So we know the Syndicate was built on the ashes of the Kingdom of Alterac, being mostly led by and made up of former nobles from the defunct nation. But considering that the Syndicate is but a fallen noble mafia…
Where the hell is the bulk of the Alteraci ? I mean. What happened to the general population ??? There’s absolutely no way they massively joined the Syndicate, it would completely conflict with the very consistent depiction of the organization as a bunch of bitter and deranged thieves hailing from the corrupt nobility.
It can be reasonably assumed that the Human members of Ravenholdt are mostly made up of former Alteraci, since Ravenholdt Manor used to belong to the Kingdom of Alterac and Jorach Ravenholdt does resemble Aliden Perenolde quite a lot. But then again, Ravenholdt is really just a multiracial guild of thieves and assassins.
My point being… Like. An entire population doesn’t just vanish like that. Even the survivors of Lordaeron were reportedly assimilated into the Stormwindian population and have some known remnant orgs such as the Argent Dawn partly. So where are the Alteraci ? Have they too assimilated into other factions such as one of the remaining Human nations ? Or maybe they relocated to some yet unknown place and rebuilt their nation ?
Alterac is sadly another case of the other human kingdoms being ignored and left in limbo for nearly 2 decades. I like to imagine the bulk of them fled south to Stormwind like the other human survivors.
It’s a shame so much was cut from CATA. Apparently they and the Stromgarde humans both were planned to have something going on back then.
Technically we don’t even know what happened to Alterac as a nation. There is a massive gap full of question marks between Perenolde having his throne taken in the Second War and the kingdom just being gone in WoW.
Stromgarde too, its fall was also never explained.
I now wonder if the Ogres had to fight for control of Alterac or just settled in an empty city.
We know that:
Galen killed his father.
Stromgarde came under siege by both the Syndicate and the Boulderfist ogres, the two forces winning several victories against the now weakened kingdom, to the point occupying much capital city itself.
Its unclear if Thoras was killed before the Syndicate and Boulderfist began their attacks or during it.
Weren’t a bulk of them in the Syndicate? It was led by the nobles of Alterac, it would make sense they’d rather the common folk for a chance of revenge and a better life than a ruined nation.
When the kingdom was discovered to have been working with the Horde during the Second War, the Alliance invaded and conquered it. Those who surrendered and the civilian population were likely unharmed. Those who fought back were likely killed/captured.
After the Second War there was debate over what should happen to Alterac. King Thoras Trollbane of Stromgarde demanded that the eastern portions of Alterac be annexed to his kingdom. King Terenas Menethil II of Lordaeron was undecided but was considering putting King Aidan Perenolde’s son, Aliden Perenolde on the throne and King Genn Greymane of Gilneas wanted to put the nephew of King Aidan Perenolde, Isiden, on the throne since Isiden had taken refuge in Gilneas. There were also machinations by Deathwing under the guise of Lord Daval Prestor taking place. With him managing to magically convince the other Alliance leaders to give the Kingdom to him, but after Deathwing was defeated at Grim Batol by Ronin and the other dragon aspects he fled and Lord Daval Prestor vanished (and his magical enchantments broke).
It’s stated that during the time when the Alliance leaders were bickering about what to do with Alterac, that the now leaderless nation collapsed into anarchy. The surviving nobles of Alterac created the Syndicate (led by Aliden Perenolde) and during that anarchy many civilians likely fled. Those that did not, either joined the Syndicate or were killed when the Crushridge Ogres invaded the city and took it for themselves.
Alterac just sort of… imploded. It was the classic cautionary tale of what happens when you pick your friends poorly and end up on the wrong side of history.
I imagine many died from the simple side effects of a failed state. Murder, mayhem, and simple starvation become major killers. More still died to the Ogres, or were caught up with the scourge and became part of the mindless hordes. Some few escaped to the south and likely are integrated into the population of Stormwind. Apparently they brought their cheese culture with them.
That’s the thing about the Syndicate. They are kind of in a losing situation where on all sides as a Bandit Faction they haven’t really teamed up to retake their former lands of Alterac and it’s still unknown what happened to the rest of them within northern parts of lordaeron.
One can say they might be in Alterac Valley just waiting for the right to show up if blizzard will do anything with the Alteraci Humans or maybe somewhere in Northern Lordaeron untouched by the borders of the Plaguelands and near Quel’thalas as a Bandit Group like the Ones in Warcraft 3 Forsaken Campaign where Sylvanas convicts the rogues into her army to defeat varimathras. I would love to see something interesting from the Syndicate besides just being random bandits.
If you want to consider just how dirty Blizzard has done the Alteraci in the lore, consider that despite being a faction that you can gain rep with as far back as Vanilla WoW, they have always been treated as generic bandit enemy-fodder all the way up to BfA.
Meanwhile, the Defias are basically at anti-hero status as of the Human heritage armor quests and Vanessa Vancleef being one since Legion.
Additionally, every human kingdom has either been brought back into the Alliance or is still relevant in some other way (Lordaeron/Dalaran), except for Alterac.
Yeah I actually grinded that rep, I’m neutral with the Syndicate LMAO serves absolutely no purpose but it does feel good
Stromgarde having been restored as a proper kingdom back in BFA and possibly being set up for further narrative involvement makes me hopeful that something similar may end up happening with Alterac. Though given their history and characterization, I’m unsure they should be Alliance-aligned
Yea and seeing as the fact that Alterac use to this great kingdom to a generic bandit faction while the Ogres are just running around in their ruined kingdom is kind of sad really.
Specially when they have the Black and Orange Symbol of the Hawk and now the Hawk is no more.
Yeah it always felt weird that Horde got a flightpath added in the region but nothing was done with it.
Meanwhile Sunrock Retreat has nothing in it as well. So why does it still exist? Blizzard could’ve had that place give out similar quests to the Alliance ones where they investigate the nearby Highbourne ruins that the Cataclysm revealed.
I still find it weird that the Syndicate has a rep but you can’t reach exalted with it no matter what. So there is no point of having at least one character to do the grind for the 100 rep achievement. Unlike other rival factions that you can’t have both at exalted on the one character (Scyers & Aldor, Frenzyheart & Oracles).
Although it is funny how you can have bloodsail and booty bay at exalted on one character.
?file=WC3-U08.jpg)