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/
