wow New 9.2 Zone Name Likely Revealed and Has Quite Some Significance

[Starym 3,800]

 

There's some very interesting information to be had in one of the little conversations that you can drop in on after the end of this week's 9.1 campaign, as we get our first hints at where we might be going in the next patch! Spoilers ahead.

As spotted by micwini, Tal-Galan and Ve'nari have a little chat in Korthia and from it we might have actually found out the name of the new 9.2 zone, with the attendant mentioning "Zereth Mortis", and our favorite broker commenting that it's the realm of the First Ones.

Image source: Mamytwink.

Ve'nari: Greetings, my friend. Tal-Galan: Friend? The elusive Ve'nari has no friends. Ve'nari: I have been woefully misrepresented! I can be a good friend, a useful friend, to those in need. And everyone is in need of something. Tal-Galan: You more than most, from what I hear. In fact, I imagine this conversation is merely a pretext for you to inquire what I know of Zereth Mortis. Ve'nari: Do you not long to see the realm of the First Ones for yourself? Tal-Galan: One day, perhaps. If the Purpose wills it.

We know the Jailer is headed to the Sepulcher of the First ones, and it's safe to presume it's located in the new 9.2 zone, so having their sepulcher in their realm makes a lot of sense, and so Zereth Mortis may just be the next zone we travel to in the Shadowlands!

The name of the zone itself has already sparked a lot of discussion, as Wowhead spotted, with "Zereth" actually meaning "keystone/cornerstone" in the language of the First Ones, and "Mortis", well... yea. The big conspiracy theory making the rounds at the moment, however, is a bit of a stretch, as "Zereth" kind of sounds like A-zereth aka A-zerOth. Yep, that's where we're at, one of the theories is that Zereth Mortis is actually Azeroth/somewhere on Azeroth and that 9.2 might take place somewhere on our planet. Do with that one as you will.

[Dreamcatcher 66]

Maybe Blizzard surprise us with timed 9.2 release 

[navysilan 34]

25 minutes ago, Dreamcatcher said:

Maybe Blizzard surprise us with timed 9.2 release 

Do not expect 9.2 in 2021, as you can see what is happening. They should focus on fixing dramas and problem, then game.

I just hope they will come back stronger and show us Shadowlands Can be really good expansion

[Nym85 72]

10 minutes ago, navysilan said:

Do not expect 9.2 in 2021, as you can see what is happening. They should focus on fixing dramas and problem, then game.

I just hope they will come back stronger and show us Shadowlands Can be really good expansion

While I always will think of what could have been if WoD had gotten proper support and they had tried to fix it, at the end I think giving up on it and wrapping it up so they could focus on Legion is why Legion had so much content. I'd rather they wrap Shadowlands up (still expecting 9.2 to at least be better than 9.1 though) with 9.2 and move most resources to 10.0 so that it can have a proper patch cycle like Legion did.

[Teufel 331]

Oh noes, after all the attendant talk of a "very special world soul" that allows the player to interact with the First Ones' relics and both Zovaal and the Primus saying "death comes for the soul of your world" the Sepulcer turns out to be in Azeroth?!

Perish the thought.

[Dreamcatcher 66]

1 hour ago, navysilan said:

Do not expect 9.2 in 2021, as you can see what is happening. They should focus on fixing dramas and problem, then game.

I just hope they will come back stronger and show us Shadowlands Can be really good expansion

maybe christmas. a man can dream tho

i really wish Blizzard come back stronger than ever

[Starym 3,800]

1 hour ago, Teufel said:

Oh noes, after all the attendant talk of a "very special world soul" that allows the player to interact with the First Ones' relics and both Zovaal and the Primus saying "death comes for the soul of your world" the Sepulcer turns out to be in Azeroth?!

Perish the thought.

I just... if they REALLY named it Zereth Mortis JUST so it can sound like Azeroth because Azeroth was really named that cos it's the cornerstone/keystone... I just can't with these nonsensical """reveals""" that retcon/make some utter pointless shit up for nothing but shock/surprise value. I can't imagine it being that bad, but I've been wrong before.

[MrM 44]

2 hours ago, Starym said:

I just can't with these nonsensical """reveals""" that retcon/make some utter pointless *filtered* up for nothing but shock/surprise value.

Must have been a real shock to you when you found out that Gollum's pretty magic ring was actually one of the most powerful/evil items in the entire world. Because...you know...stories like this totally aren't just made up as the authors go along. Nope, never happened.

[Calysia 229]

It wouldn't surprise me in the least if the 9.2 locale turns out to be Azeroth.

[vinmai 0]

Let's have a language window here. "Zereth" is from the Bible, and noone can agree upon the exact translation - it may be splendor, ripest, highest, distress or adversary. "Mortis" is from latin, meaning "of death". 

Now if they are talking about Azeroth, i'd say "splendor of death" fits here, or (since it is apparent that writers of sf/f often don't really care about being grammatically correct with names) i'd even say "ripest for death".

Another fitting option can be "Adversary of death", given what azeroth's soul survived and/or is destined to survive (they defo have a vault full of prophecies somewhere).

Either way, this all suggests that azeroth's  is indeed gonna die - perhaps Ve'nari's tryin to get there first to stop jailer or get smth important before its destroyed   

[Migol 433]

Quote

Yep, that's where we're at, one of the theories is that Zereth Mortis is actually Azeroth/somewhere on Azeroth and that 9.2 might take place somewhere on our planet. Do with that one as you will.

