Transcript:
Hello everyone!
The main campaign on K’aresh is quite a monster in size. A lot of really cool details happen, which we’re going to cover today—but I also know that some of you just want to know enough to understand what’s going on. So, in (really!) short, before we dive deep: Dimensius the All-Devouring is returning, and we go to K’aresh to try and stop this from happening. We’ll need to do like the Ethereals and Brokers did to not instantly die to Dimensius’ massive aura: We need to transform into Energy with the use of Reshii Ribbons, a ritual guided by none other than Xal’atath. Our allegiance is not built upon trust. Quite the opposite. If we don’t work together, though, we’re all getting devoured, and so we get the job done, gather the ribbons, and earn our way into the Manaforge Omega, where our goal is to try and stop Dimensius from returning.
That’s the really short version of Ghosts of K’aresh, which honestly does not do it justice. There is so much delicious K’aresh history revealed: the Devouring War, their battle against Dimensius, and the threat that if he comes back, Azeroth might become his next snack. The fate of the K’aresh might be shared by our people, our world…
So we ended Undermine with the Dark Heart taken by Phase-Thief Azir, who we see gazing at the remnants of K’aresh, homeworld of the Ethereals and the Brokers while they were still K’areshi. K’aresh looks this way because they ended up in a war with Dimensius the All-Devouring, aptly named the Devouring War. It left them as beings of pure energy while their world… well… we can see what’s left—a fate that the locus-walker fears will also fall upon Azeroth, as, like K’aresh did before Dimensius showed up, Azeroth too is calling out: the Radiant Song, which the K’areshi were all too familiar with.
Yet Locus-Walker also reveals to Alleria that he was the one diving deep into the research of the Void and that he heard the voices—not just K’aresh, not just the whispers of the Void, but also the voice of a mysterious Harbinger—Xal’atath—warning him about the coming of Dimensius, which is odd, as she worked for Dimensius and was his Harbinger.
“Could Xal’atath be seeking the same fate for Azeroth?”
“I fear that is precisely what she intends. You must find a way to stop her.”
We’ve done everything in our power to try and stop this—try and stop Xal’atath—with mixed results.
As we finish liberating the Undermine from Gallywix as well as deal with political troubles within the Arathi Highlands, the Locus-Walker shows up in need of our aid.
Cutscene:
Ethereal wooshing.
“After so long, Master… it is time. The Harbinger’s failure has opened the way. The vast power she placed within this Dark Heart will give you new life. So come, Lord Dimensius. Come feast upon this universe. Let your darkness reign forevermore.”
“Muhahahahhahahahaha… Soon….”
Locus-Walker gasps.
“We’ve all heard it, old friend. The voice of our greatest fear. “
“Dimensius is rising, Ve’nari, and should he assume his full power, he will devour all that exists. “
“Just as he did to our beloved homeworld, K’aresh.”
“You want us to abandon our hunt for Xal’atath?”
“Dimensius the All-Devouring is being revived by the Shadowguard. I need your help.”
Interesting that the Locus-Walker first told us that he believed Dimensius was coming for the soul of our world, and now he fears a revival of Dimensius. We battled with Dimensius all the way back during the Burning Crusade, to the cheers of millions of Ethereals for finally claiming their revenge. Did he fear that there would be more pieces of Dimensius out there, or did he always know a revival was necessary?
Intro cutscene, entering Tazavesh:
Teleport in as we slowly walk up to the city. Brokers and Ethereals are hanging out.
“Time grows short. Dimensius the All-Devouring stirs.”
“How? Dimensius was slain in the Netherstorm along with Nexus-King Salhadaar.”
“Like the K’areshi people, the All-Devouring was merely shattered and dispersed. On every world the Shadowguard assaulted, they searched for fragments of their master. I have a new ally who revealed the Shadowguard’s methods and treacheries to me. Come. We are on the hunt.”
Om’en:
“I assume these creatures are the assistance you promised, Locus-Walker?”
“This managerial job in Tazavesh has been one crisis after another. I delegate solving these problems to you.”
“Xal’atath is out there, and we do chores?”
“We must pay the bureaucratic tax if we want free run of the city”
“Will more flesh creatures from off-world be arriving to aid the Trust? Never mind. I’ll find the appropriate forms. Best to plan for chaos, or worse: the Maw Walker to return.”
Who are the Trust? They are a coalition of cartels. Ba, Xy, Zo, and Om, as well as Ethereals from the Consortium. Tazavesh was acquired by the Trust’s founder to act as a supply port and recreation center for the revitalized Project Eco-Dome.
“Our eco-domes are threatened by both the Shadowguard and the barbarian Wastelanders. It is more than Cartel Zo security can manage. The founder believes that the sinister Ravel sorcerer Locus-Walker can solve this crisis. I am skeptical. The only progress I have noticed is the increase of paperwork on my desk.”
“My student, Alleria Windrunner, and Azeroth’s champion have my full support. I have the Founder’s. I suggest you give them yours.”
