[Guide] ‘Playing Dead’ – Thoughts on the Forsaken

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[Guide] ‘Playing Dead’ – Thoughts on the Forsaken

This is -not- just an RP ‘guide’ in the traditional sense, while I have included many parts from established Lore (both in-game and, yes, the now ‘non-canon’ RPG Books) I also include several personal speculations, interpretations or considerations of this extraordinary race. I will do my best to indicate when I move from established Lore to my own fan-theories.

1. INTRODUCTION

2. HISTORY
- War
- Betrayal
- Terror
- Freedom
- Redemption
- Vengeance
- War

3. THE STATE OF UNDEATH
- Physical Torture
- Mental Despair

4. CULTURE
- OUTLOOK
- The Blessing of Freewill
- The Raging Envy
- Means to an End
- FAITH
- The Shadow & the Light
- The Echo of Life
- Destiny & the Dark Lady
- CUSTOMS
- Festivals
- Art
- LANGUAGE
- Gutterspeak/Forsaken & Common
- Orcish
- Names

5. RELATIONS
- The Horde
- The Alliance

6. FORSAKEN A-Z: NOTABLE FORCES & PEOPLE

INTRODUCTION

The Forsaken share a tragic and terrible history, most fell to the claws and magic of the Scourge, before being risen to serve amongst that damned legion. Only the Dark Lady offered a moment of hope and it is that moment, when they achieved freedom from the grasp of the Lich King, which has sustained this otherwise disparate and despairing nation in a hostile world.

The Forsaken race is primarily composed of those humans, mostly hailing from Lordaeron, who were risen into the service of the Scourge. But the Dark Lady counts many others as her followers: fallen Rangers follow her in Undeath, some Dwarves caught up in the terror of Arthas’ advance are known to serve her, fierce Abominations and other horrors fashioned from flesh by the Apothecaries of the Undercity answer to her will and even lowly Leper Gnomes have found their way into her service. Together, these groups formed one nation with one goal: vengeance.

What follows is an insight into this mystical and terrible force.

HISTORY

The first thing to note is that the history of any Forsaken can be carved, very broadly, into three distinct elements: their life prior to the Third War, their service as Scourge and their existence after following their release from the will of the Lich King. What follows is a brief outline of events which may well be familiar to many Roleplayers, coupled with what this history might reveal about the Forsaken.

BETRAYAL

“Be wary, child, of Plaguelands plain...
Be mindful, child, of the infected grain...
For if throat is parched and of infected water sip...
Forever your soul will be in cursed Scourge grip.
So heed this warning, child, and if far from mother stray...
Let light from home's hearth guide you back your way.”

Common history relates how Brill was the first town to fall to Kel’Thuzad’s Plague of Undeath. The tainted grain carried from the agricultural hub of Andorhal was inexorably distributed across the northlands; the great city of Stratholme, a bulwark of the Light and Lordaeron, swiftly fell, the destruction made all the more terrible by the brutality with which Arthas purged the town.

What followed must still remain unclear to even the most learned Forsaken. The Crown Prince vanished across the northern ocean and although he left having successfully eradicated the sources of the Plague in Lordaeron, rumours continued to spread of feral ghouls roaming the countryside and butchering travelers, while the Cult of the Damned continued to thrive.

Arthas’ return, following many months of absence, should have been a definitive moment of triumph in the history of Lordaeron. Citizens lined the streets and all across the vast Kingdom word spread of his imminent arrival in the Palace. What followed was far more ‘definitive’ than anything that could have been imagined: the return of the Prince was not a deliverance from the fear which spread throughout the land; it brought this fear crashing home into the heart of humanities greatest kingdom. Arthas murdered his father, King Terenas Menethil, and became the Bastard Prince, Commander of the Scourge.

The relevance of all this to the Forsaken should be clear, but often it is forgotten. It is true that many, if not most, Forsaken seem to forget at least some of their past. Several forget their past entirely or, perhaps, they simply force themselves to forget, thus descending into the murk of madness. Certainly very few Forsaken have a total recollection of their entire life and those that do seem unwilling to remember everything.

Personal history might then be written off as a private matter amongst the Forsaken, leading some to conclude that it is unnecessary to consider all this when constructing a convincing character. But it is clear that not all Forsaken can escape the past, although some do try. When Bethor Iceshard actively seeks to reforge his friendship with Gunther Arcanus he is actively committing himself to reigniting the friendship of his past life.

Furthermore, the implications of the role the Forsaken had in life are huge. It seems to me that Undeath is an almighty leveler: nobles and peasants rot at the same rate. Sedrick Calston, now idling in his estate, bemoans his fate precisely because he has lost everything he worked for in life (a privileged background) and his attempts to regain this in death have brought him no happiness.

If your character was a homeless vagabond in life, then perhaps they now rejoice that the social injustice of the Lordaeron class-system has been corrected: they have been given a ‘second-chance’ in a society which seems to value pragmatism above worthless ‘privilege’. Conversely, it seems probable that the nobility of Lordaeron, who enjoyed immense comfort in life, would feel the most robbed by undeath.

What can also be said is that many Forsaken do share a common heritage beyond merely having been part of the Scourge. While the Dark Lady does count some High Elves, Leper Gnomes, Dwarves and constructs amongst her Undead followers, the vast majority are humans, mostly from Lordaeron, who would have witness the Second War as well as endured the Third.

The legacy of the Second War should loom large over those Forsaken who still cling to their past lives. The Orcs were savage enemies in life and the new ‘alliance’ is no doubt scorned by those reclusive Forsaken who refuse to actively partake in the work of the Horde. Shared experiences or memories might include the news of victory at Blackrock Mountain or the return of the Prince from Northrend, both great occasions of state, celebrated across the continent.

TERROR

"When I clawed my way out of the grave, I thought my family would welcome me with open arms. Instead, they drove me out of the village, screaming in a language I could no longer understand."

Arthus fled the city almost immediately, travelling west and resurrecting Invincible from his graveyard near the Balnir Farmstead. There is now a mysterious gap in records as to what occurred across the Kingdom. But by the time the Bastard Prince reappeared a few weeks later to meet with Tichondrius the Darkener, gather up the Cult of the Damned and rally his forces together for the march on the High Kingdom, the Scourge were already in control of most outlying towns as well as the countryside.

It can only be said that the Capital City of Lordaeron fell into turmoil, although it escaped immediate destruction, but it’s likely that law and order largely died with the King, leaving citizens to survive in a world of selfish anarchy. Grand Marshall Garithos seems to have struggled to retain some military order and the Order of the Silver Hand persisted until the murder of Uther.

Meanwhile, the Scourge forced their way into Quel’thalas, scarring the enchanted forests of Eversong, burnings the banks of the Elrendar and extinguishing the sacred energies of the Sunwell. It was during this great battle that Arthas raised the Ranger-General Sylvanus Windrunner as a Banshee in his service.

The Bastard Prince did not even bother to return to the Capital City of his now dead Kingdom and while Arthas led the bulk of the Scourge south to devour Dalaran and call forth Archimonde, he left his lieutenants – Falric and Marwyn – to annihilate the remaining people of Lordaeron, before animating them as Scourge.

The place of any Forsaken in this uncertain history must be unclear, since most seem to forget – by choice or otherwise – their time within the mindless legions of the Scourge. But the last memories of life may well burn the brightest amongst the dim recollections felt by some Forsaken and these memories cannot have been merry ones.

Was your character one of the first to fall to the Scourge and do they remember the march on the High Kingdom? Did your character cower in the streets of Lordaeron while chaos engulfed the proud nation? Or was your character one of the last to give up hope, fighting on for the Light and Lordaeron until the bitter end?

