šŸ„“ Worgen Lore - Ask me questions!

Lore World's End Tavern: Role-play and Fan Fiction
1

Worgen lore :bacon:

Ask me questions!

I will be writing source-citing worgen lore articles here on the forums, for reference for my own new guild members, as well as other roleplayers. Itā€™s something Iā€™ve wanted to do for a while, but now that I have a guild that could benefit from such guides, and Iā€™m at trust-level-3 and familiar with this new forum system, itā€™s now or never.

Iā€™m currently working on a simple beginnerā€™s guide, aiming to cover the basic stuff a worgen roleplayer should know, like how the curse is spread, how shapeshifting works, etc. Yet each time I believe Iā€™ve thought of everything a new player should know, a guildie comes up with a good question about worgen anatomy, or the curse, etc that I hadnā€™t even considered. Things that are common knowledge to me at this point (like worgen arenā€™t affected by silver), but is important info for someone new to roleplaying the race.

With that in mind, please ask me questions! Chances are, if youā€™re curious, other people are too, and itā€™s something I should cover as part of an article.

(Everyone that asks a worgen question gets free bacon :bacon: )

Worgen Lore Articles :thinking:

Articles Written

Erased articles

Iā€™ve been doing this for quite a while and, especially when going forward with my own research on worgen, I would write articles on worgen lore to post on the forums. These included various topics, such as the Mindless State, what feral worgen are really like, why and how Deathknight worgen are possible, and different ways to roleplay a worgen. When Blizzard moved to this forum, the old forums was still available, and all of my bookmarks worked. But as of 2020ā€¦ the old forums has been deleted, including all of my old work. :broken_heart:

  • Worgen eyesight - color and light
  • Grand Hamlet and Darkshire
  • Raptors - Intelligence or Sentience?
  • Azerothian Astrology and the Darkmoon Faire
  • Can you rez a dead worgen character?
  • Can you be born a worgen?
  • Have human druids ever existed?
  • Languages in RP
  • Lodraeronian worgen?
  • Reverse Druids
  • Troll regeneration on non-trolls
  • The national color of Gilneas
  • Question about worgen eating habits
  • Worgen DK - a RP question
  • Worgen diets?
  • Worgen RP question
  • Worgen using weapons

Articles in Progress

Guidebook

In lore, there is a tome called the ā€œPurity of Essenceā€, written by the first worgen, and recounting everything there is to know about worgen. My ultimate long-term goal has been to write the guidebook on worgen roleplay, including everything there is to know about worgen history, psychology, physiology, and culture. Personally, I would love to write the whole book in an immersive style, as being the Purity of Essence, so that both the reader and the character can read and learn from it. This has been an ongoing project for the past three or four years, going from one platform to another, but maybe, eventually, it will be ready.

Beginners guide

The Worgen starter zone released in Cataclysm is a wonderful introduction to worgenā€¦ but even Blizzard didnā€™t know everything about worgen yet. Much of the starter zone includes racist remarks from unreliable narrators, assumptions from characters that know the least, and secrets hidden from you on purpose. New players are released from the starter zone with a perception of worgen that is only half true, and have to rethink everything once they realize years later, once they have had years to read through the multitude of content available. Do you wish you had a beginnerā€™s guide when you started? Me too, letā€™s make one, shall we?

Misconceptions

Worgen were left shrouded in mystery for years, with hearsay and bizzar rumors spread by NPCs. When the race was made playable years later, some was explained, but poorly, leaving players to fill in the gaps with theories. World of Warcraft answered many of these questions in comics and novels released years later, but the damage had already been done. Between people still considering the RPG material as canon, and the false common knowledge out there, there are some barking mad misconceptions about worgen.

  • Common Misconceptions:
    • ā€œWorgen are beings of shadowā€
    • ā€œWorgen terraform their territory with shadow magicā€
    • ā€œCured worgen are in complete controlā€
    • ā€œIf you drink blood from a Cured worgen, you are a Cured worgenā€
    • ā€œWorgen donā€™t have to huntā€
    • ā€œWorgen are just humansā€
    • ā€œBeing a worgen is just a druid formā€

Articles in Planning

Class Guides

For other races, the differences between classes are chiefly in culture, weapon choice, and the resources available to them. For worgenā€¦ it is far more complex. Even without nearly as much lore to complicate and/or support classes like Kaldorei have, worgen are complex in spiritual, physical, and psychological ways, and belong to a wide variety of different cultures. Many that roll a worgen druid, or a worgen deathknight for example, must not only learn worgen lore, and class lore, but how the two work together.

Worgen Deathknights :skull: - Going alphabetical, the very first class is ironically one of the most complex for worgen. The Deathknight is an undead crusader of death, but a worgen is a creature borne of a Wild God of life. To make matters worse, worgen typically have a resistance to undeath, and can only be raised by the Lich King, and deciding when and where your worgen became a deathknight can be a complicated endeavor.

