Added Manata’s “Shamanism, communing with the dead and Elements” to the list of essays and discussions.
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Will report for stickeh.
Sorry if this is frowned upon but I noticed that a few races are without guides. Before writing them myself I decided to search for them quickly and surprisingly found two guides that might be worth adding to this thread!
Void Elves by Morrowburn: The Void's Vainglorious Vagary - A Void Elf RP Guide
Nightborne by Korlith: https://us.forums.blizzard.com/en/wow/t/nightborne-rp-guide/102515
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Not at all; the more guides the better!
Edit: They’ve now been added.
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This right here is one of the most valuable threads we’ve got on these forums. Not gonna let it get locked 2 weeks from now.
Thanks Rogmasha for maintaining it!
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Added Acrona (and now Mythundis’) thread on Night Elf roleplay here:
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I figured this collection of quotes from the Illidan novel / quests regarding demon hunters might be more accessible in a thread like this instead of only our guild thread. Though not exactly a guide, I think it might be pretty practical for DH RPers. Feel free to add it.
`https://docs.google.com/document/d/1M_YbW7GivX85LACOz16xJtR9pS0RglfZK20PioXrhM0/edit´
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I’ll have to transcribe it into a different format some time (Google docs have a tendency to disappear eventually) - but the link has been added, thanks a bunch!
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Added Watrus’ Darkspear guide here:
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Say if you’d like a hand in transcribing these guides onto a more permanent platform, Rogmasha. Would be happy to contribute my time.
E: Some are due for an update, I gathered? While I’m not much of a lore buff, I can help improve formatting, phrasing and grammar where needed.
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There’s certain things like collating some of the old discussion threads that Fyne archived that will probably be fairly labour-intensive to preserve (I’m also still not entirely sure how to do it). Most of them are listed here: https://eu.battle.net/forums/en/wow/topic/859137668#post-3
In addition, certain long guides/threads may merit a little bit of future-proofing and then reposting, like Aerandul’s old RP gear thread, or Fyne’s “concept of the Character Toolkit” thread.
They can be found here:
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Finally got this absolutely massive thread ready for transfer:
The concept of the “Character Toolkit.” by Fyne
Overview
You have an idea for a character? An archetype or concept? Then have a look at what you have in your character toolkit , to see how you can best express that concept to others, through this roleplay medium.
It is a bit like choosing a wardrobe and props and special effects for a character in a movie or television show or video game [!].
What sorts of things are available? What are the “tools” in your toolkit?
***** Character race.
***** Character class [and the spells that come with that].
***** Character professions.
***** Character talents that have nifty visual effects, and glyphs likewise.
***** Character combat level.
***** Character name.
***** Character wardrobe [armour, including transmog].
***** Character weapons [weapons and off-hand, including transmog].
***** Character “favoured” mount.
***** Character “favoured” minipet.
***** Character combat pet, if a hunter, or death knight, or warlock, or etc. Its name also, if appropriate.
***** Vanity items and “on use” trinkets with visual effects.
***** Speech style [such as transliterated accents], emotes and emote style.
You’ll likely settle, with some thought, on one combination of these things that seems to work best most of the time, and make small variations on these things to be most effective for a given time, in a given place, at expressing that character concept most appropriately for that scene. Sort of like a television show. Or a piece of theatre. Ignoring any of these tools means, well, it means that you’re ignoring some of the tools you could use to better represent your character - and stories, at their heart, are generally about characters.
Class
I’m just going to point out the obvious here; you needn’t really take class into consideration what so ever when creating a new character. All it does is limit you, really.
I would reverse that - it is not a matter of taking [an already chosen] class into consideration when building a new character concept, it is a matter of choosing a class to best suit your [already thought of] character concept . Players have a lot of tools to help express their character.
Thinking like a theatrical performance, we have things such as language and accent and slang; we have things like wardrobe [lots of players spend time thinking about “outfits” for their character] and weapon choices; we have things like even companion pets [and for hunters, even combat pets]. All these things can help us to visually demonstrate the archetype of our character to the audience - who are the other players and actors around us. This is not only useful to them as an audience, of course, it is useful as actors: it gives them cues and clues to know how to approach our character.
Similarly, character class and the abilities that come with it are a major tool in our “character building toolkit.” They are as important as wardrobe, and perhaps moreso. After all, they are the core and most accessible Special Effects we have available. Each class comes with a range of “special effects” of its own, some only seen as part of combat, some seen at any time. All of them can be put to use to help us represent the character we want.
So choose your character class to suit your character archetype. What class would best show off the idea you have? Classes are, in fact, more than simply armour and weapon proficiencies. They are more than simply wardrobe. They are abilities. They are talents. They are minor [and major] glyphs. They are a very powerful tool, and not one to be easily overlooked.
Class, and class spells/skills, just as profession and race choices, are part of your “character toolkit,” and can be used to support [or hinder] your portrayal of your chosen character archetype. The real questions to ask, I suppose, are not “is this idea allowed,” or “can this be done,” but rather “is this class choice the best one to visually represent my character idea in the game?” and “how can I use this class choice to visually represent my character idea in the game?”
Looking for a melee combatant who uses some minor shadow magic and/or fel magic? A warrior would make sense, having lots of visual support for the skilled melee combatant. There are a few trinkets and on-use items which might give visual support to fel-based minor magic use. Tracking them down would assist.
Looking for a caster who sometimes uses swordsmanship to get out of scrapes? A warlock or shadow priest might suit best, again, finding the right trinkets and the right look of outfit [choosing the most “armoured” looking of the cloth pieces for transmogrification, choosing the longest, wickedest-looking swords or daggers] to support the rest of your idea.
Ignoring class as “not ic” I think misses the point, slightly - your choice of class, as a player of that character, is just as important as your choice of race, your choice of outfit, your choice of professions, your choice of neat vanity items, your choice of mount… they all help you to express the idea of your character. Choosing poorly will make it harder for you to express that character [“My desert-dweller character rides a mammoth and wears heavy Northrend furs everywhere”], choosing well will make it easier for you to effectively express that character.
The class of a character is one of the tools in the toolkit of you, the player, for crafting a character. Alongside race, name, talents, wardrobe, and on-use items it can help you to express the character concept you have, to other players.
Generally, I’d recommend figuring out the sort of character you want to play, first, and from THAT choosing race and class. If an old, corrupt, orc spellcaster is what appeals to you, gnome warrior won’t help much.
From that perspective, rogue is a very flexible class with a lot of interesting abilities to help you express your choice. Rogues can wear leather and cloth, can dual weild, have a number of abilities built in that have visual effects.
