In 2006, roughly 15 minutes after creating my first character, I saw the Shadowlands.

[sarahtasher]

Why I did not stay ?

(This is a thread about a philosophical question that is rarely well developed in VGames (except Bioshock)-why, in a setting where dead is omnipresent, you can come back over and over, when death is not waved off by ''save points'' ?

Why, of all beings of Azeroth, our characters do not cross the Acheron ? (Yes, because they are our characters, but you get my idea)

[Rabka Uhalla]

Why I did not stay ?

(This is a thread about a philosophical question that is rarely well developed in VGames (except Bioshock)-why, in a setting where dead is omnipresent, you can come back over and over, when death is not waved off by ''save points'' ?

Why, of all beings of Azeroth, our characters do not cross the Acheron ? (Yes, because they are our characters, but you get my idea)

I don't think we do get your idea, it sounds like a rambling bowl of nonsense

[Hey There Guys its Metro]

Couldn't disagree more.

[taishar68]

Well, as they explained it at BlizzCon, when we “die” in Azeroth, there is something tethering us, an incomplete journey if you will. Now, we always die by murder, combat, or accident, and in our reality you don’t come back from that, but I guess it is different on Azeroth.

[kieraTM]

Why I did not stay ?

(This is a thread about a philosophical question that is rarely well developed in VGames (except Bioshock)-why, in a setting where dead is omnipresent, you can come back over and over, when death is not waved off by ''save points'' ?

Why, of all beings of Azeroth, our characters do not cross the Acheron ? (Yes, because they are our characters, but you get my idea)

Can you please repost after learning basic grammar?

[sarahtasher]

I don't think we do get your idea, it sounds like a rambling bowl of nonsense

The entire premise of Shadowlands is that this is the place where people go when they die-a concept present since Vanilla, hello spirit guides.

Why millions of Azerothians go straight to Shadowlands, while ''we'' don't, and keep getting back ? Why the Kyrians (Spirit Guides) treat us like kids without fake IDs trying to enter bars ?

- - - Updated - - -

Well, as they explained it at BlizzCon, when we “die” in Azeroth, there is something tethering us, an incomplete journey if you will. Now, we always die by murder, combat, or accident, and in our reality you don’t come back from that, but I guess it is different on Azeroth.

Exactly, I was hoping we eventually get an explanation why we are tethered, but not the others.

[Shaetha]

Why I did not stay ?

(This is a thread about a philosophical question that is rarely well developed in VGames (except Bioshock)-why, in a setting where dead is omnipresent, you can come back over and over, when death is not waved off by ''save points'' ?

Why, of all beings of Azeroth, our characters do not cross the Acheron ? (Yes, because they are our characters, but you get my idea)

I just always assumed it was because player deaths outside the ones scripted into encounters(like Lich King) never actually happened. It is a video game mechanic, and the video filters involved are just for dramatic effect.

[fatgunn]

From my understanding The spirit healers are what usher souls from Azeroth to the Shadowlands. Our souls don't get sent off.

According to Illidan, he and the Demon Hunter player have demon souls that allow them to accomplish the same thing.

Other particular powers can also waylay souls on their way. Necromancy, Soul Stones, and Beings such as Odyn can all stop or delay a souls passage.

[Amsden]

It's simply a case of mechanics > lore. It sounds like you're suggesting a permadeath of sorts and that just wouldn't work in a game like this.

[Shelly]

Exactly, I was hoping we eventually get an explanation why we are tethered, but not the others.

Because perma-death would be a dumb way to play an MMO.

Anyway, the game is FULL of things that the players get that NO ONE ELSE in the entirety of Azeroth gets.

Portals to every major city and continent.
Flying in general.
Being able to rez from death.
Having an outside perspective on important events.

Then there are other things that are just weird that we don't know:
Actual population of each race, city and army. (Think about it, if we go just by from what sort of city we can see the most populace race are the Dwarves, first Black Iron then Ironhammer.)
How long it would actually take to reposition troops from one continent to another.
Actual travel time between continents.
Actual size of each zone with relation to population.

I get that you're trying to create a philosophical argument here, but the simple fact of the matter is that eventually you have to apply practical sense.

We can rez because either the game having a perma-death or making the game a roguelike where all your stuff is mailed to your "descendant" upon death would not make for good gameplay or encourage player investment in their character in what is otherwise a continuous world.

[Rune B]

The reason is obviously game mechanics.

Illidan tells the demon hunter player they have an immortal soul, like him, if you die or choose to die on a quest in the starting area. Perhaps it applies to all the players

[kattarina]

Canon wise, I think the player character doesn't die, with the exception of death knights.

[Linkedblade]

Why I did not stay ?

(This is a thread about a philosophical question that is rarely well developed in VGames (except Bioshock)-why, in a setting where dead is omnipresent, you can come back over and over, when death is not waved off by ''save points'' ?

Why, of all beings of Azeroth, our characters do not cross the Acheron ? (Yes, because they are our characters, but you get my idea)

I just think it's funny that there are plenty of game mechanics that have to be in place because it's a game. They take one of the primary mechanics of a video game, like dying, and turn that into a canonical part of the game universe.

[hulkgor]

Gameplay first.

[How dare you]

Why I did not stay ?

(This is a thread about a philosophical question that is rarely well developed in VGames (except Bioshock)-why, in a setting where dead is omnipresent, you can come back over and over, when death is not waved off by ''save points'' ?

Why, of all beings of Azeroth, our characters do not cross the Acheron ? (Yes, because they are our characters, but you get my idea)

You weren't in the Shadowlands.

[Mysterymask]

Reason: Gameplay Wow doesn't have a hardcore mode like Diablo so when we die...we don't actually die

Lore Reasons: umm chosen one or we never canonically die

[Video Games]

Stop it sarah

[Zmagoslav]

Because our characters simply never die lore-wise. MMOs come with seamless auto-save, which keeps your character alive in the world no matter how often he dies on screen.

Or if you want a phylosophicaly-colored answer;
Your character never existed in the lore. How can that, which never existed in the 1st place, ever die?

[Tiwack]

Gee, I dunno, maybe I'll play Shadowlands to discover the answer?

[Yunru]

Think of it, like a King Crimson ability from jojo. Our characters have the ability to skip a bad outcome and when they come back, it never happened as the death was simply cut out of timeline, so no1 remembers it.