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Trailer Throwback Tuesday
While one would think we're slowly running out of trailers to showcase, there are in fact some very old clips of the good, old tribal life taken as far back as ten years ago! One such example is this little movie, once made by former Red Blade Yorla. Though primarily just made for fun, it still showcases the tribe from a time long forgotten in a - to say the least - fun and playful way. See how many old faces you can recognize!
This month in the member spotlight, we have Kogra Windwatcher! As Alpha of the Gosh'kar, she's slowly been working her way up in the ranks and might soon even find herself in the venerable position of the tribe's Thur'ruk! As a result, we have three orcs in a row belonging to the Path of Wisdom that are being featured in the Member Spotlight. Perhaps the path is on to something, with its consistently active and reliable members? Read on, however, and you'll find that Kogra has plenty of different experiences from both Rhonya and Srelok as both a person as well as an orc!
To start off, what
can you tell us about your first encounter with the guild? Any particular first
memories that you can recall?
My first encounter with the guild I cannot truly recall. This must've been somewhere during Cataclysm but that was only on an OOC basis due to the ganking going on and there was this pact going on between the guilds to help each other out.
My first RP experience with people from the guild, however, would be me having to RP a sibling of Grogona due to her venturing to Nagrand for some journey. The true intent of that journey I cannot recall. All I remember was that it was some extremely amusing RP involving several members of the guild that were asked to act according to a script that was written down. I do not know whether it was the fact that we were also on Skype at the time, or the fact that everything was planned already, but the whole session spiraled out of control with us laughing about it on Skype.
Several years later some of the guild members decided to venture to the Netherlands and attend Castlefest. With me knowing Rhonya already, she dragged me into you crazy lot and forced me to socialize, the terror! But all jokes aside, I got to meet several people on that joyous occasion and they piqued my interest to join ORB and so I did.
Sounds like we
partially have Rhonya and Grogona to thank for your present-day activity then!
Are there any other particular members that you feel contributed to you staying
for as long as you have so far? Any other particularly memorable plot-lines or
campaigns, perhaps?
I think that Rhonya and Grogona, and the people that I met on Castlefest which reveals another big name for the guild namely Sadok, are the people to blame that you have to suffer from my presence initially. But if it were not for the community itself that is the guild, I would have been long gone. I don't think that there are certain people that have me stay in the guild but the entirety of the guild instead.
As for memorable moments or plot-lines, I think that the one that has made the most impact on me would be the assault on the Dark Portal. I think that it was a glorious time RP-wise due to the sacrifice that the tribe was about to make for the greater good. Of course they did not perish during their suicidal assault, which kind of contradicts the purpose, but I still think that this has been one of the more memorable moments within the tribe.
A close second would be the plot that we had together with the Hand of Agony in the Southern Barrens with the dreaded Razorfen Downs Syndrome. A lovely campaign with a lot of foreshadowing and the cooperation between orcs and their forsaken allies.
Speaking of
campaigns, it's no secret that you've recently begun to take more of a
pro-active role within the guild in organising a few events here and there and
helping the officer team. How do you see your character fit into all this? What
is it that moulded Kogra from the orc that she was since the day she joined the
tribe, and in what ways?
Character progression is what makes RP fun and since the first day I've RPed Kogra, she has gone through a lot of progression. When first she joined she was very timid and unsure of what she could do herself. This changed once she started to get to know more of the tribe's people. The insecurity that she had diminished over time as she found that more people started to believe in her abilities. And now she is the Alpha of the Gosh'kar.
At this moment she realises that many of her superiors have stepped down and gone missing and has to step up. Especially since she is basically the right hand of Srelok at this moment. She tries to live up to that position by taking the lead in some of the tribal matters, but is not always as confident as she should be.
On the topic of
character progression, do you have any advice for any fellow roleplayers?
Never make too many plans about your character. I personally find it more entertaining to see how certain things develop themselves. I also think that you have a more natural flow of development then.
Often enough I also find that things that happen in RP are applicable in real life. So I suppose that you should also take lessons from the things that you encounter in the digital world and put those to good use in the other world (not Azeroth, nor Draenor). It is how I started to combat my social anxiety and look where I am now. In a way, I think all characters are a reflection of the person behind them in some way or the other. Kogra is no different. There are quite a few similarities, albeit some are a slight exaggeration from mine such as the selflessness, patience, and secrets that have yet to be revealed.
Secrets? So
Kogra's story is still unfinished in your mind, then?
I personally believe that the story is finished once the final page has been written. This page could contain the epilogue of the adventure, the death of a character, or sometimes even what he or she brings from beyond the veil of death. Kogra's story is not over, nor do I think that it will come soon but I could be mistaken in that.
With Legion coming up, we will just have to see, no? With hell breaking loose (again) and a demon invasion upon us (again), who knows what we may find? With a new area to explore I am sure that we will find enough things to do and new plots to discover, be these guild wide or personal.
Trailer Throwback Tuesday
While our newest trailer is only one year old, did you know our second-newest trailer is already six years old as of this year? There was a five-year gap between the two, but apart from the new character models and environments, one might not necessarily be able to tell! While there are certainly improvements in the newest trailer in terms of camerawork, sound and editing, this previous trailer can still be considered a fair representation of the present-day guild.
