[RP]W-PvP Scenario: "Dustwallow Dustup"

SUMMARY

[-] Scalable World PvP scenario.
[-] Fortress siege battle-type with multiple objectives.
[-] Focused RP narrative and emphasis.



* The videos below (especially the faction briefings) are probably best viewed at their original resolution or full-screen to make out the various titles and scrolling text. Click on each embedded video to access it's native Youtube resolution.*


TRAILER




ALLIANCE BRIEFING




HORDE BRIEFING




TACTICAL MAP





EVENT TIMELINE

At the moment these are very rough guidelines to give one a sense of how things could flow, based on previous experience of this event where it ran across a 2-hour period.

However, the timings would likely need to be expanded to allow for more OOC logistical preparation and space for meaningful RP between stages. The specifics are open to adjustment and should be negotiated by both factions in the weeks ahead. More discussion on this in the explanatory post to follow below.


ALLIANCE

[00:00] Alliance raid invites begin in Ironforge;

[00:15] Raid group departs Ironforge via Gryphon for Menethil Keep;

[00:30] Raid group departs Menethil Keep for Theramore Isle;

[00:45] Raid group musters at North Point Tower in Dustwallow Marsh;

[00:55] The Alliance Commander and aides depart for the Border Parley;

[01:00] Border Parley with the Horde Commander occurs outside the Shady Rest Inn ruins;

[01:00+] The Horde assault begins after the parley (~5m) has concluded;

[02:00] The battle is decided either way with the "arrival" of the Alliance relief task force.



HORDE

[00:00] Horde raid invites begin in Orgrimmar;

[00:15] Raid group rides to their mustering point at The Crossroads;

[00:45] Raid group departs The Crossroads on the long ride south to the border of the marsh;

[00:55] Raid group halts at the border above the ruins of the Shady Rest Inn and readies it's vanguard for the charge into Dustwallow Marsh;

[01:00] Border Parley with the Allied Commander occurs outside the Shady Rest Inn ruins;

[01:00+] The Horde assault begins after the parley (~5m) has concluded;

[02:00] The battle is decided either way with the "arrival" of the Alliance relief taskforce.




BORDER PARLEY

This is to be a brief, structured RP confrontation running a few minutes in which the Alliance Commander and a small cadre of aides will approach the Horde vanguard (now arrayed in an imposing formation on the ridge overlooking the Shady Rest Inn ruins and the border into Dustwallow Marsh) and attempt to parley with the Horde Commander to try and slow their advance into the marsh.

As per the Horde briefing, they are instructed by the Warchief to massacre any such overtures although I feel it should be fun and add to the sense of occasion if both factions are allowed a little bit of show boating as they go through the formality of the parley, before any Horde slaughtering of those "Alliance dogs" goes ahead.

I'd imagine a system where a brief series of emotes will occur as the Alliance Commander approaches the Horde vanguard to initiate the parley. The Horde Commander will then stride forward and acknowledge or deride the Alliance Commander, who will then issue a short and perhaps defiant ultimatum or warning to the Horde Vanguard in /s. The Horde Commander will then respond in kind with their own proclamation of intent in /s. The two sides will acknowledge that battle is about to be joined, perhaps with a salute from the two grizzled commanders before the Alliance Commander and cadre return to their comrades at North Point Tower.

If the Horde Commander decides to carry through the Warchief's instruction to "brook no parley" at any point and kill the Alliance Commander and cadre then they should be allowed to resurrect and given enough time (30 seconds should more than suffice after they've ressed) to return to the Alliance defence at North Point Tower before the Horde Commander signals the charge into the Marsh. If the Horde Commander decides to allow the Alliance Commander to live then their party should be given a brief period of time (~30 seconds) to return to their positions at North Point Tower before the Horde assault begins.

This gives the Horde Commander sufficient time to offer final instruction to his/her troops before unleashing a deafening battlecry to herald the Horde charge into the marsh! The exact format of the parley and any IC considerations and/or consequences should be negotiated between the factions in this thread. For further details and flavour see "Border Parley" in the post below.




ORDER OF BATTLE:

Alliance Expeditionary Force (AEF) [Alliance Players]
Lead by a Grand Marshal or similar IC'ly, who in turn will command as many legions as can be mustered (OOC'ly), each with their own Legion Commander (raid leader). IC'ly the AEF would bolster the more numerous and existing Theramore Marines and their fortifications.

However even when combined, the Horde Juggernaut (HJ) would considerably outnumber the total Alliance defence in Dustwallow Marsh. Only with the arrival of the Alliance Relief Task Force will the Alliance have sufficient numbers to fully repulse the HJ from the marsh.


Horde Juggernaut (HJ) [Horde Vanguard: Horde Players]
Lead by a High Warlord or similar IC'ly, who in turn will command as many legions as can be mustered (OOC'ly), each with their own Legion Commander (raid leader).

IC'ly the HJ would be an overwhelming and awe-inspiring assault force. So large that it would snake through The Barrens and there would be a hefty delay of many hours between it's vanguard and the slower legions assigned to protect the massive siege engines and weapons of war trailing behind. The Horde vanguard would outnumber the combined Theramore/AEF troops but together with the Allied advantage of fighting on known terrain and the established defences constructed by the Kingdom of Theramore, their initial clashes should be fairly evenly contested, at least until the remaining Horde legions caught up with the vanguard's advance and they were able to overpower the defences.


Competitive Considerations
OOC'ly, every effort will be made to ensure that the Horde Vanguard and the Alliance Expeditionary Force are of roughly equal strength so that the battles will be fun and competitive, with neither side dominating. There is no upper limit on the number of players per faction in the battle, provided both factions can field a similarly-sized and/or force of similar strength to the other. Refer to "Participation" in the post below for more details.

*Mark IV Gnomish E-WoT (Extreme Wall of Text) Missile deployed*


Salutations!

I've been meaning to revamp this little scenario I originally put together on my old realm for ages and only the recent flood of Cataclysm Alpha leaks and lore titbits finally spurred my cogs into gear. That and all this W-PvP talk! In this gnome's view, one can never have enough World PvP. World of Warcraft without World PvP is like a Gnomish laboratory without a cog in sight...unthinkable! *shakes fist*

I haven't set a date for this yet, although I was thinking that a weekend sometime in late June or early July might be good if there's enough interest. More on the scheduling further below. What I'm keen to do with this thread is throw everything out there and get the event details into the community for further discussion and tuning in the weeks ahead.

I wouldn't presume to tell people what to roleplay but if there's some consensus and desire to give this scenario a bash then the next 4-6 weeks or so should provide enough time for players and guilds to integrate possible story lines and sub-plots into their RP if they so wish. I believe that there's also the Plaguelands Crusade coming up next month, which should be very interesting and I wouldn't want this scenario to detract from such a Crusade, hence the period of notice.

Similarly, the Dwarven campaign in the Ghostlands looks to be generating much related discussion and providing fun and RP to those involved right now. With luck that campaign will progress well for all concerned. By allowing some weeks notice that should also allow some space for me to get the sprockets in gear and begin reworking the follow-up scenario to this venture.





1. BACKGROUND

"Dustwallow Dustup" is, essentially, an excuse to have a big 'ol battle in the world environment with all the fun and sense of epic scale that brings. The original event held over two years ago now on a PvP realm was a pretty free-form affair and I was heartened at the time that so many embraced the RP aspects and story component of the scenario. I'm confidant that the fine citizens of Defias Brotherhood can surpass this little gnome's expectations of a W-PvP encounter in every way and deliver a battle to shake the very world (server) to it's core!

The original event premise involved some hard-line elements within the Horde staging a coup, deposing Thrall and then launching a pre-emptive strike on Theramore to exploit the relative weakness within the Alliance and strengthen their own position in Kalimdor. From a local perspective this seemed to gel reasonably well at the time, as my old realm had always been (and still is) dominated by the Horde player base. However, for this revamp I have not referred to any server-specific "lore" or circumstances and have intentionally kept the briefings non-aligned in that sense, only mentioning established lore characters or NPC's so that these event materials can be used as a "ready-to-go" package by interested players on any server.

While so much of what has been revealed and teased in the Alpha leaks is open to a lot of speculation, it does seem clear that there is definitely a hotting up of relations between the Alliance and the Horde in the expansion. One only has to look at the new fortifications that have sprung up just about everywhere on both sides and the apparent frontline established in the Southern Barrens (c.f. Fort Triumph, Forward Command, Desolation Hold, The Battlescar, etc) as well as all the rumoured political and character changes -- as old storylines and conflicts are brought up to speed -- to see that significant changes are afoot.

Similarly, one can't say with any certainty to what extent these environmental changes will be borne out until we've all had a chance to play through the new and revamped zones and experience the ongoing story in-game. So, what I'm trying to say is...please don't flip a cog because the premise and briefings herein present the Alliance as righteous goody-two-shoes and the Horde as raging, homicidal maniacs or some point in between! Although personally, I'm all for the principled and independently-minded leadership of Garrosh -- an Orcish patriot, prepared to take the tough decisions facing the Horde and stand up for the rights of beserkers everywhere!

