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

[Dracullus]

With Azshara aligning herself with the Void, we might indeed see her during Midnight. Though I don't think the Naga are one of the 'Elven clans' mentioned by Metzen. I think the more 'traditional' elves were meant (Quel'dorei, Sin'dorei, Kal'dorei, Ren'dorei and Shal'dorei).

I think 'scattered elven clans' mentioned by Metzen are just Blood/High/Void Elves (+ maybe some Dark Rangers if Sylvanas will be back) and whole plot will be simply their return to Silvermoon. Night Elves and Nightborne already have their homes.

By the way, where you expect next neighborhoods? If my theory that it will come with Orgrimmar/Stormwind revamp is correct, imo we should first look at places with modern capitals. Obviously neutral Silvermoon (both for High and Blood Elves) is certain in Midnight, imo next could be Goblins (Undermine central station has even unused metro line for that) and Night Elves (Amirdrassil).

Undead/Worgen/Tauren/Draenei definitely needs city revamp, Wandering Isle for Pandaren is little bit better, not sure if Dwarves/Gnomes will be covered by Stormwind or separate thing. And before them we probably see at least 1 neutral in Northrend.

[Worldshaper]

Well I've looked into the West Studio concept art some more. In fact, I've mapped them all out in a document in order to identify themes and patterns.

Category 1 - Coreways and Doorways

• Three images.
• Two of these images depict four different takes on doorways or entrances into mountains or down into the ground.
• These four doorways/entrances share deep similarities with the Arathi (knightly towers around a pit whose walls are lined with bricks or stone), the Earthen (the Coreway specifically), the Nerubians (a crude cave entrance unfit for humanoids, covered with webs), and a fourth race (magical mushroom portal to presumably the Haranir).
• The third image depicts a few different things, but seemingly secret entrances in motion. One displays a pool of water inside an underground chamber, with the water moving out of the way to reveal a black orb. Could be an early take on the Dark Heart perhaps, not sure. The second displays a doorway with intricate locking mechanisms and inscribed with runes. The third shows a triangle-shaped wall with a circular doorway that opens up.

Category 2 - Sector AR-938 Fissures

• This category of images contains 4 images.
• They each show a different type of massive entrance into the earth from above. Different variants.
• Version 1 is sort of an old mine with jagged cliffs shaped by mining presumably. Version 2 shows sort of an opening between two cliffsides in a mountain. Version 3 is a swirling vortex in the ocean, similar to the Maelstrom. Version 4 is more of what you'd expect when you hear "rift". It's a huge gash in the earth, in the middle of a river. Energy emanates out from it, upwards.
• So clearly, this shows that they were toying with the idea of Sector AR-938 and its anomalous fissure that the Earthen detected and built Khaz Algar around.

Category 3 - Exploring Entrances with "Axe Dude"

• There's a large category of images that all depict a silhouette of a little dude wielding an axe. In each image, he is standing in a vast landscape, looking at a massive cave entrance. Unlike Category 1 and 2, these feel more like regular old cave entrances into the side of a wall, but in different styles.
• Some are more crystaline, some look like sandstone in a desert with natural holes appearing to form the entrance (bug's nest kinda thing), some are more rocky, some are in water, some are even portals opening inside a tree, or in the ground.
• These images clearly just play with different ideas of how to enter different caves (zones) inside Khaz Algar. Among them we find the different races' visual themes: crystals for Hallowfall, the tree for "Rootlands", the bug's nests and swirling dark pit in the ground for Azj-Kahet, and the more rocky ones for the Earthen zones.

Category 4 - "Axe Dude" Ventures Through Khaz Algar

• These images use the same silhouette of an axe-wielding dude from the previous category. But in these images (about 24 of them), he is instead seen exploring different types of areas underground.
• The areas have these general themes: Roman-like viaducts, bridges, towers and staircases (presumably Earthen), more naturally fomed underground caves with crystals, some type of fluid forming rivers, waterfalls and even floating blobs, various crystaline tunnels, an open space with Hallowfall-like clouds and castles, and then lastly a dark space near water (making boats and airships a necessity) featuring hands and the eye of a Titan-like female character.
• So to summarise, it looks like this dude first ventured through an Earthen-like area, then an Arathi-like area, and also an area seemingly filled with Black Blood.

