Gashuk Felhand

[Gashuk]

Character name: Gashuk Felhand
Alias: Soulfury, Felhand, Bloodfire, Son of Garrak.
Gender: Male
Age: 71
Race: Orc
Class: Warlock, previously Shaman.

Birth region: Draenor, Shadowmoon Valley
Specific area/town: Shaz'gul (Main Universe)
Family: Garrak Felhand (Father, deceased)
Known friends or enemies: Friends: Rhonya Steelheart (Bloodsister), Sarguk, Son of Knulk (Bloodbrother), The Red Blade Clan and other remaining Shadowmoon Orcs.

Spoiler: Description • show

Gashuk is elderly for a Orc, grey beard and all, and looks befitting of a more scholarly than physical lifestyle. He is of average height and lean with toned but small muscles remaining on his old body. His skin colour is a darker green hue, full of scars both battleborn and self made. He usually stands with a slight hunch and walks with little haste unless necessary.

He has a few sets of Robes he prefers to wear; simple ancestral brown linen, blood red tribal robes and more recently, his traditional ancestral robes befitting of a Shadowmoon Shaman. He has a grotesque scar across his neck that looks as if the blow was lethal.

Spoiler: Personality • show

Gashuk is a honest Orc that shouldn't be judged by his cover, while he may have been a Warlock for the majority of his life he is deeply honourable and Orcish tradition is embedded into his every action. Whilst his power is great, it's only to serve the Horde that he strives to empower himself.

He follows a simple motto; “Instinct and Duty”, coupling his intellect with his orders to resolve most issues competently. Deeply loyal to his Clan and Race, Gashuk is rather cold towards other races especially the Alliance whom he will usually slay on sight.

He respects the Spirits and encourages Shamanism; but he does not trust them, he has learnt the hard way how fickle the Spirits can be, and prefers to live by the calculated risk of the eldritch and arcane arts.

When all is said and done though, Gashuk loves nothing more than to study, read literature from many sources and enjoys stories and poetry spoken around a campfire.

History:

Spoiler: Early Life • show

Gashuk was born into the Shadowmoon Clan years before Ner'zhul was deceived and lead a true orcish life among his Clan as a Shaman named Bloodfire, (due to his Om'riggor revealing an innate connection to the Fire Spirits), alongside his Father, Garrak a powerful Farseer. Garrak was Gashuk's only true friend, a mentor in all things and together the two of them served their Chieftain well.

War eventually befell the Orcs and they rose to quell the Draenic uprising, unsurprisingly, Gashuk was called as a Shaman to protect a small skirmishing group of Orcs he considered his brothers and sisters. As he did so, the battle grew fierce, and the Spirits withdrew their gifts of power due to the actions of Gul'dan elsewhere; they condemned the Orcs to die and as Gashuk looked into the eyes of his kin, he saw the confusion and betrayal in their eyes and fled, helpless to do anything to save them.

Together again with his Father, both betrayed by the Spirits, naturally the two Orcs dabbled into Fel Magic at the will of the Chief and his Apprentice, Gul'dan. Summoning Demons, evoking Felflames and cursing the Draenei acted like a drug and soon one by one the role of Warlock overran the Shaman.

The pair of them, now known as the Felhands, grew in power and aided the Shadowmoon in magically aging Orc Children and completely lost themselves in blood lust and magik frenzy slaughtering the Draenei, travelling through the Dark Portal and continuing onto the pink-skinned Humans that awaited. It was only with Garrak dead and Gashuk imprisoned in the Hammerfall Internment Camp that Gashuk started to sober up.

Spoiler: The New Horde • show

When Thrall redeemed the Orcs and lead them to new glory, Gashuk took the opportunity to mourn his Father's passing and began anew serving a new Warchief with a New Horde, but where many of his fellow Warlocks turned to Shamanism again Gashuk refused. Some would call it corruption, some would call it good sense but Gashuk devoted himself to true power- whilst respecting and encouraging Shamanism back into Orc Culture it was no longer his path and thus Gashuk continued to develop his warlockry.