Admittedly, the briefings in particular are heavily influenced and modelled on the Warcraft II mission briefings and I've consciously tried to channel the same tone with each faction briefing. Most of the developments described within will not likely occur in Cataclysm or will transpire differently. However, if you feel that your particular faction or race is not presented appropriately, then I invite you to help nuance their participation by getting involved and your guild involved in the build-up, should this scenario go ahead (see "RP Opportunities" below for more details).

While I won't be re-compiling the briefings, I am more than happy for amendments and server-specific stuff and changes to the objectives and so on to be added in the final presentation here and/or the realm forums should the event go ahead, provided there is mutual agreement from both factions and their participants regarding the changes.





2. OBJECTIVES

The objectives are there to provide structure and motivation for each faction, yet the event itself is not about winning or losing. The key factor is for all involved to have fun via large-scale and competitive world PvP with a strong RP emphasis.

From a strictly IC point of view, the Horde cannot "win" this scenario because as far as is currently known, Theramore and Jaina are still around in Cataclysm. However, that doesn't preclude the Horde claiming a victory within the parameters of the scenario and getting OOC kudos for their endeavour. If that happens and one wants to RP the fallout and consequences of that result, then I would suggest a situation along the lines of the Horde assault being able to storm and hold the citadel for a while, causing considerable damage and even injuring Jaina in the retreat before ultimately having to withdraw before they could raze the fortress completely with the arrival of the Alliance task force.

However, this kind of stuff can and should be discussed below. Alternatively, if it's felt better just to deal with the scenario in isolation as more of a "World PvP battle with a few RP trimmings" and not recognise the consequences for RP purposes, that is also fine. In the follow-up campaign, the cost of this battle to both factions will be heavy when noted in the briefings and the Horde's fortunes will actually be favoured in that particular mission, but again the victory conditions for both factions will be achievable even if not necessarily legitimate IC'ly.


2.1 ALLIANCE OBJECTIVES
From an IC perspective, the Alliance expeditionary force represented by participating Alliance players and guilds, has a purely defensive mission. Having had some last-minute warning of the Horde assault, the High Command has despatched a large relief task force to reinforce Theramore. If this task force is able to get to Theramore before the Horde assault force can capture and raze the island citadel, then the Horde attack will be repulsed.

For the purposes of this scenario, the Alliance can only claim victory if it's expeditionary force still holds Theramore Isle and Jaina still lives at the agreed time when the task force is due to arrive. If the Horde control Theramore and slay Jaina before the agreed time of the arrival of the Alliance task force, then they can claim victory.

The Alliance raid group would provisionally start gathering in Ironforge before making their way to Menethil Keep. Any pre-battle RP prep and mustering would normally start in Menethil. Ironforge was noted originally because it's usually easier to be in a city to arrange last-minute OOC logistics, but if attendees are on the ball then the event could start in Menethil, with all gathering up there. Alternatively, everyone gathering up in Ironforge and riding out through Dun Morogh and into the Wetlands IC'ly to catch the boat to Theramore could lend to the sense of there being a desperate rush to get to Theramore in time as, per the briefing. This would need to be co-ordinated precisely though and would increase the total event time.

The mustering in Menethil is to allow for some RP in between the stages and have a last minute pint to settle the nerves! The time allowed for this may likely need to be adjusted. The raid groups would then take the boat to Theramore and gather near the main gates. The Allied Commander would then be able to address his troops and give an IC speech, battle plan, etc before deploying his scouts into the marsh.

Once ready, the Allied Commander will lead his forces into the Marsh and deploy them in a defensive line at North Point Tower. En route the Commander could also establish how the defence will form around Sentry Point and the Citadel itself if necessary, should the Alliance be forced to withdraw during the battle. At the agreed time, the Allied Commander and a small cadre of aides will set off for the Border Parley. (see "Border Parley" below for more details).

Shortly after the Allied Commander returns from the Border Parley, the Horde assault into the Marsh will begin. Your forces will clash at North Point Tower where the Alliance aim is to hold the line for as long as possible. Each faction should be able to deploy scouts into the marsh and/or ahead of their advancing armies to gather information. If this could be done IC'ly, with scouts returning to their commanders to deliver their findings in person or relay them IC'ly, then all the better but these sort of details can be finalised in the discussion to follow later in this thread.

I'll go into the rules of engagement in more detail further below, but apart from the structured RP phases like the Border Parley, I think the battles themselves work best with a free-flowing and competitive PvP bent. Indeed, a bit of chaos never goes amiss! Players can certainly don RP gear if they wish, although much like the Anniversary War battles there should be no gearing restrictions forcing players to gear down. If the event goes ahead, every effort will be made to ensure that both factions are well-matched to offer competitive PvP where neither side is completely dominant.

After each skirmish, players should be allowed to resurrect and regroup/drink/etc before charging in again. The Horde assault will be trying to push the Alliance defence back towards Theramore Isle. If the Alliance position at North Point Tower is overrun and the NPC's killed, then the Horde has successfully razed that tower. You will then have to fight a running battle back towards Sentry Point if the Horde continue to press their attack or alternatively withdraw the entire defence back to Sentry Point and wait for the Horde to attack it. The Horde cannot charge past you or around the Alliance defence and must "fight their way through the Alliance defence" to the citadel via the main approach out of Theramore's gates.

If Sentry Point is overrun and razed then the Alliance will have to fall back to the gates of Theramore and subsequently further inside the citadel. If the Horde successfully force the Alliance defence back through the main gates then for the purposes of the scenario, the large siege engines just behind the Horde vanguard have now shattered the main gates and they can attempt to storm the citadel and slay Jaina Proudmoore. If the Horde manage to do so before the allotted time of the Alliance reinforcement's arrival, then the Horde can claim victory. If the Alliance are able to protect Jaina Proudmoore, even with the Citadel breached, at the agreed time of the arrival of the Alliance task force, then the Alliance can claim victory as the task force is of enough strength to fully repulse the Horde attack.

Either way, the PvP and fun should not end at the conclusion of the structured battle! If Lady Proudmoore falls at the last, then no doubt the crestfallen Alliance defenders will fight on with furious resolve and drive the Horde fiends out of the marsh to avenge her death! Similarly, if the Horde vanguard is close to slaying the witch at the conclusion, they should press their assault and drive their axes into her mystic lair in the name of Hellscream!

When the event was held on my old realm, due to a very rare case of the normally beleaguered Alliance slightly outnumbering our Horde attackers for once, we were able to drive them from the Marsh after the first battle and then took the fight to their settlements in the Barrens and Mulgore before seeing our advance halted at the gates of Orgrimmar. I would very much hope that both sides press the defences of the other for vengeance, retribution and glory in the wake of the structured battle!


2.2 HORDE OBJECTIVES
From an IC perspective, the Horde Vanguard represented by participating Horde players and guilds (as part of the larger "Horde Juggernaut"), has a purely offensive mission. This assault has been in the planning for months and after considerable build-up and strategic manoeuvring is now ready to advance. Unless Theramore can be significantly reinforced in time, the Horde assault force has enough strength to capture and raze the island citadel.

For the purposes of this scenario, the Horde can only claim victory if it's vanguard captures/controls Theramore and has slain Jaina Proudmoore before the agreed time of the Alliance Relief Task Force's arrival. If the Alliance is able to defend Jaina Proudmoore at the agreed time of the relief force arriving -- even with the citadel "breached" -- then they can claim victory.

The Horde raid group would provisionally start gathering in Orgrimmar before making their way to their staging area at the Crossroads. As with the Alliance schedule, any pre-battle RP prep and mustering would normally start at the Crossroads. Orgrimmar was noted originally because it's usually easier to be in a city to arrange last-minute OOC logistics, but if attendees are on the ball then the event could start at The Crossroads, with all gathering up there.

The mustering in the Crossroads should allow for some RP in between the stages although depending how much and whether more time for OOC logistics is required, then the timings may need to varied a fair bit. The siege engines mentioned in the briefing are being escorted by the Warchief's Kor'kron Guard and other legions from their camps in Ashenvale and will pass through the Crossroads on the long journey south to Dustwallow Marsh. Your vanguard is essentially waiting for them to arrive and will then lead them south to the border, hence the relatively long IC march (five days all told) mentioned in the briefing.

The Horde Commander can either begin to issue their IC orders/battleplan/rousing speech/etc at the Crossroads before moving out or at the border to Dustwallow Marsh before the parley takes place. Once all is ready at the Crossroads staging area, then the Horde Commander can deploy his scouts and lead the Horde Vanguard south to the border. When the vanguard arrives at the border, the Horde Commander will line his troops up in an imposing formation on the ridge overlooking the ruins and give them final instruction on the plan of attack, etc if not already detailed earlier at the Crossroads.