These questions can often determine the emotions which are felt most sharply by the Forsaken. Intense hatred of the living may be a result of the reaction of friends and family to their condition (which, although understandable, would constitute a ‘betrayal’), burning jealousy might be felt by those who were Turned by mere chance (perhaps they were visiting a friend in the countryside, and their friends in the Capital City survived the Scourge, at least to begin with) or even guilt, self-hatred and disgust might be a result of hazy memories of unspeakable crimes committed while serving the Scourge.

FREEDOM

"The Capital City is ours, but we are no longer part of the Scourge. From here on out, we shall be known as the Forsaken. We will find our own path in this world, Dreadlord... and slaughter anyone who stands in our way."

With Illidan’s assault on Icecrown Glacier weakening the mental control of the Lich King on his most distant subjects, many servants of the Scourge began to regain some semblance of freewill and even Arthas’ powers began to weaken while he ruled from Tirisfal.

Assuming that he had destroyed all his worthy opponents in Lordaeron, and preparing to return to Northrend, King Arthas and Kel’thuzad - now resurrected in the energies of the Sunwell – were unprepared when the three Dreadlords sent to oversee the Scourge on behalf of the Burning Legion (Detheroc, Varimathras and Balnazzar), claimed control over the Capital City. The Dreadlords had managed to gain control of many Scourge who has slipped from the grasp of the Lich King and Arthas was forced to retreat to Northrend, answering the call of his master and beginning his journey to Icecrown, having narrowly escaped an ambush laid out by Sylvanus,

The land of Lordaeron – now known as the ‘Plaguelands’ – was carved up between the Dreadlords, who promptly offered the Banshee Queen, Sylvanus, a place in their new order. The former ranger refused and rallying about her a lethal force of free-willed Undead, she managed to defeat Varimathras and gain his allegiance.

Detheroc was the next to fall to the growing forces of the Banshee Queen and Her ranks were swelled by the addition of Grand Marshall Garithos to Her ranks. Finally, the army of Sylvanus – now filled with Banshees, Demons, Humans, Undead, Ogre, Gnolls and even possessed Murlocs – assaulted the Capital City of Lordaeron. Varimathras personally executed his brother, Balnazzar, as a sign of his loyalty and Garithos, along with other unwanted ‘allies’ no longer needed, was murdered once the City was secure.

With this final act of treachery, the Dark Lady Sylvanus Windrunner declared herself Queen of the ‘Forsaken’ – a new nation forged from those Undead who survived the bloody rampage of the Scourge and the subsequent infighting. Most importantly, it had been Sylvanus who had gathered up the Forsaken and led them to victory against insurmountable odds: She was their salvation.

This terrible Civil War is recounted in Warcraft III and it is only really touched upon in the in-game book, ‘Civil War in the Plaguelands’ (which can be found in both Stormwind and the Undercity). Oddly, it seems to be the most relevant to the Forsaken nation today, explaining as it does their devotion to their Queen, their supposed paranoid hatred of those who seek to take Lordaeron from them and their ruthless devotion to the Capital which they fought so hard to save.

It is true that not all Forsaken characters we see in-game would have been truly free during this dark period in the history of the Glades. It is entirely possible that they regained consciousness sometime after Sylvanus established her new nation: indeed, the Forsaken starting experience in Deathknell points towards this as a more common back-story for most characters.

If, however, you character regained free-will during the Civil War, he no doubt fought against the Scourge under the control of the Demonic Dreadlords and it was the tactical genius of Sylvanus which led to his/her survival. If, more conventionally, your character emerged from a dusty crypt with little memory of this period then it is important to recall that all NPC’s they interact with are fanatically devoted to their Queen because of this brilliant ‘liberation’ of Lordaeron: all Forsaken will no doubt be familiar with the history of the Civil War, even if it is somewhat romanticised.

The Civil War is therefore a useful foundation when attempting to understand the Forsaken devotion to their Dark Lady. Furthermore, it goes someway to justifying their willingness to embrace Fel magic, demonology and necromancy: the Forsaken nation was born in a land ridden with Demons, traitors and monstrosities which would not allow idealism or philosophy to come before survival at all cost.

REDEMPTION

"Let all that you do be done for the Horde."

The exact diplomacy which led to the Forsaken joining Thrall’s ‘New Horde’ in Kalimdor remains unclear, at best, and largely unknown. Doubtless the Forsaken needed allies, fast. The nations of Gilneas, Kul’tiras, Stromgarde and Dalaran, though greatly weakened, still lay just south of Sylvanus’ new nation. And across Baradin Bay lay Ironforge and beyond, Stormwind, her towers rebuilt and her strength reborn, no doubt preparing to ‘reclaim’ Lordaeron from her former people.

Closer to home, the Scarlet Crusade and the remaining Scourge were no trivial threat. The strongest of the Forsaken, those who refused to spend their time lurking in despair in the depths of the Undercity, raided the remaining outposts of humanity. To the east of the Capital City a ramshackle outpost, known as the Bulwark, attempted to hold back to rambling Scourge legions, but many made it past the Forsaken defenses and Tirisfal was far from secure.

All this must have led Sylvanus to conclude that isolationism was not an option: survival, after all, was the first aim of the Forsaken, for without survival there could be no vengeance. The Horde agreed to a mutual arrangement (‘alliance’ might have been stretching it), since Orgrimmar must have recognised the advantage of having a foothold in the Eastern Kingdoms. Battles soon raged in the Arathi Basin and Alterac Valley, while the Forsaken continued to solidify their hold on the continent.

With the support of Horde adventurers, the tireless Forsaken forces were eventually successful in securing Tirisfal – having destroyed the majority of the Scarlet Crusade, Silverpine – once the Magi of Ambermill were pushed back and Hillsbrad – although Southshore sill clung to the southern shoreline, filled with desperate refugees.

Meanwhile, Sylvanus returned to her homeland and was allegedly instrumental in bringing the Blood Elves into the Horde. Few forces from Durotar ventured as far as Quel’thalas, but the Queen was determined the support the remnants of the nation she had failed and a large Forsaken force was dispatched to southern Eversong – now the ‘Ghostlands’ – to assist in the reclamation of the tainted forests. And slowly the gaze of the Dark Lady turned to the north, hungering for revenge; it was rumoured that several trips were made to Northrend before the ‘Hand of Vengeance’ was formed and the first squadrons deployed.

With her command of Lordaeron appearing ever-stronger, the Queen could finally afford to prepare for the advance upon Icecrown. The Horde, finally ‘finished’ in Outland, could now join the Forsaken in confronting the Lich King.

All of the ‘First Generation’ Forsaken would have experience this uncertain chapter in some detail and these memories, assuming your character has escaped madness, will be sharper than most others.

The reaction to the Horde is detailed a little later, but suffice to say that the Forsaken, at least initially, saw their ‘allies’ as nothing more than a means to an end: they had fought against the Orcs before death and Trolls had never been a friend to humanity, so the entry into the Horde was a revelatory experience. Yet with every passing year, with each joint-expedition and with a growing number of Forsaken travelling further from Lordaeron, the bond with the Horde races grows somewhat stronger.

The Horde may well have sympathised with the position of the Forsaken as ‘outcasts’, but beyond this the alliance was nothing more than one of convenience, ensuring that the Frostwolf Clan was not an isolated Horde presence on the otherwise hostile eastern continent.

The role of any character in this ‘early history’ is certainly something to be considered. Some Forsaken were no doubt willing to serve the Lady in any way possible and the battle against the Scarlet Crusade, the lengthy storyline which dominated the original Tirisfal Glades, would have enticed many Forsaken seeking to reestablish themselves in this new society.

The current place of most characters in Forsaken society must be a direct result of their efforts during this more hopeful period of their history.

VENGEANCE

“Did you think we had forgotten? Did you think we had forgiven? Behold, now, the terrible vengeance of the Forsaken! Death to the Scourge! And death to the living!”

