How would you make humans more unique?

[TheFirstOnes]

By making them Fat, Small, and shit.

Oh wait...

Forgot that BFA was a thing...

[Deleted]

At the moment most just feel like genetic fantasy-medieval, which is broadly western european, mostly english-like. Dalaran looks different, but feels just as generic because, besides the buildings, everything is the same sprinkled with magic. Gilneas is the only really different one, but also feels anachronic. I'm okay with that.
Just make humans in the Eastern Kingdoms culturally split like Europe in general, you'd get some broad similarities between all, but diversity enough to make them feel different. Keep the names as they are today.

Lordaeron region -> Germanic. Gilneas is already Victorian, Stromgarde could fit into a militaristic Prussian style, Alterac could be Alemannic/Bavarian German (Switzerland, Bavaria, Austria) and Lordaeron Franconian/Middle German.

Stormwind -> Latin (French, Italian, Spanish, etc). Imagine having Spanish-like religious folk, "NADIE ESPERA LA INQUISICIÓN DE ESTORMWIND! COME MI MARTELO, COÑO"


Sorry Slavs

[Techno-Druid]

At the moment most just feel like genetic fantasy-medieval, which is broadly western european, mostly english-like. Dalaran looks different, but feels just as generic because, besides the buildings, everything is the same sprinkled with magic. Gilneas is the only really different one, but also feels anachronic. I'm okay with that.
Just make humans in the Eastern Kingdoms culturally split like Europe in general, you'd get some broad similarities between all, but diversity enough to make them feel different. Keep the names as they are today.

Lordaeron region -> Germanic. Gilneas is already Victorian, Stromgarde could fit into a militaristic Prussian style, Alterac could be Alemannic/Bavarian German (Switzerland, Bavaria, Austria) and Lordaeron Franconian/Middle German.

Stormwind -> Latin (French, Italian, Spanish, etc). Imagine having Spanish-like religious folk, "NADIE ESPERA LA INQUISICIÓN DE ESTORMWIND! COME MI MARTELO, COÑO"


Sorry Slavs

I've always interpeted Stromgarde as being more Medieval Scottish due to the Stonehenge-esque formations and the whole 'Highlands' thing, but a Prussian-style state could also definitely fit. Having Danath Trollbane as a more cunning Bismarck-like figure would be awesome, especially if he could implement advanced military tactics against the Forsaken.

I think with Dalaran and to an extent with Gilneas, while they might have different architecture and aesthetics, culturally they're pretty indistinguishable from Stormwindians. I do like Gilneas having a Pagan-ish background and I wish Blizz would delve deeper into that and allow it to define their culture more. I also do like the Slavic aesthetic with Kul Tiras and the sea priests and monster hunters.

Stormwind should really be one of the most culturally distinct, being the southernmost human kingdom and having arguably the most diverse regions. It would be really cool to see a Latin-based Stormwind. Maybe a French Elywnn and a Spanish Redridge (due to the climate). Westfall could be the most fun zone to play around with since it borders Stranglethorn and could easily have subtropical regions.

[Deleted]

So I recentled stumbled upon this video which I thought gave an interesting commentary on humans in RPGs and in Warcraft.

While Blizz has been making the human cultures more recognizable and less generic since Cata and now with BfA (Transylvanian/Victorian Gilneans and Slavic Tirasians) I've always thought Stormwind, Lordaeron and Stromgarde were just extremely generic and super interchangeable.

Aesthetically Dalaran is also distinct, but I never get the feeling that they're that culturally distinct from other humans. I would say that Dalaran is even worse because it rides off of one theme (mages/arcane magic) and doesn't really have a set culture.

If I could change humans in lore I would probably make them a lot more fallible. One of my favorite WoW novels was Lord of the Clans and one of the things I enjoyed was the fact that the humans weren't all portrayed as mostly lawful good and it had a certain brutality that WoW lacks. I know I mentioned this before in a similar thread but I think humans are sort of unique enough to deserve their own thread considering their dominance in the Alliance.

