Ah, that zone (realm or dimension would be more appropriate actually) has been a source of all kinds of rumours, speculations, etc. for a long time now. But first, a "thank you" to my guild mates with whom we discussed the future of WoW a while ago, Emerald Dream's too. Disclaimer: I know that the Emerald Dream in all its glory cannot be introduced into WoW, due to the fact that it's like 5 times the size of Azeroth, give or take (could be more or less, depending on its layers). Also, this thread has nothing to do with druids. PART I : General Idea So far, we, the players, have faced many challenges and hardship on the way to glory. The fact is, however, that majority of the progression was done by the big wigs, best of the guilds. I really liked what you did with the Isle of Quel'Danas, allowing everyone to contribute to the big goal, and feel like he is needed, even if a little. Taking that in consideration, my suggestion for the new realm (zone) involves an inovative way of progression (I like planning new things only if they are unique (for me at least), blame it to my NIH syndrome). Don't stop reading though, I'm not suggesting anything life-altering. All of us interested in the lore know about the Emerald Corruption.It is the main element in my suggestion. In the beginning, when the first players enter the dream, they will find a twisted and corrupted place with nothing to do except in the starting zone. Everything they do though - questing, helping NPCs, beating dungeons and raids, will all contribute towards driving the corruption away. Slowly, the combined effort of the players will restore the Dream to its former glory (and give the access to 'epix' of course, can't do it without them). When the corruption is down to the last zone, one decisive battle will be thought by the best of the best, against the Old God responcible for everything. And even though those who dealt the big blows (translation : killed the raid bosses) will be remembered best, everyone would have contributed in one way or another. As a sanctuary for the adventurers, the Eye of Ysera, home of the Green Dragonflight, could prove to be the best option. Shifting to the current point of interest (zone of interest actually), it will offer up to date information on the Corruption and ways of dealing with it (to be read : dailies), as well as providing gear to those in need and being a host for exciting events. ---------------- Part II : Specifics This part will cover some specifics points in Q&A style. Q: How do we enter the Dream? A: Through one of the five portals in Azeroth (in Duskwood, Feralas, Tanaris, Ashenvale and Crystalsong Forset (Northrend) ). Only one will be accessible initially, and the players will have to fight their way to it in a world event. The other portals will open up eventually as the corruption is driven away. Q: How come does the Green Dragonflight allow us to use their capitol? A: Because we will earn the right to use it (did you honestly expect to get something for free?). By the time the Dream becomes accessible, the Nightmare would have started affecting the Eye itself and guess who has to help Ysera and her Flight -- the players. Q: Once the corruption is driven away from a zone, is that permanent? A: No. It will retake the zone again, slowly, if you leave it unchecked. Q: Hello endless grind and sleepless nights? A: Of course not! There will be many "checkpoints". Even though a single entity will be responcible for all our troubles in the Dream, the Old God will have many leutanants, supporting the corruption. Green Dragons and other magical creatures are perfectly fit for that, as well as druids. When one of the corrupted areas is almost cleansed, either an instance will open up where you have to kill the corruptor, or he will come to the area as a world boss. Once he has been killed at least once, the area is cleansed from the Nightmare permanently. Q: What about flying mounts? A: While flying mounts might be used in one way or another, the tip of the ice-cream should be levitation - flying around freely. Q: Wait .. isn't that only for druids? A: The fact that druids know how it's done doesn't mean that they're the only one who can do it. Dire times call for dire measures, so the Cenarion Circle will teach other people some of their secrets - for a fee. Druid students will pay as well for that knowledge. Q: So how does it work? A: It's a pretty big concept which I cannot explain with just a few words. I will put information about it in Part III. Q: Will the progress be linear, zone after zone in a set order? A: Both yes and no. There is a starting point, an ending point, and zones inbetween. However, there won't be a strict order in which you cleanse the zones. There will be limitations, of course - you won't be able to just move to the second-last zone from the very beginning. Some zones might even grant bonuses to speed up cleansing others. Q: Then how will the Eye of Ysera move to the current point of interest if there are many? A: There are two possibilities for this: either it moves to the most important zone at the given moment, or - dimension distortion. And by that I mean that although there is only one Eye, multiple entrances in different zones will lead to it. That beats taking the taxi :) . ---------------- Part III : The Cenarion Circle's knowledge In this part I will talk about some of the powers accessible for players in the Dream. 1. Entering the Dream at will - Only available to druids - Obtainable early in the progression, probably in the Eye of Ysera This is an ability that will allow druids to shift into the Emerald Dream at any given time -- with a catch though. Their physical bodies will stay behind, being vulnerable to attacks. If the druid's body is killed, the druid's spirit will die in the Dream and get teleport to the nearest graveyard to his body. 2. Dimension distortion - Gets upgraded as you progress - Some points available to druids only, others to all classes - One hour cooldown on each individual distortion - Mages can create distortions without limitations by using Teleportation Runes Think of it as an upgrade to the hearthstone. It should reduce travel time considerably if used right. The distortions function as normal teleportation spells -- not as portals! Mages will recieve a portal spell to the Eye of Ysera, but _nowhere_ else. 3. Greater influence to the Dream - Available to all classes This includes some abilities that can be used in the emerald dream only. The purpose of them is modifying the environment -- to a small extent. A boulder blocking a cave ? No problem - remove it. Want some privacy? Create a huge thorn wall around you. The use of these abilities will weaken the caster for some time. Cooldowns and the exact extent of the exhaustion vary from ability to ability. 