WoW Insider

WoW Insiderhttp://wow.joystiq.comWoW Insiderhttp://wow.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gifWoW Insiderhttp://wow.joystiq.comen-usCopyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only.Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/WoW Insider ShowEvery week, the WoW Insider Show brings you news and views from the World of Warcraft and the site that covers it all, WoW Insider. We introduce a panel of rotating guests, including bloggers from WoW Insider and other WoW blogs, and many popular personalities from around the WoW community. From the live listener chat and polls during the show, to the emails direct from listeners (reach us at theshow@wow.com), right on to the "meat" of the show -- in-depth discussion of the most popular news and posts on WoW Insider -- the WoW Insider Show is a terrific source of news and entertainment about what's going on with Blizzard and their World of Warcraft. Listen live every Saturday at 3:30 pm Eastern on our Ustream page (http://www.ustream.tv/channel/wow-insider-show) or subscribe to the feed and let us know what you think by reviewing the show right here in iTunes.Know Your Lore: A look at the lore of Diablohttp://wow.joystiq.com/2012/05/14/know-your-lore-a-look-at-the-lore-of-diablo/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/05/14/know-your-lore-a-look-at-the-lore-of-diablo/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/05/14/know-your-lore-a-look-at-the-lore-of-diablo/#commentsFiled under: Analysis / Opinion, Blizzard, Lore, Know your Lore, Diablo 3

This special edition of Know Your Lore presents an overview of the lore of the Diablo games and their setting, the world of Sanctuary. Each week, Matthew Rossi and Anne Stickney make sure you Know Your Lore by covering the history of the story behind World of Warcraft. Enjoy this week's diversion into the world of Diablo III.

The Diablo games are very different from anything in the Warcraft setting, a far more black-and-white morality played out in endless cosmic war between absolute forces of order and righteousness opposing evil and chaos. This war, the Great or Eternal Conflict, is so massive in scale and scope that it can almost be said to be endless. The war predates the world of Sanctuary, the realm where mortal men and women are born and live out their lives. Indeed, Sanctuary itself was created by a rogue angel and his demonic lover and ally as a place to find an end to the war.

But before the conflict, before the universe itself existed, there was only Anu. Anu existed as a pearl, a central point which contained all evil and all good, all possibilities and all dualities contained within its mirrored surface. Yet Anu felt imperfect in its duality and sought purity in the rejection of its negative aspects, casting them aside to become a being of glittering diamond -- a perfected warrior. Yet what Anu rejected, his cast-off impurities themselves became perfection of a dark bent, forming the monstrous Tathamet. This seven-headed dragon declared war on the glittering Anu, who in turn sought to destroy that which he had cast out of himself.

Continue reading Know Your Lore: A look at the lore of Diablo

Know Your Lore: A look at the lore of Diablo originally appeared on WoW Insider on Mon, 14 May 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>Angiris-CouncilBaalBarbarians-Are-AwesomeDiabloDIablo-3Diablo-IIIfeaturedguideguide-to-loreLesser-Evilslorelore-guideMariusMephistoMount-ArreatPrime-Evilsrole-playrole-playing-guiderp-guideSanctuaryTheDark-WandererTyraelMatthew RossiMon, 14 May 2012 13:00:00 ESTKnow Your Lore: 5 potential new warchiefs for Mists of Pandariahttp://wow.joystiq.com/2012/05/13/know-your-lore-5-potential-new-warchiefs-for-mists-of-pandaria/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/05/13/know-your-lore-5-potential-new-warchiefs-for-mists-of-pandaria/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/05/13/know-your-lore-5-potential-new-warchiefs-for-mists-of-pandaria/#commentsFiled under: Lore, Know your Lore

The World of Warcraft is an expansive universe. You're playing the game, you're fighting the bosses, you know the how -- but do you know the why? Each week, Matthew Rossi and Anne Stickney make sure you Know Your Lore by covering the history of the story behind World of Warcraft.

Warcraft lore is a continually fluctuating beast of a thing that can change at a moment's notice. This is particularly true for stories and plot developments that we hear over the course of beta testing, prior to an expansion's actual release. Nothing announced for Mists of Pandaria in the way of plot development is really set in stone and slapped into lore until the day you can purchase the game for yourselves and play it to your heart's content.

Even then, things might not be what they appear to be. Early this week, we had a fairly eye-opening announcement from Community Manager Zarhym in which he stated that perhaps Thrall wasn't slated to make a return to warchief once Garrosh had been removed, unlike all previous assumptions had suggested. Given the fact that Thrall's just saved the world, not to mention the fact that he's about to be a father, it's hard to picture him gladly taking his place as warchief again. There are more reasons than just those, of course.

But then that leaves the major question: Who the heck is going to be warchief? We don't have answers, but we've got five interesting possibilities for you to consider.

