
So, with Children's Week upon us, the lore buff in me was wondering something: What's going to happen with Salandria?
If you had a high level character Horde last year and did the Shattrath Orphan's Week quest, you know what I'm talking about. Salandria, your Blood Elf Orphan, is a somewhat snooty and stuck up girl who loves to stick her nose where it might not be safe (such as the fire elemental up at the Throne of Elements), but she seems mostly like a normal, if slightly precocious girl.
Until she asks to go to Silvermoon and the Caverns of Time.
If you will remember from last year, when she asked to go Silvermoon, she said she wanted to be a Blood Knight, and asked to visit the Blood Knight's guild. Once there, she proceeded to head underground as if in a trance, and siphon power directly from M'uru, without prompting or instruction. Lady Liadrin, noticing this, immediately started making plans to adopt her and make her a Blood Knight initiate.
Of course, Lady Liadrin and M'uru are both gone from Silvermoon this year, so we can't very well have that same scenario play out. So what happens when she asks to go to Silvermoon this time? She no longer wants to be a Blood Knight. Instead, she wants to be a rock star, just like her hero, Sig Nicious of Level 70 Elite Tauren Chieftain!
So you head to Silvermoon and over below the balcony where they hang out, where she informs everyone that she is ready to rock, and proceeds to stand under a spot light and, in fact, rock out (playing air guitar and singing The Power of the Horde), while the members of L70ETC cheer her on. It's actually pretty cute, and totally not at all as foreboding as when she runs down to a secret underground lair and digs into a Naaru.
That said, the possibility of a Sinister future for young Salandria isn't completely lost. When she visits the Caverns of Time, she is still almost killed by the Wardens there. Zaladormu saves her and calls them off, saying that she cannot be held responsible for what she may do or fail to do in the future. She also talks about wanting to "own" a dragon one day, which still sets off alarms in my head, and makes me think of the Red Dragonflight being "owned" by the Orcs.
So what does this mean? Were the loremasters at WoW planning this all along? Did the history where Salandria became a Blood Knight and enslaved a Dragon disappear when Kael'thas stole M'uru? Or will Liadrin simply discover her at a later date, maybe on a visit to the Lower City?
Salandria always seemed to be a definite contrast to Dornaa, the gentle Alliance orphan, who receives the blessing of the Naaru O'ros, and shows an uncanny ability to commune with the elements, and wants to be friends with a Dragon (instead of owning one like Salandria). I always assumed that in the distant future, Warcraft 4 or 5 would feature the two facing off in an epic struggle between good and evil, With the haughty and arrogant Salandria facing off against the benevolent Dornaa, Salandria wreaking havoc upon Azeroth, and Dornaa torn between defending peace and a wish to bring her old friend from the orphanage back to her senses.
But anyway, maybe I have an over active imagination. Of course, the above scenario could still happen. All you'd really have to change is Salandria's character class. That's right, instead of a Paladin, she could just be the mistress of face-melting guitar riffs of ultimate evil. She could be a Bard.
Edit: People (including me) have started getting letters in their mailbox from Salandria. Just like last year, she still says that Liadrin is going to take her to Silvermoon to train as a Blood Knight. The question now is, are we to assume Liadrin's been taking tours of the Lower City and saw Salandria, or did Blizzard just forget to change the letter?














Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
5-01-2008 @ 6:15PM
Jidery said...
First!
Reply
5-01-2008 @ 6:21PM
ladyshiva said...
Ahh we can only hope.
Reply
5-01-2008 @ 6:31PM
Balasan said...
"I always assumed that in the distant future, Warcraft 4 or 5 would feature the two facing off in an epic struggle between good and evil, With the haughty and arrogant Salandria facing off against the benevolent Dornaa, Salandria wreaking havoc upon Azeroth, and Dornaa torn between defending peace and a wish to bring her old friend from the orphanage back to her senses."
That's what I predict too. But it's so cliche, and Blizz can do better than that.
It's still good tho.
Reply
5-01-2008 @ 6:51PM
Nizari said...
The problem with this scenario is the assumption that in 2 incarnations of Warcraft, the Blood Elves and the Dranaei will still be on opposite sides of the playing field. Back in WC2, the then high elves were an integral part of the alliance. Who's to say that in WC5 they won't be on the same side, or that the belfs will be the good guys and the Dranaei will succumb to the lure of arcane or demonic power?
