#warcraft rpg

[warcraftconceptart]

Night elf Artist: Glenn Rane The Art of World of Warcraft, p. 25 (2004), this illustration also appeared as back cover of: World of Warcraft the Roleplaying game: Alliance player's guide (2006)

[findmeinshattrath]

There are a number of concepts from the old Warcraft RPG books that I’m fond of. One that reoccurred to me to day was the Wildhammer settlement in the mountains of Ashenvale. There isn’t much written about, but we know they raise gryphons and keep an eye out for anything out of the ordinary to report to the Night Elves. I don’t know, I just love small stuff like that and seeing the cooperation between two groups we don’t really see together much.

This is also part of the reason I have a fondness for the Hinterlands. Wildhammer, High Elves, and Draenei all in one place is a cool concept to me.

[wearerunecaster]

Runes of the Warcraft RPG

So! It’s been a while since I said I was going to start doing some in depth write ups on this blog. Well, life got a bit in the way and I was pretty busy, but today is the start of a new series “Runes: Fact but mostly Fiction”. Someone had asked me to talk about the runes from the Warcraft RPG, so that’s where I’m gonna start. Now, the runic system in the Warcraft RPG is pretty different from what we see in any of the video games. In the original Warcraft games, Runes were only a vague concept. They were used as traps or to empower heroes. In World of Warcraft they have a myriad of uses, but weren’t solidified into a strong concept until Wrath of the Lich King at which point they became one of the bases for the Deathknight class. In the games we don’t really know much about the runes themselves, how they’re formed, where they came from, what they represent. In the RPG the runes were delved into and two unique classes emerged: the Runemaster and the Inscriber. Runemasters write runes onto their flesh and in doing they empower themselves. Runemasters are monk-like characters who forgo armor and use their fists in combat. Inscribers are mages that utilize the spellcasting of other caster classes but also seek to add the power of runes to their repertoire. They cast the same spells you would find a mage or possibly even a warlock casting, while utilizing runes where appropriate. 

I’m not gonna get too much more in depth here, but I do want to take a look at what makes the runes of Warcraft unique. In the Warcraft RPG, runes are drawn representations of ley lines that cross the planet of Azeroth. A runecaster inscribes the pattern then imbues magic into it much the way they would cast a spell. Each rune represents a set of ley lines, and as such represent the fundamental magic and will of the planet itself. What makes them truly interesting to me though, is the idea that a rune can be more or less complex. Essentially, the runes are pictographs, and you can add to them. They start simply, appearing as a symbol, and they grow outward until they become a picture. Take for example the one I’ve posted here that takes the form of a turtle. Each rune builds up, and in doing so becomes more powerful as more of the natural energy of the planet is given representation. Other than the interesting way that the runes are formed, these runes act much in the way that they do in other RPGs. A rune is essentially a spell set into a material or person. 

To tell the truth, I’m not the biggest fan of the system here. I think it’s pretty interesting that the runes are actually representations of the planet itself, but I think that misses the point of runes. Runes are written languages, made powerful not just because of the concepts they represent but also because of the endless fascinating ways the human mind is capable of wielding them. For example, the letters E, A and T all mean individual things. But when you put them together they become foods, names, ideas. That being said, runes build off of each other and that’s what I think Warcraft got right. A lot of RPGs have runes that increase in power, but how is never exactly explained. There’s just low level and higher level runes. In the Warcraft RPG you build, until what you’re trying to tell the universe takes on a precise image. They represent an idea, and they show how the world itself conforms to that idea. Their power is in how well you, the reader, can interpret their intent.

