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

[Lahis]

Will Zandalari finally get Warlocks?
Also, I think the reason why new classes for Dracthyr hasn't be showcased yet is because they still have to rig the models with the animations.

Like every other player race, Dracthyr already has all animations for all classes.

[Varodoc]

She's an elf because she's inhabiting the corpse of one. That's it.
I think it would've been cooler if she turned into a troll instead. Trolls are the oldest race on Azeroth right?

She could have inhabited *any* body and instead she chose the body of an elf.

There is no evidence that trolls are the oldest race on Azeroth.

They are the oldest race to have created an empire. We don't really know if they predate e.g. Tauren or many other races like Pandaren, Jinyu, Tuskar etc. They are older than the titanforged races and ofc older than elves.

Old Gods are a much older race than trolls and they created the first empire ever recorded in Azeroth history. Nothing about what trolls did is really special or praiseworthy. They are neither the oldest race nor the first empire to have inhabited Azeroth.

[Darkarath]

Chances are very high its Xal'atath, but she could also be a part of Y'shaarj or something else entirely. I personally think its her just from the way she acts and talks about the other old gods.

The first thing i though of as "beyond the waves" was avaloren. I think its unlikely the titans just let some primordial part of azeroth untouched and hoped no one will find it, but it would make the most sense for now.

Yes, I am inclined to believe that Xal'athat is not the fifth. If she were the fifth, she would be still imprisoned like the rest of the Old Gods were. But who knows, we are entering new territory here.

One of the continents or the only continent that the document is referring to is clearly Avaloren. But it is my understanding that it is (or was) inhabited by Titan beings. So what happened there? Maybe the fifth Old God is there and changed the Titan Keepers of Avaloren. We might have an entire continent dedicated to an Old God Empire alive and well. But there may be others continents, maybe one with creatures so powerful and dangerous that not even the Titans dare to visit. Maybe a sixth Old God fell there and their inhabitants destroyed it so easily that the rest of the Old Gods would not dare to mention it.

In any case, it seems that Blizzard will be focusing more in Azeroth on the future, developing the Cosmic theme in our planet, while visiting Cosmic places in patches.

[Khaza-R]

Yes, I am inclined to believe that Xal'athat is not the fifth. If she were the fifth, she would be still imprisoned like the rest of the Old Gods were. But who knows, we are entering new territory here.

My understanding of Xal'atath's tale is that she was sacrificed by her kin during the height of the Black Empire and put into the dagger. Which would of been before the other Old Gods were imprisoned.

I think she's the most likely candidate to be the 5th Old God, but she could also be something different. Either way, I think its very plausible she will pop up at some point and serve as a bridge into 11.0

[Darkarath]

New interview in Wowhead from Hiru to Steve Danuser. I have to say that I see a more solid Danuser in this interview, although he really did not have complicated questions to answer. Danuser points to way more stuff coming in DF for the Infinite Dragonflight, and cool Ethereal stuff on the future, but not really anything new that we did not know before. He also said that he wrote the new N'zoth lines in DF, and that N'zoth wanted us as allies in BfA, as he shares the same concern that the Jailer had about this new threat that a cosmos divided cannot survive.

[Cheezits]

The Danuser interview reminded me of Andre the mystery red dragon, and after looking him up I was surprised to see he even talks in Exploring Kalimdor. So I guess he isn't cursed or asleep.

https://wowpedia.fandom.com/wiki/And...sz#cite_note-1

[Nymrohd]

Also killing a C'thraxx and killing a Pit Lord isn't too much of a rush and that Gorehowl being used to chop down tons of demons elevates it, it's iconic across mediums.

For what it's worth, it also killed Cenarius. And I guess, Cairne.

[Cheezits]

@Super Dickmann

I did some digging on the Baine quest, it looks like they are bringing back the Tauren who works with Rexxar to save him back in WC3. If the Nokhud kill him then that would explain why he's raging at some otherwise unrelated centaur.

https://wowpedia.fandom.com/wiki/Bovan_Windtotem

Also the totem is 100% a 2hander weapon (it has a handle built into it) so I assume it's like the Belf quest where it's a 'racial weapon' quest they are adding for fun. They must have seen how much people love those types of quests.

