Ten Years Strong: Memories

[Sadok]

Orcs of the Red Blade celebrate their tenth anniversary on 8th October 2015. It's been one fel of a journey thus far -- from Durotar to Garadar, from the frigid wastes of Icecrown to the savage wilds of Tanaan, we have brought quality orc role-play to every corner of Azeroth. And hopefully, we have helped forge treasured memories for each and every person who has joined us along the way -- New Bloods and Red Guards; Chieftains and Matriarchs.

Did I say Matriarch? As part of the tenth anniversary celebrations, we've reached out and now welcome back our founder, Matriarch Akesha Redblade, after over five years away. The Red Blades have gone from strength to strength, with a band of seasoned veterans and eager newcomers alike on our new home of Argent Dawn. The future looks bright: later this month, we celebrate our seventeenth Kosh'harg Festival, a cross-realm celebration that promises to be the largest such event yet.

But this thread is not so much about the future as it is the past and even present. As part of our tenth anniversary celebrations, we invite both current and former members to weigh in and discuss their memories and recollections of everything Orcs of the Red Blade -- from their favourite RP characters to fondly-remembered events and storylines, this is the place to weigh in and reflect about what the guild and its people have meant to you over the years.

I will also be reaching out to inactive members via PM, and I hope we see some old but familiar faces contribute here also, even if it's just to say hi!

Let's get this thread rolling: whether or you've been here a week or a decade, I'd love to hear about your experiences with Orcs of the Red Blade. If you're stuck for ideas, here are a couple of suggestions:

- Your favourite OotRB characters, and the people behind them!
- Your favourite events, plots, storylines or even spontaneous encounters!
- Guilds and individuals outside of OotRB with a fond place in your heart!
- What OotRB meant to you over the years, and if you're no longer with us, what you're up to now!

This isn't just a thread meant to write your one-and-done speeches though -- it's a discussion thread, so feel free to comment, reply and chat in general about all things nostalgic!

Thanks in advance!

[Sadok]

And now, let me take off my officer hat for a moment and just talk as an ordinary guy, with some fond memories in mind.

What does Orcs of the Red Blade mean to me?

Admittedly, I’ve spent far too long with OotRB over the years since 2011, and Sadok as a character has almost monopolised my RP time as a result â€" alts have withered on the vine, outside initiatives abandoned due to lack of time. I don’t consider that a bad thing, however. Before I got my claws sunk into the tribe, I was a serial alt-o-holic who could never stick with an idea or a concept â€" I was with SGE, the Cult of Shadow, Three Hammers and even OotRB itself, on a pre-Sadok toon (Grimgash).

What encouraged me to stick with OotRB full-time wasn’t so much the concept, though it was interesting; nor the events, though they were engaging; or the globetrotting around Azeroth, though it certainly kept things fresh! OotRB’s strongest attribute, and one it retains to this day, is its sense of community â€" when I first joined, I was struck by the friendliness of the officer-team, the easy informality of its tribe gatherings, and the deliberate efforts taken to make me feel included and welcome.

When you scratch my back, I scratch yours â€" so it’s no surprise that I’ve tried to give back, and continue the spirit of the OotRB I fell in love with years ago. Some of the faces are still the same, many others have come and went, even the character models look a bit more spiffy â€" but we’re still a community, we still help one another out, and we still have fun at the end of the day.

Our finest hour as a community, at least in my opinion, was our move to Argent Dawn earlier this year. We were able to have a discussion as a guild about the benefits and drawbacks to realm migration, and I’m proud that so many people contributed â€" and that when the majority had spoken, we were able to keep virtually all of our core intact, including crowdfunding for those who couldn’t afford the move. Argent Dawn was a feast or famine proposition â€" if handled poorly, it could have split the guild apart, but we haven’t just survived but thrived on our new home.

I’ll continue to brainstorm plots and events, answer applications, interview applicants, tinker with the forums, produce video montages, chat around the campfire, train New Bloods, train Gosh’kar, train Thur’ruk, theorycraft initiatives, bump recruitment threads, patiently tolerate passive-aggressive whisper tirades, photoshop pizza trophies, sing spoof songs in officer Skype chats, and everything else that comes with the territory because I do take a sense of pride in what we’ve created together, and everything we’ve accomplished over the years.

A few shout-outs (I’ll have to stop somewhere, but I may post some more later):

To Kozgugore:
At this stage, with apologies to Akesha and everyone else, it’s not much of a stretch to say that Kozgugore is Orcs of the Red Blade. He’s been around forever, he’s left his stamp permanently on the guild and its community, and in the process, he’s become kind of a big deal.

Even before I joined OotRB, Kozgugore was considered an institution on DB â€" his name and Morgeth’s were the closest things to RP celebrities I could recall amongst the realm, and I’ll confess to being a little trepidatious on first contact. Especially since you forgot to answer my app for a whole seven days, you madman â€" I thought my character’s backstory was so horrible, you weren’t even dignifying it with a response!

Even if we may remember him as the Grumpy Chieftain, Koz is above all else just an all-around good guy, and it’s amazing he’s kept so well grounded and sane after all the madness he’s been exposed to.

To Morgeth:
The yin to Kozgugore’s yang for many a year, Morgeth completely deserves a tribute all to herself. An RP guild doesn’t rise and fall based on its events or plots, but on how fun and engaging it is â€" and Morgeth was a uniquely engaging character, and behind the scenes, a wonderfully supportive person.

