In the vibrant marketplace of Stormwind, you arch your eyebrows witnessing a scarcely recognizable prophet of doom, clad in dirt, fervently ranting. Hanging boldly from his chest is a weathered cardboard sign proclaiming, “CAVE-FOLK ARE COMING” and “HORDING GOLD RESERVES.”
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Beside you, a resounding clatter ensues as a Dark Iron Dwarf in full armor descends onto a bench, nodding sagely. “I mean, he’s not entirely wrong,” grumbles the armored dwarf into his beard, lighting a pipe that glows as fiery red as his facial hair. “I just don’t like being called dirty.” His teeth gleam between thick beard tufts, and you can’t help but grin. Unlike their Bronzebeard counterparts, Dark Iron Dwarves exclusively dwell underground and are greedy little killers. But since they are on the Alliance’s side, they’re YOUR greedy little killers.
Next to you, the dwarf attentively listens to the prophet. “What do you think the pre-event will be this time, hm?” He taps his pipe on the bench and smacks his lips contentedly. “There’s always a big bash before each expansion. I’m guessing some elementals or something. They were last in line with Dragonflight, but I can’t think of anything else-” A massive explosion rocks the marketplace. Stones fly, fire illuminates in the swirling dust, and panicked screams fill the air. As the dust settles and the general coughing subsides, only the occasional crunch of falling cobblestones is heard. A few scattered roof tiles shatter on the ground.
Then, figures emerge from the mist, ones not even mentioned in stories and legends: goblins with bulging muscles, towering as tall as a drogbar and sporting a candle on their heads, as thick as a Night Elf’s waist. “You. Not. Take. Candle,” growls the kobold with the bass of Dwayne “The Candle” Johnson. Beside you, the pipe clatters to the ground. The Dark Iron Dwarf stares, mouth agape, at the muscle-bound super-kobold. “Huh. Looks like Blizzard still knows how to have fun.” You nod and grab your axe as chaos ensues in Stormwind. Whatever inspired Blizzard this time – you hope there’s a lot more of it to come!
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Subterranean People and Dark Elves: Unveiling the Depths in The War Within
In “The War Within,” we embark on an exploration of a new landmass inhabited by unknown cultures, including a descent into the very core of the world. Here, we encounter a distinct society of Earthen, separated from the larger populace. Additionally, we uncover an entirely new ecosystem beneath the surface of Azeroth. The intrigue deepens as Blizzard, true to form, draws generously from existing pop-cultural phenomena and fantasy universes.
A colossal inner world illuminated by a central light source, accessible only via an island? Primitive creatures abound? Jules Verne and his “Journey to the Center of the Earth” would like to have a word. An ancient human race with powers akin to “radiant fire,” combating a threat from the deeper layers of the earth? The people of K’n-yan from Lovecraft’s “The Mound” and “The Whisperer in Darkness” raise their eyebrows at this description.
From the eerie underground society in H.G. Wells’ “The Time Machine” to the Underdark of Faerûn penned by R.A. Salvatore, we delve into everything that served as inspiration for the story team – poised to fuel your excitement for the subterranean adventure in the upcoming year. As a delightful bonus, we bring you “The Land of Mega-Micres” by none other than Giacomo Casanova (yes, THAT Casanova), explicitly featuring “subterranean, colorful dwarves.” Was this an influence on the Earthen? Probably not! Is it so whimsical that we absolutely had to mention it? Absolutely!
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Casanova’s Fever Dream
As promised, and against all expectations, Giacomo Girolamo Casanova, the man of many exploits, penned a subterranean science fiction novel. It’s a literary gem buried in the annals of literature. The opus goes by the resonant title: Casanova’s Icosameron, or the Story of Edward and Elisabeth, who spent eighty-one years in the Land of Mega-Micres, the original inhabitants of the Protocosmos inside our globe.
Yep, that’s the actual title of the novel.
