Housing the homeless races of Warcraft

[AngerFork]

Right now, the World of Warcraft has a lot of races without a true capital area to call their own. Many at one point had a capital only to lose it to an invading army, whereas others have just never really seemingly had a capital of their own. So I'm curious...where would you house some of these races, and which other races should move if any? I've included where I would house some of the WoW races below, but I'm curious where you all might put them.

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Alliance races which I think have a proper capital currently: Humans, Dwarves, Draenei, LF Draenei, Void Elves, Dark Iron Dwarves, Kul Tirans, Mechagnomes
Horde races which I think have a proper capital currently: Orcs, Trolls, Tauren, Blood Elves, Highmountain Tauren, Nightborne, Zandalari Trolls

Forsaken/Undead - There is no better spot for them to be than back in their old home, the Undercity under the Ruins of Lordaeron. Many of the Forsaken are former Lordaeron residents, and once they clear out the plague should be allowed to return home to rebuild their former lives. Given that the Worgen will want Gilneas back, the proximity and animosity between the two races may be an issue to consider.

Gnomes - They tried to take back Gnomeregan just before Cata & only got some of it back, but Thermaplugg has since been killed by the G-Team. The gnomes could build out New Tinkertown some, but they might do just as well to team up with their new allies from Mechagon & see how much of Gnomeregan can be truly cleaned and made usable once again.

Goblins - Given that we just drove the Venture Trading Company out of Kezan, that seems like it could once again be a good Goblin home. Azshara has largely already been shaped as well, so they could instead build there and perhaps trade out the Gallywix Pleasure Palace for a proper Bilgewater home. One other unusual alternative could be Undermine, but that's really for all Goblins, not just Bilgewater.

Maghar Orcs - I can think of no better spot for them on Azeroth for a capital city than The Crossroads. The land nearby is very similar to what they might find in Gorgrond, including a small oasis that would probably be similar to an Everbloom. Their engineers could rebuild The Crossroads into a fantastic garrison with Blackrock Foundry-like architecture.

Night Elves - This one is IMO the toughest on the list. They won back Darkshore during the Fourth War, but at this point it is a fraction of it's former self. Given all the destroyed towns and the reality that Teldrassil is forever gone, there is a lot of rebuilding to do to make Darkshore their home once again. That's likely the best option, though an interesting secondary option IMO could be Duskwood. They could build a great new city around the Twilight Grove and would likely fix many of the issues that are plaguing Duskwood rather quickly. Still though, it doesn't have the same reverence to the Night Elves that Darkshore does, so rebuilding Darkshore is likely the best option.

Vulpera - This one is a little tricky as we don't know the current Sethrak political situation after the events at the Temple of Sethraliss. If Vorrik has actually united the Sethrak, he's likely to work to mend fences with the Vulpera, which could lead to any of the abandoned ruins there being a good safe place for them. If there is still turmoil, then the Vulpera might do better to move closer to Orgrimmar. Depending on how each of the settlements in Durotar & The Barrens wound up after the Fourth War, there's a chance that Tiragarde Keep or Northwatch Hold could be available, or that the Alliance might be willing to consider trading some territories to help keep the peace.

Worgen - Gilneas was their home for years before the Forsaken drove them from it under Sylvanas. If the Alliance & Horde are truly to remain at peace, then the Gilneans must be allowed to return to their homeland and remain there safely. The land will likely need some cultivation after the plague was there for so long, but that can be done with the help of the Cenarion Circle & the Night Elves.

[Daedius]

The Vulpera are nomadic, they're not a settled race...

[AngerFork]

The Vulpera are nomadic, they're not a settled race...

True, and their Make Camp racial reflects that they are still nomadic at heart. However, much of that has seemingly been borne out of necessity due to the Sethrak. Given that some have also shown a tendency to settle in to places like Freehold, I can't help but wonder if having the security of the Horde may change that somewhat.

[ozzynclyde]

There aren't even houses in any major cities! Where do these armies of thousands and their families sleep at night!?

....The 3 beds in the inn of course.

[Ohvul]

this could be incorporated through brewfest

Instead of running around drunk looking for elephants you can find homeless people and hand them brew.

On a serious note, its not the governments job to house all of its citizens, after a war that destroys the major buildings in a city, a group can prioritize rebuilding an iconic centerpiece, or become independent, more nomadic. Most of the "homeless" in wow are people afraid to leave the dieing cities, you aren't going to see "hard working jim" walking around tirisfal with his thumb up his butt... he's working somewhere else, he's an individual character in his own.

The homeless even post war dont need a home to be built for them, losing a war to the severity it is portrayed in wow, means you deserve to lose your symbolic identifier

[loras]

Right now, the World of Warcraft has a lot of races without a true capital area to call their own. Many at one point had a capital only to lose it to an invading army, whereas others have just never really seemingly had a capital of their own. So I'm curious...where would you house some of these races, and which other races should move if any? I've included where I would house some of the WoW races below, but I'm curious where you all might put them.