Continue reading Know Your Lore: 5 potential new warchiefs for Mists of Pandaria

Know Your Lore: 5 potential new warchiefs for Mists of Pandaria originally appeared on WoW Insider on Sun, 13 May 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>aggrabaine-bloodhoofcairne-bloodhooffeaturedgarrosh-hellscreamguideguide-to-lorelorelore-guidemists-of-pandariarole-playrole-playing-guiderp-guidevarok-saurfangvoljinwarchiefwarchief-garroshwarchief-thrallworld-of-warcraft-lorewow-guidewow-lorewow-role-playingwow-role-playing-guidewow-rpwow-rp-guidewow-rpingAnne StickneySun, 13 May 2012 18:00:00 ESTKnow Your Lore: Otherworldly mysterieshttp://wow.joystiq.com/2012/05/09/know-your-lore-otherworldly-mysteries/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/05/09/know-your-lore-otherworldly-mysteries/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/05/09/know-your-lore-otherworldly-mysteries/#commentsFiled under: Analysis / Opinion, The Burning Crusade, Lore, Know your Lore, Wrath of the Lich King, Cataclysm

The World of Warcraft is an expansive universe. You're playing the game, you're fighting the bosses, you know the how -- but do you know the why? Each week, Matthew Rossi and Anne Stickney make sure you Know Your Lore by covering the history of the story behind World of Warcraft.

Draenor has always interested me. Note that I didn't say Outland, which is a part of the former world Draenor. While Outland itself is very interesting in its own right, one of the things I find fascinating about Draenor is that we do not know what it looked like. While we have a good understanding of one large continent (of which most survived as Outland), we don't know the entirety of that continent, nor do we know whether or not any other pieces of the lost red world survived.

What we do know is that Draenor died when Ner'zhul, the former elder shaman and de facto ruler of the Horde remnants that survived Gul'dan's treachery and Doomhammer's defeat, tried to use stolen magical artifacts to open portals to new worlds, hoping to find one to lead his people to settle on. He did this because the warlock magics taught to Gul'dan by Kil'jaeden had effectively rendered Draenor unlivable.

While Draenor was the homeworld of the orcish people, who evolved there, it was not named by them. Rather, it was the draenei fleeing the Burning Legion who gave the world its name. Draenor means "exile's refuge" in the eredun language. In addition, it was the arrival of the draenei and the naaru that led to the entrenched ancestor worship of the orcish people, as K'ure's tomb in Oshu'gun (the remains of the draenei vessel) attracted the spirits of the deceased to it. In turn, these spirits deliberately created a religion among their own descendents that would venerate K'ure's resting place, weaving orc and draenei together spiritually.

Draenor was a world of its own, and we barely knew it. And it's not the only world we know about in the Warcraft cosmos with strange, unexplained mysteries.

Continue reading Know Your Lore: Otherworldly mysteries

Know Your Lore: Otherworldly mysteries originally appeared on WoW Insider on Wed, 09 May 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>AncientDraenorfeaturedGromguideguide-to-lorelorelore-guideOld-Godsrole-playrole-playing-guiderp-guideSargerasSatyrTitansworld-of-warcraft-lorewow-guidewow-lorewow-role-playingwow-role-playing-guidewow-rpwow-rp-guidewow-rpingMatthew RossiWed, 09 May 2012 12:00:00 ESTPass down these bona fide orcish proverbs to your young Hordelingshttp://wow.joystiq.com/2012/05/07/pass-down-these-bona-fide-orcish-proverbs-to-your-young-hordelin/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/05/07/pass-down-these-bona-fide-orcish-proverbs-to-your-young-hordelin/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/05/07/pass-down-these-bona-fide-orcish-proverbs-to-your-young-hordelin/#commentsFiled under: Lore

When Mike Sacco passed down the orcish proverb "Every orc is worth a dozen," my world changed. Never had life been so simple, so distilled down to the real truth. If I wasn't strong enough as one person, I should just be as strong as more people. It was so simple that it just might work -- well, according to an orc.

Orcish proverbs straddle the fine line between clever and stupid. Not the bad kind of stupid, mind you; the forehead slap, the solemn head shake, a disappointed sigh are our connotations. Eventually, orcish proverbs began to flow, and the community took part in our Breakfast Topic dedicated to the subject. Here are some pearls of orcish wisdom that you can bring home to your loved ones to teach them a thing or two about hardiness, resolve, and fear.

Continue reading Pass down these bona fide orcish proverbs to your young Hordelings

Pass down these bona fide orcish proverbs to your young Hordelings originally appeared on WoW Insider on Mon, 07 May 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>breakfast-topicorcorcish-proverborcsproverbMathew McCurleyMon, 07 May 2012 20:00:00 ESTKnow Your Lore: The evolution of Azeroth's creatureshttp://wow.joystiq.com/2012/05/06/know-your-lore-the-evolution-of-azeroths-creatures/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/05/06/know-your-lore-the-evolution-of-azeroths-creatures/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/05/06/know-your-lore-the-evolution-of-azeroths-creatures/#commentsFiled under: Lore, Know your Lore

The World of Warcraft is an expansive universe. You're playing the game, you're fighting the bosses, you know the how -- but do you know the why? Each week, Matthew Rossi and Anne Stickney make sure you Know Your Lore by covering the history of the story behind World of Warcraft.

Were you one of the players who subscribed to the World of Warcraft magazine? While the Warcraft magazine had a limited run, for those who chose to subscribe, it presented a valuable wealth of information, particularly in the lore department. Sadly, the magazine is no longer in publication, but the information provided in the magazine shed a lot of light on the various questions that players had regarding lore in the Warcraft universe. And one of the hottest of hotbed topics was the question of origins. Where did the races of Azeroth come from? Which were related? Who came first?

The final issue of the Warcraft magazine answered almost every single last one of those origin-related questions in a piece supposedly scribbled down by one Brann Bronzebeard. Brann's known for exploring, and although his adventures as detailed in the Warcraft RPG books may or may not be canon, the notes he's taken in the Warcraft magazine are official. Even though we may not know the answers to questions like Elune's origins or the ultimate purpose of the Titans, we can certainly take a look at the origin of the species, Azeroth-style.