“Very well, I have approved your entry. You have complete access to the city. No need to sneak in or cause trouble. ”
Quite the difference compared to the first time we visited Tazavesh, the Veiled Market as it was the mega-dungeon during the Shadowlands. No surprise that Om’en is so worried about the Mawwalker showing up again, as we were quite the menace, but this time around we’re a lot more helpful, cleaning up some of the problems that have snuck into the city.
“Omen called you a Ravel sorcerer. What did they mean?”
“During the first war against Dimensius, we K’areshi warred against each other as much as we fought against the Void. I was part of the Ravel, a group of technomancers, cartel leaders, and great thinkers. We focused on unorthodox solutions to the Dimensius problem.”
“Who warred against you?”
“King Salhadaar rallied the Oracles of K’aresh to his side. They thought to save the world. They almost doomed it. We did not know at the time that the king had given an oath to the All-Devouring.”
“So his hunt in Outland for Dimensius was just—a ruse?”
“A plot. He radicalized those in the Etherium seeking out the fragments of Dimensius, for later conscription. The death of Salhadaar did not end the ascendancy of the Shadowguard as many in the Consortium had hoped.”
“How can we win this fight?”
“We must find a way to bring a fighting force to the Shadowguard’s manaforge. We must prevent the All-Devouring’s return. If Dimensius should emerge fully formed, I know of nothing on this world capable of stopping him.”
Some of the details are not shared by the Locus-Walker here. Instead, he told part of the story already, earlier in the timeline, to Alleria—a story we only recently got, going into the Devouring War.
Salhadaar was actually the one who gave him the name Locus-Walker, charged with finding a solution to the Dimensius threat. What the story also tells us is that the Locus-Walker was the one researching the Void for years, combating its whispers, hearing Xal’atath in his mind. It’s not outright stated, but possible that he was actually the one that summoned Dimensius to begin with.
Still, he did not mean for their world to be devoured, and so he searched for ways to save them. With the backing of Xal’atath, who, once again, the Locus-Walker pointed his finger at as the Harbinger of Dimensius, he proposed to use their Reshii Ribbons—powerful artifacts of old with the ability of absorbing magic and turning it into the arcane—use those ribbons as a powersource for a great shield to protect them, which worked—at first—but also flayed their people alive, a process called Wasting, with their skin turning dark, flaking. Over months they endured the pain, the practice of bandaging themselves becoming a necessity.
The Reshii Ribbons also fed upon Dimensius’ awesome void magics, fueling their arcane output even further, until they showed another miraculous ability: the K’areshi were transformed into energy themselves, something which the Locus-Walker thought they could use to escape their fate, turn themselves into beings of energy and leave their doomed planet behind, an empty one for Dimensius to feast upon. What he didn’t know at the time was that Salhadaar had switched sides, pledged himself to Dimensius with the Soulscribe at his side, blaming the Locus-Walker and his allies for their fate as the shields were turned off, opening their planet for Dimensius once more.
That’s where his tale ended, with the details on how the war concluded not revealed, but we can see the aftermath with our own eyes: K’aresh is destroyed, the K’areshi are beings of energy in the form of the Ethereals and the Brokers, and now one of the darkest chapters in their history is trying to make a come back…
In game cutscene — Tazavesh assault:
“Doom…”
“Dimensius the All-Devouring… His return grows ever closer!”
“Invaders!”
Uh oooooh. They’re dropping in hot—teleporting in even. TO ARMS!
“They raid our energy to feed their master! Champion. Windrunner. We have a city to save.”
Time to get to work, rescue civilians and strengthen our defenses while kicking out these Void-aligned invaders. All the while, Alleria can only think of one who could be responsible for this…
“This must be Xal’atath! She provokes panic to hide her steps, just as she did in Dalaran.”
“I believed the Shadowguard worked for Xal’atath, despite the Goblin’s rumors.”
“Maybe Locus-Walker is right. Xal’atath isn’t behind this… She’s somewhere, scheming.”
Windrunner has not forgotten or forgiven what the Harbinger did, but right now all we can do is focus on the immediate threat: taking on the leader of the attacking Shadowguard, Shadowlord Al’zar:
“We will feed this city to the All-Devouring!”
Locus-Walker says that, without their leader, this attack on Tazavesh is crippled, but we can’t let this victory lull us into a false sense of security. There are darker forces at play, far more dangerous than the Shadowguard. To resist them, we will need every advantage we can get—even those we would normally not consider…
“Dimensius’ power grows stronger every moment, Locus-Walker. Your mysterious ally’s information has proven quite valuable in this fight. It’s time we were introduced.”
Shock and surprise, guess who’s feet show up.
“But Alleria, we’ve already met.”
“You…”
“NO! We need her.”
“I see you haven’t changed at all.”
“You have joined forces with her? Have you lost your mind?”
“We are desperate. If Dimensius is revived, then all worlds will be devoured.”
