wow Patch 8.2: The Story of Baine Bloodhoof - Rise of Azshara War Campaign

[Stan 5,240]

Learn more about what happens to Baine Bloodhoof in Patch 8.2 after being taken into custody by Sylvanas for treason in Tides of Vengeance. This article contains spoilers related to Baine, Azshara, and N'Zoth!

Tides of Vengeance Ending

In the latest War Campaign chapter, Baine together with Zelling returned Derek Proudmoore to Jaina and the Alliance. Sylvanas later finds out and arrests Baine for treason, while Nathanos kills Zelling.

(Sylvanas Arrests Traitor Baine Cutscene -- Credit: Athelarius)

Patch 8.2 Screen Time

Nazjatar revolves around First Arcanist Thalyssra, Oculeth, and Lor'themar Theron on the Horde side, and Jaina, Genn, and Mathias Shaw will get their screen time on the Alliance side of the story, trying to defeat Azshara.

We've played through the Horde side of the campaign. The Alliance perspective is virtually the same, as both factions meet under Orgrimmar to save Baine.

1. Visions of Danger

The questline starts with Lor'themar in Nazjatar, you're supposed to talk to Spiritwalker Ussoh who had a vision he wished to share with you regarding Baine. The time is apparently running out and he will be executed by Sylvanas before the next sunrise.

Quote

Spiritwalker Ussoh: I saw a vision of Baine. He was imprisoned. Suffering. Surrounded by enemies.

Spiritwalker Ussoh: A figure emerged from the shadows. Angry. Vengeful. The warchief.

Spiritwalker Ussoh: She spoke but a word, and Baine's life... flickered out.

Spiritwalker Ussoh: The spirits whisper that this vision will come to pass before the next sunrise.

Lor'themar Theron: By the Sunwell... We have to stop this!

2. Old Allies

Sylvanas Windrunner was once my ranger-general. Now she is my warchief. Through peacetime and war, I followed her orders. Until now. Bane is a noble soul. His execution would drive a blade into the very heart of the Horde. We must save him, $Name. It is the only way to preserve who we are. What we stand for. I have reached out to allies who will help you. But in siding with them, you will put your own life in peril. If you feel as I do, then meet them in the Cleft of Shadows. Good luck.

Quote

Lor'themar Theron: Baine Bloodhoof represents all that is best in the Horde. We cannot stand by and let his light be snuffed out.

Lor'themar Theron: But know this: When the warchief leams of our defiance, her wrath will be swift... and terrible.

Lor'themar Theron: In the end, we al must choose our path. And that choice will have consequences.

If you're a Sylvanas loyalist, you must report to Nathanos about Lor'themar's betrayal before going to the Cleft of Shadows.

There, you'll find Rokhan, Varok Saurfang and Thrall, all ready to save Baine.

Quote

Rokhan: And take this. I have a feelin' ye be needin' it.

Rokhan: You do what'chu gotta do. I be keeping an eye out for ya. Spirits be wit' ya mon.

Thrall: Baine will be executed within hours. We must act now. Many will see this as treason. But if we fail to act, all that the Horde stands for will be lost. Are you with us, $name?

• > I am with you. (Gossip text)

3. Stay of Execution

Come. It is time to save a friend.

Accept the final quest and talk to Thrall to be teleported under and enter the Baine Rescue Scenario.

Baine Rescue Scenario

Stage #1: It Begins (Defeat 2 Guards)

Quote

Thrall: I have not walked these halls since we faced Garrosh.

Varok Saurfang: Vol'jin reopened these halls to provide shelter when the Legion invaded.

Varok Saurfang: Now Sylvanas uses them to train her elite soldiers and build her Azerite weapons.

Underhold Elite Guard: Halt! This area is off limits!

Thrall: Stay your hand. We're only here to--

Underhold Elite Guard: That's Saurfang! Kill the traitors!

Stage #2: Under Watchful Eyes (Speak with Thrall, Cross the room)

Thrall: With Saurfang branded a traitor by Sylvanas, the guards will attack us on sight. Rokhan provided a totem that can conceal us for a time. Even so, wary guards may spot us. Go carefully, $name. I don't want to leave a rail of bodies in our wake. These loyalists are still part of the Horde.

• > Understood. I'll stick close. (Gossip text)

Quote

Thrall: Stay close. We'll sneak past the guards together.

This stage is very similar to the Stormwind Scenario, where you sneaked past guards and saved Talanji and Zul from the Stockades.

Stage #3: Devise a Plan (Devise a plan with Thrall)

Thrall: We've gotten this far, but the power of Rokhan's totem is fading. Saurfand and I need another way to avoid being noticed. Even these loyalists know you as a champion of the Horde, $name. Perhaps you could provide a distraction.

