I think ultimately Calia was just a failure of presentation. Forsaken fans used to wax lyrical over the notion of an undead Menethil showing up to champion their rights to Lordaeron, and in that sense they got what they wished for, but this wholesome Light golem is just not the vessel through which that Calia’s story should have been told. It’s a hard sell on the heels of losing their founding, race-defining goth queen, a character so explosively popular her ruination carried two whole expansions.
15 Likes
Nothing Blizzard does with Calia will be pleasing to anyone let alone Forsaken fans. Firstly there is problem with her creation which just seems very bad to Warcraft or fantasy players in general, where the Light was involved in her creation. It’s problematic in WoW’s case because Light has always been shown to be the antithesis of Shadow and Death (and Undeath). Now we’re being told that undeath can be inflicted by any of the cosmic powers, which really just makes undeath a natural facet and not a twisting of the ‘natural order’, making the concept of undeath completely meaningless. There is no ‘inversion’ going on here. Any cosmic force can create undeath, perhaps even the cosmic force of Life.
And on top of that, Calia’s theme contradicts what Forsaken players want out of their story. Calia represents a more tradition moral compass, that is to say, one at all. Forsaken don’t want to be ‘good guys’, they don’t want to be amenable.
5 Likes
Do you really think they listen to fan reaction that much? Especially Forsaken fan reaction? Because I’m pretty sure they wouldn’t have ruinated Sylvanas in the first place if they listened.
2 Likes
When you talk about Calia, you gotta talk about the Desolate Council. I will not be talking about Belmont in this post much, as he clearly doesn’t like her much - and that is fine. I wouldn’t change that.
Also to start, have in mind that in the way I see things the Cult of the Forgotten Shadow is now more of a global religion than just a Forsaken-centric element, and my ideas wouldn’t necessarily make the forsaken a stronger nation, or her development by itself, but rather drive conflict that could lead to very interesting story arcs for the future of the game. That would be my driving goal. I’m not a writer, but that is the general idea of what I imagine a warcraft writer ough to think when developing the story. I could be wrong.
So, here’s my pitch.
I believe that an interesting dynamic could emerge if Calia were to become friends with Faranell. It would be interesting if the Voss / Calia friendship falls off because of this, after all Calia understands the role Sylvanas had on her society, and while she will be both failing and struggling to replace her. Voss would fundamentally be against this, yet characters like Faranell taking advantage of this for his own sake and the sake of the organization he spearheads. Conflict.
Here’s what I would do with her.
To add more diversity to the game, a small questline could be created that allows Darkfallen night elves to be playable as Horde characters, and they could be tasked with protecting the ruins - Calia would play an important role there.
To further enhance the game’s narrative, Calia and Faol could use light necromancy alongside Faranell’s fleshcrafting and alchemy to create other types of undead beings that tackle both the implied “ethical” and the unethical creations that undead are known for in the franchise. The introduction of new undead paladins crafted in labs with the blessings of the man himself of Archbishop Alonsus Faol who is the leader of the Conclave, an order uniting all the priesthoods of Azeroth to to defend what remains of Lordaeron, as this could also offer an explanation as to why they are not turning into ash as they try to use the light?
Why not have Calia be one of these first paladins?
-Add to this Shadowy paladin effects, these being represented by a Cult of the Forgotten Shadow character, somebody like Natalie would fit this role. Faol could invite her.
If light usage is introduced as an experiment, and shadow is presented as what is traditional, comforting, and safe it would add a very distinct dichotomy to what we see on other factions, and raise interest in others to play and RP forsaken. They should be seen as mad men by other undead for daring to use the light.
Here’s what I wouldn’t do with her.
Not have her too focused with spirituality, that way we can have somebody else representing the spiritual side of the Forsaken in the Cult, and Faol be the light pariach he deserves to be.
Take her to dinner at KFC for a Diablo IV Open beta code.
Aditional thoughts.
Voss could place a very important role with Beltmont if the Scarlet Crusade becomes relevant again, having a regular assassination rogue and a more “lightslayer” magic-sub rogue represent the forsaken in their fight against them would be interesting to protect Tirisfall.
Last but not least, the Dark Rangers need to continue to protect the ruins of Lordaeron…
We can’t play our Darkfallen night elves there, so that needs to be fixed through both a small questline that would enable them to be playable as Horde characters, but also task them with protecting the ruins.
The aftermath of Calia using light necromancy alongside Faranell using his flesh craft and alchemy to create other kinds of undead beings - tacking both the unethical forsaken creations we’re always loved and giving us a new kind of undead COULD BE VERY INTERESTING!
