The Creative Team is definitely cooking something interesting in Mount Hyjal. Throughout my exploration of Mount Hyjal in closed beta, I found several key characters of the Warcraft universe who either have returned, or make their first appearance in the game, straight from the novels.

Did I itch your curiousity? Good. However, that would be a Spoiler.
Ysera is found at Nordrassil with some Night Elf and Tauren druids channeling a spell through her onto the Great Tree.

Malfurion Stormrage may be found at the edge of Archimonde’s Vengeance, the huge crater on the northern edge of Mount Hyjal, and a bit west of Nordrassil.

Baron Geddon has returned from Molten Core to lay siege to Nordrassil. Only problem is that Malfurion and his elite team of druids and wardens are holding him off at the center of the huge crater, while a druid is spamming entangling roots on him.

Cenarius and Jarod Shadowsong can be found at the Gates of Sothann, on the southeastern corner of Mount Hyjal. They have a large group of druids and green drakes ready for battle.

Those of you wondering how Malfurion got to be here, when he has been missing in the Emerald Nightmare, the answer to that is in Richard A. Knaak’s World of WarCraft: Stormrage.

Cenarius was last mentioned by Malfurion to be fighting the Nightmare alongside him within the Emerald Dream. How Cenarius came to be reborn in the physical plane is yet unknown. The novel didn’t even spotlight him.

The one cameo that will definitely awe is the return of Jarod Shadowsong, brother of Illidan’s warden: Maiev Shadowsong.

Jarod commandered the Night Elf forces and even the Ancients against the Burning Legion’s invasion during the War of the Ancients. Ever since, any record of his whereabouts was unknown. The Warcraft Encyclopedia doesn’t offer any clues either. Out of nowhere, Jarod has returned in the most dire moment of Azeroth since the War of the Ancients — well, the Third War was dire enough, but he didn’t see fit to come out of the rock he’s been hiding to do anything about it.

What plans does Chris Metzen, Micky Neilson and their crew have for the future of Azeroth, Malfurion, Cenarius, and Jarod Shadowsong? Only time can tell.

One big question that comes to my mind is, will we learn any of what’s going on in Mount Hyjal in the upcoming Christie Golden’s World of Warcraft: The Shattering? I really hope so.