Hi! This is a project that started back in late 2015, after Eye of Azshara. This expansion aims to recover and revive the Mists of Pandaria feeling, rather than being after and stopping one big bad evil guy.
I am aware that GoldenYak is also making up a wonderful void themed expansion involving Ethereals, but our approaches are different.
I invite you to comment and discuss on the ideas! Here is a summary of what the expansion would feature:
You can read all of the content and story that's up so far in this Google Doc: World of Warcraft: Nexus.
- 8 new areas to explore
- Playable Neutral Ethereals
- 2 new Allied Races: Rakzash (Alliance) and Iodari (Horde)
- New class: Tinker, a mail-wearing hybrid class with 3 specializations: Siegecrafter (Tank), Specialist (DPS) and Medic (Healer)
- New third Demon Hunter specialization: Oblivion
- New artifact system: Cyphers
- Revamped corruption system: Infusions, coming in x.2
- Enclave of Tal'az - Neutral Capital (pronounced /tal'ath/).
- 6 new raids over three tiers.
- 16 new dungeons over three tiers
- New factions
- Professions reworked
Please keep in mind that everything is a WIP and subject to change.
Synopsis:
The naaru A’dal receives a signal coming from the Twisting Nether and summons Turalyon, Ishanah, Liadrin and Voren’thal among others to discuss the news in Shattrath. A’dal reveals the signal comes from a collapsed planet named K’aresh and that the emissor is M’ara, one of his brethren. Turalyon sees this as an opportunity to bring greatness to the Alliance, and bends A’dal’s reunion into an uncomfortable Alliance bias that the Blood Elves notice.
Turalyon arranges further meetings exclusively with A’dal and the Aldor. Lady Liadrin and the Scryers, on their part, bring word to Lor’themar Theron of the ongoing events. The Lord Regent calls the Convocation of Silvermoon, adding not only Liadrin and Voren’thal as part of the government of the city, but also Tae’thelan Bloodwatcher to strengthen their people.
Alleria has in the meantime mobilized Anduin and other groups of the Alliance to join A’dal’s campaign. Anduin argues that it would be a wise idea to start negotiations with the Ethereals in Netherstorm if they are to initiate an expedition to K’aresh. The leaders of the Horde, who had been alerted by Lor’themar, sent spies to gather intelligence from the Alliance. Gallywix suggests embittering the Alliance’s negotiations into the Horde’s benefit. The Goblins of Area 52, properly blackmailed by the Bilgewater Cartel, spread incriminating rumors among the Ethereals to create suspicion on the Alliance. In spite of this, Turalyon bonds with Commander Ameer, the Leader of The Protectorate and exherts his conviction to make Ameer’s Ethereals join the Alliance in their cause. Nexus-Prince Haramad and the less zealous Ethereals who suspect of Turalyon’s motives (secretly influenced by the Goblins), and after having a discussion with the Scryers and the Horde, see a very profitable opportunity in joining the Horde.
Without further ado, the Alliance begins preparations to depart in the Vindicaar towards A’dal’s designated location. The Horde, however, does not have a vessel with which journey across the Twisting Nether and resorts to claim Tempest Keep through a mutiny against the Aldor inside the spaceship. This deals a strong blow to the Alliance, who cannot but see how the Tempest Keep warps away in front of their eyes.
While the Alliance has a safe and steady but disheartened voyage to K’aresh, the Horde has a dangerous and turbulent but triumphant space dive into the Twisting Nether with no directions or coordinates.
Set foot on an ancient shattered planet and unveil the secrets of K'aresh!
Origins:
K'aresh was once home to the soul of a nascent ageless being. That being was a primal Naaru. The amount of energy requested by the unborn soul to manifest allured countless amounts of astral material towards itself, even ripping off the crust of another worlds. The primal lightspawn was eventually encased in a cosmic cocoon containing layer over layer of otherworldly detritus. Remnants of ancient civilizations. Ruins and artifacts of ages gone by.
