World of Warcraft

[Dr. Glocktor]

Its for Tides of War and other stuff, so don't read if you don't want spoilers from the book. Its also pretty Alliance-centric.

"Jaina Proudmoore: Tides of War" is set to be released. A number of things happen in the book, but here are the most important ones:

The focusing Iris, the magical artifact that allowed the destruction of Deathwing with the Dragon Soul, was stolen by Garrosh via the Sunreaers. (IMPORTANT)

Baine warns Jaina of the impending attack, giving her time to prepare for the ground forces.

She calls in a number of ships from Stormwind, as well as a few magi from Dalaran. Rhonin, the leader of Dalaran, also arrive to defend. (IMPORTANT)

The initial assault fails, but as they tend to the wounded, Garrosh drops a mana bomb, augmented by the focusing iris, on Theramore.

Rhonin pushes Jaina into a portal just in time for her, and her alone, to get away. (IMPORTANT)

Everyone else in Theramore is killed. Every man, woman and child. The city is utterly decimated.

Jaina is initially filled with rage and intends to destroy Orgrimmar. Dalaran refuses to aid her.

The takes the focusing Iris from the ruins and uses it to create a tidal wave, which she intends to unleash on Orgrimmar and drown the city.

Kalecgos talks her down from it, and he and Jaina get together. (blech)

Jaina gets asked to become the next leader of the Kirin Tor.

Now the point about Jaina becoming the Leader of the Dalaran is very important. Her voice files from the datamined Fall of Theramore pointed to her becoming the leader; this gave Alliance players hope, for a number of reasons.

1. The mages were coming back to the Alliance.
2. Dalaran the city was returning to the Alliance.
3. For once, if only once, the Alliance was getting something back rather than taken away to the Horde can have it too.
4. It showed that the devs actually cared and that they WERE listening to what the Alliance playerbase had to say.

Then the hammer dropped.

It was revealed that in another spoiler that Aethas, leader of the Sunreavers, apologized for the act commited by Garrosh's agent. Because of this, the Sunreavers were allowed to stay in Dalaran. Despite aiding the Horde in both destroying a sovereign state and the former leader of Dalaran, they were allowed to stay; because of this we have to assume that Dalaran remains neutral, as they can't fight the Horde so long as the Horde is part of Dalaran. Because he said sorry, all of the destruction and slaughter is forgiven.

From THAT we have to assume that despite everything, Jaina is going to stay neutral instead of becoming the Alliance patriot we were promised. ANOTHER Alliance hero lost to neutrality. Another what could be incredible storyline lost to a more 'safe' one. More Alliance content... lost.

Honestly? It could be different. I could be overreacting. The book hasn't come out yet. I could be wrong.

But I'm not holding my breath. And my Cataclysm disappointment returns.

WoW is one of my favourite games. I hate to see such incredible possibilities be ruined because the head writer is too full of himself to say 'Hey. This might not be a good idea.'

[Squigzog]

This makes me sad and angry.
We already have enough weak leaders on both sides as it is and now they are going to ruin another entirely?

Have her be rustled and have the war be sparked anew already. And let the alliance get Dalaran back. Not like it's of much importance anymore anyways

[Eat_box]

Storytelling? What's that? As long as the players get their raids, they shouldn't be complaining.

Also, I just started Stonetalon and I'm liking it a lot already. I'm a sergeant ;u;

[Zink]

If it makes you feel any better, they're probably keeping her neutral because the last patch is going to be about attacking Orgrimmar and killing Garrosh. I wouldn't be surprised if she ends up being the leader that gets the Alliance to work with the Horde rebellion. I'm going out on a limb here, but considering by the last patch a good portion of the Horde has to rebel against Garrosh, it's likely that the Sunreavers get to stay in Dalaran only because they begin to make it clear that their first loyalty is not to Hellscream.

Basically to me it seems like they're setting up Jaina to play a role similar to the one Thrall played in Cataclysm. I might be overly optimistic, but that's my guess.

[Dr. Glocktor]

That could almost make sense.

The problem is, Jain is the only survivor from Theramore. For the kind of destruction to happen, but still stay neutral to the Horde...

Just, goddamn.

[Zink]

That could almost make sense.

The problem is, Jain is the only survivor from Theramore. For the kind of destruction to happen, but still stay neutral to the Horde...

Just, goddamn.

Well, the Horde and Garrosh are both the closest thing to a main villain this expansion will have. It's a bold move, which I kind of like, but it's difficult to make work in an MMO setting since, well, half the playerbase IS the horde. They're clearly trying to set up the Horde and Garrosh as super-evil by having them destroy Theramore, but since the last patch doesn't come out for a while they're still being conservative with Jaina and Dalaran's reaction to it. I get what they're trying to do, it's just sloppy as hell. I think they're going for some kind of narrative like 'oh man, Garrosh and THAT part of the Horde are just terrible people, but not YOU GUYS YOU GUYS ARE TOTALLY COOL WITH US YO' thing (with 'you guys' being the players). We know already that the expansion is going to end with everyone, even the Horde, hating the Horde, but I guess the main thing is they seem to be doing things out of order. It seems like Theramore should be the last straw, not the first. Who knows though, maybe Garrosh will pull something even more reprehensible I DUNNO.

Basically I'm saying that I agree that it's kinda sloppy but I feel like it'll work out in the end.

