wow The Stormwind Extraction Scenario in Battle for Azeroth

[Stan 5,022]

A gameplay preview of the Horde Intro in Battle for Azeroth, taking place after the Battle for Lordaeron. The article contains spoilers.

This article contains spoilers!

Welcome to our preview of the Stormwing Extraction Scenario. The event is available to Horde players that finished the Battle for Lordaeron. While the Battle for Lordaeron will be available in the 8.0 pre-patch, The Stormwind Extraction is coming later. It's the Horde's Intro to Battle for Azeroth and Zandalar.

High Overlord Saurfang has been captured by Anduin and the Alliance. From the Battle for Lordaeron we learn about Saurfang's growing distrust in the Warchief of the Horde.

Quote

Lady Sylvanas Windrunner: So good of you to finally show up, High Overlord.

High Overlord Saurfang: I had to see it for myself. Was this your plan all along? Is this how you meant to achieve victory? This... honorless travesty?

Lady Sylvanas Windrunner: Honor means nothing to a corpse, Saurfang. You have the luxury of underestimating death, but it is something with which I am intimately familiar. Maybe you don't care if your people die so long as it is honorable. But to me, this Horde is worth saving. Anyone who disagrees does not deserve to stand among us. So die your warrior's death, High Overlord Saurfang. It means little to me. Perhaps I will raise your broken body to serve me once more. Or perhaps you will have a chance to say hello to your son.

The Stormwind Extraction Scenario

Nathanos informs you about a mission of utmost secrecy. Not even he knows what it entails. Sylvanas assembles a team of champions to infiltrate Stormwind. You meet with First Arcanist Thalyssra, Rokhan and Nathanos in the Broken Tusk Inn (Orgrimmar). Nathanos gives you a potion (Blightcaller's Easy Death) that can be used in Stormwind if you find yourself out of options.

The plan is to infiltrate the Stockades and extract the prisoners. You find High Overlord Saurfang in a cell and learn that he does not want to return back to Orgrimmar.

You think you are here to take me back to Orgrimmar. Back to the Warchief. You are mistaken.

Quote

High Overlord Saurfang says: I have lost track of the time I have sat in this cell. But it matters not in the end. After all she has done, I will never return to her Horde. Make sure you know the difference between loyalty and honor. And pray you never have to choose.

Rokhan says: You not be comin' wit' us.

High Overlord Saurfang says: We both know you are not here for me. Those you seek are down the hall.

First Arcanist Thalyssra says: I see... If you are certain, High Overlord.

High Overlord Saurfang says: I am. Lok'tar.

You must now fight your way through various 7th Legion forces in the Stormwind Stockades, until you find a cell with Princess Talanji and Zul the Prophet. You must free them and and escape the Stockades. The next goal is to follow Rokhan and reach the Stormwind Harbor. Rokhan casts Stealth on the whole party and you must stay close to him to remain undetected.

Your party is now trapped near the Cathedral and attacked by Worgen, Genn Greymane and Jaina Proudmoore.

Zul the Prophet sets the whole city ablaze while you escape Genn.

Quote

Zul the Prophet says: One would think dat a city of stone would be less... flammable.

Princess Talanji says: You are a cruel enemy, Zul.

Nathanos Blightcaller appears and you must now evade the wrath of Lady Jaina Proudmoore. Icy Barriers are blocking the path to the docks, Princess Talanji prays to the mighty Rezan and the Loa breaks the barrier.

When you're about to escape, you encounter Jaina, but she has to go extinguish Zul's fire, because Stormwind's on fire.

Quote

Lady Jaina Proudmoore says: You have slain many to get this far. But it is over. Surrender, and I will return you to the Stockades where you belong. There, you will await the king's justice.

Nathanos Blightcaller says: Respectfully, we have a boat to catch.

Lady Jaina Proudmoore says: Then perish.

<Placeholder RTC: Zul "Persuades" Jaina.>

Quote

Rokhan says: Loa help dem dat cross ya, Zul.

Zul the Prophet says: I believe de phrase you be looking for is "thank you."

Princes Talanji says: Come. We set sail for Zuldazar.

Nathanos Blightcaller says: I think not. I have orders to return you to the warchief directly.

Princes Talanji says: Seeing as how this is my ship, I think you will need to adjust your plans.

Zul the Prophet says: We can discuss it on de way, your highness.

A NYI (not yet implemented) cinematic plays: <Placeholder: Talanji wrecks the Alliance fleet IGC.>

You set sail for Zuldazar and encounter the Zandalari Trolls for the first time. The Zanchuli Council does not trust you, but you are brought directly to King Rastakhan (Talanji's father) and he names you Speaker of the Horde, because you freed her daughter from the Stockades.

While Zul helps the Horde escape Stormwind, he later betrays King Rastakhan and you can find more in our Zuldazar Forever Scenario Preview. High Overlord Saurfang remains imprisoned and his fate is unknown for now.