Continue reading Know Your Lore: The evolution of Azeroth's creatures

Know Your Lore: The evolution of Azeroth's creatures originally appeared on WoW Insider on Sun, 06 May 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>featuredguideguide-to-lorelorelore-guiderole-playrole-playing-guiderp-guideworld-of-warcraft-lorewow-guidewow-lorewow-role-playingwow-role-playing-guidewow-rpwow-rp-guidewow-rpingAnne StickneySun, 06 May 2012 18:00:00 ESTWeapons of Lore: Benedictionhttp://wow.joystiq.com/2012/05/04/weapons-of-lore-benediction/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/05/04/weapons-of-lore-benediction/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/05/04/weapons-of-lore-benediction/#commentsFiled under: Lore

For a priest, it represented the ultimate in weapons, a staff designed to assist with the greatest of healers or the darkest of shadowy specters. For others, the staff was a signal that the healer they'd just run into was one of the few and highly skilled, capable of keeping them alive in the darkest of situations. Though epic in quality, the staff Benediction was akin to a legendary in stats and appearance. Clicking on Benediction wouldn't give you wings or turn you into a mount; instead, the staff transformed into Anathema, a completely different staff with a completely different set of stats.

There has never been another weapon released with Benediction's glimmering golden model or with Anathema's dangerous silver spines. Benediction is no longer obtainable in game; it was removed when Cataclysm was introduced. But for players in vanilla WoW lucky enough to get the appropriate quest drops, Benediction represented the best of the best in healing staves for the majority of the original iteration of the game. Others looked at the weapon with awe, but the lucky priest who wielded it knew there was more to the staff than a set of killer stats.

Benediction may have been a brilliant weapon, but its origins were stained with the blood of thousands of innocents.

Continue reading Weapons of Lore: Benediction

Weapons of Lore: Benediction originally appeared on WoW Insider on Fri, 04 May 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>anathemaarthasbenedictioneastern-plaguelandseris-havenfireeye-of-divinityeye-of-shadowguide-to-lorelorelore-guidesplinter-of-nordrassilstratholmeweapons-of-loreworld-of-warcraft-lorewow-loreAnne StickneyFri, 04 May 2012 16:00:00 ESTKnow Your Lore: Fire stolen from heaven, fire stolen from hellhttp://wow.joystiq.com/2012/05/02/know-your-lore-fire-stolen-from-heaven-fire-stolen-from-hell/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/05/02/know-your-lore-fire-stolen-from-heaven-fire-stolen-from-hell/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/05/02/know-your-lore-fire-stolen-from-heaven-fire-stolen-from-hell/#commentsFiled under: Analysis / Opinion, The Burning Crusade, Lore, Know your Lore, Wrath of the Lich King, Cataclysm, Mists of Pandaria

The World of Warcraft is an expansive universe. You're playing the game, you're fighting the bosses, you know the how -- but do you know the why? Each week, Matthew Rossi and Anne Stickney make sure you Know Your Lore by covering the history of the story behind World of Warcraft.

When you think about Azeroth as of right now, in a way, the stage has been set for some massive changes to the status quo. I mean, seriously, contemplate the following:

Ragnaros the Firelord, ruler of the Firelands and mastermind behind the invasion of Mount Hyjal and power behind the Molten Core, has been ultimately defeated in his own demesne, and the fire elementals are now scattered and leaderless. They pose little threat to the world for some time to come.
Likewise, Al'Akir's servants can call for his aid, but he's not likely to answer, having himself been deposed and slain alongside his son Thunderaan and even powerful servants like the Conclave of Wind and Prince Sarsarun. The air elementals are even more disrupted than those of fire.
Neptulon the Tidehunter may not be dead, but he's currently missing, having been seized by Ozumat and taken elsewhere, his ultimate fate as yet unknown. The naga invaded the elemental plane of water itself and may well still be there alongside the faceless ones.
While Therazane the Stonemother herself endures (the only elemental lord to still rule a plane), Deepholm itself has suffered much throughout the Cataclysm. Not only did Deathwing shatter the World Pillar (it was repaired, but for a time the Maelstrom threatened to collapse into Deepholm and Azeroth along with it), but wars broke out between the Twilight's Hammer and the servants of Therazane as well as the stone troggs and the earthen. Meanwhile, a titan designed waygate leading directly to Uldum was found.
With all of this, one might almost forget that the Destroyer himself, Deathwing, has met his own end at last. In addition, the four remaining dragon aspects (Nozdormu, Alexstrasza, Ysera and Kalecgos) have lost some measure of their former titan-bestowed power -- at least their immortality, and possibly more. With Deathwing's death, the Twilight's Hammer cult (the main instrument of the Old God's will on Azeroth) has also suffered greatly, their forces destroyed, their leaders such as Cho'gall, the Twilight Prophet and lesser lights like Warmaster Blackhorn.