5-01-2008 @ 7:22PM
Anuriel said...
Or self-righteous Dornaa wrecking havoc on all the land in the name of light and sorrowful Salandria torn between defending the world's peoples and a wish to bring her old friend from the orphanage back to her senses and to live and let live.
5-01-2008 @ 7:35PM
Dan said...
Nah, they're both going to decide to be stay at home moms, who'll meet for lunch at the worlds end tavern every thursday.
5-01-2008 @ 8:05PM
Jeenome said...
@dan
ROFLMAO!!!! I just can't picture a BELF as a mom much less a stay at home mom. :)
5-01-2008 @ 8:08PM
Unagieater said...
I was confused by this too.
I hope they do something with this eventually.
Heres my question, with BC we got BE and Draenai Orphans.
Death Knight orphan for Childrens day 09'?
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5-01-2008 @ 10:34PM
Lin said...
Tuskarr orphans who want us to find their bukkit. >.>
5-02-2008 @ 12:49PM
Silverrealm said...
"Tuskarr orphans who want us to find their bukkit."
/cast vote for "Quote of the week".
Too funny!
5-01-2008 @ 8:54PM
Badger said...
I was gonna make a joke about her becoming a Bard, but you beat me to it, Daniel. Nice.
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5-01-2008 @ 9:15PM
flippers said...
When you take here back to the orphanage she she says she's going to be adopted and start training as a blood knight.. mustn't have updated that bit :P
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5-01-2008 @ 10:10PM
Jp said...
I was wondering if they were going to change that, or if it was going to be similar to the blood elf pally quest line changes (siphoning residual energy, instead of M'uru).
As benevolent as Dornaa may be.. the dragons in the cavern charge her, too, and only Zaladormu's word stops them. If you pay close attention, aside from possibly the "owning" a dragon to "being friends" with a dragon dialogue change.. she's still a little girl with a LOT of power.. and that's never been good.
Whatever Salandria may do in the future... I picture Dornaa as her lackey, champion even, not as her opposition.
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5-01-2008 @ 10:19PM
Daniel Whitcomb said...
My Answer to that, Jp, would be to recall that Zaladormu's yell is about what "this girl may do, or fail to do," and the fact that O'ros the Draenei's words make it sound like Dornaa will grow up to be a champion of good.
For me, that sounds like Salandria will be a villain, and Dornaa will be the hero that needs to stop her, but stays her hand out of pity and remembrance of their shared history.
But it is possible that I'm just over imaginative.
5-01-2008 @ 10:48PM
VSUReaper said...
I'm not going to lie, I almost didnt want to turn in the quest to get the pet. That BE was just so cute having her follow me around.... but I noticed the expires in 7 days note on the whistle and did it anyways. I wish there ~was~ a quest to get a kid as a pet - I would so drop some major gold to do that :)
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5-01-2008 @ 11:18PM
Onawar said...
I just got my letter from her after doing my quests this morning. She still says that she gets taken by Lady Liadrin for training as a Blood Knight. So, I guess not much really got changed.
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5-01-2008 @ 11:31PM
Reinard said...
I just did the quest. Salandria was so cute! :( She won't be a villian. I'd be so sad. Honestly, I think she'd turn out to be good in one form or another, if not a tad...misguided. Just because the majority of blood elves are "bad" doesn't mean they all are. Not everyone is cut from the same cloth. She's young, confused, and a little over-eager. We'll see where this goes :)
...and she made me her big brother!! I almost *died* reading that ;_; I'm such a sap, lol.
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5-01-2008 @ 11:37PM
Reinard said...
Also, about the being a Blood Knight bit: remember, Lady Liadrin *has* changed since last time. With A'dal's forgiveness and a new path for the Blood Knights, I doubt Salandria would turn out so bad after all.
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5-01-2008 @ 11:54PM
Zach said...
Awesome read, Daniel! =D Why is it that the Blood Elves are always the bad guys? Boo!
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5-02-2008 @ 12:40AM
Brasson said...
Given Zaladormu's reaction, I'd guess the potential exists for Salandria to go either way. Rock star or blood knight, only time will tell.
Ooooh... potential CoT instance.
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