But the point of this hypothetical map is its sort of an idealized way to get everyone out of eachother’s ways, and lesson chances for conflict. Which is part of why I detest Aerie Peak as its not just a relatively modern example of Anti-Troll colonialism, but also was being used to funnel Living Human settlers into the Plaguelands (right next door to the Forsaken). Which truly is a recipe for disaster if Humanity is not depending on whitewashing.
The price for the Forest Trolls to have the Hinterlands, is for the Wildhammer to have the Highlands. And regardless, I cannot FATHOM a more contentious Orc clan to remain in the Highlands. The Horde would have to either politically abandon them, or THEY would instigate an escalation of hostilities. Even worse if you’re trying to shove the AU Mag’har there (before they have a chance to adapt to this new world at least).
You want to put the AU Mag’har somewhere? Have it be Desolace? That zone has been shown it can be a fixer upper, and there is plenty of space for them and their assorted peoples. If you want to justify it even more, have the Botani infest Maraudon and they’ve explosively revitalized the area (but in a way that reflects Gorgrond).
Canon wise the Shen’dralar have no reason to remain in the ruins of Eldre’Thalas, as the great library of the city was burnt out by the Horde. There really isnt much there for them anymore, particuarly since they won a measure of true respect from their people for their heroic actions with their magic during the WoT. I always liked Mordent Evenshade, and it be cool if the Kaldorei government became a triumvirate between him, Tyrande, and Malfurion each representing one of the pillars of their rebuilt culture.
The Shen’dralar represent the interesting oxymoron of a humbled Highborne, something which is uniquely suited to the Kaldorei and their cultural outlook. I’d love to see them get their own section in Hyjal, perhaps the Moonguard survivors from the Broken isles can join them. I’d be down to see some more of those Ancients of the Arcane stomping about.
I’d say for geopolitics it be best that Eldre’Thalas remain an unoccupied ruin.
The TH horde is the dragonmaw clan, which was pretty much entirely wiped out in Mists (and frankly given their history with the reds it’s deserved)
Like, given the way the dragon stories were used to give something to do to the belves in Wrath, I suspect if it did happen again it would still be pretty much “we have no idea what to do with elves on horde, are unwilling to remove the factions, so let’s stick elf-crew to dealing with things like dragons and ancient elven history.” In retrospect given bliz writing it turned out pretty much to be for the best.
It’s kind of the pattern since Wrath really and I don’t think it’s about to change.
Honestly, post BfA I’m pretty sure a lot of belf players are happy to be the redheaded stepchild of the core horde races. Tauren get the curse of being a vanilla core race which means they do get featured a lot more in terrible storylines even if the leaders are generally treated as above it to the point that a lot of the more iconic tauren leaders are neutral NPCs; I wish they’d gotten the belf treatment at this point.
Honestly, I can’t shake this feeling that unlike the other Horde races, Blizz is a bit afraid to write the Tauren. Due, I’d wager, to what RW Hollywood brand culture they were clearly loosely inspired by. Which creates a weird situation where the Tauren as a race are tasked with being “The Good Ones”, but they never get stories. Resulting in their Reps having no race to really represent in the narrative, and it just defaults to them representing “The Good Horde”. And since all that is pure and virtuous in this setting is the Alliance by this point (where even Uther is teaching timeless Angels Human Light dogma in 9.1) … Tauren reps are rendered Alliance reps accessories. Because the only way they can be “good”, is by being latched to goodness itself.
Seriously, so many problems with this story are rooted in the Moral Absolutism created and maintained with the Alliance. This bizarre self-reinforcing purity test that Blizz seems obsessed with. Rendering the faction little more than a very passive, nearly exclusively reactive force that is even heavily restricted in how its allowed to react. Resulting the Horde being made a motiveless forced proactive force to pick up the slack a lot of the time.
