Honestly I’d give the Alliance the Unnelves. Then let the Dark Ranger skin be a customization option for B/Nelf Hunters, Warriors and Rogues.
There’s enough real cool Forsaken characters that I’d love to see expanded on as is. Skipping over them for yet another moody elf just really does not interest me.
Calia has potential as at least a discipline Priest if we can get her some spookier mogs. But speaking of a more Horde adjacent third party, I think her, Derek, Faol, the Unnelves, and ish why not bring back Sir Zelik and the Scarlet Risen, could work great for a more Undead led Argent Dawn.
And a necropolis would be cool but I kinda like the Forsaken having their own stuff. Their flame throwing skull catapults are iconic, and their new battleships, that are tragically only see sunk in Nazjatar and Tutorial Island, are such a mood.
I really love their goth, plague punk aesthetic. I of course have no problem with them using necromancy and do hope Maldraxxus makes them reevaluate their place in the cosmos. But I’d like if they stuck to the mad science first and foremost.
I do think we need more emphasis on Velonara, if only to demonstrate that not every single Dark Ranger is fanatically devoted to Sylvanas, especially now.
Take her speech at the Orgrimmar Embassy for example:
We dark rangers were fiercely loyal to Sylvanas. We trusted her… followed her commands.
It is clear that our loyalty was never truly reciprocated.
Some of my sisters and brothers have chosen to remain at the Dark Lady’s side. I, and many others, have not.
This is a point in Blood Elf background I added in my above post.
Literally the same as the Forsaken, though since the living blood elves are currently part of the Horde it yields a unique opportunity for race choice and customizations. That point will be brought up in the proposal section of my post.
Too bad the San’layn only appeared in the Alliance War Campaign during Battle for Azeroth, and were subsequently killed off by Shandris, with the implication-by-absence that that group was the last of them.
Well, they were allies to the Horde, just…the Horde wasn’t important enough to have what was essentially an Allied Race shown in anything other than the opposing faction’s questline, apparently.
What really bothers me is the San’Layn would’ve been perfect jailors for Derek. As it stands he’s being guarded by the Forsaken. Who are completely indifferent to Slyvanas torturing the free will out of one of their own.
This is maybe the only real taboo Forsaken society has. Taking the free will from an undead is punishable by True Death. So, you’d think they might react to that. But only Voss does in some optional dialogue later when Baine’s arrested.
Honestly now that we have proper draculas with the Venthyr I wouldn’t hold my breath for much more San’Layn.
Personally I never got their appeal. The Forsaken already sleep in coffins and Darkspear already turn into bats. Hell make an undead S Priest. You can hypnotize, turn into mist, hang out with bats and your spells have vampire in the name. Plus you can have cool red eyes.
Rexxar bombing Brennadam, that the Horde wasn’t involved in
Goblins stealing Zandalari stuff, the Horde also didn’t get to see
etc etc etc
Although I do think probably not all the San’layn tried to join the Horde at that time, and “Dark Rangers” are just one cha cha slide from San’layn.
Sed contra, my Venthyr Lore prediction is
Renathal is crowned not as “Sire Renathal” but as a sort of “Imperial Prince” elected by the other Harvesters (like the Holy Roman Emperor would be elected by all the Royal Audiences of the Empire, formally)
Kael’thas replaces Prince Renathal as Harvester of Dominion
There will be hopefully a Velonara-Lorthemar-Kael interaction
So theoretically, the San’layn in the afterlife can be maybe “drafted” into the Venthyr to bolster their forces for the coming war. After all, all the San’layn exist due to Arthas corrupting a contingent of Blood Elves trying to avenge Silvermoon and to an extent Kael’thas.
Wait this is the first I’ve heard that Rexxar ordered this. I thought it was just a direct order from Sylvanas; is there anything in-game that says it was him?
I hope today/tomorrow they confirm all High Elves have now either re-integrated into Blood Elf society due to the Sunwell changing their minds, or became Void Elves to follow Alleria.
Only Veressa and her sons remain Non-Horde Non-Void Thalassian Elves.
