Nathanos Marris Short Story

[Mehrunes]

Named and marquee ones, yes. Who can say how many generic "Dark Ranger" NPC's there might be under their banner.

Exactly. They are nameless. Given how even groups/races on the brink of extinction can pull a billion nameless mooks out of their ass if Blizzard's laziness demands it, it's nothing solid to base their numbers on. Plenty of unnamed Dark Rangers already in WotLK.

I had actually forgotten that the Dark Rangers were heroes in WC3 - been a long time. My original thought actually concerned the high number of lesser Val'kyr roaming around in Northrend (or as of Legion in Odyn's employ) and her designs on them - a possible way for the Forsaken to be quasi-restored as a viable race as per Nathanos' conversion. Not something she would do willy-nilly with her prime Val'kyr specimens, the ones she brought back with her from Icecrown Citadel, but if the lesser Val'kyr could serve in a similar (likely lesser) role then she now has a process for both strengthening and prolonging her Forsaken forces.

This original thought also seems to be not related to the Dark Rangers. What you're talking about now is Sylvanas' potential goals for the Val'kyr she doesn't have yet. Which OK, is a fair point to argue given how she rests the survival of her race (which is in even bigger jeopardy now since Blizzard's writers don't deserve a dime for their "work") on them. But that's something else than the initial post that actually resulted from this though, which was an implication that already existing Dark Rangers are a result of such a ritual (with later mention of how she could have used her aid in Ghostlands as an opportunity for procuring "fuel").

[Jastall]

Ehh, Grand Necrolord Antiok raised Frost Wyrms, which are not only higher form of undead to begin with, but they exhibited some intelligence after being resurrected by him. Admittedly, he was an undead (though only a Forsaken-like one) and pretty high in rank, but still a type of a Necromancer. And it's not like Scourge was hurting in the Lich department, let alone Death Knight (and San'layn). And not like the Val'kyr were legion. And OK, Scourge was "the more the merrier" type of thing, but that doesn't explain the supposed great value of the Val'kyr compared to other undead that could resurrect things.

Perhaps because it takes an unusually powerful Necromancer to raise intelligent undead, but any Val'kyr the Lich King could get his grubby hands on would do the trick just as well if not better. They seem relatively common.

I assume many of the higher-tier undead were raised by the Lich King himself (especially Arthas), like he did to Sindragosa. Val'kyrs were used to do something similar in his stead as he couldn't be everywhere at once (like raising Vrykuls), and finding such gifted necromancers is presumably hard even for the Scourge let alone the Forsaken.

[Aucald]

This original thought also seems to be not related to the Dark Rangers. What you're talking about now is Sylvanas' potential goals for the Val'kyr she doesn't have yet. Which OK, is a fair point to argue given how she rests the survival of her race (which is in even bigger jeopardy now since Blizzard's writers don't deserve a dime for their "work") on them. But that's something else than the initial post that actually resulted from this though, which was an implication that already existing Dark Rangers are a result of such a ritual (with later mention of how she could have used her aid in Ghostlands as an opportunity for procuring "fuel").

It was mixed in with the memory of one of the Dark Rangers' NPC dialogs - being somewhat cagey about their existence and why they aren't typical Forsaken. I can't recall the NPC nor find the dialog in question, though; so I'm beginning to wonder if I conflated it with Nathanos' dialog early on in Legion (I distinctly remember it being somewhere in WoD, though). There was also a feeling from the short story that this wasn't the first time Sylvanas had used this particular ritual (e.g. she knew the outcome of it, and that her Val'kyr were loathe to perform it) - which leads one to wonder where or how it was used previously, if at all. Not the Dark Rangers, would seem, but perhaps with someone or something else.

[Aeula]

Eww.

The last Windrunner falling for a human... Truly a cursed lineage.

[Ash123]

Not sure why Blizzard fancies the idea of finding Sylvanas a boy friend (human boy friend just makes thing worse).

But at least they let both of them deny their feeling and save some grace in the end.

[Aucald]

Eww.

The last Windrunner falling for a human... Truly a cursed lineage.

Pretty much cinches it three for three - Sylvanas and Nathanos were always assumed but never confirmed until now. Must be something about the Windrunner line.

[Wyrt]

Nathanos would never accept, for him sylvanas is a goddess who can only look from afar.

Even so from what we see in legion sylvanas seeks the power of the valkyre to improve the forsakens

Pretty sure they fucked at the beginning of the story when they were still alive.

[StationaryHawk]

Not sure why Blizzard fancies the idea of finding Sylvanas a boy friend (human boy friend just makes thing worse).

But at least they let both of them deny their feeling and save some grace in the end.

It's not like the implication hasn't been there since Vanilla.

[Friendlyimmolation]

Pretty much cinches it three for three - Sylvanas and Nathanos were always assumed but never confirmed until now. Must be something about the Windrunner line.

