Around Azeroth: Against all odds
by Elizabeth Wachowski 
Dec 22nd 2008 at 10:00AM
As you prepare for a holiday feast with your family, friends, or fire department, take a moment out of your celebration to pity poor Thrall. He's just finished fighting off five billion demons in the Undercity (as shown in this pic by Ayatai of <Shadow Prophets> on Zuluhed), and now he's all alone for the holidays. Saurfang's off with Mrs. Saurfang. Garrosh Hellscream's partying in Northrend. And Zul'jin's taken his annual trip to the Dancing Troll Village. What's a poor, lonely, orphaned orc to do on Winter Veil? Hmm. Well, Jaina is pretty good at creating portals, and she doesn't have anyone else to visit either, and there's all this mistletoe hanging everywhere ... on second thought, don't pity poor Thrall.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
damon Dec 22nd 2008 10:07AM
Dozens of gigantic, blood-crazed netherborn fel-fueled sharp-clawed voraciously hungry and very, very mad elite demons against one orc with a pretty hammer? Hardly fair.
They'll need hundreds more to even dent thrall's armor.
Will Dec 22nd 2008 10:09AM
Everyone knows that the only reason the [Portal: Theramore] spell was introduced into the game was to give Jaina a way to sneak Thrall back to her place, since the orcs were getting a little suspicious.
oh Miss Proudmoore~~!
Oldbear Dec 22nd 2008 1:19PM
@ Damon:
Sounds like my in-laws.
Ametrine Dec 22nd 2008 5:38PM
@ Will:
Bow chicka lok'tar.
Gnosh Dec 22nd 2008 10:09AM
I think you mean Vol'jin.
Yeng Dec 22nd 2008 10:20AM
Bow chicka bow wow
Alchemistmerlin Dec 22nd 2008 10:34AM
Given that things were finally getting better, and the Alliance/Horde relations were finally coming to a mild agreement, and then the Forsaken fucked it up, I feel like there'll be a LOT of drinking in the Thrall household this Winterveil.
"Everything I worked for...why the HELL do I let the undead stick around?!" *glug glug*
Then he beats Voljin.
pantear Dec 22nd 2008 10:37AM
Zul'jin???? Ain't that mojo dead enough now?
Vol'jin, on the other hand, is really flippin' mon!
Amaxe Dec 22nd 2008 10:45AM
I'm sure he'll have many visitors as people try to get the Black War Bear over the holidays ;-)
@Alchemistmerlin
I've thought the same thing about the Forsaken. While I roll Alliance and won't see the aftermath of the Undercity assault, it does leave me to wonder what Thrall will do with the Forsaken. No, not all Forsaken were guilty, but this incident seems like it would deeply shake the Horde interactions, perhaps leading to suspicion, racism against the Forsaken among the other Horde races. Perhaps even suspicion against the Dark lady?
Perhaps Thrall weakened by this as other leaders think he is too weak?
A cool concept... but will they follow up?
Alchemistmerlin Dec 22nd 2008 10:57AM
No, that would require that the status quo in the game change significantly, and Blizzard would never do that to their cashcow.
They're Almost (ALMOST) as bad as Gamesworkshop.
Amaxe Dec 22nd 2008 11:04AM
Unfortunately, though with phasing, one could have a fascinating storyline of factions and cross plots.
Likewise, the Alliance could have a similar one with supporters of the king and supporters of Jaina.
That would be an excellent addition (though unlikely to exist)
Sakinah Dec 22nd 2008 11:07AM
I'm not so sure that it won't cause more ruckus, Alchemist. You already have Garrosh running around and wreaking havoc- and the more victories he earns in Northrend, the more people are going to justify his means. I mean, who cares if he was super brutal? He won. I can imagine Garrosh or those who support him using this in their arsenal against Thrall at some point in the future.
