Weaving the Story
Once the broodlands of the Dragonflights, the Dragon Isles was once the center of the dragons’ kingdom when the world was young, and the mortal races were just starting to form kingdoms of their own. When the Legion invaded in the War of the Ancients and the Great Sundering broke the world draining much of the magic of the land, the dragons were forced to leave their homeland behind. But they didn’t leave it without the watchers to stand in wait—ready to call back the flights when the elemental energy resurged, and the dragons could be drawn home to re-establish their kingdom.
The time has come for the sky to light up with the colors of the aspects once again and for Alexstrasza and the others to come home. But the land has changed a lot in all these thousands of years they’ve been away, and some old threats have awakened as well.
The dragons we know of today are quite different than the early past of Azeroth. They were more primitive, much more savage—what we now know as the protodragons.
In more recent history the dragons we know were empowered to become the Aspects—the green dragonflight, red dragonflight, blue dragonflight, bronze dragonflight, and black dragonflight—each with unique powers and abilities to protect the world in different ways. These pillars of draconic powers were appointed to defend Azeroth from threats within and without. This power was used for good in the case of most of the Aspects, but also for more nefarious reasons in the case of the black dragonflight led by Neltharion who would later become Deathwing.
An opportunity to reclaim their legacy and return once more as the protectors of Azeroth lays before the dragons, but they’ll need the help of the heroes of Azeroth to face the challenges of this reawakening. The land has not been peacefully awaiting their return— old enemies have awakened as well and will need to be confronted and overcome if the flights are to make it their home once more.
One of those old foes they will have to overcome are the elemental half-giants, the Djaradin. They aren’t the only residents of the Dragon Isles, however, and there are many more occupants to get to know along your explorations. You’ll encounter the beloved tuskarr as well as get to know the civilization of the centaurs which predates those who we came to know in Kalimdor.
We’ll also get to reconnect with Wrathion and see if he is ready to step into the leadership role as the leader of the black dragonflight, or if there’s another path for him. We’ll also meet up with Kalecgos, Ebonhorn, and Ysera’s daughter Merithra to see where their return to the Dragon Isles takes them.
A new playable race will also be available — the dracthyr. Dracthyr were an experiment created by Neltharion with the essence of the dragons and imbued with their strength, nobility, wisdom, and adaptability to become the perfect soldiers.
Exploration is a key theme for this expansion and players will be able to adventure in this ancient land and explore the landscapes and its architectural history. We’ve created huge zones with many places to delve into with many old treasures and secrets tucked away. The heroes of Azeroth will work alongside The Reliquary and the Explorers’ League to help the dragonflights to help them find their legacy, as they have long helped the residents of Azeroth.
It’s a true Azerothian adventure waiting to be had and explored.
Explore the Dragon Isles
Players will have the opportunity to traverse and explore four new zones as they aid the dragonflights in rediscovering their ancient lands. As you progress, you’ll make your way through the Waking Shores, roiling with elemental power; the vast expanse of the Ohn’ahran Plains; the frosty peaks of the Azure Span, and the majestic spires and temples of Thaldraszus.
Your travels will begin in Stormwind or Orgrimmar as you journey by boat past the ancient ruins of the isles and land on the Waking Shores.
Waking Shores
The Waking Shores is the first of four level-up zones players will encounter. It’s a wild untamed land that has begun to reawaken. Protodragons soar through the sky, elementals are rising as the magic of the land does, and the land is rife with opportunities.
The Horde and the Alliance have been engaged in an expedition with The Explorers’ League and The Reliquary as they join with you to learn more of what these mysterious lands have to offer.
Here, you’ll learn more about the red dragonflight, led by Queen Alexstrasza, the Lifebinder. They have a mandate to nurture all life and it’s a duty they take seriously, but it’s not without its challenges, especially when it means finding ways to preserve the lives of their enemies—the Djaradin— while still preventing those same enemies from adversely affecting the ecology of the land. These half-giants wield the power of magma and while the Dragon Isles slumbered, so did they, but like the land, they have also awakened and are primed to create chaos anew.
