So the Warcraft RPG is a particularly strange beast. It’s kind of all over the place for quality and in many ways I’m glad it’s been declared non-canon (Thrall is a Blademaster, really?). However, it did have one interesting thing about it. They made towns feel a lot more alive by giving some population censuses and details about history… Of course sometimes they were ridiculous (Like maintaining there were more dwarves in Dwarf District of Stormwind than in the entire city of Ironforge), but hey, it was fun overall.
So I’m going to be taking a moment and thumbing through my 5e hardcovers to read how they write cities and apply it to Azeroth’s fine settlements. First things first, the lovely troll locale of Shadowprey Village. Feel free to use this for your Roleplay, btw, and tell me if you do! It would make me very happy.
Footnote–Fanon-rich speculation ahoy! I will be taking existing lore to inform this theory-crafting but I will be taking plenty of time to write up my own homebrew to fill in the blanks. NPCs will be given backstories and personalities if absent before, elements of culture will be introduced as I see appropriate, and I’ll also theorize about climate and weather for when you’re trying to set the scene. Without further ado:
Shadowprey Village
Shadowprey Village is a sleepy fishing port on the jagged coasts of Desolace. The town is populated primarily by Darkspear trolls and tauren from various tribes. Shadowprey is a young settlement, having been built by Darkspear settlers shortly after the Third War. These settlers came searching for a place to raise their families as Sen’jin and Malaka’jin had grown too crowded. With approval from Vol’jin, the merchant Mai’lahii went forth with a handful of shadow hunters, a few witch doctors, and a small militia of headhunters and berserkers. The homesteaders would come after the town was settled and made safe.
Maia’lahii knew that Kalimdor was a vast continent, but crowded in its own way. To the north, Azhara was an elvish land dominated by monsters. She had no desire to build a home where her people would need to do constant battle with the naga. To the south, there was the crowded goblin city of Ratchet, and further than that there was Theramore. She had a deeply ingrained caution of the Theramore people, and wisely elected to settle far from those alabaster walls and blue spires.
She prayed for guidance and poured over the maps of the land, invoking the spirit of her loa, Hir’eek, to find a place suitable for the Darkspear to take root. Mai’halii and her witch doctors communed extensively with the Bat God, relying on the kind spirit’s wisdom. With his guidance they found a cove in the distant land of Desolace, which confused the witch doctors greatly. Many saw Desolace as a dead land with no value, but Hir’eek thought differently. He advised the merchant that while the land was dead, the waters were teeming with plentiful fish and other beasts of the sea to feed on. The nearby caves of Maraudon also had many bats whose guano could be traded as fuel and fertilizer.
Mai’halii now had a destination in mind, but to travel across the continent without guidance would be foolish. She enlisted the help of the Wisemane Tauren under the leadership of Taiga Wisemane to act as guides across the hard lands. Taiga knew that Desolace was still a stronghold of the despicable Burning Blade clan, and also saw settling there as a chance to bring the land back to its pre-Centaur prosperity. With his friend Roon Wildmane as support, they set off to Desolace.
Since then, the town has thrived. Taiga advises and aids the Cenarion Circle in battling the evils of the land and Mai’halii keeps the town of Shadowprey Village well fed with trade and fishing. The trolls of the town predominantly worship Hir’eek, or at least pay respects to him regardless of who they worship. A minority population of Shatterspear trolls have settled in Shadowprey after their people were wiped out, which has caused some conflict with the Cenarion Circle. So far the Shatterspear have been well behaved and obedient to the laws of the land.
Interestingly enough, the use of guano has made several patches of fertile soil in Shadowprey village, primarily used to grow sage and other spices with which to cook the fish they bring in.
Major NPCs
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Hae’Wilani - One of the original Shadow Hunters sent with Mai’halii to settle the town. Hae’Wilani is a masterful enchanter and flintknapper, carving axes from stone to keep the village well armed and defended. Her best weapons are crafted with the Loa’s power. These include the Shirvallah-blessed Merciless Axe which grants tremendous increases in strength to those who wield it, and the Hir’eek blessed Midnight Axe which sings with powerful shadow magic that can give a Shadow Hunter a ranged shadow bolt attack. Hae’Wilani is a ferocious hunter and one can earn her favor - and access to her blessed weapons - by questing on her behalf.
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Roon Wildmane - A dear friend of Taiga Wisemane and a masterful rifleman. Roon is a gifted pathfinder and very capable in the hunt. He was brought along on the expedition to hunt big game to feed the travellers as they went to Shadowprey Village. Roon is known for being trustworthy and amicable, though a bit isolated from the rest of the town. He tends to retreat to the wilds to hunt for many weeks on end.
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Rokaro - A Champion of the Horde sent to cover for Rexxar after the Beastmaster left for the Outlands. Rokaro is a Shattered Hand rogue and worked extensively with Thrall to oust the Searing Blade and Burning Blade cults from Kalimdor. His good track record has landed him this comfortable position watching over Desolace and the remaining Burning Blade. He actually kind of enjoys the comfort and luxury of being a hero in a small town able to get away with relaxing.
Cultural quirks and other tidbits of homebrew lore
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There are bat houses on almost every tree in the village, many of them can be extremely ornate and carved or burnt with complex designs. These are almost like birdhouses in domestic human towns for how common they are.
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The local climate is harsh and can change on a time. Night is frigidly cold and day is blistering hot. Harsh winds often batter the village in any season. The seasons also follow these extremes, usually switching from extensive heat to shocking cold instead of the more mellow springs and summers.
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The Shadowprey villagers typically regard Night Elves well due to a common interest and lack of real rivalry. As the land is healed by the Cenarion Circle, the Shadowprey only prosper more.