There’s no such thing as a boring night around the campfire with Morgeth â€" she’s never short of a quip or a snarky comment, doesn’t let her nuanced and tragic backstory stop her from getting stuck in trees, and I’d be lying if I didn’t say I took heaps of inspiration from that when it came to turning the Sadok character into one of a facilitator.

Morgeth was the one who brought me into planning events and plots, months before I was even an officer. Her enthusiasm, can-do attitude and pure ability to turn chicken shit into chicken salad when the worst struck was a tremendous asset for OotRB (and the wider RP community when it came to her Truthteller markets and blind-dates), one I think we still miss to an extent.

To Mazguul:
Dunno if you’ll end up reading this, but I’ll still write it. You were the friendliest, bubbliest and wackiest character and person I can recall from all my years of RP. Even if you weren’t the dynamic personality organising events and initiatives, you were the bedrock of the guild’s culture â€" always there, always supportive, helping everyone feel welcome and involved.

In the end, you’re probably the closest thing to a mentor figure Sadok ever had â€" your approach to being Thur’ruk and a spiritual RPer in general is one I’ve tried to emulate wherever possible, and have formed part of the intangible background fabric of the guild and its lore. I’m not sure anyone else, but I’ve personally missed having you around these past three years, and we could certainly use two or three (or four) more Mazguuls.

To Karak:
The Karak character is my favourite of all time, actually â€" the textbook case in how to RP outside of the box while remaining completely consistent to the setting. Watching Karak shrug off all the mockery and all the tragedies while his mind slowly broke down was amazing stuff, and his ascension to Rrosh-tul and subsequent fall from grace for sticking to his principles was a tremendous character arc.

Of course, you’re hanging around nowadays on Siyah-gosh, but the energy and activity you’re able to bring are unmatched, and although I think two or three (or four) more Karaks would be overkill, having one around is just perfect.

To Rhonya:
As an officer, you’ve more than adequately filled the shoes of Mazguul as the tribe’s ‘mother’, and I think you continually understate your worth to OotRB. You’re basically the glue that keeps all of us hormonal males from tearing each apart â€" the voice of reason (sometimes), the anchor that’s always around for a serious chat or a wacky comment.

Personally speaking, your two characters Rhonya and Kyrazha have stepped up to become the two orcs Sadok feels closest with, and you’ve provided me with countless hours of entertainment and friendship. So thanks!

But above all, though you haven’t been around forever, your presence has become increasingly integral to making sure OotRB feels like a warm and welcoming place, and I think your red hair is rad!

Other assorted shout-outs, that I’ll name as important influences for Sadok over the years (I may come back and expand upon these):
- Vashnarz, for being a great friend and partner in crime for my early years;
- Drustai, for being a genius and inspiring me to get better at RP through making me look like an amateur by comparison;
- Groshnakk, for being an unabashed drunken Dane of awesomeness;
- Krogon, for always bringing passion and enthusiasm to the table;
- Keishara, for the completely unique and very tragic arc with Sadok over the years;
- Mozrogg, for showing you can be a kick-ass brute and the life of the party around the campfire;
- Orok/Thrugar/Kargnar, for showing that your history is not your destiny, and being the model of why we should give people second chances;
- Raxxok, for dem meaty thighs.

Some favourite moments from our many events over the years, provided without context:
- Grek’thar the Stew Shaman, deflecting everything with his shield, even in defiance of the laws of physics;
- Grim as the worst midwife ever, delivering Vashnarz’s baby (PUUUSH, PUUUUSH);
- Finally getting the RBG wolf as part of our guild team;
- Bad cop/even worse cop with Ildranor and Drustai, when Mazguul and Sadok were kidnapped;
- Finally getting the Grommash’ar throne shot for the trailer, after approximately seven lifetimes of outtakes;
- All those evenings in Mazguul’s cave, because everyone gathered there for no reason;
- All those laggy, horrible RP-PvP battles that were still worth attending;
- Trakmar and Sadok re-enacting the fate of Oberyn Martell;
- Morgeth taking the tribe aside to scheme against the Kor’kron, under the excuse that she was giving them cake;
- Intermittently Rickrolling people ICly for the giggles;
- Two of the most inappropriate typos ever: Krogon shitting his mouth; Vashnarz accusing Drogu of practising ‘negromancy’.
- Luk being able to mangle people’s names to their face, and getting away with it (Genital Bloodfart, etc);
- The sense of satisfaction that comes when people say 'thank you'. Maybe it was all worth it, after all?

[Regorn]

I don't even play WoW but I still stick around for some reason.

Favourite OotRB characters!
- I liked Sadok, we were two completely different orcs with different way's to view things and we pretty much only agreed on a single thing: Fel bad. And the duels we had were fun too(not to talk about all the Yolk throwing).
- Krogon was this strong and serious character that was fun to make fun out of OOC

Favourite Stuff that happend!
- Regorn was so set in his way's that everything that happen he did this way... I am pretty sure I threw away a manticore claw(was it those things we were rewarded? I can't remember) once because reasons... I think someone picked it up.

- That one time Regorn took a bath... shortly after someone vomited on him... I think that was Regorns only bath while he was with the OotRB ever...

- YOLKS!

- Also that time when I crashed our ship in to the wetlands... To be fair, it was not like we were going to use it again.

- Regorn Funeral.

- That drinking night  + lier dice game with my Brother and guild when we joined OotRB shortly over the summer.

