The Waking Shores is the starting area of the Dragonflight expansion. We’ve played through the zone on Dragonflight Alpha to provide you with the main story highlights.

Main Actors

Wrathion

Wrathion thinks he has every right to claim the Black Dragonflight’s vacant throne.

Sabellian

Sabellian has returned from Outland and works alongside Wrathion to restore the Obsidian Oathstone. Sabellian also wants to claim the throne for himself.

Alexstrasza the Lifebinder

We meet Alexstrasza in the Waking Shores, she tells us more about the oathstones, confronts Raszageth, and is wounded.

Raszageth

The evil primal proto-drake is the final boss of the Vault of the Incarnates raid. We also met the proto-drake in the Forbidden Reach. Raszageth assaults the Life Pools in the Waking Shores.

The Waking Shores Cutscenes

All but one cutscene are hidden on the Alpha, but thanks to Captain Exposition, we have a very basic outline of the storyline.

Plot Outline

Sendrax spying on the primalists – A massive primalist proto-dragon drops off stolen red dragonflight eggs and orders the primalists to infuse them with elemental power.

Alexstrasza talking about oathstones – Alexstrasza accepts the rescued egg and talks about the Oathstone.

Raszageth’s arrival – Raszageth arrives to assault the Life Pools.

Alexstrasza and Raszageth – Alexstrasza confronts Raszageth and is wounded.

Alexstrasza and Wrathion – Wrathion and Alexstrasza argue, and Wrathion leaves.

Sabellian’s return – Sabellian’s brood of black dragons returns from Outland.

Obsidian Oathstone empowered – Wrathion and Sabellian restore the Obsidian Oathstone.

Obsidian Throne – Wrathion and Sabellian argue over who should get to sit on the Obsidian Throne.

Ruby Oathstone empowered – With the return of Black Dragon eggs to the Life Pools, the Ruby Oathstone has been renewed.

The Waking Shores Story TL;DR

At the beginning of the story, we’re introduced to a hatchery where there’s a lack of Black dragon eggs. In the zone, we work with Wrathion to repel the primalists. Alexstrasza confronts Raszageth (the final raid boss of the first 10.0 raid) but ends up injured. 

The zone also explores the conflict between Wrathion, who thinks he’s the only rightful heir to the throne, and Sabellian, who returned from the Outland. They work together to restore the Obsidian Oathstone.

Wrathion and Sabellian must come up with a plan to escort black dragonflight eggs to safety. While Wrathion makes fun of Sabellian’s plan, it eventually works out. Sabellian creates a distraction by entering his mortal form, putting the eggs in a carrier, and escorting them to the Ruby Pools. The Primalists destroy the cart meanwhile the “true eggs” were escorted to safety.

Alexstrasza doesn’t want to be involved in their bickering. Honestly, I’d prefer if they handed the throne to Ebonhorn.