User:Ximothy/Crusade/Orcish Horde

Orcish Horde
Icon of Battle
Main leader	Warchief Durotan
Formerly	Warchief Orgrim Doomhammer (MIA) Warchief Ner'zhul
Secondary leaders	Chieftains of the Horde High Overlord Saurfang Farseer Drek'Thar
Formerly	Blackhand the Destroyer (KIA) Dhral the Thrice-Bloodied Blade
Race(s)	Orcs Mok'Nathal
Character classes	Warrior, Hunter, Shaman, Rogue, Priest
Capital	Lohn'goron Citadel
Other major settlements	The Rock, Slavisar, Singing Steps, Zeth'Gol, Hallvalor
Formerly	Shaz'gul
Base of operations	Wor'gol, Stonefang Outpost, Throm'var,
Formerly	Mok'Gol, Ata'gar
Theater of operations	Draenor
Language(s)	Orcish
Sub-group(s)	Frostwolf clan Blackrock clan Shadowmoon clan Warsong clan Bleeding Hollow clan Shattered Hand clan Burning Blade clan
Affiliation	Coalition Forces
Status	Active
Reputation
Tabard

The Horde, sometimes called the Orcish Horde, is the union of orc clans united in the name of survival and shared heritage in an increasingly war torn world. Though many clans have been devastated or destroyed since the opening of the Great Wars the Horde remain resolute as one of Draenor's greatest defenders.

Character Classes

The orcs are famous Warriors from across Draenor, their ability to combat foes larger or more ancient than themselves is well documented and on every crisis and war in the past few decades has seen orcish Warriors on the frontlines fighting. Some clans such as the Blackrock and Warsong are heavily built around a warrior's culture, in particular the Warsong boast some of the greatest warriors in all of Dreanor. Hunting is an important aspect of orc culture too, with a saying that all orcs are Hunters. Yet one of the greatest quarterstones of their way of life is their connection to the world around them thanks to the Shamans and the orcs' entire religion is built around these seers and soothsayers. The Elements are highly regarded among orc culture and so are the words of their Ancestors that only Shamans can see.

Orcish Rogues are rarer but not unheard of. In particular the Shattered Hand are renown for using stealth and poison but other clans have more roguish members that can be considered Rogues, some being more akin to dishonourable warriors while others employ assassination to silence enemies of the Horde. The existence of orc Priests may confuse some as the orcs don't in particular worship the Light however the Shadowmoon clan have long dabbled into using powers of the Dark Star long before it was purified in the Second Great War. While not a traditional path of an orc, orcish priests are a known factor mostly from the Shadowmoon clan who have long believed they called upon the Light and Shadow essences of the Moon. While a more traditional understanding of the Light has been learnt, the orcs still view the Light and Dark as being spirits like the Elemnents, with their Seers, as they call their priests, being seen as a special type of shaman.

When it comes to Professions orcs are renown Blacksmiths thanks to the Blackrock clan in particular, being seen as the best smiths on Draenor capable of working the worlds' living metal like art compared to other races. As such Mining is also important for orcs to supply the required minerials from basic copper, iron or bronze ingots all the way to the more complex Blackrock or True Iron that few mortals outside of the Blackrock are able to use. Still some clans are more traditional such as the Frostwolves or Warsong who still highly value Skinning and Leatherworking to complement their work with their hunts. Orcs interested in Engineering is a more recent result of the Horde undergoing industrialisation, with them supplying orc kind with guns and basic tanks that the Horde's war machine employ.

Clans of the Horde

Frostwolf Clan

Currently the first among equals, the Frostwolf chieftain Durota, is the current Warchief of the Horde following the fall and betrayal of Ner'zhul. The Frostwolves were once isolationists, not wanting to interact too much with their fellow clans but the idealistic Durotan became one of the central figures in rallying the Horde, along with Blackhand and Ner'zhul, and the close knit nature of the Frostwolves became the model of which the Horde would be forged; uniting the clans into a single family. The Horde's Capital Lohn'goron Citadel sits firmly within Frostwolf territory however the city itself is multicultural, having a diverse number of clans though the Frostwolves are the majority.

As for the Frostwolves themselves they are renown hunters and shamans. They choose to live in Frostfire the most untamed region in all of Draenor and yet they proved time and time again that they can not only survive but thrive through working with one another and keeping their rage in check. For some other races the Frostwolves are seen as the most reasonable clan of orcs, while others thirst for the thrill of battle or conduct strange dark rituals there's a simplicity and calmness to the Frostwolves that make them more approachable. Notably most Horde ambassadors are of Frostwolf origin.

