So I have done some thinking regarding introducing Ogres as a full new race, instead of an allied race, and can still use the ideas I typed up with a few changes.
I would like to preface this by saying that, if by some miracle, any devs at Blizzard are actually reading this, please feel free to use any of the ideas I have typed. Making Ogres playable is all the thanks I need.
Before I begin, we’ll need to make a few assumptions.
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The questlines I previously typed up should be quest events leading up to the expansion Ogres are to be playable in. This is similar to the pre-Cataclysm events with the Trolls and Gnomes, and are meant to hype up the next expansion’s races. I’ll type up a general questline for newly created Ogres at some point, also.
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We’ll still look into rallying multiple Ogre clans together. Most of the clans are on the smallish side, uniting several clans really helps in tying up loose ends with the Horde Ogre lore, and it really adds some flavor with a chance to show off some Ogre culture. This also leaves Rexxar open to recruit his clan as an allied race while still letting him being the main one to start rallying the Horde Ogres. Since these clans joining together are part of the pre-expansion events, players can roleplay as any of the clans mentioned with their Ogre player characters. Heritage armor being different for each clan, like with Mag’Har Orcs, could happen, but I’ll assume just one heritage design.
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Since being a full new race, we need an Alliance counterpart. As mentioned before, I’m going to choose Vrykul as the new Alliance race. Both are big, strong, savage/warlike, sea faring/boat making races, and as mentioned could lead into a new ship combat warfront or battlegrounds mode. Sure, BfA is mostly sea-faring related, but that could cause a need for both factions to want to increase and improve sea presence in the near future.
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We’ll assume the war between Horde and Alliance is still going on and still growing fierce.
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We’ll also assume that Sylvanas is still going coo-coo for Cocoa-Puffs and, while still in power, may be in the process of being kicked off the throne or motions are being put just in case it comes to that. I realize there have been choices during BfA for choosing a side, but my opinion is that it is illusory. It could lead to something none of us are expecting, but at the time of this post, shes still going bananas and is really losing popularity with the Horde. Thus, we’ll assume that a coup is being planned and you’ll be going along with it.
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Some changes will occur with Feralas and Dustwallow Marsh, the latter of which is where newbie Ogres will start. A time dragon can always send people back to the Cataclysm versions.
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We’ll assume that female Ogres have been in every clan since the beginning. Once a female Ogre model has been made, they can just be added to outposts or to the mob rotation lists for enemy Ogre mobs.
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We can still incorporate that Ogre Victory party I mentioned, and the Ogre Games Contest can be easily put in for new Ogre characters.
Let’s begin, shall we? The first pre-exansion event begins:
We’ll start by having Rexxar send you a message via a messenger bird, asking your player character to meet in a discreet location. He’ll explain that Sylvanas is causing all sorts of worry for the Horde, and that he fears that outright civil war is going to happen again. With the Horde stretched thin with the events in BfA, the Horde needs allies that can be close by to Orgimmar and be rallied should a call to arms need to occur. He wants to reach out to the Stonemaul Ogres, who owe the Horde a lot, and assist them with what they are working on to make them available should a civil war occur. He sends you to Brackenwall Village, stating he’ll be there shortly. Leaving together and heading to the same location at the same time would not look good, given that Sylvanas has eyes everywhere.
The events that occur in Dustwallow that I typed previously still occur. Tharg, the new leader, explains the Feralas operations the Stonemaul are a part of is having a problem, and before he can explain, a raid occurs on their village with the dragonkin mobs in the area. You work to fend them off with the Stonemaul clan and then help retaliate back as the Stonemaul can’t continue in Feralas if the dragonkin mobs are harassing them suddenly. You then help retake the Stonemaul ruins in retaliation, which is where you discover that naga have attempted to make an alliance with them, giving them weapons and powers, likely to harass the Horde away from what is happening in 8.2. This won’t be the last of the dragonkin mobs, though, as that comes much later. We end this event with the Tharg mentioning they need time to rebuild the village, in case the dragonkin mobs attack again, in which the new village will be finalized during the Ogre newbie questline. Tharg also mentions the Feralas operation they have been working on is having some difficulties, and that the problem mentioned before comes from the Gordunni being more aggressive and hard to combat. They’ve been able to fend them off, thanks to Megs and the Dunemaul joining the operation along with the new Draenor Ogres also joining the fight recently, and are having scouts figure out the cause for it as it’s a stalemate that could turn ugly. He’ll send word once they find the root cause of the problem. This ends the first pre-expansion event.
