Blizzard recently announced new hero skins for Hearthstone, and it is the second one that is most intriguing to World of Warcraft players. Alleria Windrunner is coming to Hearthstone, which leads to the question of whether she and her companion Turalyon may also be coming to WoW.
In what amounts to a tradition during the lore panels each year, someone inevitably asks one of the developers if we will see Alleria and Turalyon anytime soon. It became enough of a joke that during Mists of Pandaria, a loading screen was added that mentioned that no one has seen them for years. Alleria and Turalyon, along with Khadgar, Danath Trollbane, and Kurdran Wildhammer formed the Alliance Expedition that ventured through the portal at the end of the second war and found themselves trapped on Draenor after the portal was closed and the planet shattered. When the Dark Portal reactivated in the Burning Crusade, Alleria and Turalyon were nowhere to be found, and players have been asking about them ever since.
Now, Alleria is coming to Hearthstone. Voiced by the renowned hunter Michelle Morrow, players who have been pining for the missing Windrunner sister can become familiar with her all over again in Blizzard’s card game. But with Alleria returning to Blizzard’s active roster of heroes, could she be returning to World of Warcraft as well?
The original list of Hearthstone heroes seemed to have a few odd choices. Gul’dan and Rexxar are both icons for the warlock and hunter classes respectively, yet Gul’dan had been dead since Warcraft II, and Rexxar was last encountered in Blades Edge in Outland. All that changed when Warlords of Draenor launched, as Gul’dan was one of the first ‘warlords’ awaiting players after jumping through the portal. Also, Rexxar can be found in Gorgrond and Shadowmoon Valley. If Blizzard could use Hearthstone to telegraph that certain characters would be returning in Warlords, perhaps they are again using the hunter class in such a fashion.
Furthermore, one of the major plots of War Crimes involved the reunion of Sylvanas and Vareesa Windrunner, Alleria’s two younger sisters. While the sisters were able to bask in each other’s company, Alleria’s importance was obvious by her absence. If Sylvanas was angered by Vareesa’s abandonment, the reintroduction of Alleria would be an intriguing complication of the plot. Blizzard refrained from uniting the two Windrunner sisters until just before Warlords. Perhaps this family reunion was only the beginning of bigger events to come.
Additionally, Warlords of Draenor featured a quest that seemed to hint that Alleria may be closer than we could have surmised. A cowled ranger, seemingly a night elf hiding her identity, asks players to search Shadowmoon Burial Ground for a sign of High Elven Weaponry. While it is not clear who the elf is, the suggestion of a High Elf traveling through time and space to leave signs of their journey, such as a Silver-Lined Arrow, suggests Alleria’s presence. We have not seen Alleria in game yet, but an allusion in such a quest implies we are getting close.
Blizzard has been promising Alleria and Turalyon will be coming soon since they failed to appear in Burning Crusade. And while there is no direct indication that the duo is likely to show up anytime soon, these little reminders seem to be cropping up that give an indication a return might be imminent. Just like how thunder rumbles faintly in the distance before a thunderstorm is upon you, Blizzard is dropping hints that the time to learn about the fates of Alleria and Turalyon may be coming. Hopefully, that fate is more than serving as a way to earn Blizzard ten dollars.
WoW! Blurbs!
Midsummer Hotfixes Festival! http://us.battle.net/wow/en/blog/19803855/patch-62-hotfixes-june-25-6-25-2015
Patch 6.2 is here! When fighting Archimonde, note that he stuns players by attempting to explain the cosmology of the Twisting Nether! http://us.battle.net/wow/en/blog/19806402/fury-of-hellfire-62-patch-notes-6-22-2015
The ending cinematic for Hellfire Citadel has leaked! I remember when the Throne of Thunder ending cinematic leaked and it got people all excited for Siege of Orgrimmar. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lieulbyk9I