“You broke my Dark Heart, Alleria. Without it, I cannot prevent Dimensius’ return. At least, not on my own.”
“This is madness. We cannot trust her.”
“I’m not asking you to trust her. I’m asking you to trust me.”
Dun dun dunnnnnnnnnnnn
“I could never ally with that monster!”
“Windrunner, Dimensius stirs. You must trust me. We have no better options.”
“I cannot believe you would partner with her. She’s trying to kill me!”
“We’ve all tried to kill each other. Focus on the Void Lord who will devour us all if he emerges.”
“You have every reason to hate her. For now we need to work together.”
“Dimensius was smashed into as many shards as K’aresh, but you’ve allowed the Shadowguard to piece him back together.”
“I should just end her! Why are you protecting her, Locus-Walker?”
“It pains me to admit, but if we are to get you and the champion anywhere near Dimensius, then we need her expertise.”
“That means if you kill me, then you destroy Azeroth. That would be my next stop, if I were a Void Lord.”
“I am not asking you to trust her. I am asking you to trust me. Set aside your hunt, Windrunner. You will see why this is necessary.”
History repeats itself, where once Jaina Proudmoore was asked to trust Uther to work together with Sylvanas, and did. Now we have the Locus-Walker asking Alleria to trust him and work together with Xal’atath. But almost as if the writers did it on purpose, Alleria says no and holds to it. She doesn’t suddenly trust Xal’atath at all—and now also begins to doubt her trust in the Locus-Walker, her mentor and teacher. If the Harbinger is his ally now, what about all the warnings of the past? What is their history together? If she was his Harbinger, brought in Dimensius, then why does he work with her? Does he truly command the void or is he a puppet like so many before, dancing to the tune whispered by Xal’atath?
Too many questions to blindly go along with this, yet at the same time, choosing not to work together on this one means game over. Dimensius will return and devour what’s left of K’aresh, to then go on and snack on Azeroth herself. Whatever Xal’atath’s connection is to Dimensius, she holds hatred for him and claims she can’t take on the Void Lord herself, since we stopped her plans and damaged the Dark Heart. The idea of total oblivion to the Void Lord almost takes Alleria, if it means not having to work with Xal’atath—almost. But looking back at her life, the choices and sacrifices made all for the sake of her world—of her child, Arathor. Millions would fall if we do not do this, and so, reluctantly, we work together on this one. We’ll try to stop the Devourer from coming back, at least that will give us more time to regret our choices later.
“K’aresh was always harsh and unforgiving. Using our Reshii Ribbons, the Oracles turned the Merciless Wastes into a garden.”
“Reshii Ribbons?”
“Relics from old K’aresh that were used by the Ravel. As dangerous as they are powerful.”
“So powerful that I betrayed the All-Devouring. I thought the Ribbons would deliver me from his service.”
“You were here before! Is this all your doing?”
“I was merely the Harbinger to Dimensius. I did not destroy this world.”
What and who Xal’atath is, this is still to be revealed. It could be a Silver Surfer situation, as in offering her services to Dimensius in exchange for saving the world, or she might have been an Alleria, accepting the powers of the Void in order to save her loved ones. Or, maybe she just really loves power and manipulates whatever she needs to do to make it so. A million different things could apply and only time will tell. Safe to say that she’s really good at turning situations into her favor.
“If it isn’t my favorite mortal.”
Time to find a way into Manaforge Omega, where we must stop the return of the All-Devouring, but it’s not gonna be as easy as just walking in. He is the entropy of the end, and we are just flesh, but Xal’atath knows a ritual or two from across the Great Dark Beyond. With the power of their Reshii Ribbons, she was able to transform the K’areshi so they could withstand Dimensius. Once more, a little nugget of detail added to their history: It wasn’t just Locus-Walker able to transform them; Xal’atath had an active role, and now we too must put our life in her hands…
“We cannot delay. Grab hold of my Reshhi Ribbon. Xalatath will transmute you into energy, as she did the K’areshi.”
“This is madness! Don’t let that monster touch you!”
“You were the one that transformed the Ethereals and Brokers? I was told it was the energies of the Void.”
“The Void doesn’t transform—it consumes. My skill and the power of the Reshii Ribbons were required to change the K’areshi.”
“The Ravel worked in secret, ensuring our people could survive Dimensius’s energies and the inevitable destruction of K’aresh.”
“You didn’t tell your people the truth? To this day they think it was Dimensius who changed them.”
“The Void feeds on conflict and panic. Had these Ravel villains told the people how they intended to save them, it only would have empowered Dimensius.”
“That’s not how I would have put it, but she is right that there was neither time nor trust. We had a difficult choice to make.”
