Legal/Public Status of Shadow Users

[c0rzilla]

As far as I know on CotH, shadow priests are legal but highly restricted; sanctioned, as it were. There is also much public dissent towards them, many refusing to accept any use out of shadow.

Last night I found this picture:

Spoiler:

That there is Anduin Wrynn, who's gone down the path of priest. And it seems he's taken both sides. I knew he was a priest before, taught by Velen even, but I had no idea he used shadow to such an apparent extent either.

So, my question is this: what does this mean for the legal and public image of priestly shadow?

Edit: To clarify, I'm only asking about the Alliance, human areas in particular. Since I referenced Anduin, and all.

[Maarten]

I guess this would differ from faction to faction or even race to race. The Forsaken for one would see Shadow Priests as the Church of the Holy Light sees their Priests of the Holy Light. Where as a race like the Draenei would see a Shadow Priest as a blight. Maybe it even differs from person to person.

Just my two cents.

[Maulbane]

Honestly? It shouldn't mean much. The fact that Med'an fired a bolt of shamanic and arcane energy combined hasn't managed to effect our stuff yet. If it's impossible to ignore Blizzard's newest game of official-fanfictioning, I think the most likely course of action would be it would cause lots and lots of disgruntlement in the human kingdoms, but not enough to get people rowdy and violent. Other nations have varied views on shadow and I think they'd be less inclined to get mad, especially Horde races. But, as I've kinda been tip-toeing around, we really should excise as much of this kinda stuff as possible (using shadow itself isn't so much of a thing; Gunther's a good example of a character who has a high status and dabbles in it, but publicly using it is just Blizzard not caring).

Just my thoughts, but.

[Skittles785]

I'd say it has to do with the area that you're in and it's particular residents' few on shadow magic. For example, in Azuremyst or anywhere Draenei controlled, shadow magic would be heavily shunned, if not illegal. On the contrary, in Forsaken or Troll-controlled areas, shadow magic seems to be the norm. Shadow magic is probably viewed in most other cultures as a step above Fel magic in terms of acceptance. Since warlocks in Stormwind are forced into hiding in the basement of a certain tavern, I'd assume shadow magic is probably met with a form of uneasy tolerance at most.

[Xigo]

That's artwork for the Hearthstone game, where Anduin is just there to represent all priests.

I don't think he canonically uses shadow magic.

EDIT: In any case though, he is more labeled as a holy priest than some sort of discipline priest. Still it's not unreasonable for him to know some shadow words, nor is it unreasonable for any priest to know shadow words. Outright turning into some floating purple spectre of darkness and summoning shadowfiends is definitely something that's going to be unacceptable.

[Delta]

Hmm, I'd wait to see him use it in a situation from which we can pull some context before coming to any definite conclusions.

One thing Anduin seems to have a great deal of is discipline, and if you've ever played Disc mechanically, you do end up using Shadow spells to cover your offensive bases. You can't get by with just Smite and Penance and the like. We don't have to take mechanics literally, but you have always been able to use Shadow and Light spells in succession of one another. What he's doing here isn't technically anything we haven't seen before, though he seems to be using Shadow and Light at the same time. I guess that's just lore characters for you, or maybe just artists.

As to how public use of Shadow is viewed by humans? Maybe it depends on the human. I doubt they'd like to see it thrown around in residential areas or carelessly, what with Stormwind's central piece of architecture being a monument to the Holy Light, and many revered figures in its near past being righteous Paladins. However, I'd say its discreet use is probably legal if Warlockery is legal.

Fel-weavers have actually had quite a while to prove that they can be valuable to the Alliance. We've seen Warlocks go bad, but on those occasions, it seems to have less to do with magic and more to do with the lust for power that made them pursue Fel over Arcane in the first place. In other words, it appears that the problem lay with the individual in those cases. I suspect the same could be said of divine Shadow-users, and maybe similar privileges are extended towards them.