Many Horde heroes arise from the humble trappings of the Frostwolf clan such as Warchief Durotan himself who helped found the Horde and now leads it; Draka is a world renown huntress and duelist; Drek'thar is a famous shaman and one of the leading spiritualists in the world; Draka's blood-sister Lokra is a Primalist of the clan and one of the first Primalists on Draenor; and Warlord Ga'nar is one of the heroes of the Expedition that led the war into the human's world before the Dark Portal was sealed. A new generation post-Great War arose, most notably among them are Warchief Durotan's children, Go'el who has become arguably Dreanor's most powerful Shaman, and Geya'rah, a battlemaster of the Frostwolf clan.

Wor'gol- The “Wolf's Home” Wor'gol is the traditional home of the Frostwolf clan and the starting location of all orcs. It's only a few miles away from Lohn'goron though many Frostwolves, especially older ones, prefer to live here instead of the city. The settlement is run by Farseer Drek'thar and many elders of the clan will impart knowledge to youngbloods who seek their knowledge.

• 

  Crest of the Frostwolves

• 

  Durotan, Chieftain.

• 

Blackrock Clan

Forged from the heart of iron and fire the Blackrock Clan long lived in the ancestral grounds of all orckind, the mountains of Gorgrond. When war came to Draenor in the form of the alien Crusade the Blackrock were among the first to throw themselves at this new enemy, led by the indomitable will of Blackhand the Destroyer. Blackhand commanded brutal campaigns against humanity but even the proud orc came to see that the demonic Crusade would be too much and helped forged the Horde out of several orc clans. They are primarily found in Gorgrond around their home in the Rock, but many are scattered across Horde lands and operate the Frostfire Forge within Lohn'goron Citadel.

Across all of Draenor, the Blackrock orcs are known as the greatest smiths in the world. Humans compare their work to that of the dwarves of their world, the Dark Irons in paritcular have seemingly declared themselves the Blackrock's rivals. The Blackrocks have yet to reciprocate that rivalry. Many Blacksmithing and mining trainers are Blackrock orcs themselves. They are renown warriors, their soldiers are said to comprise the backbone of the Horde and are some of the best armed fighters in all of Draenor.

The old chieftain, Blackhand, achieved renown for his brutal campaign against the invading Crusaders during the Great War where he was slain in epic battle with Lothar. Orgrim Doomhammer, the first Warchief of the Horde, High Commander of the Expedition and the Stormbreaker, is a Blackrock himself. Their chieftain, Dal'rend Blackhand, has been given the title of Grand Master of blacksmithing, with his greatest achievement being the forging of the Ashbringer. High Overlord Varok Saurfang was the field commander of the clan and former regent while Rend was growing up, and he is well regarded as one of Draenor's greatest warriors, serving as the chief of Lohn'goron's defences.

The Rock- The home of the Blackrock is the oldest orcish settlement on the planet, centuries if not thousands of years old, the Rock has endured ogre sieges, gronn attacks and even other orcs have attempted to take it. The city has a massive forge in it blessed by the Heart of the Mountain that gives the Blackrock their amazing blacksmithing skills. Dal'rend watches over the city from his chamber, often forging at the Heart of the Mountain. Here legendary weapons such as Doomhammer and the Ashbringer were forged. It is currently home to most of the clan's population as their outlying settlements have been taken by the growing Drakonaar.

• 

  Crest of the Blackrock

• 

  Dal'rend Blackhand, Chieftain.

• 

Shadowmoon Clan

Once the Shadowmoon clan were the leaders of the Horde, with their chieftain Ner'zhul acting as Warchief following Orgrim's disappearance beyond the Dark Portal. The Shadowmoon however nearly lost everything in the wake of the Plague of Undeath and the Undead Scourge washing over their lands, ushered by the traitor Shadowmoon Teron'gor. Ner'zhul fought the undead yet after finding the cursed weapon Ulthalesh he fell to darkness himself and became the first generation of Death Knights for the Lich King, Alonsus Faol. Not all of the clan died; some were stationed elsewhere while others were able to flee with their families north to Lohn'goron, where Durotan accepted these refugees and made space atop Lohn'goron for them, where they can view the stars in the thick of the night. Many refugees have also settled in Throm'var, a northern settlement with an observatory.