With the course of aeons the nascent Naaru became prisoner to its own power. Unable to birth, the Naaru within became dormant. The cocoon, a husk of astral dust. Many forms of life evolved and spawned since then, mixing in a conflux of energy, forming anew a puzzle of ripped worlds in the Twisting Nether. This multiple layered alien world would be known as K'aresh.
As they evolved, the inhabitants native to K'aresh had found themselves living in a world filled with life forms much older than them, both thriving and in ruins.
- K'areshi Wastes: Initial zone. This is our first foothold on the remains of K'aresh. A crystalline cosmic desert that is at first sight devoid of life. The ancient city of Thalaz rests in the middle of the desert.
- Amketh: The first area to encounter to the southwest path. Amketh is a zone of light. The manyfold strata of time are littered everywhere. Full of ruins and mysterious artifacts, this area is a delight for treasure hunters and archaeologists. Shazaad's Tower watches over the Valley of the Nexus-Kings and the neverfading rain region of Quramanas to the southeast.
- Dunes of Na'karat: A desolate holy land watching to an eternal dawn. Floating sandy islands and ruins of past generations shape the area into a mosaic of devotion. Here is where High Archon Aetheras has set the order of the Edict of Archons. In addition, a new threat has sprung from the land into a colossal beryl bloom.
- Vale of Naughts: The first area to encounter to the northwest path. Carved into the void-touched stone are countless passages and caverns leading to hidden vales and ridges. Here is where Nexus-Princess Tal'avyl settled along the Order of Naughts.
- Velath'nul An alien area that is eternally shrouded in shadows. Raw void energy seeps into the very ground of this area, warping all on its wake. Velath'nul is a large zone that comprises a variety of imagery. Sundered Ethereal towns and warped lands contrast with the magnificent complex of abandoned factories to the northeast.
- x.2 – Valley of the Nexus-Kings: A floating island to the south of Amketh and Na'karat. A metaphorical name for the area were Vyr and Vexelon went on their exodus. A myriad of tombs and crypts that hide secrets beneath them. This area holds an aeon lost mystery of the stars.
- x.2 – Forges of Infinity: The main area of the factories of Velath'nul. It is a massive indoor zone filled up with the most advanced technology any mortal has ever witnessed. The Forges contain many answers for those willing to learn.
- x.3 – The Conflux: Altering the sources of Light and Void across K'aresh have revealed its core, an alien astral crystalline area of distortion where both energies converge and clash with one another. Mythical creatures of the cosmos delve in this place. This area features a special mechanic reminiscing of both The Broken Shore and Argus to turn the Tides of Dawn and Dusk.
New dungeons
- Wake of Destruction: Located in K'areshi Wastes. A series of ruined and shattered halls that date from lost eras. It is believed it contains a source of great power.
- Kaalai Shoals: Located in K'areshi Wastes. A series of caves and shoals alongside the Neverending Cliffs. Alien items are often washed away by the surging waves of nether.
- Tomb of Shaal'nahar: Located in Amketh. The debris in which rascal Ethereal survivors hide and gather after razing the many ruins of their homeland seeking profit. This place happens to be the remains of an ancient Aldrachi sanctum honoring Shaal'nahar, a Wild God they encountered after their exile.
- Shazaad's Tower: Located in Amketh. This Tower is a repository of invaluable knowledge prior to the Thalaz'ir gathering. Arcanist Shazaad's has claimed the tower and looks for help in purging the evil that has sprung within.
- Quramanas Depths: Located in Amketh. The depths of the ancient waterway host a myriad of secret corridors and passages leading to the pools of Al'ubel.
- Narouun'asar Mausoleum: Located in the Dunes of Na'karat. A hallowed buried necropolis beneath the dunes. It is the repose of Halphas, one of the Thalaz'ir.
- Heavendrift Aerie: Located in the Dunes of Na'karat. A series of floating islands atop which rest the golden obelisks that bear the words of R'saat.
