Member Spotlight

[Kozgugore]

Rhonya

We've had some amazing members in our guild over the past few years and every now and then, they deserve a little extra time in the spotlights! Who the most obviously choice to deserve some special recognition might be, you ask? Rhonya Steelheart, AKA Kyrazha Throatrender, of course! Not only is she one of our most active and longest members, she's someone virtually everyone in the tribe knows! How well do you think you know her? Read on and perhaps you'll find out a few things you didn't know just yet!

So, how do you remember your first encounter with the tribe? How did it all kick off, and how did you first hear of us?

Well... that is an odd story! I once encountered some of them already when I was still part of a different guild, but I was pretty intimidated by the level of RP they showed, so I actually kept away a bit. More my own shyness, that. But a random encounter messed that up. One of the Forsaken once tried to kidnap Rhonya from Silvermoon, and as it happened, the tribe was there as well to aid with something on the Deadscar. The moment Rhonya got knocked out, Grek'thar walked around the corner and sounded the alarm, which resulted in a wild chase of Red Blades and Sin Belore trying to free me, in which they eventually succeeded. Grek'thar took it on himself to protect Rhonya from that moment on, and kind of... forced her (and me, OOCly...) to go on travel with the tribe! I officially joined as New Blood a few months later. So it was an accident, really.

Quite the detour! But eventually, something made you decide to join and stay in the end. You're among our longest lasting (and certainly active) members, after all! Anything in particular that made you stick?

Well, it was the RP actually that made me decide to join. Rhonya had quite the backstory which the orcs wouldn't approve of, so she kept that secret, until one of the officers ICly found out about it, and dragged it in front of mister Chieftain himself! I'm always one who just goes with the flow in RP, but I was really nervous actually there, I thought the tribe would kill Rhon. Quite the opposite happened, and they invited me to join as New Blood (also to keep an eye on her ICly.) So really, it was the members that tried to have me join for months already OOCly, and the direction the RP took, that pulled me in. It fit the RP, and it felt right!

So by the sound of it, you tend to go with the flow and let spontaneity have it free course. Does that mean Rhonya, your character, went through any changes from what you originally planned her out to be as well?

To be fair, the moment I made her, it was to humor a friend who told me to try make an orc and join the new guild she'd just joined as well. Rhonya started out as a Dark Shaman, and I had absolutely no idea about Orc RP or what I wanted to do with her, so I didn't even have any original plans to begin with! She fled her dark ways, joined the tribe and during that all kind of things happened to her due to other players, which I then turned into plots or things and dragged others in as well. So she went through loads of changes, but most I didn't plan. Which made it all the more fun!

I can imagine! Any particular events or plotlines or the like that are particularly memorable for you?

The rebellion stuck with me really, though not the events. It was more the random RP around the camps with all the other guilds that I really liked. It was also the time I introduced Kyrazha, my second orc and much an opposite to Rhonya. What I also think back on fondly was the time we actually went to get rid of Rhonya's inner demons, which consisted of four rituals in a week, with all the elders of the guild and a warlock. It was a big plotending for Rhonya after three years, and I was really happy that so many people wanted to help me with it and give it a nice ending. And the still continueing plot with some of the Forsaken people that still play, that were such a big part of Rhonya's past before she joined the tribe.

Sounds like a busy time! Other than all the RP, do you feel there's anything else that all your time in WoW or the guild in particular was good for?

It's been a very busy few years, indeed. And OOCly getting to know all the people over the years has really been great. I held a few guildmeets as well, got to know people in real life, made some really good friends. I'm really surprised actually how close this guild has become in terms of wanting to help one another, cheer each other up, even pay for others in the case of our transfer from DB to AD. PvP with people while in a Skype call, laughing our asses off while trying to kill Alliance and failing horribly. Watching Blizzcon together and cheering at all the news. The new expansions coming and all staying awake until it launched, trying to get through the lag and actually do a quest or two. And of course it's a huge plus my husband also plays WoW and RPs, and is in the same guild, which means that we can enjoy each others company and play together online as well!

Got any tips for any fellow RPers out there, that you think might help make them enjoy the game and its RP and interactions just as much â€" and as long â€" as you have?

Suppose the most important thing I could say, don't mix OOC and IC. Drama can be a great motivator for plot and things, but keep talking OOCly to the other person and just have fun instead of getting mad or annoyed. We all play this game to have fun after all! Don't wait for RP to come to you, take some initiative and make it happen, much more enjoyable for all parties involved. Get to know people, make some friends, create some great stories together!

[Kozgugore]

And of course, big thanks to Rhonya for being the first to indulge my inquisitorial manners! Expect more Member Spotlights in the future to come! Got any orcs you're a particular fan of that you'd like to see being given their own little moment of fame? Feel free to pitch in right here!

[Revax]

How about follow up with Srelok?

