Arakkoa as Allied Races

Seeing that Allied Races require only fairly brief introductory experiences, and on your main character too, I decided I would try my hand at describing the arakkoa as Allied Races – with the pre-requisites, and the short questline to unlock them. Yes, you heard it right – Allied Races, plural. Because this hypothetical scenario will involve two arakkoa races becoming playable at the same time: high arakkoa for the Alliance and dark arakkoa for the Horde. Both models are unisex.

High Arakkoa

High Arakkoa in heritage armor

Faction: Alliance

Once the proud and noble sages of Skyreach, the high arakkoa fell to corruption and religious fanaticism, thrusting scores of their own brethren for heresy into pools of corrupting blood of the dark god Sethe. Hated by everyone below them, in our timeline they were eventually wiped out. However, back on alternate Draenor, Order of the Awakened brought redemption to their race. Now they seek to mend the schism among their people but new dangers lurk in the shadows and threaten the fragile unity of their people. If worst comes to worst, these proud and noble creatures would make great friends to the Alliance.

Classes: warrior, rogue, hunter, mage, priest, paladin, shaman, druid

Mount: Monstrous Kaliri, Terror of the Skies (self-powered flight racial – functions like Running Wild, but flying, at level 60)

Requirements: Between Arak and a Hard Place, Order of the Awakened

Dark Arakkoa

Dark Arakkoa in heritage armor

Faction: Horde

Cast out from a shining and beautiful city in the clouds for daring to think for themselves or even for no fault of their own at all, these outcasts gathered in the shadows, studied forbidden knowledge and for centuries schemed revenge on their hated oppressors above. In our timeline, they delved too deep and awakened a dark god who wiped out the high arakkoa for them, but the bargain cost them the soul of their people. In the alternate Draenor, however, they managed to find a tenuous peace with a redeemed faction of the high arakkoa. If this peace ever breaks, their history will mesh well with our Horde. Together, we can find trust as allies in the face of adversity and oppression.

Classes: warrior, rogue, hunter, mage, priest, druid, warlock, shaman

Mount: dread raven

Requirements: Mantle of the Talon King (this already includes storyline and reputation faction)

 

Storyline

Both factions start their questlines very similarily. You are prompted about the new ally your faction is seeking, and visit your embassy. There, you find an arakkoa visitor – Alliance meets Dawn-Seeker Verroak and Horde meets Scrollkeeper Reshad – who says he will welcome talks about joining a faction, and the perfect opportunity is presenting itself. Dawn-Seeker Rilak, one of the de facto leaders of the united arakkoa is planning an official announcement about something the visitor cannot talk about yet, but you as the champion who made this unity possible are welcomed to join them. Your visitor opens a portal to Skyreach.

You arrive in the room just before Viryx’s, and it is now crowded with arakkoa of both factions, working together on restoring Skyreach. However, not everything is perfect. A scuffle arises and Rilak calms both sides down. He then welcomes you and after a brief talk about your role in bringing the arakkoa together, he reveals to you what he’s about to announce. He’s going to seek the ancient rituals and symbols to crown himself Talon-King. Reshad and Verroak (who are both present here, regardless of your faction) are stunned and consider this an insanity who will only shatter this fragile peace. Rilak disagrees – he thinks this ancient title will finally cement that they are one people, with one leader.

The announcement is about to begin. You follow Rilak into the terrace where Viryx once stood, and you see arakkoa gathered below, flying – either dark arakkoa on dread ravens, or high arakkoa flying on their own. He comes out and starts.

Rilak: Friends, arakkoa, countrymen, lend me your ears. I come here today, standing on the pedestal from which once dark words of oppression flowed and injust judgments were proclaimed on both our people… but no more. That age is long past.

This is where you, along with your faction representatives and the arakkoa ambassador, are stunned by dark magic. But Rilak is turned with his back to you and doesn’t notice.

Rilak: There was one element that always bound our people together. Something Skyreach feared and cast out, and something the dark arakkoa cherished and sought to see back on this pedestal. On this… throne. This one element can bring unity to our people. The Talon King.

