Midnight 12.X Patches & World Soul Saga Speculation Thread

[Viridiel]

Btw regarding the Rift of Aln. We assume that either the Old Gods or the Titans stole Aln'ara (if she is Azeroth) from the Cradle. Why not assume that the Cradle is the roots of Elun'ahir, and the tree stole the world soul from its place first?

That's exactly my working assumption. The only life that existed on the planet initially was elementals, so any organic life (other than the Old Gods' spawn) should rightfully come from Elun'ahir's injection of Life magic. It also does more to place Elune as a schemer, as implied by Xal'atath.

Also, this is a bit tinfoil but linguistically speaking there could easily be a relationship between the words Aln'hara and Elun'ahir. Elun'ahir -> Alun'ahara -> Aln'hara. I have to doubt it, though, considering they didn't even bother giving the haranir their own names for the roots of the world trees and just used the Darnassian names.

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Regarding Xal'atath, I'm pretty sick of the Cosmic Void at this point so I'm really hoping she finally undergoes a major change if we're going to have to deal with her yet again. There's obviously the idea that she becomes Old-God-like, either like the mural in City of Threads or the fifth Old God in Chronicle, but there's also the option of looking more like the Void aliens on K'aresh and Voidstorm (whose aesthetic actually matches the evolved nerubians pretty well). Insect-like but distinctly fleshy with spiky teeth and either way too many eyes or no eyes at all. It's my favourite form of the Void thus far so that's my preferred option.

It also seems like she's pretty much exhausted support from the Void, so if she has any minions they should be something new. Hijacked titanforged? Corrupted Wild Gods? Both oldies but goodies, especially if they go in a new enough direction for the aesthetic.

[JDBlou]

Xal could also be working directly with or for Ula'tek if the Twilight Blade messing around there was supposed to be foreshadowing. Now that we know she is sending stuff underground, it may be to him.

Could be the the Twilight Blade trying to resurrect Kith'ix who's buried beneath Zul'Aman? Perhaps he's buried under Atal'Utek in particular? Maybe the ancient Amani struck a bargain with Ula'tek to keep Kith'ix in check. A secret bargain that no living Amani was aware of?

"The Amani tribe tracked Kith'ix's trail far to the northeastern woodlands, cutting through an unending mass of aqiri guardians. In a final battle, the entire tribe launched a suicidal attack on Kith'ix and its remaining minions. Only a tiny fraction of the Amani survived, but the C'Thrax succumbed to its hunters. Atop the site where they had killed Kith'ix, the trolls established a settlement which would one day grow into the temple city of Zul'Aman." (https://warcraft.wiki.gg/wiki/Kith%27ix)

Or it's a complete troll patch pivot and it's only related through Zul'jan's ominous gazing out to the island, and we're dealing with an ancient snake Loa for vibes.

[Cheezits]

Could be the the Twilight Blade trying to resurrect Kith'ix who's buried beneath Zul'Aman? Perhaps he's buried under Atal'Utek in particular? Maybe the ancient Amani struck a bargain with Ula'tek to keep Kith'ix in check. A secret bargain that no living Amani was aware of?

I would love if Ula'tek is a smart, villainous loa that actually gets to keep being a scheming evil wild god post-raid. Maybe he doesn't die and retreats to Northrend as he's just -that- large (and the tail was his all along).

[Foreign Exchange Ztudent]

Ima be honest I'm just salivating of the Armor and Weapon assets from this Troll raid. So bring it on, I guess.

[Telogrus]

Is Life the most “good” force? Off the top of my head, the only evil Life faction that I can think of is the Botani, and they were only minor side villains of a single patch

[Foreign Exchange Ztudent]

Is Life the most “good” force? Off the top of my head, the only evil Life faction that I can think of is the Botani, and they were only minor side villains of a single patch

Well, we see about that in The Last Titan considering a certain potential Steve Danuser ghost remains to haunt us in it. (Hi Eonar)

[Cheezits]

Well, we see about that in The Last Titan considering a certain potential Steve Danuser ghost remains to haunt us in it. (Hi Eonar)

Eonar is the Titan with the most potential to help us, the others can absolutely go either way. Elun'ahir also teed her up to be loyal to Elune and Azeroth over her pantheon.

