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June 15, 2018, 10:05:00 PM
From the Annals: Blood of the Varog'Gor
With Okiba's story competition in full swing, this month is the perfect opportunity to be reminded of the vast amount of lore and background stories this guild has collected over the years of its long existence. In between the monthly newsletters and Member Spotlights, we'll be regularly taking a look back into the history of the Red Blade's stories and see what its creative members, both former and present, have written in our new format, "From the Annals". By taking these stories out of the depths of our website, they'll get some well-earned, renewed exposure for members who may not have been around at the time to see the conception of the story at the time.
To kick this series off, I've selected one of three stories regarding the clan's most influential ranks: The Rrosh-tul, Varog'Gor and Thur'ruk. Back when these ranks were first created, Morgeth helped give these ranks a bit of spice by providing a background story for each one of them. These stories hearkened back to the time of Clan Redblade back on Draenor and illustrated the conflict they had with another fictional clan, the Bloodmaw clan. All three stories can be read in the Ranks: A history of blades thread, but below is the story she wrote about the Varog'Gor. A story that perfectly captures the feeling of the Varog'Gor, the responsibilities they have and the culture that exists around them. I was very happy with the stories at the time, and feel they're a perfect representation even now, eight years later!
As the sun broke down over the tall, green trees, a flock of black birds lifted to seek shelter beyond the edge of this vast forest. Below the branches resided what can only be described as a village of orcs, teeming with the life of daily labours. It would be wrong to say that things had always been like this, because conflict - it seems - lies in the blood of any race of the world. But these orcs, despite the red blade that had given them their clan name, could now enjoy a time of relative quiet. But as those very birds lifted from their tree, it seemed that time may well have reached its end.
A party of five orcs had arrived, daring to hold the colours of their clan banner high, even in these lands, which they had never held the strength to call their own. Their weapons remained undrawn, and so the trespassers were let into the village, constantly kept under the watchful eyes of its inhabitants. Even the children stopped in their tracks, no longer running around with the worg pups roaming the village, nor falling prey to the alluring prospect of playing with their dulled blades. From several huts, laid in different areas of the village, emerged a certain kind of orcs. They held no similarities in neither gender, nor build or weapon skill, but their eyes were somehow the same, and their steps held a certain confidence. They were the Varog'Gor; the chieftain's handpicked advisors.
As the visiting party drew closer to the chieftain's hut, standing bigger than the rest, several of the Varog'Gor had already arrived. From the strangers emerged a leader, sitting atop a brown-maned worg. The orc gave his head a mocking, little bow in greeting.
"Throm'ka, orcs of the Red blade clan. I am Vrashnak of the Bloodmaw clan. I have come here to have words with your chieftain. I take it he is present and of health?"
A wide-fanged grin revealed the malice behind his facade, that this visitor could no longer keep as a secret. His words, however, soon earned their own reward, as the fur covering the entrance to the chieftain's hut was motioned aside.
From the safety of his own home, emerged Grathork the Wolfking, chieftain of the Red blade clan. His shoulders were broad, his physique at the peak of the male form, but the undoubtedly most notable thing about him was, in fact, a mask. The ragged fur seemed not particularly old, nor worn, but simply ragged, as the heirloom itself was what remained of Magoth, the great wolf that had been tamed by the chieftain's own grandfather; Kraag the Wolfking. No matter their business, visitors would always shy away from the first look of the chieftain's gaze. Perhaps they thought it to be an ominous thing, to be stared down at by such a creature, that even when it had passed, held such a powerful presence. This time, it seemed, was no different.
Vrashnak of the Bloodmaw clan tightened the hold of the reins to his wolf, hiding his bout of nervousness with a snort, before inclining his head to the chieftain.
"Greetings upon you and your clan, chieftain. I am -"
His jaw still hung slightly opened, but the Bloodmaw orc became hushed by the simple, but decisive gesture of a raised hand. A gesture soon followed by the rumble of a dark voice. The chieftain spoke, and his Varog'Gor drew closer, as if feasting on his presence.
