Players of World of Warcraft know that all their characters belong to a faction: the Alliance or the Horde. Thanks to Blizzard‘s expansive Warcraft lore, it seems a lot of parties have individual stakes on the fate of Azeroth and the universe around it. In turn, player actions almost always affect their standing with any number of these minor groups.
Interestingly, minor factions in WoW don’t just revolve around racial groups or local communities. Rather, many factions in WoW possess incredible influence of Azeroth’s affairs. Moreover, some of these factions may hold more sway over Azeroth’s fate compared to both the Alliance and the Horde.
10 Kirin Tor (Neutral)
The archaic Magocracy of Dalaran formed the Kirin Tor by the time Dalaran earned its status as the center of magical learning in Azeroth. Back then, the Kirin Tor dedicated itself to researching and cataloging every spell, magical artifact, and item known to man. Led by the Council of Six, the Kirin Tor would eventually become the center of Azeroth’s defense from mystic threats.
Thanks to the Kirin Tor’s efforts, the sect has hid some of the realm’s most dangerous artifacts, such Guardian Aegwynn’s staff Aluneth, or the Book of Medivh. Moreover, the Kirin Tor could easily leverage their political power due to their untapped resources of sealed locations, hidden artifacts, and catalogue of forbidden and forgotten spells.
9 Shadow Council (Burning Legion)
As the Burning Legion grew in power across the realms, so did the numbers of its worshippers across the planets. The Shadow Council serves as an ancient group of some of the most powerful Warlocks in service of the Burning Crusade. The Council came to life when Gul’dan organized a secret council of chieftains, necrolytes, and Warlocks that would try to manipulate the world’s events to their favor.
Sadly, the defeat of the Burning Legion and the imprisonment of Sargeras forced the Shadow Council to lose a lot of its prominent members, including Gul’dan. However, some believers of the Burning Crusade may rally a new Shadow Council. This time around, they may even invite other enemies of Azeroth, such as the Jailer from the Maw.
8 Earthen Ring (Neutral)
The wisdom of ancient Tauren Shamans urged them to create the Earthen Ring. With this faction, they sought to ensure balance between the volatile and chaotic elemental spirits. In turn, the Earthern Ring’s Farseer and its members only made moves if it meant helping restore elemental balance. For instance, Deathwing’s Shattering of the planes forced the Earthen Ring to have a more active role in maintaining balance between Azeroth’s shamanistic forces.
Today, the Earthen Ring welcomes Shamans across all factions to join their neutral cause. However, should they wish it, the Earthen Ring can pose a major threat. After all, without the membership of Thrall, power-hungry Shamans could always use their mastery over the elements against Azeroth. Moreover, their intimate knowledge of the elements and the spirit world can alone destabilize the entirety of the planet.
7 Cenarion Circle (Neutral)
Under the leadership of Cenarius, the demigod founder of Druidism, Archdruids such as Malfurion Stormrage organized the Cenarion Circle to protect the Emerald Dream at all costs. After all, it’s the Emerald Dream that represents the ever-changing nature of Life – something the Druids use to empower themselves.
As with the Earthen Ring, the Cenarion Circle remains neutral unless the Emerald Dream and natural life in Azeroth find a distant threat. Unfortunately, making enemies with the Cenarion Circle isn’t wise. After all, Druids themselves can tear asunder the cycle of life by disrupting the Emerald Dream.
6 Twilight’s Hammer (Old Gods)
The Warlock Gul’dan, under the instructions of Kil’jaeden, sent his apprentice Cho’gall to Draenor to investigate a clan of exiled Orcs who dedicated themselves to the worship of the Void through K’ure, an injured Naaru. While Cho’gall didn’t initially believe the ramblings of the cult, he manipulated them into serving the Old Horde as the Twilight’s Hammer.
Throughout centuries, the Twilight’s Hammer preached about the Hour of Twilight. Apparently, it’s at this exact moment that shadow will swallow Azeroth whole until nothingness remains. Twilight’s Hammer used to follow Deathwing, who himself worshipped the Old Gods. While only small numbers of the Twilight’s Hammer remain active today, the fact that Void Lords can reach into the realm of reality to corrupt citizens means the Twilight’s Hammer can reemerge as a threat to the realms.
5 Naaru (Neutral)
While more of a race than an organization, some might see the Naaru of the Light as a faction that sought to serve their own means. Comprised of the same Naaru race – beings made of Light itself – not much is known about them except for their purity and benevolence. Moreover, the Draenei actively worship them as embodiments of Light itself.
However, fans of the lore may question the true intentions of the Naaru. For instance, the Naaru Xe’ra met her demise in the hands of Illidan Stormrage when she tried forcing the Light inside him to fulfill a prophecy. Moreover, an alternate timeline shows the Naaru forcing the Light into the Orcs whether they liked it or not.
4 Scholomance (Scourge)
Once known as the beautiful Caer Darrow Fortress, Scourge Necromancer Kel’Thuzad created Scholomance as a School for Necromancy. Throughout its timeline, the Scourge performed vile experiments to perfect their craft. It’s through here that they created a Plague of Undeath, as well as the first abominations of the Scourge.
When Sylvanas Windrunner destroyed the Helm of Domination, much of the Scourge had been freed and without a master. With no master to follow, Darkmaster Gandling and his necromancers now have no limits to experimentation. Despite their sheer size, Scholomance can become a huge threat considering it’s also the Scourge Plague that created the Undead Scourge that ravaged Azeroth in the first place.
3 Uldum Accord (Neutral)
Characters who go to the desert lands of Uldum might see it as nothing but the home to the Tol’vir – stone-cat people who formed a civilization that has been active for centuries. While King Phaoris rules over the Tol’vir, he also serves as an integral part of the Uldum Accord – a loose coalition of Tol’vir and allied races that continues to oppose N’Zoth and the Old Gods’ invasion of Uldum. However, despite their noble intentions, the Uldum Accord could easily grow into a political powerhouse in Azeroth.
N’Zoth and the Old Goods took an interest in Uldum as it remains as one of the only places in Azeroth with Titan architecture. Moreover, Uldum itself is a superweapon. Apparently, Uldum can restart life on Azeroth via the reorigination device in the Temple of Uldum.
2 Defias Brotherhood (Alliance)
Despite the Alliance upholding tenets of order and loyalty, not everyone believes its cause. Right outside Stormwind and the Human kingdoms lies the Defias Brotherhood. This crime syndicate take active measures to bring down the Kingdom of Stormwind. Led by Vanessa VanCleef, she rallies pirates, brigands, thieves, and assassins to their cause to exact vengeance for her father.
Unlike other crime syndicates, Vanessa isn’t necessarily motivated by greed and deception. Rather, she knew for a fact that her father Edwin only created the Brotherhood when the Kingdom of Stormwind refused to pay him his dues when he repaired the city during the Third Invasion. As such, this personal investment for vengeance might make the Defias Brotherhood a strong – but potentially desperate – faction who would do anything to bring down Stormwind.
1 Timewalkers (Neutral)
Thanks to Chromie Time, new players of the MMO can travel back to any expansion’s “timeline” to relive its events as though they were there. In canon, Chromie Time comes from the machinations of Chronormu, the Bronze Dragon Time Keeper of the Timewalkers. This organization vowed to protect the timeways from various powers. After all, time travel has become more accessible now that Bronze Dragons have become mortal.
In a way, Azeroth can thank the Timewalkers for choosing to study timeways as well as report and fix any temporal mishaps. After all, a Chronomancer who becomes mad with power can easily alter the timeways to an outcome they wish.
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