Perhaps the most obvious and most problematic of those abilities is stealth, but that can be (a) hiding behind things, for a low-magic explanation; (b) engineering “invisibility”; (c) minor magic. Beyond that, some of the concepts mentioned above can easily suit.
Rogues of course also, being one of the less iconically themed classes [unlike shaman, say, or as mentioned, a paladin], have the option to be class secondary. Archaeologist who also happens to swashbuckle a bit? Alchemist with some training in combat? Heck, this very character is a surgeon, who applies his medical skills “in the field” [applied practical phrenology].
Mounts, pets and travel
Roleplayers spend time thinking about the armour choices for their character, to find something which best expresses their character to others, like a stage costume. Roleplayers spend time thinking about weapon choices for their character, to find something which best expresses their character to others, like stage props. Roleplayers spend time thinking about names and titles for their character, to find something which best expresses their character to others. Roleplayers spend time thinking about class choice, talents, combat pets, trinkets with visual effects, and vanity items for their character, to find something which best expresses their character to others.
Roleplayers should [yes, that dangerous word “should”] spend time thinking about mount and minipet choices for their character, to find something which best expresses their character to others.
Mount choice is one of many tools available in your toolkit, to help express your character concept best, for a given location, and a given scene.
Travel in “lore” and its complications depends entirely on the needs of the narrative for that scene, with those characters, at that time. It took Thrall’s advance scouts a full week to cross Durotar, moving quickly as skirmishers. It took a military force from Stormwind, with supply train and camp followers, one day to travel across Elwynn to Lakeshire. The needs of the scene.
There is not “one right answer for all characters in all places at all times.” There is also not “an answer that is wrong for all characters in all places at all times.” Both of these assumptions remove tools from your toolkit, and set you up for being wrong. Yes, even “Heart of the Aspects.” Yes, even “not a gryphon.” Yes, even a talbuk.
Sometimes each of these could be the best choice to express that character concept in that place during that scene. Eliminating them as “not possibly in character” is a poor choice.
Not a DK IC
I think the main difficulty here is less not a Death Knight but more not an undead . And why?
For one thing, because the game gives us both very noticeable visual and audible cues regarding this character type. The signals that a character is a death knight are readily apparent long before reading through someone’s Addon Flag [if one even uses one of those addons - especially so when the addons were made incompatible for a while]. The likelihood of having to retroactively “not have seen and heard” something in a crowd scene that you’ve already been reacting to… would be like having to retroactively pretend that human there is actually a goblin, that forsaken there is actually a normal living human, or that paladin in plate there is actually supposed to be wearing robes [but has only written that in their Flag, instead of wearing robes].
For a second thing, why bother needing to level to ninety? If a character is supposed to be a blacksmith or farmer, who needs levels above five? Any bank character can easily fill such a concept. We have eleven character slots. Aiming for that “shortcut” under the belief that it shortens leveling time for your level ninety fresh fruit vendor suggests that you need to level to ninety before you can roleplay a fresh fruit vendor. Which is, admittedly, silly.
I think those are the two principal sources of argument against such that I’ve read, the first moreso, the second less so.
Couldn’t a forsaken DK roleplay as a apothecary just as forsaken warrior, mage or a warlock could?
The difficulty doesn’t seem to be “death knight portraying something else also undead.” I see it being recommended for Necromancer concepts, for example, and for plague apothecaries.
It seems a matter of choosing the best OOC class to support, visually [and, in this case, audibly thanks to the voice effect], your chosen character concept. The character concept of “holy, plate wearing knight” is best supported by paladin, between wardrobe and spells, perhaps second by warrior, between wardrobe and spells, but warlock would make a poor choice overall for that concept. Not Undead characters are not well supported visually [thanks to the eye glow visual cue used to vehemently signal “undead” in this setting] and audibly thanks to the spooooooky voice [similarly]. Other classes are better choices, just as draenei might make a poor choice to try to represent a Grummle visually, thanks to their stature, and a forsaken might make a poor choice to represent a living elf. The visual cues for our first impressions are off, and this is a visual medium.
Things supported by the visual evidence seem supported for RP by DKs, even when not a death knight - examples such as Royal Apothecary Plague Scientist, or Necromancer, or undead non-human, say.
Hope this helps to continue the discussion and debate.
Subraces and classes
Again, I see little trouble with making use of subdivisions to roleplay an “unplayable” segment of a race which is visually identical to those we have - Frostmane Trolls, say, or Revantusk; Wildhammer dwarves or dark iron. When the character can no longer be visually represented in the game, I think the players have chosen the wrong medium. Want to play a naga? Try the Open Role Play threads on the forum, or some game over iRC, as it were.
Why? Much as with choosing class and profession to well represent your character, “race” [species] is one of the tools in your character toolkit.
Whilst it is possible to try to represent a Demon Hunter with a death knight in the game, doing so would handicap yourself to a great degree, since the two have very few points in common [dual wield, specifically]. It is akin to choosing to represent a troll Witch Doctor with a warrior. There are other classes very much available, which would come with a much more applicable tool-set to assist you in adding verisimilitude to the representation. The choice in the end, of course, is yours, but I feel you would have a much better representation, and likely much more enjoyment in the long run, by choosing a class which lends more support for you to be able to represent the archetype in which you have taken an interest. You will find that both warrior and rogue have many more points in common, and add far more useful abilities to your “toolkit” for portraying a Demon Hunter in the game itself.
I do expand upon or re-name my characters’ classes, but root them firmly in the capabilities of their class/race/professions. After all, a tauren Sunwalker rather than a tauren paladin would qualify as “not your class,” as would a Blood Knight or Vindicator, and that’s only with paladins.
Examples
Tsathoggua is a witch doctor, although in truth that seems LESS specific than “shaman.” Any troll caster could qualify, and to further cement the definition, I made sure he took Alchemy.
Fyne is a surgeon, and so First Aid is his defining character ability, 'though rogue seemed to hold well with scalpel use, and skinning seemed applicable as well.
Scurvy is a dead sailor and quartermaster. Sailor has no applicable professions that I could find. Quartermaster is in charge of the ship’s log-book, so Inscription seemed closest. As for dead, a forsaken death knight seemed the deadest I could arrange.
Gnapoleon is a musketeer. With “hunter” unavailable to gnomes, either rogue or warrior seemed to best suit, as actually being able to use a gun seemed important. Both could seem appropriate, 'though engineering seemed a certainty for a gun-focused gnome. In the end, the engineered shields made the decision to go with warrior instead of rogue, to support the various historical aspects of entrenched musketry.
