New Caverns of Time instance coming in Cataclysm
by Daniel Whitcomb 
Feb 27th 2010 at 6:00PM
The original questioner suggests War of the Ancients as a possible destination. In a way, that might be an interesting battle. It would, if nothing else, give us some insight into the character of Malfurion Stormrage, who promises to be a key figure in the expansion. That said, Rhonin, Broxigar, and Krasus have already traveled back in time to deal with the War of the Ancients, and you'd have to think that if you keep shoveling more time travelers back there, something's bound to give.
As far as my own preference, I'm really hoping to see the Fall of Stormwind to the Orcs as a mission. Many players seem to have only joined for Warcraft III at the earliest, and most do not read the novels or comics, and may not understand how deep the Alliance and Horde rivalry truly goes, and what battles happened in the distant past that have created the type of atmosphere of growing distrust and anger than has only been exacerbated by the events at Wrathgate.
For me, I'd love to see an instance that begins in the Stormwind Throne Room where Garona has just assassinated Llane in front of his sons' eyes. Then we would have to lead Varian out of the castle and through the streets of Stormwind and to Anduin Lothar, who is directing the retreat of the civilians and preparing for the march north to Lordaeron. It would be a great way to get some background on the Horde vs. Alliance thing that promises to heat up even more in Cataclysm, and allow the Alliance to get some quality time with some of their greatest heroes, especially the lion himself, Lothar.
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: Cataclysm, News items
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 8)
Aryn Feb 27th 2010 6:04PM
I'm looking forward to something like this, but let's hope it doesn't go an easy way of content, or maybe expands some of the Infinite's dabbling a bit better..
Dunno if people'd be interested in a Caverns-based Raid. Might be nice.
Guubinator Feb 28th 2010 12:49AM
There already has been a "Caverns-based" raid.
Heston Feb 28th 2010 3:21AM
I am looking very much forward to Cataclysm. Azeroth has always been my favorite continent, and i'm glad they are bringing us back to it.
Blondies Mar 1st 2010 4:31AM
I'd like another caverns based raid, however this one we would have a reason to go there. I still haven't gotten any reason why I should go there besides for the "lulz" of fighting Archimonde in another game.
HeartOfTheSwarmBeta Mar 2nd 2010 9:48PM
They never said instance, just that we will go there, so don't assume it will be a dungeon or a raid. It could very well be an epic quest chain or something.
Paul Feb 27th 2010 6:07PM
I'm expecting it to be the siege of Grim Batol and the original shattering of the Demon Soul. However, we need to remember that the infinate dragonflight are trying to prevent major wrong in the world from occuring (without thinking about the consequences), so I'm not too sure why the infinate dragonflight would try to prevent the destruction of the Dragon Soul...this idea needs some thought.
devilsei Feb 27th 2010 6:15PM
"infinate dragonflight are trying to prevent major wrong in the world from occuring"
Wrong. The Infinite Dragonflight aren't some misguided heroes. They are trying to stop major events that shaped history itself.
If Medivh never opened the dark portal, sure the orcs might not of razed Stormwind and killed Varians father and all that. But also the Tauren would of probably been hunted to extinction by the centaurs, Thrall would of never been around to eventually unite the Alliance and Horde to stop the siege upon the life tree by Archimonde and the burning legion.
Which in itself was also a raid, where we had to down Archimonde, how in the bloody hell would that be good if he wasn't killed?
We saved Thrall, which in itself is automatically a "Duuuuh thats good".
As for Stratholme? Well, Arthas prevented hundreds of people going Scourge, which kept the legion from gaining a huge boost in soldiers.
Carver Feb 27th 2010 6:33PM
@devilsei
It's funny how you know more about a game than you do about the language you speak.
Paul Feb 27th 2010 7:01PM
By removing the "(without thinking about the consequences)", you completely remove the most important part of my perception of the infinate dragonflights motives.