Edit: This is completely unrelated but while we're on the subject of the last patch of MoP, Gamon better fucking be a boss in that raid.

[Eat_box]

Well, the Horde and Garrosh are both the closest thing to a main villain this expansion will have. It's a bold move, which I kind of like, but it's difficult to make work in an MMO setting since, well, half the playerbase IS the horde. They're clearly trying to set up the Horde and Garrosh as super-evil by having them destroy Theramore, but since the last patch doesn't come out for a while they're still being conservative with Jaina and Dalaran's reaction to it. I get what they're trying to do, it's just sloppy as hell. I think they're going for some kind of narrative like 'oh man, Garrosh and THAT part of the Horde are just terrible people, but not YOU GUYS YOU GUYS ARE TOTALLY COOL WITH US YO' thing (with 'you guys' being the players). We know already that the expansion is going to end with everyone, even the Horde, hating the Horde, but I guess the main thing is they seem to be doing things out of order. It seems like Theramore should be the last straw, not the first. Who knows though, maybe Garrosh will pull something even more reprehensible I DUNNO.

Basically I'm saying that I agree that it's kinda sloppy but I feel like it'll work out in the end.

Edit: This is completely unrelated but while we're on the subject of the last patch of MoP, Gamon better fucking be a boss in that raid.

Gamon uses ancient Pandaren secret to gain immense power.

As for the Horde thing, that can totally happen. Vol'jin already doesn't trust Garrosh at all and I'm sure even Thrall is starting to have his doubts, although I'm not sure if Thrall even associates himself with the Horde anymore.

[Dr. Glocktor]

That could almost make sense.

The problem is, Jain is the only survivor from Theramore. For the kind of destruction to happen, but still stay neutral to the Horde...

Just, goddamn.

Well, the Horde and Garrosh are both the closest thing to a main villain this expansion will have. It's a bold move, which I kind of like, but it's difficult to make work in an MMO setting since, well, half the playerbase IS the horde. They're clearly trying to set up the Horde and Garrosh as super-evil by having them destroy Theramore, but since the last patch doesn't come out for a while they're still being conservative with Jaina and Dalaran's reaction to it. I get what they're trying to do, it's just sloppy as hell. I think they're going for some kind of narrative like 'oh man, Garrosh and THAT part of the Horde are just terrible people, but not YOU GUYS YOU GUYS ARE TOTALLY COOL WITH US YO' thing (with 'you guys' being the players). We know already that the expansion is going to end with everyone, even the Horde, hating the Horde, but I guess the main thing is they seem to be doing things out of order. It seems like Theramore should be the last straw, not the first. Who knows though, maybe Garrosh will pull something even more reprehensible I DUNNO.

Basically I'm saying that I agree that it's kinda sloppy but I feel like it'll work out in the end.

Edit: This is completely unrelated but while we're on the subject of the last patch of MoP, Gamon better fucking be a boss in that raid.

Hm. Theramore is supposed to be the beginning event; the one that unifies the Alliance to dedicate itself totally to the war. Cause Cataclysm didn't count.

Anyway, they're already showing what Garrosh is doing, as well. Essentially he's becoming more and more ruthless conquest-oriented and more of a megalomaniac; he's got 'Dark Shaman' (think Twilight's Hammer) working for him, and he uses them to summon elemental... creatures to attack Northwatch keep. He's been keeping good behaviour of the trolls and tauren by holding the numerically and physically superior orcish army over their heads. By the end of the book, when the Horde are driven out, Garrosh gets really tired of being humiliated by Varian (they fight again) and declares every man, woman and child must aid the war effort.

Have you seen the Horde intro cinematic to Pandaria? It's pretty telling.

[Squigzog]

Gamon uses ancient Pandaren secret to gain immense power.

As for the Horde thing, that can totally happen. Vol'jin already doesn't trust Garrosh at all and I'm sure even Thrall is starting to have his doubts, although I'm not sure if Thrall even associates himself with the Horde anymore.

Thrall does have his doubts as revealed in the questline where you save him from the four elemental planes. He's had them since Cairne died

[Madican]

Oh it's a storyline in the book. That's different. Metzen has always been a shit writer, why should this be any different? The storyline of Pandaria though, that's what I'm looking forward to.

Also such a huge event as Theramore's destruction being made into a book but not being in-game pisses me off. I am not paying extra to find out a story I should be getting told considering it's the kick-off of the whole expansion.

[Dr. Glocktor]

The destruction takes place in game as a scenario. The attack is the World Event.

Its what comes afterwards that pisses me off.

[Squigzog]

The destruction takes place in game as a scenario. The attack is the World Event.

Awesome

Its what comes afterwards that pisses me off.

I feel the same

[Mete]

I've had the beta client since April but I've barely touched it, I'll probably only play for a couple months after launch anyway so I'd rather leave whatever fun I can get out of the game until then.

[Eat_box]

Just finished Stonetalon. Now that was a fun zone, but the question is where do I go now? I've already done the southern barrens before and it was alright but I wouldn't want to do it again. Is new Desolace any good?

[Zink]

Just finished Stonetalon. Now that was a fun zone, but the question is where do I go now? I've already done the southern barrens before and it was alright but I wouldn't want to do it again. Is new Desolace any good?

You're at level 30 now, right? I'd recommend just going the Cape of Stranglethorn or Western Plaguelands. Desolace is alright, but not particularly interesting.