Post by paarvathi on Dec 18, 2007 15:35:47 GMT -5
I have had great curiosity on the interaction of the warlock class with the alliance, mostly with how the classes lore works and how they could be an active part of the alliance if they were simultaneously being corrupted by the demons they wielded.
I've done some research with Siddhattha on WoWWiki and thought it interesting to share this with the Viridian Shield, particularly because I am interested in seeing what the responses will be; given that there are no warlocks allowed in the guild at this time.
I will be posting quotes and my thoughts on them from WoWWiki in the fashion of posting the link to the page where I found the quote, followed by the quote, and then my interpretation.
www.wowwiki.com/Warlock
History:
"Although many that consort with demons fall to darkness, the warlocks of the Horde and the Alliance advocate bending demonic forces to ones will without succumbing to complete corruption. These spellcasters can summon demons to serve them
Warlocks manipulate and summon demons and have profound control over shadow and fire magic. Although traditionally considered evil, Horde and Alliance leaders have tentatively accepted them to bolster troops. Some warlocks are known as hidden warlocks and some are uncorrupted warlocks."
Thusly warlocks summon and manipulate demons and thereby have the potential to be corrupted by them, however they are useful and accepted in the alliance and horde. That I knew, the trainers say as much and its dead useful for me to play with a warlock when I am my hunter character. WoWWiki then brought up a distinction of types of warlocks I had not heard of before, those of "hidden" and "uncorrupted" variety.
www.wowwiki.com/Hidden_warlock
"Most warlocks are of the hidden variety. Hidden Warlocks are unwelcome in both the Alliance and the Horde. No one wants them around; they are evil beings who consort with demons. When the Horde discovers a hidden warlock in their midst, it is an unpleasant day for the warlock. These hidden warlocks are more prevalent in the Horde, with both orcs and Forsaken(mostly) taking up the mantle. Hidden warlocks usually use spells that will more easily disguise their nature."
Hidden warlocks seem to be the stereotypical warlock: corrupted by the powers they manipulate. Invariably expelled when they are found by both the alliance and horde. That's sensical enough, it could easily bring them into opposition with the alliance and horde. Causes me to wonder what the demons strive for as an aside (since not all are part of the burning legion).
Also of interest is the hidden warlock's ability to disguise itself, this explains the general tentative interaction partaken by other classes. What of the uncorrupted warlock then? Why would the class be tolerated at all by the horde or alliance if corruption is so common? Given of course that corruption is more likely amongst the horde undead than any other race?
www.wowwiki.com/Uncorrupted_warlock
"Most young warlocks claim they know what they're getting into. They know about the seductive whisper of power and the strength of the Nether. They know of the crushing will of the demon lords and, most of all they know of the corruptive influence of warlock magic. They say it will not happen to them; they will not fall to evil, as have so many before them. Most of them are wrong. Most of them join the dark ranks of the creatures with which they traffic.
Some few, though, are right. Some are strong enough to resist the will of the Legion and of the dark powers they wield; they, in turn, bend their wills to mastering demonic secrets while remaining immune to their taint. These are the uncorrupted warlocks, and they spread both distrust and hope wherever they go. Some few even announce themselves openly in the cities of the Horde or, rarer, the Alliance, and make their unique talents available to their affiliation.
Uncorrupted warlocks are rare warlocks who do not suffer from arcane corruption: their alignments remain inviolate, unless they cast evil spells, and do evil deeds."
Well this just got a lot more interesting, there are indeed warlocks who utilize demons and the arcane for the will of the alliance and horde and remain immune to the corrupting effects of the demons and the arcane. This explains why warlocks are still accepted into the alliance. It makes them sound quite a bit like a mage, who also must protect themselves against arcane corruption.
Pointedly the individuals in the warlock class now appear as any individual in any class, potentially good, potentially evil based on their agenda. It appears now that the warlock character must be of strong will to avoid said arcane corruption...which leads me to another question. What is the Arcane?
www.wowwiki.com/Arcane
"The Arcane (aka arcane magic) is a general term for various domains of magic in Warcraft lore used in contrast with divine magic. According to lore many of the types of magic found as "Schools" in World of Warcraft are actually all forms of Arcane magic...Lore also includes some so-called "shadow" spells as part the arcane as well, as magic practiced by warlocks and necromancers.
