World of Warcraft recently announced Embers of Neltharion, its first major patch for the Dragonflight expansion. This new update adds tons of content to the game, including an expansive underground zone called Zaralek Cavern. This ancient subterranean lair is home to ancient secrets, deadly monsters, and charming creatures for World of Warcraft players to encounter.
Game Rant spoke with lead quest designer Maria Hamilton and production director Patrick Dawson about the Embers of Neltharion content update for World of Warcraft. The developers shared a sneak preview of Zaralek Cavern and the denizens players will encounter within. Their peek behind the development curtain gave a first look at the adventures awaiting Warcraft players in the new Dragonflight zone and beyond.
Zaralek Cavern - The New Zone in Embers of Neltharion
Embers of Neltharion introduces players to a new zone called Zaralek Cavern. Located beneath the Dragon Isles, Zaralek Cavern is an expansive subterranean area divided into three major biomes. Even so, players won’t have to worry about a cramped space in this expansive new area. “It doesn’t feel tight or claustrophobic in the way some people think it might when they say underground,” Hamilton explained. Despite being underground, Zaralek Cavern is actually larger than Zereth Mortis, the last zone added in Shadowlands’ Eternity’s End patch.
The beautiful crystal regions of Zaralek Cavern are the comparatively safest among them, and are filled with glowing green stalactites and stalagmites. Mostly untouched by Neltharion’s experiments, this area is where many of the friendly denizens of Zaralek Cavern make their homes.
The sulfurous biome in Zaralek Cavern is less idyllic. This toxic region is full of deadly pools of acid, and was once a dumping ground for Neltharion’s failed experiments. “It is just a disgusting goop of unpleasantness with horrible, horrible experiments,” Hamilton said. Players can expect to encounter amalgamated, mutant monsters alongside other creatures naturally adapted to the caustic environment.
The final area of Zaralek Cavern is a volcanic region dominated by the Djaradin. These elemental giants were the followers of the Djaradin Elders hinted at in the story of Dragonflight. “They are a slightly different sort of Djaradin,” Hamilton said, “but they still don’t like us very much, and they are still really happy to shoot us down off of our Dragonriding mounts should we venture too close to them.” Of the areas, the volcanic region is the most dangerous region in Embers of Neltharion.
That is, besides Aberrus, the Shadowed Crucible. A hidden research facility once used by the Aspect of the Black Dragonflight, Aberrus is the new raid coming in Embers of Neltharion. Dawson explained that players will delve into the depths of this ancient lab and see the horrors Neltharion had created.
“I think the story of Neltharion is pretty well-known, but the moment of his corruption and conversion into Deathwing is something that hasn’t really been explored as much as we’re exploring now. So this is a great opportunity for us to tell some story through a raid setting for Embers of Neltharion.”
The Aberrus raid’s nine bosses include some of these terrible experiments, including a prototype version of Deathwing’s Elementium armor. World of Warcraft players will go with Wrathion, Sabellian, and Ebyssian, as they race against Fyrakk and the Primalists, as well as Scalecommander Sarkareth and the Sundered Flame, to uncover the last secrets of Neltharion.
New Denizens of Dragonflight
World of Warcraft players will encounter all sorts of creatures in Zaralek Cavern. While some of these creatures, like the Djaradin, may be hostile, others, like the Niffen and the Drogbar, will provide quests, activities, and safe havens across the new Dragonflight zone.
The Niffen are a new race of mole-like humanoids indigenous to Zaralek Cavern. These adorable creatures are nearly blind, and rely on their keen sense of smell to navigate Zaralek Cavern. They are also being added as a new Renown faction for World of Warcraft, bringing with them new rewards and activities.
One of these new activities is called Sniffen Seeking. This special activity will allow players to explore unique areas and uncover hidden treasures with the help of the Niffen. “You will make buddies with a Niffen who is a bit of an explorer in his own right,” Hamilton explains.
“He uses his nose to find interesting scents in the ground, and he will burrow and take you with him to find those interesting places. These are spaces you can’t otherwise access without your Niffen buddy.”
The Drogbar from Legion’s Highmountain region can also be found in Zaralek Cavern. These Drogbar have a tenuous alliance with the Niffen, and like their Highmountain counterparts, have an affinity for snails. Players will be able to participate in Snail Races, and even train their very own gastropod steed. “Snail mounts are quite slow initially,” Hamilton reminds players, “so you have to teach it how to be a fast snail.”
Players can expect to see other familiar faces from the surface in the Zaralek Cavern as well. While many of these groups may be friendly, the Sundered Flame - the rebel Dracthyr created by Scalecommander Sarkareth in the Forbidden Reach story in Dragonflight - is also returning to the forefront in Embers of Neltharion. Sarkareth believes the secrets of Neltharion belong to the Dracthyr, and will stop at nothing to claim them for the Sundered Flame.
New Adventures in Dragonflight
Plenty of new adventures both large and small await players in Embers of Neltharion. While the campaign will continue the main story of Dragonflight, plenty of local stories and side quests can be found along the way. “[These quests] are scattered here and there, little stories we wanted to finish up, as well as some stories that technically aren’t part of the campaign arc,” Hamilton said. While most of these local stories will be found in the new Zaralek Cavern zone, plenty will be found in other places on the Dragon Isles.
Two of the most prominent side quests will continue the stories of the Blue Dragonflight and Tyr. “The Blue Dragonflight didn’t really show up for Kalecgos,” Hamilton said, referring to the conclusion of the Azure Span storyline in Dragonflight. “So we’re going to go find out why and continue that story.” Likewise, players who gained Renown with the Valdrakken Accord unlocked a quest where they built a new body for the Titan Keeper Tyr. “He had some sort of failsafe built-in. And now, we're going to continue that story as well and see if we can do something with Tyr’s body to make a new Tyr or something.”
Players will also be able to participate in a new world event called Fyrakk Assaults. Now that Fyrakk and the other Primalists leaders are free in Dragonflight, they are searching for some of the secrets hidden on the Dragon Isles. He will attack various zones with his minions, allowing players to fend off his hordes to earn special rewards. According to Hamilton, fans of Cataclysm might find the Primal Incarnate’s involvement in the event to be familiar.
“[Fyrakk] will show up in what will no doubt be nostalgic for some: he will flame the area. If you recall Deathwing, well, Fyrakk is pretty mean too. So we will have that opportunity to experience what happens when a really, really angry dragon flames the place you’re standing.”
World of Warcraft has only shown a small part of Embers of Neltharion so far. New World of Warcraft Dragonriding customizations, abilities, and races, as well as new world bosses, cutscenes, tier sets, and more will be made available in the new patch. While players will probably have to wait a couple of months for the patch to release, players can expect Embers of Neltharion to hit World of Warcraft’s Public Test Realm by March 9.
World of Warcraft is available now on PC.