Worgen Druids :deer: - The next in line is complex for worgen as well, in that druidism is different for each and every druid race, depending on their culture, and worgen can belong to several cultures. There is confusion concerning what exactly a human ā€œHarvest Witchā€ is capable of, and what these Old Ways actually teach. It is the worgen curse that amplifies their abilities to the point of shapeshifting, but how powerful are they? How much of worgen druidism is from their human culture, how much is learned from the Kaldorei, and how much is innate skill from the worgen curse?

Worgen Paladins :candle: - why doesnā€™t it happen?

Worgen Monks :rice: - why doesnā€™t it work?

Worgen Shamans :fire: - how could it work?

Others :page_with_curl: - Hunter, Mage, Priest, Rogue, Warlock,

Feral vs Mindless

One of the biggest misconceptions about worgen is what is means to be civil, feral, or mindless. The starting zone does a poor job of explaining what it means to be a worgen, and unreliable narrators, uninformed characters, and secretive NPCs throughout the game leave you to draw the wrong conclusions. There is in fact, no cure, and Genn Greymane and his pack run and hunt wild boar with their teeth. In fact, the Ritual of Balance is not only -not- a cure, it also has a fact of -causing- a worgen to go Mindless. Feral worgen are not rabid monsters, but a people of their own, with their own culture, leading an anarchist re-wilding style culture of their own free will. Mindless worgen, on the other hand, are those that have had traumatic experiences, and have fallen into this fight-or-flight state of mental illness. All this and more are explained in source material such as Curse of the Worgen, Dark Riders, and Wolfheart, and can be seen ingame.

Cults, Packs, and other Worgen Groups

Worgen have been on Azeroth for thirteen years (since 20 ADP) as far as a human is concerned, but have existed since the War of the Satyr (9,300 BDP). Unlike Kul Tirans, who are one race, come from one place, and exist from one time, humans and kaldorei alike can become worgen, groups of worgen exist on almost every continent, and each group contains a slightly different culture. From the Gilnean worgen, to the Brashtide crew. From the Terrowulf pack of kaldorei-worgen, to the Bloomoon pack of northrend human worgen, to the Nightbane pack being a mix of both, there is a wide variety of worgen cultures to choose from. There are even the Moonrage worgen who are not really worgen at all, and the Blackhowl worgen who are affected by the blood of a black dragon. Each of these groups are unique, and offer a unique opportunity as playable characters.

Worgen Timeline

A year by year summary on worgen lore

0 - Dark Portal opens, orcs invade

3 - Medhiv dies, releasing dark energy and scarring the land, makine Deadwind Pass and Duskwood what they are today.

15-18 - The Alliance Splinters. The Alliance wants to tax Gilneas to keep the orcs in internment camps, Genn says no and builds a wall.

20 - Lordaeron falls to the Scourge, and the dead march on the Greymane wall. Genn has Arugal summon the worgen to fight the undead. The worgen rebel and thrive in Silverpine, then dig under the wall and begin the Wolf Cult in Gilneas.

(Shortly after) - Velinde Starsong summons worgen in Felwood as well. She travels towards Gilneas, but dies in Duskwood, leaving the Scythe to be found there by the Defias Brotherhood, who inadvertently summon the Nightbane worgen in Duskwood.

22 - Darius Crowley disobeys Genn, and sends his men to help Jaina Proudmore. Tensions are already high in Gilneas thanks to a famine, division between social classes, and rumors of wolfmen. The Northgate Rebellion occers shortly after.

25 - (World of Warcraft begins)
Shadowfang Keep, Arugal is killed

28 - Gilneas falls.

33 - (Battle for Azeroth begins)

Questions so far :question:

Ask a question, and Iā€™ll work on a reply! Ask whatever comes to mind, and Iā€™ll see if there is any lore on it, or related to it. Who knows, it may be something Iā€™ve never thought of, and will contribute to the guidebook! Once you do, Iā€™ll list it here. :bacon:

Questions 1-10
  1. Are worgen colorblind? (post 5)
    No, worgen are never mentioned to be colorblind, and have far better eyesight than humans.

  1. Do worgen have super healing? (post 7, 10)
    Worgen do not have super healing, easily proven so by the multitude of scars on Alpha Prime and other worgen characters. However, as supernatural creatures connected to two gods of Life, they do likely have a somewhat higher metabolism than humans.

  1. Worgen hard or hardly worgen? (post 8)
    <.<

  1. Why do worgen eyes glow? (post 13)
    Worgen vision is far better than that of a human, and they do not need glasses in worgen form. When it comes to the glow and color, worgen eyes shine brilliant gold (Curse of the Worgen, Dark Riders), but also retain the color of their human eyes underneath that shine (Wolfheart). Worgen eyes may glow for a variety of reasons, likely a mix of the following. (See post)

  1. Why donā€™t we see many worgen mages? (post 20)
    Gilneas had mages, but many mages move to Dalaran to continue their training, much like Jaina or Arugal. So, there may not have been many mages in Gilneas to be bitten. As for worgen cultures such as the Bloodfang and Nightbane, both packs are founded by kaldorei-worgen, who would be adamantly anti-Arcane. (See post for more).

