Playable ones are all void elves I’d suggest. So like the player character makes a void elf then it’s a void elf.
But there have been High Elves in the Alliance since its inception, including a continuing branch of High Elves who rejected the Horde and the Sin’dorei use of the fel.
So from a gameplay point of view all void elves are void elves, with the normal skintone elves likely ICly being the 2nd Generation of Void Elves (those who went to study in Telogrus but who weren’t part of the original ethereal trap that turned the original velves blue)
But from a story point of view High Elves do exist in the Alliance and have done so for a very long time.
From a role play point of view I know a lot of High elf fans are playing their void elves as High elves, which is fair enough imo
That’s what I’m getting at, yeah. And I find it absurd. The whole deal with the still-Alliance High Elves is that they opposed the Blood Elves’ use of what they saw as dangerous and destructive magic.
But now the Void Elves come into the Alliance arguably even more corrupted with arguably even more dangerous and destructive magic, and the High Elves seem to literally not even care.
I mean the fact the Alliance accepted Void Elves to begin with makes zero sense.
Alliance has always been thoroughly anti-Shadow-magic, and it has always been a staple of the Horde magic.
Void Elves should’ve been exiled to Undercity, since Natalie Seline is the pre-existing foremost expert of the Void and is part of the Forsaken but never gets used.
The entire “Void Alleria” arch has been by far the most ridiculous thing this game has produced because now the Alliance has
the Arcane Power Ranger (Jaina, Khadgar)
the Life Power Ranger (Malfurion, Tyrande)
the Light Power Ranger (Anduin, Turalyon, Velen)
the Shadow Power Ranger (Alleria)
arguably the Chaos Power Ranger (Illidan, as he’ll always side with Tyrande over anyone)
the Death Power Ranger (Darion Mograine, same as Illidan re: Humans probably)
Void Elves should’ve stayed Horde to counter balance Lightforged, and Alliance should’ve just gotten Normal High Elves like they wanted.
Some dev has an obsession with “Human/Thalassian Elf” romance and wanted the Alliance to be both Shadow and Light without a care in the world for the Horde. Some other dev really hated the notion of Alliance simply getting High Elves. And thus Void Elves were given to the Alliance under the most RIDICULOUS of circumstances.
You’d think if Lorthemar and Rommath knew that some Thalassian Elves were doing Void Magic, the first person they’d talk to is AELTHALYSTE, THE UNDEAD BANSHEE HIGH ELF SHADOW MAGIC EXPERT.
The funniest thing about the whole Void Elf scenario is they are only saved by pure luck of the PC and Alleria’s arrival. I think Umbric even admits their banishers had a point, but somehow it then becomes “they turned their backs on us”.
Lorthemar: HOW DARE YOU DABBLE IN VOID, YOU ARE BANISHED
Umbric: If only there were any elves who know about Void Magic
Aelthalyste: …
Umbric: If only there were some member of the Horde that was expert levels a master of Shadow Magic and perhaps had achieved a sort of Shadow Ascendant form by perfect unity with the void
Natalie Seline: Magister I–
Umbric: IF ONLY THERE WAS SOMEONE IN THE HORDE WHO COULD U N D E R S T A N D MY ANGST
Yeah im no fan of his anymore. He was cool for a minute in WoD but by Legion i grew tired of him. He didn’t even need to “hate” the horde or even be hostile to them, but it annoyed me how ridiculously neutral he always was. If anything he should have been portrayed as “Thrall Neutral” as Thrall was in CATA. He was “neutral” in the sense he worked with Alliance players & characters but he still clearly favored the Horde. Meanwhile most Neutral “Alliance” character never do the same. Tirion Fordring is another example of this. He was a little stern toward Thrall & Garrosh at the Argent Tournament but that was about it.
The only Alliance characters to really break this mold were Turalyon and Alleria. Potentially Malfurion but it took him almost a decade to raise his hand against the Horde.
They could be both. I mean Wildhammers are also under the umbrella of Bronzebeard Dwarves even though the racials probably don’t match up. Same thing with Sand Trolls and Dark Trolls being rolled in under the Darkspear umbrella.
With that in mind i wouldnt see why the new options to Velves couldn’t reflect them literally being High Elves. They might not have the matching racials but that’s the same for the other previously mentioned groups.
Unnecessary Mary Sue treatment of yet another Windrunner sister
Contributing to the Power Ranger problem
It’s dumb. You know it’s dumb.
Alliance should’ve gotten Normal High Elves.
Void Elves should’ve been an “Internal Horde Drama” development, where Forsaken Elves help exiled Thalassian Elves, maybe Velonara confronts Lorthemar for throwing away his people so easily because they’re different.
The shadowaszendent story is rpg only. Nataline Selines story was never that she could use the void without insanity but that she explored the shadowcultists of the orcish horde and her books are the fundament of the cult of forgotten shadow.
Nothing more.
She was never praised as an ubervoiduser.
So its neither a retcon nor anything else. Its an story addition.
