It’s been stated by Blizzard that Worgen are canonically the strongest and fastest race in the Alliance. Of course this is very vague, but it at least gives us something to go off of.
I assume Worgen are super naturally strong, with the examples you stated being good evidence of such.
Alright, here we go! Time to tackle these big questions!
This one’s a topic of debate, as I’m sure you know. Ordinarily, in a debate, I’d humor both ideas. But since my goal is to write an RP guide, accurate to the best of my knowledge, I’ll have to decide. If someone in my guild asked me, or if someone asked me personally, I’d say no. Harvest Witches were not able to shapeshift, before being enhanced with the worgen curse. I say this for a few reasons, which I’ll explain in the drop-down menus below.
Again, Gilnean druidism is a topic of debate, and I do expect the Kul Tiran druidism to be used as an argument against this, supporting Gilnean human shapeshifting. However, looking at the Kul Tiras, they have much more when it comes to shapeshifting in this aspect of their culture. Things Gilnean human harvest witches do not.
There are Wild Gods in Kul Tiras.
Unlike Gilneas, where the sky is choked with industrial smog and the hills are reaped of trees, the land of Kul Tiras has many animal spirits, and is overall in far better condition. Once an ally of the Thornspeakers, the wolf spirit “Greenstalker” is addressed in a questline, where he’s been controlled by the Heartsbane, and you have to kill him to restore his spirit. What is more, the stag spirit “Athair” has been present in Kul Tiras since its founding, and Athainne is even confirmed to bless Thornspeaker druids.
More have been seen in Kul Tiras as well. Where Gilneas has nothing more than a giant spider, Kul Tiras has several wild god spirits, including a stag, doe, wolf, turtle, and even a unicorn.
https://wow.gamepedia.com/Greenstalker
https://wow.gamepedia.com/Athair
https://wow.gamepedia.com/Athainne
https://www.wowhead.com/npc=137480/aitwen
https://www.wowhead.com/npc=130350/guardian-of-the-spring
This is where the Worgen Curse comes into play, for the Harvestwitches. These Gilnean pagans were already intimate with nature, and were capable of “simple nature magic”. Once bitten by the worgen curse, a worgen is spiritual connected to both Goldrinn and Elune, and thus capable of far more druidic potential. The Harvestwitches already had an intimacy with pagan practices, and so took to shapeshifting like fish to water. In fact, it is after they are bitten and then taught by the Kaldorei that the Harvestwitches return to the spotlight in the Horde Silverpine Forest questline, as the Inconspicuous Bears. If they were capable of this before, they would have done so.
In conclusion, human Harvestwitches did not use druidic shapeshifting. The new Thornspeaker druidism actually helps support this. For each reason the Gilneans can’t, the Thornspeakers have a reason they can. The Thornspeakers may be humans, but they have multiple wild gods and thousands of years of knowledge at their disposal. Harvestwitches were capable of far less, until enhanced by the worgen curse.
Thankyou for this question! I ended up having to do a lot more digging into Thornspeakers, and thinking on druidism itself. Which is a good thing! I’ll have to include all this in the “Soul” section of the guide… maybe some of it in Culture too… but I’ll definitely have to include this in some kind of additional Worgen Classes RP guide. Here’s your free bacon, in case I forgot 
sniffs around for the bacon
What is your take on Worgen Death Knight’s?
Is the official Blizzard explanation of the player being an escapee from Shadowfang Keep and getting caught by the Scourge and raised by Arthas an acceptable one? Or are Worgen DK’s more of a impossibility that only exist for the sake of faction racial class balance?
I was just thinking about this the other day. And I’ll allow Raedolf to give you an official answer, but I will give you my take on it.
Personally, I was never a fan of the official Blizzard explanation, you and your friend escaped Shadowfang Keep and end up joining the Argent Dawn and then get killed and raised. My main issue with this was your character theoretically has no control over themselves as a Worgen, they haven’t done the ritual or anything. However, I also remembered that there are Worgen in Grizzly Hills who seem to have some semblance of control, in that they can stay in human form and transform into their worgen form.
Because of this you could argue that you and your friend escape from Shadowfang Keep and have some control over your Worgen nature, and thus stay in human form because I doubt many in the Argent Dawn would take kindly to a giant bloodthirsty wolf, after that you join the Argent Dawn and then are later killed and raised.