The Horde Commander will then deploy his scouts in to the marsh and "await" the parley. IC'ly he wouldn't know with any certainty whether to expect it unless his scouts had seen them approach. Similarly, the Alliance Commander would not know whether his party was expected either. OOC'ly the timings are co-ordinated so that it should follow as seamlessly as possible. By this point in the scenario, Alliance defences in the marsh can actually see the signs of a large army approaching even though they are already alert to the Horde's rough plan and as per their briefing are basically trying their luck with a border parley to both learn more of the Horde assault force's strength and to try and delay their advance by going through the procedure. At the agreed time, the Allied Commander and a small cadre of aides will arrive at the ruins of the Shady Rest Inn for the border parley. (see "Border Parley" below for more details).

After the border parley concludes, the Horde Commander will ready his troops for the charge into the marsh and then herald their advance with a furious battlecry! The Commander's scouts will no doubt inform him of the Alliance defensive line formed around North Point Tower, which is where your forces will clash first. Regarding the scouting, if this could be done IC'ly, with scouts returning to their commanders to deliver their findings in person or relay them IC'ly, then all the better but these sort of details can be finalised in the discussion to follow later in this thread.

I'll go into the rules of engagement in more detail further below, but apart from the structured RP phases like the Border Parley, I think the battles themselves work best with a free-flowing and competitive PvP bent. Indeed, a bit of chaos never goes amiss! As mentioned in the Alliance Objectives, players can certainly don RP gear if they wish, although much like the Anniversary War battles there should be no gearing restrictions forcing players to gear down. If the event goes ahead, every effort will be made to ensure that both factions are well-matched to offer competitive PvP where neither side is completely dominant.

After each skirmish, players should be allowed to resurrect and regroup/drink/etc before charging in again. The Horde assault will be trying to push the Alliance defence back towards Theramore Isle. If the Alliance position at North Point Tower is overrun and the NPC's killed, then the Horde has successfully razed that tower. You will then have to fight a running battle towards Sentry Point if the Alliance continue to tarry your approach or alternatively if they withdraw their entire defence back to Sentry Point then marshal your troops for the charge and press your assault!

The Horde cannot charge past or around the Alliance defence, i.e. they must "fight their way through" the Alliance defence to the citadel via the main approach out of Theramore's gates. The idea here isn't to place artificial boundaries on the fighting but ensure that the scale of the battle is maintained throughout and the sense of an epic, pitched-battle is not lost. It's also to prevent a situation whereby a small band of players slips past the the main battle and trivially solos/3/5-mans Jaina while everyone else is fighting further inside the marsh because IC'ly Theramore would be totally locked down at this point with guards and defenders everywhere. That's not to discount the idea of a separate feint/diversionary raid by the Horde on the citadel while the main battle rages but if that's desired by both sides then it should be organised with some Alliance defenders sectioned specifically for that. They wouldn't need to know when to expect the feint or how many, etc.

Related to this was a sub-objective I originally scheduled for the Horde in the initial event where they had to rescue the Sin'dorei "spy" from Ironclad Prison (the dungeon in Foothold Citadel) during the event. This required a Sin'dorei to remain indisposed in the dungeon with some players guarding him/her until they could be sprung by the Horde. The reason why I haven't scheduled that this time is because players generally like to be where all the action is during events like this rather than waiting around defending a sideshow elsewhere. I think this particular sub-objective could make for a fun pre or post event between related guilds though, e.g. Sin Belore/Sunfury Elite and Theramore Isle/SW Guard guilds acting as Theramore Marines.

If Sentry Point is overrun and razed then the Alliance will have to fall back to the gates of Theramore and subsequently further inside the citadel. If the Horde successfully force the Alliance defence back through the main gates then for the purposes of the scenario, the large siege engines just behind the Horde vanguard have now shattered the main gates and they can attempt to storm the citadel and slay Jaina Proudmoore. If the Horde manage to do so before the allotted time of the Alliance reinforcement's arrival, then the Horde can claim victory. If the Alliance are able to protect Jaina Proudmoore, even with the Citadel breached, at the agreed time of the arrival of the Alliance task force, then the Alliance can claim victory as the task force is of enough strength to fully repulse the Horde attack.

Either way, the PvP and fun should not end at the conclusion of the structured battle! If Lady Proudmoore falls at the last, then no doubt the crestfallen Alliance defenders will fight on with furious resolve and drive the Horde fiends out of the marsh to avenge her death! Similarly, if the Horde vanguard is close to slaying the witch at the conclusion, they should press their assault and drive their axes into her mystic lair in the name of Hellscream!

When the event was held on my old realm, due to a very rare case of the normally beleaguered Alliance slightly outnumbering our Horde attackers for once, we were able to drive them from the marsh after the first battle and then took the fight to their settlements in the Barrens and Mulgore before seeing our advance halted at the gates of Orgrimmar. I would very much hope that both sides press the defences of the other for vengeance, retribution and glory in the wake of the structured battle!



2.3 BORDER PARLEY

2.3.1 ALLIANCE

From the position of the Alliance Grand Marshall, this is a very risky move. The hastily assembled force under his command has spent the past five days crammed into a rickety ship racing across the Great Sea and then traipsing on foot through a sodden and not so familiar marsh to meet up with their Theramore comrades at North Point Tower, where the first of many delaying actions is to be fought.

With scant details of the enemy's exact strength save for it being a massive invasion force, and not nearly as many Alliance troops or supplies as would have been hoped for, a great burden weighs down upon him. The Grand Marshall knows that Alliance reinforcements are en route and to his knowledge the Horde is not aware of this, but the defenders under his command must still withstand the furious Horde charge long enough to offer Theramore and the Alliance any hope of resisting this attack. They must hold the line until their legions can arrive in force.

As dawn breaks, his scouts return with chilling news of the Horde advance and indeed the churning dust and the roar of a great host can now be seen and heard above the marsh's western mountain range. The troops talk defiantly and joke of times past to hide their anxiety as final preparations are made to the hastily-bolstered fortifications. The veteran commander then rides out towards the border with a small cadre of his lieutenants, knowing what must be done yet fearing for the plight of his men.

As the Grand Marshall's party approaches the ruins of the Shady Rest Inn, the scale of the army arrayed before them becomes apparent, stretching back as far as the eye can see. In the distance large siege engines and battering rams are being towed into view by beast and mechanical construct. The Horde vanguard roars with taunting anticipation as the Alliance party steadily approaches.

Suddenly, the Horde ranks split at the centre to allow a phalanx of wolfriders through. Towering above the riders and steeds of his brethren, the High Warlord commanding this assault surveys his Alliance opposite closely. Many faces seem familiar on both sides and it's possible that some of those about to clash have fought alongside each other in the recent campaign in Northrend or in battles past against the Qiraji and others.

The Grand Marshall glances to his aides before steeling himself for the task ahead as he urges his armoured warhorse forward into the expanding wall of sinew and sound. He too recognises some faces in the throng yet any grudging respect he once held is swept away in the moment by unbridled fury at the sheer audaciousness of Horde intent in this unprovoked assault. As his veins course fire he only wants to herald the battlecry and charge into their very midst.

His gaze meets that of the one clearly commanding their attack and in a moment of clarity as they exchange the fleeting appraisal that only two old warriors can share, he recalls his orders, "delay their advance...hold the line at any cost." Easing his steed back into a steady trot with a gentle tap of his steel sabatons, the Grand Marshall raises his right hand high into air and with a wry smile calls out to the High Warlord in Common, "aren't you a bit far from Orgrimmar, Commander?"



2.3.2 HORDE

From the perspective of the Horde Commander, this is a red dawn and a day of destiny for those under his command. A chance to prove their worth and impress the new Warchief in securing the safety of Kalimdor from further Alliance interference and the taint of Lady Proudmoore, who for so long had lulled Thrall with her false wails of peace and arcane witchcraft.

The High Warlord snorts knowingly, recalling the moment that Garrosh outlined his plan to him. With full confidence in the Warchief's campaign and the vast build-up after all these months of preparation... at last, all is now ready. The legions before him were forged in Hellscream's honour and will be lead by his chosen few. Brimming with pride he recalls the Warchief's final call to arms, "...once unleashed, the savagery of the Orcish heart cannot be chained -- none can stand against us! Go forth and conquer the marsh for the Horde!"

The High Warlord looks down across the fetid swamp towards the gleaming battlements of Theramore in the distance, knowing that the assault will not be as easy as many in the ranks or even Garrosh himself would claim, before returning his gaze to the eager warriors readying themselves for the charge. He knows too that many of his brothers in arms will not live to see the sun sink into the raging sea tonight. Theramore will fight but whether they will defend their witch to the last or cling to their walls in a fool's hope, shall soon be revealed. Either way, nothing can stop the advance of the Horde Juggernaut now. As Hellscream commands, there will be no dawn for Theramore on the morrow.

His reverie is broken by the growing roar of his kin as they taunt the emergence of some figures on horseback from the misty tree-line below. The High Warlord swings his wolf around, the weighty hilt of his battleaxe rasping reassuringly against his steed's chain harness as the old warrior tries to pierce through the early morning fog with wary eyes. A small party of Alliance soldiers on their jittery chargers ascends the beaten track with banners held high.

