Emeraude

So Blizzard re-released The Sunwell Trilogy into one giant manga-fest paper-back collection, and it has a bonus chapter at the very start that shows the Elves forming the Sunwell........and, they used the magics of the Sunwell to create buildings straight out of the ground.

Before any of you say "I told you so".

I /shinkick you, and /flee.

It's a good read if you've never read the original trilogy as well, and of course there's Words from Metzen, and we all love Metzen right?

 

Liebestod

Hah, I can imagine.

"This is a story about the Sunwell, which was formed by Illidan after the Well of Eternity was destroyed by Malfurion. He taught the Blood Elves how to use its power before he was imprisoned by Tyrande. The Blood Elves used it until Mannorath corrupted it during the Third War and had Thrall drink from it to create a new Fel Horde. In the ensuing battle it was destroyed by Cenarius, who then..

Wait, who am I? What am I doing? Why am I here?"

 

Oaken

Just curious, does any of the leaked news or data-mined info answer the question of whether or not [Mark of the Illidari] flasks will be useable in Sunwell?

 

Putts

I haven't heard anything yet, but I see no reason to believe why they wouldn't be usable in Sunwell. Considering how big of a role that Aldor/Scryer and Sha'tar rep plays in being able to purchase the flasks, and how big of a role all 3 of these factions will have in the Shattered Sun Offensive, it certainly makes sense from a lore standpoint.

 

Tyrian

Id be very dissappointed if Illidari Marks couldnt be used - it was one of those nice ideas that helps lesson the burden on raiders with consumables - we dont want it taken away from us simply because we're in Sunwell!

 

songster

<cynic>Nah, they'll bring out a different sort of flask, bought from the Shattered Sun Offensive. It'll cost Hearts of Darkness.</>

 

Finkum

Although I agree the mark mechanism should be preserved, for lore reasons it wouldn't make much sense if mobs in Sunwell dropped Illidari marks, as the bosses/mobs in Sunwell are largely unrelated to Illidan (although, if Wowhead is accurate, marks drop in HS, which is similarly unrelated - perhaps someone at that level of raid progression can confirm).

 

◊ Regen

If HS = Hyjal then yes, marks of illdari do drop in Mount Hyjal.

 

Finkum

In that case, either

1) Blizzard is giving a subtle hint that there exists a mysterious and terrible connection between Illidan and the Infinite Dragonflight, which will no doubt be revealed in due time in a future raid instance, or,
2) one of their lore-checkers is asleep on the job.

I'm going to have go with option 2, sadly.

 

Tanoh

or...

3) It's just a token with no lore attached to it. Adding two items that does the exact same things just overcomplicated things. Get over it :>

Not to sound too angry, but it's just a token. We can read anything we want into it, if it is true or not remains to be seen, but for now I'll just see it as a token.

 

◊ Kyth

The marks still have not been updated to give out the new caster flasks, which is rather frustrating. Maybe if they update it for Sunwell they'll fix that too, heh.

I have to say the cynic in me looks at the inability to get Flask of Pure Death from the marks and is not optimistic at all about Sunwell usage.

 

Finkum

Well the flavour text does say, "Bears the mark of Illidan."

I'm not saying it's up there on the top 10 list of things Blizzard needs to fix, but a large part of WoW's success stems from the (generally high quality) integration of lore. If lore weren't important, everyone would be content to receive a raid drop [Level 57 Damaging Item] from <Boss Mob #24>, a boss with randomly generated abilitied found in Generic Raid Instance B.

It is not a big ask for the Illidari-style-token-system, if it continues, to be at least thematically correct for the dungeon in which it drops.

 

Hate Monkey

Could also be some NPC inside of Sunwell that accepts the tokens too, and all flasks available.

