Nightborne / Nighe Elf
Tanaria, as my brother predicted, Blood elf/Nightborne relationship is boring - he predicted if the Nightborne went horde, rather than play to their kaldorei heritage to distinguish them from Belves, blizzard would just be absorbed into the blood elves and be nothing more than yes men types, similarly to how the high elves were with humans but worse given how they are elves it's more like different elf nations with similar values - and blizz would leave it at that. Blood elves would dominate Nightborne in terms of presence and just be support characters to Belves where occasionally what would have been a Belf NPc or Blef line would now be a Nightborne line, offering and saying nothing different bringing no new cultural value or perspective. He predicted correctly what is kaldorei in the Nightborne would just be ignored, and the Belves and Nightborne would hold hands boring and interchangeable..
They could be more, but without the kaldorei elements of the Nightborne identity coming out strong, they are just too similar, and boring together. they offer nothing interest, no conflict or nuance, hey have same area of expertise, same general ideals/lifestyle.
Amongst the night elves, it would be like focusing on Nightborne/Highborne interactions, that'd be ridiculously boring, because it's essentially the same group, same skill set, and they'd be tight.. far more interesting would be if Nightborne/Highborne with Long vigil mindset Darnassians got development - now you're talking, Nightborne would be both an alternative life for kaldorei and their can be both friction and growth between the two different cultures. they can explore much better the similarities between the two which a lot of people don't get.
Wow's audience completely doesn't get how Highborne/Nightborne types are related to your Darnassian, much of the explanations and reveals in novels and lore text is totally unknown to them.. the cultural parallels are totally lost in the big arcane and nature difference which blizzard has highlighted and compounded further by placing the Nightborne with the horde thus giving the illusion that Nightborne couldn't be further away from Night elves, yet Nightborne are night elf culture - so how do the two relate?
i ofc have written paragraphs on that.. most recently:
https://www.mmo-champion.com/threads...1#post53232923
Predictions on a new night elf capital city and zone - Page 8 (mmo-champion.com)
There is conflict with one group overcoming stigma which should be well on it's way out , dealing and coping with the revelations of Legion, the end of addiction, and how do we identify ourselves now.. we share this ancient legacy, and basically the arcane civilization of the Nightborne and Shen'dralar, along with that druidic culture and the priesthood of Elune were the 3 pillars that forged the pre-sundering empire Haydene, Azshara and Malfurion could have balanced that society with equal relevance..
Now there is no Azshara - perhaps a Tyrande, Malfurion and Farondis could find a new balance.. but there are obstacles to overcome, there is the complex the Nightborne face concerning the night elves which is far more interesting than anything they have with the blood elves.. here you have their kin many people they probably know personally from before the sundering, currently living like that.. without the arcane comforts, a life Thalyssra and some Nightborne only had a few months to a year to experience, yet without such a power as the arcane, their kin have remained healthy, sane , strong and defeated the Legion a second time around, not to mention nature they looked down produced wonders like the world tree, , healing world ecology and being the salvation of the Nightborne - there is much awe and yet contempt
there is also marrying of magics, arcane influencing druidism and druidism influencing arcane to explore.
There is the role of the priesthood too, this is the order that holds the arcane power as sacred, and was the races first group to utilise it, much happened because of the legion's arrivan and ban, yet the cathedral is free, and Suramar's spiritual order returns.. what does that mean..how does that look.
on both sides their are questions do the night elves continue a 3 separate segregated orders (check my diversity post -
Night Elves the most diverse racial group? - Page 3 (mmo-champion.com) ) or do you show ares of integration annd segregation - e.g. cities have integration, outside is segregation or do they live in cities in distinct separate areas for each order...
there is so much to explore. That will actually interest fans of the night elf race and could be a very interesting exploration for fans of warcraft in general.
Meanwhile for blood elf and Nightborne - the biggest source of interest is - grumbling that the Nightborne do all the arcane works with blood elves relgated (they view ), to light duties. or objecting to alliance fans suggesting Suramar should come over to the alliance.
Most are even cringed/creeped out by Lor'themar/Thalyssra romance, it has weird, it has no fire, and it's not loved. almost as if blood elves can't love people of their own race, they have to go to humans or Nightborne.
So the Nightborne went horde anyway, but, if they show us more Night elf Nightborne interaction and development, Nightborne joining the horde could be even more interesting for a night elf /Nightborne relationship that isn't wholly based on war. What seemed to be a bad move, can actually add to everything I've just said.. adding higher stakes, more controversy but also more cooperation, more elven unity - something that people like my brother and @Rhlor use to long for. all this can happen with Nightborne still being on the horde as a race, and still being friends with the blood elves. Who told you that because you are friends with one group automatically means you can never be with your kin - who've done you no wrong, who you like and are curious about? In fact, that could add more nuance, blood elves not liking the Nightborne - night elf interaction and that causing some tension and conflict between blood elves and Nightborne - allowing their relationship to be more interesting.
Nightborne and night elf relationship from every angle is actually potentially a very interesting route to take.. whether it leads to night elven Nightborne, Suramar changing, or nothing changing in terms of faction allegiance. This is one area faction alignment can actually take back seat and offer the wow audience a perspective on the player races cross faction that is not hate dominated or warfare conflict dominated.