Roleplaying a Death Knight (Part Two)

Last time we took a look at the racial backgrounds of Gnomish, Blood Elf, and other death knights, to shed some light on how each race deals with their returning undead brethren. Follow us for part two of this roleplaying extravaganza as we complete the circuit...

Humans: More than any other race, Human death knights have truly followed in the steps of Arthas himself. As a race which is quite invested in the Holy Light, it is certain that a returning death knight will encounter some abrasion upon returning to Stormwind. Uther still has many loyal supporters. The truest paladin even has an entire holiday for him, for crying out loud. So among the paladin-set, and those who were there when Arthas turned against his people and betrayed Uther, it is unlikely that a death knight will make friends. Yet, Humanity is wildly varied – one of the few races in the Alliance which accepts Warlocks not just as a necessary evil, but as a viable form of study and exploration. Humans boast both paladins and rogues in their number, and both mages and warlocks. And any race which has such a series of polar opposite classes is bound to have supporters on either end of the Holy/Unholy spectrum. Thus, assuming they can find their appropriate niche, the only thing a returning Human death knight probably has going against them is the fact that Arthas himself is currently the most powerful baddie in the entire world, and Humanity cannot forget or forgive that the Lich King was once one of their own.

Night Elves: To say that all Kal’dorei society would shun a death knight upon her return to Teldrassil is probably incorrect. Night Elves have always claimed to follow the tenets of nature, and to walk in balance with all living beings. To that end, a Night Elf death knight is probably an aberration, as are, claim Kal’dorei priests, all undead.

But Night Elf society is also riddled with individuals who enjoy, wield, and strive for power. Some of the greatest, most powerful, and in many cases, most evil beings in all of Azeroth were once Night Elves, including Illidan himself. Ancient Night elf civilization was a magocracy, not like that of modern-day Dalaran, but certainly a society where those who were possessed of and adept at using the magic powers of nature (which were and are at least partly Arcane) were the ones who ruled.

There is no denying that death knights are powerful. They have, in every sense of the phrase, cheated death itself to inflict the desires and will of the Lich King upon the world. And now that they are free, all that power and capacity has to go somewhere. And there may be no other race on Azeroth which is more capable of using their power and ability to shift the very currents of the world than the Night Elves. In this case, it might be a better option for the Kal’dorei to adopt these wayward death knights than it would be simply to lock them up somewhere or cast them aside – both methods of dealing with magical heretics have been used in the past, but neither punishment met with much success. Assuming the returning death knight wasn’t too big on the “undeath for all” campaign, she might be accepted back into her birth society with little upheaval.

Orcs: It is not widely known, but the very first death knights were Orcs. In fact, as many today have forgotten, the Lich King himself, before Arthas took up the blade of Frostmourne, was Ner’zul, the spirit of one of the Horde’s most powerful Orcish shamans conscripted into service by Kil’jaeden.

In some ways, Orcs know death knights better than the other races of Azeroth. Death knights fought alongside the Horde in the Second War, after being raised from the dead and bound into service by Gul’dan, the most powerful warlock of the age.

And Orcs certainly know what it is to be led, blood and soul into battle as a pawn for others. They were conscripted into service by the Burning Legion, and only recently have broken the fel-blood curse. It is therefore quite possible that Orcish death knights would be accepted back into the Horde and treated like any other soldier. A soldier to keep an eye on, certainly, but in no greater a threat category as that in which Thrall currently places warlocks.

Tauren: When your entire civilization has been shaped by the idea that life is cyclical, and that death itself has a place and a status which confers honor, not loss, where do you fit in if you’re big, mean and undead?

Well, to the Tauren purists out there the answer would be “nowhere,” but even the most educated Tauren sage cannot deny that death knights are a reality now, that the tide has turned, and that their new-found allies, contrary, strange, and fearsome though they may be, cannot simply be turned away or forgotten.

