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 5 of 16)
Irem Sep 27th 2009 9:37PM
Unfortunately our leader is in the center of the city. It sounds as though he's denying the Darkspear a voice in "his" Horde, more than a physical GTFO, which would make sense as Vol'jin's always been portrayed as very loyal to Thrall.
Rainee Sue Sep 27th 2009 7:24PM
...
/cast Berserking
BITCH, LET'S GO.
kaosun12 Sep 27th 2009 11:47PM
**BITCH, LET'S GO MON.
caseyleigh Sep 27th 2009 7:27PM
I never thought I could like a racial leader -less- than I like Varian.
Sinfulle Sep 27th 2009 9:50PM
You mean to say you prefer even *gag* Fandral Staghelm over Wrynn?!
Oh come on.........everyone wants Staghelm to trip and fall into the abyss.
caseyleigh Sep 27th 2009 9:55PM
Well, Staghelm at least is off in Darnassus where I never have to see him. Can't walk a foot in Northrend without tripping over Varian being all pissy, however.
zweitblom Sep 28th 2009 2:13AM
I take strong objection to your implication of Staghelm being a 'faction leader'. He might think of himself as one, but that does not *make* him one. Just let him collect Un'Goro dirt while Tyrande takes care of business. The druids are an unruly bunch anyway - their libraries probably contain many a book of Staghelm jokes.
eenersumbrella Sep 28th 2009 6:30AM
Staghelm is definately not a faction leader. He's mearly the druid go to guy, who complains constantly that he thinks he can do things better than Tyrande. Personally playing a NE druid since launch, I've always hated him and wished that the stupid bugs would have eaten his face off in Silithus.
Galaden Sep 27th 2009 7:36PM
Worst case scenario: Garrosh kicks out three horde races out of Org.
Best case scenario: Garrosh kicks out Blood Elves out of Org.
skyman4321 Sep 27th 2009 8:50PM
Isn't that getting a lil' old?
Guildenstern Sep 27th 2009 9:30PM
hurrrrrrrrrrrrrr i hatez teh gay elves wwwwwwwwwwwwww
Dude, wake up and smell the coffee. It's nearly 2010. Haven't you gotten over the irrational Blood Elf hatred yet?
Zerounit Sep 28th 2009 4:07AM
Why did I lol the hardest at "wwwwwwwwwwwwwww"?
RogueJedi86 Sep 28th 2009 9:03AM
And in come all the Blood elves to downrate Galaden and uprate all the pro-Blood elf rhetoric. I'm Alliance, and I still don't like Blood elves. Come back to Alliance and rejoin your High Elven brethren, then maybe I'll give you a shot. Until then, I don't need to like those mana-sucking vampires.
Galaden Sep 28th 2009 10:08PM
Lol guys calm down, it's just a joke.
Cam Sep 27th 2009 7:37PM
Garrosh is confirmed to be the new leader of the Horde.
Seems like my orc shaman will transfer over to the dwarves when cataclysm hits. Garrosh is the worst possible option for a horde faction leader (with Wrynn being a equally bad choice for the alliance). Cataclysm seems awesome but i'm afraid the "Garrosh as warchief" thing is ruining it a bit for me. I want the leader of my faction to atleast have a functioning brain and a little restraint. Garrosh will probably make the orcs look like monsters with no sensible thoughts whatsoever...
I wonder if Garrosh by mistake got a ogre brain, it'd explain a few things. Keep Thrall or swich Garrosh out with someone more suited for the job (Abasic Campfire is suddenly looking like a good option).
Ayane Sep 27th 2009 8:09PM
Grand Magister Rommath for horde leader? Perhaps?
He does have really cool arm tattoos....and a large glowing stick. ^_^
jnk796 Sep 27th 2009 8:19PM
i'm starting to agree more and more with a comment i read when this garrosh rumor first emerged.
Blizzard is setting up one of the faction leaders to be killed and didn't want it to be Thrall.
Rainee Sue Sep 27th 2009 8:15PM
Melee Mage for Warchief? Hell no. (Seriously, if you aggro him as an Alliance player, he doesn't cast any spells. He hits you. With his staff. And his night elf haircut.)
I vote for Theron and Vol'jin joint rule.
Cam Sep 27th 2009 8:25PM
@jnk796
Hmm, maybe Garrosh ain't a bad idea after all.
jnk796 Sep 27th 2009 8:35PM
@Cam
Granted, its pretty much what every horde player wants, blizzard may just have us hate him and have something else completely different planned.
But it is looking like he will push the horde to hate him, get killed somehow in cataclysm and either get a replacement bringing the horde back together, or have thrall realize the horde needs him and come back himself bringing the horde back together.