What MMO storylines and quests still resonate with you years later?

Yesterday, I asked what some of your favorite MMO locations are, but today I’m going to mix it up and talk about stories instead. I’ve been leveling a Zandalari Hunter, and while I do plan on getting her into Highmountain soon, I wanted to replay Silverpine Forest and Hillsbrad Foothills — minus a certain quest that makes me sick to my stomach just thinking about — as they contain some of my favorite moments in the game. Not to mention, Silverpine Forest remains my favorite Cataclysm zone rework despite maining Alliance at the time.

Silverpine Forest remains an anomaly in World of Warcraft zones in that almost every quest is dedicated to the main storyline of the Worgen-Forsaken battle that occurs after the events of the Worgen starting zone (it’s also an oddity in that it requires one to roll a Horde toon to see the completion of an Alliance storyline, but that’s a different discussion topic). The player joins up with Sylvanas early on, and is both observer and participant as she clashes with not only the Alliance but with Warchief Garrosh as well. In the end it seems that Sylvanas has come out on top, securing all of Silverpine Forest, but just when you think it’s time to head to the new zone — well, I won’t spoil if it you haven’t played it, but over a decade since first experiencing it my jaw still drops every time.

Hillsbrad Foothills isn’t as cohesive as its neighboring zone, but it still has one of the best-developed bottom tier NPCs in the game — Kingslayer Orkus, Hero of the Horde. It’s not often a game makes you feel genuine emotion over a character who your first encounter is heralded by the yell “CAN YOU SMELL WHAT THE LOK’TAR IS COOKIN’?” While the rest of the zone pales compared to Silverpine Forest, the saga of Orkus elevates it tremendously.

It’s not just World of Warcraft where I have favorite storylines. In Guild Wars 2 I feel a personal connection to Eir Stegalkin as she was the first major NPC I fought alongside, so it’s always emotional for me to encounter her in-game. For Final Fantasy XIV I could write several thousand words about how much I love the Azim Steppes story, both the leveling experience and the max-level experience where Y’shtola destroys a life.

How about you, what storylines do you still find yourself thinking about? Do you long wistfully for the days of adventuring with Li Li Stormstout? Do you still find yourself angered about what happens to Tataru and Alphinaud when they are accused of heresy? Or will you never, ever forgive Faolain for what she did? Let us know in the comments below!