What do you think about the conflict between Sylvanas and Saurfang? Let us know in the comments!

Gameplay Video

Note: Some cutscenes and voice lines are still missing. The scenario is subject to change at any time during testing.

[Migol 426]

Welp, Sylvannas has all but set herself up as a raid boss at this point.

Or do some people still think she's just "complicated" and "misunderstood"?    

[Amorandra 7]

18 minutes ago, Migol said:

Welp, Sylvannas has all but set herself up as a raid boss at this point.

Or do some people still think she's just "complicated" and "misunderstood"?    

UGH. Even as a Alliance player i'm getting sick of every horde leader either getting a pathetic death or becoming a raid boss.

[Drachar 45]

25 minutes ago, Migol said:

Welp, Sylvannas has all but set herself up as a raid boss at this point.

I hope not, if we are gonna keep this up we will have Gallywix in charge.

[Migol 426]

19 minutes ago, Drachar said:

I hope not, if we are gonna keep this up we will have Gallywix in charge.

<shudder>

It feels like Sylvannas was Blizzard writing themselves into a corner.   Vol'jin's death felt like it was a last minute thing, didn't have nearly the same gravitas and buildup as Varian's did.    Random no-name demon manages to poison the guy who's survived far worse?

Maybe someone in the lore department went a bit panicky when they realized they were killing the Alliance King, Tirion (sorta), and so on but the Horde was getting away without significant loss.    Or maybe after the whole Gamergate thing they really wanted a female warchief and didn't consider her past lore and motivations (moreover it really feels like the whole Hellya+Sylvannas thing makes more sense without her being warchief, otherwise she just ascended to the position then abandoned it to pursue that plotline, leaving the war leadership vacant...as she went to undermine one of our strongest allies against the burning legion IE the titan faction).

Whatever the reason they're stuck with a person as Warchief that even Garrosh was saying went too far.    Who has had torture and experiments going on for years near her undercity throne, has actively worked on the plague, etc etc.     I doubt they want to do another Horde Warchief gone bad but it feels like that might be the only way forward.

Edited April 24, 2018 by Migol

[PatrickHenry 293]

2 hours ago, Stan said:

What do you think about the conflict between Sylvanas and Saurfang? Let us know in the comments!

Other than its a seemingly opaque scene of the battle for the very soul of the Horde?

ehhhhh, not much ;)

[Ogerscherge 43]

Man, Jaina will be furious after this. :/

I hope Saurfang doesn't get executed for this. He is pretty much the last hero the horde has left. :(

[Drachar 45]

7 hours ago, Migol said:

Whatever the reason they're stuck with a person as Warchief that even Garrosh was saying went too far.    Who has had torture and experiments going on for years near her undercity throne, has actively worked on the plague, etc etc.

Garrosh flaw as Warchief was splitting the Horde apart with him favoring the Orcs above all other members of the Horde. I very much doubt Vol'jin picked Sylvanas as the next warchief because she is a nice person, he picked her as someone who understand survival is all that matters.

At the heart of the conflict in Azeroth is that we have two factions who only tolerate each other when there is a greater threat against Azeroth (be it undead, Old Gods, time travel Orcs or The Legion). While I have my reservations against attacking Teldrassil of all places, until Blizzard decides that Sylvanas burned down the tree becouse she is evil and mean, I would like to hope there was a reasoning to make sure the Horde survives.

 

As for the actual scenario, I am fine with Saurfang sulking in a cell. He has now twice had reservations against his Warchief's actions, and rather then dealing with it in an Orcish way (mak'gora), he simply runs off and joins a rebellion or surrendering to the enemy. I like the character and have great sympathies for what he has done and endured, I simply can not understand his reasoning here.

[Ozz0912 0]

I agree. By now, the reasons for rekindling the war between Horde and Alliance feel way to contrived. It was worn out by WotLK, tired by MoP, and it is going to feel even older by BfA.

It doesn't matter that champions of each faction managed to rally their peers regardless of race, faction, etc together proving that they are capable of understanding, and honor.

It doesn't matter that Sylvanas and Varyan were shooting the shit while fighting the Legion on the broken horde.

It doesn't matter that Garrosh killed Cairn. All the Tauren just went "whelps, guess he is the boss now".

It doesn't matter that members of the Horde stood up to Putridus and Varimathras to retake Undercity.

It doesn't matter that the Horde champions worked with Anduinn himself to thwart Garrosh. Guess he forgot.

All of these, the Alliance knows, and yet the continue to flip like fish on a hot deck. And the Horde, rather than explain, send envoys, or something, they rather act like the cliched brutes and keep the conflict going. Diplomacy anyone?.

At this point the conflict between the Horde and Alliance is more like a contest of the who is who in the most inept logic capabilities.

[Reno2171 24]

Here's my guesses/predictions

Saurfang will become leader horde.

Vol'jin will be the patron god... I mean Loa of the horde.

Sylvanas  will be the leader of the third faction full of those that willingly want undeath.