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Hello everyone!
This video is going to cover some of the story given at blizzcon 2019 that means we’re
going to dive deep and heavy into spoilers.
If you’re not interested in what the next expansions is going to bring, then thank you
very much for watching so far and please turn off the video right now.
Right, for those sticking around, the next expansion is going to be about the Shadowlands.
Leaked quie heavily before release with the bolvar picture to seal the deal.
A lot already knew what was going to come, but how many were actually prepared for that
cinematic?!
We find out that Sylvanas has made a new friend on the other side, a friend so far described
as ‘The jailer’.
Their domain is the maw, a swirling vortex of darkness, almost like a darkshole.
Its this area in the shadowlands where the most tainted, most irredeemable vile spirits
are send for either punishment or too simply protect the shadowlands.
She’s in cahoots with this jailor but it does not control her.
She serves no master, sylvanas has grown beyond that which explains why she’s become so
incredibly poweful over the years.
Some already noticed during her duel with saurfang that she packed quite a punch.
In the past she could not take on the lich king by herself, an army was required, but
that’s no longer the case.
She’s been feeding this jailer which not only increased her powers, it also upset the
balance in the shadowlands.
Hopefully in time we’ll find out exactly when this bargain was struck.
It could be when she decided to kill hersell, throw herself from the top of icecrown and
end up in hell.
This realm of eternal torment she found herself trapped in could easily be this domain called
‘the maw’, but in the short story there was no mention of the jailer.
She made a bargain with the valkyr who got her out of that place.
Another oppertunity might be when she was appointed as warchief.
When vol’jin died after the events on the broken shore, the spirits whispered him a
name.
We now know that those spirits were not the loa our shadowhunter is allied with.
Something else has been messing about with events.
Wanted sylvanas to be
the warchief.
Whispers from the shadows that might not have just spoked to vol’jin, perhaps they also
spoke to sylvanas.
Whatever the case, the war and bloodshed under her guidance lead to the jailer becoming more
and more powerful and in turn, the banshee queen grew stronger as well.
Strong enough to outplay and overpower Bolvar the Lich King.
Chain him down and rip the helm of domnation from his head.
We can hear whispers trying to tempt her, but like her beloved Nathanos said...
“There can be no hesitation.
There won’t be”
With all her might at the top of icecrown, more then just a pretty throne, an anchor
that holds this world to the next, she rips the helmet apart, shatters the veil between
our reality and the shadowlands.
One thing that’s fun to consider is the question, when did icecrown become this anchor.
Ner’zhul the Lich King was send down to Azzeroth by Kil’jaeden to weaken it and
make it ready for an invasion from the burning legion.
Did they specificly pick this spot as it would amplify the lich king’s necromantic powers
or did this spot become the anchor because of the lich king’s powers?
I’m also curious where bolvar got his armor and weapon upgrade from.
Obviously he’s not fighting with frostmourne.
Those shards have been claimed by death knights during legion.
He’s rocking a bad ass hammer and new shoulder pads.
Where did he get them from?
One of the interviews gives us an insight to the origin of Domination gear. we’re
going to find the forge where this armor is created, where they made the Helmet and Frostmourne.
We’re going to learn about how that process works and who the blacksmith is that makes
it all.
Makes sense to have Bolvar hang out with this blacksmith.
Ask him for some bad ass upgrades, time will tell.
So her actions at the top of icecrown takes us into a brand new adventure, a brand new
expansion all about the afterlife...
Something that probably excites me the most is the new story, the new details they’ve
given us.
We’ve heard about the shadowlands before.
Odyn peered into it when he came up with the brilliant idea of creating his valkyr, losing
an eye in the process.
You deathknight players out there have gathered mounts or send your followers into the shadowlands.
Rare hunters that obtained uuna or any adventurer that simply died...you’ve had a taste of
the shadowlands before, but now we’re deep diving and learning so much more.
What they’ve given us so far is a taste of what’s to come.
There are infinite realms within the shadowlands, infinite destinations, but we’ll focus on
a few of them initially.
It all starts with the Arbiter who makes her home in Oribos.
An eternal, ancient city that predates memory.
It stands at the core of the shadowlands, fuels it which means that it draws in all
manner of beings across not only the shadowlands but also other dimensions.
Brokers and soul-traders can be found here, this will be our sanctuary.
Our dalaran while partying in the afterlife.
The arbiter is the one that, in a fraction of a second, lays the contents of your soul
bair.
Your thoughts, aspirations, your failures and triumphs.
