Thinking with Fel Magic

[Aquamonkey]

At the time of the founding of Quel'Thalas their eyes were either blue or whitish/silver, it looks like the picture tends more toward the latter to me. They also favored blue and gold as the color scheme of their architecture, the red and gold motifs didn't come about until after the rechristening as Blood Elves (after the destruction of the Sunwell in the Third War). Not sure of the provenance of the image, but it looks like some continuity issues might've got made in it.

High Elf buildings ruined in the Scourge invasion were red.

I think those who chose to remain High Elves, changed their colors to blue to distance themselves from their old architecture being used by the Blood Elves. Also, because Alliance is blue.

[Aucald]

Funnily enough, that seems to have been retconned. The original colours were red and gold; high elves chose blue and silver to differentiate themselves from the 'new' power in Quel'thalas.

I must've missed that one, everything I've ever seen of pre-Third War architecture for the Quel'dorei seemed to favor blue and gold. I thought the red and gold accent was added when Silvermoon City was rebuilt following the war. The devastated buildings in the Ghostlands are also red and gold, though - so I guess that is indeed the case.

[Deleted]

I think the High Elves who remained such, changed their colors to blue to distance themselves from their old architecture being used by the Blood Elves. Also, because Alliance is blue.

I'm not sure, but I think it was Night of the Dragon that mentioned this.

[Deleted]

We know Kael sent something back from Outland

Oh like, I don't know.. a Naaru? .

[Deleted]

Oh like, I don't know.. a Naaru? .

My memory is now officially made of farts.

[Deleted]

Just to speculate briefly - I expect that Quel'Thalas was built much to emulate Eversong - Red and Gold. High Elves in the Alliance and outside of Quel would probably of indulged in the Alliances colours - that of blue and gold, thus leading to much of the architectural styles we associate with High Elves and therefore, not Blood Elves.

As for Fel.. Well, now that I have green fire I'll burn all the life I can. Maybe.

[Alfryd]

The Green crystals were originally blue, according to lore added in the Thunder King patch. The Blood Elven NPCs during the construction of the base infer this.

http://wowpedia.org/Sunreaver_Magus

Sunreaver Magus says: Do the instructions clarify how much mana these crystals will require? I do not want to get converted to a Wretched by using this thing.
Sunreaver Magus says: Why is it everywhere on this island I go my hair always feels like it is standing on end?
Sunreaver Magus says: It is days like this I miss using fel magic. Sure, it was evil, but it got the job done.
Sunreaver Magus says: Someone told me these crystals are blue in their natural state. I am so glad someone took the time to apply some proper aesthetics.
Sunreaver Magus says: Are these going to be enough to take out those pterrorwings?
Sunreaver Magus says: I think the crystal on the left is defective. We should never have rushed their construction. This is how accidents happen.
Sunreaver Magus says: In theory, these crystals are natural insulators. They should absorb most of the lightning strikes in the area.

Admittedly, they're talking about the Red crystals littered around the base, but I don't believe it's an unreasonable conclusion to assume the red crystals are the devolved state of the Burning Green crystals. Exact same shape, design and purpose = probably Blizzards attempt to demonstrate progression.

Edit:

I also remember reading in a Warcraft novel that Quel'Thalas architecture was originally blue by the way (however I thought it was when Arthas was visiting? My memory is really bad though). Their colours in previous Warcraft games were also blue, in conjunction it was a huge point that Blood Elves would adopt *red* as a new national colour, further suggesting red was not their original colour. Why would they create such a huge fuss about keeping a colour? The only logical deduction is that the colour must have changed to justify their reaction. If it's been established lately that red was always their thing, then I definitely think it was a retcon.

[Aquamonkey]

The Green crystals were originally blue, according to lore added in the Thunder King patch. The Blood Elven NPCs during the construction of the base infer this.

http://wowpedia.org/Sunreaver_Magus

Admittedly, they're talking about the Red crystals littered around the base, but I don't believe it's an unreasonable conclusion to assume the red crystals are the devolved state of the Burning Green crystals. Exact same shape, design and purpose = probably Blizzards attempt to demonstrate progression.

She's referring to Blood Crystals which are different from Burning Crystals.

