The Little Lock That Could
, written by Robert Welsh a.k.a. Warg
◊, is an interactive World of Warcraft fanfiction published on fiction.live (also known as anon-kun.)
The story follows a young warlock, Aldwyn Nightingale, and his adventures in the world of Azeroth in which he works to master his craft and find his purpose as a warlock.
Aldwyn has a strong impact upon the world and its denizens, changing the fates of several characters and disturbing the balance between the Alliance and the Horde.
The Little Lock That Could is, at its core, a coming of age story, Aldwyn leaving his home in Duskwood as a naive, inexperienced and immature child with several flaws that negatively affect his interactions with others, such as his pride and his anger when he is underestimated or called a child. As the story progresses Aldwyn faces several trials and tribulations which lead him to gaining knowledge, experience, tempering his emotions, reaching a state of making mature responses and decisions and, most importantly, improving his social skills... at least a little.
The quest started on the first of June, 2019 and has been and presumably will continue to be irregularly updated by its author, who, after attempting and failing to make two other quests, promised he will continue writing until its completion. Warg seems to have made good on his promise, The Little Lock That Could reaching almost four hundred thousand words, recently finishing the first part of the story which takes place in "Classic" or "Vanilla" World of Warcraft and will soon continue in the Burning Crusade expansion.
The quest has a large (for the site) following who has been described as "cancerous", "exceptional" and "a pack of rabid hyenas". The author seems happy with the behavior of his readers, despite cliaming several times that he has not cultivated the chat, and being unable to see that the readers only mimic his behavior.
The quest has officially ended, with the last post being on Feb 10 2020, soon after reaching its second part, Burning Crusade, and there will be no more further updates.
As of April 17th, a Friday, the quest is... not, anymore. Warg quit and deleted it all. A mirror may be posted if one is found. Otherwise, it is no more. Here is a mirror of all his major stuff.
Twist, it's back, as of 22th September. Kas-restored, after warg came back and kinda regretted deleting all of his stuff. Might not run again, might run again, but at least you can view it the way it was meant to, even checking out the past chat.
The Little Lock That Could contains examples of:
- After-Action Healing Drama: Happens after The fight with Vendellin Soulfire, an enemy Warlock, who cast the Mark of Kathra'natir at Broll before being killed but hit Aldwyn instead causing him various issues and an ongoing threat of possession by the Dreadlord.
- Bizarre Taste in Food: Aldwyn eats Worgen (cursed beings that were once humans and elves) and Carrion Worms without particular complaint, disgusting everybody else.
- Coming of Age Story: The first part of the quest which happens during "Vanilla" World of Warcraft is Aldwyn's coming of age story.
- Crisis of Faith: Pretty much entire Scarlet Crusade after discovering that their leader is Dreadlord in disguise. Sally Whitemane especially.
- Curb-Stomp Battle: Originally meant as a hard battle, the arena fight against a tauren shaman became this because of Warg's rolls.
- Dark Is Not Evil: Somewhat averted. Aldwyn considers that while fel magic, being chaos, is not inherently evil, the array of magics and spells warlocks use is evil because of how they use it, to corrupt and destroy. Basically, no magic is inherently evil, but "warlock magic" is.
- Demonic Possession: Aldwyn being possessed by the dreadlord Katra'nathir.
- Desperately Looking for a Purpose in Life: Despite it not being very visible, Aldwyn.
- Gone Horribly Right: Aldwyn's summoning of Aiuethull'kro, Herald of The Void.
- Happily Adopted: Aldwyn by Mistress Nightingale.
- Hermit Guru: Mistress Nightingale, Aldwyn's adoptive kinda sorta mother.
- Hero of Another Story: While Aldwyn was busy with Onyxia, Jeanette was busy joining a group of adventurers to defeat Ragnaros.
- Improbable Infant Survival: Aldwyn, surviving being abandoned in the worgen-infested woods of Duskwood.
- Killed Offscreen: The whole warlock coven is killed off-screen by Onyxia's servants.
- Knight in Sour Armor: Aldwyn, rather obviously.
- Lured into a Trap: Happens to both Aldwyn and Katra'nathir, as part of the plan of Aegwynn and Meryl to save Aldwyn from the demon possessing him.
- Made a Slave: Aldwyn is stripped of all his possessions and sold to a goblin slave merchant by Lady Katrana Prestor, the black Dragon Onyxia in disguise.
- Parental Abandonment: The protagonist's mother was a prostitute who abandoned him into the dangerous woods of Duskwood soon after his birth.
- Parental Substitute: After his abandonment, Aldwyn is raised and taught magic by Mistress Nightingale.
- Really Royalty Reveal: Tirion is revealed to be Varian, the king of Stormwind. Or, well, half of Varian.
- Revenge: Aldwyn's quest for revenge against the black dragon Onyxia, who disguised herself as Lady Katrana Prestor.
- Sexy Mentor: Aldwyn's mentor during his travels in Quel'Thalas, Shinfel Blightsworn, member of the Black Harvest.
- Super Mode: Aldwyn's "Ascended" form, also known as the warlock spell Metamorphosis.
- The Dark Arts: As Aldwyn is a Warlock, the magics he uses (fel, blood and shadow to name a few) are of this kind.