• > I can keep them busy. (Gossip text)

Stage #4: Fight Me! (Challenge Elite Horde warriors to provide a distraction)

Approach Dark Ranger Lenara and duel her.

Stage #5: Inspect the Troops (Inspect the troops)

Lenara tells you it was an honor to spar with you and now you must inspect the form of 4 troops.

Stage #6: Unlikely Alliance (Rejoin Thrall and Saurfang and continue deeper into the underhold)

RTC PLAYS HERE

Stage #7: Truce and Consequences (Talk to Thrall and reach the end of corridor)

This is probably a cinematic that won't be implemented until after Patch 8.2 goes live, but you suddenly stumble upon Jaina, Shaw, and Genn Greymane. From here on, you can only side with the Alliance. Sylvanas loyalists are asked to trust the warchief's plans and play along.

Quote

Varok Saurfang: Stay on your guard, $name.

Varok Saurfang: I did not expect the Alliance to be here.

Master Mathias Shaw: Not the first time we've had to move against a corrupt warchief.

Varok Saurfang: Or a sovereign king. Slain in his own home.

Master Mathias Shaw: A home that still stands. Can you stand the same for Teldrassil?

Lady Jaina Proudmoore: Enough! We aren't here to fight eah other.

Thrall: Stay focused. Baine's life is all that matters right now.

Stage #8: Strike Them Down! (Defeat Rowa Bloodstrike)

Quote

Master Mathias Shaw: Looks like Baine is being held just ahead.

Varok Saurfang: It seems we must get past her first.

Stage #9: Check on Baine Bloodhoof (Go to Baine Bloodhoof)

As you reach Baine, there's another not yet implemented RTC that's supposed to play.

Stage #10: It's a Trap (Defend Baine and destroy the inhibitor crystals)

This stage is a trap set up by Sylvanas loyalists that told Nathanos that Lor'themar and his party infiltrated Orgrimmar to save Baine.

We datamined broadcast text which hints at Sunreavers' presence in this scenario that hasn't been implemented yet and makes sense at this stage.

Quote

• Baine!
• Th--Thrall? Jaina?
• These chains are warded against magic. I'll need time to pick the lock.
• This feels wrong. Sylvanas must have known we were coming.
• "Indeed she did, traitor. You and Lady Proudmoore."
• I have no quarrel with you.
• "Have you forgotten the purge of Dalaran, murderer?  Today, the Sunreavers will be avenged."
• "Then your vendetta is with me, and me alone!"
• No! You will watch your friends die--just as I did!
• Rangers! Kill them all! FOR THE SUNREAVERS!
• Can you get us to safety?
• She is... preventing teleportation...
• Jaina... we need a way out!
• She's... blocking teleportation...

As a Saurfang loyalist, you'll notice that Baine is being held by some sort of magic and must disable the crystals and kill Blood Elf forces to save him.

Quote

Varok Saurfang: We will need an escape route once Baine is free.

Jaina Proudmoore: I can get us out, but not while these crystals are blocking my teleportation spells.

Varok Saurfang: Then we must destroy them. Go, $name!

Stage #11: Destination: Anywhere But Here (Take the portal out)

After you destroy the crystals and save Baine, you will be teleported out of the scenario to Nazjatar.

Next you return to Newhome, where Lor'themar learns that Jaina came to aid the Horde in saving Baine.

Quote

Lor'themar Theron: Proudmoore and Shaw risked their lives to rescue Baine? Unexpected.

Lor'themar Theron: Cooperation between our sides has been the exception, not the rule. More often, we are at each other's throats.

First Arcanist Thalyssra: That animosity only benefits Azshara. Her power is considerable. Divided, we are no match for her--or the master she serves.

Lor'themar Theron: Sylvanas has the loyalty of the people. So long as she is warchief, this war will rage within their hearts. We cannot stop it.

First Arcanist Thalyssra: Perhaps we do not need to. It might be enough to direct our attacks against Azshara rather than the Alliance.

Lor'themar Theron: A lesson once taught to Jaina Proudmoore and me. Your counsel is wise, Thalyssra. Our focus must be on ending Azshara's reign.

Lor'themar Theron: But if the Alliance undermines our efforts, the flames of war will rise again.

Conclusion

Player Choice in Patch 8.2

I think both factions should get their player choices in Patch 8.2:

• Alliance should decide whether or not they want to help save Baine for what the Horde has done to Teldrassil and on the opposite side of the spectrum, Horde players (mainly speaking of Sylvanas loyalists here) should have the choice not to betray their warchief, whilst they're only given the choice to play along.