The Four Laws:
- Magic is Powerful.
- Magic is Corrupting.
- Magic is an addiction.
- Magic attracts the Twisting Nether Like Flies to Honey.
Arcane Magic Types:
- Fel
- Frost
- Fire
- Arcane
- Shadow
- Nature magic ((not of the type used by druidic spell craft))"
Well that sent me for a bit of a loop, it means that shadow spells are another part of the arcane magic that mages use; making warlocks mages who summon demons. It also connects all users of this type of magic, including of course every kind of mage and shadow priests ((I always wondered about the priest's fear spell and shadow word pain, looks like there's more of a connection than I'd guessed)). Evidently its the arcane that corrupts warlocks as it is with mages, and thus priests as well, but what's the connection between the arcane and demons?
www.wowwiki.com/Demon
"Demons are evil creatures that inspire dread and fear in mortals. Almost all demons are members of the Burning Legion, a group of phenomenal power that roams the cosmos preying on worlds. All demons are evil. Demons can be of any evil alignment. Demons were mortal once, but have been transformed by their conversion into demonic beings. This change includes a powerful command of arcane energy. They define and control this arcane power with the force of their will, much as sorcerers and wizards do.
Not all demons are aligned with the Burning Legion. Some may even come from other planes of existence, such as the Dark Below, who have their own plans that may be at odds with the Legion. Other demons have chosen to abandon the Burning Legion and yield their allegiance to others, such as the Illidari."
Interesting, demons wield the arcane and not all demons are in fact allied with the Burning Legion, some ally with the Dark Below and the Illidari. This answers my aside question from earlier. What then is the Dark Below?
www.wowwiki.com/Dark_Below
"The Dark Below (which may be another name for the Twisting Nether) is a hellish underworld in the legends of Azeroth. Certain species of demons, devils, and other infernal creatures that take an active interest in the workings of Azeroth are said to have originated from there."
Relationship to the Twisting Nether:
"The demons from the Dark Below apparently exist apart from the Burning Legion, which resides in the Twisting Nether, and the two forces are at odds. Dark Below may be another description for the "Twisting Nether", in which case these are demons of a separate faction that live within the same plane of existence."
So the Dark Below is a name for a place where demons and the Burning Legion live, also known as the Twisting Nether. But that's where mages and thus warlocks and priests' shadow spells draw their energy from! Arcane power comes from the realm of demons, sometimes also known as forms of hades?? No wonder night elves have been a mite cautious about it, it was the arcane that lead to their earlier downfall after all.
www.wowwiki.com/Mage
Origins:
"...This Great Sundering caused the Well's waters to be permeated into the atmosphere and spread magic all over the world. This event convinced the majority of night elves to reject arcane magic and embrace Malfurion Stormrage's call for druidism.
When their kingdom came under siege by the trolls of Zul'Aman the high elves agreed to teach one hundred humans the arts of magic in exchange for military aid from the human nation of Arathor. From these two races, the arcane arts have spread to various races all over Azeroth."
Well that explains how humans and then gnomes learned magic...but what do the night elves think of this? How can they work alongside users of the arcane?
www.wowwiki.com/Horde_%26_Alliance_magic#Night_Elves
"The night elves are the opposite of their cousins, the high elves, in many ways, but particularly in their attitudes toward magic. After the War of the Ancients, the night elves recognized the magical addiction of their kin and pulled away from it, resisting magic’s lure and maintaining their discipline despite its temptation. They urged their brethren, the Highborne, to resist as well; but the Highborne surrendered to the magic, trusting their own intellects to control its flow. This sundered the race. Ever since, night elves have viewed arcane magic as, if not evil itself, at least as something too powerful for anyone to control. Those who study the arcane do so at not only their own risk but the risk of everyone around them, and it is sheer arrogance to think anyone could tame such a force and bend it to her will.
