âThe Arakkoa have long since been a race steeped in a rich culture and history. However, that history has not always been so warm and open. Our once proud race was torn asunder in the wake of conspiracy and greed; split down the middle in a civil war. It was not until the Outsiders came in our time of need did we finally learn to recognize what was needed. The same now can be said for our new allies, but we must never forget where we came from. As such, the Arakkoa will not side with either faction as a whole. That decision lies to you, champion; you, alone, will decide who you will aid. For freedom is the right of ALL sentient creatures.â
With the advent of Allied Races and the idea of even more help being needed in the eventual future, I decided to give this topic a rebirth from one of my old posts.
As such, I will follow the same structure as I did before, first going into how the race starts out, then going into classes, Racial Mount, Gender Differences, and then jokes and flirts before finishing off my thoughts.
Story
As the war rages on between the Alliance and the Horde, the Arakkoa are caught up in a pincer attack between the remaining Adherents of Rukhmar and the Bloodmane Saberon tribe. Even though the Saberon would not willingly work with Arakkoa, Reshad and the Dawnseekers Rilak and Rukaryx all know that they will not be above attacking during a civil war. To try and combat this, Reshad immediately sends his beloved pet, Percy, to your factions' respective Embassies with a scroll in order to call for aid, provided you have at least Exalted reputation with the Outcasts, (however, you will also need Exalted with the Order of the Awakened and have the achievement "Between Arak and a Hard Place" as well by the end of it).Though reluctant, you, the champion, claim that you can have the issue resolved in very little time and explain that it could potentially lead to an ally for your respective faction. At this, they agree to have you go back out to the Spires of Arak in Draenor in order to investigate and intervene if need be, though your leader practically knows that intervention will be unavoidable.
Upon arriving at the Spires of Arak, Percy will guide you towards the Veil of Terokk almost immediately. You have to follow the bird through the ravenous wilds of the Spires in order to reach your goal. Once there, you find that Reshad is waiting for you along with a small strike force of both Outcast and High Arakkoa. Once he greets you (by calling you the Talon King), Reshad explains the situation more in depth before calling for the Dread Ravens to help them back to Skyreach.
Once you arrive, you see that the Saberon were the bulk of the invading forces, with the Adherents picking off survivors. As you and the strike force land, Rilak calls out to Reshad and you to help him fend off the immediate forces. Reshad, however, is not going to stand by and allow more of his kin be thrown in harms way â not while they now have the key to winning this battle. He has you go in and rescue any injured Arakkoa by bandaging them up and calling for a Dread Raven to pick them up and fly them to safety while you kill off the Saberon and bring any Adherents you fight to justice.
Once the task is complete, Reshad congratulates and thanks you for your efforts, but Rukaryx flies in at that point and informs him and Rilak that she found out why the two forces attacked. Someone had informed both sides that they were in a weakened state. To confirm this, you show the medallion that you had picked up from one of the Saberon corpses that now littered Skyreach.
This troubles everyone greatly, but Reshad remains level headed and has you investigate the Saberon while they interrogate the Adherent prisoners you recently captured.
Upon being sent to the Bloodmane tribe, you notice a pile of Apexis tech parts in one of the baskets and decide to pick up any others you find on your investigation. You eventually discover that the traitorâs corpse was impaled on a pike near the entrance to the cave home of what you assume is the Chieftain of the tribe. When you first inspect it, however, one of his guards ambushes you and forces you to fend for yourself.
Once theyâre taken care of, you finally get to fully investigate the corpse and find that this Arakkoa was a follower of the late Shadow Lord Ishkar, most likely as a last ditch attempt at purging Draenor of the Arakkoa. You decide that enough was enough and that the only way to save the Arakkoa of Skyreach was to end the Bloodmane Tribe problem once and for all. To do this, though, you would have to take out a large number of the Saberon here as well as the Chieftain himself.
Luckily for you, Terokkâs spirit is still tied to yours. He offers his power once more to you in order to end the Saberon threat. Once all the Saberon are cleared out, and any tools or weapons they have are destroyed, the Cheiftain himself finally appears. It is only after a climactic struggle with the Chieftain that you are victorious. As proof of your accomplishments, Terokk asks you to bring the head of the Chieftain to Reshad and the Dawnseekers.
Once back in Skyreach, you show the head to Reshad who thanks you immediately for your efforts, but it is Rukaryx who asks if there was anything they could do to repay the favor.
Thatâs when you drop the bombshell and ask for their united allegiance to your faction.