And so forth. The only one of the lot who is occasionally best defined by the game-term for his class is Tsathoggua, with his connections to the Earthen Ring. But then, many of the “prestige classes” referred to [to steal the DnD term being bandied about above] are not so much “over and above” the WoW classes, but more limitations within those classes. Can warriors specialize in disrupting casters? Yup. Can warlocks avoid summoning demons? Yup. Can hunters focus on bows rather than pets? Yup.
As usual, I regard this less a matter of “choosing a ‘prestige class’ to power up your game class,” and more a matter of “choosing a game class that will give you the tools to best represent your chosen character archetype.” Want an Apothecary? Take first aid, and alchemy. Wear robes [thus easier with a caster class, as you won’t be tempted to change into plate mid-adventure]. Want a hexxer? Choose one of the troll caster classes that can curse or hex someone in some way [warlock, shadow priest, mage, or shaman, principally]. Want a tech-mage? Choose a mage with engineering. Consider class and its abilities, and professions and their abilities, to be tools in your toolkit to help visually represent your character.
Gender?
On topic, avatar genders obviously play a huge part in how we respond to people, both IC and OOC.
I admit that I likely do a terrible job of portraying a female character, as gender and sexuality never really enter into it. Similarly, I must do a terrible job of portraying a male character, as gender and sexuality never really enter into it. Other elements of the character are always far more important than whether male or female. “Fishergoblin” or “surgeon” is evocative as a concept to me. “Female” or “male” is not much of a hook.
Generally, I agree with Gillawyn’s post, quoted above, although I find that I place more consideration on a character’s wardrobe and appearance choice than their sex. I realize academically that the character’s sex is just as much a part of that character’s “wardrobe,” just as much a tool in the character-expression-toolkit, as wardrobe and character race and character class, but I find I put more stock in wardrobe choice, as far as visual appearance goes. My unintentional ambivalence may come from an uncertainty regarding another player’s intentions or understanding about what a sex choice for a character might signal, whereas wardrobe choices might seem more likely obvious. Maybe.
Warrants more thought.
Edit: Adnaw and I did run with the “arranged marriage” trope, however. We did it to avoid either of us not having an excuse ready to hand for the “notorious” RP server ‘romance’ questions. In our story as we’d built it, neither of the two had any choice in the matter, nor wanted it; it was not her being promised, or him being promised, it was THEM being promised, so they had equal shares in the pain.
Character level
Why is a character that is a “nobody” (but happens to be level 85) automatically stronger than level 10 character who has a background of being a long-time soldier?
In a couple of nearby threads, I have suggested that the race and class you choose for your character are tools in your “role-playing toolkit;” which is to say, choose the character class and character race that best help you to portray your character concept in the game. I would also suggest that character combat level is similarly.
I personally have two level 85s [eventually, I intend to have four level 85s, once the remaining two characters finish gaining the in-game, in-character experiences which will further their combat experience. I also have characters of varying levels down through level 10, reflecting their varied combat capabilities.
My “non combat civilians” are, perhaps surprisingly, of lower levels than my characters whose stories include more combat experience. One of the lower-leveled characters is a dwarf priest formerly a soldier who has not fought since the second war. With lack of practice, his combat skills have deteriorated significantly. Were he to spar with Waywatcher, he should lose, with only the slimmest narrative chance to succeed [and that only should we desire a funny scene].
Were we in a dramatic scene, I would normally suggest /duel, wherein he would lose quickly to the more combat-capable dwarf. Should we be looking for a very slim chance for him to win, I would recommend that we use /roll level or /roll highest attribute, in each case giving a VERY slim chance that luck would show him through. Should we know we want him to win, for a funny “what the!” scene, we would arrange that in advance, and use a straight /emote fight with no rolls and both players working towards a pre-determined outcome.
As the situation requires.
Why is he not level 85? Because he is not a strong combatant. Oh, sure, his knowledge of theology is quite solid, and his ability to use rhetoric and to give a commanding sermon is great, but those of course have -nothing to do with- combat level. Character combat level reflects a character’s current combat abilities. Nothing more, nothing less.
Are there exceptions? Sure. Are there not to most things? But as usual, having been a table-top roleplayer for a few decades now, I retain my table-top roleplaying habits: character level is a part of the mechanics of every system out there in one way or other [some systems instead increase dice pools through experience, others raise skill percentages through successful use, yet others increase your traits pool [add adjectives to your list] through experience]. This one is no exception. My DnD characters had to have adventures to gain experience, as did these characters.
The games I’ve been part of - playing or running - never [started characters all at maximum level, fully skilled; instead we started at low levels and adventured our way up to being powerful]. We always created excuses into the character histories to explain why we were currently not a heroic combat level.
I like to see evidence in-game through the visual medium we’ve chosen, for a player’s claims for a character. This may mean leveling up [“My character is a champion gladiator!”], or it may mean avoiding leveling [“Inkpen is a priestly paladin - more at home amongst books and scrolls than on the field of battle”]. Sometimes a specific effect is only available at a given level [“Tsathoggua is a ghost - the glyph of Astral Form combined with Druid Bearchicken form will support that, visually!”].
Generally, for me, character combat level is useful only in that it shows a character’s competence in combat. Very little else. Sometimes, 'though, it unlocks a particular ability which can be the key to using the “character toolkit” to represent the concept desired [see the Dead Tsathoggua example above].
I do roleplay both with and as low-leveled characters, and while questing, but I do see character level as part of our “character toolkit” in character building, able to be used as much as abused, and sometimes recommend NOT leveling a character’s combat level, depending on concept.
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Bump!
Would be good if this is pinned.
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I second that.
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bumping because it’s too good ![:slight_smile:](https://d1bg94bbsh66ji.cloudfront.net/en/wow/images/emoji/twitter/slight_smile.png?v=6" ":slight_smile:")
Thanks everyone for the bumps! I’ll be getting back to updating this thread soon; just need to re-gain trust level 3 first. ![:sweat_smile:](https://d1bg94bbsh66ji.cloudfront.net/en/wow/images/emoji/twitter/sweat_smile.png?v=6" ":sweat_smile:")
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Still on the hunt for that trust level 3, ETA hopefully only a couple more days/weeks.
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If needed anything for it just tell me.
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The Great Draenei Compendium by Nhadira
[-Introduction-]
So you’ve chosen to play a Draenei! This is an exciting race, with richly deep and immersive lore, that spans back all the way to…way back when. I hope you enjoy this guide, and find use for it in your adventures! Enjoy the read, and happy gaming!
[-The Story & The Beginning: In Full-]
Once upon a time - over 25,000 years ago - on a planet far, far away, there dwelt a race of enigmatic and intelligent sentient beings known as the Eredar. These Eredar were supremely gifted magic-users. Magic on the planet Argus flourished, and the arcane was an ever constant source and old friend. These people built wondrous and vast civilizations, as well as utopian districts. Peace and prosperity were their way, and life for them - though remote - was simply paradisaical.
