World of Warcraft Dragonflight will be one of the most story-rich expansions in WoW’s recent history. With a story involving some of the franchise’s most legendary characters, as well as one of its most fabled locales in the Dragon Isles, Dragonflight is lined up to answer many of the questions WoW players have had for decades.
Beyond the return of the Dragon Aspects, who will have their first major moment in the spotlight since the Cataclysm expansion, the game’s newest race, the Dracthyr, also have a long and storied past waiting to be uncovered.
Some of the lore and story subjects surrounding Dragonflight have already been revealed, with the pre-expansion patch laying the groundwork for the upcoming Dragon Isles expedition. Here are all of the Dragonflight-related lore events you should know before the expansion launches on Nov. 28.
The Dragons return home
The first major lore event to take place prior to the launch of Dragonflight is the returning of dragons to the Dragon Isles. The Dragon Isles had been hidden for over 10,000 years, but when a titan beacon was lit by Koranos in the Dragonflight cinematic, the dragons returned home. Two of the dragons to return to the Isles were Wrathion and Eybssian, who are two of the last remaining black dragons on Azeroth. Together, they sensed that something related to their dragonflight was happening at the Forbidden Reach.
The Dracthyr awaken
With the new threat of the Primal Incarnates beginning to surface on the Forbidden Reach, the Dracthyr began to awaken in order to defend their home. Shortly following their awakening, the events of the Dracthyr starting zone chronologically happen before the launch of the Dragonflight expansion.
Raszageth is freed
In the final moments of the Dracthyr starting experience, Raszageth the Storm-Eater, a Primal Incarnate, is freed from her prison by the Primalists, a faction that opposes the Dragon Aspects. Raszageth chases the Dracthyr away from the Forbidden Reach, giving them a chance to join the mortal races in the Kingdoms of Azeroth. Raszageth waits to make her next strike in the Vault of the Incarnates. The Vault will serve as the first raid of Dragonflight, and Raszageth will be its final boss.
Nozdormu meets Emberthal
Following the events of the Dracthyr starting experience, Scalecommander Emberthal stays on the Forbidden Reach, where she encounters Nozdormu, the Bronze Dragon Aspect. Nozdormu shows Emberthal the history of the dragons, as well as the events that transpired during the 10,000-year slumber of the Dracthyr. These events, which include the War of the Ancients and the timeline of the Cataclysm expansion, were detailed immensely in the pre-expansion animated series “Legacies,” which was released earlier this month.
The Aspects recruit the mortal races
After Raszageth awakens at the end of the Dracthyr starting experience, the Dracthyr realize that their home must be abandoned and they must form an alliance with the pre-existing factions of Azeroth. The Dragon Aspects come to the conclusion that they must bring the mortals with them to the Dragon Isles for support. Kalecgos, the blue Dragon Aspect, speaks with the wizard Khadgar to lay the foundation for the events of the Dragonflight expansion. Khadgar and Kalecgos’ interactions, as well as all of the planning done for the Dragon Isles expedition, can be seen and played through in the Dragonflight pre-patch.
WoW Dragonflight launches globally on Nov. 28 at 5pm CT.
Published: Nov 27, 2022 03:48 pm