I haven’t been active since Legion, but I’ve had an itch for my Sunwalker. How is the RP scene?
2 Likes
I’d be interested in knowing, too. I’m a little disappointed that I didn’t see anything new for Baine offered in 9.2.5, though I might have missed something.
1 Like
Unfortunately, I think War Wolves closed recruitment as they were absorbing like half the Horde playerbase along with Undercity Nexus. That would have been my recommendation for a non-Tauren but still Tauren esque guild.
Stormtalon Tribe was active for a little bit but they sort of petered off too.
The only advice I would give is to try to start one yourself? Other than that Tauren guilds are not really in a good spot to my knowledge. Horde RP is doing pretty good though, so if you want you can always try to join one of the non-Tauren guilds.
2 Likes
There are a few of us that pop up from time to time in Org. A few of us were going to jumpstart a new tribe. Feel free to hit me up in game!
4 Likes
I can check it out. I used to GM a guild called < The Bloodeagle Tribe > that made rounds as as nomads fighting harpies/centaurs, and some light PvP. Admittedly, it was also around the time that I had fallen out of the game for IRL stuff, so there isn’t a huge track record on my part.
I did just try posting an old primer I made for Sunwalker RP on the forums, as that was my main thing for several years, but it was very quickly removed by a mod. I’m not sure why, and I’m discovering new things like the social contract, forum trust levels, etc. I’ll try instead to just post a topic for an RP event and maybe try the help guide again sometime in the future.
4 Likes
It’s weird that they would remove RP resources on the forums, but I’d have to take a look at it to figure out anything useful to offer you in the way of why.
I loved your post on the cleansing sage ceremony, too, Molo’ak. It would be neat to see some more tribal tauren again in the game. And it would be nice to see more tauren ceremonies and tribal rituals. We just don’t get that a lot in the game writing or cut-scenes, much less in a lot of the out-of- game writings. I was heartened to hear that in the fairy tales book there’s something more for the Tauren, though I haven’t had a chance to read through it, yet. I think there was something more for vulpera, as well.
1 Like
The post is back up; it was just flagged for spam review and then approved. You can find it here:
A Guide to Sunwalker RP - Moon Guard - World of Warcraft Forums (blizzard.com)
1 Like
Yeah! I saw that. It’s very cool.
Do you see seers as also being paladin-types, or both paladin and priestly types? I’ve often wondered how tauren priests would be incorporated into the traditional tribal roles–healers, perhaps, but I could see them being viewed as seers, too–along with shamanic tauren having similar roles. It’s interesting, to me, that a shaman and a priest could hold the same role in a tribe while also getting their “powers” from different sources. It’s one of the things about tauren culture that I find really appealing–that your game class doesn’t necessarily define your character role.
I will be interested in seeing how tauren rogues are incorporated into the mix, though I’m thinking the role of scouts and hunters have a similar flavor. I also love the idea of seafaring tauren, like those seen in Booty Bay, are actually more that outlaw rogue archetype. I also love the idea of a seafaring tauren tribe, too, of course.
I’ll speak for myself and what I’ve experienced in past RP, but you’re right. By-in-large your OOC class selection never need dictate your IC occupation. A tauren paladin could act as a seer, and a tauren priest could act as a sunwalker. That being said, it’s maybe best not the muddy the lore waters any more than is necessary to get the concept of your character across to others.
Seers are usually dedicated mystic guides to their tribes, just as a druid or shaman might be. They are masters of ceremonies and storytelling, emphasizing An’she as opposed to Mu’sha. Together, a seer and druid might counterbalance each other in their rituals to emphasize the Earth Mother through both eyes. They are also, quite literally, “seers”. They have visions, whether forcing them through ceremony or being inspired by An’she. Seers interpret these visions to help advise their tribe, regardless if they are in a leadership role or not, but this same role could be filled by a shaman, a druid, etc. Being a seer is one means to that end, but not the only means.
Sunwalkers tend to be a more “militant” seer, in much the same way a human paladin is a more militant version of a human priest, but militant is a poor word to describe anything in tauren culture. Where a Seer may be leading a morning ritual or advising their chieftain on their visions, a Sunwalker may be supporting a group of braves or leading a physical defense for the tribe. They’ve taken their same worship of An’she and have chosen to be a dedicated warrior as opposed to mystic.
My own character is some slight mix of these two, being a heavily emphasized warrior in the past who does more ritual work now.
