Does World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria Herald the Return of Sargeras?

This is absolutely awesome and unexpected. While leveling up three pets to level 20 with the Pet Battle System, I went back to Orgrimmar remembering earlier the Battle Pet Traineer had given me several quests.

Upon my return, he offered two quests. One to search five Battle Pet Trainers throughout Kalimdor, and the other one throughout Eastern Kingdoms.

I visited Zoltan in Felwood, just outside Jaedenar. He says a few random lines that jaw-dropped me. Checked out WoWHead (WoW live realms) and there is no Zoltan NPC. Which means he was either introduced in the latest patch, or was there when Pet Battle System was introduced.

Either way, here are some of the quotes.

SPOILERS

Zoltan (Master Pet Tamer) is level 47. Players have to challenge him to fight his three pets. I took a look at the Zoltanian Cultists. Among them are Blood Elves, male Night Elves (likely Highborne), and the female quite look like undead high elves (this is a unique model I haven’t seen before).

This is what Zoltan says randomly when approaching him:

Zoltan: “Are you ready to accept the Master’s gift? Will you be blessed by his loving wrath, or consumed by it like all of the others?” “Demons are the future of this world. The sooner you embrace that, the sooner you join the winning team.” “Sargeras will live once more!” “All of you must work to aid the great revival of our Master. Only through Him may we usher in eternal peace for all!” “Our Master, protector of all life, will soon blind all of the heretics and grants us immesurable power!” “The Master shall rain hellfire upon Azeroth, and then we will at last cleanse the Light from this wretched world!”

For those still not believing, while it’s merely a Battle Pet Tamer NPC, this is just a breadcrumb of things to come. Remember when NPCs around the world used to talk about the Ashbringer far before Naxxramas dungeon was released?

More recent: the Tauren Tahu Sagewind who talked about the Sun and other source of magic for the Tauren race, and the Shen’dralar Night Elves seeking audience with Tyrande in Darnassus — heralding the introduction of Night Elves Mages and Tauren Paladins. The World of Warcraft: Cataclysm expansion was revealed weeks later at BlizzCon.

In Mists of Pandaria we might be seeing a similar treatment to things to come. Zoltan is one of these hints. There’s one much bigger coming from the Black Prince Wrathion — the son of Deathwing. Wrathion starts an epic quest titled “A Legend in the Making”. During this questline, he shows players a hologram of the world of Azeroth bombarded by fel meteors. Wrathion wants to end the conflict between the Alliance and the Horde because there is an imminent threat coming upon the world of Azeroth — as seen in this video (1080HD available).

Here is the transcript of the dialogue and quests found in the video above:

Wrathion: Welcome, (class)! My contacts throughout Pandaria tell me that you have been quite busy here. I admire mortals with your … ‘initiative’. History finds us at a turning point. If you are prepared to meet destiny with me head on, I will ensure that you are richly rewarded for your efforts. Player: Who are you? Wrathion: I have chosen the name “Wrathion.” I am the last of the black dragons. My father was Deathwing, the Worldbreaker, the Aspect of Death, the Destroyer … But I hope you will not hold that against me. I have no love for my father, whose corruption destroyed my race, or for the Red dragonflight, who stole me away and experimented on my egg to create me. Let’s just say, I am … unaffiliated. And I am always on the lookout for like-minded heroes. A Legend in the Making Wrathion: Our world finds itself at a crossroads. The next few months will shape everything to come – presuming we are to have a future at all. Ah! But I am getting ahead o fmyself. Let me back up. Come, share a drink with me. Let’s talk about the future of Azeroth. Quest Objectives: Share a drink with Wrathion. He’s buying. Wrathion: Very good. Let’s talk. Tong! Drinks, please. My father, Deathwing, tried to destroy the whole of Azeroth. He was misguided, of course, but he was right about one thing: Our world is … so fragile. (Wrathion cuts his hand to draw blood. The blood on the ground coallesces into a hologram of the world of Azeroth.) Wrathion: We are a point of light in a universe of shadow. A candle in a tempest. Sometimes I think it was the very precariousness of our world that drove my father to madness. Ah, thank you Tong. Now, to my point: I believe we are headed towards a reckoning. And no, I am not talking about the current conflict between the Alliance and the Horde. Believe me – what Garrosh Hellscream achieved in Theramore is nothing compared to the horrors that are even now bearing down on our fragile home. (the hologram of the world of Azeroth is bombarded by fel meteors, and turns into a redish planet consumed by fire) But the war deeply troubles me. Do you see my concern? A divided Azeroth cannot possibly stand against the darkness. This war has to end. Soon. Before it consumes our strength! You can rest assured that my loyalties lie with your Horde. How do we bring a swift and decisive end to the conflict? I believe the answer lies with heroes like you. We must ensure that you are up to the task … and then equip you accordingly. –Completion– Wrathion: Of course. I must ask your discretion regarding what we just talked about. We wouldn’t want to alarm anyone who is, shall we say, less capable than yourself. The Strength of One’s Foes Great leadership requires the power to shape the destiny of your people, and the wisdom to make the right decisions. Pandaria boasts great power and ancient wisdom, but rarely in the same place. Let’s see if you and I can change that! Acquire sigils of power and wisdom from fallen foes in the Mogu’shan Vaults, the Heart of Fear, or the Terrace of Endless Spring. We will put them to a much better use than their current owners. Quest Objectives: Collect 10 Sigils of Power and 10 Sigils of Wisdom from raid bosses in the Mogu’shan Vaults, Heart of Fear, or Terrace of Endless Spring. Follow-up: Sigils of wisdom will often be found on practicioners of the arcane arts, while sigils of power are usually found on those who favor brute strength. This is not always true, but it may help you find what you need. Trial of the Black Prince Wrathion: I have on good authority that you are a champion among champions, but if you’ll permit me this indulgence, I would like to test your mettle for myself. The mogu who assault the Vale of Eternal Blossoms, the mogu minions who inhabit Shan’ze Dao, and the sha-corrupted mantid swarming the Dread Wastes … these may provide an adequate challenge for one of your stature. Prove yourself to me. Quest Objectives: Earn an Honored Reputation with the Black Prince. Level 90 mogu and mantid in the Vale of Eternal Blossoms, Townlong Steppes and the Dread Wastes will earn reputation. Completion: Marvelous. That did not take long at all. Word of your many achievements has been the talk of the Vale! Very well, I will take you under my wing.

The Burning Legion and the Betrayal of the Ethereals

A worgen rogue spies upon the Transmogrifier and the other Ethereals in the Shrine of Seven Stars (Vale of the Eternal Blossoms). He’s stealthed just at the entrance of the Ethereals Corridor (second floor).

Walking next to him will trigger a random dialogue:

Eric Thibeau: Thread lightly, (race). The rage of this land has yet to be quenched. Your very presence here causes it angusih the likes of which it has never endured. “The north still reeks of undeath. Our homelands lay in ruin. Pandaria oozes our hatred and doubt. What hope is there for this world when the Burning Legion again lands upon our shores?” “Why do we continue to fight in a war we have nothing to gain from? Do the dying screams of thousands not haunt your very dreams?” “I can smell your hatred, your violence, your doubt. Your soul bears the weight of a lifetime of hardship. Why do you continue onward down a path that can only lead to ruin?” “What happens when our wars are over? Do you expect to return to civilian life without incident despite the horrors you’ve witnessed?” “At what point are our hearts as full of darkness as the great evil we so tirelessly try to subdue?” “We openly deal with the ethereal, ignorant of their true intentions. Could we be aiding in the preparation of our own demise?”

