Useful threads: setting, story & roleplay 📖

[Rogmasha-argent-dawn (Rogmasha)]

RP tool: Governmental Systems of Azeroth by Drevv

I decided to make this thread simply because I thought it might be useful for some people, though not necessarily everyone. I also wanted to do this because of the success of my necromancer RP guide which I did on my DK. Hope you enjoy, should note though, the information listed here is only taken from the most valid sources I could find. There may be stuff from the RPG books here and there, but they’re most likely there due to lack of information on the particular subject anywhere else. Enjoy!

Contents

1. Alliance
2. Horde
3. Neutral

Alliance

Humans – Kingdom of Stormwind

The humans’ political system would be considered an absolutist hereditary monarchy. This means it’s where the crown (the legal embodiment of executive, legislative, or judicial governance) is passed down from one member of a royal family to another, and each monarch exercises ultimate governing authority as head of state and head of government. The current royal family of Stormwind is the House of Wrynn, and the current bearer of the crown is King Varian Wrynn. Prince Anduin Wrynn, Varian’s son, serves as the heir to the crown of Stormwind in terms of the order of succession in place in Stormwind’s hereditary system.

Other than the crown however, Stormwind also has a House of Nobles. The House of Nobles form the governing body of Stormwind under the direction of King Varian Wrynn, who acts as the head of government. It’s made up of noble houses that all have an order of succession in place within their respective houses. For example, if the head of a noble house dies, the title in which the former head bore would be passed down to whoever’s next in line, similar to how the order of succession of the crown works.

In recent years the Nobles have mostly seen their powers reduced due to events such as them being infiltrated by Onyxia, which eventually led to the death of the Queen consort of Stormwind. Another form of government present in human lands appears to be democracy. Darkshire and Lakeshire both have an elected magistrate leading the towns, however the towns are still part of the Kingdom of Stormwind and so still pledge loyalty to the crown.

Dwarves – Kingdom of Ironforge

The Kingdom of Ironforge underwent great political changes in Cataclysm. Before Cataclysm, Ironforge was ruled by the High King of the Bronzebeard Clan, who also ruled over what is known as the Senate of Ironforge. A senate is an organization comprising members who use parliamentary procedure to make decisions, often the upper house or chamber of a legislature or parliament.

These days however, Ironforge is ruled by what’s known as the Council of Three Hammers. The Council of Three Hammers is the regency that rules the Kingdom of Ironforge, until Moira is fit to lead the kingdom alone. They are now most likely both members of and the heads of the Senate of Ironforge. They are an oligarchical senate, meaning they’re a senate of a small group of people who have control of a country or organization. The Council is so named because it is comprised of representatives from each of the three dwarven clans of the Three Hammers:

• Muradin Bronzebeard, High Thane of the Bronzebeard clan
• Moira Thaurissan, Queen-Regent of the Dark Iron clan
• Falstad Wildhammer, High Thane of the Wildhammer clan

As for the Senate themselves, a senate is normal to dwarven society, evidenced as the Ironforge Senate existed back in the times of Modimus Anvilmar’s reign, and the Dark Iron clan formed their own Shadowforge Senate based in the Imperial Seat of Blackrock Depths after they left Ironforge. The Senate’s exact role in government is unknown, but their field of issues includes investigating and eliminating possible threats to Ironforge, keeping production of the Dun Morogh mines going on, and setting funds aside for this. Therefore they either visit those locations themselves or send special envoys, such as the brothers Senir and Grelin Whitebeard. Notable Ironforge senators include Senator Mehr Stonehallow and Senator Barin Redstone.

Gnomes – Gnomeregan (formerly known as the Gnomeregan Exiles)

The gnomes as a race are all part of one faction known simply as Gnomeregan which was formally known as the Gnomeregan Exiles. Their form of government seems to be a meritocracy where the government or the holding of power by people is selected according to merit. Rather than a monarch, gnomes elect their leaders by common consent, based on the merits of their work and their benefits to the Gnomish race. The High Tinker is the highest political office of Gnomeregan. These men and women hold grand titles (for example “King of the Gnomes”) but only hold their power for set terms of office, after which they return to the work force.

