Introduction
Stormwind is the most popular roleplay hub on both the Alliance-side and the server. There are at least hundreds of roleplayers TRPs active in the city around the main roleplay hours from 19:00 RT to 0:00 RT. As such, due to its popularity and pool of people from which the many guilds can recruit from it is a place of many weird concepts being executed in various degree of quality and depth.
The purpose of this research is to test the tolerance of common Stormwind roleplayes when exposed to the roleplay of non-playable race known as the Vrykul, as well as to provide the statistics by which the people who want to execute this concept in medium to high quality can encounter in the hub which is Stormwind. Another purpose is to simply entertain those of the forum denizens who are interested in roleplay research.
The research inspiration comes from few various sources:
The old forum thread of Vrykul Infestation, (https: //eu. forums. blizzard. com/en/wow/t/vrykul-infestation/84355)
Now deleted Stormwind crier thread.
The eternal problem of OOC blending into IC interactions
From the virtue of upcoming path being centered around the conflict of Old Gods and Azeroth denizens most of which will be focused on protection of the TItan facilities which are maintained by the very Titan races like vrykul.
Issue
Non-playable races roleplay is a concept well-known yet not very popular. The lack of popularity has been suggested by a few factors presented:
1.Lack of the means or effort to become a non-playable race - for most of the roleplayers who look to roleplay their favourite non-playable race there is simply no way to obtain the appernace of a non-playable race.
While the Glyph of the Disguises and Relfecting Prism solves most of these problems when it comes to humanoid races, it is increasingly frustrating and immersion breaking for some individuals to constantly use reflecting prims or being unable to express some of the emotes due to model limitation.
2.The low-effort and low quality concepts encountered among non-playable races roleplayers - the general rule of thumb is that the non-playable races should be executed by the roleplayers who are both familiar with the lore of specific race, including their relationships with other factions as well as the general expirence and high quality roleplay provided by such roleplayer.
The race chosen doesnât matter if it is in hands of high quality roleplayer. As such roleplayer can and will in the end provide the best and most fun expirence to those around him/her. However, the rule of thumb is often ignored as the non-playable races are can be for the most part flocked by the people:
- Who begin their journey with RP or WoW RP in general.
- People who donât understand the concept and roleplay the non-playable race for the sacke of attention and rule of cool. Both of these main reasons can manifest in one individual.
3.ERP stigma - the self-evident point of its own. It is a sad fact that the non-playable roleplay has been infested by this everpresent issue.
These reasons might or might not result in reception of any non-playable race roleplayer. When it comes to vrykul roleplay itself, it is often a problem around the areas of the Alliance and Stormwind. Where the humans or people with phase for nordic culture in WoW engage in creation of vrykul roleplaying toon. Saddly, some of these individuals suffer from every of the points mentioned above, with the number 2 being the most prominent.
Many of the Vrykul roleplayers simply do not use the appropiate Vrykul apperance and instead resort to the usage of the Giant of Growth potion or Vrykul Drinking Horn.
The Vrykul themselves are also in lore hard to justify roaming around in Stormwind City. For there are no direct lore indications of Vrykul NPCs being present within the Stormwind City. As such, some of more lore-rigid individuals might see their presence as the aberration in state of natural order.
Only recently in lore, because in Legion the Vrykul were turned from the factions hostile-scale to factions neutral-hostile non-playable race. The classification of the non-playable races roleplay eligibility is provided by me and is based on the relationship towards both the Horde and the Alliance.
1.Faction-aligned races are non-playable races which is part of the Horde/the Alliance but isnât playable. Examples for the Horde being: Ogres, Hozen, Ogron, Taunka. For the Alliance being: Jinyu, Broken, Frost Dwarves, High Elves.
2.Faction neutral races are non-playable races which arenât part of the Horde/the Alliance but most of non-playables factions have good enough relations with both to be considered neutral with eachother. Examples being such as: Shattrath Arakkoa, Protectorate and Consortium Ethereal, Devoted Sethrak, Ramakhen and Orsis Tolâvir, Tuskarr tribes, Trotollans, Sporelings.
