Muradin isn't really an option, since there's a dispute for the throne between all the dwarven strains. The council solution is actually good, and killing Moira is nothing but normal in a setting in which we kill more than our fare share of women and females. Onyxia or Keristrasza aren't exactly bitches, more like females of what is probably the "superior" race of Azeroth. Still, Wrynn going on "political troubleshooter" mode for his faction is of concern. He's lucky the dwarves regard humans in such a good light. Should he have done the same with the night elves, I'm not sure how that would've turned out.

On Garrosh...well, ok, he listened to Saurfang. I'm ok with that, although we had no indication that he'd paid attention to what the old orc (I'd still like to know what's become of Varok, by the way) said to him. Cairne's death makes sense. Not only is a duel for leadership is a natural thing in a warrior, honor-driven faction like the Horde, the old bull actually has a good ending. Sure, he doesn't kill 100 soldiers before getting incinerated or impaled, but he shows pride and honour by claiming his right to lead the Horde. Let's see how Vol'jin reacts to that. I hope he gets the true version of what took place.

All in all, congrats to Blizzard for the solution found to Garrosh's nature. It's tragic and that's enough to convince me.

Now what's that story about Thrall sending Garrosh an SI:7 emblem? That's actually something I didn't expect Hellscream to resort to, kind of scheming...should it be true, however, I don't feel there's anything that can attone for such an act of treason. Not sure Blizzard will share of this, but characters with lots of conflicting actions tend to end badly (depending on the point of view): take Hellscream Sr. for example...

I also agree with Wryns actions in stepping in to diffuse the situation in Ironforge, as the 'Leader' of the alliance he should step in to stop the kingdom of humanity's greatest ally being ripped apart by civil war. Essentially he had a tough call to make and ultimately he made the best of a catch 22 situation. He has introduced some semblance of stability and ended the civil war, sure he may have upset some people but a mark of a good leader is making the unpopular decisions for the greater good. I don't think anyone could argue that the dwarves engaging in a civil war is a more favourable outcome than Wryn's placeholder government.

Interestingly, his actions make him seem like an Azerothian USA or even the UN (please note this is not an invitation to discuss real world politics, merely a rather heavy handed analogy). Imagine if there was a civil war in the UK for example, the UK and USA have been very close allies for a long time, would anyone be surprised for the USA to step in to end the conflict and restore stability? Or the EU for that matter? It would seem to be the most logical and responsible action in my opinion.

Magni and Varian were old friends and had Magni not been de-curse of the fleshed, wouldn't he have been almost certain to call on Varian for aid in the conflict with the Dark Irons? To me his actions seem perfectly reasonable.

It's good to see them building up the neglected faction leaders. Especially on the Alliance side, only Varian seems to have any revelant in-game story behind him at the moment. But with the new information from Cata, Mekkatorque and Bronzebeard seem to be sorted. Jaina seems firmly on Varian's side since ICC. That leaves Tyrande and Staghelm as the most underdeveloped leaders at the moment, though I suspect we'll get a lot of new night elf lore in Cataclysm. As I said earlier, their new camp in the Green Belt in Wetlands suggests they'll be a more visible part of the Alliance.

I'm less sure about the development of the Draenei. Basically, lore-wise, we've seen very little happening to them on Azeroth. There are only a few token Draenei in the Northrend campaign, and very few of them can be found outside the Exodar. The Draenei camp that was under construction in Ashenvale did not seem any more finished in the leaked screenshots of that area, and it will be even closer to the Warsong clan than before.. so what next for the spacegoats?

On the Horde side, it seems to be a similar situation with the Blood Elves. Although they where integrated into the Horde much better (IMO) by their close association with the Forsaken, they seemed curiously absent from the fight against Arthas. And their new leader is a complete unknown.

It would be nice if they paid some attention to the Burning Crusade races again, although it seems the decision was made to leave TBC content alone, which probably means there will be little new dreanei/BE lore?