[Foreign Exchange Ztudent]

We'll see what Elune wants at some point, oh wait Aman'thul is just turning into a sad robot and get excited for 14.0.

In all seriousness, who knows what Elune wants and I am a bit skeptical that Life isn't also a problem considering its consumptive issue.

[Joshuaj]

Well, we see about that in The Last Titan considering a certain potential Steve Danuser ghost remains to haunt us in it. (Hi Eonar)

You gotta stop with this mindset, man. It didn't make sense the last 2 expacs, and it doesn't make sense now.

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If it means anything, I do think Order and Life had different ways of hiding Azeroth. Order wanted to secure her, and Life wanted to cradle her. The children of Order and Life (The Titans and Elune specifically) were probably given unique tasks to handle said hiding.

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Elune probably had Eonar plant Elun'ahir (Which probably led to its roots forming a cradle around the worldsoul), and Aman'Thul probably figured this out, ripped Azeroth/Aln'hara out of the cradle, and placed her in the Worldcore.

[Scyth]

What the hell have they done with MM hunter in beta? It's unplayable. They just did a complete MM rework for Kharesh which feels good.

I did one dungeon as MM and gave up. Spec feels awful to play.
Really hope they listen to some of the feedback because a decent amount of specs feel terrible after the prune.

[Limayria]

Maria said a lot of things, including no naga, when there are naga.

speaking of naga idk if anyone mentioned but one of the eversong side quest has you investigate a shipping company delivering mana crystals to naga

I feel like Xal'atath is using literally everything and anything from the Void, and praying to god it works LMAO

Like, low-key, she's probably desperate asf atm, playing with the Infinite possibilities and adaptations and whatnot.

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From the Player High Priest, to N'Zoth and the Black Empire, to the Nerubians, to the Dark Heart and Beledar, to the Black Blood, to the power of Dimensius, to the Darkwell and L'ura, to maybe the C'Thraxx underneath Zul'Aman, etc...

Damn, I just realized the Void doesn't fucking let up LMAO

she's hitting the Alastor in hazbin season 2 finale smiling and acting high and mighty while freaking TF out internally

[Merryck]

You gotta stop with this mindset, man. It didn't make sense the last 2 expacs, and it doesn't make sense now.

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If it means anything, I do think Order and Life had different ways of hiding Azeroth. Order wanted to secure her, and Life wanted to cradle her. The children of Order and Life (The Titans and Elune specifically) were probably given unique tasks to handle said hiding.

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Elune probably had Eonar plant Elun'ahir (Which probably led to its roots forming a cradle around the worldsoul), and Aman'Thul probably figured this out, ripped Azeroth/Aln'hara out of the cradle, and placed her in the Worldcore.

Valid move considering how the roots can be corrupted, and in fact some of them are.

[Joshuaj]

My biggest fear is that the Shadowlands is said to be "too ordered" and that the architecture at Oribos is VERY similar to the Earthen architecture, to the point where they both share the same hexagonal pattern, with the top and bottom parts being in a diamond shape, etc.

Makes me wonder if Blizzard is planning on retconning the Progenitors, but at the same time, it's entirely possible I'm overthinking it, and it can be as simple as "the symbols were made by Order, and the Titans utilize structures of Order".

Heck, the very fact the waystones have a structure to them, as well as blades, kinda screams "Order" but in a more primal form.

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Valid move considering how the roots can be corrupted, and in fact some of them are.

I can see what Elune was trying to do, but I can also understand Aman'Thul's paranoia, especially in regards to the uncontrollable nature of Life, ontop of the whole Black Empire situation.

