Dark Horde
- For other uses, see Horde (disambiguation).
 Dark Horde | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Main leader | None |
| Formerly |
 Nefarian † Warchief Rend Blackhand † Maim Blackhand † |
| Secondary leaders |
 Highlord Omokk † War Master Voone † Gorlop † Tharil'zun † Gath'Ilzogg † |
| Membership | Approximately 5,000[1] |
| Race(s) |
  Orc Ogre Ogre mage Forest troll  Jungle troll Dire troll  Goblin  Black dragon Chromatic dragon  Red dragon (enslaved) Gnoll[2]    Demon |
| Character classes | Barbarian, Hunter, Priest, Scout, Warlock, Warrior |
| Capital | Blackrock Spire |
| Base of operations | Blackrock Mountain |
| Theater of operations | Blackrock Mountain, Burning Steppes, Searing Gorge, Redridge Mountains, Wetlands |
| Language(s) | Orcish, Zandali, Goblin, Draconic, Common |
| Affiliation | Black dragonflight |
| Status |
 Defeated, many members of the Blackrock clan joined the Horde[3] |
The Dark Horde,[3][4] also referred to as the "true Horde",[5] was a renegade group of orcs, trolls, ogres, and goblins who dwelled in Blackrock Spire, which consisted largely of the remnants of the Blackrock clan and Dragonmaw clan in the aftermath of the Second War. They were marshaled by Nefarian of the black dragonflight and ruled by the self-styled Warchief Rend Blackhand. Unlike the orcs of Thrall's New Horde, they remained steadfast to the ideals of the Orcish Horde and embraced the demonic bloodlust.[6]
History
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This section is a lore stub. |
Aftermath of the Second War
At the end of the Second War in 6 ADP, Rend Blackhand and his brother Maim fled to find sanctuary within the mountainous stronghold of Blackrock Spire. It was there that Rend declared himself Warchief of the weakened Blackrock clan, slowly rebuilding his forces with whatever orcs had survived and could make their way to the Burning Steppes, leading to the foundation of the Dark Horde.[7] The Blackrock orcs struck a bargain with the local Dark Iron dwarves. The dwarves descended even deeper into the mountain, while the orcs occupied the higher levels. However, the bargain was never intended to be kept.[8]
The Dragonmaw clan in Grim Batol pledged their support and offered to give some of their enslaved dragons to the Dark Horde if they were ever needed.[9]
When the Horde of Draenor reopened the Dark Portal in 8 ADP, an expedition of death knights and orc chieftains reached Blackrock to parlay with Rend and Maim, trying to get them back under Ner'zhul's leadership. The expedition was mostly interested in the Dark Horde's enslaved red dragons, but any help was refused by Warchief Rend, who wanted the Horde of Draenor to fail so he could gather all its survivors to him and start another war of conquest on the Alliance. Instead, the Dragon Aspect Deathwing offered the help of his black dragonflight to Teron Gorefiend, and then ordered his son Nefarian to make his home in the upper reaches of Blackrock Mountain and make the Dark Horde his personal army.[7]
Conflict soon arose in Blackrock Spire between the Blackrock clan and the Dark Iron dwarves, which led to many Blackrock orc casualties. They eventually managed to displace the dwarves in the upper portions of the mountain, but only after the death of Maim.[10]
The Smolderthorn tribe, Firetree tribe and Spirestone clan retained their alliances with the Blackrock clan.[4]
World of Warcraft
Four years after the Third War, Nefarian had taken control of Blackrock Spire and had made the Dark Horde his pawns. They constantly fought the Dark Iron dwarves and their master, the Firelord Ragnaros, who resided in the depths of the volcano. Meanwhile, Nefarian and his brood worked on the creation of the chromatic dragonflight, with the powers of all the flights to release on the fire elementals and eventually the races of Azeroth.[11] The Dark Horde still practiced demonic magic as their warlocks were seen summoning demons in battle.
Apparently, the Firegut ogres and the Dark Horde also made an alliance, as the ogres kept the mineral-rich Dreadmaul Rock guarded and kept the supply lines open at all times.[12] The Dark Horde also contracted some goblin mercenaries and trained worgs for war.