[Bamm]

loved this spot light idea yey rhonya. the queen of the damned and possible dreadlord in arkails crazy yet beilevable theories. You should do the whole office team

[Kozgugore]

Srelok

Previously, we had Rhonya shining in the Member Spotlight due to her long-standing service to the guild. The obvious next choice after her? Her IC cousin and real-life partner, Srelok Grimtide of course! While not a member for quite as long as Rhonya is, Srelok has nonetheless proven to be just as much an integral part of the guild's structure with his involvement not only as a present-day Thur'ruk and officer, but also as an individual within the community itself. So today, we get to have a look behind the scenes of one of the tribe's more dramatic and yet empathic characters!

So the first question to kick things off with, what's the earliest memory you have of the tribe? How do you remember it, looking back at your first encounter?

Pffffff...  That's a while ago. When I first started out RPing on my Forsaken, it was an RP-PvP campaign in the Southern Barrens. I was intimidated by you guys. Krogon in particular. He stuck out, and Rargnasha. But mostly just the level of RP too. I mean, I was completely fresh on the scene and all, and these huge orcs come barrelling in and all. Otherwise, it was a fun campaign, especially with random Deathwing flybys still. One wiped out almost the entire Cult of Shadow. Was hilarious!
I met you lot a while later again, and when Rhonya joined you, I took my time but eventually followed her. And the rest is history.

Some fond memories in there by the sound of it! Are there any other campaigns or memories that particularly stick out to you, in that regard? And with all that experience you have at hand, is there anything about the guild that you might change?

Well, I had a blast in the Cult while it lasted, but I think my fondest memories are more recent. The Draenor campaign, the survival plot and all really appealed to me, especially with some of the crazier stuff (like blowing up a volcano...) and the general feeling of wonder and exploration. Krogon dying in Sre's arms is also a memory that stuck, and even now colours Srelok's behaviour. To be fair, despite a few times where I needed a break from the Red Blades, I still enjoy myself more than anywhere. The whole atmosphere is what keeps me coming back. That certainly makes the guild, as everyone is each other's friend. But what truly makes the guild great is the friendly attitude and relaxed atmosphere.
The big pit we need to watch out for is reachability for others though, seeing as we're always gallivanting around the world. As you know, we're in a bit of a rut. The one thing we need isn't really in our control: Content. Luckily, with Legion coming, that should be fixed. If I could change one thing though. Pffft... Perhaps have the application system altered (but we'll talk about that). About that pit though, spending some time around RP hubs is usually enough to keep the attention.

With Legion in mind, is there anything in particular that you're looking forward to, be it RP or otherwise? How do you see the tribe's role in it, for example?

Well, in regards to gameplay I'm most looking forward to the scaling mobs, making levelling quite interesting I think. RP-wise, I'd like to see some more survival stuff as this expansion has some serious potential storyline wise (which I won't spoil for those who want to know nothing).

What about your character in all of this? Is there something you can tell us about the progression that your character has undergone during his time in the guild, and what you might expect for him in Legion? How did they come to pass?

Well, Sre began as a timid, secretive orc with a haunted past. Over time he's come into his own, growing into the Thur'ruk of today. The haunts have increased though, and after Tanaan you can safely assume he has PTSD. He's working on that side and deepening his bond with the elements and trying to build up relationships within the tribe, and I expect that to continue in Legion. He’s shifting away from fighting too, with his recent mutilation. He’s now trying to find the best way to continue serving.
A lot of these things are a spur of the moment, apart from him losing his foot. And the time he was captured in Tanaan was because I needed a break. Otherwise, I like to look at the situation. If it fits, why not.

Are there any other things that shaped your character over time? Any inspirations for your character perhaps, or any orcs who really helped shape Srelok into who he has become? The concept of an orc with empathic abilities is quite a unique concept, after all.

I usually let his interactions shape him. I didn’t literally base him off anyone. He's more like my personal idea of the tragic hero. One big influence in regards to shaping him is Rhonya though. I planned on him being her cousin, raised by the same orc. Kind of like a prototype for how Rhon was raised. So he had to at least be similar, but I went for more a haunted concept, what with his emphatic ability too. It also created a very unique set of challenges, like how does the environment affect him. Azeroth is a very battle-scarred world after all, and how does he cope with crowds etc.

Lastly, do you have any tips for any of your fellow (orc) RPers?

The best advice I can think of is to start small. That, and “kill your darlings”. Meaning, if you start your character with a relatively simple concept like a grunt, your growth is much more noticeable. as well as enjoyable. This is where “killing your darlings” comes in too. If you want this ultra-badass super Shadow Hunter Troll for instance, where is your chance for character development? He is already as badass as he's going to get. See the point?

[Kozgugore]

Kogra

This month in the member spotlight, we have Kogra Windwatcher! As Alpha of the Gosh'kar, she's slowly been working her way up in the ranks and might soon even find herself in the venerable position of the tribe's Thur'ruk! As a result, we have three orcs in a row belonging to the Path of Wisdom that are being featured in the Member Spotlight. Perhaps the path is on to something, with its consistently active and reliable members? Read on, however, and you'll find that Kogra has plenty of different experiences from both Rhonya and Srelok as both a person as well as an orc!