  1. Could human Harvest Witches shapeshift? (post 24)
    Although there is some debate, Harvest Witches follow the Old Ways, which does not teach shapeshifting. Shapeshifting requires more than just nature magic. (See post for much more)

  1. Why do worgen desire to eat raw meat? (post 27)
    This answer is as simple as it sounds. Worgen are part wolf, not just in body, but in mind and soul. Even Genn Greymane is found hunting boar raw on all fours in Teldrassil (Wolfheart), and Anduin Wrynn appreciates that the worgen are an army that can feed themselves (Before the Storm). (See post for more)

  1. How strong are worgen? (post 28)

  1. How are worgen Death Knights possible? (post 29)

  1. What religions are popular among worgen? (post 34)

Questions 11-20
  1. Do worgen Death Knights still have instincts? (post 36)
    Are worgen deathknights really dead? And if so, how much of the worgen curse still exists in their mind? Do worgen deathknights need to hunt, like worgen do?

  1. Are worgen afraid of rolled up newspapers? (post 45)
    Thatā€™s one way to put it. How much ā€œdogā€ instinct is there in a worgen? Can these wolf men be treated and trained like hounds? How does instinct come into play with worgen hierarchy?

  1. Why are worgen immune to conventional Undeath? (post 45)
    So worgen are immune to most forms of undeathā€¦ but why? What makes the worgen unable to be raised as zombies like humans?

  1. Worgen Lore Timeline (post 48)
    What does the worgen lore timeline look like? How long have worgen been around, and what year is it now?

  1. Mind/Culture: Are worgen afraid of fire? (post 51)
    Are worgen actually afraid of fire? Why or why not? Who made this claim, and what examples support or refute it?

  1. Culture: How and why do feral worgen use shadow magic? (post 53)
    Feral worgen packs can be seen using shadowmagic throughout the game, especially in Duskwood. Are the nightbane worgen responsible for the shadow curse in Duskwood? How are feral worgen able to use magic at all? Why do they use shadow magic, if worgen are based on druid magic?

  1. Mind: What is the Mindless State? (post 55)
    Are all feral worgen mindless? What is the difference between a feral worgen, and a mindless worgen? What is the mindless state, and who does it affect? Can a feral worgen become civilized? Can a mindless worgen become sane?

  1. The Curse: Do worgen have human offspring? (post 58)
    Can worgen reproduce naturally or only through a bite or blood? Would their child be a worgen or human? Is there an answer? Why is there so much debate? How do curses work in lore? Is the worgen curse just a druid form? Are there examples of worgen children in the game?

  1. History: What is the Bloodfang Pack? (post 60, 63)
    Who are the Bloodfang Pack? How did the pack begin, and what have they done? Are they playable? What other packs are playable, and how are they different than Gilnean worgen characters? Are the Bloodfang worgen sane? Have they ever taken the Ritual of Balance? What does the Ritual actually do?

  1. Magic: How does the moon affect worgen? (post 66, 74)
    How closely are the worgen connected to the moon? Do the phases of the moon - like the full moon - have any effect? What does Tyrande have to say, and is she an unreliable narrator?

Questions 21-30
  1. Sources: Where can I get my hands on those comics? :blue_book: (post 68, 70)
    Where can I find Curse of the Worgen, Dark Riders, and more?

  1. Classes: How do Warrior Specs work with worgen? :shield: (post 77, 79, 81, 84)
    What kinds of warriors can worgen be? Are there any examples of Arms worgen? What about Fury, or Protection? How do physical perks and instincts come into play? If worgen can be warriors, why canā€™t they be paladins?

  1. Trivia facts! :scroll: (post 82)
    Read some neat little trivia facts here! How did the Bloodfang pack get through the Greymane wall? Was the attack on Gilneas an accident, or a plan? Can feral worgen use human form? How did Alpha Prime treat his followers? Find out here!

  1. Classes: Can worgen be shamans? :fire: (post 86, 90)
    Can worgen be shamans? Are there any worgen shamans in lore? What does it take to be a shaman? What gifts do worgen have that could help in this field?

  1. After being bitten, how long until your first change? :spiral_calendar: (post 93)
    After a human is bitten, how long until the curse takes effect? What examples have we seen, and what factors may affect how someone turns?

  1. Blood and Bite. What is the difference? :wine_glass: (post 98, 101)
    How can you be turned into a worgen? What are the differences between the methods? After becoming a worgen, does the method determine the amount of control? Does it determine how fast you change?

