Patch 5.4 patch notes
Virtual Realms feature revealed
The Proving Grounds are coming
The latest patch 5.4 newsCataclysm starting zone lore and other new details revealed
by Daniel Whitcomb 
Sep 27th 2009 at 7:00PM
If you don't want to be spoiled, do not follow the break, I'm warning you now. There's a couple major story spoilers, especially regarding the origins of the goblins and worgen.
The worgen starting zone actually begins in a flashback. Gilneas is besieged by the Forsaken and gripped with rumors of plague. You meet a dissenter, Crowley, who believes that Gilneas' isolationism is a mistake and that they should rejoin the Alliance. When the worgen curse comes, you and Crowley lead the defensive, but are pushed back to the city cathedral, where you realize that the worgen you are fighting are your own friends and neighbors driven feral. As you realize this, the curse takes you.
Flash forward to some months later, when you're captured in the countryside by your old friend Crowley. From here, the portion we saw at BlizzCon begins.
As for the goblins, you start on Kezan as a pretty high level (society-wise, not game mechanics) executive, successful and rich, with a hot secretary. When Kezan begins to fall apart, you give your life savings to a Trade Prince who promises you safe passage to the mainland. Instead, he captures you and tries to sell into slavery. That's when the shipwreck happens, and again, the story picks up with the BlizzCon portion.
Apparently, the original goblin city, despite only appearing from levels 1-5, is sort of a Grand Theft Auto: Goblin City parody type of setup, full of sleaze and pollution and robot-powered American-style football. But that's not all. Apparently the goblins' brush with slavery and death hasn't wiped out their unique sensibilities and philosophies, as they'll actually reshape Azshara to look like the Horde symbol.
The goblins and worgen aren't the only ones to get story tidbits, though. We also learn a bit more about what the Horde's been up to. Garrosh is confirmed to be the new leader of the Horde. He's redesigned Orgrimmar, and has actually evicted all but the orcs and tauren from the center of the city, saying that only those two races are strong enough to defend it.
The ruins of Lordaeron are being expanded, with a pit opening into the Undercity. Zoram'gar Outpost will be a Warsong Hold style base. In zone modification news, Stranglethorn will be one of the most extensively altered zones. In addition, Southshore will have succumbed to tidal waves (which is notably different from what we heard at BlizzCon, which was that the Horde had conquered it).
The four new raids, the article says, will be more like Naxxramas than Sartharion. We assume that means more in scope and number of bosses than difficulty. Of course, much like Arthas, Deathwing won't be in one of the launch raids. Tol Barad, the new Wintergrasp-style zone, gets a mention, as does the fact that there will be at least one additional new Battleground in addition to Gilneas.
This information all appears in the latest edition of PC Gamer UK (which you can buy right now), or this recent PC Gamer Podcast. More Cataclysm information was definitely what the doctor ordered this weekend. Hopefully, it means the information floodgate is opening. We'll keep you posted on anything else that comes out here at WoW.com.
World of Warcraft: Cataclysm will destroy Azeroth as we know it. Nothing will be the same. In WoW.com's Guide to Cataclysm you can find out everything you need to know about WoW's third expansion. From Goblins and Worgens to Mastery and Guild changes, it's all there for your cataclysmic enjoyment.Filed under: Horde, Events, Blizzard, News items, Instances, Expansions, Raiding, Lore, Bosses, NPCs, Battlegrounds, Cataclysm, Worgen, Goblin
Reader Comments (Page 3 of 16)
Draykin Sep 27th 2009 10:38PM
This information annoyed me so much I actually threw my pizza crust at my screen.
I can understand that he'd wanna kick out the Blood Elves and the Undead, but the Trolls?!
Everybody Sep 27th 2009 10:47PM
Poor trolls. Kicked out by Garrosh.
After they were kicked out by a level 10 elite.
After they were kicked out by... yes... murlocs.
After they were kicked out by other trolls.
Now that I think about it, I'm not sure I'd want the darkspear guarding my throne room, either.
themightysven Sep 28th 2009 12:06AM
Vol'jin and all the Horde pallys in the throne room
also the Troll commendations officer
xvkarbear Sep 27th 2009 7:23PM
Please tell me some stormwind gets some construction too..
Eddy Sep 27th 2009 8:42PM
Um, didn't Stormwind get a ton of construction last expansion? They don't have any places to put more stuff.
Jooohn Sep 27th 2009 8:56PM
I believe I heard that a section for worgen would be added.
:-)
raspybunk Sep 27th 2009 8:57PM
Stormwind harbor should be destroyed by the waves. It'd be hilarious, just got it. But it is a harbor and it makes sense.
Maybe a real big tidal wave can pick up one of those ships they've been working on for a year and it can fall on Jaina as she visits the park. Then I can steal her red shoes.
joerendous Sep 27th 2009 9:29PM
i believe they were saying that there will be a Gilneas section of the city. seeing as how they will be getting druids, the Park wouldn't be too far off a thought. or so i hope. it's a bit down heartening thinking i only go there to train up on my druid skills. if i'm in the area at least.
xvkarbear Sep 27th 2009 10:04PM
Why in the world was that voted down? I can't express dislike over how Stormwind is laid out? It's very inconvenient to get anywhere in Stormwind. It needs more bridges or something to make getting around town easier. I suppose it won't matter quite as much when we can fly around, but I was just wishing for some design improvement.
The city's architect needs to go back and learn his trade again.
Draykin Sep 27th 2009 10:46PM
Uh, we kinda killed him. In fact we're going to Heroically kill him in the expansion.
joerendous Sep 28th 2009 12:10AM
you are free to express your dislikes. as others are free to vote up or vote down such opinions
crunk Sep 28th 2009 3:03AM
There's that one spot in Stormwind, where there's a gate, with a portal behind it, in the canal section between Trade, and Oldtown entrances. For years I've been wondering what they would do with that.
JKWood Sep 28th 2009 11:04AM
That's where Varian goes to listen to angry punk music and throw darts at paintings of orcs.
Skarlette Sep 28th 2009 6:29PM
"The city's architect needs to go back and learn his trade again."
He's kind of busy at the moment. Been to Deadmines lately?
Thel Sep 29th 2009 8:01AM
-There's that one spot in Stormwind, where there's a gate, with a portal behind it, in the canal section between Trade, and Oldtown entrances. For years I've been wondering what they would do with that.
Actually there are two spots like that. One where you describe, and if you turn around 180degrees and swim straight back through the canal there is another there.
The first you mentioned was to be Player Housing but hat never went through. The second is some sort of dungeon (like the stockades) with the more hard core prisoners of Stormwind.
I heard that SW would also get a section for the Worgen, I don't know if it'll be newly added (behind the Dwarven District perhaps, just as the canal was expanded for the harbor), or just a retooling of the park district. I'm thinking it'll be a new area.
Tyras Sep 29th 2009 10:46AM
They hired him to design the Stormwind Cathedral.
They didn't compensate, so he turned to evil.
=P
freeway8989 Sep 27th 2009 7:15PM
I hope Thrall doesn't die fighting Arthas.
Jester_joker Sep 29th 2009 4:46PM
Thrall becomes the new Guardian Of Tirisfal, I believe.
JoeShmoe64 Sep 27th 2009 8:07PM
He's confirmed to be in Cataclysm on the official site as a major character.
However, Jaina, a huge mediator between the Alliance and Horde, does not appear. I get the feeling she was one of the last things holding war back, and will die in Icecrown.
Rob47 Sep 27th 2009 11:32PM
I think she'll play a part in the arthas fight and either kill him or be killed herself.