With the War Within launching today, speculations are rife about upcoming content, including the mysterious Rootlands zone and potential Ethereal and Goblin-themed raids.
The Rootlands: A Hidden Zone?
The Rootlands has emerged as a potential fifth “leaked” War Within zone, rumored to have been hidden by Blizzard due to its deep lore implications. This zone is closely tied to the world tree Elune’Ahir, a sacred tree planted by Elune and Eonar that was later ripped out by Aman’Thul, indicating a conflict among the titans.
Early datamining suggested that Rootlands was initially planned as the fourth zone in War Within, situated between Hallowfall and Azj-Kahet. Its absence from the official release has fueled speculation that Blizzard may be saving it for a future update.
Here’s a detailed video talking about the Rootlands in more detail.
The zone is also notable for being the home of Haronir, seen in the Shadows Beneath cinematic.
You can watch the trailer here if you haven’t seen it yet.
The Rootlands Entrance: A Clue?
Dataminer Marlamin uncovered a possible entrance to the Rootlands while exploring the roots area in Azj-Kahet. During this exploration, a “sleeping buff” similar to the one experienced in the Emerald Dream was triggered, hinting that the Rootlands might be accessible in future patches. This area is believed to be directly linked to the World Tree Elune’Ahir.
A Mysterious Mural in Azj-Kahet
In Azj-Kahet, we have a mysterious mural showing a fifth Old God, speculated to be Xal’atath, trying to get ahold of Beledar. This mural has raised questions about the significance of the Hallowfall crystal, which periodically shifts from light to void. What could Xal’atath’s true intentions be?
Ethereal and Goblin Raids: What’s Next?
Some icons in the game files suggest we may see Ethereal and Goblin-themed raids in the War Within expansion.
In the Goblin Way short story, a group of goblins mentions Undermine. The game files contain one icon tied to a goblin raid.
We’re excited to see what the future holds for the War Within!