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Hey, would I be wrong to theorize that the waystones in the Shadowlands, the structures and cities made by the First Ones, as well as the symbols within places like Oribos were likely of Order, but in the sense that they were likely directly made by it, as they also appear to be more primordial than any Titan structure?

Cause the Shadowlands being "too ordered" was stated by Sylvanas lately, and it is true that the Shadowlands is VERY structured. We also see the same hexagonal pattern from Oribos at Khaz'Algar. But, on the other hand, Blizzard's stated multiple times that the Progenitors were their own separate thing, and we know the Shadowlands is stated to be structured intentionally, as Light, Death, and Order are structural powers.

And given Order likes to impose structure on anything and everything (As displayed by the Titans and their mindset), it's entirely possible Order directly imposed some of its ancient structures in places like the Shadowlands during the early stages of the Cosmos's existence.

I like to think the Titans probably aided the Eternal Ones in enforcing said order, but I don't think the Titans themselves made Zereth Mortis, Oribos, or anything like that.

Heck, the Titans forges also probably took from Order, with structures like the Machine of Origination existing, as well as things like the Forge of Afterlives, etc.

Very similarly named to the Forge of Origination, the Forge of Wills, and other Titan machines, all while looking different in a unique way (Probably as a means of separating the two).

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I feel like this is the only logical way to really go about this, or else Blizzard would straight up risk making things even more confusing than they are now.

[Sondrelk]

I did one dungeon as MM and gave up. Spec feels awful to play.
Really hope they listen to some of the feedback because a decent amount of specs feel terrible after the prune.

I fear this might end up one of those where the specs are more or less done. And that all changes will have to come in a patch later down the line. That does after all tend to be the usual way these things go.

Then again. It was pointed out early, so maybe we will be getting some bandaid fixes soon.

[Joshuaj]

I just noticed that, despite it being a Titan-shaped (or at least Titan ordered) realm, the Emerald Dreams plants, grass, and other things are shaped exactly like the cradle. A spiral.

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How curious...

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God, I'm a bit too dedicated to trying to fend off a retcon that might not even happen lmaoooo

[LoreSeeker]

Went back to track down the more important audio file numbers since i cant post them. So hopefully helps someone else can find them in wow export,

7245207
7251149
7251153 - 58
7312717
7351211 - 17
7353351 - 54
7427899
7427902 - 08

[Joshuaj]

Ayo...

This guy actually displayed the numbers. Nah this might actually be fr

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Looking into it as we speak

[Limayria]

also has anyone mentioned the questline with the friendlyish necromancer in windrunner villiage? shes a magister turned necromancer to try and ease the suffering of her friend who was raised as a banshee, though rather than traditional necromancy it feels very "witchy" for lack of a better term

[Joshuaj]

"What was wrought here cannot simply be undone. The Light's all but consumed, I barely feel the wells power"

"This new Dawnwell is a fitting tribute to our unity. Though, living without the Sunwell's power may take some getting used to"

"Perhaps, far more concerning to me is the Darkwell"

"It's no longer a threat to any"

"They were moving down through it, Rommath. You saw, thousands upon thousands of Void monstrosities, all moving deep underground."

"I...saw. What could Xal'atath be seeking at the heart of the world?"

"Whatever it is, she used us to get to it"

"I fear her true invasion is only just beginning"

"This much Void energy will soon spill from the Sunwell, consuming all of Azeroth. It must be stopped"

Part 1 of the voicelines

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Seems the Voidstorm might end up being repelled, but the Devouring Host is now mostly stationed underground, which is...scary, to say the least.

[Cheezits]

"I...saw. What could Xal'atath be seeking at the heart of the world?"

Who's going to tell him?

Cinematic sounds cool as hell though, a ton of void monsters all using the Darkwell to go inner-earth. So the plan all along was to use the Sunwell as a tunnel into the Worldsoul.

Also, sounds like the Sunwell (as we knew it) and the Vanguard are all but completely destroyed which is pretty cool.