Prior to the events of World of Warcraft, Warlord Gath'Ilzogg made an alliance with the warlock Morganth to invade Redridge Mountains. Fueled by evil magic, the Blackrock orcs captured Stonewatch Keep, but shortly after their victory, Morganth turned on his orcish cohorts.[13] Left to fend for themselves, the Dark Horde maintained control of the keep, which was overseen by Gath'Ilzogg and his trusted lieutenant, Tharil'zun. Both were eventually killed by Alliance adventurers at the request of Magistrate Solomon and Marshal Marris of Lakeshire.[14][15]
After the defeat of Ragnaros in the Molten Core, Moira Thaurissan's spies made sure that word of the Dark Horde's alliance with the black dragonflight reached Durotar. Horde champions were eventually sent by Warchief Thrall to kill both Dal'rend Blackhand, whose followers scattered, and his master, Nefarian, in Blackwing Lair, taking the head of the dragon with them to Orgrimmar.[16][17]
Cataclysm
Following the Cataclysm in 28 ADP, the Dark Horde allied themselves with Deathwing[18] and were allies of the Twilight's Hammer clan. When the earthquakes cracked the once natural defenses buffering the kingdom of Stormwind, Kurtok the Slayer and his Blackrock forces invaded Northshire Valley through a pathway from the Burning Steppes, burning down the Northshire Vineyards.[19] They were eventually defeated by the Stormwind Army and the Alliance Adventurer.[20]
Furthermore, the Dark Horde invaded the Redridge Mountains in force as well. They allied with the Redridge pack[2] and were under the command of the black dragon Darkblaze. An Alliance adventurer deputized by the Stormwind Army later traveled to Redridge to aid the beleaguered Stormwind guards and reform the Bravo Company to combat the threat. Both Tharil'zun and Gath'Ilzogg made their return as death knights and were holed up in Stonewatch, until Colonel Troteman ordered the Bravo Company to carry out their execution.[21]
In the Burning Steppes storyline, John J. Keeshan and Colonel Troteman for the Alliance, and Eitrigg and Ariok for the Horde, launched a retaliatory crushing blow to the Dark Horde.
Mists of Pandaria
With their allies—the Twilight's Hammer clan and the black dragonflight—defeated and their leader Rend Blackhand dead, many members of the Blackrock clan joined the Horde under Warchief Garrosh Hellscream, who recently granted the clan amnesty.[22] They may have joined the Kor'kron, as evidenced by Malkorok, who served as Garrosh's bodyguard and chief advisor, and possibly the Kor'kron Assassins seen during the Battlefield: Barrens.
Organization
Leadership
Membership
Orc - Orcs make up the majority of the Dark Horde.
- Blackrock clan - The founding members of the Dark Horde led by their chieftain, Rend Blackhand.
- Dragonmaw clan - Some remnants of this clan from the Second War are seen fighting for the Dark Horde in the Wetlands.
- Black Tooth Grin clan - Rend and Maim survived the battle over the Dark Portal. They took control of the survivors of the Blackrock and Black Tooth Grin clans and used them to form the Dark Horde, establishing their base at Blackrock Spire.
Ogre - Many ogres decided to stay under the leadership of the son of Blackhand.
- Firegut - Allies of the Blackrock orcs. They work closely with those orcs, keeping the mineral-rich Dreadmaul Rock guarded and the supply lines open at all times.
- Spirestone - A remnant of the Old Horde's ogre forces during the Second War. After the war, a sizable number of orcs led by Rend Blackhand and his brother Maim managed to return to their base at Blackrock Mountain.
Torchbelcher - An ogre tribe allied with the Dragonmaw clan of the Wetlands.- Stonegullet - a group of ogres found in the Searing Gorge. A portion of them barricaded the road leading south to Blackrock Spire, and demanded tribute from all wishing to pass, and with the help of three black drakes to ensure that all travelers paid the toll.
Forest troll - A few forest trolls intend to honor the pact the Horde made with the forest trolls and continue to follow what they see as the true Horde.
- Firetree - One of the forest troll tribes that joined the Horde during the Second War after the Horde rescued their leader Zul'jin from the human forces. The Second War ended with the defeat of the Horde, but Rend Blackhand refused to give up the fight, some orcs, trolls, and ogres followed him, including the Firetree tribe.
- Smolderthorn - One of two tribes of forest trolls that belong to the Dark Horde. Smolderthorn trolls revere the memory of Zul'jin and consider the Firetree tribe acceptable allies, but despise all other forest trolls as deserters, particularly the Revantusk tribe, which is loosely affiliated with Thrall's Horde.
Goblin - The Dark Horde has hired many goblins to assist them in assassination and forging.
