Headcanon 2: Electric Boogaloo

Argent Dawn
3250

half joking here but
Scarlet headcannon

The real reason why the Scarlet crusade always seems to return and barely ever change is because the spark that lights the reforming is an original Scarlet crusader.
They are picked by the bronze flight and placed forward in the timeline to ensure there always is a Scarlet Crusade.

Why they do this is a timekeeper secret, but its possible the Scarlet Crusade needs to exist so a certain event far in the future will take place as it should, but since they keep getting wiped out, they have to reintroduce the faction every now and again.

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3251

Makes 100% sense.

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3252

A headcannon sounds like a bad idea. The recoil would break your neck.

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3253

You underestimate the amount of calcium in my bones from all my lactose indulgence.
My skeleton is buff.

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3254

So to actually answer the topic, my headcanon is that Archimonde was involved in Kil’Jaeden accepting Sargeras, probably by having influence over him ever since he was appointed to Triumvirate.

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3255

It’s unambiguous that Archimonde was a scheming fiend long before he got demon’d up, using the wakener crisis as an entry to power, ambitious and manipulative. Kil’jaeden in this context was swayed by him and felt utterly betrayed by Velen not joining too. Arriving at the point where he’s coasting on despair under Sargeras’ yoke, he’s shown to be aware and dies with a glimmer of hope that the Dark Titan may finally be ended. Archimonde is the mastermind and architect of the Eredar war machine, remorseless and driven.

Which makes it so much worse how he ended. If any warcraft character should have the master manipulator title as a grand threat through the ages, nudging and nurturing all of azeroth’s ills, it’s him and not freaking zovaal.

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3256

Good thing Jailer’s not responsible for many things!

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3257

Jailer? Who is this prison guard people reffer to?

3258

https://wowpedia.fandom.com/wiki/Jailor_Kassan

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3259

Let’s not link to an abandoned site! It has been moved here:

https://warcraft.wiki.gg/wiki/Jailor_Kassan

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3260

Well thank you for a link to this jailer fella. Clearly I was wrong about the lore (for once) and must strive to do better.

Headcanon sayeth kul tiran sea-religion views The Sea as Mother to all, even claiming that life itself originated in the oceans, somehow.

In contrast to the Tidemother, the embodiment of the wild storm that sinks ships and drowns her children is a villainous figure in their lore. Not quite a devil but a cruel figure of wild tempers to be guarded against with blessings and wards, left nameless as speakin his name invites his wrath.

This figure is in turn contrasted with a third, a trickster god, a Voice in the Deep frequently trying to impersonate the whispers of the waves that carry the voice of the Tidemother, speaking words of comfort, suggestions and answers in times of trouble as She would. A morally neutral figure, though certainly predatory in his sinister ways, his role is to teach the faithful to listen and cultivate wisdom, to tell truth from lies and trust faith in The Sea where mere knowledge cannot suffice. Those lost to his ways have their tongues twisted by the Tidemother so that they cannot speak his lies to others. His trickery is warded off with anointment and immersion in saltwater in regular rituals to literally clear the heads of the faithful.

These days, such myth is exposed as none other than N’zoth and the blasphemies of those lost to him is spoken shath’yar. The wickedness of House Stormsong now sees a major reformation taking place under the one surviving heir.

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3261

Whenever demons die and are reborn, presumably their bodies are “factory reset” absent ailments and physical signs of their violent lives and deaths. Assuming such to be true:

Among demons, scars are a mark of pride and prowess. The more impressive the battle scars, the more ferocious a conquerer the demon would have to be. Had they fallen in combat they would lose their scars after all, so living through the centuries with a scarred hide is something of note in the Burning Legion’s ranks.

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3262

With Sylvanas’ departure, the Forsaken were left to scramble and fend off for themselves.

Not only leaderless and openly betrayed by someone they followed to what some would openly consider a religious degree, they had to stand guard for a kingdom with no capital, and no definite ruler; all while facing unending tides of the fractured forces of the Scourge and threats-that-could-be, such as the southern region of Silverpine and Hillsbrad.