She sees it all, knows it all, and depending on who you were in life...you’re then send
over to a destination realm.
It reminded me a lot of King Yemma from dragonball, the guy that stamps your papers and sends
you into the afterlife.
The arbiter is the one to decide in what afterlife you belong.
With you, with your soul you bring a source called Anima.
This is what sustains the shadowlands, what powers the realms, what feeds its domain.
It’s all the experience you’ve had, all you’ve done in life.
Great souls like Varian or Garrosh, regardless of good or evil, they bring a lot of anima
with them.
A lot of mana and lifeblood for the shadowlands.
That’s why Sylvanas’ plans are so dangerous as it upsets the balance.
The jailer has become so powerful that not only to the most vile and wicked get send
their way, now its just drawing in all souls.
This starves the rest of the shadowlands from its much needed anima and causes quite a bit
of trouble.
They didn’t go into full details but it seems like the Maw is where our adventure
into the shadowlands will begin.
A quite mysterious realm as nobody ever managed to escape it.
Nobody until we arive.
Some might be lost in the chaos.
Some heroes might have to stay behind in the maw, but we get out, we get to explore the
other domains in the shadowlands.
Seeing how we are living beings, we offer quite an advantage, quite a bit of power which
some of the factions or covenants as they’re called...they’re quite interested in.
In the area called Bastion we meet up with the Covenant called Kyrian.
The souls that find their way here have a natural calling to service in one way or another.
Order and purposeful, that’s what you can find here.
The forbears of the valkyr and the spirit healers.
You might have noticed that this domain looks quite a lot like the halls of valor.
Souls that roam this plain shed their past burdens and seek virtue through mediation,
reflection, trying to understand themselves.
Spirits like Uther the Lightbringer, brilliant paladin hero of the alliance that died while
carrying the ashes of Terenas, died to arthas menethil, they belong in this domain and apperantly
we’ll run into him.
There’s also Ardenweald home to the Night Fae covenant.
An enchanted mystical forest, somewhat of a dark mirror to the emerald dream.
Deep connections to the realm of nature.
Where the emerald dream could be described as spring and summer, Ardenweald would be
atumn or winter.
It’s a time of rest, of death, but also a time to prepare for rebirth.
As we saw in Drustvar, life and death, there’s a balance between them.
Some spirits here make ready to be reborn.
Spirits like Cenarius who passed through her after being slain by Grommash Hellscream in
Warcraft 3.
The night fae covenent believe that the shadowlands are not the end, they’re merely the beginning
of something new.
Too me it looks quite a bit like shadowmoon valley from warlords of draenor and some sections
like the spires of arak.
We migth even find a connection to the drust, that new story with gorak tul added with battle
for azeroth.
Maldraxxus is home to the Necrolord Covenant.
They’re the heart of shadowlands’ military might.
Even the shadowlands needs a fighting force.
The souls here defend their domain from external forces and wage war with the enemies of death.
You might see the similarities to the forces of the scourge.
That’s because they’re been called upon by being like the Lich King and Kel’thuzad.
That’s also why the estatics will remind many of areas like the plaguelands or northrend
areas.
It’s a domain where the rule of survival of the fittest reigns supreme.
You don’t have to be stricly evil to end up here.
It’s more about spirits that seek out power and strenght both within and without.
Spirits that were relentless, unyielding even in the most dire situations.
Spirits like, surprisingly coming out of left field, spirits like Draka.
She’s thrall’s mother who died her death to Gul’dan’s spies while warning Orgrim
Doomhammer of the corruption within the Horde.
You even partied with her alternate self during warlords of draenor and will probably run
into her as well.
Revendreth is home to the Venthyr covenent, apperantly quite an awesome zone as its full
of gothic spires and dark, mysterious secrets.
A rather creepy zone where terrors and horrors are lurking around every corner.
Not exactly a place where you want your soul to end up.
The flawed and prideful ones end up here, atoning for their sins.
Some parts of the land have light piercing the area, searing the earth and not exactly
adding a nice tan to your spirit.
Merely a set back echoes across this domain as none other then Kael’thas Sunstrider,
former prince of the blood elves will be a spirit that hangs out here.
The maw seemingly has no covenant or atleast none that we know of but seeing how sylvanas
was able to enter a deal to gain more power, who knows what we migth unlock in the future.
The maw is supposed to be the max level zone.
The moment that they hinted at classic difficulty, like elite mobs spawning on route that you
just have to avoid.
A terrifying, fearsome place that you need to explore.
It doesn’t even house an innkeeper, on paper this sounds pretty fantastic.