To start off, what can you tell us about your first encounter with the guild? Any particular first memories that you can recall?

My first encounter with the guild I cannot truly recall. This must've been somewhere during Cataclysm but that was only on an OOC basis due to the ganking going on and there was this pact going on between the guilds to help each other out.

My first RP experience with people from the guild, however, would be me having to RP a sibling of Grogona due to her venturing to Nagrand for some journey. The true intent of that journey I cannot recall. All I remember was that it was some extremely amusing RP involving several members of the guild that were asked to act according to a script that was written down. I do not know whether it was the fact that we were also on Skype at the time, or the fact that everything was planned already, but the whole session spiraled out of control with us laughing about it on Skype.

Several years later some of the guild members decided to venture to the Netherlands and attend Castlefest. With me knowing Rhonya already, she dragged me into you crazy lot and forced me to socialize, the terror! But all jokes aside, I got to meet several people on that joyous occasion and they piqued my interest to join ORB and so I did.

Sounds like we partially have Rhonya and Grogona to thank for your present-day activity then! Are there any other particular members that you feel contributed to you staying for as long as you have so far? Any other particularly memorable plot-lines or campaigns, perhaps?

I think that Rhonya and Grogona, and the people that I met on Castlefest which reveals another big name for the guild namely Sadok, are the people to blame that you have to suffer from my presence initially. But if it were not for the community itself that is the guild, I would have been long gone. I don't think that there are certain people that have me stay in the guild but the entirety of the guild instead.

As for memorable moments or plot-lines, I think that the one that has made the most impact on me would be the assault on the Dark Portal. I think that it was a glorious time RP-wise due to the sacrifice that the tribe was about to make for the greater good. Of course they did not perish during their suicidal assault, which kind of contradicts the purpose, but I still think that this has been one of the more memorable moments within the tribe.

A close second would be the plot that we had together with the Hand of Agony in the Southern Barrens with the dreaded Razorfen Downs Syndrome. A lovely campaign with a lot of foreshadowing and the cooperation between orcs and their forsaken allies.

Speaking of campaigns, it's no secret that you've recently begun to take more of a pro-active role within the guild in organising a few events here and there and helping the officer team. How do you see your character fit into all this? What is it that moulded Kogra from the orc that she was since the day she joined the tribe, and in what ways?

Character progression is what makes RP fun and since the first day I've RPed Kogra, she has gone through a lot of progression. When first she joined she was very timid and unsure of what she could do herself. This changed once she started to get to know more of the tribe's people. The insecurity that she had diminished over time as she found that more people started to believe in her abilities. And now she is the Alpha of the Gosh'kar.

At this moment she realises that many of her superiors have stepped down and gone missing and has to step up. Especially since she is basically the right hand of Srelok at this moment. She tries to live up to that position by taking the lead in some of the tribal matters, but is not always as confident as she should be.

On the topic of character progression, do you have any advice for any fellow roleplayers?

Never make too many plans about your character. I personally find it more entertaining to see how certain things develop themselves. I also think that you have a more natural flow of development then.

Often enough I also find that things that happen in RP are applicable in real life. So I suppose that you should also take lessons from the things that you encounter in the digital world and put those to good use in the other world (not Azeroth, nor Draenor). It is how I started to combat my social anxiety and look where I am now. In a way, I think all characters are a reflection of the person behind them in some way or the other. Kogra is no different. There are quite a few similarities, albeit some are a slight exaggeration from mine such as the selflessness, patience, and secrets that have yet to be revealed.

Secrets? So Kogra's story is still unfinished in your mind, then?

I personally believe that the story is finished once the final page has been written. This page could contain the epilogue of the adventure, the death of a character, or sometimes even what he or she brings from beyond the veil of death. Kogra's story is not over, nor do I think that it will come soon but I could be mistaken in that.

With Legion coming up, we will just have to see, no? With hell breaking loose (again) and a demon invasion upon us (again), who knows what we may find? With a new area to explore I am sure that we will find enough things to do and new plots to discover, be these guild wide or personal.

[Kozgugore]

Kargnar

The last remaining member of our current officer team who still awaiting his very own spotlight is none other than Kargnar Bloodpaw! As one of the oldest of the currently presiding Elders of the tribe, he's sure to have seen his share of adventures and experiences within the guild and its history! Time to see what stories he has to share with us! As a little extra, he also just so happens to be the tribe's number-one Rrosh-tul, so who knows he might even give away a few tips and pieces of advice on how to be moulded into one of the best fighters of the tribe!

So, what can you tell us about your first memories with the tribe?

Oh boy that's quite far back. I think my first memories with the tribe at least when it it comes to RP were back in 2011 when I joined on my shaman Grogok Stormbreaker (who I still have, and he is still a New Blood of the tribe) and I had an interview with Kozgugore. I was entirely new to Defias Brotherhood, with Grogok being my first character on that server. While I was getting that initial spam of join this guild or join that guild, I spotted an orc Death Knight called Groshnakk, and because the guild name she was in sounded rather much like the name of an RP guild, I started asking her questions about the guild and what it was like. After I think ten minutes of me asking billions of questions, she told me about the website, and from there I read everything I had access to as a new user on the forum, made and application and got an interview

That's quite some time ago! Now, five years later, you're still with us, albeit as a different character. Were there any differences that you noticed in the way you RPed in general or with the tribe, playing as a different orc or class?