3.Faction hostile-neutral races are non-playable races which arenât part of the Horde/the Alliance where during their introduction there were no neutral factions within them. They are races formely hostile to the Alliance/the Horde but due to lore developments some factions are introduced as neutral in later expansions or patches, some factions turn neutral or have potential to be neutral towards the Horde and the Alliance in lore. Examples being:
- Iron Dwarves(Which were integrated back into Ulduar at the time of the Legion),
- True Mechagnomes(Also reintegrated into Ulduar),
- Vrykul(Valarjar and Jandvik/But clans under God-Queen Sigyrn might or might not be neutral/Iron Vrykul of Ulduar most likely reintegrated)
- Rajanji Mogu(Under Ra-Den)
4.Faction hostile races are non-playable races with the most limited roleplay enviorement, they can roleplay only within their self-contained bubbles and adventurers and they are unlikely to be found on lands of another factions. Examples include: Quilboar, Gnolls, Harpies, Naga, Satyr, Yaungol.
Because of the current issue of Vrykul roleplayers and only recent lore developments the research will attempt to confirm or deny that with proper lore background and IC reasoning Vrykuls can be eligible roleplayers within the Stormwind city.
Another side of the research will be to investigate the reaction of common Stormwind roleplayers to uncommon vrykul presence within the Stormwind. It will investigate IC reactions as well as OOC reactions.
Literature Review
Sources used:
https:// wow. gamepedia. com/Iron_vrykul (For Iron Vrykul)
https:// wow. gamepedia. com/Ulduar%27s_Oath OR https:// www. wowhead. com/quest=43090/ulduars-oath (For Ulduar integration)
https:// wow. gamepedia. com/Rajani (For friendly Mogu)
https:// wow. gamepedia. com/Vrykul (For Vrykul lore in general)
https:// wow. gamepedia. com/Jandvik_vrykul (For Neutral Vrykul Clan)
https:// wow. gamepedia. com/Enges (For Vrykul individual in Boralus Harbor now Alliance territory)
https:// www. wowhead. com/quest=46926/shakedown (For neutral races including vrykul in Zandalar Harbor now Horde territory)
https:// wow. gamepedia. com/Race_ideas#Vrykul_.28and.2For_their_related_variants.29 (For compilations of helpful arguments while discussing Vrykul in Stormwind)
https:// wow. gamepedia. com/Valarjar (For friendly-neutral faction of Vrykuls which served as warrior hall for both Alliance and Horde members)
https:// wow. gamepedia. com/Armies_of_Legionfall (For the argument of Vrykul fighting alongside both factions)
https:// wow .gamepedia.com/Tyr(For legendary figuire of both Vrykul and Human)
https:// wow. gamepedia. com/A_New_Life_for_Undeath OR https:// www. youtube. com/watch?v=eQ2m03Rgj5A (For the push which Vrykul might have to side with the Alliance over the Horde)
https:// wow. gamepedia. com/Toryl
https:// wow. gamepedia. com/Tideskorn
https:// wow. gamepedia. com/Scrolls_of_the_Faldrottin
For Stormheim Vrykul state:
https:// wow. gamepedia. com/Sigryn
https:// www. wowhead. com/quest=45526/the-god-queens-fury OR https:// wow. gamepedia. com/The_God-Queen%27s_Fury
https:// wow. gamepedia. com/Eyir%27s_Forgiveness OR https:// www. wowhead. com/quest=45527/eyirs-forgiveness
https:// wow. gamepedia. com/A_Common_Enemy OR https:// www. wowhead. com/quest=45534/a-common-enemy
https:// wow. gamepedia. com/The_God-Queen%27s_Gift OR https:// www. wowhead. com/quest=45904/the-god-queens-gift
If I will find another important pieces of information in this case or if you recommend more sources please post below.
Reasoning
The Legion has brought much to the play for the Vrykul. With whole zone and story dedicated to them in said zone we have recieved both worldbuilding and useful pieces of lore for the roleplayers who wish to roleplay vrykul in high-quality. As such we as roleplayers were given a chance to use this lore IC justification of being on either faction territory. The lore background for how the Vrykul might have no more freedom to be roleplayed in the hubs such as Stormwind is given below.
1.The Valarjar are the faction of both the ascended vrykul and powerful warriors no matter the race from all over the Azeroth. While they are mostly reformed dead vrykul when represented in Halls of Valor or the living aspirants seeing to prove themselves their presence and integration into the Vrykul culture is clear. All Vrykul dream of becoming Vajalar and prove themselves to Odyn and it is most likely that Vrykuls will follow command of Odyn and other Titan-keepers.
Valarjar-aligned Vrykul are shown fighting as part of Armies of Legionfall alongside the Alliance and the Horde. There are even two champions of Valarjar from both factions which is Lord Darius Crowley(For the Alliance) and Etigg(For the Horde).