We trade Cairne for a redeemed Garrosh and Baine, who appears to have grown into a no-nonsense bull in his own right if the above mentioned encounter with the Grimtotem is accurate. I liked Cairne too, but it seems like a fair trade considering Cairne wasn't likely to last much longer anyway.

I assume once Garrosh proves himself to Vol'jin we'll be treated to some sort of heart-warning in-game event where they kiss and make up over a pile of Twilight Cultist bodies or something.

Know Your Lore: Current Horde politics -- the Blood Elves
Of course just speculation, but it wouldn't surprise me to see the Blood Elves take on a more pacifistic position - while they of course won't rejoin the Alliance simply for gameplay reasons, they could reach out a hand to the remaining High Elves, (try to) become mediators between H&A etc.
Also, if that part about Garrosh frowning upon the nuking of the druid tree is right, it would mostly take out the sheer hatred from the conflict, but rather make the re-ignited hostilities a ressource war - Blizzard kinda stated the latter already. Makes the conflict a lot more understandable.

I always thought Liandri should've taken the blood elven throne. She seems powerful, she's charismatic, and could've been the first of a lineage of great rulers representing a change of blood elves for the better - a little better, at least. Now we're somewhat stuck with a race that should be on the process of purification but shows no signs of it. Yet, neither has their struggle against magic dependence been touched again.

So I guess it's back to more "Blood Elves join military operations and that's it". Pity, really.

Agreed on Baine toughing up getting a big yes. Now if only he could wield an axe/spear instead of that totem. It sounds cool, but...it's like he's come from a bar brawl in which he grabbed the pillar instead of the nearest chair. Not so cool, IMHO - being serious here, I think Tauren leaders have been somewhat neglected, looks-wise.

Here's a new one for Hellscream's rubik cube of values:

Someone in the MMO forums thought it made sense since they're expert dragon-"tamers". And we're fighting a whole flight of them. Me, I recall an idea I had for one of Garrosh's honor guards. Blademasters with painted skulls on their faces, giving by the name of Old Glory, or something like that. Sounded a bit too extreme with Garrosh's supposed "redemption". Said redemption seems to have been confirmed, but allegiances like this one make me want to stick by my idea until I get some proof.

Poor Magni, I always liked him. The real irony of this situation is for years Magni was depressed over how he had lost Muradin and how Brann was often MiA for huge periods of a time. Never expected he would die. Muradin has his own fledgling kingdom to build up and Brann well can anyone see him being a king?

The Wildhammers and Black Irons now being in Ironforge also now provide a really easy way for Dwarf Mages and Shaman to be integrated into the game. It was a safe bet that the Dwarf Shaman would have had a Wildhammer connection, but nice to get one for the Mages, well story-wise at least.

You guys should take what you read with a grain of salt.

That MMO post in question is painfully Horde bias.

Wyrnn is a moron and hated, and Garrosh is now like Saurfang and held back in a fight for control of the Horde? Come on now.

The Garrosh bit seems pretty confirmed and the Alliance part is somewhat backed by the Dark Iron NPC's in the files and Old Ironforge has been updated in the Alpha as well and this would explain why. They were right about it to an extent last year it seems (as much as I hate to admit that) and now we just have the minor details.

After the awfully caricatured way in which Garrosh was presented as the retard-child of Horde leadership for the whole last expansion, it would be a welcome change.

There is a bit of a difference between voiceovers making it unclear whether Sylvanas betrayed the Horde and the stuff we know on Garrosh and Cairne set it stone in quests though. We know for a fact that Cairne got poisoned by Magatha, that the Grimtotem are exiled and working with the Alliance in Stonetalon after being forced from Thunderbluff, and that Garrosh landed the killing blow. Some of the holes were filled now and it fits in with what we see occur in the revamped Stonetalon with a new Garrosh. It's pretty clear they had this storyline setup since the start so I doubt anything drastic will change between now and then that will cause the Horde part to be wrong. The Varian bit I am a bit unsure on but Old Ironforge being revamped and Dark Iron NPC's kinda point to at least most of that part being true.

I guess we will find out as time goes but right now I am taking what is now known as pretty likely (especially for the Horde) based on the many facts we have.