 

Bullshot

Shattered Sun Offensive Quartermaster: "We are forever looking for the Marks that Illidan bestowed upon his followers when he used to lord over the Black Temple in Outland. Having received them, we turn them over to the Naaru who are deeply interested in deciphering Illidan's teachings to his followers which must have been powerful enough to sway even some demons over to his side risking Kil'jaeden's wrath. Having such knowledge can only benefit our cause. If you come across any such Marks during your adventures, I would happily pay you with that which you seek so I can do my part in ending the Burning Legion's threat once and for all."

<I have come across some Marks of the Illidari and would like to turn them over to you.> (Interactive option)


Blizzard could easily do something like this to make Illidari marks relevant to the Sunwell.

 

Tyrian

Bravo. Blizzard can rationalise doing anything - it just takes a clever writer and a little imagination.

 

Tunch

New mark drops in Sunwell, apothecary NPC's now accept those too. Not hard!

That said, I definitely hope/assume they will continue that usage into Sunwell.

 

Finkum

Add a quest tie-in somewhere to show that Illidan was in fact making inroads with the Sunwell population and I'd buy that

 

andastra

That's not all. Almost every single major bad guy in the Warcraft Universe started out as a good guy. Sargeras, Arthas, Kil'jaeden, Archimonde, Neltharion, Kael'thas... Even Azshara and Illidan could be argued as having started out as part of the good guys.

So you can add:

1. Kill evil Jaina.

2. Kill evil Thrall.

3. Kill evil Alexstraza.

4. Kill evil Malfurion.

5. Kill evil Tyrande.

6. Kill evil Nozdormu.

Etc., etc.

 

◊ Klasto

I'm thinking some of these new sunwell dailies will have some kind of flask system like the Gruul's Lair flasks.Obviously worse than marks of illidari but better than nothing.

 

Nezralix

Funny and all, but all bad guys starting out as good doesn't mean that all good guys will end up bad. And more to the point, this isn't the case of "good guys going bad", it's more a case of "guys-who-aren't-bad going bad".

 

Lazare

If they get really bored, there's no end to the cheezy things they can do with the CoT.

Refight every battle of Warcraft 3. From each side. Then start working on Warcraft 2 battles.

Refight other random battles from the past - for example, the original war against the Silithids.

Fight battles from "possible futures". For example, travel into the future and fight a battle where the resurgent Defias are leading a revolt against the now-adult Anduin Wrynn. This lets you create new villains randomly. "This instance is set 200 years in the future, when Lakeshire is ruled by an undead lich. Defeat him." No need to explain the backstory, and hell, it makes as much sense as traveling into the past...

Fight battles from "alternate pasts". This can tie in with andastra's suggestion. For example, travel to an alternate history where Jaina was evil, and defeat her. Then one where Thrall was evil, and so on. Endless fun. (I admit, this might even be less plausible than having the "present day" NPCs actually turn evil.)

 

• Playered

Well it was following a story *of sort* where the I-Dragonflight were tampering with the past, the problem is we never knew what for, and Hyjal was completly ignorant of them which threw the whole thing down the toilet.

 

andastra

Oh, I know, just exaggerating a little. Also, if you haven't noticed, it seems that most of Blizzard's main characters have a short lifespan. 2-3 games at the most (RTS expansions included in the count). The ones that survive long are usually in the background. Once they are in the forefront of the story, they get killed pretty quickly.

 

Antumbra

Maybe they'll get really creative and add veins wells that miners alchemists can harvest gems flasks from! That'd be pretty sweet, since you could get your flasks right there in the zone.

 

Metrosexuelf

Forgive me but it is rather strange to find people on EJ grumbling about the possibility of marks not being available. Surely I can't be alone in people that actually farmed flasks the old fashion way and have dozens ready to go should the marks not be made available there.

As someone else mentioned, I think it is likely there might be another type of consumable provided via the new reputation... still... assuming most people here are dedicated raiders it is a bit silly to see people complaining about what was essentially a gift horse from Blizzard that basically trivialized the flask making part of alchemy.