  1. What does the Ritual of Balance actually do? :balance_scale: (post 101)
    What is the Ritual of Balance? What does it involve? What characters have taken the Ritual, and why? Why did Varian Wrynn take the Ritual of Balance? Is the ritual a cure? Is it required?

  1. Is bakerā€™s chocolate poison to worgen? :chocolate_bar: (post 106)
    Why is chocolate poisonous to dogs? Could the same be true for worgen? What lore is there on worgen digestion and diets, and how can this be used in storytelling?

  1. Is being worgen a Curse? What would make it more of a curse? :full_moon: (post 107)
    Is being a worgen actually a curse? What kind of person would see it as a gift, and who would see it as a curse? How are worgen treated? What could affect how someone sees the curse, and what could have been done differently?

  1. Is there a rite of passage to become a worgen? :family_man_boy: (post 108)
    How do different characters view the curse, and would they give it to their child? Is there a rite of passage at a certain age? What is the Righteous Kill, the Blessing of the Blade, and what groups of worgen use it?

Questions 31-40

This text will be hidden

  1. How much do worgen eat? :meat_on_bone: (post 119)
    How much do worgen eat, and how often? How does this compare to humans and wolves? How does shapeshifting effect diet?

  1. Could a female worgen give birth to a human child? :family_woman_girl: (post 123)
    Is the worgen curse hereditary? Would a worgen and a worgen produce a human? What about a worgen and a human? Is the worgen curse dominant or recessive? Would the offspring be human, or worgen?

  1. How irritating is loud noises for worgen? :ear: (post 123)
    How do worgen react to loud noises? Do loud noises make worgen angier? Are worgen afraid of loud noise, like guns and cannons?

  1. Is the transformation a slow and yet painful process? :butterfly: (post 126)
    What is worgen shapeshifting like? Is it instant, or gradual? Is it painful, or easy?

  1. Is there conflict between reason and instinct? :first_quarter_moon: (post 128)

  1. Is becoming a worgen easier for a druid? :crescent_moon: (post 130)

  1. Do worgen benefit very social jobs more then other races? :speech_balloon: (post 130)

  1. Can worgen handle spicy food? :hot_pepper: (post 130)

  1. How did the worgen appear in Northrend? :mountain_snow: (post 130)

  1. When do worgen deathknights occur in the timeline? :skull: (post 132)

  1. Are worgen still resistant to undeath in Battle for Azeroth? :crossed_swords: (post 134)

  1. What exactly does the Scythe of Elune do in Gilneas? :crescent_moon: (post 140)

  1. Why canā€™t worgen be paladins? :church: (post 142)

  1. Could a worgen deathknight regain his instincts? :skull: (post 145)

  1. Are worgen immune to the Nightmare? :rose: (post 151)

  1. Does a worgen still have worgen perks in human form? :wolf: (post 153)

  1. How could a Gilnean mage have been trained? :woman_mage: (post 158)

  1. On worgen tails :dog2: (post 111)

Ask your question below, and get free bacon! Every question helps me make the worgen RP guide better. Donā€™t have a US account to post? Contact me via discord with Redmane#1794!

Related Projects

ā€” Related Projects ā€”

Wyrmrest Accord

Worldā€™s End Tavern

Story Forum

  • Worgen timeline (Coming soon)
Contact Info

Ingame: Raedolf-WyrmrestAccord
Btag: Gryoko#1133
Discord: Redmane#1794

ā€œThe Wolf Cultā€ Guild Discord: https://discord.gg/wk34ZsB
ā€œWolf Cult Eventsā€ Community Discord: https://discord.gg/EuF4BY6

24 Likes
2

The following is the setup I have planned for the worgen lore guidebook, and also serves as a list of subjects. See one that catches your interest? Want to learn more about it? Just ask!

1. History :scroll:

the worgen legacy

1.1 - Ancient History
  • Mythos
    • Rise of the Kaldorei
    • War of the Ancients
  • War of the Satyr
    • Plight of the Kaldorei
    • Malfurion and the Druids of the Pack
    • Alpha Prime and the Druids of the Scythe
    • Banishment

1.2 - Modern History
  • Rise of Man
    • Tribal Man and the Troll Wars
    • Humanity rises
    • First War
    • Second War
    • Third War
  • Return of the Worgen
    • Genn and the Bloodfang Pack
      • (Shadowfang Pack, Moonrage Pack)
    • Velinde and the Terrowulf Pack
    • Jitters and the Nightbane Pack
    • Arugal and the Bloodmoon Pack
  • Fall of Gilneas

1.3 - Current Events
  • Cataclysm
    • Lord of his Pack: Worgen and Kaldorei
    • Wolfheart: Worgen join the Alliance, Garrosh meets worgen
    • Hyjal: Return of Goldrinn
    • Felwood: The Talonbranch Pack
    • Silverpine: The Gilneas Liberation Front, The Bloodfang, and the Forsaken War Machine
    • Gilneas: The Blackhowl Pack
    • Plaguelands: Fiona
  • Mists of Pandaria
    • here be bears :bear:
  • Warlords of Draenor
    • Garrison: The Bloodfang Pack on Draenor
  • Legion
    • The Scythe of Elune
    • Darkshire
  • Battle for Azeroth
    • Books
      • Before the Storm
    • Game
      • Gilnean Heritage Armor Questline -
        • Gilneas, Goldrinn, The Dream, Rage, Duskwood, Bloodeyes

