The Sacking of Stormwind

[Zenny]

So, lets assume for a moment that Blizzard takes a different turn in WoW's storyline! (The original MOP storyline, not anything in the future)

Garrosh becomes a honourable leader of the horde and can do now wrong while Varian starts walking a different path, basically a total reverse of the character development both had during MoP. Garrosh becomes a courageous Warchief seeking to protect Pandaria from Alliance oppression and Varian is looking to increase his own power to better protect his people, city and son. This obsession leads to his further corruption from himself and other sources (sha).

Patch 5.3 takes place in Westfall and has you helping out Tyrande in killing SI:7 agents in order to hamstring Varians war machine.

5.4 would be a story about overthrowing the evil Varian while invading Stormwind. Such highlights would include the destruction of certain keyparts of Stormwind, the killing of the "loyal" Admiral Taylor and the slaying of copious amount of humans.

Awesome Titles would include:

"Breaker of the Alliance"
"Defender of Stormwind"
"Destroyer of Stormwind"
"High King's End"

Would this be less "biased" then the current Horde-focused raid? I mean, it's focused on the Alliance after all!

(Note, not meant to be taken with much seriousness)

[umara]

i don't think it would be Tyrande that would do that however... perhaps greymain or what ever the idiots name is from the worgan

[Buxton McGraff]

If they did anything with Varian where he somehow went down a dark path and became bad, I would drop my sub immediately.
Blizzard reuses shit like no other but this would just be downright pathetic.

[seije]

Depends... would the Alliance get a fist-pumping moment?

[Zenny]

Errr, there is some misunderstanding in this thread. I'm highly doubting this would happen, I'm just wondering if this had happened instead of the current storyline would people still complain about "bias"?

[iamthedevil]

Errr, there is some misunderstanding in this thread. I'm highly doubting this would happen, I'm just wondering if this had happened instead of the current storyline would people still complain about "bias"?

To help some people understand... "An alternate 1986."

[Xarkan]

Depends... would the Alliance get a fist-pumping moment?

No, the story would be told so that you would feel like the Horde were the only ones that mattered and the rebels were only there for show. Also to ever find out why things happened you would have to play Horde

Which is the point, the story itself is not the issue but rather how it is told

[Confirm Deny]

I'm just wondering if this had happened instead of the current storyline would people still complain about "bias"?

Yes, because Stormwind has already been sacked by orcs, and razed by Defias. It has a history of this stuff. To spin it again while the Alliance is supposed to be building up a leader in Varian (good or bad), and have him fail to protect his city? That quite frankly would even make someone like me who is a lore fan but allowed gameplay to supercede lore go "Fuck this, I'm out" as far as Alliance would ever be concerned again because obviously the Humans aren't going anywhere, but the Alliance would have to shape the fuck up.

Magni or Bolvar were really the most important Alliance characters pre-Wrath/Cata... Tyrande is the most well known, but compared to Thrall and Sylvanas? (Cairne, Vol'jin, and Lor'themar didn't count much either, I know) Hence why Varian+Stormwind being sacked seems like a horrible idea, in my mind. He's the Alliance show pony. Hate him or love him, he is. Plus, that ridiculous ponytail hair. Show pony! (Done joking).

(Don't know why I added the good OR bad but kept the "if he's bad". Edited to fix for main post. However, just the implication some may wish to see for if there wouldn't be a faction bias if the leaders' story arcs were reversed is tenuous at best, in my opinion, due to similar reasoning.)

[Mormolyce]

This is silly. However given how they were both being written as recently as Wrath, it might have actually happened.

[Zenny]

Which is the point, the story itself is not the issue but rather how it is told

Bullshit, the Siege of Orgirmmar does not make me feel "proud" to be horde. The majority of the expansion I've been mostly ashamed of my faction. Apart from 5.2 that is, thank jesus for that.

The Alliance has plenty of solid story development this expansion, sure the focus has been more on the horde however this by itself does not lead to favouritism.

An example of this is patch 5.3, Alliance players complained about the lack of content for them while conveniently ignoring that the Horde didn't get much either. (Apart from weakening our own faction, hooray I guess?)

I would honestly not mind a focus on more Alliance characters in the next expansion, as long as the Horde is shown to be rebuilding to its old self.

[Wyrt]

It would mean the alliance would get most of the development. We'd see most of the alliance races active and participating in the story instead of the non-human races being ignored or made to look like idiots. We'd get to kill Varian and take a crap on Stormwind.

Sounds good, when can we make it happen?

[Zenny]

Yes, because Stormwind has already been sacked by orcs, and razed by Defias. It has a history of this stuff. To spin it again while the Alliance is supposed to be building up a leader in Varian (good or bad), and have him fail to protect his city from a sacking (indicating no rebellion, no fall from grace 'cause he is a bad leader)?

Dude that happened almost 19 years ago. It has almost no impact on the modern playerbase.

Also, Sacking might have been the wrong word, should have just gone with "Siege of Stormwind". Just pretend the entire thing is a entire reversal of the current story, e.g. mad leader, rebellion, etc.

[Mormolyce]

Bullshit, the Siege of Orgirmmar does not make me feel "proud" to be horde. The majority of the expansion I've been mostly ashamed of my faction. Apart from 5.2 that is, thank jesus for that.

