The story of Zephras Isle: Horde and Alliance side by side

This post reveals the story of the Skyborne starting zone from the Forever beta. If you would rather experience it yourself, better skip it.

The Skyborne look like high elves but descend from the Shen'drelar, the Highborne night elves of Eldre'thalas, known today as Dire Maul. After the destruction of the Well of Eternity they suffered from magical addiction. Their leader Prince Tortheldrin planned to summon a demon and siphon its magic. Some of the Shen'drelar opposed this because it could draw the Burning Legion back. Tortheldrin declared them enemies and they fled across the sea.

They landed on a landmass inhabited by wind spirits. The spirits raised it into the Elemental Plane of Air, Skywall, and wards hid the island. The refugees began calling themselves the Shen'dorei, the hidden people, and lived there for 10,000 years across several floating islands, including their home Zephras Isle.

In the Forever story the wind spirits have vanished. Without them the link to Skywall fades, resources run short, contact with the other islands has broken off and the wards are starting to fail. Your character starts as a newly come-of-age Skyborne in Thendal Village.

The biggest threat is the Al'Aketh. The cult serves the elemental lord Al'Akir and, under High Priestess Lorthuna, wants to disable the island's wards in order to reach him. At character creation you choose one of two friendly groups.

• Horde, the Windshapers: They have the gift of Skysight and act as spiritual leaders, including as Shamans. Under Grand Skyseer Ayessa Dawnsinger they want to preserve their way of life and bring the spirits back. Muln Earthfury and the Earthen Ring offer them a home in Kalimdor.
• Alliance, the High Order: They keep the ancient Highborne magic traditions alive. Under Supreme Magister Elaadrin Evengale they want to manage without the spirits and so learn from the mages of the Kirin Tor. The Alliance hub is in Dalaran.

Both groups want to save the island and still clash. In the Alliance questline the High Order's studies disturb the Windshapers' sacred sites. In the Horde questline it turns out the High Order is tinkering with Windshaper constructs and trying to make peace with the Al'Aketh, which ends in ruin.

Together they finally face the cult. By then Lorthuna has already disabled the wards and summons Rohash, Lord of the East Wind. The Kirin Tor and the Earthen Ring hold him off, yet he promises that Al'Akir will follow. Afterwards both groups leave their island and reach Azeroth via magical skycutters: the Alliance in Dalaran, the Horde in Mulgore. Wowhead expects the story to continue in the coming days.

Original report: Wowhead