"I have heard your name, and your clan. But I have yet to hear of your business here, orc. Bark it out quickly, before you return to lick your master's feet. I have no patience for pups come to bark out of their own territory."
All of the Bloodmaw orcs grew tense at the chieftain's words, for only the dead or a fool, would fail to detect the dismissive rudeness they had come to face with. All of them grew tense, but one. For there was little Vrashnak could do, but smirk in response.
"Oh, chieftain. Your own words bring about my business, for they do in fact concern territory. Your nearby woods here provide your clan with the resources they need, but you see, our own lands lie not far, and due to recent circumstances, we have been looking for ways to.. expand."
The orc licked his lips, barely able to contain a small laugh, before continuing. Always under the watchful eyes of the chieftain and those sworn to protect him.
"The ogres south of here, a vicious bunch. I know you have had your troubles with them before. But you see, my chieftain holds not only strength in the arm that wields his axe, but he is also a master of diplomacy. Despite their somewhat clumsy manner, ogres can make for perfect allies, don't you agree? Especially for a chieftain that seeks to enhance his territory. I come to you simply as an act of courtesy, to tell you that our hunters might come to encroach on what you.. call "your" lands."
The fiendish smirk remained upon Vraknash's lips as he peered up towards the chieftain standing just a few feet away.
By now, some of the Red blade villagers had already drawn their axes, eager to cut down those who came so eagerly, so boldly, and tried to lay claim upon what they had so long called their own. The rumble in the chieftain's voice became even more noticeable as he snarled down towards the orc in front of him.
"Your hunters?"
A small chuckle preceded the answering words, and was enough of an insult for the chieftain to lift his hand, letting it grasp firmly around the hilt to his blade.
"Oh", spoke Vrashnak. "Perhaps some of our scouts, and as our numbers grow, you might notice our huts in the distance. I am sure we will all learn to get along. Perhaps your clan will grace the Bloodmaw with gifts, seeing how well we work along with others." Hungry eyes lifted, as Vrashnak peered over to a lone female, standing outside of her hut to view visitors and chieftain alike. His leering gaze at her was greeted with the simple pulling of a crude, but most likely effective knife, that she used to skin her game. Vrashnak chuckled once more, and his gaze carried a certain glow, as he turned back to the chieftain.
"Or, if you do not find the view to your liking, chieftain. Well, then I hear there are sites for villages to be built further up north. Rocky ones, but in these crowded times, we orc must adapt, don't we?"
The party of visiting Bloodmaw were washed over by a wave of amusement, and now even they dared peer over to the masked chieftain, as if trying to see if his visage had faltered, if a dent had been made in his resolve.
"We will not linger for long, as it would be a shame to waste your resources, now that they have most likely become ever so precious to you, chieftain. My own clan, however, will expect to hear of your reception of these news. Perhaps a token of the lasting friendship between our clans would suffice, or - if you wish to take that path - I shall return empty handed."
At this point, the chieftain's gaze turned towards his most trusted. The claws upon the wolf that was his clan; his prized Varog'Gor. They stared back at him in silence, but in their eyes shone the unified rage of a beast awoken. The chieftain's muscled arms broke apart, as if embracing the visitors into his home and heart, but from his jaws erupted a deafening roar.
"Varog'Gor! Give them our reception!"
There is a certain beauty to brown skin, steel, and shed blood. The chieftain could appreciate all of it, as the carnage unveiled before him. The Varog'Gor poured down the steps like a flood upon a child having strayed too far into the river. From afar he watched, almost gripped in awe of the ever changing view. A Bloodmaw clumsily reaching for his axe, only to feel the sharpness of two daggers driven into his neck by a female agile enough to jump up on the orc's own wolf, granting him a swift passage to whatever ancestor that would greet him. Her bloodied hands were soon lifted, only to swiftly paint her face with the blood of her kill, and under the chieftain's watchful eye, the female Varog'Gor let out a fearsome howl. She was greeted with the raised axes and blades of a village in triumph. They celebrated her savage nature; they basked in it.
