wow Official Waking Shores Preview (First Zone of Dragonflight)

[Staff 1,488]

Blizzard have previewed the first zone we'll get to see in the Dragon Isles, taking a look at its inhabitants, environments, dungeons and more!

Waking Shores (Source)

The Waking Shores are the beginning of your adventures as you take your first steps into the Dragon Isles. Help your allies push back against enemies, new and old, who are bent on controlling this ancient place of elemental power.

The dragonflights left their homeland and the Waking Shores remained dormant for ten thousand years. With Azeroth's world-soul revitalized, the awesome primal might of the Shores stirs anew, rousing the dragons' ancient allies and age-old enemies from their long millennia of slumber.

This land is stirring with the reawakening of elemental energies. Long ago, the elements were present in their most primal, unfettered form; however, the resurgence of magic in the Dragon Isles has caused that energy to reawaken.

Geysers and hot springs are commonplace, and powerful streams and rivers carve grottoes into the colorful rocks and sediment. Waterways feed into the land's heart and the Life Pools of the red dragonflight.

While millennia ago this area was populated with dragon architecture like the rest of the Broodlands, most of those structures have long since fallen into decay and become overgrown.

Volcanic areas are alive with molten earth and fire. As the elevation rises, the land becomes harsher. In these imposing mountains, Neltharus, the Obsidian Citadel was built by the black dragonflight so that the Earth-Warder could defend the Broodlands. Abandoned long ago, the imposing fortress has now been claimed by the djaradin.

---

Adventure Lies Ahead in the Dungeons of the Waking Shores

Whether you’re looking for loot, a new challenge, or to learn more about this ancient land, you’ll need to gather your courage— and your allies— for the trials ahead.

Ruby Life Pools

As the ancestral nesting grounds for the five flights, the Ruby Life Pools is a sacred place. The Red Dragonflight, whose charge it is to nurture all life, protect these pools and the future of all dragonkind held within them.

However, Raszageth and her Primalists have come to steal that future away and infuse their own powers into the sacred pools. They must be stopped for dragonkind to thrive.

• Melidrussa Chillworn: Melidrussa Chillworn leads the Primalist infusion efforts in the Ruby Life Pools. Her fervent belief is that she is protecting young dragon eggs from the influence of the titans and cleansing them from the stain of Order magic. She will stop at nothing to fulfill her calling and return the eggs to what she believes is their natural state.
• Kokia Blazehoof: As Primalist forces assault the Ruby Life Pools from all sides, it falls to Kokia and her Blazebound lieutenants to capture precious eggs from overwhelmed defenders, spreading flame and havoc as they go.
• Kyrakka and Erkhart Stormvein: Kyrakka and Erkhart roam the skies above the Ruby Life Pools coordinating attacks on the shrine below while also taking out any interfering dragons. If left unchecked, they burn the Life Pools to the ground and blow the remaining ash away in a cleansing elemental storm.

Neltharus

Beneath the Obsidian Citadel lies Neltharus, home of the black dragonflight’s hoard and the secrets behind their legendary forging. When the djaradin woke from their slumber, they chose Neltharus as the point of entry for their attack. Surprised to find it deserted, they quickly laid claim to its secrets for themselves... as well as the rest of the Obsidian Citadel.

• Chargath, Bane of Scales: This veteran dragon hunter’s title was given eons as a mark of legend. While the Qalashi hunters under his command train, he plans their next offensive and awaits with eager anticipation the opportunity to display his expertise.
• Forgemaster Gorek: As one of the djaradin’s most distinguished craftsmen, the Forgemaster Gorek now resides in his sweltering chamber of the black dragon barracks. There, he harnesses the igneous power of the massive forge to construct deadly weaponry.
• Magmatusk: The djaradin discovered many of Neltharion’s secrets while plundering Neltharus. An experimental potion gone awry created Magmatusk, a behemoth of a mammoth bent on sheer destruction.
• Warlord Sargha: Leader of the Qalash djaradin, Warlord Sargha has been in search of anything that would increase the power of her clan and help take down their draconic enemies. In the hoard at the heart of Neltharus, she may have found exactly what the djaradin need.

---

Inhabitants of the Waking Shores

Elemental magic manifests everywhere, with earth, air, water, and fire taking physical form. New types of elemental beings are rising, as well as animalistic creatures infused with this magic. Here are some that you will happen upon in your travels:

---

Check WorldofWarcraft.com/news for updates, and follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

See you in the Dragon Isles!