No mortal creature is fundamentally metaphysically “Evil” but conditions conspire against them. Notably, many naga are nurtured and hatched near Void corruption since the start of Azshara’s pact and as a result grow up with an unrestrained streak of antisocial malice that isn’t discouraged in any way. You’ll know these naga by their purple scales and sometimes yellow eyes.
Void corruption as such doesn’t make one Evil but the environment in which it is handled largely determines how it shapes its victim. Not quite madness but oft regarded as such by stigma, they’re unconventional thinkers chafing at norms and social orthodoxy.
This makes ren’dorei and similar beings innovative but disorganized, inherently questioning of the allegedly proper way to do things. Creative in the arts, bold in magical research and independent on the battlefield, they make good work in their roles but sometimes need handlers in order to play nice with more organized groups.
The Telogrus Rift is, as a result of its liminal state, too close to the Void and the stormy vortex of unreality at the heart of the rift for beings of the mortal world to endure for long. The ren’dorei as a whole are like fish in water, existing in the same in-between state but high and blood elf scholars are physically and mentally assailed by an environment hostile to their existence. Their perception frays and their bodies deteriorate from the intense metaphysical strain and they can only spend limited amounts of time in the Rift before having to go back to Azeroth to recuperate. It’s made more complicated still by the somewhat sideways passage of time within the rift, making it difficult to keep track of who has been where for how long.
It’s unknown whether prolonged exposure will stabilize such trespassers on the threshold to the Void into new ren’dorei but conducting such an experiment is considered highly unethical by most and too much bad publicity by those that would.
One problem I had with Lightforged Draenei (thus I never played one) is that it feels like they might just be “minions” of the light. I mean, THE LIGHT, that only holds one path for everyone if it’s power is great enough (see lightforged on AU Draenor fighting the Mag’har) And it “blinding” people to belief in one and only solution to everything: The Light. Lightforged just feel like minions to me.
If a scenario occurred in which the MU was to be attacked/overthrown by the lights “forces” (Naaru etc.), would the Lightforged be able to see it as wrong? Would they then loose their “lightforging” state? Or would they just go with the light-flow and side with it without question? Are they “bound” to that “one path” the light tries to apply for everyone and everything? Or are they (and other light users) able to use the light in believing to do the right thing… fighting these forces of light?
There is so much devotion towards the light that I can’t wrap my head around it. Folks resisting the whispering of the void and using it anyway against its “will”, that I can see because a lot of those who do that (like Ren’dorei) likely don’t devote themselfs to the goals of this cosmic force.
Anyone got an idea for an answer? Or in general what I’m even talking about?
Edit: Another question - Is it possible to “use” and alter any cosmic force with Arcane Magic? We saw a Naaru sucked dry of its light with the use of arcane, Botanists using it to manipulate Life itself, First occuring Necromancers and Warlocks of the humans were mages iirc. Shadow/Void was also manipulated through the arcane by Ren’dorei (formerly just elves), right?
If you play the tutorial island on Horde side against the ogre necromancers you rescue that one forsaken mage who seemingly isn’t afraid of the dark (meaning it’s implied he also uses shadow magic? Through monologue of his and when he and the druid transform you into an Ogre illusion (same on alliance side with the channeling) it looks like he channels shadow magic on you)
Also, no english native speeker here. If there are mistakes made in sentences etc. or you have a tip for me, for example using words better in a sentence, don’t shy away to correct me.
Well, the lightforging process scrubs you free of doubt as you confront your inner demons. The comfort of absolute certainty in their path and faith could be a problem on an individual level.
That may well depend on the shape that the conquest takes. They’re still people with opinions and not robots, but a superficially benevolent force of Light that brings proper order and destroys the wicked would have wide appeal.
As people, they’ll fight for what they see as right and as far as we know, find strength in the Light doing so, even against other weilders. It’s not really unheard of.
As per Legion, Arcane and Fel are opposites and do not play nice together. Demon hunter tattoos are arcane, somewhat containing the soul-consuming Fel they weild.
In a sense the Light removes doubts of other possibilities. The Light sees one path and one path only, fixating on it and aiming to achieve it no matter the cost - which can be interpreted as villainous by “freethinkers” i.e. The Void.
Anything that happens is the will of the Light. LF Draenei are basically hardcore predestination fanatics, everything is preordained by the Light’s will. Any act by the Light, no matter how heinous or by those who are allied to the Light’s cause is acceptable.
This is how you reconcile Lightforge Draenei and Void Elves working on the same team.
“The Light works in mysterious ways.”
So the Warcraft mod for Crusader Kings 3 came out and I put a shameful amount of hours into it, in the mod Bronzebeard dwarves follow an unique sub-sect of the Light called Khazism. The lore blurb in the mod was fairly brief, but I shamelessly borrowed and expanded on the concept for my not-retail world building.
Khazism is the dwarven sect of the Holy Light found within Khaz Modan, having in the past been founded as a result of the dwarves incorporating their native faith in the Titan Pantheon as gods alongside the Holy Light after the successful conversion of Khaz Modan by Arathorian preachers after the Troll Wars.
In the current age this line of thinking has however been commonly discarded in favour of the mainline Church’s beliefs and with the exception of orthodox believers the Diocese of Khaz Modan today acknowledge the Titans as saints of the Holy Light instead of deities within their own right.
The Defias variant of the Light, in the mod referred to as Masonic Light, was founded in ideological opposition to the Church over the priests’ supposed moral authority in spite of their support of the corrupt crown of Stormwind.
Makes some degree of sense in plugging a pretty major lore hole as the dwarves evidently do follow the Light yet speak of the relatively recently discovered titans in divine terms. Maybe not as saints, specifically but as physical gods of creation as responsible for shaping life on azeroth as the Light’s first spark.