Guilds and individuals outside of OotRB!
- I liked The Thunderfury Clan as they were my first RP guild.

- Also shoutout to my Brother who was with us on Regorn funeral.

What OotRB meant to you over the years, and if you're no longer with us, what you're up to now!
Well, Currently I am busy at the University in Stockholm, studying Game Design. Doing fun stuff currently like HTML5 and Game based learning. On my spare time I play things like Smite,  bit of Endless Legend and Diablo 3. Mostly Smite tho, I like that game.
Dear lord, I have no life.

But seriously tho: I liked rollplaying with ya lot.

...by the way, what did you do with my staff?

[Azolg]

Beginnings

Where to begin? I first came to the Tribe in January 2012 as my fond and tragic Orc huntress, Keishara Wildeye. My first "Proper RP" character, as the ones i'd had before that were rather disgraceful (For anyone who came from Steamwheedle Cartel, as a Human warrior. The Red Blades seemed like such an exotic and exciting concept at the time, and I was completely eager to get involved in it. Thirsting, perhaps.

Alas, at that time in my life I was also something of an alt-o-holic. With a crap job, working all the hours under the sun and usually working late into the evening i'd only get perhaps 1-2 evenings free a week to RP. And i'm ashamed to say I was fleeting in my RP. Sometimes i'd be here for weeks on end, RPing till 4am in the morning after work - And sometimes i'd lose interest. In fact, I believe it took me about 6 months to pass my Om'riggor, because I kept missing them all >:l But over time I bonded with several Orcs, both IC and OOC. Keishara was becoming the first character I truly cared and adored, and despite my fleeting attempts at other characters and concepts - I always came back to her, and the friendships she made over the years was astounding.

Until I killed her off.

Admittedly, it was a bad point OOCly in my life, and Keishara soon became a conduit for all of my negative energies - Frustratingly so I subconsciously put her through hell that character, on top of the unlucky times she had. In the end I came to hate RPing her, and decided to kill her off. Worst. Mistake.

I've had a few other Alts in the time since she died (Will have been over two years ago now!) But they also all failed miserably, again partially due to work climates. Makaroth here though represents a new beginning for me. Tied in with my new job, and new work times - I'm more active and making an effort to be on most evenings, as im free every evening now. Its going well, despite an early wobble (Evidently, I still had commitment issues) and hopefully I'll prove to those who have given me chances time and time again, but most importantly to -myself-, that I can be consistent now.

Orcs of the Red Blade is my home. Theres a reason i've come back to it so many times over the years. Its more than a community, its a family to me.

Shoutouts

Sadok:
I couldn't speak higher of you if I tried. You've been welcoming, warming and we became friends near-on instantly when we met. You've never done me any wrong over the years and always been there as a voice of reason to steady me when I was frustrated at times. It's safe to say I care for you deeply and the fact we've met twice IRL says to me that our friendship is strong. You're a lynchpin of the Red Blades in my view and as i've said to you many times before - The Tribe wouldn't be the same without you, both IC and OOC.

You've influenced and improved my Roleplay without even knowing about it, and I cannot thank you enough for being a mentor figure for me - You've helped me grow not only IC, but OOC too.

You're right. Keishara and Sadoks time together was certainly unique, and absolutely tragic. I wouldn't change a second of it.

Rhonya:
You're possibly the kindest and most caring person in this Tribe, and thats quite the bold statement to say. I know you can be unsure of yourself at times - But honestly you bring such joy and warmth to the Tribe we'd be lost without you. No matter -what- character I've Rped on, Rhonya has always got on with them and they've become somewhat friends (Apart from the current incantation of Keish, but thats another story!). You're a shoulder to lean on and frankly you've been my emotional rock over the years - But more so recently than ever.

You mean a lot to me, a hell of a lot - And i'd be lost without you I feel.

Trakmar:
Keisharas first mate. The Grumpy Mag'hari cared for Keishara in ways no other Orc did, and that made her extremely happy. You were resolute during the relationship with Keishara, even through the times when I was inactive, or not as active as I once were. Im sorry again about that, and for killing Keishara back then. We had some great Skype times, and a lot of laughs over the years. Im glad you're still around!

Kozgugore:
I wont echo too much, as Sadok has said pretty much most of what I wanted to say. I amazed at your dedication and steadfast nature to the guild - But you've always remained level-headed and composed, even in the face of drama and whatnot. All I can say is thank you for putting up with my inconsistencies, and even for allowing that insane way to bring Keishara back - Even if im unsure of where she stands now, you allowed me a chance to bring her back to the Tribe. I appriciate it.

Older Shoutouts who aren't around anymore.

Grogona:
Dammit, I miss you. Keishara and Grogona had become such awesome friends over the years, and I too became close with you. I know you're not here anymore - And I dont even know if you frequent the forums at all, but i'll always hope you come back one day.

Tarag:
A potential love that was extinguished before it had a chance to get off the ground. Keishara adored Tarag, and their romance was a whirlwind one. She still wore the Bloodied Ogrehorn around her neck to this day, and when he perished she felt true grief. I miss you dearly, and I hope you're well.

Vashnarz:
Before the events that won't be spoken of, for sanitys sake, happened we were very good friends. Keishara looked up to Vashnarz over the years and she was the first Orc she became blood-siblings with. You taught me how to PvP, something i'll never forget.

Im starting to tear up - But perhaps one of the most notable memories I have of the Tribe? My first Kosh'harg. Keishara, Grogona and Goru naked mud-wrestling. The males -adored- it.

