Originally Posted by
ravenmoon
The shaldorei opnion depends on who you're interacting with. Elisande's lot, in typical highborne fashion believe anyone not as exalted as them are beneath them. REgarding the elves, they have no bad thing to say tot he sin'dorei except disappointment at their choice to oppose them. The others have done very un-kaldorei things, the current kaldorei have abandoened their heritage and legacy preferring to skulk around in forests (according to her), the quel'dorei are polluting themselves by mingling with lesser races (i.e. the high elf/human relationship), teh shen'dralar aren't really referenced here as they are not present.
But Thalyssra and the sane nightborne .. i.e. most of the city you find a fiercely proud and respectful of their Kaldorei heritage. Remember the shal'dorei were the Kaldorei or last of the Kaldorei they thought, until Gul'dan came knocking and the shield went down, so to them, their memory of Kaldorei was themselves and the entire empire in its glory that perished with the invasion - they revere everything about their past, look at how longingly Occuleth mentions the prayers to Elune that rose from the temple of Falanaar. The memeories and reverence to the ancestors in Tel'anor, the utter surprise at seeing the Kaldorei again whether its Farodin but especially Tyrande and her group.. seeing how archaic they have become.
It is my feeling that the shal'dorei whou nlike the blood elves/high elves, revere everything about themselves and who they once were, not just the arcane legacy, they have the same night/nocturnal nature, star/moon fascination and loved all the good things of the empire, which was actually pretty amazing in every respect till the Queen called the legion.. remember hte night elf empire was Elven perfection at its greatest eight, that over time through arrogance fell to the decadence that resulted in the summoning of the legion - the decadent behaviour comes at the same time the legion is first contacted, my feeling is that this attitude actually started from the Queen even though she was liked and all the blame was put on the highborne.
Despite that, I feel that the shal'dorei's reaction to the night elves would be very different from the blood elves because of how they deeply revere their Kaldorei past and those that gave their lives to save them. i.e. the night elves who have now returned, remember Tyrande, Malfurion, Illidan all come from Suramar, as well as Maiev, Jarod, .. Ravencrests army launched from his fotress in Val'sharah, a province of Suramar, and many from the city and surrounding regions formed the main rebelliong aginst the queen. It was Suramar v Zin'Azshari .. the shal'dorei have a world to remain in both because of the sacrifice of their ancestors (which until recently were what the kaldorei were) and the nightwell saving them.
For this reason, I agrewith an excellent post that was made on the beta forums or official forusms not sure if it was US or EU,that put forward a very interesting theory/prediction that i don't think anyone will anticipate - admiration for the kaldorei. Which is a refreshing change from the scorn and disdain that has come from the only highborne related bunch we knew (till Catalcysm/legion) the high/blood elves. The theory suggests that shal'dorei victors of Suramar will greatly respect the kaldorei because of the past and actually be touched by their lowly state. They'd feel admiration for how their ancestors/kin achieved the impossible,not once but twice without magic. A victory that saved the shal'dorei and also put them to shame for hiding with all their amazing magic, not joining the fight, and having these ones to protect the world twice.
They would feel they failed their kin because of the abuse of the arcane perpetuated by highborne kind, and will admire them for having achieved as much as they did without them and also feel that it is their sacred duty to restore their kin's total confidence in their arcane birthright.
the success of the modenr kaldorei would inspire some shal'dorei to a simpler less arcane intwined existence, as some would pick up the path of the druid and the priest especially with the Cathedral cleared and the sisterhood back,and after al Elune's wonders shown. However they would be keen to show themselves both brave after the victory over Elisande and the legion, and lso prove to their skeptical kin that they should fully embrace the arcane. Every night elf embracing the arcane would be a victory to the shal'dorei who would be far more encouraged by it than the Shen'dralar who have been training some. But the shal'dorei would be after removing all the prejudiced stigma from the kaldorei, whereas the kaldorei would generally be ensuring that the balance the nightborne have found is always maintained. The kaldorei will feel that for the salvaiton and preservation of their kin, the shal'dorei, they must bring diversity and restore nature affinity, to ensure the shal'dorei never lose balance again.
Unlike what happened with the high elves, the kaldorei would embrace the shal'dorei and vice versa each fo therir own reasons, to preserve themsevles and ensure elven kind never perpetuates the kind of horror Lady Azshara fell to. This could anger the high/blood elves more, because they'd be like "oh so now you are willing to listen to them, but when we put forward the same arguements you shunned and exiled us", to which the night elf response would be the balance teh shald'doeri have achieved through the arcan'dor and the proof of repsonsibility that they have demonstrated by both putting their lives on the line for their city and fighting the legion. To the blood elves they might respond, are reunion 10,000 years later was made in good faith to your leader KAel'thas Sunstrider, but instead you joined the horde and later the burning legion, treated with hositlity and murdered our convoy sent to you..
you get hte picture, would be lovely to see these sort of discussions, the blood elves/high elves peeved at what they might interpret as a double standarrd by the night elves, the night elves obviously have changed, the arcane is back, and in the nightborne they have seen balance restored, something which they had a hand in personally so are certain of its effect,plus the iwillingness to let go fo the nightwell is quite the move that would warm the high priestess.. theo nly thing that would be better would be an official invitation to return to her city of birth and the HQ of the order of Elune once our business is finished.
I really love the idea of this, I so agree that we've had no one really ever thank or even admire the night elves for their role against the legion, just disdain and distrust, from high/blood elves and humans etc.. so would be nice to see one of their own group appreiciate them.