The Void Elves - Revamp
Of all the allied races in World of Warcraft, void elves suffer the most from being poorly defined, poorly developed, and a lack of any unique culture or identity. These problems are endemic to the race due to how poorly defined and understood the void itself is. It’s small wonder so many players would have rather had high elves, when Blizzard failed so hard to make the void elves shine.
To that end, I’d like to discuss how to correct this. For this post, I will be focusing on ideas I believe could provide a net positive to the identity of the void elves, without detracting from either their history, or stealing anything further from the blood elves. Furthermore, I’ll only be discussing story-related elements meant to provide them some desperately needed world building.
Ideally, introducing all of this in-game would be a result of a greater re-introduction of void elves to the game world. That is not to say I seek to change anything that already exists, but rather, take advantage of the same narrative tools used in Turalyon and Alleria’s reintroduction to the game: time being weird outside of the material plane.
In other words, when next we pick up with the Void Elves, we learn they’ve largely been absent from Azeroth in any meaningful numbers since the end of the Fourth War, and time in the Telogrus Rift has been passing much more slowly, resulting in hundreds of years passing for them (more than enough time to justify what would otherwise be rapid developments). To close this loop for any further potential for harm, it would be clarified that the void elves have found a method to stabilize the rift’s time to that of Azeroth.
To begin with, I’d like to focus on three pillars of ren’dorei society, with foundations from Quel’Thalas, which (I hope) will feel significantly different, and with good reasoning.
The Loreweavers:
Summary
Origin: The loreweavers were formed of men and women whom once either served in the magistry of Quel’Thalas, or whom had aspirations to do so. Mages, warlocks, and priests alike banded together in the pursuit of expanding the ren’dorei’s knowledge of the void and it’s powers. In time, their studies would produce new disciplines emulating that of some of Azeroth’s most iconic heroes (druids, shamans, monks, etc… just explaining all classes here), but rooted in the power of the void.
Struggles: The unifying goal of the loreweavers as they were first forming, was to aid their brethren in safeguarding their minds against the whispers. The teachings of Locus-Walker, shared by Alleria, saved many from a terrible fate, yet not all. To this end, the loreweavers sought to find methods to share mental fortitude, new techniques to protect the mind that others may learn, as well as powers that would enable them to safeguard their people by preventing tragedies that might affect their allies.
Adaptation: The Loreweavers researched and developed a new field of study, ‘Psionistry.’ These powers affect the mind internally, and make it possible for a loreweaver to silence the whispers in another. Psionistry also makes it possible to extract knowledge from a mind, unwilling or otherwise, in a painless process. In some cases, a mind can even be altered, transforming the target into a sleeper-agent of sorts, meant to respond to specific stimuli. Minds can be seized in such a way that the victim is frozen as if time itself had stopped, and awakens from this state with no knowledge of having been manipulated, or the passage of time. (Think Professor X.)
Psionistry’s effectiveness is potent in the Telogrus Rift, which is permeated by the power of the void. On Azeroth, it is significantly less effective. While a skilled loreweaver may seize the minds of others, for example, it would only be possible on relaxed minds (such as in a tavern or asleep), and be greatly taxing on the wielder. Drawing knowledge from a mind would be a painful process, leaving deep scars on the victim
Loreweavers have developed a tool meant to aid the growth of their people and society. Known as the, ‘Akashic Well,’ it is a pool of thought and memory given substance. Unlike most elven wells, the Akashic Well is not a source of power, but only knowledge. Loreweavers will willingly subject themselves to visions and the whispers in controlled environments, and then add this new knowledge to the well. Others will then research and interpret these finds, seeking new knowledge for the wellbeing of their kin. All ren’dorei share a one-way link to the Akashic Well, allowing for their memories and experiences to be stored within it.
Appearance: The loreweavers favor heavy robes of black, blue, and purple, with bronze adornments. In lieu of the more traditional and favored staves of the magisters, the Loreweavers surround themselves with Lucidium Orbs in a fashion not dissimilar from Kael’thas’ verdant spheres. These orbs act as a foci for their spellcasting in whichever field they choose to study, although some will still favor traditional weapons such as daggers, staves, or wands.
The Duskstriders:
Summary
Origin: When the ren’dorei first emerged onto Azeroth, their umbral rangers were indistinguishable from the sin’dorei’s farstriders. So many had been former farstriders that they relied on their training to ground them as they struggled to cope with the unrelenting onslaught of whispers, and new powers they’d not prepared to wield. Still, many felt bound to the same duties as the farstriders, and were driven to explore the far reaches of the Telogrus Rift, and what dangers may lie within.