It is said the Shadowmoon have been able to predict the future by reading the stars in the night sky and the study of the stars allows them access to dark magic. They are also deeply spiritual and were regarded as some of the most shamanistic orcs in the world, once having led the orcs against the Gorian Empire four centuries ago at the behast of the Elements themselves. Although Ner'zhul's betrayal and ascension to becoming the Lich King has severely damaged their reputation many still respect the Shadowmoon in spite of it, and many others respect the remnant's ability to survive the destruction of most of their clan.

The most infamous member of the clan is of course the new Lich King, Ner'zhul, who's betrayal brought ruin upon the clan. Rulkan was one of the clan's foremost shamans and arguably most powerful seer of her time before she vanished beyond the Dark Portal at the closing of the old wars. Karg Bloodfury is a Shadowmoon who married into the Frostwolf clan and carries pride for both clans. Many traitors of the clan serve the Scourge now, such as Teron'gor, Sadanna Bloodfury and Dia Darkwhisper, who are all marked as enemies of the surviving clan to be exterminated to restore the honour their clan has lost.

They posses no capital as all of their settlements have been consumed by the Scourge such as their old home of Shaz'gul and former fortress, and now necromancy school, of Anguish Fortress. They do have a settlement in the southern mountains overlooking the valley however this is a mostly military one, civilians and those unable to fight were sent north to find refuge with the rest of the Horde.

• 

  Crest of the Shadowmoon.

• 

Warsong Clan

From the howling plains of Nagrand ride the Warsong clan who have risen in recent times to hold great authority over the region. Although they fought during both major wars it was in the form of them sending reinforcements and their lands were never in direct danger by the Crusade or Scourge, it wasn't until the Legion invaded Nagrand directly to obtain control over Oshu'gun that the Warsong saw war on their homefront. The Warsong gained honour and glory from that battle and continue their service to the Horde by fighting to contain the Scourge coming from the Plaguelands to their east.

To face a raid part of Warsong Outriders is to face war itself, as the Warsong adore combat and to die in combat is considered the greatest honour an orc can achieve in their clan. They are reliant on their wolves nearly as much as the Frostwolves however they do not treat them as equals but as masters of the wolves needing to break them in through rites and rituals. Taking trophies from their foes is more of a boast for the Warsong than for other clans, it's seen as part of their identity itself and is how the clan will remember them when they finally pass.

The current chieftain of the clan is the Warlord with the Iron Will, Grommash Hellscream, who was legendary for fighting in the Gorian Wars and killing the Imparetor previous to the current one. A warrior of near no equal, Grommash represents the warrior heart of the orcs proudly and fought to defend Oshu'gun during the Legion's First Invasion. His son, Garrosh, is following in his footsteps, though is proving more hot headed than Grom ever was, and is mostly kept in check by his blood-brother Go'el of the Frostwolves.

Singing Canyons- The traditionally nomadic Warsong finally settled down in the canyons of eastern Nagrand under the direction of Grommash, as the changing times made Grom believe they needed a place to call their own. The change of pace for the Warsong was surprising but the clan quickly claimed every inch of the canyons as their own, learning its every secret and making it theirs. Now it serves as the Horde's primary location in Nagrand, one of their holiest places, and many pilgrims heading to either Oshu'gun or the Circle of Elements will pass through the Canyons.

• 

  Crest of the Warsong

• 

  Grommash Hellscream, Chieftain.

• 

Settlement

Lohn'goron Citadel

Lohn'goron Citadel is the capital of the Horde, situated in western Frostfire Ridge, and was formerly an ogre fortress built atop of conquered orc lands the fortress was claimed by the Frostwolves with the aid of the Mok'Nathal and Whiteclaw clans. Following the Great War the Citadel has become the beating heart of the Horde as members of all clans can be found here living and working for the benefit of the Horde. The Warchief holds court over the Hall of Command where advisers and ambassadors work and live. There is a Great Forge where many Blackrock smiths work with students from other clans and trainers for blacksmithing, mining and engineering can be found here. Outside of the citadel itself are rows of homes and shops surrounding the citadel in what is called the Ring of Commerce surrounding the base of the Citadel where auctions and banks can be found. Shamans can be found atop of the Citadel at the Observatory communing with the Elements and reading the stars for portents.

Orcs are one of the more widespread races with settlements across Draenor. The Rock is the home of the Blackrock Clan within Gorgrond, under the rule of Dal'rend Blackhand; the Singing Canyon is the home of the Warsong Clan in Nagrand, ruled by Grommash Hellscream; Zeth'Gol is the home of the Bleeding Hollow clan in Tanaan, ruled by Kilrogg Deadeye; Slavisar is the home of the Shattered Hand clan in the Spires of Arak, ruled by Kargath Bladefist; and Halvalor is the home of the Burning Blade clan in Nagrand, ruled by Azuka Bladefury. Outside of the clan homes are other settlements such as Wor'gol, the Frostwolf home in Frostifre; Stonefang Outpost and Throm'var are also settlements in the Frostfire Ridge. Zeth'kur is a Horde port near the Dark Portal.