-------------------------------------------------------------

Alliance races which I think have a proper capital currently: Humans, Dwarves, Draenei, LF Draenei, Void Elves, Dark Iron Dwarves, Kul Tirans, Mechagnomes
Horde races which I think have a proper capital currently: Orcs, Trolls, Tauren, Blood Elves, Highmountain Tauren, Nightborne, Zandalari Trolls

Forsaken/Undead - There is no better spot for them to be than back in their old home, the Undercity under the Ruins of Lordaeron. Many of the Forsaken are former Lordaeron residents, and once they clear out the plague should be allowed to return home to rebuild their former lives. Given that the Worgen will want Gilneas back, the proximity and animosity between the two races may be an issue to consider.

Gnomes - They tried to take back Gnomeregan just before Cata & only got some of it back, but Thermaplugg has since been killed by the G-Team. The gnomes could build out New Tinkertown some, but they might do just as well to team up with their new allies from Mechagon & see how much of Gnomeregan can be truly cleaned and made usable once again.

Goblins - Given that we just drove the Venture Trading Company out of Kezan, that seems like it could once again be a good Goblin home. Azshara has largely already been shaped as well, so they could instead build there and perhaps trade out the Gallywix Pleasure Palace for a proper Bilgewater home. One other unusual alternative could be Undermine, but that's really for all Goblins, not just Bilgewater.

Maghar Orcs - I can think of no better spot for them on Azeroth for a capital city than The Crossroads. The land nearby is very similar to what they might find in Gorgrond, including a small oasis that would probably be similar to an Everbloom. Their engineers could rebuild The Crossroads into a fantastic garrison with Blackrock Foundry-like architecture.

Night Elves - This one is IMO the toughest on the list. They won back Darkshore during the Fourth War, but at this point it is a fraction of it's former self. Given all the destroyed towns and the reality that Teldrassil is forever gone, there is a lot of rebuilding to do to make Darkshore their home once again. That's likely the best option, though an interesting secondary option IMO could be Duskwood. They could build a great new city around the Twilight Grove and would likely fix many of the issues that are plaguing Duskwood rather quickly. Still though, it doesn't have the same reverence to the Night Elves that Darkshore does, so rebuilding Darkshore is likely the best option.

Vulpera - This one is a little tricky as we don't know the current Sethrak political situation after the events at the Temple of Sethraliss. If Vorrik has actually united the Sethrak, he's likely to work to mend fences with the Vulpera, which could lead to any of the abandoned ruins there being a good safe place for them. If there is still turmoil, then the Vulpera might do better to move closer to Orgrimmar. Depending on how each of the settlements in Durotar & The Barrens wound up after the Fourth War, there's a chance that Tiragarde Keep or Northwatch Hold could be available, or that the Alliance might be willing to consider trading some territories to help keep the peace.

Worgen - Gilneas was their home for years before the Forsaken drove them from it under Sylvanas. If the Alliance & Horde are truly to remain at peace, then the Gilneans must be allowed to return to their homeland and remain there safely. The land will likely need some cultivation after the plague was there for so long, but that can be done with the help of the Cenarion Circle & the Night Elves.

Forsaken: Lordaeron is a passed station in many ways, primarily among them their queen turning on all life, i think Stratholme would be a perfect fit with Quel'thalas at its back, besides the undercity was horrendously designed.

Gnomes: Gnomeregan, simple as that.

Goblins: Aszhara suits them nicely, they could use some more build out stuff there though indeed.

Mag'har: I would say somewhere in the barrens or near Feralas in Thousand Needles, either could work, and it might make for interesting animosity with the remnants of the Shendralar. Frankly they could settle anywhere regular orcs could, though given their love for hunting giant creatures someplace near Un'goro would be good.

Night Elves: Hyjal, no contest. Fortify the area massively, cleanse felwood and expand all the way down and north.
Let Ashenvale be the renewed centre of tension between the orcs and the night elves.

Vulpera: They're nomads, they should have a quarter and representative in every capital city with their central leadership always being on the road.

Worgen: Gilneas, simple as that. Moving the Forsaken to Stratholme and considering Tirisfal Glades "No man's land" would do much to facilitate peace between them and the forsaken. Practically this would mean effectively ceding the plaguelands to the forsaken in their entirety. Not sure how the Argent Dawn or the Scarlets feel about that.

Draenei / Lightforged Draenei: Clear up the Exodar to a less broken state, maybe even get it to hover in place a little or something.