Every race has its rebels, of course, and so some night elves believe they have been removed from the Well long enough to have overcome its lure. These young night elves believe they can study the arcane arts without fear, and finally master the skills that overwhelmed their ancestors, using the Well’s magic to repair the damage done so long ago. Most night elves consider this preposterous, and believe their kin have become high elves in all but name, falling into the same trap those cousins do and thus heading toward the same dire fate. Many night elf elders believe these misguided children should be shown the error of their ways by any means necessary, to save not only them but the rest of the race and even the world."
Ah, so most night elves despise magic as either innately evil (given its origin in the twisting nether perhaps) or something that must be watched closely as leading to another dire fate. I found another quote that relates:
www.wowwiki.com/Night_Elf
Relations:
"The night elves are members of the Alliance, but they are not the most trusted or highly regarded members of this group of races. Although honorable and just, the night elves’ natural distrust has tainted their relations somewhat...Still, the night elves’ leaders see wisdom in an alliance with the younger races. The younger races show potential, and because of this the night elves see themselves as observers, waiting to step in to correct any dangerous mistakes."
Thus when it comes to the alliance there will be some stodgy elders who despise all magics, and some younger elves who do not. These younger elves appear either arrogant in thinking they can use it, or merely are watching over their arcane wielding allies to clean up the mess. It appears to me that my hunter must be of this younger breed of thought, and it was a shock that she uses magic! Given that her favorite shot is "arcane shot"
www.wowwiki.com/Hunter
Shots:
Arcane Shot - A shot that inflicts arcane damage, bypassing armor and physical damage shields
Well hog tie me and paint me blue because I wasn't expecting that, particularly not about the origin of arcane magic. I hate to be cheeky but I've always wondered what Ula's in character guff is with warlocks, now I wonder why he doesn't have the same guff with mages and priests, or if he is of the variety to ally with the arcane, be they mages, uncorrupted warlocks, or shadow priests, in the sake of cleaning up their mess.
I end my research on this thread with a note of balance, it is heartening to know that while some classes tread danger of corruption more than others, ultimately it is decided by the will and alignment of the character. As always, it seems that evil exists in greater abundance in the horde than alliance, go alliance ;-).
If this thread has been interesting please respond with your commentary, and I've been doing some research with Siddhattha on elementals I'm thinking of compiling later. Happy hunting!!
I've done some research with Siddhattha on WoWWiki and thought it interesting to share this with the Viridian Shield, particularly because I am interested in seeing what the responses will be; given that there are no warlocks allowed in the guild at this time.
I will be posting quotes and my thoughts on them from WoWWiki in the fashion of posting the link to the page where I found the quote, followed by the quote, and then my interpretation.
www.wowwiki.com/Warlock
History:
"Although many that consort with demons fall to darkness, the warlocks of the Horde and the Alliance advocate bending demonic forces to ones will without succumbing to complete corruption. These spellcasters can summon demons to serve them
Warlocks manipulate and summon demons and have profound control over shadow and fire magic. Although traditionally considered evil, Horde and Alliance leaders have tentatively accepted them to bolster troops. Some warlocks are known as hidden warlocks and some are uncorrupted warlocks."
Thusly warlocks summon and manipulate demons and thereby have the potential to be corrupted by them, however they are useful and accepted in the alliance and horde. That I knew, the trainers say as much and its dead useful for me to play with a warlock when I am my hunter character. WoWWiki then brought up a distinction of types of warlocks I had not heard of before, those of "hidden" and "uncorrupted" variety.
www.wowwiki.com/Hidden_warlock
"Most warlocks are of the hidden variety. Hidden Warlocks are unwelcome in both the Alliance and the Horde. No one wants them around; they are evil beings who consort with demons. When the Horde discovers a hidden warlock in their midst, it is an unpleasant day for the warlock. These hidden warlocks are more prevalent in the Horde, with both orcs and Forsaken(mostly) taking up the mantle. Hidden warlocks usually use spells that will more easily disguise their nature."
Hidden warlocks seem to be the stereotypical warlock: corrupted by the powers they manipulate. Invariably expelled when they are found by both the alliance and horde. That's sensical enough, it could easily bring them into opposition with the alliance and horde. Causes me to wonder what the demons strive for as an aside (since not all are part of the burning legion).