This is starting to smell a lot like Nzoth patch using Golden Vale and Ramkahen recycled zones to cut production costs and time.    Hope I'm wrong because running around an old zone with old herbs and minerals to do dailies was not the funnest of times.    Especially if it implies 9.2 is the final shadowlands patch and we're being sold on yet another abbreviated expansion.

Possible silver lining: It might be they finally remember that Giant Sword sticking in Azeroth and wounding the world soul that we somehow forgot about.

[Vanillajam 0]

It’s the Sepulcher of Silverpine Forest. The Zereth is for Azeroth, and the Mortis part is in reference to the Forsaken. What a twist!

[Nym85 72]

Eh, if the Sepulcher is in Azeroth, why the *filtered* would we need five sigils to get there. We can get back at any time and since NPCs can come as well that means our access is in character, not just for game reasons.

 

I mean they could do it, but it would be so stupid.

[MrM 44]

21 minutes ago, Nym85 said:

Eh, if the Sepulcher is in Azeroth, why the *filtered* would we need five sigils to get there.

We can, doesn't mean he could. 

Even assuming this theory is true, and his destination is somewhere on Azeroth: Just because a building is in your town, it doesn't mean you wouldn't need a key to get into it.

[Arcling 898]

5 hours ago, Starym said:

I just... if they REALLY named it Zereth Mortis JUST so it can sound like Azeroth because Azeroth was really named that cos it's the cornerstone/keystone... I just can't with these nonsensical """reveals""" that retcon/make some utter pointless *filtered* up for nothing but shock/surprise value. I can't imagine it being that bad, but I've been wrong before.

Wouldn't surprise me to be honest, since they've been trying to make Azeroth this very special planet that has this Titan world soul (probably very unique and stronger than other Titans as well). I still don't like how they inserted Jailer into majority of past lore or how Kel'Thuzad has been serving him all along (even Ner'zhul or Arthas with their telepathic link couldn't sense it?!), but it is what it is. Placing Zereth Mortis in Azeroth could potentially save them some assets, if they reuse and modify existing zone for it. Hopefully it's new, but they pulled something similar with N'zoth.

[Devylknyght 83]

Jaina is a Dreadlord confirmed. again.

[Jeryan82 0]

Well there is still one up opened place in North Eastern Kingdoms, could that be where we are headed? hmmm

 

[Teufel 331]

7 hours ago, Nym85 said:

Eh, if the Sepulcher is in Azeroth, why the *filtered* would we need five sigils to get there. We can get back at any time and since NPCs can come as well that means our access is in character, not just for game reasons.

 

I mean they could do it, but it would be so stupid.

Well, you kinda can say that WE can go there, but if Zovaal is as opressively powerful as the lore makes him out to be, we'll require aid from the Eternals. And they, most likely, can't leave Shadowlands without sigils.

[Teufel 331]

6 hours ago, Arcling said:

Placing Zereth Mortis in Azeroth could potentially save them some assets, if they reuse and modify existing zone for it. Hopefully it's new, but they pulled something similar with 

Honestly, the idea with N'zoth wasn't even bad, they just didn't grasp Lovecraftian themes with it, it's just normal zones with some tentacles, flesh growths and obelisks in it. Neither horrific nor insanity-inducing.

ZRM being reused assests... well, they're already hardly made you feel that you're in another plane of existence. One more step to go.

[Ragingwolf 310]

New zone being nothing but blank and white with world devour creatures that removed/destroyed any evidence of the first ones.

[Arcling 898]

19 hours ago, Teufel said:

Honestly, the idea with N'zoth wasn't even bad, they just didn't grasp Lovecraftian themes with it, it's just normal zones with some tentacles, flesh growths and obelisks in it. Neither horrific nor insanity-inducing.

ZRM being reused assests... well, they're already hardly made you feel that you're in another plane of existence. One more step to go.

Tbh, I've been bored with Lovecraftian themes, so I'm not going to miss these. And yeah, Shadowlands doesn't feel like another plane of existence, especially when souls themselves aren't truly immortal and they can be killed, turned into some anima dust. I had that idea that SL could have been easily rewritten as simply another Outland-like planet, destroyed by Legion, it's surviving denizens learned some magic how to gather souls from other worlds in order to strengthen themselves with their anima. Aside from rewriting some dialogue, it could work! Plus it's already weird how there are some natural denizens of current Shadowlands (like those Fae and Dredgers I think, or Nathrezim, who were created there), even some non-sentient animals, who aren't souls of dead animals (yet there is a soul of dead horse from Azeroth, as well as those mounts that Jailer's forces use, so it doesn't make sense anyway).

Edited August 13, 2021 by Arcling

[RictusGrin 0]

if it's The Keystone World. If so, we're in trouble. 

Edited August 14, 2021 by RictusGrin
Typo

[Luxilo 0]

The notice on 9.1 release date was way shorter than usual, a lot of people book time off work to play new patches, so hopefully 9.2 isn't rushed and we get reasonable notice.

 

Also, I think if they fix the issues at Blizz then all the fresh content will be better than before, with the staff being happier and more comfortable. 😄