She wants to use the Reshii Ribbons, artifacts of old, powerful enough to make Xal’atath turn against Dimensius, which have only gotten more powerful over the thousands of years they’ve been away from K’aresh. Transform us like she did the K’areshi, an idea that’s ridiculous to Alleria. We don’t know what else she could do with that power, if the transformation only works on K’areshi, if we’ll come back, if we’ll get hurt… All we have is Xal’atath’s word to go on, which means nothing to Windrunner, and the Locus-Walker’s, whose words become more hollow with each new revelation. We’re the only ones left she can still trust, which is not great, considering she needs anchors to hold off the madness of the Void, but we understand the risk and are willing to take it.
“Do it, champion. I will make sure she restores you.”
“With only one ribbon, the transformation is singular and temporary. Your assurance is unnecessary.”
“You are now like the Ethereals and Brokers were—an untethered soul composed of energy.”
“This conduit connects to the garrison. We should check for entry closer to the manaforge. These pipes aren’t just carrying energy, but untethered souls too. The Shadowguard is manufacturing an army.”
“All pathways to the manaforge pass through the aura of Dimensius. Only a being composed of energy would survive. We will need more than Locus-Walker’s Ribbon.”
“With only one ribbon, the transformation fades and you are beset by the power of Dimensius. Do not fret, my champion. I’ll save you.”
These Reshii wraps are going to be our key to ultimately get to Dimensius and unlock the secrets of the Untethered Space, but we’re going to need more wraps. Onwards to Eco-Dome Primus and the founder of trust, member of the Ravel, overseeing the K’areshi restoration operation… none other than Ve’nari…
“I asked for your help, Locus-Walker. Instead you dragged the Harbinger to my dome.”
“The only thing holding everything together is my Reshii Ribbon. I spent my fortune to acquire these eco-domes. I wont let them collapse. Traveler! Stabilize the dome! The rest of you, secure this area. The Shadowguard are everywhere.”
“I thought you were just going to consult the Harbinger, not bring her along.”
“I insisted. Last time, the Ravel was unable to complete the straightforward task it was given. I need to look after my interests. I need to know that we will bring an end to Dimensius.”
“Is that so? Then if you insist on being part of this venture, I am going to put you to work. Don’t just float around making sassy remarks. Make yourself useful and kill some Shadowguard.”
“Do they really trust her?”
“I trust her to do whatever she needs to survive. We share a purpose: to kill the All-Devouring. That may change once Dimensius is dead. Don’t just stand there scowling at each other. Get to work! My dome is in crisis!”
Ve’nari has sworn an oath to restore K’aresh and oaths, to the K’areshi, are incredibly important. You don’t go around breaking those, and so we get to help out. A small taste right here of stabilizing the dome and taking out attackers, but a chunk of the gameplay later will be all about helping them further. Collect some samples and help expand their eco-dome project.
“Dangling your ribbon in front of us so we do your dirty work. You haven’t changed, Ve’nari.”
“I’ll give the traveler the ribbon when it’s not the only thing keeping the biomes in this dome alive!”
After stabilizing the place right now, we’re asked by Xal’atath to take some crystals which have been attuned with the eco-domes defense magics. Just place them near strategic parts of the perimeter to strengthen the magical defenses. No tricks this time. If this dome explodes, she’ll never get to destroy Dimensius.
“Some time alone to get things done. I adore you watching you work.”
“Alleria has been quiet. I think she’s still angry at me about Dalaran.”
“There aren’t many who Alleria trusts, aside from Locus-Walker. A foolish exception to a wise rule.”
“First, let’s destroy the All- Devouring. Then we see what becomes of our partnership.”
“I can sense Xal’atath buzzing about you. Don’t listen to her lies.”
“I’m not the one lying to you about what happened to K’aresh.”
“The world breaking apart shattered Dimensius. He wouldn’t do that to himself.”
“Who controlled the Reshii Ribbons? Who wanted the Void Lord destroyed?”
“What are you saying? I’ve had enough of your whispers!”
Our defenses have been strengthened and the Shadowguard’s cannons are disabled. Their attacks on the eco-dome won’t stand a chance, especially with their Shadow-Captain Lakheesh taken out, so Ve’nari can hand over her ribbon. But this plan of ours… Alleria loses more and more faith. The secrets, Locus-Walker’s alliance with Xal’atath… She fears he made a mistake thousands of years ago, a mistake we cannot escape.
“The All-Devouring didn’t destroy the world. The Ravel destroyed K’aresh to kill Dimensius.”
“No… No, they couldn’t have. You are lying!”
“Ask them…”
Cutscene:
“Xal’atath claims the ravel destroyed K’aresh. Is she lying, or are you?”
“Windrunner… The Ravel knew our world would be devoured. The Harbinger promised a means to spare us. There was no saving our world. Why not use it as a weapon?”
“You doomed your people—at her behest?”
“There would be far less regret had it been successful.”
“It was our only way to survive. You have to trust me!”
Heck no!
“GRAH! I have no more trust to give you. Any of you.”
Alleria….OUT!
“Why did you tell her? This was a secret we said we would keep!”
“Aleria would have pieced it together eventually. She’s dramatic, not stupid. Better to control when she has her little outburst.”
“I should have been the one to tell her! It was my burden to share.”
