Patch 5.2 PTR: Lore spoilers, an entire post full of them

First up, let me reiterate what the title of this post indicated: there will be many spoilers for patch 5.2 in this post. If you don't want spoilers for patch 5.2, then I suggest you don't read any further, because that's what this post is going to be. Before I get into the spoilers, though, I should in good conscience link to some posts Anne Stickney and myself did on the subject of the mogu and their true nature, and the secrets of the Vale of Eternal Blossomsand Pandaria itself. Why do I do this? Well, if you continue on with this post, you will find out.

From this point on, there be nothing but spoilers

The folks over at Wowhead have mined up a heaping helping of audio files for this new patch, and man, the story is advancing.

We have new files from Vereesa Windrunner, Jaina Proudmoore, Lor'themar Theron, Wrathion,Anduin Wrynn and more. Reading over the transcripts, you get to see the interplay between these competing individuals, some allies, some enemies, others playing a long game. Not only do we get to see exactly why the Sunreavers and Kirin Tor are on the Isle of the Thunder King, not only do we get to hear Lor'themar and Jaina go head to head over the captured Sunreavers in the Violet Hold, but Lorewalker Cho, Taran Zhu and Taoshi make sure the native pandaren aren't left out of the story, and what they contribute is that sense of place. They keep this conflict rooted in its effect on Pandaria itself.

Lorewalker Cho in particular also spoils something we've speculated on for a while, namely the true origin of the mogu. The legend the Lorewalker shares with us fits right into certain theories that have been bandied around here for a while, so yes, maybe we're a little smug.

But as interesting as all the other sound files are, it is the Wrathion ones that reveal the most. Wrathion's plans within plans and schemes within schemes are starting to bear fruit, and frankly, for my money it's Wrathion who is the most central figure of this expansion, because unlike Hellscream or Wrynn, Wrathion is the one who is paying attention to Pandaria. And with the help of the player, while the Horde and Alliance squabble and the Shado-Pan berate them, no one is noticing the last black dragon quietly accumulating knowledge and power.

It's going to be a fun patch, people. Possibly the biggest patch, in terms of lore, that we've had since the fall of the Lich King.