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

[Monkal]

a new pet model was found on the wrath classic servers

Looks troll-ish to me, tho lack of skull motifs on the headpiece makes me think it's got less to do with the Zandalari.

hmm, it resembles a bit those old ye folktale dragons.

Agreed.

If we're going totally off the rails then it could be a hint at the other side of Azeroth. I'd like it if they're makara and there's an Indian-inspired culture in Avaloren unrelated to the Arathi. I could even see some naga having made their way over there and becoming more like the naga from Indian mythology.

I think you might be on to something here! Naga are this sort of semi-divine agents in Hindu myths; wouldn't put it past modern, "culturally sensitive"* Blizzard to fresh out a version of their culture that isn't just evil monsters. Kinda like what they did with the Maruuk centaurs.

* And I'm not saying this in a derogatory way, just to be clear.

[Eldryth]

That armor doesn't look particularly Light-aligned to me.

It does, however, fit very well with Zandalari and Uldir Titan styles, so I could still see it fit in pretty well with another troll tribe like the Amani.

Maybe we'll get deeper into Zul'Aman and find that at all this time, they've been so fiercely territorial because they were hiding a grand, golden city built atop an unknown Titan facility that they're sworn to protect (Uldaz, perhaps?). Which could tie Midnight into the big Titan conspiracy plotline that they're building up for TLT (rather than teasing it now and then putting it on hold for an entire expansion), and let us finally see the last known Titan facility before their big finale.

And that could also create a reason for the Amani to become friendly- if they see that they can't possibly protect said city from the Void on their own, and seek help out of desperation.

[Cheezits]

This is a STRETCH, but what if the Croc is the preorder bonus from Midnight, but it has nothing to do with Quel'thalas? Like there are going to be areas at launch BEYOND Quel'thalas, possibly Avaloren or Zul'dare.

I'm counting Amaniworld in QT.

[Hitei]

It definitely looks like an early pig dragon to me, but I have no idea why it would be. The other thing it reminds me of is the makara, but that's Indian and still not sure why it would be appearing in WoW in this context.

If we're going totally off the rails then it could be a hint at the other side of Azeroth. I'd like it if they're makara and there's an Indian-inspired culture in Avaloren unrelated to the Arathi. I could even see some naga having made their way over there and becoming more like the naga from Indian mythology. The cintamani (wish-granting stone) is often associated with both naga and makara, so these very well could be both Erinethria's brood and the wish-granting dragons that the Arathi know of.

I don't think this is a bad take in terms of visual assessment but also I don't know how likely any asset leakage from Alvaloren is, just because like... we're extremely far out from that (assuming Alvaloren and the Arathi are being built as a target location for after the Worldsoul Saga). At this point they're hardcore into in Midnight development and probably doing early work on TLT larger assets. I'm not sure I can see them making pet models slated for the expansion after the expansion after the next expansion that has yet to be "announced".

When we see asset reskinning from upcoming stuff for current usage, it is typically only one expansion out. e.g. Zereth Mortis in 9.2 has salamander and giant snail golem-robots because Dragonflight (10.0) has Salamanther and new giant snail mobs so they have new skeleton and models to play with and reskin. The Heart of the Aspects mount was added at the end of Cata, because in all likelihood it was being used as a test version of cloud serpents from MoP. Two expansions out is very unlikely, but maybe not impossible, but three expansions out is super pushing it.

I doubt Alvaloren is anything but like... inspiration boards for what kind of themes and environments they are vaguely considering at this point. Almost certainly not far enough along for them to have specific mob types locked in enough to make baby verisons of those mobs as pets.


Though, again, that assumes Alvaloren is being built to act as a new place to visit after WSS, rather than being squandered as a patch zone in Midnight or something.

[Joshuaj]

It's a chinese based pet. That's all.

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a new pet model was found on the wrath classic servers



a very strange dragon, that looks quite like a crocodile, with golden ornaments that remind me of either zandalari or lightforged.

Not sure what to make of it. It doesn't fit anything of the past expansions. Might be fitting for Amani? Or perhaps Avaloren/Arathi empire dragons that are an offshoot of green dragons?

It's Chinese. If not that, it's Titan or Iridikron based (most likely Titan, namely based around Sholazar Basin).

[Teriz]

I thought "troll" when I saw the headdress. If its somehow tied to the next expansion, then it's definitely signaling Armani.

[Joshuaj]

Why would this be Avaloren based? Unless this is the descendant of a new type of Dragon or a wish granting Dragon, it ain't Avaloren based.

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I thought "troll" when I saw the headdress. If its somehow tied to the next expansion, then it's definitely signaling Armani.

The headpiece would look more Zandalari than Amani.

[Cheezits]

The armor is a dead ringer for the type of gold headdresses found on titan stuff on Zandalar.

https://media.mmo-champion.com/image...erTroll002.jpg

The scales also point to it being some kind of reptile or dino, another Zandalar nod, and then green = Amani. I hope there's not another Uldir underneath Zul'Aman...

[Khaza-R]

Honestly just looks vaguely Egyptian to me. Especially with the small bandages around its feet. Maybe its a native K'areshi dragon that survived in the ecodomes.

That or its probably nothing and just some future trader's shop item like the red panda thing was.

[Cheezits]

Honestly just looks vaguely Egyptian to me. Especially with the small bandages around its feet. Maybe its a native K'areshi dragon that survived in the ecodomes.

That or its probably nothing and just some future trader's shop item like the red panda thing was.

Oh right, I forgot Karesh was egyptian themed. Crocodile would be a dead ringer.

And we just got ethereals with fancy gold armor datamined.



I JUST noticed the sand on the armor!

