If you pay close attention, you can already sense the return of a great enemy from Shadowlands in World of Warcraft. There are significant hints.
Shadowlands is considered by the WoW community to be the worst expansion by far. Many game contents felt more like work, the storyline was convoluted, and existing stories were significantly devalued. However, there were a few aspects that were popular in Shadowlands. In particular, the story of the original zones was well received. Especially Ardenweald and Revendreth were popular.
Anyone who pays close attention in Midnight may have noticed: A part of Revendreth seems to be returning.
Astalor Bloodsworn seems to have connections to the Shadowlands
The loot system seems to contain completely new mechanics and story elements at first glance. The blood elf Astalor Bloodsworn teaches us how to perceive and collect a new resource, the so-called Pain. He then tells us about particularly powerful enemies – creatures of the Void, corrupted Void elves, or rogue Druids, from whom we are to extract this Pain.
Astalor subsequently experiments with this Pain. He empowers weapons that “cut both soul and flesh” and binds the Pain into amulets and rings that he distributes to blood elves to research the exact effect. Pain provides a revitalizing power boost, seems to create some addiction, and, in some cases, leads to fits of rage.
But Astalor sees tremendous potential in it. He repeatedly mentions that this new power source will soon “render the Sunwell unnecessary” – a bold statement for a people that has benefited from the magical energies of the well for millennia.
All these experiments raise a question: What is “Pain” actually?
Pain seems to be something that we have not yet perceived or collected in Azeroth. However, Astalor can. Not because he had a brilliant idea, but because he has vessels that are allegedly made from a strange “cosmic material”. He does not disclose where this cosmic material comes from. Therefore, it is reasonable to assume: He obtains it from other persons. Persons who apparently had access to “cosmic materials” as materials from another reality, such as the Shadowlands.
But what is Pain then? The obvious answer: Anima, as we know it from Revendreth. Pain is obtained by making a victim suffer, and this harvesting is quite painful – just as it is with Anima in Revendreth, which is gained from penitents.
The parallels are evident: Anima from Revendreth and Pain are both harvested through the suffering of the victim. The more the target suffers, the more Pain one gains from it. Anima from Revendreth and Pain also share the exact same red coloration.
Concentrated Pain grants powers, is invigorating and intoxicating – just as Anima did for the “vampire-like” Venthyr in Revendreth.
This leads to the next question: Where did Astalor gain this knowledge?
Who provides the knowledge to Astalor? Essentially, two different parties come into consideration here.
One possibility could be Kael’thas Sunstrider. He is a penitent in Revendreth and was largely redeemed during Shadowlands. He might try to help his people through a new power source – just as he once did. Astalor and Kael’thas were also closely connected back then. After all, Astalor expertly drained the Naaru that was brought to Silvermoon by Kael’thas, thereby assisting in the creation of the Blood Knights.
The second possibility is the Dreadlords. These descend from Denathrius, the former ruler of Revendreth. Denathrius is currently imprisoned in his blade Remornia, but was rescued by the Dreadlords and is now in an unknown location. It is quite possible that the Dreadlords made a deal with Astalor. They show him how to draw and store Pain (i.e., Anima) from the living, and in return, they later receive a lot of Anima, for example, to free their master from the sword and bring him from the Shadowlands into the mortal world.
Denathrius seems to be the obvious person here, as he was “saved” in the story after the character’s great popularity, so that he could later make a reappearance. Kael’thas would also be an option, but with that, Blizzard runs the risk of ruining the legacy of a character again – something they have been trying to avoid since Arthas in Shadowlands.
So far, this is of course just a theory. But anyone who closely examines the coloration of Pain and Anima, the hints of assistance from outside, and the way Pain is harvested must conclude: There are already many parallels to the harvest of Anima from Revendreth.
Even if it probably takes a while until we really know if Denathrius is behind the loot system – if you need tips on how to quickly finish your loot, we have explained that here.
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