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Blinded Iraq war vet raids with a little helpLor'themar Theron: In the Shadow of the Sun chronicles blood elven leader's troubles
by Mathew McCurley 
Jan 28th 2012 at 8:00PM
Check out the full story over at the Blizzard community website. If you haven't yet read this one, it's definitely one of the best.
Lor'themar Theron: In the Shadow of the Sun
Blizzard Entertainment is proud to present the latest entry in the "Leaders of Azeroth" short story series: In the Shadow of the Sun!
Lor'themar was not any surer of his thoughts by the day Aethas was scheduled to arrive. As he made his way through Sunfury Spire to the front hall where the archmage would appear, Halduron stopped him, holding out a small bundle of soft crimson wool. Lor'themar took it and held it up as it unfolded, beholding a regal golden phoenix upon its field: the Silvermoon City tabard.
"No," he said curtly, shoving the garment back at his friend.
"You should wear it," Halduron pressed.
"What does it matter?" he answered, striding forward. "Anyone in the service of Silvermoon may bear it."
"It is the symbol of state," Halduron called after him. "You are the head of state. You should look the part."
"I am the regent lord," Lor'themar said, continuing to walk away. "Not the king."
Written by Sarah Pine, "In the Shadow of the Sun" is the 2008 Global Creative Writing Contest winner. To view this story in its original format, head on over to Blizzard.com.
Lor'themar was not any surer of his thoughts by the day Aethas was scheduled to arrive. As he made his way through Sunfury Spire to the front hall where the archmage would appear, Halduron stopped him, holding out a small bundle of soft crimson wool. Lor'themar took it and held it up as it unfolded, beholding a regal golden phoenix upon its field: the Silvermoon City tabard.
"No," he said curtly, shoving the garment back at his friend.
"You should wear it," Halduron pressed.
"What does it matter?" he answered, striding forward. "Anyone in the service of Silvermoon may bear it."
"It is the symbol of state," Halduron called after him. "You are the head of state. You should look the part."
"I am the regent lord," Lor'themar said, continuing to walk away. "Not the king."
Written by Sarah Pine, "In the Shadow of the Sun" is the 2008 Global Creative Writing Contest winner. To view this story in its original format, head on over to Blizzard.com.
Brace yourselves for what could be some of most exciting updates to the game recently with patch 4.3. Review the official patch notes, and then dig into what's ahead: new item storage options, cross-realm raiding, cosmetic armor skinning and your chance to battle the mighty Deathwing -- from astride his back!
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Ikatsu Jan 28th 2012 8:31PM
So this is what he's doing on cataclysm... Interesting...
Even when the man manages to show up, he's still missing :P
Leviathon Jan 28th 2012 9:34PM
Unfortunately this story is pre Wrath and is no where even near Cata.
Ikatsu Jan 28th 2012 9:49PM
That's the point, technically he's still doing nothing...
ZodiacDragons Jan 28th 2012 8:32PM
Sure wish Lor'themar would do something in-game.
ZodiacDragons Jan 28th 2012 8:33PM
Looks like a pre-wrath short story.
Eternauta Jan 28th 2012 9:40PM
it IS a pre-wrath short-story.
Lor'Themar and Velen didn't get any new short-story for Cataclysm so far.
Leviathon Jan 28th 2012 10:18PM
Eh we don't know when Velens is.
ZodiacDragons Jan 29th 2012 3:23PM
This was supposed to be a reply to Ikatsu but it looks like he knows it's pre-wrath :D
clundgren Jan 28th 2012 8:46PM
On the one hand, it's a really good story.
On the other hand, what dos it tell you that Blizzard gives us fresh, up to date material for the other faction leaders, and recycles material ffrom 2008 (!) for the Blood Elves?
Blayze Jan 28th 2012 9:00PM
Just wait till you see the Draenei story. What plot hook do the Draenei have other than Anduin?
But yeah, the fact that they didn't even bother to commission a new piece just smacks of how much Blizzard are sweeping the TBC races under the rug. But at least the Blood Elves get the Reliquary.
Possum Jan 28th 2012 9:58PM
I think it must be hard to write for the Draenei. They're a race that is pretty much immune to internal conflict which has been a big feature this expansion.
Draenei 1: I am so perfect, I see that you too are perfect and pure.
Draenei 2: Yes I am perfect as well. Look, I have found an apple. Let us share it equally as the Light decrees.
((Draenei 3 rides up on an elephant thing))
Draenei 3: We are having a party in the main hall of the Exodar this morning. Everyone is invited!
Draenei 2: A party?
Draenei 3: By party I mean we are all going to quietly reflect on the light and friendship and forgiveness then have a light lunch of luke warm water and plain bread.
Draenei 1: Excellent. On the way to the party I plan to donate to several charities.