The High Warlord is soon able to make out the regalia of Theramore's Marines and that of another of the Alliance legions, which piques his interest. He pauses to recollect the latest intelligence report from the Shattered Hand, which noted that no additional reinforcements or supplies had been sighted coming into Theramore's docks apart from the arrival of a single ship just before sunset last night.

A low snarl is let loose from the giant wolf -- black as the dark of night -- beneath him, sensing the hesitation of it's master as the Alliance party draws nearer. The High Warlord blinks and then locks eyes on the one who must surely command their party and no doubt the defences arrayed before them in the marsh.

While briefly troubled by the unexpected sight of an Alliance Grand Marshall both well known to him and here in the marsh, the Horde Commander steadies his wolf and his nerves with a hacking laugh in response to his old foe's jest, before booming loudly to those nearby in Orcish for the benefit of his troops, "See how the Alliance whelps come crawling! Just as the Warchief foretold!"

As the two grizzled warriors approach each other the High Warlord notices for the first time the eerie silence that has settled over the marsh and then whispers under his breath, "the game's afoot."




3. RP OPPORTUNITIES

As a non-exhaustive list, here are just a few examples of potential roleplay opportunities for players and guilds thinking of attending as well as the motivations of each faction and race within the context of the scenario's wider storyline. However, as mentioned previously much of the event details are speculative and may not likely be accurate or align with the upcoming changes that Cataclysm will bring, although I've certainly tried to make the scenario reasonably plausible within the constrictions and contrivances that are usually applied to Horde/Alliance relations.

Apologies too if your own guild is not listed in the grouping matrix. As above, these listing are not exhaustive, just a rough guide for those with a potential interest. Given the event's Kalimdor bias, known guilds with some IC/OOC presence there spring to mind first apart from the core race-specific guilds like SGE but that doesn't mean you can't get involved. I'm not that current on the active Horde RP guilds that this might suit but would encourage all with an interest to take a gander at all of the event details and suggest any ways you'd like to aid your faction IC'ly.

With the drip, drip, drip of new details this past week in particular, I have been tearing my gyromatic micro-adjustors out in despair at times trying to reconcile things. However, one just needs to accept that it is simply not possible to do at this point in time! As with the entire scenario, there are many indulgences and inaccuracies on my part. If you can excuse them and roll with the general flavour then we can hopefully get this show on the road.


3.1 THE HORDE

This is a turbulent time for the Horde with changes in leadership and great upheaval in their lands as new threats loom on the horizon. The certainty of a strong Warchief brings initial stability as Garrosh rallies the Horde with decisive action and an assertive expansion and fortification of the homeland. Quiet misgivings in some quarters about the prosecution of this new course begin to surface but are set aside for the time being by sheer will and momentum coupled with the addition of new allies into the ranks.


3.1.1 Forsaken

The Forsaken advance into Gilneas and Arathor has met stronger than expected resistance and in offering their Deathstalkers, Lightslayers and Dark Rangers to the Warchief's campaign in Kalimdor, as well as the services of the Royal Apothecary Society and their vaunted Necromancers, they will be looking to secure not only the Warchief's favour for the battles to come but also remove any doubts he may still harbour regarding their commitment to the Horde since the betrayal of Grand Apothecary Putress at the Wrathgate.

With the support of Hellscream's legions in Azeroth, the conquest of the Northlands will be brutal and swift. Relations with the Grimtotem Tribe could also be strengthened if the Forsaken are seen to be taking a leading role in the assault on Theramore, thus securing additional influence for the Dark Lady amongst the Tauren tribes.

Potential RP opportunities could include the research and preparation of a powerful demonic spell via a convocation of Forsaken, Sin'dorei and Orcish Necromancers to be used to neutralise or heavily impair Jaina's arcane powers within the confines of her tower once the Citadel has been breached. Forsaken Deathstalkers could arrange patrols and reconnaissance missions in Dustwallow Marsh along with Shattered Hand agents. Meetings with the Grimtotem Tribe could also be arranged to gather intelligence within the Marsh.

Grouping matrix: The Cult of Shadow, Mistrunner Tribe, Orcs of the Red Blade, Second Gurubashi Empire, The Frostmane Hold, Sin Belore, Sunfury Elite, The Silvermoon Council, Nature's Grasp, Winterblades, The Staghelm Prerogative, Dwarven Rifle Squad, Theramore Isle, Ere Argus


3.1.2 Orc

The ascension of Garrosh Hellscream from ruler of the Warsong Clan and the Warsong Offensive to Warchief of the Horde within short order marks a noted return to the strong, centralised leadership of the Orcish clans -- and now the wider Horde factions -- so prevalent during the lifetimes of many of his kin. While his tact and sensitivity relative to his predecessor leaves much to be desired; in historical terms, Garrosh is a return to the mould of many former Warchiefs.

In uncertain times, the assertive and decisive actions of the Warchief will unite the clans and drive forward their will amongst the Horde. While there may be soft voices of disagreement amongst the Orcish clans to the new course chartered by Garrosh and the merits of his campaign against Theramore and the Alliance, his motivations of self-determination and the protection of their new homeland from continued Alliance interference will ring true to many, especially when delivered with the kind of primal conviction and defiance not seen since Doomhammer's reign. The Warchief's call to arms will be hard to resist.

Potential RP opportunities could include the various preparations (siege engine construction, stockpiling supplies and weapons, etc) within Warsong Lumber Camp and elsewhere in Ashenvale. Warband patrols/skirmishes in Ashenvale and The Barrens with the Kaldorei/Draenei/Dwarves/Gnomes could be arranged. The scouting of Alliance objectives (North Point Tower, Northwatch Hold, etc) could be liaised with other agents of the Shattered Hand. The sightings S.I.7 agents near Horde settlements/outposts could be scheduled along with the odd interrogation perhaps.

The research and preparation of a powerful demonic spell via a convocation of Forsaken, Sin'dorei and Orcish Necromancers to be used to neutralise or heavily impair Jaina's arcane powers within the confines of her tower, could also be convened. Finally, the large mustering of the assault in Orgrimmar, before the journey to The Crossroads, could be staged over some time in the days before the event.

Grouping matrix: Orcs of the Red Blade, The Cult of Shadow, Mistrunner Tribe, Second Gurubashi Empire, The Frostmane Hold, Sin Belore, Sunfury Elite, The Silvermoon Council, Nature's Grasp, Winterblades, The Staghelm Prerogative, Dwarven Rifle Squad, Theramore Isle, Ere Argus, Stormwind Intelligence


3.1.3 Tauren

The stoic and peace-loving Tauren tribes have long cherished a haven to live in balance with the Earth Mother. Under the leadership of Cairne Bloodhoof, this desire was realised in the settlement of Thunderbluff overlooking the verdant plains of Mulgore. For many years the Chieftain guided his people with great wisdom and gladly lent their aid to Warchief Thrall and the cause of the Horde. However, the rapid elevation of Garrosh Hellscream to Warchief has strained relations in recent times and now the mysterious death of Cairne has not just shocked the Tauren but has threatened to drive a further rift in relations with the Horde as something of a power struggle breaks out amongst the tribes.

Although Garrosh Hellscream has been quick to blame the Kaldorei for assassinating the Chieftan whilst on the long journey to Orgrimmar for a summit, many rumours swirl and trust in the new Warchief and his militant rhetoric is not firmly held by all. In the absence of a Chieftan, Elder Crone Magatha Grimtotem has ascended the High Rise and assumed the position and sacred horns of leadership. With high praise for the new Warchief, she advocates a swift response against the Kaldorei accused of Cairne's murder as well as pushing for the tribes to unite behind the Warchief's campaign against the Alliance.

Cairne's distraught son, Baine Bloodhoof, remains unconvinced of the threat posed by the Alliance and the Warchief's explanation regarding the death of his father. With a groundswell of popular support from those tribes still sceptical of the Grimtotem claim to power and the new course proposed by the Warchief, Baine is determined to resolve his father's passing while ensuring that the tribes do not descend into civil war.

Potential RP opportunities could include events between the "disaffected" Tauren tribes (as per the Trolls below) not swayed by the Grimtotem agenda and similar Horde segments. A meeting could be arranged between Tauren and Kaldorei Druids in Moonglade to ascertain whether there was any Kaldorei involvement in Cairne's death. Similarly, the Tauren would be in the best position to arrange gatherings of those opposed to the course of the new Warchief.

For those Tauren supporting the Grimtotem agenda, there are RP opportunities to be had in arranged events/patrols/gatherings/etc at the Grimtotem settlements in Dustwallow Marsh, as well as plotting with the Forsaken.