It’s not the greatest explanation for Worgen Death Knight, but it’s possible.
The way I play my Worgen DK, he was one of the people of Pyrewood infected with the curse and taken to Shadowfang Keep, he ends up being killed by the adventurers (the players) when they show up to kill Arugal. Then when the Lich King sends the San’layn to retrieve Argual’s remains to bring him back (we find him in Grizzly Hills) they also bring back several Worgen remains to be revived as Death Knights because what’s more deadly than a ferocious Worgen that’s also a Death Knight?
Anyways, that’s how I did my character because to me that makes more sense, and it avoids the issue of “how did he have control of himself and not get killed on the spot by the Argent Dawn?” when he escaped Shadowfang Keep like the Blizzard explanation for Worgen DK.
Thankyou again for finding these two. Funny enough, the debate on worgen diets is what started it all for me, years ago. Someone on the forums asked the question, I answered, and a then-guildie disagreed and began trolling on an alt.
It’s been three years since then, and I’ve had the opportunity to research, ponder, and discuss the topic. At length. The question of “what worgen eat” really is bigger than simply taste. It involves biology… instinct… and delving into what the worgen really are. Whether they’re furry humans, or savage predators.
In short, yes, worgen eat meat. The wolf-men are predatory and carnivorous by nature. The worgen is physically equipped for the role of predator, with claws, a sensitive nose, and a maw of fangs. So too is the worgen instinctually predatory, by default. Halford Ramsey narrates it best in Curse of the Worgen - a sophisticated Gilnean detective - once he is turned.
A new, uncharted world stretched before me. And yet raw desire and emotion warred within. A need to sate hunger, to slake thirst, to run with feet barely touching the ground.
…
Then a shift in the wind alerted me to another scent, an odor I had encountered many times in my work…
Blood.Instantly calm, peace, and serenity were shattered. Rage swelled anew. I raced toward the source.
There was no thought, only action. I attacked! Driven by hunger, overwhelmed by the desire to pierce flesh with my teeth, to rend and tear…
(Curse of the Worgen, issue 3, pg 1-4)
Alpha Prime - the first worgen - addresses this instinct as well, more than once in the book. Perhaps one of his most forward of quotes is this, addressing on his imprisonment.
“Be at peace”? At PEACE?! We are meant to run! To hunt!
The exile of the Dream was a torture you could never possibly comprehend! You cannot tame what is meant to be wild!
(Curse of the Worgen, Issue 5, pg 20)
This does not appear to be “some” worgen, either. Even the most sophisticated Gilnean worgen example we have, King Genn Greymane, hunts on all fours, with a pack. In fact, it was the bitten nobles that accompanied him, hunting on all fours in Teldrassil.
Those who accompanied Genn included other surviving members of the nobility, male and female. However, in addition, favored officers and Genn’s own personal staff and guards would also be included in the “royal” hunt.
(Wolfheart p. 263)He bared his teeth as he imagined the nearby pack pursuing its prey, and increased his pace in order to better his chances of joining the chase before it was too late. He knew that the pack would not hunt too far apart from one another. Their lupine tendencies would make the worgen follow certain traits that Varian understood very well.
(Wolfheart p. 264)And at last he saw a worgen who could only be the Gilnean king. Genn flung himself after a massive boar with tusks so sharp and strong that, if the animal turned to face the worgen, Genn would truly risk death. At the moment, though, the boar thought only of flight. Genn, however, was fast gaining. He ran sometimes on only his legs, but other times used his hands too. With a litheness that Varian had not even seen from the much younger Eadrik, the veteran ruler closed on the boar.
(Wolfheart pp. 265-266)The bear let out a moan and fell on its left side, its throat now torn out. A worgen stood above the dead animal, blood and bits of meat still dangling from the end of his claws. The worgen looked at Varian.
(Wolfheart p. 274)
I’ve recently found another quote for support as well, in the newest book “Before the Storm”. The passage below begins with Anduin and Genn (in human form), eating breakfast together at the table, and Christie Golden takes this moment to comment on Genn’s other eating habits.
“I had almost forgotten we were heading into summer,” Greymane said as he helped himself to a sweet-smelling, perfectly ripe peach. Amberseed buns, Stromgarde cheese, herbed eggs, ham, bacon, fresh sunfruit, and pastries also had been laid out, and milk, coffee, tea, and a selection of juices were provided to wash it down.
