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

[Limayria]

You know, I wouldn't be opposed to that outcome. A gradual build-up.

- Remind players of the Ethereals throughout TWW. Check.

- Remind them of K'aresh and Dimensius in 11.1.7. Check.

- Introduce K'aresh as a hostile location/force in 11.2, reminding us what we're fighting to avoid. Perhaps we see it closer in another cinematic, visit briefly for a few quests, or encounter is inside a dungeon or raid. Maybe the final boss room of 11.2 shows it in the background or something. While the majority of the patch actually takes place below Khaz Algar or somewhere else on Azeroth.

- Give us playable (friendly) Ethereals in 11.2.5 to deepen our connection to them, and to show us a glimpse of their culture in their starting zone.

- Midnight arrives, with K'aresh looming. Swarms of Dimensius' followers assault the Sunwell from it. Perhaps there's a dramatic effect, with K'aresh covering the Sun like a solar eclipse or something.

- In the end during Midnight, we push back the Shadow from Azeroth and remove the threat of K'aresh forever. Hell, maybe there's some kind of spark of hope for the ethereals kindled. Maybe they world is de-voidified and they can begin some type of terraforming using eco-domes and stuff. Over many years obviously. I think that would be the ultimate display of hope and salvation Blizzard could pull together in Midnight, honestly. Sure we could just see Azeroth freed from whatever new invasion they're cooking for us and that'll be nice as well. But to actually prevent doom on our world while also saving another world, doomed throughout the ages, and changing the course of their history, would be freaking epic. Can't achieve that effect unless we get to know K'aresh properly soon, though.

I would love to see k'aresh being saved in someway imagine if locus walker has the "heart of K'aresh" as we had the heart of azeorth or what if thats what the dark heart is and thats why they think it can save the planet

[Nokster10]

The most obvious thing to take away from the 11.2 cinematic is definitely that it was K'aresh, and that we'll be going there. No argument there.

But I can also come up with several reasons for why it shouldn't be K'aresh, which bothers me.

- The ommission of "New Zone" on the roadmap for 11.2.

It literally says New zone for 11.2 are you guys drunk

[Nokster10]

It didn't when they released it.

Now it is, so using it as a hint or an argument is pointless. And it wasn't because the further away the patch is, the less info they give about it. That's it

[Hitei]

Now it is, so using it as a hint or an argument is pointless. And it wasn't because the further away the patch is, the less info they give about it. That's it

No one is suggesting that a new zone isn't happening. They released the timeline, people commented on how 11.2 didn't have a new zone, and they released an updated version of the timeline including "new zone". The (minor) opinion is just that possibly rather than being a straight-forward mistake, they didn't originally plan to have a new zone in 11.2.

(It wasn't not included because it was too early. We knew from one month into DF that 10.2 would have a new zone in it.)

If you are a person who subscribes to that idea, then a very big notable zone like K'aresh being 11.2 seems unlikely as compared to a smaller, spontaneous, easier to build between that original timeline release and now zone.

Note that I don't think either of these things are even remotely likely.

This is just Ardenweald Raid 2.0.

[Lady Atia]

No one is suggesting that a new zone isn't happening. They released the timeline, people commented on how 11.2 didn't have a new zone, and they released an updated version of the timeline including "new zone". The (minor) opinion is just that possibly rather than being a straight-forward mistake, they didn't originally plan to have a new zone in 11.2.

If you are a person who subscribes to that idea, then a very big notable zone like K'aresh being 11.2 seems unlikely as compared to a smaller, spontaneous, easier to build between that original timeline release and now zone.

Note that I don't think either of these things are even remotely likely.

This is just Ardenweald Raid 2.0.

Well tbf, an Ardenweald Drust sideraid would have made sense from a story PoV even if we didnt had the naming datamine (which got used for the Castle Weapons instead).

[Khaza-R]

No one is suggesting that a new zone isn't happening. They released the timeline, people commented on how 11.2 didn't have a new zone, and they released an updated version of the timeline including "new zone". The (minor) opinion is just that possibly rather than being a straight-forward mistake, they didn't originally plan to have a new zone in 11.2.

(It wasn't not included because it was too early. We knew from one month into DF that 10.2 would have a new zone in it.)

If you are a person who subscribes to that idea, then a very big notable zone like K'aresh being 11.2 seems unlikely as compared to a smaller, spontaneous, easier to build between that original timeline release and now zone.

Note that I don't think either of these things are even remotely likely.

This is just Ardenweald Raid 2.0.

Tbf, there's only been one major patch ever that didn't add a new zone and that was 8.3?

So yeah, it is kind of weird it was omitted from the initial roadmap is nothing else than a new zone should be the most basic copy/paste feature they have on the map.

