Shadowlands Update: Bastion and the Kyrian Covenant
When Sylvanas Windrunner pierces the veil between life and death, you and your allies are pulled into the Maw, where the most wicked are damned to suffer for eternity. Yet Azeroth’s Champions are able to escape and soon make their way to the noble Kyrian in Bastion. Long has it been since a soul has been sent to their gleaming realm, and the locals are astonished by the arrival of a living mortal. However, it quickly becomes apparent that underneath Bastion’s glistening veneer lies unrest: The Kyrian’s anima—the soul-born essence that fuels their eternity of service—is on the verge of being completely depleted.
Before you can help them—and make them take your warnings of Sylvanas and the horrible truth of the Maw seriously—you must prove your worthiness as an aspirant and overcome all trials to earn your Kyrian wings by Ascending.
Unsure if you truly have moved on from the world of the living? We understand that this new reality may be difficult to accept. You are not the first, nor will you be the last, to question the nature of your own existence.
Your first stop in Bastion is the Vestibule of Eternity. Akin to other Kyrian sites, this pristine sanctuary is patrolled by anima-fueled Centurions and is kept clean and shining by diligent Stewards, who scrub each cobblestone by hand until it has a polish that only feathered elbow grease can achieve.
It is here that you begin your Ascension training, purifying your soul through ritual cleansing by shedding the flaws of mortality.
Listen to the soothing chimes of floating bells as you wash away the dust of life in sacred pools.
As you prepare for Ascendance, you will journey deeper into the resplendent fields of Bastion—your opportunity to demonstrate your value to the Kyrian.
Home of the Pure
Bastion is brought to life by its inhabitants and, if you wish to untangle the Banshee Queen’s nefarious plans, you’ll need to earn an alliance with them.
Bastion’s Inhabitants
Meet the denizens of Bastion.
Kyrians
The noble inhabitants of Bastion who shepherd the souls of the dead to Oribos so that they can be judged by the impassive Arbiter before being sent to their final destinations. Fresh arrivals to Bastion will become Kyrian Aspirants—wingless beings who train for eons to one day earn their wings and join the ranks of the Ascended.
Stewards
Born of the magic of Death, these otherworldly groundskeepers and artificers keep Bastion pristine. Along with maintaining the realm, they assemble Centurions—the anima-fueled guardians that train Kyrian Aspiriants and defend Bastion. Each steward dotes on a Paragon and keeps mementos of their achievements. Perhaps you will catch their eye and they’ll pledge themselves to you!
The Forsworn
Rarely, an Aspirant will fail to complete a rite of passage. These once-bright souls darken and become lost, wandering the plains of Bastion to lament. Containing the Forsworn is key, for if left unchecked, doubt can spread like a disease . . .
The Centurions
A legion of anima-fueled automatons that drill Kyrian Aspirants in meditative combat as well as defend Bastion.
Praetor: These flying automatons are charged with training Aspirants who show particular martial promise.
Goliath: Unyielding bulwarks and powerful warriors that enforce order in Bastion.
Colossus: Eternal protectors, these guardians have stood watch and defended Bastion for ages.
Memories
As the Kyrian shed the burdens of their past lives, physical manifestations of their tormented thoughts are expelled from their bodies. Only by striking them down can the Kyrian cleanse themselves and achieve ascendance.
These are but a few of the entities you’ll encounter in Bastion. While adventuring, it's best to stay vigilant—you might even cross paths with Uther the Lightbringer and other long-passed heroes of Azeroth who now wander this world. . .
Kyrian Covenant
When players reach maximum level and have explored the first four zones, they’ll be able to pledge themselves to a Covenant, like the Kyrian. Each Covenant offers its champions abilities, along with other powers and cosmetic rewards that can be unlocked through a Covenant Campaign—an epic storyline unique to the faction—and other activities over time. This alliance also gives the player access to a Covenant Sanctum, a city only open to players who have forged a pact with its rulers.
Power of the Kyrian
If you choose to join the Kyrian Covenant, you’ll gain two unique abilities—one class ability used in combat, as well as a signature ability that summons a steward to assist in your adventures.
Here is the signature ability that the Kyrian bestow upon their champions:
Summon Steward: Call your steward to bring you a Phial of Serenity that can be consumed to restore some of your health and remove all Curse, Disease, Poison, and Bleed effects. Your Steward additionally offers access to a selection of useful amenities, each once per day.
To give you an idea of what to expect, you can view a list of the Covenant signature and class abilities Please keep in mind that all these are a work in progress and may have additional changes during the course of development and testing, so all abilities shown are subject to change.
Soulbinding
When you join a Covenant, you’ll be able to undergo an ancient rite to bind your soul to some of its most powerful members. By doing so, your character harnesses their power, gaining access to powerful bonuses. Over time, you can unlock new tiers of power and even switch Soulbinds when strategy demands it.
Kyrian Covenant Spoils
For your contributions to the Kyrian Covenant’s cause, you’ll be rewarded with several cosmetic rewards including: a mount, a pet, Kyrian-forged armor, and back attachments that rival the beauty of Kyrian wings.
Armor Up
Don specially crafted armor forged in the heart of Bastion.
There are more mysteries yet to unravel in Bastion, and not all as it seems—a shadowy force threatens the peace in this realm. Perhaps some of Azeroth’s greatest heroes can champion the cause of the Kyrian and drive back their adversaries!
Necrotic Wake
The forces of Maldraxxus have invaded Bastion! Thirsty for anima, these monstrosities have ransacked the Temple of Courage. Heroes must thwart these invaders lest this paradisiacal place crumbles.
Difficulties: Normal, Heroic, Mythic
Level: 50+ (One of four level-up dungeons*)
Blightbone
The corpulent mass of rotting flesh known as Blightbone was lovingly stitched together by Surgeon Stitchflesh to lead the vanguard of the assault upon the Temple of Courage.
Amarth, The Reanimator
Amarth is the powerful, sadistic leader of the necromancers of Zolramus. He oversees the harvesting of corpses from atop his flying mount, the undead monstrosity Bonefang.
Surgeon Stitchflesh
Surgeon Stitchflesh is the mastermind behind the grisly abominations that are deployed from the floating fortress of Zolramus. He bends to his task with maniacal fervor, crafting the flesh of fallen enemies into undead amalgamations to be used in Maldraxxus’ wars in the Shadowlands.
Nalthor the Rimebinder
As a commander of the House of Rituals, the conniving Nalthor the Rimebinder leads the attacks upon the unwitting Kyrian forces.
*Necrotic Wake is a 5-player dungeon inside Bastion.
We look forward to sharing more information as development continues, and we hope this preview prepares you for Bastion and perhaps selecting the Kyrian Covenant!
Will you be joining the Kyrian Covenant? Join the discussion on the forums.
Rewards and abilities are still in development and subject to change, so be sure check back for periodic updates on worldofwarcraft.com as we approach the release of Shadowlands.