#help tyrande

[shcndralar]

I told Sett this like, two years ago, but: Lysirae is a Vol'jinist. It was a joke before, but over the years, I've been dead serious about it. Lys wants nothing to do with Elune nor her priestesses--in her eyes, she is a failure of a goddess.

[mbat]

the night elves being called the kaldorei and my main being named koralei is. confusing sometimes actually

[assassinhomecreedstuck]

Malfurion is SUCH a babygirl

[makanidotdot]

some old sketches from the big tyrande elune comic i've been saying 'i rly want to finish' for the past 2 years. and i do want to finish it even tho it's just all shadowlands fixing and shadowlands is very 'dont think it dont say it' at this point. It's like half comic half literal wall of text just pepe silva style explaining a version of elune that is not cringe (aka the best kind of content and ur all missing out every day i dont finish it)

anyway this is from a flashback where shandris is helping tyrande get ready for her wedding in Stormrage. 2nd image is tyrande being like um,, do i look ok,, like a dumb idiot and shandris is all :)))) and picks her up, presumably messing up a bunch of the hair leafs they both just got done carefully placing.

[alteredphoenix]

Checking out WotLK Classic. Decided to level and ding a nelf warrior to level 10.

I like to think this is my OC, Ardenn (from retail, and this is the same name I gave this elf), in his more innocent days, before the Burning of Teldrassil drove him insane and made him rage (and ultimately fail) against the Shadowlands.

Or maybe not. Maybe this is set in an AU where Sylvanas never becomes Warchief and Teldrassil doesn’t fall, therefore Ardenn never has his mental break and his familial bonds with his daughter never permanently shatters. Maybe he decides to stay an adventurer and join the Dragonscale Expedition to document their research in the Dragon Isles.

Naturally I’m a fan of Capital A ANGST and prefer my headcanon where he either (a) refuses to leave the Shadowlands until Sylvanas gets punished (a more spiteful version of the ending to The Searchers, and fat chance of that happening for him, so he stays there permanently unless there’s an off-chance she perma-dies, but if the power of capitalism has anything to say she wouldn’t so he’s shit out of luck) or (b) throws himself off Oribos as a fuck you to Pelagos when he sees his efforts were All For Nothing and may or may not have wound up in the past where the Burning probably doesn’t happen over and over again but his mind is so broken and exhausted that thinking of the possibility doesn’t register; if he recovers from everything post-Burning, he might be able to stop it - and Sylvanas’s ascension to Warchief - right before the assault on the Broken Shore...maybe.

Well. You decide.

[archaeoelysion]

tag drop: 002/???

character study: tyrande { MOON SOAKED AND DAWN FLAVORED. } in character: tyrande { FAVORED BY THE GODDESS. } physique: tyrande { IF THE MOON SMILED SHE WOULD RESEMBLE YOU. } dynamics: tyrande & illidan { HER GREATEST MISTAKE. } dynamics: tyrande & malfurion { TAKE MY HEART WITH YOU WHEN YOU GO. } dynamics: tyrande & shandris { NOT ALL BONDS ARE IN BLOOD. } dynamics: tyrande & maiev { SHE BECAME VENGEANCE ITSELF. }

 in character: hythlodaeus { ARCHITECT. } character study: hythlodaeus { ENJOYED SEEING FOR ITS OWN SAKE. } physique: hythlodaeus { LAVENDER. } dynamics: hythlodaeus & hades & azem { TO HELP THEM REALIZE THEIR DREAMS. } dynamics: hythlodaeus & hades — archaeoelysian { AND IF THERE IS LIFE AFTER DEATH‚ I’LL LOVE YOU THEN. }

character study: aymeric { NO THRONE OR CROWN IS NEEDED. } in character: aymeric { LORD SPEAKER. } physique: aymeric { PALE BLUE SKY REFLECTED IN YOUR EYES. }

[renaultmograine]

"Years ago, when Tyrande allowed the highborne to join, I vehemently protested (by killing like four people). You however have changed my mind in half an hour, and helped me realize that mages are people. Therefore, men can join the sentinels now."

[jainaism]

“I moved Heaven and Earth to smooth her. I had to fight Daelin to allow her to be trained in Dalaran.” ― Katherine Proudmoore

“Only the Goddess may forbid me anything. I will free Illidan whether you like it or not.” ― Tyrande Whisperwind

“My favorite story was always the one about how you were chosen to be the first female Guardian by Scavell, who was the first mage to see the value of a female apprentice, and how the Guardians of Tirisfal applauded the choice.” ― Jaina Proudmoore

Mia developed a lump in her throat. Genn seldom kept secrets from her, and the news he’d shared was frightening. He had asked her to make sure all the Gilneans in Darnassus made it safely to Stormwind—and for her to return as soon as that task was complete. She made a decision on the spot. Not for the first time, Mia Greymane would do what her heart felt was right, no matter what anyone—including her husband—wanted her to do. “I’ll be here for a while,” she said. “Once my people are safe, I’ll stay to help yours.”