A group of dark arakkoa comes out from behind you and sneaks behind Rilak. The crowd is reacting in shock and pointing behind Rilak, but he doesn’t notice.

Rilak: It is on this day, that I can now announce that to truly unite our people I will seek to…

Rilak is stabbed. His speech is interrupted, he turns around, and the other assassins crowd around him and begin stabbing him furiously. Finally, a high arakkoa comes out and comes close to dying Rilak.

Rilak: Even you, Kirrik?

Kirrik stabs Rilak and the assassins disappear into shadows. Rilak falls down with a screech.

What follows differs based on your faction. When you’re Horde, high arakkoa see this as a betrayal and attack you, Reshad and Horde ambassadors. The crowd is dispersed and in-fighting begins. Reshad tries to help Rilak but sees it’s too late, when Anzu swoops in and carries you to Veil Terokk below. When you’re Alliance, you see the high arakkoa attack dark arakkoa. They lash out in self-defense and you have to fight them off. Verroak opens a portal to another spire to quickly evacuate you and convene with the Order of the Awakened.

Horde Questline

You, Reshad and the Horde ambassador join the leaders of the Arakkoa Outcasts in Veil Terokk. You see a dome above you, since they erected a barrier to protect themselves from reprisal from Skyreach. The Talon Priests are furious.

Zellek: “We should have never trusted them! The winged fiends waited for a reason to turn on us ever since they had to allow us inside their spires.”

Reshad: “You weren’t there, Zellek. It was our people that assassinated Rilak.”

Ishaal: “Are you accusing us, Scrollkeeper?”

High Ravenspeaker Krikka: “Hrrm, true, it was our people, but the final blow was dealt by one of them. This… Kirrik?”

Zellek: “Yes, which only proves it was their scheme all along. They wanted this to go down like this.”

At this point, Darkscryer Raastok comes in, dragging another dark arakkoa behind him.

Raastok: “While you were busy accusing each other, I found this piece of trash skulking about.”

Raastok throws the other arakkoa in front of the group. It’s Parshah.

Raastok: “He knows what’s going on. Tell them what you told me, Parshah.”

Parshah: “I come to warn you. A terrible plot is about to happen!”

Reshad: “Then you are too late.”

Parshah: “Oh no. Is the bright one dead already? Oh no, no, no… This cannot be. They must be stopped.”

Zellek: “Make sense, or I’ll have you gutted!”

Parshah: “After Sethe was destroyed for good, a lot of us Sethekk sought a new source of power.”

Ishaal: squawk “Sethekk! Why are we listening to this serpent-lover?”

Raastok: “Let him speak.”

Parshah: “I was with them… until they found that source. A dark and malevolent entity. Far darker than Sethe! They dug into the Shadowmoon Burial Grounds and connected to an Ancient and Powerful Evil… I could not bear this! I ran! I had to come warn you about what they’re planning… but aaak I’m too late! Oh no, no, no…”

Reshad: “What are they planning? Why is Kirrik with them? Why did Rilak have to die?”

Parshah: “I don’t know what this Kirrik has to do with them, I’ve never seen him with us, but they killed your Rilak because they wanted our two peoples at each other’s throats, so we wouldn’t be able to stop them from summoning that entity to our world.”

Zellek: “This is enough. Raastok, take him away.” Talonites come and take Parshah away, but Raastok stays “He said Shadowmoon Burial Grounds. We have to move, now, before they can summon that abomination.”

Raastok: “You will be better off staying here, still scheming against each other and leaving the real action to us. Reshad, champion, I will make a portal for us.”

 

Your next step is to complete the incoming scenario. Raastok makes a portal to Shadowmoon Burial Grounds. You cross into the former dungeon area, and find it occupied by Dark Conclave arakkoa. The orc spirits are being drained by them, and void entities are being summoned. Furthermore, Faceless Ones are appearing and other typically Azerothian aberrations. Your first goal is to find Kirrik in here. You also find a few still living Shadowmoon orcs here, and freeing them gets them to help you.

When you finally find Kirrik, he’s imprisoned and being tortured by Asghar, in the first boss’s room. From afar, you can hear their conversation.