In the center of the maw stands Torgeth, tower of the damned which offers a rogue like gameplay
adventure.
Supposedly it’s a tower that defies laws of reality and should offer quite a challenge.
You can go in just by yourself or add your friends into your group to make a team effort.
Challenge yourselves by going as far as you can.
Return home with upgrades for your next adventure which should have the halls change and offer
new challenges.
On paper this sounds awesome, a real time sink, but we’ve had things sound awesome
on paper before like the island expeditions so casually optimistic for now.
Can’t wait to actually test it.
I’m really hoping this is going to be a zone that has some bite to it until we gather
that power, we gather that gear and conquer it.
Conquer it, reveal the mysteris behind the jailor, sylvanas’ plans and so much more...
While discussing and talking about the new expansion, one thing that sticks out is the
potential of old characters making a return.
The roster of fallen heroes and villains is extensive, just think back to all the stories
that we’ve had so far.
The realm of possibilities is nearly endless.
We also discussed where Saurfang might end up, the orc that died in makgorah, that died
in service...you’d say oke he ends up in Bastion right?
hanging out with people like Uther and Varian.
Sipping tea, reflecting on life, a fantastic afterlife...
However, we don’t know when that bargain was struck.
We don’t know when the jailer started to draw in all these souls regardless of where
they belong.
Was the bargain made when she killed herself after wrath of the lich king?
Well, then a lot of the fallen have been stuck in this realm of torment.
Was it closer to the start of legion, perhaps even when she talked to helya?
We’re not exactly sure, but by the time saurfang goes down...Yeah....highly likely
that he’s sucked into the maw poor orc...
“Say hello to your son”
Allying yourself to these covenants unlocks cosmetic rewards in the form of armor, mounts
and cloaks but also give you abilities.
Some that are across the board for every single class and some specificly designed for yours.
Each covenant also has a place to hang out in, kinda like the order halls, but also a
bit of building up to do like the base we had in suramar.
Each comes with their own unique storylines to play through meaning that running alts
or trying out these different covenants will definatly be worth it as you’ll see more
of the story.
So that’s what we can expect from the shadowlands, but of course this is just the initial information.
Just a glimps of what the many realms in this domain hold...who knows what other sections
or what other spirits they might add.
If anything and everything that dies ends up in the shadowlands, who knows what heroes
of the villains of the past we might run into...
Our introduction event will be to deal with the rampaging scourge as with the destruction
of the helmet.
No longer having a lich king to keep them under control, the restless undead become
quite a problem to the world of azeroth.
I saw some commenting about bolvar being dead and gone after fighting with sylvanas, but
that’s not the case.
He still has his part to play in this expansion.
A being with one foot in our realm and the other in the shadowlands will definatly be
able to offer a unique insight.
We’ll even see more races entering the cursed life of death knights and pick up arms as
we venture into the shadowlands.
From the maw into these initial zones.
Deciding which covenant is best for you, accompanied by 8 initial dungeons.
4 while leveling up, Plaguefall, Mists of Tirna Scithe, Halls of Atonement and the Necrotic
wake.
4 more at max level, Sanguine Depths, Spires of Ascension, Theater of Pain and the Other
side which apperantly is going to be connected to Bwonsamdi.
I hate and love them for calling it the other side... caus he’s got friends on the other
side.
The first raid is Castle Nathria, any castlevania fans out there will love this place.
Dive deep into its catacombs and vanquish the royal quarters to make your way into the
upper reaches and face the lord of the castle himself.
We get to fight freaking dracula in the shadowlands...I can’t wait to see what crazy they’ve come
up with.
During the presentation they got really excited about this raid, can’t wait.
And that’s what we got from the first day presentation.
A lot of new story build upon things we’ve heard about before, touched upon before is
now going to be further explored.
This is always the best time to be in as the future is still unwritten and the potential
is there.
We’re talking about the shadowlands here, a realm where all things that died have come.
Who knows what they might confront us with.
We get to party with bolvar again, that’s definatly some bonus points right there, not
to mention it we’ll finally learn more about sylvanas’ ultimate goals.
She wants to stay alive and apperantly gained more power from this jailer.
The world is her prison and she has shattered its boundries.
What’s her game plan here, where is this all going to....can’t wait for more interviews
to come out.
Can’t wait for more details to be revealed.
For now thank you very much for watching everyone!
If you want more information on blizzcon 2019, the people over at wowhead are always hard
at work bringing you the latest news.
I’ll link an article in the description down below and can highly recomend checking
out their other coverage...
Until next time...see ya!