Edit: You can now follow the construction process on twitter!
Ever so upset over the cancellation of the Abyssal Maw raid, I took it upon myself to design it myself. Using assets already provided to me by Blizzard's fantastic design team, I have begun construction of a fan design that is quite large in scope.
Welcome to the Abyssal Maw
Much like the glorious Golden Yak, I, too, have been creating a Wowpedia page that emulates the pages of dungeons and raids. There, I will be consistently updating information and posting images.
The Abyssal Maw at Wowpedia
Vashj'ir is one of my favorite zones of all time, and, although I found the content uninteresting, the aesthetic of the Throne of the Tides dungeon was absolutely stunning. The Abyssal Maw raid, in my opinion, had great potential to introduce the WoW playerbase to a fantastic instance filled with several different creatures and storylines. The raid picks up where the unfinished story arc left off after Ozumat kidnaps Neptulon the Tidehunter, introducing several new characters and bringing back some familiar faces.
So, for those who just want to take a look at the raid quickly, here is what I'm planning:
* A HUGE raid split into three primary wings that eventually lead into a final wing. Think Naxx meets ICC.[/B]
* Eleven boss encounters, including one heroic-only encounter and a boss that is dependent on your faction.
* Very little actual underwater movement like Vashj'ir, though one boss battle consists of purely underwater combat.
* There will be a naga wing (The Nazjatar Embassy), an old god wing (the Abyssal Taint), and an elemental wing (Halls of the Tidehunter) before entering the Throne of the Tides once more to face the evils that await.
* Returning characters include Duke Hydraxis, General Nazgrim, Admiral Taylor, Captains "Jewels" Verne and Glovaal, the Frost Lord Ahune, Ozumat, and Neptulon.
* No, you won't find N'Zoth...well, not his body, at least...
As a reminder, all of this information can be found on Wowpedia. If there is a (PH) next to a text or picture, it is a placeholder.
MAPS
Raid Overview (unfinished and in-progress)
Waterlords' Pavilion
The Nazjatar Embassy
[CENTER]
Temple of Drowned Worshipers
The Abyssal Taint
Submarine Invasion (coming soon)
Halls of the Tidehunter
Ozumat's Stand
Throne of the Tides
Ny'alotha (coming soon)
THE ABYSSAL MAW'S BOSSES (Click Links for Abilities!)
Duke Hydraxis
Years ago, Duke Hydraxis recruited adventurers to assist his Hydraxian Waterlords in defeating Ragnaros the Firelord within the Molten Core. Seemingly vanished following the Sundering, Hydraxis returned to rescue his master from the clutches of N'Zoth. Unfortunately, the duke became corrupted himself by the Old God, black blood coursing through his waters. Should he remain this way, his significant power would be of great use to the Old God...and devastating for those who oppose it.
Council of the Serpent
Tharnalesh. Odra'ir. Jir'thara. Svessper. Within Queen Azshara's naga kingdoms, these names strike fear within the populace. These four master warriors, collectively called the Council of the Serpent, are some of the queen's greatest servants, often being sent to deal with problems that no average naga could resolve. As leaders of the naga forces in Vashj'ir, they represent Azshara's empire within the Abyssal Maw, vying to solidify an alliance with the Old Gods.
Drottinn Bruundor
Crowned Drottinn of the Kvaldir following his father Hrothgar's death during the campaign against the Lich King, Bruundor entered the depths of the Abyssal Maw to personally oversee the destruction of the hated naga. It was a welcome surprise to find that the Horde and the Alliance, both of which he condemns for his father's murder, had sent their own heroes into the Maw. Once he "helps" them destroy the naga, Drottinn Bruundor's time for vengeance will come.
Wuan Xu
Dragon turtle patriarch from Pandaria imbued with the power of N'Zoth. (PH)
Drrah'xax the Engulfer
Faceless leader from Ny'alotha attempting to solidify the alliance between the naga and the Old Gods. (PH)
Regent Firelord
With the death of Ragnaros, the ever ambitious Thermorok was deemed regent lord of the Firelands. Exploiting the chaotic state of the Abyssal Maw, Thermorok aims to invade and destroy the elemental plane of water. (PH)
Ahune
After being banished back to the Frostland year after year, the Frost Lord Ahune is angered after seeing his annual murderers march into his master's domain. This time, the battle rages on his territory. (PH)
Submarine Invasion
Commandeering the Mega Verne and the Pincer X3 respectively, Captains Verne and Glovaal lead an underwater scouting mission for their respective factions, surveying the events throughout the expanse of the Abyssal Maw. When opportunity strikes and the opposing faction decides to board their new machines, the clever captains have plenty of deadly surprises awaiting them. (PH)
Ozumat
The Tidehunter's kidnapper has fought the will of the naga only to be completely consumed by the Old God N'Zoth. (PH)
Neptulon the Tideblighter
The Elemental Lord of Water has been corrupted by the black blood of N'Zoth. If his rage is not subsided, it could spell doom for all life on Azeroth. (PH)
Avatar of N'Zoth (heroic only)
Deep within the sleeping city, the Old God N'Zoth enacts its plan to corrupt Azeroth. As a last wall of defense, it sends its own avatar, a being that shares N'Zoth's mind and power, to slaughter the fools who dared to step foot in Ny'alotha. (PH)
SUBZONES (Descriptions Coming Soon!)
Waterlords' Pavilion
The Nazjatar Embassy
Tainted Reaches
Halls of the Tidehunter
Throne of the Tides
Ny'alotha
There is more information on Wowpedia, including assisting NPCs and achievements. This post will be periodically updated with more information as it is created.