They worked together, and that was the true essence of it. Like a pack of wolves, they tore the Bloodmaw apart, limb from limb. They even had the good taste to make it last, repaying insult with pain. When only Vrakash remained, his broken arms restrained behind his back, the chieftain strode forward. He was interrupted in doing so, as his eyes - and the Varog'Gor alike - were drawn to someone struggling to get to the Bloodmaw emissary. She would have been stopped, but the chieftain saw no reason for it. Instead he signaled to give the female orc a free path, as she strode forward; skinning knife in her hand and murder in her eyes. A bubbling attempt at diplomacy, or perhaps yet another insult, began to form over Vraknash's lips, but was never allowed to reach its crescendo. The female stomped forward, and with a loud scream, she let her crude knife slash over his eyes, as to never let him gaze upon her again. When she raised the dagger a second time, however, the blood-faced Varog'Gor stepped in, snaking a strong arm around the female's chest, only to hiss into her brown ear.
"Calm your blade, sister. He is but a blind rat, and not worthy of such wrath. His final fate is decided by the chieftain."
The chieftain granted his bloodied advisor a little smirk in gratitude, before he - finally - stood in front of the still screaming, now blind orc. A mocking slap, one a master gives its bitch dog when it makes too much noise, was granted over Vraknash's cheek.
"Now listen to me, Vraknash of the Bloodmaw clan. This part of the woods, and the lands that surround them, belong to the Red blade clan. Now your chieftain will have to ask for my permission to even set one foot near it, or any of his ogre whores for that matter, or I shall fill his ass with so many arrows he will think a gronn mated with him. Return to him, like the mutt you are, lick his feet and tell him this. The Red blades bow to no clan, especially not as despicable and weak as your own. Know the stench of your brothers blood, for you will smell it aplenty, Vrasknash."
As the Varog'Gor holding the Bloodmaw orc's arms stepped aside, the chieftain gave his chest a firm push, shoving the orc down into the puddle of the gathered juices, still seeping from the corpses of those Vraknash had arrived with.
Hours later, he would still be crawling over the village paths, leaving behind a bloodied trail, as he searched for a way back to those who had sent him. Again the children of the Red blade would play, daring each other to run close to the orc, and whisper the secrets of his fate. For they knew, as well as he, that he was already dead. His spirit was simply held back, by that useless husk that remained of his flesh.
That night, the chieftain's Varog'Gor stood in front of him inside his hut, and spoke the words of war. In truth, they nurtured not only his safety, but the tribe as a whole, and he was bound to that as much as they were bound to him. "Then it is decided, that instead of waiting, we shall strike the first blow. Take the fight to them, and the ogres. It will give the village the benefit of escaping unharmed, should we succeed. And should we fail", the chieftain peered around the gathered orcs, nodding to himself as to finalize his decision. "It will give time for some to escape."
The Wolfking's gaze moved over the faces of those closest to him in the pack, their faces illuminated by the strong flames of a nearby fire. With a low grunt, his hand was raised.
"I shall not go to war without the wisdom of the ancestors and elements bestowed upon me. I need her council. Send for the Thur'ruk."
Mor'vaul
Honored brothers and sisters,
It grieves me to have been absent from you all this past month, for it sounds like you orcs have performed some grand feats indeed out in the Stranglethorn jungle. Although I was absent for matters of a spiritual and domestic note, word of your achievements have certainly reached this side of the new world. Some crafty adversaries were met in the heart of the jungle, but the Horde's enemies have been aptly dispatched in no small part thanks to the information some of you obtained from the prisoners. To be commissioned a zeppelin from the Horde's high command itself in order to level the enemy base camp to the ground is a sight that many here in Kalimdor would have longed to witness for themselves. In the end, a fatal blow was struck with all enemy resistance put down, structures obliterated, the Emerald Sabers' company leader captured and slaves freed. A worthy feat of strength, in all.