Recruitment is open!
As part of some of our ongoing changes, applicants to the guild no longer have to undergo a lengthy application process by filling in an application form on our forums and awaiting approval. Instead, anyone interested in joining up with us is invited - and encouraged - to simply seek out any of our officers or contacts in-game at whatever time they please and set up an IC meeting. Of course, be wary of our current in-game location so that you can plan your in-game voyage accordingly. Other than that however, we hope to see you seeking us out in-game soon, be it for a regular visit or for a more permanent stay!
For the Blood of the Tribe!
Previously, we had Rhonya shining in the Member Spotlight due to her long-standing service to the guild. The obvious next choice after her? Her IC cousin and real-life partner, Srelok Grimtide of course! While not a member for quite as long as Rhonya is, Srelok has nonetheless proven to be just as much an integral part of the guild's structure with his involvement not only as a present-day Thur'ruk and officer, but also as an individual within the community itself. So today, we get to have a look behind the scenes of one of the tribe's more dramatic and yet empathic characters!
So the first question to kick things off with, what's the earliest memory you have of the tribe? How do you remember it, looking back at your first encounter?
Pffffff... That's a while ago. When I first started out
RPing on my Forsaken, it was an RP-PvP campaign in the Southern Barrens. I was
intimidated by you guys. Krogon in particular. He stuck out, and Rargnasha. But
mostly just the level of RP too. I mean, I was completely fresh on the scene
and all, and these huge orcs come barrelling in and all. Otherwise, it was a
fun campaign, especially with random Deathwing flybys still. One wiped out
almost the entire Cult of Shadow. Was hilarious!
I met
you lot a while later again, and when Rhonya joined you, I took my time but
eventually followed her. And the rest is history.
Some fond memories in there by the sound of it! Are there any other campaigns or memories that particularly stick out to you, in that regard? And with all that experience you have at hand, is there anything about the guild that you might change?
Well, I
had a blast in the Cult while it lasted, but I think my fondest memories are
more recent. The Draenor campaign, the survival plot and all really appealed to
me, especially with some of the crazier stuff (like blowing up a volcano...)
and the general feeling of wonder and exploration. Krogon dying in Sre's arms
is also a memory that stuck, and even now colours Srelok's behaviour. To be
fair, despite a few times where I needed a break from the Red Blades, I still
enjoy myself more than anywhere. The whole atmosphere is what keeps me coming
back. That certainly makes the guild, as everyone is each other's friend. But what
truly makes the guild great is the friendly attitude and relaxed atmosphere.
The big
pit we need to watch out for is reachability for others though, seeing as we're
always gallivanting around the world. As you know, we're in a bit of a rut. The
one thing we need isn't really in our control: Content. Luckily, with Legion
coming, that should be fixed. If I could change one thing though. Pffft...
Perhaps have the application system altered (but we'll talk about that). About
that pit though, spending some time around RP hubs is usually enough to keep
the attention.
With Legion in mind, is there anything in particular that you're looking forward to, be it RP or otherwise? How do you see the tribe's role in it, for example?
Well, in regards to gameplay I'm most looking forward to the scaling mobs, making levelling quite interesting I think. RP-wise, I'd like to see some more survival stuff as this expansion has some serious potential storyline wise (which I won't spoil for those who want to know nothing).
What about your character in all of this? Is there something you can tell us about the progression that your character has undergone during his time in the guild, and what you might expect for him in Legion? How did they come to pass?
Well,
Sre began as a timid, secretive orc with a haunted past. Over time he's come
into his own, growing into the Thur'ruk of today. The haunts have increased
though, and after Tanaan you can safely assume he has PTSD. He's working on
that side and deepening his bond with the elements and trying to build up
relationships within the tribe, and I expect that to continue in Legion. He’s
shifting away from fighting too, with his recent mutilation. He’s now trying to
find the best way to continue serving.
A lot of
these things are a spur of the moment, apart from him losing his foot. And the
time he was captured in Tanaan was because I needed a break. Otherwise, I like
to look at the situation. If it fits, why not.
Are there any other things that shaped your character over time? Any inspirations for your character perhaps, or any orcs who really helped shape Srelok into who he has become? The concept of an orc with empathic abilities is quite a unique concept, after all.
I usually let his interactions shape him. I didn’t literally base him off anyone. He's more like my personal idea of the tragic hero. One big influence in regards to shaping him is Rhonya though. I planned on him being her cousin, raised by the same orc. Kind of like a prototype for how Rhon was raised. So he had to at least be similar, but I went for more a haunted concept, what with his emphatic ability too. It also created a very unique set of challenges, like how does the environment affect him. Azeroth is a very battle-scarred world after all, and how does he cope with crowds etc.
Lastly, do you have any tips for any of your fellow (orc) RPers?
The best advice I can think of is to start small. That, and “kill your darlingsâ€. Meaning, if you start your character with a relatively simple concept like a grunt, your growth is much more noticeable. as well as enjoyable. This is where “killing your darlings†comes in too. If you want this ultra-badass super Shadow Hunter Troll for instance, where is your chance for character development? He is already as badass as he's going to get. See the point?