I have had a theory that I would like to try out with you. The report is believed to be written by a Naztherim, but can you see any dreadlord in-game saying " To our most wondrous and resplendent master" unironically as nothing in the rest of the text seems to indicate that it is not taken seriously? They are not usually as eloquent as this text either. So we a) have poor writing or b) not a naztherim. While I do not rule out a, I think that the style of writing would fit a broker much better, as cartel high-ups are referred to as Opulence.
As to be antithetical to life beings, they are of the shadowlands, they also seem to be constructs like the attendants in Oribos and the Arbiter. Most of the inhabitants of Oribos does seem to be “programmed” for their work and to follow the Purpose blindly, and not question if pumping souls into the maw is a good idea. It is just how the purpose says it should be. Constructs or AI of a death realm would find life doubly hard to understand.
My theory is that Brokers may be some kind of intelligence gathering applications for whatever central system there is. Like how internet activity, social media, etc can gather information on you IRL and that such information holds power and is valuable. The question is, who wants this power of information, and who can put it to use to control the living? Who is in charge or can take charge of Oribos and the machine of death?
The obvious answer is the First Ones. But what is their nature? It would be cool to see a construct/cyborg realm ruled by a central hivemind/cloud intelligence. I would say that Oribos and ordering of the shadowlands hint to a order-based nature.
Well, Denathrius seems like someone that would insist on exactly that kind of language, though, no matter if that was your usual style. And Nathrezim that are trusted with such a high-level report might just be more similar to him, than the ones that were placed within the fel crowd.
We can be quite sure that there is some connection between the Nathrezim, and the Shadowlands, since they got the Lich King armor and Frostmourne from there. We can see how Denathrius looks like a Nathrezim. We have castle Nathria. Denathrius is the proto-vampire, and lookie there, the Nathrezim are kinda vampiric. And the Preface is found in Revendreth, in the Spire of the Unseen Guests, while we already have sources of at least one Nathrezim referring to himself as such.
Apart from that we already know that there are Nathrezim dabbling with the Void, Fel, and the Light. Lothraxion fits “They savor nothing more than being proved right, so if they believe they have converted one of us to their precious Light, they will trust that agent implicitly.” perfectly.
Nathrezim are the obvious choice for the Preface, and flowery language just doesn’t rule them out at all. This reads to me like a “it is obvious, so it can’t be that!” kind of idea.
Hm, I guess Denathrius would not mind being called wondrous and resplendent. Not that he seems to be the master addressed in this letter. And we have yet to see any Naztherim that are not demons (apart from Lorthraxion).
However, do you think the brokers are just helpful, or what is their drive?
And I’m sure the Naztherim are up to stuff too, and are famous for poking around in stuff but weren’t they associated with the void before Sargeras showed up to “convert” them? Are they associated with the shadowlands in a manner other than “Denathrius looks like one”? I think I’ve missed something so feel free to explain or give me a reference!
Also, the part that is belived to refer to Lorthraxion does not state that they have an agent (as the nature/life do). It may be that they know of him and then assume that they could do the same, ie have someone converted or lightforged and then treated as trusted.
Oh, no, you are certainly right to suspect the Brokers. They are shady guys amassing power for their own gains at the very least. And the fact that Ven’ari in the Maw seems to be a bit of a renegade is interesting as well. There is something coming for them, and I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised if we visited their home realm in 9.2 or so.
I just don’t expect them to be a game-changer this addon. They’re fun as a mysterious force with a mysterious agenda, but would be horrible boring as the face of evil… considering they have no faces at all.
And I think their game is more watching what happens and positioning themselves to profit either way it might go than to have grand designs of taking over the universe and remaking it.
They were studying the Void, they weren’t necessarily creatures of the Void. Which fits trying to infiltrate everything quite well.
I already mentioned more than that. Frostmourne and the Domination armor being the most relevant thing, tying them directly into the Jailer’s designs.
