Warcraft Short Story: "The Lilac and the Stone"

[Mossfire-wyrmrest-accord]

I need you to understand that Catherynne M. Valente is my favorite author and I am currently sick with COVID, but seeing this released made me squeal with joy, and then cry because of how seen I was in this beautiful writing. Please, please, please hire Catherynne M. Valente a million times over.

[Tiffany-ravencrest]

Who is Golden?

[Bezren-drenden (Bezren)]

Christie Golden, the ex blizzard writer and popular writer of novels.

[Waygs-bleeding-hollow]

I liked Golden when she just worked on books as a merc author yet hated the direction and characters she talked about pushing on social media when she joined the team proper.

So be careful what you wish for

[Primalmatter-stormrage (Primalmatter)]

Kind of wish he was a new character and not anduin but short.

[Awkward-frostmourne (Awkward)]

@Waygs-bleeding-hollow

My only issue is that he seems to have won this round way too easily for how much effort his mother had to put into politics to much less extent and how much was put into him not making an appearance initially and shutting himself away from the delegations.

And even this is addressed, because for all her political acumen, her clever schemes, her calculated violence, the only Dwarves that respect Moira as a leader are her family and her subordinates.

Moira was significantly more adept in politicking than Dagran, but it doesn’t matter because Dagran is a male and she isn’t.

It could have been harder of course, but if Dagran struggled as much as Moira did then it’d undercut the plot point of Moira’s rage at the sexism in Dwarven culture.

@Waygs-bleeding-hollow

I think it would have been neat if only Muradin was truly moved by the presentation, with the other delegates appreciation of Dagran’s display being tempered by the fact that now that shield is even more valuable and prestigious. You don’t change key characteristics of a race in a day, after all.

I would have loved the story be fleshed out more, but there’s really only so much that you could do to expand on it before it became less a short story and more just a story.

Dwarven culture isn’t going to be turned on it’s head overnight of course but the shield only needs to address two points.

1. That the Dwarves need to work together. Dwarves aren’t going to throw away their big book of grudges because of this (nor should they, that would make Dwarves boring). Dwarves don’t have to be different but it’s good that Dagran is.
2. That Dagran can solve political issues competently, but as a scholar first and a politician second.

[Erevien-aegwynn]

Christie Golden. She wrote many novels for the game but was fired this year for unknown reasons. She is to blame for a lot of bad stuff regarding the Horde NPCs especially Calia and Baine.

[Tiffany-ravencrest]

@Erevien-aegwynn

She is to blame for a lot of bad stuff regarding the Horde NPCs especially Calia and Baine.

I wouldn’t call that blame. Those stories were perfectly fine.

[Sentenzå-sargeras]

Blizzard writers, especially Metzen, write their real-life into their characters.

Metzen feeling like he lost his purpose —> Thrall feeling like he lost his purpose. Metzen coming out of retirement —> Thrall coming out of retirement. Metzen having to teach his kid about growing up —> Thrall having to teach his kid about growing up.

And this goes beyond Metzen to an extent as well, a bunch of Blizzard writers are “dad gamers” at this point so the whole thing is probably resonating with the writing team.

[Kittredge-azjolnerub (Kittredge)]

@Tiffany-ravencrest

Those stories were perfectly fine.

Or … were they perfectly to blame?!

dun dun DUUUUN!

[Abricot-grizzly-hills]

I don’t know if anybody has told you this (has your dad had “the talk” with you?) but war is super emotional. Super.

[Tiffany-ravencrest]

@Kittredge-azjolnerub

Or … were they perfectly to blame?!

dun dun DUUUUN!

It’s strictly a matter of opinion. You didn’t like it, I did.