Why would the shadowlands need a military?

[NaNaaru]

Maldraxxus’ brutal selection process has built a vast and capable militia… but its hierarchy is wobbling. The longtime leader of the realm has vanished. In his absence, five of the most eminent necrolords vie for the position, and the responsibility to advance the cause of death throughout the cosmos. Each bids on newly-arrived souls, filling their personal guard with capable soldiers and building armies larger than any yet known.

What could be "the cause of death"? I get why they need a military after sylvanas broke death but why did they need it in the first place? It seems like the shadowlands are more like a built-in mechanism in the universe rather than a faction thriving for power and expansion. Does this army provide soldiers to the deathly powers we have seen in the past? Do necromancers, liches, dks and such use it like demonology warlocks summon from the twisting nether?

What do you think?

[nonameelf]

Well, for one, every soul goes to the Shadowlands and they might not all be so happy about it. Need someone to keep the peace.

And secondly, it's not exactly rare for living people to go into the Shadowlands. Need an army to keep people out. Especially people like the Burning Legion who rather wanted to destroy literally everything in existance.

[Calfredd]

One of the Shadowlands' areas is the Revendreth where the souls of the not-so-holy go to be tortured and stripped of sin so they can enjoy their afterlife. Of course if you are destined for a place where torture awaits, you'll probably not be very cooperative, hence the military force.

[enigma77]

The Legion or other evildoers might be interested in those trillions of juicy souls...

[Varodoc]

It seems more of a police force meant to keep all the evil souls under control, really.

[Magicon]

Well, for one, every soul goes to the Shadowlands and they might not all be so happy about it. Need someone to keep the peace.

And secondly, it's not exactly rare for living people to go into the Shadowlands. Need an army to keep people out. Especially people like the Burning Legion who rather wanted to destroy literally everything in existance.

What? it is rare for living people to go into the Shadowlands. Living people started going there only after Sylvanas opened the gateway.

[Al Gorefiend]

What? it is rare for living people to go into the Shadowlands. Living people started going there only after Sylvanas opened the gateway.

No I think lore wise and for the sake of the story, only we the players will be going into the Shadowlands and probably keeping hush about what we see and do there.

I can’t imagine Azeroth would survive the collapse of society as we know it if everyone becomes aware of what the afterlife is like. Imagine in real world a rift to Heaven opens up and God is like “sup guys” and everyone can just fly around heaven and it’s wonderful - who would want to stay alive?

[ringpriest]

Maldraxxus’ brutal selection process has built a vast and capable militia… but its hierarchy is wobbling. The longtime leader of the realm has vanished. In his absence, five of the most eminent necrolords vie for the position, and the responsibility to advance the cause of death throughout the cosmos. Each bids on newly-arrived souls, filling their personal guard with capable soldiers and building armies larger than any yet known.

What could be "the cause of death"? I get why they need a military after sylvanas broke death but why did they need it in the first place? It seems like the shadowlands are more like a built-in mechanism in the universe rather than a faction thriving for power and expansion. Does this army provide soldiers to the deathly powers we have seen in the past? Do necromancers, liches, dks and such use it like demonology warlocks summon from the twisting nether?

What do you think?

I think that Blizzard came up with "generic next expansion idea" and then late in development (for whatever reason) decided it just had to be an afterlife expansion, so the team went through with white-out and spray paint to make it "Azerothian afterlife" (the Shadowlands have no basis in existing lore, and do not connect to existing lore in any coherent fashion).

[matrix123mko]

No I think lore wise and for the sake of the story, only we the players will be going into the Shadowlands and probably keeping hush about what we see and do there.

I can’t imagine Azeroth would survive the collapse of society as we know it if everyone becomes aware of what the afterlife is like. Imagine in real world a rift to Heaven opens up and God is like “sup guys” and everyone can just fly around heaven and it’s wonderful - who would want to stay alive?

We are lucky that Northrend is a wasteland.

- - - Updated - - -

The Legion or other evildoers might be interested in those trillions of juicy souls...

Yes. There should be someone to protect Shadowlands from Legion and void lords.

- - - Updated - - -

Maldraxxus’ brutal selection process has built a vast and capable militia… but its hierarchy is wobbling. The longtime leader of the realm has vanished. In his absence, five of the most eminent necrolords vie for the position, and the responsibility to advance the cause of death throughout the cosmos. Each bids on newly-arrived souls, filling their personal guard with capable soldiers and building armies larger than any yet known.

What could be "the cause of death"? I get why they need a military after sylvanas broke death but why did they need it in the first place? It seems like the shadowlands are more like a built-in mechanism in the universe rather than a faction thriving for power and expansion. Does this army provide soldiers to the deathly powers we have seen in the past? Do necromancers, liches, dks and such use it like demonology warlocks summon from the twisting nether?

