*Adjusts tinfoil hat*
Speculating is fun, isn't it? In this post I'll be looking at some evidence/possible hints given to us so far and making some conclusions about where we could be heading (and also the more easily answered question - with whom?). Take this as the ultimate truth at your own discretion.
Return of Old Friends
We already knew at the beginning of this year that all expansions would be thematically linked, and Rafaam being the head of the League of E.V.I.L. got people speculating right away that other fan favourite League of Explorers characters might return too during this year. Yesterday's teaser video cemented that theory. But was it just an attempt to bamboozle us? I don't think so. Blizzard tends to hide some clues about future expansions in single player content and this time the most promising one has been Ol' Toomba's interaction with Elise.
The expansion clue? Image posted originally by Reddit user MysticZamasu.
Last time when we saw Elise she was not in a desert but in the jungle of Un'Goro Crater leading a group of junior scouts. Additionally, the Year of the Dragon expansion teaser image had desert-y surroundings, alongside some hieroglyphs and the exact same runes that the League of Explorers heroic card back has.
Familiar looking runes?
Based on this we're definitely heading into a desert area with some, if not all, of the LoE heroes making a return.
Talking with the Boss
More potential clues can be found when playing Warlock in the Great Dalaran Heist. Under some conditions (which I'm unsure about, possibly your first Warlock run ever) Rafaam pops up during the first encounter, and he has some high praise to give.
Instrumental, eh? No offence to Tekahn's efforts, but I personally didn't notice him doing much more than any of the other 8 henchmen did. Why does Rafaam think he's so special then (other than representing his own class in the Heist)? What might Tekahn know that the others don't?
You can get a clue of Tekahn's origins when picking a hero to play in Dalaran Heist, as he mentions the Neferset, a Tol'vir tribe. With a quick googling you can find out that in Warcraft lore, the tribe was lead by Dark Pharaoh Tekahn, ruling over Neferset City in...
A Return for More?
Uldum. Looks like our Tol'vir friend may be a deceased king from the desert region of Uldum.
The area would certainly give some amazing potential for an expansion: in addition to the Lost City of the Tol'vir, the area is home to air elementals and Al'Akir with the Throne of the Four Winds and the Vortex Pinnacle. We've also got the amazing Titan facility, the Halls of Origination, which may be of the most important titan creations in all of Azeroth as it is rumored to have great treasure within the walls, and secrets that could endanger all life on Azeroth. It certainly seems like the League of E.V.I.L. would want do to something with secrets of that caliber.
We shortly visited Uldum in the first chapter of League of Explorers with Reno Jackson when he acquired the Rod of the Sun, one of the three pieces of the Staff of Origination which Rafaam was after back then. Now, armed with Tekahn's inside knowledge of the area and the entire city of Dalaran, he might be after something more...
Final sidenote: I've seen some people already speculating that the third expansion with its fiery colors in the expansion image above might have something to do with Deathwing. Guess who was Tekahn's boss in Warcraft lore? A certain black dragon... and it is Year of the Dragon of course...
What do you think about this theory? Hopeful thinking or a sound case? Let us know what you expect to see in the new expansion in the comment below.
Comments
strong clue about Loe but wondering how it can fit the year dragon theme
Reno is a bronze dragon ofc
Lol, sets never followed theme of the year
Not 100% I mean year of the mammoth had 2 expansion follow it's theme:
Mammoths both lived in cold climates (KOFT) and are extinct (unguru)
year of the kraken had a bit to do with tentacles (old gods) and it's a weak link but gadgetzan is a port city and there was a pirate theme. krakens are known to attack ships so it's a link sort of.
Year of the raven had only connection to the witchwood since it's a dark area and well there were a few ravens in the trailer.
I mean it's not much but there is a least one or 2 links to the year's creature name and the themes of the expansions.
Didn't Tol'virs also make an appearance at un'goro ?
Yes they are; Tol'vir Warden and Tol'vir Stoneshaper.
