Know Your Lore: The Draenei, Page 2

We've covered the events of the Rise of the Horde from the Horde perspective already. Kil'jaeden's agents found Draenor, Killy'J was tired of Velen always getting away so he played it cool and used deception (It's baked into that 'the Deceiver' title he's got) to convinced Ner'zhul that the draenei were up to no good despite thousands of years of evidence that the draenei were basically just chilling out in their weird cities and not really much of a threat to anyone.
Fingers can be pointed here at draenei complacency, although to me that's a touch unfair. Still, it can't be denied that after thousands upon thousands of years of running from demonic maniacs who used to be their friends and neighbors, the draenei as a whole just wanted to have a place to call their own. They didn't react as quickly to the orcs and their sudden bellicose stand as they could have: having once hosted a young Durotan and Orgrim Doomhammer, Velen was under the impression that the up and coming orc leadership was admirable and could be negotiated with. Unfortunately he failed to grasp the true extent of the hostility that Kil'jaeden had created, nor did he know its ultimate source. Had he seen the hand of his old enemy, it might not have mattered, for with K'ure entombed within Oshu'gun the draenei lacked a ready means of escape. Velen made the mistake of attempting to visit K'ure's resting place at this time, which only agitated the orcs further (and led with the Prophet being briefly held captive by the Frostwolf chieftain Durotan, who held Nagrand at that time).
The fall of Ner'zhul and the rise of Gul'dan ended any chance for peace between orc and draenei, and Durotan's betrayal of the means by which draenei had brought him and Doomhammer into Telmor sealed that city's fate, as demon blood addicted orcs slaughtered the inhabitants. While the draenei did not go quietly... their mastery of arcane power, the Holy Light first shown to them by the Naaru, and natural size and strength allowed them to fight effectively and the orcish dependence on the spirits meant that as they took actions the spirits disapproved of, their power waned.... Gul'dan quickly set about replacing waning shamanistic power with warlock magics that the draenei were not equipped to resist en masse. Eventually, even Shattrath City fell. Gul'dan set up camp in the former Temple of Karabor, Velen's own private sancturary, and transformed it into the Black Temple.
This unchecked, unjustified, and rapacious violence was the result of Kil'jaeden taking advantage of the aggressive hunter mentality of the orcs and magnifying it first with paranoid and suspicion and later with demon blood taken from an Annihilan, Mannoroth. While these elements were already present (hey, you try fending off ogres and gronn with good looks, it takes some significant whacking with big, heavy objects to keep those dudes off your back) it was the culmination of Gul'dan's manipulation that convinced so many to willingly enslave themselves to demons. The complete slaughter, the genocide waged upon the draenei was Kil'jaeden's goal, but it was an afterthought to Gul'dan, something he engaged in merely to cement his own power.
As the orcs fell to squabbling and Draenor, poisoned by fel corruption, began to become unlivable, the few remaining draenei gathered together in hidden refuges placed in regions no one would really want like Zangarmarsh. Velen had been forced to allow himself to be protected and removed from the major centers of draenei life as they fell, forced to watch as his followers were slaughtered in vast amounts. Now some of the draenei were finding themselves changed by the fel energies unleashed by heedless orc warlocks.
Fingers can be pointed here at draenei complacency, although to me that's a touch unfair. Still, it can't be denied that after thousands upon thousands of years of running from demonic maniacs who used to be their friends and neighbors, the draenei as a whole just wanted to have a place to call their own. They didn't react as quickly to the orcs and their sudden bellicose stand as they could have: having once hosted a young Durotan and Orgrim Doomhammer, Velen was under the impression that the up and coming orc leadership was admirable and could be negotiated with. Unfortunately he failed to grasp the true extent of the hostility that Kil'jaeden had created, nor did he know its ultimate source. Had he seen the hand of his old enemy, it might not have mattered, for with K'ure entombed within Oshu'gun the draenei lacked a ready means of escape. Velen made the mistake of attempting to visit K'ure's resting place at this time, which only agitated the orcs further (and led with the Prophet being briefly held captive by the Frostwolf chieftain Durotan, who held Nagrand at that time).