Also of interest is the hidden warlock's ability to disguise itself, this explains the general tentative interaction partaken by other classes. What of the uncorrupted warlock then? Why would the class be tolerated at all by the horde or alliance if corruption is so common? Given of course that corruption is more likely amongst the horde undead than any other race?
www.wowwiki.com/Uncorrupted_warlock
"Most young warlocks claim they know what they're getting into. They know about the seductive whisper of power and the strength of the Nether. They know of the crushing will of the demon lords and, most of all they know of the corruptive influence of warlock magic. They say it will not happen to them; they will not fall to evil, as have so many before them. Most of them are wrong. Most of them join the dark ranks of the creatures with which they traffic.
Some few, though, are right. Some are strong enough to resist the will of the Legion and of the dark powers they wield; they, in turn, bend their wills to mastering demonic secrets while remaining immune to their taint. These are the uncorrupted warlocks, and they spread both distrust and hope wherever they go. Some few even announce themselves openly in the cities of the Horde or, rarer, the Alliance, and make their unique talents available to their affiliation.
Uncorrupted warlocks are rare warlocks who do not suffer from arcane corruption: their alignments remain inviolate, unless they cast evil spells, and do evil deeds."
Well this just got a lot more interesting, there are indeed warlocks who utilize demons and the arcane for the will of the alliance and horde and remain immune to the corrupting effects of the demons and the arcane. This explains why warlocks are still accepted into the alliance. It makes them sound quite a bit like a mage, who also must protect themselves against arcane corruption.
Pointedly the individuals in the warlock class now appear as any individual in any class, potentially good, potentially evil based on their agenda. It appears now that the warlock character must be of strong will to avoid said arcane corruption...which leads me to another question. What is the Arcane?
www.wowwiki.com/Arcane
"The Arcane (aka arcane magic) is a general term for various domains of magic in Warcraft lore used in contrast with divine magic. According to lore many of the types of magic found as "Schools" in World of Warcraft are actually all forms of Arcane magic...Lore also includes some so-called "shadow" spells as part the arcane as well, as magic practiced by warlocks and necromancers.
The Four Laws:
- Magic is Powerful.
- Magic is Corrupting.
- Magic is an addiction.
- Magic attracts the Twisting Nether Like Flies to Honey.
Arcane Magic Types:
- Fel
- Frost
- Fire
- Arcane
- Shadow
- Nature magic ((not of the type used by druidic spell craft))"
Well that sent me for a bit of a loop, it means that shadow spells are another part of the arcane magic that mages use; making warlocks mages who summon demons. It also connects all users of this type of magic, including of course every kind of mage and shadow priests ((I always wondered about the priest's fear spell and shadow word pain, looks like there's more of a connection than I'd guessed)). Evidently its the arcane that corrupts warlocks as it is with mages, and thus priests as well, but what's the connection between the arcane and demons?
www.wowwiki.com/Demon
"Demons are evil creatures that inspire dread and fear in mortals. Almost all demons are members of the Burning Legion, a group of phenomenal power that roams the cosmos preying on worlds. All demons are evil. Demons can be of any evil alignment. Demons were mortal once, but have been transformed by their conversion into demonic beings. This change includes a powerful command of arcane energy. They define and control this arcane power with the force of their will, much as sorcerers and wizards do.
Not all demons are aligned with the Burning Legion. Some may even come from other planes of existence, such as the Dark Below, who have their own plans that may be at odds with the Legion. Other demons have chosen to abandon the Burning Legion and yield their allegiance to others, such as the Illidari."
Interesting, demons wield the arcane and not all demons are in fact allied with the Burning Legion, some ally with the Dark Below and the Illidari. This answers my aside question from earlier. What then is the Dark Below?
www.wowwiki.com/Dark_Below
"The Dark Below (which may be another name for the Twisting Nether) is a hellish underworld in the legends of Azeroth. Certain species of demons, devils, and other infernal creatures that take an active interest in the workings of Azeroth are said to have originated from there."
Relationship to the Twisting Nether:
"The demons from the Dark Below apparently exist apart from the Burning Legion, which resides in the Twisting Nether, and the two forces are at odds. Dark Below may be another description for the "Twisting Nether", in which case these are demons of a separate faction that live within the same plane of existence."