Both yes and no. There were and still are quite a huge difference between how I RPed back then and how I RP now, most of which stemmed from my young age and lack of experience when it came to RP in general at the time, rather than the choice of orc and class. With Grogok I tried to play an orc who was very much like Thrall: diplomatic, friendly and wise. But my lack of actual knowledge and lack of experience in RP made that very hard for me, which ended up with me generally staying away and in the end making a warrior instead. It took me three attempts for the warrior. The first two ended rather catastrophic, with several OOC and IC clashes with members and officers of the tribe, but as I grew older and more mature, the idea for Kargnar came. And that has so far turned out really well.

That's quite the little detour to where you are now! What was it that encouraged you to keep on coming back, both the guild as well as orc RP in general?

It was actually the community within the guild. It wasn't as much the RP, although that is certainly a part of what I enjoy about the guild, but it were the people. Whenever I took a break, either because the game had nothing to offer besides RP, or because of clashes with people (which in a way sometimes happened both) I started missing the atmosphere that is in our OOC channel and the general friendliness that are between the players, both IC and OOC, after a while. In a way I suppose you can say I have become addicted to the guild and its people. No matter how much I tried in the past, in the end I would always return.

Throughout all of those years, you have made your way up to the top of the rank ladder as a Rrosh-tul of the tribe. Is this something you had always hoped or intended for one of your characters to be? Is there anything you would recommend to others, who might want to play a similarly big role in the tribe themselves one day?

When I first began RPing with the tribe, I actually wanted to become an Elder, To me they were persons worthy of respect, they seemed to me as the actual heart and soul of the tribe. But due to the way I was at the time, that wasnever going to happen and in the end I sort of let go of the idea. So when I made Kargnar, I had no actual ambition OOCly. Sure, ICly Kargnar wanted to prove himself, and practically rushed through the tasks he was given, but there was no actual end goal for him in mind. I was more than happy to just see where it all went. When the officer team asked for people that wanted to join them, it was more of a spur of the moment decision rather than anything I had worked towards, and as such I was actually quite surprised when I found out I had been picked, in part because of how I had been in the past. It was nice to see that the officers were willing to look past that, and look at how I was now. As for what to recommend to others that want to join the officer team someday, I have a few things. First of all, don't rush towards it, but rather enjoy the journey. Plan your own events, be friendly and helpful towards both older and newer members both IC and OOC. That is what we as officers look for when thinking of who would be a good addition to the team. It ain't about how long you have been in the tribe, but more what you do for others in terms of creating RP and contributing to a generally friendly community.

Speaking as one of the more 'veteran' officers who's around right now, are there any specific challenges that you find yourself facing as a guild officer?

Well, an ever present challenge as officers is creating RP, especially in times as now where we are between expansions and having been given such a weak expansion as we did with WoD. Hopefully, however, Legion will help us a lot when it shows up. Another thing that sometimes take some time to deal with, is when or if there are some trouble within the guild, for example two people having an OOC fight. What I like the most myself, is to plan events and see and receive feedback to become better, and generally interacting with the members.

Having said that, are there any events or random kind of RP that you've so far enjoyed the most?

That is a rather hard question, because there are so many memorable events that I over the years have spent time on. Some of the ones I remember most were the RP-PvP events we had on Defias Brotherhood, led by Rargnasha, Gnash or our ever courageous leader Kozgugore. But I also love our Kosh'harg events, even more so now that I know how much work there is put into it to make it succesful. I love all kind of random RP. The very fact that it is random is what makes it so nice, because as an officer now, I almost always have an idea what will happen at events. With random RP though, it can go any of a million ways.

Lastly, any big plans in the pipeline for you or your character? How do you see your future with the guild and WoW in general?

No big plans for either me or my character, no. I prefer more to react to what happens, rather than force something to happen for my char. I am rather fine with where he is a the moment, but who knows what might happen now that we are going to get invaded by the Legion in the biggest attack ever made by them. For my future in the guild, all I can say is that I look forward to it, and that I have some ideas for fun stuff for the guild. That is all still a secret though, so I won't say more than: if and when I am done with the planning, it will be a lot of fun. So look forward to it.

[Kozgugore]

Member Spotlight: Nosh'marak

Our last Member Spotlight dates back from before the guild's previous hiatus, which means it's high time to put some of our active and finest members in the spotlight again! Though it's been a long time in the making, it's finally time for Nosh'marak Ironclaw to shine and be recognized! As one of the clan's newest officers as a Rrosh-tul and not to mention one of the clan's few token Alternate Universe orcs from Draenor, he's sure to have an interesting thing or two to say about his time with Orcs of the Red Blade!