The subsequent rush to Northrend was a campaign unlike anything many Forsaken could have imagined. Certainly, dangers had been faced in Lordaeron and ‘vengeance’ had always been a distant aim, but now the promise of revenge was tantalisingly close.

But while the Warsong Offensive was embroiled on the western shoreline of Northrend, the Apothecaries who came with the Hand of Vengeance worked unwatched in the western regions. It was here that the desire for revenge was taken to a terrible end and at the Wrathgate, Grand Apothecary Putress unleashed his new Blight upon Horde and Alliance alike.

The aftershock from this dreadful betrayal was not only tragic, but also politically devastating. It transpired that Putress was in league with Varimathras, supposed lieutenant of the Dark Lady, who had now led a coup in the Undercity and claimed Lordaeron for his mysterious ‘master’. Those Forsaken loyal to the Dark Lady were able to escape to Orgrimmar through portals and by Zeppelin and the Queen herself was forced, in exile, to Durotar.

The Forsaken refugees slept in ramshackle encampment set up around Orgrimmar overnight, but they were not welcomed by many. In a heroic effort, the Warchief led a carefully selected force to reclaim the Undercity, alongside the Dark Lady and Vol’jin. The attack was successful and Varimathras, along with his small army of demons and Putress’ hideous experiments, was defeated. But the damage was already done. Sylvanus appeared incompetent and treacherous, the Alliance – who had launched their own assault on the city and so met Thrall’s group in the catacombs – were ready for all out war, the Horde were now deeply suspicious of all Forsaken. Had the threat of the Lich King not loomed so large over Northrend, the Forsaken may well have faced immediate annihilation.

Fortunately, that outcome was avoided, but the hated Forsaken were now to be watched over by brooding Kor’kron throughout the Undercity and the Argent Crusade struggled to hold together the tenuous truce between the two factions fighting in Icecrown. But the truce did hold and the outcome was so glorious that the Forsaken could forget, for a short time, the shame brought upon them by Putress: the Lich King was destroyed. Vengeance, at last.

Since joining the Horde, relations had steadily improved but the Wrathgate changed all of this, perhaps irrevocably leading the Forsaken down a darker, more isolated, path. Putress may well be dead but his spectre hangs over all Forsaken characters on Azeroth today.

There can be no doubt that many more Forsaken were heavily involved, even if only indirectly, in the development of the deadly Blight which decimated the combined forces in the Dragonblight. As early as Silverpine, players are tasked with helping to create an ‘Elixir of Agony’ and later they are sent as far as Razorfen Kraul to collect mysterious reagents for the Royal Apothecary Society.

In the Howling Fjord, this ‘involvement’ widens further still: New Agamand appears to be unashamedly devote itself to the development of biological weaponry and the Hand of Vengeance does nothing to restrain such projects. This is not to say that all Forsaken are culpable for the wrongs of Putress, only that it may be fair to say that the majority of the Forsaken feel somehow responsible for his actions.

Whether they regret or support such action is another matter entirely. While most at least appear to remain loyal to the Dark Lady, it can be said that radical Forsaken still hunger for vengeance against the ‘living’. Moreover, Master Apothecary Faranell has retained his position at the helm of the Royal Apothecary Society, suggesting that little has been done to thoroughly re-examine the practices of the treacherous chemists.

Whatever the position of your character, the point is that they cannot fail to have a position: the Wrathgate altered the Forsaken place in the Horde and while it may well have led some to caution against such violent extremism, others may have looked on in quiet admiration, believing only that Putress was foolish to strike so early.

WAR

“Now the Lich King is dead and we have returned. The people who called this land their home in life, do so in death as well. But the Alliance does not recognize our rights. They claim this land as their own while attempting to invalidate the claims of the founders of this kingdom. I will never allow it... Never! Lordaeron belongs to the Forsaken - always and forever.”

Now we reach the most recent history of the Forsaken and it is one of conflict, strife and war. Sylvanus must have been shaken by the realisation that she lacked the control over her own people, control that she had once seemed so certain of. The bolstering of the Forsaken presence in Lordaeron was so excessive, that it can have served as little more than propaganda and a continued desire to forge a new identity for a her fledging nation.

The Greymane Wall was also broken and Warchief Garrosh Hellscream saw a mighty opportunity for the Horde to expand their hold on the region. Sylvanus consented to oversee the conquest of the fragile peninsula, if only since she must have seen an opportunity to show the Horde that the Forsaken were still valuable allies. The invasion has recently ended in stalemate, with the Forsaken Front remaining an endless battle between the 7th Legion, alongside the Gilnean Liberation Front, and the Deathguard of the Forsaken.

Not only has the Dark Lady secured her hold over Lordaeron with vast new constructions (including an imposing statue of herself in Brill) and an aggressive military strategy (with outposts being set up in Arathi and the Hinterlands), she has also recruited the Val’kyr into the service of the Forsaken. These ‘Maidens’, former servants of the Scourge, now serve the Forsaken by raising the dead back to ‘life’. The consequences of this have yet to be fully realised, but it would seem that the Forsaken now pose a more terrible threat than ever before.

The service of Galen Trollbane, the destruction of Southshore, the conquest of Andorhal: all are sources of great pride amongst loyal Forsaken and sources of great concern amongst their enemies, and even their more doubtful allies.

The most significant development in this era is the emergence of the ‘Second Generation’ of Forsaken. These Forsaken have experienced nothing of the earlier history as Undead, instead they have led lives elsewhere in Lordaeron, either fighting the Forsaken or fleeing from their wrath. The reaction of these Forsaken seems to differ hugely: from abject horror, to fleeting madness, to grateful servitude. It seems likely that your character shall lean towards the latter if you intend to Roleplay your Forsaken as an integral part of the Dark Lady’s society, but this does not mean that ‘doubt’ cannot endure.

For this ‘Second Generation’ of Forsaken, ‘life’ may be a far closer, more tangible, concept and the ‘escape’ offered is not really an ‘escape’ at all. The First Generation viewed the Lady as a saviour only because she delivered them from the oppression of the Scourge, but the Second Generation are ‘freed’ from no such oppression, they simply awake from the peace of death to a nightmarish existence. See the ‘Culture > Outlook’ section for more detail on this distinction.

For those Forsaken of the ‘First Generation’ the Cataclysm has brought a great deal of change. The sudden expansion of their nation should be a source of pride, for most, but there may be those who question the ruthless aggression of Sylvanus and the Grand Executor. It seems likely that the Forsaken military has expanded dramatically in the last year or so, suggesting that few Forsaken avoid the war effort any longer and even those in the Undercity are actively called upon by the Warchief to fight for the Horde.

The appearance of the Val’kyr seems to please the vast majority of the Forsaken, particularly those players interact with in Silverpine, since they offer a future for their race, but there may also be some doubtful voices on the fringes of society who are unnerved by their Queen’s deployment of ‘Scourge’ forces. This is not to say that anything but a silent minority question the Queen herself, only that some remain suspicious of the radical elements she is beginning to employ.

CULTURE

OUTLOOK

The Blessing of Freewill

While many players seem to condemn the ‘Scourge-like’ state of the Forsaken in Cataclysm, the starting experience contradicts the view that the race has become enslaved to the will of the Dark Lady. Over and over again, it is ‘free will’ which is expounded as the greatest virtue of the Forsaken and the greatest gift of the Dark Lady.

When new Undead are risen they are assured that they have been “freed... from death’s grip” and Novice Elreth comments that “as long as [Lillian Voss] has maintained her free will, there’s still hope”. This commitment to ‘freedom’ is probably more acute amongst those Forsaken who were released from the terror of the Scourge by Sylvanus and it is obvious that some of the ‘Second Generation’ of Forsaken do not gain ‘freedom’ at all as Undertaker Mordo explains that “others lose their minds completely, shambling about aimlessly”. Afterall they were offered no ‘freedom’ to refuse the ‘gift’ of Undeath and this absence of choice seems to lead several of the newly risen to view their state as a prison or a curse.