[Hitei]

Tbf, there's only been one major patch ever that didn't add a new zone and that was 8.3?

So yeah, it is kind of weird it was omitted from the initial roadmap is nothing else than a new zone should be the most basic copy/paste feature they have on the map.

I'd argue it's more complicated then that, because a bunch of "added zones" aren't really added (Tanaan, Broken Shore, Forbidden Reach, TI is just repurposed assets, etc.), but also it's not like it was missing from some backend patch list or something. The timeline was probably made by one person on their graphic design/web team and that person was probably just handed a bulletpoint list of general times for patches and features. So in all likelihood whoever handed that list off just forgot to put new zone and no one clocked that it was missing until it was already out.

If nothing else we sort of know for a fact that going into open testing they had two patch zones planned. So unless they cut the second one and only decided 3 months into TWW to change their minds again and add one...

[Viridiel]

We already have that; Keeper of the Grove.

I'm talking an actual Keeper of the Grove form or some abilities explicitly tied to Cenarius/Malorne. If that's what they were going for with a treant-based hero spec, they failed.

[Xeladriel]

Hi, this is the first time i post in this forum and this thread but i read you for years. I apologize if my english is not enough good, is not my main language.

I was thinking a thing...the object that Iridikron gaves Xal'atath is named "Dark Heart", but why heart? and why the ethereals stole this from xal atath?

I remember that...in Battle For Azeroth we had a similar artifact, with a similar shape, with a similar name, but with a chain attached that become him a neck, yeah the Heart of Azeroth.

So...what if the Dark Hearts is, actually, the Heart of K'aresh? a similar artifact of the K'aresh worldcore, and this is why the ethereals stole from xal atath.

[Catastrophy349]

Reading all of this speculation has me so HYPE for this week!

[Joshuaj]

This week is prolly just gonna be 11.1.7's launch and MAYBE a Housing Article, that's it.

[Merryck]

Hi, this is the first time i post in this forum and this thread but i read you for years. I apologize if my english is not enough good, is not my main language.

I was thinking a thing...the object that Iridikron gaves Xal'atath is named "Dark Heart", but why heart? and why the ethereals stole this from xal atath?

I remember that...in Battle For Azeroth we had a similar artifact, with a similar shape, with a similar name, but with a chain attached that become him a neck, yeah the Heart of Azeroth.

So...what if the Dark Hearts is, actually, the Heart of K'aresh? a similar artifact of the K'aresh worldcore, and this is why the ethereals stole from xal atath.

Seems likely. And both were designed to absorb and contain energy. Maybe K'aresh gave the Ethereals the Dark Heart to contain the void incursion, but they failed. Though it is stated Neltharion created it.

[Catastrophy349]

This week is prolly just gonna be 11.1.7's launch and MAYBE a Housing Article, that's it.

Hey, in your case, better to be realistic and not get let down. In my case, I'm ALL OPTIMISIM, BABY!

[Joshuaj]

Do we know who made the Dark Heart? Or?

- - - Updated - - -

Hey, in your case, better to be realistic and not get let down. In my case, I'm ALL OPTIMISIM, BABY!

I'll just say...

I've been shocked before

[Limayria]

I'm also all in on the dark heart being "the dark heart of k'aresh" <--- patch title

[Hitei]

Seems likely. And both were designed to absorb and contain energy. Maybe K'aresh gave the Ethereals the Dark Heart to contain the void incursion, but they failed.

While I see why you'd come to this conclusion based on their similarities, we already sort of know its origin. It was made by Deathwing with the help of goblins, probably as a prototype Dragon Soul and then activated from dormancy by Iridikron infusing it with Galakrond's "hunger" essence.

[Xeladriel]

Maybe the Neltharion's one is just a replica and the original was destroyed when Dimensius ate K'aresh, then the ethereals stole this one

[Joshuaj]

K'aresh having a Heart of Azeroth equivalent for its Worldsoul would be pretty cool ngl

[wheyt]

Do we think this lore is still in play?

A Song of the Depths:
"The Harbinger speaks of a primal power that seeks the end of Order. Such rage can be bent to serve our ends.

A hunger lost to the ages will be reclaimed.

A dark heart left broken awaits the taking." <--- Dark Heart broken, taken by Ethereal

..."When these things come to pass, the Harbinger will fulfill the final prophecy and complete the awakening.

Only then shall our Queen return to reign over sea and sky and earth. We must make ready.

Rise, rise! Soon all that was hidden will be revealed."

I expect Aszshara for Midnight but maybe she's just an entry level into Midnight? We need someone BIG to be the final boss of this next raid. You can't end another expansion on a throwaway character like Fyrakk.

[Catastrophy349]

“A Song of the Depths.” See y’all for the announcement!

Yes, I do think it’s very relevant.