Unironically I’d be fine with it because I loathe Bastion and it becoming humanpotentialheim even harder is all the place deserves. Normally I hate when things don’t feature all core races that should, but given my extreme misgivings about “if you pick our afterlife you will enjoy the right of becoming a blue human like us” even the Uther stuff could never redeem the place in my eyes.
Everytime I realize someone was a non-human race before dying I just want to save their soul from the place and bring them to Ardenweald
Yeah … Bastion. Where its everyone’s objective to become a bastion of Smurf Human potential. Huh? Maybe that’s where the name is from. And frankly, the best thing to come out of that afterlife is Uther’s story so far (and weirdly Alexandros’ story, which only we Necrolords got. That questline was truly very good for how short it was). Honestly, the Necrolords in general have surprised me.
As rotten and “smelly” as it apparently makes my character, I think I’ll stick with the Undead world that lets you pretty much pick any form you feel comfortable with if you’ve got the Anima (or you got the right Construct craftsman in leu of that). Even got a “Worgen” soul who wanted a quadrupedal Undead Dog construct in our abomination factory (which truly is just a made-to-order monster body shop).
I sort of imagine all people really like about the Kyrians is the Stewards. Being fair they ARE pretty adorable. I always wish I could just pick them up and hug them. They seem like they need many hugs and head pats.
I think I will stick with my Ardenweald. I am contractually obligated to as a Kaldorei Druid.
…Though, you Necrolords DO have Kevin. He does have a pretty great hat, and a cake to boot.
Somehow that undead world and Plague Deviser Marileth (a good ol egg he is) managed to make Slimes cute! Truly, I don’t go anywhere without my Shy Melvin anymore. He has this custom little emote where he get scared every once in a while and hides between your legs.
EDIT: It is sort of interesting that Bastion tonally seems the lame duck of the 4 SLs we’ve visited atm. Its not that there aren’t good parts (their covenant campaign actually was very good within the confines of its aesthetics and themes) … its just it doesn’t quite have the same level of personality as its three counterparts. Which was staggering to me going into this expac, since I hard core judged Mal and Reven by their covers and thought they’d suck. And I wouldn’t touch them if you payed me to. I’m glad I was wrong.
I know this is cynicism speaking but I think I started having negative expectations of the place when the feature NPC was announced to be Uther. I don’t massively pay heed to the MHP/MOW memes but there’s something about the writing team smothering everyone else the minute those are centric to a storyline
You know whats weird? It was them announcing Draka that really threw me with Mal beyond its Scourge aesthetics. But they did exactly what I kind of wanted with her. She’s a very diligent, intelligent, General-esk leader … who can fight on the front but actually led from the rear in the raid on the House of Constructs. Where she was needed. And I hear tell that her quest with Thrall is also pretty darned good in the upcoming 9.1. Although short. Not only that, both Alexandros AND Vashj have far exceeded expectations of them so far.
Uther on the other hand? I mean his story is compelling. He and Kleia sort of comprise the core of the Bastion story by the looks of things. But atm all I’m kind of doing is waiting around to see which of his old wards he deals with first? Jaina? Arthas? Or will it be the kinda forced Arthas parallel in Anduin? His ideology being used as a means to deal with the ideologues of Bastion is one thing, but he’s in a bit of a holding pattern it seems.
I have enjoyed Ardenweald. I know there is an accusation of it being Alliance heavy, and I dont even wanna debate on that.
I quite enjoy the entire theme, but then I sort of signed up for the general theme of the zone from the get go with what I am playing.
I will always love Dreamweaver the most. He is so chill and just, he makes me happy. I also enjoy that the Winter Queen is competent, duitiful and yet exceedingly caring leader. Something about her just feels ancient, and a bit cold. She very much feels “Unseelie Fairy Queen”, and yet she truly and deeply cares for the slumbering souls in her care, it pains her greatly to make the sacrifices she has.
In comparison Kyrestia feels incompetent and bullishly hard headed. In fact there isn’t even a good side to the Kyrian civil war. Both sides are awful in their own unique way.