Struggles: The umbral rangers were ill-prepared to scout the rift, and in the early days, lost many of their number. Arrows fired at enemies were often misdirected by the unseeable currents of void magic flowing between the fragments of broken land. Sometimes these projectiles were swallowed entirely. Some rangers would open a rift to explore some new isle, only to have the ground flip over, and fall into the endless abyss below. Eventually the umbral rangers were forced to cast aside old training and skills, and adapt to new methods of survival. Exchanging their bows for twinblades, and mastering new powers discovered by the loreweavers, they now called themselves the Duskstriders.
Adaptation: In order to survive in the rift and explore it, two powers became essential to the duskstriders: Spatial Slash, and Riftstepping.
By enveloping their blades in the same power as a void rift, the duskstriders found they were able to attack a visible foe from a great distance. The edge of the blade would materialize in front of their target, dealing wounds from afar. This technique made it possible to bypass the distance between targets, and engage a foe safely from a distance.
While the spatial slash technique is a powerful weapon against the denizens of the rift, against an armored foe it is much less a danger. Not only that, but outside of the rift itself, some force behind the swing of the blade is lost. On Azeroth, the use of the spatial slash technique would be ineffective and wasteful, to the point no duskstrider would ever seriously consider using it; they’d do more harm with a wooden training sword.
Riftstepping is a technique the duskstriders mastered, enabling them to safely traverse the rift. By focusing on a visible destination, they can teleport to it by taking a single step. Then, the duskstrider gains an effect which acts on them as gravity, allowing them to walk or run across any new surface as if it were the ground. Ceilings, walls, even pools of water are all affected by this technique. Thus, if an isle were to alter it’s rotation, a duskstrider would not fall into the void, but be able to continue their exploration.
The use of the Riftstep technique outside of the Telogrus Rift is inadvisable due to the difficulty of maintaining the gravitational effect. The duskstrider would have to actively devote and maintain energy to it, and even the slightest failing could result in great harm depending on the distance and landing of their fall.
Appearance: Duskstriders favor the use of coats and hoods while exploring the reaches of the rift, often in hues of brown, black, gray, blue, or purple, to better blend into their environments. They also wear masks made from lucidium ore. This mirror-like metal has no effect on most beings, but those of the void, when looking into their own reflections, experience a horror so overwhelming they will temporarily become sane.
The Vandalari:
Summary
Origin: Among those whom followed Magister Umbric were former blood knights, disenfranchised from their own order by Lady Liadrin’s newfound faith in the light. Scorning her as a, ‘human in elven armor,’ they objected to the more harmonious relationship between the elves and the light, and desired dominance once more. These jaded souls joined Magister Umbric in the hopes of finding a new way to force the light to submit to them. Their subsequent corruption and transformation, and the ensuing struggles against the power of the void, caused many to abandon this agenda, as the very reasons they became blood knights so long ago became prominent once more; protecting their kin.
Struggles: Initially many of these men and women called themselves, ‘riftblades,’ and sought to defend their brethren by slaughtering any creature to threaten them. Over time, however, it became apparently that the dangers faced by the ren’dorei were greater than void-corrupted beasts and entities from other planes. Dangerous artifacts, eruptions of void magic, and the Shadowguard all proved to be threats that they could not best just by attacking. Given the opportunity to learn new powers from the loreweavers, the riftblades abandoned their former strategies, to embrace methods by which they could truly keep their people safe in the rift. The riftblades renamed themselves to the vandalari, for their acts of vandalization against their foes.
Adaptation: Two powers became the cornerstone for the vandalari, as they embraced a path of fighting fire with fire, and sequestering threats: the inner dimension, and the counterforce.
The inner dimension technique made it possible for the vandalari to create a space connected to themselves, in which to store or otherwise contain objects or power. These pocket dimensions were used to safely store and transport newly found relics, brought to the loreweavers for careful, controlled study. Specimens of life in the rift would likewise be captured and transported. The vandalari became vital in establishing outposts, able to transport supplies without the need for wagons or carrying packs. Taking defeated enemies prisoner and bringing them back to the rift for interrogation led to securing much of the rift around the ren’dorei’s home from threat.
The inner dimension technique, while invaluable in securing the rift and protecting the ren’dorei, provides a vulnerability to the vandalari. While any object or force steeped in void magic can be safely stored in this space, objects inundated with other powers can result in illness, injury, or even death. A vandalari once attempted to store an artifact imbued with the light within their inner dimension, and within moments was destroyed by the clash of forces.