I remember how Mike Donais said The League of Explorers and Journey to Un'goro are his favorite expansions. I think it is not said by random or his "true" favorites. It was a hint about next expansion in my opinion.
I think Un'goro, LoE and Old Gods (Infinite Dragonflight?) will be the throwbacks of this expansion.
Mike Donais also said that we might see Quest cards in future in that twitch chats, so maybe it is the time !?
For whom wants to learn more what Mike Donais said; Source;
https://outof.cards/forums/hearthstone/hearthstone-general/703-news-from-mike-donais
Sunkeeper Tarim is Tol'vir aswell
I also see the Deathwing and the Dragon Soul in the 3rd expansion image.
Never played WoW myself, but iv seen threads pop up from time to time where ppl wished for an Uldum expansion for years now, saying that it is one of the most iconic places in WoW and that it has great lore and locations. I would gladly explore that in Hearthstone :)
Uldum is a fascinating place, also because it has an ancient Egypt allure.
Surely worthy of a HS expansion, but beyond that, it's not really an iconic place for WoW.
eg not even comparable to Dalaran. Or indeed Blackrock Mountain, Naxxramas, Icecrown, Un'goro, Stranglethorn Vale, etc. Now those are iconic WoW places.
Except for stranglethorn, hearthstone has been all those other places specifically in past adventures. But I think the OP is very close to the theme,
remember also that the LEAGUE of evil STOLE the city for the master plan, so what would you do with a hijacked city of magic
Actually RR is set in Stranglethorn. ;)
Anyway, my point was about the perception of 'iconic'.
I am also quite persuaded about Uldum for next expansion, and honestly i would like it.
Lol you got Uldum and Ulduar mixed up.
Ulduar was the Wraith raid that is considered one of the best pieces of content in the game. Uldum is considered one of the worst pieces of content in the game as in beta it had an actual storyline relevant to the expansion and explained why Al'Akir sided with Deathwing and the titan presence there. Between Beta and Launch, they trashed the story line and turned the whole thing into cutscene heavy Indiana Jones references with Harrison Jones.
Oh shit, see? I told you i never played it :D Oh well, i hope we get some nice story with Hearthstone then :)
* Tip Tinfoil Hat * Here we go again, the speculation season is formally started
Don't think there's anything left to speculate gj haha
I don't know how the storytelling in the next two expansions will be handled - if we would see the good guys assembling (2nd expansion) and fighting the villains in the 3rd or assembling and fighting the villains in the 2nd, while someone sneakily steals a very powerful artifact and everyone gathers around to defeat that final boss. Before this article I thought, that Raffam would be the final boss, who planned all of the heist just to get to that mysterius object. But now I'm leaning towards the Tol'Vir. If Tekahn backstabs Rafaam and holds the power for himself, that would be a Plot Twist I would gladly experience.
[edit] Nice news post, FrostyFeet.
In WoW, Tekhan's role in the story is that he aligned his tribe with Deathwing in order to cure the Curse of Flesh and make the Neferset entirely stone, as opposed to the fleshy Ramkahen tol'vir. It could be that the objective in Uldum is to resurrect Deathwing. Many people have speculated that the third set is Deathwing/Dragon Soul related based on the color scheme, and it could be that Tekhan and Rafaam's plan succeeds and we see the third expansion based around a revived Deathwing attempting a second Cataclysm and the heroes' desperate attempt to stop him. This would certainly fit the Year of the Dragon theme, as there is hardly a more iconic Dragon in Warcraft than Deathwing.
That makes 100% sense. Ethereal like Rafaam have a connection to the void and the Voidlords, along with Madame Lazul serving the old gods. N'Zoth was using Deathwing to get the Voidlords Azeroth's titan soul. That's the plan, resurrect Deathwing, he destroys Azeroth, the Voidlords get its titan soul, and the Old Gods fulfilled their duty. Boom, Togwaggle, and Hagatha are just being used as useful idiots.
Oooo, I like this idea. :thumbsup
yeah, its 100% league of explorers