Continue reading Know Your Lore: Fire stolen from heaven, fire stolen from hell

Know Your Lore: Fire stolen from heaven, fire stolen from hell originally appeared on WoW Insider on Wed, 02 May 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>featuredguideguide-to-lorelorelore-guiderole-playrole-playing-guiderp-guideworld-of-warcraft-lorewow-guidewow-lorewow-role-playingwow-role-playing-guidewow-rpwow-rp-guidewow-rpingMatthew RossiWed, 02 May 2012 13:00:00 ESTMists of Pandaria: Learn new lore from in-game book Legacy of the Mastershttp://wow.joystiq.com/2012/05/01/mists-of-pandaria-learn-new-lore-from-in-game-book-legacy-of-th/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/05/01/mists-of-pandaria-learn-new-lore-from-in-game-book-legacy-of-th/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/05/01/mists-of-pandaria-learn-new-lore-from-in-game-book-legacy-of-th/#commentsFiled under: Warlock, Lore, Mists of Pandaria

If you're on the Mists of Pandaria beta, you might have heard about one of the cooler new bits of lore, the in-game text Legacy of the Masters. This book contains lore about new warlock abilities, where they came from, and who developed them and how they did it.

There are all sorts of neat implications in the text. For one thing, the mortal races of Azeroth seem to be meddling with great powers more than ever before after the fall of Deathwing, and the warlocks of Azeroth are afraid of being eclipsed by other rivals (like, say, mages and their weird time magics). In addition to the mention of figures like Ritssyn, it creates the idea of a secret warlock super-cabal that dispenses fel magics to other groups of warlocks and ties in events from the death of Illidan to the recent destruction of Deathwing as teachable moments that gave various warlocks eureka moments. "So that's how you turn into a demon! I get it!"

It's definitely worth a read, so go check it out.

It's open warfare between Alliance and Horde in Mists of Pandaria, World of Warcraft's next expansion. Jump into five new levels with new talents and class mechanics, try the new monk class, and create a pandaren character to ally with either Horde or Alliance. Look for expansion basics in our Mists FAQ, or dig into our spring press event coverage for more details!

Mists of Pandaria: Learn new lore from in-game book Legacy of the Masters originally appeared on WoW Insider on Tue, 01 May 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>Council-of-Six-DaggersLoreMistsmists-of-pandariamists-of-pandaria-betaWarlockWarlock-LoreMatthew RossiTue, 01 May 2012 19:00:00 ESTKnow Your Lore, TFH edition: Sargeras was righthttp://wow.joystiq.com/2012/04/29/know-your-lore-tfh-edition-sargeras-was-right/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/04/29/know-your-lore-tfh-edition-sargeras-was-right/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/04/29/know-your-lore-tfh-edition-sargeras-was-right/#commentsFiled under: Lore, Know your Lore

The World of Warcraft is an expansive universe. You're playing the game, you're fighting the bosses, you know the how -- but do you know the why? Each week, Matthew Rossi and Anne Stickney make sure you Know Your Lore by covering the history of the story behind World of Warcraft.

Imagine if you will a perfectly nice little wooded area, teeming with wildlife. Here, there's a bird's nest; there, a small group of deer peacefully grazing on the grass. Over the hill lives a small pack of coyotes that will eventually hunt the deer, but it helps keep the deer population down. Circle of life and all that. Some years, the wildlife flourishes; other years, water is scarce and so is food. Those are the lean times, but somehow the little wooded area continues to thrive on its own, waxing and waning its way through the years.

Now imagine that little wooded grove gets targeted for development. All woodland creatures are systematically driven out of the area or killed. The lovely trees are ripped from the ground one by one. The grass is torn up, dirt and earth moved and leveled out. And one by one, houses pop up where the wooded area used to be. Clean and tidy paved roads, white picket fences all in a row, pretty if bland houses plunked into symmetric lots carefully designed for the maximum use of space. Those who live in the houses may occasionally see a deer out the window, a remnant of the wood that no longer exists.

Which is better?

Today's Know Your Lore is a Tinfoil Hat edition, meaning the following is a look into what has gone before with pure speculation on how it happened and what is to come as a result. These speculations are merely theories and shouldn't be taken as fact or official lore. But they're interesting!

Continue reading Know Your Lore, TFH edition: Sargeras was right

Know Your Lore, TFH edition: Sargeras was right originally appeared on WoW Insider on Sun, 29 Apr 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>aggramaramanthulazerothburning-crusadeburning-legioneonarfeaturedgolgannethguideguide-to-lorekhazgorothlorelore-guidenorgannonpantheonrole-playrole-playing-guiderp-guidesargerastitansworld-of-warcraft-lorewow-guidewow-lorewow-role-playingwow-role-playing-guidewow-rpwow-rp-guidewow-rpingAnne StickneySun, 29 Apr 2012 20:00:00 ESTThe basics of prepping for pandaren roleplayhttp://wow.joystiq.com/2012/04/28/the-basics-of-prepping-for-pandaren-roleplay/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/04/28/the-basics-of-prepping-for-pandaren-roleplay/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/04/28/the-basics-of-prepping-for-pandaren-roleplay/#commentsFiled under: Lore, All the World's a Stage (Roleplaying)

Sure, the expansion's not quite out yet, but that doesn't mean you can't start planning for it as a roleplayer if you want to. The pandaren race features some really amazing, beautifully animated characters with an intriguing story ripe for roleplay purposes. While some roleplayers may already be happily roaming around the beta servers, others have only bits of information to work with. The process of coming up with a roleplaying character can take a little time, so if you're wanting to create a pandaren when the expansion is released, why not start pondering possibilities now?