The road has now brought you all back to Kalimdor once more, however. There, I shall soon rejoin you all as we prepare for the month of Mor'vaul. High summer is soon upon us, and with warm season comes not only a high sun and ample game, but also the end of the first half of this tumultuous year. Take this time to reflect and to see to the future. The next half of the year awaits, and if it is any as burdensome as the first has been, we would do well to gird ourselves. But before that time comes, let us not forget to feast and celebrate. Wor'aggar is at long last upon us, and shortly thereafter the Great Midsummer Hunt as well. For all the trials and tribulations that were upon us and are yet to face us, let there be a time of merriment and laughter as well. I expect to see you all there in high spirits!
For the Blood of Redblade,
Mor'vaul (June) Events
[Celebration] Wor'aggar: Festival of the Wolf
The time has come at last to celebrate the coming of the fertile season. Though slightly delayed from last month due to our ongoing affairs in the jungle, Wor'aggar has finally come to allow us to wind down and celebrate life! On the 9th and 10th day of Mor'vaul, we gather in Sun Rock Retreat to honour the spirits, but also to renew bonds or to forge new ones. For any additional information, find the program for the festivities on the announcement page. We highly encourage orcs to participate in the dance contest, be it alone or as a group, as well as to bring their wares to peddle in the market!
[Celebration] Great Midsummer Hunt
With the hunting season officially opened, the time has also come for another time-honored tradition: the Great Midsummer Hunt! In honor of Kavara the Huntress and Mo'lak the Prey, we shall re-enact their legend through song and ritual and then set out to chase the finest, most prestigious prey. Afterwards, a feast shall be held from all the assembled food and trophies may be presented, to either be kept or offered to the Great Spirits. Any are welcome to bring trusted friends or allies to our celebration, should any of them take interest in our clan's ways.
[Server-wide] Uldum Nights
Word has spread from the far distant Uldum desert of bustling activities in the streets of the settlement of Mar'at taking place on the 23rd day of Mor'vaul. Although no Horde settlement and as such open to the Alliance as well, the bazaar should be home to both valuable goods as well as information. I invite you orcs to pay it a visit if you are so inclined. There may well be something of use for us orcs to be found there as well. Any additional information on the activities present here may be found on the announcement page. Any of you who do choose to venture there, I expect to keep the peace should there be any Alliance activity present. Mar'at is to be considered neutral grounds.
Announcements
With the clan safely returned from the jungle, it is high time for another Om'riggor to be held back in the homelands! On the 17th day of Mor'vaul, we will offer any ambitious orcs the chance to make a name for themselves in the traditional rite of adulthood.
[IC] Clan Gathering
A Clan Gathering is to be held on the 24th day of Mor'vaul to discuss all that has transpired over the past month as well as what is to come. In addition to potential promotions and other announcements, an important announcement shall be made in regards to recent warlock activity within the clan. Anyone with an interest or who has relevance to such news is recommended to attend.
[OOC] Story Competition
Grand prizes abound! Okiba has set up a story competition for all members of the guild! The grand prize? 30,000 gold! You only have the entire length of June to participate, so be sure to write your epic story in time to participate! You'll find all the conditions and rules for the competition in the thread right here. Better get to writing!
[OOC] Sympathy of the Saber feedback
With the Sympathy of the Saber campaign concluded, we're on our way to preparing for the next guild-related campaign! In order to best do so, we would like to ask a moment of your time to provide us feedback on the last campaign. Simply click on the link right here and fill in the forms as accurately as possible. Naturally, we'd like to ask only those who participated in the campaign to partake in the questionnaire. Thanks in advance!
May 19, 2018, 12:56:00 PM
Though he's been in the running for a Member Spotlight for well over a year, it took a little while for Trakmar to be featured due to the guild's hiatus last year. Now that we're back though, it's time for Trakmar to finally be given the attention he deserves! Having been promoted to the clan's Thur'ruk following the return of the guild half a year ago, he's been knee deep in training Gosh'kar and giving warlocks the evil eye. Read all about his rise to fame here!