Regardless of this awkward paradox (that ‘freedom’ is attained by the absence of free choice) it is freewill which is exalted as the most vital component of Forsaken society. When Garrosh asks Sylvanus how she differs from the Scourge, she might well have replied that the alleged freedom of her people ensured they were nothing like the Scourge: indeed, the obsession with ‘freewill’ might be seen as a futile attempt by the Forsaken to distance themselves from the Scourge they are beginning to imitate.

Furthermore, there is a limit to this freewill. Marshall Redpath, upon begin risen, refuses to serve the Dark Lady. This is, apparently, acceptable (since the Val’kyr assure the newly risen that “you are free to follow whatever path you wish”) and so Redpath is allowed to depart from Deathknell into the wilderness. What is not acceptable is what follows: Redpath gathers together a force of his own, contemptuously called the ‘Rotbrain’ by the Forsaken, and rejects the rule of the Dark Lady. The Rotbrain Encampment is attacked by the Deathguard and butchered, supposedly because they planned to attack Deathknell and not because they refused to join the Forsaken. But the scenario does illustrate the difficult balance which underpins the Forsaken outlook: service and devotion to the Queen is paramount, but freewill is a quality of equal importance.

Not all ‘freewilled’ Forsaken suffer death as traitors. Leonid Barthalomew the Revered is a prime example of a Forsaken who has chosen his own path, despite owing his freedom the Dark Lady. While such examples seem incredibly rare, it is worth noting that it is possible for Forsaken to chose their own path in unlife.

The Raging Envy

Hatred is a primal part of Forsaken culture. It is what seems to animate and drive the majority of the Forsaken, even if it is blind rage rather than focussed jealousy. This powerful emotion is driven by several emotions, most of which are felt by many Forsaken: fear, envy and anger.

The Forsaken are a race with a universal persecution complex, but their concerns are not entirely unfounded. Rejected by their families, the Light and the people who once claimed to be allies, they find themselves alone in a world that hates them and surrounded by those who would hunt them as animals. Fear is a product of this hostility, and many Forsaken give themselves over to hysterical paranoia, abandoning old virtues such as ‘trust’, ‘peace’ or ‘friendship’.

Envy is just as widespread as this fear. The First Generation of Forsaken count themselves fortunate to have escaped the grip of the Lich King, but wholly unfortunate for having been risen in the first place. While Undeath is occasionally embraced by those who hold it as a ‘second chance’ or a path to immortality, it is largely viewed as a curse, leading to self-hatred and self-denial. Envy springs from such a wretched condition: the Humans who still live are a painful reminder of what was lost and many of them survived by mere chance. Genavie Callow is one such Forsaken driven by this envy as she sends those willing to kill her ‘enemies’: “Kenata still lives; her family healthy and prospering while I suffer. Forsaken indeed!”

The world, in a word, seems ‘unfair’: why should a brother, or a sister, or a friend have lived on in Stormwind, while their family rot in Lordaeron? The answer, of course, is to level the playing field by punishing those who unfairly survived the Scourge.

Anger is perhaps the most common emotion to be found amongst the Forsaken: anger at the unfairness of their existence, anger at the Scourge for turning them into these monstrosities, anger at the Alliance for abandoned them in the north. This is what drives the race onwards to conquer new lands, the simple belief that their rage is a fair repayment for those who abandoned them. In Deathknell, it is ‘Novice Elreth’ who best expresses this desire for revenge: “we must accept our fate as undead if we are to rise up against those who would put us down”.

It is interesting to note that those Forsaken who have given themselves over to the most intense self-hatred, the rebellious Rotbrains who break away from the rule of the Dark Lady in Tirisfal, appear to favour more aggressive styles of fighting. Their melee fighters go into a berserk rage while their casters use fire as their weapon of choice: perhaps this anger makes itself manifest in their burning, maddened, raging approach of battle.

Not all Forsaken give themselves over to blind hatred. Roberick Dartfall is known to lead a small band of Forsaken through the Glades with the intention of proving to the world that there are ‘good’ Forsaken who seek only to defeat the Scourge and survive in peace.

Means to an End

Finally, the Forsaken outlook is one of immense pragmatism. They do not care how an aim is achieved, so long as it is achieved: almost any means may be used to reach an end. It was this ruthless ideology which pushed Putress beyond even the most twisted norms, but the rationale did not die with his death.

All that is valued is the expedient achievement of a goal; material worth seems to be of little interest. Genavie Callow actually states that she “doesn’t care about the things [her ‘enemies’] stole... [She] just wants their heads!” Murder is a necessary action in the quest for vengeance, and worldly goods to not distract from this goal.

Furthermore, Forsaken society offers reward for action, rather than heritage or rhetoric: Darnell, who starts out helping the freshly risen with menial tasks, is promoted into the Deathguard for his efforts and eventually makes his way to Mount Hyjal to assist in the battle against Ragnaros. The point is that Darnell was rewarded for his hard-work and rises swiftly through the ranks of the Forsaken, his origins and his past seemingly unimportant. It is this dismissal of past history which has Caretaker Caice shout so dismissively: “King, peasant, or mage... I don’t care what you were before. I just need somebody with a working tongue.”

The Forsaken, then, believe that the ends always justify the means. Perhaps the only reason Putress was viewed as a failure and an outcast was because he failed in succeeding, not because his means were so despicable.

FAITH

The Shadow & the Light

Belief in the Shadow has its origins in the Orcish necrolytes of the Horde and it is probable that the question of the Shadow was always one which troubled the Light-wielding Priests of Lordaeron. Natalie Seline was a priest of Lordaeron who delved into this dark magic following the invasion of the Horde in the First War. After her death, her preaching’s were declared heretical by the Kirin Tor and locked away in the vaults of Dalaran.

When the Forsaken rose from the grave, many found that the power of the Light was less responsive that it had once been and, worse still, the energies of the Holy Light enacted terrible, burning pain when it was used upon the cursed form of the Undead. The rediscovery of the work of Seline led some Forsaken to begin exploring the Shadow for themselves, although the Light was not yet forgotten.

Despite the apparent incompatibility of their hideous forms with the Light they once worshipped (for Lordaeron had always been an exceedingly religious nation), some Forsaken still hold to the belief that the Light will eventually deliver them from the Curse of Undeath. Such examples are rare and such belief is discouraged by wider society, but ‘the Light and Lordaeron’ remains a common phrase amongst the Deathguard. The Light can still be channelled, with great effort, and can still heal wounds, but the experience is painful for both the Undead caster and their target: the Light now heals by effectively cauterising the wound.

Faith in the Shadow is far more widespread, for the Forsaken themselves are animated by the dark, demonic energies which Ner’zhul shared with some of the Orcish Magi. The Cult of the Forgotten Shadow is not a centralised, organised faith like the Church of the Light which persists in Stormwind. The Cult appears to lack a central leader and is instead held together by local prophets who spread the faith; Aelthalyste in the Undercity is perhaps the most senior figure of the Cult to be found in the Capital City. Deathknell is widely viewed as the home of the Cult, but its members are found across Forsaken territory, with several Dark Rangers being particularly fervent followers of the Shadow.

It is important to understand that the purpose of the Cult is not necessarily the destruction of the Light of life. Balance is a central tenet of the faith and while the Shadow is held up as the most promising force for the Forsaken, the Light is often recognised as just as vital for universal order, what's more Shadow Priests must never forget the dangers of falling too deep into darkness.

The Three Virtues of the Shadow are a twisted mockery of the Light’s virtues, each turned to support an egotistical world view. Above all, the Shadow teaches that self-preservation is paramount and selfishness is lauded as the path to ascension. Respect, Tenacity and Power: these are Three Virtues, each one emphasising self-protection. It is difficult to state exactly what these entail, since the decentralised nature of the Cult means that interpretations of the Shadow vary even in a local area.