And Thrall's holiday visitors and enemies will have to get through my belf and her kitteh first.
damon Dec 22nd 2008 11:35AM
There's already a degree of rascism in the horde between the eastern and western factions, note that orcs, trolls and tauren start off friendly with eachother but "Neutral" with forsaken and belfs and vice-versa. Neither side trusted eachother much, but i think the battle for the undercity actually helped them realize their mutual comeraderie. With all the forsaken refugees that swamped orgrimmar, and with thrall and sylvanas fighting side-by-side, and with the royal apothecary society (The number one contributor to the suspicion between the west and east.) out of the way, i actually see the orcs and forsaken getting along better than ever. Especially seeing as now the humans are once again on a genocidal rampage against both of them.
Amaxe Dec 22nd 2008 11:46AM
Well it seems to me that among the Horde, there would be questions asked about whether they "rooted out all the traitors". Perhaps some even wondering if the Forsaken are secretly working with the Scourge.
Less extreme versions would wonder if there were still sympathizers walking around or a "fifth column" ready to act. Perhaps some Forsaken secretly sympathize with the Apothecary (I imagine the Grimtotems might as well), or resent the suspicion they are under since the uprising.
A lot of excellent potential for storytelling here IMO
@damon
Interesting. Rolling Ally, I was not aware of these factional differences. Would be interesting to throw into the mix. The Horde doubtlessly has some deep suspicions to some races ("Have the Trolls really given up voodoo and cannibalism?" "Are the Belfs nothing more than 'Johnny Come Latelys'?" etc)
Of course to keep things balanced, we would need to have a similar crisis between the Alliance. Perhaps those who agreed with Jaina and those who agreed with the King, and those who were dubious of both
Sakinah Dec 22nd 2008 11:56AM
Well, speaking as a belf:
1.) To the Alliance races I'll say: Watch out for the humans. They'll turn on you in a heartbeat and never look back. Trust us. We know.
2.) The belfs can never go back, the only way is forward with Thrall and the Horde. Much like the orcs, there are some that shouldn't be held culpable for someone else's actions and try to prove the exceptions, and some who will never apologize for being exactly what they are and exactly what they have done.
Sakinah Dec 22nd 2008 11:56AM
Well, speaking as a belf:
1.) To the Alliance races I'll say: Watch out for the humans. They'll turn on you in a heartbeat and never look back. Trust us. We know.
2.) The belfs can never go back, the only way is forward with Thrall and the Horde. Much like the orcs, there are some that shouldn't be held culpable for someone else's actions and try to prove the exceptions, and some who will never apologize for being exactly what they are and exactly what they have done.
Sakinah Dec 22nd 2008 12:01PM
Three things on the belf/Horde side:
1.) To the Alliance races, with King Wrynn back: Don't ever, ever turn your back on the humans. They'll leave you for dead if it suits them. The belves know.
2.) New to the Horde they may be, but most are just looking for a new start. Thrall and the Horde have offered that, even if they are initially unsure of belf intentions.
3.) The Forsaken: Sylvanas is more than she appears. I have a sneaky suspicion she remembers and feels more of her former life than she would let on- as do many of her people. Only time will tell, though, and they seem prepared for closer inspection following Undercity and the Wrathgate.
Amaxe Dec 22nd 2008 12:27PM
Interesting, and of course the Alliance can consider the Belfs as betraying them and abandoning them. (Admittedly my source is the WoW website history)
The tragedy of misunderstandings of course which we should all try to rise above... and it's all the fault of the Orcs anyway... if they hadn't dabbled with the lust for power and been corrupted, none of this would have happened ;-P
Amaxe Dec 22nd 2008 12:29PM
hmm, my final comment (ducks and runs from the flames) dissapeared. I guess using the symbols of > and < (in reverse order) around words hides them?
purifico Dec 23rd 2008 7:53AM
@ Amaxe
If you want to blame someone, blame the night elves. They were the race that brought the Burning Legion into Kalimdor in the first place, and, btw, meddled with the Old Gods. Stupid morons.
Come think of it, all the races of Azeroth, past and present, meddled with either the Burning Legion or the Old Gods, OR both.
Except maybe for tauren and gnomes. But then again there's the case of Gnomeregan and the Grimtotems.