Though pandaren can be played by both Alliance and Horde, they cannot speak to each other once they've made that decision -- a decision steeped in the storyline of the Wandering Isle. However, this does mean that you can play a pandaren character no matter which side of the faction fence you happen to be on. And with the kind of history and story the pandaren have behind them, it'd be well worth looking into if you're looking for a different kind of character to roleplay with.

This is a primer of pandaren lore, and as such, it'll contain a little spoiler content. However, because of the unique nature of playable pandaren characters, we won't be divulging any major story events that take place in Pandaria. This information will mainly be starting zone info. If you're looking to avoid all Mists spoilers, however, you may want to pass on what's after the break.

Continue reading The basics of prepping for pandaren roleplay

The basics of prepping for pandaren roleplay originally appeared on WoW Insider on Sat, 28 Apr 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>featuredguideguide-to-lorelorelore-guidemists-of-pandariapandarenpandaren-starting-zonerole-playrole-playing-guiderp-guideworld-of-warcraft-lorewow-guidewow-lorewow-role-playingwow-role-playing-guidewow-rpwow-rp-guidewow-rpingAnne StickneySat, 28 Apr 2012 16:00:00 ESTKnow Your Lore: Rexxar, Champion of the Hordehttp://wow.joystiq.com/2012/04/25/know-your-lore-rexxar-champion-of-the-horde/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/04/25/know-your-lore-rexxar-champion-of-the-horde/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/04/25/know-your-lore-rexxar-champion-of-the-horde/#commentsFiled under: Lore, Know your Lore

The World of Warcraft is an expansive universe. You're playing the game, you're fighting the bosses, you know the how -- but do you know the why? Each week, Matthew Rossi and Anne Stickney make sure you Know Your Lore by covering the history of the story behind World of Warcraft.

It's been a few years since we caught up with Rexxar, hasn't it? Despite the fact that he hasn't gotten any new screen time since he showed up to save Orgrimmar from the elemental invasion, Rexxar is on my mind of late. In truth, I pretty much covered Rexxar's life in broad strokes during the interbellum pieces The coming of Rexxar and Rexxar saves the Horde. This won't be a post rehashing all of that. We will discuss it, but in terms of what it means for the Horde right now and the Horde in the future.

With what we know about what's coming, the office of Warchief of the Horde will be contested. It's likely that Thrall may return to assume the mantle of Warchief again. But frankly, his time as World Shaman means that he has assumed a far greater and more demanding responsibility, that Thrall has Azeroth as his responsibility and his charge. Can he truly be both? And more importantly, should he? Whether or not you believe Thrall is the ultimate choice for Warchief of the Horde, I posit that he never would have endured in the role without the help of others, those who could be the mailed fist he could never truly be.

Before Varok Saurfang and Garrosh Hellscream led Horde forces to Northrend, one figure strode across the face of Kalimdor and beyond it, and through his actions defeated Theramore and saved the Horde. That one figure was Rexxar, born to the Mok'Nathal clan, a beastmaster of half-ogre descent. For his actions, he was named Champion of the Horde.

And the Horde sorely needs its champion again.

Continue reading Know Your Lore: Rexxar, Champion of the Horde

Know Your Lore: Rexxar, Champion of the Horde originally appeared on WoW Insider on Wed, 25 Apr 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>featuredGocGronnGruulguideguide-to-loreLeoroxxlorelore-guideMokNathalRexxarrole-playrole-playing-guiderp-guideworld-of-warcraft-lorewow-guidewow-lorewow-role-playingwow-role-playing-guidewow-rpwow-rp-guidewow-rpingMatthew RossiWed, 25 Apr 2012 15:00:00 ESTDid flying mounts ruin Azeroth?http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/04/23/did-flying-mounts-ruin-azeroth/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/04/23/did-flying-mounts-ruin-azeroth/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/04/23/did-flying-mounts-ruin-azeroth/#commentsFiled under: Analysis / Opinion, The Burning Crusade, Lore, Wrath of the Lich King, Cataclysm, Mists of Pandaria

The question of whether flying mounts may have ruined Azeroth is a hard question for me to even posit, because I love flying mounts. I love being able to fly right over things that annoy me, drop right in on quest objectives and soar right out again. I loved that we could finally fly in Azeroth when Cataclysm shipped, and I was absolutely in favor of being able to use my flying mount to skip over stuff I disliked when questing and leveling up.

But it's worth considering: Did that convenience that I so love come at too high a cost? Did being able to fly over obstacles keep me from appreciating how much detail went into the zones? Did it ruin world exploration, something that a lot of players got a lot of enjoyment out of for a great deal of vanilla WoW's run? Did incorporating flying mounts into Azeroth, in addition to forcing a complete redesign of the world, also end up stripping out interesting and cool places you had to really work at to find and visit? Let's discuss the pros and cons.

Continue reading Did flying mounts ruin Azeroth?

Did flying mounts ruin Azeroth? originally appeared on WoW Insider on Mon, 23 Apr 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>explorationflightflight-in-azerothflyingflying-mountszone-designzonesMatthew RossiMon, 23 Apr 2012 17:00:00 ESTKnow Your Lore: Velen, the Prophethttp://wow.joystiq.com/2012/04/22/know-your-lore-velen-the-prophet/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/04/22/know-your-lore-velen-the-prophet/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/04/22/know-your-lore-velen-the-prophet/#commentsFiled under: Lore, Know your Lore

The World of Warcraft is an expansive universe. You're playing the game, you're fighting the bosses, you know the how -- but do you know the why? Each week, Matthew Rossi and Anne Stickney make sure you Know Your Lore by covering the history of the story behind World of Warcraft.

