I like the new lore, except Drustvar bizarre witchcraft attitude...

[sarahtasher]

Now, I understand quite well that there are different sorts of magics, and the Convent one is an especially bad one (which is a feat in itself, as apparently it's okay to invoke arcane energies, holy energies, shadow energies (from very bad gods), elemental-magic energies, elemental-elemental energies, fel energies (from less bad demons))

What mildly annoy me is that the people of Drustvar pratices, even if we take in account that WOW game is not Azeroth (for instance, presumably, there is not like 50% of the population routinely invoking the said energies and casters must be somewhat rare, even if Drustvar lore indicates that this is a relatively common trait amongst Kul Tiras females at least) anti-sorcery rites that made sense for Jacobean England (where there was not actual witches) and not Azeroth (where witches are extremely common and real. I presume Jaina hijnks sunk the reputation of magic-users however)

(I take it that they don't react when they see someone ten feet aways from the scaffold blast off a crow with a giant icicle, or that oddly enough non silver weapons work fine enough on the Convent but they live in a island where there own priests routinely use elemental magics and yet use stuff out of the Witch Hammer...

[Monkeymoo]

I don’t think that witchcraft is necessarily bad, as there are good Drust in Drustvar as well, but the way the coven yields it is the issue. I will admit when I leveled there as a DK I thought it was slightly funny that nobody bats an eye at me being an undead abomination :P
On the silver thing I don’t remember anyone saying only silver hurt the witches, but that it was an effective weapon against them? Don’t quote me on that though :P

[seleri]

It's more about the kind of magic the witches use and how they use it. Just because people can use fel/shadow magic doesn't mean they aren't looked down on and feared because of it. If warlocks or shadow priests decided to start mind controlling the people of Elwynn, turning them into grotesque monsters, and using their souls to power hostile constructs, then Elwynn would probably be in a similar state.

[Highlord Hanibuhl]

Why is it so hard for people to write 'Coven'
I've seen people write convert, covern, covent and now convent.... With names like Sylvanas or Azshara, I get it, but Coven is such a small and simple word...

OT: It felt really weird yeah. But I guess Kul'tiras has been isolated like Pandaria...

[vertigo12]

Wiccan practices white magic and black. I bet they will expound on such genre in the future in-game and probably include a White witch which uses healing/light magic.

[Lyssander]

Witchcraft is not a common thing in Azeroth.

[RangerDaz]

i guess they just wanted to bring something new into the game. I like that.

The Trolls have voodoo and Loa, so they wanted something equivalent to the Alliance, and they inspired themselves in the witcher and brought witchcraft into the game.

[Gracin]

I don't see witches as a common thing on Azeroth, unless you want to lump all spell casters under that title. Really all the various caster types have their own unique way of channeling power. In the case of the Coven it's just via witchcraft.

[Deleted]

Was is not like in cult fiction that warlocks are the male witches or whatever ... So apparently witchcraft is really hard to be explained and fit the lore of an established merchandise that falls into the category of fantasy and has not had some kind of equal to that for a long time now, since that field has been shared by mages,locks,druids,shamans,priests and their various schools. Would be difficult to introduce necromancers and blood mages atm how much introduce a whole different concept of witchcraft , although we gotta admit its attributes are quite unique the scope is really tight.

[Claymore]

Writing tip for the OP; you can't have the majority of your statements in parentheses. It just... makes it ridiculously difficult to read, particularly when you're interjecting one thought with an entirely different though. It's like using to many commas (something I used to be guilty of).

In any case, I actually really dig the whole "witches' coven" vibe of Drustvar. But yeah, the idea that these folk are *so* out of touch with the concept of 'magic' that they're hanging people for using it? Seems kind of ridiculous. It gives Drustvar a really unique vibe, but it does feel sort of like you have to mentally disconnect Drustvar from the entire rest of the game. It's going to be especially weird once Kul Tirans become playable.

I still think Kul Tirans are a dumb race, but they're clearly coming one way or another. It does make me wonder what their class selection is going to look like, though. At the very least, they look to have some pretty sweet Druid forms (not that I play a Druid).

[Harper]

You use way too many parenthetical remarks. It's annoying. That is all.

[sarahtasher]

I don't see witches as a common thing on Azeroth, unless you want to lump all spell casters under that title. Really all the various caster types have their own unique way of channeling power. In the case of the Coven it's just via witchcraft.

Well, yes. People summoning fireballs to smash on their foes certainy is ''magic'' and ''spells''.