As a worgen, Greymane had hunted for food in a way that the rest of the Alliance could not, and could feed upon things others could not. Worgen were, in many ways, the strongest and best suited to war, for the adage that an army marched on its stomach was a true one. But clearly the king of Gilneas still relished the taste of summer’s first fruits.
(Before the Storm p. 46)
More support can be found in other worgen lore sources as well. The Nightbane worgen in the comic Dark Riders love meat with a passion, so much so that two foolish worgen attacked without waiting for the pack. There are several mentions of bacon in the game, in jest, but there are also several instances of worgen eating meat, anywhere worgen can be found. In Duskwood, the Nightbane can be found eating slain wolves. In Silverpine Forest, the Bloodfang worgen were easily distracted by the meat on the table in the Shadowfang Keep dungeon. In the Grizzly Hills, the secretly worgen villagers try to sell you raw meat, and fur with puncture marks.
That’s not to say worgen can’t eat other things. Even my family dog loves her some potato chips. Worgen are at least half human too, even if they do have a canine mouth, so chocolate or grapes isn’t going to kill you if you eat it, as it would a dog. What is true is that worgen are compelled to eat meat, as well as to hunt it themselves.
Thankyou for this question! I actually had to go looking for old posts, and through various books in my kindle library for this one. Now that I have them on hand, reformatting this for the guide should be a piece of cake.
The only one I couldn’t find the source link for was the vendor in Silverbrooke village, that sells you raw meat and punctured fur scraps. Evidence of hunting by fang, even by the ‘human’ villagers. I’m gonna need to hop ingame to find that one… couldn’t find him on wowpedia or wowhead.
Hmmm… good one… this is one I haven’t tackled in detail quite yet. Let’s see what I can come up with here.
I don’t doubt that the worgen are strong, but I’d need a source for this, if I’m to claim that in a lore-based RP guide. If you’re going off of the racial stats (which don’t seem to do much), I’d be hesitant to take that mechanic as the full truth.
It is true worgen are the fastest, able to keep up with any horse or mechastrider when they take to all fours [1]. It is also true that the worgen are as agile as elves [2], and that it was using this swiftness and dexterity that they took down Forsaken, Tauren, and goblin shredders in Ashenvale [3].
As for strength… let’s see…in Curse of the Worgen, we see a worgen lift a man off the ground, and tear them in two[4], as you said. We also see a worgen rip off a satyr’s head[5], as well as lift enemies off the ground with one arm, including a kaldorei woman[6], a human man[7], and a whole adult worgen[8]. Worgen are seen busting through the solid wooden doors[9] of the Gilnean cathedral, as well as through glass windows in Gilneas and Duskwood.
In contrast, we also see worgen bested in strength, mostly when imprisoned or bound. Both Alpha Prime[10] and Halford Ramsey[11] restrained by vines, and unable to break free. Worgen are seen restrained in stocks[12], both in the comic, as well as the starter zone, and several locations in the game.
Judging by how worgen are depicted, they are indeed stronger than a regular human. But I’d be hesitant to claim they’re the strongest playable race, considering other beefy races like Tauren. The fact that the worgen chose to use swiftness and agility to take down the tauren should be noted. For both the tauren, and the goblin shredders, the worgen outmaneuvered their strong opponents, to strike from behind.
I’m gonna have to think on this one some more, that’s for sure! In the guide, I’d likely try to summarize all this in a few sentences under Strength. Perhaps that the worgen are indeed physically strong, but often rely on their agility as well.
Aaah, the good ol’ fashioned Worgen Deathknights question. I’ve definately got an answer for this one. Let’s see if I can do this one too before I have to go to class…
Let’s address that first part, so we understand how the worgen deathknight is at all possible.
Worgen are resistant to conventional forms of undeath. It is for this reason that Sylvanas cannot raise them after the forsaken kill them in battle, and are thus more effective in countering the forsaken than humans. This is noted in the Silverpine Forest questline, and humans later in the questline voluntarily become worgen for this very reason.