Whether the gnomish system is a democratic meritocracy (meaning all gnomish citizens vote for candidates for the position of High Tinker) or an oligarchic meritocracy (meaning a select group of gnomes will vote for one amongst them to be High Tinker) is not clear, as there is evidence to support that Mekkatorque was elected by either the gnomish people or a Council of Tinkers. However, there is more evidence which supports the notion that a Council of Tinkers exists and that they elect one amongst them to be High Tinker. How to become a member of this Council is clear as in a meritocracy you are selected according to merit which in the gnome’s case is how good an engineer you are.

While it is unknown how long each term for a High Tinker lasts, it appears that one can be elected an unlimited amount of times. Gelbin Mekkatorque, current High Tinker of the Gnomes, who was described as having taken the position at a young age, has held the office for several decades; having already been leading the Gnomes during the beginning of the Second War. While an election being overlooked during a time of crisis such as the Fall of Gnomeregan is understandable, Gelbin’s holding of the office for so long before-hand seems to indicate there is no limit to how many times one can be elected High Tinker; just so long as they continue to show what is needed for the position.

Night elves – Darnassus

Night elven society is primarily concentrated in Darnassus found on Teldrassil. Its main rulers are High Priestess Tyrande Whisperwind and Arch-Druid Malfurion Stormrage. Tyrande is the High Priestess of the Sisterhood of Elune. The Sisters are the major active night elf political faction, and fulfil the roles of magistrates, officials, and the like for the night elf government. In this sense, the night elven government is theocratic, in which the government is ruled by or subject to religious authority.

For thousands of years, the Sisters of Elune held by far the most power. As one of a small handful of kaldorei organizations to survive the War of the Ancients, with membership based upon aptitude and not lineage, high priestess Tyrande Whisperwind reorganized the order to direct the Sentinels. She herself became the sole ruler of the night elf nation, remaining that way for thousands of years. Recently however, changes have come to the night elf government. Following the marriage between Tyrande and Malfurion Stormrage, the latter became co-ruler of the night elves, the first change in official leadership in the past ten thousand years.

The Cenarion Circle, while still under the direction of Cenarius himself, took no active part in governmental affairs, as their numbers included druids from several other species. Though Archdruid Stormrage did take part in the government on occasion, the druids typically remained aloof.

Draenei – Exodar

Currently, the capital of the draenei is the Exodar which is, like the night elves, described as a theocracy. A theocracy is a government ruled by or subject to religious authority, and due to the draenei’s strong devotion to the Light, and the fact it’s ruled by the Prophet Velen, this would therefore make sense. Figures such as Farseer Nobundo may participate in draenei decisions as he now heads the growing shamanistic brotherhood amongst the draenei.

Worgen – Kingdom of Gilneas (formerly)

As worgen are simply cursed humans, their former kingdom of Gilneas – which is now abandoned – was also an absolutist hereditary monarchy, like Stormwind. Being one of the original seven human kingdoms, it was ruled over by a royal family called the House of Greymane. The house’s current head is King Genn Greymane, and he leads the Gilnean worgen to this day. In terms of the House’s order of succession, Prince Liam Greymane was to be the next to bear the crown. However, Liam dies during the Battle for Gilneas, and so because of her brother’s death, Princess Tess Greymane is now the current heir to the throne.

Also, like Stormwind, Gilneas too had nobility. The nobles of Gilneas were the ruling class of the kingdom and served as councillors to Genn Greymane. Some were slain during the civil war, while others were turned into worgen or Forsaken during the forsaken invasion. Others remain human in exile from their homeland. Some of the nobles that are still human/worgen include Lord Candren and Lord Darius Crowley, while some of the undead nobles include Baron Ashbury, Lord Vincent Godfrey and Lord Walden.

