The new nelf capital city should be a revamped Nighthaven in Moonglade. Druids don’t need it anymore. They’ve got the Dreamgrove from Legion. Just phase the Dream Grove for lower level Druids.
Only makes sense for the nelves to be closer to Nordrassil now that Teldrassil is gone. Double-down on their, ‘Protectors of Nature and the Well of Eternity,’ identity and let it grow from the War of Thorns. Show us more militant presence, give us proper Headquarters for Wardens, Druids, Priestesses, Highborne, etc…
Moonglade isn’t huge, and neither is Nighthaven, but the zone and city should serve for the Night Elven interests.
Bonus Points: Make the building of the new nelf city in Moonglade (or refurbishing of Nighthaven) into some 8.3.5 content for the Alliance players. Spread it across a few weeks with resource gathering and donating quests and the likes. Add in a sky dock area for Alliance airships to dock at.
In the Blood Elf starting zone there is an ancient that laments how the elves abandoned the old ways for magic now. I always thought it would be cool to revisit that in a raid on Silvermoon. Whether it be High Elves or Night Elves, It’d be cool to visit that ancient again and revive some of the ancient powers of Quel’thalas to overthrow the magisters.
So I guess, I want a new world tree in Quel’thalas lol. Maybe they could heal the dead scar with nature magic while they are at it.
That’s a thought. Honestly, I’d like a new tree city with updated graphics and what have you, not for any lore argument, but just for the rule of cool.
If the races are remaining on their original continent, I’d like to see the Forsaken do something with Stratholm. I think it’s had enough, lore wise.
I would love for the new capital to be in a place like Moonglade. A elven city should be in the center of a vast forest like Mirkwood was. The only issue is that they are so far in land. It makes maintaining a fleet difficult.
Felwood would have to be cleansed and fortifed as well as Ashenvale.
I have supported this idea a few times: Nighthaven functioned as the effective Kaldorei capitol up until Teldrassil was grown, after all. However, there are a few logistics issues. The lunar festival takes place in moonglade, namely because it is a neutral setting. I guess they could move it to pandaria or something, but there is a bit of tradition there that would upset some folks.
Moonglade is a very well defended location as the mountains effectively make a giant fort, BUT it also is very isolated by that protection. There is no effective way of moving supplies en masse these days as a dangerous route through felwood is the only meaningful path in or out.
I had the same thought, so I looked into its viability awhile back. Problem there is Strathhome’s cursed. It is basically stuck in time, burning forever canonically rather than just due to them never updating it. My proposal for the forsaken would be for them to take over Scholomance and it’s isle.
A revamped/enlarged Moonglade is something I would very much like. Especially if it was made using the Val’sharah assets. It’d be interesting to see Nighthaven rebuilt as a larger city with modern/new kaldorei buildings. Personally, I’d like it to have a mix of stone buildings and wooden, like Darnassus.
The only issue is what’s already been mentioned: how extremely isolated it is. No sea access, the only land route runs through the furbolg cave out into either Felwood or Winterspring, etc. Moonglade as the new night elf homeland really only makes sense if they’ve already reestablished control over Darkshore, Ashenvale, Felwood, Winterspring and Mt. Hyjal. AKA my dream world.
I would say the most practical approach from a game development standpoint as it currently stands would be to just build up darkshore after it is reclaimed as a final zone phase. Have Bashal’aran be rebuilt as a large temple to elune, rebuild auberdine fully, and restore Lor’danel. between the three add in some tree buildings from the dremegrove and pow, you have an effective elven city.
OR
revamp feathermoon isle, which is quite defensible with the stronghold right across the way.
I think there’s also an issue of pushing the peace and co-operation narrative, while placing the Night Elves right in the shadow of their genocide. What Night Elf is ever going to go along with that, if they can see Teldrassil’s smoking husk every time they look out their window?
Unless they regrow it, as part of some “we will overcome” story beat.
That is fair on both your parts; perhaps Feathermoon isle would be best then. It has all the makings of a great Kaldorei hub, it just needs a little love.
I guess it would depend on what continent the new capital would be. If the new NE capital is on Kalimdor, I kind of like finding a way to put it in Feralas. I always liked the giant tree canopy and old NE ruins in Feralas. If it is in EK, then I wouldn’t mind putting it in the Hinterlands over near the NE ruins where the dragonkin currently are running around.
For the Forsaken, if their new capital is in Kalimdor, then I think something in Darkshore - I feel like you could do something grim and forboding in the shadow of the burnt out husk of Teldrassil. Plus it would be a chance for a harbour and undead pirates. If the Forsaken are back in EK, then I have always liked the idea of a Dracula inspired castle high up in the Alterac Mountains.
I have no issues with Darkshore, other than its proximity to Teldrassil. In my ideal world, Auberdine and Lor’danel would be rebuilt, and build outward towards each other, becoming twin port towns. Multi-racial affairs, busy with Alliance traders and merchants, and a jumping off point for adventurers before going deeper into fully wild, Night Elven lands.
Cata Darkshore was grey and dreary. But now, it’s under perpetual lunar eclipse. And, well, they are Night Elves.
Was largely my thinking too. Perhaps Teldrassil should be treated as a memorial. Redo the graphic to show vines and other regrowth on the world tree’s remains.
My issue with Darkshore is that it’s a shattered wreck. Between Cataclysm literally shattering it, the War of Thorns/Burning of Teldrassil turning it into a burning warzone, and the subsequent Horde occupation causing mass deforestation and blight poisoning, the place is barely recognizable. It’s one of the most depressing parts of the game for me since I loved Vanilla-era Darkshore. It was gloomy back then too, but in a radically different way.
If the Night Elves are to get a new home, I’d want it to be in a place that isn’t a scarred, hollow shell of what it used to be. Plus, I’d like for them not to have to see the giant, smoking monument to their genocide just off the coast every day.
Fleets have never been shown to be a major priority for the Night Elves. They don’t even have armed ships! A night elf fleet has served no purpose other than transport. And if the night elves are all inland, it’s fairly superflous.
![:disappointed:](https://d38bqls1q93fod.cloudfront.net/en/wow/images/emoji/twitter/disappointed.png?v=6" ":disappointed:")