(WoW) Cataclysm's Dawn

So patch 4.0.3a updated the geography of "vanilla" World of Warcraft to the new Cataclysm-based landscape, though the expansion itself is a week and a half away. I've been making the rounds through the Eastern Kingdoms and Kalimdor to look over the changes. There are a ton of new flight masters, which is nice to see but will matter less to high-level characters once the old world flight skill is activated. Some places received major facelifts - Stormwind is much more impressive (even if the old park is... uhh... gone). Some places are radically changed - Thousand Needles flooded, the Barrens split, and such. Most of the world has changed visibly, but not seriously. It's definitely interesting to see, and I'm really anticipating being able to truly look at it from above rather than relying on the forced perspective tricks of old.

As I made the rounds, however, I couldn't help but think of some of the changes from an in-character perspective. And, overall, the experience was a little bit heartbreaking...


I am a paladin, a defender of the Light. I go where I am needed. And so, for the last several years, I have served my homeland from afar. The Alliance has been fending off the Horde for far longer. The greater conflicts I have seen gave me hope that some common ground could be had.

It appears I was wrong.

When the threat of the Burning Legion reared its head once more, I traveled through the Dark Portal to do battle in Outland. When the Aldor asked that old differences be set aside for a greater good, I did so. And I found a certain kinship with those who I had been raised to see as enemies. The orcs are a displaced and desperate people. I can respect that, and the more I saw of their leader, Thrall, the more I came to respect him. I can even see how he won over the trolls that sided with him, and the tauren - though I saw little of their leader, Cairne, everything I heard spoke of a sensible and spiritual guide who could well be the heart of compassion among the Horde. The "blood" elves were led by a madman, perhaps, but the naru were able to show them a better way. Even the Banshee Queen, Sylvanas, was a tragic figure I could sympathize with, though the Forsaken remain as much a violation of nature as their Scourge "parents."

And when the Legion was beaten back, a deadly plot by the Scourge turned out attention to Northrend. Alliance and Horde competed, but fought side-by-side again. The Lich King was a threat to all.

It was the Battle of Angrathar, the Wrathgate, that heralded the change.

Highlord Bolvar Fordragon launched an assault on the Wrathgate, calling out Arthas himself. Dranosh Saurfang of the Horde even rallied his men alongside. The Lich King's power may have been too much for them all, but we can never know that, as all were betrayed by the Forsaken. Their chief chemist, Putress, unleashed a plague designed to destroy both living and Scourge. Sylvanas herself claimed innocent. While I suspect she did not know Putress' plan to unleash the weapon there, I cannot belief she was so naive as to be unaware of this weapon meant to slay all but her own people. Even Thrall seemed to have the sense to see the Dark Lady's treachery, though he was unwilling to lose the Forsaken as allies.

And though both sides joined together with the Argent Crusade for the final push that defeated the Lich King, it was clear to all the uneasy peace was crumbling. We had all been betrayed.

Now, years since riding forth from the Eastern Kingdoms and Kalimdor, I see what has been wrought on our lands. It does not bode well for the future of the Alliance.

The Argent Crusade has made solid strides in the Plaguelands. With the fall of the Lich King, the Scourge has been weakened and pushed back. I greatly respect Highlord Fordring, but I fear his stance of neutrality to be a hindrance now. Neighboring Sylvanas' lands means she will come calling sooner or later. I only take some comfort in the thought that he will serve the Light, and life, when pressed.

In several regions, both the Alliance and the Horde have expanded, claiming ground once wild. Both have expanded their presence in Redridge and the Stonetalon Mountains. In the southern section of the fractured Barrens, fortresses have cropped up and tensions are high. During my survey of the land, I rescued a pair of tauren from animate tendrils only to be attacked by a nearby tauren watchman - a lack of gratitude that shows just how tightly-wound the region is. I have heard Moonbrook has been made more secure against the Defias outlaws, but I have yet to see it myself.

And yet, the Alliance has clearly lost ground in several places. In Ashenvale, the orc pillagers have pushed the night elves farther back in their woods. The Horde has further secured its hold over the northern section of the Barrens, and claimed Azshara. Most disturbingly, the Forsaken continue their expansion through old Lordaeron. Southshore was never strong, but now it has been defiled, turned into an abandoned ruin of toxic sludge. Reports have come that while the Gilneans have joined the Alliance, the Forsaken have breached the wall that once protected their land and invaded.

The Forsaken remain aggressive, and now I fear the Horde is losing what ability to rein them in that it had. Thrall has been called to other duties, leaving the warmongering Garrosh Hellscream as warchief. Cairne Bloodhoof is dead, in what amounts to the Horde losing its soul. Even if the tauren chieftain's son is as good as his father, he won't have the weight and wisdom his father did. I doubt any of the remaining leaders have the perception to see the darkness within Sylvanas' heart, nor the will to act against it.

The bloody cost of these battles has left us on the defensive for our lands and our lives. And we do not yet know just what threat the risen elementals and the dragon Deathwing hold for us. The Horde would see us crushed. The Forsaken would see us all dead. So we cannot surrender, we cannot succumb. This is our would, and if we must fight for it, we shall.

For the Light!