I failed long ago to turn my brothers from their course. And creation has paid the price.

How must it feel to be ageless? To watch as millennia tick by, each century the span of a breath and gone in an instant? To the draenei, the lives of humans must seem incredibly short-lived. To the Prophet Velen, who is at least 25,000 years old, we must seem like motes of dust, winking in and out of existence so quickly that we can scarcely be recognized as entities before we cease to exist. Velen has led the draenei through terror and triumph, from world to world, always gently spreading the benevolent message of the Light to any who wish to hear.

Yet for a being of such grace, purity and peace, Velen is also a creature of unfathomable sorrow. For Velen has been granted the gift of Sight, and with the gift he can see the infinite paths of futures that may not be, of worlds born and fallen in the blink of an eye. And despite that gift, Velen cannot prevent what is yet to pass. He cannot prevent that which has gone before, and will come again. And he could not prevent the path his friends chose, nor could he persuade them their new ally was in fact a monster so horrific that his hellish grasp would wreak havoc on immeasurable worlds.

For one that treasures life in the way only the Light can teach, it is a heavy burden to bear.

Continue reading Know Your Lore: Velen, the Prophet

Know Your Lore: Velen, the Prophet originally appeared on WoW Insider on Sun, 22 Apr 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>archimondeargusburning-crusadeburning-legiondraeneidraenei-loreexodarfeaturedguideguide-to-lorekiljaedenkurelightlorelore-guidenaaruprophet-velenrole-playrole-playing-guiderp-guidesargerasthe-lightvelenworld-of-warcraft-lorewow-guidewow-lorewow-role-playingwow-role-playing-guidewow-rpwow-rp-guidewow-rpingAnne StickneySun, 22 Apr 2012 16:00:00 ESTWeapons of Lore: Quel'Serrarhttp://wow.joystiq.com/2012/04/20/weapons-of-lore-quelserrar/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/04/20/weapons-of-lore-quelserrar/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/04/20/weapons-of-lore-quelserrar/#commentsFiled under: Lore

Thousands of years ago, even before the War of the Ancients came to pass, there were weapons of legend, weapons created not by mere mortal hands but by those who soared above. The secrets of the mighty blade Quel'Serrar were not lost to time; they were merely hidden away from prying eyes. Players in vanilla World of Warcraft searched the deserted halls of Dire Maul high and low for record of this story, contained in Foror's Compendium of Dragon Slaying, for once they had the book, they began the path to wield the blade of legend themselves.

Quel'Serrar was not a legendary weapon like Thunderfury or Sulfuras, but it was almost as rare. Unlike the Bindings of the Windseeker or the Eye of Sulfuras, the item required to begin the chain was BoE. This meant that very, very rarely you could find the item on the Auction House -- but if you did happen to be so lucky, you'd pay an arm and a leg for it. Only warriors and paladins could accept the quest for the blade, but the book would drop for anyone who was lucky enough to find it in the corridors of Dire Maul.

Continue reading Weapons of Lore: Quel'Serrar

Weapons of Lore: Quel'Serrar originally appeared on WoW Insider on Fri, 20 Apr 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>black-dragon-flightdragon-flightsdragonsforors-compendium-of-dragonslayingheated-ancient-bladelorekeeper-lydrosprismatic-blade-of-quel-serrarquel-serrarshen-dralarshendralarunfired-ancient-bladeweapons-of-loreworld-of-warcraftwrath-of-the-lich-kingAnne StickneyFri, 20 Apr 2012 17:00:00 ESTA beginner's guide to getting started in WoW Lorehttp://wow.joystiq.com/2012/04/19/a-beginners-guide-to-getting-started-in-wow-lore/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/04/19/a-beginners-guide-to-getting-started-in-wow-lore/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/04/19/a-beginners-guide-to-getting-started-in-wow-lore/#commentsFiled under: Add-Ons, The Burning Crusade, Lore, Wrath of the Lich King, Cataclysm, Mists of Pandaria

Truth is, I enjoy World of Warcraft's lore, which is why I write about it for the site alongside Anne Stickney. But I understand why a setting that's been around since the original Warcraft: Orcs vs. Humans can be daunting to new people trying to understand what's going on. Why does the human king have scars on his face, and why is this orc with giant tusks on his shoulders so upset about everything? Never fear, it's really not all that complicated. Here, we're going to discuss some ways for people who haven't really had a chance to get invested into the lore to start figuring out who those people are and what they're on about.

My first suggestion to you is, when you're playing WoW, start clicking on books. There are books all over the game world, in various dungeons, out in the open, hidden away in corners in inns and cities. If you see one, click on it. Hidden in all these books are stories about the world of Azeroth. You can get surprisingly caught up on the basics just via this exercise. Also try to click on plaques on statues and in structures. The statues in front of Stormwind have small plaques on them that tell you exactly who these are statues of and why they were placed there.