[Varodoc]

New interview in Wowhead from Hiru to Steve Danuser. I have to say that I see a more solid Danuser in this interview, although he really did not have complicated questions to answer. Danuser points to way more stuff coming in DF for the Infinite Dragonflight, and cool Ethereal stuff on the future, but not really anything new that we did not know before. He also said that he wrote the new N'zoth lines in DF, and that N'zoth wanted us as allies in BfA, as he shares the same concern that the Jailer had about this new threat that a cosmos divided cannot survive.

This new revelation is interesting, as it means that N'Zoth was not referring to the Janitor when he said "Only I can save Azeroth from what is to come"; he was, in fact, referring to the same Cosmic threat that the Janitor was fearful of.

I think this is an interesting development. The Old Gods remain crackling, maniacal, hysterical eldritch horrors, nevertheless this is an interesting development. They want to remain in power and take control of Azeroth, and this also means that they were willing to work with mortals against the greater threat. A threat that endangered their hold over the World-Soul. And indeed N'Zoth was trying to indoctrinate the player character several times throughout BfA.

Anyway, the return of N'Zoth is all but confirmed. Just as I predicted last year.

[Cheezits]

This new revelation is interesting, as it means that N'Zoth was not referring to the Janitor when he said "Only I can save Azeroth from what is to come"; he was, in fact, referring to the same Cosmic threat that the Janitor was fearful of.

I think this is an interesting development. The Old Gods remain crackling, maniacal, hysterical eldritch horrors, nevertheless this is an interesting development. They want to remain in power and take control of Azeroth, and this also means that they were willing to work with mortals against the greater threat. A threat that endangered their hold over the World-Soul. And indeed N'Zoth was trying to indoctrinate the player character several times throughout BfA.

Anyway, the return of N'Zoth is all but confirmed. Just as I predicted last year.

Also makes the rage about the Jailer's death scene kind of funny when it wasn't actually just a vague tease, but a follow-up to what N'zoth was saying. But because BFA was so crap people didn't connect N'zoth's warning to Zovaal's.

[Foreign Exchange Ztudent]

There's a lot more depth to this game than people want to give credit for and unfortunately Steve tries to discredit that depth repeatedly by making people who give a serious fuck about this lore a free clown makeup routine and a strait jacket.

I honestly don't see how he can satisfactorily end the plot threads either way. But, it is entertaining so its' whatever. At least, he trying to keep dragging the community into believing the N'zoth 5000D plan is still real for now.

[Khaza-R]

Also makes the rage about the Jailer's death scene kind of funny when it wasn't actually just a vague tease, but a follow-up to what N'zoth was saying. But because BFA was so crap people didn't connect N'zoth's warning to Zovaal's.

I thought it was fairly obvious they were alluding to the same thing by 9.2. But speaking in cryptic riddles is sort of the Old Gods thing. They already seeded the entire expansion that things aren't what they seem and N'zoth knew some great mystery that the PC didn't.

I suppose a little of that existed with Zovaal as well but his motivation were so not existent that it just felt like he did a total 180 in character by trying to say he was attempting to save the universe from whatever vague threat is out there.

[Varodoc]

Also makes the rage about the Jailer's death scene kind of funny when it wasn't actually just a vague tease, but a follow-up to what N'zoth was saying. But because BFA was so crap people didn't connect N'zoth's warning to Zovaal's.

I mean, how could we imagine that N'Zoth was referring to the same threat Janitor was talking about... when this threat would be alluded to for the first time 2 years after N'Zoth raid?

There was literally no reason for us to assume N'Zoth was referring to this new threat, instead of simply referring to the Janitor himself.

This does feel like a revelation that came out of nowhere, nevertheless the asspull effects of this revelation are mitigated by the fact that N'Zoth's statement was so ambiguous that I can believe he was referring to the new threat.

Even though, when N'Zoth raid came out, we literally knew nothing about this "new threat" the Janitor was talking about... since Danuser hadn't made that up yet. And so, the easiest conclusion with the means we had was that N'Zoth was simply referring to the events of Shadowlands.

Now we know that N'Zoth was not only aware of the Janitor's plan, but also of the same threat that Death was concerned about. Which adds a new layer of complexity to the situation.

So your argument is flawed. If your argument is that Danuser actually set that threat first in the Ny'alotha raid, then he did a terrible job, since pretty much everyone assumed N'Zoth was simply referring to Shadowlands, not to something beyond that. As we didn't have the concrete means to speculate beyond that.

[AOL Instant Messenger]

https://twitter.com/soulsobreezy/sta...aKC4TWGcxCJUWA

5th Old God. Love to see it!