What do you think?

You should ask about that in Q&A.

[Darknessvamp]

Considering the Shadowlands is technically an Alternate dimension in addition to the main reality's, where Azeroth is, afterlife, it's likely in the far past the different areas and covenants were at war with one and other over souls and their destination, considering their value as a currency/energy source there, and the Maldraxxus' military is a holdover from when they eventually reached an accord on the division of souls via the arbiter. To add to this is the fact that the Kyrians seem to have their own military might as well in the form of Golems and Valiants. Additionally they could exist as the Four Covenants honorary opposition to the Maw as even though souls are also sent there, there's a sense they haven't always been in agreement with the other Covenants. What with the soul stealing and everything happening now.

Or I'm just writing excuses for WoW's flimsy story since they don't consider these sort of things a lot of the time.

[Magicon]

No I think lore wise and for the sake of the story, only we the players will be going into the Shadowlands and probably keeping hush about what we see and do there.

I can’t imagine Azeroth would survive the collapse of society as we know it if everyone becomes aware of what the afterlife is like. Imagine in real world a rift to Heaven opens up and God is like “sup guys” and everyone can just fly around heaven and it’s wonderful - who would want to stay alive?

us, the players are the living people i was talking about....

[ercarp]

Pretty much what everyone else has said: to keep the peace within the realm. I don't think it's at all unlikely for some of the souls that end up in the Shadowlands to try to rebel and cause chaos.

[Al Gorefiend]

us, the players are the living people i was talking about....

It’s probably like WoD then - only the elite heroes chosen by the Lich King will be entering Shadowlands and we’ll be told to keep hush about it.
I can’t imagine faction leaders or anyone in the alliance or horde will be going and doing faction/race related stuff in the afterlife

[Lochton]

Well, the Shadowlands are not really at peace, less than Azeroth. They need a force most likely, as beings coming to the lands are going to be fighting against it too..

[Zandalariprelate]

Meta reason: We need to kill some fodder

Lore-Reason invented: Maybe they were preparing to face Sargeras Legions at some point, after all it seems there is a big conflict(again) that blizzard is building up

[Feanoro]

I can’t imagine Azeroth would survive the collapse of society as we know it if everyone becomes aware of what the afterlife is like. Imagine in real world a rift to Heaven opens up and God is like “sup guys” and everyone can just fly around heaven and it’s wonderful - who would want to stay alive?

Hey, the civilians haven't gone stark raving mad from all the ridiculously over the top world ending threads so far...

[MrSaggins]

I can’t imagine Azeroth would survive the collapse of society as we know it if everyone becomes aware of what the afterlife is like. Imagine in real world a rift to Heaven opens up and God is like “sup guys” and everyone can just fly around heaven and it’s wonderful - who would want to stay alive?

And doesn’t that sound eerily like Sylvanas saying: ”This WORLD is a prison!”?

[Al Gorefiend]

And doesn’t that sound eerily like Sylvanas saying: ”This WORLD is a prison!”?

Yeah I think Sylvanas is fully convinced she’s helping us by killing everyone and sending them into the Maw.

Or “plot twist”(eww) she actually IS the good guy in this.

[Aucald]

Maldraxxus’ brutal selection process has built a vast and capable militia… but its hierarchy is wobbling. The longtime leader of the realm has vanished. In his absence, five of the most eminent necrolords vie for the position, and the responsibility to advance the cause of death throughout the cosmos. Each bids on newly-arrived souls, filling their personal guard with capable soldiers and building armies larger than any yet known.

What could be "the cause of death"? I get why they need a military after sylvanas broke death but why did they need it in the first place? It seems like the shadowlands are more like a built-in mechanism in the universe rather than a faction thriving for power and expansion. Does this army provide soldiers to the deathly powers we have seen in the past? Do necromancers, liches, dks and such use it like demonology warlocks summon from the twisting nether?

What do you think?

The Shadowlands is a place of competing hierarchies and different agendas - and whenever you have that, you have a need for protection and/or the promotion of those agendas. It's both an engine and a sodality, so to speak, and individuals seem to be at the head of various parts of the process. Now with said machinery in disrepair this is needed more than ever, would seem. Not quite sure what you mean by "cause of death" in this context - the former leader of the realm is missing, not dead; which probably means they're going to turn up in some capacity. I don't know how death will work in the afterlife of the Shadowlands, but we'll probably find them in the Maw.

[LarryWithTheWeatherReport]

Probably against each other since there are still factions within the Shadowlands. And perhaps against the Void or Light.