Exploring Azeroth, the Eastern Kingdoms - Spoilers from new previews

The release of "World of Warcraft: Exploring Azeroth - The Eastern Kingdoms", the newest book by Christie Golden, was postponed a couple of times. Now, it’s scheduled to release tomorrow, the same date as the Shadowlands expansion. Because of this, and the comment about "a lore reveal at the end" by Taliesin & Evitel, I theorize that this spoiler was the reason behind postponed release. It's also known that the final destination of the book is the Undercity and that there will be a mention of the Menethil Crown. Who knows, maybe the reveal is going to be something like a lost letter from the Undercity saying, "I, Sylvanas, did the Wrathgate!" Maybe. Maybe not.

• An album from my blog at VK with all the known artwork from the book (so far).

• The events of the book take place between the novel "Shadows Rising" and the pre-patch event of Shadowlands: the text mentions not just Magni retrieving his hammer (patch 8.3), but also Shaw's knowledge of Anduin's tavern exploits as a nameless commoner (Shadows Rising).

• The traveling path of Mathias and Flynn:

Stormwind, Karazhan, Stranglethorn Vale, Burning Steppes and Blackrock Mountain, Badlands, Ironforge, Arath Highlands, Plaguelands, Silvermoon, Hillsbrad Foothills and Silverpine Forest, Tirisfal Glades, Undercity.

• The book opens with two letters, one from Anduin, another from Baine. They further explain the premise of the travel (first mentioned in the "Terror by Torchlight" short story).

Anduin writes that for a time being Mathias and Flynn are relieved of their duties and must go on a new mission: to catalog various artifacts, check their vaults and contact local informants. The Horde Council, for a time being, allows the pair to travel across the Horde lands and visit Silvermoon and the Ruins of Lordaeron. During that period, they are considered ambassadors. It’s an act of goodwill from both sides.

Baine’s letter serves as a “ticket” that allows Mathis and Flynn to travel across the Horde territory. Baine writes that the Council knows of the pair’s mission and approves of it. Anyone, who would harm the two or stop their voyage, would be punished.

The book serves mostly as a recap of old material and focuses a lot on the semi-forgotten Classic quests. While these tidbits are still curious, I'll post only the new information.

 Stormwind 

• SI:7 has informants in nearly every part of the city.

The death of Queen Tiffin and the birth of the Defias Brotherhood remain a stain on SI:7 honour. Those tragedies could've been avoided, if they didn't fail to uncover the true identity of Katrana Prestor, the dragon Onyxia.

• Mathias claims that Alleria and Turalyon have returned as "different people".

• The gates of the Stormwind Keep have been always opened for the citizens. It's beeen like that for the whole lifetime of the Wrynn dynasty. Even the throneroom is opened for visitors (sometimes even the war room). Mathias thinks that it's too dangerous.

The keep's library is open for everyone and is very popular amongst the citizens: they tend to read books, while walking around the keep. Agents tend to hide messages in books that no one reads. Some books contain information about forgotten places.

The chambers that remain closed for visitors are the king's personal chambers, the chambers of important guests, and the small royal armory with rare items.

The keep is guarded not just by the royal guard, but by the undercover SI:7 agents as well. Even Varian knew identities only of some secret agents within the keep. Same goes for Anduin as a king right now.

The keep has many secret passages, known only to the king and SI:7. They serve as escape routes for the king. Yet, Anduin didn't use any of them, when he run away to goof around in The Gilded Rose tavern. Mathias almost admires such cleverness.

• The keep's Throne Room serves as the place of coronation. The throne itself is made of gold and stained glass.

As of right now, SI:7 knows that Garona was "under control of an outside force", when she killed King Llane Wrynn. She has a good reputation within the Uncrowned.

• The War Room is where Anduin keeps Shalamayne, when he doesn't carry it around. Magni's hammer, Fearbreaker, was also kept here, but he reclaimed it to fight against N'Zoth.

Mathias claims that the open garden near the room is a very dangerous place because it has no roof. Yet, both Varian and Anduin didn't listen to his complaints about the garden's lack of safety.

