Blizzard has released “The Bitter Truth”, a new short audio drama written by Robert Brooks featuring Lor’themar Theron – Regent Lord of Quel’Thalas and current leader of the Blood Elves, and Torundo the Grizzled, war advisor to Chieftain Zul’jarra of the Amani Tribe.
An unexpected meeting, meant to be diplomatic, places two longtime foes in a tense, drink-fueled standoff, where polite exchanges mask a long history of bloodshed and blame. As the conversation turns personal, both men are forced to confront the painful truth of their shared history.
Join Lor’themar and Torundo the Grizzled for a special fireside telling of our newest three-part short story, “The Bitter Truth,” narrated by Gideon Emery as Lor’themar and Keston John as Torundo the Grizzled.
A PDF version of this story can be found here.
Part One: The Bitter Truth
In the first part of this story, Lor’themar and Torundo are tricked by Lady Liadrin into sharing a drink with each other. After centuries of war between the Blood Elves and the Amani, the two are natural enemies, but since their meeting is in a Har’athir lodge – where bloodshed is forbidden – they are forced to restrain themselves and at least attempt to open diplomatic talks – which was Liadrin’s goal.
Strangely, the meeting is set after the events of a questline that hasn’t been released yet. A new Zul’jin questline is part of Patch 12.0.7, but the questline is only scheduled to be available from July 7th/8th (NA/EU) and so the revelation that Lor’themar and Torundo discuss is technically a spoiler.
Odd timing aside, the story is excellent. The tension between the two characters is palpable, and while they’re forced to hold back from physical violence, they allow the insults to fly freely. Part one establishes the differences between their cultures, as well as the long and violent history that makes attempts at diplomacy feel so impossible. Neither seem interested in forgetting the atrocities their own people have felt at the hands of each other’s cultures – or in offering, or asking for, forgiveness.
Part Two: A Toast
In the second part of the story, the conversation becomes more personal – and a lot angrier. The two discuss times that they encountered each other specifically, as well as their strongest memories of some of the harsher conflicts each has lived through. In particular, they discuss a Blood Elf attack that Lor’themar took part in on Torundo’s home village of Zen’tamani, done in retaliation to an Amani attack on a Blood Elf caravan. Civilians were killed in both attacks, and the more they discuss it, the angrier both men grow – the conversation moves on, but when Torundo mentions the Scourge, the Har’athir rules against bloodshed are very nearly broken.
Part Three: The Dregs
In the third and last part, the two debate further, with Torundo directly challenging Lor’themar’s claim that the Blood Elf caravan was a civilian one. They discuss their regrets, exhaustion with war, and differences between their lifespans. Finally, while they can’t be said to part as friends, they do seem to have at least reached something like an understanding.