The dracthyr speak of the aspects in similar tones and given their ascension by titan hands there’s a lot to ponder. On top of it all, these gods such as they are, are now obviously visible in the sky.
Titan-worshipers of all sorts have a natural focal point of their devotions and a grand narrative to lean on how the Life-Bringer, Earthshaper and so on guard us against the devil that is Sargeras.
In turn makes me think of a semi-secret society of intellectuals seeking to pool resources to bring Stormwind into secular enlightenment, viewing The Light as the guiding principle not to be worshiped but provide a guideline for providing a guiding figurative and literal Light.
Obviously opposed by church authorites as a subversive element undermining their authority with one of their own, much like the defias masons, they’re also an ideological threat promoting decoupling religion from the state. A little full of themselves as the “guiding light”, their symbol is a stylized lighthouse.
Other sects exist with more egalitarian values. More to come.
The kul tiran legal institutions are fundamentally somewhat more progressive than the mainland kingdoms, allowed to grow and adapt in relative isolation but many archaic trappings exist by sheer tradition and the slant of society in general to focus on naval matters, giving rise to pecularities.
Fishing permits are treated more seriously than hunting permits and so is water pollution. The nation’s industries are regulated to prevent pouring waste into the sea and rivers but enterprising minds have made it their business to simply bury industrial waste. The death penalty is more frequent and liberally applied, especially for piracy and racketeering with an economy particularly vulnerable to such crimes.
Furthermore, with kul tiras opening up to the alliance as a whole, some awkwardness follows and a peculiar movement of kul tirans and others claiming “citizenship” no matter their status frustrate mainland law enforcement with claims of being immune to Mainlander taxation and myriad regulations, citing archaic maritime law. It has yet to actually work even once.
It isn’t a monarchy, it’s not surrounded by monarchies. It’s an isolated island nation whose prisons aren’t filled with objects of torture as we see on the mainland.
Basically less cultural pressure from surrounding kingdoms as experienced on the mainland, developing their own way free of stifling old ways while clinging to some of their own as part of kul tiran identity. The Light not being a dominant force would also affect legal institutions.
Specifically, I meant to type how kul tirans living on the mainland are invoking this and others follow suit, thinking it’s one easy trick for tax evasion, forgetting all about the tried and true goblin insurance fraud scheme they could lean on instead.
Pandaren gave up a long time ago making peace between Jinuy and Hozen
in the beginning after they won their freedom and their golden emperial age began, they could impose their unified might to prevent hostilities, but as time past and their last emperor and with them empire crumbled, it became harder and harder to keep unity among the two species.
eventually they gave up, and took a neutral stance turning a blind eye to Hozen and Jinuy genocide.
Its fallen so far they no longer lift a finger if one is about to vibe out the other, only occasionally dealing harshly with the hozen when they threaten their own people, thus leaving the jinuy to their fate, if not for the alliance taking a tribe into their fold, they may eventually have gone extinct because of pandaren inaction.
one might wonder, how come they still maintain a good or neutral relationship with the native pandaren?
simple, the looming threat of the Sha prevented strong retaliation, as violence on such a large scale would lead to mutual destruction by old god corruption.
While they can all develop proficiency in all spell categories of the Arcane, orc apprentices of arcane magic are particularly prone to being quite good in the field of divination.
While until relatively recently, orc magi have been rare at best, the concept of divination is not a new one to orcs, considering that ‘farseers’ are an integral part of their culture, thus making orc magi have a much easier time in understanding and applying the magical concept of divination.
Some male dragons engage in hoarding of treasures, this is worse in the aspects and here is why.
back when they were still proto-drakes having shiny stones and similar trinkets where seen as a desirable thing and was a status symbol.
when the titans forced evolved the aspects, some of them maintained this lizard brain desire to hoard stuff, Neltharion was the worst of them all, having multilabel stashes of seemingly random objects he picked up before he went mad.
Nozdormu also had a problem with hoarding treasures but because of his timey nature he would often forget or misplace his many trinkets across different timelines.
Malygos wasn’t safe from this either, as he actively hoarded anything magically inclined
This trait would largely vanish over time as the new generation of dragons were further removed from their proto-dragon ancestry, however once in a while it still effects one of the lesser dragons even to this day.
Male Watchers are a (extremely rare) thing, after the devastating wars and skirmishes the Night Elven have been in over the past decades; not even the famed Watchers could continue only drawing in recruits from the female-side of Kaldorei society. It started with Jarod being appointed to create a new Police Force for the Night Elven people; he basicly commandeered the Watcher’s. With him as their commander he also opened their ranks up for males to join.
With the return of Maiev, and her being the (re-instated) leader of the (re-instated) Warden’s the Shadowsong siblings basicly co-lead the Watcher’s and the Warden’s. Each being Commander over one or the other, but not excluding the other one to make decisions for both.
Basicly; Males can only become Watcher’s, while Females can, eventually, move up to become a Warden.
Then after the War of Thorns; with Maiev being named General of the Army of the Black Moon(or put in charge of that Army), Jarod runs both the Watchers and Wardens once again, while Maiev does, on occasion run down orders towards her Warden’s outside of Jarod’s influence.
After the War of Thorns and the Battle for Darkshore; Both the Watchers and the Wardens have taken to blessing their Nightsabers with both the power of the Moon AND the Sun. Drawing from an ancient and forgotten ritual from the pre-Sundering era, which some claim to have been stolen from the Taurens.
The Nightsabers use the powers of the Sun during the day, drawing upon An’she to never tire in the pursuit of their enemies and prey. And during the night’s, they are empowered by the Mother Moon herself giving the blessed Sabers better reflexes; greater senses and the ability to shadowmeld akin to their Night Elven riders.
(And thats how I am going to explain away my male Watcher with the magical Ash’adar mount! )
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