Monthy Musings: the spirit world

[Feralan]

The Kaldorei are an extremely spiritual people in a world that is indeed full of spirits. Druids are the ones with the closest bonds to the living world, but going by in-game quests, hunters can communicate with their own bonded companions at least. And even other Kaldorei NPCs remark how the forest spirits are ill at ease or about how they can feel the taint around them.

How do your characters see the spirit world, and how much do you think they can sense and understand of it?

What little rituals do you think might the Kaldorei have to pay respect to the spirits around them?

Many in-game objects in Kaldorei lands and homes look like they might have a spiritual significance. Have you thought about that, and pondered how to incorporate it into your RP?

[Malon and Turtle]

The game mechanics limit things, but I like the idea that the nelfs with specific callings will be more in tune with the world around them - such as hunters being excellent trackers and having an affinity with animals. Hunters should certainly pick-up on the corruption around them, since it would affect the animals. Druids certainly should, although it's difficult to know how far that goes. In the War of the Ancients trilogy Malfurion pretty much ends up talking to anything and everything - even stone. Personally I wouldn't take it that far, but certainly vague sensing is possible. I'd draw the line at having a pleasant chat with a shrubbery or a dog.

Rituals are fun to consider, and certainly more so when personal superstitions and beliefs are added to the mix. I'm an armchair theologian, which is why the religions and belief systems in-game are so intriguing to me - particularly the vagueness that characters fill with their own interpretations. i.e. shadow priests rationalising their chosen path with a religion that would at face value seem to oppose such a thing.

As you know, Malon has her little thing with her shiny stars as a kind of ritual for reinforcing the idea that there is life after death - even though the evidence for it is a bit lacking when it comes to most people.