In the years and many war campaigns since the founding of Orgimmar, Gashuk spent time finding himself and in deep study, previously his Magic had been raw and powerful, all-consuming, but it was time for it to be precise and delicate. Whilst the Horde re-emerged into the Outlands, Gashuk studied the taint his Clan had left and studied the theory behind Demonology, to know his enemy. When the Horde and Alliance struggled against the Scourge, Gashuk delved into Spiritual Magics, forms of Necromancy and Shadow Magic and when the Cataclysm struck Gashuk developed his Blood Magic incorporating the Art previously used in his Shamanism into Warlockry eventually aiding the combined forces in the Firelands where his destructive nature came forward.

It was during this time that Gashuk began to long for an immediate leader, a Chieftain, whilst he followed the Horde's Orders as much as he could during his studies it wasn't the same and whilst in hiding from the tyrant Hellscream and his Kor'kron hunting and persecuting the Horde's loyal Warlocks, Gashuk heard wind of the Red Blade Tribe and before long when the rebellion finally took Orgrimmar he sought this tribe to hopefully make a home for himself.

Spoiler: The Red Blade Tribe • show

Spoiler: Withdrawing from Fel • show

After time within the Wolf Pack, Gashuk slowly grew distant from his Fel Magic, the loneliness that fed his addiction to being all-powerful was sated by his tribal connections, friendships. It took the aid of the Red Blade Thur'ruk's, Sharptongue and Steelheart but Gashuk drew the line at last and filled the emptiness left by the chaotic Fel with Shadow Magic; a connection to the Void that allowed him a back door entrance into the Shadowrealms littered with Orcish Ancestral Spirits. It pained the newly named Soulfury to see his ancestors in such limbo, especially so when he was approached in dreamstates by his own father, Garrak.

It became Gashuk's main task to aid his Father in passing onto the Eternal Plains and after success, it grew apparent to the Elder that this was a new start for him, the Spirits once again approached him; it was time for a new start and like his Father before him as a Farseer, Soulfury's inherited gifts of Spiritwalking begun to plague his dreams. Through them, he was set upon a new task and Soulfury left the side of his Tribe for the Cleft of Shadows. It was nothing like it once was, a shell where little to no Warlocks or Magi were after Hellscream's reign. It took weeks, but together with many others, the Orc contributed to re-building a community, a sense of trust again amongst Warlocks and Magi alike and established the Cleft as a place of learning once more. Yet this was never meant to be a home for Gashuk.

After returning to his Tribe, Gashuk realised something. The Spirits had set him on this task for a reason, the reason was to teach him that he was not alike these Warlocks any more. The Orc had dubbed himself many things over the years; a Shadowmage, a Warlock but that was all a misconception. Gashuk felt like he was merely a Orc of many talents with no true title; more or less rid of his Fel addiction and finally connecting once more with ancestral spirits, it was time for Soulfury to take that final step and re-connect with the Elemental Spirits and return to his heritage as a Shadowmoon Shaman. It felt like the days past on Draenor were getting closer and closer for some reason, and with each passing moment it bore new youth and a spring in his aged step.

Spoiler: Void Shamanism • show

Since the Tribe endeavoured to counter-attack the Iron Horde threat and charge into the unknown on alterate-Draenor, Gashuk found himself mostly astray, yet oddly born again on his home-planet in the time of his youth. He swiftly left the Frostlands and immediately travelled to Shadowmoon Valley; with mud on his skin and perhaps a little magic, he infiltrated the Clan (his Clan) - and using his knowledge and experience of their customs became one of them. Keen to revive his old ways, keen to serve them again as a Shaman.

This naturally taught him much of the Iron Horde, their victimisation of the Shadowmoon and the Void Magic that the Clan now wields, enamoured by the naturalism and full of inside information, it was time for the Gul'thauk to return to his Tribe with a new philosophy in his mind; Void Shamanism.

