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Blizzard Entertainment took online role playing by storm with
their hit title, World of Warcraft. With mind-boggling
improvements in graphics, gameplay networking, and interface --
really every category -- this game became the crown prince of the
genre. World of Warcraft players will be excited by the
approaching release of the new expansion pack: World of Warcraft:
The Burning Crusade. This pack expands the already massive,
award-winning multiplayer online role-playing game by tremendous
bounds, adding new races, lands, battlegrounds, professions and
items, and much, much more. Although no release date has been
set, here is sample of what you can expect from The Burning
Crusade.
The expansion pack features an increase in the level cap to 70.
There are two new playable races, including the magical Blood
Elves that you can read more about below. The other race has not
yet been released by Blizzard. There will be new starting zones
in Quel'Thalas and beyond. Another eye-opening addition is the
entirely new, unexplored continent of Outland that is reachable
through the Dark Portal. Plus, you'll find many new high-level
dungeons to explore in Azeroth, Outland, and elsewhere that will
substantially boost gameplay. There are new flying s in
Outland; tons of new and dangerous monsters (including epic world
bosses); hundreds of new quests and items; and even a new
profession: Jewelcrafting. Of course this isn't the end of the
list -- this is just a glimpse of what Blizzard has planned for
their unreleased expansion pack.
The New Story, the Rumors, and More
Several years have passed since the Burning Legion's defeat at
Hyjal and the races of Azeroth have continued to rebuild
their once shattered lives. With renewed strength, the heroes of
the Horde and Alliance have be to explore new lands, and have
broken through the Dark Portal to investigate the realms beyond
the known world. In this expansion pack, The Burning Crusade
refers to the Burning Legion's ongoing efforts to destroy life on
Azeroth. To date, the Burning Legion's exploits have been
documented in Warcraft III and in the War of the Ancients novel
trilogy. As part of the expansion pack, players will now be able
to travel through the Dark Portal to confront the Legion on
otherworldly battlefields.
Although only one race has been revealed, Blizzard has announced
plans to unveil details about possible additional races at a
later date. On the other hand, many details have been released
about the new continent, Outland. Players last visited Outland in
Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne, alongside Illidan as he
conquered the Pit Lord Magtheridon's domain. Players will also
gain access to Quel'Thalas, the region to the northeast of the
Forsaken lands, where the Blood Elves reside. Blizzard says that
this expansion pack holds even more new areas that are ripe for
player exploration -- additional details will be revealed in the
months ahead.
Blizzard also has plans to add new dungeons and battlegrounds
with the expansion, though the exact number has not yet been
determined. One upcoming dungeon that has players excited is
Karazhan, which is located within Medivh's tower. Because Medivh
has played such a central role in Warcraft lore, Blizzard is
convinced that longtime players will be especially interested in
seeing what Karazhan contains. As for battlegrounds, Blizzard has
released very little information. However, they have announced
plans to make some of the battles from the past accessible
through the Caverns of Time.
Blood Elves: The New Race
Thousands of years ago, the exiled Highborne landed on the
shores of Lordaeron and founded the enchanted kingdom of
Quel'Thas. These high elves, as they called themselves, created a
fountain of vast, magical energies within the heart of their land
-- the Sunwell. Over time, they grew dependant on the Sunwell's
unstable energies, regardless of the bitter lessons they'd
learned in ages past.
During the Third War, the villainous Prince Arthas invaded
Quel'Thalas and reduced the once-mighty realm to rubble and
ashes. His undead army decimated nearly all of the high elven
population. In addition, he used the Sunwell's energies to
resurrect a powerful undead Lich, Kel'thuzad, thereby fouling the
Sunwell's mystical waters. The few elven survivors, realizing
that they had been cut off from the source of their arcane power,
grew increasingly volatile and desperate.
In the midst of the elves' darkest hour came Kael'thas
Sunstrider, the last of Quel'Thalas' royal bloodline. Kael, as he
was commonly known, knew that the remnant of his people would not
long survive without the nourishing magic that once empowered
them. Renaming his people "blood elves" in honor of their fallen
countrymen, Kael taught the survivors how to tap into ambient
mystical energies -- even demonic energies -- in order to sate
their terrible thirst for magic. In search of a new destiny for
his people, Kael'thas ventured to the remote world of Outland
where he encountered the fallen night elf, Illidan. Under
Illidan's watchful eye, Kael and his blood elves regained much of
their former power.
Unfortunately, the blood elves practice of embracing demonic
energies caused their former comrades in the Alliance to shun
them. Thus, the remaining blood elves on Azeroth look desperately
to the Horde to help them reach Outland where they can reunite
with Kael'thas and achieve the golden destiny he has promised
them.
Outland: The New Continent
Once the beautiful homeworld of the orcs, all that remains of
Draenor is the scattered wastes of Outland. Following the Second
War, the Alliance invaded Draenor by crossing through the Dark
Portal. To their horror, they discovered that Ner'zhul -- the
dark warlord of Horde -- had constructed a series of new gateways
that could lead the beaten Horde to newer, unspoiled worlds. As
the Alliance forces closed in around him, Ner'zhul opened his
gateways as a means of escape. However, his plan backfired and
the gateway's clashing energies resulted in a massive
catastrophic explosion that ultimately ripped the world of
Draenor to pieces.
Nearly thirteen years later -- towards the end of the Third War
-- the fallen night elf, Illidan, discovered that huge chunks of
Draenor still existed, floating upon the astral winds of the
Twisting Nether. After his defeat at the hands of the evil Prince
Arthas, Illidan fled to the remnants of Draenor and dubbed them
"Outland." He quickly seized control of the chaotic region and
sealed the last of Ner'zhul's gateways.
Though he is the undisputed ruler of the ravaged land, Illidan
lives in fear that he will be discovered by his powerful enemies
-- most notably Arthas, the new Lich King, and the remaining
Lords of the Burning Legion. For now, Outland is home to a number
of scattered draenei tribes, primitive orcs, and powerful, arcane
creatures of the Nether itself. Agents of the Burning Legion have
also targeted the region as a vital strategic location in their
unending Burning Crusade to scour all life from the universe.
What else can expected? Blizzard has tantalized Warcraft players
with the brief glimpse into The Burning Crusade's storyline. Will
these heroes find friends or foes? What dangers and rewards lie
in wait beyond the Dark Portal? And what will they do when they
discover that the demons they thought were vanquished have
returned to renew their terrible Burning Crusade? These and other
questions will remain unanswered until the gameplay can be
explored by role-playing Warcrafters.
- An increase in the level cap to 70..
- Two new playable races: the Blood Elves and the Dramamine..
- New flying s in Outland..
- Entire new continent: Outland, reachable through the Dark Portal..
- Many new high-level dungeons to explore in Azeroth, Outland, and elsewhere..