So with the 9.1 news and the possibility that at some point there will be some sort of resolution for the NE’s following almost being wiped out, I think that the relationship between the Nightborne and Night Elves could be a bridge to a factionless future.
If Darnassus is unable to be restored, it would maybe make sense for a lot of NEs to go to Val Sharah. But why not have Suramar open itself up as well to Kaldorei refugees? Surely there must be some family members that were separated from their Kaldorei kin by the erection of Suramar City’s barrier. Would be a nice way to tie in past lore with present lore. Could see it being something played around with if Tyrande survives the Night Warrior’s curse. Maybe a softening towards Thalyssra? Wouldn’t the new Kaldorei mages and older Highborne that came back into the fold in Cata be interested in learning alongside masters of magic?
Because the Nightborne are Horde now? You really can’t ignore the Blue/Red divide, that and the fact that Tyrande has had less than kind words for the race.
The other problem is that Suramar is timelocked to Legion.
Tyrande was already wary of the Nightborne, she remembers Suramar first siding with the legion at the behest of Azshara and then leaving alltogether the conflict and isolating themselves within the bubble. She doesn’t buy Thalyssra’s excuse that it was to keep the pillars from the legion (really who does). Understandably, shes not really happy, many of these shal’dorei are still the same that abandoned the rest of her race. Then Legion comes, Blood, High and Night elves band together to liberate Suramar, they do, and Suramar decides to join the horde after flinching at Tyrandes indifference and believing lies from Liadrin. Legion ends and the first thing the horde does is burn Teldrassil.
Night elf - Nightborne relations could not be worse than at the moment
Worry not, we should get a kickass new hub at Hyjal in about 3 expansions.
Honestly the fact that the Nightborne joined the Horde on a whim and then the burning of Teldrassil happened almost immediately after and they didn’t instantly nope out of there reflects really really badly on them.
They didn’t even have the sunk cost excuse the rest of the Horde did. It’s like they took on a new job because they thought it would be a stable paycheck and their first day just happened to coincide with the company’s annual Living Sacrifice to Mot
It’s like this for many Horde races honestly, but the Nightborne are an example of particularly bad writing. As far as I know, they even participated in the War of Thorns.
Nightborne should’ve stayed neutral until after the end of the Fourth War. The matter of choosing between the wronged turned vengeful (Alliance) and the regretful(Horde) could’ve played better than what we’ve seen on their recruitment scenario
Okay, as a potential bridge towards factions dissolving this is a solid method.
Does the plot idea work outside of that context though?
Probably not, honestly. The Night Elf player base is heavily engaged in the faction conflict now. That’s not going to change, and giving Night Elves a view of Nightborne that makes them sympathetic or desirable will probably just lead Alliance players into further resenting that they’re Horde.
Ironically Nightbourne also siding with the Zandalari is puzzling considering they are the closest representatives of the old Night elf empire that destroyed the Troll empire. I mean the Horde is full of contradictions but a few stick out quite a bit.
I think it would be more puzzling for the Nightborne to still be carrying that grudge 10,000 years after that particular troll empire was violently dismantled.
Just as a clarifying example. I don’t hold Japan in any particular ill will, and the last time they scuffled with their neighbors was a mere 80 years ago.
Together with the Shaldorei the rest of the Horde will humiliate the Alliance again as they deserve it. No peace for the mongrels of the alliance. Down with them all.
If you play the Horde just a little during BfA, it isn’t so puzzling. It is explained right off the bat.
The First Arcanist herself helps free the Zandalari Princess from incarceration in the heart of Stormwind. That would go a long way towards mending any old wounds. And before she goes with you to free Talanji, Thalyssra mentions that she is eager to support the Horde’s efforts.
As they sail away from Stormwind, the Nightborne and the Zandalari have every reason to be fast friends.
More than that, they were actively helping the horde immediately after the burning and Thalyssra was eager to volunteer to invade stormwind right after.
The Nightborne are amazing. They filled up the depleted Horde character cast quite good. A little more and we will be finally on equal footing with the Alliance.
It’d be cool if a secte of Nightborne, and Nightelves / High Borne joined together to try restore the Ancient Kaldorei empire and you start to see ruins restored to their peak again; have the lore of their funds & trade of providing extensive knowledge and magical assistance to the other neutral factions like Earthen Ring, Kirin Tor, etc.
The nightborne did not take part in the war of thorns from what we know. They’re not shown in any media, be it in-game, story, or official artworks to take part. They were most likely still repairing Suramar at the time and sorting out things at their home turf.
Actually no allied races took part of it from what we saw.
