Why don't the night elves try to resettle the Broken Isles, in Azsuna and Val'sharah?

[OwenBurton]

I think that not including and expanding upon the the Broken Isles was a wasted opportunity during Battle for Azeroth.

From the Horde POV:
In Battle for Azeroth, I was a bit surprised how they spent some effort introducing the allied races (such as the Highmountain tauren and the nightborne), but never really seem to explore their actual settlements that much, in the Broken Isles.

I mean, if you look at any map, they were situated EXACTLY between Kul Tiras and Zandalar, and Azshara must have sent forces there to take the Tidestone to Nazjatar, which was also situated fairly close to the Isles. They should update both regions for Horde players at least.

The nightborne could easily have played a more active role in the Fourth War, perhaps even a staging ground against Boralus and the Eastern Kingdoms. Same for the Highmountain tauren, who could have further strengthened bonds with the tauren by inviting Baine's people to fortify their cities.


From the Alliance POV:
- Mount Hyjal might be better fortified than Teldrassil, but there's nothing preventing the entire Horde from bombing and burning down Nordrassil if push comes to shove (with major tensions and skirmishes still lingering according to Exploring Kalimdor). The Horde Council could easily marshal their combined forces to stage a massive aerial assault via zeppelins and airships, and Nordrassil becomes Burning of Teldrassil 2.0.

- The Wardens have existing settlements in the Isle of the Watchers in Azsuna already, and have Towers all over the rest of the Broken Isles. From the Battle of Darkshore onward, both Maiev and Jarod seem to be aligning themselves with the Darnassians fully now in any case.

- There could be a Highborne connection to Azsuna, the other ancient pre-Sundering magical center, perhaps with Mordent Evenshade and the existing Shen'dralar, something that might be better explored. I have no idea whether Farondis is aligned with the other night elves at present post-Burning of Teldrassil, but I liked him a lot as a character also.

- Tyrande has links to the Temple of Elune and the priestesses there, and Malfurion and the kaldorei druids to Lorlathil (his birthplace) and the Dreamweavers and druids in Val'sharah, many of whom he personally tutored in ages past. I think that the night elves were also responsible for growing Shaladrassil in the first place.

- The night elves literally have no capital or real home at the moment, they might as well find somewhere closer to the Eastern Kingdoms, where the Alliance can perhaps support them more directly, rather than in Kalimdor, where they are in honesty, very badly outnumbered, outmatched and surrounded by enemies on all sides. Teldrassil is yet a smoking husk, the kaldorei can never truly win their guerilla wars in Ashenvale and Azshara, Feralas is heavily contested territory at best, and even Darkshore is pretty much lifeless and abandoned after the Fourth War, with Bashal'Aran in ruins once again.

I mean, if the Dragon Isles are now being explored and Tyrande is apparently playing an important role, they might as well do something more in-depth with the nearby Broken Isles and give the night elves something new and interesting. I personally liked Legion and the gameplay there a LOT as an expansion overall, and I at least don't want them to be forgotten like the draenei and blood elf starting zones for over 15 years now.

[Aucald]

Aszuna might not be the best of ideas since it is distinctly haunted as well as occupied by the Azurewings, but Val'sharah seems like it would be a decent location assuming that the corruption in and around Shaladrassil can be cleaned up.

[Flarelaine]

Azsuna is haunted, but the ghosts were elves once so expecting to reach an accomodation is not exactly unreasonable. Shaladrassil... is a more interesting problem. The tree itself will keep poisoning the land unless healed.

Wasn't there something in the lore about Teldrassil being corrupted? Was it ever resolved or just swept under the rug?

[VinceVega]

Because Blizz doesn't give a shit about finishing storylines or the nightelves other than Tyrande and Illidan

Also they are allready settled with 2! major horde striongholds/cities

[Feanoro]

Because Blizz decided the Horde should own most of the Night Elves' ancestral lands as another FU to the Alliance playerbase.

[Khaza-R]

Mount Hyjal is sacred to the Night Elves and the bulk of their race has lived there for 10,000 years. From a cultural perspective, its not so easy and lets just pick up and relocate.

[Aucald]

Wasn't there something in the lore about Teldrassil being corrupted? Was it ever resolved or just swept under the rug?

Staghelm actually corrupted Teldrassil during its creation by planting a branch from Xavius' tree-form into it in a hare-brained/delusional scheme to somehow get his son Valstann back (he was being corrupted by Xavius and the Nightmare at the time). This corruption was fixed by Malfurion, Hamuul, and other members of the Cenarion Circle during the events of the Stormrage novel.

[Flarelaine]

Staghelm actually corrupted Teldrassil during its creation by planting a branch from Xavius' tree-form into it in a hare-brained/delusional scheme to somehow get his son Valstann back (he was being corrupted by Xavius and the Nightmare at the time). This corruption was fixed by Malfurion, Hamuul, and other members of the Cenarion Circle during the events of the Stormrage novel.

Thank you.

I never really felt novels counted as resolutions.

[Aucald]

Thank you.

I never really felt novels counted as resolutions.

Canonically they count, but I've felt like important stuff from the novels needs to have some kind of in-game representation - either in the form of quests or even just an NPC that triggers a cut-scene with a re-cap of novel events important to the current plot. That way you don't get into another MoP > WoD style issue, where people who didn't read War Crimes were wondering how the hell Garrosh got into another world/timeline after being taken prisoner at the close of SoO in MoP.