I'm not saying I'm right, but at the moment, we don't know if the infinate dragonflight are;
a) Bronze Dragons corrupted by the Burning Legion (if they are, then your perception is spot on, but since the Infinate Dragonflight are trying to prevent a Sargeras possessed Medivh from opening the portal, that doesn't make sense)
b) Bronze Dragons corrupted by the old Gods
c) Creations of Netharion from Bronze Dragonflight eggs (which honestly doesn't tie up at the moment with their past meddlings)
d) Zealous Bronze Dragons from far in the future that are simply trying to remove Orcs from this world and prevent various characters from reaching certain desinties.
Remember, even though Thrall does unite the Horde and Alliance to rid the world of the Legion, it is presumptuous the believe that there was no other alternative had the Horde (brought forth by Medivh and freed by Thrall) NOT killed Cenarius. Additionally, had the portal never been opened in the first place, then Ner'zul would never have been torn apart and turned into the Lich King and hurtled onto Azeroth, creating the plague which causing all the other events which leads to the return of the lgion.
It is also presumptuous to believe that Thrall doesn't fuck things up big time in the future, but I think I made a better point in my previous paragraph.
Oh, btw, someone having a different opinion doesn't make them wrong. Having FACTS makes them wrong. Neither of us have facts at the moment regarding this because we don't know the genuine motives of the Infinate Dragonflight or where they're from.
devilsei Feb 27th 2010 7:11PM
The lore itself though hints at who is the leader of the Infinite Dragonflight. It's really hard to say it though without some spoilers.
But its easier to guess when you know some of the information behind the Bronze Dragonflight's leader, Nozdormu. He knows all the specifics of his death, and is completely unable to do anything about it. Now, guess who would benefit from altering time drastically?
And nowhere did I say they were in cohoots with the Burning Legion.
Paul Feb 27th 2010 7:33PM
Yeah, sorry about that. It was just how I read your third paragraph.
"But also the Tauren would of probably been hunted to extinction by the centaurs, Thrall would of never been around to eventually unite the Alliance and Horde to stop the siege upon the life tree by Archimonde and the burning legion."
To me, that statement was indicative to the actions of the infinate Dragonflight being in the favour of the legion. If that's not where you were going with that, then you have my apologies, but I trust you can understand how someone could read that from your statement?
Time travel is a fickle thing. As we both know, Nozdormu does know his cause of death. He always has, but here's the kicker, why take action now, and define "now" for the timeless one. Put yourself in his sho...scales. He knows everything. Nothing that comes to pass is a learning experience for him. Nothing he ever witnesses will cause a reaction because it has always been known to him. Why would anything cause him to change his allegiance to the mortal races? Why would he create a dragonflight which protects the very timeline he seeks to alter? He would know for millenia that his dragonflight would get in his way, why put them there in the first place?
I honestly believe that the concept that ol' Nozzy is doing this for personal gain is a impossible because of what he represents. Either, it's a case of corruption (the oldest and rapidly tiring plot devise in WoW) or what comes AFTER Nozdormu is causing these events, or one of the other previously mentioned causes.
The events in WotLK felt like a nice, but lazy attempt at misdirection to me.
devilsei Feb 27th 2010 7:57PM
I can understand how someone would mistake the sentence.
As for Nozdormu's reasoning as to why now? Who knows. Perhaps he's run through the scenarios over and over, about when to enact a plan that could destabilize time enough for him to be free of his death.
I mean, it's rather ironic that us as players, are so lucky to be around just as everything is hitting the fan. We've been involved with the deaths(?) of two Old Gods, stopped the return of one of the Burning Legion's most fearsome demons, killed god knows how many Scourge, along with The Lich King, and have slain god knows how many dark heroes from just Warcraft 3.
Right now, it seems, is the perfect time to try and throw off the timeline. Historically, the sh** is starting to clog up the fan for Azeroth, and everyone will be busy. The remaining dragonflights will be more interested in Deathwing, and the Alliance and Horde will most likely be back at each others throats.