2. Phsycology :brain:

the worgen mind

4.1 - Instinct
  • Survivor
    • Fight or Flight
    • Hunger
    • Freedom
  • Guardian
    • Parental
    • Territory
    • Dominance
  • Predator
    • The Hunt
    • The Kill
    • The Pack

4.2 - Emotion
  • Rage - Rage, anger, and fury
  • Despair - fear, despair, and sorrow
  • Love - family, love, and sacrifice

4.3 - Intelligence
  • Communication
    • Verbal - ferals speak in clear Common, and can give speeches (Gervase, Alpha Prime)
    • Nonverbal - genn uses ear flicks and growls to communicate to his pack
    • Written - ferals have a holy book, and steal books from darkshire
  • Culture
    • Architecture - ferals build huts out of furs and leathers
    • Nomenclature - ferals have a naming system
    • Style - ferals have clothing style, tattoos, and warpaint
  • Hierarchy
    • Leadership - ferals have sane worgen in leadership, Packleader, Denmother, Alpha
    • Pack Roles
    • Mindless

3. Physiology :wolf:

the worgen body

3.1 - Characteristics
  • Anatomy - man and wolf
  • Dimorphism - male and female
  • Appearance - sizes, colors, options

3.2 - Capabilities
  • Senses
    • Eyesight
    • Hearing
    • Smell
  • Agility
    • Dexterity
    • Speed
    • Leaping
  • Strength
    • Muscle
    • Claw
    • Fang
  • Stealth
    • Instinct - instincts of an apex predator
    • Fur - camouflage, soft and silent
    • Anatomy - feet, eyes,

3.3 - Systems
  • Regulation
    • Perspiration - Creatures with fur pant and sweat from their paws. If a creature were to sweat from their skin - which is under layers of fur - it would just get their fur wet.
    • Digestion -
    • Healing - healing, metabolism, scarring
  • Reproduction
    • .
  • Aging
    • Lifespan
    • Death (question 2)
    • Afterlife

4. Spirituality :eye:

the worgen soul

2.1 - The Curse
  • Sources
    • Goldrinn
    • Elune
  • Balance
    • Man and Beast
  • Strengths and Weaknesses
    • Undeath Resistance
    • Aura Sensing
    • Nature Affinity
    • Wolfsbane

2.2 - Transmission
  • Races
    • Human
    • Kaldorei
    • Others (Apothecary Berard, Salusbury, Vrykul)
  • Methods
    • Scythe of Elune
    • Bite
    • Blood
    • Polymorph
  • Metamorphosis
    • Symptoms

2.3 - Transformation
  • Shapeshifting
  • Control (the act, triggers and control)
  • Clothing

5. Culture :speech_balloon:

the worgen people

5.1 - Sociology
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
5.2 - Groups
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
5.3 - Classes
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3

6. Sources :memo:

source material

Comics
  • Curse of the Worgen
  • Dark Riders
  • 3

Novels
  • Wolfheart
  • Lord of his Pack (short story)
  • Chronicle
  • Before the Storm

Quests
  • Vanilla
    • Shadowfang Keep
    • Silverpine Forest
    • Duskwood
  • Wrath of the Lich King
    • Grizzly Hills
  • Cataclysm
    • The Eastern Kingdoms
      • Gilneas
      • Silverpine Forest
      • Shadowfang Keep
      • Silverpine Forest
      • Duskwood
    • Kalimdor
      • Hyjal
      • Felwood
      • Stonetalon Mountains
      • Ashenvale
      • Winterspring
      • Feralas
  • Mists of Pandaria
  • Warlords of Draenor
  • Legion
  • Battle for Azeroth

4 Likes
3

Are worgen colorblind?

2 Likes
4

Are you having as much problems finding out how well the self healing actually is, and whether or not if they are immortal too?

2 Likes
5

Physiology :wolf:

the worgen body

Coming Soon

Oooh, good one! Iā€™d been comparing/contrasting the worgen and werewolves, but I hadnā€™t considered the ā€œdogā€ similarities/differences.

Gives you bacon :bacon:

Dogs are red-green colorblind (not just black and white), made up for with long distance sight, low light vision, and better motion sensing.

As far as I can tell, worgen are not colorblind. As part man and part beast, it appears they have the perks of both when it comes to vision. Their stellar eyesight is noted time and againā€¦ with no mention of difference in color. Iā€™m gonna have to look through Wolfheart to see if the worgen ever mention anything green or red.

