The official patch notes for the 5.4 PTR have been posted on the official website. While the PTR is not available at this time, you can check over some of the changes, new additions, and updates. Keep in mind that the PTR patch notes are not a final version, they will likely change between now and when the patch itself goes live. In addition, not all content may be available for testing immediately. However, there are some pretty amazing things to be found so far!

Read on for the full PTR patch notes.

It's been a long journey, but it seems that the latest Warcraft fiction offering is now wrapping up and coming to an end. An excerpt from the fifth and final chapter of Dawn of the Aspects is now available for reading on the official website. Dawn of the Aspects, by Richard Knaak, details the origins of the Aspects and the five dragonflights. The five-part miniseries has been released in installments over the last several months, and the fifth chapter ought to wrap up the tale and establish exactly what Kalecgos has learned from the mysterious artifact he's found.

As for the blue dragon's mysterious dive into the past, it seems that the events of long ago are finally reaching their climax -- Alexstrasza, Ysera, Nozdormu, Neltharion and Malygos are preparing for the final battle with Galakrond, a battle that will change the course of their race forever. Will Kalecgos discover the true purpose of the artifact? Will he break free of its mysterious hold, or will he remain stuck in Malygos' memories for eternity? And will Malygos and the not-quite-Aspects prevail, or will history itself unravel? Good question! While the excerpt doesn't provide any answers, it does offer a good glimpse at the final chapter. You can read the excerpt in full on the official website.

Dawn of the Aspects part five will be available for purchase in several different ebook formats for a wonderfully low $1.99 on June 17. Head to Simon & Schuster to purchase the installment in ebook format -- and if you're looking for a different format for your e-reader, the website has links to several different retailers on their listing page. Hopefully the release of the final chapter will encourage Blizzard to release a print edition of the novel in full, too -- I have an empty spot waiting on my bookshelf!

Another round of hotfixes for patch 5.3 have just been posted to the official blog. Many of today's hotfixes will require a realm restart to address -- expect to see all applicable hotfixes live and functioning after maintenance. This includes that all-important change to Lei Shen and Titan Runestone aquisition!

Submissions are now being taken for the BlizzCon Art and Movie Contests! Whether you're an artist with a penchant for scribbling masterpieces of Blizzard-inspired material, or your creative tendencies dwell more in machinima and film, both contests are open and now taking entries. Winners will receive a variety of prizes, and have their work featured at BlizzCon 2013, where throngs of attendees can admire your unique skills!

For the Art Contest, all you need to do is create your best piece of art based on Blizzard material from any of their games. The first place winner will receive $1,500, second place will receive $1,000, and third place will receive $700 -- and all three winners will receive a ticket to BlizzCon as well. All entries must be receive by August 23, and meet the formatting requirements. And remember, the contest is for original works -- Photoshop manipulations don't count. Check out the official rules for more information.

For the Movie Contest, films both live action and using in game footage -- or a combination of both -- featuring Blizzard's game universes are now being taken for consideration. Prizes for this year's movie contest include $2,000 and an Oswald Statue for first place, $1,250 for second place, and $750 for third place. And again, all three winners will receive a ticket to Blizzcon as well! Movies must be no more than three minutes in length, and as with the Art Contest, all submissions must be received by August 23. Take a look at the official rules for more information.

To submit your entries, simply head to the official page for both contests. Good luck to all who enter!

Welcome back to The Queue, the daily Q&A column in which the WoW Insider team answers your questions about the World of Warcraft. Anne Stickney (@Shadesogrey) used to work in a zoo.

You know, I was perfectly aware that elephants could paint, having worked at the San Diego Zoo before. But I didn't realize they were also happy enough to play the harmonica if given the opportunity.

Dobablo asked:

Q. If I upgrade a BoA archeology item (such as the Umbrella of Chi-Ji) will it become soulbound as the UI warns or does it stay account-bound only?

It will remain account-bound. Feel free to upgrade it and send it to your alts! The Spear of Xuen is a particularly good upgrade, for characters that can use polearms.

The World of Warcraft is an expansive universe. You're playing the game, you're fighting the bosses, you know the how -- but do you know the why? Each week, Matthew Rossi and Anne Stickney make sure you Know Your Lore by covering the history of the story behind World of Warcraft.

Sometimes, the storytelling in World of Warcraft sets people on edge -- which may very well be the understatement of the year. So far, nothing in Mists of Pandaria has been quite as contentious as the idea of Alliance vs. Horde story development. We've delved into the seemingly lopsided nature of Alliance development in WoW before, and taken some guesses and speculation on what the Alliance seems to be missing from a development standpoint.

But patch 5.3 has introduced a new element -- the Darkspear Rebellion -- and with that element comes a new wave of discontent. Having played through both sides of the event, I can definitely see where the Alliance are coming from. While the Horde has a really great triumphant moment of smacking down Garrosh's forces, the Alliance doesn't really have an equivalent. Which leads people to ask, once again, when the Alliance are going to get a moment of glory?

It's a good question, and the answer to that question warrants a look into the story behind the expansion, as well as a look at the nuts and bolts of story development.

Welcome back to The Queue, the daily Q&A column in which the WoW Insider team answers your questions about the World of Warcraft. Anne Stickney (@Shadesogrey) has been making Sunday Brunch a thing since forever.

My mother started doing big breakfasts on Sunday when I was a kid. She eventually moved it later and later, until it became brunches on Sunday instead. It became such a habit that my dad and I still continue to do Sunday brunches -- usually pancakes. Pancakes are awesome.

As for the video above, I don't speak French and I have no idea what they're saying. But man, the food looks pretty good, doesn't it?

runnerpadilla asked:

If pandaren could become druids, what animal would their flight form be?

I don't know! Maybe a little cloud serpent? To be perfectly honest, most druids use some form of crow -- the reason trolls don't is because the Darkspear don't approve of bird worship. It's not a troll thing, it's a Darkspear thing. So a pandaren learning to be a druid would likely be some kind of bird, if they were learning druidism from the Cenarion Circle. The trolls and their choice of flight form is an odd exception to what is a pretty general rule.

It is absolutely official, now -- I have no idea how the Aspects actually came to be Aspects. For that matter, Tyr's purpose seems to be just as mysteriously vague. However, there was far more light shed on both questions in part four of Dawn of the Aspects, now available for a variety of e-readers. Despite the muddied waters of draconic origins, it is apparent that more of these mysteries will be answered in full by the time the fifth and final installment rolls around.

What did we know, to date? We knew that the Aspects were empowered by various Titans and charged with watching over the world. But that's about it -- the process of how that empowering came about is by and large a giant unknown and has been for years. What surprises me is just how willing I was to let the origin of the dragonflights slide as something that wasn't terribly important, in the long run. But when one considers that their origin appears to be tied to the fate of Tyr, it suddenly bears far more interesting implications.