In 8.2 we’ve gotten more blacktalon agents, a lot more Dragonflight lore in general, and an interesting quest involving the Twilight Dragonflight.
If you capture a Twilight whelpling Battle pet, added in 8.2, near Grim Batol (there’s TONS of them, very easy to get) you will get a short quest to bring it to a red dragon disguised as an elf observing Grim Batol. And she mentions that they have a leader now.
To me the easiest answer to who that would be is Xal’atath. The amount of current characters who could take up that role is very small. (Just not many scheming villains left) And Xal’atath actually has history in Grim Batol with Modgud. To me, it’d fit her to a T especially if we are going to be imminently fighting the Twilights in 8.3.
So my question is, why is it obvious to you that it’s Xal’atath?
Not trying to come across as rude, but that’s a huge leap to be making. Other than an old god connection, there’s no strands tying them together. And frankly, Xal’atath seems pretty content to be used to slaughter old god minions. So why ally with the Twilight Dragonflight? Why her over Wrathion? Or… The dragon from Dragon Soul who flew off after taking some damage and dropping her rider on the boat? Or heck, a brand new Twilight Dragon? Or N’zoth?
Not necessarily sure why one would expect it to be Xal’atath, really. The Twilight Dragonflight was shown to already be active and organized again in Legion during Shaman questing, so it seems like they already had a master directing them back before Xal’atath escaped from her blade.
I can’t rule Xal’atath out, however if I had to guess they are probably under N’Zoth’s direct control now (or led by an unknown Twilight Dragon who is a disciple of N’Zoth).
That way when we have the Black Empire patch or expansion, the Twilight Dragons can be mixed in with N’Zoth’s forces so it’s not just all tentacles all the time.
If it came across (or if typed it, I was tired) as “obviously Xal’atath” that is not what I meant. I just think it’s most likely. I could see them having it be just about anyone.
The reasoning basically goes like this: what villains/possible villains are there left not allied with N’zoth?
I’m pretty sure with the IE quests and turning them into the Blacktalon agents (are those possibly Wrathion-aligned black dragonkin in disguise?) pretty much confirmed he is against the Twilights so it’s not him.
Then there’s Sylvanas who has absolutely no connection to the Dragonflights, the elements, or Grim Batol.
Maaaaybe Magatha.
And then there’s Xal’atath who seems to be against at least N’zoth, but I wouldn’t count her as an ally. And she is the only character with a history in Grim Batol. I could see her using the Twilights in her own “faction”.
We may get a better idea Tuesday when Azshara is killed.
No, no. I worded it wrong. I meant more along the lines of “why do you see it as the most likely scenario”.
I’d say there’s plenty, since Blizzard stopped relying on WCIII characters to be their expansion villains. Garrosh was a purely MMO creation who started off as an ally of the Horde PCs, Argus (the titan, not the world) hadn’t been referenced until the raid he was the end boss of, WoD was an entire expansion of mirror universe time displaced enemies pulled out of Blizzard’s butt, and those are just the major endbosses of expansions. Smaller factions overseen by major end bosses are typically either brand new characters, side characters only a handful of people recognized, or… Well, or they’re major figures who probably should have been more important in the story.
It is possible. But Legion also had a random Twilight dragon leading their efforts. I do not think there is enough information currently to make much of a comment as to the likelihood of this theory.
The Shaman Campaign tells us that Sinestra is whispering to the Twilight Dragonflight from beyond the grave, so it’s more likely her. Hell, she walked off getting killed the first time around anyway…