*Brief musical number with the woodland creatures*
They need external forces to make them interesting at all (e.g. the Burning Legion, Orcs) so unless the Horde decides it wants to take control of the Exodar next expansion or the Burning Legion comes back they're probably going to stay pretty boring.
Ikatsu Jan 28th 2012 10:14PM
Don't forget that they start BC being bullied by the Blood Elves and in return they make a plan to rendeem them.
Ayane Jan 29th 2012 2:11AM
My heart sank when I saw that this...this old story, was going to be the one released for Lor'thremar. it's not a bad story but, my gods, it's frigging pre-wrath,it's two expansions old.
They couldn't take the time, to contact the author, and perhaps get to write a new updated story? Or hold another contest, for updated leader stories?
It looks like I was not alone in my dismay.
http://us.battle.net/wow/en/forum/topic/3967588788?page=1
http://us.battle.net/wow/en/forum/topic/3967848373?page=1
This is beyond Lazy for Blizzard...just beyond.
The only bright spit is the new comic book artwork of him, it's nice, but I wish he had half the 'badass' in the game, that he does in that image.
Orrine Jan 29th 2012 2:34AM
@clundgren
But surely you get it, don't you? No?
Well, we have a proof that Sylvanas was soulless bitch even before Arthas demise, not after! I think that's the point of the story.
Blayze Jan 29th 2012 8:00AM
The Draenei eredar are only immune to internal conflict because Blizzard refuses to write internal conflict. I don't understand how, though, considering these guys are a perfect fit for their ham-fisted style of "lol corruption now ur evil" writing. Hell, they're Jedi compared to the Sith eredar in the Burning Legion. Their excessive zeal never gets played up, nor does the "damn these guys are strange" effect besides one scene in Borean Tundra that 'explains' why they weren't used past Outland.
Think of Hunter: the Reckoning. As Hunters become more and more consumed by their particular ideologies, they lose more and more of their humanity and start to creep the other Hunters the hell out.
But in World of Warcraft, there's no cultural conflicts, no ideological conflicts, nothing.
Bobby Earl Jan 29th 2012 8:32AM
Possum's post is pretty hilarious. I never really thought about but that is indeed how the Draenei come off. My main is Draenei and he's actually a foul-mouthed ass of a shaman - not because I RP him, but because I'M a foul-mouthed ass.
Amanda A. Jan 29th 2012 9:15AM
@Possum (why, oh why can we not directly reply to a reply....)
I -really- wish that Blizzard wold write draenei as more complex-- they're certainly capable of it, and there are a few quests in their start zone and Outland that show that, even as the 'pure good' faction, they are capable of being somewhat dark. For example, in the short story 'Unbroken' they react to the mutation of the broken with fear and xenophobia, and for a long time exile people who were friends and family.
Note that the broken are, in fact, the few who survived the siege of Shattrath. They chose to stay in Shattrath and defend knowing they were very likely to die or worse, hoping the orcs would think that they were the last of the Draenei and not try to find the ones who had hidden in the Zangarmarsh and Nagrand. In other words, the broken are -heroes.- Even now, the broken seem to be treated as laborers in the Exodar, and not as normal citizens. For that matter, the draenei deliberately left children in Shattrath along with the volunteers, knowing they would be slaughtered, in order to let the orcs think they finished the draenei off and let the rest go into hiding. It's a logical choice, but I'm not sure if it's the 'good' one. Unfortunately, we don't see that somewhat alien mindset in-game. (Or the draenei in general in-game.)
The problem is, their 'hat' is being Good and Pure (and incapable of piloting.) Like gnomes and quirky technology, they rarely appear otherwise unless it's a plot point.
I RP my main-- a redemption-seeking draenei death knight who's trying to be normal and sometimes succeeding-- in a guild full of draenei RPers. We actually see a surprising amount of internal conflict, some of it driven by the fact that actually living up to the expectations of Draenic society is rather more difficult than it looks. However, they are-- admittedly-- often slice-of-life RP issues, and not the sort you would see addressed in a quest....
Possum Jan 30th 2012 1:20AM
You are indeed right Amanda. They don't *have* to be that way. But it is the way Blizz is determined to use them. *sigh*
shirtntie Jan 28th 2012 8:49PM
This was released to the public a long long time ago, i actually had it bookmarked for the longest time but i can not find it anymore.
It is a good story and i liked it when i first read it. It fits this character in particular, feeling out of place, cornered, "subdued" in a sense.
Anyways i think it was released before Cataclysm so what happens in this story take place before Wrath of the Lich King.
musicchan Jan 28th 2012 9:22PM
Every time I think of this story, I'm a little sad about what happened to the high elves in that particular outpost during the Cataclysm. Looks like they all succumbed to their cravings :(