Culturally I can't think of how I would really try to make Stormwindians recognizably distinct from the surviving Lordaeronians or any other human kingdom I mentioned.

I had this discussion with a friend once and our idea was, basically, just like other suggested to give the Humans a stronger cultural identity based on reallife cultures. Like for example Gilneas is the english human cultures, you could make Lordaeron either french or german, arathi would be skandinavic, Alterac maybe slavic, Dalaran would be probably first and foremost be thalassian-influenced, maybe somehow byzantic, Kul'tiras could be made spanish or portugese and Stormwind should maybe be designed after middle eastern cultures, like the persians or the ottomans.

I think especially a middle-eastern human Kingdom would be change much, as it would take the generic english medieval style from them and make them more exotic and foreign.

[Linri]

different heights

different accents

different architecture based on continents, and regions

[ThePallyRanger]

Lordaeronians would be Germanic. They have the Black Forest (Silverpine) and the Brits (Gilneans) are practically neighbors.

Stormwindians (and I really had to think about this) would be Persian or Middle-Eastern... something from the Gulf/North-East Africa. They're pretty far south but not so far as the Amazon (Stranglethorn) and are in the vicinity of several big mountain ranges and deserts. If not that I would have said Spanish, except that would look too similar to Warhammer humans... so maybe Roman? They've got vineyards.

One would think that the Kul'Tirans would be the Brits because they're the ones on an island off the mainland, and the ones with the biggest navy.

[Deleted]

One would think that the Kul'Tirans would be the Brits

They're all 'Brit' atm

[3DTyrant]

By sticking their severed heads on the spikes of Orgrimmar, we need some more festive decorations for Winter Veil.

[George Lucas]

Just draw from history and put a spin on it:

I would give Stromgarde a Frankish/Lombard/Roman style. Give them a aristocratic senate which elects the king from the Trollbane-Dynasty, ever since the descendants of Thoradin stopped ruling Arathor. Their kingdom would be in visible decline, with houses build from ruined great ancient buildings.

Lordaeron would be Prussian. They would the most militaristic and orderly. Not loved by the other kingdoms, but respected and admired. Their homeland has many forests and not much farmland, so the majority population would live harsh lives, but be content and proud. Also the bigger cities (Andorhal, Stratholme, Hillsbrad, Southshore and Lordaeron City) could be more distinct from the rest and resemble the semi-autonomous Hanseatic cities who would oppose the Kul Tiran and Alteracian dominance in trade.

The Alterac Mountains remind of Switzerland, but I would give them a more french and flamboyant demeanor, with backstabbing barons, who compete for the favour of their king and try to wrest control of important trade routes or mountain passes from each other.

Azeroth/Stormwind would be my pick for a medieval British/English society. Split the realm in an Anglo-Saxon west which is settled by people from Arathor and an Celtic east and south, with humans who lived there before but don't follow the light and overall an Arthurian vibe. The conflict between the two people would of course involve the church, which has great influence, rules places like Northshire directly and opposes the indigenous unbelievers, who elect their own petty kings, subservient to the king of Stormwind.

Gilneas could be culturally disconnected from the other northern kingdoms and be Tsarist-Russian, with an absolut monarch who suppresses the masses. Genn could have been a great villain for a Gilnean starting zone, were the Worgen curse sparked a peasant rebellion. The church would side with Genn and so the playable Gilneans would be more opposed to the holy light, setting them even more apart from the other humans.

I would have split Kul Tiras in many city-states, which would be inspired by the Italian merchant republics like Genoa, Florence and Venice, but who also come together and elect an Lord-Admiral for their armada, which ensures their shared dominance in the maritime trade.

Dalaran is of course also a city-state but I would design them more like the ancient Greek poleis. The archmages of the council of six could be acting as philosopher kings. Their architecture and culture would encompass what the Empire of Arathor once has been on it's peak.