[Sadok]

- Regorn was so set in his way's that everything that happen he did this way... I am pretty sure I threw away a manticore claw(was it those things we were rewarded? I can't remember) once because reasons... I think someone picked it up.

*cough* Sadok picked it up, and then pretended he'd won it legitimately. After a while, he was able to claim to have more wyvern fangs from the Challenge of the Wyvern than anyone but Krogon! Despite one of them being Regorn's, and two of them being from that weird phase where people were so terrible at solving the riddles that Koz gave everyone pity fangs for participation, Oprah Winfrey style.


"YOU GET A WYVERN'S FANG, YOU GET A WYVERN'S FANG, YOU GET A WYVERN'S FANG -- EVERYONE GETS WYVERN'S FANGS!"

- Also that time when I crashed our ship in to the wetlands... To be fair, it was not like we were going to use it again.

Can we get an over/under on the number of ships the tribe have crashed? I think I've been aboard three or four of them -- crashing into Northrend, crashing into Pandaria, and crashing into Westfall.

- That drinking night  + lier dice game with my Brother and guild when we joined OotRB shortly over the summer.

Was fun having Rekor and your brother (Raythar, was it?) for that short period of time! Hopefully it's not goodbye forever.

...by the way, what did you do with my staff?

"The staff of the redeemer remains a reminder to our tribe of times when our race as a whole revered the spirits in a time long gone. those the old days may have passed, Regorn honoured the old ways all the same, standing up for them against other view points and darker perceptions. His staff remains with us, a tool of healing for our High Blade Thur'ruk. May Regorn smile on us with pride as he see's the woudned tended well by that which he left behind. He knew his time well, and went to it as the Ancestors and spirits bid it, we shall miss you brother."
http://orcsoftheredblade.com/forum/index.php?topic=2808.0

Either that or we just fed it into a wood-chipper.

[Rashka]

I'll try digg up some of my fondest memories.. There's probably way more, to be honest, but those who knows me more closely, also know that my memory is worse than a potato's.


I'll start with some of my favorite characters:
Sadok, seriously. You can really make my day. Those horrible jokes ever fail to make me laugh, and the personality that your Orc got is insane. MUCH LOVE TO YOU.
Then there's Shrika, with her inner demons, she never fails to surprise me. That one time in the tower I will never forget. I'll talk more about that later!
Kozzles! I love you too. Seriously. There's much love to be given today guys, can you all feel it? No but seriously, you have done so much for the guild, and I'm happy!
..Then there's Groshnok. You've grown to become one of my best friends over the years, I love your character too.
There's a lot more, such as Skarain, Feral, Arkil, Drustai, Raene and Aariam. Many characters from back on Alliace side on Defias. But I won't go into detail

Favorite things; Seriously. That episode in the tower, with Rashka pointing a sword at Shrika, that she was ordered to hold, and not let go of, no matter what, whilst he tried to pull out Demons from her. I will -never- forget that night. When the sword started to swing her around in the air, and half the tribe came to help keeping her down.. It was just priceless. I loved it!
Then there was my first Om'riggor, where Rashka got her name. I don't think even the whole sword thing can beat how much I laughed my ass off that night. It was grand.
All the Kosh'hargs I've attended to is on this list aswell. I love them!
..Then there was that one time, where Rashka almost lost both her arms to a Raptor, at one of Norgrax's events back in Arathi Highlands. I will never forget that event.
Oh! I almost forgot my oath. Rashka's arms and hands was still fucked up from the raptor, but she still attended one of our duel nights, back in Twillight Highlands. It was then she proved herself, and she got to take her oath right after, over a *magick* fire. :3
There's probably a load more, but as I said, my memory is worse than a potato. And in reality, what really matters is just how many good times I've had with this guild. I love all you guys! <3

People that have influenced Rashka over the past 2 years I've been here. (I believe it's 2 years.. o_o)
Kogra, you, without knowing it, have made Rashka a lot more.. Controlled. After that event at Kosh'harg, Rashka really have been trying to kill her urge to punch everyones face. Wether it's for good or bad, who knows!
Sadok & partly Rhonya, you have made Rashka realize a few things that she never had bothered to think about before. A few examples are the Spirits, and the consequences of sex. Yes I'm talking pregnancy here..
Groshnok. As the mate of Rashka this one is kinda obvious. They've shared moments together, that Rashka haven't shared with anyorc else. And she is not afraid to show her weak side to him.

[Therak]

Wow... ten years. What can I say...

Well, I can share some strong memories I have myself!

But first, I'll follow Sadoks examples with a few shoutouts of my own.

Morgeth
I don't know, Sadoks speaks of Morgeth as an RP celebrity, and I guess she was. I just see her differently. Probably because I knew her before, already back in the Sixty Thieves. And I can -never- forget her complaining about her DPS. And when I asked about her rotation I got the memorable reply "What's a rotation?"
Always brings me a smile.
Then again, in many ways that's how I know Morgeth. The orc who could always bring me a smile. A great character, who have had a whole lot of development.
And then to the things she's done for the guild. All the time she's spent making things better. Not just by bringing her roleplay, but being involved in events, plots and all kinds of stuff!
You'll never be the big RP celebrety for me. But you're a friend, and that's more important for me.