 

Westfall

• Westfall's fields still look the same as we know them: yellow and brown. Yet oncc they were green and fertile farmlands. The state of this land is sad, but it's full of rumors, which is beneficial for SI:7.

• Refugees come and go from Westfall. This time, because of the world war, not the Cataclsym.

• Westfall is no longer overrun with the Defias bandits. Edwin VanCleef was defeated by the combined force of the Westfall soldiers and adventurers.

The existence of Edwin's daugther, Vanessa, was unknown even to Mathias. She saw his death with her own eyes, hiddin in a secret shelter on the ship. The Brotherhood loyaly followed her. Mathias thought that she died during the Cataclysm. Now, SI:7 knows that she's alive and is a respected member of the Uncrowned.

The Sentinel Hill

• The Sentinel Hill is in the process of reconstruction. Gryan Stoutmantle ordered to build up its fortifications and expand its territory.

The hill's tower hold weapons, donated by the heroes of the Alliance and trophies from the Deadmines.

Mathias walked towards the entrance of the Deadmines. Flynn thinks that it's because Mathias knew Edwin.

•  Gnolls always remain a threat, but the The Westfall Brigade keeps them at bay. They are less organized after the death of Hogger.

The prison guards keep Hogger's Trousers as some kind of trophey in Stormwind Stockade! Mathias can't grasp the reason why they did it, but if this thing harmlessly boosts their morale, then so be it.

 

Karazhan

 • Nightbane still exists. It attacked SI:7 agents, whom Mathias sent to talk with the Shade of Medivh.

 

• Maiden of Virtue is alive as well. She is a titanic watcher, who came to purify Karazhan from the debauchery of Medivh's parties and other activities. But she failed. Also, her judgment has eroded over time. Occasionaly, she tends to see adventurers either as Medivh himself, or as someone as corrupt as him. She's easy to provoke and will chase her targets until disposed of. Mathias thinks that those "sinful" items, which can be found in her chambers, were confiscated by her from the victims.

• The Curator also activates from time to time. When activated, he always attacks those, who try to cross the path behind him. He's deceptively fast. He was created to guard the secrets and treasures of Karazhan. Alas, many of these wonders are now either lost or broken.

 Blackrock Mountain

Blackwing Lair

• Nefarian was obsessed with continuing his father's work and achieving that which his father failed to do - uniting together all dragon essences. Thus was created the Chromatic Dragonflight.

Undead skeletons that served Nefarian were created from dragon bones.

Nefarian's legacy tends to pop up from time to time in different places.

It’s rumored that Nefarian’s head is still somewhere there. Mathias muses that it makes sense since it would be difficult to transport something so heavy across such a dangerous environment.

This part was probably a reference to the fact that the heads of both Onyxia and Nefarian were once transported to the capital cities after their demise, yet both dragons were resurrected during the Cataclysm. Meaning, someone had to steal those heads and move them to Blackrock Mountain. The book muses over this strange detail but doesn’t provide any solution to it. This is a trend with this travelogue.  

Additionally, we know the fate of Nefarian’s head: both siblings’ remains were burned down by Wrathion during the events of patch 8.3. But since Mathias doesn’t know the full context regarding this failed attempt to raise the siblings (a later paragraph), it makes sense that he doesn’t know what had happened to the head of his “uncle”.

Mathias is pleased that the Black Dragonflight is nearly extinct. For the sake of the world and his nation.

Person of interest: Wrathion

• Mathias knows at least three black dragons to remain. First is Sabellian, who is still on Outland and poses no danger as of right now. The second is Ebonhorn, who takes the form of a Highmountain tauren. The third is Wrathion.

Wrathion is dangerous. Mathias doubts his "purity", born of an experiment with his egg. He recounts his early behavior: befriending Anduin only to betray him, which led to the prince getting attacked, the liberation of Garrosh, and the creation of the Iron Horde. Yet, the dragon aided them against N'Zoth. Still, SI:7 is watching him and the Blacktalon agents.

• Mathias has heard of the recent attempt to once again raise Onyxia and Nefarian from the dead (events of patch 8.3), but he doesn't know the details: only that the valiant heroes stopped the evildoers.