And don’t underestimate “Denathrius looks like one”. It’s not a coincidental similarity between real people, it’s the choice of the artists creating the world. Denathrius looks like a Nathrezim, because that’s exactly what the devs want him to look like. Nothing coincidental about it. Just like “Castle NATHRIa” wasn’t named by accident. Either the devs are leading us to the conclusion, or they are very, very deliverately misleading us, but they certainly are leading us somewhere here. And that somewhere involves Nathrezim.
Yes, the obvious solution can be the wrong solution. But assuming it is wrong because it is obvious only leads to wild conspiracy theories. For now the most substantive thing you have mentioned to tie the Brokers into it is flowery language, which isn’t exclusive to them at all. I’m not taking your theory seriously, yet, because you seem to have no basis for it at all, at the moment.
Honestly, I am more interested in Brokers and their gambit with this input. If I’d theorize I would not see them as the ultimate bad faction, but rather as intel gatherers for something more overarching. But, this is just speculations, and a “what I would find interesting” theory. However, that usually don’t line up with what ends up as canon.
But back to the report. It makes sense if it predates Sargeras betraying the pantheon, as what is mentioned is just what happened, and it would be very weird to report on fel-infusion at a later point when many (most?) Naztherim would have been demons for a long time. This timeframe is however a possibility since shadowlands time is what it is. That would put all the other entries back to being set up a very, very long time ago, like the life agent.
I would see Nathria as in DeNATHRIus rather than NAzTHeRIm but they are probably both linked. De- is a denominator of origin in many latin languages but that may go both ways, as Of Nathria (as De Nathrius) could be both referring to the castle and the planet/race.
I do not argue that they are not linked, Im sure they are, but rather that the castle and its owner are more tightly linked namewise than the castle and the race.
Maybe them. Maybe not just them. There was a peculiar line that caught my attention before.
Enemy Infiltration - Preface
As you are fond of saying: Once a desire is understood, it can be exploited.
Which is somewhat similar to
Emissary Ba’solo:
Opulence, I have heard tales that long ago the Eternal Ones gathered in the Arbiter’s chamber.
Opulence Ba’hare:
Pay no mind to such stories. There is no profit to be found in them.
Emissary Ba’solo:
But are they not the most powerful beings in the Shadowlands? You always say there is profit in power.
Opulence Ba’hare:
When power is coupled with desire, yes. But beings like the Archon and the Winter Queen want only souls. And that, we cannot give them. Yet.
Well, almost, but not quite
Opulence Ba’hare:
We must take care, Ba’solo. There are limits to the patience of the attendants, and I do not want this opportunity squandered.
Emissary Ba’solo:
Agreed, Opulence. Kah-Delen is more observant than she would have us believe.
Opulence Ba’hare:
Placate their precious Purpose. It is a means to our end.
Emissary Ba’solo:
As you will it, Opulence.
Do you know what has caused all these souls to be sent into the Maw? Overseer Kah-Delen:
In truth? We do not yet understand why.
This may be the Purpose and we are yet to comprehend this change in its nature. It may also be interference. It seems like these are not ordinary days.
Contemplative Scribe
Our part in the Purpose cannot be determined with certainty at the moment.
You may be used to this state Maw Walker, but this is a very new feeling for us.
I wonder where these changes will lead. The Purpose has always guided us.
That suggests this is still the Purpose. I just do not know how this will end.
Even a small cog wants to understand the meaning of their role.
Anything is possible. Shadowlands might really be an attempt of a more fresh team to start a new chapter of the story instead of trying to imitate characters and events created long time ago by the people who might no longer work at blizzard.
Interesting with the Ba’hare quote, it’s one of those language details that fits better with brokers in my mind, even if dreadlords are masters of manipulation. I had also missed the quote from Kah-Delen, thank you!
Suffice to say, I would find the information gathering of the Brokers unsettling.
I hope that they go for a fresh chapter, really, the universe and its forces have been delved into that we are cosmically left with the void/light conflict to explore as we have smacked on fel/disorder and the titans have locked themselves in their seat. Life, well, would be a weird thing to fight and now we are poking around the death realms. Elementals have been dealth with and visited (would like to see more of Skywall though).