Kozgugore
Now here's someone I looked up to.  You were the first RP celebrity for me. But I didn't meet you much in character before I actually ended up meeting you out of character, and that probably left a bigger impression on me. You were a nice guy, though quiet. You could take a joke, and was just enjoyable company.
The steady platform you've provided the guild for a long time has been invaluable. You're willing to give people chances, more chances then I myself would give them. You're solid, dependable and what you've done for the guild goes beyond what I can say at this point. The leadership decides a lot in how well a guild survives. The years you've led this guild speaks volumes!

Sadok
Except for the size of your post making the rest of us feel our own sizes are inadequate, the effort you put into this guild is beyond me.
Not just all the plotlines and events you've planned and held, but the work you've done behind the scenes on the website. The keeping track of stuff around us, the whole lot of it. You've done as much to improve this guild as anyone I can think of.

There's others who probably deserve a mention, but there's only so much typing I can do at this point. If you've not been mentioned, that doesn't mean I don't love you, or appriciate what you've done for the guild! A guild is no better then the members make it!


And the memories
I have a bunch of little memories etched into my mind. So I thought I'd just throw in a couple and see what people remember!

A wartraining during late wotlk. We were in the Barrens, running all over the place. I was playing Gruthikk back then, and when he bent to refill his waterskin from the ocean another orc slapped it out of his hand and taught him that seawater is a bad idea to drink. The memory itself isn't anything fancy, it's just one of these small things I remember.

The climax of the Sceptre (NOT SPECTRE DAMNIT!) of the Shaman King plotline. All the way down in Ahn'Qiraj after finally finding the Sceptre a mist filled the room. It was an awesome feeling when orcs began dissapearing and fading away one by one. Noone knowing what happened to those who dissapeared, and expecting the worst. Sent shivers up my spine!

Of course there's the moment I took my oath on Therak. It was in Tanaris, during the previously mentioned Sceptre of the Shaman King plot. I think taking the oath is something most orcs remember...

There's my first Om'riggor, on Gruthikk. Sitting there and being excited over what my new name would be. I was not dissapointed! Forgestone suited the poor smith.

I loved my first experience of Challenge of the Wyvern, it's one of my favourite events and I'm delighted that I get to host it myself these days. It's a dream come true in some ways.

But the memories that'll last me the longest probably aren't the events, it's the friends I've made and the fun I've had. I've met a bunch of orcs in real life, and I've not regretted it yet.

[Regorn]

*cough* Sadok picked it up, and then pretended he'd won it legitimately.

I knew you were a cheater!

Was fun having Rekor and your brother (Raythar, was it?) for that short period of time! Hopefully it's not goodbye forever.

Can't speak about my brother, he seems to lost the lust for WoW with the massive PvP botting, he really just played WoW for the PvP.

Either that or we just fed it into a wood-chipper.

It's time for a haunting...

[Gashuk]

10 years, amazing. Milestones like this make me realise how much I have played this game for, and damnit, loved every second. Orcs of the Red Blade to me originally were an enemy, they dominated Horde RP and for a fair few years I never got into Horde Roleplay! This was a time when you couldn't play Horde and Alliance on the same realm without having two accounts and as I was sacrificing food and lunch money to scrape together £18 a month to purchase a pre-paid card from Blockbuster for one account, I certainly couldn't run two!

So for many a moon, the Red Blades were an enemy. An inspired enemy. They encapsulated the Horde, what it was about, how it was to be feared and fought. I remember the epic battle of Thandol Span that nigh broke the server and how I power leveled my Dwarf Hunter to the point it could use Feign Death just so I could stand a chance at surviving! (Not that my internet connection allowed me too!).

Yet eventually the boundaries were broken, I could make an Orc! Yet always the one to pay, rather than play, I transferred the same Hunter across and Eraggor was born. I remember Mazguul mocking the name for being far too close to Eragon, and I remember the tasks she gave me in Grizzly Hills as my Tutor. Poetry, hunting, it was such a different experience to what I had over on the blue-side of the hill and it had me hooked.

In my hay-day, I was a severe alt-holic and the moment I had a job, my limited income was spent mostly on faction changes and race changes so I could fit into certain character archs I had in mind at the time. My Priest, who now lies forgotten as a Worgen, has literally been every race a Priest can be. I have roleplayed a Elven Priestess of the Moon, a Drakkari Blood Priest, a Human Orthodox Priest and a Arathorian Priest headlining most of the cringeworthy (but creative) Ancestoral Worship Fan-Lore/Religion.

But I will never forget what I once read Kozgugore write in the forum, it may have even been his signature at the time. "If you roll a class that can be an Orc, and it's not an Orc. You have instantly failed." Do you know what? Priests can't be Orcs and if that wasn't going to change any time soon, which it hasn't, I needed to! Thus an Orc Shaman was born, Oargoth. Molded to be an Orcish version of my Arathorian, as pious and savage as can be, but it was short-lived. Mazguul tutored me yet again but RL got in my way and unfortunately things fell apart abit with WoW. It's only since I returned, making Gashuk, that I have ever felt a home in WoW even nearly as much as I felt at home with Kingdom of Arathor, and I'm very glad I returned to it.

-Shoutouts!

Firstly,

-Krogon. I love this character more than I can describe and he both OOC and IC has driven my own character development more than Ross probably realises. I always pitched Gashuk as the Orc that does the wrong thing for the right reason and how I created a Warlock that befriended a Blademaster is beyond me.

