Warlock lore clobbered into shape by old lost npc text and my own extrapolations:
To be(come) a warlock:
Mortal infatuation with power would inevitably lead to bartering away one’s dignity and even soul to wicked patrons. The first few true warlocks and witches predate recorded history but the semi-secret societies dedicated to the pursuit of “knowledge” and the local covens across the land sprouted from a political schism in Dalaran as certain subjects and objects were deemed off limits and of course irresistable as a result.
The exiled rogue wizards set up shop where they could but only really gained the political incentive to seek legitimacy after the Third War and the subsequent panic about dark magic and necromancy that might see them all hunted down.
Self interested preservation gave way to genuine, broader ambitions though the independence of the covens and circles as well as the individual members has thus far actively prevented the forming of an anti-kirin tor except for its dark mirror in the Black Harvest. The occasional reckless practitioner is stopped but most outright fools are destroyed by their own ambitions, leaving a green crater or a pile of chewed bones.
Healthy contempt prevades through the circles, wary of the ‘mundanes’ and their irrational fears of the dark; a sort of elitism slotting comfortably into the common ego of those willing to pursue such power in the first place.
Specialties and factionalism:
Internally, there is much debate on what makes the best pursuit, the specialists on curses, summoning and felfire sometimes hotly debating the merits of their craft as egos chafe, pride is wounded and progress is generally held back by refusal to cooperate and pool knowledge.
The hotheaded felcasters in particular have their minds warped by their pursuit and while mostly not outright “corrupted”, are far too convinced of their ways to be accomodating. Derogatory assertions that these felheads cannot be reasoned with only makes it worse but few actions are taken against it as those incompetents that cross the line in want of supervision inevitably leave a pile of greasy ash behind, the issue policing itself!
Summoners have their own internal debate on whether demons should be treated as nothing but tools and artillery and the crowd that treats ther demonic servants as genuine assets. The former competently direct certain demons to especially destructive ends with cold practicality while the latter have some merit in being better at coordinating swarms of imps and using the shapeshifting succubi and incubi as spies.
The most devoted demonologists can be found among sin’dorei Summoners and their ren’dorei kin, having advanced knowledge of portals and binding rituals to restrain the worst creatures imaginable.
The weilders of what’s broadly labled Affliction have a rich variety of magics at their disposal that often goes underestimated. Theirs is a more subtle art, weaving curses, draining life and binding shadows. As such, they’re rightly feared by those who understand their power and their most advanced practitioners are usually the Forsaken with their unique relationship with the dark as well as trolls drawing upon ancient knowledge passed down as tradition.
Assets:
Certain individuals go to great lengths securing items of value in regards to dark magic and a thriving black market exists as a result, the collectors of the strange and profane ending up with the lion’s share of newly unearthed lost curses, antique demonic weapons, blood rituals, binding sigils and more from the plundering Adventurers across the world.
This tendency to hoard things for their own use and advancement has its own issues, but more organised groups provide a valuable armoury of otherwise rare magics to the willing, drawing on vast collections and archives.
Gnomes and goblins have contributed a great deal of technological knowledge toward retrofitting Legion machinery, though it would be a mistake to treat them as the only source of such things with dwarves, humans, a surprising amount of elves and even orcs tinkering away. The infernal combustion engine and the green energy turbine were both regarded as catastrophic failures due to environmental damage but found new use during the broken isles conflict as part of particularly destructive weaponry.
Following the Legion’s collapse, many warlocks moved quickly to secure demonic resources, often coming to blows with the Illidari over items and assets. The wreckage of the sentinax was hotly contested as well with the Lightforged joining the brawl to destroy what others would loot.
These days, a good deal of Legion technology and magic has spread far and wide, be it copied spell techniques, rituals or those fancy green pillars the eggheads insist are dimensional anchors.
The political game:
The warlocks of Stormwind especially have played a careful game for some time. Knowing their magic is that of the broadly defined Enemy and that dabbling in the dark arts is to draw a lot of negative attention, their studies were largely conducted in secret, actively silencing troublesome elements and outsiders dipping their noses where they didn’t belong.
More recently, with the late King Varian sanctioning their skills as useful and the Black Harvest’s frankly world saving efforts, warlocks have gotten bolder and more prominent. The common man is about as terrified of them as he is full fuzzy worgen and the reality bending mages, albeit for different reasons and is happy to blame sour milk and sickness on some malicious or just careless witches’ curse as a reasonable excuse.
Knowing the tightness of their leash, these warlocks are some of the more passionate special interests in local politics, eager to prove their worth compared to some other maligned groups.
The Church keeps a close eye on the warlock menace, wary of Legion cults popping up but between the efforts of holy men and self interested “secular” covens, most outright demon worshipers are culled before they become a problem.
Hellraisers of the High Home:
Quel’Thalas sees the most conflict on the Horde’s side of things, being torn between the pious and the profane in recent years with Umbric’s void researchers becoming a hot button issue while “normal” warlocks are still working on magics seen as a foul remnant of the Sun King’s reign. As such, many warlocks are suspected as void cultists, legion worshipers, Sunstrider loyalists and more with the Blood Knight order and Matrons/Patrons of the church making a big deal out of it.
The mages and old aristocracy for their part are the moderating influence, wary of both dark magic and the political power mongering of theocrats. It’s also in their interest to support the holy orders for public appeal while covertly working with fellow aristocrats among the Summoners. In the big picture, it isn’t the powder keg that the firebrands on any side might think and the balance is maintained.
The curious case of Lordaeron:
The forsaken are chill about warlocking. The chillest.
The Suramar Situation:
Following the Dusk Lily rebellion and subsequent removal of the loyalist felborne families from power, Nightborne warlocks largely entered self-imposed exile. Even if one studies the Legion’s magics to protect the homeland, it’s far too controversial to do so openly. A strange alliance has sometimes been struck with the otherwise innocent warlocks and the loyalists who yet live, trading lessons and secrets, favours and shelter in the lingering atmosphere of political paranoia; the felborne may have been scattered and broken but their aspiring students remain, as does the resentment of the First Arcanist handing Suramar to foreign tyrants.
A Post-Legion World:
The shattering of the endless demonic host into largely disparate feudal husk worlds regularly at the mercy of aforementioned Illidari and Black Harvest raids has left the Legion beaten but not broken. The demons plot continuously whether by holdout ancient nathrezim schemes, fanatical shivarran Sargeras cults or pit lords looking to be kings. Their disunity in chaos is their weakness, plotting against each other as much as they do Azeroth in particular.
In this context, the warlock’s role as an anti-demon weapon and niche consultant is greatly diminished, largely provoking a shift in the public consciousness. No longer quite closeted demon worshipers, they’re recognised for their broad skillsets and expertise in dark magics of all kinds! Something that unsurprisingly changes nothing about their popularity.