But for now, thereā€™s these two images from Curse of the Worgen. One depicts the dark forest of the Blackwald when Halfordā€™s a human, and the other in the Blackwald when heā€™s a worgen and exploring his senses. He couldnā€™t see without his glasses before, so of course heā€™s more tham happy either way.

https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/561296423107297280/563136822746677258/Screenshot_20190403-190240_Amazon_Kindle.jpg

https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/561296423107297280/563136821937307662/Screenshot_20190403-190218_Amazon_Kindle.jpg

1 Like
6

are you worgen hard or hardly worgen?

4 Likes
7

Spirituality :eye:

the worgen soul

Coming soon

Aah, another good one. I havenā€™t thought about that one in ages.

Unlike werewolves, there is no superhealing, and no evidence of immortality. Bullets have to be removed (CotW loc 124), they canā€™t be pushed out. A shotgun to the belly isnā€™t gonna grow back (loc 97, 118). Worgen also wear bandages (ingame ferals), and many even have scars (loc 34).

As for immortalityā€¦ no sources for that. Theyā€™ve only really been back in the real world for a few decades, so thereā€™s not been time for them to really die from age. Buuutā€¦ thereā€™s no grey or white hair option, like there is for humans. Ultimately, the only source I have is Genn Greymane, and the aches of age he feels in human form.

As with many worgen, Genn more often than not remained in his lupine form. He felt stronger, younger that way. When human, the king felt the aches of age. (Wolfheart pg 316)

Thankyou! Iā€™m gonna have to remind myself to include that one. And hereā€™s a bacon for youuuu :bacon:

1 Like
8

Lifestyle :bow_and_arrow:

groups, culture, and classes

Coming soon

Quite worgen. Hardness may vary. :wink:

1 Like
9

There is two schools on the selfhealing thing. One is that feral worgen have itā€™s own selfhealing and this extends mostly to the RPG. Essentially the other is that we can be killed, but we are harder to kill and we can survive wounds thatā€™ll kill other races and heal faster. Near as I can figure itā€™s about as well as the Trolls.

Again the tabletop RPG comes into play, plus we are not told anything and it gets ignored when asked. Once cursed, you are stuck looking that way until you die.

Edit, Worgen are also very resistant to Curses and Diseases (Aberration Racial)
Hereā€™s some more info:

1 Like
10

Right, but weā€™re talking canon worgen lore here. The RPG lore was written for the RPG, and is not considered canon for World of Warcraft.

When it comes to trolls, they do specifically have a regrowth ability. Since they do, they make a big deal about it in troll lore, and even make it a racial mechanic. If it were so with worgen, itā€™d ne similarly showcased. There is no mention of any such feature for worgen, they are shown dieing from bullets and simple sword attacks, and they are seen missing parts of their ears.

Not sure what you mean hereā€¦ worgen use human form all the time. Even the Bloodfang and Nightbane worgen use human form in the comics.

That is indees a racial ingame mechanic. However, I wish to provide more lore sources - meaning from the stories and quests - where worgen have demonstrated this fact.

Yes. I frequently contribute to that page myself as an editor. Like a wikipedia article, it can be edited by anyone, and is not a ā€œsourceā€. A wowpedia article is good, because they cite the sources for their claims, which you can scroll down and look at.

1 Like
11

Some fingers and toes can grow back according to a story about Volā€™jin becoming a shadowhunter.

Iā€™m trying to remember where I saw the talk about the more hardy bodies worgen have.

You stop outwardly aging supposedly.

There are very little. I do know that Wolfsbane is deadly to worgen in lore.

Best we source we got right now. Iā€™m going to reread Wolfheart in a few days, and reread Lord of his Pack. Iā€™m also redoing the Worgen Starting zone. Like I said, the Devs have stopped answering questions about the Worgen.

1 Like
12

Why do worgen eyes glow?

If theyre glowing with druidic power then why donā€™t their human forms have glowing eyes?

1 Like
13

Aaah, bit of a tricky one, but thisā€™ll be good to mention in either the Body or Soul section. Iā€™ll see if I can do this one in citation style.

Worgen Eyesight

Sight
Worgen vision is far better than an ordinary humanā€™ [1]. While one may need glasses[2][6] in human form, the worgen eye can see more clearly than dreamed possible[3]. In addition, worgen are capable of seeing and hunting in low-light environments [4][5]. While it does enhance your vision, becoming a worgen does not fix eye injuries[9].
(See Speculation on Night Vision, and check RP Tips for how to see distances.)

Color
In human form, a worgen will have the eye color they were born with, such as green, blue, or brown[7]. When in their true form, however, a worgenā€™s eyes will shine in brilliant hues of gold[8], ranging from brilliant yellows, oranges, and reds. (There is no canon lore on other color options. See Speculation below.)