Category 5 - Exploring Fungi with "Orc"

• These images (10 in total) all feature the silhouette of an orcish adventurer. All he's doing is standing in, and looking at, different landscapes filled with fungi.
• Curiously, one of the images show him inside a crystal-powered baloon, flying inside a large cave towards a cave entrance. This cave entrance has Earthen or Arathi themed towers outside of it. Around the cave there is a massive skeleton of some type of beast lodged in the cave wall. There also seems to be an airborne stream of some type of energy moving either into the next cave through the entrance, or out from it. This flow of energy could be interpreted as different things, from Black Blood to swarms of locusts, or something else entirely. But curiously, the basket of the baloon he's riding in gives off some type of static charge when it touches this flow.
• My take: the orc symbolises somebody traveling into an early take on the "rootlands," e.g. a fungal-themed area, which he then explores.

Category 6 - Finding Dead Gods with "Generic Adventurer Guy"

• This one is interesting to say the least. Every image, about 14 of them, uses the silhouette of a dude wielding a sword. But he's sort of hastily drawn, so he lacks distinguishing features. The only thing you can clearly tell is that it's the same dude on all of these images.
• What this guy does is literally just travel through a landscape of dead gargantuan creatures, whose appearances range all the way from giant snakes or dinosaurs to Old Gods and other eldritch beings. Notably, all the ones he encounters are dead. Some long dead, some recently and dripping with blood.
• There are also some images that show this guy traveling through a landscape, which basically has three styles: Earthen-like massive bridges and stairways, including one that really looks like a labyrinth, towers filled with glowing crystals, and then lastly some some of landscapr featuring huge plants and waterfalls. This last scene looks more natural.
• My take: This guy seems to be travelling into Khaz Algar, finding the corpses of Old Gods and similar creatures strewn everywhere.

Category 7 - Exploring the Holy City with the "Swordsman"

• There seem to be as few as four images in this category, but they are some of the most detailed among all of them.
• What they show is a regal looking swordsman in a cape, exploring a vast cave with a crystaline cieling and with a human-themed city settings (clock tower, watch towers, bridges, and so on) whose walls are inscribed with glowing runes.
• There's also two images with what looks like the same swirling mass of energy I described in category 5, looking like it is destroying towers chaotically. Some kind of destructive, evil force that wants to tear down this holy city.
• My take: this is basically an early Hallowfall concept.

Category 8 - Epic moments with "Tyrael"

• These 7 images all use the silhouette of a dude who looks a bit like Tyrael in Diablo 3, after he fell to Sanctuary.
• He is seen looking at different chambers, that all look very epic and important.
• One shows a massive sword and helmet of what was once presumably a Titan or something similar. One shows the skeleton of a massive beast, lodged in a cave wall as it eats the skeleton of another ancient beast. A third shows rivers of some type of liquid, with a black orb floating mid-air. The next one shows a lake surrounded by bones, with something going on in the middle causing the water to erupt. The next one shows a labyrinthine chamber with cracks forming in the floor to create a circular pattern, with a liquid like lava or something glowing from between the cracks. Then we have a rocky pathway being destroyed, leading to stony towers further ahead. All around the character we see lava or some other type of liquid floating up in the air from below. Lastly, one image shows a ritual chamber filled with crytals that emit light, and some type of platform where people in robes carry out a ritual.
• This category is a bit harder to interpret, but I get the feeling that they simply wanted a bunch of epic scenes inspired by a few core concepts, such as "ancient Titans", "Lightsworn acolytes", "dead gargantuans", and so on.

Category 9 - Overgrown

• This category is literally just two images, using the same silhouette of a dude with a sword. He's looking at two different underground chambers, one o which looks like it was once inhabited by Earthen, and they're both overgrown by strange plants and fungi.