SI:7 went to the Blackwing Lair and after a thorough investigation found references to similar experiments that may predate Nefarian. Yet, the evidence is incomplete, and the documents might contain errors in translation. The material was collected from the lair for further study.

Personally, I think, it's some kind of a hint for future content with dragons: strange experiments that predate Nefarian. Reminds me of those young black dragons from the Island Expeditions, who called themselves "Earth Warders" and tried to protect the Azerite from mortals: they were even accompanied by a chromatic drake! 

Maybe those documents from the lab are another nod towards the Dragon Isles? Unless it's about the works of Deathwing or Sintharia.

 

Blackrock Depths

 

• High Interrogator Gerstahn was a noblewoman, who loved luxuries and the finest tools of torture. Hence why she had ruby-encrusted pliers.

• The Shadowforge City rivals the Ironforge in its size.

The Molten Core

 

• The Molten Core is a gateway from the Firelands to Azeroth. Only a small army could hope for the slightest chance to brave this place.

 

• Magmadar is called the father of the corehounds (at least, his own hounds).

 

• Majordomo Executus was second only to Ragnaros himself.

 

• Ragnaros was defeated by adventurers and soldiers from both the Horde and the Alliance.

 

• Sulfuras was called "the Hand of Ragnaros" because the Firelord never let go of this weapon. His final defeat reflects on his weapon, now known as "the Extinguished Hand". Maybe it's proof that he's finally dead.

 

• Finkle Einhorn is an iformant of SI:7.

Western Plaguelands

 

• The book "The Light and How to Swing It" was once kept inside the Mardenholde Keep. The book was penned by Uther and was meant only for Arthas alone. Yet, in time, many paladins learned from its wisdom. The book was recently retrieved from the Dire Maul. Lorekeeper Mykos donated it to the paladins of the Light's Hope Chapel and removed the magic mark of the Athenaeum from it, thus allowing the paladins to read it.

 

The travelogue provides us with a page from Uther's book, which was never available to us thanks to the mark of Athenaeum. Truth be told, this page reads as a simplified version of Uther's letter from the now non-canon Warcraft RPG:

 

Uther writes about how being a paladin is both a blessing and a burden. Blessing, for the Light answers to your prayers. Burden, for you must do all what you can and more: you must do all what the Light demands from you. But a paladin must also be of a calm mind and peaceful heart. Only the calm mind can perform clear actions. Only the peaceful heart can fully embrace the Light.

 

In the actual book, the last part nearly feels like a homage to the famous Lion Turle encounter from the Last Airbender.

 

• "Of Love and Family", the family portrait of Tirion's family is also kept in Mardenholde. The ghost of Artist Renfray, the author of this picture, still hopes for Tirion to come and save her.

 

 

• Renfray was a victim of a unique plague, created in Scholomance. It didn't merely kill the victims, but also forced them to continue their existence as ghosts. This type of plague is seemingly no more, but Mathias still seldomly sends his agents to Caer Darrow.

 

 

Eastern Plaguelands

 

The following paragraph is based on the information from the Chinese preview of the book and may contain slight errors (his story from this book is mostly a recap of his arc from Classic, so I'll post only new material):

• Nathanos was raised as an undead by Arthas. SI:7 killed both the dark ranger and his pet dogs. Shaw only knows that since then, Nathanos appeared at Sylvanas's side once more, with a new, stronger body. Mathias is sure that SI:7 will track him down and then kill him for good.

 

• Mathias claims that there were numerous solutions to saving Stratholme, instead of the Culling performed by Arthas.

 

Continuing the book's trend of bringing up topics without elaborating on them. >_<

 

Mathais claims that the Culling was also pointless because the slain rose again as undead sometime later.

• There are few living souls, who still inhabit Stratholme.

 

It is a reference to the paladins' attempts to reclaim the city first during the Cataclysm, and then during the final war against the Legion. Once again, the book brings up a topic but doesn't elaborate on it.

 

• Mathias insists that the name of Detheroc, the dreadlord who impersonated him during the war against demons, should be mentioned on the first briefing of each new agent. They must always remain on guard. Detheroc forced Shaw's own men to kill Amber Kearnen, his best agent, his best friend.