It is also the ancestral home of the black dragonflight, which has fallen on tough times since Deathwing’s descent. Wrathion is joining Azeroth’s heroes as he comes to terms with the state of the dragonflight, which is in a diminished state.
Ohn’ahran Plains
After the Waking Shores, players will venture into the wide-open expanse of the Ohn’ahran Plains. The area is named for the wild god of the wind, Ohn’ahra, who has appeared before as a large spirit eagle who helped guide the centaurs to the Dragon Isles many years before. She blessed them and took their caravan across to the isles and showed them the plains where they could make their new home.
The centaur encountered the green dragonflight here and would fight for dominance only to find that neither they nor the green dragonflight was stronger than the other. And so, they made peace with each other. The green dragonflight made their homes in the groves while the centaur took over the plains. But, after thousands of years, the centaur have advanced in their culture and players will have the opportunity to explore and learn more about them.
These centaur originated as one strong clan led by the mighty Maruuk and Teera who helped found their new life in the Ohn’ahran Plains all those years ago, and so you will need to learn their rules and traditions if you want to earn their trust and cross the plains. As the first outsiders to visit in generations, it will take some doing. Your first encounter will have you coming to their aid to take down one of the many protodragons that is harassing them.
With such a large expanse of land to see, the engineers have also made additional improvements to allow players to see even further so that you can fully enjoy the beauty of this rich landscape.
Azure Span
Our third zone takes us into the Azure Span. One of the biggest zones created to date in World of Warcraft, it offers the largest visual elevation change of the zones players will explore through. It is inspired by one of our favorite zones in Wrath of the Lich King, Grizzly Hills, along with the California Bay area with the coastal fogs and redwoods, though there’s more than just redwoods to be found in the zone.
As players progress through the zone, they’ll eventually come upon a wide-open tundra alight with golds and reds until you reach the next level of elevation where you’ll get to see the snow. The majority of the zone is covered in snow and ice with giant frozen waterfalls, ice rivers, and more.
It’s here you’ll encounter the gnolls who have made the forests of the Azure Span their home and beyond that in the wide-open tundra, the tuskarr. We’ve met them before in Wrath of the Lich King and here we’ve expanded upon this beloved group with male, female, and adorable child tuskarr.
We’ll aid the tuskarr alongside the blue dragonflight. We’ll follow the story of Kalecgos as he ventures into Sindragosa’s archives. It’s a giant zone and there’s a lot more surprises that we’ll have in store before you move on into the fourth zone, Thaldraszus.
Thaldraszus
After spending time seeing the many dragon building ruins in the previous three zones, Thaldraszus offers something more pristine with beautifully intact buildings in the seat of power for all five of the dragonflights and home of the dragons. Vertical lofty mountains and great cave systems (with maybe a small dragon hoard or two to be found along the way) create a compelling new land to explore.
It’s also here that the bronze dragonflight has their own area carved out. Their power over time lends itself to a variety of gameplay options and adventures for players to undertake.
Players will also reach the main city hub of the expansion here—Valdrakken. This city is the culmination of all the dragon’s efforts and provides several vignettes to enjoy from the blue dragonflight’s public library to the red and green dragonflights own separate gardens.
The city will serve as a convenient hub of activity and will include access to an auction house for those looking to gain access to purchase a variety of goods.
You’ll also be able to find Tyrhold here in Thaldraszus. Built by the Titan keeper, Tyr, this ten-thousand-year-old Titan technological marvel houses great aqueducts that reach across the valley. It was Tyr who helped the Aspects fight Galakrond and when they came to settle in the Dragon Isles, it was he who built this facility. Even though Tyr is long gone, the dragons still hold him in reverence. The Titan keepers have continued to maintain Tyrhold while the dragonflights have gone on to take part in an incredible amount of history as the defenders of Azeroth.
Flights have nearly been wiped out. There have been invasions and betrayals, and even some Aspects have died. These are all things that have left marks on their society, but now the dragonflights have come back together in this place. It’s a story that will be played out through the Dragon Isles and its many mysteries discovered over time.