Trolls: Expand the Echo Isles with more bridges, floating platforms and general mesoamerican influences. They could serve as a sort of Aztec alternative to the more Mayan Zandalari.

[AngerFork]

Forsaken: Lordaeron is a passed station in many ways, primarily among them their queen turning on all life, i think Stratholme would be a perfect fit with Quel'thalas at its back, besides the undercity was horrendously designed.

Fantastic idea. While many of the Forsaken are from Lordaeron, some of them are likely also from Stratholme & the purge. Strat could make for a great city for them that could be well defended, plus more of it would be in the open which might help with some Alliance/Horde members that may not currently trust the Forsaken.

Mag'har: I would say somewhere in the barrens or near Feralas in Thousand Needles, either could work, and it might make for interesting animosity with the remnants of the Shendralar. Frankly they could settle anywhere regular orcs could, though given their love for hunting giant creatures someplace near Un'goro would be good.

I hadn't considered Feralas, but that potentially could work. I definitely agree that being close to Un'goro for hunting would be nice. Part of the reason I thought the Crossroads initially is how it feeds into several different style lands (Ashenvale, Stonetalon, etc), but Feralas would likely have similar paths to other lands and could well have a Tanaan feel if set up right.

Draenei / Lightforged Draenei: Clear up the Exodar to a less broken state, maybe even get it to hover in place a little or something.

It might be kind of neat to have the Exodar fixed up and hovering in orbit like the Vindicaar is right now. Perhaps you could have a small settlement that portals up to it from Azuremyst. If you did that, I'd love to see the LF Draenei take over defending Stromgarde and keep a portal to the Vindicaar there.

Trolls: Expand the Echo Isles with more bridges, floating platforms and general mesoamerican influences. They could serve as a sort of Aztec alternative to the more Mayan Zandalari.

Love this idea. You could also then update perhaps the Sand Trolls or another Troll race to adapt more to an Incan style to display how the Trolls have grown over the years.

[Combatbutler]

The Vulpera are nomadic, they're not a settled race...

So were the Tauren up until WoW, now that they have security, some might create permanent settlements in horde territory.

[loras]

Fantastic idea. While many of the Forsaken are from Lordaeron, some of them are likely also from Stratholme & the purge. Strat could make for a great city for them that could be well defended, plus more of it would be in the open which might help with some Alliance/Horde members that may not currently trust the Forsaken.


I hadn't considered Feralas, but that potentially could work. I definitely agree that being close to Un'goro for hunting would be nice. Part of the reason I thought the Crossroads initially is how it feeds into several different style lands (Ashenvale, Stonetalon, etc), but Feralas would likely have similar paths to other lands and could well have a Tanaan feel if set up right.


It might be kind of neat to have the Exodar fixed up and hovering in orbit like the Vindicaar is right now. Perhaps you could have a small settlement that portals up to it from Azuremyst. If you did that, I'd love to see the LF Draenei take over defending Stromgarde and keep a portal to the Vindicaar there.


Love this idea. You could also then update perhaps the Sand Trolls or another Troll race to adapt more to an Incan style to display how the Trolls have grown over the years.

Thanks for the positive feedback!

For forsaken i think we agree that Stratholme just works.

With the Mag'har i was / am unsure, but as you say it could perhaps work, and thus might be good to consider.

The Draenei are interesting if you'd have them in orbit, tgat'd open up a lot of possibilities, but perhaps also lore issues. Instead i was thinking more of a near terrestrial Tempest Keep sort of idea, less of a starship and more a dimensional ship, i hope and think it'd clash a bit less than having it explicitly be a 1on1 with a star ship as we know it.

The Inca are more of a mountain people, nit very arid-like, i think the Drakkari might be better suited for that theme. However the Nazca, while once part of the Inca empire i think, did have an earlier empire of their built specifically to tame the arid lands. It's very distinct in terms of artwork, iconography, architecture and agriculture so therevare many things to pick from, even if they're not as well known as the "big three" of the Inca, Aztecs and Maya.

[Selastan]

The Vulpera are nomadic, they're not a settled race...

They HAD a home. The hovels the horde player meets Nisha in and escapes from. Their nomadic nature comes from their prosecution by the Sethrak. Would be cool to see an underground city for them, a literal foxhole.

[dope_danny]

They could make Gilneas into a regular zone post Shadowlands. Give the Gilneans the city they already have and have the black forest become a night elf settlement maybe with some docks or something to replace the farmlands lost in the cataclysm. Theres a lot of free terrain there even after the western half sinking that can fit stuff into it and you can just have a new quest experience for worgens starting the same but after you get caught get a catch up cutscene and now its a new quest about resettling the land.

The trouble there of course is this brings all but the Dreanei to Eastern Kingdoms which leaves in general only 5 races homed in kalimdor to the 7 in eastern kingdoms without counting the allied races like dark irons to boot.

