In WoW WarCry RP Guide: Article 3: Wherefore Art Thou RP?, I wrote my thoughts and a few tips on where to find fellow role players around Azeroth. That piece was mostly aimed at new and young RP’ers. It was by no means a complete list, of course, which leads into today’s article. With this week’s edition of the RP Guide, I’m starting a series of articles taking a much closer look at locations throughout the World of Warcraft that are primed and waiting for RP’ers. The first article in the series kicks off with a tour of Stormwind!
Stormwind gets the initial attention because it is a lovely, bustling city, and because it is much closer to the Human starter area than the other major Alliance cities are to their nearby starter areas, making the population there much more varied and robust. The entire city is one of the best places to meet and meet up with other RP’ers in game, no doubt. So, let’s say you’ve done just that. You’ve found a core group of like-minded quality RP’ers to adventure with, and now you’re looking for something to RP, and a place to RP at. Again, Stormwind fills that bill quite well.
I’ve marked a few places on the map to the left, and I’ll be giving you a tour of sorts to each location and providing some tips on how they could be used for RP purposes. Starting the tour off in Old Town, at the point marked by the green triangle, denoting the compound housing SI:7 and the Command Center. Both of these buildings are in use by NPC’s, but are large enough to give room for RP events. SI:7 could be used for clandestine rogue gatherings or other such dastardly business. The Command Center would make a great barracks for a guild of warriors and soldiers to drill and rest. I think it’s also a nice jest on the part of Blizzard’s wizards that they put these opposing Stormwind factions right next to each other; the lawful watching the lawless, and vice-versa. Could make for some excellent RP tension between characters of both.
The Old Town area marked with a skull is the semi-hidden back alley location of The Seven Deadly Venoms shop. Currently unused by NPC’s, as many of the places on this list are, it sits just waiting for some enterprising RP’er to make use of it. The shop has the look of an alchemists lab, and should have been a top place included in the WoW WarCry’s RP Guide: Article 4: RP Tip – The Alchemist, had I remembered it. The shop is perfect for a ‘street pharmacist’ character who doesn’t want to attract attention.
In the very northern corner of the Dwarven District stands a large and empty meeting hall type building (marked with a purple diamond), with only a few tables and chairs within. Not sure what Blizzard had or has in mind for such a large open space, but RP’ers are surely able to come up with some use for it. I’m thinking birthday parties and the like, maybe even small ceremonies, though it’s a bit dull and drab for something like a wedding.
An empty Inn sits in a prime location in the Trade District (look for the crescent moon), near the heart of Stormwind and its populace. I have forgotten on what server I saw it, but there is (was?) a guild thats sole purpose was to RP being the proprietors and staff of the Wayfarer’s Rest Inn in Silvermoon City. One could walk in at near any time of the day and be served by an actual PC. That would also be an awesome thing to operate at this place in Stormwind, not to mention probably being very profitable if done well.
The purple diamond in the Canal District outside Cathedral Square marks an empty house of sorts, visited only, as far as I can tell, by the wandering Ol’ Emma, so I’ll call it Ol’ Emma’s Place. If you don’t mind her varied intrusions, there are a couple of tables and a few chairs within that make for a quiet out-of-the-way place for some chat or other such things.
Another Canal District room outside the Mage District (green triangle) makes me think it would be a great place for a Reading Room, someplace where characters could go for tea and listen to poetry being read. Something akin to our modern day cyber cafe, but without the cyber, in all its forms, of course . Inside the Mage District sit two named locations ripe for RP use. The Slaughtered Lamb (blue square) may already be known for what goes on down in the cellar and crypts there, for which the RP opportunities abound. Concerning the main level, the pub comes staffed with a functioning NPC bartender and lots of elbow room! The Blue Recluse (gold star) may also be known as the place to go for free drinks, according to the wandering hawker who yells the message around Stormwind. This large tavern also comes staffed with NPC’s and has plenty of room, but its main draw has to be the available outdoor seating and handy mailbox.
The Night Elf haven in Stormwind is The Park, and is the gem of the city. No less than five exemplary RP locations can be found in the vicinity. In the Canal District just outside is a vacant Clothier Shop (gold star), perfect for any enterprising Tailor. In the center of The Park sits a defunct moonwell (purple diamond), but when the heat of the city gets unbearable, it could quickly become a refreshing pool and picnic area in a pinch. An empty Pub (orange circle) in the same style as The Slaughtered Lamb, but without the crypts and bartender, sits close by. Another empty Tavern (blue square) very similar to The Blue Recluse (but without the outdoor seating) is also very near, and would work well hand-in-hand with the moonwell/pool. The last stop on the RP tour, marked with the red X, is an empty Archery Shop. Since there no archery weapon constructing skills in game, this shop could very well be used by any blacksmith, armorer, or leather worker to hawk their wares.
So, I hope I’ve sparked the creative fires for you, my fellow RP’ers, with this tour of Stormwind. The old movie quote goes, “If you build it, they will come.” Well, Blizzard has built it! Now it’s up to us RP’ers to use our imaginations and make full fun use of what they built. Next week, I’ll be walking through the Horde city of Orgrimmar, so stay tuned!
