Warlock Lore!

[Akakishin]

It is the easiest to explain, so most people think it tends to be the only way -- going from a Mage to Warlock, I mean. You could very easily go from Priest to Warlock...or really, anything to Warlock. That being said, former Mages would make excellent Warlocks because of their proficiency for magic.

Warlocks can pretty much come from anywhere. Generally, they'll come from Mages or Shamans, but there is nothing in lore that says a former Warrior could not study and develop a proficiency for magic/lust for power and start to embrace fel magic. Essentially anyone can harness the power a warlock does - but few are going to be as proficient as a former Mage. The magic is powerful and can easily corrupt.

It doesn't originate from Mages or Shamans - it originates from the Legion. Granted, I'm looking at this through the eyes of a roleplayer.

generally, you FAIL! in logic. they don't come from other classes, maybe first pack of mortal warlocks did, but is it logical to assume you choose arcanism, then one day you can change that to warlockism?! no youd' better to choose it in first point!

[checking facts]

generally, you FAIL! in logic. they don't come from other classes, maybe first pack of mortal warlocks did, but is it logical to assume you choose arcanism, then one day you can change that to warlockism?! no youd' better to choose it in first point!

"warlockism" is a type of arcanism. a warlock is basically a mage with a different focus on his applications of arcane (this is also true for necromancers). they also use fel energy, which is basically the most corrupted kind of arcane energy. some warlocks use it a lot (people with green fire), others use just a bit of it (warlocks without green fire).

[iamthedevil]

I think people are missing the point.
They ORIGINATE from shamans.

There are different origins for different races, as other have stated.

[kendro1200]

Due to the age of wow now and the lore within that races that we know are warlocks like Blood Elfs / Orcs it is possible that some become warlocks from the start like being the child of a warlock and also being trained by a warlock from the start.
Think about that ^^

^Largely this

As to the origination of warlocks for the various races. Mages obsessed with power eventually turned to arts that are now in line with what we currently call the craft of Warlocks, this scenario holds for Elves, Humans, Gnomes and arguably Dwarves. Shamans manipulated and corrupted into, once again, seeking more power is the story for Orcs, and possibly Dwarves. Forsaken were taught their craft from Varimathras. In truth the root of becoming a warlock is the quest for greater power regardless of the cost.
Nearly all warlocks in game now that players use are taught their craft from other warlocks, be those warlocks some of the original pioneers from the first two wars, or those who experimented during or in the aftermath of the third war.

[Shadowygoodness]

Shhhh, we originate from shammys, the first warlock was a shaman corrupted by mannoroth and the dark portal.

Uhhhhh the Manari-eredar were all originally arcane casters and became the first warlocks......not the orcs....

[Supernex]

Using the OP's logic we can conclude that all Math Professors at Bumpkin University have their roots in cuisine, due to the fact the original Head Master originally studied the culinary arts back is his hay-day.

[Akakishin]

"warlockism" is a type of arcanism. a warlock is basically a mage with a different focus on his applications of arcane (this is also true for necromancers). they also use fel energy, which is basically the most corrupted kind of arcane energy. some warlocks use it a lot (people with green fire), others use just a bit of it (warlocks without green fire).

Warlockism is a type of fel magic nathrezim used to wield.they became dread lords of legion and I think it was in "orcs and humn" that guldan learns warlockism from them and he and his followers are the first mortals became warlock. actually this class has more lore than lots of other classes in game so keep this wrong data to yourself please
p.s: and learn the lore!

[Shadowygoodness]

Warlockism is a type of fel magic nathrezim used to wield.they became dread lords of legion and I think it was in "orcs and humn" that guldan learns warlockism from them and he and his followers are the first mortals became warlock. actually this class has more lore than lots of other classes in game so keep this wrong data to yourself please
p.s: and learn the lore!

Ummmm you should probably take your own advice and keep the misinformation from spreading. The Manari-Eredar say hi. They became warlocks millenia before the orcs were even a thought. Furthermore, the Nathrezim did not teach the orcs warlockism, Kil'jaedan did.

[Akakishin]

Ummmm you should probably take your own advice and keep the misinformation from spreading. The Manari-Eredar say hi. They became warlocks millenia before the orcs were even a thought. Furthermore, the Nathrezim did not teach the orcs warlockism, Kil'jaedan did.

I don't remember any single thing that shows kil'jaeden trained orcs to become first mortal warlocks. Nathrezim became dreadlords of legion and by that time they were in legion so its pretty much possible for orcs to learn secrets of the class from them. Also eredars were sorcerers and kil'jaeden himself was a powerful sorcerer/arcanist mage before meeting sargeras. in that time sargeras HAD nathzerim in his side so I think (and it might be wrong) even kil'jaden learned warlockism from them (nathzerim/dreadlords).
Nathzerim are the race responsible for sargeras's corruption and sargeras met kil'jaden and eredar after forming legion. I think time of events shows that nathzerim were warlock before eredar
again dear shadowygoodness correct me if I'm wrong. I don't believe I'm absolute right, but its how i remember stuff about warlocks' lore. maybe I need to check them again

p.s: but im sure there is one thing we both agree, warlocks does not originate from any other class in azroth. They might be the oldest among all classes in game.