-Sadok. Time and time again it astounds me how much soul Sadok puts into the OotRB and it just would not feel right to not credit him for his efforts in maintaining the guild. Amazing.

-Grogona. COME BACK TO ME. <3

-Nograx. It will always be a great shame to me that Nograx ended up on such a sour note with the guild but with his time in it, and with Gashuk as they bonded, created such epic memories. From training to be Nag'ogar together, to Gashuk re-growing his finger back!

-Rhonya. I think Sadok has put together words that mimic all of our opinions of our favourite Mother. Fondly remember the moment Gashuk approached her and Grogona by the lake in Garadar with a traditional present of wolf-pelt and wolf-fang jewellery for her pups, shocking them both and when he was trusted enough to perform delicate rituals on her to remove the demons that lingered within! Rhonya is and will continue to be the one character that Gashuk feels strong emotional ties to, the Thur'ruk that asks an ex-Warlock advice on how to deal with the Spirits.

I could go on forever, but I think we can all acknowledge that Orcs of the Red Blade is more than just a guild in a video game. It's a safe-haven, a place in my mind that I can retreat to. It's not just been in World of Warcraft, it's made World of Warcraft. It certainly made Defias, and now, on Argent Dawn, the next ten years commence!

For the Blood of the Tribe!

[Sadok]

But I will never forget what I once read Kozgugore write in the forum, it may have even been his signature at the time. "If you roll a class that can be an Orc, and it's not an Orc. You have instantly failed." Do you know what? Priests can't be Orcs and if that wasn't going to change any time soon, which it hasn't, I needed to!

If orc priests are ever a thing down the road, I'm sure as heck re-rolling!

Thus an Orc Shaman was born, Oargoth. Molded to be an Orcish version of my Arathorian, as pious and savage as can be, but it was short-lived. Mazguul tutored me yet again but RL got in my way and unfortunately things fell apart abit with WoW.

My abiding memories of Oargoth will always be the poetry(?) you posted on the forums from him, which was awesome; and Morgeth giving him the ultimate in verbal bitch-slaps for comparing her to the Gul'dan who was puppeteering Kozgugore!

Then again, the stinging put-downs were always Morg's specialty. I wish I had the print-screen, but one of the first events I attended after Sadok's Oath was Rargnasha's funeral -- Morgeth gave this amazing tearful speech, and when a New Blood made a slightly sarcastic remark about how emotional she was getting, she screamed back "SHUT THE FUCK UP, NEW BLOOD" then just continued with the speech. xD

And speaking of Oargoth, much later, a suspiciously similarly-named orc appeared! Sort of like the two Maroggs!

I could go on forever, but I think we can all acknowledge that Orcs of the Red Blade is more than just a guild in a video game. It's a safe-haven, a place in my mind that I can retreat to. It's not just been in World of Warcraft, it's made World of Warcraft. It certainly made Defias, and now, on Argent Dawn, the next ten years commence!

Admittedly, I'm thinking of using some of the snappier quotes from this thread in our next recruitment thread, whenever we max out the current one. And when it comes to soundbites, it really doesn't come any better than this!

[Gridish]

I’ve been sitting here for the last 20 minutes typing and instantly deleting the first sentence for my nostalgia post. I just can’t think of a good intro… So.. Yeah.. Sod the intro.

The beginning
About 4(?) years ago a real life friend of mine started talking to me about how he found some very awesome roleplaying guild on a video game I never really even looked at. That roleplaying guild being Orcs of the Red Blades and the video game being Star wa-.. ha! Fooled you there… World of Warcraft. That talking wasn’t about it wasn’t a little bit, it was a lot. Then one day I just said: “Alright. Let’s do this. Let’s check this out!” That is exactly what I did. I made an account, followed my friend’s checklist and before I knew it, Gridish was born. Hardly having any knowledge of the orcish lore, I filled out an application, failed… then redid the application!
Then came the first interaction with the tribe-.. The first roleplaying interaction I have ever been in. It was in Bilgewater Harbor. Orcs of the Red Blades were about to set sail and this freaky ( Still as freaky!) Sadok Sharptongue was the first one I spoke with. I liked it. I liked the RP experience so far. Up until the tribe was heading to Pandaria ( 3 days later) and as a new person to the game, I did not have Mists of Pandaria, nor did I have a steady income to actually purchase the expansion. Best. Start. Ever. *Le sigh*
And now, about 4(?) years later, here we are. Celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Red Blades and I must tell you, I am proud to be part of it.

Shout-outs:
Of course there are people that have stood out for me during my time roleplaying with the Red Blades, but in all fairness, I don’t think that is relevant right now. Because at the end of the day it’s about Orcs of the Red Blades’ 10th anniversary, and this anniversary would never have existed if we didn’t have such an amazing community within our tribe. So I would simply like to shout out to everyone that has made this moment possible and say: “You’re the best! Even though you might not be here anymore, recently joined, or are the quiet shy dude or dudette hiding in the corner over there. *points* Yeah you! You are all amazing and thank you for giving me such a wonderful place to be.”

Special moments:
There are a few moments that I want to highlight that really stuck with me during my time with the tribe… So let’s get started!