Occasionally, other Virtues are added to this list. Power over Death is often held as a separate Virtue which must be exercised with caution; Compassion is, surprisingly, occasionally preached by Shadow Priests, though this is often only extended to fellow Forsaken; Ascension is the ultimate goal of the Cult and sometimes a Virtue in itself: all Forsaken should strive to be one with the Shadow and leave the weak confines of their corpse.

Only a minority of the Forsaken are actively involved in the Cult, and most only have a vague knowledge of its teachings, often taking it to preach little more than self-preservation and keeping an eye out for oneself. The lack of order in the Cult makes any meaningful progress of the philosophy or unification of its various local sects, impossible and so faith in the Shadow is usually quite a private affair.

The Echo of Life

Those Forsaken who are more willing to remember their past lives are often drawn to the esoteric philosophy of the Echo of Life. There is no ‘cult’, no ‘society’, no ‘church’ for this mysterious and rare faith; indeed, many Forsaken seem to be unaware of its existence.

Those Forsaken who follow the path of the Echo of Life are often reluctant to embrace the state of their Undeath and cling to distant memories of their past lives in the hope that they might regain even a semblance of their humanity. Arcane addiction still affects Forsaken, in fact, some scholars have theorised that the Undead are more susceptible to such addictions than the living. When using the Arcane, Forsaken may feel a rare stirring, a surge of power, a feeling in a world where most other sense have dulled.

Thus the Echo of Life developed as a distinct interpretation of this addiction: the use of the Arcane returns the Forsaken, momentarily, to the living world – they can feel the rush of magic, the same feeling experienced by the living. So the pursuit of the Arcane brings the Forsaken ever closer to their former lives and the ‘Echo of Life’ can be felt when channelling such magic. As a result of this origin, almost all those who follow the Echo of Life are Warlocks or Mages.

Destiny & the Dark Lady

The final ‘faith’ to be found amongst the Forsaken is an unshakeable belief in the power of ‘destiny’ or a resigned committal to the direction of ‘fate’. Many amongst the race either believe that the curse of Undeath was some sort of inevitability and that the future is a path resulting from this fact, or that the Dark Lady will deliver them from this Curse, and the destiny of the Forsaken as a nation lies with her.

This sort of fatalistic outlook is to be found in every corner of society and it seems to go hand in hand with the belief that the Forsaken belong together as a nation, that the future of the race can only be assured if individuals work together for the Dark Lady. Isabella, in Deathknell, epitomises this outlook: “We are kindred spirits. We both have felt pain. We both have suffered. And now we want the power to take back what we know is ours: this land, our lives, our destinies.” She views the domination of Lordaeron as a part of the Forsaken destiny and the Dark Lady is the prophet who will guide her people towards this outcome.

Other Forsaken, while still believing in some sort of ‘fate’, speak less grandly of the whole thing. Valdred Moray, when risen from the graves of Deathknell, seems to accept his Undead state because he “supposes this is [his] fate”. It might be that those Forsaken who have avoided madness have done so by teaching themselves to accept their Undeath in a similar way: attributing the horror of their past to some strange destiny and believing that the Dark Lady is the key to the next chapter of their story.

CUSTOMS

Festivals

Hallow’s End: this is the only Festival to be represented in-game and it is highly significant for Forsaken society. It was once the Harvest Festival of the people of Lordaeron and humans would flock to Andorhal to enjoy the vibrant markets in the rural town, but the Festival is now used to celebrate the day on which the Forsaken broke free from the Lich King’s control and began their journey to independence. Thus the Festival of Hallow’s End commemorates the birth of the Forsaken as a nation of freewill Undead, no other Festival has such significance.

During the Festival, a huge Wickerman is erected outside the walls of Lordaeron and burnt to the ground. Many say this practice dates back to the time before the Scourge, but the Wickerman is now symbolic of the Lich King, the Scourge and those who seek to oppress the Forsaken: the fire is the vengeance which shall consume them. The Forsaken then smear the ashes of the fire on their faces, representing their belief that the nation of Lordaeron shall be reborn through the defeat of the Lich King and their other enemies. Sylvanus herself is often present for the ceremony.

Celebrations are often held in the depths of the Undercity, masked balls and jubilant parades embodying a rare moment of merriment amongst the otherwise grim surroundings.

NOTE: the following ‘Festivals’ are of my own invention. They are simply the result of speculation and you are free to either ignore them or use them as you see fit.

The Sunstede: this Festival is yet another perversion of a traditional Lordaeron celebration. The Church of the Light once celebrated the Summer Solstice as the height of the Light’s powers, when the first prophets of the Light came to the people of Strom (although this practice was itself an adaptation of an earlier pagan tradition).

The Cult of the Forgotten Shadow have since twisted this holiday and a few Forsaken now celebrate the Solstice since the world passes back into the 'Shadow of the Shorter Day'. 'Sunstede' being the ancient Arathian term for the Midsummer Season. Fires are lit at noon to represent the Light and they are then extinguished on the Solstice, at Midnight, to celebrate the triumph of the Shadow.

Remembrance: this Festival is rarely celebrated and few Forsaken still join in with the traditional festivities. The people of Lordaeron would remember their dead on the 2nd Sunday or every month, laying flowers on graves and singing funeral dirges as dusk fell. Now some Forsaken still hold this occasion dear and, though they themselves are dead, they gather with fellow observers, wearing life-like masks and spend the day talking of farms and gossiping of those long since dead or departed.

Atonement: a small number of Forsaken remember the horror of the Wrathgate each year, on the anniversary of the atrocity. Those that bother to feel any remorse may offer wilting flowers to veterans of the war in Northrend as a sign of sorrow and some have even made a pilgrimage to the Dragonblight to visit the site of Putress’ betrayal.

Those who do not feel the need to ‘apologise’ still remember the traitor Varimathras. The Royal Apothecary Society traditionally opens its doors to outsiders on this day, thus allowing itself to appear more transparent, reassuring some who doubt their honesty.


Art

Aesthetic beauty is hardly appreciated by the Forsaken nation, but that is not to say that some motifs are not to be found throughout their realm. Much of what follows is my own speculation.

Clothing is often simple or traditional and most Forsaken seem to keep to the ‘human’ style they know from Lordaeron. None have fully embraced the more tribal appearance of the Horde and flowing robes, elegant gloves or delicate belts are favoured over less formal attire. Some Forsaken take to wearing the old robes once worn by Priests of the Light during life, they allow these sacred robes to become filthy and torn, thus making a mockery of the Light itself.

Many Forsaken appear to loathe their appearance in Undeath and, as such, thick clothing which hides the body – including gloves, cowls, cloaks – are commonly found in Forsaken society. Dark blue and purple colours are frequently used for uniforms; it might be that such colours are reminiscent of the dark cold of Undeath or the Power of the Shadow.

Architecture is fairly uniform across the region of Lordaeron. While the Forsaken lived for some time in the ruins of what was left of towns and villages, they have only recently developed their own constructions. These fearsome buildings are adorned with harsh spikes, glowering skulls and cold metal: all designed to inspire a terror in those unfamiliar with their surroundings and to glorify the harsh existence of Undeath. The Undercity is set apart from these newer constructions, as most of it was carved by the Scourge forces from the Royal Catacombs and the Sewers which stretched beneath the Capital City. Yet the iconography is similar: skulls and bones glorify the state of Undeath.

The Dark Lady has herself become an icon and the construction of her statue in Brill is testament to the devotion of the Forsaken to her will. Forsaken rarely seem to depict themselves in any visible artwork and it would seem that the Lady has become a symbol of the entire race: her statue lies at the heart of her realm in Tirisfal, just as she lies at the heart of all loyal Forsaken.

