Central source for lore

[Redlikemyrage]

Hey guys/gals!

I often creep these forums cause I’m starting to get into all the lore. Being that I took a break during most of WoD and Legion, I missed out on quite a bit of lore during those expansions. Beyond that, I haven’t dove deep into any of the novels or other outside sources of lore in several years. But the budding lore nerd in me has a desire to get caught up.

That being said, I was hoping for some recommendations from the local lore buffs around here. Specifically, is there any one central source that I could start to sink my teeth into? Preferably one that dives into in-game and external lore sources. Obviously I’ve done a quick google search or two, but I’m wondering which ones are best/most legitimate. Thanks in advance for any recommendations!

[Aucald]

This forum's Literature Chronology is a good place to start. The "Chronicle" series is also the current go-to reference material for WoW's general timeline and events going back to the prehistory of the Warcraft universe.

[Kyphael]

I'd sink my teeth into what interests you the most Is it Alliance or Horde lore? Scourge? Legion? The particular chapters you missed? I suggest this just so you don't need to spend money on books or Chronicles, the internet is your encyclopedia and it's all there at your disposal to sift through. WoWWiki is a great resource.

[Aucald]

I'd sink my teeth into what interests you the most Is it Alliance or Horde lore? Scourge? Legion? The particular chapters you missed? I suggest this just so you don't need to spend money on books or Chronicles, the internet is your encyclopedia and it's all there at your disposal to sift through. WoWWiki is a great resource.

May want to use Wowpedia as opposed to WoWWiki as it's generally kept more up to date in my experience. YMMV, of course.

[Kharli]

This forum's Literature Chronology is a good place to start. The "Chronicle" series is also the current go-to reference material for WoW's general timeline and events going back to the prehistory of the Warcraft universe.

To add to the chronicle bit, take EVERYTHING written within Chronicles with a pinch of salt as there has been several: wait no that does not connect to what is actually going on and yeah, use wowpedia instead of Wowwiki as WoWWiki very very slow to update and more or less abandoned.

Chronicles are written from the point of view of the titans if I remember correctly.

[AcidicSyn]

As far as videos go; Nobbels lore summary videos are pretty good as well, in addition to what the others have cited.

[Kyphael]

May want to use Wowpedia as opposed to WoWWiki as it's generally kept more up to date in my experience. YMMV, of course.

Oooh, good to know for my own reading! lol

[Redlikemyrage]

I appreciate the help everyone! Are there any big retcons I should be on the lookout for? I’d like to avoid foot in mouth in my discussions of it lol

I'd sink my teeth into what interests you the most Is it Alliance or Horde lore? Scourge? Legion? The particular chapters you missed? I suggest this just so you don't need to spend money on books or Chronicles, the internet is your encyclopedia and it's all there at your disposal to sift through. WoWWiki is a great resource.

Honestly I’m looking for all of it. I started on Wrath so I could even go back to the very beginnings and start there. Fantasy settings in general are my jam, so there’s a lot to like for me here. Even if some of it is not very soundly written.

[Aucald]

I appreciate the help everyone! Are there any big retcons I should be on the lookout for? I’d like to avoid foot in mouth in my discussions of it lol

You'll find retcons both major and minor, but "Chronicle" reconciles most of it. The biggest retcon I can think of in the immediate sense is Warlords of Draenor (also called WoD), a time travel/alternate universe scenario that's difficult to explain. Needless to say that a lot of the details surrounding it open up some paradoxes in WoW's lore as concerns the nature of the multiverse, alternate timelines/universes, the nature of the Legion and the Burning Crusade, etc. etc. "Chronicle Vol. 3" patches this up a bit, so I'd ignore WoD's position on alternative universes and timelines in favor of the explanation in "Chronicle." If you want more specifics let me know and I'll try to explain it more in depth.

[Mehrunes]

Hey guys/gals!

I often creep these forums cause I’m starting to get into all the lore. Being that I took a break during most of WoD and Legion, I missed out on quite a bit of lore during those expansions. Beyond that, I haven’t dove deep into any of the novels or other outside sources of lore in several years. But the budding lore nerd in me has a desire to get caught up.

That being said, I was hoping for some recommendations from the local lore buffs around here. Specifically, is there any one central source that I could start to sink my teeth into? Preferably one that dives into in-game and external lore sources. Obviously I’ve done a quick google search or two, but I’m wondering which ones are best/most legitimate. Thanks in advance for any recommendations!

Given the pace of Blizzard retconning their own lore, you can spend a few bucks to buy an Ouija board and ask it questions about the lore. In the long (or even medium) run, the answers you get will be just as accurate because sooner or later Blizzard will do an 180 on the topic you asked the board about anyway.

I appreciate the help everyone! Are there any big retcons I should be on the lookout for? I’d like to avoid foot in mouth in my discussions of it lol

From the time period you mentioned in the OP, the nature of the Legion, Illidan's entire motivation, pretty much everything about Forsaken and Sylvanas in particular (including her own inner monologues). From the top of my head.

[Mic_128]

I appreciate the help everyone! Are there any big retcons I should be on the lookout for? I’d like to avoid foot in mouth in my discussions of it lol

Not specifically answering that question, but Wowpedia usually mentions as well when somehting's been retconned, listing the older details at the bottom of a page, pointing out what was rewritten.

[Mehrunes]

You'll find retcons both major and minor, but "Chronicle" reconciles most of it. The biggest retcon I can think of in the immediate sense is Warlords of Draenor (also called WoD), a time travel/alternate universe scenario that's difficult to explain. Needless to say that a lot of the details surrounding it open up some paradoxes in WoW's lore as concerns the nature of the multiverse, alternate timelines/universes, the nature of the Legion and the Burning Crusade, etc. etc. "Chronicle Vol. 3" patches this up a bit, so I'd ignore WoD's position on alternative universes and timelines in favor of the explanation in "Chronicle." If you want more specifics let me know and I'll try to explain it more in depth.

Alternate universes and timelines? You do realize that by treating those as two different concepts yourself you're undermining your own argument in regards to how Chronicle v3 patches things up in regards to WoD? Because the quote from it that you throw around talks about alternate timelines and alternate timelines only. I.e. not about alternate universes if they are something separate. Which most likely is the case, because the only time I can recall alternate timielines being used to describe WoD was during the Blizzcon reveal of it, after which Blizzard were very clear and very specific when describing how their plans changed from an alternate timeline to an alternate universe (because they couldn't be bothered with making the past consistent until the point of divergence as remembering you own story is hard). And there would be no change to talk about if alternate universes and alternate timelines were the same thing.

[outflow]

I do like my Chronicles books. They're nice books.