Just to be sure we're all on the same page here, we're talking about this sword (well, one of four), which starts from this quest from this item (and of course, there is an Alliance Version). I bring it up because there seems to be quite a bit of folks who claim the sword is special and, by proxy, makes their character special. As true as the sword itself being special (somewhat), the latter of the previous statement isn't true. I know most can't be arsed to read quest or flavor text, but after the 3rd or 4th person decides that their mass produced weapon is 'unique' you know theirs some reading comprehension fail going around.
And it makes the owners of the sword (who sometimes aren't idiots) look like idiots. The weapon's become a "Hunter Weapon" in terms of speshul RP weapons. All because there's a quest line involved on how to get it. You know, not at all like one of the many green items you get leveling up.
So let's go over how one actually makes their own Quel'Delar, using a simple guide like the one this autrui person wrote (Or this one by Vanorize). And yes, I'll go over quest go over the quest text specifically for Blood Elves, even though it's not that different.
Protip: The word 'Fuck' is used three times within this rundown.
Step 1: The Hilt
Congradulations, you've found yourself a Battered Hilt (which on WoWhead shows to be a <.5% drop chance averaging), provided it didn't get ninja'd from that Warrior tank who 'needs it for Arms lol', or by someone who was going to sell it (And if you did ninja it, fuck you). That's the lewt explanation, but what about the In-Character one?
It's pretty simple, really. You found a Hilt that "Once belonged to an ancient sword". Fair enough, the thing's probably a good and rare find that could very well be an antique. You take it to the Silver Covenant/Sunreavers to get it appraised. They say it could be anything and instruct you to...
...Take it Krasus, because he'd be an expert on the thing. (He effin' would).
Krasus tells you someone from the other High/Blood Elven faction came to ask about it, and he loaned them a book on it (Okay, that's not so bad). Then Kalecgos appears (He was always there, so he teleported, like, 10 feet). Here's the script (for the Horde), courtesy of saberoy.
Krasus says: You're too late, Name. another visitor from Dalaran came asking after information about the same prismatic dragon blades.
Krasus says: From your description, I'm certain that the book I loaned our visitor could allow you to easily identify the weapon.Krasus says: I'm afraid you'll have to ask -- Kalecgos?*Kalecgos appears*Krasus says: What brings you to Wyrmrest, Kalecgos?Kalecgos says: Are you certain you should be helping these mortals in their quest for the sword?Kalecgos says: These blades, Krasus... They were made long ago, when things were... different.Krasus says: You believe our allies will not be able to control the power of the swords?Kalecgos says: Our enemies once turned our strongest weapon against us. What makes you think the prismatic blades will be any different?Alexstrasza the Life-Binder says: Mortal champions have long used these weapons to combat evil. I see no reason to keep the swords from them in this battle.Kalecgos says: As you wish, my queen. I will not stand in their way, but I will keep a close watch.Krasus says: As will we all.Krasus says: Please, mortal, seek out Magister Hathorel in Dalaran. He might be able to negotiate with the Silver Covenant for access to the book.
tl;dr: Krasus doesn't know wtf, Kalecgos (who seems to most rational person here after all this) thinks leaving such an item in mortal hands is a terribad idea (for other reasons, admittedly), where Alexstrasza cuts him off and tells him mortals using draconic weapons is the greatest idea of all time.
Now, let's talk about them 'Negotiations'.
Step 2: Dalaran
Upon meeting your contact, he instructs you to go into Dalaran's sewer and beat up the only flagged Silver Covenant/Sunreaver jerkoff you can attack. After you wail on him/her to the point of lethality, s/he drops Orders, which just say "bring the book to that cool looking place south of the Argent Torunement, where everyone's huddled around the Sword in the Stone forever". Upon leaving the sewers you're attacked by another SC/SR mook before continuing.
In-Character, upon meeting your contact, he instructs you to go into Dalaran's sewer and beat up the only flagged Silver Covenant/Sunreaver jerkoff you can attack. After you wail on him/her to the point of lethality, s/he drops Orders, which just blah blah blah. It doesn't matter who threw the first stone, all you get from this is x steals from y, y steals from x, x and y hate each other, and the sky is blue. If the rest of your character's life wasn't a large enough clue: If someone's standing in a relatively safe area with weapons drawn they are up to something.
You're assigned to go borrow a SC/SR tabard. And by borrow I mean do laundry and take an extra. The gnome in charge seems to care more about the laundry being clean instead of the political struggle between the two factions (much like everyone else reading this amirite).
With the efforts of elven magic not seen before you now have 5 minutes to run toward, and around, the Silver Covenant/Sunreaver area, giving you ample time to fool around and remark about how much more swanky the Alliance's/Horde's area is.
After using the elite stealth skills (Such as that used in Prototype), the one with the book hands it over without a second thought, not seeming to know that one of theirs in the sewers right now stricken with rigomortis or anything. No epic battle after seeing through your disguise, no decoy planting so their faction own's a Batman Gambit, you just get the book and go home.