It depends if the theoried time skip happens or whatever but at least in places like Gilneas case its an existing full zone that serves no purpose, has not been touched since cataclysm and is technically a city about as big as boralus.

[Ardenaso]

Furbolgs can migrate to Loch Modan and Elwynn Forest, Broken Draenei can migrate and settle to let's say Ashenvale, Darkshore, or Stromic lands

[ParanoiD84]

Blizzard could always create a new big place that acts like a haven for all homeless races like a huge migrant camp/city.

[Venziir]

There aren't even houses in any major cities! Where do these armies of thousands and their families sleep at night!?

....The 3 beds in the inn of course.

Stormwind and IF has plenty of houses.

[Alanar]

Forsaken: Lordaeron is a passed station in many ways, primarily among them their queen turning on all life, i think Stratholme would be a perfect fit with Quel'thalas at its back, besides the undercity was horrendously designed.

Gnomes: Gnomeregan, simple as that.

Goblins: Aszhara suits them nicely, they could use some more build out stuff there though indeed.

Mag'har: I would say somewhere in the barrens or near Feralas in Thousand Needles, either could work, and it might make for interesting animosity with the remnants of the Shendralar. Frankly they could settle anywhere regular orcs could, though given their love for hunting giant creatures someplace near Un'goro would be good.

Night Elves: Hyjal, no contest. Fortify the area massively, cleanse felwood and expand all the way down and north.
Let Ashenvale be the renewed centre of tension between the orcs and the night elves.

Vulpera: They're nomads, they should have a quarter and representative in every capital city with their central leadership always being on the road.

Worgen: Gilneas, simple as that. Moving the Forsaken to Stratholme and considering Tirisfal Glades "No man's land" would do much to facilitate peace between them and the forsaken. Practically this would mean effectively ceding the plaguelands to the forsaken in their entirety. Not sure how the Argent Dawn or the Scarlets feel about that.

Draenei / Lightforged Draenei: Clear up the Exodar to a less broken state, maybe even get it to hover in place a little or something.

Trolls: Expand the Echo Isles with more bridges, floating platforms and general mesoamerican influences. They could serve as a sort of Aztec alternative to the more Mayan Zandalari.

I think this guy gets it.

I fullt agree on all options specially for undead and night elves. Hyjal is by far theit best shot and I had that idea of stratholme as well in an other thread.

With excisting lore and what we have now all these options seem like a solid pick.

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So were the Tauren up until WoW, now that they have security, some might create permanent settlements in horde territory.

The vulpera got introduced specifically with that theme. Everything screams gypsy including their racials. I dont think tauren realy share that imo, atleast not that heavy as the Vulpera. Warcraft 3 had alot of stuff all over the place, even trolls went that way when they lost their islands.

[LordVargK]

Furbolgs can migrate to Loch Modan and Elwynn Forest

Murlocs won't like this!

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Blizzard could always create a new big place that acts like a haven for all homeless races like a huge migrant camp/city.

That would be boring, though.

[Soon-TM]

Blizzard could always create a new big place that acts like a haven for all homeless races like a huge migrant camp/city.

That would be bland af imo. Faction cities must have a strong racial theme in order to become something other than a really big inn. Just look at e.g. the Ashran faction hubs.

[ParanoiD84]

That would be bland af imo. Faction cities must have a strong racial theme in order to become something other than a really big inn. Just look at e.g. the Ashran faction hubs.

Well your not wrong it would be kind of boring but atleast full of diversity in races.

But yeah I hear you.

[Aucald]

That would be bland af imo. Faction cities must have a strong racial theme in order to become something other than a really big inn. Just look at e.g. the Ashran faction hubs.

Orgrimmar kind of has enclaves with a racial theme different from the predominant Orcish one. The Valley of Spirits has a Troll aesthetic (with a minor Goblin section), the Valley of Wisdom a Tauren One. The Valley of Honor has a small section for the Houjin Pandaren as well. It'd be cool to see the Forsaken and Blood Elves represented with their own minor enclaves in Orgrimmar, as well.

[Soon-TM]

Orgrimmar kind of has enclaves with a racial theme different from the predominant Orcish one. The Valley of Spirits has a Troll aesthetic (with a minor Goblin section), the Valley of Wisdom a Tauren One. The Valley of Honor has a small section for the Houjin Pandaren as well. It'd be cool to see the Forsaken and Blood Elves represented with their own minor enclaves in Orgrimmar, as well.

Well, Orgrimmar, and to a lesser extent SW are faction capitals, in addition to racial ones, so it's understandable for them to have some sort of "foreigner quarters". Btw, I love "the Park" in pre-Cata SW, it's one of those hidden little gems you get while (re)playing Classic. That little NE-themed zone is soooo cool