“Battle sister,” Shandris said, returning the smile gently. “The archdruid and the high priestess send me to you with joy, and it is with joy that I and my Sentinels come to aid you.”

+

“A woman should have every honorable motive to exertion which is enjoyed by man, to the full extent of her capacities and endowments. The case is too plain for argument. Nature has given woman the same powers, and subjected her to the same earth, breathes the same air, subsists on the same food, physical, moral, mental and spiritual. She has, therefore, an equal right with man, in all efforts to obtain and maintain a perfect existence.” ― Frederick Douglass

“Above all, be the heroine of your life, not the victim.” — Nora Ephron

“When a man gives his opinion, he's a man. When a woman gives her opinion, she's a bitch.” ― Bette Davis

+

“When men do shit, they get praised. When women take revenge, they are called crazy.” ― Unknown author

[grimlins-chaos]

The numbness that comes with an unfulfilled promise..

It was quiet for the most part, petals and leaves fall from the boughs above and flutter down to the city below, a few of them landing upon the surface of the lake that Alaantheria had been simply observing, her face still a bit numb from the fresh mark- but that paled in comparison to the numbness she felt in her heart and soul. She finally got to prove herself as someone of worth, not only earning the mark of shadow, but also the Scythe of Elune. The elf looked over the fantastic weapon with tired eyes. She hardly felt anything, not just in regards to her accomplishment but to all things im general. All of it felt so meaningless. She knows all her friends are worried about her, it wasn't till some time recently when she finally gained the strength to be out amongst people again- but now she was alone. The sounds of revarly from those of the guild and other kal'dorei celebrating her and her party's accomplishments, she should be happy, she should be proud. But she just.. can't..

"For someone having finally earned her marks, you don't seem too happy to bear them." A gentle voice came from behind, causing the young elf to turn around and be just a bit surprised to see the High Priestess herself of all people standing there.

Alaantheria wasn't quite sure how to verbalize it, she didn't feel like she could speak up about it even though all of her friends hadn't ever shut her down before- some of them know their own losses and she's experienced loss herself throughout her life. There was just something about this loss that cut deeper than anything else and she didn't know how to explain it. "I'm just thinking about things, High Priestess, pay no mind to me." Alaan managed a small smile, one that felt so.. wrong to put on.

The older woman's lips quirked into a mildly unimpressed frown, brows furroed as she cocked her head to the side ever so slightly, making it clear she saw right through the young elf. "We should be truthful with ourselves, Young one. And Tyrande, please." She says as she walks up to the railing to stand beside Alaantheria. "I wouldn't be a very good priestess if I were to turn a blind eye to one of my people clearly suffering, especially on a day that's supposed to be a joyus one for her. What's on your mind, child?"

Alaan sighed a bit, her smile turning into a wristful grimace. "Where to even begin.." She turned to look over the railing, resting her arms on it as she rested her weight against it. "There was someone supposed to be here.. and he's.." She paused, throat becoming tight with emotion as she could feel the tears threatening to return. "Not.." She managed to force out.

Given her demeanor and the tension throughout the druid, Tyrande seemed to have understood pretty quickly how this somebody so dear to the girl may have departed. It was but one of many reasons why she hates the legion so passionately- the way they managed to rip so many loved ones away from people, often in the most brutal and cruel ways imaginable.

Alaantheria took in a sharp deep breath, attempting to compose herself and continued. "H-he was caught in an explosion, sacrificing himself to save others." The bitter bile rose to the back of her throat, tears forming at the edge of her eyes. She wanted so badly to be in his arms again, to feel his warm envelope her tight, even toward the end when he began to drift away from her she always knew there was something in him that loved her. Now.. now she's never felt more cold.

She was met with the feeling of a hand brushing over her leafy green hair as Tyrande spoke. "The love you shared with him I can tell was one of the greatest.. and also the most painful.. Raw, pure, forever enduring.." Tyrande looked out over the lake view. "While I've only ever nearly lost him, to be left behind while my love left to help the world or to walk the emerald dream filled me with a very similar pain- to be alone while your heart is out of your reach and you're left with the phantom feeling of them at your side.. it cuts deeper than any blade. And the whole they leave behind feels like you're standing on the edge of a gaping chasm that has no end.."

The words alone were enough to do her over, tears spilling down her freshly marked face as she buried her face in her hands and her body began to be raked with sobs, finally mourning as she never truly got to express before and it hurt- it hurt so much. Why did he have to go? It could have been anyone else, but it was him. And a part of her hating him for leaving her behind, but she also couldn't bring herself to be mad at him for many more would have died. She just missed him, she wanted him home so badly.

The priestess gently stroked the younger elf's hair, giving her all the time she needed to grieve. In time Alaantheria managed to calm down, setting her hands down as she looked over the calm lake before her, seeing herself in it's reflection, in that beautiful attire with her face flushed and her eyes wet and puffy from tears. And all she could manage were a few words in a weak and she sounded so small. "I don't know where to go from here.."