So the Dark Below is a name for a place where demons and the Burning Legion live, also known as the Twisting Nether. But that's where mages and thus warlocks and priests' shadow spells draw their energy from! Arcane power comes from the realm of demons, sometimes also known as forms of hades?? No wonder night elves have been a mite cautious about it, it was the arcane that lead to their earlier downfall after all.
www.wowwiki.com/Mage
Origins:
"...This Great Sundering caused the Well's waters to be permeated into the atmosphere and spread magic all over the world. This event convinced the majority of night elves to reject arcane magic and embrace Malfurion Stormrage's call for druidism.
When their kingdom came under siege by the trolls of Zul'Aman the high elves agreed to teach one hundred humans the arts of magic in exchange for military aid from the human nation of Arathor. From these two races, the arcane arts have spread to various races all over Azeroth."
Well that explains how humans and then gnomes learned magic...but what do the night elves think of this? How can they work alongside users of the arcane?
www.wowwiki.com/Horde_%26_Alliance_magic#Night_Elves
"The night elves are the opposite of their cousins, the high elves, in many ways, but particularly in their attitudes toward magic. After the War of the Ancients, the night elves recognized the magical addiction of their kin and pulled away from it, resisting magic’s lure and maintaining their discipline despite its temptation. They urged their brethren, the Highborne, to resist as well; but the Highborne surrendered to the magic, trusting their own intellects to control its flow. This sundered the race. Ever since, night elves have viewed arcane magic as, if not evil itself, at least as something too powerful for anyone to control. Those who study the arcane do so at not only their own risk but the risk of everyone around them, and it is sheer arrogance to think anyone could tame such a force and bend it to her will.
Every race has its rebels, of course, and so some night elves believe they have been removed from the Well long enough to have overcome its lure. These young night elves believe they can study the arcane arts without fear, and finally master the skills that overwhelmed their ancestors, using the Well’s magic to repair the damage done so long ago. Most night elves consider this preposterous, and believe their kin have become high elves in all but name, falling into the same trap those cousins do and thus heading toward the same dire fate. Many night elf elders believe these misguided children should be shown the error of their ways by any means necessary, to save not only them but the rest of the race and even the world."
Ah, so most night elves despise magic as either innately evil (given its origin in the twisting nether perhaps) or something that must be watched closely as leading to another dire fate. I found another quote that relates:
www.wowwiki.com/Night_Elf
Relations:
"The night elves are members of the Alliance, but they are not the most trusted or highly regarded members of this group of races. Although honorable and just, the night elves’ natural distrust has tainted their relations somewhat...Still, the night elves’ leaders see wisdom in an alliance with the younger races. The younger races show potential, and because of this the night elves see themselves as observers, waiting to step in to correct any dangerous mistakes."
Thus when it comes to the alliance there will be some stodgy elders who despise all magics, and some younger elves who do not. These younger elves appear either arrogant in thinking they can use it, or merely are watching over their arcane wielding allies to clean up the mess. It appears to me that my hunter must be of this younger breed of thought, and it was a shock that she uses magic! Given that her favorite shot is "arcane shot"
www.wowwiki.com/Hunter
Shots:
Arcane Shot - A shot that inflicts arcane damage, bypassing armor and physical damage shields
Well hog tie me and paint me blue because I wasn't expecting that, particularly not about the origin of arcane magic. I hate to be cheeky but I've always wondered what Ula's in character guff is with warlocks, now I wonder why he doesn't have the same guff with mages and priests, or if he is of the variety to ally with the arcane, be they mages, uncorrupted warlocks, or shadow priests, in the sake of cleaning up their mess.
I end my research on this thread with a note of balance, it is heartening to know that while some classes tread danger of corruption more than others, ultimately it is decided by the will and alignment of the character. As always, it seems that evil exists in greater abundance in the horde than alliance, go alliance ;-).
If this thread has been interesting please respond with your commentary, and I've been doing some research with Siddhattha on elementals I'm thinking of compiling later. Happy hunting!!