The second event begins with the player character being notified by Rexxar again to meet with him in Feralas. We go to the Stonemaul outpost and discover that a new Ogre king, who turns out to be Mok’Morokk from before, has taken over and is the cause of the Gordunni aggression. Everything I typed previously occurs roughly the same. One difference is a way to keep the Gordunni in check once Tharg, the new Gordunni king after killing Mok’Morokk, leaves the area. If you did the questline a long time ago to become the Gordunni king, they say the following:
“So long as you stay here with us, you da king. You take off, and some other ogre will take your place. That’s da way of da Gordok!”
So to make sure that they stay with the Horde, Tharg puts Draz’Zilb, the smart 2-headed Ogre from the Cataclysm Dustwallow Marsh quests, as the new king. Draz’Zilb won’t get corrupted with power, as an Ogre mage he can help with the other races in researching the magical properties of Dire Maul, and will keep the Gordunni in check.
Gordunni Ogre: You making him new king?! Pah! Me fight lame king den become new king!
Draz’Zilb: knocks the Ogre out in one punch When he wakes up, tell him to work on cleaning the latrines.
We’ll end the second part with the Horde getting control of Dire Maul, gaining more territory in Feralas thanks to the Gordunni now part of the Horde, and a Feralas warfront still being a possibility. Gordunni in the area become friendly to the Horde, and Feralas can have new quests on both Horde and Alliance to reflect this change. If Night Elf Worgen have become an allied race previously, they can be involved both in the Alliance attack over Dire Maul and in the new Feralas’ quests. Lets focus on just the pre-expansion events for now, though.
Rexxar then suggests that you take Tharg with you to Orgimmar to meet with Sylvanas to report their findings and acquisitions. Rexxar might be a bit untrustworthy to attend, but you vouching for the new Ogres would help to get them officially inducted as members of the Horde, and would not put suspicion on the Ogres. He does mention to Tharg about what they have talked about, in case of a needed call-to-arms, in which Tharg promises both to be there if needed and to be nice to Sylvanas in the meantime.
You then travel to Grommash Hold, and meet with Sylvanas. She is very pleased that Dire Maul is part of the Horde, and that the Blood Elves, Nightborne, and (if they have joined previously as an allied race) San’layn are working on researching the area. You then vouch for the Ogre clans and all they have done, the Stonemaul in particular, and ask to induct them officially into the Horde. Nathanos makes a snide remark while Sylvanas shushes him and agrees to induct the Ogre clans into the Horde officially. She has another Horde member, possibly Eitrigg who I assume is still around and not completely untrustworthy at the moment to her, help Tharg in reciting the pledge that is taken when a new Horde race joins. Tharg of course mentions specifically being loyal to the Horde in said pledge, which has the subtle meaning of assisting the Horde should they need the Ogres for anything (like a coup). This goes over Sylvanas’ head, of course. And thus, the Ogres are officially inducted.
Man, that was a lot of typing. I’m going to take a break and later, I will make a reply that talks about the newbie Ogre quests in Dustwallow Marsh, the end of the dragonkin mobs for good or at least kicked out of the area (and that lovely Ogre victory party), what to do with the Theramore remains, Mudsprocket profit opportunities, and what the Vrykul will do in the area as members of the Alliance.
Next time on Ogre Ball Z!