“Conventional forms of undeath” includes natural undeath as well. See Duskwood. Duskwood is a zone full of undeath, including zombies, banshees, skeletons, and ghosts, without any scourge involvement whatsoever. These restless dead are in fact natural undead, restless after death for other reasons, usually if they have unfinished business in the world of the living. Not only are worgen unable to be raised by typical necromancers, but will not come back as restless zombies, as a human might. All because of the worgen’s spiritual connection to Goldrinn and Elune, a god of Life and goddess of Azeroth respectively.
Now that we’ve covered conventional forms of undeath, let’s talk about the Lich King. The Lich King is far more powerful than an everyday necromancer. Where a Valkyr are simply blessed spirits of Vykrul women, the Lich King is more of a death god. The Lich King is far more powerful, having been made so by The Burning Legion. He is able to telepathically control an entire undead army, raise a whole dragon to undeath, and raise various races as deathknights. Note also that Sylvanas’s valkyr can only make mediocre rotting undead, where the Lich King raised super powerful deathknights. Considering how much more powerful the Lich King is, compared to Sylvanas’s forces, yes. It does make sense that the Lich King can raise worgen as Deathknights.
Now to address that note on the actual scenario given to us. First off, I’ll say that no, you do not need to follow that scenario exactly. There are two important details when it comes to creating a Worgen Deathknight backstory.
- When they were first summoned in Gilneas, the Kaldorei Worgen summoned were pointed towards the Scourge outside the wall.
- After the Forsaken killed some of those Kaldorei Worgen, Arugal, and the human worgen in Shadowfang Keep, the scourge was in the area to raise Arugal.
- According to the DK questline, some worgen fled Shadowfang Keep and joined the fight against the Scourge with groups like the argent dawn.
- Raised as a Shade by the Lich King’s princes, Arugal started his own Wolfcult in the Grizzly Hills, at the Lich King’s behest. Living worgen were brought with him to northrend, where they gave the curse to willing villagers in Silverbrooke and other human villages. Those who opposed the cult were killed, and raised as simple undead to work tirelessly in the mines for the scourge.
In short, we know that worgen can become deathknights. And we know that worgen have came in contact with the scourge on multiple occasions. Which occasion, how they died, and how their body was recovered is up to you.
If some human tells you that you can 100% only play a DK worgen from Shadowfang Keep, ask them if they grew up in Northshire and killed kobolds for money. The starter zone is an example, not a rule.
Totally gonna be late for class, but I want to answer this one too.
This aspect of worgen psychology is incredibly interesting to me. On one hand, all worgen are subject to predatory instincts and seething rage. Yet at the same time, even “feral” worgen are completely sane, contrary to popular belief.
Let’s look at Shadowfang Keep first off. Shadowfang keep itself actually has a ton of support for feral sentience. At first glance, it looks like a few beasts that just overpowered some humans and took the place. In reality, Archmage Arugal summoned the worgen, including Alpha Prime, the first worgen. Alpha Prime spoke with him, and eventually earned Arugal’s loyalty. In the Curse of the Worgen epilogue, we actually see Archmage Arugal bend the knee to Alpha Prime. In the very next frame, we see worgen subjects of Alpha Prime leaving Shadowfang Keep, set on betraying and overthrowing their alpha. These worgen indeed wild, and are fully sentient.
This is supported by the original Shadowfang Keep dungeon as well, that came out years before the comic. In the dungeon, we see several worgen. These worgen are not only named, but also wear clothes, and have several voice lines.
https://wow.gamepedia.com/Shadowfang_Keep_(original)
https://wow.gamepedia.com/Rethilgore
https://wow.gamepedia.com/Razorclaw_the_Butcher
https://wow.gamepedia.com/Odo_the_Blindwatcher
https://wow.gamepedia.com/Wolf_Master_Nandos
“Feral” worgen are not “mindless” worgen. Many of the Kaldorei and even human-worgen in Shadowfang keep were sentient. They were even able to use human form - without using the ritual - as depicted earlier in Curse of the Worgen. Their feral lifestyle is a choice, lead by their wild but oh-so-sentient and clever leader, Alpha Prime.
These worgen are in their right mind, and have minds of their own. Just like Varkas was able to set out to betray Alpha Prime, it is just as possible for other worgen to flee Shadowfang Keep altogether if they so wished, as in the Deathknight questline.
It’s really nice see someone talking about lore with sources and logic, regardless the race or subject that is studied, congrats for that pal!!