Their planet was named ‘Argus’, and on it were many countless treasures, from sprawling landscapes, to high peaked, snowy mountains and metropolises. Their most sacred city of all was named ‘Mac’Aree’.
Mac’Aree was a city of astonishment. Its streets were lined with precious minerals and rivers which glittered and glowed bioluminescent even in complete darkness. Another site which many who dwelt on Argus recall, are the blustery, wintry peaks of Kaarinos. Some say that the Storm Peaks of Northrend remind them of this range.
Each perfect day, the Eredar people prospered, especially through the guiding hands of their Triumvirate, their leaders: Velen, Kil’jaeden, and Archimonde. These three Eredar were the most powerful Magi among their kind, and to this end, they shepherded the masses, ushering them along in their lives with enthusiasm and unwavering devotion.
Unfortunately, this was not to last.
Eventually, the planet had come to attract the attention of Sargeras, the Dark Titan. Kil’jaeden and Archimonde, once they had been given audience with him, readily agreed to his offer: “Join me, Eredar, and I will give you power undreamed of by all races.” Velen, however, did not jump at his word. The Prophet had had a vision, a dark and terrible vision.
His people were to become the very demons they were about to serve!
Springing to rectify and recant his brothers’ acceptances, he spoke and pleaded at length with them to heed his advice, to turn down the Legion. Desperation filled Velen, but Archimonde and Kil’jaeden would not hear their brother’s words. He knew that Sargeras longed simply and only to conquer and destroy worlds. He knew also that his brothers and dearest friends, did not possess the Gift of Sight that he did. Pain took him, and he departed from their presence.
Frantically, Velen sought an answer. That answer soon came in the form of a sweet voice, warm and like rushing water, or summer winds. “You are not alone, Velen of the Eredar”, it told him.
The voice began to speak to Velen, telling him precisely whom, and what, it was. The being was K’ure, a Naaru, and he wanted very much so to help Velen and his people; He understood his plight. K’ure instructed Velen to take their sacred Ata’mal crystal - an ancient artifact of the Eredar peoples - and rally those who would listen to him, traveling to the tallest mountain on Argus on the day in the year which drew on the longest. There, Velen’s prayers would truly be answered.
The longest day of the year was drawing closer. While his brother-Triumvirate were busily obsessing over Sargeras, Velen enacted K’ure’s plan. He sent tendrils to those he trusted, and with another of his oldest, most beloved friends - Talgath - Velen built a web of the subtlest magic about the now traitors, Kil’jaeden and Archimonde. When at last the day arrived, those who had been rallied beneath the traitors’ noses, gathered with Velen atop a the tallest mountain of Argus, as told by K’ure. Velen saw that their numbers were sickeningly, and painfully small; They bore only in the hundreds, but of these hundreds, they were those the Prophet trusted.
As Velen and his followers awaited the sign from the Naaru, word had been sent back to Archimonde and Kil’jaeden by none other than Talgath himself! Another had betrayed Velen, and those under the two Triumvirate - now turned demon - came at the Prophet and his ilk, unleashed fully. They were known as the Man’ari, twisted, horrific beings who vaguely resembled what once glorious forms they had possessed. Velen raised the Ata’mal crystal into the air and looked on as it was struck by a beam of Light. Without warning, it shattered in his hands. The crystal had created a barrier of Light that had protected the Prophet and his followers, preventing the Man’ari from reaching them.
It was in that moment that K’ure provided the means for their escape - a giant diamond-vessel which would later become known by the Orcs as the Oshu’gun, or ‘Mountain of Spirits’.Kil’jaeden was outraged by Talgath’s failure to successfully capture Velen and the escapees, though he was merciful to him. Talgath was placed by the Deceiver to be in charge of the expedition to find those who had fled, and crush them if they could not be swayed. For many, many, many long years Talgath was unsuccessful, until he would later stumble upon Draenor, or as the now-Draenei call it, ‘Exile’s Refuge’. Velen’s old friend was ordered to spy on the planet, until he’d discovered Orcs. Kil’jaeden then placed himself fully in charge of the operation, and Talgath was reassigned. His fate is unknown, and his rank in the Legion is close to even the Deceiver’s himself.
Velen was distraught, but thankful, over the rescue of his people. They were tired, and frightened, disjointed and detached from their once-home; Everything they had known, loved, and cared for, had now been ripped from them viciously. Their identity had been cleaved, and cruelly so. It was then that Velen renamed his people, and boosted their morale. “All who wander are not lost”, so it was said by he, and thus, they called themselves the ‘Draenei’, which means Exiled Ones in their native tongue.
The Draenei spent a great deal of centuries on the Oshu’gun, hopping from planet to planet, where it was revealed to Velen that the Ata’mal crystal was what had allowed the Eredar to make such sweeping strides in magic, science and technology from their telepathically given know-how. K’ure, in time, became Velen’s friend and mentor. For (currently) unknown reasons, K’ure fell sick during their trans-dimensional flight, forcing the Oshu’gun to make a crash-landing on the planet ‘Draenor’. The other Naaru in the ship, D’ore, died on impact, and was buried at what is now known as Auchindoun. Several Draenei made homes in Zangarmarsh to hide from the wrath of their corrupted kin.
It is in this time that the story truly fleshes out, and vastly so.
We need to go deeper.
[-A Quick Biological Overview-]
Height: Draenei are taller than Night Elves, with most males exceeding 7 feet tall. The females of the race are never too far behind, and are typically taller than Night Elf females. Draenei can reach a maximum height of 8’ 5" for males, and 8" for females, whereas 7’ would be a short Draenei.
Weight: As male Draenei are pretty powerfully built, they average around 380-400Lbs. Females are much more slender and lithe, popping them at about 250-300Lbs. One must consider that due to height and bone composition, as well as muscle definition and structural anatomy, your Draenei female will NEVER be a “voluptuous, curvy minx” that weighs 150Lbs. Ain’t happenin’. At all. No. Bad role player. STAHP! smack
Age: --Discussed below, IN DEPTH!–
Draenei Biology Fun-Facts from Wowpedia:
Draenei are physically different from the eredar of the Burning Legion. They do not, however, seem to exhibit the red skin of demonic eredar. Draenei also lack the horns that demonic eredar have on their faces (this is not noticeable in-game models, only in artwork). They do have fangs. Draenei are described as being all or overall blue (with the exception of Velen who is described as having white skin later in his life, whereas in Rise of the Horde, he was said to have had warm Alabaster skin). In World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade, draenei skin appears in most shades of color between very pinkish-white to light blue up to dark violet. Their blood is also blue.
