Give me some RP bread for thought on why a Tauren Paladin might join the Venthyr?

Argent Dawn
1

I’m an incredibly indecisive, obssessive over details person. I spent most of 9.0 trying to figure out what characters I want to main for Shadowlands, based on both fun and viability, and the role-play and lore, more thematic and aesthetic reasons.

Here I am, in 9.1, having nailed some of it down! Only to take 2 steps back and find myself at square one. My main’s a Worgen Druid, and he’s Night Fae. I love him, I love the lore, everything just fits so well and I’m very much happy with him there. That’s one covenant down.

My first official alt became an orc death knight, that really grew on me as I played, and is now at max level getting through the Necrolord campaign, everything feels right there.

I mulled over the other two covenants a lot, and eventually (in big part because of the legendary bow) I gave hunter a long overdue try. I’m really enjoying it. BM and MM both play differently, Survival… exists sadly (I was into the idea of a survival highmountain, but thank god I left that behind - it would have been miserable playing this spec) and I’m loving all the great flavour and rp potential in being one. It should be an obvious fit, since my forever main is a druid. So now my Kyrian character is a Worgen Hunter I’m quickly leveling, who’s going to be a really crafty engineer that will find the kyrian’s technological advancements and apparent symbiosis with nature very appealing. (and I just love the aesthetic on him).

The final covenant, Venthyr, has been very difficult for me to settle on something. I would have liked a warlock aesthetically, but reasoning one to join them wasn’t the easiest - perhaps a warlock that despises people who deal with demons and betray their own for power, and, being a warlock himself that chose to use said power for good, delights in punishing power hungry backstabbers. … But warlocks in venthyr have an unfun, and perhaps the worst by far ability. In many cases it’s apparently a loss to cast it.

My second choice was a void elf priest, a natural fit aesthetically and rp wise, althought not my favourite option.

Now I’m back to thinking about a Tauren Paladin I made a while back and really like. I do find myself enjoying paladin more than priest, and I am very much biased when it comes to furry races. Venthyr paladin might not be the best anymore, but it has some fun interactions as a prot or holy in the Draven soulbind, enough to make it more fun.

The beef is - I can’t for the life of me think of a reason my goofy, good-natured, kind tauren paladin would be very interested in joining up the Venthyr when he also would gravitate towards kyrian, probably just spending all day getting swole with the stewards, making puns and helping out.

God damn it, Blizzard, why did you make this expansion so restrictive for alts? Again!

1 Like
2

My knee-jerk response is “Shadowlands is anathema to roleplaying, there’s no point in trying to make sense of covenant choices, or anything to do with the Shadowlands at all. The writers didn’t really think about it, so why should you?”

But that’s just ignoring your question, so I’ll try to come up with a better response than that.

Your character doesn’t need to work with a covenant because they agree with it. In fact, it might be something of the opposite. Your tauren paladin could see Revendreth as a totally broken system and doesn’t assist the Venthyr because of some personal connection to them, but because he’s more invested in fixing that particular plane of the Shadowlands than any other. He’ll do whatever it takes to end or at least diminish the endless exploitation of the damned, even if it means working with the Venthyr in order to create a fairer and less horrific system than the one constructed by Sire Denathrius.

8 Likes
3

Seconding this – my mage has just as much chance of going to Maldraxxus when she kicks the bucket as she does Ardenweald, but she went with the Night Fae because it’s what she felt was right.

Denathrius and his rule is the most obviously unjust of Eternal Ones, and his vampy enforcers are weak to the Light. Seems like it’s the best place for a wielder of An’she’s sunlight to rock up and start smashing pale heads.

2 Likes
4

Why are the Forsaken in the Horde? Because Cairne and the Tauren vouched for them out of compassion. The Venthyr, above all others, are the covenant of redemption. While much of their methods and culture may be anathema to a Sunwalker, their purpose is truly noble. A tauren paladin goes to help the Venthyr out of compassion for those who have been sent to Revendreath, perhaps out of humility, seeking to learn how those who harbor deep wickedness are redeemed by cosmic forces. Besides, even the tauren may stray. Can the Grimtotem find redemption? Is this where Magatha will go when/if she dies? Has your tauren ever done terrible things in anger or heartbreak? Exploring and serving this place might help him to atone for his own past mistakes, or learn how those he knows can atone for theirs.

And yes, maybe your Sunwalker wants to change it. Maybe the find the entire place revolting and abhorrent, and come to believe it should all be torn down. That would be a fun story.

3 Likes
5

Justice!
Venthyr aren’t just edgelords, they punish naughty souls to make them repent.
They will eventually get free if they learn lesson.
I think it’s very fitting for paladin.

4 Likes
6

This. This is the exact reason.

Yes, the Venthyr as a race like to enjoy social interactions and festivities, overly so. Yes, they have dredgers and these little gargoyles.

But most of all, there is an entire class of Venthyr solely dedicated to redeeming those who are ready to repent. Who are ready to work for their redemption. Those Venthyr you’ve seen condemn souls to the Maw en masse? Those were traitors and on Denathrius’/the Jailor’s side.

Yes, they’re allergic to garlic and vulnerable to the Light. Yes, they have the power to condemn souls to the Maw. But their entire purpose is all about repentance. They receive a soul. That souls - at one point - is judged. The soul may either be sired into a Venthyr and serve their purpose (in being a last bastion of repentance and redemption) OR be absolved of all sins and sent back to the Arbiter OR be found irredeemable (this is supposed to be a rare case from what I’ve understood)

Given one has a free choice to aid any covenant they see fit, a paladin may absolutely sympathize with the idea of that form of justice, of finding the good in people’s souls and giving them a second chance.

7

Venthyr actually makes a lot of sense for Paladins. It’s all about judgement, retribution, etc.

2 Likes
8

You could say they are all in for retribution!

9

This topic was automatically closed 30 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.