Now, time to go for the bacon. I think it’s pretty obvious that Gilneas main religion was the Light, considering that they have a cathedral in the midle of the city, and probably the harvest witch and his magic were more like a secondary practice among Gilneas humans.
So, if this were true, what is the current state of Worgens in relation with the Light? they are faithful to the Light? they still practicing it? Or are more inclinated to tilt his faith to the Druidism?
Cya!
Thanks for the answer. One last question about the sentience of Worgen DKs. Given that DKs raised by Arthas were enslaved to him, do you think his immense necromantic powers played any role in caging the feral instincts of the worgen?
Found this quote
“In the early days of humanity and its civilization, many tribes of humans had primitive belief systems that incorporated simple nature magic. However, the rise of organized religion such as the Holy Light and the potent arcane magics introduced by the high elves quickly supplanted such traditions. Gilneas, due to its relative isolation, has retained a degree of their ancient culture in the contemporary era. The religious leaders of what was in Gilneas referred to as the “old ways” eventually became “harvest-witches”; those who used their nature powers to augment Gilneas’ agricultural output during and following its period of industrialization” (source: Ask CDev Round 3)
Given that the Church of the Holy Light was (and still is) the dominant religion throughout the human kingdoms for some time, id argue that most non-druid Worgen still adhere to that belief system. As for the Harvest Witches of Gilneas, the Night Elves seemed to have helped them to get a better understanding of their powers. And im sure they have adopted the same Druidism of the Night Elves or at least tied their own ancient Harvest Witch beliefs with that of the Nelves. Given that Gilneas has had an intimate relationship with the elves after they took them in, I wouldn’t be surprised if more Gilneans took to Druidistic beliefs for the simple reason of trying to understand their curse. Perhaps some have even tied their belief of the Holy Light to that of Elune. Dealing in speculation of course.
Interesting. Yes, makes sense that some Worgens being nowadays more into Druidism than the Light. I would like to believe that also some of them still attached to the Light, specially those who were priests before the curse.
I’m glad you appreciate it! I really do love this stuff.
That’s a very big question, and a sensitive topic. No matter the answer, someone would be upset. Even I have changed my perspective on it from time to time, as I learn more about Druidism, worgen cultures, and The Light.
The topic of worgen religion itself is quite a difficult one, because there is no one single culture of worgen to look at. There’s Gilnean culture, then Gilnean worgen. There’s Kaldorei culture, then there’s kaldorei worgen. Beteween the Gilneans, there’s a cultural divide between upper-class Royal and lower-class Rebel. Between the Kaldorei worgen, there’s a divide between those that worshipped Goldrinn and became worgen, and those who were simply bitten in the crossfire. There are packs made of just Kaldorei-Worgen (Terrowulf), of just human Worgen (Greymane, Moonrage, and Bloodmoon), and several consisting of both, no doubt mixing the cultures (Nightbane, Bloodfang, and Talonbranch).
There is such a variety of contributing variables that, in the end, it really depends on what culture the character is a part of, what their personal experiences and beliefs are, and what kind of character you wish to play.
That said… I’ll tell you what I do know.
The two gods Goldrinn and Elune are frequently mentioned in the worgen lore, for good reason. It is their combined magics that created the worgen curse, and thus it is to they that the worgen owe their strength. Even if Gilnean worgen do not openly worship these pagan deities, they surely seem to revere them. Genn Greymane himself refers to Goldrinn as “our patron spirit”, and respects Varian because he is Goldrinn’s chosen champion.
We see things that no normal human can. Some call you Lo’Gosh, though that they use a Taur-ahe title for you I find ironic. Still, it is but another name for Goldrinn, as we have come to know our patron spirit since our transformation. I saw the aura of that spirit around you the first moment you arrived at the banquet, and even though you gave every indication of crushing our hopes then, I still held out for our chances because I could see his touch upon you as if it were your own skin. . . .”
Knaak, Richard A… World of Warcraft: Wolfheart (p. 267). Gallery Books. Kindle Edition.
Varian surveyed the other worgen, and though they were swift to recover from their shock, their movement yet struck him as slightly slower than his own. “Goldrinn . . . ,” Genn muttered, staring. “Lo’Gosh . . . his aura . . . it surrounds you so completely. . . .” Around them, the ears of the other worgen flattened, but in awe, not fear. “Goldrinn truly touches your heart, your soul . . . ,” Genn murmured. “The wolf honors you, and so—so do we. . . .” Varian said nothing, but he, too, was at last able to sense what Genn had known from the beginning. The ghost of the great wolf had made him its chosen, its champion.
