And So We Begin to Battle for Azeroth

The time has come.  With the worldwide launch of the Battle for Azeroth expansion is set to go live semi-simultaneously world wide today, which in the US means 3pm Pacific Time.  My characters are set, my addons have all finally been updated, and I am otherwise set to go.

Battle for Azeroth is now

Since this is Blizzard, and not Daybreak, it seems likely that the appointed hour will be met.  When you’ll have access to the expansion is illustrated on a chart Blizz has put out.

When can you play?

That is also shows what time the blog post is scheduled to go live… well, the US times are correct.  Your mileage may vary elsewhere in the world.

As to whether or not you’ll be able to log in to your server at the appropriate time or just be stuck in a long queue is another story.

And speaking of story, we have had our last bit of the preliminary story.  Unfolding over the last three weeks, it has sought to set the tone for the Horde vs. Alliance conflict that is central to Battle for Azeroth, pretty much dumping the burden on Sylvanas Windrunner, current War Chief of the Horde.

Sylvanas is waiting for you…

After playing through the pre-launch events on both Alliance and Horde, I am still unclear on the “why” of her actions.  She keeps speaking of the survival of the Horde, but what that has to do with the world tree one way or another isn’t certain.  Her orders seem more designed inflame conflict than foster survival.

Nice tree..shame is somebody BURNED IT DOWN!

This provoked the Alliance just as we expected it would… mostly because it was featured prominently in the Battle for Azeroth cinematic trailer from BlizzCon last year.  Young King Anduin Wrynn takes the Alliance to the Unercity for a showdown.  The Alliance prevails, entirely because Jaina Proudmoore shows up at their moment of need. Jaina ex Machina.  And so Andiun seeks out Sylvanas.

I am so going to give Sylvanas a talking to!

But when the naive king goes to confront Sylvanas he is outwitted again.  She escapes and, in the final moments of the cinematic, she and her lieutenants are formed up in what I would consider very much the smug, bad guy lineup.

Sylvanas wins again, I think

The parallel cut to Andiun and his group shows a weary determination.

Duped again

And now the stage is set… for something.  There is, or course, dissent in the Horde leadership that makes me think that Sylvanas might be headed down the Garrosh Hellscream path.  Or maybe she just isn’t telling us everything yet.   We will see as this unfolds over the next eighteen months or so… once we can log in.