Category 10 - "Pinhead" in the Dungeon

• This category uses the silhouette of a dude with a very small and narrow head. He wields a sword, which sometimes looks like a kris.
• The 4 images basically show him arriving at some type of dungeon. First he sees a central and very large pillar inside some type of settlement. On top of the pillar is a massive crystal with an Old God in it.
• Then we see him inside a room that looks like it is inside the pillar. Basically just mushrooms growing on the walls and lianas hanging from the roof. It looks a bit like light is coming in from above.
• The next image we see him inside another chamber, with massive cracks forming in the floor with smoke and fire, and a huge demonic and protruding from the cracks.
• Another image shows him inside a similar room. Only this time, there are black pillars inscribed with glowing lines and runes. Through some type of portal mid-air, a massive tentacle appears and begins tearing the pillars down.
• The final image shows him inside a huge room, looking at an absolutely massive Old God-like creature. Tentacles everywhere. It's not entirely clear if the creature is living or dead,

Category 11 - Other

• This is basically just a category of images I haven't been able to clearly categorise. Mostly because the characters shown in them don't super clearly resemble the other ones that I've seen in most of the other images. But I could be wrong. Sometimes one of them might just be drawn slightly different.
• Either way, these images (about 30-40 of them) depic different scenes, but man of them look very epic and important.
• One group of them show the massive skeleton of an ancient beast, possibly of Old God origin based on its many tendrils and eye sockets.
• One group of images show vast hallways and chambers that look important. Sort of raid instance levels of important. I guess you could say they look a bit like what I would imagine a Titan-forged raid would look like.
• Several images feature Hallowfall-esque themes, with castles and crystals in a large cave, an underground ocean with a notable crystal nearby, clouds, and so on.
• Some images show fairly generic looking underground chambers that look like they've been inhabited at some point. But it's hard to tell what theme they have.
• Lots of black orbs, planet-like spheres seemingly being destroyed by the magical energy flow I mentioned earlier, and so on.
• Also more Old God-like beings, some dead and some encased in crystals.

TL;DR

Again, to me is abundantly clear that at the very least, these themes were clearly established already with these images:

• Holy underground human city (Arathi/Hallowfall)
• Roman or Titan-like ancient stonework and hallways à la Khazad Dum (Earthen)
• Mushrooms and fungi (pretty prevalent in the Freysworn theme, featured in several delves and very common down in Azj-Kahet and around the entrance to "Rootlands". While we don't really see the Haranir styled huts (giant leaves), that might just be because they hadn't developed their concept very much at the time. One of the gateways I mentioned earlier is clearly very mushroom-themed so it does feel like they had something in mind at least.
• Old God-like creatures, both dead, living, and trapped in crystal.
• Spheres: black spheres, crystal spheres, and planet-like spheres.
• Some type of hidden Titan-presence, given the massive sword and helmet, and the glimpses of some type of gargantuan female down below.
• A type of fluid, as well as an airborne type of energy flow, both of which seem destructive, and feel very reminiscent of Black Blood.

As such, we are faced with a choice.

Either:

A - we believe Blizzard is completely incompetent and void of any creative inspiration themselves, so they literally built an entire expansion and the next 10 years of lore based on concept art some third party studio made.

B - we believe that Blizzard had an early idea in mind of what the underground expansion would entail, but they needed help envisioning these environments and landscapes. So they hired West Studio, gave them a bunch of loose prompts, and then used some of their work in-game (however losely).

Personally I believe in B, because it is the only choice that makes sense to me.

From this follows that we need to take all of these concept art pieces seriously. The known themes of Earthen, Nerubians, the remnants of the Old Gods, and the Hallowfall Arathi have all played out already. The Titan bits might simply be our Worldsoul story. But we are yet to find out if there will be a pivot to the other themes found in these images:

• "Mushrooms" (a.k.a. the "Rootlands", Haranir and Freysworn).
• Undersea and/or some type of "below Hallowfall" story.
• Some type of unexpected return of Old Gods, perhaps involving the crystals, Black Blood, etc.
• The Earthen theme progressing into an Uldaz raid perhaps, which might feature a ton of hidden secrets and evils lurking.