Knaak, Richard A… World of Warcraft: Wolfheart (pp. 331-332). Gallery Books. Kindle Edition.
Some Gilneans, however, have come to embrace and worship Goldrinn fully, such as those that joined Alpha Prime’s “Wolf Cult” in Gilneas. Alpha Prime himself spoke of both Goldrinn and Elune when he spoke of the curse as a purity, in his cult’s holy book “Purity of Essence”. Thanks to this book, the Wolf Cult appears to be the dominant belief in the Bloodfang (Curse of the Worgen) and Nightbane (Dark Riders) packs. The Nightbane and Bloodfang even refer to the Scythe of Elune as the “Fang of the Father”, referring to the male wolf god Goldrinn, rather than Elune.
The Gilneans at least revere Goldrinn and Elune, while the more tribal worgen seem to heavily worship Goldrinn. While it is not stated that ALL worgen MUST worship Goldrinn, it may be difficult not to feel some respect and gratitude towards the great god of the hunt, and the goddess of balance. But again, it comes down to the character. A street rat risen to greatness thanks to the Curse may be thankful, while an aristocrat knocked down to a new low may loath those gods responsible for the curse. Even so… it is indeed curious that Genn Greymane, the King of Gilneas itself, enjoys the worgen form so readily, and respects Goldrinn so much.
Now to address the Old Ways, which the Harvest Witches of Gilneas follow. I’ve heard it referred to as Gilnean Paganism, and really, that seems quite accurate. We don’t know much about the Old Ways, but we know that it was an old animistic (pagan) belief left over from the days of human tribes. We are told that this had completely died out in other human nations, and was in the process of dieing out (more slowly) in the secluded city of Gilneas. We are also told that it was rare, only practiced on the fringes of agrarian villages, and that Genn hadn’t been exposed to it - in his own country - until the fall of Gilneas.
He had heard that druidism was practiced among some of Gilneas’s agrarian folk, but he hadn’t been exposed to it until recently.
Lord of his Pack, pg 2The Old Ways are indeed a secondary religion of Gilneas, if not even rarer. Gilneas is based on industrial revolution England, so let’s look there as an example. Paganism once dominated Scotland and Ireland. Now, 59.5% are Christian, while Neo-Paganism is counted somewhere within the 0.4%. Meaning, if you have one thousand people, up to four of them may be some variation of pagan. This may have been slightly higher in the industrial revolution some two hundred years ago, and may be higher in Gilneas - set in a fantasy world with spirits - but the point still stands that the “Old Ways” would be rather rare. This number is said to have grown slightly during the Gilnean famine, and of course may have grown more popular among Gilnean Worgen as they become closer with nature.
Yet even so, the Old Ways are far from being the prominent religion among worgen. Rather, it is more akin to added lore, to justify and introduce Gilnean Worgen druids.
The Light… is an interesting topic. The Light appears to be the dominant religion not only among humans, but among the other Alliance races as well. The Gnomes pray to the Light in the starter zone, the humans dwarves and draenei all have priests as their current racial leaders, and several civilian NPCs pray to The Light.
The Light appears to be the dominant religion of Gilneas as well. The “Light’s Dawn Cathedral” stands at the very center point of the city. Genn refers to praying and The Light multiple times in Curse of the worgen (“I pray you’re both wrong” and “Light, no… not this. Not now. Not the Forsaken.” in issue 5), as well as Liam, who says “Light, help us all!” directed to the The Light, as the cataclsym strikes.
https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/512036763871739925/570805527651811330/unknown.png
As for Gilneans once they become worgen, it’s difficult to say. I would say an individual’s belief is heavily influenced by the culture surrounding them, and this certainly applies to worgen. Those like Genn living in Stormwind amid other Alliance races may continue to worship the Holy Light alonside them, maybe even strengthened in this fellowship, “as iron sharpens iron”. Those living in the Nightbane and Bloodfang may revere the Light in their spare time, alongside Goldrinn and Elune, or forget the Light altogether. The same can be said for those that spend their time in the Cenarion Circle.