Demons - Many members of the Dark Horde practice demon worship and summon imps, felhounds, and felguards to their aid.
Allies
Black dragonflight - Led by Nefarian, in truth they are controlling the Dark Horde.
Corrupted dragonflights - The orcs have corrupted many dragons to do their bidding.- Chromatic dragon - The chromatic dragonflight of Blackrock Spire was created by Nefarian's magical experiments, using the blood of dragons from the other dragonflights.
Enslaved ettin
In the RPG
In the aftermath of the Second War, the Black Tooth Grin clan was almost destroyed.[23] With this, the Second War was over. However, Rend and Maim survived and slipped into the shadows.[23]
They became a beacon for orcs who longed for the old days, and soon, their ranks began to swell again. They are fighting a war which they are unaware ended some time ago.[24]
Orc warlocks and other clans that refuse Thrall's leadership are strongest in Azeroth around the Burning Steppes and Blasted Lands.[25]
Background
After the Second War, Rend and Maim, serving as dual chieftains over the defeated Black Tooth Grin clan and the weakened Blackrock clan, apparently rescued some of their warriors from the prison camps, set up a base in Blackrock Spire, and formed the Dark Horde.[26] The Smolderthorn tribe, Firetree tribe and Spirestone clan retained their alliances with the Blackrock clan.[4][24] The Dragonmaw clan was loyal to Blackhand before his death, and when he was killed they pledged their loyalty to his sons; thus, they remained with them as well.[27]
Rend Blackhand returned from the shadows and took full control of the Blackrock clan after the death of Orgrim Doomhammer.[28]
They were in constant war with Stormwind parties and Firegut ogres.[29] Eventually, Dark Iron dwarves from Blackrock Depths tried to destroy the Dark Horde. The Dark Horde fought back, and Maim was killed in savage battle. His sacrifice, plus Rend's "alliance" with the black dragonflight, allowed them to drive back the Dark Irons and maintain their hold on Blackrock Spire.[26] Apparently Firegut ogres were enemies of the Dark Horde as they were unwilling to accept non-ogre allies.[29]
They allied with the Torchbelcher tribe and the Torchbelcher provide them with warriors and mages.[30] It's rumored that Rend is willing to allow nagas, furbolgs and goblins to join him.[31]
Rend Blackhand and his orcs had several encampments in the foothills of Blackrock Spire, claiming the mountain as their own, but refusing to enter the depths of it.[29] They prefer to stay near the Dark Portal.[25]
Now the Dark Horde is barricaded inside Blackrock spire under Rend Blackhand's command. They are as bloodthirsty and savage as the Horde of old and are as barbaric as the orcs from the First and Second Wars.[32]
Thrall would have eliminated this renegade group if it wasn't for Nefarian, because the big black dragon is protecting them.[24]
Military tactics
Rend Blackhand, son of Blackhand the Destroyer, is in charge of the Dark Horde. He calls himself warchief, and all the other members of the Dark Horde address him as such. The true ruler of Blackrock Spire is Nefarian the black dragon. All Dragonmaw orcs belong to Rend's force; their clan leader, Chieftain Nek'rosh Skullcrusher, leads one band far to the north, in the Wetlands.[33]
The remnants of the Blackrock and Dragonmaw clans, along with their forest troll, ogre and goblin allies, form a brutal though small force. They are outnumbered in a hostile land, these orcs and their allies have developed more sophisticated tactics than those they used in the past. The original Horde that came from Draenor had the benefit of large numbers; it appeared that for every orc that fell, ten more came to take his place. Now, these renegades temper their chaotic, bloodthirsty natures with caution, as they no longer have the forces to support reckless charges.
The Dark Horde uses the terrain around Blackrock Spire to its advantage. Orc and goblin lookouts hide behind carefully stacked rockfalls they can trigger in an instant, burying enemies on the path below. The renegades engage enemies in bottlenecks, where a pack of ogres or forest trolls make short work of assailants forced to approach one at a time. The renegades also know the best ambush sites on the Spire, where they throw rocks and fire missile weapons at enemies in shallow canyons.
When engaging enemies outside their territory, these renegades prefer to scout the land and pick defensible positions before attacking. The orcs try to have one or two locations to which they retreat when hard-pressed, usually rocky terrain with plenty of cover or thick forest (unless they are fighting night elves). The warriors attempt to lure their foes into unfamiliar ground where, if the orcs have no advantage, at least neither does the opposition.