Xal'Atath? Seems like those might even be her notes since the diction matches up.

Dialogue's a little stilted on her part, though. If you're writing snippy notes in the margins, it usually behooves you to be a little more concise and less excessively formal, especially given it seems like the vandal is writing out of frustration and not trying to communicate to anyone in particular.

See:

"Pathetic, what kind of saviors of the universe don't realize their efforts were being undermined by one of their own?" <--> "Saviors of the universe, exceedingly stupid?"

"Evil? According to whom . . . (etc.)" <--> "Truly impartial."

"They looked upon the most impressive empire . . . (etc.)" <--> "Act of envy."

One thing that does mildly annoy me is Blizzard's penchant towards "generic fantasy" dialogue in recent expansions, especially given that it only really started at being this excessive around Battle for Azeroth. I wouldn't call it "flowery", as it's actually rather beige, but there's some quality about it that makes it come off as masturbatory and anodyne.

- - - Updated - - -

Because that's the body of a high elf and that's it. Biologically your void elves are half-elven/half-ethereal mutants. Xal'atath has nothing to do with ethereals, and her model is just a placeholder.

One thing that makes it suitable is that WoW Elves are parasitic, destructive, and malignant. The Void is parasitic, destructive, and malignant.

Source: Elf player

[Cheezits]

One thing that does mildly annoy me is Blizzard's penchant towards "generic fantasy" dialogue in recent expansions, especially given that it only really started at being this excessive around Battle for Azeroth. I wouldn't call it "flowery", as it's actually rather beige, but there's some quality about it that makes it come off as masturbatory and anodyne.

I think it's an attempt to reign in the over-modernization of Cataclysm. Characters were ridiculously verbose in Vanilla.

[Nymrohd]

I think it's an attempt to reign in the over-modernization of Cataclysm. Characters were ridiculously verbose in Vanilla.

I mean, Nefarian and Onyxia were so funny in how crazy their dialogue was.

[Aeluron Lightsong]

People here are really and gamers in general get real uppity about dialogue in video games. I don't understand it honestly, its very RARE for me to go "Ok that was weird" when it comes to dialogue.

[Houle]

Ok, so Xal 5th old god confirmed. Guess we all saw that coming, but im curious what theyll pull out of their hat as an explanation why Xal was scrubbed from the history books of the titans (aka chronicles). Probably something along the lines of "She was so powerful she needed to be erased blah blah"

Also, combine these pages with the interview where Danuser said N'zoths warnings werent about the Janitor at all, but about the same cosmic threat he saw coming, and i think its getting obvious that the Void is trying to corrupt a world soul for the same reason the Janitor did his stuff: they are trying to create a Dark Titan to enslave the universe, so they can survive whatever big bad is coming.

And that would be pretty fckn boring. So all the cosmic forces are trying to usurp the others because they are afraid of some "mysterious" new big bad who we are supposed to be soooooooo scared of...yawn. Every cosmic force is basically becoming the same thing, just in different colours. All of them can corrupt, enslave, resurrect, destroy, transform or whatever else.

[Sondrelk]

Ok, so Xal 5th old god confirmed. Guess we all saw that coming, but im curious what theyll pull out of their hat as an explanation why Xal was scrubbed from the history books of the titans (aka chronicles). Probably something along the lines of "She was so powerful she needed to be erased blah blah"

Also, combine these pages with the interview where Danuser said N'zoths warnings werent about the Janitor at all, but about the same cosmic threat he saw coming, and i think its getting obvious that the Void is trying to corrupt a world soul for the same reason the Janitor did his stuff: they are trying to create a Dark Titan to enslave the universe, so they can survive whatever big bad is coming.

And that would be pretty fckn boring. So all the cosmic forces are trying to usurp the others because they are afraid of some "mysterious" new big bad who we are supposed to be soooooooo scared of...yawn. Every cosmic force is basically becoming the same thing, just in different colours. All of them can corrupt, enslave, resurrect, destroy, transform or whatever else.

I still stand by that they are all afraid of the 7th force. Which just so happens to be us the players.
Makes the most sense to me to have all the various cosmic for es be afraid of us to some extent. It also has the benefit of avoiding a potential biggest bad, while ensuring a steady supply of enemies who want us dead.

[KOUNTERPARTS]

“Five” evil gods, huh.

Either Blizzard’s lore team dun goofed or once again, the players/community can telegraph Blizzard’s story choices and direction years in advance.