[horde-fan]

WoW RPG

I don’t play current WoW at all (good thing prob) but damn I wish I could explore the setting. Like the worlds of Azeroth & Draenor have such cool potential too them, such interesting settings I just wish there were other ways to explore the setting. Basically what I’m saying is I want to run a wow rpg alsdjflasdjf. In it’s own system or through that one D&D 5e conversion. It would be so fun. Plus you could set it for literally any time period you want. And make any changes to lore you feel like. (aka.... lots of it lasjfl;asjfl;kj) You want it set during the Classic era, when the factions are establishing themselves, slowly building up and making new alliances? When the Forsaken just joined the Horde and tensions are building over Ashenvale and other battlegrounds, or doing the OG dungeons? Or perhaps you want to Explore Outland as a Blood Elf! Or since in an rpg you could be anything, maybe you want to serve Illidan instead! And this could go on for literally any expansion, or any of the previous wars/games! Heck with chronicles you have enough info you could even set it in the past! I just. No matter how shit Blizzard is, part of me will always like the setting, and I just want to explore it in fun interesting ways. So.... anyone want to do a WoW rpg hit me up la;sdjfl;dsjf (Or like just a discord server to discuss wow ocs would be fun)

[flightoffantasycreations]

Takoda Summermane - Pixel Art

If you haven’t yet, follow me on twitter @ https://twitter.com/Ari_Does_Art

art © Catherine Ball (Aristora, Flight of Fantasy Creations)

[mydnd]

Sorting the books in the order he dill destroy them. Should I sell them?

[warcraftconceptart]

Green faerie dragon through the years

2003: First appeared in Warcraft III: the frozen Throne (artwork by Sam Didier)

2005: Appeared in "Alliance Player's Guide" (artwork by Hannah Davies)

2006: Deviate Faerie Dragon rare NPC added to Wailing Caverns dungeon in patch 1.11.11 (classic model from Wowhead model viewer)

2013: Enchanted Faerie Dragon added as shop mount in WoW (changes colour - picture from Warcraftmounts)

2014: NPCs with the unarmoured model of the mount added to Warlords of Draenor zones (picture from Petopia)

2014: Brightwing added as Hero to Heroes of the Storm

2016: Vanilla Faerie Dragons receive a model update (picture from Petopia)

2019: Evasive Feydragon appears as a card in Hearthstone: Descent of Dragons (artwork by Zero Yue)

2023: Emerald Helper added to WoW (non-combat pet sized NPC) in Patch 10.1.7 (changes colour, picture from WoWhead model viewer)

2023: Faerie dragons with new models added to the Emerald Dream in patch 10.2.0 (artwork by Dave Greco, model from Petopia)

[warcraftconceptart]

The emerald dream Artist: unknown (likely Bill Petras) Source: World of Warcraft: the Roleplaying Game, p. 23 (2005) The Emerald Dream A primal and unspoiled world, the emerald dream is what Azeroth would have been if forests had not been cut, prairies farmed, rivers diverted and cities built. Verdant forests stretch in every direction, rolling hills and majestic mountains mimic Azeroth’s landscape. Indeed, Azeroth and the emerald dream are quasi-duplicates of each other. The mountains in Azeroth are in the same places as in the dream; but where a metropolis stands in Azeroth, a lush field grows in the dream. Creatures from Azeroth constantly visit the dream, they may or may not know it. Dreaming creatures arrive and often have prophetic visions. Druids enter the plane through their connection with nature. Accessing the dream via more conventional magic is possible, but the plane’s natives look with disfavour upon intruders. Nature is in a perfect balance in the dream. Animals of all types inhabit the world, including some that are extinct on Azeroth and subspecies that evolved. Many fey creatures — sprites, dryads, keepers of the grove, etc. — roam the dream. The entire plane is the dominion of Ysera, the green dragon aspect. She and her brood ensure that none despoil this paradise. For all its wonder, the emerald dream is not without its dangers. Those who visit via their dreams are welcomed and enfolded within the natural balance, but those who bring their physical selves face suspicion and hostility: a darker force has found its way into the emerald dream. Called the nightmare, this growing area of corruption stems from the twisted thoughts and fears of sleeping beings’ minds. The nightmare travels slowly through the dream, leaving corrupted, vicious animals and unwaking travellers in its path. Abriged text from World of Warcraft - the roleplaying Game, 2005 (p. 22-23)