By "Returning Characters" - do they just mean Kyrian NPC's with familiar names?

[visualdave]

Like yeah, obviously if there's a scourge NPC called Draka it's still Draka but that just seems a bit lame to me. Are all returning characters in the shadowlands going to be Kyrians/Scourge/etc with just familiar names?

[Lochton]

Like yeah, obviously if there's a scourge NPC called Draka it's still Draka but that just seems a bit lame to me. Are all returning characters in the shadowlands going to be Kyrians/Scourge/etc with just familiar names?

Wandering souls and spirits too.

[Darththeo]

When you die, your spirit slowly is changed into that form. Yes, even if Draka doesn't look like an orc any more, she will still be Draka.

[bloodwulf]

We will meet them in varying stages. We may meet some that are still mostly just spirit versions of themselves, as they have not ascended to their new roles, or we will meet some that are almost entirely evolved. They are still the same characters.

Draka i suspect will be mostly the same.
Characters like Uther i suspect will be largely ascended.

[Verdugo]

We will meet them in varying stages. We may meet some that are still mostly just spirit versions of themselves, as they have not ascended to their new roles, or we will meet some that are almost entirely evolved. They are still the same characters.

Draka i suspect will be mostly the same.
Characters like Uther i suspect will be largely ascended.

Why would you think that, Draka died long before Uther, who was still stuck in Frostmourne until end of WotLK.

[bloodwulf]

Why would you think that, Draka died long before Uther, who was still stuck in Frostmourne until end of WotLK.

Because orcs by their nature are resistant to change. This isn't a bad thing, this is just something that has been seen many times. While Draka would largely be considered a Neutral-Good aligned character, it would make sense to see her still in her orc form, as she would be giving up her heritage. Orcs value heritage greatly, and she was a hardline traditionalist.

Uther on the other hand has been all about self-sacrifice, and seeing that he is given the ability to grow into a being whose sole existence is defined by the same principles he lived his life, i don't think it is a stretch to see him embrace it.

I want to say that overall time in the Shadowlands may not play as much of a role as general disposition and convictions.

[Verdugo]

Because orcs by their nature are resistant to change.

Is that why they went "green iz best" after few weeks of fel radiation?

[How dare you]

Like yeah, obviously if there's a scourge NPC called Draka it's still Draka but that just seems a bit lame to me. Are all returning characters in the shadowlands going to be Kyrians/Scourge/etc with just familiar names?

I don't think we know really. Souls in Bastion become Kyrians. So Uther might be a Kyrian when we meet him. Or maybe he is not that far along the process yet. Maybe it takes very long. Maybe we'll help him get there. But in any case, it wouldn't just be "a Kyrian with his name". It would be his character.

As for Draka being a Necrolord, or an undead in general, I guess that would be weird, and wouldn't really make sense anyway, since souls aren't corpses. I don't even know where these corpses are even coming from or what a Necrolord is exactly.

[MyWholeLifeIsThunder]

Also we need clarification of which Covenants are the ones that follow the philosophy of letting go of earthly tethers; so far only the Kyrian seem to be about that life. The Night Fae seem to be about some sort of rebirth to the point pretty much all the ancestors can just return, does that work for everyone? But even if you aren't made to let go of your mortal life, does that mean other covenants still change your form?

Like, Draka could still be Draka, or Kael' be Kael, but she looks like a orc/necrolord mix and Kael like a Venthyr/Sanlayn

[Ielenia]

Why would you think that, Draka died long before Uther, who was still stuck in Frostmourne until end of WotLK.

You're mistaking Uther the Lightbringer with Terenas, Arthas' father.

Uther's was never in the Frostmourne. We could even interact with Uther's spirit back at the shrine in WPL.

[bloodwulf]

Is that why they went "green iz best" after few weeks of fel radiation?

Orcs still thought they could respect their tradition and heritage with that power gain. They were largely tricked and hence why the Frostwolves resisted (which Draka is).

[Kyphael]

Well Kael'thas will be himself. I know, he wouldn't be a Kyrian anyway, but the point is, any character they feel is marketable as they were in Warcraft III, they'll keep them that way and not change their appearance to a blue angel so as to capitalize on the character's popularity and not piss off fans.

[Justpassing]

You're mistaking Uther the Lightbringer with Terenas, Arthas' father.

Uther's was never in the Frostmourne. We could even interact with Uther's spirit back at the shrine in WPL.

Err, yeah it was. Halls of Reflection? Also after you turn in Shadowmourne final quest, Uther appears in the starting area, thanks you and gives you the tabard.

[Ielenia]

Err, yeah it was. Halls of Reflection? Also after you turn in Shadowmourne final quest, Uther appears in the starting area, thanks you and gives you the tabard.