Grouping matrix: Mistrunner Tribe, Orcs of the Red Blade, The Cult of Shadow, Second Gurubashi Empire, The Frostmane Hold, Sin Belore, Sunfury Elite, The Silvermoon Council, Nature's Grasp, Winterblades, The Staghelm Prerogative, Dwarven Rifle Squad, Theramore Isle, Ere Argus, Stormwind Intelligence


3.1.4 Troll

Although weakened by recent conflicts, the Amani Trolls continue to plot and scheme in their forests while further south the fractious Gurubashi Empire remains undiminished and unbowed in its appetite for cannibalistic sacrifice and fevered devotion to their Blood God.

After years in exile, the Darkspear Tribe under the leadership of Vol'jin has gathered it's strength to reclaim the Echo Isles and rebuild their homes on the lands bestowed to them by Thrall. However, the course set by the new Warchief augurs many storms to be navigated and Vol'jin will not see his people lead astray. In the struggles ahead, his wisdom and tenacity will be crucial.

Potential RP opportunities could include events between the "disaffected" segments of the Horde, particularly the Trolls and Tauren, who may have (deep) misgivings about the Warchief's campaign and the manner in which it is being run. Perhaps they could arrange a secret meeting with the Kaldorei to determine whether Garrosh's claims of Kaldorei involvement in Cairne's death are correct.

For those segments swept up with the Warchief's campaign or broadly agreeing with his motives for the time being, there are opportunities to organise events within The Barrens/Dustwallow Marsh as Shattered Hand agents and general scouting/patrols with the Orcs, etc. Potentially also some gathering of the tribes in STV to consider the Warchief's proposals and whether to support/muster their forces there to support it.

Grouping matrix: Second Gurubashi Empire, The Frostmane Hold, The Cult of Shadow, Mistrunner Tribe, Orcs of the Red Blade, Sin Belore, Sunfury Elite, The Silvermoon Council, Nature's Grasp, Winterblades, The Staghelm Prerogative, Dwarven Rifle Squad, Theramore Isle, Ere Argus, Stormwind Intelligence


3.1.5 Sin'dorei

The Sunwell is reborn -- its powers restored in the aftermath of Kil'jaeden's failed return to Azeroth. As its mystic flows begin to reinvigorate Quel'Thalas and her people, the rise of a new Warchief has caused some consternation within the highly-segmented Sin'dorei hierarchy.

While some see the expulsion of all non-Orcish and non-Tauren advisors and personnel from the centre of Orgrimmar as an affront, Lor'themar Theron, Regent Lord of Quel'Thalas, is determined that the Sin'dorei continue to play a pivotal role in the Horde and influence its course from within. The new Warchief's campaign against Theramore and the Alliance will allow our Magister's, Rangers and Blood Knights to triumph where others fail as well as deliver the Sun's justice to our errant Quel'dorei brothers in Theramore.

Yet most importantly, the Warchief has promised us dominion over the Kaldorei in Kalimdor once this campaign is over, in exchange for our valued support. From the ruins of Darnassus and their shattered temples we will construct a glorious western civilisation to rival only Silvermoon itself and bring theSun to the darkened shores and forests dwelt by our feral cousins. Their wayward devotion to the Moon can only be purged by the searing embrace of the Sun.

Potential RP opportunities could include the briefing and particular orders given to Lor'themar's "Spymaster" whose mission to infiltrate Foothold Citadel and slay it's commander just prior to the invasion is mentioned in the briefings. This particular event could either be staged separately with the appropriate guilds or integrated into the event itself if that is agreed. The specialised arcane wardings to mask the spymaster's appearance would also need to be researched/conjured by Sin'dorei Magisters.

Attempts to rescue the captured Spymaster from Ironclad Prison -- either during the event itself or during a subsequent event -- before they can be transported to Stormwind for further interrogation, could also be played out. Further infiltration of Theramore's Quel'dorei citizens could also be conducted to gather intelligence.

The research and preparation of a powerful demonic spell via a convocation of Forsaken, Sin'dorei and Orcish Necromancers to be used to neutralise or heavily impair Jaina's arcane powers within the confines of her tower could be undertaken. The preparations and despatch of the Sin'dorei contribution to this campaign from Silvermoon could also be discussed/approved by the Silvermoon Council and staged via events beforehand.

Grouping matrix: Sin Belore, Sunfury Elite, The Silvermoon Council, Second Gurubashi Empire, The Frostmane Hold,The Cult of Shadow, Mistrunner Tribe, Orcs of the Red Blade, Nature's Grasp, Winterblades, The Staghelm Prerogative, Dwarven Rifle Squad, Theramore Isle, Ere Argus, Stormwind Intelligence



3.2 THE ALLIANCE

As the struggle in Northrend begins to wind down in the wake of the Lich King's defeat, the Alliance can only count the cost of continual conflict as it enters a period of renewal under the de facto leadership of King Varian Wrynn. Efforts to reclaim Gnomeregan and rebuild the battered settlements of the Alliance heartlands also get under way. However, old conflicts and hatreds still rage, particularly in Kalimdor. As new allies emerge, the rising shadow of Deathwing and the actions of the new Warchief will be closely watched by Varian and the resolute defenders of the Alliance.


3.2.1 Draenei

The Draenei, as near neighbours to the Kaldorei, will be acutely aware of the night elve's ongoing struggle against the Horde in the forests of Ashenvale and elsewhere in Kalimdor. Draenei assistance in the construction of Forest Song has likely allowed them to see first-hand the continued Orcish encroachment and potentially, signs of the Warchief's build-up too.

A massive strike on Theramore would leave their own position in Kalimdor extremely vulnerable, yet as stalwart supporters and members of the Alliance -- and as a race with little to no propensity for the underlying animosity that sometimes surfaces between other Alliance races -- they would likely have no hesitation in joining the Alliance defence efforts to repulse the attack on Theramore, not only for the survival of their own people, but the greater good of the Alliance.

Potential RP opportunities could include joint patrols and meetings with Kaldorei guilds regarding the "sightings" of large-scale Horde activity in the lumber camps. Also some interactions (Sentinel-led interrogations?) or encounters with Orcish war bands and peons constructing their siege engines. Perhaps a conference with Theramore-based groupings or the dwarves/gnomes of Bael Modan to raise their concerns of increased Horde activity in Ashenvale. Joint representations (along with the Kaldorei) to the higher authorities in Stormwind and Ironforge regarding the latest Horde incursions within Ashenvale could also be initiated.

Grouping matrix: Ere Argus, Nature's Grasp, Winterblades, The Staghelm Prerogative, Dwarven Rifle Squad, Theramore Isle, Orcs of the Red Blade, Mistrunner Tribe, The Cult of Shadow, Ironforge Senate, Stormwind Intelligence, Stormwind Council


3.2.2 Dwarf

With the recently revealed changes to the Dwarven hierarchy it would seem that there's some upheaval in store for the rugged defenders of Khaz Modan. For the purposes of this scenario, the dwarves would be motivated to intervene and assist the Alliance defence of Theramore not only as reliable members of the Alliance but also because of their extensive expeditions and dig sites dotted throughout Kalimdor that would be put in jeopardy by the Horde assault.

The Dwarven Fortress of Bael Modan would also be threatened by this campaign. For this scenario, the Horde are intentionally avoiding Bael Modan during the first strike because Theramore is the larger and more pressing threat, as it allows the Alliance to bring in supplies and reinforcements to Kalimdor quickly. With Theramore destroyed, Bael Modan can be kept under siege indefinitely or dealt with in the aftermath.

Potential RP opportunities could include Dwarven (steamtank) patrols in The Barrens and Dustwallow Marsh with possible near sightings of Forsaken Deathstalkers or agents of the Shattered Hand. Joint Dwarven and Gnomish flying machine expeditions over The Barrens and into Ashenvale -- the RP could be built around pilot debriefings in Bael Modan. With tensions rising in Kalimdor, perhaps a conference between Theramore, the dwarves and gnomes of Bael Modan, the Kaldorei and Draenei could be staged in the run-up. The dwarves of Bael Modan reporting back to the Ironforge Senate and Tinker's Court regarding the rising tensions could also be considered.

Grouping matrix: Dwarven Rifle Squad, Orcs of the Red Blade, Mistrunner Tribe, The Cult of Shadow, Theramore Isle, Ere Argus, Nature's Grasp, Winterblades, The Staghelm Prerogative, Tinker Federation, Allied Science Institute, Ironforge Senate, Tinker's Court, Stormwind Intelligence


3.2.3 Gnome

The success of the High Tinker's Operation Gnomeregan in reclaiming the surface, while striking hard against Thermaplugg's trogg minions below, will be fresh in Gnomish minds along with the valued assistance of the Alliance in ensuring that the cogs of war were well oiled for the operation.

The gnomes -- always eager to help their friends -- would be keen to lend whatever aid they could muster to the Alliance and the Kingdom of Theramore in its time of need. With a large contingent of Gnomish citizens living and tinkering in the mountain fortress of Bael Modan alongside their Dwarven allies, any Horde assault into Dustwallow Marsh would be a major cause for concern for the Gnomish people.

