Originally Posted by
Thaag
I'm western too, but I've been enjoying the way Pandaria lore *and* the current events in the Horde have followed from plots and lore established in LK and vanilla. Examples:
1. Titan influence. The Mogu were Titan constructs, much like the dwarves, vrykul/humans, tol'vir, and gnomes. This is why they are obsessed with the concept of animating statues--much like the Neferset, they want to return to their stone selves.
2. Old God influence. The Mantid are obvs another branch of the Azj'aqir that were stuck on the landmass that became Pandaria after the Sundering along with Y'Shaarj, the Old God that led them. And the Mogu became organic creatures via the same Curse of Flesh that afflicted the aforementioned in point #1.
3. Garrosh was showing his true colors and motives all through LK and Cata (seriously, I can list almost every point at which he does in Northrend alone from Warsong Hold to the Orgrim's Hammer). And you say he's only now being set up as a bad guy? Saurfang Sr had him figured out in Warsong Hold and warned him accordingly.
This is all stuff I've picked up by simply reading quest text, in-game books found all over the place, flavor conversations, and observing the flow of the stories that raids themselves tell.
I'm not a huge fan of Eastern mythology and aesthetics, but I'm still enjoying the hell out of MoP. I refuse to roll a panda, but I'm enjoying playing an orc monk. I hate "kawaii" stuff but I only see disgustingly kawaii junk is the panda cubs. I've had as many chills and chicken skin as belly laughs. I'm finding MoP to be a welcome departure from pure gloom and doom that LK and Cata gave us. There's a new learning curve and some streamlining but really, if a middle-aged fart like me can deal with it anyone can.