“Returning home has made you sentimental, sorcerer. When did you ever care about your legacy and friends? Your Elf student will see the bigger picture, in time. Stop wallowing. Go and defeat the Void Lord before he devours us all.”
“At least one of you lot has figured out their priorities.”
“Enough! Make sure he succeeds. I have been to the Maw. I know what the Void fears.”
“I’m sure you do.”
“Then go. I have my investment to protect”
The tale Locus-Walker told Alleria had them plan to abandon K’aresh as beings of energy so that Dimensius had an empty planet to devour. First, she learns that Xal’atath was involved with their transformation. Now, she learns that they destroyed their home to destroy Dimensius. Perhaps it’s not just the action itself that makes her so upset, but to again find out that the Locus-Walker has been holding out on her. Diving into the secrets of the Void is no easy feat. It required a great deal of trust in her mentor—trust that has crumbled into nothing, leaving her with one less anchor to hold on to, a bit more vulnerable to Xal’atath and the Void. But I’m sure that will be fine. She still has us.
Then, that small line about “being to the Maw and knowing what the Void fears” could relate to the Windrunner comic in which the whispers of the Void got super intense, anxious, fearful perhaps, when looking at Alleria’s sister Sylvanas and what she’d become. Sylvanas is currently in the Maw, fullfilling her community service of releasing souls and sending them back to the Arbiter. Could she have a part to play against the Void in the future?
“Our family has endured so much darkness. We must find a way to cling to hope.”
And their plan of destroying K’aresh to wipe out Dimensius didn’t even fully work, as it turned the Voidlord into fractures, capable of returning, which lines up with having dealt with him before during the Burning Crusade. I have had the question on how that works with the history of the Void Lords trying to manifest in the physical universe, not being able to, and having to resort to shooting out the old gods. But that’s partly because of the term “Void Lord” not meaning the same back in the day, and perhaps it’s partly something they can dive into when explaining Locus-Walker’s and Xal’atath’s dealings with the Devourer.
Lets move on for now, as Dimensius’ power is growing and time is running short. The instability between K’aresh and the Void is also increasing, causing a massive meteor to crash down and destroy one of their eco domes. Om’bera was supposed to work here and, even worse, she has one of those ribbons we need. A quick look around reveals that she did survive the meteor crash, only to then fall to the Wastelanders.
“Her Reshii Ribbon is nowhere to be found. Has the Shadowguard divined our plan?”
S
“A Tabiqa ritual dagger, once wielded by the oracles of K’aresh.”
“They are ‘Wastelanders’ now—assassins sworn to slay the Ravel. They must have killed Om’bera and taken her ribbon.”
The Oracles, or “Wastelanders,” have declared the Ravel, people like Ve’nari and Locus-Walker (who made those hard choices and allied with Xal’atath) as their enemy. They’re oathbound to Nexus King Salhadaar, who, during the Devouring War, betrayed the Ravel. Locus-Walker’s story had Salhadaar turn against him and place all the blame of the Devouring War upon his shoulders. The Ravel used their Reshii Ribbons too early, and Dimensius was dispersed instead of destroyed.
“Perhaps this is my fault,” Xalatath wonders. “I should have placed all the factions on K’aresh under my heel from the start. Or perhaps there was nothing that could have been done? Life is chaos. Even if one controls vast cosmic power, there are still events out of your control.” Lines that I really love, compared to the pre-destined stories we were given before.
“These Wastelanders are still holding a grudge against you. Leave us. Keep your Reshii Ribbon safe. My champion and I will turn these murderous fanatics to our cause.”
“I think this last complication is your fault, Locus-Walker. These Wastelanders are your old enemies, the Oracles of K’aresh. I remember how much trouble they caused you in the Devouring War. Are they why you failed to kill Dimensius? The holy class are always the most savage fighters during an apocalypse. We could use that. If we could get them to parley, I could convince them to fight for us. We are trying to save the world—this time.”
“You can’t mean to try to ally with those murderers!”
“Much as I would like to see them pay, Xal’atath is right. They are fierce warriors and would be useful in the battle to come.”
“Come. Let me show you how to manifest an army.”
Can’t wait to see Xal’atath in action if and when we deal with the Arathi Empire and the holiest of warriors serving the emperor. For now, we do what she does best: create a crisis and offer a solution to worm our way into talks with their leader—use gathered void energy to lure out Zagithav the Essence Gorger, a problem for the Wastelanders, which we quickly deal with. I’m sure these tactics of manipulation are only used on other people right? Surely this whole mess we’re dealing with right now doesn’t play right into the hands of the Harbinger… Right?
“You fought well. I won’t kill you for your trespass—yet. Follow me.”
“This stranger is an ally of the Ravel! Why does their soul remain tethered?”
“They fought the void. We should hear their words before execution.”
Cutscene:
“We know you serve the Ravel intruder. And we swore to king Salhadaar that we would slay all of their minions.”
“Then it’s fortunate that he’s dead.”