Potential RP opportunities could include a joint Dwarven/Gnomish flying machine expedition over The Barrens and into Ashenvale, with the RP itself built around pilot debriefings in Bael Modan. The gnomes could also be responsible for transmitting the news of the incoming Horde assault (extracted from the Sin'dorei spy in Foothold Citadel) to the Alliance High Command in the Eastern Kingdoms via a classified and experimental, long-range buzzbox installed deep within the mountains of Bael Modan and linked to a similar device in Ironforge -- there could be RP based around getting the message from Theramore and then transmitting/receiving it effectively.

As mentioned in the Dwarven section, a conference to discuss the increasing tensions with the Horde could be staged between the various Kalimdor-based Alliance guilds in which gnomes from Bael Modan could attend. Gnomish feedback and reporting back to the Ironforge Senate and the Tinker's Court regarding any findings could also be staged. Other possibilities could include things like trying to acquire some rare or contraband parts from the blackmarket or -- sprockets forbid -- the Goblins, to complete the development of a revolutionary new gizmo or weapon/design to aid in the defence of Theramore.

Grouping matrix: Tinker Federation, Allied Science Institute, The Forlorn Cartel, Old Town Syndicate, Dwarven Rifle Squad, Orcs of the Red Blade, The Cult of Shadow, Mistrunner Tribe, Theramore Isle, Ere Argus, Nature's Grasp, Winterblades, The Staghelm Prerogative, Ironforge Senate, Tinker's Court


3.2.4 Human

The return of King Varian to the throne and the righteous campaign against the Lich King and his Scourge minions in Northrend has ushered in a more confidant era for the human kingdoms, albeit one forged in the testing times of battle and a battle from which many of humanity's finest sons and daughters have not returned. After so many sacrifices by his people, the King will be determined to ensure that his long-suffering subjects and the battered farmsteads, towns and villages of his realm will share in the prosperity of peace and that any threats to his people will be met with a robust defence of humanity. To that end, the unity of the Alliance must be preserved.

Although relations between Theramore and Stormwind have been strained in the past regarding the presence of the Alliance Assembly on the Isle, Theramore remains a vital enclave of humanity and military stronghold of the Alliance in Kalimdor. The Kingdom of Stormwind would would be quick to lend aid to Theramore and Lady Proudmoore in the event of such a Horde assault. King Varian would regard this Horde incursion as a blatant act of war as well as an affirmation of his deep mistrust of the Orcish desire for peace together with the true colours of Garrosh Hellscream laid bare.

Potential RP opportunities could involve playing out the "announcement" of the Horde assault into the marsh and news of the Alliance response, to the citizens of Stormwind and trying to RP out the hustle and bustle and impact of the military build-up (mustering the "III and IV Legions" as well as the docking of the "Home Fleet") in the city and harbour prior to the event. Lots of things the SW guard guilds could do in this regard.

Assuming the confirmation (extracted from the Sin'dorei Spymaster) of the Horde assault was received via Ironforge and the large Gnomish buzzbox in Bael Modan before being relayed to the High Command, there could perhaps be a role for the Stormwind Council to act as a public relay for the news. I'd imagine this sort of news and the decisions to come out of it would first be filtered through a closed War Council of sorts, although apparently the SW Council has this function or there exists a latent body like that already on Defias Brotherhood? The War/SW Council could also act as the conduit for arranging the Alliance response IC'ly although there should be efforts to engage the other bodies (Ironforge Senate, Tinker's Court, etc) too. Anyway, there's time to flesh this out in the weeks ahead.

The various Holy orders (The Chapter et al) could do their thing and perform fiery sermons and blessings for the troops or perhaps decry the Horde attack and the coming apocalypse to rally their own cause once the news had become public while the various military guilds (Disciples of Light, Holy Lightbringers et al) marshal their forces. S.I.7 would be prevalent throughout the build-up to the event so there's a role for Stormwind Intelligence if they're keen, i.e. conducting recces and operations in Kalimdor and elsewhere to gather up and analyse intelligence, clashing with the Shattered Hand and Forsaken Deathstalkers, etc.

For cultists, thieves and general agitators the rapid deployment would provide ample opportunity for mischief, whether that would be looking to pilfer supplies as they're being stockpiled/loaded or simply being more active while the guards are preoccupied with the mustering. For those working against the Alliance, this would be your opportunity to sabotage the build-up or try and delay it's arrival.

Grouping matrix: Old Town Syndicate, Stormwind Guard Guilds, Cultists, Holy Orders and such, Theramore Isle, Stormwind Intelligence, Stormwind Council, Nature's Grasp, Winterblades, The Staghelm Prerogative, Ere Argus, Tinker Federation, Allied Science Institute, The Forlorn Cartel, Dwarven Rifle Squad, Orcs of the Red Blade, The Cult of Shadow, Mistrunner Tribe, Second Gurubashi Empire, Ironforge Senate, Tinker's Court


3.2.5 Kaldorei

Although Malfurion Stormrage was able to escape the seeping corruption chaining him to the Emerald Dream and break the Emerald Nightmare's grip on Fandral Staghelm and the poisoning of Teldrassil, many wounds remain across the lands of the Kaldorei. In the forests, the resolute Sentinels and Keepers of the Grove have borne the brunt of the continued Horde encroachment into their realm but face a resilient foe on many fronts.

The new Warchief's rapid expansion and fortification programme has a voracious appetite for lumber and stone as well as other fruits of the land and the Orcs in particular, have pushed deep into Ashenvale as axe and mechanical monstrosities cleave all in their path. The Kaldorei have seen the swift destruction wrought upon Azshara by the goblins and their industry yet have been powerless to intervene. The shrill sound of mountain and earth being torn asunder echoes through the forests and haunts the dreams of it's protectors as a looming taste of what may come if they fail in their duty.

The Sisterhood of Elune, normally averse to the political wrangling of Theramore's Assembly, has begun to seek additional aid in recent times to keep the Horde at bay, wary as they are of the Warchief's intent. In a noted turn, they have even made overtures to the Dwarves and Gnomes of Bael Modan. The Sentinels have long suspected that the Orcs have been amassing more than lumber in their camps and have been pressing the Alliance for concerted action for many months.

While there have been disagreements with their comrades in the Alliance, the Kaldorei know that the Warchief will not stop at Theramore and with the Alliance driven from the marsh, it is the Kaldorei that will face the full fury of Garrosh's legions next. The sacred forests must be made safe no matter the cost. If that means riding to the aid of Theramore and its arcane mistress, who had consorted so closely with the previous Warchief in times past, then so be it.

Potential RP opportunities could include joint patrols and meetings with the Draenei and other Kalimdor-based guilds/groupings regarding the "sightings" of large-scale Horde activity in the lumber camps. Also some interactions (Sentinel-led interrogations?) or encounters with Orcish war bands and peons constructing their siege engines. Similarly, as mentioned elsewhere, a conference could be arranged amongst Kalimdor-based guilds to discuss the ongoing threat.

A meeting with Tauren Druids in the Moonglade could be arranged to answer Garrosh's claims of Kaldorei involvement in the death of Cairne Bloodhoof and possibly learn more of any Tauren concerns with the new Warchief. Joint representations (along with the Draenei) to the higher authorities in Stormwind and Ironforge regarding the latest Horde incursions within Ashenvale could also be considered.

Grouping matrix: Nature's Grasp, Winterblades, The Staghelm Prerogative, Theramore Isle, Ere Argus, Tinker Federation, Allied Science Institute, The Forlorn Cartel, Dwarven Rifle Squad, Orcs of the Red Blade, The Cult of Shadow, Mistrunner Tribe, Sin Belore, The Sunfury Elite, Second Gurubashi Empire, Ironforge Senate, Tinker's Court, Stormwind Council

4. SCHEDULING

As mentioned in the first post, I feel some time over the summer might be suitable to stage this scenario before the pre-Cataclysm stuff (Operation Gnomeregan/Echo Isles world events, etc) starts to pick up steam. There should be a minimum period of a few weeks between now and the scenario being staged so that interested parties can plan and schedule any RP they would wish to integrate into the scenario as well as allow time for all the finer planning details to be arranged between the factions if there is the will on both sides to give this a bash.

The original event was staged on a Sunday afternoon from 3-5PM server time and I would suggest that a Sunday afternoon or evening may be the most convenient to ensure as a wide a participation as possible, although if the community consensus is that another day and time would be preferable then it shall be so.

Related to this, the timelines for both factions are flexible and could be easily extended or shortened to cater for more/less RP in between the world PvP or to allow for specific portions to be removed or added if, for example, a few guilds wanted to RP out a certain phase separately.





5. PARTICIPATION

While I am very keen to get the RP community on board for this, I also feel strongly that it should be open to the entire server and advertised as such once the details have been ironed out. It would be great to get as many people involved as possible as one of many community events to usher in the coming Cataclysm.