Counterforce is the second technique the vandalari mastered, inspired by the sin’dorei spellbreakers. While the vandalari are not immune to magic, they are able to consume spells and projectiles with their inner dimension, and then transmute them with the power of the void to release them back at their assailants. A frostbolt would become a shadowfrost bolt, a firebolt would become a blackfirebolt. These countered spells or projectiles become stronger than their original forms, and upon harming their target, replenish the vandalari’s strength.
Much like the inner dimension technique itself, the counterforce technique becomes a danger to the vandalari attempting to wield it, when confronted with a cosmic power; life, death, light, fel, or arcane. A sufficiently skilled vandalari, learned in another cosmic power, may be able to safely consume an attack and redirect it, but this is a gamble that rarely is won.
Appearance: The vandalari favor suits of plate-mail and dark cloaks, with helmets that cover their eyes but leave the lower half of their face exposed. While some favor shields and swords, the more common weapon used by the vandalari is the scythe. Most eschew the use of shields as they can project a simple barrier of void magic to intercept assaults, while the scythe acts as a focus by which they can cut a hole in reality to access the contents of their inner dimensions.
Moving on, I’d like to address how best to give the void elves an identity and culture based on what has been provided above. Again, there will be some very obvious inspiration from blood elves, but at the same time, different enough from them that it doesn’t feel like we’re copy/pasting. The driving inspiration behind Void Elf culture is going to be how they embrace and embody contradictory concepts.
Dichotomy of Society and Self:
Summary
Much like how the blood elves embraced a mentality of placing themselves and their well-being above others, the void elves share a similar sense of solidarity. Where the blood elves grew into a jingoistic society, however, the void elves walk a fine line between individuality, and a hive mind. As mentioned above, the loreweavers created their own font, the Akashic Well, and we know how elves are when it comes to their wells; they’re all connected to it in some manner.
This holds true for the ren’dorei, although just like how the Akashic Well is quite different from the Sunwell, Nightwell, moonwells, etc… this connection is likewise different. All ren’dorei choose to attune to the Akashic Well, meaning their life’s experiences, knowledge, and so forth will become a part of the well upon their death. Thus, they never truly die, and their knowledge becomes invaluable to the future of their people long after they’ve ceased to have a direct hand in the path they walk.
As a result of this connection shared by the ren’dorei, their mutual wellbeing and prosperity is important to all of them. At the same time, however, there is a strong cultural focus on the individual developing into a unique person. Diversity enriches the Akashic Well, while uniformity narrows the scope of ren’dorei knowledge. Even those whom grow corrupt or become villains contribute value to the well, and ren’dorei society as a whole. As such, unlike the blood elves whom would condemn Kael’thas or Dar’khan Drathir as traitors and villains, the ren’dorei would mourn such individuals, and celebrate what they gave to the ren’dorei in the end.
Dichotomy of Apathy and Passion:
Summary
Blood elven society thrived on ambition, hedonism, and vengeance. Blood elves are passionate, they are proud, and they are not afraid to remind the world of their power and glory. In pursuit of these qualities did Umbric and his followers become the ren’dorei. Yet, even as of BFA we see that the void elves were already distancing themselves from this in a way. There were no grandiose mass rituals of void magic to wipe settlements off the map. Rather, the void elves often performed horrible acts (war crimes) with precision and care.
Void elves are no less passionate nor proud a people, but unlike their kin in Quel’Thalas, they have tempered their passion with apathy. To become as powerful a mage as can be, to slaughter every foe, to deliver reprisal for every perceived slight and injustice, has ceased to be any kind of motivator for the ren’dorei. They strive for excellence, to push themselves to their limits, to uncover new secrets and knowledge, but they have no urge to share the scope of their achievements with other races.
Were the ren’dorei to open void rifts onto a battlefield and save their allies from certain doom with their powers, they would not bask in the gratitude and admiration of their prowess and abilities. Walking through a city, they would be content to blend into the background, unnoticed, unremarked upon, not because they shun society, but because they feel no urge to flaunt themselves. Every ren’dorei is fiercely proud of what they have created in the Telogrus Rift over the last few centuries, and they value their allies and alliances greatly. The idea that they are ugly, deformed, and hideous doesn’t even phase them, nor more than anyone saying they are beautiful, mysterious, or charming would.
Dichotomy of Erudition and Ignorance:
Summary
In Quel’Thalas, power, knowledge, and beauty are celebrated and desired by all. Conversely, those lacking in such are seen to possess little value (Magister Astalor telling his apprentice she’d only be good at basket weaving). Power and knowledge guided the first elves to become the ren’dorei, but since then, their views have largely changed.