“That voice. The Harbinger!”
“There’s no need for that. Not when we seek to end Dimensius for good. Though we will require the Reshii Ribbons you took from the Ravel corpses.”
“No! They used those accursed ribbons to destroy our world. We were powerless to stop them. But we will fulfil our oath to kill them.”
“And your failure will yet remain. This broken world is not yet finished… But it will be if the All-Devouring returns.”
“Help me annihilate Dimensius. The Ravel can always come next.”
“We will hear you out. For now.”
“I know what you yearn for, Oracle. You are no longer oath-bound to a dead king. Join our fight against Dimensius and hear the Radiant Song once more.”
“A gift for you. You misplaced this dagger in a Broker. We return it, freely.”
“My warriors are eager to untether the Shadowguard. But I think you want the ribbon I took from that Ravel Broker.”
“Your warriors are a boon to our cause, and the Reshii Ribbon is vital to it.”
“Why reveal your secrets, Harbinger? If you are here for the ribbon, you could just take it.”
“Revenge. I want to help you get yours.”
“The Tabiqa ritual is for communing with the World Soul. K’aresh is dead!”
“The Ravel’s heresy halted the devouring. Dimensius did not finish his meal. The Brokers want you to think it is their technomancy that makes the eco-domes bloom. You and I know the truth. There can be no life without K’aresh.”
“I have tried for ages. There has been nothing but silence.”
“You could commune with K’aresh again! Show your people you are still strong. Then I will put that accursed ribbon to righteous use.”
“We could be Oracles again.”
“If K’aresh is silent, I will find my own revenge.”
Narathe: “Mother, allow them to prove themselves. If they succeed, we may have our revenge. If not, we kill them.
“Very well. Let’s see what you are worth.”
Daughters are so useful to our Harbinger, as we saw before in Azj-Kahet. She plants a seed of hope—perhaps they could communicate with their World Soul once more. Similar to our Haronir back on Azeroth, the Soul-Scribe and their people had a strong connection to the world, which was taken from them.
“Who is Soul-Scribe talking to? That woman’s voice has haunted me since the Devouring.”
“The Harbinger is back. The All-Devouring rises again. Soul-Scribe reflects upon our oaths for guidance.”
“More of these domes appear. We should raze each of them to the ground! Make the Ravel pay for returning to the world they destroyed!”
“We are no longer oath-bound to King Salhadaar. This stranger brings hope for K’aresh. Our vendetta can wait.”
We finish up gathering reagents for the ritual and food for their people, and even secure access into the dome where they’d have the best shot at communing.
“These are the Oracles of the Untamed. You will let them commune with K’aresh in your dome, or they will sack it as Wastelanders.”
“Prepare for the ritual. Place the items on the table.”
“We offer petals and pollen. Through the Exchange, we are reborn.”
“We offer a ritual dagger, whose meaning we would reclaim.”
“We offer water from the wellsprings deep within K’aresh.”
Cutscene — Song of K’aresh:
“K’aresh is—K’aresh is—Gah! I sense nothing! You lied! There is no Worldsoul here!”
“Eons of wandering have starved your once-great power, Oracle.”
<Groans painfully> “Traitor! Oath-breaker!”
“The Worldsoul is as weak as you are. You need more power to commune!”
<Strained yell>
“Feast! Touch the fading heart of your world!”
“K’aresh…”
<Gasps>
“I heard…K’aresh… By my unbroken oaths, the Oracles of the Wastes will be your army, Harbinger. We fight to restore K’aresh.”
Going to assume that the Oracle would know the difference between hearing actual K’aresh and being influenced by Xal’atath. Either way, her faith is renewed. A brand new force to join our side and another Ribbon added to our collection.
WAITING FOR REINFORCEMENTS – COME BACK IN 7 DAYS
Unlike the PTR, where the campaign was given in one single go, for live, Blizzard has decided to put a timegate on the next part of the story. Seeing how, by the time the next part is available, we’ll also have the raid and the ending and all this other stuff to focus on, I decided to keep the information from the PTR in and give you a big spoiler warning before we dive into it. That way, you can decide if you want to hear about it here or if you want to play through it yourself. Before we get to the last bits of the main campaign, lets take this moment and talk a bit more about what’s actually revealed on K’aresh. What more have we learned? Well…
Life on K’aresh, before doom fell upon it, was a harsh but rewarding life. The flora and fauna that they’ve managed to recreate within the biodomes looks quite alien, but not entirely unfamiliar. What I did find curious to see is that the world boss Reshanor is a void dragon. The Ethereals believe that Reshanor manifested as their eternal punishment, a destructive maw of the void, first witnessed after Dimensius’s attack. It could very well be that within the domain of the void, void dragons are just a thing that can pop out, but what if dragons were native to K’aresh?