- Mount Voidspire: Located in Vale of Naughts. Mount Voidspire is one of the highest mountains in the Vale of Naughts. However, it appears to be holding a volcano of boiling void inside. It appears it is going to erupt anytime soon.
- Naastar Observatory: Located in Vale of Naughts. A mysterious observatory atop the northwesternmost plateau taken by the Devoid. Things that should not be seen appear when looking through its telescope.
- Black Ice Sanctum: Located in Vale of Naughts. The core of the icy comet Val. The Legion raids could not retrieve the source of the planet's everlasting winter. Will we?
- Altar of Ulvasar: Located in Velath'nul. A hidden shrine that has been warped by a mysterious pylon hovering over its grounds, but it is protected by the Ulvasari.
- Fall of Aztal-Nur: Located in Velath'nul. An artifact of the void seems to be rending the space and time apart of the ruins of an Ethereal village. A dimensional rift sends trespassers back in time to a vision of the events of the Void War in that town.
- x.2 – Vyr'aat Arcspiral: Located in the Valley of the Nexus-Kings. Vyr, one of the Thalaz'ir, managed to alter the very essence of Ethereals and transform their once corporeal body into purer lifeforms. His teachings were of use in the shaping of the Ethereals, but his legacy is darker than it would seem.
- x.2 – Null Sector: Located in the Forges of Infinity. One of the deepest halls of the Forges of Infinity and Azymmeth's testroom. Though the void seems to have taken root deep inside, there seems to be a new artificial energy fending void off.
- x.3 – Tal'azir Conduit: Located in K'areshi Wastes. A bottomless pit beneath the Obelisk of Thalaz where the Ley-Lines of K'aresh converge. The shattering of the planet has caused the energies to grow unstable. Could Thalaz be the key?
- x.3 – Verge of Sound: Located in The Conflux. The very edge of light and void into the abyss. An adimensional being called Satra has materialized there to warn adventurers about the chapter of the Eternal Conflict involving K'aresh and its origins that is about to take place.
- Other – Endless Halls of Dal Karos: Located in Amketh. These are the twisted remains of the upside down tower of Dal Karos, a place so warped that reality is merely an illusion. Adventuring into the everdescending halls of the tower holds innumerable trials and challenges. What will await at the bottom of the tower, should there exist any at all?
New raids
- Well of Silence: Located in Vale of Naughts. Deep beneath the pit of the Monastery of Naughts lies the Well of Silence, a prison where voidfallen Ethereals hide. Nexus-Princess Tal'avyl asks adventurers to explore the prison and check what fate has fallen upon them.
- Atrium of Plenitude: Located in Dunes of Na'karat. Archon Venkatrath suspects High Archon Aetheras has found something disturbing and may end up becoming what Nexus-King Salhadaar was: a vengeful zealot. Access the deeper halls of the Shrine of Na'karat and intervene.
- x.2 – Cradle of the Starbound: Located in the Valley of the Nexus-Kings. Buried deep beneath the catacombs of the many kings lies a hidden complex revealing Constellar architecture. Delve inside and find out about the Constellar and their relationship with the origins of the Ethereal race and how they came to be fleshy beings.
- x.2 – The Warpcore: Located in the Forges of Infinity. The very heart of the forges, where the void has reached most. Fight the voidwarped engines and defeat Chief Voidmaster Zaathir.
- x.3 – Xyl'xureth, the Twofold Nexus: Located in The Conflux. An adimensional abstract space that once was the core of K'aresh. Heed Satra's words, fight out the convergence of the surges of light and void and erase V'iru, the Twofold Light from existence... at a cost.
- Other – World Bosses K'aresh is full of world menacing threats. Check out what world bosses there are and their special drops!
- Other – The Holosphere: Located in Velath'nul. A holographic plastic space floating in the Twisting Nether that can take the form of many realities. The Holosphere's elastic existence allows the recalling of encounters with increased difficulty. Certainly a fearsome yet marvelous place.