The War Within 11.X Patches & World Soul Saga Speculation Thread

[Nightshade711]

Not to drag us back to order hall discussion but demon hunters order hall is literally a space ship, why wouldn't they just pull up the fel hammer?? It'd also be cool to see the rememants of kaels forces having folded into the illidari including some of their engineers who were working on TK

I could see the Fel Hammer coming back whenever class orders are relevant again.

I think it’ll be like Acherus to where it’d be a mobile order hall to be positioned near the conflict. (Even though it’d be cool if DKs got Icecrown Citadel)

[Nymrohd]

I could see the Fel Hammer coming back whenever class orders are relevant again.

I think it’ll be like Acherus to where it’d be a mobile order hall to be positioned near the conflict. (Even though it’d be cool if DKs got Icecrown Citadel)

DKs and DHs aren't really the hard discussion when it comes to class halls. Both classes have a very specific origin and theme. The issue is first and foremost Priests and Paladins and to a lesser degree things like Rogues, Warriors, Hunters and Mages that have many different origins. An open arcane academy that succeeds the Kirin Tor as suggested by Khadgar would work for Mages. Warlocks are not an issue because they are individuals, Monks and Evokers are on a similar boat to DKs and DHs. Druids used to also be in that club but Zandalari and Kul Tirans make things less clear and they don't all share a Cenarian origin anymore. With Shamans they all share the elemental connection so while they should not all be seen as Earthen Ring, the Maelstrom would still work if it hosts the Elemental Lords.

[Raetary]

Correct. He's just making it more and more obvious and needs to put the shovel away already.

It was a simply facility he hid in when he his double agent plan went to balls, the quest givers for the dungeon are literally at the instance portal, not a very good hijack attempt if i was supposed to be that.

"I'm hijacking your factory, aw fuck I forgot the shut the front door"

It's not just a simple facility, it's the place that makes and houses the Earthen bodies that then get woken up in the Hall of Awakening.

The whole plot-line is Eirich getting desperate and barricading himself into the vault, trying to corrupt the Earthen there himself.
That's what his boss fight is about, that's also why the final boss room is surrounded by a circle of Earthen crystal coffins.

The entire backdrop is a big conveyor belt, moving Earthen around.

[Cheezits]

I wonder if they will do a Scourge Villain Council with Drakuru and Darkhan? Both served the Scourge, though Darkhan is more tied to Void recently, and both are heavily tied to upcoming expansion zones. You could also include Balnazzar due to the Scarlets being close to both areas but I think they are playing the very long game with the Nathrezim until people "forget" about SL.

Drakuru would be a great undead overlord of Zul'drak but no idea how he would fit into the Titans and Iridikron plots.

It would also be an interesting twist if they go all in on the idea that the Drakkari have been wiped out, so it's a kingdom of undead trolls and we actually ALLY with Drakuru because of how close they are to Ulduar. Technically he should be friendly with pre-Cata characters anyway as they helped him. Maybe the Drakkari and the Ebon Blade form some kind of Accord.

Something something "tentatively friendly undead troll group that doesn't like Bwonsamdi (he hates the undead he can't control) so they are more friends with the Forsaken than Darkspear/Zandalari". It would be cool to have one playable troll group that doesn't bow to the empire.

[Enrif]

I wonder if they will do a Scourge Villain Council with Drakuru and Darkhan? Both served the Scourge, though Darkhan is more tied to Void recently.

Drakuru would be a great undead overlord of Zul'drak but no idea how he would fit into the Titans and Iridikron plots.

It would also be an interesting twist if they go all in on the idea that the Drakkari have been wiped out, so it's a kingdom of undead trolls and we actually ALLY with Drakuru because of how close they are to Ulduar. Technically he should be friendly with pre-Cata characters anyway as they helped him. Maybe the Drakkari and the Ebon Blade form some kind of Accord.

I can't see any big or important story with the scourge either in midnight or TLT. At best i can see it as a sideplot, similar to the kobolds or kobyss in TWW.

[Sondrelk]

I can't see any big or important story with the scourge either in midnight or TLT. At best i can see it as a sideplot, similar to the kobolds or kobyss in TWW.

The Goblins were not that important in this expansion either in the grand scheme. B-list enemies at best, and us going to Undermine had very flimsy justification beyond the meta reason of it being really cool if we went to Undermine.
I could easily see something similar for the Scourge in Midnight as an example. They are mostly there alongside random necromancers who swear fealty to Xal'atath. And once we get to 12.1 or whatever, we need to help cleanse Stratholme in order to remove one side of the overall conflict in EK.

Very flimsy justification that mostly boils down to it being really cool if we had a raid in Stratholme.

