War on Magic campaign begins on Argent Dawn EU!

Tonight, Lintian returned to Dalaran to partake in the first event in the War on Magic RP campaign by Acheleus and Kelly. The hook is as simple as they come: the Primalists have allied themselves with the mage-hunters from the Nexus War to eradicate mortal mages on all of Azeroth. It’s the execution that matters, and this is where roleplayers are far ahead of Blizzard.

I’ve grown attached to the Dalaran community since first crossing paths with it in 2020. That year, and early 2021, was, to me, the golden age of Dalaran RP. The city became a haven for not just mages, but neutral roleplayers of all kinds. There were plays, karaoke nights, and a spin-off community – The Nocturne, a magical inn in a pocket dimension. And the mage RPers brought depth to the arcane art that Blizzard never could.

Tonight’s event, the campaign briefing, was called “Magic: The Gathering”. It’s a whimsical reference not just to the eponymous game, but also to past mage gatherings, Kirin Tor and non-Kirin Tor alike, that took place under that name before the Great WoW Exodus of 2021. It was a pleasure to see so many mages from all over Azeroth gather under Dalaran’s roof again.

Acheleus was, of course, always a joy to listen to. I have a lot to learn from the writing of his speeches: serious and piercing when it counts, but also whimsical and full of wordplay.

And also, I admit, it feels almost surreal – and an honor – to take Lintian on a mage campaign shoulder by shoulder with Acrona. Lintian started as an archer, and Acrona was one of her in-character role models whose example inspired Lintian to set off on the arcane path in the first place. Though they crossed paths several times over the last few years, they rarely got a chance to talk at length, and Lintian didn’t start asking the important questions until now.

The campaign will last until November 12, and I’m looking forward to it. We’ll be going back to Northrend, and particularly Shandaral in Crystalsong, which Lintian briefly visited during the Frozen Heart campaign, but never got to really delve into. And after that, there will be events in the Azure Span; I was enthusiastic about RP on the Dragon Isles, but real life circumstances at that time prevented me from being particularly involved with Kirin Tor Intelligence’s events in early Dragonflight. Now, I have both the time and the energy. This is what Lintian has been training for, for three years onscreen and three offscreen.

Oh, and check out the campaign trailer!