Ask a Lore Nerd: So You Think You Can Dance, Naxxramas edition
by Alex Ziebart 
Nov 24th 2008 at 2:00PM
Welcome to Ask a Lore Nerd, where each week blogger and columnist Alex Ziebart answers your questions about the lore and history of the World of Warcraft. Ask your questions in the comments section below, and we'll try to answer it in a future edition.
Today's Ask a Lore Nerd is best read while under the influence of obscene amounts of caffeine and sugar, and while listening to catchy J-Pop (or similar music). Tsuguru is preferred, though most anything the Yoshida Brothers have created is acceptable.
Bjara asked...
When you are in the DK starting area, you can have a funny little chat with Noth at the plague cauldron and you find out he really, really hates Heigan from Naxx. Do you know why? I'm still trying to find a way to work "slime and crap filled dance studio" into conversations on a daily basis.
Today's Ask a Lore Nerd is best read while under the influence of obscene amounts of caffeine and sugar, and while listening to catchy J-Pop (or similar music). Tsuguru is preferred, though most anything the Yoshida Brothers have created is acceptable.
Bjara asked...
When you are in the DK starting area, you can have a funny little chat with Noth at the plague cauldron and you find out he really, really hates Heigan from Naxx. Do you know why? I'm still trying to find a way to work "slime and crap filled dance studio" into conversations on a daily basis.
Like the previous question, I don't think this has any seriousness to it at all. It's just something silly. Heigan is a fight that polarizes raiders a lot. You either love it because it's so bizzare or hate it for the same reason. His fight has been called "the Plague DDR" or "The Heigan Dance." You dance back and forth across his room throughout the fight, dodging ooze splashing up from the floor. It is, indeed, a slime and crap filled dance studio. I think this is a nod to players more than any real character significance.
Although, I guess Noth could have a chip on his shoulder since Heigan's dance earned him a higher rank in Naxxramas than Noth holds, considering their places in raid progression. Think about it. You're one of the most powerful necromancers in the world, but you just can't top the guy who holds freaking dance contests with his enemies. You're good, but you're not as good as the ballerina of death. Yeah, I can see why Noth might be a little touchy about Heigan.
Steve asked...
I've wanted to know- how exactly do you kill an Undead? Can they bleed to death? Do they have blood? Or do you have to kind of hack them apart until their pieces can't fight back? What can you tell me about the physiology of the Forsaken/Undead/Scourge?
This is one of those things where you kind of need to shrug and say, "It's fantasy" when it comes to Warcraft. If you really want to get down into it, I suppose you'd need to look at how they were raised. Were they raised by the plague? You probably just make their body stop working. Cut off their head or break the body enough that it just... stops. Magically raised? I guess you beat the magic out of them. Yes, that's right. Beat the magic out of them. Are they still moving? Beat them harder.
It's one of those "a wizard did it" moments. It works because they say it does, it stops working because they say it does. It's safe to say that if Warcraft really did go into detail about those things, each brand of undead would have a different way of handling things. They haven't gone into detail though, so the answer is either "a wizard did it" or "use your imagination." Alternatively: Log onto your Paladin and turn them to ash in the name of the Light. I don't care how you became undead, being turned to ash will seriously ruin your day.
Mortallis asked...
OK, so I want to know about my axe's previous owner, Prince Tenris Murkblood and his other, apparently "royal" brothers, like Prince Taldaram (who we beat like a drum yesterday in our first Ahn'kahet run). Who are the Darkfallen? They are obviously royalty, but from where?
The Darkfallen, also know as the San'layn, are High/Blood Elf royalty that decided to throw in with the Scourge. They likely weren't Princes as powerful as Kael'thas, but rather from other royal families throughout Quel'thalas. They likely abandoned Quel'Thalas with people like Dar'Khan Drathir, or around the same time period. They seem to be really high ranking Scourge and retain quite a lot of sentience, so it's safe to say they joined the Damned willingly rather than being raised later. They revel in their vampire-ness, so maybe they were a bit deviant before joining the Scourge? We don't have enough backstory on them to answer all of the questions that come with them, but Quel'Thalas royalty is one thing we do know for sure.
Olicon asked...
I remember those 5 creepy kids in Goldshire. Now that there are more undead lore going about, has any light been shed about those events? Did anyone even notice them acting strange while the necropolis was hovering around, or had they made any kind of reaction since the Lich King starts rearing his ugly head?
I think those kids are there just to make you go, "Um, WTF?" rather than having any actual importance to the story. Elwynn Forest has a few other weirdo things like that, such as the crazy cat lady walking around with a bloody cleaver. I think the devs just wanted to freak out people that pay attention to detail. I've also heard that those weirdo kids are named after the kids of people who work at Blizzard, so it's just something fun and not something of significance. Nothing new has happened with them since we first found them.
Ask a Lore Nerd is here to answer all of your questions about the lore and story of the Warcraft universe. From the religions of the universe to the 'evils' of Azeroth, everything is fair game. If you want more in-depth answers to some of your questions, you may find what you're looking for in Know Your Lore.Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Humor, Wrath of the Lich King, Ask a Lore Nerd
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Moody Loner Nov 24th 2008 2:07PM
Here's a stoopid n00b question:
Are death knights undead?
kabuki Nov 24th 2008 2:40PM
Yes.
Even though like the forsaken they show up as "humanoid" on the map (at least I think they do), they're still undead. The easiest way to explain it, is to keep in mind that they "sold their soul" for power, or had it taken from them. Remember how Arthas was in WC3 after he laid hand on Frostmourne? Though he looked to be living, the blade had claimed his soul, rendering him Undead. Death Knights work the same way.