[Solonar]

Fel is an energy source, but it's Arcane. Corrupt Arcane to be precise. Weaving fel magic in specific is a very difficult thing to do, seeing how it is so chaotic and volatile. This is why only the most skilled of Warlocks can actually use fel magic over shadow and demonic fire. You have it the wrong way around: Using Fel makes you a warlock, no questions asked. But being a Warlock doesn't mean you actually use fel. There's several sides to being a Warlock.

There's: Summoning Demons - Shadow & Demonic Fire - Fel. Or a general mixture of all of the above. You don't have to use Fel to be a Warlock, nor do you have to summon Demons to be one.

Since Fel is Arcane in its most twisted form, the latter already being addictive - Fel is naturally even more-so. Both lead to Arcane corruption, which is what eventually has a mage or warlock (or any practicioner of the Arcane arts go bonkers). This also includes Blood Elves that took too much power out of mana crystals and eventually turns them into Wretched.

Fel is also a radiation. Kael'thas sent Rommath back to Silvermoon to teach the Blood Elves how to siphon energy from Arcane sources. Since Fel is an Arcane source, it qualifies to be siphoned by the Elves. But not every Elf decided to do this, and remain pure. Much to their own surprise or disgust, or both or neither - those who didn't would eventually become affected by the corruptive radiation and obtain green eyes. The Sunwell being back is a slow restorative process that can undo this. Like the Elves, Orcs mostly have green skins because of the fel radiation. Furthermore, the taint of this radiation (or willing usage) is inherital. Meaning that green (tainted) Orcs will always produce greenskinned children even if one of the two is a Mag'har, and that a fel-tainted Blood Elf will always produce offspring with green tainted eyes as well - even if the other parent has blue eyes. (Note: The difference between High & Blood Elves isn't the eyes, it's perfectly fine to be a High Elf with green eyes and Blood Elf with blue eyes)

Hope this cleared up a bit.

[MyWholeLifeIsThunder]

I also remember reading in a Warcraft novel that Quel'Thalas architecture was originally blue by the way (however I thought it was when Arthas was visiting? My memory is really bad though). Their colours in previous Warcraft games were also blue, in conjunction it was a huge point that Blood Elves would adopt *red* as a new national colour, further suggesting red was not their original colour. Why would they create such a huge fuss about keeping a colour? The only logical deduction is that the colour must have changed to justify their reaction. If it's been established lately that red was always their thing, then I definitely think it was a retcon.

I don't think It was ever stated in a novel what the color of the buildings was; we only had the in-game units as reference.

I really don't think adopting *red* as a color in honor of the fallen necessarily clashes with the idea that thalassian buildings have always been "autumnal" in their palettes. I mean, you can adopt a color for your banners and sigils and all that, but actually changing all of your architecture style in vie of that is another kind of too much.

So given that we pretty much only had the RTS's telling us that high elves used to have a blue color scheme (and maybe a line in a book that I don't remember) it's like very tame in the list of retcons, and above all it makes sense.

Fel is an energy source, but it's Arcane. Corrupt Arcane to be precise. Weaving fel magic in specific is a very difficult thing to do, seeing how it is so chaotic and volatile. This is why only the most skilled of Warlocks can actually use fel magic over shadow and demonic fire. You have it the wrong way around: Using Fel makes you a warlock, no questions asked. But being a Warlock doesn't mean you actually use fel. There's several sides to being a Warlock.

There's: Summoning Demons - Shadow & Demonic Fire - Fel. Or a general mixture of all of the above. You don't have to use Fel to be a Warlock, nor do you have to summon Demons to be one.

Since Fel is Arcane in its most twisted form, the latter already being addictive - Fel is naturally even more-so. Both lead to Arcane corruption, which is what eventually has a mage or warlock (or any practicioner of the Arcane arts go bonkers). This also includes Blood Elves that took too much power out of mana crystals and eventually turns them into Wretched.