All of Valarjar NPCs are both the Titan-keeper aligned which is neutral faction by itself and friendly as witnessed in game, as such roleplaying a Valarjar Aspirat might be most eligible
2.Jandvik Vrykul are example of hostile-neutral clan towards the Outsiders. However as witnessed by Toryl they arenât afraid to ask an outsider with help and imply that if you will prove yourself capable warrior or individual no matter the race you will be welcome within their village. As such, it is only natural that the Stormwind people would show animosity and be warry of an unproven vrykul.
At the end of the questline of Jandvik Vrykul and adventurer proves him/herslef enough that they become a Jarl of Jandvik which shows that Vrykuls respect the tradition, honor, oaths and rules of their own and might do the same in other factions.
3.During the confrontation of Sylvanas and Genn in Stormheim we learn that Sylvanas tried to enslave goddess of vrykul, Eyir. It is most likely that the Eyir-bound vrykul of Valkyra not only learned of it, but also spread this knowledge to other vrykul. It is not hard to imagine that in real life a story of some foreign leader attacking or trying to enslave your god-figuire while being saved by the leader of other foregin power would attract attention and curiosity of Vrykul.
As such, because Genn saved Eyir even by mistake, he might have pushed the Vrykul of Stormheim towards the Alliance. As such, it would be only natural that vrykul curious about their goddess saviour would want to visit the capital and palce from which this figuire hails.
4.Vrykuls are seafaring people and as such they might have internal drive to explore. Likes of TIrisians who are known to be seafarers openly explore many regions of Azeroth and are driven to adventure. If the Alliance humans and other races are driven by curiosity to explore and visit different cultures why should the Vrykuls be any different in that regard especially if they are sea-faring race.
5.There are vrykul merchants within the capital cities of Kul Tirans and Zandalari. One named NPC Enges sells the herb which is in high demand by Tirisan nobility and as such might serve as a hook point for the further relationships. The Vrykul NPCs are also spotted in Zandalari Harbor.
While the reasons of their presence there is unknown, be it independent merchant sefearers or vrykul merchants sent or inspired by their God-Queen encouragement or tales of vast cities it remains unknown. The fact is that the vrykul do have major presence within the capital cities of two important sub-factions and by that logic is it isnât a bit stretch to state that the Vrykul merchants could also be found in the Stormwind Harbor or under Orgrimmar gate.
6.According to the Sigyrn questline. She was exiled and found her way to the Jandvik Clan outskirs where she then met adventurer and was encouraged to follow the prophecy of becoming unificator of the Stormheim Vrykul. The audience with Eyir describes her as the blood of the God-King and Shieldmaiden. All of the shieldmaidens are in one way or another tied to Valkyra a shieldmaiden clan of Stormheim. During the questline Sigyrn as the heir of Tideskorn is challenging both leaders of Drekjar Clan, of storm dragon raiders and Bonespeakers clan, of mystics and runemasters.
Tideskorn clan is described as the united vrykul tribes of Stormheim which include Valkyra, Drekjar and Bonespeakers. Suffice to say, Sigyrn manages to unite the clans of Stormheim, resist the Fel temptation and recieve a blessing or rather order to rule as the God-Queen.
There is an interesting passage given in the quest âA Common Enemyâ- Sigyrn: âI have one more request to ask of you, outsider. Return to your leaders and report to them what transpired here. Though your people may never truly be allies with the Tideskorn, know that we have a common enemy - one which my people will fight to the last vrykul. When the time comes, I hope to see you on the battlefield.â
This passage implies that there is at least a basis by which sheâd be willing to ally herself not only on the ground of the common enemy. As such, the Vrykul roleplayer from there might have yet another reason to go to the cities like Stormwind in order to learn if the people there can truly be allies.
For if the common person or common vrykul sees and learns about the other races there and then sprears the tales of them within the clans, the vrykul clans themselves might have higher opinion about the outsiders which was already vastly improved during the Legion as it is implied from the quest that Sigyrn sent her troops to fight the Demons perhaps even as part of the Armies of the Legionfall.
Methodology
Character used:
Character used in the research will be male Vrykul which was born in exile clan of Jandvik. During his life the character aims to become the Valajar and has a chance to prove himself by becoming an aspirant to the Valajar and as such be their lowly messanger. The Character has been tasked with finding worthy warriors for the Valajar cause especially now that the evil forces of the Void and the Old Gods lurk to claim their dominance over the Azeroth.