Continue reading A beginner's guide to getting started in WoW Lore

A beginner's guide to getting started in WoW Lore originally appeared on WoW Insider on Thu, 19 Apr 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>beginnerfeaturedguideguide-to-lorelorelore-guiderole-playrole-playing-guiderp-guideworld-of-warcraft-lorewow-guidewow-lorewow-role-playingwow-role-playing-guidewow-rpwow-rp-guidewow-rpingMatthew RossiThu, 19 Apr 2012 20:00:00 ESTKnow Your Lore: What if Stormwind had won the First War?http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/04/18/know-your-lore-what-if-stormwind-had-won-the-first-war/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/04/18/know-your-lore-what-if-stormwind-had-won-the-first-war/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/04/18/know-your-lore-what-if-stormwind-had-won-the-first-war/#commentsFiled under: Analysis / Opinion, Lore, Know your Lore

The World of Warcraft is an expansive universe. You're playing the game, you're fighting the bosses, you know the how -- but do you know the why? Each week, Matthew Rossi and Anne Stickney make sure you Know Your Lore by covering the history of the story behind World of Warcraft.

What if ...?

It's one of the most dangerous two-word phrases in the English language, my friends. What if leads us down roads strewn with nevers, could have and didn't after didn't.

This week, we're going to look at what would have happened if a few decisions had been made differently. What if Stormwind had never fallen? What if the Horde had lost the First War? On the surface, it seems like an easy question to answer. Stormwind never falls and Varian Wrynn's dad Llane gets to stay king with his heart inside his chest. Everyone's happy, right? (Well, everyone but the orcs.)

But the world would be vastly different without the rise of the Horde to prominence on Azeroth. Without the disastrous defeat of one of humanity's nations, there would be no Alliance of Lordaeron, no Thrall, no Second War, no death of Gul'dan at the Tomb of Sargeras, no Alliance Expedition, no destruction of Draenor by Ner'zhul's reckless sorcery -- the closer one gets to the present-day World of Warcraft, the more unrecognizable it becomes.

We can't answer for every possibility. We can't establish an absolutely canonical scenario for what would have happened, and we'd be fools to try. But we can look at the ramifications of the First War and consider their immediate implications and what would have come from them.

Continue reading Know Your Lore: What if Stormwind had won the First War?

Know Your Lore: What if Stormwind had won the First War? originally appeared on WoW Insider on Wed, 18 Apr 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>DoomhammerDraenorfeaturedGaronaguideguide-to-loreGuldanLlane-Wrynnlorelore-guideLotharMedivhNerzhulrole-playrole-playing-guiderp-guideStormwindThe-Dark-Portalworld-of-warcraft-lorewow-guidewow-lorewow-role-playingwow-role-playing-guidewow-rpwow-rp-guidewow-rpingMatthew RossiWed, 18 Apr 2012 14:00:00 EST'Velen: Prophet's Lesson' concludes leader short storieshttp://wow.joystiq.com/2012/04/15/velen-prophets-lesson-concludes-leader-short-stories/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/04/15/velen-prophets-lesson-concludes-leader-short-stories/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/04/15/velen-prophets-lesson-concludes-leader-short-stories/#commentsFiled under: Lore, Cataclysm

The last of the leader short stories is now available on the official Warcraft website, and it was worth waiting for. Velen: Prophet's Lesson, written by Marc Hutcheson, focuses on Prophet Velen and Anduin Wyrnn, who began studying with Velen in the novel Wolfheart. Also featured is Vindicator Maraad, who not only made his appearance in game on the Alliance ship on Icecrown but has been featured in many other Warcraft products as well. Maraad isn't just a random draenei -- he's also Garona's uncle and has made an appearance in DC Unlimited's series of action figures.

Prophet's Lesson appears to take place just after the Cataclysm as the mortals of Azeroth struggle to recover from the devastation and put an end to Deathwing. The worgen are officially Alliance and Anduin is studying with Velen, so this definitely puts it after Wolfheart in the time line, but Anduin also mentions the rift between himself and his father, which means the story likely takes place before Varian Wrynn: Blood of our Fathers. In Prophet's Lesson, Anduin is studying with Velen as well as helping the draenei take care of sudden group of guests that grows larger by the day, human refugees from the Cataclysm who seek Velen's guidance.

Velen, however, is seeing no one but Prince Anduin -- and this hasn't gone unnoticed by the draenei who are no longer allowed to seek audience with the Prophet. But Anduin has one very pointed question for Prophet Velen: Why didn't he warn the world about the Cataclysm?

Hutcheson did a masterful job with Velen's character, shedding a little light (no pun intended) on what exactly the draenei have been up to during Cataclysm. You can read the full story on Blizzard's newly revamped Expanded Universe site.

'Velen: Prophet's Lesson' concludes leader short stories originally appeared on WoW Insider on Sun, 15 Apr 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>andruin-wrynnblizzard-short-storiescataclysmexodarleader-short-storiesmarc-hutchesonprophet-velenprophets-lessonworld-of-warcraftAnne StickneySun, 15 Apr 2012 20:00:00 ESTKnow Your Lore: Algalon the Observerhttp://wow.joystiq.com/2012/04/15/know-your-lore-algalon-the-observer/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/04/15/know-your-lore-algalon-the-observer/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/04/15/know-your-lore-algalon-the-observer/#commentsFiled under: Lore, Know your Lore

The World of Warcraft is an expansive universe. You're playing the game, you're fighting the bosses, you know the how -- but do you know the why? Each week, Matthew Rossi and Anne Stickney make sure you Know Your Lore by covering the history of the story behind World of Warcraft.

I have seen worlds bathed in the Makers' flames. Their denizens fading without so much as a whimper. Entire planetary systems born and razed in the time that it takes your mortal hearts to beat once.