[Techno-Druid]

One would think that the Kul'Tirans would be the Brits because they're the ones on an island off the mainland, and the ones with the biggest navy.

Culturally they seem to be more Russian or East Slavic. Boralus reminds me of St. Petersburg and Drustvar looks like something pulled straight out of The Witcher.

[CreatureLives]

Stormwind has more of a holy/religious vibe or at least the humanized version of it. It's a lot more subtle than the Draenei holy stuff but its still there.

The Gilneans & Kul'Tirans don't seem very religious at all. If they are, they don't take it as seriously as the humans of Stormwind do. At least not the holy/light stuff. Maybe they have another religion in it's place. That's probably why they don't have Paladins.

[Deleted]

One would think that the Kul'Tirans would be the Brits because they're the ones on an island off the mainland, and the ones with the biggest navy.

Like I said, this was just something I had fun fanfictioning with a friend of mine and we made Kul'tiras spanish to represent one south european culture and because we thought as they are more southern than the other nations, it would fit. And in our little fancanon, the sturmwindians being middle eastern started out with the idea of making the realm a little bit more desertlike, like Westfall, and because as the most southern it would fit if they are the darkest. But then again, we really got into the whole fancanon and fanfiction thing because it made fun, so we even made Alterac basically a liberal Warlock Kingdom.

I think human kingdoms really lack a cultural identity. I mean, the thing is simply, the standart generic british medieval humanity who are all culturally uniform is fucking worn out.The human Kingdoms should have different cultures, different religions, different ethnicities.

[Techno-Druid]

Like I said, this was just something I had fun fanfictioning with a friend of mine and we made Kul'tiras spanish to represent one south european culture and because we thought as they are more southern than the other nations, it would fit. And in our little fancanon, the sturmwindians being middle eastern started out with the idea of making the realm a little bit more desertlike, like Westfall, and because as the most southern it would fit if they are the darkest. But then again, we really got into the whole fancanon and fanfiction thing because it made fun, so we even made Alterac basically a liberal Warlock Kingdom.

I think human kingdoms really lack a cultural identity. I mean, the thing is simply, the standart generic british medieval humanity who are all culturally uniform is fucking worn out.The human Kingdoms should have different cultures, different religions, different ethnicities.

We (possibly including @vondevon and @Ruderic, if any of you guys are interested) should just start a forum wide fanfic/fanon project where we flesh/partially revamp the cultures of the Seven Kingdoms and make them more culturally defined and distinct.

If it actually amounts to anything, maybe we can expand it or start another project covering other races. I've always thought that sand trolls could totally fit a Pueblo Indian aesthetic, especially with Zandalari drawing pretty heavily from Aztec, architecturally speaking. I'm sure @Ramz would be interested in something like that.

[Ramz]

If it actually amounts to anything, maybe we can expand it or start another project covering other races. I've always thought that sand trolls could totally fit a Pueblo Indian aesthetic, especially with Zandalari drawing pretty heavily from Aztec, architecturally speaking. I'm sure @Ramz would be interested in something like that.

No it wouldn't make sense because Farraki used to be Gurubashi, it was after Saundering that they got separated, and lushful jungles turned into deserts. Why would they change the looks of their ancient cities out of nowhere?

However I do belive that they deserve to be fleshed out.

As for human kingdoms... you know my opinion. I believe there should be only 3, Stormwind, Kul'Tiras and Gilneas.

[Techno-Druid]

No it wouldn't make sense because Farraki used to be Gurubashi, it was after Saundering that they got separated, and lushful jungles turned into deserts. Why would they change the looks of their ancient cities out of nowhere?

However I do belive that they deserve to be fleshed out.

As for human kingdoms... you know my opinion. I believe there should be only 3, Stormwind, Kul'Tiras and Gilneas.

I meant more in dress/armor (obviously more in the troll style though) and newer structures.