How did you end up joining Orcs of the Red Blade, and why? Are there any earliest memories that stick out, perhaps?
It's actually a pretty standard story! I was playing and RPing my hunter, but had an Orc warrior stashed away at around level 30. I decided to start RPing him, first as a Warsong raider, but then ended up switching to a Blademaster after a short bit. I was talking to my friend about which guild to join and which ones are the best for Orc RP, and the name Orcs of the Red Blade caught my attention! I looked it up, having never heard of it, and I was very intrigued - so I sent in my application and waited the most dreadful wait in my WoW time. I was so excited to join this guild; it looked amazing!

As for early memories, I think the one I remember the most was when Vanara and Kyrazha tested some poison on my first Orc and left his arm completely numb for a while! It really just stuck out to me as the atmosphere during the occurence was friendly, something that I wasn't really expecting for a scenario where someone was, y'know, poisoning a New Blood. It got me even more intrigued than before. Fun times!

Is there anything in particular that made you decide to stick with ORB ever since you joined?
Well, quite frankly, it has to be the quality and general atmosphere both IC and OOC! Events were always top-notch, everyone had a way to be included, and there wasn't a lot of division. Everyone RPed with everyone, which was a change from what I'd experienced previously on Argent Dawn. Thankfully it hasn't changed since then - It's still as welcoming as ever! No-one gets bashed on for being inexperienced, but rather get helped with growing and becoming better at roleplay, and in some cases even maturing as a person!

What are your fondest memories throughout the years you've had with ORB? Any orcs, events or personal RP that stuck out or were particularly enjoyable to you?
Oh goodness. There's been a lot of great moments, but I think the stuff that's really stuck with me has been the times when other Orcs and guild friends have helped with some of Nosh'marak's character development; such as when Rhonya and Srelok assisted him (and me OOC!) with his path to becoming a Shaman. It was a hell of a fun journey and it definitely proved to be one of the best I've ever made RP-wise. It's definitely helped Nosh stick out quite a bit as a Shattered Hand.

Another thing has to be the more personal things, such as Makaroth's and Nosh'marak's friendship, or Sadok being welcoming towards him. These things also served to bring him better in to, what was at the time, the Red Blade tribe, and kickstarted his journey as a character! It definitely opened up a lot of possibilities at the start of said story lines, but even more possibilities when they were sort of tied up and finished.

On the topic of orc RP in general, is there anything that sticks out for you? For example, is there anything you'd like to see more of in everyday RP, or concepts that might seem really cool to you or such?
Quite frankly I think people need to stop being afraid of being diverse! I see a bunch of the same character concepts every day, but there's a whole world of other concepts yet to be explored! It doesn't have to be overdone, but it's more a matter of adding your own twist to it. Nothing too extreme, but something to distinguish yourself from the masses. It's not something I see a big problem within our own guild per say, but it's something I'd say the Orc scene in general suffers from. There's no defined way for an Orc to be, even though there's obviously more and less common ways, so don't be afraid to try out a reasonable concept that someone else might say is crap!

Carrying on with that subject, we all know by now that the Mag'har from the alternate Draenor universe will soon become an allied race. You have been RPing one for a couple of years now already, however. Is there anything in particular about an AU orc that appeals to you, perhaps more so than an orc from the main universe? What makes them so fun or interesting for you?
Well, I'd say what interests me about playing an AU orc the most is the fact that there's a vast amount of things and places still unknown to them, and I feel it makes for some interesting RP. For example, an AU Orc who sees a Tauren for the first time would probably be quite confused, but perhaps intrigued to learn more about them. That, along with a story of redemption for the crimes of the Iron Horde, is what sets them apart for me.

As for tips for future AU roleplayers, I'd say to not overdo it, but also don't be afraid to explore the possibilities. Make sure your character has a sensible reason for joining the Horde, and make sure not to rush it. It's easy to make an AU Orc who never joined the Iron Horde, or one who defected due to the values of the Iron Horde, but the thing that you have to pull off is giving them a reason that reflects their personality. Nosh'marak for example never had a family or comrades, and when he stumbled in to the Red Blade in Tanaan, he realized that was something he'd missed. Things like that. Contrast and reflection to their past and present.

[Kozgugore]

Member Spotlight: Trakmar

Made by Angevere

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.

[Kozgugore]

Member Spotlight: Kai'gron

Once a Varog'Gor, always a Varog'Gor? It certainly has been the case with every orc who has donned the prestigious mantle of one of the clan's most revered titles thus far. Even though he parted ways with the clan a couple of years ago to pursue other ambitions, his road has ultimately led him back to the Red Blade once more, his resolve stronger than ever and well on his way to reclaiming his old title once again! Who is this mysterious yet infinitely badass Shattered Hand agent behind the scenes, however? Read on and find out!