The Defense of Shadowmoon Village (Outland Dark Shaman plot)
This goes back a year and a half/2 years ago. The tribe headed back to Garadar just to find that a Dark Shaman has been causing havoc in our beloved home world. Nearing the end of the campaign, the tribe moved to Shadowmoon Valley, where the Dark Shaman was held up. However! Before the tribe could set out to assault the Dark Shaman, the Dark Shaman sent the combined forces of the Ogres (lead by a stupid Ogre Warlock King that we eventually got to kill off.), the Arakoa ( Bird people for the simple minded.), Demons and Fel Orcs to besiege Shadowmoon Village and kill the Red Blades. This was one of the first events that I was helping out with as an alpha, and I â€"loved- it. Looking at the preparation drawing (drawn by Rargnasha) made me very nervous, but this is how the event was prepared (Drawing is in the spoiler!)

Spoiler: show

and I couldn’t have been happier about the outcome of the event myself. If I could repeat that event, I would. One of my first DM experiences was quite a special moment!

The move to Argent Dawn
This is something that Sadok already mentioned in his part. However, I feel exactly the same way about it and it is something that will stick with me for a long time. The community of the guild has (in my eyes) been a community with an amazing vibe and with a great bond. Where outsiders said “No, that will never work lol.” And “Wow, they’re abandoning those that can’t pay for a transfer?”, we showed them that they were wrong and that we are aren’t just some community that hardly knows each other. No, we care about one and other and we care about the tribe and it’s existence. The period of transferring was a real eye opener to me and showed me that this is one hell of a group that I’m proud to be part of. Don’t ever change.

First tournament of honor
This was a scary moment for me. One of the first Horde-wide events on Argent Dawn and one of the first events on that large of a scale for myself. Being able to organize such a big and (I hope I can say) successful event is something I always look forward doing. The satisfaction that you get from doing that is quite hard to describe. The amount of people that showed up stunned me. The amount of participants stunned me and the amount of positive feedback I received stunned me as much. If there is one thing this game has done for me, it’s teaching me organizational skills and I’m really thankful for it.

Being an officer
Being an officer has been very fun and a very good experience for me as a person. Being able to help create plotlines for the tribe to conduct. Talking about matters that could have severe consequences if they aren’t executed correctly (I’m looking at you, Realm swap! I’m looking at you!). Simply being able to help the tribe as much as I can. This is a description of fun in my books. Well, maybe not so much the part about severe consequences if we fail…. But the other stuff we do, YES! Not only has this experience been fun, it has helped me evolve as a person. It has helped me with my talking skills. It has helped me being able to express myself better in a somewhat more “professional” way. It has helped me organize better. It might sound silly, but my experience so far as an officer has helped me become the person I am today, and I am once again so very thankful for that.

Don’t ever change guys. <3

[Trakmar]

Being a man of few words, here come the short post!

My three years in the tribe now has been an absolute blast. It's safe to say that this is the best guild I've been in since I started playing this game, and this guild has been the only thing keeping me playing over those three years. There's been some times of inactivity from my part (Partly because I lost the spark for the game, partly because the internet here is sometimes to bad that I just don't bother).

What does ORB mean to me? When I first came to DB during the summer in 2012, I was a bit intimidated at first, and feeling like one hell of a scrub as my lore on Orcs wasn't quite up to par. Though Sadok quickly made that feeling go away by being the first to approach me and keep a friendly attitude. Safe to say, we're all a bunch of sods that stares at pixels and act as though we are those pixels. And that's why I like you lot!

Shoutouts. Because reasons.

Sadok: Continuing to make this thread a Sadok praise thread, but oh well. Sadok was the first one I met in this tribe in game, and the one that let me join the tribe. His puns, jokes and whatnot rarely fails to bring a smile on my face, which I think is the main reason I like him, both IC and OOC. He's really just the funny sod that's smarter than us all.

Kozgugore: Kozgugore has been quite the inspiration when it comes to roleplaying an orc, namely that of being a grumpy old one. I think my fondest memory with him was in Un'goro when Trakmar took his oath. The OOC banter in Redorc made him forget to promote me.

Keishara: The one who taught Trak to have fun! Honestly, the time Trak had with keish in the guild was great. She helping shaping Trakmar, and developing him quite a bit, especially so during the Pandaria campaign and in the rebellion. Good times, which I can only look happily back at.

Rargnasha: Trak and Rarg -never- got along IC. They two always butted heads and were a cause of frustration to eachother. OOC though, I like to think we got along rather well. I much enjoyed the achievment runs he likes to host in old raids. And the shouting at me when I managed to fuck up.

Grogona: Me and Grog got well along from the start, with both of us really just being to nordic drunks. The banter we had in skype with Shargla, Vashnarz and Revax almost every day was simply just fun!

There are also quite a few others, but since I don't feel like writing the whole day, I'll leave it at this for now.

Some favourite moments from our many events over the years, provided without context:

Trakmar and Sadok reenacting the Mountain vs the Viper.
Playing Spin the Bottle in Ashenvale during the rebellion. One of the best nights we had, filled with booze, shenanigans and laughs!
Krogon gracefully crashing us into Pandaria.
Vash teaching me how to PvP with a hunter. Only so that I can get conquest gear and forget how it's done a day later.

[Okiba]

Where, in the name of heck... do I even begin?

What Does Orcs of the red blade mean to me?

I spent six years in the guild with various work related gaps and occasional misshaps, but I've found it to be frankly the only guild I ever felt at home in. Before I joined, oddly, I spent most my time RP'ing a human who chased the tribe around waging war on it and its allies. Lucky for the guild, Koz and the tribe gave as good as he got (much bruised buttocks did this possum receive). But it stuck in my mind how solid, organized and dedicated OotRB's members, officers and GM were. It was a guild to respect and admire. Eventually... I took the plunge, and moved to Horde, and was made very welcome by all.

