How has Shadowlands changed your character?

For better or for worse, the expansion was a thing and is now drawing to an end. How will witnessing the struggle, turmoil, and machinations of the afterlife change your character? Did they experience it first-hand, or was it hearsay from their peers? Was it all a fevered dream? I’m curious to know!

Even if you choose to develop your character in such a way that they never experienced SL, has the lore development & events this expansion changed how you plan on playing/writing them in the future?

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There’s is only one character of mine whose story has had any significant engagement with the content of this expansion cycle. I used Maldraxxus to write a conclusion for a thread involving my main Death Knight character.

To give a brief summary the Death Knight, Bremuleth Autumnriver, had a contentious relationship with a Banshee, Sinothyr Skyfire; a former traveling companion whose fate she was responsible for. Their relationship had been tarnished ever since, with Sinothyr deeply embittered about her ethereal state and the circumstances of such. In later years Bremuleth sought to mend the rift between them by seeking means to restore Sinothyr to flesh. This eventually culminated in her brokering a deal which provided Sinothyr a place among the Necrolords, complete with a replica of her old body.


There is one thing I thought was worthy of consideration in relation to my characters. The fate of the Scourge after Zovaal’s demise would be of particular interest to all of my Death Knights, and especially to my Draenei Paladin, Aurlanaar. I have previously written a sort of ritual that Aurlanaar takes part in where she travels to Northrend on a suicidal mission to cull the undead there; part of a form of trauma obtained earlier in her career that is central to the character. With the Scourge no longer contained as they were, she’d likely be even more motivated to be more earnest in her crusade against them. There’s a lot of narrative potential, but I somewhat doubt it’ll be met; at least through rp.

Also, my Pandaren Death Knight once met a couple Brokers trying to sell her miscellaneous junk. I don’t have much more to say about it, I just figured it was relevant enough to mention.

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That was an interesting read, and honestly sounds a lot like what I’ve been milling about over with my characters. The death knight/banshee story arc seems fitting, for lack of a better way of stating it.

You could probably spin the paladin’s arc into a short story or fanfic series pretty easily. Then again, I’m not really an rp-er despite repeated attempts at finding a place, so take whatever advice given with a grain of salt.

The interaction with the Brokers could be a decent setup for something either comical or horror-focused. Random, miscellaneous “junk” being sold to a stranger was how both Hellraiser and Gremlins started, after all :laughing:

I’ve considered doing this, but I’m not sure if I have the time. If anything does come of it, though, it’d probably be this.

My character is treating shadowlands like a Dragonbal Z hyperbolic chamber, a place to go kevel up my character still spends most of his time in kultiras and zandallar. Except when upgrading armor

She’s tired and misses home, or to be honest, who is at home. After years of adventure that stared as a sullen, rebellious adventurer, and columnated as one of the most trusted Kirin Tor commanders, she just wants to go home, build a place on the shores of Quel’Danas, and start a family.

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I would say this character is kind of conflicted, after confronting her parents within the Shadowlands. Mainly because she felt guilty for not being there after her mother’s death near the start of BfA (she was cleaning up some last-minute issues in the Broken Isles), and also absent while her younger half-siblings were also grieving for their mother, due to the Fourth War.

So far with her post-Shadowlands story, she has recently returned to her home in Eversong Woods, and paid a visit to her step-father and younger siblings. She initially had interests in finding a partner and starting a family as well, but for now she isn’t in the right headspace for a committed relationship just yet (pre-timeskip), due to a sense of imposter syndrome. For now, I’m just waiting to see what my partner wants to do, in terms of that storyline.

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Kohshek (nee Romanaus) has never been afraid of the dark, or of death. He was born out of an unholy act–a paladin broke his vows and did the unthinkable–and neither of his parents wanted him. Taken in by the brethren at Northshire Abbey, Khoshek has sometimes wondered if he was fated to become a paladin like his father, and the implications nag at him.

Somewhere deep in his mind, Khoshek has always wondered if he was a cosmic mistake. Perhaps it would have been best had he never lived at all, but since he does, he has been determined to make the most of his life. At the same time, Khoshek has eagerly jumped at any chance to honorably sacrifice himself. He was pleasantly surprised to find himself in the afterlife, but quickly disappointed to see it was neither as peaceful nor permanent as he had been led to believe.

In spite of his disappointments and reservations, Khoshek has learned “Fate” is a sheep in wolf’s clothing, and he called her bluff. Regardless of whatever anyone would say about him–including himself–Khoshek is entirely capable of falling to the same sins as his father, and entirely capable of making whatever choices he pleases.

Rise or fall, Khoshek cannot and will not blame “Fate” or the old gods or the compulsions put upon him by whatever undead power holds him in sway in a given moment. As much as the Light inspires obedience to goodness, it is ultimately Khoshek’s choice to follow the Light or not.

Disappointed as he was to find the afterlife ephemeral as it is, in many ways it has been a blessing in disguise; it has served to release Khoshek of so many fears and questions about himself. Going forward, he has the confidence that comes with knowledge, and the weight of personal responsibility upon his shoulders.

As Khoshek’s player, I’m reminded of two quotes from Kingdom of Heaven I’ve edited to adjust for Khoshek’s perspective:

Remember that howsoever you are played or by whom, your soul is in your keeping alone, even though those who presume to play you be kings or men of power. When you stand before [anyone], you cannot say, “But I was told by others to do thus,” or that virtue was not convenient at the time.

And another:

I put no stock in [fate]. By the word [fate] I have seen the lunacy of fanatics of every denomination be called the will of [a higher power]. Holiness is in right action and courage on behalf of those who cannot defend themselves, and goodness. What [the Light] desires is [in your head] and [in your heart]. [By] what you decide to do every day, you will be a good man–or not.