From the Journal of Kei

[Claws]

My memories of old and some not so old.
From the Journal of Kei

My personal report to Alkesha my Matriarch and the Officers, Tribe of the Red Blades for their eyes only.
She has been found.

This was all that was written on the parchment handed to me by Alkesha.
But that was all I needed to know.
The she was Teku my mother.
Teku wife to Nazgrel first aid to Thrall
Thrall although not of my blood my uncle by name.
She had taken me as a child on a self-imposed exile away from the great city.
I was always kept away from others to keep our identity from becoming knowledge to the Humans whom would go to any lengths to get hold of the child or wife of one of their greatest adversaries.
But the un-thinkable had happened she had been found and taken as a hostage.

Yes the parchment said it all.

A red mist came over me as I ran to my father.
I found him in the main chamber of the citadel a crumpled visage of an Orc sitting on the great steps before the throne speaking with Thrall.
“Call out the garrison we march on Stormwind” Thrall thundered.
I had nether seen my Lord Thrall in such a rage.
The citadel became a hive of activity to carry out the Lords orders.
“STOP THIS MADNESS”, in between hart rending sobs, the words came from my father.
“Ya cannot do this she knew the risk’s involved”

The citadel came to a dead stop; all eyes looking at Thrall never had any one dare speak in such a manner.
Thrall bent down and picked my farther up from the floor in his massive arms.
“Come my friend we will talk in private Claws come this concerns you also”.
I was led away to my Lords private rooms.
We sat; Thrall sent for strong sprits and ordered for “Qulquest” to attend him in his chambers.
This name was unknown but for some reason a sense of foreboding came over me.

The bear skin drapes which covered the door way opened and in walked a tall slight figure draped in an old dirty cloak which completely covered from head to foot.
“You sent for me master”.
The figure with a great flurry removed the cloak and standing just feet away from me was a she elf.
On instinct alone I jumped at the figure blades drawn, but I was stopped by the powerful hand of Thrall in mid-air as he caught me like a rag doll.
“Hold Claws”, his voice boomed out “This is one I trust tis whom brought the report of your mother to us”.

“Greetings Claws I wish we had met under far better circumstances” the words came with a hint of danger and sarcasm to them.
“Tell us all once again what has befallen Teku and leave nothing out Qulquest, and Claws you will treat Qulquest with respect”
Thrall voice boomed as he placed me back on my feet.
“You maybe one of my assassins but you are not the only one” Thrall said with a sly wink.
Qulquest once again gave her report telling how Teku had been found due to the searching’s of a renegade warlock by magical means, whom had sold the information to the Bishop of Stormwind a human who saw all Orcs as abominations and it was his duty to eradicate all Orcs and now he had the means to start what he saw as a holy war.
And how she was taken in chains to the capital city of Stormwind, deep inside alliance territory to a great building called the cathedral and put on show for all to see the wife and abomination of the great Nazgrel.

“I will free her”

The words came from me without any thought.
I was num; all I had was a deep hatred of all humans which was now bubbling up to the surface my life meant nothing.
“Kei although your abilities may be great you cannot do this” Thrall said with a hand on my shoulder.
“Perhaps she can my Lord with help” said Qulquest, “I can get her into places where few have ever been”.
“NO I will not sacrifice my daughter to these humans” Nazgrel barked.
“Farther it is the only way you know this, why risk the lives of many when may be one or two can succeed”.
I gave Qulquest a long deep look, could she be trusted?
“Once again young one your wisdom outweighs your years go take what you need from the armoury”. Nazgrel replied with a deep sigh.

“I need nothing but my father’s blessings and his blades”.
“And that you have daughter”.
“I tell you all here and now my blood oath means nothing to me until my mother is safe any that stand in my way WILL die at my hands”.
Thrall bent his head to the ground “So be it Kei I release  you from your oath I only pray you do not lose yourself in your rage, you have one week before we attack Stormwind”.
I turned and moved towards the door.
“Qulquest a word in private before you go”.
“Yes my lord of course, Claws I will catch up to you”.
Thrall bent down low so that his eyes meet with Qulquest and said in low gruntal voice
“No this elf if anything happens to her your life is forfeit”.

I made preparations for my departure from the city.
Destroying anything that could lead any one back to the city I was once again a loner a ROGUE.
On my way out of the city I came across a young Orc rogue who I recognised from my tribe and gave to him a gift the last act of compassion I made as a rational Orc.
I moved out of the city with only two thoughts.

          KILL THE BISHOP AND FREE MY MOTHER.