On the one hand, the returning Tauren death knight may be met with open arms. Tauren lore is heavily infused with the idea that the spirits of the ancestors never leave us, and that every previous generation watches this one. Heck, even Tauren humor revolves around this ideal: “You know how hard it is to get your groove on with the spirit of your great grandmother watching over you?” The very nature of death is not to destroy, but to change. For some Tauren, the fact that their relatives and loved ones are returning to them after death might not be too big a leap to make – after all, death knights are just ancestors in the flesh, unlike the spirits unseen.

But on the other hand, like the Night Elves, Tauren society has an affinity for the natural balance of things. The dead should remain buried (or at least enshrouded) – they should not rise up to wreak vengeance. Thus, at least among the more dogmatic Tauren, death knights are an affront against nature, beings which should have accepted that their time walking the earth was done but didn’t. Still, these are strange times we live in, and even the most stalwart Tauren may find it in their hearts to accept that death knights may be the best way to beat the Lich King at his own game.

Trolls: It is certainly a strange conundrum that while the majority of Trollish society practices voodoo, a strange mystic art frequently associated with necromancy, Trolls, at least the playable Darkspear race also fear, even revile the undead. Perhaps this is because most undead Trolls we encounter on Azeroth are mindless servants of the evil voodoo priests who animate them. Sunken Temple, Zul’Farrak, Stranglethorn Vale – these former Troll bastions are riddled with evil witch doctors raising zombie Trolls who are intent on destroying civilization, or bringing the Old Gods back to life. And the undead minions the priests of Hakkar and others like them employ are completely without free will, utterly evil, and bent on destruction, not unlike the zombie crack troops of the Lich King.

Add in the fact that the Darkspear just recently escaped from certain doom at the hands of the wicked voodoo doctor Zalazane, who actually bound the spirits of dead trolls to do his bidding, and it is perhaps understandable that on the surface at least, death knights would be met with suspicion, fear, or outright hostility. After all, who is to say that the Troll walking before them is really an entity with free will? Aren’t they still a pawn of Arthas? And since so much of Troll magic relies on spirits – forces which cannot ever be seen, but which can still possess, consume, or wreak terrible destruction upon mortals, death knights bear the double cross of being undead and formerly bound to the service of what is perhaps the most evil spirit of all, the Lich King himself.

So the question of whether a Troll death knight could be able to successfully assimilate back into the Darkspear is probably one of trust. Trolls talk to spirits all the time, and one possible plus for the Troll death knight is that there seems to be no Trollish bias against being dead; the prejudice lies instead along the assumption that if one is dead and still walking the earth, one is probably not doing it of their own free will. If the death knight can find a way of proving to her former friends that there really is no one else pulling her strings, then she may be allowed to re-enter Darkspear society.

Roleplaying a Death Knight (Part One)

As the new kids on the block, death knights don't have a lot of race-specific pre-scripted back story. Sure, everyone knows they were undead servants of the Lich King, bound to do his bidding and wreak destruction upon Azeroth, but what else is there beneath that pallid skin and those glowing blue eyes?

It doesn’t help that death knights come power-leveled to 58 but without any individual professions or gear. To a casual observer, the masses of leveling DKs wandering around Outland and Northrend may all seem alike. But if you’re looking to make a name for yourself by roleplaying a death knight, here are some things to consider from a racial lore perspective:

Blood Elves: Blood Elves became a unified race because of the Scourge, and the destruction of the Sunwell. Arthas' corruption of that font of all life for the high elves utterly and irrevocably remade the Sin'Dorei. And, as a long-lived race, all Blood Elves who now serve as death knights remember the destruction of the Sunwell, and the terrors of the Scourge. Hatred, therefore, is probably deeply-sown in the heart of the Blood Elf death knight. For not only is Arthas responsible for the destruction of life as you knew it, the Lich King set up his own knights as patsies in an ill-conceived plot to foil the Argent Dawn, as is revealed in the final quest in the DK starting area. It is probably very easy, therefore, for a Sin'Dorei death knight to feel nothing but lust for revenge, an unending, sleepless desire to see Arthas destroyed. Yet, like all death knights, the new emotions of undeath are probably tempered with memories of your homeland and life as an elf. As the golden forests of Eversong can never be touched by the likes of your kind again, regret, not unlike that of Sylvanas herself, is probably also held in your heart.