Regarding roles in a tribe, I have some misgivings about the NPC Sunwalker Dezco, but he is a good example here. During MoP, Dezco’s wife, Leza, advised him through her visions (though she was likely a shaman, not a seer), but Dezco was the one who made the decisions and took action on these visions. Did he do it because he was a Sunwalker? No. He did it because he was chieftain of the tribe and was quested by Baine to explore Pandaria. Did his personal connection to An’she influence his actions? Yes. He made some decisions based on his own guidance, notably after Leza passed. Being a Sunwalker was an occupational method through which Dezco acted as chieftain, but not the reason he was chieftain.
2 Likes
Out of all the years I have RP’d and been a part of RP servers in this game, quality Tauren RP is the RP I miss the most. I have some very fond memories - although they are many years back now. I always keep my eye out for any Tauren-centric RP starting up here on Moon Guard because I would love to be a part of it. A true tribe structure and theme would be amazing!
4 Likes
Back in WoD and Legion, when I led the Bloodeagles, everyone was much more into the whole “#savage” nature of the expansion. My tribe was light-PvP and combative. Mulgore was, and still is, surrounded on all sides with threats. There was an air that life as a shu’halo was dangerous, and a chieftan led with hard choices. Several guilds did that, it was the flavor of the time, and the Bloodeagles were the just tauren tribe version of it.
But that was back then. Today, I’d like to consistently GM events for another tribal storyline again, but I think there needs to be a return to roots. Attitudes have changed over time, and with a dearth of tauren RP, I think people would respond better to a more “classic” style of tauren tribe.
There are two things that I definitely know I want in a tauren guild RP, which is why I’m prepping to create the guild myself:
• I want the tribe to be nomadic. There were quite a few guilds that only RP’d in one spot, and that always irked me. Sure, there was the occasional event to go out there, but I want travelling built into the core identity of the tribe. We all need a change of scenery, and with each new location guild members get fresh opportunities to flex their creative muscles.
• There needs to be an established, external conflict with goals that can be worked towards. I’d still use the numerous enemies of the tauren for this, as there is great variety, but more importantly there needs to be a series of A-B plotlines to follow. We move to an area, we’re there for one month, each week the story for that area escalates, and at the end of the month is a resolution to that area. It needn’t be enormous, we’re not wiping out every centaur in existence, but the story for one area may be to deal with one specific centaur who’s risen to cause problems. More importantly, these stories need a concrete end (or multiple ends) planned out to maintain structure and focus for the event chain. As for the conflict being external, guild members will create their own interpersonal RP issues. Making sure the main events deal with something external reapplies a glue for everything to stick together.
I’m of course addressing OOC things in regards to creating and leading events, not the IC structure of the tribe, but getting the OOC down pat first is more important to me. I think a name change might be in order; perhaps “Bloodeagles” is a bit too #savage for current the current climate. Maybe the Suneagle Tribe?
I think Kwahuu also has friends transferring in from WrA, and they want to run their own guild. Having two guilds attempting to form at the same time when there’s a very small population to go around might not be the best idea. I haven’t brought that up with him yet, but I’m sure he’ll read it here.
6 Likes
Just talked to my guys. While we were going to jumpstart our own thing, and our backstory in many ways is very similar to the “wants” you listed, we would be absolutely down with joining forces, rather than having to compete against one another for members. Best thing for the community would be a single point for now while it continues to grow. Lets get together soon in game and get this thing rolling. One of my buddies is a Taunka also for some added flavor.
4 Likes
I like your nomadic tribe idea, Moloak! It also helps to include a wider range of characters in that they needn’t just be all from The Barrens or Stonetalon - or wherever the tribe would otherwise be centrally located. You could have Tauren from all over - and that diversity would be great to see!
I agree that having multiple Tauren tribes forming at one time currently might not be such a great thing… but it may also be necessary if the two have very different ideas about what they are wanting to do. If you have a nomadic tribe vs. a more centralized tribe - those could be two completely different atmospheres where it would allow for players to decide more of what they are interested in… Basically, don’t be afraid to go forward with your ideas of a nomadic tribe just because you hear-tell of other players wanting to create a Tauren guild as well. Unless you all decide to work together - that’s cool too!
I’m definitely keeping an eye on this thread!! 
3 Likes
I suppose that settles that then, lol.
Suggestions on the name?
1 Like
I do like “Suneagle Tribe”.
Replaying through some of the early quests for new tauren (in anticipation of getting a chance to join y’all), there is a lot of neat imagery and tribal names, though I expect you’ll want to create one of your own instead of using one of the major tribes.
