Culture, Society & Daily Life

Daily Life

Most humans never see a battlefield. They farm, they cut lumber, they run inns, and they pay their taxes (and complain about them). Elwynn Forest and Westfall are farm country, Eastvale has its logging camp, and every town from Goldshire to Lakeshire has someone who knows everyone's business [Game · Zone: Elwynn Forest].

When something gets in the way, the Stormwind Army posts a bounty. Gnolls, murlocs, kobolds, bandits... if it's bothering the farms, there's a reward for it [Game · Quest: Bounty on Murlocs]. That's why a stranger with a sword is welcome at the barracks door. Adventurers are practically part of the local economy.

But, not every town gets that help. Ask anyone in Duskwood and they'll tell you Stormwind has forsaken Darkshire [Game · Quest: Seeking Wisdom]. If you're writing a human from the edges of the kingdom, that's a good chip to carry on your shoulder.

The City

Stormwind City is the heart of it. Cathedral Square for the faithful, the Trade District for merchants, Old Town for the barracks, the Mage Quarter for the arcane, and a Dwarven District for the Ironforge folk who settled in. Under the mountains, the Deeprun Tram runs straight to Ironforge [Game · Zone: Stormwind City].

The city was rebuilt from nothing after the orcs burned it in the First War [WCII]. The Stonemasons' Guild did the work, and then the nobles refused to pay them [Game · Quest: The Defias Brotherhood]. We'll get to what happened next in Organizations & Notable Humans.

Nobles and Commoners

Stormwind has a court, and the court has a reputation. Even the people who work for the nobles describe it as corrupt [Game · Quest: Look to an Old Friend]. That doesn't make every noble a villain (not everyone is a Lescovar), but it does give a commoner a reason to be careful who they trust.

Neighbors

Humans share their cities with dwarves and gnomes more than with anyone else, and the Alliance runs on that friendship. It wasn't always easy. Humans, elves and dwarves had to set aside ages of prejudice to fight the orcs together [WCII]. Humans speak Common, the language most of the Alliance shares.

Orcs are another matter. After two wars and the internment camps, plenty of humans will never trust one, and your human is allowed to feel that way. Just remember the Horde was once bound to a demon's will [WCIII], and not everyone in Stormwind forgets that.

The Calendar

The Feast of Winter Veil is the holiday everyone celebrates, with Greatfather Winter handing out treats to anyone who's been good [Game · Event: Feast of Winter Veil]. (Yes, even the guards.)

More to come soon.