Horde

Orcs – Orgrimmar/Nation of Durotar

The orcs’ government is centred in Orgrimmar, the capital of Durotar. It’s considered what’s known as a tribal chiefdom. Chiefdom is a form of hierarchical political organization in non-industrial societies usually based on kinship, and in which formal leadership is monopolized by the legitimate senior members of select families or ‘houses’. Orc society is based around clans, and the collection of all the orc clans is known as the Horde, which is now also used as a term to describe one of the two major political factions of the mortal races in Azeroth. The leader of the Horde is known as the Warchief.

The Warchief stands as the undisputed leader of the Horde similar to a king or Supreme Allied Commander among humans. The warchief holds dominion over the entire Horde, maintains the Horde, has the power to declare war for the entire Horde, take any precaution to ensure the stability and security of the Horde’s member states, and has the final say in the induction of new Horde members. All members of the Horde have to swear a blood oath to join the Horde and are thus obligated to follow the warchief’s commands and support the warchief in times of war if the warchief calls upon them for aid.

The position of warchief can be attained by having the previous warchief chose a successor or challenging the current warchief to a Mak’gora: a prearranged duel with deadly weapons between two people following a formal procedure in the presence of witnesses and traditionally fought until one party yields or is killed, usually to settle a quarrel involving a point of honor. Above all else, the title of warchief is granted to those who display strength and decisive action. Warchiefs must be able to gain respect via combat effectiveness and martial conquests but also have enough tact to keep the Horde united and stable. The warchief may accept ambassadors and advisors from all the different tribes and members of the Horde to makes sure their voices are heard in the running of the fledgling hegemony but ultimately, only the warchief has the final say in matters concerning the entire Horde.

Changes have recently occurred within the Horde, with Durotar serving as one of the principal battlegrounds. Durotar was contested between the Darkspear Rebellion led by Vol’jin, and the Horde of the former Warchief, Garrosh Hellscream. Now with Garrosh defeated, Vol’jin has become the first non-orc to hold the post of warchief as chosen by Thrall, Garrosh’s predecessor. Since the title of Warchief has been taken up by a non-orc, the current leader of the orcs nor the title of this post is unknown, however it’s likely to be Varok Saurfang, as Thrall continues to be dedicated to the Earthen Ring.

Tauren – Thunder Bluff

Thunder Bluff, the capital city of the plains of Mulgore, is where the tauren government is found. The tauren possess a structure of spiritual hierarchy where the most talented and powerful shaman traditionally hold positions of power, though rulership is not limited to spellcasters. Shamans interpret the voice of the Earth Mother and the wishes of the ancestors.

Tauren society is split into tribes, most of which are now united under a High Chieftain, the current bearer being Baine Bloodhoof of the Bloodhoof tribe. The leader of a tribe uses the title “chief” and/or “chieftain.” The three most powerful healers in the tribe support the chief, the most powerful of whom takes the title “seer.” A chief generally consults his seer and her two contemporaries before making a decision, but this consultation is not required.

During council meetings, chiefs make recommendations to the high chieftain, but again the final decision is the high chieftain’s alone to make. “Chief,” “chieftain”, and “seer” are genderless titles. Aged female shamans sometimes take the title of “crone” or “elder crone”, which others use as a sign of respect.

Trolls – Darkspear Tribe

Troll society is, like the orcs and tauren, split into tribes. The Darkspear, Revantusk, Shatterspear tribes and an unnamed tribe in the Twilight Highlands are the only troll tribes who are found within the Horde and currently, the Darkspear chieftain, Vol’jin, is also the warchief of the Horde, the first non-orc to hold the post.

In troll society, there seems to be quite an emphasis around voodoo, which is a type of divine magic with dark, yet natural ties to loa spirits, and practitioners of this art often hold influence within government. Though the chieftain is the one who will generally make most, if not all, the decisions, witch doctors hold an important position in troll society, and shadow hunters, masters of voodoo magic, are of the highest authority of the jungle trolls. In the old days of trolls, before even the Zandalari Empire, the shadow hunters were the leaders of the small tribes. Over time, as trolls gathered in great cities, their influence was lessened. Despite this, the position is still a highly respected one.