She is literally in permanent Void Form in Legion.
She literally says “I am one with the Void now!”
It is a retcon.
I cannot believe you are defending a Windrunner Mary Sue just because she’s Alliance when I’m insisting y’all should’ve gotten Normal High Elves.
And you still haven’t explained to me why you were responding to me with incorrect information in a PTR thread on the PTR forum where I was giving PTR feedback about an issue that is on live and in the PTR, and then claimed “Oh I don’t know about the PTR” on the PTR forum.
Unless, of course, you were simply following my posts without awareness as to what forum you were responding to.
My followers and I felt no loyalty to the Horde. When Grand Magister Rommath forbade our Void research, we did not hesitate to break away and follow our own path.
But hubris got the best of me. I was certain I could master any force we encountered.
I was so wrong…
We do not stand with the Alliance out of convenience. Nor is it a mere gesture of thanks to Alleria.
Our ordeal has taught us the importance of great powers being in the right hands. We could not allow the Horde to know the things we know, or to use us as a weapon in their schemes.
Agreed. I love Void Elves as a concept but this would’ve made more sense. Some nice internal conflict, you know? I think the fact that Alleria simply went on a stroll near the Sunwell and nearly corrupted it is HIGHLY concerning to the Blood Elves who’ve pretty much left the fel behind and are once again dependant on the Sunwell. It getting corrupted again is not a good idea.
That said, I don’t actually mind that they went Alliance. The idea has grown on me, even though it baffles me that there’s so many other Horde races that actively condone and use shadow magic, as you’ve said. My Alliance main is a void elf and I love him a lot haha. At the end of the day the story beat has passed and I’m embracing it as presented, and having fun doing so… even if the logic behind it is a bit skewed.
I think what Umbric needs to really flesh out the development of the void elves is a COUNTERPOINT. I’ve even got a good one. The Elves of Quel’thalas need an unlimited power source that they can draw on anywhere without risk of it being destroyed.
I really loved the Warcraft 3 - BC-era Blood Elves. Elves that had to draw on dark powers to ensure their survival - that they did not succumb to magical addiction. The restoration of the Sunwell was an interesting decision, as on one level it was “Redemptive” for the Sin’dorei, and yet it also recreated a unique vulnerability - the fragility of the Sunwell. While fel crystals were a finite resource… destroying a fel crystal destroyed only one little power source. Corrupt or destroy the Sunwell, and you plunge the Sin’dorei into a state of addiction once more. The last time the Sunwell was destroyed, their people were nearly wiped out. If it were to happen again… it’d likely doom them, from a geopolitical standpoint.
Umbric’s counterpoint then? The Void is an infinite power source that literally cannot be destroyed. If the Thalassian elves learn to draw on it, their magical addiction is effectively cured (or at least eternally sated) without reliance on the Sunwell. Yes, the power comes with great risk, and yes, it takes a lot of hard work to master it. But if it can be safely achieved… perhaps it’s a better alternative than the tactical vulnerability of the Sunwell, which could be a strategic target if ever there’s a war.
That sort of emphasis on the “rationale” of the Void Elves would make them more interesting and nuanced, in my opinion. Could’ve been really fun within the Horde, but it’ll be interesting across factions too!
Good point! Can’t argue with that! I suppose it’s fair and valid to say Void Elves and High Elves both exist under the umbrella of the same playable race. Admittedly they do turn blue in combat from time to time, even if they look like High Elves… but as you say the racials don’t quite line up for the trolls or dwarves either, sooo…
I almost try to ignore Natalie Seline at this point because she really should’ve been Forsaken Hated what they did to her in Legion.
It’s just forced writing to justify “Discount High Elves” to the Alliance out of spite and to further establish Alleria being the Void Mary Sue Power Ranger.
You know it’s true.
You all should’ve gotten High Elves.
Alleria should be not be the Void Power Ranger.
Void Elves as a concept should’ve stayed Horde-side since we literally already have Void-using Undead Elves.
It literally made no sense. The entire arch was contrived and palpably motivated by spite, refusing to give the Alliance Normal High Elves.
She wasn´t permanently in Void form, as far as i´m remember:
She said that, what does this mean? What does this mean? I mean, even the old gods are …Insane in a weird way. So, if you are one with the void, does this mean she ´s like old gods?
To Say Alleria is a Mary Sue is so stupid, so…dump and stupid, you can better as this baalsamael. Its not about Alliance, its not about Horde, but that Alleria get Secrets no one else got to …do this. I mean, you could argue that the Astral One is OP because he have a secret NO ONE ELSE have, in the Entire Cosmos.
tbh, i get a message from your answer and didn´t saw where you answered me, i thought i´m still in the Story forum
Neither does it belong to the Horde now. Also, Lordearon belongs to its people, living and dead at this point it is likely it might just end up a semi neutral state. Assuming the factions even last the next couple of expansions. As per the EK book, the Alliance has retaken Southshore.
Hated what they did to her in Legion.