The Dark Horde places its toughest warriors, usually ogres, in the front ranks, keeping weaker fighters in the back with ranged weapons and healing magic. In rare cases, the strongest orc leaders might appear mounted on the backs of black drakes, but such a sight is never seen outside Blackrock Spire. The melee fighters use intelligent tactics in battle, however, after a few attacks the bloodlust can take over the orc. Warriors lose control and lash out wildly at their opponents. Instead of using multiple attacks on one enemy, an orc may swing once at every enemy in range. These renegades train themselves to focus their attacks on the strongest enemy they can see until he falls, but in the heat of combat they often forget such training and may chase weakened stragglers across the battlefield.
Two types of spellcasters support the renegades. First, orc warlocks call down annihilating magical barrages and summon fiendish monstrosities. Second, forest troll healers, usually voodoo priests, assist the troops with healing magic and defensive spells. Orc warlocks who serve the Burning Legion also assist them.[34]
Allegiance with the Forsaken
The Forsaken of Lordaeron happily aid the Dark Horde in the area. They don't care whether the orcs are evil or not; it's actually easier for them if their allies are evil.[25] Recently the Dark Horde may no longer accept assistance from the Forsaken. The Dark Horde may have started attacking them because they "support Thrall's Horde" which they believe is not the real Horde.[26]
Notes
- The Dark Horde celebrated the Midsummer Fire Festival.[35]
- Ritualist Tarak is the only known Gurubashi jungle troll to have joined the Dark Horde.
- During the Third War, several groups of demon-worshiping Blackrock orcs were present in Lordaeron until they were killed by the Scourge. No relations, if any, to the Dark Horde are known.
Skin color
Unlike other orcs, the skin tone of some of the orcs within the Dark Horde is a dull gray rather than green. Jaina Proudmoore: Tides of War revealed that this skintone is a result of the clan living inside of Blackrock Mountain without sunlight for years.[36]
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This article or section includes speculation, observations or opinions possibly supported by lore or by Blizzard officials. It should not be taken as representing official lore.
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In Warlords of Draenor, the orcs of the Blackrock clan are shown to have gray skin. It seems that the clan has had the gray skintone since long before the invasion of Azeroth and the drinking of Mannoroth's blood. However, since the gray skintone has never been shown until World of Warcraft, and they were previously depicted as green as the other orc clans, it's possible that this has been retconned already.
Gallery
See also
References
- ^ Troll Compendium: The Trolls and the Horde: "A force of approximately five thousand strong, the Dark Horde regards itself as the true Horde, and believes that Thrall and his followers are foolish weaklings."
- ^ a b
[7-30] They've Wised Up...
- ^ a b World of Warcraft: Ultimate Visual Guide, Updated and Expanded, pg. 126
- ^ a b c Troll Compendium: Forest Troll Tribes
- ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 3, pg. 20
- ^ The Story of Warcraft#Assault on Blackwing Lair
- ^ a b Beyond the Dark Portal, chapter 8
- ^ World of Warcraft: Exploring Azeroth: The Eastern Kingdoms, pg. 42
- ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 2, pg. 175
- ^
[60] Eitrigg's Wisdom
- ^ Underdev/Blackwing Lair
- ^ [52] Extinguish the Firegut
- ^
[The State of Lakeshire]
- ^ [26G] Wanted: Gath'Ilzogg
- ^ [25] Tharil'zun
- ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 3, pg. 121 - 122
- ^ [60R] For The Horde!
- ^ Grand Magus Doane
- ^ [1-10] Blackrock Invasion
- ^ [1-10] Ending the Invasion!
- ^ [7-30] Showdown at Stonewatch
- ^ Ultimate Visual Guide, pg. 114
- ^ a b Horde Player's Guide, pg. 168
- ^ a b c Dark Factions, pg. 133
- ^ a b c World of Warcraft: The Roleplaying Game, pg. 166
- ^ a b c Dark Factions, pg. 136
- ^ Horde Player's Guide, pg. 171
- ^ Horde Player's Guide, pg. 167
- ^ a b c Lands of Conflict, pg. 43
- ^ Lands of Conflict, pg. 80
- ^ Dark Factions, pg. 135
- ^ Lands of Conflict, pg. 42
- ^ Dark Factions, pg. 134
- ^ Dark Factions, pg. 72
- ^
[60] A Light in Dark Places
- ^ Jaina Proudmoore: Tides of War, pg. 17
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