Draenei: Perhaps more than any other mortal race, the Draenei have an affinity with the Holy Light. Even Draenei shaman are still permitted to use their Light-given Gift of the Naaru racial ability. And as we all know, shaman were Draenei who once used the powers of Light to benefit their people, but, due to fel pollution were cut off from the source of their holy powers. Now, shaman call upon the elements, and are able to sustain and heal their people just as well, but through different sources. Velen himself has completely vindicated shamanism as a viable path within Draenei society, even though shaman don’t commune directly with the Light (except for that one racial ability).

So what about death knights? What about an undead Draenei who has returned to the service of their people after mercilessly slaughtering innocent living beings? If the Light teaches all Draenei to be merciful and benevolent, how have these tenets been twisted by a mind which was once chained to serve the all-consuming, merciless Lich King? In all likelihood, Draenei death knights live on the very fringes of their society, accepted by none, and tolerated by very few.

But, even though the Scourge are what many would call an abomination unto the Light, it must be remembered that the Lich King is no longer under control of the Burning Legion. It is therefore possible that an undead Draenei would find more acceptance among her birth race than one of the fel-corrupted Eredar, who have no place among them any more.

Dwarves: Stalwart, sturdy, steadfast. Since time immemorial, these traits have defined the Dwarvish people. And hey, what would you expect from a race created out of the earth itself, and forged as part of the Titans’ master plan? Dwarves are probably the most dependable race in the Alliance – they honor their friends and never fail to come to their defense, even against the most powerful of enemies.

So what happens when one of their number falls to the ranks of the Scourge? What happens when the integrity of the Dwarven people is besmirched by the admittance of death knights into their ranks? The answer: it probably depends on who you talk to. Most upstanding citizens of Ironforge look upon death knights as an evil, and a disgrace. Dwarves have long practiced the arts of a paladin society, and uphold the tenets of honor and the Light, much as their Human allies. But on the other hand, Dwarves seem to operate on such a strong sense of honor and tradition that perhaps the phrase “once a Dwarf, always a Dwarf” is a good fit here. In all likelihood, the question of whether a given death knight “fits in” with their old society is one for the player to answer: do you want to go back to your birthright and uphold the glory of your people? Or will you carve a new path for your kind, one which pays no heed to the calls of your ancient race?

Forsaken: Forsaken may be the most tortured race on the face of Azeroth. Turned against their will to serve the Lich King, forced to commit atrocities in the name of the Scourge, then liberated from the curse of mindless undeath by the Dark Lady Sylvanas, these days the Forsaken are regarded as cursed by many, their very existence heretical by some. Unlike the other living, breathing denizens of Azeroth, Forsaken are liberated undead - zombies with free will. They lived human lives, then were plunged into darkness.

And Forsaken death knights went over to the dark side twice - the Lich King destroyed them once with plague, then brought them back into his fold once more. This means that more than any other race, the Forsaken are uniquely positioned to have insight into Arthas' goals. And probably more than any other race, they are hell-bent on destroying the Lich King. As a "twice-dead," or at the very least, "twice-corrupted" death knight, you have a deep furrow for your character's back story, and a rich variety of memories and events to play upon in your character description. You have served many masters, including, once upon a time, serving yourself and your own human ambitions. You have stood at the side of some of the world's greatest military minds, including Arthas, Sylvanas, and Darion Mograine. And you have twice been called to the Lich King's service, committing more atrocities in his name than any other race of death knight. In fact, it might be said that Forsaken are the ultimate death knights, who know better than any other race what it is to serve the Scourge.

