| Warcraft Universe |
Article Index for Warcraft |
Website Links For Warcraft |
Information AboutWarcraft Universe |
| CATEGORIES ABOUT WARCRAFT UNIVERSE | |
| video game franchises | |
| warcraft lore | |
| warcraft | |
|
The Warcraft Universe is the Fictional Universe in which the '' Warcraft '' series of computer games is set. Known worlds of this Fantasy universe are Azeroth (homeworld of the Human s) and Draenor (homeworld of the Orc s). As the name implies the Warcraft Universe largely revolves around conflict with the two major factions, the Alliance and the Horde . The setting was very much inspired by the '' Warhammer Fantasy '' games, and, to some extent, the '' Dungeons & Dragons '' multiverse. The fantasy works of J. R. R. Tolkien also served as a foundation; many of the races are patterned after Tolkien's, and placenames are often made to sound like Sindarin , the predominant Elvish language used in '' Lord Of The Rings . '' (Note: The map does not include the continent of Northrend at the north pole as it is not a reachable area within World of Warcraft)]] GAMES SET IN THE WARCRAFT UNIVERSE Computer games
Tabletop games
Books
GEOGRAPHY as seen in ''''.]] The Warcraft Universe includes many worlds, connected by a chaotic vortex called the Twisting Nether. Travel between these worlds is a rare event, but it can be achieved by so-called portals. The World Of Azeroth Azeroth is an Earth-like planet, inhabited by a diverse array of species. Most of the action of the Warcraft games takes place on this planet. The world is divided into three large land masses, Kalimdor , the Eastern Kingdoms and Northrend . Capital cities
Nation-States of Humans
Major cities
Minor Cities
Major races
The World Of Draenor Draenor (referred to as Outland after its partial destruction) is a harsh world that glares in a reddish hue. The waters seem foul, but this is misleading: the planet is capable of supporting life. It is the homeland of the Orcs and other related races ( Ogres , Draenor Giants, and Draenei ) that invaded Azeroth through the rift called the Dark Portal. It is also the place where some of the greatest heroes in the history of Azeroth journeyed to and disappeared, now presumed dead. The energies of this and subsequent portals opened by the Orcs were so intense that the world was ripped apart, and nowadays, only floating islands and debris remain. The world was originally a dense green swampland, but the demonic corruption of the Orcs by the Burning Legion scarred the land so thoroughly that it was left as little more than a dusty wasteland. The dominant life forms of the world were once the Draenei. Gul'dan the Warlock describes these beings as a "a weak people -- hardly worth the effort of our raiding sweep." After the destruction of Draenor, a few Draenei remained alive on Outland, but their numbers were further crippled by the Fel Orcs led by the Pit Lord Magtheridon , who completely conquered the remains of the planet. It wasn't until Illidan Stormrage and his band of Blood Elves and Naga arrived that the world was freed from Magtheridon's iron grip. People of Draenor Races native to the world of Draenor: Note: The Draenor giants are rarely mentioned or referenced to. The only reference to them was concerning the temples of the damned which were used by the Orcs in the Second War. The temples are made from the bones of the petrified corpses of a race of giants that were native to Draenor. Nothing else is known about them. The only mention of Draenor Humans (or a human-like race) are in the novel ''The Last Guardian'' as the basis for the parentage of Garona the Half-Orc, who was born before the Dark Portal was first opened. The Twisting Nether and the Beyond A chaotic swirling mass, the Twisting Nether is the fabric of the universe. One can think of the Twisting Nether as the Universe itself, although this is rather simplistic. It can be more accurately described as a higher plane of existence, where powerful beings exist that shape the events we see. It is not to be confused with space as we think of it for it is clear that space is a well understood concept by the races of Azeroth. The Dwarves, for instance, were originally created and bestowed with knowledge by a species of gods known as the Titans, have large mechanical Astrolabe s which demonstrate the movements of planets, stars, and extra-solar bodies through space. The Elves, furthermore, have been shown to possess telescopes for observing objects in the night sky. This space between the stars and planets is frequently called "The Great Dark Beyond," or simply "The Beyond," and it is described by Gul'dan as a place where the spirits of the newly dead go. On the other hand, the Nether, known varyingly as the Void, is shown to be a hell-like place above (or below) space and time as mortals observe them, and is the realm of Demons, what Gul'dan describes as "the long dead." It is arguable as to whether all dead beings invariably go to the "Great Dark" and the Nether, as humans, who worship what they call "the Holy Light," have been known to perform resurrections in which a winged being of light can be seen bringing back the dead with rays of sunlight. Furthermore, Orcs routinely commune with the natural spirits of their dead ancestors through the wind and the earth. It is perhaps possible, that in Gul'dan's lifetime, before the Orcs broke free of the demonic possession, that Orcs simply were not "good enough" to go anywhere but the "Beyond." Demons of the Burning Legion Known demon races from the Twisting Nether: SEE ALSO EXTERNAL LINKS |
|
|