The Elves do it all the time. Whether it’s because of tragedy or they get a splinter, as soon as something makes them slightly attractive in a different way, they call themselves something else to emphasize the distinction.
All joking aside, I am thinking about the Forsaken in this way. We know why it became the name for these types of sentient undead, but as the old reasons for the meaning of name start to diminish, there may be a need for a name with a new meaning. As peace continues and the alliance between Horde and Forsaken grows older, Forsaken will and have been increasingly accepted within that community. As peace continues and Calia keeps making amends for past crimes hacking cough, Forsaken will achieve recognition as a culture with rights.
As naive as that might sound, let’s just say that’s what happens. Forsaken are not dismissed as unnatural, seen as a people worthy of existence, and even trusted to be relied upon. What would be a better name for the Forsaken which meaning reflects the new hypothetical paradigm?
lol, the elf callout is so true, though. Claresta refers to it as “coming up with new ways to sow division” and she too is sick of it. Then again, as a ren’dorei, she’s banished from her home and that likely won’t lift anytime soon, so she’s particularly sick of this habit.
Perhaps other names for the Forsaken could be the Undying, the Persevering, the Returned, or something else about returning and persisting from the state of death.
I mean I don’t eat them while they are alive. That hardly seems like a defining characteristic. Although I’d support the ||Alcoholics|| as a suitable name change for the Dwarves. : )
“Boresaken” I like it… but what do you think about… the Moresaken? Rather than go all lovey-dovey, how about we have them become so ostracized that even their own fans don’t want to play them! Classic Blizzard expectation subversion!
Hahahaaaaa!!! Freaking awesome!!! That was great!!!
On a side note. I was already thinking of ways to avoid the dwarf stereotype by RPg this one as having a mild gluten allergy and being lactose sensitive.
Normal Undead: Forsaken.
Calia-faithful Undead: Boresaken.
Undead that want to hunt more vampires: For Stakin’
Undead that like being around in groups: Moresaken
Undead that want to travel: Toursaken
Undead that refuse to commit to plans: For Flakin’
Undead that like visiting beaches: Shoresaken
I don’t necessarily think so, to be honest. Sometimes a name remains as a reminder of what was, of what had once been. The Forsaken really were born out of this identity - shaped by being free willed undead, maligned and hunted by the Scourge and the living alike. The fact that its specific struggles are now anachronistic does not, in my opinion, nullify that harsh origin experience.
In addition, it’s not the only interpretation of the word. Our kind have been forsaken by life itself; we exist as freethinking individuals but we are unnatural creatures, animated by death itself, through no fault of our own. We are largely the people of Lordaeron, and we have been forsaken by the Alliance that we founded, forced by circumstance to join our historic enemies. I think the name still has meaning, from a certain point of view.
They’re no longer ‘Forsaken’, but they are still held at arm’s length by most of the world, and without the grinding wars, there’s no new spare parts or recruits, so the Forsaken are a doomed race, destined to literally fall apart in a matter of years and, even if they somehow survive this, still have no way to propagate their kind without the Val’kyr, or the power of the Scourge, to bind their souls to their own corpses. And even then, without Zoval and the Maw to claim half their souls and leave them trapped in a half-way state, unable to pass on to the Shadowlands and unable to be revived as one of the Living, their fate is grim and bitter.
Death-Touched might also separate themselves from their ‘Forsaken’ past, being the unlikely union of the Living and the Shadow Lands, entities with a foot in both realms but belonging in truth to neither. That said, this is directly referencing the Shadow Lands and I can fully understand why that makes people want to throw furniture at the screen in protest.