On my old realm with a tiny Alliance population we were able to muster just under two full raid groups from the Alliance participants -- and that was with quite a few non-starters -- after more than two weeks of canvassing support. The Horde had slightly less for the first encounter but only because many more of their signups were not able to attend. Admittedly, there was a less intensive promotion push on their end as well as I didn't have any Horde toons on the realm, but with the easier cross-faction communications and these very forums, that shouldn't be a problem now. In any event, I'm sure Defias can surpass those numbers with a great host on both sides!

I realise that there will always be fears of OOC'ers causing disruptions and drama as well as ruining any passages of RP, however I am certain that provided there is a strong core of players (and organised leadership) from both factions signed up to the event and it's objectives as portrayed in the briefings, then they can carry the rest along with their faction's desires and motivations for victory while experiencing a unique encounter that scales upwards in sense of epic combat as participation grows.

In other words, if the majority of attendees have bought into the RP trappings of the battle then the remaining attendees are more likely to be taken with the spectacle and play along. This is why I created the video briefings, not only just to pique interest but to encourage those who may not be used to the "formality" of an RP-WPvP battle to feel attached to their faction's plight and invest in their struggle. If both factions can be seen to adhere to the basic flow of events then with strong leadership it can work!

When I organised the event on my old realm I spent weeks getting in touch with the various guilds, hitting trade with IC advertisements and outlining the event on the realm forums with IC reports and briefings and so on. Although my character was an oddity on a realm full of hardened PvP'ers, I was surprised and heartened that so many players on both sides seemed to enjoy and buy into the RP aspects of the scenario. If it can be done on a PvP realm, then I'm sure it can be bettered on the best RP-PvP realm around!

Prospective attendees would only need to be pointed to the briefing of their faction to get a sense of the event structure and then listen to the IC orders and OOC requests of their commander(s) to participate. The only really key RP set-piece is the Border Parley, which should only run a few minutes and allows even those without much RP interest a chance to feel part of something more than just a World PvP session.

This is a RP World PvP event, but the emphasis is very much on the World PvP. I've tried to create a scenario with a clear and focused RP narrative, yet once battle has been joined it becomes a free-flowing struggle to the death witin an established RP setting. Players are free to RP as they see fit at any point through the event although the chaos of battle once joined will be relentless.

In terms of player participation, the event is likely to attract mostly level 80's on both sides but should not be limited to high-end mains. Any player level 30 and above should be able to participate in the battle and RP in Dustwallow Marsh if they wish, although of course they would not survive long at all during the battle itself. If guilds or players want to scale down the event for a separate lower-level battle then they are certainly welcome to do so.

There should be no gearing restrictions. Players are welcome to don RP gear throughout or during specific RP phases if they wish, but players should also be able to wear their best PvP/PvE gear without being required to "gear down". The factions will be balanced around the number of 80's attending on each side. If either side is known to have more PvP-geared or generally better geared attendees or a more favourable mix of classes, then the other side will be allowed to have more 80's in attendance but all this will be negotiated in the weeks to come. The key aim here is ensure that the World PvP is competitive, with neither side completely dominating the other.





6. RULES OF ENGAGEMENT

To be finalised.

When the event was staged originally, no abilities were off-limits and the encounters were fluid and frenetic. I do think that at the end of each skirmish, players should be allowed to ress and regroup/drink/buff/etc and then re-form their lines before launching into each other again.

Crowd control could perhaps be allowed but should not be excessive, e.g. if you are a mage then polymorphing a random enemy or healer in a pitched battle isn't really necessary, however if you later found yourself outnumbered in a 3 vs 1 situation for instance, then it would be appropriate and not give you an undue advantage.

The basic problem is that if people are generally restraining their own use of CC, then it's not always fun to be killed in the chaos while incapacitated because some others were CC'ing willy nilly. But yeah, this would need to be talked about further and a common approach agreed.





7. ORIGINAL EVENT VIDEOS

I've managed to locate two videos of the event that was held in 2008. There was at least one other video that covered more of the Thunderbluff attack from a different perspective, but I haven't been able to locate it as the original thread on the old realm forum was seemingly lost about 6 months after the event was staged.

North Point Tower Encounter (Compiled by Heykk/Proyouknow of <Simplicity>)



Covers a bit of the Alliance build-up in Ironforge and Theramore and the North Point Tower defence before moving on to the Thunderbluff raid and the charge on the gates of Orgrimmar. The Thunderbluff and Orgimmar raids weren't planned or considered part of the event but are the sort of spontaneous aftershock that would be encouraged, even if not IC and/or part of the event RP!


Dustwallow Dustup - Thunderbluff Raid (Compiled by Smitty of <KuroShiro>)



Primarily covers the Thunderbluff raid with a bit of the Orgrimmar assault as well in places. The Thunderbluff raid isn't especially interesting as there wasn't much in the way of a Horde defence there and for most realms these city raids are pretty trivial and have been for ages. This was actually the first time that the Alliance had been able to down a faction leader since the realm's inception with the release of TBC. Those Horde fiends had us all on a tight leash in them days!

The Orgrimmar fight in particular was great fun as both sides battled for every step in a time before achievements and where faction pride was king! Ultimately it wasn't about winning, just enjoying the fight and the epic banter from both sides in the aftermath.





8. WHAT TO DO NEXT

8.1 Spread the word to guildies, friends and anyone else you feel would be interested. The focus for the moment is to get some discussion going within the RP community before taking it wider once there's some consensus on the event going ahead and the format has been firmed up.

8.2 Check out the briefings and peruse the Gnomish ramblings above and then raise any queries, suggestions, critiques or other feedback you may have in this thread.

8.3 Check out the suggested RP Opportunities and think about how your character or guild could integrate any of those into your ongoing developments. Alternatively, if you have a related event or think a particular sub-plot or different opportunity could be tied into the buildup, then post your plans here for inclusion or further discussion.

8.4 Have fun! If this scenario does go ahead, the key aim is for everyone to enjoy it while getting a decent dollup of World PvP in a classic zone.



Thanks for reading and may your gears never grind!

Teebo Gyroblast



P.S. For Gnomeregan!

Seems pretty sweet :3

Best gnome ever.

This... is quite an insane amount of planning. My hats are off to you!

Woaw....that's a pretty impressive job you did there if I may say so. May I ask you put this up on the official RP forum as well? It might just draw more RP'ers here as well.

Lock and load, I'll be following this for sure.

I just read through it all and all I can say is: absolutely wonderful!

You never cease to amaze Teebo with all your brilliant ideas (I still remember that wormhole in Ashenvale!). My only personal concern is at the moment is the lag we might get! Won't it be really glitchy if the entire, or most of the server are all gathered in one place?

At any rate, I'm really, really, really looking forward to this and I sincerely hope that we night elves will be able to milk all the role-play out of this massive teat of an event! I'm sure we'll be able to see the event being stretched out so that all the role-play isn't centered primarily on the event itself!

That's..... a lot. 0.o

But, awesome!

Shaelyssa wrote: My only personal concern is at the moment is the lag we might get! Won't it be really glitchy if the entire, or most of the server are all gathered in one place?

I will only say one thing: The Battle of The Shimmering Flats.

And on-topic: Really nice idea you've got 'ere Teebo! I'll make sure that I'll be able to join in on this when the date is set! :3

Best gnome evar.

With that said, WHERE DO I SIGN UP???

I love this! I love all the planning you've made, I love the briefings, I love the idea and I love the ambition.
This could turn into something that'll be remembered for a lifetime.

I'm definitely interested and will spread the word.

Edit: Made an advertisement topic for this in the Cult forums, hopefully it'll pique some interest.

Wauw. I really can't say more than that I'm amazed.


Sign me up!

Said it before, will say it again:

Best gnome ever.

The Silvermoon Council approves this, and will be joining this event, with as many councilors as possible.

A date would be lovely.

For now it's only me. But I do hope to see the rest of the Council be a part of this.

Hats off for you mister, this is awesomely made!

The Stormwind Council also approves of this, just send a ingame poke or a PM to any of the Councilours for anything you might need help with regarding the Alliance/SW participation of this event, both IC and OOC help.

The Inquisition also approves.

Spoiler:

Damn Teebo...

Damn...

Wow. \o/

While... I have read far from all the second post.
It sounds awesome, aside from putting Garrosh as Warchief before Cata being released. And I'm not sure he'll have the actual title even then, more like "Deputy Warchief"...
From what I know Jaina will not be in Theramore anylonger then either. I'm just nitpicking I know.

Otherwise Wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii where do I sign up?

Arathor approves and shall be thar!

Awesome, I hope I can get involved on Vect! and drag along some cult buddies!

Really really looks good.

Posted on the Nature's Grasp forum. We would love to participate in this!

Firstly, thanks to all for the support!

Dorik wrote:May I ask you put this up on the official RP forum as well? It might just draw more RP'ers here as well.

Sure. I was going to post it there in any event once some consensus on the format and time line had been firmed up, but putting it there now should help with the discussion anyway and no doubt the wider EP community's feedback and suggestions should be handy. I'll try and post it later today or tomorrow as I'll have to do a bit of snipping and formatting for the WoW forums.