One fun theory I have is that the images could literally show the other Old Gods, dead. With Y'shaarj being the skeleton since it seems to match a bit with images we have of him, and then the 5th Old God being whatever is trapped down there.

I also wonder what all those spheres are about, and if they have some connection to either the Dark Heart, the worldsoul, or what we've all assumed is K'aresh in the cutscene from Undermine(d).

It'll be fun to hear what they have going on over the next few weeks, that's for sure!

[Merryck]

They used the thin human model in the WoW weekly and it almost got me excited. We'll never get to be an old lanky wizard.
https://worldofwarcraft.blizzard.com...-1115-and-more

[Alanar]

They used the thin human model in the WoW weekly and it almost got me excited. We'll never get to be an old lanky wizard.
https://worldofwarcraft.blizzard.com...-1115-and-more

Or actual flowing wizard beards or stuff like that.


ZzzzZZ

[Marlamin]

As such, we are faced with a choice.

Or, alternatively, we don't really know their process and all of it is just absolute guesswork and it's not worth 'making a choice' or even argue about (again). /shrug

[Foreign Exchange Ztudent]

Ultimately, we just need the Narrative Team and the Warcraft Team and its leadership allowing them to make better products.

[Worldshaper]

Or, alternatively, we don't really know their process and all of it is just absolute guesswork and it's not worth 'making a choice' or even argue about (again). /shrug

That's missing the point, though.

Regardless of what the process is (which I'd argue we can infer based on these images), it's still apparent that roughly 75% of the images show things that are in TWW right now.

That's what my mapping shows. Earthen, Arathi, Nerubian, and Haranir are all rwpresented thematically, on top of themes about Azeroth, Old Gods and crystals.

Which means the rest of it should be considered as "potential upcoming content" until proven otherwise.

It is at least on par with evidence such as "goblin raid" or "ethereal raid" icons.

[Marlamin]

It is at least on par with evidence such as "goblin raid" or "ethereal raid" icons.

Disagree on that, but again things like these are always going to be a matter of opinion and those always go in circles in this thread.

Your 'mapping' is largely interpretive based on your imagination and while I agree it is part of the creative process for sure, I definitely wouldn't put the art or what you've interpreted on the same level as actual files added to the game named by Blizzard themselves (the latter of which, names, are rare these days).

If it were a evidence ranking, I'd put it a few ranks below "in-house Blizzard concept art" (e.g. the visual zone development stuff here: #1 #2 #3), of which most of the concept art they make won't actually end up happening (nor even seeing a public release on ArtStation if it's extremely unused) either.

Then a few ranks above "in-house Blizzard concept art" is going to be assets (including icons) from the game, which aren't exactly a guarantee of something happening either (there's so much stuff in the files that never sees the light of day).

While I agree that it is awesome art that influences their general world building themes and early in-house zone concept art (like linked above), that's probably about it. I don't think it's worth going any deeper into it than that, definitely not to the level of trying to connect very specific things from the art to current/upcoming lore or future content. The release of these kind of image sets would have to go by the outsourcing people and they wouldn't okay anything that is specific enough to tie to upcoming content like that. And if it is used by future content in a direct enough manner, by us calling it out and focusing on it like this that is a great way for them to not work with said company again.

EDIT: Like Blizzard says on working with West Studio, it is just influencing, which is not as on-point/lore-specific as you're interpreting it to be.

Tyler has earned a reputation as one of the most talented concept artists in the business – I am consistently impressed by the work that he and his studio put out. His versatility, creative prowess, and raw ability are paired with strong communication, collaborative spirit, and flexibility. Each of the last three studios where I worked (EA Los Angeles, Sony Santa Monica, and Blizzard) commissioned pieces from Tyler that helped shape creative vision. I expect concepts from Tyler will continue to influence the development of many characters, objects, and worlds to come.