Moody Loner Nov 24th 2008 2:49PM
I ask because there's a talent called Lichborne in the Frost tree that turns you into an undead for 15 sec.
So, given that you've been raised by Arthas to serve him in the Scourge, what are you the rest of the time? Or does Lichborne just make you more undead?
Tenchan Nov 24th 2008 3:04PM
Lichborne is just awkwardly phrased. Most likely, 'undead' in this case refers to the type 'Undead' like undead mobs, which are indeed immune to fear and charm.
Which begs the question... did anyone ever check if someone under the effect of Lichborne is categorized by the game as 'undead' instead of 'humanoid'?
Suzaku Nov 24th 2008 3:24PM
Lichborne temporarily changes you from humanoid classification to undead classification, making you immune to everything undead is immune to and vice versa. For example, you are immune to Fear and Charm effects, but Paladins can use Exorcism or Turn Evil on you.
Rel Nov 24th 2008 3:33PM
while under the effects of Lichborne, DKs are considered undead, ie immune to fear and the like, but also susceptible to paladin anti-undead abilities, ie exorcism, turn evil, etc
Deadly. Off. Topic. Nov 24th 2008 4:32PM
Well, actually it's been said by some of the people who work at Blizzard that Arthas never actually died. Therefore, you can basically construe it as you wish. I don't believe all Death Knights died and were raised up - but were corrupted. Although, who knows really. Lore gets changed and retconned a lot these days.
Just look at Muradin. We all thought he died. -_-
Fung Nov 24th 2008 5:51PM
if they are undead, like i'm to understand...
why don't i have the underwater breathing ability of forsaken? =(((
Danel Nov 24th 2008 6:27PM
@havitech:
They might have been Scarlet Crusade originally - at least some of the Death Knights were heroes who'd died in battle against the Scourge and been raised by Arthas, so it's quite possible that at least some of them were part of the Scarlet Crusade. Upon being freed, they promptly run back to their brethren, who hate them, are willing enough to use them as weapons against their enemies.
Camaris Nov 24th 2008 6:31PM
I like the believe there are many different levels of 'undeath'.
There's the lowest of the low, which are just reanimated bodies with no real sentience of their own, like vast armies of skeletal warriors and the zombies and maybe the wraiths.
Then there's the 'stupid' undead like abominations and flesh giants. They have a very simple personality, but are still pretty much tools.
Then there are things like skeletal mages and death knights and the Forsaken, which are comparable to living creatures in mental capability. I think this also explains why most elves become banshees in death, but if they are reconstructed carefully to a level very close to living they can become undead servants as the San'layn or Death Knights.
Solander Nov 25th 2008 9:07AM
@kabuki
Actually in the wc3 level where Arthas kills Uther and steals the Urn, Uther says he hopes they have a special place in hell reserved for his former pupil. Arthas replies that they'll never know, because he never intends to die.
Arthas, at least at the time of taking up Frostmourne, was still very much alive and kicking :)
havitech Nov 24th 2008 2:20PM
This one has been nagging me for a while: What the hell is the Scarlet Onslaught doing with Death Knights in their ranks?
Andy Nov 24th 2008 3:00PM
They are trying to use the weapons of their enemies, the Death Knights, against them. Thus in their own eyes, they are taking on a lesser evil to defeat a much greater one.
Kind of like in the Sword of Truth Series, by Terry Goodkind. The Imperial Order hated magic and wanted it all to be destroyed. Yet they had to use magic to defend against it and to excel their war efforts.
Tenchan Nov 24th 2008 3:05PM
The same thing they are doing with demons and undead members in their ranks... being fanatical maniacs who don't care about hypocrisy if it lets them win ;)
mdm-adph Nov 24th 2008 3:57PM
@Andy
But I thought the Imperial Order was just following the hedonistic whims of their Emperor? No, but then they were the quasi-socialist group bent on destroying Objectivism. Then, their Emperor suddenly turned devout and was only doing what the did to follow the whims of the Creator.
Those books are horrible. -_-'
crsh Nov 24th 2008 6:19PM
You could also consider that when DKs are freed from the Lich King's grip, some chose to join the Scarlet Crusade to get their revenge on the Scourge in a more violent way, rather than helping the Alliance/Horde.
havitech Nov 24th 2008 5:48PM
@crsh
As opposed to the flowers and rainbows the Alliance and Horde DKs are dishing out? :P
I don't think any of the proposed explanations hold weight. The Scarlet Crusade sees anything that is undead or even remotely connected to undeath as their sworn enemies.
adam83 Nov 25th 2008 9:57AM
What about how the Scarlet Monastery has a whole undead section? I think the public philosophy is a different animal than the true nature of the beast. When it comes down to it, it is all about power. At some point the sourge may be their enemies because they are undead, but eventually it is just because they are the enemy. When the original purpose gets blurred, the propaganda may stay the same, but the methods head in the direction of "whatever it takes".
havitech Nov 25th 2008 11:49PM
Directly from Blizzard, regarding the Scarlet Crusade: "They believe that any and all outsiders are potential carriers of the undead plague - and must be destroyed."
I'm pretty sure the mobs in the Graveyard wing of SM aren't a part of the Crusade. Are there any quests that explain why they are there?
Salacia Nov 24th 2008 2:20PM
I'm listening to Gackt while reading this (and usually while raiding too). Close enough?
Having never done Naxx the first bit was a bit confusing until I saw the video. Hahah, wow.