Blizzard Entertainment has released a new short story for World of Warcraft: Forever, and it tackles one of the biggest lore questions raised by the game's new race and class combinations. Titled Unbowed, the story follows a former Scarlet Crusader who wakes up as one of the Forsaken and has to figure out whether the Light still has a place for him.
The story is available as a free downloadable PDF, and Blizzard also put out a narrated "fireside" version on the official Warcraft YouTube channel. It is written by Sean Copeland, illustrated by Surfside 3D and narrated by Jesse Burch as Cormack.
Why This Story Matters For WoW: Forever
In the original game, Paladins were limited to Humans and Dwarves. WoW: Forever changes that by letting the Forsaken become Paladins on the Horde side, which is one of the new race and class pairings coming at launch. Unbowed is Blizzard's way of explaining how that works in the world, and it does not make it easy.
Blizzard sums up the premise with one question: "can a Forsaken still serve the Light?" The answer the story gives is yes, but at a cost.
What Happens In Unbowed
Spoilers for Unbowed follow.
The story opens with Cormack, newly risen, watching from the bushes as a group of Scarlet Crusaders executes a caravan of Forsaken. Leading them is Arec Mistmantle, a distant relative, a former brother-in-arms and the man who murdered Cormack. When Arec mockingly dedicates the executions to Gavinrad the Dire, Cormack snaps and attacks.
The fight sets up the story's central idea. Cormack can still call on the Holy Light, but in undeath it burns him every time he uses it. Healing his own shattered hand after the battle is described as pure agony, and the Light answers him "violently and mercilessly."
Cormack then tracks down the Forsaken survivors he saved, hoping they can explain what he has become. Instead, he ends up in a fight with a Forsaken mage who sees his Scarlet tabard and assumes the worst. After he beats her, she gives him a speech about what it means to be Forsaken and the home the Dark Lady carved out for them. Cormack tears the Scarlet Crusade emblem from his chest and leaves his warhammer in the dirt.
A Familiar Face Shows Up
The final act takes place at Cormack's own grave, where he is ready to give up. There, he meets Danitha, an undead Paladin in muted purple plate who chose to keep going instead of returning to the dirt. She reveals that Cormack's father was Gavinrad the Dire, who trained her, and returns his father's warhammer. Its handle carries the words "No'Darador," or "We serve."
Cormack prays to the Light with his whole heart for the first time since rising. It still burns, but this time the pain gives way to warmth and healing. Danitha welcomes him with the Old Tongue oath "Esarus no'Darador, son of Gavinrad," and Cormack asks her to show him the way home.
What It Could Mean In Game
Players who have been through the beta have already spotted a few connections. The Mistmantle name ties into Mistmantle Manor, which is a much bigger location in WoW: Forever than it was in the original game. Gavinrad the Dire is also a name longtime lore fans will recognize as one of the first Paladins of the Silver Hand, alongside figures like Uther and Tirion Fordring.
The story strongly suggests there is a small order of undead Paladins out there, and it would not be surprising if Danitha shows up as a trainer or quest giver for Forsaken Paladins. Blizzard has not confirmed that, but the setup is hard to miss.
It is also a nice change of pace for the game's marketing. Most of the lead-up to launch has focused on systems like Rulesets instead of realms and its first three raids, so getting a proper piece of character-driven fiction is a good sign that Blizzard plans to keep telling new stories in this version of Azeroth.
World of Warcraft: Forever launches on November 4 at 3:00 p.m. PST.
Are you planning to roll a Forsaken Paladin after reading Unbowed, or are you sticking with a more traditional Paladin race?
Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.