Gnomes: It is hard to believe that the intelligent, calculating mind and insatiable curiosity of the Gnome would be erased upon joining the forces of the Lich King. Indeed, it is likely that the more ingenious diseases, virulent plagues, and most uncanny methods of dealing out destruction among the Lich King’s forces are owed, at least in part, to Gnomish ingenuity. Yet it cannot be denied that the sheer destruction and appetite for taking life which the Scourge embodies would have not only permeated a mind so careful and inquisitive as that of a Gnome, but co-opted it to serve the Lich King’s ends. The liberated Gnome death knight, then, is probably a combination of the intelligence that is their birthright, and a complete understanding of destruction, despair, and obliteration. Quake in your boots, people. The small ones usually hit the hardest.

Join us next time as we tackle some DK racial backgrounds for Humans, Orcs, and more! Happy trails!

Roleplaying: Going Against the Racial Stereotypes of Trolls, Night Elves and Dwarves

Last week Mage of Warcraft examined some of the more prevalent racial stereotypes in World of Warcraft, particularly as they related to Gnomes, Tauren, and Orcs. This week we continue our examination by taking a look at Trolls, Night Elves, and Dwarves. Remember: not every Dwarf you meet is a drinker, and not every Troll has a shrunken head collection. If you're interested in roleplaying the black sheep of your chosen character race, read on.

Stereotype: The Head-hunting Troll. Mention the word Troll and immediately what comes to mind for most people is voodoo. Trolls have been practicing voodoo magic for time immemorial. Indeed, trolls have their own special spell-casters, Witch Doctors, who study the art of voodoo and use it to heal their friends and harm their enemies. Before the Darkspear Trolls allied with the Horde, cannibalism and voodoo magics were standard practice among all Troll tribes. Even now, traces of the ancient voodoo culture of the Darkspear remain in their racial abilities:

1. Da Voodoo Shuffle – reduces the duration of all movement-impairing spells and effects by 15%
2. Berserking – increases attack and casting speed for 10 seconds; the more the troll is wounded, the greater the speed increase

When a player rolls a new Troll, they are informed that Trolls have a seething hatred for all other races. Yet this hatred seems to have been channeled and reconditioned among the Darkspear NPCs in the game, many of whom warn the player to “Stay away from the voodoo.” Trolls of the Horde do not use their magic wantonly – in fact, the quests where voodoo magics occur at all take place against other Troll tribes of Stranglethorn Vale, The Hinterlands, and Arathi Highlands. The Darkspear don’t ask you to go out and farm Gnome skulls – they are using their magic defensively against attacks on their own by the Witherbark, Bloodscalp and Skullsplitter Trolls.

Thus, like orcs, Trolls walk a fine line between wild aggression and deliberate calculation. Like the orcs, too, their race was brought to the edge of destruction when certain Troll factions attempted to summon the blood god Hakkar into Azeroth (this bloody chapter in the Trolls’ history can be read in the World of Warcraft online encyclopedia). However, unlike their green-skinned allies, Trolls also have the benefit of centuries, if not millennia spent perfecting their magic and religion. And the surviving Troll factions today have put an end to Hakkar’s savage reign, opening a new chapter of peace and prosperity for their tribes. Among their own sages, Darkspear Trolls believe they practice the highest forms of magic – magecraft and the holy magic of the priests. Indeed, the fact that Darkspear can roll both of these classes signifies that their culture is far richer and deeper than the skulking Trolls of the jungle would have us believe. If you’re looking to play a Troll who is more spiritual than savage, and more intelligent than impulsive, take a look at some unusual Troll NPCs in the game:

• Argent Quartermaster Hasana: Unlike other Trolls, Hasana cares little for anything but defeating the Scourge. She carries all reputation-based purchasable items of the Argent Dawn, as well as the Mantles of the Dawn, the Argent Dawn's shoulder enchants. She can be found at the Bulwark in Tirisfal Glades.
• Molthor: Called the Hand of Rastakhan, Molthor is general of the ancient and spiritual progenitor race of Trolls, the Zandalar. He is honor bound to saving the world from the evil blood-god Hakkar, who has recently risen again and threatens to destroy all of Azeroth once more. He presides over Yojamba Isle, off the northwest coast of Stranglethorn Vale.
  