The fall of Ner'zhul and the rise of Gul'dan ended any chance for peace between orc and draenei, and Durotan's betrayal of the means by which draenei had brought him and Doomhammer into Telmor sealed that city's fate, as demon blood addicted orcs slaughtered the inhabitants. While the draenei did not go quietly... their mastery of arcane power, the Holy Light first shown to them by the Naaru, and natural size and strength allowed them to fight effectively and the orcish dependence on the spirits meant that as they took actions the spirits disapproved of, their power waned.... Gul'dan quickly set about replacing waning shamanistic power with warlock magics that the draenei were not equipped to resist en masse. Eventually, even Shattrath City fell. Gul'dan set up camp in the former Temple of Karabor, Velen's own private sancturary, and transformed it into the Black Temple.
This unchecked, unjustified, and rapacious violence was the result of Kil'jaeden taking advantage of the aggressive hunter mentality of the orcs and magnifying it first with paranoid and suspicion and later with demon blood taken from an Annihilan, Mannoroth. While these elements were already present (hey, you try fending off ogres and gronn with good looks, it takes some significant whacking with big, heavy objects to keep those dudes off your back) it was the culmination of Gul'dan's manipulation that convinced so many to willingly enslave themselves to demons. The complete slaughter, the genocide waged upon the draenei was Kil'jaeden's goal, but it was an afterthought to Gul'dan, something he engaged in merely to cement his own power.
As the orcs fell to squabbling and Draenor, poisoned by fel corruption, began to become unlivable, the few remaining draenei gathered together in hidden refuges placed in regions no one would really want like Zangarmarsh. Velen had been forced to allow himself to be protected and removed from the major centers of draenei life as they fell, forced to watch as his followers were slaughtered in vast amounts. Now some of the draenei were finding themselves changed by the fel energies unleashed by heedless orc warlocks.

Unfortunately, the draenei did not respond to this new problem with the equanimity one might hope for. Already reeling from the carnage of the orcish assaults, many draenei responded to these 'broken' with horror and revulsion and ostracized them from their already reduced society. These unfortunates were named 'krokul', or Broken and were often forced to become hermits... when and if entire tribes were not so stricken. Akama, formerly a priest at the Temple of Karabor, ended up leading an entire tribe of broken.
In their reduced state it would have been fairly easy for Gul'dan to have finished the job, but as was stated above, he didn't really care about the draenei at all: it was Kil'jaeden that had wanted revenge, and he withdrew his influence, sated at having forced Velen to watch his people die by the myriad myriads. (Yes, I reference Procopius.) Gul'dan found himself much more interested in finding a way to keep his people alive, which not only led to his alliance with Medivh/Sargeras and the opening of the Dark Portal, but gave the remnants of the draenei breathing room. (It also allowed Lost Ones, a tribe of broken further mutated by fel energies, to make their way to Azeroth. To this day Lost Ones can be found in the Swamp of Sorrows and Blasted Lands.)
Velen and his followers hid at the former anchorage of Telredor, and Akama lead his Ashtongue tribe of broken. The former Vindicator Nobundo walked the land attempting to reconnect with the Holy Light that he had lost when he was one of the few survivors of the massacre at Shattrath. Then Ner'zhul tore Draenor apart, and created Outland, the shattered ruin of the once lush planet. In the aftermath of his action the draenei actually seemed to recover somewhat, as not only did the orcs have more pressing matters (like pure survival) to occupy them, but the Naaru of the Shat'tar faction arrived at Draenor in what would be known as Tempest Keep as well, to try and lead resistance to the Burning Legion. Together with the Aldor, they helped reclaim and rebuild Shattrath from the charnel pit the Horde left behind.