The Icon of Torment is to be found scattered all across the Forsaken Kingdom, on the banners of Deathguard and the tabards of the army of the Dark Lady. The mask in the centre is representative of Sylvanus, and by extension all Forsaken, and her face is shattered – symbolising that her life was broken by Arthas. The trio of arrows are her weapons of choice and they may serve as icons of the vengeance she intends to enact on those who threaten her people. The Raven on which all this rests is a symbol of death.

THE STATE OF UNDEATH

Physical Torture

The extent to which the Forsaken have decomposed varies from person to person. Some are a shambling shadow of their former selves, limp limbs which may not be their own stitched on to rotten, deformed bodies. Others are relatively well preserved, either because they were risen swiftly after death, or often due to the nature of the death (freezing in the wilderness, for example, would preserve the body well).

It is common for Forsaken to have the body parts of other attached to them and few retain all of their original bodies. Some may even have more parts of others than their own fixed onto them by the work of surgeons in the Apothecarium. Forsaken bodies do still decompose, though at a slower rate due to the dark powers which bind them together and animate them. Preservation may well be the aim of some Forsaken and it is probably that the Royal Apothecary Society has produced various ‘cures’ for decaying flesh or organs.

Some Forsaken lack vital functions because of their rotting state. Some have no jaw, rendering their speech a garbled mess which is often difficult to understand; others lack sight, although they may be able to ‘see’ by other, magical means. The best preserved retain such basic functions and they may feel grateful for their luck.

In appearance, the Forsaken are almost always repulsive creatures. Their faces marred by rotten marks, hideous scars and decomposition; their stench is often almost unbearable; their voices are usually rough, strained or otherwise twisted from any ‘normal’ sound.

The senses of the Forsaken are often dulled: sights may seem clouded; smells seem distant; sound is distorted; touch is dull; taste is rarely rich. Many do not need to eat and drink at all to survive, though some do need to consume minimal amounts to survive and others continue to dine out of habit. Sleep is also not needed by all, but it does allow for a brief respite from awareness, although it no longer seems to bring that restful feeling which it brought in life.

An old quest in Brill suggested that some Forsaken fill the ‘Chill’ of Undeath: a permanent, weak coolness which will not relent and it may be that a dull pain can be felt from old wounds that never heal.

In short, while necromancy and chemistry continues to aid the Forsaken in coping with their wretched condition, Undeath is still not a pleasant existence and few Forsaken actually relish their cursed state.

Mental Despair

The reaction to Undeath varies wildly across Forsaken society. Some descend into blind insanity: Dumass in Hillsbrad seems to believe that Tarren Mill is somewhere in the Barrens; some are consumed by rage and self-hatred: Lillian Voss is the most common example of this response and her anger is truly terrible to behold; others accept their resurrection as a ‘second chance’.

Insane Forsaken are, apparently, to be executed by the forces of the Dark Lady and it is on this pretence that the Rotbrains of Marshall Redpath are attacked just east of Deathknell. That is not to say that ‘less intelligent’ Forsaken do not exist within the Dark Lady’s forces (Dumass is evidence enough), it may be that only those who pose a threat to the Forsaken race are disposed. It seems that those risen by the Val’kyr are far more likely to suffer from insanity and it may even be that this reaction, often resulting in suicide, is now more common than a ‘rational’ response.

Rage and self-hatred is perhaps the most common response. Lillian Voss refuses to believe that she is Undead until she is shown her own reflection: her reaction is first one of horror and despair, followed by a lust for vengeance. Only a few Forsaken avoid such excesses and remain calm when they a dragged from the grave.

RELATIONS

THE HORDE

Orcs

The Orcs of Kalimdor are not obvious allies of the Forsaken, nor does friendship between the two races blossom with ease. In life most of the Forsaken were the greatest enemies of Thrall’s warriors and it was the people of Lordaeron who were most determined to maintain the internment camps all over the continent in the wake of the Second War.

Despite this fraught history, it can be said with some certainty that relations between the two races was slowly improving, prior to the Wrathgate ‘incident’. The revered Orcs of the Frostwolf Clan of Alterac Valley may well have been cut off from all supplies had the Forsaken not joined the Horde (although Drek’thar does not seem to appreciate this fact) and the same can be said of the Orcs stationed in Hammerfall.

The tenuous relations between the races must have been strengthened as travel between the two continents increased. The Orcs involved in Arathi Basin fought alongside the Forsaken Defilers and it seems probable that a strong bond formed amongst those stationed in Arathi. Still, it may be that too many Forsaken lost loved ones to the Orcish Horde in the Second War to ever truly trust them.

It seems that the Wrathgate severely weakened this growing ‘understanding’: the Kor’kron guards are a testament to this fractured ‘friendship’, if that term can still be used at all. Overseer Kroggash watches over the Apothecarium with such distaste that it is remarkable he can even bring himself to remain in the laboratory. High Warlord Cromush enforces the will of the Warchief with equal force in Silverpine and Hillsbrad. The distrust is pervasive and inescapable.

Any trust that does exist is only slowly recovering from the blow struck by Putress. With Garrosh, a popular leader amongst the Orcs, now voicing his scorn and suspicions to the Dark Lady herself it would seem that the Forsaken are more marginalised than they have ever been before. And ‘trust’ is a difficult thing, especially when the Forsaken still cultivate an interested in infernal magic and Demonology.

Tauren

The Tauren of Mulgore have had only limited interaction with the Forsaken of Lordaeron, but each meeting often holds considerable significance. The Tauren are the only race on Kalimdor to formally offer the Forsaken any sort of sanctuary: the Pools of Vision are a distant ‘home’ for the travellers amongst the Forsaken.

This might well seem like an odd arrangement, but it appears to be one of mutual misunderstanding. The Grimtotem are the closest allies of the Forsaken in Thunder Bluff, perhaps even in the whole of Kalimdor and some within the Horde have always been suspicions of this connection. It was Magatha who directed Tauren adventurers from Stonetalon down to the Pools and it has been suggested that Magatha was instrumental in convincing the Horde to accept the Forsaken as allies.

“Is it not fortunate, then, that the Forsaken are allied with us? They know much of disease. I believe they can aid us, and by doing so they will strengthen the trust between our people.” – Magatha Grimtotem

Her viewpoint may strike players as foolishly optimistic, but some of the Forsaken in the Pools appear to be remarkably in tune with the ideals of the Tauren, Apothecary Zamah in the Pools once claimed to “feel sorrow for the spirits of Stonetalon” and pledged to “offer what help we can”, while her concerns may not be viewed as entirely sincere, it is still remarkable that she bothers to feign compassion at all.

In the Eastern Kingdoms a similar tale can be found in the Sepulcher where Mura Runetotem has travelled from the Barrens in the hope of aiding the “poor land of Silverpine”.

With the treachery of Magatha revealed in Cataclysm, the relationship between the two races is suddenly more doubtful. Nonetheless, the Pools of Vision remain an isolated haven for Apothecaries on research missions and Tauren healers can now be found across the Western Plaguelands, desperate to sooth the land (despite this conflicting with the Forsaken intentions in the region).

Some of the work in the Pools was itself supposedly centred on the search for a ‘Cure’ – a quest which the Tauren believed they could help the Forsaken with, but doubtless most Forsaken have abandoned this fanciful task and their research has turned to darker interests. The two races ideologies may differ wildly, but there is no burning animosity to be found either.

Trolls

The connection between Trolls and Forsaken is even more unclear. The Trolls hold a traditional loathing of Undead creatures, holding them to be abominations of nature and an insult to the forces of the wild they worship. The necromantic powers of Zalazane must have heightened this deep sense of repulsion, as the undead slaves of the betrayer repelled every attempt to reclaim the Echo Isles.

The gulf that these long-held Troll beliefs has brought between the two races can only have been sharpened by the knowledge that the Forsaken continue to practice Fel magic, worship the Shadow and even cannibalize fallen corpses: the Darkspear abandoned similar practices out of devotion to the Horde and some no doubt resent the fact that the Forsaken did not abandon their own dark ‘habits’.