At this, the Dawnseekers almost downright refuse at the prospect. They cannot see their forces falling once more into the same schism of being forced into one side of an argument or another. Reshad decides that while they cannot speak for their people as a whole, he knows that they can find some among them to join your faction if they so wish it.
Almost appalled at this, Rilak demands for an explanation, to which Reshad gives this statement.
âFreedom is the right of ALL sentient creatures â and to deny them this right to choose who they wish to aid is to deny them that freedom as we once were.â
The Dawnseekers agree, but the fact that their Talon King was an outsider AND involved in the war is too severe to ignore any longer. A replacement is needed in your stead. At this, you drop yet another bombshell on them by offering up Reshad.
Initially, he refuses by stating heâs nowhere near strong enough nor powerful enough to take up the mantel, but Rukaryx was quick to pick up what you mean. The Arakkoa already have a king â they just need a political figurehead.
Once hearing this, Reshad calms down and agrees to come to your Factionâs embassy in order to smooth out the details.
Fast forward to unlocking the race and creating an Arakkoa of your own.
You are asked to meet with Reshad, the now named King of Skyreach, and are asked to choose one of the factions to join and aid if you so wish. However, he warns you that once you make your decision, there is NO going back and that Skyreach will not be able to give them support in this fight â effectively, you will be alone.
You will, however, be given a stone that allows you to return to Skyreach at any point in time you wish. Before you leave, however, Anzu asks if you wish to gain his blessing.
If you choose to accept it, you will be given a Cursed Form with different powers. You can, at any time, decide you wish to lose these if you speak to Anzu, but once you do, you will not be able to regain them for some time (5 Days).
Okay, thatâs the lore down, letâs get to the race itself.
Classes available:
-
Druid: Arakkoa are taught at a young age how to know when the balance of nature is offset. They first learn how to use this ability from Rukhmar before she began to lose her own way. Some Adherents still use this ability to power their spells, but soon learn there is a whole new school of magic available to them. They learn the Broken Arakkoa can transform to regain their long-lost ability to fly and ask the Druids of the Alliance/Horde to teach them what they lack in the art of Druidism.
-
Hunter: Arakkoa are natural hunters by lineage; allowing their avian predatory instincts to take over as they track, hunt and kill their prey with merciless, and swift precision. With only the necessary equipment lacking from them, the Arakkoa can pick up their preyâs trail using only their eyes. No target, beast or otherwise, can escape the sight of an Arakkoa Hunter/Huntress.
-
Mage: The Adherents once held Arcane Arts as the most sacred of taboos to never be broken; but that was before learning Terokk was betrayed and the reveal of Rukhmarâs abandonment. With what they believed to be true revealed to be nothing more than shrouds of illusions, what else did they believe was truth and not fabrication? To this end, several Arakkoa explore the Arcane Arts of the Magi only to find what truly was taboo; Fel Magic, the very sorcery that corrupted Iskar to his soul.
Monk: Though the idea of fighting with a mere stick or worse without any kind of weapon whatsoever was not something the Arakkoa took interest in, the local Pandaren populace introduced some of them to the martial arts of the Monks. Upon realizing that fighting as a monk was little more than an exercise of dexterity and agility, some of the Arakkoa decided to press further into the practice to find the art of meditation and zen â something those afflicted with the curse of Sethe were all too familiar with. In the end, the Arakkoan Monks quickly learned to temper themselves and hone their reflexes to become true martial artists. Or as Zekhan calls them, much to their ire, âPunch Birdsâ.
-
Paladin: With the last vestiges of loyalty to Rukhmar they held fading away, the Arakkoa have begun to seek a means to restore their faith in each other and attempt to bring their moral back up. To this end, some of them have sworn an oath; an oath of virtue and redemption. This oath binds them on the path of the holy knight; to become shining beacons of hope, justice, and devotion. These Arakkoa now walk on the path of the Paladin.
-
Priest: Being loyal followers of Rukhmar, the Adherents learned how to manipulate sunlight in such a way that they can heal others and empower their spells. Itâs not until their interaction with the priests of the Alliance/Horde that they learn there are multiple sides to the light they use, including a dark side. Interested, they experiment with trying to recreate Shadow Magic with what they know of the Curse of Sethe. They succeed, but the potency is⌠Lacking. They wouldnât have it any other way.