Also, the one worgen Priest I can recall is in Raven Hill Duskwood, named Sister Elsington. She uses holy Light, and gives you quests regarding the restless ghosts in the area, helping you calm their souls.
https://wow.gamepedia.com/Sister_Elsington
Some food for thought as well… My own character has explored each of these religions in his own way, over the years. In a way, he now practices a balance of all three. Because it is religion, it is influenced by personal experience, personal choice, and cultural influence. With a Harvest Witch past, discovering Goldrinn and Elune in roleplay a few years ago, and a recent near-death encounter with The Light, he’s found a way for all three to work in agreement.
The Light is all that is good in the universe. Goldrinn is a god of Life, far lesser in power than the Light. Elune is a goddess of balance, found only on Azeroth, while the Light covers the whole universe. The Old Ways is simply a reverence of nature, and caring for nature in the mortal world with basic nature magic.
Chronicle 1 says that in the beginning, there was Light. Where the Light was absent, Shadow grew to power. Rising tension between the two resulted in conflict, “rupturing the fabric of creation, and birthing a new realm into existence”. If only Light and Shadow existed, then the other four planes of magic (Life and Death, Order and Disorder) resulted from the “explosion”. Since Life and Order are positive, they must have come from Light, and since Disorder and Death are destructive, they must have come from Shadow in contrast. If Life goes hand-in-hand with Light, then nature itself - as well as the demigods - exist because of the Light.
Therefor; Nature obeys the Wild Gods, which obey the plane of Life, which obey The Light.
In this way, using nature magic, revering Goldrinn, and worshipping the Light functions, as a nature oriented follower of the Light. Just as a soldier may serve in a different regiment, but serve the same country.
This is certainly going to be an interesting topic to include, in the worgen RP guide. “Religion” itself is a field of study, that people can major in, especially anthropology, theology, and psychology. I’m just a worgen-obsessed Environmental Science major. 
I dare say I went far deeper into this topic tonight than needbe… but such a big question! And worthy of a good answer.
And bacon.
Thanks for the reply! That’s a lot of information. BTW, related to the relation with the Light and the realm of life and nature, the lore says that Velen told to Nobundo that shamanism was another way to the Light (or something like this). May be that could helo to understand the Link between the Light and the realm of Life or Nature.
Oh yes, of course! Apologies, I really should have noted that while discussing them.
Yes. It is confirmed, via CDev response, that the Lich King’s power suppresses these instincts when the worgen is raised as a Deathknight.
Worgen Psycology: Emotion and Instinct (or lack there of)
When raised as a Deathknight, a juggernaut of the scourge, much of the individual’s identity is lost. Emotions, memories, even past addictions[1] and instincts[2] are all suppressed, overwhelmed, and replaced by Death Magic.
Which makes a lot of sense. Those worgen instincts aren’t just there for fun. Instinct serves a purpose; survival. The instinct to flee, if you’re in danger. Instinct to protect your young, keeps the next generation alive. Instinct to hunt, keeps you fed. An undead being no longer fears danger because it’s already dead, has no need to protect children if it cannot reproduce, and has no need to hunt if it never grows hungry. No need for shelter, if you never need to sleep. Whether it’s because they’re dead, or because the Lich King found them unnecessary, Worgen Deathknights have as much instinct as any dead wolf carcass.
Worgen Biology: Death
Now here, I have something to offer.
It is true that worgen get their fur, fangs, and instincts from the worgen curse, which in turn draws from the Wild God Goldrinn. If the worgen curse is drowned out by the Lich King, then why are worgen deathknights still worgen?
The answer here is simply this. A worgen’s body is, physically, worgen. When you undergo your first change, your true body turns into a worgen. Note that this is not a druid form[4]. When a worgen dies in a druid form, they return to worgen form in death[3]. When a worgen dies in worgen form, they remain in worgen form[5][6]. Either way, upon death, the worgen remains as worgen.
Therefore, a dead worgen is still, physically, worgen. A fact that surprised Jarod Shadowsong[5], as he came to realize the worgen was no mere druid form.
Worgen Deathknights: They have needs too!
So we’ve covered typical worgen instincts and behavior, and how you can just throw those out the window when it comes to worgen Deathknights. But, while we’re on the subject, there are plenty of Deathknight urges that can supplement those missing instincts.