What are the earliest memories you can think of when you first joined the clan? Was there any particular reason that you remember choosing for this guild in particular? How do you think back of those early days?
Rolled an orc rogue, went about levelling and RP’ing him with Tai Kaliso from Gears of War crossed with the Predator in mind. Randomly came across a bunch of Orcs RPing at the Crossroads, I kept my distance and just watched and observed and was gobsmacked at how properly RP’d Orcs were. After being very impressed I plucked up the courage to whisper Kozgugore. From that point I learnt quite a bit of orcish lore and began to weave it into Kai’gron, which enhanced my enjoyment.

The early days with the guild back on DB for me were thwart with epic world PvP mainly against the Dwarven Rifle Squad and other prolific Alliance guilds at the time, from these battles sparked my love and hate for PvP.

You're sure to be one of the oldest members of the clan by now. Are there any specific memories that you have from during your time with us that particularly stuck by you? Any that were particularly memorable, be it events, personal developments, characters or otherwise?
I’ve had many memories but the ones that stand out are the traditional ritualistic events that we still hold now... The Om’riggor and Kosh’arg in particular. With my character already completed his Om’riggor before joining the tribe (pre-clan) I felt it still needed to be done, It was alongside Krogon Devilstep within the jungles of Un’goro which lasted over a number of evenings. The entire ‘quest line’ of gathering marks, learning the tribe's lore to the proud moment of being named into the guild will always be my Red Blade moment. This coupled with campfire RP and guild-centric PvP keeps me immensely satisfied in game.

You've RPed Kai'gron for quite some years now, both in and out of the guild. Are there any particular ways in which the character has changed or developed over the years? Are there any particular causes for any such changes?
I’m a very introvert person and that translates in game at times, so my character will lean to being alone quite often. This alongside my love of stealth classes and military special operations games/movies/genres led me to develop Kai’gron into being just that, utilising what the game had to offer such as the Shattered Hand and other similar in-game units. But since the reformation of the clan and being older I feel like Kai has changed dramatically with him being less introvert and more aware of the clan’s members as often is the case players like to share their own love for their character and I do like hearing or reading about them more now. The major change in this is actually changing him to the Hunter’s Survival class which I feel reflects his change of nature.

Among those in the Orcs of the Red Blade, it's safe to say you're one of the more fanatic PvPers. Has the guild's move from Defias Brotherhood to Argent Dawn had any impact on how your experience that aspect of the game? Is there any particular role that you still see PvP playing a part in your RP, despite our move to AD?
I do miss the World PvP, but to be honest, that could be just nostalgia as the game has changed so much and getting ganked/one shotted by a warrior/DK or whatever FOTM class was no fun. Since the move to AD I’ve actually enjoyed some of the ‘restricted’ RP-PvP as it isn’t just a AoE fest that is like a migraine on my screen. Plus the PvE tag of Argent Dawn makes levelling at your own pace enjoyable, I still get my PvP fix from BGs, Arenas, Tol Barad and Ashran. So coming to AD, I get to enjoy all aspects of the game which ever way I choose.

You've been known to liven up your character and the stories he experience with some pretty impressive manipulated screenshots. What led you to start creating these pieces of art?
As a designer, it comes naturally to me. I started enhancing my own screenshots to try and bring life to certain events so that others can visualise what emotes were used. The use of our old DB forum, OotRB's own forum and the Argent Archives gave me a platform to spill my creative juice and really play around with bringing these events to life so that we all could enjoy our characters when not in game. During events I'm always taking screen shots with the intention of enhancing them, but with many things, it’s just hard to find the time to do them nowadays. My first inspiration was from old school YouTube videos of PvPers dueling. I’ve only made one WoW PvP video and looking back on it makes me cringe! It's called Rise of the Defiler.

Battle for Azeroth is nearly upon us now! Anything in particular that you're looking forward to in regards to the expansion? Be it in regards to gameplay or roleplay?
I’m looking forward to playing my new main class (Survival Hunter) and to take my RP with Kai’gron in a new direction with him being more attached to his Wolf ‘Koba’, but I'm really looking forward to actually RPing alongside all the new and old Clan members. War mode is something that I’ll definitely use and I do expect to get ganked by rogues so much that I’ll have to log my own rogue and show them exactly how it's done!

[Kozgugore]

Member Spotlight: Kozgugore

Made by Eepox

Though he's attempted to escape opening up his soul to the public for the past few months, he's finally given into the pressure: this month's Member Spotlight features none other than the Chief himself, Kozgugore Feraleye! Though he's been with us for nigh twelve years now, there may still be a few secrets regarding his time with the guild that he's not yet unveiled until now! We asked you to submit your questions, and here are the answers!

How is it that you've been able to keep up motivation for playing the game, let alone leading the guild so intensively, for so many years?
It wasn't always easy, I can tell you! I won't deny that even I have had my ups and downs when it comes to motivation to host events or even just play the game, and there were in fact a couple of occasions that I forced myself to take a step back and take a break - be it long or short. In the end though, there's just something about WoW - and the orcish race in particular - that keeps drawing me back in. Perhaps when you've stuck with it for such a long time - both the game as well as the race - it becomes a part of you that becomes very difficult to shake off. Especially when you're someone like me who needs to have a creative outlet for all that pent up creative energy that's swirling around in the head. I think above all else though, it's the people and the community that continue to bring me back into the fold. The first time I quit WoW a little more prominently was when I wanted to try out some other MMOs instead (Age of Conan at the time), but members staying in touch with me is what eventually brought me back. After that, the next time I would quit wouldn't be until some six or so years later when I was in a bit of a hard place and couldn't bring up the motivation to consistently play WoW for a while. Once again though, it were certain individuals that stayed in touch with me or who contacted me eventually that made me come back more permanently in the end.