The coming of Illidan to Outland brought change that aided and yet also harmed the draenei. Akama and his tribe of broken allied with Illidan and helped him close the portals and reclaim the Black Temple (formerly the Temple of Karabor) from the pit lord Magtheridon but Illidan's ally Kael'thas Sunstrider led a force of blood elves to seize control of Tempest Keep while the Naaru were occupied helping the Aldor at Shattrath, seizing M'uru in the process. This led Velen to determine that the time was at hand to leave Outland once and for all. With Nobundo having returned to Telredor and demonstrated that the draenei affinity for magic extended itself to the elemental and ancestral spirits of the land that the orcs had abandoned to chase after fel magic, Velen began to believe in the words of an old prophecy of his and took direct action for the first time in decades. A force of draenei and broken stormed Tempest Keep, managed to commandeer one of the four satellite structures, and escaped Outland, although not without sabotage from the blood elves loyal to Kael'thas.

A starting draenei PC picks up his story from this point: the Exodar, the crashed satellite of the Naaru dimensional fortress sabotaged by Kael'thas' servants, has ripped a hole in the Twisting Nether and arrived on Azeroth, crashing into islands loosely controlled by the Kaldorei. A starting player gets to experience the aftermath, as injuries are tended to, the new world is explored, contact is made with the Alliance and eventually a great threat is dealt with, earning the respect of the draenei people.
The draenei, led by Velen, provide the Alliance with their real foothold back into Outland, while Nobundo's teaching allows the draenei to tap into the same spirit magic as their enemies in the Horde. It seems that the draenei are in an expansionist phase now, as their presence can be felt in settlements in Ashenvale, in ambassadors sent to Stormwind and Aerie Peak, and even in Northrend where they work to root out corruption. They're done running. Velen took part in the final banishment of Kil'jaeden and the restoration of M'uru, and in so doing re-created the Sunwell, proving that the draenei can do good even to those who have only offered evil to them. Survivors who have touched the Holy Light, heard the spirit's call from their desertion and answered, and worked magic unlike any people before them have joined with allies to ensure that what happened on Draenor will not happen to Azeroth.
Basically, draenei are awesome. Next week, most likely we'll talk about Velen and maybe Nobundo as well.






Reader Comments (Page 1 of 6)
kabshiel Mar 31st 2010 6:10PM
I think the Draenei were a lot more interesting back when they were stealthy shamanistic potato-people, rather than the friendly demon paladins they are now.
Matthew Rossi Mar 31st 2010 6:13PM
Plenty of shamanistic potato people in Outland, if that's what you're looking for.
Although I wouldn't mind at all if I had the option to play as Broken.
the_rage_of_trebor Mar 31st 2010 6:16PM
I always love these Articles.
As a Super Lore -Nerd I alreday know most of the things you talk about but I love the way in which you tell it.
MusedMoose Mar 31st 2010 6:20PM
Draenei are indeed awesome; thank you, Mr. Rossi, for showing us that they have always been awesome. I have more higher-level draenei characters than any other race, and something about them has always appealed to me. I'm now feeling the inspiration to reroll my long-neglected male draenei paladin as a warrior, just because...
Also: draenei women have tails. You just can't beat that. ^_^
Hollow Leviathan Mar 31st 2010 6:50PM
Draenei women have a great many things going for them.
MusedMoose Mar 31st 2010 8:36PM
@ Hollow -
Amen, my brother. *grin*
Gemini Mar 31st 2010 8:48PM
Like scoliosis.
Champayne Apr 1st 2010 1:52AM
/waggle
Hivetyrant Mar 31st 2010 6:23PM
Very awesome, I love reading lore (Just had my entire Warcraft Novel collection delivered)
This article was no exception in a string of interesting reads.
Though I do admit I had to google "triumverate" and I think you meant Triumvirate, as "triumverate" is apparently a New york punk band :P
cyndigirl47 Apr 1st 2010 5:45AM
No I concur, with Jay, Mr. Rossi as far as I can tell he shows quite a bit of Alliance bias in his articles. However I see nothing wrong with it seeing as how I too I am guilty of this. Everyone selectively leaves out facets of lore that color their favorite race in a less than favorable light.
Jay Mar 31st 2010 6:27PM
The more I read the lore articles the more I get the feeling you are a little too heavily biased.