Glow
Worgen eyes actually glow hues of gold, much like Goldrinn himself[12], wolves of the wild[13], the wolf-shaped Pack Form[17], and Kaldorei druids who have reached their greatest potential[11]. Whether this glow is because of any one reason or a combination of them is unknown, but it is a minor glow compared to Draenei, and does not interfere with stealth and hunting[15][16]. This feature - along with the fur and fangs - is not included in their human form.

RP Tips

Eyesight RP Tips

Use the Ornate Spyglass (can be bought on the Auction House) to zoom in and look into the distance. https://www.wowhead.com/item=5507/ornate-spyglass

If you are a hunter, use ā€œEagle Eyeā€ to get a good look at something in the distance. https://www.wowhead.com/spell=6197/eagle-eye

Speculation

The glow of worgen eyes is likely attributed to their supernatural state, however is likely inspired by ā€œeyeshineā€ in real-world animals. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tapetum_lucidum#Eyeshine

In lore source material, all Worgen have golden glowing eyes. Yet in the game, other colors are available for customization, and females do not (yet) have glowing options. These other eye colors may be attributed to the magic your character uses, could be simple variance (many in-game wolf models range in eyecolor), or you may simply specify and emote that your characterā€™s eyes are golden.

Sources

[1] The curse more than heightened our senses. We see things that no normal human can. (Knaak, Richard Aā€¦ World of Warcraft: Wolfheart (p. 267). Gallery Books. Kindle Edition.)

[2] https://imgur.com/56CFqqa
[3] https://imgur.com/Q6ycFBT
[4] https://imgur.com/bs6SGr3
[5] Stormheim Epilogue In-game Cinematic https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQ2m03Rgj5A
[6] https://imgur.com/RoVxRWf
[7] Human eye colors
Genn: https://www.wowhead.com/npc=100395/genn-greymane
Darius: https://www.wowhead.com/npc=35566/lord-darius-crowley
Tobias: https://www.wowhead.com/npc=43453/tobias-mistmantle#comments
Halford: https://imgur.com/JS9ungg
[8] Worgen eye colors
Genn: https://www.wowhead.com/npc=125496/genn-greymane
Darius: https://www.wowhead.com/npc=46036/lord-darius-crowley
Tobias: https://www.wowhead.com/npc=38507/tobias-mistmantle (though has a purple-eyed model in Duskwood)
Halford:
[9] Darius Crowley still has to wear an eyepatch. https://imgur.com/a/NM1u7eb
[10] ā€œMia! Tess!ā€ Genn called out. His eyesight was better in his worgen form, and through the rain he could not see his family on the bow. ā€œThey must be inside still! They must.ā€ (Lord of his Pack, pg 4)
[11] The archdruid stepped closer, only pausing when he and Varā€™dyn were within reach of one another. Malfurionā€™s gold eyes gleamed sharply. Some of the Highborneā€™s arrogance faltered. (Wolfheart p. 80)
[12] In-game Goldrinn model https://www.wowhead.com/npc=118339/goldrinn
[13] In-game Wolf models - different eye colors
(brown, green eyes) https://www.wowhead.com/npc=86932/direfang-alpha
(black, teal eyes) https://www.wowhead.com/npc=81000/garn-nighthowl
(gold, orange eyes) https://www.wowhead.com/npc=128774/rustfur-wolf
(mixed, orange eyes) https://www.wowhead.com/npc=100409/dusky-howler
[14] In-game Wolf models - different model types
(saberworg) https://www.wowhead.com/npc=25675/tundra-wolf
(vanilla wolf) https://www.wowhead.com/npc=43340/blackrock-battle-worg
(vanilla worg) https://www.wowhead.com/npc=10981/frost-wolf
(scarred) https://www.wowhead.com/npc=97091/duskpelt-snarler
[15] Sylvanas vs Genn Greymane - Stormheim Cinematic
(Genn has golden eyes, which glow slightly in the shadow)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eyh5FKMvVPA
[16] (Worgen eye glow fades after a few feet) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9gabmfVMsA
[17] The Pack Form https://imgur.com/7jEy5Mq
[18] Velenā€™s eyes were a brilliant blue and literally glowed.(Wolfheart p. 139) (Mention of Velenā€™s eyes glowing, but no mention of worgen eyes glowing)

Hereā€™s what Iā€™ve got so farā€¦ though I may have to re-visit the worgen eye color idea. I just found a piece in Wolfheart that blows a hole in the ā€œall worgen have golden eyesā€ theory.

A male worgen stalked up to him. Nostrils flaring, the male sniffed Jarod carefully. The deep brown eyesā€”the most ā€œhumanā€ feature of the otherwise bestial figureā€”narrowed slightly.

Knaak, Richard Aā€¦ World of Warcraft: Wolfheart (p. 242). Gallery Books. Kindle Edition.

What do yall think about the formatting though? I think I like the idea of a speculation and RP Tips section, using the spoiler dropdown

3 Likes
14

Why do we never see worgen mages in lore? or have there been, and I am unaware?