Draenei who use the [Gift of the Naaru] racial ability have a glowing sigil float above their head for the duration of the effect.
Draenei males have tendrils coming out of their chin and a fan-like forehead plate which rises and overlaps other forehead plates behind it. Male draenei have large tails which are held erect by developed muscle structure. The female of the species exhibits marked differences: rather than the forehead plates featured on the male, they have vaguely horn-shaped cranial extensions that extend over the upper cranium and end on either side of the crown. Female cranial tendrils sprout behind the ear and are typically long enough to reach the shoulders. Their tendrils are thinner than the male’s. Female draenei tails are shorter and have a lower muscle density. In both genders, the hooves are relatively large, in contrast to the more compacted hooves of their demonic counterparts.
Draenei can choose from a diverse selection of hair colors including gray, white, blue/black, brown, and purple. Similarly, the number of facial tentacles on male draenei can be customized. They can feature zero, one, two, or four tentacles of different shape and size.
*Eyes: All Draenei eyes glow a luminescent blue. Whether they have other colors beneath the glow, or even pupils, is unknown.
[-Age-]
http://wowpedia.org/Life_spans
The aging process of a Draenei is a fickle thing, and has - for years - given Draenei role players quite a lot of grief! Not only in the Warcraft universe, but in reality as well, creatures or beings which are long-lived (what science calls biological immortality) tend to mature incredibly slowly. Take for example an snippet from Rise of the Horde, in which Durotan notes that a child in Telmor (Terokkar) remained a child for about three decades, or thirty years. The Draenei are also hinted to (possibly) be immortal–Velen himself is explicitly stated as being so in the starting narration for the race.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AtZ1A7xn4oo
The majority of Draeneic NPCs have the tendency to mention Argus, and thusly, this places them at over 25,000 years old. Velen, in example, was stated to have been over this number whilst on Argus, meaning he is likely the most ancient living being in the known Warcraft universe, aside from the possibility of the Titans, or Old Gods.
So how do I choose what age to make my character? THIS IS IMPOSSIBLE, you say! Fear not.
Most Draenei role players here on Argent Dawn are from the old school crowd who fled from Argus with Velen and the Naaru. This places the majority of these player-characters over the 25,000 year mark. Other role players, though I’ve hardly seen it myself, are from Draenor, making them any age below this particular mark.
Keep in mind if your Draenei is from Draenor, this will severely retard their knowledge of the Flight and anything beyond that, unless they had heard it in stories from the elders. Not having personal experience of the Oshu’gun also plays into this. You will have been born in Nagrand, Terokkar or Zangarmarsh. That’s it.
A Note on Biological Immortality & Pregnancy
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biological_immortality
Wikipedia states : Biological immortality refers to a stable or decreasing rate of mortality from cellular senescence as a function of chronological age. Various unicellular and multicellular species may achieve this state either throughout their existence or after living long enough.
It goes on to state known examples of BI enabled creatures/cells. We see this in every day life. Have you ever known an 80 year old woman to give birth successfully? How about a 100 year old woman? Maybe once or twice (depending on the region and facts, it may be more than this.) in the history of the world, but it most assuredly isn’t common. The same thing applies to the Draenei in this sense.
Younger females of the species have the tendency to successfully bear and produce children; However, the longer they live (considering that adulthood is reached quite some time into their lives!) the more prone their physical bodies become to being completely unable. The Draenei women who HAVE children are those 80 and 100 year old women I was talking about: It’s nearly impossible to get the race to successfully procreate with high rates of birthing.
TO MAKE THIS A POINT SO PEOPLE DON’T GET THE WRONG IDEA
For those of you who wish to play a younger Draenei, keep this in mind. You are going to be YOUNG. This does not mean you’ll be capable of production any more than anyone else, however. Those of you from Argus will have a .000000001% chance to birth something. You’re over 25,000 years old. I wouldn’t pretend you can have babies. You really, physically cannot.
Those of you from Draenor also need to keep in mind that your Draenei will be anywhere from 100 years old to
1,000230 years old.How long the Draenei remained on Draenor is not set in stone, since a Horde quest featuring D’ore says 1,000 yrs, but Rise of the Horde says 300 Yrs.[Editor’s note: Chronicles has clarified that the Draenei arrived on Draenor in the year -200] Your physical body will be old enough to make you partially incapable of reproduction (think of the 100 year old ladies! Eew.). This puts you in with the Argus folk, but not to such a severity.Confirmation:
“The memory is vivid, . My energies were wholly drained from the crash. I was only a dim speck of void energies when the Prophet Velen and his draenei compatriots lifted my remains and brought them here. After much ceremony, my diminished form was laid to rest within this sarcophagus. I have been regenerating for nearly a thousand years. The cycle is almost complete…”Velen discusses at one point in Rise of the Horde how, if a child is born, it is something to be celebrated throughout the whole of the Draenei people. This very same thing is mentioned again later, where when a Naaru dies, the entire peoples are nothing but mournful of their beloved saviours. The Draenei act, live, and breath as a community, a family of hundreds of extended relatives, each one loved and cherished by the other.
It would be ridiculous to have a being which has twenty years of experience, for example, to behave like a two year old. Regardless of whether or not that being is considered within its society to be an infant, that being still has twenty years of experience. To assume that a Draenei would still think and behave like we expect a human child would, in real life, after having years and years of experience in being alive seems insulting to a race of supposed intellectual superiority.
How old is a two year old Draenei? Two years old.
There is a difference between physical maturation and societal maturation, and that really seems to be the key in figuring out the relative age of your Draenei character. Playing a character that is of a race that has such a long lifespan as the Draenei, where it is speculated that they could be immortal, is a challenge because it really does make time inconsequential. It is hard for us, as humans, with a finite amount of time to be alive to grasp the fact that a being that has been alive for 1,000 years could still societally be considered a “youngling” amongst their people. Youngling does not necessarily mean child – it seems to refer to a relative youth amongst the people.
[-Naaru, Light, and Spaceships: Oh My!-]
With all the ridiculously cool fantasy in this race’s background, we often forget about the awesomely amazing Sci Fi aspect! Let’s have a look at some of the things that really make this race a far-reaching wild card in the Warcraft universe.
The Naaru
The Naaru are sentient beings composed of pure Light energy aka the Holy Light of Creation, and were those who saved the Draenei people from the invasion and corruption of their once-homeworld Argus from the Burning Legion.
The very first Naaru to ever come into contact with the Draenei was K’ure, Velen’s friend and mentor.