Stereotype: The Drunken Dwarf. Everyone knows Dwarves make some of the best ale in all of Azeroth - after all, they host Brewfest every year! Nearly every /silly emote assigned to Dwarves involves drinking. But with more and more people blasting through old-world content in a mad rush to get to Northrend, one of the key points about Dwarves is often ofterlooked: Dwarves are children of the Titans. They are a more-evolved offshoot of the Earthen, whom the Titans first created to help shape the world. Thus, with the decline of the Earthen into mad, fractured groups in the bowels of Uldaman and other under-ground lairs, Dwarves may be the oldest civilization in all of Azeroth. And their heritage means they are deeply connected to the element of earth, a fact which is underscored by their Stoneform racial ability. If you’re interested in playing a less-inebriated Dwarf, take a look at two of the NPCs most closely-connected with uncovering the truth about the Titans:

• Muninn Magellas: High Explorer of the Ironforge-based Explorer’s Guild, Magellas spear-heads the efforts of the Dwarven Explorer’s League to uncover the truth about the Titans and the strange information depositories they left behind in Uldaman and Uldum.
• Brann Bronzebeard: Brother to Muradin and the deceased Magni Bronzebeard, Brann is obsessed with uncovering the Titan secrets locked away in Ulduar’s Halls of Stone.

Stereotype: The Spiritual Night Elf. Once, Night Elves were immortal. Possessed of great arcane powers, they used their magic to tend for the great forests of Kalimdor, and to explore the Emerald Dream and keep its secrets safe. However, Night Elves have always walked a fine line between caring for the world and using the natural powers for their own benefit. It was the Night Elves' reckless use of arcane magic which first attracted the demons of the Burning Legion to Azeroth, and that same magic which sundered the world into two continents and created the Maelstrom.

After the end of the Third War, Night Elves lost their immortality. Their once-massive forests are now shriveled and tainted by fel energies. And over time, the Elves have been heavily influenced by their own desires for power, and their current state as a mortal race. Indeed, they have bound the great tree Teldrassil in a mad and futile attempt to reclaim their immortality, twisting this primal force of nature to serve their own ends. Thus today's Night Elf is probably just as moved by power as they are by nature. If your character is more interested in strength than beauty, and more of a schemer than a dreamer, take a look at these Night Elf NPCs:

• Illidan Stormrage: The most powerful icon of a Night Elf who has heeded the call for power and forsaken his bonds with nature, Illidan is called the Betrayer for good reason. He has consorted with Sargeras and Kil’Jaeden. He has abandoned the nature-based and arcane magics of his own people to practice fel magic. He has even transformed into a demon himself. At one time considered an ally to the Night Elves, naga, Burning Legion, and corrupted Blood Elf Kael’thas Sunstrider, Illidan’s track record shows clearly that he values nothing except his own power.
• Azshara: Though she is perhaps most well-known today for the region which bears her name, and the nefarious naga who worship her, Azshara was once Queen of the Night Elves, one of the world’s most powerful magic-users, and the first elf to draw the attention of Sargeras to Azeroth. When the old super-continent of Kalimdor was destroyed in an effort to repel the Burning Legion, Azshara and her followers were cast beneath the surface of the sea, becoming the naga. Her current exact location is unknown, but even now her powers are believed to be immense.

Roleplaying: Going Against the Racial Stereotypes of Gnomes, Tauren, and Orcs

While the jokes, /flirt emotes, and dances each race has are fun to use, and often add a bit of fun to an hour or two of play, they are often an odd, if not contradictory addition to roleplaying sessions. This is because roleplaying focuses so intently on building your character’s own unique personality, their likes, dislikes, history, and raison d’etre. Often, the stylized, predictable and sometimes downright weird canned phrases that each character comes with seem false and generic.

But, perhaps even more important in a roleplaying environment, the basic character emotes provided by /silly or /flirt embody Blizzard’s stereotype of what each character race is. And in the vastly diverse realm of roleplaying, where your only limitations should be your own imagination, stereotypes are the last thing your character needs.