To Gashuk, the Void, where those who dare peer for divination, was as much a part of the natural world as any Element, as any Spirit. In fact, he theorised that it was in itself, tied to every element; the shadows cast by flames, the whispers on the wind, the depths of water and in the core of earth. He begun weaving Void Magic in his shamanic rituals, and found them ever successful. Driven by success, Gashuk was keen to teach others and show them that the Void wasn't to be feared, it was to be embraced.

Returning to the Tribe, Gashuk continued to preach and teach his newfound ideals and found them met with distrust and confusion. Many didn't like the idea of touching the Elements with the Void and considered it very alike the Dark Shamanism that was practiced under Garrosh. Gashuk, as ever, disagreed and continued to do what he had learnt from his alternate-Clan. It took many moons, and many discussions with his blood-sister, Rhonya Steelheart, for Gashuk to understand what he was doing, to understand that he was using the Void to force the Spirits, not using it alongside them willingly, and disgusted by it, Gashuk refused to ever manipulate the Elemental Spirits with the power of the Void again.

Downtrodden by his foolishness over the previous months, Gashuk made a second vow, he would not pretend to be a Shaman again. He had tried, and only made matters worse. No, he reminded himself of when the Spirits had abandoned him, many moons ago, and firmed his steel. He would never rely on them, and likewise, they would never rely on him.

Spoiler: Return to the Fel • show

As the Legion begun to besiege the world, Gashuk took it upon himself to fight fire with fire. He re-embraced his previous studies and became a bonafide Demonologist. The Tribe did not entirely appreciate the decision, but never the less, he continued. It was his philosophy that he could use his knowledge and power to counter the Legion and it's allies like no one else could, he understood the Demons, he could unwind their rituals, he could bind and banish them and felt that at his age, it was his duty to protect his Tribe and the Horde by doing so.

Spoiler: The Broken Shore • show

During the beginning of the War effort, the Tribe splintered, the spirit-link was shattered and the Orcs went their own way. Gashuk found refuge with the Black Harvest Coven, and together with the Armies of Legionfall, defended the Broken Isles upon it's Shore. It was here that he met his newest Bloodbrother; Sarguk, son of Knulk, and bonded with the Blackrock Orc quite well.

Unfortunately on one fated mission to interrupt a demonic ritual meant to bring about the coming of a Nathrezim; Gashuk was struck from behind, and had his throat slit by an Eredar Warlock. Sarguk, screaming in rage, avenged his brother but the damage was already done and Gashuk was unable to do anything to mend himself. As he died in Sarguk's arms, Gashuk made him promise to find his sister, Rhonya, and give her the coffer which contained Gashuk's basic personal belongings. He asked the Blackrock to find the Tribe, whatever remained of it, and tell of them of his death, of his sacrifice. And so Sarguk did.

Spoiler: The Red Blade Clan • show

Spoiler: Resurrection • show

Eventually, Sarguk found the Red Blades and within them, Rhonya herself. They had gathered together once more at the request of the Wolfking Kozgugore Feraleye; but the Tribe was still in tatters. After some time,
Sarguk aided the Orcs in their mission and eventually the Tribe was reborn, resurrected as a Clan with different tenants and oaths.

All the while, Rhonya had taken the news of her Brother's death rather badly. She wore the necklace left to her in his coffer, but had no idea of it's true nature. The amethyst within the necklace's setting was no mere gemstone, but a Soulstone, that contained a portion of the Spirit of Gashuk. A eldritch artifact made by the Warlock whilst he studied with the Black Harvest, a countermeasure that he put in place should he ever die, so that he could continue to fight and hopefully find his sister again; an Orc of which Gashuk grew deep feelings for.

Over time, the Soulstone begun to reach out to Rhonya. Gashuk, the spirit inside, had gathered enough energy to mend Rhonya's wounds in battle; and once Rhonya recognised the magic at play, she sought to find a method to reach into the stone and reconnect with her brother once more. Through sacrifice, she empowered the Soulstone and together, the two Orcs devised a method to bring Gashuk back to life. It took time, and much preparation, but with the aid of Kogra Windwatcher, Thur'ruk of the Clan and Sarguk, they completed the ritual to revive the Orc.

