It’s been mentioned how Pandaren were originally planned to be a playable race for Alliance in TBC, and I wonder how different they would have been, had that been been the case. I imagine it would have been along these lines:
The Pandaren lived on an island of the northern coast of Kalimdor, named Pandaria (Taking place where Azuremyst isle is now). The Pandaren as a race had a long history with their Kaldorei neighbors, who lived and developed along side them since before the sundering. They initially were a tribe of Furbolgs, who’d eventually become the advanced, intelligent Pandaren, but remained in tune with their connection to the elements, and forces of nature. The Pandaren would be looked upon fondly by their Night elf neighbors, but as Queen Azhara became tainted with fel magic, they would begin to become enslaved by, and viewed as an inherently inferior culture by the highborne. The Pandaren would have been instrumental in the war of the ancients, aiding the night elves in their fight against Azhara and the burning legion, but afterward they’d follow the night elves to Kalimdor, and prefer to live by their themselves, away from the world.
Coming to Vanilla WoW the Pandaren would be consulted by the Night Elves, who would request the aid of the Pandaren as their knowledge of Shamanism, and the elements would be an asset to the Alliance, but the Pandaren would decline the offer. Even after multiple generations, the history and stories passed down by their elders would have made the pandaren weary of strangers, and the outside world. The Night elves would have respected their request, and allow their existence, and location a secret from even the Alliance.
As the Burning legion began to return to Azeroth, and Kaelthas’ blood elves would begin to encroach on Pandaria, taking advantage of their relatively weaker defenses. The Pandaren didn’t know these newer, earthy colored elves, but they’d recognize them as being the decendants of their former slavers. The Blood Elves wouldn’t relent and began to attack, and enslave them, and it was only once they were brought near the edge of collapse that they would appeal to the Kaldorei for help. The Night Elves would aid their allies without question, and would aid them in the reclamation of Pandaria. After that, there was little question as to whether or not they would join the alliance as their presence was now known to the burning legion.