As for turning against the mortal races, I doubt he really cares. He's been missing since around TBC, so our orders have come mainly from his mate and a few of the other higher ranking dragons that are there. The entire dragonflight, not just him, were impowered, but most likely its a way of keeping up an appearance. And, of course, perhaps he saw that by keeping the timeline as it is currently for us, his chance of saving himself would be best.
MazokuRanma Feb 27th 2010 8:05PM
You're suggesting that the Bronze Flight should be looking for ways to alter history without changing the outcome we currently have, and that's simply not their mandate. They're charged with protecting it from outside interference, which right now is the Infinite Flight.
More importantly, while ensuring the portal opens and Thrall enters the world might not necessarily be the only way we could have ever stopped Archimonde, the point most important to the Bronze dragons is that it was successful in the long run. Suppose they allow Medivh to die at the Dark Portal and it turns out a united front with the orcs was the only chance of stopping Archimonde. They simply can't take that chance; the way events have currently played out has been a success overall, and risking that to save some lives wouldn't be worth it considering their primary focus. This holds true for both helping Thrall escape as well as culling Stratholme. The one instance that I never truly understood was Mt. Hyjal. This seemed the biggest 'lorelol' moment of the Caverns; while it's a pivotal lore moment and a very fun fight to be part of, I could never really understand the reason for us going back there. The Infinites didn't seem to have any presence, so it always seemed reckless from a lore perspective to send us back to a fight we'd definitely win where there was no risk of interference.
As far as Nozdormu goes, I agree that the only logical reason he'd switch would be Old God corruption, but I also agree that seeing him at the Shrine was probably a feint. I think they've got much more to build on there.
Lyrack Feb 27th 2010 9:57PM
Why are you guys giving Thrall the credit for rallying the Orcs, Humans and Night Elves together to fight Archimonde at Mount Hyjal... It wasn't Thrall that banded them together, it was Medivh. That being said it took a little bit of effort from Thrall, Jaina and Tyrande to band the three forces together, one of them could've flat out said 'No, we won't work with you'...
Simply, give credit where credit is due. It was Medivh's workings that brought the three races together and it was the choices of the three leaders of said races to agree to do it
Paul Feb 28th 2010 4:51AM
Fair point. It was zombie Medivh's workings that got the three factions together. Hoever, my turn to be presumptuous. If any other orc was warcheif, would they have made that decision? Would they even have crossed the Great Sea? Aided the Darkspears? Even freed the Orcs from the Internment camps?
It's not easy to say that all of these events would've occured had it not been Thrall. Heck, remember that everyone was refering to Medivh as a prophet at the beginning of WC3 and even he said Thrall had to lead his people to their destiny.
Again, who knows what really would've happened had Thrall not been in charge, but chances are, it would've been Orgrim or Grom.I can't see either of them allowing an alliance with Humans.
Diplomat Feb 27th 2010 6:09PM
Oh my god, when you think of it the fall of stormwind would be an awesome CoT: Instance, maybe some hordies would realize that king varian has a reason for hating them. :P
Possum Feb 27th 2010 6:44PM
A lot of today's orcs are the children of the ones who razed stormwind. Hating the orcs who razed your city sure. Hating their children and everybody of the same race who wasn't even on the same planet at the time? Just racist.
onetrueping Feb 27th 2010 6:57PM
Possum, it may be a racist opinion, but you have to admit that it is a common and understandable (however stupid) opinion.
Possum Feb 27th 2010 7:03PM
Understandable maybe. But acceptable for the leader of a State? Nope.
Paul Feb 27th 2010 7:18PM
That's an excellent moral standpoint, Possum, and I really don't want to deter it, but don't confuse Azeroth with 21st century Earth. How the leaders within Azeroth act and their personal beliefs and opinions do mirror those of our leaders in the past. It's not unacceptable when you realise that Azeroth hasn't had the 1970's yet. Jaina and Thrall will get us there, and we'll have a completely different version of Green Peace in WoW, but we've not had it yet.
Racist world leaders have existed, and to be honest, most of them still are, they're just not vocal about it, but they still make decisions that are driven by their blinkered perceptions.