I was reading Grumpy's post about
where class halls should go and Elkagorasa's
comment got me thinking about the story that is needed for these class halls.
Rogue's and warlocks generally seem disappointed in their class hall
so far. We don't know why these exist and filling in that lack of information might help those places seem more palatable. And give us some desire to use them.
There isn't a lot of information out there yet and perhaps that
will change things once we know more. They are supposed to be cross faction, I think, but yet no cross faction talk - I guess warlocks can use demonic, or could last I checked. And traditionally rogues in RPGs had thieves cant to talk outside the law...but I'm digressing.
I think there should be a pre-expansion event to open our class hall.
What I mean is this - prior to the expansion we get a class specific quest line that is based in the lore of your class. These quests would introduce the Legion invasion and give us a reason for the class halls.
Here's some ideas for each class. I'm not fully competent on class (or other) lore, so please forgive out of date or wrong ideas. You'll hopefully get the feel of what I'm aiming for though.
Death Knights - Each death knight can feel some sort of pull to Ice Crown Citadel. It wasn't like when the Lich King had control, but a gut feeling of dread, anger, panic. They travel to find Bolvar still on the throne but he warns of a great evil wave that is fighting him. He assures us he will hold the Scourge but that there is a great evil coming and we must prepare. He urges us to return to the Ebon Hold and talk to <NPC>. When we zone in, there is fighting all over the place and chaos everywhere. Some of the Death Knights and undead have joined the Legion and taken over the Ebon Hold. We have to retake the Ebon Hold.
Druids - In answering a summons to Moonglade, we find out there is something in the Emerald Dream that we need to investigate. Perhaps a quick trip and we see some corruption that we must contain. Once it is done, the need of a united front in the Emerald Dream is obvious and the resolve to work together more is declared.
Hunters - A hawk delivers a note and a small bound package to you from Sylvanas Windrunner. She has heard of your skills and as a fellow hunter asks for you to follow-up on a mystery. Inside the package is a
necklace. You pet seems to respond to the presence of the locket and when your pet is out and you wear the locket, you can get the quests from your pet to follow the storyline. Following the quest line leads to the heavily hinted at (but perhaps not resolved) that Alleria Windrunner is returning and with terrible news. Sylvanas thanks you for resolving the mystery and suggests the need for the great hunters of the world to work together if they wish to continue to enjoy the hunt.
Mages - You notice odd fluctuation in your spells, as if the magic is rebelling, and head to the mage area of your city/faction. From there you find out it isn't just you and set-off to find out what is causing it. After much trial and tribulation (of course) you find out that these minor reverberations mirror the
Great Sundering. You travel to Azshara, investigate and stabilize the disturbance that had been growing. A great council is convene to watch the disturbance and research what it means.
Monks - While in meditation, the distress of the Pandaria cries out. You portal the Peak of Serenity and are told that your help is needed in <LOCATION>. A small invasion of the Legion has landed in Pandaria and fighting is going on between the Sha, the Legion, and the Pandaren. As monks you must save the people, quell the Sha, and repel the Legion. When it is over, Taran Zhu discusses the need to work together throughout Azeroth.
Paladins - An NPC runs up to you and explains that he is the last of a small band that had been sent to investigate some desecration at the tomb of Uther the Lightbringer. He explains what their quest had been and what went wrong. He begs you to help rescue the rest of his party that was taken into Scholomance. You travel there and it is an ambush intended to kill you. As you finish off the ambush the NPC that tricked you murmurs his last words of something about the coming of the
Great Burning Shadow. This leads you to investigate further and realize the horror that is coming. A great conclave of paladins assembles to train and prepare for the light to do battle with the Great Burning Shadow.
Priests - At a
decennial meeting of the great priests an Image of Sargeras appears among them and taunts them. A decision is made to travel to the towns and cities and talk to the people and learn of fears or other sightings about the Burning Legion. People are comforted and helped as needed. A small cultist group is uncovered in a smaller town which leads to a larger enclave in the Swamp of Sorrows (since we were just in the Blasted Lands for last expansion but still near by). After you have dispersed the cultists you return and with your knowledge, priests agree that they must prepare for the coming war, as they know that their talents will be sorely needed.
Shaman -
Green Jesus (since we so rarely see him) and Farseer Nobundo have asked for your assistance in Vashj'ir. They are trying to find the still missing
Neptulon and have some leads for you to follow. While on those quests hints about the Legion keep arising. Your quest ends with little more knowledge about Neptulon than when you started (unless Blizzard is doing more here) but you are now aware of the threat of the Burning Legion and the need to work together.
Rogues - there seems to be a lot of interest in Ravenholdt and anger at the Dalaran sewers. Not universal but pretty consistent. Whatever the case, perhaps the quest line starts in Ravenholdt and the rogues have to sneak in and find out that
cultists are trying to open portals for the Legion in Ravenholdt. They take this information to SI:7 or something analogous within the horde, realize cross faction work is needed and they strike back to stop it. In trying to stop the portals from being opened, Raveholdt is destroyed (since Blizzard isn't likely to change) but the two cross-faction groups realize that working together they can do things to stop the invasion.
Warlocks - When you log on your demon is missing. Using your spell to summon it prompts a quest explaining that nothing happened. You travel to your faction warlock hub and find that others are trying to solve the same problem. It is determined that something or someone is blocking your summons. A quest line begins to figure out who it is and as you complete each quest, you "get back" access to one demon. After you have gotten them all back, the final story leads you to the truth about the return of the Legion. From then on you know you must ban together to stop the legion. Downside here - it FORCES players to do this quest - so perhaps something that leads into the demon being missing and then you have to "earn" them all back.
Warriors - A letter arrives challenging you to a drink and a fight at the Brawler's Guild in your faction City. Not a Brawler's Guild invitation, but simply a starting point. Gamon for Horde, unsure for Alliance. Perhaps a woman? After the drink and the fight, your challenger confides that they have found something and are recruiting others like them. Then send you out on other quests and challenges, revealing a little more each time. When you have earned their trust and respect they inform you of the full story and send you off to the area where they are training more like you.
I'm sure others could flesh these out more or take them in better directions. But the big thing that comes through to me in listing all of this, is how weird the factions become when we are grouped by class. If we are all working together by our classes, then are any of us really fighting each other by faction? It seems weird for Alliance and Horde Paladins to get along but an Alliance Paladin will still fight a Horde Warrior? Just odd to me. Of course, I never got faction pride.
I think I have more for here but I should have finished this 5 minutes ago. Your thoughts and ideas are more than welcome.