Tyrande reached over and picked a small violet flower from a vine that had been growing as one with the railing as much as the rest of the vegetation that simply merged with Darnassus' structures. "Do you know why I gave you the mark of shadow?" She merely asked, causing Alaan to look up at her, confused. Tyrande however merely smiled in return, tucking the stem of the flower into the green hair just above her ear. "Associated with the night warrior of legend, it was believed that the mark of shadow represented balance and hidden potential." She then cupped the side of the girl's flushed cheek. "If I had to guess he recognized you have so much more to give than you even realize. And now he's given you the opportunity to show the world what you can do, show just how strong you are. Take the light of his memory and the love that he gave you and live." Her expression softened as she then tugged the other elf into her arms. "He may not be here in body to watch you but I have a feeling that like I and like so many to came to see you today that he is so proud of you."

That seemed to finally grab a shakey but genuine smile out of Alaantheria as she returned the hug and the tears returned, accompanied by a small ball of warmth deep in her chest. The pain was still there.. it'd never go away, but she believed she understood what she had to do now.

[mylordshesacactus]

As I've picked it back up again after a long hiatus, I've realized that I probably have a lot of people around now who have no earthly idea what the hell my current longfic project even is anymore!

Anyway, this is a GREAT time to start reading

Reunification

Darnassus falls. In some timeline, in some version of the story, Nathanos Marris makes a mistake. In some timeline a word of kindness somewhere, a show of support somewhere else, a moment of humanity for lack of a better term, heads off a preemptive strike at the pass. In some timeline, Alliance intelligence is just a tiny bit more paranoid, a tiny bit more thorough, and the Horde stalls in Ashenvale. But today, Darnassus falls. Darnassus does not burn.

It's a single-point divergence AU of the War of Thorns--I was genuinely shocked that "AU where Sylvanas' original plan, to kill Malfurion and occupy Darnassus intact, succeeded" wasn't more prominent in the fandom. I was ALSO shocked to find so little Tyrande/Thalyssra anywhere, so I folded the two into a single project.

Some highlights:

Thalrande arranged marriage as a political-hostage bargaining chip

Sylvanas displaying both political and military competence while, crucially, still being a deeply obnoxious asshole (affectionate) the whole time

Valtrois TM

Anduin Wrynn, Living Embodiment Of Sunshine

Jaina, traumatized and angry and heartsick, dragged into overseeing the joint administration of Lordaeron and finding herself again in a city she's terrified to let herself love

All of my favorite minor NPCs/Hearthstone protagonists getting their day in the limelight (Rokara and Cariel Roame and Elise Starseeker my beloveds--)

The stark divide between high-level faction politics, and the lived reality of (what I hope you find to be) a rich cast of ordinary, sub-Champion citizens of Azeroth whose lives are a lot more complicated than killing people over a simple blue or red banner

(Seriously, if you like my OCs in general, the little folk of Azeroth are a major recurring thing here.)

Cannot emphasize how emphatically Valtrois is both Present and Extremely Herself.

We're currently right in the middle of a really interesting arc that's REALLY intertwining the parallel plotlines; I'm referring to them in my planning notes as the Ruby Dragonflight and Lordaeron Crisis arcs.

I'm having fun and I think there's some stuff here for a lot of people if y'all want to check it out! I have a much more sustainable approach to writing these days (and a partner who's ALSO writing warcraft longfic, and that's helping to keep the muse alive).

Anyway! Hope to see you over there.

[moon-swag-tourney]

The Bracket (tm)

The bracket is here!! Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns about it ^^

Also, please let me know if I need to spoiler tag these characters! I already have somewhat of a list, but there are plenty I'm unsure of, so all the help I can get is appreciated ^^' If I'm not confident though, I'll tag as spoilers just in case!

I'm aiming to the queue all of the polls so that they'll all be ready to upload on tuesday the 17th (left side) or wednesday the 18th (right side), however if it ends up delayed I'll be sure to make an announcement

Final thing, a reminder that you can find more info about the tournament under #tournament info !

Since it's kind of hard to read, here's the written list beneath the cut!

Left Side

Yuuki Mishima (Persona 5) vs Yuelia (Fantasy Life)

Kei Tsukkishima (Haikyuu!!) vs Moon Knight (Marvel)

Chan (Midnight Museum) vs Linh Cinder (The Lunar Chronicles)

Lucretia / Madam Director (The Adventure Zone: Balance) vs The Collector (The Owl Hourse)

Princess Luna (My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic) vs Princess Yue (Avatar: The Last Airbender)

Luther Hargreeves (The Umbrella Academy) vs Della Duck (Ducktales 2017)

Looks to the Moon (Rainworld) vs Moonwatcher (Wings of fire)

Moony (ENA) vs Majora's Mask Moon (The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask)

Bayonetta (Bayonetta) vs Princess Rani (Elden Ring)

Lunamon (Digimon) vs Moon Hare (Japanese Folktale)

Emlyn white (Lord of the Mysteries) vs Hisoka Mikage (A3!)