[Hitei]

Honestly just looks vaguely Egyptian to me. Especially with the small bandages around its feet. Maybe its a native K'areshi dragon that survived in the ecodomes.

That or its probably nothing and just some future trader's shop item like the red panda thing was.

Pretty solid point. We know it's a desert planet but it presumably has oases(?) turned domes, so a crocodile but a bit more alien is a great fit. Especially if we factor in the translucent wings, which really scream netherdrake.

[Cheezits]

Maybe we visit Karesh in 11.2, but Ethereals are playable in 12.0 so the pet is from Karesh vs Quelthalas?

[Hitei]

Maybe we visit Karesh in 11.2, but Ethereals are playable in 12.0 so the pet is from Karesh vs Quelthalas?

Not that I think K'aresh is 11.2, but there's nothing to suggest that the pet would need to be 12.0. It could just be a pet in 11.2 (or just not anything at all).

[Cheezits]

Not that I think K'aresh is 11.2, but there's nothing to suggest that the pet would need to be 12.0. It could just be a pet in 11.2 (or just not anything at all).

I think it being in Wrath classic points to it being a shop pet of some sort, be it a preorder or not, though AFAIK buyable classic pets are for special occasions right?

How long is Wrath classic up in China? Because if it's up to August/September for Midnight release that could be why the croc snuck in.

[Hitei]

I think it being in Wrath classic points to it being a shop pet of some sort, be it a preorder or not, though AFAIK buyable classic pets are for special occasions right?

How long is Wrath classic up in China? Because if it's up to August/September for Midnight release that could be why the croc snuck in.

Eh? The little red panda things first(?) appeared as a chinese promotion, and then were in our retail as a trading shop item, and might, if we're reading into them the way we're reading into the crock, be like a regular mob in a hypothetical rootlands. I think that if we eliminate the tinfoil aspect, the most likely thing is it being a trading post pet that has a bunch of alternate versions and they stuck this one in CN classic as part of some new holdover promotion/patch--or maybe it's just supposed to be a Tol'vir/Uldum crock and they're going to do some promotion with Cata Classic CN (I have no idea what is happening with Classic China, do they have Cata planned? Are they in it already?)

But my point was that, if we assume it is a baby K'areshi crockothingy, there just being crockothingies (and little pet ones) in 11.2 patch K'aresh makes more sense than trying to frame it as somehow the 12.0 preorder being this thing because even though 11.2 was K'aresh, Ethereals are coming in 12.0.

[Cheezits]

But my point was that, if we assume it is a baby K'areshi crockothingy, there just being crockothingies (and little pet ones) in 11.2 patch K'aresh makes more sense than trying to frame it as somehow the 12.0 preorder being this thing because even though 11.2 was K'aresh, Ethereals are coming in 12.0.

I definitely think its a Karesh creature but i'm just harping on the fact that it and only it was found in the files. It could just be a (likely intended) leak.

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Had a funny thought: what if we see pre-energy Ethereals in a biodome somewhere? And they happen to be catpeople/miqote to go with the arabian egyptian desert theme?

[Limayria]

Arathi stuff could lean to them being antagonist in midnights patch content, we stop the void after forcing them to play all (or most at least) of their cards

Then the light swoops in to try and claim the world soul out from under the titans and we realize that xal has been working on freeing the world soul the whole time

[milkmustache]

I've never really equated Ethereals as Egyptian themed. Ramkahen sort of own that. Ethereals always seemed far more Middle Eastern, not certain the direct reference but not Egyptian.

[Viridiel]

I don't think this is a bad take in terms of visual assessment but also I don't know how likely any asset leakage from Alvaloren is, just because like... we're extremely far out from that (assuming Alvaloren and the Arathi are being built as a target location for after the Worldsoul Saga). At this point they're hardcore into in Midnight development and probably doing early work on TLT larger assets. I'm not sure I can see them making pet models slated for the expansion after the expansion after the next expansion that has yet to be "announced".

When we see asset reskinning from upcoming stuff for current usage, it is typically only one expansion out. e.g. Zereth Mortis in 9.2 has salamander and giant snail golem-robots because Dragonflight (10.0) has Salamanther and new giant snail mobs so they have new skeleton and models to play with and reskin. The Heart of the Aspects mount was added at the end of Cata, because in all likelihood it was being used as a test version of cloud serpents from MoP. Two expansions out is very unlikely, but maybe not impossible, but three expansions out is super pushing it.

I doubt Alvaloren is anything but like... inspiration boards for what kind of themes and environments they are vaguely considering at this point. Almost certainly not far enough along for them to have specific mob types locked in enough to make baby verisons of those mobs as pets.


Though, again, that assumes Alvaloren is being built to act as a new place to visit after WSS, rather than being squandered as a patch zone in Midnight or something.

The only chance I see of it being related to Avaloren is if some Arathi show up in Midnight and have some of them with them. I do think being a random trading post item or a unique Chinese promotion is the most likely option at this point, but that doesn't preclude it from showing up again as an NPC in the future.

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I've never really equated Ethereals as Egyptian themed. Ramkahen sort of own that. Ethereals always seemed far more Middle Eastern, not certain the direct reference but not Egyptian.

I agree, no idea where the Egyptian idea came from. They're vaguely Arabian and Persian, mostly Arabian.

EDIT: Oh, I guess because they're wrapped in bandages? That's kinda fair, but nothing else about them is particularly Egyptian.

[Eldryth]

I've never really equated Ethereals as Egyptian themed. Ramkahen sort of own that. Ethereals always seemed far more Middle Eastern, not certain the direct reference but not Egyptian.

I agree. I can see why people would associate a race that looks like (magic) mummies with Egypt, but apart from that they always seemed Arabian to me.