Factions

From the World Wide Invitational 2008 Dungeons & Raids panel:

Devs want to make it not feel like a grind.

The "Championing" process with help earn reputation with certain Factions outside of your current dungeon's Faction. You get to choose the specific Faction to earn rep with using a system of tabards. You put a certain Faction's tabard on in any level 80 Dungeon and every kill will give rep towards the Faction whose tabard you're wearing. Details are not final, but this is the current direction. They don't want you to feel you have to grind certain dungeons mindlessly.

Faction requirements for heroic dungeons are being removed. Devs don't want people to feel like there are so many barriers.

PvP rewards will show up in faction rewards, similar to current low-level PvP faction sets. There will be a greater variety of faction rewards across the board. There are only a certain amount of items they can make in the time they have, but they want to include items that fit different specs and classes. There will be more recipe plans, as well. This was done in TBC but not all trade skills were represented in factions. In general, there will be more overall rewards from faction.

• Valiance Expedition - The main armies of the Alliance in Northrend, moving against the Scourge and unified under King Varian Wrynn's command.
• The Silver Covenant - A militant core of high elves that rejects the admission of blood elves into the Kirin Tor. They've united under the banner of Vereesa Windrunner and joined the Alliance forces in Northrend.
• Explorer's League - This organization seeks to find the origin of the dwarven race by collecting Titan artifacts. Their most recent research has led them to various archeological sites in Northrend.
• The Frostborn - This mysterious race is of frost dwarves makes their home in the Storm Peaks. They've recently befriended members of the Explorers' League and welcome Alliance members within their settlements.

• The Taunka - These hardy people are cousins of the Tauren and have become valuable scouts for the armies of the Horde as they march northward.
• The Hand of Vengeance - The Forsaken tasked by Sylvanas Windrunner with enacting Undercity's vengeance against Arthas by delivering the latest strain of their deadly Plague.
• Warsong Offensive - Garrosh Hellscream commands the Horde's main expeditionary forces as they make their way into Northrend to face Arthas and the armies of the Scourge.

• The Kalu'ak - The Tuskarr are a tough but peaceful people who derive their livelihood from fishing and whaling. Their settlements have recently come under fierce attack and welcome any allies who would come to their aid.
• Kirin Tor - The mages and archmages running the city of Dalaran. Faced with the rising threats of the Blue Dragonflight and the Scourge, they've transported their city to the heart of Northrend.
• The Wyrmrest Accord - With the Blue Dragonflight's violent upheaval against all mortal users of magic, the remaining dragonflights have banded under the leadership of the Red Dragonflight to combat their wayward kin.
• Knights of the Ebon Blade - Freed from the grasp of the Lich King, his former Deathknights have regrouped against him under the banner of Highlord Darion Mograine.
• The Argent Crusade - An organization created from the union of the Argent Dawn and the Knights of the Silver Hand, led by Highlord Tirion Fordring.
• The Oracles - The gorlocs of Sholazar Basin are a race of reptilian creatures who see themselves as guardians of the titan technology that remains in the zone (though they understand little of it). They find themselves in an escalating territorial war with the wolvar.
• Frenzyheart Tribe - Driven from their lands by the Scourge, this fierce tribe of wolvar stumbled upon Sholazar Basin, where they intend to make their new home.Their aggressive nature has put them at odds with the various gorloc tribes known collectively as the Oracles.
• The Sons of Hodir - The frost giants of the Storm Peaks are a war-like race that makes their home in Dun Nifelem.