Power is not the most desirable trait amongst the ren’dorei. They seek knowledge and wisdom, new perspectives, and new ideas. As a society they are driven by the desire to learn more, to consume as much knowledge and experience as they can. The universe is like a mystery novel they just cannot put down. Unlike the blood elves, whom find little value in those whom lack what they desire, among the ren’dorei, ignorance is cherished.
Those whom come to the ren’dorei with questions are as precious to them as children, and watching these men and women (whether they be high elves, blood elves, or even other races) take their first steps into a new world of knowledge is one of the most thrilling experiences for the ren’dorei. To admit to ignorance is considered the mark of a great mind, and one worthy of nurturing. Obstacles to learning do not deter or frustrate the ren’dorei, but rather provokes greater passion within them as they begin to puzzle out new methods by which a struggling student might learn and excel.
Next, I would like to consider what could be added to expand on the void elves as a race and further build on them in terms of economy. We’ve established the pillars of their society, we’ve established their culture and values as originating from the blood elves and (hopefully) growing past them into something different. Now I’d like to discuss how to make them economically distinct from other races.
Resources: The Telogrus Rift is a vast space, the remnants of a shattered world at the very edge of the void. Many resources unique to the rift can be found there, some with surprising qualities.
Summary
Lucidium Ore: Theorized to have once been akin to elementium on Azeroth, lucidium is a magical metal which, when smelted, produces a mirror-like ingot. Armor, weapons, and trinkets crafted from lucidium share this appearance. Lucidium has the inexplicable property of calming the mind and soothing the soul, making it an ideal material in adornments for the ren’dorei, as it will assist them in resisting the whispers.
Mythweave Cloth: Of surprise to the ren’dorei was the revelation that the Telogrus Rift experiences its own version of seasons. One of these seasons causes energy in the ambient air to form into a substance that is somewhere between a liquid and a solid, but not quite either. This substance can be woven into a cloth light as air. Curiously, it will repair itself from rips and tears, and consumes dirt, blood, sweat, or other contaminants. Mythweave garments are highly popular in the rift for this reason, as one need not expend mana to conjure water to wash garments made of it.
Currency: While the ren’dorei will trade in the common currencies of Azeroth (copper, silver, and gold coins), they will gladly barter with others as well. Perhaps the most curious form of payment for their goods and services, however, is the exchange of memory.
Memory: As the ren’dorei value knowledge and experience, they are happy to accept the memories of others as payments for their wares. A loreweaver may, with the consent of the individual, remove a memory from them, crystallizing it into a shard. The value of a memory is determined by the experience and what can be learned from it. Memories acquired from other races do not become a part of the Akashic Well, but are instead stored in the loreweaver’s libraries for study. (More on this in the Evergreen Systems section)
Exports: Although the Telogrus Rift lacks in resources considered valuable on Azeroth, they do receive visits from ethereals, which established the rift as a small trading outpost. As a result, goods from across the universe make their way to the ren’dorei, and through them, to Azeroth. (More on this in the Evergreen Systems section)
Congratulations on making it this far if you’re still reading. Let’s move on to government. This is something the void elves sorely lacked in BFA. All we knew was that Umbric was leading them, and Alleria basically could do whatever she wanted with them. Not really much of a basis for any kind of law and order. Since Blizzard already laid the groundwork for how they still borrowed from the blood elves at their introduction, I’m going to just leap into how they’re setting themselves apart.
The Ninefold Ring:
Summary
The Ninefold Ring is the ruling council of the ren’dorei. As it’s name implies, it is made up on nine individuals, each of whom is meant to represent a, ‘ring,’ of ren’dorei society, as we’ve covered in sections above. The Ninefold Ring is divided into three groups: seekers, heralds, and lords/ladies. Lastly, there are a tenth and eleventh seat in this council, devoted to the Guide, and the First.
Seeker is the title appointed to those whom supervise the necessary functions of society, and as such, have titles accordingly. The Seeker of Wealth oversees matters of commerce. The Seeker of Skill is in charge of craftsmen. Lastly is the Seeker of Art, whom observes the trends in philosophy and style among the ren’dorei.
The next title is Herald, is appointed to those whom embody the cultural values of the ren’dorei. The Akashic Herald, for example, serves their fellow ren’dorei by seeking to learn what they need to thrive as they walk their individual paths. The Herald of Inquiry welcomes new minds seeking to learn, as well as attempting to guide others to find the path most fulfilling to them. Lastly, the Herald of Decorum ensures the achievements of any ren’dorei are well known and celebrated, in a respectful manner.
The Lords/Ladies make up the next trio of the council, and are the leaders of the three pillars of ren’dorei society: the loreweavers, the duskstriders, and the vandalari. While each maintains the rank of their order (Duskstrider-General, for example), they have the title of Lord or Lady as well.
