are reading a lot into a few words." "The Last Titan will not be set in Northrend, you are reading a lot into a few words", "Tazavesh wont be in 11.2, you are reading a lot into the PTR!".



You mean like Gnomes and Mechagnomes?

What is stated by blizzard? Again, you are taking what I said completely out of context.

If you have one line of text and you make up a whole scenario, story and gameplay changes then I think you are reading to much into it yes.

Key things as quel"thalas was said yes. There is nothing speculative about that. Its outright been said, unless ofc you go talk about specifics( which part of qt etc etc). What is weird: is that you compare a simple setting that was never a question to a single word-> reunify- and reading a whole plot of void and blood elves, merging and what ever you said more.

Gnomes and mechagnomes are two separate playable races in the character selection screen. Idk what you are talking about.

[Makorus]

Didnt alleria also hinted and leaving the void elves for the time and giving Umbric full leadership? We have to wait and see for Alleria her role. Right now, its hard to picture, knowing she was banned from Silvermoon a few years ago.

I actually agree with high elves, we dont even know whats left of the silver covenant. Most of it is literally destroyed. High elves are overshadowed by the others who do it better.

I am more interested in the reaction of the Silvermoon actual leadership and what their stance and opinion is when void elves do show up for what ever reason. They seem to be the fight fire with fire group, like demon hunters were with the legion. Idk what other actual role they would have besides this. Is it temporary? Will they start living there? No way to tell yet.

I mean, the problem with that is that a "Void Elf society" doesn't really exist.

There's nothing that differentiates them from Blood Elves aside from "they are void-infused".

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What is stated by blizzard? Again, you are taking what I said completely out of context. Most fan theories here are way to detailed and complex to even be true which has always been the case.

If you have one line of text and you make up a whole scenario, story and gameplay changes then I think you are reading to much into it yes. Key things as quel"thalas was said yes. There is nothing speculative about that. Its outright been said. There is no confusion over stuff like that. Weird to compare that from a single word to-> reunify-> plot of void and blood elves, merging and what ever you said. See how that is a weird comparison?

How is "the scattered Elven tribes will reunify" -> "Blood Elves/High Elves/Void Elves will reunify" a weird comparison?

[Ersula]

???? How is it a fan theory?

It's literally something Blizzard has stated.

They said there would be a union of the (high) elf races. Everyone is saying that means they are forming a singular high elf nation that will go forward after Midnight, but the more likely explanation is there will be a temporary unified bulwark to defend the sunwell & then everything will go back to how it was once the midnight conflict is over, like in most expansion storylines.