Exploring Azeroth: The Eastern Kingdoms

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For other books in this series, see Exploring Azeroth.
Exploring Azeroth: The Eastern Kingdoms
World of Warcraft Exploring Azeroth The Eastern Kingdoms cover.jpg
Author(s) Christie Golden
Artist(s) Cover art by Peter Lee and Francesca Baerald
Pages 168
Publisher(s) Blizzard Entertainment
Publication date November 24, 2020 (hardcover);[1] October 12, 2021 (digital);
October 19, 2021 (audiobook)
Format(s) Hardcover, Digital, Audiobook
Retail price US: $25.00
ISBN 10 1950366278
ISBN 13 978-1950366279
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Exploring Azeroth: The Eastern Kingdoms is an official Warcraft book by Christie Golden presenting information on the Eastern Kingdoms. Featuring Mathias Shaw and Flynn Fairwind, the book is an "ephemera book" consisting of texts, letters, notes, and "a little mystery" along with illustrations of places, people, and equipment.[2] It is the first book of the Exploring Azeroth series, released on 24 November, 2020.

Description

For over a quarter of a century, Warcraft and World of Warcraft players have been treated to a treasure trove of artifacts, gear, weaponry, and trinkets of both awe and amusement. Now players can get an in-depth look at the items they have collected…and the fearsome powers they hold.
From the shining towers of Silvermoon to the sulfurous Blackrock Mountain to the white stone castles of Stormwind, the Eastern Kingdoms are vast and full of wonder. Every corner of the majestic isle contains countless stories, treasures, and more than a few secrets that some would prefer stay buried. Follow Spymaster Mathias Shaw and Captain Flynn Fairwind on an expedition across the Eastern Kingdoms for king and country as they chronicle its history and catalog the weapons, armor, and powers untold that are scattered across this sprawling dominion. Penned by New York Times bestselling author and Blizzard Entertainment writer Christie Golden, Exploring Azeroth: The Eastern Kingdoms is your first step on a truly remarkable journey across the beloved lands of Azeroth.[3]

Characters

Narrators
Appearances and mentions

Notes

Retcons and inconsistencies

Given the fact that the entries are written from Mathias' point of view, these could, theoretically, be considered as in-universe mistakes instead of retcons.

  • Although Ultimate Visual Guide and its second version listed Jandice Barov as deceased,[5][6] Exploring Azeroth states that Jandice is still in Scholomance.
  • The book states that Medivh raised Moroes as an undead creature as mad as him. However, Medivh was killed soon after Moroes's death, and the resurrected Medivh was no longer mad or shown to be capable of raising dead people.
  • According to H [60] Eitrigg's Wisdom, Rend and Maim ruled the Blackrock Spire, in constant conflict with the Dark Iron dwarves. They managed to displace the dwarves in the upper portions of the city, but only after the dragons came and only after the death of Maim. Exploring Azeroth states that after the Second War, a bargain was struck between the Blackrock orcs and the Dark Irons, with the dwarves descending even deeper into the mountain, while the orcs occupied the higher levels.
    • The passage also mentions that Blackhand must have thought the name of Blackrock Mountain had been given to the mountain in anticipation of their arrival. However, Blackhand has never been mentioned in Chronicle or previous sources in reference to Blackrock Mountain / Spire. According to Chronicle, it was the Shadow Council that controlled the spire as their secret holdout during the First War, but it is not stated if Blackhand knew about it.
    • The wording also seems a bit erroneous because when it says that the Blackrocks came to Blackrock Mountain after the Second War and mentions Blackhand, Blackhand was long dead when the Second War ended.
    • Tides of Darkness depicts Orgrim Doomhammer, not Blackhand, as having such thoughts.
  • In his report on Nefarian in Blackrock Mountain, Mathias states that rumor has it that Nefarian's head was still lying about because it was too heavy for SI:7 agents to move. However, N [50] Beginning the Descent depicted the skeletal remains (including the skull) of Nefarian being destroyed by Wrathion. Strangely, further in his report, Mathias does acknowledge the events of the quest, where heroes thwarted another resurrection attempt on the dragon siblings.
  • On Tirion Fordring's plaque transcript, it uses "and exemplar", whereas in the game it is spelled "an exemplar".
  • The book says that  [Barovian Family Sword] was recovered from Stratholme. However, the weapon dropped from Jandice Barov in Scholomance.
  • Mathias' report on Marris Stead mentions five agents being sent to investigate Nathanos Blightcaller, acknowledging the Classic quests A [60G] Honor the Dead. However, it continues to say that SI:7 never learned what happened to four of them, and the fifth was murdered in his sleep. In the game, one indeed died in his sleep, and the insignias of Rutger, Fredo, Turyen were found and delivered to Flint Shadowmore, another SI:7 agent, in A [60G] The Eastern Plagues.
  • On Stratholme states that the  [Seal of Rivendare] was stolen by the book's author, a Cult member, to gain entry to Naxxramas, which they did. Exploring Azeroth says that the seal was taken by adventurers in Stratholme and put in the Sanctum of Light.
  • In his recollection of blood elf history, Shaw claims that when the Sunwell was destroyed, the blood elves replaced their addiction to the arcane magic it produced with an addiction to fel energy. This is not corroborated by the Eversong Woods storyline or accompanying lore, such as Blood of the Highborne, whose subplots on this topic focus entirely on the blood elves' addiction to arcane magic and do not suggest they were feeding on fel at all, much less addicted to it. The Ask CDev answer on the topic is also at odds with this, describing the blood elves, like the orcs before them, as having been exposed to fel energy due to living around it, not consuming it.[7] It also contradicts statements in World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 3 and the Warcraft Encyclopedia: the former outright states that Kael'thas' addiction to fel magic was one of the main reasons his people back on Azeroth turned against him,[8] and according to the latter, the wider population of blood elves managed their addiction to magic by draining arcane energy from objects and mana-bearing vermin, not the fel magic of demons.[9]
Mistakes

Gallery

  • Early cover.

    Early cover.

  • Map of the Eastern Kingdoms.

    Map of the Eastern Kingdoms.

  • Excerpt

    Excerpt

  • Excerpt

    Excerpt

  • Excerpt

    Excerpt

  • Excerpt

    Excerpt

References

 
  1. ^ World of Warcraft: Exploring Azeroth: The Eastern Kingdoms Book Delayed to November 24th
  2. ^ Christie Golden on Twitter (2020-07-09). Retrieved on 2020-07-10.​ “Not exactly, it's what they call an ephemera book. Here's the one I did for Assassin's Creed. It's texts, letters, notes, Shaw's notebook (and Flynn's comments!), and a little mystery along with illustrations of places, people, weapons, and gear!”
  3. ^ Amazon
  4. ^ https://news.blizzard.com/en-us/world-of-warcraft/23558956/warcraft-short-story-terror-by-torchlight
  5. ^ Ultimate Visual Guide, pg. 140
  6. ^ Ultimate Visual Guide, Updated and Expanded, pg. 152
  7. ^ Ask CDev, Round 3
  8. ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 3, pg 156
  9. ^ The Warcraft Encyclopedia/Blood Elves

External links

Warcraft books
Type
Binding
& format
Guide books
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