Spoilers: Wowhead digs up Allied Race cutscenes

If you’re avoiding any and all spoilers regarding Battle for Azeroth content, turn around now, because this post is full of them. If, however, you’re eager to see what’s in store with the new Allied Races, read on. Wowhead has discovered a treasure trove of Allied Race cutscenes via the patch 7.3.5 PTR, and made them available for viewing. Obviously, these are full of spoilers — hence the warning.

Allied Races are new playable character options in Battle for Azeroth. Unlike other new races, these special options aren’t immediately available for play. You’ll have to unlock each Allied Race individually through a series of quests and requirements in order to play them. Once unlocked, Allied Races begin at level 20, ready to tackle leveling through Azeroth and beyond.

Introductory cutscenes

However, just like with all playable races, Allied Races come with introductory cutscenes upon character creation. Wowhead dug up all four of these introductory cutscenes. Keep in mind that these are in-game cutscenes — they aren’t full-blown cinematics.

The Void Elves begin their journey in an unidentified pocket of the Void, not currently accessible in game.

The Nightborne begin their journey in Suramar, quietly cleaning up the damage left behind by the Burning Legion’s incursion in Legion.

Lightforged Draenei begin their journey on the Vindicaar, a location anyone who’s been on Argus should be incredibly familiar with by now.

And Highmountain Tauren begin their experience in Thunder Totem, where Mayla Highmountain waits to introduce would-be Highmountain Tauren to their new journey.

Additional Allied Race story

In addition to the introductory cutscenes, Wowhead also dug up a few cutscenes from the recruitment journey players take in order to unlock each option. In the case of the Lightforged Draenei, players are paired up with a particularly colorful character to undergo a trial and witness what exactly happens to make the Lightforged Draenei…well…Lightforged.

Wowhead’s also dug up two of these scenes for the Nightborne — but they involve the Void Elf introduction as well. First, a scene in which Lady Liadrin and First Arcanist Thalyssra discuss the future of the Nightborne. Although we had hints of the Nightborne’s factional leanings on the Vindicaar, Thalyssra further explains the decision to ally with the Horde. The Night Elves haven’t exactly received their former kin with utmost kindness. But given events in the War of the Ancients, can we really blame them for their suspicions?

Second and far more interesting, Thalyssra and her advisors head to Silvermoon. There, they are finally introduced to Lor’themar Theron, who is entertaining another guest…Alleria Windrunner. Alleria’s there with an offer from High King Anduin Wrynn — one that Lor’themar isn’t really interested in hearing. Judging from both Lor’themar and Rommath’s reaction to Alleria’s antics with the Void, maybe that’s for the best.

Please note that as with anything on the PTR, these cutscenes are in development. As such, they’re subject to change at any time. Remember, at one point Rommath himself was supposedly a traitor back in Cataclysm — an event that never came to pass. So what you’re seeing from the PTR isn’t necessarily the final iteration of all the new material. But hey, it’s pretty fascinating, and we’ve got a clearer picture of how all these ties to Allied Races came to be.

Patch 7.3.5

Right now there is a lot of information for four out of the six Allied Races playable in Battle for Azeroth. All of it is material found on the patch 7.3.5 PTR. Of course, this means that rumors are swirling as to whether or not these races will be playable prior to Battle for Azeroth’s release. As yet, we don’t have any confirmation to these rumors either way. Hopefully we’ll hear something more definitive from Blizzard soon on that front.

As far as the Allied Races go, they’re certainly shaping up to be interesting. Each has their own story reason for joining their respective faction. It’s interesting — and appropriate — that the Void Elf and Nightborne stories weave together at some point, given both faction’s respective ties to Silvermoon. The Nightborne began to identify with Lady Liadrin and her people’s plight back in Legion. Meanwhile, Alleria Windrunner originally came from Silvermoon — it’s only natural she’d try to test the waters with her own people first. Perhaps if she’d arrived in Mists, she might have met with more success.

For more information on the new Allied Races, including datamined recruitment quest chain and scenario material, be sure to check out Wowhead. And if you’re interested in finding out whether or not your characters already qualify to unlock the new Allied Races, Wowhead’s got you covered there, too.