The Lore to me doesn't seem to indicate in any way the skew you place on human = good, orc = bad, yet this is just how you have made all your articles sound.
It's almost like you have never played through the Horde starting quests, instead only playing through the Alliance ones. So much human evil against the races of the Horde. Even the Darnassians are featured as honourless spies in the noble stuggle of the belfs/undead.
Matthew Rossi Mar 31st 2010 6:31PM
Explain to me the bias in this post. Even in Rise of the Horde, it's made clear from start to finish that the orc genocide against the draenei is entirely the orc's doing. Even Thrall admits it. Go do the starting quests in Borean Tundra where Saurfang talks about the sounds draenei children made when orcs slaughtered them. Watch the Black Temple trailer and make note of the scenes of blood crazed orcs killing women and children, defenseless victims of demonic orc bloodlust. Literally so, as the orcs drank demon blood to gain it.
I have several horde toons, including a level 80 tauren warrior. The orcs committed genocide against neighbors they'd been at peace with for decades on the say so of Ner'zhul and Gul'dan. There's no bias in that statement.
Jay Mar 31st 2010 6:36PM
You need to look at your entire string of articles to see the bias. So far (and you don't seem to be running sequentially) you have picked out all the Human=good and Orc=bad facets of the lore.
This article is good and accurate. It is is true to lore and well written, yet, when you look at each and every article you have written you can see a bias.
How about picking some of the Human factions that are evil or have been corrupted and who play a fairly large part of the persecution of Horde races?
Matthew Rossi Mar 31st 2010 6:41PM
Again, what bias are we talking about? It seems more to me like you have a bias against humans that infects even your comments on a post that doesn't even mention them.
Jay Mar 31st 2010 6:44PM
OK, I see that you can't consider your entire series as a whole. So just black me out and I will stop reading.
Hollow Leviathan Mar 31st 2010 6:55PM
The response to a request for the burden of proof is not to petulantly yell, 'You don't understand me!' and slam your bedroom door, it's to show specific examples. This is how arguments are made.
Rossi point by point disproved your theory for this article, citing specific topics. Do the same for these other articles you mention, or your argument has no support. Vague accusations and how you feel are not actually evidence.
Jay Mar 31st 2010 7:00PM
Look at the third post Hollow, the second I make.
Now, look at each and every article as a whole series, and not just individual articles.
Nazgûl Mar 31st 2010 7:06PM
You talk of the Human mistreatment of the Orcs as if it were entirely unfounded. The pillaging of Stormwind? Assassination of King Llane? I suppose all of these events CLEARLY illustrate "good" orcs.
The fact is, with the Orcs, there are no shades of grey until very recently - up until now, they have been evil creatures surrounded by demonic bloodlust and shadow magic. And I love them for it.
Your claims of "bias" are only your own bias. Rossi's articles are excellent, and his argument in his first reply is enough to disprove you.
Oskari Mar 31st 2010 7:07PM
@Jay
It's all about perspective. You seem to be a "For the Horde" chest-pounder, nothing wrong with that, but when you describe things like "the noble struggle of the belfs/undead" and then claim faction bias on the author, you pretty much kill your argument. I don't know if planning a plague to wipeout all life on Azeroth could be considered "noble", but that's just me.
Yeah, the humans have done some pretty bad things to the orcs, but in some respect it was motivated by war, death, and bloodshed caused by, mainly...the orcs themselves.
As for the article, it doesn't seem like it's an "orc=bad" argument. It's taking a non-apologetic stand that, yes, the Horde did some crazy things on their demon-blood binge. Some people need to just accept that, for some time, the orcs were legitimate bad-guys. Are they currently? That's for Blizzard and the playerbase to decide.
Besides, the article was about Draenai, and they just rock.
SR Mar 31st 2010 7:09PM
It's like saying that Americans aren't guilty of the genocide against Native Americans during its initial conquest. What you're doing is turning a blind eye on what your faction has done in the past, and saying "WAH WAH YOU'RE EXPOSING OUR PAST MISTAKES".
Ok, it's like this: trying to shit-talk about someone after they did a report on Jewish suffering through Holocaust.