Headcanon 2: Electric Boogaloo

Argent Dawn
3430

Addendum to this:

The Horde fears the moment the combined Gnomish people of Gnomeregan and Mechagon start to fully throw their lot in the betterment of the Alliance as a whole.

Gnomes and Mecha-Gnomes working together would make Mechagon a true bastion of technology even most Goblin Cartels combined would not be able to match, let alone their ability to mass-produce airships and submarines should the Gnomes ever opt to start producing those in Mechagon.

Edit:
For the Alliance, Bel’ameth has actually become a very important trade outpost; serving as their main port into trade on the Dragon Isles, this give the Alliance better access to trade with the locals on the Dragon Isle’s, aswell.

The Kaldorei on the other are making sure no Horde-aligned race is capable of growing a port city on those shores themselves, as rumours of mysterious accidents and explosions keep happening to those that try, alongside rumours of mysterious green-cladded warriors and giant bears wreaking havoc.

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On the topic of air forces, the recent additions to them on both faction are a disturbance for the Order of the Cloud Serpent as well. Mostly accustomed to fighting mantid swarms, Zandalari riders and mogu-enslaved cloud serpents, they have no practical experience against the flying fortresses both Horde and Alliance have only grown keener at employing over the decade past. And with there being no movement towards dismantling the colony towns in Krasarang, one can seriously wonder whether their original purpose as military bases would be remembered someday.

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3432

Unfortunately the recent Exploring Azeroth book covers the current status of Kul Tiras. It’s currently the first and only nation to have fully recovered from the Fourth War, and they’ve rebuilt their fleet along with training a new generation of cadets. Katherine lets Lor’themar know this as a not-so-subtle threat to the Horde Council that Kul Tiras is ready for another war, and they’ll be watching them for any slip ups. They abide the armistice, but have not forgiven the Horde. Brennadam remembers.

Also Kul Tiras’s economy is churning strong. With all of the corrupt Ashvane middlemen removed who were skimming profits, the factories are more profitable than before. After the Great Houses disassembled Ashvane’s holdings for parts and sold them off, many of the factory workers in Kul Tiras collectively bought their factories. This lead to an increase in productivity due to safer working conditions causing less accidents that slowed down production in the past. Rebuilding a nation is good for the economy.

That used to be my headcanon for years, but now the book confirmed it as canon. Kul Tiras bros just stay winning…

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Much like Illidan’s loyal demons sustained via the Reliquary of Souls, the repentant man’ari eredar are subject to a sort of fel detox that, among other things, reverses their truly demonic nature. They may no longer reap the full “benefits” but neither are they vulnerable to some trifling gnome summoning them or being hit by a banishment spell.

This explains why their hands and hooves lack the characteristic fel cracks and burns along with the prominent warped head crests. They’ll never turn blue again, but the fire in their veins has been drawn out.

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Thats a pretty good Headcanon!

Although I still wish we get these cracks and a Light version for LFD as customisation options!

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Similar to D&D’s tieflings, the touch of an elf on human genealogy can exist dormant for generations, only to crop up again and cause awkward conversations when two apparently fullblooded humans have a fullblooded elven child.

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Goblins and gnomes have convergently developed ballpoint pens on Azeroth. The main difference between the two is the fact, that goblin pens are non refillable and run out of ink more quickly.

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Wouldn’t this mean that 2 Half-Elves will have a 50% chance of getting a fullblooded Elf as a child? :thinking:

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3439

25% chance full elf.

25% full human.

50% half-elf.

Punnett squares from GCSE biology are making a comeback.

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The ancient Kaldorei Empire did not really have any taboo against practicing “dark” or “forbidden” magics, as it would be called in current day Azeroth.

Back then dark magic did exists, and it was obviously frowned upon(with exception of some upper circle’s), but aslong as the general populance wasn’t hindered by it, one could come across Necromancy, Fel or Void magic and train themselves in it. It would, and on some occasions did, become a big problem when hordes of Demons or Undead’s flooded from a lone mansion somewhere in the wild lands of ancient Kalimdor.

But these things often got taken care off by the Moon Guard, Shen’dralar or any other local, elite, magical Order.

It was, obviously suppressed afterwards as to not alert the general populance of the greater Empire, whom wouldn’t notice a small village or two missing.

Trolls were an often and prefered target to explain the dissappearance of villages, and it is one of the reason the Elves of current day still harbor a general distrust of Trolls.

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Light and tides bless that woman.

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Troll cannibalism these days is ritualistic, but this ritualism was born out of a tangible benefit. Trolls throughout the millenia have been born with a loa blessing that allowed them to absorb memories of others by consuming their flesh.

These Echo-Eaters (name pending) were both crucial on battlefields (being able to learn from deceased foes) and in matters of adjudication, being able to learn the ‘truth’ from any relevant parties at just the cost of some flesh and skin.

With cannibalism being less practiced in the modern era, the concept of Echo-Eaters is far less well known than it used to be, and those who are born often never get to use their gift to its fullest potential.

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I did want to add upon this, because I forgot to include the Broken Shore as an element in my initial post about Suramar.

With the situation on the Broken Shore managable, and with help of Shamans and Druids, life is returning to the Broken Front; taken as a new island to add to their Azeroth-spanning Empire, the Kaldorei are busy at work clearing out the Cathedral of Eternal Night from any lingering Demon and Fel it still has. While this might still take many, many, years, for now it serves as a place where Watcher and Warden trainee can take their trial to earn the rights to call themselves Watchers or Wardens.