The Naaru are crystalline-looking in nature (composed of shards of Light), and are shaped in some similarity to cephalopods.https://gamepedia.cursecdn.com/wowpedia/thumb/c/cd/Naaru.jpg/800px-Naaru.jpg
Several Naaru are seen in and around anything Draeneic, as they have basically integrated their lives/culture with the Draenei peoples’ own. Their symbols can be seen in clothing, armour, shields, and much else. The Naaru are an integral part of the race.
To add a note, the Naaru even have their own faction that players can earn reputation with in the Dwelling of Light, aka Shattrath City in Outlands, Terokkar Forest.
The only Naaru in history ever to be abducted was M’uru, thanks to those conniving Blood Elves. More on this later!
The Light
Long before the Draenei were taught of the Light, the Arcane was their primary source of power, and daily goings-on on the planet Argus. The Light was taught to Velen by K’ure and is the same Light as the Church of the Holy Light’s own. There is some speculation that Elune is possibly a Naaru. Velen has spoken with Tyrande herself of this, and explained that she bears every distinct trait of one, but unfortunately, Tyrande turned him away. Hopefully, in due time, this will be revealed.
The Light has warped the once-Eredar people, and changed them physically and quite permanently so!
Here we see that the Light has made the Draenei smoother and much less angular than their former selves. They are smaller, but stockier, and their skin has lightened considerably. They appear almost humanoid, as opposed to purely alien. There is some speculation behind this, as well, that the Naaru are evil. Film at eleven.
Spaceships
Flying, twisting, rolling and blasting photon torpedoes through the sky, we have spaceships! How cool is that?
There are several notable spaceships and starcrafts in the Warcraft universe, specifically those that belong to the Naaru, as they are the only race thus far who possess them. These ships are known as the Tempest Keep, and the Oshu’gun.
*The Oshu’gun was the original vessel which spirited the Draenei peoples away from Argus, and eventually crash-landed on Draenor after centuries; The cause for its crash was, as mentioned, K’ure falling ill.
*The Tempest Keep was a Naaru fortress which served as the base of operations for the Naaru themselves. The structure itself possesses the technology to teleport through alternate dimensions, traveling from one location to another in the blink of an eye. This is the ship the Naaru used to reach the shattered lands, and help fight the war in Outlands. This was also the ship that the Blood Elves attacked and took over (See: Tempest Keep, The Eye, Raid). A band of Draenei managed to hijack one wing - the Exodar - and use it to get to Azeroth.
To note from Wowpedia:
Tempest Keep can be accurately described as an enchanted fortress. It has the ability to Travel along the Twisting Nether - a realm of intense energy that links all the worlds of the Great Dark together. This is where the term “inter-dimensional” comes from. A “space ship” would simply traverse the distance of the great dark from point A to point B. Tempest keep uses the Twisting nether to travel almost instantaneously from place to place. In essence, it is a self-contained Dark Portal which operates on the same principle.
[-Draeneic Paradigms & Character Specimens-]
Now that you know the history, and some important items, names, and things present in the Draenei’s background, we can move on to the topic of your character. Not many Draenei are featured in lore extensively, save Velen, Akama, and Nobundo. There is also Iridi from ‘Night of the Dragon’, but that still just isn’t much to go on, due to a lack of Blizzard really digging in, and fleshing them out.
Typical archetypes for characters are as follows:
Traditionalists:
These Draenei are typically represented as stoic, and deeply devout toward the Light. Their pious ways can often lead to a taciturn outlook on other types of Draenei mindsets. This is seen in the Velen Leader Short-Story. These traditional types worship the Light immensely, and revere both it, and the Naaru as if they were the very air they breathe. The most notable examples of this type are Velen, the Aldor, and priests/paladins at temples throughout Outland. They often speak in parables, and can be holy warriors.
Neutralists:
The neutral-type Draenei are those whose concerns are immediate. Take for example the average, every-day, ordinary citizen of the Exodar, or the crash survivors in Ammen Vale. They think with less of the Light in the forefront. More often than not, they are not particularly religiously entrenched in the teachings of those around them.
Discoverers:
The Draenei as a people love to explore the whole of new surroundings, and many of them have made a point to go so far as the Hinterlands, and many other various surrounding areas (including all the way to Northrend!) just to see the world, map it, and do whatever they can do know it. Knowledge was once, after all, something very sought after for this race. These particular Draenei are open-minded, and absorb knowledge easily. Examples of this type are those seen with Hemet Nesingwary.
Dark or Evil Draenei:
Some would argue that evil or corrupted Draenei cannot exist as player characters. I would tell those people that they are absolutely correct, but only if they are talking about Draenei who are Man’ari Eredar, or some ridiculous, absurd notion like half-Sayaad, or old god influenced. While there may be Draenei who have ‘fallen from grace’ and joined cults, or gone mad due to whatever outside influence there is affecting them, I will advise you now to stay away from this archetype, as more often than not, it breeds conflict versus role play. If you would like to try this one, be advised, and do your homework ahead of time! Look into factions like the corrupted Auchenai for examples on how to go about it.
Do not, I repeat, DO NOT stand around Stormwind being ‘evil’. It is not good RP, and never will be. Speaking of factions.
[-Factions of the Draenei-]
-The Shield of Velen
-The Hand of Argus
-The Aldor
-The Auchenai
-The Sha’tarThese are some of the factions of the Draenei people. There are also Broken-only organizations, such as:
-The Kurenai
-The Murkblood
-The Dreghood
-The Greyheart
-The Ashtongue Tribe
-Magtoor’s Tribe (Of the Harborage in the Swamp of Sorrows)There are even Lost Ones groups!
-The Lost Ones
-The Daggerfen
-The Feralfen
-The Umbrafen
-The Windyreed
-The Tuurem
-The PortalseekersAnd mixed groups, such as:
-The Wyrmcult
-The Shattered Sun OffensiveFor more information on each group, please see the following URL:
https://wow.gamepedia.com/Category:Draenei_organizations
This page will give you an overview, with liks to concise definitions of what/who are group are, and what they do, as well as in-depth history!
[-Culture, Society & Religion-]
First and foremost, the Draenei culture and society has been highly developed over the countless centuries to center around the impending defeat of the Burning Legion, and the raising of the Army of the Light. Many small derivatives of what they once valued can still be seen, and read about through either quests, or World of Warcraft’s novel series.
Family: Family, due to the low birth rates of the people, is extremely important to the Draenei. A family member must never be belittled, taken advantage of, lied to, harmed, or any other foul negative action one could think of.
It is my personal conjecture that Families tend to be patriarchal, and the male is looked to as the pillar of strength for his mate and brood.