Speculation

Chris Metzen said at BlizzCon 2011 there wouldn’t be any major boss figure (i.e. Ragnaros, Illidan, Lich King, Deathwing) for Mists of Pandaria, but that has quickly changed with the revelation that the Alliance and the Horde will be tackling Warchief Garrosh Hellscream for his atrocities in the Mists of Pandaria end-game.

Following the quests in Pandaria concerning the Vale of the Eternal Blossoms, I was pondering if the fountain of Light would be used for bad deeds. From what Prince Anduin Wrynn read in a scroll at a cave within the Jade Forest, the fountain could be used to resurrect. We have also seen in Kun-Lai Summit and in Jade Forest how the Mogu are simply ancient spirits who use the metal statues as their host body — sorta like empty shells (Terracota).

Quest: An End to Everything Lorekeeper Cho: These spirits must have been released when the tombs were opened… Death was not final for the Mogu. Instead, death was merely a stop over on the path to a new body. Spiritbinders used a foul magic to transfer spirits from one shell to the next. Years of being trapped in the tombs has left them confused. They need to be destroyed before their confusion turns to anger or worse, they find a new shell.

All this has kept me pondering. What if Mists of Pandaria and all these Mogu business is just the groundwork for the revival of Sargeras?

The empty shell of Sargeras’ avatar was never found by Gul’dan in the Broken Isles. There were demons within the halls. Where was Sargeras’ avatar taken to? By whom? If it was just an avatar, where is the true body? Still in the Twisting Nether? What if the fountain of the Vale of the Eternal Blossoms was used to resurrect Sargeras?

Many questions. Few answers. Upon listening to the blood elf Zoltan (Master Pet Tamer) I was literally jaw-dropped.

“Sargeras will live once more!” — “All of you must work to aid the great revival of our Master.”

That’s bold, dude. Going back to 2009, Chris Metzen and Micky Neilson revealed to me on video there were plans for Sargeras. Seems they are slowly getting to that point. This will certainly stir fans to come back to World of Warcraft.

Medievaldragon: A fan asked: The body of Sargeras that Aegwynn killed was said to be an avatar in Warcraft: The Last Guardian, does this mean that Sargeras’ real body is still out there somewhere? Or is Sargeras pulling a Lord Voldemort trick to ensure his return? Neilson: Sargeras is still kicking around. You can’t put him down. Metzen: He’s out there somewhere. Neilson: He’s not going to stay down for long. Metzen: Yeah totally. And I think the hooks we had for his physical body, wherever it may be are so visually stunning that I think we have to… it’s like low hanging fruit, we’re going to have to bring him back somewhere. I’d be very disappointed in us if we didn’t leverage him fully. Medievaldragon: He would be like the ultimate encounter. Neilson: Hmm… yes.

Quick Background: Who’s Sargeras

This is the biggest bad ultimate boss of the entire Warcraft universe. Once brother to Aman’thul the Greatfather, and member of the Pantheon of Titans — who traveled through the universe to seed worlds, shape mountains, oceans and skies; Sargeras became tainted and could no longer envision an ordered universe.

Instead, Sargeras sought to undo the work of his fellow Titans by releasing the demons he imprisoned. The demons joined Sargeras in his burning crusade, as the master of the Burning Legion.

Most World of Warcraft players know about this character since the old days of Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness. The dark titan was felled by the Guardian Aegwynn in Northrend 800 years in the past, but his spirit lingered within Aegwynn, unbeknownst to her. — read Aegwynn and the Dragon Hunt

Sargeras possessed her unborn child in the womb. Years later, her son Medivh under the influence of Sargeras’ corrupting spirit opened the Dark Portal which led the Orcs into Azeroth (Warcraft: Orcs and Humans, 1994) — story can be read in Jeff Grubb’s Warcraft: The Last Guardian now reprinted into the WarCraft Archive

With the death of Medivh, Sargeras’ spirit fell into the void where he’s trapped until a blood elf named Zoltan and his cultists manage to revive him …?

