World of Warcraft®

So finally! the Velen story is out and so let's have discussion ;)

I have to say the story was something of a mixed bag; while fairly well written compared to certain other stories I felt a little disappointed by both the stories major focus on Anduin and the constant referencing to how great and brilliant Varian is (I believe on page 2 it stated "All the refugees said he was a great and true king) and Maarad being a grumpy old git...other than that I quite enjoyed it especially Velen's portrayal as being somewhat ethereal and aloof in comparison to the other Draenei. I hope this means that MoP brings with it an update to Azuremyst and Bloodmyst featuring a restored Exodaras.

Initially I found it to be decent, yet after re-reading it and associating it with what Anduin is getting up to in Mists of Pandaria I simply found myself cringing. Yet again, the intriguing aspects of a race and major lore figure are cut away and given to...a human. Neither Velen nor the draenei as a whole have been given much focus for a few years, so it is very much a case of salt being rubbed into one's wounds when they finally get some brief elaboration which is then largely soaked up and overshadowed by human lore.

On a side note, I'm confused as to why the refugees are fawning over Varian when the whole point of Westfall was apparently to show us how many citizens are starving and displaced by war. Or you know, they could've gone with the logical route and had night elven refugees show up on Azuremyst as that would make a lot more sense.

Sadly, I find myself repeating the exact same concerns in every other thread these days. I prefer the days when we put the pieces together ourselves, since the new direction of much of the lore is very, very disappointing.

So.

Based on this story, I expect to see Draeni everywhere throughout Azeroth now. Pandaria should be full of them, in Service.

And yes, I am disappointed that once again the lore is building up to one super-awesome mega human boy prince King thing.

About the ONLY thing you can say about this story is at least it was a bit more relevant than the Blood Elf one, and that's not saying much.

Good enough story. I don't mind that superhuman human part per se, I just want a break from humans vs orcs.

"Have I lost myself so much? Velen wondered. I must be taught by a mortal child?
And then the answer came from the depths of his soul: The Light's lessons are a boon no matter their origin."

I mean, it's a nice thing in the story, tbh, we're simply bored of seeing humans everywhere in the Alliance and neutral factios, and everything coming down to humans when it's about other Alliance factions. That's the problem of the Blizzard and WoW in general, not with this story. This story is fine. I just hope it means that draenei "will take more active role in the world".

don't really think the writer does humans justice though. As rag tagged and ungrateful as people tend to be,even in loud crowds, you often do have someone talking sense to them.. altho that depends on the culture that particular group of humans are from.

Also, i like how he describes Maraad as being perplexed that those refugee humans were of the same race as some of those he had bravely fought alongside in Northrend.. which casts my mind back to the whole race thing of wow and their relative power.

you see, i've always felt that races like Elves for example are many times more than match for humans or orcs, both physically, mentally and magically - altho i'm seriously doubting phsycally now even though thanks to the well of eternity the Night elves are meant to be much stronger than humans and orcs. Still, i've always felt that humans and Orcs have far greater variation in the greatest and the least, whereas with the likes of Draenei and Elves you know nearly all are roughly at the same standard. The thing is there are far fewer of them, so you normally have bands of Elves/Draenei/Tauren vastly outnumbered by their human/orc adversariesk which should basically be how most victories won against them are achieved. Rather than one on ones.

the races in Azeroth are not equal. but there is more to them than 1 v 1 prowress, it is also colelctive ingenuity etc. Centaurs are very powerful and they're smart, but they suck at working together. and that's a huge downfall for them .. Elves are largely indpeendent, and their arrogance and underestimating others is their biggest weakness. altho they have yet to be beaten when they band together...unless vastly outnumbered. Trolls would succeed a lot more if they didn't fight themselves all the time, way too proud and prickly. Humans would be better off if they actually stood up and took responsibility rather than just leave it all to the leaders to do.

You can't have plot development for an Alliance race without cramming humans in there somewhere... at least according to Blizzard writers.

All I read: ANDUINANDUINANDUIN the oooh so shining and righteous prince.

Wait was it about some prophet?