That doesn't mean what you think it does. All you do is return a keepsake from the Argent Dawn. Uther was not trapped within Frostmourne, otherwise interaction with his spirit would be impossible back in WPL.

Also this: "During the Third War, Uther was betrayed and murdered by his beloved pupil, Prince Arthas, while defending the urn carrying the ashes of Arthas' father, King Terenas. After death, his soul was deemed worthy of entering the plane of Bastion within the Shadowlands."

[Schattenlied]

Because orcs by their nature are resistant to change. This isn't a bad thing, this is just something that has been seen many times. While Draka would largely be considered a Neutral-Good aligned character, it would make sense to see her still in her orc form, as she would be giving up her heritage. Orcs value heritage greatly, and she was a hardline traditionalist.

Uther on the other hand has been all about self-sacrifice, and seeing that he is given the ability to grow into a being whose sole existence is defined by the same principles he lived his life, i don't think it is a stretch to see him embrace it.

I want to say that overall time in the Shadowlands may not play as much of a role as general disposition and convictions.

That's not really relevant, Blizzard said that the evolution takes a very long time... I highly doubt it has anything to do with the person as it is a natural process.

[bloodwulf]

That's not really relevant, Blizzard said that the evolution takes a very long time... I highly doubt it has anything to do with the person as it is a natural process.

If it was an entirely natural process then the beings in Venthyr would have little to do. They are the ones that take flawed but fixable beings and slowly mold them into beings that can inhabit the other locations. So there is obviously a level of influence and control over the evolution.

[Sluvs]

Like yeah, obviously if there's a scourge NPC called Draka it's still Draka but that just seems a bit lame to me. Are all returning characters in the shadowlands going to be Kyrians/Scourge/etc with just familiar names?

Nope, they said that, EG, to become a kyrian is an extremely long and arduous process, so I imagine that they will have their regular models, not the covenant's one.

[Justpassing]

That doesn't mean what you think it does. All you do is return a keepsake from the Argent Dawn. Uther was not trapped within Frostmourne, otherwise interaction with his spirit would be impossible back in WPL.

Also this: "During the Third War, Uther was betrayed and murdered by his beloved pupil, Prince Arthas, while defending the urn carrying the ashes of Arthas' father, King Terenas. After death, his soul was deemed worthy of entering the plane of Bastion within the Shadowlands."

I don't want to be a meanie but if you were going to snoop around you could at least read up on what I mentioned: Halls of Reflection: https://wow.gamepedia.com/The_Halls_Of_Reflection#Notes

And straight from the horse's mouth:

Upon entering Sword's Rest in the Halls of Reflection and approaching Frostmourne while under Quel'Delar's Compulsion:

Uther the Lightbringer yells: Halt! Do not carry that blade any further!
Quel'Delar leaps to life in the presence of Frostmourne!
Uther the Lightbringer yells: Do you realize what you've done?
Quel'Delar prepares to attack!

Quel'Delar will spawn and attack the party, and must be "killed" in order to obtain the Subdued Quel'Delar. Uther the Lightbringer, who stands next to the pedestal of Frostmourne, instructs the player that they must take the sword to the Sunwell to cleanse it of its evil.

After defeating the sword:

Uther the Lightbringer says: You have forged this blade from saronite, the very blood of an old god. The power of the Lich King calls to this weapon.
Uther the Lightbringer says: Each moment you tarry here, Quel'Delar drinks in the evil of this place.
Uther the Lightbringer says: There is only one way to cleanse the sword. Make haste for the Sunwell and immerse the blade in its waters.
Uther the Lightbringer says: I can resist Frostmourne's call no more...
Uther fades away.

Well, yeah. He was trapped and we freed him.

[Cosmic Janitor]

Here is how this most likely will go down, people we have models fore will have their models with a blue shimmer/coat, alien races that are also there but don't have a model will already be kyrean.

Also didn't they already say that not everyone retains their memories when going to the covenants? The bastion demo quests also already showed a Kyrean aspirant that was less than thrilled to be cleansed and part of bastion, so it remains to be seen how well the intended system actually performs for the souls.

[Verdugo]

That doesn't mean what you think it does. All you do is return a keepsake from the Argent Dawn. Uther was not trapped within Frostmourne, otherwise interaction with his spirit would be impossible back in WPL.

Also this: "During the Third War, Uther was betrayed and murdered by his beloved pupil, Prince Arthas, while defending the urn carrying the ashes of Arthas' father, King Terenas. After death, his soul was deemed worthy of entering the plane of Bastion within the Shadowlands."

Ever heard about retcons and how much Blizzard loves them?