Not every Gnome is happy-go-lucky, and not every Troll says “ya, mon.” This multi-part roleplaying guide will cover some of the more pervasive racial stereotypes in the game and points players towards some NPC characters who contradict that stereotype and should therefore be good for researching and preparing to play a character who goes against the grain. Today, we focus on Tauren, Gnomes, and Orcs.

Stereotype: The Back-to-Basics Tauren. When your only class choices are druid, hunter, warrior, or shaman, it’s to be expected that you’re the earthy type. Perhaps more than any other race, Tauren are depicted as being at one with nature, and living within the cycle of what they call the Great Hunt. Even the infamous Grimtotem clan fall into this stereotype – they are corrupt but use the forces of nature to achieve their ends. And the racial attributes of the Tauren further reinforce that point:

1. Tauren receive +15 to their Herbalism skill. That’s right – they’re naturally better at picking flowers than any other race.
2. Tauren receive a 2% hit resistance against all Nature damage spells.

But what if you want to play a Tauren who is more technological than spiritual? What if you’re more mercenary than the average cow, and would rather use your skills for profit than feel your place in the great continuum of nature? If you’re looking to play a Tauren who goes against the granola, take a look at some interesting NPCs Blizzard has introduced to the game:

• Fleet Master Seahorn: This loyal second to Baron Revilgaz not only looks good in a pirate hat, he leads the navy of the Blackwater Raiders, a position which suggests more cunning than spirituality.
• Mr. Smite: First mate under Captain Greenskin, this evil Tauren patrols the docks of the hidden Defias Brotherhood fleet in the Deadmines. Clearly, he is not in his position to commune with the Earth Mother.
• Magatha Grimtotem: Inscrutable and irascible, Magatha is the Elder Crone and leader of the nefarious Grimtotem clan, despite which she makes her home in Thunder Bluff and is an advisor to Cairne Bloodhoof. There’s a huge can of worms right there for any aspiring Tauren looking to distinguish themselves.

Stereotype: The Goofy Gnome. Let’s face it: on the surface, it looks like most gnomes are in the game for comic relief. Until patch 3.0.x they were the only race with pigtails (sorry, but the shaved-head Orc boar tails don’t count). They have shrill, tinny voices, and jokes which talk about chicken nuggets. Even though they have a level 80+ boss leading their civilization, they still haven’t been able to take back their home city of Gnomeregan, which was overrun by level 30 mobs. It’s no secret that for many, Gnomes are the laughing stock of WoW. But the things most people forget about Gnomes are right there in the starting racial characteristics:

1. Gnomes are incredibly intelligent. They get a 5% racial bonus to intelligence, making them the smartest playable race in the game.
2. Gnomes have natural mechanical aptitude. Engineering is one of the hardest professions in the game, and Gnomes are the best of the best at it. They receive +15 to their engineering skill.

The picture these two attributes paint is one of a highly aware, technological culture, and one far more advanced than the weirdly-colored hairstyles on the character creation screen, or the goofy jokes /silly would have us believe. If you want to play a Gnome who is more cunning than cute and more discerning than delicate, you might start by taking a look at some of these less-well-known Gnome NPCs:

• Sicco Thermaplug: Mad inventor, devious politico, self-proclaimed High Tinker of Gnomeregan, Sicco Thermaplug is anything but endearing. His shrewd mechanical mind was responsible for the downfall of the Gnomes’ home city by flooding Gnomeregan with radiation, and, some say, letting the Troggs in in the first place. Try patting this Gnome on the head and telling him he’s cute.
• Chromie: It is probably no coincidence that when this particular member of the Bronze Dragonflight chose to manifest in humanoid form, she picked the intelligence and understanding of a Gnome. Short for Chronormu, Chromie the Gnome/dragon is sworn to preserve the timeline of Azeroth and keep it safe from the Scourge. She can be found in the Ruins of Andorhal, Western Plaguelands.
• Silas Darkmoon: Founder of the Darkmoon Faire, Silas is more cunning businessman than obsessed tinkerer, and more slick entertainer than goofy joker. And he seems to be successful – after all, the Darkmoon Faire is called the Greatest Show on Azeroth.