I admit that it can still be a bit tempting to just drop all manner of responsibility and approach the game and the guild a little more casually as time moves on and real life priorities begin to shift, but I still very much enjoy what I do and enjoy the people that I get to play with even more! Perhaps when a 'worthy successor' presents itself at some point, I'll be able to find myself taking a step back without worrying too much about the consequences. But for now, I'm perfectly content with gently steering the ship where necessary. Granted, this past month has been a little taxing given the big campaign that I had planned (entirely my own fault, and I may have underestimated the amount of time that needs to go into it) and I may take it a little easier once it's over, but I look forward too much to what might happen in the future to suddenly vanish now!

Give us one of your most fond memories from all the years you've been in the guild! Seeing you're our longest standing member, there must be something that stood out above other things.
Arguably the hardest question in here! There are so many memories to choose from, after all. Perhaps I should write down a ridiculously comprehensive list at some point, but I'll try and narrow it down to a top three (though in no particular order and probably closely followed by some other, similarly memorable events).

• Cheating a little bit here, but a great many RP-PvP campaigns were very memorable. Perhaps that isn't necessarily because they were pivotal in any way, but they are always a unique case that require a very different approach to the usual events or campaigns. Be it our many campaigns back in Defias Brotherhood, or even ones held in a more 'controlled' environment here on Argent Dawn. Despite some of the stress it brought with it, even the recent Drums of War campaign was quite memorable simply because of the people it allowed us to interact with, both Horde and Alliance. If I were to choose one in particular though, it would without a doubt be the first Anniversary War on DB that I organized, back in 2007. We would have some of the biggest, most unique battles I've seen to date just to celebrate the anniversary of DB as a server, the ultimate high point of which being the battle at the Path of Glory in Hellfire Peninsula. We fought back and forth all night and had some great RP in between all the chaotic fun, with Seiken (Krogon/Okiba's human warrior at the time) being Koz's ultimate rival.
• The Orcs of the Red Blade reunion campaign that we held last year in order to bring the guild back together. Though I organized plenty of campaigns previously, this was kind of a turning point for me where I tried very hard to make the campaigns' stories and events as intriguing and engaging as I could make them. What's more important though, is that it brought the guild back together, stronger than ever before I dare say, after nearly an entire year long hiatus. It was very impressive and even quite heartwarming to see basically the entire, old community coming back together again and picking up where they left off, as if nothing happened. I feel it really goes to show the strength of our guild's community and how tightly knit they all are. I won't deny that it made me a little proud deep inside to be a part of such a movement, and to have helped get it back on track.
• The plot leading into the Warlords of Draenor expansion, for several personal reasons. Certainly, the campaign was very impressive in and of itself, what with the big event to kick off the expansion by fighting the Iron Horde in the Blasted Lands, assaulting the Dark Portal and the ensuing plot to bring the orcs back together after they had gotten separated on Draenor. But it was also the time when some very important developments happened for Kozgugore as well as me as a person. Koz regained his title of Chieftain and was even heralded as a 'Wolfking' by some orcs following the ongoing plot, but it was also a time when I met Sinami in the process. Of course that was an important event IC as she became Koz's mate, but it also resulted in me meeting her in real life and hooking up with her there as well. We're still very happily together and even moved in with one another after some time! Who said WoW can't be any good for your social life?

How do you look at the way that the guild has evolved over time? Are there any specific things that are really different compared to when you joined?
I think I can safely say that the guild has changed quite a bit since I first joined it. Back then, I feel things may have been a little less 'serious' in the sense that there wasn't a very specific direction that the guild was intended to head in to. There were no overarching plot lines or consistent tones between events or members. It was all a bit of a potpourri of lots of different, crazy orcs doing their own thing. Events were more sporadic and more focused on social RP, such as tournaments, camp fires, tribe meetings, completely random attacks on Alliance settlements 'just because', etc. RP has become a little more 'sensible' in the sense that we now require a reason to attack an Alliance settlement, or don't just decide to spontaneously start dancing naked around a camp fire because 'it's fun' (I'm not counting Razaron here, because he's a very special case). What's more, there's no one screaming 'WAAAGH!' any more nowadays. You would be surprised at how that was totally okay back in the days.