Perhaps the more cosmopolitan Trolls living in Orgrimmar are tolerant of the Forsaken people, especially since the Valley of Spirits seems to the home of the Mages, Witch Doctors and now Warlocks of the Darkspear. It has been suggested that Sen’jin Village and the Echo Isles are home to the more orthodox sects of Troll society and the walking dead may not get the warmest welcome.

Vol’jin did offer his personal support during the Battle for the Undercity and he rode against Varimathras alongside the Dark Lady herself, but this can be viewed more as a consequence of his personal loyalty to Thrall (who led the operation) rather than any special concern for the Forsaken.

With the instatement of Garrosh as Warchief, such loyalty is now lost and it is likely that many Trolls are increasingly resentful of the direction of the Horde. The attempted conquest of Gilneas embodies all of this growing resentment: blind Orcish aggression, on the orders of Hellscream himself, coupled with the dark, unnatural weaponry of the Forsaken; it is unsurprising that few Darkspear can be found in Lordaeron and few visit the Undercity.

Blood Elves

There is much to be said about the relationship between these two peoples. The bond they share is far more than one of mere pragmatism, though this is still present. Both races share a similar history: suffering terrible loss at the hands of Arthas; being abandoned by former allies and searching for new friends; forging a new path for themselves under a charismatic and powerful leader; facing potential disaster as members of their own race betrayed them (Varimathras and Putress, in the case of the Forsaken, and Kael’thas himself, in the case of the Sin’dorei). The pattern is enough to create a bond of empathy between many Blood Elves and Forsaken, though that is not to say that their relationship is based on any sentimental values.

It was the Dark Lady who reached out to Lor’themar Theron and sent a large detachment of her own forces to Tranquillien and from there High Executor Mavren assures Blood Elves that the Forsaken “mean your people no harm” they share a “common enemy: Dar’Khan the traitor!” Perhaps the Blood Elves in the Ghostlands were too desperate to reject the offered aid, even if they held private doubts, but the faction in Tranquillien appears to work as a united effort to reclaim the Ghostlands.

Sylvanus seems to value the Kingdom that was her own in life and her committal to the reclamation of all of Quel’thalas is no doubt founded upon personal grounds, those working in the Ghostlands have even managed to acquire a necklace of the Lady’s from the ruins of Windrunner Spire. The construction of the Orb of Translocation is a most brash testament to the closeness of these two peoples, even during the trials of the Second War no such device was constructed despite the union of Lordaeron and the High Kingdom in the Alliance.

Most of the more rational Blood Elves are probably grateful for the help the Forsaken offered in their darkest hour and the Forsaken must be relieved to find themselves with a closer ally within the Horde and within the Eastern Kingdoms. Prejudices do exist: the Blood Elves must be reminded of the Scourge who destroyed their home each time they look upon the Forsaken or visit the Undercity and the Elves may be held in contempt by those Forsaken who disapprove of their isolationist stance for much of the Second War and the entirety of the Third War.

Overall, the two races realise that it is now vital they support one another or they may both lose their uncertain place in the Horde of Hellscream.

Goblins

This ‘relationship’ is still being explored and, as such, little can be said with great certainty. It seems likely that several Forsaken admire the engineering and alchemical skills of their new allies and the ingenuity of Bilgewater Harbour might be a more admired construction than the harsh fires of Orgrimmar. More important still is the mercantile attitude of the Goblins themselves: success, or profit, is often held as the ultimate goal. Taken in an abstract sense, the Forsaken share a similar ideology and both races have abandoned most ideals in favour of an exceedingly ruthless pragmatism.

Furthermore, the Goblins do not seem to suffer from prejudice of any kind. While some might dislike the Undead for personal reasons, the race as a whole does not have any ‘traditional’ or ‘cultural’ hatred of them. A customer, afterall, is a customer. The Forsaken are probably appreciative of this blunt and open attitude, at least they know where they stand when dealing with a Goblin.

On a practical level, Goblin machinery has been deployed by the Forsaken in Gilneas: Zeppelins played a pivotal part in the attempts to capture the peninsula and while this first attack was ultimately unsuccessful, the Forsaken may still see the potential for such powerful constructions.

THE ALLIANCE

Humans are hated with an intensity unrivalled on Azeroth. Not only do they represent everything the Forsaken have lost (leading to bitter, burning envy which consumes most Forsaken) but they were the so-called ‘allies’ who quickly cut off all contact with Lordaeron as the Scourge rose to power. Almost all are dismissed as ‘betrayers’.

Dwarves are merely an obstacle to the conquest of Lordaeron. Dun Garok was mercilessly assaulted and finally destroyed by the Forsaken of Tarren Mill, with no hint of compassion for their past allies. The Stormpike forces in Alterac Valley must seem like a constant annoyance, as they continue to stubbornly cling to the icy cliffs at the heart of the Lady’s realm. Despite this, some Undead Dwarves do seem to serve the Forsaken and Brightflame Masjenal was one of the founders of the Royal Apothecary Society.

Gnomes must seem like a trivial curiosity and appear as insignificant in the grand scheme of the Lady. Their technological prowess might well fascinate some of the more astute Forsaken, but the majority hold them in contempt as weak and worthless followers of the Dwarves.

Night Elves are a distant enemy, but they are totally at odds with the Forsaken people. When the Forsaken joined the Horde, their Apothecaries were dispatched to Ashenvale where they were a plague upon the mystical homeland of the Kaldorei. The Forsaken are perhaps fearful of these strange people, since they are rarely seen in battle and reports from Ashenvale must sound fantastical and terrifying. The recent interference of the Cenarion Circle in the Plaguelands is an ironic reversal of the situation in Ashenvale and the Forsaken must rage at the arrogance of those Elves who claim they can ‘Cure’ the land of the ‘curse of Undeath’.

Draenei are stranger still: standing as the antithesis of the Forsaken who embrace the Shadow. Most Forsaken only know of this race through rumour and reports, firsthand experience cannot be terribly common. What they do hear is unnerving stories of a race that commands the Light with such fury that Undead cannot hope to oppose them.

Worgen will be associated with the Gilneans who abandoned Lordaeron and condemned countless refugees to the mercy of the wilds of Silverpine and the Scourge. This cowardly betrayal is not easily forgotten and the crusade against the Gilneans must count as vengeance for their isolationism following the Second War. Now beastly monstrosities, the Worgen are fearsome enemies of the Dark Lady and it is possible that the majority of the Forsaken do not relish the thought of facing them in battle. Having fought their feral cousins in Silverpine for years, the Worgen have become a serious threat to the security of the Queen’s nation and they are hated for their ongoing opposition to the full force of the Deathguard.