The Titans are creatures of myth and mystery to the mortals of Azeroth. While some Azerothians (most notably Brann Bronzebeard) seek to unravel their secrets, most remain blissfully unaware and uncaring of the origins of the world. But the mysteries Brann works so hard to uncover more often than not raise far more questions than they answer, and in some cases, create havoc that could reduce our world to ashes in the blink of an eye.

In Ulduar, Brann sought to uncover the further secrets of the origin of the dwarves, something that the Explorer's League has been working on since the early days of WoW and the first player steps into the Titan stronghold of Uldaman. But what Brann uncovered was a massive facility that wasn't just for the storage of information from times long past. The facility of Ulduar and its corrupt Titans weren't anywhere near as much of a threat to the world as what came after Loken's defeat in the Halls of Lightning. For it was the moment of his defeat that the failsafe was tripped and the signal was sent.

And it was Loken's death that heralded the arrival of Algalon the Observer and the end of the world.

Continue reading Know Your Lore: Algalon the Observer

Know Your Lore: Algalon the Observer originally appeared on WoW Insider on Sun, 15 Apr 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>algalonalgalon-the-observerazerothfeaturedfreyaguideguide-to-lorehodirlokenlorelore-guidemimironold-godsrole-playrole-playing-guiderp-guidesargerastitantitanic-watchertyruldamanulduaruldumwatchersworld-of-warcraft-lorewow-guidewow-lorewow-role-playingwow-role-playing-guidewow-rpwow-rp-guidewow-rpingyogg-saronAnne StickneySun, 15 Apr 2012 16:00:00 ESTHumans and orcs are just the pillars upon which the Alliance and Horde were builthttp://wow.joystiq.com/2012/04/13/humans-and-orcs-are-just-the-pillars-upon-which-the-alliance-and/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/04/13/humans-and-orcs-are-just-the-pillars-upon-which-the-alliance-and/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/04/13/humans-and-orcs-are-just-the-pillars-upon-which-the-alliance-and/#commentsFiled under: Blizzard, Lore

Zarhym hit the forums to clarify an important point that is being lost in recent lore discussions around the internet. Chris Metzen was quoted in a PC Gamer interview:

...the pillars of the franchise are orcs and humans; it really is the Alliance and Horde by extension, and it really is those two groups beating the brains out of each other for an extended period of time. That's always gotta be what Warcraft is about...

And as Zarhym entirely correctly points out, it's not just the orcs and humans that are all that matters now, but the entire Alliance and Horde factions that have developed over the course of the franchise's life. Warcraft started with them but has expanded unto everything else.

This is also a good opportunity to place front and center the fact that the Warcraft universe is an evolving story. It's not like Lord of the Rings, where everything that is has and (likely/hopefully) ever will be in the universe is already written in stone. Gandalf isn't suddenly going to join forces with the factions of darkness beyond the great sea while Frodo becomes the next Gollum -- but Thrall? Maybe he'll defect to the Alliance some day.* No one knows; it's evolving and ever changing.

Zarhym's full statements, after the break.

Continue reading Humans and orcs are just the pillars upon which the Alliance and Horde were built

Humans and orcs are just the pillars upon which the Alliance and Horde were built originally appeared on WoW Insider on Fri, 13 Apr 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>alliancebreakinghordehumansorcswarcraft-lorewarcraft-orcs-vs-humanswow-lorezarhymAdam HoliskyFri, 13 Apr 2012 15:00:00 ESTWeapons of Lore: Atiesh and Andonisus, Reaper of Soulshttp://wow.joystiq.com/2012/04/13/weapons-of-lore-atiesh-and-andonisus-reaper-of-souls/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/04/13/weapons-of-lore-atiesh-and-andonisus-reaper-of-souls/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/04/13/weapons-of-lore-atiesh-and-andonisus-reaper-of-souls/#commentsFiled under: Lore

It was the first caster legendary available to players, but the amount of time and devotion it took to get almost guaranteed that only a tiny piece of the player population actually obtained it. Atiesh, Greatstaff of the Guardian wasn't a particularly fancy weapon by today's standards. It was simple, smooth staff topped with the carving of a raven and quietly adorned with a bit of ribbon. But to those that followed Warcraft's lore, the simple design was easily recognized as the staff of one of the most powerful casters of all time.

Atiesh was the epitome of everything a caster desired, largely because of its roots within the history of Warcraft. This wasn't just a simple staff; this was the weapon of choice for the last known Guardian of Azeroth, the wizard Medivh. Medivh was featured heavily in the original Warcraft RTS games but hasn't been seen since the end of Warcraft III. Atiesh, on the other hand, was seen by many -- and craved by many more. And the fate of this unusual staff ties in with another legendary weapon most never encountered: Andonisus, Reaper of Souls.

Continue reading Weapons of Lore: Atiesh and Andonisus, Reaper of Souls

Weapons of Lore: Atiesh and Andonisus, Reaper of Souls originally appeared on WoW Insider on Fri, 13 Apr 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>andonisus-reaper-of-soulsangela-dosantosarchimondeargent-dawnatiesh-greatstaff-of-the-guardianbrann-bronzebeardcouncil-of-tirisfaldalaranfeaturedguardian-of-tirisfalguide-to-lorekarazhankirin-torlorelore-guidemedivhshade-of-arantarsus-kir-moldirwarcraft-iiiweapons-of-loreworld-of-warcraft-lorewow-loreAnne StickneyFri, 13 Apr 2012 12:00:00 EST