Actual facts (via questing, and the like) show that Draenei believe quite heavily in the ideals of marriage and love, and are not quick to simply “sleep around without thought”. Love and union are sacred to the Draenei; much like the Light, it is held in the same regard and on quite a high pedestal. Draenei partners form very, very deep bonds with one another, given their long lives. Loving someone for a few years and losing them is nothing compared to loving someone for a thousand millenia and losing them.
Some speculate Draeneic marriage ceremonies are nothing like Christian ceremonies/Human ceremonies in-game or IRL with exchanged vows and the like. It is more likely they perform a hand-fasting, or a wedding similar to a Hindu ceremony. When it comes to children, if a female has one child, she is considered blessed. If a female bears two children, she is considered extremely fertile, and is held atop a pedestal for her capability; Whosoever her husband/mate may be is also prided within the community on his seed’s strength and success. A pair bearing two children, however, is within a .0000000000001% chance of actually happening.Gender Roles in society:
There is little information in regards to this particular subject, and it is a topic of much controversy. I would personally say that equality is likely amongst the two, but the males are more often seen in higher regard due to their physical capability (Look at the sexual dimorphism between the male and female, and note the male’s size and bulk.), where females may be prized for intelligence, or lithe forms.
[ This section is thanks to Duriva making me think of it! ]
Aside from the sexual dimorphism between the two genders, I would also advocate a minor male nepitism due to the bulk forces of most organizations appearing to be male-based, as well as their birthing rates.As anyone knows who has studied relative, middle-school science on reproduction and genetics, male children are much less common than female children. Do keep in mind that to become a male child, an extra chromosome must be added that comes from father. Each fetus whilst in the womb begins as a female. This is yet another reason why I believe males are more prized than females, but I believe the males hold the females in sacred view regardless. This is a race which is all about community, and family; “We think as one, we breath as one, we charge as one”. It is highly unlikely that there is true gender bias when there are so few left.
Religion:
The Draenei worship the Holy Light (See Above: Naaru, Light, and Spaceships: Oh My!) of Creation, that which exudes and radiates from the Naaru; They are the most devout if the Aldor are any indication of this.
The Draenei’s most respected kin are priests, and paladins. Warriors, hunters, magi and the rest are as devout, but lack in the special capability to grasp the Light, and use it.
Shamanism: Amongst the Draenei people, shamanism isn’t exactly a popular choice, and to be frank, it’s pretty looked down upon. Many see it as an attempt to detract from their Light worshiping ways. Nobundo, despite this, is rather respected by Velen.
Shamanism first occurred when the attack on Shattrath City came. The Orcish warlocks flung their curses (read: a big red cloud) and attacked those vindicators who were in the city, helping to defend it. The Ogres with the Orcs beat down the city walls, and slaughtered many. Nobundo began to mutate afterward, and became the Broken we know today. Some argue that the Light is merely another Element, while others find even more absurd notions to push forward, such as when dealing with Paladins. To say that a Paladin is the direct agent of the Light is a dismissal of the fact that a Shaman is merely a conduit for the forces around him, in which the spirits flow through.
[-Class Guides-]
So you’ve chosen a class, eh, Billy? Let’s see how each one should be properly played out!’
Paladins: Draenei paladins, for the most part, are part of the Hand of Argus. The Hand is the military and police force of the Exodar. There are other paladins who aren’t part of the Hand, however. Many Draenei paladins are Vindicators or Exarchs, and are pious much like Draenei priests.
Priests: Draenei priests, like the natives of Azeroth, practice The Holy Light; however the draenei were introduced to the religion by the enigmatic naaru, who with their Light-given powers, allowed the draenei to traverse The Great Dark in search of a safe refuge from The Burning Legion. The Legion’s leaders, the eredar, sought to destroy the draenei as they viewed them as traitors, and the naaru are eternal enemies of the Legion. Draenei priests are deeply pious, as draenei owe their race’s survival to “The Light”.
Shaman: As stated above, shamanism is not popular amongst the Draenei. Draenei Shaman are usually students of Nobundo who have embraced the call of the Spirits. They are of a different sort than Horde shaman, but some have come to align with the beliefs of Horde shaman. They are a mysterious caste, no doubt, and are often misunderstood.
Hunters: It has only been since the draenei’s time living on Draenor that they have embraced the art of hunting, likely taught to them by the orcs. Hunting was the primary source of the draenei’s sustenance during their time on Draenor, and since their arrival on Azeroth they have continued this practice.
Mages: Draenei have always been natural magic users. When aboard the Oshu’gun for their long journeys, the Draenei had plenty of hours to continue to study and practice magic, something innately still clinging to them from Argus. They are one of the oldest races in the universe and therefore have had a lot of time to research and improve their knowledge of the arcane arts. Since they have had so much knowledge passed down and live such long lives to practice it, the draenei are among the most powerful mages in the known universe.
Warriors: There are no famous draenei warriors as very little is known of their lore. Though there probably have been many a draenei warrior-hero in the past. It could be possible that younger Draenei have a lesser feeling of responsibility to worship and show gratitude to the Naaru, at least not in learning the arts of the Paladin, but possibly still in thoughts and personal religious actions outside of battle.
Death Knights: The Lich King cares little for who he converts into his fearsome death knights, however, Arthas finds pleasure in corrupting those of pure heart and the draenei, arguably the most “pious” race, are the pinnacle of this pleasure. Furthermore, as exemplified by the corruption of Archimonde and Kil’jaeden, those draenei who do succumb to corruption prove to be powerful adversaries. Draenei Death Knights are looked upon much the same as the Forsaken in terms of, “We don’t want to deal with this person”. The uncorrupted caretakers of the Auchenai (like my priestess Isuria) usually deal with them, to attempt to soothe them, fix them, and reintegrate them into society. They are, however, fiercely scorned by their brethren, and are not allowed near holy sites at all, much less around the public at large.
Monks: With the addition of Monks in Mists of Pandaria, a whole new level of opportunity is available for Draenei role players to explore!
As discussed above in the [Factions] segment, the Auchenai were the caretakers of the dead, and the darkening D’ore.
*Draeneic Monks prior to Mists of Pandaria, were all of Auchindoun. Once Murmur was summoned, and madness ensued, that’s when things began to get hairy. Your Monk could - very likely - be one who escaped/fled before, and survived to tell the tale, in being uncorrupted. Monks are devout to the Light, just as the Paladins and Priests are, but more so, they are attentive to the prospect that death is an unsavoury thing for the Draenei people to succumb to. They realize, as do the rest of the Auchenai, that death is a part of life, and therefore do not mourn over the losses of those they held dear, but celebrate and revere their departed ancestors, and the spirits.