Soul Eater Moon (Soul Eater) vs Crona Gorgon (Soul Eater)

Asterian (SynthV) vs Kaguya Houraisan (Touhou Project)

Twila (Mario Party 6) vs Diana (League of Legends)

Maya Amano (Persona 2 Duology) vs Vanitas of the Blue Moon (Vanitas no Carte)

Umbreon (Pokemon) vs Clefairy (Pokemon)

Right Side

Moondrop (Five Nights At Freddies) vs Yue / Yukito Tsukishiro (Card Captor Sakura)

Gunpowder Tim (The Mechanisms) vs Fandub Eggman (Snapcube SA2 Fandub)

Lunala (Pokemon Moon) vs Ruby (Animal Crossing)

Moonlight Cookie (Cookie Run) vs Saïx / Isa (Kingdom Hearts)

Usagi Tsukino / Sailor Moon (Sailor Moon) vs Artemis (Greek Mythology)

The Moon (Real Life) vs Gillion Tidestrider (Just Roll With It: Riptide)

Runaan (The Dragon Prince) vs Rayla (The Dragon Prince)

Cure Moonlight / Yuri Tsukikage (Heartcatch Precure) vs Cure Selene / Madoka Kaguya (Star Twinkle Precure)

Lunatic / Yuri Petrov (Tiger & Bunny) vs Sigma Klim (Zero Escape)

Ben Drowned (Creepypasta / Majora's Mask) vs Moon Presence (Bloodborne)

Tracker O'Shaughnessy (Dimension 20 Fantasy High) vs Imogen Temult (Critical Role)

Kiana Kaslana (Honkai Impact 3rd) vs Aruru Otsuki (Revue Starlight)

Murr Hart (Promise of Wizard / Mahoutsukai no Yakusoku) vs Cyana Lucretia (Cosmic Wonders)

Hanako-Kun / Yugi Amane (Toilet Bound Hanako-Kun) vs Judith (Tales of Vesperia)

Sirius Gibson (Witch's Heart) vs Ursula Cabistis / Shining Chariot (Little Witch Academia)

Aurora (The Mechanisms) vs Tyrande Whisperwind (World of Warcraft)

[lothirielswan]

Jaina Proudmoore: Okay old man, what's with the flask

Khadgar: Old man? Excuse me?

Wrathion: The old lady's right. You've become a surprisingly integral part of my social circle. I can't have you interrupting my ecosystem. 

Lor'themar Theron: You can be honest. It's not stamina elixir. It never is. 

Khadgar: I AM NOT AN ALCOHOLIC. And it is NOT an addiction. People can carry flasks. Flasks are cool!

Kalec: You took out the flask three times during that meeting. And I'm good at recognizing red flags; I dated Jaina!

Jaina Proudmoore: ...

Tyrande Whisperwind: I have noticed a certain...pattern, with humans over time. Perhaps you should look into an anonymous outlet to speak about your feelings. Like when Jaina sought anger management sessions! And then she went to therapy!

Jaina Proudmoore: Okay, no one needs to know these things. I am FINE, and my life is not on fire anymore.

Malfurion Stormrage: Shh! Don't mention fire!

Khadgar: ...

Khadgar to Eona: This is why adults "seek help."

[sheyshen]

An idea I've been playing with a lot recently has been of Kieran's eyes turning silver come Tyrande going night warrior. And it's been such a fun idea to work with especially for someone like him who tends to carve his own path rather than fit in with the crowds.

And so a little fic came about! I hope you all enjoy! <3

---

Smoke poured from the burnt husk of Teldrassil, filling the sky and blocking out the stars. Though they were camped deep into Darkshore, the devastating sight was still clear to see. Kieran watched silently from where he rested, seated on the trunk of a fallen tree. Whether he was awaiting orders or an arrow through the throat, he wasn't sure at the moment, but the rest was welcome nonetheless. Seeing the tree in its current state caused guilt to gnaw at him, making him wonder if there had been more he could’ve done to stop it from happening in the first place. 

Tearing his eyes from the tree he scanned the camp, watching the night elves ready weapons and blessings as they waited for their high priestess to finish preparations for a ceremony to drive the horde back. Guarded glances and glares shot his way made it clear that his presence was merely tolerated, and where he watched them they too watched him in return. He rubbed the crescent necklace he wore with his thumb before tucking it into the alliance tabard that kept the gathering army from loosing their arrows in his direction.

Glowing green eyes amongst a sea of silver.

A familiar head of white hair strode purposefully through the camp, accompanied by a squad of worgen and a handful of adventurers following close behind. Shey had been one of the few voices that had kept his head on his shoulders after stepping through the portal to Stormwind with his injured wife in his arms and his willingness to share what details of the Horde's movements in Darkshore and Ashenvale earned him a place amongst those seeking to push back. A place that he had been forced upon him before he had had the chance to offer his bow.

Shandris's approach pulled his attention away from his thoughts and the alliance commander. She jerked her head in the direction of the dais that was set up near a moonwell. "It's time. Commander Wrynn has brought some reinforcements, and Minn'do will be starting the ritual shortly." She watched him as he stood, her expression unreadable. The rage and grief that must’ve been warring inside her were carefully masked to keep those under her command focused. He couldn’t help but admire that strength.