On the outside, the Kaldorei are busy rebuilding the ruins of ancient Kaldorei Empire buildings, enhancing them with the nature-theme found throughout their Empire. Sentinels, Watchers, Wardens, Moon-Priestessess and even Illidari patrol the island on the regular for stray Demons that may have regenerated, while Wardens are building Warden towers on the North and South of the Island to gain intelligence of who enters Suramar’s flourishing trade port!

With the Broken Shore firmly in Kaldorei hands, much to the annoyance of Suramar, they keep the ability to block trade to and from Suramar should the Horde ever step out of line again. Obviously, at one time the Broken Shore will be renamed back to Thal’dranath, but for now, everyone just calls it the Broken Shore due to its recent history

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The ongoing dracthyr cultural renaissance borne from some of these beings asserting their identities through creative expression has shown the world that dragonkind, by virtue of their long, thick necks with sturdy vocal cords, have remarkable singing voices of wide range and sonorous depth.

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I’ve conjured up a headcanon, albeit one that has to be as mundane as they come:

I posit that most of the lumber used for construction in Mereldar, as well as the smaller hamlets in Hallowfall, is to some degree repurposed wood from the Third Fleet that brought the Arathi there in the first place. I base this mainly on the lack of actual trees in Hallowfall.

True, there are gargantuan flower-like plants, and I suppose those could possibly yield useful lumber, but I’ve seen nothing to suggest such being the case. Anyone else notice lumber camps or some such?

It’s also possible some of the lumber was obtained through trade with the Earthen, but the logistics of that arrangement seem challenging to say the least.

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The forsaken cultural and religious determination to assert their free will has slowly but surely blossomed in want of a god-queen to embody it. The desolate council system creates a dynamic and at times very opinionated political scene with factions and cliques representing particular interests to a degree many consider myopic. The passions run hot in dead hearts as the few things they do care about are paramount to that individual and while assemblies haven’t turned to brawls, there’s plenty of clamouring.

More on these political cliques later.

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The Uncrowned were actually funded entirely by a goblin cartel whose sole interest in the group was peace not for its own sake but just because they believed stable markets are easier for them to manipulate. It being a goblin plan is why the Uncrowned are just kinda stupid as a faction.

Unfortunately the events since Vanilla have proved that Azeroth is too unstable a world for this to ever be truly possible, and so the cartel fell to ruin like so many before it.

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The noteworthy political cliques of the Forsaken:

Dark Clergy:

Representing the most devout of the population, they unify otherwise disparate sects of the Cult of Forgotten Shadows and the faithful of other stripes. Their goal is primarily the mental and spiritual well being of the people. They also prioritise the building and maintaining of sacred places like shrines and expanding the sprawling graveyards of the realm. An internal rift on the worthiness of Calia Menethil on the council is the faction’s major weakness. Rumours linger that some are outright Void cultists which diminishes their standing among those that don’t know the important distinctions!

Unfettered:

A collection of citizens with the strongest can-do attitude, fully embracing their gift of Free Will as an absolute and a calling to act. They take it upon themselves to draft plans for infrastructure, competitive economic stimulation and bold diplomatic overtures to strengthen the much diminished nation. Their ranks hold architects, merchants, artists and dreamers alike. Their main strength is also their weakness; all too passionate about all they can accomplish that they spread themselves thin and start more projects than they finish. They’re also ambitious enough to look beyond what the official council might allow. Truly a hotbed for radicals and reformers.

Loyalists:

Representing the Forsaken old guard and military, these stubborn souls long for the days when the army of fair Lordaeron was rightly feared as the strongest in all the Horde. Organising the able to join the army and training civilian militias, they quietly yearn for another war and chance to prove themselves. Patience. Discipline. They’re the group most capable of quickly and decisively organising by virtue of their profession or long history with the Forsaken people. Their weakness is mostly one of image as being “loyal” has been terribly tarnished in recent years but their loyalty is to Lordaeron and her unliving people!

RAS:

The Royal Apothecary Society is a state within the state, once given much power, then harshly guarded, they experience a scientific renaissance following the plague eater restoration and work passionately, often in tandem with Unfettered allies to further the sciences and see to the healthcare of rotting forms. Thus connected to the clergy and often having the loyalists in their debt, they could have much greater influence were their goals not so singularly focused on scientific pursuits. Their primary weakness is the inability to leverage their apparent power as scientists, not politicians.

Royalists:

Insisting Lordaeron is nothing without a rightful ruler after many years of imperial glory, this small but loud and disproportionately influential group makes moves to see a true leader crowned to carry forth the legacy of the kingdom. They enjoy much support from the share of the population that feels lost without a Dark Lady to watch over them, craving a reassuring presence on the throne. They can however not agree on who would best qualify for the role, even if only a ceremonial monarch.

Shadows:

Oft maligned as Belmont’s personal army, they represent the deathstalkers, information brokers, spies and other intelligence workers. Allegedly the outward face of a larger, unseen collective, they speak little of their motives but trade freely in rumours when one group wishes to undermine another or expose a scandal. Many think these sinister figures will get their way no matter what, but in truth some are just in it for the love of the game.

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Undermine is actually, literally, toxic to most of the races of Azeroth and beyond.

Goblins, (Mecha-)Gnomes & (Dark Iron) Dwarves are naturally immune to the toxic atmosphere of Undermine, and Demons, Lightforged, Void Elves and Illidari are immune due to their nature; while Dracthyr are immune due to their adaptability as cold-blooded reptillians; any other race has to either adapt over a (very) large period of time to the toxicity, forcing them to leave and return over the course of several years, while some might never truely adapt. Races more attuned to nature never truely adapt to the Undermine and cannot live out their lives fully, within the cavern, no matter how much they try!