Stereotype: The Bloodthirsty Orc. There is a huge difference between the blood-crazed, furious Orcs who were goaded by the Burning Legion into destroying Draenor, and the face of the New Horde today. Thrall himself is a perfect example of an intelligent, spiritual Orc, whose thoughtfulness is so pervasive that it is regarded as a fault by some of his companions, like Garrosh Hellscream. In roleplaying a modern Orc, players have a difficult balancing act to perform. How can you balance the obvious bloody heritage which is reflected in your racial abilities...

1. Blood Fury, which sends the Orc into a rage, increasing all attack power and spell power for 15 seconds.
2. Axe specialization, which increases Axe weapon skill by 5, probably left over from the days the Orcs spent chopping down elvish forests in the second and third wars.

...with the spiritual grace and noble bearing employed by Thrall and his fellow shaman, spiritual leaders, and chief warriors in the New Horde? For a look at Orc NPCs who embody the old Horde ideals of savage blood fury, look here:

• Garrosh Hellscream: Headstrong, even foolhardy, Garrosh challenged Thrall to a fight when the Warchief refused to enact a more aggressive plan and immediately make war against the Scourge in Northrend. He believes in quick and immediate action, despite warnings from Thrall and High Overlord Saurfang that strategy is just as important to the New Horde as strength in winning a war.
• Gul’Dan: Once-apprentice to Ner’Zhul, who went on to become the Lich King, Gul’Dan is credited with being the very first Orc warlock, and responsible for introducing the Blood of Mannoroth to the Horde and opening the Dark Portal to Azeroth. Players can see Gul’Dan’s shade in Shadowmoon Valey at the Altar of Damnation.

And for a closer peek at one of the more spiritual, and perhaps lesser-known Orcs of the New Horde, look here:

• Greatmother Geyah: Thrall’s grandmother Geyah is the spiritual leader of the Mag’har, the last uncorrupted Orcs remaining on Draenor.

Stay tuned as we debunk other racial and class stereotypes next week!

Roleplaying an Engineer

It’s par for the course to take the race and class of your character into consideration when you’re roleplaying. After all, playing a troll shaman should be different than playing a human rogue. All races have their own unique history, and each class approaches combat differently. But while race and class are obvious influences on character development, other factors can also contribute to your choices.

Perhaps more than any other profession, engineering helps define who a character is, from the gear they wear to the items they use to the mounts they choose to ride. And unlike most professions, the items created through engineering are flashy, loud, and designed to attract attention, even when they’re working properly. And when your creations explode in your face, it’s a sure bet that everyone around you is going to notice. Given the rich variety of items you can create while engineering, why not use some of them to further develop your roleplaying character?

The Basics: Engineering 101 Everyone knows engineers create things like mechano-hogs, dynamite, and guns, but what most don’t realize is that engineering is a complex and multi-faceted profession ripe for plunder when it comes to roleplaying. So the first questions you should ask yourself when bellying up to your first RP session are:

• Why is your character an engineer?
• What type of engineer are you?

Certain races have a cultural inclination toward engineering. In the technocratic society of modern Gnomes nearly every family has an engineer or two, and most Gnomes have a passing understanding of mechanics. Among the Tauren, however, engineers are a rarity. Take one look around Mulgore and you’ll see a society which thrives on keeping in touch with the earth. There aren’t any whirring gears or steam engines hidden somewhere among all of the natural hide buildings and wind-powered grain mills in Thunder Bluff, and most Tauren you meet are more likely to have taken up skinning or herbalism than engineering. It might be easy to work engineering into your character’s magical upbringing as a Blood Elf, but harder to incorporate into the reclusive, naturalistic, druidic life you’ve probably led as a Night Elf.