[Deleted]

We (possibly including @vondevon and @Ruderic, if any of you guys are interested) should just start a forum wide fanfic/fanon project where we flesh/partially revamp the cultures of the Seven Kingdoms and make them more culturally defined and distinct.

If it actually amounts to anything, maybe we can expand it or start another project covering other races. I've always thought that sand trolls could totally fit a Pueblo Indian aesthetic, especially with Zandalari drawing pretty heavily from Aztec, architecturally speaking. I'm sure @Ramz would be interested in something like that.

Actually, me and my friend build for...I think a year now, our own fanfiction Version of Warcraft, just between the two of us. For example fleshed out Quel'thalas as a Kingdom with an own unique culture, political system and different regions, cultures and religions, Lordaeron as a feudalistic Kingdoms with many different Lords or the Amani Empire with own political structres where they are more like the aztec empire with different city states who struggled for control before Zul'jin. More a passionate fun project. The Farraki had, if I remember correctly, a slight egyptian touch in our version, where Zul'farrak was an unbroken aund flourishing city in the desert, protected by an undead army.

One of our most passionate and coolest ideas was the total reforming of Alterac, as slightly slawic inspired of Kingdom of Warlocks who oppose the influence of the burning Legion, with a very liberal culture where the alteracians take big pride into their idea that their citizens are free people and which was for centuries oppressed by Lordaeron and Quel'thalas for their way of living and use of fel. In our version, King Perenolde ultimately didn't betrayed the Alliance because he was a coward but because the Horde offered the Warlocks a tolerance and acceptance which they could never hope to archieve with the other nations of the eastern Kingdoms.

[Ramz]

I meant more in dress/armor (obviously more in the troll style though) and newer structures.

They give more taureny-vibe than troll tbh. To make troll structures different, ornaments in ther architecture could be switched, and different colours. But then again I'm quite biased and I think that current troll style (based on aztecs) is the best as it is.

As the main subject. Humans already got as much flavour as they could possibly get with Gilneas and Kul Tiras. Making humans "un-generic" seems like impossible task. They're humans in fantasy game. They're bound to be the most generic race out of all.

[Deleted]

Impossible with current age rating and PC agenda. To make them interesting we would need a bucket of reality splashed upon piss ridden pile of rape and carnage. Starting from scratch.

[Blayze]

Let's recap: Stromgarde was the martial culture, Gilneas the industrial, Lordaeron the faithful, Dalaran the magical and Kul Tiras the naval. That leaves Stormwind/Azeroth as the generic and Alterac as the unimportant.

The closest thing to a specialistion I can find for Stormwind would be a focus on cavalry, with their Brotherhood of the Horse. They also have their own micro-Hogwarts, though, as well as their own navy, their own religious centres... They're the Mario of the kingdoms, the average by which the others are measured. Given their distance from the other kingdoms, they'd need to be independent--because trade would be limited and difficult if not impossible--and likely just as proud of it as the Gilneans.

I'd say Stormwind's focus should be support; their standard footsoldier fighting force seems to be a secondary concern next to their ability to field at least something of anything and everything. That reminds me of modern society, actually, with our focus on specialisation. In WoW terms, though, that means a small military reliant on their airships and firepower.

Alterac has always been portrayed as basically just some shitty vassal state that got even shittier once they betrayed everyone. That's scarcely enough to give it its own culture; you could make it anything.

I'm fairly certain Stromgarde works as the Mongols, though, and Dalaran's abandoning of almost everything for the pursuit of knowledge and magic is a very Eastern concept. Gilneas should be working-class North England industrial revolution and not shitty BBC Mockney.

[Mehrunes]

No it wouldn't make sense because Farraki used to be Gurubashi, it was after Saundering that they got separated, and lushful jungles turned into deserts. Why would they change the looks of their ancient cities out of nowhere?

Because the Sundering was 10k years ago and it's a lot of time?