Druid, Mage, Hunter, Monk.
Druids wielded the power of shapeshifting, allowing them to take the forms of all kinds of animals. This had given rise to the various druidic factions. It was a fine class, but after thinking it over, Shawn decided to pass.
Why?
The reason was simple: druids didn't have much room to grow.
Most of a druid's power came from nature, and even their shapeshifting came from the great Wild Gods of old. In a sense, the limits of their strength had already been set. Even the most powerful druid, Malfurion, had trained for over ten thousand years, yet could only match the Wild Gods at best, never surpass them.
Hunters, while not limited in their potential, were also a class Shawn chose to pass on. Even the strongest hunters, Beast Master Rexxar and the Banshee Queen Sylvanas, didn't seem all that powerful. They might not even measure up to Malfurion.
That was, if Rexxar and Sylvanas could be considered hunters at all.
The real dilemma for Shawn was whether to choose Mage or Monk.
Judging by the powerful figures who had appeared, Mages utterly outclassed Monks. The Astral Mage Medivh and his mother, Aegwynn, as well as Queen Azshara—these powerful beings were likely stronger than the mightiest Monk, Shaohao, the Last Emperor of the Pandaren. Besides, in the Pandaren's history of more than ten thousand years, Shaohao had been the only one of his kind.
But Shawn, a Chinese man in his previous life, just couldn't let go of his love for the martial arts stories he'd grown up with. He really wanted to become a Monk.
Why did the thought of becoming a "Monk" make him want to feel his head, as if his scalp always felt cold?
Shawn couldn't make up his mind.
But after thinking it over for a long time, he finally decided: Mage!
After all, it was the year 24 after the opening of the Dark Portal. Pandaria was still shrouded in mist, and the Pandaren were unknown to most people. How could an ordinary guy like Shawn find a master to train him? Who could he find to spar with and study Monk techniques?
By comparison, Mage was clearly the better choice!
"I choose—Mage!"
"Ding!"
"Congratulations, Commander. You have selected your class: Mage. The Mage class questline is now unlocked."
"Screening quests..."
"Ding!"
"Mage class questline generated!"
"Novice Mage Advancement Quest: Beginning of Arcane!"
"Commander, please pass through the Portal of Time and Space and return to Stromgarde 2,800 years in the past. Take part in the first Arcane training and become a Mage! Time limit: one month. Quest reward: Eye of Insight."
Portal of Time and Space?
Stromgarde 2,800 years in the past?
The first Arcane training?
Could it be...
Shawn's eyes slowly lit up. He could barely contain the urge to leap about.
The origins of Arcane Magic could be traced back to the Titans.
Light and Shadow, Arcane and Fel, nature and the Undead.
Of the six fundamental forces that made up the world, Arcane was represented by the Titans.
But as far as Azeroth was concerned, the Night Elves were its source.
In the earliest days of Azeroth, the Trolls ruled the land.
With the exception of a few who pursued knowledge and truth, most Trolls revered voodoo, a form of dark magic. That was, until the Well of Eternity appeared.
The Trolls soon discovered the Well of Eternity's secrets. Enraptured by this momentous discovery, the Dark Trolls settled on the lake's shores.
The energy radiating from the lake bathed them, even changing their bodies to match the nobility of their souls. They became a highly intelligent, nearly immortal people, gradually abandoning their ancient customs and traditions.
The tribe's mystics began worshipping Elune, the Moon Goddess. They believed she was closely connected to the Well of Eternity and claimed that the goddess slept deep beneath the well during the day. They began calling themselves "Night Elves," setting themselves apart from the other Trolls.
Under the Well of Eternity's influence, the Night Elves transformed into a noble people. Over the following centuries, even millennia, they reached the height of their empire under the rule of the great Queen Azshara. She would lead her people to create an unprecedented age of glory... but in doing so, she also sowed the seeds of their destruction.
The long-lived Night Elves mastered powerful Arcane Magic and accumulated vast stores of Arcane knowledge.
In ancient times, the powerful Arcane energies surging through Azeroth drew the attention of the Dark Titan Sargeras. Sargeras then led the Burning Legion across the Twisting Nether to invade Azeroth.
A cataclysmic battle followed, and the Well of Eternity—the source of Azeroth's magic—exploded.
After the disaster caused by Arcane energy, most Night Elves abandoned magic and turned to the ways of the Druids. Only a small number chose to continue practicing magic. They left their homeland and settled elsewhere, becoming the so-called High Elves.
It wasn't until 2,800 years ago, after a war that changed history, that the High Elves passed magic on to humanity.
That was the first Arcane training!
That was the Beginning of Arcane!
And now, Shawn's Mage advancement quest was sending him back 2,800 years to take part in that very first Arcane training?
Shawn was filled with excitement.
In the era when human magic began, a host of outstanding Mages emerged. Using the earliest, most primitive, and rudimentary Arcane knowledge, they stood on the front lines of the war between humanity, the High Elves, and the Troll Empire. Through blood and fire, they forged history and glory, laying the foundations for the magical splendor of the following 2,800 years.
It was thanks to that first Arcane training that the Council of Magocrats, the magical kingdom of Dalaran, the Kirin Tor, the Violet, the Council of Tirisfal, and its Guardians came into being. It gave rise to Aegwynn, and then Medivh.
And one legendary Mage also emerged from that first Arcane training: the famous Necromancer, Meryl Winterstorm.
How could Shawn not be excited at the thought of returning to that era and taking part in that very training?
But excitement didn't put food on the table. It took Shawn a full seven seconds to calm down and focus on the second completion reward.
"Completion Reward 2: Lucky Roulette."
A huge wheel appeared in front of Shawn, divided into six sections, each corresponding to a reward. He would spin the wheel, and when it stopped, he would receive whatever reward the pointer landed on.
One section offered 100 random Garrison Resources, another a blueprint for a small building. The other prizes were a bottle of sickly green potion, a horn-shaped item, a scroll glowing green, and an old-fashioned spellbook.
The 100 random Garrison Resources were exactly what Shawn needed. If he got them, he'd have a third of the resources needed for his level-one Town Hall. This section took up half the wheel.
The blueprint for a small building would let him construct the corresponding building. This section took up a quarter of the wheel.
The sickly green potion was a mystery, but its eerie green glow marked it as a fine green-quality item, one tier above ordinary white-quality equipment. This section took up an eighth of the wheel.
The horn was a special item, also a fine green-quality item. This section took up one sixteenth of the wheel.
The scroll's type was unknown, but it too was a fine green-quality item. This section took up one thirty-second of the wheel.
The spellbook was a book that recorded spells. It wasn't an ordinary book, but one imbued with a large number of spells. With it, a Mage could cast all sorts of spells they hadn't yet learned. It was both practical and precious. Its value far surpassed that of the Kobold Shaman Wizard Staff and the Dalaran Apprentice Robe—worth at least dozens, if not hundreds, of times more.
This section took up one thirty-second of the wheel.
Before you continue