Enhance your experience of The War Within, the first expansion in World of Warcraft’s World Soul Saga, with this immersive short story anthology featuring an all-star cast of bestselling, award-winning authors.

Anduin’s Wanderings

In the current story, Anduin has returned from the Shadowlands, but he has not chosen to retake his throne – leaving it in the hands of Stormwind’s regent, Turalyon. Based on the description of his short story, Anduin has been seeking solitude – perhaps never planning to return to his kingdom at all – but his peace will be shattered.

In some ways, Anduin’s story is beginning to mirror that of his father, Varian. Many years ago, King Varian Wrynn disappeared under mysterious circumstances, and Bolvar Fordragon ruled as regent in his place. In time, it was revealed that Varian had been torn in two by Onyxia’s magic – to save his kingdom from her clutches his two halves had to find each other and become whole. While Anduin hasn’t been physically torn apart, he is facing a similar conflict of spirit, finding it particularly hard to connect to the Light. If he is ever to truly be king once more, he, too, will need to find a way to once again become whole.

Gazlowe’s Leadership

Monte Gazlowe was appointed Trade Prince of the Bilgewater Cartel, or leader of the Horde’s goblins, near the end of Battle for Azeroth – replacing Jastor Gallywix, who has left the Horde. Unlike Jastor, who was corrupt, vain, and greedy, Gazlowe has always been level-headed and reliable. In the past, Gazlowe led the neutral goblin town of Ratchet, and for many years was not aligned with either the Alliance or the Horde. More recently, he worked as the Horde’s chief engineer.

The short story seems to tackle Gazlowe’s role as leader, as he works to try help inspire the goblins of a struggling city. This is a strong contrast from Gallywix, who never gave the impression of caring much about his people or even bothering to mingle much with them in their cities – caring more about the creation of his Pleasure Palace, a secluded mansion complete with a giant mountain-sized carving of his own head. The “struggling goblin city” could be Bilgewater Harbor in Azshara, the capital city of the Bilgewater Cartel. Most of the city’s residents are refugees from Kezan, their home for centuries until it was destroyed during the Cataclysm.

Hopefully, Gazlowe’s story means he will receive a significant role in the War Within. At the moment, he’s the only main character of the highlighted short stories not to feature in the War Within’s official artwork. Could a model update be on the horizon?

Thrall and Durak

When we last saw Thrall’s son Durak during the Orc Heritage Armor Questline, the young boy was still a few years away from his coming of age. At the time, Durak voiced a worry about the expectations he was already facing as the son of two of the most powerful shamans in Azeroth.

Everyone expects me to be a shaman like my parents! What if the spirits don’t call to me? What if I don’t want to be a shaman? What then?

Orc players left Durak feeling a little better about the rites of passage that he will be expected to perform one day, but the story about his coming of age still promises to be an emotional one – especially for Thrall. Though his true name is Goel, Thrall’s more recognized name, which means slave, was given to him by the cruel human who raised him to be a fighting machine and nothing more. Thrall’s connection to his people and culture has been hard-earned. Thrall even left the Horde for a time and seemed happy living a simple life with his family. Durak, his firstborn, must represent everything Thrall longed for – a life among his people, a family of his own, and so we can only imagine how difficult it will be for Thrall to face learning how to “love and let go”.

Alleria and Arator

Another story about a parent and child, Alleria Windrunner’s story is about wanting to connect with her son, Arator. It’s easy to see why she might struggle. Arator was just a child when his parents, Alleria and Turalyon, disappeared with the rest of an Alliance Expedition through the Dark Portal – which was closed with the destruction of Draenor. By the time the portal was opened again in Burning Crusade, Arator was already a young man of eighteen, and had grown up to be a Paladin, like his father. Though Arator journeyed to Outland in search of his parents, he was unable to find them.

Alleria and Turalyon, meanwhile, ended up in the Twisting Nether, where they were found by the Army of the Light. Though the two realized it meant they would not be able to return to their son, they agreed to join the Army of the Light’s fight against the Legion, realizing that Arator, along with all of Azeroth, would never be safe as long as the Legion remained a threat. Because the Army of the Light operated largely in the Twisting Nether, Alleria and Turalyon’s time with the Army of the Light lasted – for them – a thousand years. The two returned during the events of Legion – but though they finally reunited with Arator, he was by then long since an adult.

What’s more, while Turalyon has remained steadfastly aligned with the Light, even becoming infused with it, Alleria has since turned to another source of power: the Void. Though most who dabble with the Void fall to its whispers, Alleria trained under an ethereal who was able to teach her how to resist its influence even while wielding its power. Even so, Alleria’s choices must naturally confuse someone like Arator – who is devoted to the Light. In the Horrific Vision of Stormwind, a version of Alleria completely consumed by the Void was shown to murder both Turalyon and Arator – Arator himself must feel that this vision has a chance of coming true, for as long as his mother is aligned with a power he believes to be purely evil.