Undead – Forsaken undead

The Forsaken are [or were, until recently!] ruled by the Banshee Queen Sylvanas Windrunner, and under her rule, the Undercity – which serves as the Forsaken’s capital – is considered an autocracy. An autocracy is a system of government in which power is concentrated in the hands of one person whose decisions are subject to neither external legal restraints nor regularized mechanisms of popular control. Therefore, all Forsaken decisions are made by Sylvanas, and though she may have advisers or representatives from the various groups within the Forsaken (Cult of the Forgotten Shadow, Royal Apothecary Society, etc.) when making decisions, whatever she says is final. Therefore the Forsaken system of government is not too confusing.

Blood elves – Kingdom of Quel’Thalas

Prior to the Third War, Quel’Thalas was ruled as an absolute monarchy, with High King Anasterian Sunstrider as the last high elven monarch. Anasterian’s long rule, which lasted at least 3,000 years, was complemented by the Convocation of Silvermoon, a high council of elven lords who had vowed to assist the ruling Sunstrider dynasty (the elven royal family) in keeping Quel’Thalas safe. However, during the Scourge onslaught, Anasterian himself was killed and the entire Convocation was eradicated - with only one surviving member, the traitor Dar’Khan Drathir, who was also put to the sword by Arthas following Quel’Thalas’ fall.

In the wake of the utter destruction of Quel’Thalas’ leadership, Prince Kael’thas Sunstrider went on to become the sole leader of the newly named blood elves. Though still essentially a monarch, Kael’thas did not appear to officially take the elven crown, instead styling himself as the “Lord of the blood elves” and “The Sun King.” Kael’thas decided not to revitalize the Convocation, and instead commanded Lor’themar Theron, the former second in command to Ranger General Sylvanas Windrunner, to act as Quel’Thalas’ regent in Kael’s physical absence from the elven homeland.

Ultimately, with the betrayal and death of Prince Kael’thas, Lor’themar has become the sole leader of the blood elven people. With the Sunstrider dynasty completely finished, the crown is unclaimed, and even Lor’themar himself has opted not to take it - or restore the Convocation - instead retaining his role as the “Regent Lord.”

As such, the blood elves are currently in a state of interregnum (a period when normal government is suspended), with Regent Lord Lor’themar Theron as their sole leader. The blood elves have a number of other leaders. Halduron Brightwing, the Ranger-general of Silvermoon, serves as the leader of the Farstriders and the blood elven military commander. Grand Magister Rommath presides over the magisters, the most magically-inclined and powerful spellcasters in sin’dorei society, while Lady Liadrin rules the Blood Knight order as its supreme leader and Matriarch.

Goblins – Bilgewater Cartel

Trade princes, also known as merchant princes, are the rulers of the goblin world, each of whom run their own private army, hold lands around Azeroth, and collectively control the Trade Coalition. The Trade Coalition is the name of the goblins’ merchant empire and all goblin organizations are presumably a part of the coalition. The Bilgewater Cartel is one of such organizations, and like the others, is ruled over by a trade prince. The current trade prince of the Bilgewater Cartel is Jastor Gallywix.

The hands of a trade prince are the moguls. They are entrepreneurs: men and women who run various businesses, such as deforesting, drilling, mining, and the like, throughout the world. Barons serve as magistrates for a trade prince’s land and holdings. Slavers run the slavery trade. Captains can run a single ship, and some run entire Trade Fleets. Admirals run more than one fleet. Traders and merchants work for the moguls and barons. At the bottom are civilians and workers, and finally slaves.

Though what’s written here is more the goblin hierarchy, it all shows that the goblin political system is centred on the trade prince, though their power seems to be devolved amongst mainly the moguls and barons as well.