-
Rogue: Being of Avian lineage, Arakkoa are naturally graceful and agile assassins that can use the wind at their backs to land their kills. Seeing the untapped potential, the Alliance/Horde covert-ops take the most talented special Arakkoa under their wings so to speak and teach them all they know of poisons, anatomy, tactics and even how to truly become backstabbers in the name of the Alliance/for the Horde.
-
Shaman: Adherents have learned over the course of their careers that they can manipulate the wind to do as they will, but it becomes difficult if they manipulate it too much. The Shaman of your see this and explain that they are forcing their own wills upon the elements of the Wind before demonstrating the ability to commune with them. With the shamans of the Alliance/Horde as their teachers, the Arakkoa learn the art of Shamanism; the ability to ask for the aid of and the ability to use the granted powers of the elements.
(Edit: Shaman Totems; The weapon tower that can be found at Skyreach at totem size and the crystalâs color and glow reflecting the element they represent such as green for Earth, orange for Fire, etc.)
- Warrior: The Arakkoa have suffered many atrocities; both from without and from within. As such, the Talon Guard have been tasked to reform in order to protect Skyreach and be trained before one of them is asked to join either the Alliance or the Horde.
Racial Mount:
An Apexis construct modeled after the Raven Lord mount of Sethekk Halls in one of 3 colors; Traditional white gold, acid violet and venom green.
Gender Differences:
The original intent for the Arakkoa was to make them an androgynous race. As such, there is currently no way to determine males from females except to hear their voices. In order to keep this in mind, the changes I have in mind would keep the Arakkoa androgynous whilst making it easier for players to identify without making the character themselves.
-
Male: Slightly shorter than the females and have slimmer shoulders, but more wide busts. Tail Feathers are longer and also have slimmer feet than females.
-
Female: Slightly taller than the males and have broader shoulders but more thin busts. Tail Feathers are wider and also have wider feet than males.
Form Differences:
A LOT of people in the past, both on AND off the forum, have been asking what the difference between a âCursedâ Arakkoa and a âBrokenâ Arakkoa are, so I decided to add this in as a remedial explanation that should hopefully help people to understand what Iâm going for. Please note that I am ONLY going over physical appearances in this explanation so if you have anything to say about spiritual or supernatural effects, I am not held responsible.
To start off with, High Arakkoa or uncursed Arakkoa stand straight and at attention despite the curious glances here and there and have their wings at full size along with the ability to spread them out.
The next stage, and the medium for both the High and the Broken Arakkoa, are the Cursed Arakkoa. These Arakkoa are just starting to show signs of the Curse of Sethe as their bodies are wracked with pain, thus causing them to haunch over ever so slightly much like a male worgen and still retain their wings. Their wings, unlike High Arakkoa, are too weak to grant flight like they used to or even to glide, which is why most are removed as a result.
Finally, there are the Broken Arakkoa that you all know and love from Outlands. These Arakkoa are not only the final stages of the Cursed Arakkoa, but they can become broken without needing the curse. They would merely have to undergo severe mental and physical abuse to the point of insanity before having their wings lopped off as the final shove to send them over the edge.
Customization Options:
-
Skin Color; (Base Feather colors)
Pale Gold (May as well call it White), Pink, Crimson, Purple, Dark Blue, Violet, Camo Green, Orange, Turquoise -
Face; (Beak shape and eye color)
Smooth with gold eyes, Jagged with Jade eyes, Cracked (we see a crack in one side of the beak) with Red eyes, Hooked with Baby Blue eyes, Javelin (Straight and thin) with Orange eyes, Razor (âTeethâ along the top and the bottom sides of the upper beak) with Dull Blue eyes, Simple (small, but pointy) with Violet eyes -
Hair Style; (Style of feathers on wings and head)
Simple (ordinary, almost cartoon-y feathers.), Ruffled (feathers are poorly kept), Preened (Smooth, clean feathers), Bladed (Feathers resemble dagger blades), Boxy (Feathers are wide and almost box shaped), Leafy (Feathers resemble leaves), Clipped (Feathers are cut at an angle past the tips) -
Hair Color; (Color and patterns of Feathers on head and wings)
Dipped (Blue tips), Striped (Every other feather is green), Spotted (Green and Orange polka-dot patterns along the ends of the feathers), Molted (White or pale versions of base color along the outsides of the feathers), âBloodyâ (Purple and green paint splatters on wings), Wavient (Gradually changes from the primary color to a Blue color) -
Piercings; (Miscellaneous pieces of jewelry and trinkets for the bust area)
Nasal Rings (three rings looped around the top of the nasal cavity), Royalty Chain (a chain linked to the left side of the head from the left Nasal cavity), Bobbles (various ornamental designs dangling from the feathers on the head), Ringed Beak (3 rings pierced along the left underside of the upper beak), Sheath (a plate covering the foremost portion of the beak), Brow Ring (a small ring piercing where the eyebrow would be above the right eye), Feather Beads (a small bead links 2-3 feathers together to make a trident shape out of the feathers)
Racial Traits:
-
Soar Like an Eagle; 3 sec casttime; Spread your wings and Fly! (Only available if you refused the cursed powers. Acts as a ground mount where flying is unavailable)
-
Rukhmarâs Flare; 0.5 sec casttime; 2 Minute Cooldown; You channel what little connection you have left to Rukhmar and cast a blinding explosion of light, disorienting up to 5 targets within 8 yards for 2 sec. (Only available if you refused the cursed powers.)
