I spend an awful lot of time sifting through the various forums for quality candidates for Forum Post of the Day. My usual suspects were pretty lackluster today, so I ventured into some unknown territory. As I flipped through some of the posts in the Role Playing forum, I was briefly reminded of folks running around game shops with their arms crossed at their chests saying something to the effect of "you can't see me." I decided to give it a shot anyway.

Yitrana of Twisting nether began an in-character plea for peace between the Horde and Alliance forces. The story begins with a note posted in he World's End Tavern in Shattrath City:

Friends--

And I call all who stand in this sacred city and read these words "friends."

How long before we heed the examples of Warchief Thrall, Lady Liadrin, Lady Jaina Proudmoore, and Priestess Tyrande and put aside our differences?

The Burning Legion has already all but destroyed the world of Draenor. The blood of the draenei will stain the hands of the orcs for all time. The sin'dorei were pulled from the brink of madness only by a hair's breadth. Marshall Garithos and the Scarlet Crusade have led thousands into savage hatred of their fellow creatures.

While Kil'jaeden, the Deceiver, has fallen, the Lich King Arthas and the generals of the Legion are undefeated, and hunger for the blood of the innocent.

When will we stop squabbling like children over baubles and embrace one another in brotherhood against our true enemies?

Let us forgive past sins and live in peace. There are plenty enough who offer us war that we need not supply our own.

Walk in the Light.

--Dame Yilrana of Northwatch Hold

I was surprised by how many people played along. Placed into context, the faction division seems kind of silly. Take for instance the battlegrounds. Most of our PvP takes place there, but really the battles are fought over and over again over an extremely small piece of land. Players seem to take things more seriously than even the faction leaders and NPCs do.

Can't we come up with a compromise? Michigan once went to war with Ohio over bits of land, and now the two states seem to be getting along alright. (Except during the annual Michigan/Ohio State football game, a time when families temporarily disown members who live on the wrong side of the state line.) Ohio won the war and was awarded the Toledo strip, much of which is in Indiana now. Michigan was awarded the Upper peninsula as a consolation price, though residents of the UP have long been threatening to create their own state.

As neither a Lore Nerd nor a WoW role player, I found myself rather fascinated by the enthusiastic participation of others. What would be necessary for complete peace between the Horde and the Alliance?

Tags: peace, rivalry, role-playing, roleplaying

Filed under: Fan stuff, Lore, Factions, Battlegrounds, Forum Post of the Day