*[ Added by Kang ]: In Mists of Pandaria, the Draenei now have an NPC in the starting zone of Ammen Vale named Mojo Stormstout, who has apparently been there since The Burning Crusade era! He was cataloging wildlife and plants, when suddenly: BAM! There came the Draenei. The Draenei are now fully capable of learning Pandaren Monk styles due to this massive retcon .
[-Class Titles-]
It is evident that the Draenei used to have a military structure, but due to the decimation of their population much of this has been lost.
It is unfortunate we really can’t tell what the military ranks used to be like, because the fall of Shattrath has literally obliterated the Draenei military forces. We do not have this information available to us. In trying to discern what might be reasonable looking at Draenei NPCs, the rank structure seems to have survived:
Exarch -> Harbinger -> Defender -> Neophyte.
Vindicators (Paladins) and Anchorites (Priests) act in tandem with the Draenei military, and even join, but are not formal ranks therein.
This allows for players to have a certain amount of creativity as to what they refer to their class as. The best suggestion one can make is to look at a list of Draenei NPCs and be certain that what you choose is reasonable. It is highly suggested, if you select a class specific title, or a title from the following list, that you observe what that particular NPC appears to be doing in-game before taking it on. There are some that should only be used after very careful consideration. (Some of these should not be used at ALL, such as Grand Anchorite)
Some examples are: Caregiver, Defender, Vindicator, Harbinger, Exarch, Anchorite, Neophyte, Proselyte, Grand Anchorite, Greatfather, Commander, Cryptographer, Drill Sergeant, Herald, Apprentice, Huntress, Researcher, Artificer, Technician, Interrogator, Quartermaster, Smith, Messenger, Armorer, Peacekeeper, Farseer, Officer, Assistant, Warp-Scryer, Demolitionist, Scout, Tracker, Architect, Tradesman, Emissary, Lieutenant, Weaver, Herbalist, Provisioner.
[-Racial Relations: Horde and Alliance-]
Orcs: The Draenei and the Orcs pretty much lived in harmony for 1,000 years. When the Orcs were corrupted by the Burning Legion, that’s when distrust, and even possible hatred of them began to flare up like beacons in the Draenei people. Not all Draenei, however, hate/despise/distrust the Orcs, and see their corruption for what it really is, though they are not quick to forgive their old ‘friends’ for the slaughter of their kin. The ones who still practice warlock magic, and bear green skin make the road to it much more difficult, regardless of what Velen may preach.
A Draenei who hates the orcs is just as reasonable as a Draenei who does not hate the orcs.
Blood Elves: The Draenei are rather quickly coming to despise/loathe/hate the Sin’dorei, due to the unprovoked attack on the Tempest Keep, and really, everything else they’re doing/have done. These are the green-eyed people who nearly brought your old Triumvirate, seriously corrupted, back into the world to destroy it. This is an atrocity, and Blood Elves are to be regarded with some serious distrust, and even more serious dislike. They are small, pink, and dangerous. Traditionalist Draenei will find it incredibly difficult to have their opinions of this race swayed, and often advocate for other Draenei to go along with them in their feelings. This is not to say a Draenei and a Blood Elf cannot be friendly, but it is highly, highly unlikely.
The Horde:
-The Trolls side with the Orcs, and thereby, most Draenei will likely have the same opinion of them as they do the Orcs, but less intense. They have never personally been affected by the trolls.
-Tauren have a nature which make them much more likely to be readily accepted by the Draenei, though due to their increasing violence since Mists of Pandaria, this statement is more untrue than it once was. There are varying degrees of trust, and distrust, like and dislike when it comes to Tauren. Treat them on a case by case basis.
-Goblins are little more than green-skinned, nasty, conniving little creatures without the joyful enthusiasm for life, or brightness a gnome. The Draenei see them in the same light as the Horde: dangerous, and easily provoked.
-The Forsaken do not need explanation. They are abominations to the Light, and life as the Draenei know it.The Alliance: Early overtures of friendship with the Alliance had been met with varying degrees of success. Many of the Alliance races have trouble distinguishing the draenei from the Man’ari who nearly brought about their destruction. Over the years, however, the draenei have been accepted by most races, and ambassadors from the Exodar have been welcomed into the Alliance’s halls of power - even those of the night elves, where a draenei emissary stands at the right of Tyrande herself. Unfortunately, Velen and Tyrande have exchanged words about the possibility of their goddess being the Naaru E’lune. Velen was promptly told to GTFO Darnassus.
The Broken: Even though the devolution into the Krokul was an accident through the Orcs slinging curse-magic at the Draenei during the assault on Shattrath, a dwindling majority of the Draenei people dislike, and even distrust the Broken. Those who do are disgusted by them, due to being infused with fel energy, and being unable to draw upon the Light. They look upon these poor souls with a “holier than thou” attitude, and even Nobundo has been met with fear and neuroticism because of it. Draenei shaman are those most willing to readily accept the Broken with open arms. The fact that so many Krokul work in and around the Exodar is a testament to Velen and his unwavering love for his people.
The Pandaren: This furry race of beer-swilling ninjas should be treated with the acceptance the Draenei peoples would show to the Tauren, likely readily accepting them, and some of their philosophies. The Draenei and the Pandaren have much in common in the way of their thinking, and their ideologies, and really, they would make the most ideal of friends and companions.
Below are listed some awesome links to help get you started into some outside sources in your Draeneic research and enjoyment!
Lore Resources:
https://worldofwarcraft.com/en-us/game/races/draenei
http://www.wowpedia.org/Draenei
http://farseeraurhia.blogspot.com/2008/10/draenei-to-common.html
http://blogatelle.wordpress.com/2009/01/16/retrospective-theme-week-draenei-the-draenei-play-file/
http://www.wowpedia.org/Timeline_(unofficial)
http://www.wowpedia.org/Broken
http://www.wowpedia.org/Shamanism_and_nature_worship
Blizzard Entertainment Short Stories:
http://www.wowpedia.org/Unbroken_(story)
https://worldofwarcraft.com/en-us/story/short-story/leader-story/velen
Video Lore Resources:
Black Temple 2.1 Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K6-C-_PJTa4
Unbroken (Prelude) [Fan Machinima]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtZvFvxPGfU&feature=my_liked_videos&list=LLomHhZl1MmmqX9b3GXPB_1Q
Unbroken Trailer [Fan Machinima]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hP0Eh_dmV6s&feature=my_liked_videos&list=LLomHhZl1MmmqX9b3GXPB_1Q
Neat Outside Fan-Made Conjecture:
flavortextlore.wordpress.com/2011/05/02/the-economics-of-argus-corruption-through-luxury/
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