-
Shadowy Insight; Instant cast; 2 Minute Cooldown; Increases stealth detection for 3 sec. (Only available if you embraced the cursed powers.)
-
Walk Through the Veil; 3 sec casttime; 10 Minute Duration; 30 Minute Cooldown; Allows the user to step through the shadows, increasing movement speed by 300%. This movement speed increase is lost during combat. Cannot interact with anything other than aberrations and other beings that can see into the Shadow Realms. (Only available if you embraced the cursed powers. DKs and other Arakkoa will be able to see and interact with you.)
-
Talon Dash; Instant cast; 2 Minute Cooldown; 10 yard range; Speed ahead of yourself and deal damage to all enemies that cross your path for 2% of your Primary Stat.
Racial Passives:
-
Blessing of Terokk; Increases Haste by 1%.
-
Natural Affinity; Increases Nature Damage by 1%.
-
Scroll Keeper; Inscription skill increased by 15 and gains additional benefits from Scrolls. Flavor Text; The Arakkoa are best known for recording their ancient spells and rituals⌠as well as some âquestionableâ literature.
Now for some funny stuff; the emotes.
Silly/Joke
- Male:
ââWhy did I cross the road?â Well, it all started on a beautiful sunny afternoon when â Wait a minute!? Iâm only half chicken on my fatherâs side!â
âWhat is with Worgen and their incessant sniffing? Seriously, it drives a Dwarf to sobriety.â
âSometimes birds of a feather flock together⌠But if that one featherâs a bad feather, pluckâem.â
- Female:
ââWhy do females dye their foliage?â So we donât have to worry about blending in.â
âTo my kind, calling someone a Bird Brain is the same as calling a non-Gnome a genius. Afterall, birds are highly intelligent creaturâOooh, shiny!â
âWhy would you remove the only source of warmth from your legs? Iâd kill to have feathers covering mine.â
- Both:
âSquawk! Oi! Who shook my tail feathers?!â
Flirt
- Male:
âYou know⌠Some Arakkoa mate for life⌠Iâm one of them.â
âIf you want a âNastyâ Bird, look no further.â
âAllow me to sing you the song of my people⌠caws Star Spangled Bannerâ
- Female:
âIf you can overlook my figure, we can work something out. After all, I eat like a bird.â
âIâd love to nuzzle down with youâI mean nestle downâI mean⌠Nevermind.â
âPecking is a sign of Arakkoa affectionâŚâ
- Both:
âWould you prefer white meat or dark?â
Edit: Okay, so I didnât quite go into those thoughts I mentioned and am JUST NOW realizing that after months of reading over this⌠So⌠Here goes.
Arakkoa at one point were one of the most mysterious races in the game because all we had met around BC were psychotic killers and a few stranded survivors. When I first met them back in BC/Wrath, I had just seen the Dark Crystal movie and pretty much enjoyed their designs. However, I felt like there was something not quite right when those survivors asked us to kill their own kind with genocidal abandon⌠Like there was a piece of the puzzle missing.
When WoD came out, I had gotten that missing piece and more. Before I knew it, I was entrenched with their plight and struggles and just⌠Basically put, I fell in love with the race as a whole and really hope Blizz shows some more attention to them; especially by making them playable.
Well, there you have it.
Hope you all enjoyed the read, at least.
![:wolf:](https://d38bqls1q93fod.cloudfront.net/en/wow/images/emoji/twitter/wolf.png?v=6" ":wolf:")
![:bird:](https://d38bqls1q93fod.cloudfront.net/en/wow/images/emoji/twitter/bird.png?v=6" ":bird:")