Members

The current Warchief of the Horde is Durotan, the Wolf King.

Name	Role	Status	Location
Durotan	Warchief of the Horde	Alive	Hall of Command, Lohn'goron Citadel
Draka	Huntress	Alive	Hall of Command, Lohn'goron Citadel
Orgrim Doomhammer	Warchief of the Horde	Missing	Unknown
Farseer Rulkan	Farseer of the Shadowmoon Clan	Missing	Unknown
Go'el	Son of Durotan, Student of Ner'zhul	Alive	Various
Garrosh	Son of Hellscream	Alive	Various
Geya'rah	Daughter of Draka, Warlord	Alive	Lohn'goron Citadel
High Overlord Saurfang	High Overlord of the Horde	Alive	Lohn'goron Citadel

Chieftains:

Name	Role	Status	Location
Blackhand the Destroyer	Chieftain of the Blackrock orcs	Deceased	Buried under the Rock
Dal'rend Blackhand	Chieftain of the Blackrock Clan	Alive	The Rock, Gorgrond
Grommash Hellscream	Chieftain of the Warsong Clan	Alive	Singing Canyon, Nagrand
Kilrogg Deadeye	Chieftain of the Bleeding Hollow Clan	Alive	Zeth'Gor, Tanaan
Kargath Bladefist	Chieftain of the Shattered Hand Clan	Alive	Slavisar, Spires of Arak.
Azuka Bladefury	Chieftain of the Burning Blade Clan	Alive	Halvalor, Nagrand
Leoroxx	Chieftain of the Mok'Nathal clan	Alive	Mok'Nathal Village, Blade's Edge Mountains

Former Members:

Name	Role	Status	Former Role
Ner'zhul the Betrayer	Lich King of the Scourge	Undead	Warchief, Shadowmoon Chieftain
Dhral the Thrice Bladed	Rider of the Four Horsemen	Undead	Burning Blade Chieftain

Relations

The orcs are widespread and have amassed a wide range of relations with other nations and races. They've had a long rivalry with the ogres who traditionally enslaved them and the two races have fought major race wars with one another, the most recent one only being a few years before the Dark Portal opened. The two sides did ally during the First War however this was a tenative alliance and the Gorian Empire made several demands for their aid, many of these demands reversed when Highmaul itself was attacked during the Second War. Despite being allies during the First and Second Wars the Horde and the Empire remain wary with one another, the Gorians see the Horde as squatting in ogre lands and castles while the orcs counter with the fact the orcs lived in these lands first and the ogres took it from them. Relations remain poor even years after the Second War. Many orcs don't know what to make of the Arakkoa Outcasts, many distrusting their shadowy ways while others see them as comrades for fighting by their side.

Curiously the orcs get somewhat along with the draenei who they long avoided as mysterious arcanists that lived in secluded cities. Since the First War the two races have interacted more and more though tensions did arise through how the remnants of humanity were treated. The two factions reached a deal on the creation of the Reservations however the orcs insisted on running them however the draenei had issues with how they were run. Still despite differing opinion on humanity the orcs and draenei still sport a close bond forged in two great wars. On the topic of humanity, the orcs do not get along with humans because of the Crusade's invasion of their world and slaughter across their lands. While Durotan willingly signed the treaty and welcomed them into the Coalition Powers many among the Horde still distrust humanity and see the Scarlet Crusade as proof that it doesn't take much for them to revert to their demon crazed ways.

Outside of the Coalition forces the orcs have interacted with some other races. Vrykul have made a persistant enemy especially the Winterskorn who have intruded into Frostfire Ridge. The Horde has also entered a war with the Drakonaar, a legion of Dragon worshipping orcs and ogres who have taken over many of the Horde's territories in Gorgrond. Within Frostfire Ridge the orcs contend with the Bloodmaul ogres operating a massive slave organisation while the Thunderlord orcs have made war on the weakened orcs, Fenris intending to take over the Horde and become the ruler of the orcs himself. With vrykul, ogres and orcs fighting them on the homefront and the Drakonaar contesting their frontiers the Horde are not able to deal with other threats such as the growing Primeval God threat.