[Spoilers] How I would Make the Campaign Better

This is just for fun, some high level ideas that I think would have made for a better plot for Midnight, which to be frank, I found a bit lacking. My main purpose here was to reframe some plot points that I think would be more fair to the legacy of certain characters, bring in characters that make more sense in certain areas, and 'show' more instead of telling. Interested to see what you all think, and I'd love to see some other ideas as well!

Prologue:

• Redo the dialogue and vibe behind the Arator/Turalyon plot. Instead of being in the right and thinking his dad sucks, Arator instead can whinge about how he's not sure he has what it takes to live up to his father's legacy. He's not sure he could be a pragmatic commander if it meant the possibility that people died because of his decisions.

Eversong:

• After the prologue, some of the Horde and Alliance forces show up to help. It is explicitly explained that major characters like Thrall and Jaina are tying up loose ends in Khaz Algar and are making their way here with the main forces though it will take some time. Among these, key characters are: Thalyssra, Talanji and Malfurion.

• Thalyssra is the main character that assists with Eversong. In my re-write, we totally scrap the Lightbloom. Instead, the Leylines are still cracking with massive amounts of Light energy, and the Nightborne, being experts in Leylines, are there to assist and try to maintain them. This does "lightforge" some of the local wildlife, but to varying effects. Some have become more helpful and symbiotic, while others are violent and vengeful.

• Arator still travels with us to handle the smuggler and cultist plot of the zone, culminating in the confrontation with the Amani. Instead of "lightwood", the Amani were simply here for regular resources for the same purpose, which was to aid in their own battle efforts. In the cutscene, Zul'jan SURRENDERS and then Turalyon goes for the execution, claiming that it's too dangerous to leave an Amani leader alive. Arator can still jump in front of the blade. The scene wraps up with Lorthemar stating that he doesn't have the soldiers to hold the border, but will need to form a militia of civilians to do so.

• When you get back to Silvermoon, you are made aware that reinforcements have arrived: Talanji and some Zandalari, along with Malfurion and some Druids.

Zul'aman:

• You are tasked to form a militia with Liadrin, who suggests that you speak with the Zandalari about tactics that you may use to hold off the Amani. However, Talanji insists that peaceful talks could be had, and invites herself to join you and Liadrin to the border in hopes you can parlay with the Amani leaders.

• Talanji's role is vital in forming diplomatic relations between Silvermoon and the Amani. She sympathizes with the Amani and acknowledges how they were abandoned by the Horde. Liadrin is reluctant at first, but comes to realize that the trolls are not all so different, and that in time, she can learn to trust them as the Blood Elves have with the other tribes in the Horde.

• Zul'jarra believes in a future for the Amani beyond their forests, while Zul'jan is more stubbornly loyal to their traditions and wants to see them return to their old glory. You help them meet somewhere in the middle, and TOGETHER they become ha'shey (spelling). While you, Zul'jarra and Liadrin undergo the Loa trials; You, Zul'jan and Talanji unite the tribes on more political grounds. Liadrin teaches Zul'jarra about mending her faith, drawing a parallel to her founding of the Blood Knights as similar to Zul'jin's abuse of the loa. Meanwhile, Talanji teaches Zul'jan about how to be a strong leader, passing down lessons she herself learned from her father.

• The conclusion is similar. The Twilight's blade are defeated, but we still find Zul'jan out on the bridge after the battle. He's sour. After witnessing the great power that his sister obtained during the trials, he feels like he got the short end of the stick by being the diplomat. He tells you that he still wants to be strong in a more conventional way. This way, Zul'jan isn't totally demonized and made to be a buffoon like in the original, while still keeping the outcome similar.

Harandar:

• The Light surging from the Sunwell made it's way to Harandar, which has some sort of connection to the Dream. In the Dream, Malfurion and his druids are blinded by the Light, and have come to Silvermoon to investigate the cause. They are directed to meet up with Thalyssra, once again, to see if she's made headway on settling down the Leylines.

• You arrive at where Thalyssra is, who is lined up with a few Thalassian guards and facing Orweyna, who they believe is an invading troll. You intervene, recognizing her from when you saw her in Azj-Kahet. Orweyna explains that she too was investigating this surge of Light, and followed the Rootways here. The Light is harming her home of Harandar and driving the life there mad, much like it is to the creatures of Eversong.

• Malfurion recognizes Orweyna's kind as similar to his progenitor, the Dark Trolls, and wonders if Harandar is somehow linked to what's happening in the Dream. He comes with you.

• In Harandar, the plot does still focus on the "Lightbloom", but we give it more purpose. The 'Lightforged' life here in Harandar has unified and has correctly targeted the Rift of Aln as a problematic impurity that needs to be purged. However, the Haranir explain the dilemma: They have kept the nightmares in the Rift of Aln at bay by keeping a low profile, and are cautious of the risks with fighting them head on, as it could them losing ground and therefore the Cradle of Aln'hara.

• The cradle still holds within it the dregs of Aln'hara's dreams, which Malfurion is able to put 2 and 2 together and realize that these dreams are what Freya used to form the Emerald Dream. He wants to see if he can enter the real Dream, but it forbidden because of Haranir customs. Orweyna seeks to get you permission to enter.

• Orweyna convinces the Elders to let you and Malfurion undergo their ancient trials to gain access to the Dream. Throughout this trial, we learn more of Haranir culture, but we also learn that the animal Gods of Harandar are kin of the Wild Gods. They give us some insight into what happened with the ordering of Azeroth.