Kirrik: “If only I knew what you were… I would have never helped you.”

Asghar: “Come on, we call ourselves Dark Conclave. You had to know we weren’t your goody winged paladins.”

Kirrik: “I thought you were like others of your kind. Extremist… but well-intentioned.”

Asghar: Squawk “Looks like we have company. We will have to finish my gloating later.”

The three of you attack Asghar. After a ‘difficult’ battle, Asghar is killed. Quickly, Dawn-Seekers Verroak and Krisek join you.

Krisek: “Kirrik! Why? What have you done? What have they done to you?”

Kirrik: “When I heard Rilak wanted to crown himself Talon-King… I knew this was a bad idea. We can never have a Talon King again! My people would detest that… and the outcasts would never see him as worthy of that mantle. It would drive our people apart.”

Reshad: “So you turned to the Dark Conclave?”

Kirrik: “They came to me and offered me to join their attempt to… rectify that mistake. I had to act… before it was too late.”

Krisek: “You will explain yourself before a jury of your peers, Kirrik. Now, you will come with us.”

Raastok: “No! He killed our people’s best chance for unity. For that… he must die. Now.” Raastok comes close to Kirrik and kills him with a Mind Blast straight through his beak.

Krisek: “You have made a grave mistake. If he killed our great unifier… you have just sealed your fate. You and your kind are no longer welcome in Skyreach. If you wish, seek the embrace of your… Horde, but do not expect us to stay our blades if we meet you on the battlefield.” The Dawn-Seekers leave.

Raastok: “The die has been cast the moment Rilak died. Come, friends, we must end this and stop the ritual.”

You go deeper into the dungeon, facing more Dark Conclave arakkoa and eventually free Rulkan herself.

Rulkan: “Thank you, champion, and you… arakkoa. Speak about unexpected allies. Ever since Ner’zhul’s defeat, the remaining Shadowmoon flocked to me for leadership. I joined Durotan and Grom Hellscream in sending help to your Horde. When this Dark Conclave invaded, I didn’t know what would happen to my people. But know this, now I will put in a good word with your Warchief. But for now… let us end this threat. Their leader, one who calls himself Rhaze, took over Ner’zhul’s room deep inside. He’s using the remaining Void energies to summon something horrible. I will help you put a stop to this.”

Together, you follow the rift into Ner’zhul’s room and find Talonpriest Rhaze, surrounded by a few Dark Conclave Ritualists, channeling some sort of ritual into Nhallish’s remnants. Rhaze notices you.

Rhaze: “So Asghar has failed to stop you. Never mind, you are too late anyway. With the blood of a righteous Sun-Sage, Rilak, the ritual is complete! Our dark lord rises! Shath’Yar gibberish ensues”

Ancient and Powerful Evil rises from the middle of the room, although it is still mostly ethereal and slowly materializing.

Rhaze: “Now, you will die as the first sacrifices to our master. Thoq fssh C’Thaat!”

You fight Rhaze and kill him, but this doesn’t stop the Old God from rising.

Reshad: “Now I do not know much about your planet, but I know an Old God when I see one. We’re doomed!”

Raastok: “No. Nothing is unkillable. If we stop it now, before it fully emerges into our world, we can prevent it. Join me, champion, and we can end this now.”

The next fight has you damage the Ancient and Powerful Evil while it keeps summoning adds. At certain points, it summons big tentacles which anchor it in the ground and speed up its progress. Those tentacles have to be manually interacted with to break the anchors and reduce the progress. Eventually, you beat the Old God back and it dissipates into shadow.

Raastok: “We’ve done it! The Ancient and Powerful Evil is defeated and the Dark Conclave is no more. Our people are saved.”

Reshad: “And yet they succeeded in one thing… they tore our people apart. Can we survive on our own?”

Raastok: “We’ve done it before. With the help of our champion and the Horde… we can win. If we could defeat this monstrosity, there is nothing that can stand in our way.”

Reshad: “Perhaps you are right. Let us return to Veil Terokk.”

