User:K1tty/Whispers of Madness Expansion Concept

=The Beginnings=



When adventurers dove into the depths of Ulduar and laid waste to the God of Death, the rest of Azeroth released a tepid sigh of relief. When Bolvar Fordragon willingly bestowed the egregious mantle of Jailer of the Damned upon himself, many had assumed the evil at the roof of the world had finally been contained for good.

They thought wrong.

Garrosh Hellscream did more than simply go mad after he revived the heart of a dead god -- when the Heart of Y'shaarj was destroyed, it sent out a distress signal across the entire planet. It was a dire, cacophonous plea for help; and it did not go unanswered.

Beneath Northrend, something is stirring. Or rather -- something has been stirring, awakening, biding its time.

It had began some years ago, with Arthas Menethil's first trip to Northrend. The fallen prince and his cronies carelessly traipsing through the bowels of Northrend began stirring unearthly horrors that had spent many millennia in hibernation. Then came the Cataclysm, which nearly rent asunder Azeroth in its entirety. Now,

=Zones=

Azjol-Nerub

 * With the Lich King's reign of terror over, the Nerubians are now poised to retake their home in a legacy defining fight against extinction. What were once enclosed dungeons overrun run by the living dead and maniacal cultists have been restored to their former stunning glory, opening up the vast underworld of Northrend all that much more. Level 90 - 92, leads to the Upper Kingdom
 * The Sundered Monolith - The underworld's parallel of Wyrmrest Temple, the Sundered Monolith is the Nerubian empire's longest surviving citadel. The hanging city acts as a neutral capital for both the Horde and Alliance expeditions marching into the bowels of the earth during their fresh campaign in Northrend.
 * Forward Point Delta -
 * Talaria - Founded by Night Elf settlers located mainly from Stars' Rest Talaria is an Alliance encampment planted firmly underneath the frozen ground of Dragonblight. Talaria serves as a spiritual guiding light to the marching forces of the Alliance venturing down into the Spider Kingdom, with priestesses of the moon communicating with their deity patron nightly to incite good luck for their troops. Along with their elven allies, humans and Draenei also inhabit the small town.
 * Camp Tavaje - Located not far from the considerably widen Maw of Narjun, Camp Tavaje is the Horde's premiere excursion into the interior of Northrend. What was once a lone, unassuming outpost built by settlers to keep an eye on the encroaching darkness swiftly grew into a fortified and rapidly growing settlement on the edge of the outside world. Camp Tavaje serves as a forward base for the Horde, feeding supplies from the surface and distributing them throughout the rest of the Spider Kingdom.
 * Gravelrock Point - Settled on the chalky edges of Shadowdust Quarry, Gravelrock Point is a Horde town founded by archaeologists and warriors alike. Named for the multitude of earthy minerals found in the area Gravelrock Point is part mining operation part military outpost. The town faces Forward Point Delta to the northwest, with workers constantly under the threat of not only the natural denizens of the zone but also Alliance forces that have set up shop across the way.

Upper Kingdom

 * The shattered remains of the Nerubian Empire, the Upper Kingdom once belonged to the scourge. Now, the Nerubian fight to control this no man's land and struggle against the forces of the faceless. Level 92 - 95

Doorward

 * What was once a lonely camp in the heart of the world is now a heavily solidified fort deep within the bowels of Northrend. No longer just a small settlement, Doorward has become an intricate maze of hallways and caverns leading deeper into the Spider Kingdom. Level 95 - 96

Zeth'gathor

 * Spanning what was once Zul'drak in eastern Northrend, the Lower Shadow Web Caverns are a rotten mess of festering disease and chaotic free-flowing magic. Deep below the upper crust of Azeroth the fetid remnants of the undead risen into service by Arthas remain in drones, being reinvigorated by the desperate trolls that barely cling to life in the newly ravaged world. Level 96 - 98

Greater Shadow Web Caverns

 * Near the rocky mountains of Storm Peaks the Greater Shadow Web Caverns extend the reach of the Nerubian far to the east, where they hold a tentative alliance with the now docile forces of Ulduar. Level 98 - 100

Old Kingdom

 * A world of twisted nightmares, the Old Kingdom is where the old gods have the strongest influence. Deep within the caverns of this wretched place lies the now desecrated prison of Yogg-Saron. Level 99 - 100

Northrend
While the underground Spider Kingdom houses most of the expansion's content, some Northrend zones, drastically altered by the cataclysm, have been updated to provide players with additional quests, leveling opportunities, and a chance to find out what's been happening in Northrend since the defeat of Arthas.


 * Dragonblight Level 90 - 92
 * West Crystalsong Forest Level 92 - 94
 * Storm Peaks Level 94 - 96
 * Zul'Drak Level 96 - 99
 * East Crystalsong Forest Level 99 - 100

=Factions=


 * Wrathful Onslaught - Led by a myriad of unsuspecting and upstart heroes, the Wrathful Onslaught are an amalgamation of the indigenous races of Northrend coming together to protect their homeland. This ragtag group of leaders has sworn themselves to rid their home of the monstrosities that lie before them.
 * Undead Vengeance - With the Lich King defeated and the scourge out of commission, the Undead Vengeance are the world's new unliving powerhouse. They are led on a righteous crusade by Toravaax Bloodsoul to rid the upper world of the old god's forces.
 * Azjol-anak - The last surviving faction of Nerubians, the Azjol-anak, having fought against the Anub'ar, have had their ranks replenished thanks to a hidden cache of eggs and are now a driving force against the old gods.
 * Clockwork Protectorate - Free from Yogg-Saron's grasp, the iron dwarves, iron vrykul, and mechagnomes have formed an alliance known as the Clockwork Protectorate to safeguard the halls of Ulduar and surrounding areas from ever encroaching invaders, using their natural and near otherworldly intelligence and tenacity to combat the inner evils of Northrend.
 * Conclave of Giants - With one race all but extinct, and the others recently purged of corruption, the giants of Northrend have founded a loosely based organization known as the Conclave of Giants. They indirectly spearhead most other terrestrial races in the crusade against the old gods, and while they do not work directly with the Undead Vengeance, they keep a respectable distance.
 * Lion Heart - Fresh from expeditions in Pandaria, the Lion Heart are a newly formed group of soldiers itching to fight in the name of the Alliance. These soldiers come from a long line of battle hardened warriors dating back to the First War and are willing to die for their cause.
 * The Equilibrium - From the shadows of 7 and the various other underbellies of the world comes the Equilibrium, an elite squad of engineers, saboteurs and assassins running frequent operations against the old god's (and anything else that stands in their way, actually) intent on tipping the scales of the ongoing war overwhelmingly in the favor of the Alliance.
 * Hellmouth Gladiators - Forged in the tempered flames of war, and free from the oppression of their former tyrannical leader, the Hellmouth Gladiators are a fanatical battalion guided by Vol'jin to aid the Horde and their allies in the north.
 * Sleeping Sun Clan - Composed of stragglers from the campaign against the Lich King and those opposed to Hellscream's reign, the Sleeping Sun Clan is a superstitious group of orcs, trolls, and shaman devoted to rekindling their shamanistic heritage.

=Bestiary=

This expansion features a large bestiary. Since the Cataclysm, Northrend has seen significant changes in both climate and population, causing some species to dwindle into near nothingness and others to thrive and prosper having not seen the light of day (or lack thereof) in years.