Stretching a moment he nodded and strode forward heading to join the gathering as Tyrande turned her attention to those before her. He took no insult as Shandris kept a step behind him as they made their way, watching his back.

Finding a place at the edge of those gathered, Shandris stood beside him as Tyrande spoke, concern flashing across her face as the ritual progressed. The moon that was once full and bright now hung ominously in the sky, darkened by the grief of Elune's children. Energy flowed from the moon and the moonwell, washing over the people gathered, a blessing or a curse, a vow of vengeance and a call for war. Like the moon Tyrande's eyes darkened to black and as the ritual continued Kieran noted similar in some touched by the spell. While not every eye changed, all those who stood before the high priestess seemed invigorated, hearts steeled and ready for battle, even himself.

As one a roar rose up, a call to battle, and as the ritual completed Tyrande took up her own weapons and led her people out into the woods. He and Shandris watched them go, their role was to scout and eliminate any threat that might try and break the lines and to support the main force rather than rush in. Shandris pulled out a map, as they called for their mounts, reviewing their plans without meeting his gaze. Kieran patted the nightsaber as she approached, Nara leaning into his touch before he mounted and readied his bow. The nightsaber usually acted as his wife's mount but with the circumstances, they had both felt it best if she went along and Theron, Kieran's wolf, stayed with his wife and daughter. Loki came up beside them, leaning affectionately against his leg as he double-checked his arrows, as if sensing that his thoughts began to return to worrying about his family.

Once supplies and weapons were set, Kieran called over to Shandris that he was ready. She brought her mount to him, nodding before meeting his eyes. The look that flashed across her face wasn't what he expected, surprise. It was short-lived as it was quickly replaced by what he swore was a smug smile. Before he could comment she urged her mount forward and rushed ahead. He followed after only a moment of hesitation.

That she was meant to lead had been already planned, a night elf's vision suited the dark more than his own, but she left him with little chance to keep pace with her. Oddly he found he had little trouble navigating the forest and caught up to her quickly enough. The steely mask had returned, the mantle of general heavy in her posture, but as he approached he caught a smirk before she turned back to the forest and the pair made their way along their route.

Destruction was everywhere, corpses of Horde and Alliance passed as they made their way, ignoring paths that were clearly blocked and focusing on areas that could hide the enemy. Passing a broken-down shredder, Kieran caught a look at his reflection in the windshield. Glowing eyes of silver blinked back at him where once there had been green. The sight caused him to pause, certain it was a trick of the light he ignored it and continued on.

They encountered pockets of resistance, a gathering of forsaken that were picking through a fallen encampment, adventurers seeking to make a quick coin. A handful of orcs who had been in the process of packing up surrendered immediately, the curious looks he received from them as they told what they knew of the forces that they faced, as well as the locations of nearby camps in exchange for their freedom struck him as strange. Perhaps they recognized him, the now former Horde commander fighting alongside the Night Elven general, perhaps they thought him a prisoner, forced to fight his allies. Either way, once they had spilled all they knew they took their things and retreated before Shandris reconsidered her show of mercy. He had expected her to have executed them on the spot, but their disinclination to continue to fight alongside the horde’s forces that remained and the chance to gain information that could turn the tide of battle proved stronger than her desire for revenge. At the moment at least.

The din of battle echoed nearby, shouts of alarm up ahead as the enemy engaged. The smell of fire and smoke filled the area as the winds shifted. Shandris bit back a curse as she signaled for them to follow a path toward the remnants of Auberdine. The longer they took on their scouting the longer the general was from her high priestess’s side, and the more the worry became obvious on her face. The pair banked, heading to the beach, and signaled a pair of passing hippogryph riders.

As she spoke to them Kieran dismounted and made his way through the ruins. Bow in hand and arrow knocked, he picked his way through, both sabers following behind him similarly on edge. He doubted there would be more than a scout or two in the area but he could never be too careful. Seeing nothing out of the ordinary he made his way to the water, relaxing for a moment to look at his reflection. The looks from Shandris and the orcs, the reflection in the broken-down shredder, the quality of his night vision, it was all starting to feel less like a trick of the light.

He stood at the water’s edge, squatting down, and looked at the reflection on the rippling surface. The darkened moon hung overhead, feeling larger and more foreboding as time passed, and directly in front of him a pair of silver eyes watched him. Touching his face and watching the reflection mirror the movement, closing his eyes he took a deep breath and opened them again, the silver glow remained. It had been no trick of the light.

“Kieran,” Shandris spoke quietly as she strode up to him. Her voice was stern but calm, smooth, attempting to avoid startling him as he looked like a fool staring at himself in the ocean. He stood quickly, turning his attention fully on her and noting the twitch of a smile that appeared for a moment as she continued. “We’re to return to the main force and make our report.” He nodded and made his way to Nara. As he settled himself in the saddle she added in. “The color suits you.” 