[c0rzilla]

As far as Anduin using his powers...

[4:52:11 AM] Conor (Sol): MoP, the White Pawn scenario. When SI:7 rocks up to take him home, he guiltlessly nudges them away with mind control, if I recall correctly.
[4:52:21 AM] C0rfairy: Oh, huh.
[4:53:25 AM] Conor (Sol): To lift WoWPedia's phrasing, "He then uses his powers of the Light to mind control his way out of their custody.[11]"
[4:54:16 AM] Ellariel(flammos): Ellariel(flammos) nods.
[4:54:36 AM] Conor (Sol): Not . . . quite. I interpreted that to mean he draws his ability to cast divine magic from his faith in the Holy Light of Creation, but isn't necessarily casting a holy spell.

[Nymus]

Anduin confirmed for next Garrosh: Siege of Stormwind raid in the works.

[Alliicce]

If you know Anduin Wrynn, you know that he's a pure hearted person. The one time that he used mind control on someone was because he did not want to return home. He was in Pandaria and the quest was to get him back into safe custody of SI:7. The Quest.
The boy is a goodie two shoes all the way. He mainly uses Holy powers and wants to learn more of the path of.. Good and.. Healing. Things like that. Big time shadow magic is probably something he would use as a last resort.

So, I think it's still the same. Shadow is greatly looked down upon.

And yes, it's a picture for Hearthstone. I played Hearthstone and he does use some shadow magic cards, but this is WoW, not a card game.

[c0rzilla]

And yes, it's a picture for Hearthstone. I played Hearthstone and he does use some shadow magic cards, but this is WoW, not a card game.

Indeed, but sources outside WoW have sway on the canon.

Also, to clarify--I do realize the status of shadow users in the Stormwind kingdom, and how that might vary from one character to the next to the next ad infitum. My question was, is this image canon, and what effect it might have on the view of shadow users, relevant to CotH's lore status.

[Alliicce]

Okay. Let's see. In my opinion it would probably be based on social status. If the user is a noble, common people may turn a blind eye to it. Now, if a commoner was dabbling into it and was reported.. They would most likely be thrown down into jail.
It would probably also depend on how it's used. In self defense it may be alright, if you don't have anything else to protect yourself with. If you're torturing and murdering innocents.. Or tricking people.. We have a problem here.
I don't think people would be more accepting of it if it was more public. Humans can be stubborn that way, especially the old ones. The younger generation may warm up to it, but it would take years to change.

[DaveM]

I think the image is A) made to explain how Anduin represents all priesthood in Hearthstone but also B) an omen of where Anduin's going. The clues are all there in his story. Just like orc-drae boy was arcane+shamanism no problem, Anduin will end up the light-and-shadow-at-full-and-in-balance-guy. Of Blizzesque cliches that are unavoidable, this one I for one can swallow. I don't think public status would change much. Prince and all that. It is a dark art. The church recgonizes and teaches it responsibly, but anyone understood to be "engulfed" by it would be quickly marginalised. I guess it depends a lot who vouches for you as being a responsible user.

Such balance
So Wrynn
Much shadow
Very Light
WoW

[Sorum]

Ignore this.

[ImagenAshyun]

Beyond throwing a spanner in consistency onto religious implications and understanding in lore... my biggest gripe in that picture is how the artist didn't bend the clavicle so that Anduin's shoulder would lift with his casting arm, resulting in an image that looks like his arm is listing without his shoulder moving at all.

IGNORE ME.

[Ryx]

At the risk of being accused of bringing this back from a 7 day grave:

I know it's not primarily WoW lore, but in most games or universes Priests and Cleric have the ability to reverse many of their spells.

I.E. - A spell that would cure light wounds when reversed would cause light wounds. A spell that originally was meant to give protection from fire when reversed would cause damage from fire.

While none of these priests or clerics in these worlds turn purple and summon creatures from the void, I don't think Shadow Priest abilities, for the most part, are that far-fetched.