Events that took place within alliance territory I will keep short as it is painful for me to even think upon now but perhaps in time I will be able to fully come to terms with what I did.
On my short journey and in the time it took for me to carry out my assignment I did horrific things I killed many no matter what age, male or female all where in my way and they all died.
I killed the Bishop and took great time and pleasure in it cutting limb from limb slowly.
I spat in his face as he begged for my mercy and for me to end his agony finally cutting his throat I watched as his life blood flowed away.
I found my mother relatively unharmed deep in the bowls of the human city.
Qulquest was good to her word, showing me and my mother to an underground river flowing out of the city.
My mother was safe the Bishop dead.

We later meet up with a band of Orcs as arranged by Qulquest whom my mother went with once again going into herself imposed exile promising to visit me soon.
Before she left we sat talking I told her of my half-sister Talon a fine young shaman.
My blood mother showed no malice at this revelation, and said it was good that Nazgrel had found some company in his life which she was unable to give.
I carried on by way of the river with Qulquest not knowing or caring where she or it took me I was drained and what I had done and became tormented me.

I awoke in the bottom of a great ship how I got there I do not know had Qulquest placed me there, all was a blur all I wanted was to get of the ship and get to safety, but where was I.
“Oy Kei is dat you?”
A large toothy grinning Orc was leaning over me.
“Oy it me Oznack Where ya been we be looking for ya”.
I had dropped back into a dreamless sleep only to be woken again by the strange Orc grinning at me.
My head was pounding.
My hand came to rest on a bag lying at my side.
“Ah what who are ya do I know ya?”
“Shhh quiet can’t talk hummeys “,said with the same toothy grin.
The noise of battle came to my ears.
I grabbed the bag and saw two blades sticking out the top.
MY BLADES.
I knew them but could not remember them I instinctively removed the blades, also in the bag was armour was it my armour?

I ran from the small cabin but not to join the raging battle outside on the deck.
I slid over the side of the ship tied the bag to my belt and swam away I just wanted to get away.
I awoke some time later on the banks of some sandy beach my head was still pounding had I been drugged?
“Hi ya Claws” there was that name again it came from a small Orc Child playing in the sand
“Do you know me young one?” the small Orc burst in to a deep rawing laugh.
“Shaw I know ya who does not know ya, I fink ya be in trouble though ya father going mad”.
The little Orc ran off laughing.
My father who was my father?
“Ah ok fanks”.
I tuned and was greeted by the sight of a giant pair of gates big enough to let a lizard fly through and these where flanked by two large Orc’s holding axes the size of me.

“Greetings Claws good ta see ya back in one piece huhuh, ya father be looking for ya, are we going ta battle the hummeys?”
I walked in the great gates with no answers only questions.
“Where was I, who was I, who was my father”.
My senses where over whelmed with the sight that was awaiting me.
I had walked in to a large city which was flanked by high cliffs to 3 sides there where Orcs, Trolls and even Undead roaming the wide streets.
All had a sense of purpose except me.
I found my way to a store which sold strong sprits.
“Give me a bottle of ya best sprits”.
Instinctively I went for my money belt but found it not to be there.
“Forget ya money again Claws huhuh no worries ya credit be good ere”.
“Ahh thanks”
I walked out into the hot air and sat, taking a long pull on a bottle of sprits my head spun from the potent drink, I did not stop drinking till I had finished the bottle.
“Ya can’t drink ya problems away Claws”, came a shout.
“Whhaa who”, the air was filled with laughter.
“Ya must be drunk if ya can’t recognize me she Orc”.
“Baa keep away if you know what good for ya” I sputtered.
“Suit ya self still the same Claws we all know”.
I collapsed in to the dirt the world spinning around my head.

“Ya be there Kei ya back with us?”
My eyes slowly opened to a huge face mapped with scars looking down at me.
I jumped up and instantly fell to the hard floor.
“Aye she be back” came a deep thundering laugh
Two large hands picked me up from the floor and placed me back on to the bed.
“Do ya stuff priest” came that same thundering voice a voice I knew.
“She been drugged” said the priest in the deep pitched voice used by the Troll tribes.
A blue glow surrounded my body as the Troll priest started to weave her healing magic.
I started to feel a heat moving up my body, an awareness of my surroundings and the Orc’s around me and flashing memories of who I was crept back in to my head.
“Thrall is that ya name”?
“Aye lass it be me and der be somebody else who ya know here too”.
I sensed who it was without even seeing the large Orc.
“Father”.
“Aye I ere and ya need a good slap for scarring me half way ta me death”
The Orc bent down and picked me up and gave me a bone crunching hug.
“Ahh humm Can ya talk Kei can ya remember any fink” came Thralls thundering voice,
“Do I call out the garrison?”

“No my Lord the deed is done”.

A day later I once again walked out from the citadel with my trusted blades strapped around my waste nothing had changed in the vast city, nothing that was except me I was not the same Orc who had walked in a week earlier before.

                          I WAS CLAWS.
                                    I WAS REBORN.