"Under the Birthmoon at it's fullest, blood-red and gorged, combine;
Earth of the Ancestors, ripped from the ground, to draw the Spirit from death.
Blood from a Lover, willingly split, so body and soul can align.
Essence from a Minion, taken, not asked for, to fuel the Master's first breath.
Chant the true name thrice, no more no less,
And place the stone upon the corpse's breast."

Sarguk reclaimed the Orc's corpse from the Black Harvest and kept it well preserved in secret.

Rhonya organised for a meeting with an old friend; a Warlock named Solanna, who summoned Gashuk's old Felhound and together with Sarguk, defeated the Demon and claimed it's essence. Felhounds act as batteries of energy; they feast off it, and Gashuk had fed his Hound plenty over the years. By harnessing the essence of the Demon, the energy Gashuk had given it, could be returned to the Master.

Kogra journeyed with them to Gashuk's homeland of Shadowmoon Valley, and they gathered the earth and native herbs to be used in the ritual itself.

And with Rhonya's final blood sacrifice, and repetition of Gashuk's three true names, the spiritual energy within the Soulstone transferred back into the body and the Orc breathed once more.

Spoiler: New Beginnings-Pariah • show

Returning to the Clan, Gashuk stood infront of them gathered for the regular moot; he told them of his story, his sacrifice, his Soulstone and how and why he came to be reborn. Naturally his story was met with derision, some of the Shaman were disgusted and the fact that two of the Clan's most revered Shaman aided Gashuk in his ritual disgusted them further. Gashuk, Rhonya and Kogra went under trial and each received their own punishment befitting of their actions in the eyes of the Wolfking.

Gashuk was stripped of all honours and titles he had earned in his past life and was declared a Pariah, an outcast of the Clan. To this day, he remains an outcast and works to try and earn the trust and respect he once had and devotes his efforts to trying to further his relationship with his bloodsister; Rhonya Steelheart, an Orc of which Gashuk has grown to love.

Spoiler: Things you may know about this character: • show

• Gashuk is an adept Bloodweaver and uses it not only in offensive spellcasting but for mending purposes.
  
• He usually sports a ritualistic dagger rather than any other form of weaponry but does own a powerful Stave given to him by Uzguul Stormgaze when he first joined the Tribe.
  
• Gashuk's Father was part of the original powerful Stormreaver Clan, Gul'dan's personal guard! Gashuk himself didn't make the cut.
  
• Gashuk is open about himself and is fierce in defending himself and his heritage.
  
• Gashuk's original earned surname is Bloodfire, earned from an Om'riggor at the age of twenty. It's where his warcry, "Blood and Fire!" stems from.
  
• Gashuk slowly returned to his shamanic roots, re-connecting with the elemental spirits and more recently, the Void and it's Ancestral ties to the Shadowmoon. It didn't go well.
  
• Gashuk died upon the Broken Shore; and through a ritual of resurrection, returned through the power of a Soulstone. He is not undead in any fashion, although he does sport a nasty scar across his throat.
  

Spoiler: Things you may not know about this character: • show

• Gashuk has spent his long life in the pursuit of magical gain; he has studied magic both eldritch, arcane and spiritual and is a very accomplished caster.
  
• Gashuk is deeply traditional, from getting traditional gifts for pregnant she-orcs to practicing tribal Blood Magic and shamanic divination from star-gazing.
  
• He would rather die than be truly fel-corrupted; for example being subject to a metamorphosis or completely losing his mind to his Craft.
  

Author's Note: Biography last updated 09/01/2018 - Please note this is not a detailed account of every major plot point the character has been through nor does it detail every relationship the character has made. It is a summarised account of his life and story.

[Gashuk]

Massive update/overhaul so you can all enjoy Gashuk's chaotic life. <3