In one of the ArtStation posts by Jimmy Lo from the Visual Development team he specifically thanks West Studio for early ideas/designs that then go into his own concepts as well, so definitely below in-house art/assets in terms of relevance if you ask me.

[Foreign Exchange Ztudent]

I feel like "strings" attached to a live in-development product is a bit different than artwork for pre-production use cases to give a direction for production.

Ultimately, whether or not 11.2 is Underground or K'aresh it doesn't change the fact that the Live Service portion of the A Plot storytelling needs a level up whether through out of game elements or in-game elements that make it more cohesive and experiential.

I am just not really sure what this achieves beyond a "got'cha" moment and further erosion of understanding that maybe things aren't alright in this department rather than assumptive ingenuity when Blizzard has not had a failed conceptual standpoint for expansions its' just the execution that blows everything up, usually.

I feel like you can always headcanon these expansions into incredible products. Unfortunately we do not end up getting those products, no matter what. Mostly because they're out of scope of any development timeline possible within the framework of expansion time windows, product content lineups and cost with a staff that is unfortunately on a conveyor belt that moves at a pace to their superiors wishes which adds further complimentary issues.

I think it'd be amazing if we did have this type of product for the Underground expansion but as we saw they essentially used this expansion as a Warlords of Draenor -> Legion Escape hatch. At least they opted for fan service opportunities even if they remain excessively disconnected and artificial while the A Plot flaunders and looks comical.

I still appreciate the fantastical, conceptual and speculatory things that stem from this thread even if reality is unfortunately always disappointing these days.

[Scyth]

I think 'scattered elven clans' mentioned by Metzen are just Blood/High/Void Elves (+ maybe some Dark Rangers if Sylvanas will be back) and whole plot will be simply their return to Silvermoon. Night Elves and Nightborne already have their homes.

I think it means all the High Elves as well but I really hope the Nightborne get some attention and also play an important role as they have barely got anything since Legion.
Given the close relationship between Blood Elves and Nightborne though, it’s almost a given they would. Hopefully lol

Midnight will definitely end with all High Elves back on good terms and sharing Silvermoon though.

[Hitei]

I think 'scattered elven clans' mentioned by Metzen are just Blood/High/Void Elves (+ maybe some Dark Rangers if Sylvanas will be back) and whole plot will be simply their return to Silvermoon. Night Elves and Nightborne already have their homes.

By the way, where you expect next neighborhoods? If my theory that it will come with Orgrimmar/Stormwind revamp is correct, imo we should first look at places with modern capitals. Obviously neutral Silvermoon (both for High and Blood Elves) is certain in Midnight, imo next could be Goblins (Undermine central station has even unused metro line for that) and Night Elves (Amirdrassil).

Undead/Worgen/Tauren/Draenei definitely needs city revamp, Wandering Isle for Pandaren is little bit better, not sure if Dwarves/Gnomes will be covered by Stormwind or separate thing. And before them we probably see at least 1 neutral in Northrend.

I still think people expecting new neighborhoods in Midnight are strongly setting themselves up for disappointment. The Org/Stormwind ones are the Midnight neighborhoods, even if they are actually going to be released as a pre-expansion to help tide people over a la DH/Evoker/etc. They were quite adamant about the social aspect being a central pillar and that they were avoiding more than two neighborhoods for that very reason--I would not expect them to then double the number (i.e. divide the population in half) 1 or 2 patches later, especially when that potentially risks one of the first neighborhoods being completely deserted (like all blood elf players and a bunch of non-blood elf players moving to Quel'thalas).

Then a few ranks above "in-house Blizzard concept art" is going to be assets (including icons) from the game, which aren't exactly a guarantee of something happening either (there's so much stuff in the files that never sees the light of day).

Speaking of things that never see the light of day, did I correctly see that they added yet another copy of that weird ghost-gryphon-thing texture from pre 11.0 speculation to 11.1.5? We never got that mount right? Or even anything about it beyond the texture?