He turned to ask what she meant but she had already turned and made her way to her own mount before he could. Even still he knew what she was referring to, a blessing from the mourning Elune, silver eyes like the moon when it was full, like the eyes of his wife and her people. Now his people, and his new home.

[citrusbunnies]

i love the trope of like magic weapons leaving cool colorful scars like demon hunters having green scars not just from their transformation but from demons theyve fought maybe green black ones like the one on vol'jin? scars from frost enchanted weapons having a blue shimmer and a red one from flame ones or maybe burns from magical fire that shimmer in the light or still burn occasionally like the magic that hit them is still trying to burn them, scars or wounds on forsaken or death knights glowing with the ghostly blue that the lich king is shown to be represented, a different blue than frost scars, by like a permanent reminder of whos service they were once unwillingly tied to, or the scars from nature attacks like solar flare and lunar strike glittering under their respective celestian entity, or scars from the magic like vining puncture scars from vines entwining a druids hands before entangling roots are cast or mages hands being not perfectly flawless like people joke but layered with glittering marks that only show at the right angles from messed up spells or ones too powerful for them to have cast at the time or shamans with magic burns or sharp cuts on their arms from winds kicking up debris and water slicing them at speeds great enough to cut the armor of their enemies that missed a little and hit them too and from restless elementals or people like jaina and kadghar who went grey from exposure to greater amounts of mana than their bodies were supposed to handle their eyes shine purple from the raw arcane in the right light or when casting more powerful spells or tyrande with oh so faint scars slightly darker than the rest of her from where the dark spots from her taking on more of the night warriors power to try and kill sylvanas and and night elf in range if their eyes ever return to normal theyre darker like the new moon still holds them in her hand and speaking of sylvanas her with the great wound from frostmourne in the center of her chest, blue and ice cold to the touch and glittering with necromantic magic no matter how close to the fire she sits, a place she carefully covers with her armor no matter how skimpy it appears she makes sure to cover that spot because she tolerates no weakness especially not from herself, blood elves with ghost blue scars from the blades and claws of the horrors that attacked quel'thalas, night elves with green tinged scars from the fel influences that refuse to leave their forests, and scars from the old gods that seem more purple and black than should be possible without an infection but none show symptoms and the odd scars from the minions of the old gods maybe make people hesitate to be as helpful as they would otherwise because if they left odd scars maybe they left some madness too, anduin and other holy people like priests and paladins and especially the lightforged, their scars tend to heal with a golden tinge like the light itself is intervening to keep them safe, maybe healing from different sources leaves wounds healed oddly like holy healing maybe making someone glitter for a while, not permanently unless it was a bad enough injury to scar even with magic but for a few hours, nature healing leaves someone finding leaves and flowers in strange places, someone with a head wound finding a flower in their hair or leaves dropping off someones shoulder or side after they move once healed and scarred wounds leaving bark growing like the nature magic is trying to protect them from getting hurt again idk im having so much fun coming up with ideas for all of these so maybe expect more later

[eighthdoctor]

How seriously does Sylvanas take her job as Warchief? Is she only trying to do a good job because keeping the position gives her more power to protect the Forsaken? Does she even care about any of the Horde races besides the Forsaken and sin'dorei?

In order: Very seriously, yes, and no.

Let me be clear: She does not find these contradictory. Sylvanas is both very simple and very complex. She has two goals, and everything she does is in pursuit of those--but she's also able to play 3D chess and plan long term about how to achieve those goals.

The goals are:

Prevent herself and the Forsaken from going to hell for things they had no control over or would not have done except for the purpose of not going to hell--and also being once again enslaved to the whims of a megalomaniacal wannabe conquer of reality to be used to destroy everything they love.

Until she can make literally any progress on #1, preserving the Forsaken as a whole.

So when Vol'jin names her Warchief her first thought is along the lines of "the Warchief can't turn us all into cannon fodder if I'm the Warchief" and then the second is how, exactly, to use this to stabilize the Forsaken's position within the Horde.

The more firmly the Forsaken are seen as a part of the Horde, the less likely a future Warchief is to try and wipe them out (again). The more they bolster the Horde, the less able the Alliance is to try and wipe them out (again). The more competent and valuable she is as Warchief the less likely the rest of the Horde is to stand back and watch the next time there's a Forsaken-specific threat.

So she takes her job very seriously and she is very committed to it, because being a good Warchief is The Thing that could get the Forsaken real safety, not just another 3 year truce because they're useful against this expansion's world-ending threat.

Does she care about the other Horde races? No. Not that she hates them, or is trying to benefit the Forsaken at their expense (that'd backfire nastily), but they have their own leaders to represent their interests. Tyrande actually has a similar point of view in Interlude 2.2 (Tyrande and Sylvanas have way more in common than either is comfortable acknowledging.)

Why should we care? Compassion is essential, that is true, but it is also finite. I am the Kaldorei’s protector: It would be a betrayal to do less for them than I am capable of. Of course it will bring harm to the Forsaken, but the Forsaken are not mine.