FORSAKEN A-Z: NOTABLE FORCES & PEOPLE.
Aleric Hawkins – Leader of the Deathstalkers, he serves the Dark Lady from the Royal Quarter of the Undercity, ready to send out his agents on her command.
Apothecary Zamah – Apparent Leader of the Apothecaries of Kalimdor, she remains in the Pools of Vision, overseeing the research efforts of those Forsaken on the western continent.
The Black Bride – Leader of the Defilers, the ruthless commander of the Forsaken efforts to claim the Arathi Basin as their own.
Dark Cleric Cecille – Leader of the Forsaken Delegation in Orgrimmar, she sits in council in Grommash Hold, preparing to hear the will of the Warchief.
The Deathguard – the central bulk of Forsaken forces, responsible for all military operations across Lordaeron. Fighting is currently focussed on Gilneas and the Forsaken Front.
The Deathstalkers – the infamous agents of the Forsaken, acting as intelligence scouts and assassins for the Dark Lady. They are rightly feared for their devastating effectiveness.
The Defilers – a branch of the Forsaken military, dedicated to the defeat of the League of Arathor and desperate to secure the Arathi Basin for the Dark Lady.
Galen Trollbane – once ruler of Stromgarde, now risen as a servant of the Banshee Queen. He was killed by a troll but has agreed to serve as a Forsaken in Undeath.
Grand Apothecary Putress – a senior leader of the Royal Apothecary Society, he betrayed the Forsaken and the Horde in unleashing his Blight upon the Northrend armies gathered at the Wrathgate.
Grand Executor Mortuus – Leader of the Deathguard, stationed at the Forsaken High Command. He directs the conquest of Gilneas from Silverpine.
Ilius – A charismatic Forsaken who became the leader of one major sect of the Cult of Forgotten Shadow. His current location is unknown.
Lady Cozwynn – Representative of the Forsaken in the Twilight Highlands. Stationed at Crushblow, where she attempts to help the Horde war effort as best she can, hoping to restore the broken trust between Garrosh and Sylvanus.
Leonid Barthalomew – A member of the Argent Crusade, working from Light’s Hope Chapel to destroy the remnants of the Scourge.
Magistrate Sevren – Civilian Leader of Brill and presumably much of Tirisfal Glades. He works tirelessly from his office to keep the enemy at bay.
Master Apothecary Faranell – Leader of the Royal Apothecary Society, notorious for allowing cruel experiments to take place under his watch and for failing to prevent Putress from rebelling.
Nathanos Marris – Champion of the Dark Lady and now trainer of the Forsaken hunters who wish to learn from the former-Ranger.
Varimathras – A Dreadlord and Former Lieutenant of the Dark Lady. He betrayed his mistress and attempted a coup of the Undercity, but was ultimately unsuccessful.
The Royal Apothecary Society – An alchemical society based in the Undercity which creates weapons for the Dark Lady to unleash upon her enemies.

LANGUAGE

Gutterspeak/Forsaken & Common

I have already mentioned, in the section on the History of the Third War, of how Undeath eradicated the rigid class structure which we can suppose existed in Lordaeron (this speculation is based upon Gilnean culture and a few survivors of Lordaeron, including the Barov family questline). When the role of ‘Gutterspeak’ (the original language of the Forsaken, now known simply as ‘Forsaken’ – for reasons that shall be considered later) is questioned this speculation can be taken even further.

‘Gutterspeak’ was once the language used by the lower classes of Lordaeron’s urban sprawl, a twisted form of ‘Common’, filled with slang and borrowing phrases from other dialects (including Thalassian and Dwarven), it rose to become the preferred means of communication amongst the Forsaken.

Why? The first, most commonplace explanation, is clear enough: the Forsaken viewed themselves as having been ‘abandoned’ by the world and Gutterspeak, as the language of those outcasts in the shadows of society, was adopted to reflect this attitude of abandonment.

It might also be that if what was once the criminal underclass of Lordaeron can be seen as the most grateful for the dubious ‘life’ granted to them by the Dark Lady, then it seems probably that it was these were the ‘types’ who adjusted most rapidly to their new existence. Swiftly coming to terms with their rotting state, these more willing subjects must have been the first to rise to the top of Forsaken society (while those Forsaken who were nobility in life may have taken longer to adjust to the material depravity of their new state) and so the language of the ‘underclass’ became the language of the most brilliant Forsaken, quickly eclipsing ‘Common’ as the races principle language.

That is not to say that ‘Common’ is not known by many Forsaken, but just as many seem to have forgotten the language of their life and so the crude, simplistic phrasing of Gutterspeak has been taught to those who rise, speechless, from the grave. Some of those who do know Common refuse to use the language, remaining determined to cut off all links with those humans who abandoned them.

Gutterspeak was renamed ‘Forsaken’ in Cataclysm and while the reasons for this have not been made clear, I’ll add my own opinion on the matter. It seems that the race has grown increasingly militant, increasingly devoted to the Dark Lady and, thus, is increasingly developing a sort of ‘national identity’. So it might be that the High Command began to use the term ‘Forsaken’, rather than ‘Gutterspeak’, so as to distance the race from that lowly language of criminals (ironically, that being the reason the language was adopted in the first place) and thus emphasise the growing nationalism of the Forsaken.

The language itself does supposedly borrow a considerable amount from Common, Thalassian and Dwarven. The resulting sound must be harsh, garbled and incredibly difficult to learn, since it seems certain that no clear grammatical system (or even a defined vocabulary) exists. It can be assumed that Common lettering is used when writing Gutterspeak, although quite how this works is not clear, since it most certainly developed orally in the criminal suburbs of Lordaeron City.

Orcish

Orcish is not an entirely new addition to Lordaeron. Having endured the battles of the Second War and the imprisonment of the Orcs following their defeat, it may be that some Forsaken knew a little Orcish even in life – though this is uncommon. Having joined the Horde and with Kor’kron now stationed in the Capital, Orcish is far more widespread amongst Forsaken: but the language is not necessarily known fluently, by all.

Deep within the Undercity, there are no doubt Forsaken who speak nothing other than Gutterspeak. Equally, Orcish is well known by those Forsaken forces stationed at Tarren Mill with Horde troops or those Forsaken who have taken the journey Kalimdor.

Names

Many Forsaken retain the first names they used in life or, if this name has since been forgotten, the name on the nearest gravestone to their site of resurrection. Thus, the vast majority of Forsaken have ‘human’ names typical of Lordaeron.

I have speculated that ‘Germanic’ names seem typical of Lordaeron (particularly the eastern regions around the very Germanic ‘Stratholme’), this is drawn solely from glancing over lists of Forsaken NPC’s and comparing them to the Stormwind NPC’s. Often ‘Old English’ names work well, although harsher syllables (‘gr’, ‘ec’, ‘ark’) also work well. Complex, ‘softer’ sounds (‘iel’, ‘iana’, ‘saph’) are less common and tend to add an Elvish tone to the name.

Male names: Allister, Edwin, Hadrec, Johan, Thom.
Female names: Angela, Eliza, Isabel, Gretchen, Velma.

Secondary names are more curious inventions amongst the Forsaken. Some seem to ‘forsaken’ them altogether, preferring to cut off all ties with their abandoned past, others continue to carry their old family name, either for convenience or with a dull sense of ‘pride’ and still others chose to ‘invent’ a name which carries a significant meaning in their un-life, often it seems to portray their hatred of the Scourge or perhaps a significant deed committed by them in Undeath.

Those who still carry their old family name retain the old conventions of the Lordaeron people. Suffixes such as ‘-ton’, ‘-ham’, ‘-stein’ and ‘-ov’ are most common.

Traditional names: Cunningham, Finklestein, Krastov, Morris, Weston.
‘Invented’ names: Blastlich, Bloodshadow, Darkcast, Firesong, Gutripper.

[[That's it! And I do know I posted some sections in the wrong order, I can sort that out soon.]]

((

Quote :

Arthus fled the city almost immediately

In Terror. *smiles* He is still Arthas, even though Arthus sounds like plunger on Russian and therefore is funny... *lost herself somewhere*

Anyways, I quite like it. It's a good writing, everything needed is in one piece, no need to open shitloads of pages from wowpedia, thus, easy for new people to the race to get in touch with it.

My /bow to you for putting it up together.

))

Who is "Sylvanus"? You seem to like u's, Via.

Fixed, but only on the RP Forum thread: http://eu.battle.net/wow/en/forum/874702/
Thanks for pointing that out Teo.

Teo gets thanks, I don't? *goes into blind rage, then deep depression*

Well done anyhoo.

Oops! Thank you Chloe (late. I know!)

Just wanted to say THIS GUIDE IS NOW UPDATED, POLISHED AND FINISHED. I think of it as my final 'gift' to the Spine and RP in general, I put everything I've learnt from our RP over the last two years into this guide. Please take a moment, when you can, to take a look and post any thoughts.

Just as before - good, as always