Well, if that were the case, then there might have been a similar evolution path as we’ve seen on Azeroth—as in, the elements evolving into proto-dragons and then, under the influence of the Titans, of the keepers, and of the powers from the domain of order, they were transformed into the majestic dragons. Could the Titans have visited K’aresh at some point? They were scouring the great dark beyond in search of world souls. Did they happen to stumble upon the world soul of K’aresh? And if so, could they have something to do with leaving behind the Reshii Ribbons? Quite a few Titanic artifacts and relics were left behind by them as they’d brought order to Azeroth. Could K’aresh have seen a similar thing?
Very much speculation, of course, but it’s interesting to think about the history that came before the great devouring. How many times did we not turn the gifts of the creators in order to save Azeroth? And those parallels are more obvious when dealing with Outcast Hizfran, who has broken his oaths twice. They were first outbound to K’aresh and then pledged their oaths to their King Salhadaar after the Devouring. Not the only ones, mind you, that changed sides or dared to ally with those bringing destruction. There’s a whole sect of them, even to do this day, waiting for Xal’atath’s return as she promised, to bring about another devouring and finish what was started. That does mean Xal’atath did not only whisper to the Locus-Walker. How many more minds and hearts did she turn to her side, did she turn against each other? But for Hizfran, following Salhadaar did not sit right.
K’aresh was still there after all. A husk was better then nothing, and his heart just wasn’t in it. Double oath breakers are cast out with the penalty of death, if he ever returned. But similar to what we’ve seen with the soul-scribe, the soul of K’aresh is still out there, and with our help, Hizfran can pledge himself to his oaths of old, the oaths of Ka’resh. In the old days, they used certain deep-mined salts in cleansing process and rituals, but mining is no longer an option. There is another mineral though…
On the day of the devouring of K’aresh, a never-before-seen blue mineral surfaced: the blood of K’aresh. We had the blood of Azeroth pop up when Azeroth was stabbed by Sargeras, and this powerful resource played a critical role in saving the day. Yet we combined it with a gift from the world itself: the Heart of Azeroth. We already knew that K’aresh started to call out—a similar radiant song as Azeroth is doing—but what else did the World Soul try to do to save itself? Was it, too, looking for heroes to become its champions?
Unknown, but we are able to put Hizfran back on his path and find himself again, just as he’d seen in visions about us thousands and thousands of years ago, before the devouring. Who knows how long ago, really. The perk and flaw of being immortal is that time is meaningless. Beings of pure energy do not fear the passing of time, yet there is a realm underneath this material plane that is feared by most Ethereals and Brokers, one they may all be destined to make their ultimate journey to. They call this realm ‘Untethered Space,’ and with the use of phase conduits, we can hop in and out to gather power, energy and riches, but not everyone is so lucky. In their temple, we find ghosts of the pasts reminiscing on better days. We find echoes of creatures now infected by the void. To be a being of energy, being trapped here is to gaze upon your loved ones and see them live out their lives, without you being able to interact, not for just a moment, for millennia. That is, if you’re not taken out by the hostile forces that prey on energy or have found themselves trapped here as well. A state of being we’ll use to our advantage…
With that, we’re going to resume our coverage of the main campaign, but as I said, this will contain spoilers and information given to us from the PTR. If you don’t want to be spoiled and just play through it yourself, then this would be the time to turn off the video—and thank you very much for watching.
Warning: Spoilers Ahead
One week later and Alleria brings over the Void Elves to help our cause. Getting to K’aresh wasn’t easy or without its risks, but they got it done.
“The Ravel sorcerer is here. Fortunately for him, my oaths do not demand his death specifically.”
“I needed the Ren’dorei, Locus-Walker. I don’t trust you any more than Xal’atath”
“The Ren’dorei are gathered. They have fought the Shadowguard before.”
“Perhaps your band of outcasts will finish the job this time?”
“What of your vendetta, Soul-Scribe? Should I prepare for your blade in my back?”
“The Ravel will pay for their crimes in time.”
“Not an ounce of trust between us. What hope do we have of victory?”
“Such pessimism. Do you really think I would have thrown in my lot for a hopeless cause? Together we will destroy the All-Devouring. The only other choice is our own destruction. Trust? Trust is overrated. But we all want to survive, and isn’t that enough?”
“You’re right. I have no trust for any of you. But for Azeroth to survive, you can trust the ren’dorei will defeat the All-Devouring.”
The last ribbon we need is in the hands of the Shadowguard, but that shouldn’t be a problem now that we have reinforcements. We do need to heal our forces and give them something to fight with, but nothing we can’t handle. It does turn out that not all of the Shadowguard is made up of Ethereals willingly fighting for the side that once devoured their world. A lot of them are wrapped, filled with void, and forced to oathbind themselves to the cause. These oaths are no joke—that’s why Ve’nari is so deadset on restoring K’aresh and why the Soul-Scribe held on to the oaths made to her king, even though he’s dead, slain by us in Netherstorm. It’s safe to say that these wrapping operations have to stop. All the while, Dimensius is growing so powerful that his overwhelming voice and aura is oozing over the planet…
“Xal’atath is focused on destruction at all costs. However, I will not abandon my people to the Shadowguard’s mercies!”