[Khaza-R]

I can't see any big or important story with the scourge either in midnight or TLT. At best i can see it as a sideplot, similar to the kobolds or kobyss in TWW.

Void fatigue is going to be a real issue in Midnight though. Especially since the 11.2 is likely to be void-themed regardless if its rootlands, ethereals, beledar, etc.

I can definitely see them trying to break it up with the Scourge or Scarlets or perhaps a mix of the two. It also maybe sets the stage for new goals for both factions in Northrend. So its not like the story has to be totally isolated to Midnight.

[Limayria]

SoD is also getting a scarlet raid rn fwiw with some really cool new quest regarding ashbringer and some sick tbc armor recolors

all of which would be pretty nice content to add to retail at some point as its currently only accesiable on SoD

[Sondrelk]

SoD is also getting a scarlet raid rn fwiw with some really cool new quest regarding ashbringer and some sick tbc armor recolors

all of which would be pretty nice content to add to retail at some point as its currently only accesiable on SoD

Yup. It's the inescapable truth of Classic+.
Unless it's purely reused content like the previous "raids". The obvious question that will be asked is whether the new stuff will be available to players in Retail. Even more so when there are unique cosmetics like what we see being added to SoD right now.
It might be a really low-poly mount. But I bet tons of players will want the new horse mounts for their paladins.

[Khaza-R]

SoD is also getting a scarlet raid rn fwiw with some really cool new quest regarding ashbringer and some sick tbc armor recolors

all of which would be pretty nice content to add to retail at some point as its currently only accesiable on SoD

Maybe a Classic SoD remix after Legion? Although there's so much content there. Its kind of hard to see how they could make it work.

[Limayria]

I want the scarlet robes theyre adding too lol i could see in midnight us getting some scarlet content though it might be more of a questline in the style of the new naxx stuff and old scholo/sm stuff as a path to getting the new SoD cosmetics rather than a scarlet raid or dungeon

[Lady Atia]

The Goblins were not that important in this expansion either in the grand scheme. B-list enemies at best, and us going to Undermine had very flimsy justification beyond the meta reason of it being really cool if we went to Undermine.
I could easily see something similar for the Scourge in Midnight as an example. They are mostly there alongside random necromancers who swear fealty to Xal'atath. And once we get to 12.1 or whatever, we need to help cleanse Stratholme in order to remove one side of the overall conflict in EK.

Very flimsy justification that mostly boils down to it being really cool if we had a raid in Stratholme.

Why should we have Stratholme in Midnight when we will get the Scourge Remnants in TLT?

[Sondrelk]

Why should we have Stratholme in Midnight when we will get the Scourge Remnants in TLT?

Because Stratholme is the more iconic location, with more obvious potential for content.
Scourge remnants in TLT is an obvious choice for extra content. But outside revisiting ICC, there isn't really a whole lot of places that are obvious candidates for a Scourge nostalgia raid. Lots of places that might work for dungeons or delves. But unless you go for a full Naxxramas or ICC wholesale revisit, there isn't anywhere I can think of that works as well.

In short: Midnight is ironically the expansion with more obvious places to be upscaled to a full Scourge raid if they choose to do so. Whereas with TLT its probably easier to reuse Zul'drak. Utgarde pinnacle. Or something Old God related.

[Lady Atia]

Because Stratholme is the more iconic location, with more obvious potential for content.
Scourge remnants in TLT is an obvious choice for extra content. But outside revisiting ICC, there isn't really a whole lot of places that are obvious candidates for a Scourge nostalgia raid. Lots of places that might work for dungeons or delves. But unless you go for a full Naxxramas or ICC wholesale revisit, there isn't anywhere I can think of that works as well.

In short: Midnight is ironically the expansion with more obvious places to be upscaled to a full Scourge raid if they choose to do so. Whereas with TLT its probably easier to reuse Zul'drak. Utgarde pinnacle. Or something Old God related.

I mean, Stratholme is still in Lordaeron and NOT QT .... they can easily safe that as another location down the line when we actually revamp EK's.

[Cheezits]

In short: Midnight is ironically the expansion with more obvious places to be upscaled to a full Scourge raid if they choose to do so. Whereas with TLT its probably easier to reuse Zul'drak. Utgarde pinnacle. Or something Old God related.

Zul'drak is Scourge clay at this point. I cannot see it being a Vrykul or Titan raid, and the possibility of Old God shit after TWW is low.

Couple that with the high possibility of a troll raid in Midnight and I don't think Zul'drak will be a raid at all. I don't actually know what they will do, hence the crazy theories.

- - - Updated - - -

Why should we have Stratholme in Midnight when we will get the Scourge Remnants in TLT?