Reverse that: Sylvanas puts the Forsaken first, protecting them first; she's also now responsible for the Horde but they're second, and the ultimate value in protecting the Horde is to protect the Forsaken. She's not (I am physically pulling her away from Blizzard jesus CHRIST) going to wreck the Horde for the sake of the Forsaken, it's just. Benefit the Horde -> benefit the Forsaken.

And the long-term planning bit is: If there's (random example) an internal trade dispute where the Forsaken come out slightly worse in favor of the orcs, Sylvanas might come down on the side of the orcs, again in order to engender respect and a sense of debt to her, to use in some more pivotal dispute in the future.

So you know. Yes but also no. Helpful?

[deathbypixelz]

Hello! I saw the caption "night elf secession au go brr" and desperately want to know more. If you don't have a post somewhere I didn't see (sorry if I missed it) would you feel up to sharing at some point?

I don’t already have a full post about it anywhere because I’m constantly in the process of adding finer details. I made an “adjusted timeline” post on my deathbydarkelves sideblog a while ago, but that’s old by now and I’ve changed some things around. Even so, I will not lie, I have been WAITING for someone to ask me about it >:) so *cracks my knuckles* guess it’s time to make that post.

(GIGANTIC info dump incoming)

The basic things to know about this AU are 1.) Shadowlands never happens (my dislike of SL was actually what inspired me to make this AU in the first place), and 2.) the timeline is stretched out so things happen at a slightly more reasonable pace. In the canon timeline, all of the expansions (minus Dragonflight ofc) happen right after each other and each take place over 1-2 years, which is silly in my opinion. I did leave some of them alone length-wise, sometimes 1-2 years is fine, but almost all of the expansions now have a few years in between. Breathing room is good to have if you ask me. Oh also the N’Zoth/Azshara stuff doesn’t happen during the Fourth War, that’ll happen somewhere later down the line. But that’s not the main point…

Everything up until the middle/end of the Fourth War is pretty much the same, except for the aforementioned lengthening of the timeline. Teldrassil happens in 45 ADP, whereas in the game it’s 33 ADP, for example. So Teldrassil burns, the war happens in basically the same way it does in canon, and it ends with the mak’gora outside Orgrimmar (in 47 ADP). Then the actual changes begin.

Maiev joins Tyrande to track down Sylvanas, and Malfurion takes Tyrande’s place as a temporary leader for the night elves (aided by Shandris). Then for 5 or 6 years, really not much happens. Things are… fine on Kalimdor. Mt. Hyjal sorta becomes the new population center for the night elves (and handful of worgen) who stayed, and rebuilding efforts are definitely underway. But they don’t have the resources or the ships to bring all the refugees back. A portal that could support that many people would be far too demanding and risky to use.

(Note: I changed how portals work slightly to make them less OP, and in a nutshell, you can only make portals at specific points on Azeroth, specifically where natural ley lines connect. If you want a bigger portal, or one independent from ley lines, you either need an outside power source (see: the Dark Portal) or you need to be on top of a gigantic web of interconnecting ley lines. Some places have more ley lines than others (example: Suramar). Also it takes a lot of a mage’s energy to keep a portal of any size open for very long. They opened portals to Stormwind during the burning of Teldrassil, but only because it was such a bad situation; portals that go across such a long distance are very unstable and very expensive to both conjure and maintain. They also could only create them in specific places, which is why they couldn't get nearly as many people out as they would've liked :c)

So, with no way to bring them back, the refugees have just got to stay in Stormwind City and Elwynn. It’s rough; very few of the night elves speak Human (I renamed Common because I don’t like the undertones with that name), and the Stormwind government is being pretty laissez-faire about the whole thing. They have to worry about helping Kul Tiras and Stromgarde so they can rebuild, after all :) Building new ships and collecting all the supplies for the months-long voyage to Kalimdor is too expensive, the government says. But it'll happen, definitely, don't worry. It'll definitely happen. Eventually.

So night elf-Alliance relations decay. Stormwindians are tired of having homeless elves on their streets, the elves are tired of being homeless. There’s he-said-she-said stories of humble, hard-working humans being robbed at night by elves on the brink of starvation, and there are she-said-he-said stories of humans setting fire to tents on the edges of their property to scare off humble, hard-working elves just trying to find a place to live. In not so many words: animosity grows. This isn’t out of the blue; historically (even in canon), the other races of the Alliance haven’t really done much for the night elves except for when they helped push the orcs out of Ashenvale all the way back during the Third War (which was 30 years ago at this point). They’ve really just used them for an extra source of soldiers. The “deterrence from Horde attack” benefit the night elves were promised back then was proven false with Teldrassil, and that’s not to speak of smaller skirmishes that had happened every now and then even before the Fourth War. If anything, being part of the Alliance made the night elves a target. Sylvanas burned Teldrassil to provoke the Alliance into a war (note: I am still working on her exact motivations, since I deleted the Jailer and that weird thing with Elune because um??? no?????). Logically, if they hadn’t been a part of the Alliance, they would’ve probably been left alone. And that’s the realization Tyrande comes to, after tracking Sylvanas down in Northrend — where she and her closest followers had decided to hide out until things calmed down — and killing her.