The last two roles of the council are the Guide, and the First. Umbric has remained the Guide of the council since it was first formed. The Guide acts as a mediator in council sessions, and for disagreements between members of the council. He also has responsibilities as the council’s diplomat to their allies and other races. Lastly, the First is the title given to Alleria Windrunner, the first of the elves to master the powers of the void. This title gives her a voice on all council sessions, and emergency powers to mobilize the ren’dorei at her discretion.
Appointment:
Summary
The Ninefold Ring’s members are appointed every nine years. The process of appointment is instantaneous. The Akashic Well draws on the collective thoughts of all ren’dorei, and determines the new council members. Those appointed to the council are bound in magical contract to serve their term. This contract can only be prematurely ended with a majority vote by the council to dismiss a member, which will cause the Akashic Well to then manifest the will of the ren’dorei in either choosing a successor, or maintaining the sitting councilor.
Council Sessions:
Summary
The Ninefold Ring rarely seats all members of the council, or even a majority. Oftentimes a session is called so that individuals within a specific ring may discuss matters of mutual interest. Other times, a session may be called with but a single council-member from each of the three rings, for no other reason than to update one another on the on-going pursuits of each ring. Even were the ren’dorei to be called to war, it is unlikely the Seekers and Heralds would attend council sessions discussing such matters.
With all of the above laid out to give the void elves actual culture and identity, it’s time to move on to the gameplay side of things. Going to the extent needed to really bring them up to scratch with other races isn’t likely to happen if we’re not providing something for ALL players to enjoy with this, after all. To that end, it’s time for some Evergreen content.
Revamp the Rift: Revamp the Telogrus Rift into a proper settlement. I’ve been over this before, but the main island should have buildings, shops, structures, void rifts taking players to other isles, etc… we should see trees, pools of water, tamed life and the likes. Just look at Shadowmoon Valley in WoD, and you’ve got an idea of what we should be seeing in terms of the environment.
Memory Exchange: Mentioned above was the idea that the void elves deal in memory as a form of currency. What does that mean? Well, you know those achievement points you’ve been racking up since Wrath? Time to spend them. That’s right. Those points are your, ‘memories.’ The memory exchange can be a second trading post (maybe a shared pool with the actual trading post, but with different items on offer from what the trading post has in a month), or a way to buy old raid gear for transmog. Goods from across the universe on sale, thanks to the Ethereals. Perhaps even some items from places we’ve never been, nor may ever see.
Extra Classing and Rift-Diving: In the Telogrus Rift, sign up to take on content exploring the Telogrus Rift’s furthest reaches. You’ll be given a choice of memories allowing your character to temporarily be a duskstrider, loreweaver, or vandalari. All those skills mentioned above? Enjoy using them in the playground of the rift. Get out there and fight void monsters as a team, gather lucidium and mythweave, and uncover the secrets of the long-dead world that once was there. Maybe have a run-in with some Shadowguard Ethereals and liberate them of their stolen goods.
Mindforging: Turn Lucidium/Mythweave into cosmetic gear! Yes, that stuff you got from Riftdiving. Maybe this is a way to access some new alternate colored heritage armor or heritage weapons. Or some civilian type clothes across different races. The idea is to provide purely cosmetic options here for fun.
Conclusion
If you’ve read this far, thanks for your time. As I hope to have made clear through all of this, the goal here is to give the void elves a desperately needed second chance to be their own race, to give them the lore, the identity they never had. Its important to accept where they came from (blood elves), but they still need to become their own race.
Using the Telogrus Rift as a reason for how and why they could change feels like the most logical course, especially since it provides an easy method to prevent otherwise unique abilities from feeling overpowered outside of their home. My goal wasn’t to make the void elves overpowered, but rather unique and different, and to hopefully expand on concepts that broaden the scope of just what the void is capable of, especially in the hands of a bunch of elves.
It also felt necessary to make sure one could feasibly see any kind of character coming from the void elves, whether a hero, or a villain. The void see’s all possibilities as true, and so the void elves should see all paths and walks of life as valid.
Admittedly, a lot of the names chosen above probably are lame, and I’m sure someone could make them better, but it wasn’t the names which prompted me to write all this (although I certainly wanted to bring more diversity than Rift-this and Umbral-that which is all we currently have for our void elves).
I’d love to hear folk’s thoughts. What feels like a good idea? What feels like a bad idea? Could something be made better by being tweaked? Is something missing? Is something unnecessary?
And for the folks who simply post some variation of, “You fix Void Elves by deleting them,” or, “just add High Elves,” I pre-emptively thank you for the bump.