He makes his personal mission to find such warriors within the races of the Alliance who are known to most likely have the highest ratio of the Light-aligned races and from the common sense he deduces that it is good idea to attempt to bond and recruit such races because they would be highly efficent against the Old Gods and the Void.
He also wishes to visit the Cathedral of the Light which legends allude to it being the Bastion of the Light as well as to be close to the kin of the Wolf King(worgens) which saved their goddess Eyir from the hands of the Banshee Queen.
Another motivation of the characters will be to learn more about the fellow Titan-forged races and use this fact as well with the others to recruit them in fight for the Valajar and against the Void.
Proper methodology:
During the research the character will approach the random denizens of Stormwind asking about the various topics related to the Light, the Titans, the Humans themselves and the Alliance prowess. Depending on the individual he will seek to recruit them or encourage them to have their eyes open against the influence of the Void. During the interaction the individual will be classified into the following categories depending on the result of interaction.
Positive IC reaction - where the character and the individual will come to common understanding and the individual might become friendly towards the Vrykul and have general good opinion about them.
Neutral IC reaction - where the character and the individual might or might not understand eachother in some cases. But the individual will not be threatend enough or care enough to consider the vrykul character anything but the curiosity.
Negative IC reaction - where the character and the individual will come into conflict which might or might not result in death or injury of the vrykul character. If this outcome comes to pass the experiment will be repeated by the creation of another enough diverse vrykul character.
Ignore IC reaction - where the individual ignores the Vrykul character IC and doesnât use /ignore.
Positive OOC reaction - where the OOC person will say how good something is or give a postiive or constructive feedback
Negative OOC reaction - where the OOC person might or might not resort to the aggressive libels, general rudeness as well as call out impossibility of the vrykul RP in Stormwind(See Lore OOC).
Lore-breaking OOC reaction - where the OOC person will call me out for breaking the lore of the game and being illogical with the Vrykul roleplaying in Stormwind. Depending on the points presented it might or might not result in validity of either side. The question for reasoning upon which the vrykul character is in Stormwind will result in sending link to the thread.
Ignore OOC reaction - where the OOC person uses the /ignore command and cannot see what the vrykul characters is roleplaying.
Due to the courtesy of the research, during the time of the research I will not whisper people to check if they ignore me, unless the person states via /whisper that they /ignore the character I will place most of the ignores in Ignore IC reaction.
The vrykul character will preferably engage individuals one on one. Such individuals will be registered via the relationship function in order to avoid the repetition of the same individuals providing the repeated data.
The current plan is to roleplay the vrykul in Stormwind at least for 10 days with the minimal requirement of 10 interactions between the character and the individuals. Every day of progress will be written down on the forum thread after which the conclusion can be reached.
EDIT(11/01/2020): Character rules:
In effort to increase cohesion and thanks to the input of other players the character rules will be added as an outline which will allow the vrykul character to increase their cohesion and reliability as the representatives of hostile-neutral race within the city of Stormwind.
- The vrykul character will not have any weapons.
- The vrykul character must stay within the range of Stormwind Harbor unless they have the supervision in form of the Law Enforcement, Stormwind Intelligence or Alliance Soldier.
- The vrykul character as the Valarjar Aspirant and the Titan-forged should be accompanied by non-vrykul Valarjar of the Alliance race.
Methodology Sheet:
Date:
Number of people interacted:
Positive IC reaction number:
Neutral IC reaction number:
Negative IC reaction number:
Ignore IC reaction number:
Positive OOC reaction number:
Negative OOC reaction number:
Lore-breaking OOC reaction number:
Ignore OOC reaction number:
Additional Information
My name is Avaarak. For the last few years of Argent Dawn roleplay I have engaged in roleplay of various non-playable races. With prime example of being: Arakkoa, Ethereal, Keepers of the Grove, Banhsee and Ogre. The Vrykul Infestation thread was the main inspiration for the research was the recent thread of Stormwind crier and happenings in Stormwind which I witnessed as the Ethereal has inspired me to create this pseudo-research for both my personal and hopefully yours entertainment. If you have any questions feel free to ask them, if you want to take part in the this roleplay research say so yourself.
You can easily check my alts if you want to poke me in-game about something else.
If you will notice any wording or strange phrasing please tell me and if you have any other lore tibids about the vrykul provide them as well.
Love to you, Argent Dawn.