2 Likes
17

Could Gilnean harvest witches shape shift?

2 Likes
18

Why do Gilneans who become afflicted with the Worgen curse sometimes obtain the desire to eat meat raw, and savagely? In some cases, while the animal is alive?

Gilneans seemed to be a pretty high class people. If anything, generally sophisticated. Yet now we have seen many examples of them becoming exceptionally brutal. I was going to just overlook the villains as just letting themselves become bloodlusted and using their new form to its fullest, but then we also have examples like these two:

https:// wow. gamepedia. com/Sam_Trawley

https:// wow. gamepedia. com/Micaiah_Wiewandt

Sorry about spaces, for some reason itā€™s not letting me post links. Normally I can.

2 Likes
19

It doesnā€™t let me do it on the phone. Here you go.

https://wow. gamepedia.com/Sam_Trawley
https://wow.gamepedia.com/Micaiah_Wiewandt

2 Likes
20

Ahah, I hadnā€™t even thought of addressing classes in worgen culture. :bacon:

I canā€™t recall ever seeing a named worgen mage NPC. However, I do know at least one Gilnean wizard. Archmage Arugal himself was a Gilnean, who left to join the Kirin Tor in Dalaran, only returning to Gilneas when Dalaran was destroyed by the Scourge.

Gilnean Culture (click to expand)

Gilnean culture and history could present some reasons there are less worgen mages. In short, there may not have been many mages in Gilneas to be bitten. The city was cut off from the world, so there were no Kirin Tor visiting, much less teaching apprentices in Gilneas. The city is culturally independent and industrial, so perhaps less focus on mystic arts as a culture. Mages that did pop up may have gone to join the Kirin Tor or the Alliance, meaning they wouldnā€™t be in Gilneas during the worgen apocalypse (Jaina too left her homeland at a young age, to join the Kirin Tor in Dalaran). In support of this, there is not one mention of Arcane magic in the Curse of the Worgen comic or the starter zone. Meanwhile around Stormwind, the Dark Riders comic has a mage main character and everything to do with arcane, with the Elwynn quests reflecting this.

Pack Worgen Culture (click to expand)

Now on the flipside, thereā€™s plenty of reasons why wild worgen society would not have - or produce - mages. It was kaldorei mages and their meddling in the arcane that brought the Legion to Azeroth 10k years ago, and lead to the banishment of the kaldorei mages shortly after. So there were no kaldorei mages around to get bitten during the War of the Satyr. Then once they got out of the dream in modern day, they formed the Wolf Cult, and specifically recruited humans that agreed with their ā€œre-wildingā€ and anti-civility ideology, being mostly thugs and rebels. I donā€™t imagine many scholarly wizards would jump at the opportunity to become a ā€œjugernaught of rageā€, and I donā€™t see an anti-civility culture producing its own wizardly scholars.

So one way or another, the use of arcane magic doesnā€™t seem as central to worgen cultures as it might to Silvermoon or even Stormwind. Even Genn Greymaneā€™s own merlin-like advisor wasnā€™t a mage, but rather a royal alchemist, suggesting a focus on chemical and mechanical science. Of course, thatā€™s not to say a worgen canā€™t become a mage, or that a mage canā€™t become a worgen. It simply has reason to be less likely, which would explain the certain lack of such NPC characters.

Sorry this one didnā€™t end up as clean and concrete as the lore on eyesight. Iā€™m stuck on mobile for a few days, and this particular topic of cultures is far more theoretical and speculative based on lore. But hey, definitely made me get my thinking cap on! Now I feel like I aughta make a ā€œworgen class guidesā€ guide too, like to go over worgen druids, deathknights, hunters and the like.

4 Likes
21

Thankyou for your questions! Havenā€™t been able to respond for a couple days, but these are definately helpful and I plan on answering, as well as adding these subjects to the guide.

Harvest Witches
I had to do a refresher on Harvest Witches. Thereā€™s not a lot on them, at all, and I know itā€™s a topic of debate. But there is far more to say they did not shapeshift than there is to suggest they did. Give me a bit, and Iā€™ll post more on that.

Worgen Diets
I didnā€™t even know about these two, thanks! They definately support the argument for worgen carnivorous diets. But while they make a good case on their own, thereā€™s far more on it in the books. Itā€™s not just a sometimes thing. Even our good king Genn Greymane takes to all fours to hunt with claw and fang with his pack or royal guards in Wolfheart, and meat is a point of interest to worgen in both Curse of the Worgen and Dark Riders. Iā€™ll see about collecting those sources and writing a portion on worgen diets.

3 Likes
22

Exactly how are worgen? Genn was able to push Saurfang (or some armored orc) off of Anduin. Smack Sylvanas across a room and break part of the titan floor. I know they can lift a human but I remember this one quest in Mount Hyjal where you fight in a pit and the worgen boss is able to lift the whole carriage to throw it out you.

2 Likes