There's a NPC on PTR called Choicetauren, but it won't reset your War Campaign choices just yet, so I think Blizzard may add more choices in future 8.2 builds.

Thoughts on 8.2 Story

I've played through all Nazjatar and both factions are cooperating here as well as during the Baine Rescue Scenario. The main goal of 8.2 is to fight together against a common enemy (Queen Azshara) and a corrupt warchief (Sylvanas). I don't know what Blizzard has in store for Sylvanas, be it a redemption arc (similar to what we saw with Illidan in Legion), or a Garrosh 2.0 scenario, even though Blizzard clearly stated that Sylvanas won't be a raid boss in Battle for Azeroth, we need to keep in mind that after the events of Crucible of Storms, she is now wielding Xal'atath, Blade of the Black Empire and from Dungeon Journal entries, it's clear that Azshara will free N'Zoth during her fight against us. The final wing of the raid is called The Circle of Stars for a reason. There are titan devices holding N'Zoth imprisoned.

Finally, here's a playthrough of the 8.2 War Campaign from the perspective of a Saurfang loyalist.

Uncover the fate of Baine Bloodhoof in Rise of Azshara.

[Migol 433]

Pfft.

I hope Blizzard doesn't try to get away with a technicality "Oh, she won't be a RAID BOSS, that means she's not Garrosh 2.0!"

It's been exactly Garrosh 2.0 already.    A corrupt, warmongering horde leader goes too far, betrays a more honorable horde leader, who goes on to lead a resistance that will ultimately culminate in the Horde's redemption with the overthrow of the now-corrupted by an old god leader.  

[Seksi 208]

But Sylvanas is not being controlled by the old gods, she is controlling them for added power, as a weapon!

...wait that's exactly what they said about Garrosh's relationship with Y'shaarj ?

[chronoblip 3]

It's worth remembering that, per Chronicle vol 1, there are 6 cosmic forces, 3 distinct sets of opposing pairs, at play in the Warcraft universe:

Life vs. Death

Order vs. Disorder

Light vs. Shadow

The various powers that threaten all life on Azeroth have tended to represent only one of these basic forces, and the players act to balance out the concentration cosmic forces, and the collateral damage these these concentrations inflict on reality itself as they all compete for superiority.

Thus, without a prime deity, the basic system of morality for Warcraft is then found in a balance of the forces, where no one of them ever truly "wins" against the rest, and "evil" is in actions that disrupt the balance, regardless of what cosmic force is the source driving those actions.

This is ultimately how they could finally "do away" with the current faction system, in that if PC are tasked with keeping all the cosmic forces in check, any logical splits between players would no longer be due to antagonism, but because everyone will have a different specialization with respect to the cosmic forces they either represent or keep in check. The mortal races then become the centralized balance point, the prime deity, which the other cosmic forces are judged against. Players then assist each other in helping ensure the balance of power is sustained. The mortal races wouldn't be bound by their finite nature anymore either by that point, and so struggles over finite resources like food, water, land, etc. will no longer be necessary, meaning that the only reason for the mortals to fight is to sustain their own skills and cultivate new ones, like sparring with a friend rather than destroying a hated enemy.

But how to prompt the mortal races to keep collecting power unto themselves to rival, and no longer just be pawns for, such cosmic forces?

If Sylvanas saw such writing on the wall, that a push for "peace" would prevent the mortal races from proactively growing, instead continuing the pattern of always being reactive and suffering greatly for letting their enemies make the first move, then her actions take on a different moral character, in that while still evil, a necessary evil. She forces everyone to "level up" and grow in power so that the mortal races can be one step closer to truly being free.

Sylvanas wouldn't then be a re-hash of Garrosh, but a gender-swapped Leto Atreides II, the God-Emperor of Dune, who embraced the role of messiah/tyrant to ensure humanity could survive into the future. Or, perhaps postulating a considerably less noble route, perhaps she believes that if the mortal races cannot ever truly break free from the cosmic forces, why not at least become the most powerful avatar of death and see what happens along the way?

I know a lot of folks think the story and lore are terrible, and it's certainly very easy to frame it that way, but it wouldn't take much to redeem the story arcs that Blizzard has started, and bridge into new opportunities and stories beyond Azeroth, let alone the ever-shortening roster of characters that anyone recognizes or cares about.

[Seksi 208]

At the same time, I have my doubts that Sylvanas is a force for death, because isn't undeath the ultimate opposite of death, when you think about it? Not even time can kill Sylvanas and the rest of the undead, and Bwonsamdi has mentioned several times in the past that he doesn't like what Sylvanas is doing to the balance by taking away his souls.