Neutral

Pandaren – Pandaria (formerly Pandaren Empire)

The pandaren governmental system is confusing as they have no central government, and so power is instead concentrated in small towns across the different regions of Pandaria, these towns serving as centres for trade and commerce, and also as small communities. Each small town will usually have a mayor, such as in Dawn’s Blossom in the Jade Forest, Master Windfur serves as the mayor.

Pandaren society is therefore prominently stateless, but that’s not to say there’s no order, as the various towns across Pandaria all seem to work as small communes that both work to produce particular resources and also as simple communities. For example, the Valley of the Four Winds is a region full of farms, ranches and marketplaces, and so is considered the “breadbasket” of Pandaria. >>
Halfhill serves as the effective capital of the region and centre of trade/commerce, as well as being a small town, and in this town it is run by the Tillers Union, a faction dedicated to farming.

The pandaren used to have a central government when their land was styled as the Pandaren Empire. Being an empire, it was therefore ruled by an emperor. An emperor/empress is a monarch, usually the sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm.

During the bleak days that preceded the sundering of the world, when demons flooded onto Azeroth and threw the entirety of the mortal realm into jeopardy, Emperor Shaohao discovered a way to protect his land from the devastation. His deal with fate shrouded his land within an impenetrable mist for ten thousand years. After Emperor Shaohao disappeared, the power in Pandaria shifted to the local level. With all threats walled off there was no longer a need for an emperor anymore, which meant Shaohao became the last Emperor of Pandaria.

Ogres - various clans

Ogre society is split in to a number of clans, or sometimes referred to as tribes. These serve as small communities which will usually have one dominant leader. Examples of these clans include the Stonemaul clan, the Boulderfist clan, and the Gordunni clan.

The head of a clan holds his position through sheer brute strength. Any member of the clan can challenge the leader to a battle to the death. The victor of this duel is declared the new ruler (or retains the position, if the incumbent emerges victorious). In this sense, the ogre’s governmental system is a kratocracy, as each clan is led by by those who are strong enough to seize power through force or cunning.

Furbolgs - various tribes

Furbolgs are split into tribes which will generally serve as social units. Who becomes leader, however, can differ among tribes, and with that there appear to be two forms of government among the furbolgs. Furblog society can be organized in to social units consisting of a number of families united under a common hereditary chieftain. This is true for the Stillpine tribe on Azuremyst Isle whose leader is High Chief Stillpine with the heir to the tribe’s leadership being Stillpine the Younger, the High Chief’s son.

However, another system prevalent among some furbolg tribes appears to be one of spiritual hierarchy in which the most talented and powerful shaman traditionally hold positions of power. This is true for the Barkskin and Blackwood tribes, in which the former was seen in Warcraft 3 being led by a shaman, and the latter is led by Elder Brownpaw, also a shaman.

Ethereals - various organizations

The ethereals are driven by trade and economics, and accordingly their political structures are centered around trade princes and “political companies.” The Consortium and the ethereals that currently control the Mana Tombs in Auchindoun are examples of these “political companies.” The ethereals are similar to goblins, in the way their political systems work, and like the goblins the ethereals will support anyone who would further their profits, and oppose anyone who dares interfere with their plans.

Not much is known about the ethereals and how their society functioned back on their homeworld of K’aresh. It is known that the Ethereum were the ruling class of society and that they were made up of Nexus-Princes. Since the destruction of K’aresh, however, several of these Nexus-Princes abandoned the Ethereum to form other groups and factions with different goals, such as the Consortium or the Protectorate.

The Ethereum was ruled by Nexus-King Salhadaar, who is described as the former ruler of the ethereals on K’aresh. There are only four known ethereals described as Nexus-Princes:

Nexus-Prince Haramad, leader of the Consortium
Nexus-Prince Shaffar, leader of a rival faction of the Consortium in the Mana-Tombs
Nexus-Prince Razaan, leader of an operation in the Blade’s Edge Mountains collecting souls
Commander Ameer, leader of the Protectorate (describes himself as a former Nexus-Prince).

ALL INFORMATION TAKEN FROM WOWPEDIA