I was thinking about posting it to PvP forums too, but I'd hold off I think until we've managed to stage it here.

Shaelyssa wrote:My only personal concern is at the moment is the lag we might get! Won't it be really glitchy if the entire, or most of the server are all gathered in one place?

Yeah, it's certainly a potential worry.

When we ran it two years there wasn't any noticeable lag in Dustwallow Marsh that I can recall with about 120-150 players from both sides in the marsh at once. However, Karazhan EU (the realm) has and still is one with a low population so the server might not have been too strained anyway perhaps. The zone itself isn't too demanding either compared to certain others. Thinking back to the last Anniversary Wars, the lag in Grizzly Hills was much worse in my experience than in Burning Steppes and Blackrock Mountain.

But yeah, it is a worry if there's alot more players potentially involved. I'm not sure if they would be able to do anything to assist, but once things firm up and we can agree a date and time for the battle, then I thought about perhaps chatting to a GM and asking if they could maybe forward a little heads-up to their hosting/server people asking if they could possibly expand the load-balancing or server capacity for DB during the time of the event. At the very least, they may be able to add some gubbins to add flavour like faction flags at key points or something.

Aomir/Lyrion wrote:That's..... a lot.

Indeed, apologies for the wall of text. Alas, as a gnome my verbal and written readouts are directly proportional to the dynamic potency quotient, which in this case happens to be World PvP mayhem...with a bit of luck!

Aye, there's a lot of blabbing to be sure. What I've done is pour all my rambling thoughts out there, but I think once players have had a look at the briefings they should get a sense of how it all shakes out. There's a lot of redunant stuff in the text explainations anyway and it is much more verbose than it should be!

If us gnomes are good at anything it's overcomplicating the simple things!

Geldar wrote:The Stormwind Council also approves of this, just send a ingame poke or a PM to any of the Councillors for anything you might need help with regarding the Alliance/SW participation of this event, both IC and OOC help.

Thanks Geldar! As mentioned in the post, there's potentially quite a big role for the SW Council to act as the IC conduit and relay for the Alliance hearing the news of the impending invasion and arranging the defence, so your support is most welcome.

Thenkar wrote:Made an advertisement topic for this in the Cult forums, hopefully it'll pique some interest.

Indeed! Thanks too, Thenkar. At the moment, that is the current focus -- to get players interested and spread the news so that they can get involved. Glad to have the Cult on board! The Dark Lady will be in need of your services!

Varanis wrote:The Silvermoon Council approves this, and will be joining this event, with as many councilors as possible.

Excellent! No battle would be complete without the impressive and well-coiffed Sin'dorei in the ranks! Thanks for the support, Varanis.

Marogg/Helanie wrote:It sounds awesome, aside from putting Garrosh as Warchief before Cata being released. And I'm not sure he'll have the actual title even then, more like "Deputy Warchief"... From what I know Jaina will not be in Theramore anylonger then either.

Yip, I agree that that particular assumption as well as a bunch of others are tricky. I also recently recall reading in the forums here, I think, about Jaina now residing in Stormwind in the Alpha builds.

That could be incorporated into the event in this way perhaps: she's either injured during the Horde assault and/or evacuated to Stormwind during/after it to recuperate if necessary or King Varian could perhaps recall her to Stormwind after the attack is repulsed; fearing for her safety in Theramore, given that it seems to be the major staging ground for the Alliance/Horde conflict in the Barrens during Cata. He may want to place an Alliance military commander in charge of Theramore in that case. Is it revealed who replaces her in Theramore?

As far as Garrosh being Warchief, let me explain when I see this event occurring within the time line. Obviously, Garrosh has become Warchief when he launches this attack but within the scenario parameters has been planning it secretly in the months before, while biding his time and preparing for the ascension to Warchief with different political power plays, etc. That might not happen at all of course, Thrall might abdicate the position of his own volition to suddenly join the Council of Tirisfal or whatever Blizzard have planned for him and drop the title on Garrosh unexpectedly.

But yeah, I've tried to reconcile the drastic environmental changes that will come in the expansion in a reasonably realistic time frame, i.e. we go from having Dustwallow Marsh and the Barrens as they currently exist to the huge fortifications and bridge over the bay in Dustwallow and the massive defences (Desolation Hold et al) in the Barrens and elsewhere overnight. IC'ly these changes wouldn't happen so quickly so I'm not sure how Blizzard will phase them in. As an aside it would be awesome if they could phase them in somehow but this is probably too complicated with all the other changes they're making. Even if the changes and fortifications only started taking shape when Garrosh became Warchief, they would take ages to build. It could be that certain parts of this in-game expansion have IC'ly occurring in recent years in-game yet we just haven't seen them for gameplay/development reasons.

So, from a time line perspective I see this happening shortly before or after "the cataclysm" unfolds, whether it's one major tectonic eruption as Deathwing and the Old Gods begin to emerge or a number of smaller shocks. IC'ly the major changes made to the Barrens and Dustwallow haven't yet occurred -- or at least have not yet been fully realised -- when this scenario takes places. Dustwallow Dustup is designed to partly (try) to account for the changes that we see there in Cata, i.e. Garrosh's invasion would place the Allaince and Horde on an open war footing. Varian would probably order the defences in Dustwallow to be upgraded and the Alliance armies would strike at Horde positions in the Barrens like Camp Taurajo and so on. Incidentally, Camp Taurajo still exists during this scenario but I mentioned it being the target of an Alliance diversionary strike in the follow-up campaign, which I'd like to revamp considerably too to incorporate all the new info that's coming out. I believe that DRS have IC'ly attacked Camp Taurajo already but I'm not sure what it's current server status is, if any. As mentioned in the initial posts, I've tried to keep the video briefings and core primer materials server neutral although any specific "server lore" is welcome to be added.

IC'ly, I see the Horde being able to do considerable damage to Theramore in this scenario yet they are ultimately and just barely repulsed in time by the unexpected arrival of Alliance reinforcements. Garrosh is furious of course but unbowed! It's a setback which will prolong his campaign but he's adamant that the Horde will prevail and certainly when the Horde is united, they have every chance of doing so! This would lead to him regrouping his legions and containing the Alliance advance in the Southern Barrens at the sight of what will become the Battlescar, Forward Command, Desolation Hold, Fort Triumph, etc. Anyway, that's just how I've tried to work it for this specific scenario -- it will probably all be very different in Cata! I can't wait to see the real story unfold in-game!

Finally, it could be that the specific "pre-Cataclysm World event" they have planned will reveal specifically how he becomes Warchief (and it will likely be very different!) or it may only initiate the process which is then elaborated on in-game via questing and so on during the expansion.

Eavya Morninglight wrote:Really really looks good.

Posted on the Nature's Grasp forum. We would love to participate in this!

Hurray! Theramore will need every able-bodied Sentinel, Druid, Priestess and Huntress to stave off this assault! Thanks for the support, Eavya!

Various wrote:With that said, WHERE DO I SIGN UP???

Such enthusiasm! *rubs little mittens together while cackling* The Gearmaster will be pleased!

Yeah, it's great to see that y'all keen! I might start tallying up the early interest from guilds and players in a tentative list edited to the third post soon. The focus for the next week or so is to get people interested and talking and to come and check out the briefings so they can start thinking about getting involved, planning possible RP, etc.

Would be cool if you you guys could start thinking about your preferred day/time and canvassing folks in your guilds about that too. While very flexible, the event itself (including the initial OOC raid invites and getting people together) could range from about 2-4 hours depending. So would a Sunday afternoon/evening be preferable or perhaps a time during the week or maybe some other time altogether?

I'm not a football fan by any stretch but with the World Cup on the way and general summer sports/cultural (music festivals et al)/etc events across Europe and holidays and so on there could be a lot of potential clashes for some people in the weeks ahead -- we'll have to do some forward planning to check if there's anything major on the date that is chosen. The aim is to try and decide on a date and time that benefits as many people as possible so have a talk with guildies and post your preferred choices!

If I'm not online I'd be happy to get any queries in-game via the mail although it's probably best to keep them in this thread. Also, if you do catch me online I may a bit little slow in responding some times if in another convo, but I will get back to you!

Teebo, as for the date planning for the event, here is a small suggestion. Announce the date one week before the invites start which would aproximatly be 1.5/2 weeks before the actual event as this will require quite alot of planning and arranging from both sides. Though in a nutshell, just give people a date from which they should begin planning arrangements, preferably posted here ofcourse.

And as a idea to lessen the lag, if we have say 2 raids on each side why not seperate the raids into different fronts? Might sounds complicated but if you get good leaders for each division it should work like a charm, provided as another idea: Have the leaders on ventrilo/skype with the opposing group leader so there could be communication at all times.

Eitherway, if I am ever given control of a division its name will so be "Ghost Division"! -scuttles off like Zoidberg to listen to Sabaton-

PS: Bloodwind regiment ready to serve the Alliance!