Though I would explain all that as the guild and its concept having matured over time, I believe it's RP in WoW itself that has matured a bit as well. Intricately planned events and campaigns slowly became more common as people began to explore the possibilities of the game's RP, and even WoW itself slowly evolved from a more 'open playground' feeling to a bigger focus on storytelling and ongoing plots. I can see exactly the same kind of developments in the guild. Events slowly became more meticulously planned out and our event schedule more consistent. We went from casually raiding Astranaar after a random guild meeting to having plot-heavy campaigns that have yet another overarching plot connecting those campaigns together. I'm sure that there may be some who might actually prefer the 'old ways' and going about things a little less serious and more casual. Personally though, I feel it's a positive development when you look at all the many amazing events and memorable moments that it brought with it.

Did Kozgugore as a character in any way change over the past several years that you've been playing him?
There are definitely some very big changes that Kozgugore underwent as a character. Some of that is of course due to me maturing and 'wising up' over the span of the twelve years that I played him, but it's certainly because of in-game developments as well. When I first started out with him as a concept, I actually intended for him to become a shaman because I found the class appealing and felt it would suit his concept of a veteran of the Horde who had seen Draenor in its heydays before everything went south. Because the guild I had planned to join then (Sons of Draenor, sort of the predecessor to Orcs of the Red Blade as Akesha was briefly in it as well) had so many shamans in it already though, I decided to change him to a hunter while keeping some of the shamanistic traits. It's a decision that I feel has turned out for the better to this very day, as it has quite coincidentally become a part of the very core concept of his persona.

Whereas he started out as a pretty run-off-the-mill orc character with his occasional bouts of blood rage, drunken moments, lust for glory and a healthy amount of pride, he slowly became a more grounded and sober orc over time. Part of that was of course due to him suddenly gaining a great amount of responsibility after his explosive rise through the ranks of the Red Blade and eventually becoming Chieftain, but also due to a more personal journey. The history of the Warcraft orcs is without a doubt one of the most interesting story lines I had dabbled in, so I wanted it to be reflected in Koz's history and behaviour. Thus, the two became interlocked in the sense that Kozgugore's history is tied to that of the orcs'. First there is pride, lots of wanton blood and glory, but then there is defeat, falling from grace and then a subsequent return to shamanism and an attempt to pick up the pieces of a lost history and a return to humility. I feel Koz made a similar development over the years, having had his piece of glory, falling from grace after feeling like he lost everything when Morgeth disappeared from his life, and then returning as Chieftain and attempting to pick up the pieces again. Especially with the plot line that seems to be brewing in Battle for Azeroth, where the honour of the Horde and its orcs is being put to the test, seems like a particularly interesting time to see how that will develop further. Speaking of which...

Where do you see the see guild going over the next few years? And when you look back at your tenure so far, how do you want to be remembered?
Now that's pretty hard to tell! After all, if you would have asked me this question a couple of years ago, I wouldn't have been able to guess that we would still be around in 2018. Then again, it would have been just as unlikely for me to guess that 2017 might have been the year of our permanent end, as it briefly seemed to be, for that matter! So with that in mind, it's a little strange to imagine that the guild might just as well be gone again in one or two years' time, but who knows it might always be a possibility. As we saw last time, people lose their interest in the game or their characters every now and then, or simply need a break from things. I do feel the guild has enough potential and a big enough core player base to stay around for a while longer to come. But personally speaking, I do feel that might depend a little on its leadership as well. The guild has always had a bit of a challenge when it comes to having plenty of active officers who are willing to put their back into keeping the show running. I've always enjoyed organizing things for others in that sense and would happily continue to do so, but even I have my limits, of course! Ideally speaking though, I hope the guild will see many more years to come and might even end up having an interesting story line to play through with the tone that's being set in BfA! In fact, should I be able to stick it out for that long myself, I already have a bit of a road map written out when it comes to the guild's overarching story line. Remember what I said about that creative energy that needs to keep on flowing? Well, that's what you get... along with an unhealthy dose of over-ambition!

Looking back at the times we've had so far though, I feel it's a strange road that I (or we, as the road that the guild's taken is in a way interlocked with my own) have taken. There's definitely a sort of pride when I think of the amount of time that I've been able to keep things together and kept people entertained for so long (with the help of all the other individuals that were involved along the way as well, of course). On the other hand, I sometimes do think to myself "Has it really been twelve years? What am I still doing here? I should be putting my creative energies in home decoration or gardening with how much older I am now!" Then I think of all the things I've obtained from all of it along the way though. I wouldn't have met the many friends I made (and still am making!) through the game and the guild, I wouldn't have learned certain valuable life lessons that I indirectly learned through my interaction in WoW and the people I met in it and I certainly wouldn't have met my other half for that matter either! And each of those things are things I would never want to trade in for anything else for the life of me. WoW and ORB have both been an incredibly integral part of my youth, upbringing and social network. And unlike what some people have tried to make me believe in the past, that's totally okay. So with that in mind, I can only hope that I will be remembered as someone who has tried to give back as much as he has received from the community that's played an ever so important role in his life. Even if the guild were to one day disappear, my primary hope is that the community would still stay together and cherish the many bonds that have been formed through this wonderful medium. If that were to happen, I'm sure I'll be remembered the way I want to be: one of many friends that have been made through WoW and ORB.