You go back and report everything to Talon Priests. They are still reluctant to act, but Raastok takes charge. “Somebody has to take action, instead of your endless bickering. Call me whatever you want, Talon King, High Shadowsage, I don’t care. I will now call the shots, and I swear my loyalty to the Horde.” They finally acceede and together, you go back to Orgrimmar. Raastok kneels before the Warchief and recites the pledge of allegiance. The quest is complete, and you unlock your dark arakkoa and the (armorless) dread raven mount.

Your dark arakkoa start in Veil Terokk. They get a quick breadcrumb to go to Orgrimmar, where the Forsaken ambassador tries to avoid looking at you out of fear and quickly sends you off.

Alliance Storyline

You join Dawn-Seeker Verroak in Araknath’s former room, where he joins the other Dawn-Seekers.

Verroak: “What happened? Do you know why Kirrik has done this?”

Rukaryx: “Why would we? It was as much shock to us as it was to you.”

Krisek: “I knew we couldn’t trust them! When they first came to Skyreach, they came to destroy us. I was convinced to join your… order and give them a chance. And look what came of it!”

Verroak: “What came of it? Kirrik finished Rilak! For all we know, it was all his idea!”

Krisek: “You would trust these shadow-worshiping outcasts before your own people?”

Verroak: “They are our people! Victimised by our former leaders! How many have you personally thrown down into the pools, Krisek?”

A squad of high arakkoa flies into the room.

Krisek: “You insolent whelp…”

Awakened Warder Vekax: “Dawn-Seekers, excuse us… we come bearing news.”

Rukaryx: “Speak, before they tear each other apart.”

Vekax: “We followed Kirrik after he disappeared from the High Sage’s Terrace. He was bound and captured by his outcast compatriots. They carried him to the Shadowmoon Burial Grounds.”

Krisek: “Captured! Hah! I knew it. They must have cast a spell on him. Befuddled his mind.”

Vekax: “I personally followed them inside… there are horrible terrors happening inside. They are summoning creatures of the void… and fleshy aberrations we only heard about from stories about Azeroth. The Sethekk have clearly found themselves a new god to worship.”

Krisek: “This assassination must have been a part of their plan. The dark arakkoa will pay for this.”

Rukaryx: “We do not know how much Raastok’s faction has to do with this.”

Krisek: “Regardless. With Rilak dead and Kirrik betraying us, the charge of this order now falls to me. I will venture into the Burial Grounds and retrieve Kirrik for judgment.”

Verroak: “I will join you, before you do something foolish. Champion, will you follow us? I may need your help with Kirrik… and Krisek.”

Your next step is to complete a scenario very similar to the Horde one, but to paraphrase it, here’s the long version, edited for the Alliance:

Krisek makes a portal to Shadowmoon Burial Grounds. You cross into the former dungeon area, and find it occupied by Dark Conclave arakkoa. The orc spirits are being drained by them, and void entities are being summoned. Furthermore, Faceless Ones are appearing and other typically Azerothian aberrations. Your first goal is to find Kirrik in here. You also find a few Auchenai here who came to investigate, and freeing them gets them to help you.

When you finally find Kirrik, he’s imprisoned and being tortured by Asghar, in the first boss’s room. From afar, you can hear their conversation.

Kirrik: “If only I knew what you were… I would have never helped you.”

Asghar: “Come on, we call ourselves Dark Conclave. You had to know we weren’t your goody winged paladins.”

Kirrik: “I thought you were like others of your kind. Extremist… but well-intentioned.”

Asghar: Squawk “Looks like we have company. We will have to finish my gloating later.”

The three of you attack Asghar. After a ‘difficult’ battle, Asghar is killed. Quickly, Raastok and Reshad join you.

Krisek: “Kirrik! Why? What have you done? What have they done to you?”

Kirrik: “When I heard Rilak wanted to crown himself Talon-King… I knew this was a bad idea. We can never have a Talon King again! My people would detest that… and the outcasts would never see him as worthy of that mantle. It would drive our people apart.”

Reshad: “So you turned to the Dark Conclave?”