During these times, and then onward, the Forsaken of Lordaeron began to find refuge in ideals some others thought lost to time, reigniting them as they did, such as military and civilian orders standing as orders or fiefdoms that once were, often sporting reminders of such a legacy as their emblem or cause. Most of these orders survived such troublesome times, and have now become a relatively common sight among the ranks of the Forsaken.

An example of some of these orders are the following:

The Everringing Hammers

Started by the retired Corporal Brasshammer of the Deathguard, once a dwarf of the Bronzebeard Clan raised in the Fourth War by the war machine’s val’kyr, The Everringing Hammers are a civilian order of workers, predominantly stonemasons, dedicated to the teaching of proper building and demolition techniques, self-defense, and proper safety measures to volunteer workers in the reconstruction of Lordaeron. While its numbers are few, far from making it out of double digits, Brassbeard’s teachings seem to be slowly taking root.

There are rumours that Brassbeard and his order have been contacted and consulted about a possible recovery of the contaminated innards of the Undercity, but few know of The Hammers, and even fewer dare disrupt their ever-important work to engage in rumour milling.

The Order of Death’s Vengeance

The Knights of Death’s Vengeance are known for their ruthless zeal in battle, exceptional fighting prowess, and highly strict standards of recruitment. They are clad in obsidian dark armor with silver and golden accents in the shape of Lordaeronian and Forsaken emblems, all mirrored by the bardings of their warhorses, and topped off with thick capes of northern furs.

Their origins lie in one of the many knightly retinues accompanying Prince Arthas Menethil to Northrend during his pursuit of Mal’Ganis and the cursed blade that would doom them all; Frostmourne. It was not until shortly after the events of the Forsaken’s own expedition into Northrend that they joined their ranks, having roamed aimlessly through the frozen wastes as mindfreed undead.

Bereft of purpose or hope for their retinue, it disbanded, submerging itself into obscurity as their former members joined different military branches, purposes, banners, or retired altogether after many cruel years of struggle; until the times of the shattering of the Helm of Domination.

With little resources and manpower to spare, the settlements of the Howling Fjord and Eastern Dragonblight came to know of the retinue now reforged as The Order of Death’s Vengeance, named after Arthas’ discarded weapon, Light’s Vengeance, as an elite warband of knights dedicated to the ruthless destruction of the Scourge and all its splintering warbands that dared attack any Horde settlements in the area in a whirlwind of violence.

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3263

Before the Legion corrupted it in the Third War, Felwood was known as the Emerald Pass for the tranquil, verdant beauty that surrounded travelers on their way up the slopes of Mount Hyjal. That name is one of the reasons why the branch of the Cenarion Circle dedicated to restoring Felwood is called the Emerald Circle.

Today, as restoration efforts are underway, the druids of the Emerald Circle watch over travelers braving the length of Felwood, especially religious pilgrims, and guide them along relatively safe roads so they don’t wander into fel- and monster-infested wastelands.

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3264

Radio has come a long way since the rough early years and while long distance communication is relatively rough and unreliable, recorded messages have become more common.

The orchestrion was invented in kul tiras some time after the second war in a joint effort between humans and gnome, playing music rolls of popular shanties and new tunes are printed reglarly.

These two marvels of technology have guaranteed a limited but reliable transmission of music on the few dedicated machines designed to pick up the signals, the most reliable and prolifically manifactured of which are goblin made which unfortunately isn’t saying much. Civilian radios are “avaliable” if you can tolerate the cost and the risks.

While hardly stalled in development, the military application of these devices is largely sidelined by effective magical means. Some do ponder the potential of combining the technological and magical solutions to boost performance but thus far it has proven a daunting challenge.

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Night elf suntan shifts skin color towards darker and warmer shades, as seen on the classic WC3 Terror of the Tides campaign background.

https://warcraft.wiki.gg/images/4/47/Warcraft_III_TFT_Sentinals_Night_Elf_Campaign.jpg

(Yes, I know it’s probably meant to be just lighting)

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3266

Kul tirans have a surprisingly diverse, dynamic economy by virtue of well developed industrial farming, mining and of course fishing, bolstered by strong maritime trade made stronger still by opening up to the world.