[Shadowygoodness]

I don't remember any single thing that shows kil'jaeden trained orcs to become first mortal warlocks. Nathrezim became dreadlords of legion and by that time they were in legion so its pretty much possible for orcs to learn secrets of the class from them. Also eredars were sorcerers and kil'jaeden himself was a powerful sorcerer/arcanist mage before meeting sargeras. in that time sargeras HAD nathzerim in his side so I think (and it might be wrong) even kil'jaden learned warlockism from them (nathzerim/dreadlords).
Nathzerim are the race responsible for sargeras's corruption and sargeras met kil'jaden and eredar after forming legion. I think time of events shows that nathzerim were warlock before eredar
again dear shadowygoodness correct me if I'm wrong. I don't believe I'm absolute right, but its how i remember stuff about warlocks' lore. maybe I need to check them again

p.s: but im sure there is one thing we both agree, warlocks does not originate from any other class in azroth. They might be the oldest among all classes in game.

Agreed Nathrezim were apart of the Legion first and practiced warlockism. I've been too lazy to go back and edit my posts. We really don't know who the first practicing warlocks were, but we do know that the earliest examples of practitioners have all been arcanists (in WoW = mage, which you pointed out in your description of KJ) not shamans. That's not to say only mages become warlocks, b/c of course not that's false. Mages do seem to be more susceptible to warlockism, though; probably because arcane magics are very addictive and fel magic is the next step up the magic drug ladder.

[Akakishin]

there is one more thing I think it can solve this thing. I call it logic and its not in lore Kil'jaeden, Velen and Archimond were 3 great leaders of eredar by that time. and I think if this story that velen and kil'jaeden were best buddy is true, kil'jaeden couldn't be warlock in that time. I mean come on warlockism actually is the only pure evil class in this game and how can you blame a legion of warlocks while YOU ARE a friend of one or two of them?
Nathzerim corrupted sargeras once, its possible that their magic corrupted those two eredar aswell.
one of descriptions about nathzerim:

They are known to be extremely manipulative and masters of trickery; they are thal'kituun, the unseen ones

[lunchbox2042]

There can be multiple origins based on which race we're talking about. Sure, the first Orc Warlocks were former Shamans, however the first Human warlocks were former Mages.

[Deleted]

I don't remember any single thing that shows kil'jaeden trained orcs to become first mortal warlocks. Nathrezim became dreadlords of legion and by that time they were in legion so its pretty much possible for orcs to learn secrets of the class from them. Also eredars were sorcerers and kil'jaeden himself was a powerful sorcerer/arcanist mage before meeting sargeras. in that time sargeras HAD nathzerim in his side so I think (and it might be wrong) even kil'jaden learned warlockism from them (nathzerim/dreadlords).

A -lot- of current Warlock lore comes from Rise of the Horde. If I recall correctly, Kil'Jaeden appeared to Ner'zhul in a dream over the course of months, eventually after those months Ner'zhul calls many of his clan's Shaman and takes them away to learn to become Warlocks (this was after the elements stopped coming to Shaman), it's never said who teaches them because the first you see of Warlocks is their demonstration on captured Draenei, but it's heavily hinted that Kil'jaeden himself taught Ner'zhul (or possibly Gul'dan?) who taught the Orc Shaman.

Also, about your later post about "how can you blame warlocks when your best friends are two of them", it should be noted that Eredar were not Warlocks before Sargeras came to them and corrupted 99% of their population, and that afterwards Velen thought of KJ and Archi the old "My friends are dead, what's inside their body now is not them" trope.

[Shadowygoodness]

]
Also, about your later post about "how can you blame warlocks when your best friends are two of them", it should be noted that Eredar were not Warlocks before Sargeras came to them and corrupted 99% of their population, and that afterwards Velen thought of KJ and Archi the old "My friends are dead, what's inside their body now is not them" trope.

This right here. Eredar were the foremost mages of the universe prior to Sargeras' arrival after which the majority embraced fel magic and became warlocks; hence, mage => warlock. Sargeras corrupted the eredar via promises of power, not the nathrezim; furthermore, the whole eredar + nathrezim corrupted Sargeras story has been retconned to no SINGLE race corrupted Sargeras. He fell into a depression upon realizing his role within the Pantheon (imposing order on the chaotic races of the cosmos) was futile; just so happened that the nathrezim may or may not have been the last race he imprisoned before this depression. The reason behind Sargeras' depression and the reasoning behind his crusade are two of the main reasons I love him as a villain so much. He's not just some guy who wants to rule the universe; he wants to burn it all down, b/c he sees life as the ultimate barrier to order (a universe devoid of life would be in perfect order = Sargeras trying to still fulfill his role of imposing order except in maniacal fashion = AWESOME).

Anyway back on topic, I think it's safe to say we've covered that many different classes can become warlocks once embracing the powers of Fel, but shamans indeed were not the first nor are they the majority as of current lore.

[GrkSiNNer]

How about this

Shaman------->Warlock

|------------->Mage
Arcanist >
|----------- >Warlock