User:Xarantaur/XarantaurExtra

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This page is intended as an extension to the page on the Xarantaur NPC, providing 'behind the scenes' info. Unfourtunately, as Blizzard have yet to actually hire me it's down to you if you consider info from this page as 'official'.

~ Xarantaur

Origin
Xarantaur started life as a character created as a 'front man' for my Lore Q&A threads on the WoW Europe forums where I would answer lore questions (usually in character). This lasted several years and five volumes (threads), but ultimately ended due to my desire to avoid spoilers for WoW which were growing increasingly frequent in the threads. When I ended the threads I posted a farewell short-story which was the first time the connection between Xarantaur and the Bronze Dragonflight was revealed.

Some time after the Q&As ended I further developed the character of Xarantaur, trying to come up with a feasible explanation for why a single Tauren would have so much knowledge of the history of Azeroth. Eventually this led to the idea of Xarantaur as a character similer to 'The Watcher' of Marvel comics; an immortal being tasked with recording history, which lead to Xarantaur being one of the original Tauren druids. When I discussed this concept with Metzen he liked it and one thing led to another, eventually resulting in Xarantaur entering Warcraft lore.

Pitch
Below are extracts from the document I sent to Metzen with information concerning Xarantaur.

NPC info
Xarantaur 

Description Appearance: See accompanying picture. Eyes: Brown

Xarantaur is surrounded by books, scrolls and various trinkets from all over the world which he has collected in his travels. Perhaps when idle and not interacting with players he could be walking between the different bookcases and scrolls, studying them. (Perhaps playing his stand work animation so it looks like he is actually doing something).

Personallity
Xarantaur is patient, always willing to hear others’ tales and always willing to share his own to those willing to listen. He will not share knowledge that would do others harm unless it is against a truly evil force such as the Scourge or the Legion. For instance, he would not tell an Alliance general defensive secrets of Orgrimmar. Others find him easy to talk to and open up to him, this is due to no enchantment but simply his personallity.

He asks questions nobody else thinks of.

Greetings
"I am Xarantaur, the Witness.”

“Would you like to hear a story?”

“Do you have a story for me?”

“Ah yes, I have read of you [playername]”

His story
''Xarantaur’s story as told by Xarantaur himself. ‘Next page’ text has been provided in italics if this was to be used directly in game.''

Posessions

 * The Lorehammer
 * Not actually equipped, perhaps sitting on a table nearby.
 * A gift to Xarantaur from the Bronze Dragonflight. It is a chronally charged one handed hammer which lets him reveal the true course of events in a localised area.


 * Draconic staff of the Eternal Witness
 * Dreamer’s dragonstaff model but with bronze/gold in place of the green parts.
 * An enchanted staff that allows Xarantaur to speak and understand any language as well as know if someone is telling the truth. It also allows him to scry on events, past or present as well as letting him read the minds of others, though he much prefers to simply have them tell him their story.