Pandaren
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Pandaren are one of many fictional races in Warcraft Universe. They are a humanoid race with a physical appearance that resembles giant pandas.
The name "Pandaren" is likely derived from combining the English word "panda" and the Chinese word "people" (Chinese: 人; pinyin: rén).
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[edit] Background
Hailing from their own secret island empire, the Pandaren are a race of humanoids resembling panda bears. This appearance leads some to underestimate these noble creatures, thinking them harmless and "cute." However, pandaren have a long tradition of mystic warfare and are exceedingly strong and agile. The traditional pandaren fighting style focuses upon mobility, speed and precision, as well as stunning acrobatic tricks. Many pandaren are skilled at unarmed combat.
Only the pandaren know the intricacies of their society, but alcohol is a central feature. Pandaren in general are connoisseurs of ale and stronger drink, leading to a unique kinship with Ironforge dwarves. A caste of wandering pandaren warriors called Brewmasters is highly respected in their culture. A few Brewmasters have been spotted in Kalimdor, searching for new beverages to sample and ingredients to add to their own brews.
Pandaren are affable and noble, trained in battle but always seeking peace. Pandaren philosophy centers on a harmony of opposites - male and female, calm and chaos, existence and non-existence. Pandaren feel a strong link to the natural world and seek to maintain a peace between all races and nature.
Very few Pandaren ever leave their hidden island homeland of Pandaria, although rumors tell of a Pandaren settlement within the Stonetalon Mountains, but those that do have proved themselves to be strong warriors specializing in Drunken Brawling with great command of the elements. The most famous of these warriors is Chen Stormstout, who assisted the half-orc Rexxar and the Horde after the fall of the Burning Legion.
No one knows what became of him afterwards, but several of his empty kegs have been found scattered around the Barrens.
Though Chen assisted Rexxar, they do not seem to be specifically affiliated with either the Horde or the Alliance.
[edit] References in WoW
- Chen's Empty Keg: Refers to the secret Pandaren Brewmaster hero Chen Stormstout who aided Rexxar in Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne.
- For some time, Pandaren had been rumored to be a new playable race being introduced in the Burning Crusade expansion, usually as the new Alliance race, however Blizzard Entertainment announced the Draenei to be the new race.
- A group of three children NPCs who run about through Stormwind and talk on piers in the canals about various rumors mentions Pandaren. One insists they are real, while another thinks they are just a legend. Some view this as a confirmation that Pandaren exist in WoW to some extent.
[edit] Pandaren: A History of Rumors
The Pandaren started simple, just a love of Samwise Didier and an April Fools joke[1], but they got a massive response from Warcraft fans. Soon, they were included in the Warcraft III expansion[2] and Chris Metzen began to write them into the game lore.
Even back in the time of Katricia, she even hinted at it. "Maybe they will be found in the beta or retail version of the game and maybe they will be granted a special place in an expansion. Just imagine how exciting it will be to find one!" She hinted at it more then once. "Pandarens will not be a playable characters .. at this time. Will they make cameo appearances in the game as NPCs? Some things are best left unanswered I think :)" This sparked rumors and fake screenshots that have spread like wildfire.[citation needed]
Supposedly, a gaming magazine was brought to Blizzard's offices in the fall of 2005 to view 'The Burning Crusade' for the first time. There were dozens of posters and artwork depicting the Pandaren as the new Alliance race. These rumors go on to suggest the race was then cancelled for reasons sometimes stated as 'pandas being a sacred animal', sometimes as 'issues political problems with Japanese/Chinese hybrid'. Other gaming sources stated that when "mentioning the ex-April-Fools-joke Pandaren Empire to Blizzard staff got a surprisingly cagey response... " Blizzard has yet to confirm or deny these rumors directly, however they have stated that no magazines or web publications know the Alliance race. This sort of undoes GameSpy debunk[3] of Pandarens for this expansion pack, as Blizzard has not provided any information or made any announcements concerning the new Alliance race to anybody. However, in May 2006 the new race was revealed to be the Draenei thus rendering most rumors incorrect. Still, what could be a Pandaren skin for the furbolgs has recently appeared, though is not yet implemented in-game. However, the skin is named 'panda', not Pandaren, and the furbolg model is rather inadequate for a physically different race.
[edit] See Also
[edit] Referecnes
- ^ Race - Pandas. Warcraft III Strategy Guide. Blizzard Entertainment. Retrieved on 2006-12-07.
- ^ Neutral Heroes - Pandaren Brewmaster. Warcraft III Strategy Guide. Blizzard Entertainment. Retrieved on 2006-12-07.
- ^ Kosak, Dave (2005-10-28). The Lore of World of Warcraft. GameSpy. Retrieved on 2006-12-07.
[edit] External links
- Pandas, Warcraft III Strategy Guide
- Pandaren Xpress, WoW Under Development
- Pandaren at WoWWiki, a World of Warcraft wiki
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