“So you can still defy her after all.”
“This—is raw power. Enough to overwhelm and remake unthethered souls. It must be stopped.”
“Devour.”
“As Dimensius grows in power, all fates bend toward destruction.”
“That awful voice. A nightmare I had forgotten.”
“Xalatath surely means to betray us. Let us destroy their final garrison before she gets the chance.”
“At last. Our oaths will be shed in glory today.”
“By my hand, Dimensius returns! The Dark Heart I stole from the Harbinger will revive the All-Devouring!”
Real-Time Cutscene — Salhadaar invokes the oath:
As we fight the Shadowguard, a drake smashes into the ground in front of the netherforge, knocking everyone but Xal’atath down to the ground. The dust clears and reveals the drake’s rider: Nexus-King Salhadaar. Salhadaar shames the Wastelanders for abandoning their oaths. Soul-Scribe argues their oath was discharged when he died. Soul-Scribe doesn’t want to fight for an ally of Dimensius. Salhadaar counters that they’ll perish as oath-breakers if they don’t fight for him. Soul-Scribe and the Wastelanders ally with Salhadaar once more. They attack us as Salhadaar flies off.
Someway, somehow, Salhadaar returns, invoking those ancient oaths pledged to him—and again, these are not just mere promises. Part of the raid mechanic when we’re fighting Salhadaar has us get rid of our oaths, otherwise we’re mind-controlled and turned to his side, so it’s not just a simple promise. The Dark Heart will have a part to play during the raid as well. For now, we’ve got Wastelanders to deal with.
“I don’t care about your oaths! You don’t have to betray us!”
“We have no choice. We will not die as oathbreakers!”
Alleria sighs in frustration before releasing her attack.
“Take Azir’s Reshii Ribbon. We have paid a steep price for it. There are so few left to fight Dimensius.”
Alleria is no longer holding back. A snap of the fingers and they’re gone. She’s growing tired of this lesson. Always, when we get close to someone, they betray us. They falter. They turn. They die. Always, we put them in danger and we fail to protect them. Let no one else stand in our path. You and me. We will finish this, which is not good in the grand scheme of things, considering she needs her anchors to keep her grounded. But who can blame her? The Oracles turned. Locus-Walker lied. Xal’atath constantly taunting and whispering… Those voices in her head must be having a party right now.
“Where were you Xal’atath? What betrayal have you planned?”
“The Wastelanders betrayed you. Our interests are still aligned, and victory is within our grasp.”
“Come, we have a Void Lord to kill!”
“Arise!”
“We haven’t much time. We must begin the ritual!”
“I must talk to you before we cross the threshold, Windrunner. When you behold the Void Lord, you will understand. You will know why my actions were necessary.”
“No, Locus-Walker. I won’t. You became a monster to defeat Dimensius. You sacrificed your world, your loved ones. I would never do that!”
“There was no other way!”
“That’s what you keep telling me. We lied and manipulated our way to this victory, because this is how she does things! You think you’ve escaped the Void—that you are its master. But every dark whisper in my head confirms that you are lost. You are the Void’s creature, no better than Xal’atath.”
“Windrunner…”
I will follow Nobbel into that manaforge. For Azeroth! For K’aresh. For all the worlds unknown that we will spare this cruel fate. Then we are done. You are no longer my teacher, no longer my compatriot… No longer my friend.”
“Alleria….”
“Lead on, Nobbel. Dimensius awaits.”
Cutscene:
“I will fulfill my word.”
“Gimme those bandages. Let me make what you need.”
“I can’t. It’s madness to trust her with this power.”
“Dimensius is almost upon us! How many worlds must be destroyed?”
“Time grows short. Combine your ribbon or use it to destroy me, as it once destroyed K’aresh. Choose, Alleria!”
“Alleria… Please.”
“DEVOURRRRRR…”
“Arrrrrghhhh!”
Here ya go. A little smirk from the Xal’atath as she hands over the power. Let’s get this show on the road. Make what is required, power me up: voilà, I can turn into energy now. DIMENSIUS, WE’RE ON OUR WAY!
We have what we need to gain entry into Mana-Forge Omega and hopefully stop Dimensius from returning. I won’t mention it here, but anyone that’s been keeping an eye on the promotional material will already know a fair bit on what happens next. I’ll keep that part of the story for when we cover the raid. We’ve also got side quests to talk about, the delves, and the dungeon, but that will be for next time. For now, we’re left with a smirking Xal’atath pulling Alleria ever further away from her allies and into the darkness. There’s a lot we don’t know yet about Locus-Walker, about the Harbinger, and the fate of K’aresh, but again…next time!
For now, thank you very much for watching everyone. Say that you want to read up on all the things we talked about today, then check out the Wowhead article in the description down below. Subscribe and turn on notifications if you like my videos and want to be kept up to date on future uploads. Until next time, see ya!
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