Personal Notes:

Who is the renegade warlock who sold my mother’s whereabouts and where can I find him or even her, we had unfinished business.
Once again warlocks are a part of my life circle I do not trust them.
Who was Qulquest and how many more like her are there, had she drugged me because I had learnt or seen more then I should have, or was she just trying to keep her identity secret?
Will I ever be able to put the horror of what I had done behind me?
Can I truly fit back into my adopted tribe?
Can I once again start to live by my blood oath or have I been dammed?
Only time will tell.
                                 Kei.  
                                      Claws  


(More old tales to follow if asked for)

[Claws]

The Journal of Kei

((Only read if you or bored goes on a bit taken from old postings))

A Trusted Blade by your side.

It is here that my story starts.
Thrall needed to lessen the burden on his self and in powered his personal body guard Nazgrel to aid him in the running in the day to day maters of the now vast Orc Empire.

Nazgrel became trusted and much liked by the Horde and even respected by the Humans for his Honour both on and off the field of battle.
He lived by his own code which was looked upon by some with strange amusement for that of a great warrior.

1.   Be selective in your prey do not kill for the love of killing that only takes you down the path of the berserkers and once again to the doors of the Legion.
2.   Be wary of all whom use the dark arts especially the warlocks for it was these that plunged our kind into the service of the Legion.
3.   Trust is built upon time, trust once and see what develops from that trust.
4.   Never look down on an Orc of lower station we all started there even the greatest of our warriors and leaders.
5.   And above all nether ever take the blood of an Orc unless he is your mortal enemy.

In time Nazgrel took an Orc wife Teku who he had rescued from a Human raiding party among the hills of the Barrens.
Teku was of a wild character which drew Nazgrel to her, not knowing a family and only a handful of trusted friends, she was street wise living in the back alleys of Alliance and Horde town’s coming and going as she liked an Orc of great stealth known to her few friends as Ghost.
The marriage was however short lived as she could not live the life of Nazgrel within the confines of the Horde city.
She left Nazgrel with great reluctance and on good terms and vowed to return to him when she felt she could settle down.
Nazgrel was torn between the Horde nation and his love for his wife but could not leave the Horde but understood his wife’s dilemma has he too had a deep longing for the open tundra again.
He provided for all her needs and gave to her a great wealth so she would not need for anything and also two loyal blade warriors as her personal body guard.
 
Unbeknown to Nazgrel, Teku was with child when the final day of her departure came and she vowed that she would not revile this to him has it would tear Nazgrel apart having to then decide between the Horde and what would be his extended family.
She made her retainers swear a blood oath not to revile her secret, but in return had to swear as part of that oath to let the knowledge be known to the off spring when he / she came of age of their heritage as well as Nazgrel his self.

And now that brings me to my life.
I was brought up not knowing my heritage.
I was known as Claws because of my fast and unyielding way of battle (although this is not my given name).
I was always kept away from others to keep my identity from becoming knowledge to the Humans whom would go to any lengths to get hold of the child of one of their greatest adversaries.
Except for the company of my mother’s retainers whom came to be my tutors and closest friends taught me all they could about the way of the blade and bow my only other company were the teachers brought in from around the known world to instruct me in the ways of diplomacy and commerce which even to this day I have little use.

At the coming of age was told the story of my heritage which came as a great shock to me, always believing that I was just an unwanted illegitimate child of some noble and not the wanted child of some Great warrior in the personal ranks of the greatest of all warlords Thrall.
After many days of soul searching I went to my mother telling her that I wished to be known to my farther and would go to him in the Horde city which she agreed as her blood oath had dictated.
On my departure she came to me and gave me two wonders blades both which had belong to Nazgrel himself and would be the proving my blood line.
And told me of the unwritten code of honour which my farther lived by and which I should endeavour to live by with a few added on from her.

1.   Be selective in your prey do not kill for the love of killing that only takes you down the path of the berserkers and once again to the doors of the Legion.
2.   Be wary of all whom use the dark arts especially the warlocks for it was these that plunged our kind into the service of the Legion.
3.   Trust is built upon time, trust once and see what develops from that trust.
4.   Never look down on an Orc of lower station we all started there even the greatest of our warriors and leaders.
5.   And above all nether ever take the blood of an Orc unless he is your mortal enemy.
6.   Remember not all have the luxury of your upbringing and are thrown into their destiny some willing to be, some not so willing but just carried along by circumstance.
7.   Trust in your blade and your own skills do not rely on others to come to your aid.
8.   And keep your identity safe from those whom would show you harm.

                                             I ‘m known as
                                                    Claws

And yet my life story is not yet done I can often be seen sitting with my father and the elite guards, and even some times Thrall his self being told of great battles long forgotten in the history of our great nation but not in the hearts and minds of our great of warriors.
And when sitting there I see in the eyes of my father the longing for once again the simple life and being reunited with his wife and love Teku.