That said, it might be nice to have a way for the shu’halo to not leave behind their family tribe, but instead embrace this new tribe and its migratory ways. Much of the lore around Mulgore that I’ve read is that the Earth Mother gave the land of Mulgore to the tauren so that they could settle down and grow the tribes, as migration had become more difficult over time. So finding some way to incorporate those ideas along with the new tribe’s migratory bent (even though it is an older and more traditional way of life) seems like something you’ll want to consider.
Perhaps the new tribe is given leave to, like the Outrunners are for Mulgore, become the outward arm of the shu-halo within the world, hence their migratory nature. Or maybe the tribe is an old one that never joined the Horde, but has been reconciled to their non-migratory brethren and now joins the Horde. It also gives a way for those tauren who desire a more traditional way of life to join a new (old?) tribe in order to (re)learn that way of life.
Is it ever stipulated anywhere in the lore how long the Tauren have been settled in Mulgore? From what I recall of the original story, it was the orcs who helped them secure their home, but I don’t know if Mulgore existed before that or not. I’m really not up on Tauren lore. >.> But I would very much like to learn. Think I’ll check out WoWpedia, but if you have any other ideas on good sources for this, I’d appreciate it.
2 Likes
Yes, this go-round they have only been settled in Mulgore (and subsequently Thunder Bluff) since the Third War - so 20 years or so? I don’t think much longer than that. Prior to that it was said it had been “hundreds of years” since they had a land to call their own… although Mulgore is referred to as their ancestral homeland. However, ever since back before The Sundering, the Yaungol have been nomadic. So my take would be that more generations of Yaungol/Taunka/Tauren have been nomadic than have had been settled in any specific location.
As for the name… well, I would think a number of things would need to be considered - as some mentioned by Channyn.
What theme would be of most interest to those involved with its creation? Are you wanting to go the route of resurrecting the old ways of a family tribe - to bring it back or forward into a new time? This would grant the opportunity to have customs, ceremonies, etc. all based around a tribal history where newcomers take on those traditions and become part of that family … or is the interest in having something a bit more in line with a new collective? Where basically you are starting out creating a new tribe with those who step forward initially - coming up with new ideas, new traditions, new customs, etc.
There is a great deal you could do with either idea - but I think some of those things should be considered before saying “Here is the name.” Perhaps a Discord could be set up for those who would be interested in fleshing out ideas? I would very much be interested in that!
3 Likes
This is already the idea I’ll be reusing, though it’s more under like-minded agreement of the members than blessing from authority. Molo’s bent is to patrol the outskirts, believing that’s better for everyone, regardless of opinion.
…gotta stay for that fyre festival, tho.
I’ve previously RP’d Molo as firmly within that collectivist mindset, and the tribe made their own traditions. Molo’s story was always that his tribe had been absorbed by the Bloodhoof to survive the centaur, but they lost their identity as a result. He’s not exactly cool with the Bloodhooves, but acknowledges the whole “hard choices” survival thing and leaves it be, going his own way instead.
This is, of course, an excuse to let members get creative with their own ideas and contribute.
I’m against it, at least initially. I want to keep the variety of communication channels down so that people aren’t separating into cliques based on which channels they preferred. One of my first lessons as GM was to cut out the dedicated voice server, because the people on voice chat basically only hung out with other voice chat users, and the folks that didn’t want to be a part of it likewise felt ostracized, even if only slightly.
There may have been other factors at play there, but it was a quick lesson to learn for a smaller guild.
1 Like
So more of a “collective” type name would be needed than a “tribe” name? (If I am understanding correctly there.) Are you looking to be exclusively Tauren? What types of things outside of patrolling would be of interest? Any ideas on a hierarchy structure?
(Just throwing out some questions for the sake of getting a feel on what kind of RP is desired; not meaning for it to come across poorly - just in case it is.) 
2 Likes
You’re fine.
I’m trying to avoid getting too nitty gritty with the finer details. I’ll be going with “tribe” for the sake of appealing to that classical style of tauren RP. The backdressing of logistics on how it was formed exactly and whether the name is 100% accurate is less important to me than making sure I just get some solid RP events that people enjoy.
I’ve given thought into structure, variety, etc, and I eventually stopped myself. I’m going to first focus on these initial 2-4 events, and the other details can be evolved later. I will also say tauren-only for the same reason: I need to keep myself focused on a small, solid foundation before anything else.
3 Likes
I am just wondering if you will take Highmountain tauren?
Not sure if you have any specific plans of forming a group or where/when, but I am definitely interested in some Tauren RP. A guild to call home would be nice.
3 Likes