Fel is also a radiation. Kael'thas sent Rommath back to Silvermoon to teach the Blood Elves how to siphon energy from Arcane sources. Since Fel is an Arcane source, it qualifies to be siphoned by the Elves. But not every Elf decided to do this, and remain pure. Much to their own surprise or disgust, or both or neither - those who didn't would eventually become affected by the corruptive radiation and obtain green eyes. The Sunwell being back is a slow restorative process that can undo this. Like the Elves, Orcs mostly have green skins because of the fel radiation. Furthermore, the taint of this radiation (or willing usage) is inherital. Meaning that green (tainted) Orcs will always produce greenskinned children even if one of the two is a Mag'har, and that a fel-tainted Blood Elf will always produce offspring with green tainted eyes as well - even if the other parent has blue eyes. (Note: The difference between High & Blood Elves isn't the eyes, it's perfectly fine to be a High Elf with green eyes and Blood Elf with blue eyes)

Hope this cleared up a bit.

But then every creature that uses fel would be a warlock, and that doesn't make much sense. Some are infused with fel, but do not actively weave and wield it. In that case an infernal would be a warlock, or an arcane serpent would be a mage.

Warlock has to be the "profession", not the consequence. If you do not weave fel you are not a warlock; you might be a demonologist or a void worshiper whatever, but my statement is that in order to BE a warlock you have to be willing to weave (yet not necessarily partake) in fel energy.

There is definitely a conection between fel and arcane energies, they are interchangeable in some ways, but I wouldn't call fel energy just arcane magic corrupted.

[Aquamonkey]

Fel being demonic/corrupt arcane is from the non-canon RPG.

Arcane is also chaotic and volatile.

[MyWholeLifeIsThunder]

(Note: The difference between High & Blood Elves isn't the eyes, it's perfectly fine to be a High Elf with green eyes and Blood Elf with blue eyes)[/I]

Also this might be categorically wrong; at least to refer to it as "perfectly fine".

All elves that refused to partake in the "new ways" were exiled from Quel'Thalas; if you were an elf in Quel'thalas during the reconstruction, your eyes WILL be green. No exceptions. This was due to the radiations from the energies used to rebuild and consumption of mana crystals. If even now you would have blue elves as a blood elves, it means you didn't get with the program and you would be classified as a possibly insurrectinist for not following state politics.

Now, if you are a high elf and got somehow tainted with fel energy... well, that depends on how racist Vereesa is feeling that day tbh. But I'd wager that even if accepted as a high elf, green eyes would bring great shame.

Most high elves call themselves as such for their refusal to partake in siphoning magic, that's it.

[Solonar]

But then every creature that uses fel would be a warlock, and that doesn't make much sense. Some are infused with fel, but do not actively weave and wield it. In that case an infernal would be a warlock, or an arcane serpent would be a mage.

Demons have fel coursing through their veins, it's their lifeblood. An Infernal is a pile of rocks infused with this energy to come to life. However not all Demons weave fel despite that. Archimonde and Kil'jaeden are both dubbed Eredar Warlocks, yet both seem to resort pretty much never to Fel magic (in WoW, and even some major parts of history) and are perfectly fine with Arcane, Demonic Fire and Shadow. And when you look at Jaraxxus, he uses fel obviously. Many of the Legion's creatures can harness fel magic without even weaving a spell. I know the source is non-canon, but in the RPG these are considered Spell-like abilities. (Such as a Pit Lord's felflame breath, or rain of chaos) They are like spells, but not actual spells. They're just more of an ability that is natural to their kind. Being empowered by Fel =/= using it.

Warlock has to be the "profession", not the consequence. If you do not weave fel you are not a warlock; you might be a demonologist or a void worshiper whatever, but my statement is that in order to BE a warlock you have to be willing to weave (yet not necessarily partake) in fel energy.

To be a Warlock, you need to be able to harness demonic energy, not fel in particular. Note that I've been using "demonic fire" instead of regular fire. Demonic fire is fire enhanced by demonic energy. This is for more potent fire abilities, but not nearly as strong as chaos energy (or fel magic). You can be a Warlock just because you summoned your first Imp, and the conjuration of a Demon's projection is not classified under Fel but instead falls under Shadow. Yes, weaving Fel also makes you a Warlock, but it's not a standard requirement. There's a thing (also from the non-canon RPG) called Uncorrupted Warlock. These are Warlocks who stay away from all the truly corruptive things like harnessing fel energy.

There is definitely a conection between fel and arcane energies, they are interchangeable in some ways, but I wouldn't call fel energy just arcane magic corrupted.