Whatever your race, the very fact that you’re an engineer can help add spice and flavor to your back story. Are you a hunter who took up engineering for the excellent firearms and ranged weapon scopes? Are you a mage, shadow priest or warlock tinkerer who wanted to make the perfect spell-casting goggles? Are you a non-healing class who wanted a chance to resurrect your allies? Does your character dream of exploring the skyways of Outland and Northrend in her very own flying machine? How do your relatives/friends/significant others view your character’s profession? Do they accept you as an engineer, label you a black sheep, or actively disagree with your choices? Whatever your approach, as a profession engineering can have a significant impact on your character’s identity, her goals and plans, and where she’s headed.

Gnomish Engineering or Goblin Engineering? Most non-engineers don’t know the difference between Gnomish and Goblin engineering, so at some point in your roleplaying career you’ll have to explain the difference between the two, and why your character chose the specialization they did. The shorthand differences are: Gnomish engineering modifies the engineer or and manipulates the reality around her, and Goblin engineering blows stuff up.

Extra points if you’re a Gnome specializing in Goblin engineering – the cultural wars between Goblins and Gnomes are intense, deeply-rooted, sometimes bloody affairs, and most Gnomes wouldn’t be caught dead learning Goblin engineering. You could open up a rich furrow for character development by making such an unusual choice.

Creating Your Technical Vocabulary. If you like inventing weird terms and creating unusual-sounding inventions on the fly, take the plunge and try augmenting your roleplaying with descriptions of being an engineer. What happens when you place that Exploding Sheep down on the battlefield? What strange mechanical objects linger in the recesses of your character’s backpack? What obscure tomes does she read during her off hours? Nearly everyone who roleplays uses custom-made emotes to describe the actions their character is taking, and as an engineer, you can certainly do the same.

If you’re less comfortable creating plausible-sounding explanations for your engineering abilities on the fly, try watching an episode or two of any sci-fi TV show. How do the characters describe what happens to their time machine/stargate/spaceship when it gets damaged? What passes for standard technology on the show? Get a sense of how these shows use techno-babble, and then create a list of terms you like. Keep the list near your computer, and add to it as you continue exploring your character.

Inventing Your Own Projects. Even if you never have an in-game item to show for it, creating your own unique projects for your character to work on is a great way to define who they are. Is your engineer working on a super cannon? A time machine? A better mousetrap? As time passes, determine what progress your character is making on their project. What mishaps have they had? How have they redefined their goals?

Since traditional WoW roleplaying avoids discussion of character levels, at some point everyone has to find some way of explaining to their friends that they are now more powerful at level 71 than they were at level 67. Personalized engineering projects are a great way to do this. The more levels your character gains, the more progress they make on their special machine. You may have just completed the basic motor on your Noggenfogger Elixir Vending Machine and Personal Hairdresser when you were level 10, but now, at level 50 you’ve finished the Automatic Hair Curlers and fine-tuned the motors on the Beverage Shaking System.

Roleplaying Through Technical Difficulties. Perhaps one of the greatest things about role-playing an engineer is that your character can even come up with a reason behind lag and getting disconnected from your server. For the Scribe down the street or the Tailor next door, technical problems can’t be explained in RP terms. But for you – that rolling restart was your engineer resetting the button to her Quantum Mega Flux Cannon. And that nasty bout of lag right before Prince Keleseth in Utgarde Keep was the unfortunate result of your Tranquil Mechanical Yeti chewing on the wires of your Automatic Evil-Detecting Capacitor Engine with built-in Planar Rendering Machine.

Been away for awhile and have to explain an absence to your guild mates? No problem! Your engineer was testing the Multiple-Phase Portal on her Inter-Realm Gyroscopic Transportation Device, but the Transverse Ethereal Cobalt Couplings fell off, leaving her stuck in the Twisting Nether for a few days. Fortunately, she remembered to pack an extra Arclight Spanner and some spare Fel Iron Bolts, so she was able to patch up the Turbo-Powered Arcane Battery Pack and make her way back home.