Since its introduction in Warlords of Draenor, the mission table has been one of the most contentious features in the game. In fact, for both Legion and Battle for Azeroth, developers have mentioned in interviews that they heavily considered scrapping the system only to keep it around anyway. But in Battle for Azeroth, the mission table has a greater purpose, one that at least to lore fanatics, will be invaluable. Recent datamining from WoWhead and MMO-Champion revealed the text for most of level 120 missions, and instead of just being based around stuff we did while leveling, these missions reveal how the war is progressing in the Eastern Kingdoms and Kalimdor. It’s essentially a way to keep the old world’s stories updated without having to do a Cataclysm-style revamp. Read on past the jump to see what these new missions reveal, some of the stuff happening in EK and Kalimdor is pretty out there!
From the datamined missions, it seems that the two largest theaters of war are Lordaeron and Northern Kalimdor. With the Alliance in control of Tirisfal (Tirisfal), Gilneas, and the Plaguelands (the Plaugelands), the Forsaken are fortifying their positions in Silverpine (Silverpine) and Hillsbrad (Hillsbrad) from the Alliance’s encroaching armies. Horde forces fleeing from Tirisfal are rebuilding the Ruins of Alterac (Ruins of Alterac), Strahnbrad (Strahnbrad), and Durnholde Keep (Durnholde Keep) as new Horde strongholds. Fenris Isle is in a constant tug of war between the Forsaken (Forsaken) and the worgen (worgen). The Horde has claimed Shadowfang Keep (Shadowfang Keep), where the Royal Apothecary Society is working on a new plague to blight Gilneas with, but the 7th Legion (7th Legion) already has Shadowfang surrounded. Alliance paladins have captured Southshore (Southshore) and are attempting to purify the blight, while the Forsaken have enslaved the dwarf spirits at Dun Garok (Dun Garok).
Meanwhile in Kalimdor, the night elves are waging a guerrilla war against the orcs in Ashenvale (Ashenvale) and Durotar (Durotar), with the remnants of their army preparing for an assault on Orgrimmar (Orgrimmar) itself. At Ashenvale, the Horde marches on Astranaar (Astranaar) while the night elves’ dryad allies have destroyed the Warsong’s logging equipment (Warsong’s logging equipment). Darkshore is a zone-wide battlefield, with the Horde controlling the southern (southern) and northern (northern) parts of the zone and the Alliance (Alliance) controlling the center. The night elves are using Lor’danel (Lor’danel) as a port to send refugees from Teldrassil to Azureymst Isle, which the Horde are planning to launch an assault on from the Zoram’gar Docks (Zoram’gar). Bael Modan has become the site of a battle between the tauren (tauren) and the dwarves (dwarves), who are preparing to invade Mulgore. A large Alliance army has attacked the Crossroads (the Crossroads), and the Steamwheedle Cartel (Steamwheedle Cartel) has pushed their neutrality to the limit by secretly aiding the Horde against the Alliance. Both (Both) factions (factions) are sending scouts to the ruins of Theramore, with plans to build a new base there.
The Wailing Caverns (The Wailing Caverns) have become filled with Azerite, which is making the deviate creatures (deviate creatures) inside act even stranger than normal; while something has been discovered in Blackfathom Deeps (Blackfathom Deeps).
These are only some of the many new missions which can be accessed from WoWhead’s datamined list. Blizzard has finally found a use for the mission table. Allowing us to learn about how the war is progressing outside of Kul Tiras and Zandalar is a great way of making this feel like a truly global conflict, something I felt Legion was lacking. Hopefully we’ll see the mission table continue to be used as a tool for lore as Battle for Azeroth progresses.
World of Warcraft Writer and columnist for Blizzplanet. I am also known as The Red Shirt Guy (BlizzCon).