Then she and Maiev return from their 6 or 7 year-long journey, and Tyrande is outraged at the way her people have been treated. Malfurion had also been made aware in the intervening time, and he’d started showing the Alliance that even though he didn’t have as much executive power as Tyrande, he could still rock the boat as it were. After the requests he made directly of Anduin and other Alliance leaders to give the refugees at least, like, a little support were either half-fulfilled or not at all, he basically starts a mild trade war. This was a pretty controversial move even among the night elves, but there wasn’t much else he could do. But during the Long Vigil, the night elves had perfected the art of being self-sufficient, and it definitely hurt the Eastern Kingdoms more than it hurt them. So with that set into motion, and Tyrande’s mind made up, she returns to her place as High Priestess and diverts every available resource into finally bringing the refugees home. It’s a very slow process, and relations continue to decay as it happens. But eventually everyone who wants to go back to Kalimdor does. A portion of worgen stay, and even some night elves who had their own reasons. But the majority do go back.

Then, after negotiating borders with the (now much more diplomatic) Horde, Tyrande cuts off ties with the Alliance. Relations had been iffy at best ever since they joined — their alliance had been built on “enemy of my enemy”, after all — but the other nations showed their true colors during and after the Fourth War. The Alliance’s High King himself had failed to send troops to help reclaim Darkshore when he had very clearly shown he was more than willing to send soldiers to Arathi, Lordaeron, and Kul Tiras. And again, the whole “if we hadn’t been a part of the Alliance, Sylvanas wouldn’t have seen us as a target” thing. So, with Darkshore, Moonglade, Winterspring, Felwood, Mount Hyjal, most of Ashenvale, and portions of Stonetalon now within their control again, the night elves settle into another period of isolation. It’s not quite a second Long Vigil — there’s some trade/interaction with the draenei (due to proximity and shared trauma) and tauren (due to shared values) — but all in all, they’re on their own now. Relations with the Horde aren’t good per se, but both sides are willing to agree on a “if you don’t fuck with us, we won’t fuck with you” policy. They both want to avoid anything like Teldrassil ever happening again, and that’s ultimately what allows northern Kalimdor to exist in relative peace.

I don’t have quite so many details decided after this point, but I do still have a general idea. Dragonflight happens about ten or fifteen years-ish after the night elves secede, and since they’re still keeping an eye on the other factions and the world in general with magic, spies, and magic spies, they decide to send their own expedition to the Dragon Isles. They keep to their own, and any accidental interactions with Alliance adventurers are tense at best. We’ll have to see how this expansion plays out, but I intend on using the dragons (specifically the Aspects) to fix the sword in Silithus somehow. It’s definitely still a big problem, and it’s been causing climate change-like effects this entire time (unpredictable and extreme weather events globally) as well as its own unique, “fun” issues (weird tectonic anomalies, the elements are extremely agitated, and azerite is still a thing people fight over). I actually already had the “elements are cranky” idea before that was revealed to be a thing in Dragonflight, so I’m glad that lined up because that saves me some work lmao.

(Also just wanted to say that a lot of night elves see azerite as the reason for the Fourth War and, by extension, Teldrassil. They want absolutely nothing to do with it.)

I’m also considering putting a version of the N’Zoth and Azshara story around there, when the sword is removed, since I figure such a big disturbance to Azeroth would be enough to wake up an Old God. But that’s for later down the line and it depends on whether that would clutter the story too much or not. Either way, after whatever’s gonna happen in Dragonflight (or rather, how much of it I decide to keep) and after the sword is fixed, the night elves are gonna stick to their own unless there’s a dire need for them to leave Kalimdor. They’re tired, man. They need time to rebuild, and to heal.

However, I do have concepts for a little Alliance-night elf conflict that could crop up at some point. The Horde may have agreed to leave the night elves alone, but the Alliance are imperialists. And aren’t too happy that they were, in their eyes, betrayed by a long-time ally…

So yeah! That’s my night elf secession AU. It’s extremely self-indulgent and a lot of fun to explore for me. WoW really has not given the night elves a lot of opportunities to be the badass mysterious amazon nation they are in Warcraft III, so I wanted to bring that back while also preserving some of what WoW DID add to their story, because I really do think Teldrassil is such a good jumping-off point for a huge shift in the overall Warcraft narrative... as much as it hurts me and as much as I am genuinely incapable of watching the Warbringers: Sylvanas or Old Soldier cinematics anymore. Night elves have meant a lot to me for a very long time and stories of people going through hell and still coming out okay on the other side are my favorite stories, so I want to tell my own.

I’m also open to more questions about this AU, I have a lot of little things I changed both in regards to things like how magic works and minor lore changes, like how I made Teldrassil at least a couple thousand years old, as opposed to the 15 (or so) years it had existed in canon before it was burned. They only planted it after the Third War. You can check. It’s extremely stupid and everyone ignores that little detail so I will too <3

Anyway, thank you so much for asking, I’ve been dying to share all this and I didn’t realize that until you asked JHNDJSKJ