Kirrik: “They came to me and offered me to join their attempt to… rectify that mistake. I had to act… before it was too late.”

Krisek: “You will explain yourself before a jury of your peers, Kirrik. Now, you will come with us.”

Raastok: “No! He killed our people’s best chance for unity. For that… he must die. Now.” Raastok comes close to Kirrik and kills him with a Mind Blast straight through his beak.

Krisek: “You have made a grave mistake. If he killed our great unifier… you have just sealed your fate. You and your kind are no longer welcome in Skyreach. If you wish, seek the embrace of your… Horde, but do not expect us to stay our blades if we meet you on the battlefield.”

Raastok: “You will regret this. Even if your noble Alliance helps you.” Raastok and Reshad leave

Verroak: “That was a mistake.”

Krisek: “And I will bear its weight in time, but right now our people need leadership. Let us not tarry.”

You go deeper into the dungeon, facing more Dark Conclave arakkoa and eventually free Exarch Maladaar himself.

Maladaar: “Thank you, champion, and you… arakkoa. After Ner’zhul was defeated, my people took interest in this place. We knew somebody would eventually find interest in all the Void that still remains here, but we did not expect the arakkoa. I heard them speak, and they did not know I studied Arakkoa language in my youth. They are former Sethekk, who took to finding a new and even darker god to worship after Sethe was destroyed. They are summoning an Ancient and Powerful Evil as we speak. Come, we must stop them before it is too late and all of Draenor drowns in its darkness.”

Together, you follow the rift into Ner’zhul’s room and find Talonpriest Rhaze, surrounded by a few Dark Conclave Ritualists, channeling some sort of ritual into Nhallish’s remnants. Rhaze notices you.

Rhaze: “So Asghar has failed to stop you. Never mind, you are too late anyway. With the blood of a righteous Sun-Sage, Rilak, the ritual is complete! Our dark lord rises! Shath’Yar gibberish ensues”

Ancient and Powerful Evil rises from the middle of the room, although it is still mostly ethereal and slowly materializing.

Rhaze: “Now, you will die as the first sacrifices to our master. Thoq fssh C’Thaat!”

You fight Rhaze and kill him, but this doesn’t stop the Old God from rising.

Verroak: “I studied your world ever since you came to Outland and learned much while selling your people simple cloaks. That is an Old God.”

Krisek: “Nobody or nothing will threaten the future of my people, god or man, old or new. Rukh’athar marax ethi! We will shine a light that will banish this darkness!”

The next fight has you damage the Ancient and Powerful Evil while it keeps summoning adds. At certain points, it summons big tentacles which anchor it in the ground and speed up its progress. Those tentacles have to be manually interacted with to break the anchors and reduce the progress. Eventually, you beat the Old God back and it dissipates into shadow.

Krisek: “It is finished. The Light of Rukhmar has triumphed once again, and nothing could stop us. Not Sethe, not the outcasts, and not even this abomination.”

Verroak: “These were Dark Conclave. Outcasts among outcasts. Raastok’s faction did not have their hand in this. Perhaps we should mend our schism once again…”

Krisek: “No. Raastok took justice into his own talons. That is not the way we do things in Skyreach. If their Horde enjoys that, they may enjoy the sharp end of our wings together.”

Verroak: “I only pray we do not regret this decision.”

Krisek: “Trust me. I am your leader now. I will do my best to look out for the best interests of you and your family.”

Verroak: “We best go back to Skyreach now. There is much to do.”

You go back and report everything to the other Dawn-Seekers. They are unhappy with this turn of events, but Krisek convinces them to give him a chance. They agree, and Krisek decides, as his first act as High Sage, that they will now join the Alliance in thanks for the champion’s help in defeating the Dark Conclave. Together with Krisek, you go to Stormwind, where the High Sage pledges his allegiance to the Alliance. You finally unlock your high arakkoa and the monstrous kaliri mount.

Your high arakkoa starts in Skyreach and gets a quick breadcrumb to Stormwind where the ambassador is confused how to even talk to you, making up weird epithets like “gentle… uh… bird?” and sends you off to help the Alliance.