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Every avid World of Warcraft player knows the deal – the long quest chains, the countless wipes in raids, getting ganked in Battlegrounds, and the daily grinds for rep and their bonuses. The love and devotion, measured in a ridiculous number of days when /played is typed, is our reason for powering through these tasks. But at some point, it has crossed the mind of everyone – maybe it was while battling Hogger, or getting lost in Icecrown Citadel, or while driving a siege engine in Strand of the Ancients - “Why am I doing this?”
Since the release of Warcraft: Orcs & Humans, WoW's predecessor by ten years and two other games, the heart of the story is a simple idea of conflict between very different cultures and the effects this clashing takes on the people and even the world they live in. One common result is the arrival of heroes and champions, fighting for their faction's beliefs or perhaps just fighting to stop the bloodshed. Whatever the case, this is what draws us as players to the game. But this seems similar to every other MMORPG out there – fight the bad guys and win glory both for your cause and yourself. What sets Azeroth apart?
A large part of it may be due to the rich details that Blizzard has worked into the setting, the vibrant, varied, and rather vast plane that sets the backdrop for the epic adventures. While it may be true that the graphics are becoming a bit dated (WoW will be nine years old this November, after all) every region is heavily detailed with proper foliage, ambient critters, 'real-time' lighting, and as an added bonus a beautiful soundtrack as unique as the over 60 zones you can find between the four continents of Azeroth and Outland. But more so than just having winter-swept mountain regions to wild and over-grown jungles to explore, the map actually proves to follow a practical design.
Take for example the Arathi Highlands, more appropriately called Arathi Basin due to the fact that the Battleground is the only thing worth noting of the zone as a whole. Overall it seems almost pointless, a pit in the middle of a desolate savannah that somehow houses a farm, lumber mill, stables, blacksmith, and a gold mine (pretty impressive actually, given how small the area is). This is what is left of the cradle of the WoW Human civilization as we know it today, besides the ruins of Stromgarde. However a quick look at the map shows that the area is centralized in the northern Eastern Kingdoms, with easy roads into the territory of the Forsaken, the Blood Elves, and the Dwarfs, making it a perfect place for trade routes and to gain a foothold in claiming or holding regions. This barren 'wasteland' could turn the tides of war for the faction that calls Arathi and the resource-rich Basin its own.
But it takes more than just a strong position to win a war. It takes people. Now the players, naturally, have already laid claim to the role of the hero, leaving the players who picked the opposite faction to be the foes. As it goes, however, simply beating on one another does get tiring and dull after some time. And that is where Blizzard steps in, to add NPCs as both allies and villains to throw a twist into the plot lines.
Anyone who played during Wrath of the Lich King remembers the log-in screen and the boney dragon that roared in a seemingly impatient manner while you were typing your information. This was Sindragosa, perhaps the second most terrifying creature rampaging around Northrend and Icecrown Citadel besides the Lich King himself. This makes perfect sense once it was realized who she was in life. The frost wyrm was no less than the prime consort of Malygos, the Blue Dragon Aspect, and considered most powerful user of magics in Azeroth's history besides the Spell Weaver himself. She was severely injured during the battle at the original Well of Eternity, flung to the far reaches of the frozen north and crawled to the Azure Dragonshrine to die. On the brink of death her heart was filled with rage, hate, and a lust for revenge. The Lich King resurrected her centuries later to serve as a formidable part of his Scourge. Realizing this, the Frost Queen suddenly seems more horrifying than before – a corrupted and angry dragon with near-infinite reserves of arcane power and the 'gift' of undeath. Without the bonds of servitude to the Lich King, what immense damage could she have done to the beloved world?
It is a story like that that not only chills the bones, but drives home a stronger desire to protect this universe and the citizens in it, for there are many more like Sindragosa with tales to tell – both joyful and tragic. This adds another deep and striking element to the game, making you feel closer to the NPCs because they suddenly become more than just a name and an avatar that loves to throw fire at your feet or provide you with a buff. At times, you even feel for them, being able to relate to their victories and strife. The history and lore of a game are its backbone, and you cannot have strong lore without strong characters like the this mighty dragon. Without her, her master, and the other Scourge minions, Icecrown Citadel would have simply been another icy fortress to haplessly wander into rather than the heart-pounding adventure we know and love.
So the next time you are running a flag to the base in Warsong Gulch or are punching Deathwing in the face and you want to ask yourself why you do it, ask instead why they are there. Simply put, we have fallen in love with this realm that feels like a second reality, not only because of its sheer beauty but because of the people that we find there, the fact that everyone seems to have a role in the narrative. That is the reason why we play – because all have a place in the World... of Warcraft.
