World of Warcraft: Battle for Azeroth: Tides of Vengeance

Patch 8.1.0: Tides of Vengeance is the first content patch of Battle for Azeroth, first announced in a Developer Live Stream with Ion Hazzikostas on 18 September 2018. Tides of Vengeance features two new raids: Battle of Dazar'alor, an Alliance assault on Zuldazar; and the Crucible of Storms, located beneath the Shrine of the Storm. This patch was released in two parts, the first is listed on this article and released on 11 December 2018 while the second part can be found at patch 8.1.0a and released on 22 January 2019. Lord Admiral Jaina Proudmoore led Alliance forces on a daring gambit to besiege the golden pyramid of Dazar’alor. They disabled most of the Zandalari fleet with clandestine explosives and distracted the Horde’s armies in the swamplands of Nazmir. By the time the Horde’s champions discovered the deception, the Alliance had already reached the steps of Dazar’alor. The ruler of Zandalar, King Rastakhan, fought to the death rather than surrender his ancient kingdom. Though their attack dealt a crippling blow to the Zandalari, the Alliance was forced to retreat as the Horde took back the city and mortally wounded High Tinker Mekkatorque. Determined to regain the upper hand in the war, Warchief Sylvanas Windrunner plotted to undermine the Alliance from within. She revealed a plan to twist the mind of Derek Proudmoore—Jaina's long dead brother, newly raised into undeath—and unleash him as a weapon against his family. Baine Bloodhoof refused to permit Sylvanas's warped scheme to unfold, so he chose to free Derek and return him to Jaina. When his defiance was discovered, the tauren chieftain was imprisoned as a traitor. Meanwhile, naga invaders assaulted the coastlines of Kul Tiras and Zandalar in increasing numbers. Repelling those attacks led Azeroth's champions to rediscover a lost artifact: Xal'atath, Blade of the Black Empire. The dagger's maddening whispers drew a band of heroes into the Crucible of Storms, where dark forces gathered to awaken the long-imprisoned Old God, N'Zoth. While the threat appeared to be contained, N'Zoth's numberless servants will not rest until their master rises once again...