High Elf Lore Questions

[Qwertychii]

Hello fellow turtles,

With the expansion coming, it feels like the perfect opportunity for me to start my first ever RP character as a High Elf. I have very little knowledge on the history/lore of WoW in general, as my first contact with the game was Classic WoW. I've also fallen into the trap of rushing levels to get to 60, which I intend to avoid in this playthrough. The fact that this server does not require a subscription further supplements the fact that I can slowly take my time to enjoy the world rather than relating time = real money. Enough babbling.

I have been reading up on the lore regarding High Elves and their divide into Blood Elves so as to prepare a lore-accurate but simple background story for my RP character. From the High Elf video, it was stated that they were moving South after the Scourge Invasion on Quel'Thalas (Silvermoon City). From the original TBC lore, I believe some of these High Elves stayed in Quel'Thalas and became Blood Elves.

Q1. What is the rough time period which the expansion will be launching in? There was a teaser on Discord regarding High Elves' capital city of Alah'Thalas. Was this built after they moved out of Silvermoon City? Assuming so, does it mean quite some years have passed after the Scourge Invasion? Is the Lich King still alive lore-wise?

Q2. I've read on Wowpedia that High Elves were exiled from the fallen Quel'Thalas as they refused to siphon magic to sustain their arcane addiction. Is the expansion's High Elves the same group that was exiled, and hence forced to move South?

Perhaps a clearer way would be if one of the story developer for the expansion could help to provide with a short timeline of events starting from the Scourge Invasion of Quel'Thalas? Thank you!

[Katzu]

I'd really like to know more about this. I understand the Devs are working incredibly hard (as always), but if anyone could give a rough estimate on when we're likely to see the expansion then I'd really appreciate it.

Thanks

[Sinrek]

This year. 100%.

[Qwertychii]

Just to be clear, my question was more on the game’s time period (e.g. 5 years after fall of Quel’Thalas etc) rather than the real life time period that the expansion is releasing (e.g. Nov 2020, Dec 2020 etc). But I might have misunderstood your replies haha.

[Axoc]

Year 617: Fall of Quel'thalas & the Scourge of Lordaeron
618: The Blood Elves leave Quel'Thalas, the colonization of Kalimdor (the ground-laying of both Orgrimmar & Theramore) begins, & Illidan goes to the Frozen Throne to confront Arthas, who nearly kills Illidan. Illidan narrowly escapes to the Outlands, where he currently is along with the Blood Elves and Naga.
620: Orgrimmar & Theramore are both completed.
Early 622: (the month isn't clear, but it's towards the beginning of the year): WoW begins
Late 622: Naxxramas appears over Stratholme.
Final days of 622: Adventurers enter Naxxramas on behalf of the Argent Dawn.
Staff has said that the first patch of the expansion takes place in-lore before adventurers enter Naxx but patches 2 and 3 take place after Naxx has been conquered by the adventurers, so presumably patches 2 & 3 will take place in 623.

624 (in retail lore): TBC begins
628 (in retail lore): Arthas is killed. He's still alive in TWoW lore.

Those are the alliance years. Subtract 592 from alliance years to use the horde's calendar.

[Qwertychii]

Thank you Axoc!! So I assume the first patch will be around early 622?

Curious whether the High Elf capital city Alah’Thas teased on Discord will come in patch 1 or later patches.

[Dragunovi]

Episode 1.