- - - Updated - - -

I think it means all the High Elves as well but I really hope the Nightborne get some attention and also play an important role as they have barely got anything since Legion.
Given the close relationship between Blood Elves and Nightborne though, it’s almost a given they would. Hopefully lol

Midnight will definitely end with all High Elves back on good terms and sharing Silvermoon though.

I'd really like Nightborne to be neutral, their standing stance is much nicer. I think that even if it's not strictly in their plans for Midnight, they'll probably do it in a 12.1.7 or 12.2.5 patch or something with a brief questline, because there's not much reason for the Night Elves to remain awkwardly faction split when the Thalassians aren't.

[Marlamin]

Speaking of things that never see the light of day, did I correctly see that they added yet another copy of that weird ghost-gryphon-thing texture from pre 11.0 speculation to 11.1.5? We never got that mount right? Or even anything about it beyond the texture?

Genuinely don't remember if that ended up being used somewhere or not.

[Hitei]

Genuinely don't remember if that ended up being used somewhere or not.

Based on the tables (and that trying to apply the texture works, as seen below) It seems to actually be, as very early on theorized, a texture for the Stormrider CE mount. But that mount doesn't have that customization option, and it's very different from all of its normal textures, which are glowy and bright.



I'd almost just write it off as being some sort of effects overlay texture if they didn't keep weirdly updating an entire texture (rather than just the regular partial FX ones) as as baked npc every other patch.

I wonder what the deal is with it.

[Worldshaper]

Disagree on that, but again things like these are always going to be a matter of opinion and those always go in circles in this thread.

Your 'mapping' is largely interpretive based on your imagination and while I agree it is part of the creative process for sure, I definitely wouldn't put the art or what you've interpreted on the same level as actual files added to the game named by Blizzard themselves (the latter of which, names, are rare these days).

If it were a evidence ranking, I'd put it a few ranks below "in-house Blizzard concept art" (e.g. the visual zone development stuff here: #1 #2 #3), of which most of the concept art they make won't actually end up happening (nor even seeing a public release on ArtStation if it's extremely unused) either.

Then a few ranks above "in-house Blizzard concept art" is going to be assets (including icons) from the game, which aren't exactly a guarantee of something happening either (there's so much stuff in the files that never sees the light of day).

While I agree that it is awesome art that influences their general world building themes and early in-house zone concept art (like linked above), that's probably about it. I don't think it's worth going any deeper into it than that, definitely not to the level of trying to connect very specific things from the art to current/upcoming lore or future content. The release of these kind of image sets would have to go by the outsourcing people and they wouldn't okay anything that is specific enough to tie to upcoming content like that. And if it is used by future content in a direct enough manner, by us calling it out and focusing on it like this that is a great way for them to not work with said company again.

EDIT: Like Blizzard says on working with West Studio, it is just influencing, which is not as on-point/lore-specific as you're interpreting it to be.



In one of the ArtStation posts by Jimmy Lo from the Visual Development team he specifically thanks West Studio for early ideas/designs that then go into his own concepts as well, so definitely below in-house art/assets in terms of relevance if you ask me.

You are a clever fellow, but incorrect on this one.

If there is an image of a holy human city below ground, its buildings inscribed with glowing runes, its towers infused by light from radiant crystals, and its modes of transportation crystal-powered airships, with an underground ocean featuring Leviathans nearby... that's not a personal interpretation, that's literally just Hallowfall in its early stages of development.

Let's imagine this all took place during Shadowlands. If we found early concept art from a third party that showed a dark forest with a gothic castle, everyone and his mum would immediately realise that this was linked to Castle Nathria and Revendreth. Whether Blizzard originally came up with the idea or if the third party did, everyone on this forum would go: "that's an early version of Nathria".

[Nymrohd]

If you pitch an idea multiple times and the forum doesn't seem to want to discuss it, talking about your own idea as if it is what everyone should be talking about in ever more elaborate posts is not really helping your cause. No one is biting, try another pond?