So what's the earliest memory you have of the guild? And was there any specific reason that you chose to eventually join this guild at the time?
The earliest memory is when I took a day with a level 1 alt and was summoned to Grizzly Hills just to try out RP with you guys. What eventually led me to join was the fact that it is an orc-clan guild with its own rites, culture and such which gives it a more unique touch than Generic Warband #38946. Furthermore, it’s a guild that I have consistently enjoyed, which has resulted in my most fleshed-out character.
You've been with the guild for quite a few years now. What's the reason that you chose to stick with it for all this time? And throughout all that time, do you have any fondest memories?
The guild being unique is what made me stick around, as well as the people with some of whom I have been friends with for six years now since I joined. And my fondest memory... would be when we broke ol’ Papa Koz out of prison around the time the rebellion started, thus leaving the guild on its own as pretty much traitors to the Horde. Exciting stories were had!
As one of the spiritual leaders of the clan, is there anything that you feel is important for you and others to keep in mind when dealing with the orcs' spiritual side?
Given Orcs of the Red Blade is a clan guild, I feel it is important that the clan’s ways are shown IC, in our rituals and such. We stick to our thing, and those that want to not stick to our thing have to do their things away from us. For influences to how Trakmar does things, ritual-wise I have looked into real life tribal societies for inspiration, mainly in regard to blood-oaths and blood offerings. Other than that, I also sometimes make up something and turn that into something my character does regularly, such as sacrificing an animal before our gatherings.
With Battle for Azeroth just around the corner, what is your view on the developments that seem to be taking place in the Horde storyline? Or your stance on the faction war?
OOC, I’m very excited to see how things are developing. And I am very much looking forward to how AD on Horde side is going to take Sylvanas’ shenanigans in the future. I have a feeling that there will be some guilds (especially the undead ones) that will stay very loyal to the Horde, while others who are more honour-bound or traditional might make some distance from Sylvanas’ Horde if not outright leaving. Hopefully this will create more inter-guild RP, with some juicy conflict.
Are there anything particular things that you would still like to try out for your orc at any point? Is there anything you feel that he might still be lacking, or has he already achieved everything that you could possibly hope for him?
Nothing, really. In fact, with his development over the years, I have at times felt Trakmar’s story have come to an end, or at least a standstill. He has had some great development in the guild, going from New Blood to Gosh’kar, then exile, and now he advises the Chieftain and finds himself in a position of leadership. What I’ve stopped doing the past few months is to actually stop thinking ahead where I’d like Trak to go and just go with the flow instead, really.
May 11, 2018, 02:13:00 PM
Commemoration: The Honor of Orcs
In honor of the guild's most recent campaign, we present to you a little extra: a commemorative wallpaper of the campaign's final event, the Night of Spears! Click it to open it in a new tab in order to see it in its full glory, big enough to be a wallpaper for your desktop! The picture features all characters who were present for the final fight. From left to right:
Raelyn, Mal'garr Firefist, Regnan, Razaron Madeye, Karnna Blackfeather, Vraxxar Wildmark, Kai'gron Ripclaw, Nosh'marak Ironclaw, Narthak, Atar'ka, Kozgugore Feraleye, Kyrazha Throatrender and Kogra Windwatcher.
May 01, 2018, 08:15:00 PM
Akal
Honored brothers and sisters,
This past month, the clan has been gripped by a heady and complicated conflict. Though the centaurs were ever our hated enemy since the day we first happened upon them following our encounter with the Shu'halo people, they - much like our own people - cannot be defined with single word or sentence. Our Code commands us to judge others not by their race, appearances, allegiance or faith, but by their honor alone. And much as our own people know many different beliefs and customs, not all centaurs are of the antagonistic inclination. The former Warlord Krerak of the Kolkar clan proved noble in his intentions when he aided us during conflict, so we judged him by the only measure worth gauging with and agreed to aid him in deposing his usurper, the Warlord Worza. In exchange for our aid, Krerak agreed to halt any further expansions of his clan in the Northern Barrens, ceasing any hostile activities towards Horde lands and caravans. With the Kolkar uprising successfully concluded in no small part thanks to our own orcs' intrepid efforts, we intend to see Krerak honor his pledge now that he has been returned upon the seat of power for the local clan. Those who seek to review any additional details on our past operations in the Northern Barrens may seek them in our campaign report.