Namely, the hunt. Worgen have that constant urge to hunt, just as Demonhunters are compelled to wreak havoc. Deathknights, in turn, have the need to cause torment. While wolves do not tend to torment their food often, the prey no doubt feels a great level of fear during the chase, and despair afterwards. This may not be the most effective means to get your torture fix, as skinning a Horde spy alive might, but it gives you a reason to hunt all the same, should you wish.
Are blood elf death knights still afflicted by their racial addiction to magic?
No, though their new addiction, the one all Ebon Blade death knights possess, is arguably worse: the need to inflict pain. If death knights do not regularly inflict agony upon another creature, they begin to suffer wracking pains that could drive them into a mindless, blood-seeking hysteria—a far worse fate than that of those who suffer from arcane withdrawal.
From the quest “
When the player death knights are pressed into the service of the Lich King, their minds are flooded with his indomitable will. The mind of a worgen who has not undergone the purification ritual beneath Tal’doren is in a state of constant battle between the wild, animal instincts of the curse and the rational mind of a human. With the addition of the Lich King’s control, however, the instincts of the curse are shattered by his power, leaving the logical, human mind in the service of the Scourge. And with the Lich King’s will removed, as was the case with the Knights of the Ebon Blade at Light’s Hope Chapel, only the human portions of the mind remain, giving the now free, undead worgen control over its destiny.
It was another worgen . . . minus his head. Even in death, he still retained his lupine form, something that Jarod had not expected.
Knaak, Richard A… World of Warcraft: Wolfheart (p. 341). Gallery Books. Kindle Edition.
I really should write a worgen class guide sometime in the future, to go over all this again more efficiently. But I’ll admit Deathknight lore isn’t my forte. So when my niche (worgen) overlaps with another niche (deathknights), I’ve been able to contact someone in the know about Deathknights, or even a Deathknight worgen RPer that shows their stuff. I knew this one guy a couple years ago, Deathcharge on ED, who rocked the Deathknight Worgen RP pretty well.
Anywho, here’s more thankyou bacon
Not that you’re hungry or anything, deathknight. But still.
Certainly is! Thank God for those dropdown spoiler boxes, am I right? That… and… they removed the character limit.
I’mma have to look into that!
It spoke to me of secrets and power, and also of truths. The Light had not forsaken the Broken! The fel energies that the orcs had wielded long ago against the draenei had infused us, causing a break in our ability to be heard by, or perhaps to hear, the Light. The same that had been responsible for the degradation of our bodies.
But our spirits were not broken, and the air offered to me another path, through which I might deliver my people.
What was that?
It taught me the path of shamanism, which in a way is just another facet of the Light. Joining the wind was the water of the oasis, the fire from my camp and the earth upon which I sat. All had something to say.
Over the next few years they taught me what it was to call upon and be one with the elements of the world. And they told me that the worlds of all of the stars in the sky, even this one, are made up of these elements.
That’s certainly interesting, and definitely contributes to the “Druidism serves Light” theory. Shamanism, which in a way is just another facet of the Light. Could make sense… Shamanism uses “Spirit”, the element of lifeforce, which is on the positive side of the cosmology chart, leading to nature.
Related to this topic,
I will be hosting my monthly worgen lore sermon event this Wednesday at 8pm PST, Stormwind Embassy Wyrmrest Accord.
If anyone wants to join from another realm, you can join the ingame Community for an easy invite to the group.
Join the ingame community here to add this event and more to your ingame calendar.
Are Worgens terrified of rolled-up newspapers?
Always kinda curious, why are worgens hard too raise into undeath?
not as a death knight i mind you, but as a basic undead?
I’m no lore expert here, but I remember hearing it has something to with Worgen being connected to the Emerald Dream and Nature magic which is all about Life, so basically Worgen are very hard to raise into Undeath unless said person who raises them is very powerful, like the Lich King.
<The Wolf Cult> presents, “Purity of Essence”
Stormwind Embassy, 5pm WrA / 7pm MG
Meet us at the Stormwind Embassy tonight at 5pm for a lesson on worgen lore. This month, the TRUE story behind the Fall of Gilneas. Come for answers, stay for food, trivia and prizes, questions, and open discussion.
See the official thread for more info, as well as discord and ingame community invites.