Remember, we're talking about how this sword isn't special and unique. Instead of fighting an Elemental Lord or two, using a Big Bad's weapon(s) on him, or collecting all the Dragon Balls, all you did is bitchslap one jerk and did another's laundry. So far, at least.|
You have the oh-so-important book, now you just need to take back to those guys who sent you on this wild goose chase to begin with. But this breadcrumb quest is SPECIAL because a wild Blood Queen Lana'thel appears. Script by saberoy again.
Myralion Sunblaze says: The style of this blade and its markings hinted that it might be a dragonforged sword. At last, we will have our answer.
Myralion Sunblaze says: After all these years, can it really be --
Blood-Queen Lana'Thel says: Quel'Delar.
Silver Covenant Sentinel: You are not welcome here, minion of the Lich King!
*Both Silver Covenant guards and Sunreaver guards charge the Blood-Queen, just to be frozen in a block of ice.*
Blood-Queen Lana'Thel says: Quiet, fools. If I had wished to kill you, you'd already be dead.
Blood-Queen Lana'Thel says: As Quel'Serrar was forged by the dragons and given to the Kaldorei, it's twin, Quel'Delar, was given to my people.
Blood-Queen Lana'Thel says: The king bestowed the blade upon my friend, Thalorien Dawnseeker.
*A vision appears of Alexstrasza and two high elves speaking*
Blood-Queen Lana'Thel says: But even Thalorien's skill and Quel'Delar's magic could not save Silvermoon from the might of the Scourge.
Blood-Queen Lana'Thel says: Thalorien fell before the gates of the Sunwell, buying time for others to escape.
*The vision changes to a mounted death knight(Presumably Arthas) killing Thalorien*
Blood-Queen Lana'Thel says: After the battle, I recovered the sword from the field. I bore it to Northrend in the service of my prince, seeking to avenge our people's defeat.
Blood-Queen Lana'Thel says: Arthas shattered our forces and took the most powerful of us into his service as the San'layn.
Blood-Queen Lana'Thel says: My memories of Thalorien went cold and so did his blade.
Blood-Queen Lana'Thel says: It was I who brought Quel'Delar here, to return it to it's makers. In breaking the weapon, so did I break it's power.
Blood-Queen Lana'Thel says: Quel'Delar will never serve another!
*Blood-Queen Lana'Thel destroys the sword and leaves*
Myralion Sunblaze says: It falls to us to see Quel'Delar restored for the Sunreavers.
tl;dr: Lana'thel's exposition crits you for everything, and Quel'Delar (WHAT'S LEFT OF THE REAL ONE) suffers 100% durability loss over the knee of the San'lyn Queen. It's almost like Blizzard doesn't want to make this seem special or something.
Step 3: The Frozen Halls
Do keep in mind it was all I could muster to not call this part "SHOPPING FUN TIEM".
After given what remains of the oh-so-important sword (benefit of the doubt here) you're sent into the pit of Saron to get 5 infused Saronite bars and Garfrost's smithin' hammer. What the Saronite Bars are infused with I don't know, but it's probably something special like cinnamon or bacon. Oh, and Garfrost's Hammer.
You take your new toy to the end of the Forge of Souls and toss it right the fuck in. And don't worry about how the sword reformed with those bars you found. You have a hammer and a reason, so let's assume you just went nuts.
Oh noez!1one your sword am possessed. You could take it to resident big damn hero Tirion Fordring and have him use his handheld plot device to cleanse it, who is also less than a short walk away. OR it could lead you into the Halls of Reflection, so Uther can tell you how bad of an idea it was to listen to a possessed item. Needless to say, you get you get attacked by the disembodied sword you helped to remake with the blood of an Old God infused with the souls of the damned and bacon.
And since beating the evil out of it didn't take, you're instructed to use the Sunwell.
So to recap, instead of just hanging up the sword in an Explorer's League museum or something your tasked to go rebuild the thing from whatever parts they give you (I.E. whatever they think would work, consequences be damned). That's actually not fair as this is the only thing that implies that the Quel'Delar you (are going to) own is special, so it's a given. The problem is, if you're short term memory isn't that great or if you didn't read the script from What The Dragons Know, it's hinted that this is one of many blades that was given to mortal races of the same make.
Meaning that Blood Queen Lana'thel's Quel'Delar might not necessarily be your own. You could've just found a random antique hilt belonging to someone-whos-probably-a-scourge-now who had a replica, while the Booted Cat effect happened and the replica became 'real'. Even if you did find THE ONE TRUE HILT of the Queen's Quel'Delar there's still the fact that there are many others that the blade will happily wear as trousers.
And don't even start about how they could be talking about the Quel'Serrar and that both swords are still unique, because you make the Quel'Serrar in virtually the same way. Less so because instead of a hilt it's a book and instead of going shopping you're just handed the blade and exposition happens. The only difference between the two is you are told with a bold face that the Quel'Serrar is only unique after the forging process, while the make of the sword is unoriginal.
