Wildfire Riders

I thought I'd compile some info on an oft-used plot device. This thread's a little placeholdery right now; feel free to flesh it out with more info on these papers, the people who run them, or inventions of your own!

The Times: Stormwind's most respectable newspaper, and pretty much the gold standard for news since the introduction of the gnomish printing press. A bit stuffy, and leery of wading into the fray of political opinion, but generally trustworthy. If you saw it in the Times, it's true.

The Tribune: a firebreathing, populist daily that has, from time to time, flirted with actual treasonous commentary; the common theory is that no action has been taken because the Crown & the Council like having their enemies in one place. Despite being primarily financed by members of the nobility, the Tribune is vociferous in its condemnation of the bloodsucking upper classes and the damage they do to the proud people of Stormwind. Tarquin has friends on the editorial board.

The Clarion-Bugle: the natural rival of the Tribune, a combination of two smaller papers backed by, yep, some more nobles. Loyalist, royalist, and packed header to footer with agitation against the criminal element that Stormwind is apparently absolutely rife with; SI:7 is no favorite of the Clarion either, nor the continual waves of elven and other immigrants since the Third War. Despite that, usually good for reliable news, despite the noticeable spin.

The Dailies: for those more interested in the doings of their actual neighbors than their metaphorical ones, there are the Stormwind Dailies, the south's premier gossip rag. All the latest on who is sleeping with whom, whose hair was done where, and why you should care. There are gems of useful news for the non-society set buried therein, but you have to do some looking to find them.

The Town Crier - Printed in Goldshire, this paper covers the goings on in Elwynn, Westfall, Redridge, and Darkshire. This is a non-political paper featuring folksy local stories. There are small sections devoted to the goings on in the capitals - In the City, Under the Mountain, Gears A-whirlin', and Forest For the Trees, but other than that, most of the stories cover barn raisings and who is getting married.

Lochlin Printing - Not a paper, but rather a small print shop on the canals between Old Town and the Dwarven District. Evan Lochlin is known among certain circles as possessing a for rent, no questions asked, press in the basement of his shop that he lets out to those with the coin and discretion required not to link the printing back to him. Though it's usually used by young University firebrands to print up pamphlets bashing the evils of their own noble parents, more significant, and sometimes sinister works have come through this venue. Printed copies of Uthas's book are always found with the distinctive corner cracked watermark of the underground Lochlin printing press.

Neddard R Marrow: A 60 something hard-boiled investigative journalist. He has written for the Times since he was a regular beat reporter. He was one of the first true civilians to go into Ice Crown Citadel and document the Horrors that were found there. While he believes in an objective press, he also believes that not every opinion is, by default, valid. For instance, during the pre-Cataclysm events, he believed it was the responsibility of journalists to confront the lies perpetrated by cultists.

While Ned writes for the Times, he also pens essays and critiques for all publications.


Totally based on Edward R Murrow, specifically, Bob Edwards Biography of Ed Murrow (the best audio book of all time, as its got Bob Edwards narrating and clips of Murrow's reports from Dachau).

Caroline McErickson - The Editor in Chief of the Stormwind Dailies. She's slight of frame with long straight blond hair, spectacles on her nose, and usually dressed in a man's suit. She's quite gay, and quite happy oggling the ladies. She's also incredibly well connected in society, and can be found anywhere from White's Gentleman's Club (she's the exception to their No Girls Allowed rule) to Sweet Sixteen Nobility birthday parties. She also happens to be quite enamored (in just a friendly way?) of Vincenza Whitten.

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