SARGERAS AND THE BETRAYAL

Over time, demonic entities made their way into the Titans’ worlds from the Twisting Nether, and the Pantheon elected its greatest warrior, Sargeras, to act as its first line of defense. A noble giant of molten bronze, Sargeras carried out his duties for countless millennia, seeking out and destroying these demons wherever he could find them. Over the eons, Sargeras encountered two powerful demonic races, both of which were bent on gaining power and dominance over the physical universe.

The eredar, an insidious race of devilish sorcerers, used their warlock magics to invade and enslave a number of worlds. The indigenous races of those worlds were mutated by the eredar’s malevolent powers and turned into demons themselves.

Though Sargeras’ nearly limitless powers were more than enough to defeat the vile eredar, he was greatly troubled by the creatures’ corruption and all-consuming evil. Incapable of fathoming such depravity, the great Titan began to slip into a brooding depression. Despite his growing unease, Sargeras rid the universe of the warlocks by trapping them within a corner of the Twisting Nether.

While his confusion and misery deepened, Sargeras was forced to contend with another group intent on disrupting the Titans’ order: the Nathrezim. This dark race of vampiric demons (also known as dreadlords) conquered a number of populated worlds by possessing their inhabitants and turning them to the shadow.

The nefarious, scheming dreadlords turned whole nations against one another by manipulating them into unthinking hatred and mistrust. Sargeras defeated the Nathrezim easily, but their corruption affected him deeply.

As doubt and despair overwhelmed Sargeras’ senses, he lost all faith not only in his mission, but also in the Titans’ vision of an ordered universe. Eventually he came to believe that the concept of order itself was folly, and that chaos and depravity were the only absolutes within the dark, lonely universe.

His fellow Titans tried to persuade him of his error and calm his raging emotions, but he disregarded their more optimistic beliefs as self-serving delusions. Storming from their ranks forever, Sargeras set out to find his own place in the universe. Although the Pantheon was sorrowful at his departure, the Titans could never have predicted just how far their lost brother would go.

By the time Sargeras’ madness had consumed the last vestiges of his valiant spirit, he believed that the Titans themselves were responsible for creation’s failure. Deciding, at last, to undo their works throughout the universe, he resolved to form an unstoppable army that would set the physical universe aflame.

Even Sargeras’ titanic form became distorted from the corruption that plagued his once-noble heart. His eyes, hair, and beard erupted in fire, and his metallic bronze skin split open to reveal an endless furnace of blistering hate.

In his fury, Sargeras shattered the prisons of the eredar and the Nathrezim and set the loathsome demons free. These cunning creatures bowed before the dark Titan’s vast rage and offered to serve him in whatever malicious ways they could. From the ranks of the powerful Eredar, Sargeras picked two champions to command his demonic army of destruction.

Kil’jaeden the Deceiver was chosen to seek out the darkest races in the universe and recruit them into Sargeras’ ranks. The second champion, Archimonde the Defiler, was chosen to lead Sargeras’ vast armies into battle against any who might resist the Titan’s will.

Kil’jaeden’s first move was to enslave the vampiric dreadlords under his terrible power. The dreadlords served as his personal agents throughout the universe, and they took pleasure in locating primitive races for their master to corrupt and bring into the fold. First amongst the dreadlords was Tichondrius the Darkener. Tichondrius served Kil’jaeden as the perfect soldier and agreed to bring Sargeras’ burning will to all the dark corners of the universe.

The mighty Archimonde also empowered agents of his own. Calling upon the malefic pit lords and their barbarous leader, Mannoroth the Destructor, Archimonde hoped to establish a fighting elite that would scour creation of all life.

Once Sargeras saw that his armies were amassed and ready to follow his every command, he launched his raging forces into the vastness of the Great Dark. He referred to his growing army as the Burning Legion. To this date, it is still unclear how many worlds they consumed and burned on their unholy Burning Crusade across the universe.