One major export is, unsurprisingly, salt. Refined straight from the sea by the tidesages, it’s an artisanal, spiritual and economic effort that funds the shrines and surrounding communities.

This salt is believed to have any number of health benefits, from curing illness to easing childbirth and is often sprinkled at doorsteps to ward off evil. While other cultures don’t put much stock into the peculiar sea-based spiritualism, merchants and scam artists both have taken a liking to the alleged benefts of this “Sages’ Salt” as generally vaugely better than regular salt and a healthy alternative medicine.

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3267

As the Darkfallen Kaldorei have returned to greater Kaldorei society: they are met with a fair amount of suspicion as most of them choose the Forsaken over their own people not once, but twice, with decision to return to their former kin only having been made recently.

Nonetheless Dark Ranger-Captain Delaryn Summermoon intends to proof without a shadow of a doubt that she and her contigent of Dark Rangers and other Darkfallen are loyal only to the Kaldorei now, although she keeps close relationships with the Forsaken Dark Rangers and fellow Dark Ranger-captain Velorana.

As Bel’ameth bloomed into a new capital of the Kaldorei, the Darkfallen are not the only sub-faction that returned to join their living kin:

Death Knight-Commander Talanis Nightsbane leds a group of Death Knights who have returned to serve their people once again!

Alongside Captain Delaryn Summermoon’s Darkfallen and Death Knight-Commander Talanis Nightbane’s Death Knights; Altruis the Sufferer has also returned to Kaldorei society alongside a large part of Illidari Night Elves. Having joined the Illidari to protect their world and people, the protection of their people and their new capital has now become a top priority for those.

All three leaders answer to General Shandris Feathermoon, as leader of all Kaldorei, and are often send on missions to dangerous for the living, across the many lands under the Kaldorei’s protection. Nonetheless most of the aforementioned subfactions are often looked down upon and not welcome in all the villages or groves sprewn across the lands!

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3268

Tuskarr soup is extremely rich and works well as rations on long treks. A broth of blubber and anything they can get away with, it is however ill suited to the biology of other beings and anyone who consumes it regularly is sure to suffer rapid weight gain and end up as round as the tuskarr themselves. At least you’ll last the winter.

Further, the centaur love of spicy food comes partly from their diet being high in wild game, needing spice for variety and sometimes to be edible at all. As they don’t engage in meaningful agriculture, the spice is largely bought from the tuskarr who travel quite regularly.

I might’ve mentioned it before but dragonkin have an overwhelming fondness of grilled meat, partly by instinct as draconic predators and partly by tradition. These being heavy, protein rich meals by default, they also cultivate insects in hothouses, leaving little in the way of an environmental footprint outside their towers and spires. Visitors are enthusiastically treated to generous meals of questionable meats that they can barely attempt to consume, diplomats having to smile and bear it until the food coma takes them.

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3269

Draenei Vigilants are far less conscious than they appear. The intricate effort of soulbinding the revered fallen to the arcane machinery puts a living soul in an inanimate object; a state antithetical to conscious existence.

The vigilant is thus rendered a sleepwalking automaton, its personality largely dormant and subsumed by the simple directives of its machinery. Its true self can be coaxed out with patience and care but is barely there. They spend much of their time as dormant sentries, their mechanical forms folded up into gigantic sarcophagi.

It takes a soul of exceptional willpower and/or stubborn sense of self to stay awake, so to speak with Socrethar having the usual bloated ego of an eredar sorcerer and Quoram having an enormous amount of time to himself and his thoughts.

On the whole, the draenei art of making vigilants and understanding their condition is practically lost with the madness of the Auchenai, the few remaining examples being treated with altogether too much reverence to constructively rehabiltiate their drifting minds.

A staggeringly similar existence to the treeman ancients of the kaldorei, cultural differences keep most involved from recognising it.

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