Nokhud Offensive

The Nokhud Offensive is an outdoor dungeon introduced in, set in an open and freely explorable version of the Ohn'ahran Plains in which players can use Dragonriding to quickly move between objectives. The dungeon entrance is located in Maruukai.

''After Clan Nokhud captured the ancient eagle spirit, Ohn'ahra, civil war spread across the Ohn'ahran Plains like wildfire. To the other clans, Ohn'ahra is more than a mere spirit: she is their goddess. Primalists summon elemental forces, and necromancers command the spirits of legendary centaur. Beset by enemies, the other Maruuk clans rally. The Nokhud tyrant, Balakar Khan, watches from afar, bellowing commands. Relentless enemy offenses will continue until his forces submit. The battlefield awaits.''

The Nokhud Offensive is somewhat unique among dungeons in that rather than being set in a confined area, it consists of a phased version of the entire Ohn'ahran Plains zone under a thunderstorm. All of the zone's terrain is intact and can be freely explored, but almost all NPCs are absent and only a few subzones retain their names; in most of the dungeon, the player's location will be displayed as simply "The Nokhud Offensive".

Players are encouraged to Dragonride to fly quickly across the dungeon. To assist in travel, large whirlwinds are present throughout the zone and give an upward and forward boost when flown through, similar to Winds of the Isles. In addition, five flight masters are present throughout the dungeon, offering (slow) flight paths between the objectives: Salukan (Maruukai), Baqir (Battle of Spears), Huraq (Ohn'iri Springs), Carseng (Teerakai), and Washengtu (Nokhud Approach).

It is not possible to venture outside the Ohn'ahran Plains while inside the dungeon. If a player tries to do so, they'll receive an 8-second warning:

• bossemote

If they do not turn back before the warning expires, a Great Ohuna picks them up and drops them back in Maruukai.

Players start in the center of Maruukai and are greeted by Khanam Matra Sarest, accompanied by Khansguard Akato and Jebotai.

• say
• say
• say
• say
• Sarest, Akato, and Jebotai run up the hill to the top of the Shikaar rise.
• say

If the player stays in Maruukai, they will repeatedly receive the following prompt:

• Inv misc head dragon 01.png bossemote

At the Battle of Spears in the east, Sansok Khan and Clan Shikaar are locked in battle with the Nokhud and Granyth. Players need to defeat the packs of Nokhud mobs guarding three Dragonkiller Lances before Granyth lands and becomes attackable.

• say
• say
• say
• say

In the Ohn'iri Springs in the southeast, Tigari Khan and Clan Ohn'ir are beset by the Primalists, who have summoned a Raging Tempest. Players need to destroy all four Stormsurge Totems to make the Tempest vulnerable.

• say
• say
• say

In the Eternal Kurgans in the southwest, Clan Ukhel necromancers are raising the spirits of dead centaur while Gravelord Monkh is trying to resurrect Teera and Maruuk themselves. Players need to first kill the four Ukhel Soulharvesters, after which Monkh summons Teera and Maruuk. They promptly kill him, and players need to defeat them in turn in order to return them to their kurgans.

• say
• say
• say

Nokhudon Hold is initially inacessible: Nokhud Stormcallers channel "Stormcaller's Fury", which damages and grounds anyone trying to Dragonride in, while Furious Storms are creating a "Storm Blockade", which repels anyone trying to move in through the main entrance on the ground. If the player tries to approach the Hold anyway, they'll receive a warning:

• bossemote
• say

Only after the first three bosses have all been defeated does the Hold become accessible:

• yell
• yell
• yell
• yell

The Stormcaller's Fury effect remains active, preventing Dragonriding, so players need to head into the Hold on the ground to get to the boss fight with Balakar Khan. Upon Balakar's death, Ohn'ahra is freed and the storms clear from the dungeon, returning the skybox to the regular Ohn'ahran Plains one (though the boost-providing whirlwinds remain active). Sarest, Sansok, Tigari, Boku, and their forces run into the center of the Hold; Sarest offers teleports back to the exit portal in Maruukai.

The Nokhud Offensive uses the same map as the open-world Ohn'ahran Plains.

• The Nokhud Offensive (achievement)
• Heroic: The Nokhud Offensive
• Mythic: The Nokhud Offensive
• What Are The Chances...
• Weapons of the Maruukai
• Nokhud Deed Goes Unnoticed
• Ohuna Incubation

• In the alpha, the dungeon's Adventure Guide entry was worded slightly differently (bold emphasis added): "Civil war has erupted in the wake of Clan Nokhud’s capture of the ancient eagle spirit, Ohn'ahra. To the other clans, Ohn'ahra is more than a mere spirit: she is their goddess. Primalists summon elemental forces, and necromancers command the spirits of legendary centaur. Beset by enemies from all sides, other Maruuk clans must rally for a final assault against the Nokhud and their khan, Balakar."