BECAUSE I JUST LOOOOOVE HUMAN MANGA TEENS AMG! Just love that selfrighteous little d!ck.

actually it's not such a bad idea you know.. it keeps a bit of the mystery of the race. I really kinda of expected most night elf lore to be revealed from the eyes of human among them.

it keeps warcraft being largely human focused without diminishing another race either, and allowing it to be mysterious and of legend. Cause remember, the night elves are legendary to none night elves b/c of their accomplishments. The Draenei are legendary to none draenei especially when you know this is the race the demon lords came from and they've travelled the cosmos.

it is also a clever way to write on a race you have not clearly decided their characteristics and how you will play them out, you havne't decided much about how they run, their society is formed. for e.g this triumvirate you find rule the Draenei...we had no idea till just now. TBC was full of help we are in distreess so not much about their governement etc was known except that Velen led them. I don't mind it written through the eyes of Anduin, it did not do the Dranei injustice, i think it worked better in their favor. but we'll see.

It isn't as bad as it could have been, though I'm no Draenei-Lore fan, so I'm unsure just how much Lore it mutilates, if any.
Why was it about Anduin, more than Velen? Though my biggest gripe was with them planning to just lift off the Exodar. I understand why they would want to do it, but I'd expect such an age-old, wise race to discuss such a thing first, for Fel's sake!
Anduin was out of place. I mean, I understand why he was present, but why was the Story about -him-?! Why did some teenager educate Velen, one of the oldest and most respected beings alive?! It seems to just be a half-baked attempt to make Anduin look 'kewl' and prepare him to become a Super Saiyan like his Father.

i dunno, but it was nice to get an update about what Anduin was doing on Eodar, and get snapshot of his training. It was about Velen largely, because Anduin's ultimate focus was him, the refugees focused on him, as did the draenei leadership. They were just lesss direct about it.

it did give him a more legendary feel.

25/04/2012 11:20Posted by Velynia

It seems to just be a half-baked attempt to make Anduin look 'kewl' and prepare him to become a Super Saiyan like his Father.

Anduin is propped to become a paladin.

Instead of the prince, an armored warrior stood before him, his plate helm and breastplate shining with the essence of the Light itself. The warrior wielded a sword forged from the same material as the armor, held it aloft as he perched on an outcropping...

I believe this is Velen seeing Anduin in his visions.

wait i though Anduin was a priest why would he have a sword .....

25/04/2012 13:13Posted by Altena

wait i though Anduin was a priest why would he have a sword .....

He's also skilled with a bow, apparently. So in short, he's yet another infuriatingly irritating human who seems to be able to do everything better than anyone else. I was hoping that he would be a humble counter to his father, though he is swiftly shaping up to be worse.

23/04/2012 22:39Posted by Fyne

Agreed with Caelheim and Eyil, that I admit to wishing that Velen and the draenei were less overshadowed by the young prince. Whilst showing the relationship between the draenei and their allies is useful, and whilst it helps to show why the draenei would continue to be active on Azeroth, and whilst yes, it helps retain the "alien" mystique of the draenei culture, it seems a shame that it turns out not to be a dranei vindicator or priest who takes up the principal active role in the story, with the young prince in a supporting role, rather than seemingly the other way 'round.

25/04/2012 13:13Posted by Altena

wait i though Anduin was a priest why would he have a sword .....

Anduin is only 13 years old in Cataclysm, humans can develop and change quite a lot during their teenage years. It's not impossible for him to grow greatly in physical strength and change from priest to paladin so he matches the person he's named after.

It's just my interpertation of the vision in the short story, and it may not be true at all. I may just project my own preference for classes into it, but I wouldn't be all that surprised of Blizzard took his story in that direction.

25/04/2012 13:38Posted by Soltharn

He's also skilled with a bow, apparently. So in short, he's yet another infuriatingly irritating human who seems to be able to do everything better than anyone else. I was hoping that he would be a humble counter to his father, though he is swiftly shaping up to be worse.

I just wait for the moment when Orc Jesus with Medan on one hand and Anduin on the other hand is flying over Azeroth. Proppeled by a rainbow colored stream coming out of his behind that showers down on all of Azeroth and ends all fighting and misunderstandings.