Because it would advance the Forsaken story (ESPECIALLY Calia's), be a cool nostalgia thing, and also provide a much needed change up from elf and Amani zones. I would much prefer a Stratholme-tied zone at launch than a random Naga whirlpool land or Quel'danas being turned into its own Broken Shore thing.

K'aresh is definitely on the table (unless it's TWW) but I can't see it being launch. There will need to be four varied zones just like TWW launch (Ringing Deeps had kobolds and Machine Speaker culture to diversify from Dorne) and Ghostlands/Eversong/Queldanas/Amani wont cut it.

[Xilurm]

Just found out that Reznik wasn't voiced because the VA was one of the VA's that went on a strike against AI in voice acting. So instead of recasting him, Blizz just left the character unvoiced. Pretty cool of Blizzard to do that.

[Ersula]

I mean, Stratholme is still in Lordaeron and NOT QT .... they can easily safe that as another location down the line when we actually revamp EK's.

Interesting detail about that is that during Warcraft 3, the Alliance was essentially considered one kingdom (Lordaeron) the devs were treating the former kingdoms as cities within it: Turalyon referred to the new Alliance as "The Alliance of Lordaeron" in Warcraft 2 & if you look closely, that's why Stratholme and Dalaran both have Lordaeron flags in Warcraft 3 cutscenes. Stratholme & Andorhol would have been considered their own kingdoms in WoW if they had survived. Which makes sense considering they were about the same size as Lordaeron, Stormwind & Dalaran etc.

This is pretty much why a kingdom in WoW is basically just a city and only several yards away from other kingdoms.

So technically Quel Thalas was part of Lordaeron for a while.

[huth]

Interesting detail about that is that during Warcraft 3, the Alliance was essentially considered one kingdom (Lordaeron) the devs were treating the former kingdoms as cities within it: Turalyon referred to the new Alliance as "The Alliance of Lordaeron" in Warcraft 2 & if you look closely, that's why Stratholme and Dalaran both have Lordaeron flags in Warcraft 3 cutscenes. Stratholme & Andorhol would have been considered their own kingdoms in WoW if they had survived. Which makes sense considering they were about the same size as Lordaeron, Stormwind & Dalaran etc.

This is pretty much why a kingdom in WoW is basically just a city and only several yards away from other kingdoms.

So technically Quel Thalas was part of Lordaeron for a while.

That's not even close to accurate. Stratholme and Andorhol were a part of the Kingdom of Lordaeron, not the Alliance of Lordaeron (which technically also included Stormwind) that had mostly fallen apart by WC3. The closest existing kingdom was Gilneas since Alterac fell in the second war and Stromgarde was only really brought back later (Dalaran is not a kingdom).

Stormwind doesn't just consist of Stormwind City, either.

[Viridiel]

Lordaeron is always going to be a complicated topic considering it refers to four different things: a continent, a kingdom, a city, and an alliance. Quel'Thalas is part of the continent of Lordaeron (it's the entire northern part of the Eastern Kingdoms) and its residents were made part of the Alliance of Lordaeron alongside the dwarves and the seven human kingdoms (despite many not living on the continent), but it's entirely separate from the kingdom and obviously its capital city. Quel'Thalas predates the Kingdom of Lordaeron.

That said, Stratholme is right next to Deatholme and I always found it odd that there's very little connection between them. I think we'll either wipe Deatholme off the map and help to restore/replace Thas'alah (very reminiscent of the Arcan'dor storyline) or Stratholme and Deatholme will sprawl to meet each other and form a larger Scourge citadel. I find the latter unlikely given the current state of Stratholme (overall very quiet with some mysterious activity deep inside), but we're probably due for the Scourge to suddenly pop up and run rampant to take us into the Last Titan.

[Ersula]

That's not even close to accurate. Stratholme and Andorhol were a part of the Kingdom of Lordaeron, not the Alliance of Lordaeron (which technically also included Stormwind) that had mostly fallen apart by WC3. The closest existing kingdom was Gilneas since Alterac fell in the second war and Stromgarde was only really brought back later (Dalaran is not a kingdom).

Stormwind doesn't just consist of Stormwind City, either.

Dalaran is explicitly a kingdom. It's literally of the "7 Great Human Kingdoms."

This situation is caused by both the concept of these kingdoms is subjective & mailable before they were actually mapped out in WoW, essentially being a retcon. The only way Dalaran flying Lordaeron flags makes sense is that they were all considered Lordaeron, which makes sense because the original Lordaeron becomes the capital. It's a New york city / new york state situation.

What doesn't make is the seat of three separate grand & ancient human kingdoms all have capitals within a five minute walk of each other.