• The Animal Gods tell us that life on Azeroth was all originally born from Aln'hara's dream, and the Animal Gods being the most powerful of those creations. However, after the slumbering Titan was moved from her cradle and brought somewhere else, the dream ceasing, and no more of their kin were born. Many ventured away from the Cradle and died or became corrupted by the Old Gods. Some (The Wild Gods) accepted Freya's gift to be tied to the Emerald Dream, where they would gain greater power to be able to defend the world. The Animal Gods of Harandar, similarly to the Primal Dragons, did not trust the Titans after they took their 'mother' away from them, and decided to remain and protect the Cradle.

• Malfurion begins to question the dream and wants to consult Cenarius about how the Druids can help Harandar. However, he wants to experience the 'real' dream, not the one that Freya had made for them. The Animals Gods allow him to do so, as they say it's better for him to see 'the truth'.

• Malfurion enters the dregs of the original dream with you, but it's not as cohesive as the Emerald dream. It's a place of creation and memory. The first event in the dream depicts Aln'hara creating life on Azeroth. The second event depicts Aln'hara's sympathy for her creations, as they were brought into the world and she could not interact with them. She gave them a father guide them on the earth, and a mother to watch over them from the sky. You walk through some events: the creation of the animal gods, the nightmares that started to occur once the old gods has arrived on the planet, the creation of more ferocious creatures to fight back the nightmares, a nightmare so big that it nearly consumed her, before it was suddenly ripped out of her dream, and shortly after, Aln'hara being torn from the Cradle.

• This campaign ends with Orweyna vouching for Malfurion when he says he wants the Night Elves and the Haranir to once again come together, and says he will return with Cenaurius to help them with the Lightbloom and the Rift of Aln.

• As we go to leave, we see one of the Elders has light in his eyes and he claims that we cannot leave alive since we have seen the secrets of their people. We put him down and move on.

Arator:

• This is mostly the same. Just make the cutscene of Blackrock mountain actually show Turalyon being heroic, not a zealot. The takeaway is showing Arator that the light is capable of great things, and that while it isn't perfect, should his cause always be just, it will guide him to the right place.

• When Arator remakes the shield, instead of Turalyon being a weird depresso about it, it should be a good father-son moment where Turalyon entrusts his shield to Arator, and says that he's the son he'd always hoped he be. Turalyon explains that when he went through the Dark Portal, he made the decision to protect what he loved by being the 'Sword', of the Light, and that Arator can be the Shield. That together, they can balance eachother out. That Turalyon can learn from his son's idealism, and Arator can learn from his father's wisdom. Their relationship is mended for the most part in this scene and Arator looks up to his father, finally realizing how hard it must have been to make the decision to leave Azeroth (and home) behind for the sake of his people.

Voidstorm:

• You are made aware that their are several nexus point with which you could 'reprogram' to allow the Vanguard to enter the Voidstorm.

• Lothraxian is in charge and demands that we follow his lead and not listen to Decimus. We destroy a nexus point. It doesn't work.

• Because his plan doesn't work, Lothraxian concedes and passes leadership to Arator. Arator then passes leadership to Alleria immediately, which pisses Lothraxian off. He lets us know that he passed it to Arator for a reason, and that Alleria can't be trusted because she's already been duped a handful of times.

• We follow Decimus' plan under the leadership of Alleria, everything plays out similarly, though Lothraxian never randomly attacks Decimus or abandons void elves (which were randomly assigned to him for some reason). Everything plays out the same up until Decimus deceives us, but in our favor. Furious, Lothraxian again states that we cannot trust him, and demands we put him back in the light shackles. Alleria refuses.

• Lothraxian declares that trusting Decimus further isn't possible, and they have to find another way on their own. His brilliant plan? He will simply kill Xalatath himself. He goes off and charges the Voidspire.

• Decimus claims that if Lothraxian charging in like that probably doesn't matter, since it's unlikely that Xalatath isn't aware of them anyway. Alleria questions Decimus, and he clarifies that Xalatath knows what they are up to, but even still, it's not like doing nothing would yield better results. This leads you to the Nexus Point dungeon, just as before, but instead of Lothraxian being the last boss, it's another Domanaar.

• The Vanguard enters, and Turalyon scolds Alleria for abandoning Lothraxian. Arator steps in and explains the situation, finding common ground between them (a lesson from his personal quest applied here). They quickly make ammends and Turalyon sends General Amias Bellamy in to the Voidspire with a small, elite force to go and back up Lothraxian.

Voidspire:

• As we can see in the dungeon journal, there is an encounter where we fight "Lightblinded Vanguard". To fit our new story, we add Lothraxian to this encounter alongside the others. From what I could see from beta, there's no real build up to this fight.

• To add story to this fight: Lothraxian and his squad have come to the realization that Xalatath wants Alleria to reach the top of the Voidspire. Alleria is stubborn and waxes the same old tired shit of her knowing the void and hunting Xalatath, blah blah.

• Lothraxian and his squad are SO sure of themselves that they turn on you, Arator and Turalyon, claiming you have been compromised and will doom the world should you allow Alleria to reach the pinnacle. You fight, you win, Lothraxian dies.

• You get to the top of the voidspire and it turns out Lothraxian was right because Alleria gets duped (again) by Xalatath and is the final raid boss of Voidspire.

If nothing else, thanks for reading my ideas and wondering what everyone thinks.