The Alliance has plenty of solid story development this expansion, sure the focus has been more on the horde however this by itself does not lead to favouritism.

An example of this is patch 5.3, Alliance players complained about the lack of content for them while conveniently ignoring that the Horde didn't get much either. (Apart from weakening our own faction, hooray I guess?)

I would honestly not mind a focus on more Alliance characters in the next expansion, as long as the Horde is shown to be rebuilding to its old self.

Listening to posts on the forums demanding the Alliance use SoO to betray the Darkspear and annihilate the Horde made me pretty ashamed for my Alliance toons haha.

I was pretty happy with my Horde characters, the story allows you to dissent against Garrosh's stupid aggression for once.

[Confirm Deny]

Yes, sorry, I fixed that last part that I somehow forgot I was arguing against, concerning the full-on reversal. Similar reasoning, though, 20 years or not.

[Sett]

Alliance might get development! Holy shit!

[Pendragon]

SI:7 are not the Kor'Kron of the Alliance.

[zeropeorth]

If they did anything with Varian where he somehow went down a dark path and became bad, I would drop my sub immediately.
Blizzard reuses shit like no other but this would just be downright pathetic.

So, (and first off, I played both sides), the average alliance forum vocal thinks 1) siege of ogrimmar is an insult and consider quitting; 2) if it was the sacking of stormwind and their leader was corrupt, it would be an insult and would consider quitting.

Sure is hard to please some folks.

Varian is the human Go'el. They are both untouchable. Varian would have to step away, and not put his son in charge, but put someone else, let's say Danath Trollbane. Trollbane goes crazy and wants to genocide all races except human, manipulating night elves and gnomes to fly over and drop a bomb on Stonard. He further manipulates members in the silver covenant and gets Jaina expelled from Dalaran, and they capture, kill, or enslave any that do not leave immediately. Taylor remains loyal, for he swore to follow the king's orders until his death, and that includes following the acting reagent lord assigned by the king to rule the land. Hogger breaks out of the Stockades and takes up arms against the revolt, with several SI:7 agents surrounding him, but afraid to engage. All dwarves are arrested or killed, gnomes and their leader are hardly heard from, night elves are doing their own thing at the isle, and worgen and dwarves are conversing on how to deal with the tyranny.

Varian comes back to talk him down, but not ready to retake the throne. Fordring gives you a quest in Duskwood where weekly quests are.

It ends with Hellscream helping to remove Trollbane and giving Anduin a handshake and supporting him taking care of the kingdom until Varian finishes his important business elsewhere. Hugs all around! The alliance revolt has succeeded in eliminating a tyrant who went insane with power! (who shouldn't have been in charge in the first place)


But seriously; perception is a mofo. There is no fistbump moment for anyone, if you are pessimistic as hell. No matter what they do. Sieging Ogrimmar and having a hand in overthrowing a tyrant warchief who disturbed the tenuous peace that had formed between the factions from pushing back the legion and the scourge is not enough?

The WAR is against the outside threat; the WAR in MoP is the threat the bickering causes to the unity of the residents of the planet and how it weakens you in the end to the next big threat ... you emotions, your doubts, your greed, your fear, your hatred ... that is what is warring with you, and you are letting it win; out of control emotions were the big bad of this xpac. And it will show enough weakness that Azshara/N'Zoth/Legion will feel it might be close to time to strike, while both sides are weakened in spirit, divided, and low in forces.

Divided the world falls. The factions always need to be in armistice, for the survival of the world. They don't need pure peace, but not all out war. A cease fire and cold war, to keep factions relevant.

I feel while the overall story/lore wasn't terrible, a lot of character progression was rushed. It wasn't how they wanted to do it, but they switched directions to this xpac when it wasn't originally intended; which causes story telling/continuity problems. (the rush/lazy lore in cata wasn't a big enough lesson, but they pulled this one out of their ass reasonably enough, and at a higher standard it was acceptable).

all imo ofc



some people don't have an imagination, so they can't have as much fun with these topics, they must be fun at parties!

[Wyrt]

Varian would have to step away, and not put his son in charge, but put someone else, let's say Danath Trollbane.

No, killing anyone other than Varian is unacceptable. Varian must die.

[Sett]

I'm sad at the lack of Onyxia being brought back in some form. Can't have Stormwind corruption with a black dragon or two somewhere in the mess.

[Zenny]

As you should be for being irreverent antagonists since Cataclysm.

irreverent antagonists = Horde Favouritism?

No it hasn't. It's development has been entirely to bolster your faction and in the end you still come out on top when you shouldnt have a faction left.

Of course we are going to have a faction left, the gameplay demands it! I'm also sure that it would be such a great Alliance moment to betray the Darkspear and attempt to destroy the Horde, damn that Tauren/Forsaken/Blood Elf army that's still there. I'm sure the mighty Alliance would have slain them all with almost no casualties.

Idiot, a wounded beast can still kill.

Garrosh weakened your faction, the rebellion strengthens it, and the Alliance facilitates it. Please learn your own story.

The rebellion did nothing of the sort, before this you claimed we shouldn't have a faction left, how on earth were you planning to this if our faction is stronger?