Rare Mount Recolors Added to WoW, With a Twist

Summary

• The Blazing Royal Fire Hawk and Golden Ashes of Al’ar are exclusive Chinese World of Warcraft mounts, reimagined from rare raid boss drops.
• These mounts will be available through specific promotions in WoW China starting January 15.
• The Blazing Royal Fire Hawk features auspicious clouds, while the Golden Ashes of Al’ar pays homage to Kael’thas Sunstrider.

World of Warcraft is introducing the Blazing Royal Fire Hawk and the Golden Ashes of Al’ar as rewards for two promotions in China. Although these mounts are not yet available in other regions, they are reimaginings of the Pureblood Fire Hawk and Ashes of Al’ar, two of the rarest raid boss drops in the game.

Following a successful reestablishment of their partnership last year, NetEase and Blizzard have brought games like World of Warcraft, Diablo 4, and Overwatch 2 back to China. World of Warcraft marked its return with various celebrations, including the creation of a Lightforged Gorehowl statue and the introduction of the Xiao Liu pet, which comes with a teleportation feature.

Now, WoW China is gearing up for another exciting promotion, this time showcasing new versions of these rare mounts. The Blazing Royal Fire Hawk and the Golden Ashes of Al’ar are not just recolored but reimagined versions of the Pureblood Fire Hawk and the Ashes of Al’ar. These fiery birds will be available through two separate promotions starting January 15, and they can be used in both modern and Classic WoW.

New Chinese World of Warcraft Promotion Mounts

• Blazing Royal Fire Hawk
• Golden Ashes of Al'ar

At first glance, the Blazing Royal Fire Hawk appears nearly identical to the Pureblood Fire Hawk, a rare drop from Ragnaros in WoW: Cataclysm’s Firelands raid. However, when in flight, it displays several xiangyun, or "auspicious clouds," within its wings. These clouds symbolize peace, immortality, and good fortune and have been significant in Chinese culture for over 3000 years. The Golden Ashes of Al’ar, a gilded version of the Ashes of Al’ar, is a phoenix mount dropped by Kael’thas Sunstrider in The Burning Crusade’s The Eye raid. It features a stylish black saddle and flavor text that references one of Kael’thas' most memorable lines: "The golden Al'ar, beloved pet of Kael'thas Sunstrider, proves that death is merely a setback."

The Blazing Royal Fire Hawk can be obtained through an event called the Treasure Workshop, though details about the event are currently limited. The Golden Ashes of Al’ar, on the other hand, is available from Landro’s Loot Box, which costs ¥200, or about $27. Each box contains one of eight items, with other high-value prizes such as the X-51 Nether Rocket X-TREME and the Swift Spectral Tiger – a rare mount from World of Warcraft’s discontinued TCG – also possible. Players can form teams to buy these loot boxes and earn additional crates upon reaching certain spending thresholds.

Unlike the new Xiao Liu pet, there is no current indication that the Blazing Royal Fire Hawk or Golden Ashes of Al’ar will be released internationally. However, it is not out of the realm of possibility. Until then, players outside China will have to admire these stunning mounts from a distance.