Valuable lessons were learned over the course of our campaign. I know many of you question the visions that the spirits saw fit to bestow upon us throughout the past moon, but I have every confidence that the lessons taught - however harsh some may have been - served the greater good. With a better understanding of our Code of Honor, I look to each of you to uphold its core tenets and to spread its value among your fellow orcs and allies. The Code is a defining component of what makes the Red Blade clan the noble family it strives to be. A family that looks out for one another in this time of ever-rising tensions.
As we prepare for high summer, a more joyous time of celebrations and traditions await us in the coming month. Before that time is upon us however, we already have another matter that has recently demanded our attention. At the onset of the new month, Kai'gron Ripclaw seeks volunteers for a number of operations in our homelands. Shortly thereafter, Rrosh-tul Nosh'marak Ironclaw shall call upon all orcs to report in the Stranglethorn Jungle, for an underground criminal network threatens to endanger Horde operations and its operatives. For any additional information regarding this undertaking, seek out his reports on the upcoming campaign.
For the Blood of Redblade,
Akal (May) Events
[Campaign] Sympathy for the Saber
Rrosh-tul Nosh'marak Ironclaw calls upon the clan to come to the Horde's aid in the Stranglethorn Jungle following the capture of a Horde squad by an underground criminal organisation called the Emerald Saber Company. Their squad leader, Thorgrel, has asked for the Red Blade's specific help following the tales of their exploits in the Northern Barrens. Reports on the operations may be found here.
[Random Events] Spiritual Guidance
In between the operations by Kai'gron and Nosh'marak, there will be a ritual devoted to the Den Mother Akala by Rhonya Steelheart on the 6th day and a Blood Moon ritual by Razaron Madeye on the 17th day of the month. In addition to this, Razaron will also be hosting a lesson on how to brew a number of his famed (and sometimes toxic) potions on the 11th day of the month. Though our operations in the jungle are expected to last until the end of the month, all orcs are further encouraged to continue on providing opportunities to honor the spirits and to broaden the mind in the month of spiritual energies!
Announcements
Though originally planned for the month of Akal, the Wor'aggar celebration will be postponed until the beginning of the next month due to the ongoing operations that require our immediate attention. An official announcement on the date and place of this festival will be posted soon, so suffice to say that we encourage any and all orcs to make preparations for the festival by providing food and drink to consume, goods to barter and stories to pass on.
[OOC] Mag'har Opportunities
Mag'har are coming as an allied race! Which means that many players are currently making plans to integrate their own future Mag'har character into the world of Azeroth. Our very own members, too, are already busy planning their future Mag'har characters. For this purpose, Karnna has made a separate Discord channel where fellow players can come together and make plans for a group of Mag'har RPers to band together. The aim of this group is to provide an opportunity for new Mag'har characters to have some player characters they can rely on and build up a past and relationship with in advance, so that they may eventually integrate with ORB in their own, little story line. So, be it as an existing ORB member or as a potential newcomer, feel free to contact any of us on Discord or ask Karnna personally to get involved in the project!
[OOC] Monthly Newsletters
As you may have noticed, we're now set on dedicating ourselves to maintaining monthly updates on the website via monthly newsletters. The purpose of these newsletters is to provide relevant IC context to upcoming events, campaigns and celebrations. It also allows us to offer a bit of additional cultural flavor, giving context to the significance of each month which players are welcome to apply to their orc RP in-game. Credits for this idea goes to Sinami, who is maintaining a similar newsletters for her own guild's website over at the Nightblade Sentinels.