Attempting to encapsulate the content pushes the limits of what we can delicately describe with innocuous words. This is, after all, Casanova, a man far from being “okidoki.” Here we go: Siblings Edward and Elisabeth, following a shipwreck propelled by a “reversed gravitational beam,” find themselves inside the Earth. There, they are greeted by the “Mega-Micres,” colorful dwarves in red, green, and blue. The Mega-Micres stand precisely 45 cm tall and reproduce by regurgitating large eggs from their mouths. Additionally, they consume hallucinogenic milk-wine, derived by means that, well, brings us once again to the boundaries of describability.
Just imagine what Casanova might conceive as “hallucinogenic milk-wine.” Moreover, Edward and Elisabeth establish a multimillion-dollar human civilization within the Earth. Are there any other humans besides Edward and Elisabeth down there? Nope, ha ha (oh God)! As we internally cringe, let’s quickly mention how the siblings invent fully automatic, suppressed rifles firing arsenic syringes to shoot down the snake in the Garden of Eden. Unfortunately, a explosives mishap during a major construction project propels Edward and Elisabeth back to the surface. The end! And yes, all of this is genuinely in the book.
Does this have anything to do with The War Within? Well, apart from the underground setting, not really. We bring up the story because it represents one of the earliest subterranean adventures and offers insight into how science fiction has evolved over time.
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Jules Verne’s Scientific Extravaganza
In an article exploring subterranean worlds and adventures, one cannot escape the influence of Jules Verne’s novel, Journey to the Center of the Earth. Importantly, before Jules Verne’s book, various stories delved into the exploration of underground realms! Journey to the Center of the Earth was published in 1864, while, for instance, Dante’s Divine Comedy had already graced the world around 1321.
Verne’s version distinguishes itself from its counterparts. It does so by offering a highly scientific perspective for its time on the concept of an inner world. Instead of constantly introducing elements like talking dogs with too-short legs, colorful dwarves, and screaming trees. Don’t ask – the 16th and 17th centuries were a wild time for fantasy authors. The Nerubians presented at Blizzcon, from attire to headdresses to eye color, bear a strong resemblance to Drow Elves from Dungeons & Dragons.
Thus, our journey begins with the German professor Otto Lidenbrock, residing in Hamburg with his nephew Axel, engaging in rather dull professorial activities – at least until he discovers a note with an ancient runic cipher. Long story short, an Icelandic alchemist from the 16th century named “Arne Saknussemm” explains on the note in two sentences: “If you want to climb to the center of the Earth, you should do it in this volcano. I’ve already done it.” That’s essentially it. And yes, the man’s last name is indeed Saknussemm. You may laugh; we certainly did because apparently, we’re still internally 14 years old.
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Special Effects Illumination and Mammoth Cheese
Setting aside the whimsical names and intriguing history, the first connection to The War Within unfolds as the intrepid explorers reach the entrance. This entrance, much like Khaz Algar and the Isle of Thorns, is located on a small island far from civilization. The second similarity arises as the research group enters the underground world, illuminated by a perpetual aurora, akin to the underground sun described in the novels of other contemporary writers but with an alternative solution resembling the great luminous crystal in Icecrown.
The third parallel presents itself in the form of underground giant mushrooms amusingly referred to by the adventurers as “Monstrous Mushrooms,” also found in Icecrown and Azj-Kahet. While gigantic mushrooms have become a standard trope in literary underground adventures, this cliché had its origin here, explicitly mentioned for the first time in a widely circulated novel! What follows primarily involves dinosaurs and intriguing geological phenomena, displaying fewer direct parallels to The War Within’s content. However, apart from the emergence of “ancient life forms,” the expansion opts for the more captivating route of bizarre aberrations. More insects and Void monsters are always a good idea!
Remarkably amusing is the mention of, and we quote: “prehistoric humanoids over twelve feet tall,” roughly equivalent to 3.6 meters. Adding the detail that these large cave-dwellers “herded mastodons,” it becomes apparent where Bethesda Studios drew inspiration for the giants in Skyrim. As previously mentioned, the Journey to the Center of the Earth seems uninspired to us because the eponymous book shaped many of today’s clichés. A timeless classic indeed!
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