But hey, you know. Tl;dr.
Step 4: The Sunwell
You go to the Isle of Quel'Danas, which is entirely phased. Blood elves can be seen mending things here and there and there's not a mob to be found. There's actually a lot of care taken to make the once daily quest hub look smaller. Moving on.
You're ordered to take your blade to the Dead Scar by Large Haldron Collidewing, leader of the Farstriders. Upon reaching there the spirit of the original (aka Blood Queen Lana'thel's) Quel'Delar appears and the two of you fight off a mobs in a hands-on reenactment of Scourge Happening. Also, the armor he's wearing is 'Battlegear of Wrath' (Warrior T2). So he's a Sunreaver (or Blood Elf Warrior in Cata).
After Thalorien pats you on the back with a spectral hand (and then realizes he's a ghost) he sends you back to Halduron with his blessing, which turns out to be like a thumbs up or something. Halduron approves and tells you it's time to go to the Sunwell.
Protip: You don't form a raid, you just talk to Halduron and he takes you to a phased area. Says so in the quest text.
This part can't really be explained in a breakdown alone, so I've decided to introduce it like a GM would (To the best of one's abilities). The reason for this is due to the touching tone given by strolling down the Sunwell, and that saying "Strolling down the Sunwell" just doesn't express it well enough.
The guards escort you to your destination, bypassing the remains of all that's happened a year before and making a beeline to the Sunwell itself.
X finds him/herself at the top of a long circular descent, the red walls reflecting the glow of the new Sunwell's light. As he/she walks downward they see green eyed elves huddles around the edges of the slope, the occasional blue eyed elf standing with them (if not held back by green eyed guards). Their attention quickly sways to you, murmuring praises for your sword (most remarking on the sword itself).
When you reach the bottom of the descent the battered sword reacts all on it's own, sending itself into the fountain of light. While the purification takes place, light absorbing into it, you are joined by the Reagent Lord of Silvermoon and the Spokesperson for the High-Elven Pilgrims (which appear to be risking their lives by standing in the presence of those they've betrayed). Words are exchanged, none of which aggressive, as the sword finishes ridding itself of it's taint, floating before you as a brand new entity. The two behind you speak of the situation with the High Elves, and how the Sword is another reminder of a new era for the fallen people. High Elves and Blood flock to see the birth of the sword so they may see it for themselves.
I hope that In-Character summary actually gave some an idea of what happens (never mind my writing is atrocious), because that's actually what happens. At least if you're a Blood Elf.
If you're not, you're treated to Regent Lord Haventdoneanything trying to seize the sword for himself (passive aggressively) and getting repelled by the sword. The High Elf Pilgrim Leader and you get odd looks from the rabble (and frozen by Grand Magister Bloodelfbanditmask). After realising the sword didn't want want to be wielded by some political jerk, Rommath backs down and leaves you to take it. While the Blood Elven politicians get rather pissy (Even if you're Horde), Auric instructs you to return to Dalaran with signs of hope for his people.
This is where most of the 'unimportance while still being important' comes full circle. In real life we have something like this, both symbol and people. Every four years, infact. Do you know what it is? Hint: The Olympics are involved.
::SPACE FOR THINKIN' TIEM::
A: It's the Torchbearer and the Torch.
Pictured: irl Quel'Delar
THIS is the legacy of the sword, and one of the best writing devices to use for something that is so easily accessible. The person who carries the torch/sword will never be as important as the sword itself, but as long as people remember it exists then the torchbearer/swordwielder will have done his/her important task. And there will ALWAYS been someone to uphold the torch so long as there's a torch to be held.
This is the harsh reality you might also have to face should you say you wield the Quel'Delar. Because, and this has been said before, the real sign of importance for carrying something like this is knowing that you're one of many. Such as the man from this fair-use picture from wikimedia, who's name isn't even listed in the article. And he's just one of the near half dozen seeming to litter the page.
Pictured: One important motherfucker with some dinky torch thing
Get it now? Good. Let's wrap this up.
Step 5: Dalaran WITH YELLING
Finally, it's over. You have your sword or mace and are either thinking "I've got this sweet new sword lol" or "That was long lol" or "I need to put somethin' on this >8u" or *shot*. Also, you don't get to exchange the sword/mace if you pick wrong.
The original point of the post still stands. After the entirity of the quest line you have a sword that was designed to be one of many, by lore and by plot device. Really the best part of it all is that you probably got the sword itself with the help of friends/family/guildies and formed stronger bonds with them from it as a result. Saying the sword is epic is idiotic since it's just that, a sword. It didn't endure this long quest line, you did.
And it's only on par with entry-level ICC-10 stuff, so if you're seeing ICC 10 or 25 you've got a good chance of replacing it with one of the weapons from the first four bosses. No joke.
Added to this, this might put a lid on High/Blood Elven Lore for some time, this event closing many lose ends in lore right now, such as "What happened to the Sunwell" and "What about the end of the Burning Crusade?".
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