[Terrorthatflapsinthenight]

For the same reason why humans won't be allowed to ressettle in Lordaeron, save Southshore, and worgens and gnomes aren't allowed to come back to their homes.

[Aucald]

For the same reason why humans won't be allowed to ressettle in Lordaeron, save Southshore, and worgens and gnomes aren't allowed to come back to their homes.

Lordaeron is currently blighted where it isn't befouled by the damage from the Third War, Gilneas appears to be ravaged by warlords squatting in the ruins of the kingdom, and Gnomeregan while liberated remains an irradiated hotspot.

[Flarelaine]

Canonically they count, but I've felt like important stuff from the novels needs to have some kind of in-game representation - either in the form of quests or even just an NPC that triggers a cut-scene with a re-cap of novel events important to the current plot. That way you don't get into another MoP > WoD style issue, where people who didn't read War Crimes were wondering how the hell Garrosh got into another world/timeline after being taken prisoner at the close of SoO in MoP.

Don't forget Cataclysm which really got me wondering how and when Malfurion and Nozdormu came back.

[OwenBurton]

Mount Hyjal is sacred to the Night Elves and the bulk of their race has lived there for 10,000 years. From a cultural perspective, its not so easy and lets just pick up and relocate.

The night elves have largely been apart from Nordrassil since the beginning of World of Warcraft, and I think even Cenarius has moved to Val'sharah. Isn't Val'sharah where the druid order is based, and the place closest to the Emerald Dream on Azeroth in any case? Val'sharah also has an actual Temple of Elune, unlike in Nordrassil, which seems to be almost exclusively based around druidic culture.

Hyjal was also never prominent as an official settlement pre-Sundering (I think Azshara stayed away from the area as she was expanding the Kaldorei Empire), whereas Val'sharah has been part of the night elf lands for far longer.

[pokcmvmxckm]

Could you imagine getting out of the shower and there is just a weeping ghost elf siting on your toilet crying about how sorry she is for betraying Azshara? I don't think Azsuna is a good place to settle down.

[Mestalis]

I imagine it's because they require a source of magical power to settle anywhere. Their civilization grew around the well of eternity, and they split and three civilizations grew around the World Tree, the Sunwell, and the Nightwell. Elves don't settle/develop their civilization on Azeroth unless it's around a tremendous font of magical power. Resettling in Hyjal around the new World Tree Nordrassil makes more sense than anywhere else.

[Skytotem]

Aszuna might not be the best of ideas since it is distinctly haunted as well as occupied by the Azurewings, but Val'sharah seems like it would be a decent location assuming that the corruption in and around Shaladrassil can be cleaned up.

Honestly, what Blizz ought to have done as the capstone to the Night Warrior plot in SL was have Tyrande break the curse on Farondis's court.

[Narwhalosh Whalescream]

Clearly they will need help with repopulating their population. I volunteer wholeheartedly.

[Auburst]

They are stupid and weak enough to get themselves burned inside a big tree. Lower your expectations for NE. The last time they were cool was in Warcraft III.

[Terrorthatflapsinthenight]

Lordaeron is currently blighted where it isn't befouled by the damage from the Third War, Gilneas appears to be ravaged by warlords squatting in the ruins of the kingdom, and Gnomeregan while liberated remains an irradiated hotspot.

Yes I know the classical plot excuses to keep things that way, while doing little to nothing to change the statue quo by the writers, even if there should have been at least some real progress made to restore Gilneas and Gnomeregan.

- - - Updated - - -

The writers could have made the Gnomes, worgens and blood elves reconquer and restore their homes a very long time ago if they decided to make some real changes and revamp in the game, they could have made the gnomes find ways to neutralize the radiations and the Forsaken Blight as easely of making Garrosh find a way for the Iron Horde to come to Modern MU Azeroth, but it may never happen and Gnomeregan, Gilneas and Quel'Thalas may still be in the same state by the end of WOW.

[Aucald]

Yes I know the classical plot excuses to keep things that way, while doing little to nothing to change the statue quo by the writers, even if there should have been at least some real progress made to restore Gilneas and Gnomeregan.

- - - Updated - - -

The writers could have made the Gnomes, worgens and blood elves reconquer and restore their homes a very long time ago if they decided to make some real changes and revamp in the game, they could have made the gnomes find ways to neutralize the radiations and the Forsaken Blight as easely of making Garrosh find a way for the Iron Horde to come to Modern MU Azeroth, but it may never happen and Gnomeregan, Gilneas and Quel'Thalas may still be in the same state by the end of WOW.

I suppose between the Iron Horde and Legion invasion, the numerous battles that constitute the Fourth War, and an attempt by a Death God to destroy the world that both the Alliance and the Horde have been a bit busy without other matters - not a lot of resources to spare for reclamation projects like Gilneas or Gnomeregan, much less a conflict in Lordaeron prior to the destruction of Capital City in the Fourth War.

Of all of those, you'd think the Blood Elves might've gotten around to restoring the destroyed half of Silvermoon City, though.

- - - Updated - - -

Honestly, what Blizz ought to have done as the capstone to the Night Warrior plot in SL was have Tyrande break the curse on Farondis's court.

That may not possible as long as Azshara is alive - spells like that have a tendency to be tied to the life of their caster, so to speak. Although based on the quests in Azsuna it does look like there's some way around it (given the one guy who somehow manages to bartend himself out of the curse).