[Kralljin]

Problem is Blizzard over use of magic, made mages far too common and "nice" and created a lot magical elven kingdoms that made magic seem rather ordinary.
To top things off, even non caster classes such as Rogue or hunter seem to rely on rather "magical" abilities such as freezing trap or Shadowstep.

In Lore, a Dreadlord tried to incite the simple people of Dalaran against mages, magic being evil and all that.
In Day of the Dragon, a Paladin also express clear disdain towards mages.

Mages should be seen as those haughty, ivory tower type of character that seem to have no real relation to the ordinary folk, that usually feeds into the stereotypical archetype of mages and serves basis for resentment from simple people towards mages.
Characters like Jaina or Khadgar simply don't work for this role.
Even Medivh probably would have been all good if not for his little Sargeras.

Next thing, there are rarely "evil" mages, they usually turn towards fel (Warlocks) or Necromancy once becoming evil, as this is a clear distinction to the "Mage" spellcaster in Warcraft, that kinda "improves" the image of mages.

For a narrative to work properly, you need a consistent narrative that takes caution how they use magic, Blizzard fucks up on both fronts, which is why this is mostly limited to a single zone and there never will be some sort "Anti mage uprising" within the Human Kingdom(s) as focal part of storytelling.

[Doffen]

My life.. FOR THE COVEN!

Drustvar is awesome. A little story of it's own, away from the faction war.

I don't think we should take this "whats the actual lore behind this, and why do they use the magic as they do" properly all the time, but see it as a thing on it's own. Like the whole Drustvar zone.

[ablib]

Drustvar has Diablo 3 all over it.

[Shadowater]

do you expect the npcs to react like they do in skyrim?
Everytime the player does something they go crazy?
That works in a single player game, but if they reacted to every player it would be overwhelming.
If it had been a story in a book or movie they would have reacted to our magic and such.
In lore warlocks, shadow priests, death knights are feared by normal people and hated by most. You wouldn't see them walking around in the city showing it off.
And in lore I am sure that magic users are a pretty rare sight outside of their castles etc. Except priests which I am sure are everywhere and regarded as saints.

[The Stormbringer]

What I don't get is, why is every Joe Schmoe and Jane Plain willing to sacrifice their looks, their families, and their standing in the society they grew up in for 'POWER'?

This is an issue endemic in Azeroth. It seems like anyone is willing to drop their normal life for a little bit of magic and the chance to go crazy.

[Arrashi]

What I don't get is, why is every Joe Schmoe and Jane Plain willing to sacrifice their looks, their families, and their standing in the society they grew up in for 'POWER'?

This is an issue endemic in Azeroth. It seems like anyone is willing to drop their normal life for a little bit of magic and the chance to go crazy.

The problem isn't even the willingness itself - its that this power is in 99% not worth getting up from bed.

[vertigo12]

What I don't get is, why is every Joe Schmoe and Jane Plain willing to sacrifice their looks, their families, and their standing in the society they grew up in for 'POWER'?

This is an issue endemic in Azeroth. It seems like anyone is willing to drop their normal life for a little bit of magic and the chance to go crazy.

One word.Solution.If you played and quested with your Alliance character and completed the storyline for Waycrest family that would bethe answer.

A solution to Meredith's problem with his ailing husband.He's dying and the only option or choice was to accept the offer brought by Gorak tul in exchange of bringing him to the mortal world once again.

It was once again thru undeath. They payed for their previous living life in exchange for what they wanted most. To be with loved ones and yes, even power and magic.

She can be used as parallel to Sylvanas. First as a matron. Second as an undead banshee. Third as someone who recruits and wanted the group to grow. You can somehow categorically give her the title of Alliance storyline Sylvanas version.

[The Stormbringer]

One word.Solution.If you played and quested with your Alliance character and completed the storyline for Waycrest family that would bethe answer.

A solution to Meredith's problem with his ailing husband.He's dying and the only option or choice was to accept the offer brought by Gorak tul in exchange of bringing him to the mortal world once again.

It was once again thru undeath. They payed for their previous living life in exchange for what they wanted most. To be with loved ones and yes, even power and magic.

She can be used as parallel to Sylvanas. First as a matron. Second as an u dead banshee. Third as someone who recruits and wanted the group to grow. You can somehow categorically give her the title of Alliance storyline Sylvanas version.

I played the entire thing, I know how it goes. I'm talking about all the recruits who don't have any good reason for abandoning their life to become a literal monster, betraying their family and neighbors, etc.

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The problem isn't even the willingness itself - its that this power is in 99% not worth getting up from bed.

That too. Ooohh ahh, you have a minion made of twigs and magic! Spooookyyyyy.