Here https://warcraft.wiki.gg/wiki/Category:Concept_art

Try any of this and then explain to me why half the concepts are entirely unused.

[Worldshaper]

If you pitch an idea multiple times and the forum doesn't seem to want to discuss it, talking about your own idea as if it is what everyone should be talking about in ever more elaborate posts is not really helping your cause. No one is biting, try another pond?

Here https://warcraft.wiki.gg/wiki/Category:Concept_art

Try any of this and then explain to me why half the concepts are entirely unused.

These things will look different in hindsight. Right now this forum is an echo chamber of "K'aresh is certainly next!" posts, and discussing alternate possibilities is generally frowned upon. I have zero issues with being portrayed as the village idiot for a little while as we await the next patch announcement. So keep it coming.

If we have a wealth of artwork, 75% of which is already used in the game and the remaining 25% seemingly strongly connected to content we haven't fully explored or resolved yet (Black Blood, "Rootlands", Beledar, the "Awakening", 5th Old God, etc.) then it's not my problem if you refuse to connect the dots. But it is my right to keep digging into it, and to report back my findings.

By all means, though. Let's switch the subject.

Uldaz?

Vanilla - Uldaman
TBC
WotLK - Ulduar
MoP
Cata - Uldum
WoD
Legion
BfA - Uldir
SL
DF - Uldorous
TWW - Uldaz?
Midnight - Uldaz?
TLT - Uldaz?

[Nymrohd]

I mean I just showed you AMPLE evidence that a significant part of concept art ends up never being used. Congratulations you found some of the concept art that did not get used for this expansion. And yeah, it is everyone else that is an idiot for not seeing a pattern you are obsessing over while refusing to address any critique to your "logic". What else can we say, you put it aptly yourself after all. . .

I'm sure you come back to have the last word for this. Personally I'm long done. Just surprised you even ignored Marlamin of all people.

[Sondrelk]

Based on the tables (and that trying to apply the texture works, as seen below) It seems to actually be, as very early on theorized, a texture for the Stormrider CE mount. But that mount doesn't have that customization option, and it's very different from all of its normal textures, which are glowy and bright.



I'd almost just write it off as being some sort of effects overlay texture if they didn't keep weirdly updating an entire texture (rather than just the regular partial FX ones) as as baked npc every other patch.

I wonder what the deal is with it.

Isn't that just the Alunira mount without the extra wind effects?

[Nymrohd]

I still think people expecting new neighborhoods in Midnight are strongly setting themselves up for disappointment. The Org/Stormwind ones are the Midnight neighborhoods, even if they are actually going to be released as a pre-expansion to help tide people over a la DH/Evoker/etc. They were quite adamant about the social aspect being a central pillar and that they were avoiding more than two neighborhoods for that very reason--I would not expect them to then double the number (i.e. divide the population in half) 1 or 2 patches later, especially when that potentially risks one of the first neighborhoods being completely deserted (like all blood elf players and a bunch of non-blood elf players moving to Quel'thalas).

While I agree with the logic of this, I think there would not be a need for two neighborhoods to be added; one in Quel'thalas is enough. After all I can set up shop with my human in Durotar just fine already and something tells me much of the Horde elf population will set up shop in Elwynn to begin with. A location could be set up in Quel'thalas that can fit multiple aesthetics (Blood/High/Void Elf/Nightborne, Night Elf, Forsaken, Forest Troll)

I do think that serving everyone thematically over time will require a few more places. Not many but we will need a place that works well for Dwarves and Gnomes (the Elwynn location concepts seemed very limited to a human occupied forest though it COULD have a place that works for dwarves and gnomes depending on size) and some races will be hard to fit; Pandaren, Dracthyr and I guess Draenei have very specific themes that diverge a lot (especially Pandas)

[Lady Atia]

Isn't that just the Alunira mount without the extra wind effects?

Nope, the Alunira mount actually has a different head to the CE mount which always urked me. The colour is also quite different to this one, and as someone else said, this colour was actually the one we datamined first before we got the actual CE mount reveal.