Voss being suspicious of light-based necromancy COULD lead to a very interesting plot, especially if the Scarlet Crusade re-emerges.
3 Likes
I have to be honest, I do not understand why people get up in arms about her being raised by the light. I understand that it’s weird with light generally being the opposite of undead. However, we’ve seen undead raised using just about every other kind of magic being used to raise the dead. I know I’m in the minority here, but I kind of like Calia. I like that she still cares about the people of Lordaeron, and she’s trying to do right by them but it’s a bit misguided. I’m not saying it was a great piece of story telling or anything, but I like that she wants to do good for the Forsaken and I’m interested to see where it goes.
7 Likes
The major thing is there was no major fan reaction until afterwards because they hid Sylvanas’ storyline until the patch release and then it was essentially too late.
1 Like
What aspect of ceding more land to the people who took over their 10-20 zone is good for the Forsaken?
Sylvanas did a whole lot more than just order Faranell around, especially to someone else’s benefit. Calia has slain no Grand Marshals and broken no dreadlords. She doesn’t even seem to like fighting the Scourge.
2 Likes
Why would Faol and Faranell go all-in on undead paladins just to have some murdered night elf conscripts guarding their city? And who are we even guarding the city from, that night elves who died in BFA are our friends?
Night elf Dark Rangers belong on the Alliance. The writers know it, they’re just trying really really hard to make everyone forget the Alliance ever wanted to do anything but hug and kiss the zombies with the Sylvanas novel and now this whole open borders policy.
2 Likes
I feel similar to Calia as I do to Baine - I am not a fan, but they have pedigrees. They are what we got. So lets do something fun with them.
I am not totally hateful beyond return - I want something fun and interesting to come from them at some point.
Of your options, I tend to go with :
The Munsters had their Marilyn. I think she adds a nice contrast, and speaks to an aspect of the Forsaken that I have wanted seen. Not every Undead would be all gloom and edge. Faol kept alot of his personality. I think she gives space to Forsaken who love alot of the theme but want to make their own way about it.
Never!
The Black Bride! She has the right attitude.
“Make ready for the carnage!”
“Slay, SLAY, as you’ve never slain before!”
“I want to see the Alliance rot!”
3 Likes
Did a sock puppet account really reply to another sock puppet account
I swear the story forum feels like whackamole sometimes
I don’t know if you’re referring to me or not, but I can assure you I am no one’s sock puppet. I’m just a long time lurker, who’s recently resubbed to play Dragonflight and I wanted to actually post something now that I am able to.
2 Likes
Frankly, re-reading the OP and now seeing “shut up about the historical Forsaken characters who actually did things in the name of the Forsaken and play whatever Golden wants you to play,” I’m ready to just kill Calia properly this time. If the name of the game is “you don’t get what you want,” why bother pretending to ask people what they want?
If “10 years ago” is supposed to be an argument, they shouldn’t have dredged up characters whose only actual stories were that old to comprise half the council (the others being obsolete Alliance namedrops from tie-in novels twice as old).
5 Likes
Pretty sure that’s just Calia.
Velonara, Voss, and Belmont were all added in cataclysm then got content in multiple expansions afterwards. And Faranell is a Vanilla NPC with a similar history in game.
1 Like
Velonara, Voss, and Belmont, the Catababbies, are what I consider to be roughly “10 years old.”
Calia and Derek were first mentioned in books that are older than Warcraft 3, and I think Faol is older still.
Neither Derek nor Faol are Council members though, since the point was the dredging of characters for the Desolate Council.
It also helps the ‘Catababies’ that they have more then just their initial appearances to show for themselves, with the most egregious being Voss and Belmont showing up 6 years later for Legion.
EDIT:
Pretty sure the first mention of Derek was the Tides of Darkness novelization which released during TBC.
1 Like
That’s fair. I checked about that and saw I was deviating from my own premise, but I’m leaving it up so everyone knows I was wrong.
As for helps, I thought their initial appearances were the most interesting personally.
Calia is definitely at least as old as the book Day of the Dragon, but I think you’re right about Derek.
1 Like
Just looked it up, he is apparently mentioned in Day of the Dragon, so you are correct.
1 Like
Blizzard: Calia has almost en entire expansion commingling with the alliance after trying to convince the desolate council to betray the horde. Then, she works on behalf of the alliance in order to convince the forsaken to give up Gilneas.
Benny: cAlIa iS A bLaNk sLaTe
2 Likes
Blizzard seems to have some inane desire to make all racial leaders as Anduin as possible. To the woodchipper with them all.
6 Likes
I can only second that comment.
Well Derek kind of is by association as the ‘something-or-other’ ladies whining ‘champion’.
2 Likes