Hyjal
Difficulty Rating: **** (out of 4)
Let's get things started with the "Granddaddy" of exploration areas - Hyjal.
Hyjal is certainly no secret in terms of explorable areas. For casual explorers, Hyjal and Caverns of Time used to be the most frequented spots. Yes, you read that correctly: used to be.
Since patch 2.0, the Caverns of Time are open and anyone can walk up the entrance and venture inside. The area has been populated with NPCs, most whom you can briefly interact with, and some vendors, and new graphical content has been added. While the instance portals are not active, I highly recommend visiting it if you have not had a chance to yet.
Similarly, Hyjal has also undergone a renovation with patch 2.0. However, in this case they have made extra effort to try and keep people out. The area used to be able to be accessed by jumping onto a pillar located in the Darkwhisper Gorge. However, they have dug a deep trench in front of the pillar, effectively elevating the pillar up onto a ledge. If you happen to make it up to the ledge, there are two more barriers in your way. First you will need to jump up to the pillar itself, which is much higher now, and next you will need to make a series of tricky jumps at the top of the pillar to get to the ridge, compared to a single jump that was required before.
I was still able to access Hyjal after taking about 15 minutes to learn a new route. However, without an experienced guide, Hyjal is pretty much off-limits for the casual explorer now. This is truly shame because Hyjal is a spectacular area. It is a massive landmass holds a wide variety of areas and treats, along with a cool easter egg for explorers at the very end. But more on that later.
Hyjal can be seen on the map in the centre of the northern area of Kalimdor. The map does not identify the area when you mouse-over it but you will be told you are in Hyjal when you enter is and you will be shown as being in that area in the guild panel and all other area interfaces.
After by-passing the rocky façade that bars your way, you will find yourself on a path in mountainous forested region. The path slowly winds up to your final destination at the top, the World Tree with Archimonde's bones. On the way there, you will travel along sheer cliffs and pass through several dark and flame-scorched areas, including a huge impact crater. Along the way, you will also find the entrance to what is supposed to be a new instance, Deathwing's Lair.
Deathwing's Lair is at the base of a cliff close to the center of the area. The entrance is shaped like a pair of razor sharp jaws that securely lock away the instance portal from prying eyes. Or at least they are supposed to...
Inside Deathwing's lair is a hot and cramped twisty tunnel of jagged rock and molten lava. Red steam clouds the air as you wind towards the cavernous dome that is supposed to be his home. Along the way, you will find the burnt and smoking bodies of heroes who had been there before you. Once you are inside the dome, you find a spacious interior of hewn stone and a floor of hardened lava that spits and crackles sparks at you. The instance does not go any further after you reach the lair, so I am not sure if it is intended to be a short raid encounter of it is just the beginning of something bigger. In all, it seems quite short.
Aside from the crater that was previously mentioned, there are a number of interesting things to see in Hyjal. At the mid-way point, you can branch off from the path and explore a small grassy field. At the edge of the field is a small shrine that overlooks the edge of Hyjal. There is a ramp here that extends off the edge and serves as a jumping-off point for those brave enough to leap into the unknown. Hyjal is actually a mountain, and is one of the highest peaks in the game. Jumping from this point using Noggenfogger will take you right across Felwood and into Ashenvale. Sadly, this won't be possible in TBC, as you won't get very far with 12 seconds of floating time. On Saturday, I went further up the mountain and climbed to the ridge next to the impact crater. Jumping off from that point took me all the way across Winterspring and almost into Lake Elune'Ara in Moonglade!
The peak allows you to get up close with the World Tree, with Archimonde's massive bones hanging from the side. There is a very deep pool underneath the tree that you can explore but it only leads to some bubbling rocks at the bottom.
Also at the peak is the best easter egg that Blizzard has ever given to explorers. Following the path, as it leads past the Tree, the road will end and you will arrive at a barricade made of three traffic barriers, just as you would see in the real world. The center barricade has flashing lights and a sign that reads "Blizzard Construction Co." As of patch 2.0 the barrier are still there, as the content of Hyjal did not get updated. This is a must see and is a great place for some screenshots.
While Hyjal will surely be open in TBC, it's worth taking a sneak peek now, if not to say you were there, then to experience one of the best free-falls in the game before it's gone.
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- Tour of the upper ramparts of Orgrimmar, along with underneath the city has been completed.
- Next up... The Emerald Dream. Kalak dreams of lucid dreams as he searches for a way to the elusive forest of Ysera.
Kalak