The red blades mean a lot to me, in many shapes and forms. Its a guild of friends, who strive to push the boundries of and raise the bar of excellence when it comes to all things "Orc RP". The whole system the guild has from top to bottom... Recruitment, tutoring, hierarchy, events, plots, style, tradition, OOC harmony/unity, strong officer team and direction... are what give it a monumental edge. This guild is a well oiled, well built machine that knows what direction it wants to go in, how to get there and why. This guild takes inexperienced Rp'ers, and makes them into key cornerstones of the community by teaching, helping and developing with them ( and thats awesome.)

That is rare, and more importantly its special. Few hardcore guilds, be it PvP or PvE, can claim to of run for so long or boast to of always been a united 'group'. Heck, among RP'ers it is just as seldom heard of. And that, over all this time, is proof of how all of the above allows this guild to go from strength to strength.

Our finest moments came in many forms... the rebellion campaign, though fraught with problems, was proof of the guilds resilience. The move to argent dawn, of our unity and friendship, that we would all pool our resources to brilliantly to help each other. Maybe the march on Khaz-modan in 2010? a record high of 35 orcs online for an event, proving our dominance and strength. Who knows, perhaps the guilds finest moment is yet to come? the horizon is always spanning away into the distance, only time will tell where it leads... and more importantly, what great RP lays ahead.

So, yes... what does Orcs of the red blade mean to me? It means these following words:

- Continuity.
- Unity.
- Tradition.
- Friendship.

Shout Outs: (a few for now, maybe more later)

Kozgugore:

The boss, the big cheese, head-honcho, Cap'n, leader.... and my friend. Koz and I met, and even RP'ed together/against each other well before I joined the guild. To me he's always been the standard by which I strove toward and rated Orcish RP by. He made me welcome in the guild, helped me develop my character and gave me more chances and opportunities than I really ever deserved. And I'm proud to of shared some wonderful RP with him, and glad I asked him to finish Ol' Devilstep off, it was only fitting.

I have to repeat what Sadok says, Akesha birthed this guild. But Koz maintained it, raised it to great heights, and became it. When people think of him or the tribe, they instantly think of the other.

Sadok:

If Koz is captain kirk, Sadok is Scotty. He keeps the engine running, feeding it, nourishing it, maintaining it and pushing it to the limit. Without Sadok and his limitless wit, humor, ideas, artistic flares and dedication the S.S. Red blade could well be dead in the water. I always enjoyed RP'ing with him, in all his alt-forms, but arguably Sadok himself has to be one of the best Orc characters I have ever interacted with, well made, rich in depth and always evolving.

His genius for events is awe inspiring and one of the main reasons so many are drawn toward the tribe, providing a rich environment to create and tell story's.

Karak:

Karak breaks the mould. and more importantly, thanks to this guild, he can, to brilliant effect. Always providing a wide array of brilliant, well thought out and mind boggling brilliant tools, situations and characters. I' often stand in awe of just how much work he puts into his RP behind the scenes, and immensly saddened I won't get to see Siyah'gosh played out.

Rhonya:

Why Rhonya? Because Rhonya embodies everything good about this guild. starting from the bottom and working her way to the top through good RP done right, and more importantly by being so generous with her time and characters. And while this may sound static, she and her characters are always evolving, improving, striving (even if Rhonya herself IC is a stubborn quitter), Nadine practices, attempts, adapts and aspires all levels as a person and RP'er. A great role-model for any beginning RP'er.

Rargnasha:

Why Rarg? He's my battle-brother, blood-kin and friend. We fought from Dun algaz to andorhal, Zoram'gar to Orgrimmar and beyond together. While many beyond this guild may have a harsh word or two to say of him, I know all his stoic, stubborn efforts were born of one desire... to do the best he could for this guild and those in it, placing it above all others.

Gashuk:

Your right Ryan, I may never truely know what lasting effect I had on you, others or this guild (its impossible to gauge, for better or worse). But I do know you had a positive effect on me, and my RP. Always open, talkative, supportive, cautionary, advising and helpful. I ran so many ideas past you I lost track, but I know that you helped me keep myself in check, and helped me develop my RP. Gashuk as a Character is proof of just how amazing you are at character development, keep at it, I sense that characters journey as ... how did you describe Krogon once, an "Anti-Hero"? one of those, is far from over.


Favorite moments:

- That brilliant Khaz modan campaign, and our record of 35 Orcs online attending an event.
- The epic and stunningly easy vistory in andorhal.
- Koz turning into a female gnome.
- the trip to Ahn'qiraj to retrieve the staff of the shaman king.
- The defense of shadowmoon village, DM event.
- Saving that tauren druid from Rarg and Mozrogg. (it led to an exile, BUT... it was all IC, and brilliantly done, going from there).
-Defending orgrimmar IC with the guild from the cataclysm elemental invasions.

theres just so many brilliant events and occurances, random and otherwise that I can't name them all...

[Sadok]

Rather typically, when we went to send out a friendly notification email about this thread to old members, the website's server exploded after sending about 33% of them. So apologies to anyone who has ended up receiving the same email multiple times in duplicate -- it looks amateurish, but we try to do better. <.<

All for the greater good, if we get some old eyeballs on this thread, I guess.

[Drevan]

You would NOT believe how many delivery fail reports I've had. Sup guys.