The ultimate manifestation of the demonic arcane on Azeroth is fel energy. This energy, which most commonly manifests itself as ghastly, green-yellow flame, is arcane magic at its most corrupt, for it employs the blood of demons. Spells with the fel descriptor are very difficult to resist. Casting a fel spell is described by many spellcasters as a euphoric experience. If arcane magic is an addiction, fel magic is the embodiment of the drug in its purest form.

When the demons brought death and damnation to Azeroth, they also carried their own brand of magic to the world. Fel magic is pure, evil and arcane; it resides in the blood of demons. This blood has magical properties; it is addictive to arcane magic users and can be used to create evil weapons. When a weapon is forged in demon blood, it becomes a fel weapon. It glows with a foul, yellow-green fire and deals extra damage to good-aligned opponents. Some arcanists can cast fel spells, perhaps after drinking demon blood.

[Aquamonkey]

Those quotes about demonic arcane and fel energy are from the non-canon RPG.

I'd also suggest using Wowpedia instead of WoWWiki.

[Solonar]

Also this might be categorically wrong; at least to refer to it as "perfectly fine".

<Snipped most of the post, just quoting a part so it's known I at least acknowledged your post c:

I meant perfectly fine in the sense that it's completely legitimate. From a lore, or In-Character perspective, naturally you'll either get grief or spite for it. Whatever political or storywise effects this would have on an Elf isn't what I was going for to discuss, but I was trying to make another subject regarding Fel energy. I'd love to talk about the politics and beliefs of the High & Blood Elves, but that's not for here.

Those quotes about demonic arcane and fel energy are from the non-canon RPG.

I'd also suggest using Wowpedia instead of WoWWiki.

I'm well aware where they come from. And although they are non-canon, sometimes the RPG books make for a suitable filler for any grey areas in lore until Blizzard decides to change their story or actually fill these gaps with canon lore. Also, that was from WoWpedia, not WoWWiki. I haven't referred to WoWWiki in ages.

[Aquamonkey]

And although they are non-canon, sometimes the RPG books make for a suitable filler for any grey areas in lore until Blizzard decides to change their story or actually fill these gaps with canon lore.

IMO, non-canon is non-canon. RPG being de-canonized means we can pmuch toss it in the trash. Using it as filler implies that it is still canon. Blizzard can always incorporate stuff from the RPG (or any fanon) into real lore, but until they do it's irrelevant to discussions about real lore.

[Solonar]

IMO, non-canon is non-canon. RPG being de-canonized means we can pmuch toss it in the trash. Using it as filler implies that it is still canon. Blizzard can always incorporate stuff from the RPG (or any fanon) into real lore, but until they do it's irrelevant to discussions about real lore.

To each their own on that one, I can definitely see where you're coming from. I personally see nothing wrong with referring to a Blizzard written source, even if it is deemed non-canon by them to fill up gaps rather than go for speculation. I only refer to the RPG as a "last resort" for lore myself. Regardless, let's stay on topic here c:

[Wewlad]

IMO, non-canon is non-canon. RPG being de-canonized means we can pmuch toss it in the trash. Using it as filler implies that it is still canon. Blizzard can always incorporate stuff from the RPG (or any fanon) into real lore, but until they do it's irrelevant to discussions about real lore.

But without the RPG there are so many gaping holes in the lore of Warcraft that the move was ridiculous on Blizzard's end. I also acknowledge it as being non-canon, primarily the parts that do contradict the current lore, but without it a lot of RP would be clueless.

[Wyrt]

But without the RPG there are so many gaping holes in the lore of Warcraft that the move was ridiculous on Blizzard's end. I also acknowledge it as being non-canon, primarily the parts that do contradict the current lore, but without it a lot of RP would be clueless.

A long time ago(like 2010 Blizzcon I think), they said they would go through the RPG and tell us which parts are canon and which parts are not.

Then they never did it.

[Aquamonkey]

but without it a lot of RP would be clueless.

I don't think there is anything wrong with that. People craft a lot of their own stuff for RP too. I just consider them both to be on the same level.

I generally stay out of the RP sub-forum because people can play however they like. But this is the Lore forum, this isn't 'Nam, there are rules.