4. Levitation - Available to all classes - Obtainable midway through the progression This ability will allow the user to fly around freely and increase his flying speed by 100% . Only usable inside the Emerald Dream, of course, and it does come with limitations. You cannot attack or use any abilities while flying, otherwise it will break the levitation, and you can't reactivate it for 10 whole seconds. Also, any form of stun or incapacitation will break the levitation too. The levitation is an instant-cast ability. And for the grand finale ... 5. Advanced Levitation - Unique for every class - Obtainable at the end of the progression - Requires initial levitation - Expen$ive This form of levitation will have a few general advantages over the first one: it increaces the flying speed by a whooping 300% , can be recasted instantly after being broken, and, allows you to use spells an abilities in mid-air with 50% penalty to melee, ranged and spell haste. There are also unique bonuses for every class: - Mage -> Allows you to do quick bursts of speed once every 10 seconds, increasing flying speed by an additinal 200% for 2 seconds. Has a moderate manacost. - Warlock -> Demonic wings slow your fall after levitation is broken - Warrior -> Charge and Intercept knock the target up in the air, preventing it from reactivating levitation for 3 seconds - Druid -> Allows you to create a massive cyclone, knocking away targets around you. Also, entagling roots can be cast in the air and will slowly draw the target to the ground. Feral charge won't cause enemies to fall. Summoned treants recieve the levitate bonus as well. - Hunter -> Your pet and traps will also be able to levitate. Your pet gains 300% speed bonus as well, and the traps will snap on anyone up to 20 yards above and below them. Aspect of the Cheetah/Pack will interrupt your levitation and prevent it from being cast for 2 seconds. The daze effect is ignored in the air. - Paladin -> Players that fall on the ground due to repentance or Hammer of Justice won't take fall damage. Avenging Wrath will also increase your speed by 50%. Blessing of protection will make levitate unbreakable. Consecration will be a sphere-like effect. Judgement of Justice will limit the players' air speed to 290%. Blessing of Freedom makes your levitation uninterruptable. - Rogue -> Players that fall on the ground because of your stun or incapacitate effects will not take fall damage. Shadowstep's range is increased by 20 yards. Abilities that require you to be behind the target will also work above and below it. You will remain permannetly stealthed in the air as long as you don't enter combat or stop moving. If that happens, stealth is broken. Vanish allows you to remain in stealth without moving for its duration. Stealth does not have any movement speed penalty in the air. - Shaman -> Your totems will levitate in the air as well. Allows you to get electocuted - at the cost of 2000 life you gain 100% speed bonus and 100% damage bonus to the next spell for 5 seconds. Can only be done once per 20 seconds. Also allows you to summon a storm clowd around you, dealing 500 damage per second to enemies in it for 10 seconds. Can only be done once per minute. - Death Knight -> ??? -> Profit Note that while some enemies will have levitate as well, those who can't will simply evade and ignore you. Your summoned creatures will generally be fly around with you as well. -------------- Part IV - The Forest of Infinite Possibilities 1. What is it? The forest is a huge new battleground in the Emerald Dream for 40 players. There are many strategical points in it - open fields, hills, river crossings. It should generally take about 30 minutes to complete. The two forces start on opposite sides in the forest inside their respective bases (more information about them in the last 3 points). 2. How do we win? There are two ways to win - total control of the whole Forest, or gathering enough resources. 3. Gathering Resources? Powerful herbs randomly spawn around your outposts or in hard to access places. Players can pick them up and return them to one of the outposts, for which the team recieves points. If a player is killed while carrying herbs, he will drop them on the ground. 4. How many outposts does each team have? Zero!.The team has to build them. 5.Build them? How? The Emerald Dream is a place which can be manipulated freely. With enough energy, everything is possible. There will be several energy shrines in the battleground, which will act as focusers. The teams will have to control them, leave enough players to _channel_ energy to them, and when enough of it is gathered, outposts can be built. 6.How are shrines controlled? Like any other PvP objective. 7. What if a team loses control over the shrine? The energy will be equally transfered to other shrines controlled by that team. IF the team does not have other shrines, the energy is lost permanently. 8.Can the gathered energy be used for things other than building outposts as well? Yes it can, in fact there are lots of possibilities: - Defences : Putting walls, shields, that sort of thing around outposts - Gathering : Increacing the respawn of herbs, destroying all herbs in an area, reducing the time for which a herb is gathered and others - Offence : Earthquakes, storms, and other things that will damage an enemy outpost - Backup : Summoning NPCs to fight on your team's side Only with a proper combination of abilities can a team win. 9. So outposts are destroyable? Yes. They will take a lot of hits, but it's nothing a good strike force can't handle. 10. Will mounts be usable? All of them, including air once. Also, both Levitation and Advanced Levitation are usable! If a player has levitation, but not the advanced form, he can acquire it for the duration of the battleground at the cost of 60% less honor recieved. 11. How about the environment affecting abilities mentioned earlier? Yes, every single one of them will be usable. 12. How exactly is the gathered energy in shrines used? The battleground leader will be able to use it by talking to the NPCs at his team's base. There will be a few precautions to prevent game ruining. 13. Can the bases be destroyed? No, and the NPCs there will be impossible to kill. Consider them safe-spots. 14. Anything else that you can do in the bases other than use the shrines' energy? Yes, you can. Inside, there will be food, drink, reagent and ammo vendors, as well as a place to repair. You can also ask for advanced levitation there, and you can accept and turn in some battleground-related quests.