Igniting the Burning Crusade
Since last week’s Warcraft patch I’ve noticed a few significant changes here and there in Azeroth that foreshadow the Burning Crusade. Among them:
- A Draenei ambassador has showed up in The Hinterlands seeking audience with the Wildhammers. He’s giving quests.
- There’s a Blood Elf in Nethergarde Keep, though his quest is too high level for me to tell why he’s there.
He’s less buff than a Night Elf so maybe the rumors about Blizzard butching up the Blood Elves are false.
- Several map areas have been unlocked including the Eversong Woods and the Ghostlands in the Eastern Kingdoms, and Azuremyst Isle and Bloodmyst Isle west of Kalimdor. Exodar is the Dranei city. I haven’t tried to actually reach any of those areas yet. By the map the Draenei should be pretty easily able to sail to Auberdine and follow the usual Night Elf paths through Azeroth. The Blood Elves are going to have to go south through the Plaguelands after level 20 or so, which seems excessively challenging to say the least. Mayhaps the goblins will open another blimp stop.
- The Outland map is unlocked, though there’s not a lot of detail yet.
- There’s a jewel crafting recipe for sale in the Stormwind General Goods store in the trade district.
What else have people seen? I haven’t played Horde since the patch. Anything happening over there? (No spoilers if you’re playing the beta, though, please.)
December 13th, 2006 at 1:57 PM
The most recent patch put in just about everything that was scheduled to ship with the expansion except for the new professions, races (as PCs, the model art is there), and zones/instances. You won’t be able to get any of that until you buy TBC.
One redesigned area that is now open is the Caverns of Time in Tanaris. You can’t do anything there yet (looks like at least 2 instances will be housed there), but it looks really cool. I saw a Draenei camp in eastern Ashenvale, but I can’t recall specifically where at the moment. I’ve seen some Blood Elf quest givers in a couple of lower-level Horde areas, but I haven’t spent too much time looking for more. Horde start out at Neutral rep with the Blood Elves, Alliance start at Friendly with the Draenei.
That’s about all I’ve noticed in the few hours that I’ve spent outside of AV since the patch.
December 13th, 2006 at 3:33 PM
There’s a blood elf ambassador and paladin train in Sylvannis’s (sp?) room in The Undercity. All the models for Blood Elves in game should be using the new looks too (eg: The Guns of Northwatch quest has a BE prision you rescue… it uses a consistant model now).
Overall I like the patch a lot, and looking forward to Burning Crusade.