Their mother drank heavily.

[Mehrunes]

not when they are written by blizzard, thankfully Sylvanas died before she had half elves so its not as bad.

But what if she was already pregnant when she died and she had an undead fetus in her womb all this time?! I can already see this retcon happening.

To be fair though, Game of Thrones the show is pretty shit at character development as well. At least WoW has an excuse for being a game, so story < new expansion themes < gameplay, that show has some amazing books to take ideas from and it's still hilariously bad sometimes.

Ehh, if you discount the black hole that is Daenerys and the characters she taints, the character development in GOT is fairly logical for the most part. Maybe not up to the level of the book, but miles ahead of anything Blizzard.

Pff, Elisande is just jealous that she's too big for humans and too small for vrykul, so she'll never be able to land a Real Man™.

You say "too small", Vrykul hear "tight, me like". If there's any chaffing she can use lube or even fuck around with the time to remove it and voila, halfbreed Nightborne mongrel.

[Aeula]

Pretty much cinches it three for three - Sylvanas and Nathanos were always assumed but never confirmed until now. Must be something about the Windrunner line.

Such a tragedy...

I wonder if Sylvanas has a long lost half-elf brat running around for blizzard to shoehorn in.

The story heavily implies that they fucked whilst still alive. So unless the porn is right and Sylvanas is an anal queen, it's possible she had the abomination and gave it up before dying... what an unsettling thought.

[Ash123]

Pretty sure they fucked at the beginning of the story when they were still alive.

No they did not. Otherwise Anya would not need to point the romantic feeling of sylvanas towards Nathanos.

This story is basically about both Sylvanas and Nathanos have strong romantic feeling towards each other but both of them deny that feeling in some fashion.

You can even say Nathanos's regret is not only towards his cousin, but also towards his relationship with Sylvanas when both of them are alive.

[Arrashi]

Eww.

The last Windrunner falling for a human... Truly a cursed lineage.

I really hope their long lost brother bob windrunner will make apperance alongside army of light. And then fuck a tuskarr or something. Now that would be a plot twist.

Do tuskarr even have females ?

[Wyrt]

No they did not. Otherwise Anya would not need to point the romantic feeling of sylvanas towards Nathanos.

This story is basically about both Sylvanas and Nathanos have strong romantic feeling towards each other but both of them deny that feeling in some fashion.

You can even say Nathanos's regret is not only towards his cousin, but also towards his relationship with Sylvanas when both of them are alive.

Yeah right, she just showed up to his house for "company" and they didn't fuck.

[Palaplu]

I'm still working my way through the lore (books, comics, short stories) so I'm trying to avoid any spoilers.
Where, in the timeline, would you say this story fits?
(at the moment I'm reading Thrall: Twilight of the Aspects)

thanks in advance

[Racthoh]

sylvanas and nathanos may become human/elven again and live out their lives

[Mehrunes]

It was mixed in with the memory of one of the Dark Rangers' NPC dialogs - being somewhat cagey about their existence and why they aren't typical Forsaken. I can't recall the NPC nor find the dialog in question, though; so I'm beginning to wonder if I conflated it with Nathanos' dialog early on in Legion (I distinctly remember it being somewhere in WoD, though). There was also a feeling from the short story that this wasn't the first time Sylvanas had used this particular ritual (e.g. she knew the outcome of it, and that her Val'kyr were loathe to perform it) - which leads one to wonder where or how it was used previously, if at all. Not the Dark Rangers, would seem, but perhaps with someone or something else.

Or she knows about this after she inquired the Val'kyr how to make Koltira less of a fuck up and they told her how they created Death Knights, supposedly durable already and all. And Sylvanas says she believes it takes a part of their own essence. Nothing certain. It didn't mention about the ritual not having an adverse effect on them even when they were part of the Scourge either. While Lich King refilled their power, it could still have been taxing on them while the ritual was ongoing. Just without permanent effects thanks to Lich King's magic supplements.

[Rhlor]

I really hope their long lost brother bob windrunner will make apperance alongside army of light. And then fuck a tuskarr or something. Now that would be a plot twist.

Do tuskarr even have females ?

You talk about the blood mage sylvos windrunner?

[Mehrunes]

I'm still working my way through the lore (books, comics, short stories) so I'm trying to avoid any spoilers.
Where, in the timeline, would you say this story fits?
(at the moment I'm reading Thrall: Twilight of the Aspects)

thanks in advance

During the Legion pre-patch event for the more current part. And some W3 and earlier snippets about Nathanos' past.

[Ash123]

Yeah right, she just showed up to his house for "company" and they didn't fuck.

No matter whether you believe it or not, they did not fuck.

Sylvanas is too proud to acknowledge that feeling and ask herself. And Nathanos would not ask it either as he fooled himself by telling that everything he did for Sylvanas was for duty when in fact he did everything for love.

If they did, the whole point of this story is undermined.