Depends what you mean really? And what you'd define as a demon policy? He's an expert demonologies and arcanist and one of the top mortal experts such things in the world, and he's investigating various other methods and objects to further empower him as he wants to get more powerful.
Part of the problem is what counts as a demon, as far as we know anything from the twisting neither may or may not be a demon. We call the burning legion demons, but most of them aren't natives to the nether.
Depends what you mean really? And what you'd define as a demon policy? He's an expert demonologies and arcanist and one of the top mortal experts such things in the world, and he's investigating various other methods and objects to further empower him as he wants to get more powerful.
Basically if there's a demon do we capture or get rid of it?
There's a merc mission at a magical prison with escaped demons about to burst out and I'm starting to think one result is to have the warlocks bind them or Grok does it just like with the earth elemental.
Part of the problem is what counts as a demon, as far as we know anything from the twisting neither may or may not be a demon. We call the burning legion demons, but most of them aren't natives to the nether.
They're not no, but they've been transformed into demons by, presumably, Fel infusion or similar processes. The higher level warlocks can acheive metamorphosis, and demon hunters have demon souls and are therefore 'demons' so we might merely understand demons to be any organism, natural or unnatural, which is largely composed of fel energies or formed by it.
As for the Twisting Nether, it's somewhat unclear in lore whether they're actually in space or what. Did the demons emerge over time for example through a natural process of evolution, as creatures that subsist on the chaotic energies of creation as Light and Void clash? Or were the the Nathrezeim for example merely the first significant species who employed the Fel, and were transformed by it.
The Lore is generally a bit of a mess on this sort of thing. At no point has it really been Blizzard's intention to properly establish how and why certain things work. Indeed, the lore creaks under it's own weight and the demands of the commercial product itself.
Certain quests, which I shall not name, take it upon themselves to dedicate immense swathes of writing to examining the metaphysics of their universes in what I tend to find is a largely pointless exercise. While it might come up occasionally, the precise mechanism of what is and isn't a demon is largely academic, and would only be relevant if you were involved in academic matters of research. Grok is a blademaster, he has other things to do. If anyone has anything specific they need me to opine on because they want to take some sort of action, sure, let me know.
Basically if there's a demon do we capture or get rid of it?
There's a merc mission at a magical prison with escaped demons about to burst out and I'm starting to think one result is to have the warlocks bind them or Grok does it just like with the earth elemental.
Well, what do you want to do with it? I mentioned ages ago in the initial stages of the quest that you shouldn't necessarily assume cannonical things, and that you should understand that you can go talk to 'mobs' or enemies. You've had chats with various enemies from a variety of areas and you can continue to do so. Very few people will fight you immediately, and if you can demonstrate that you're able to defend yourself then the list of people who are just going to attack you gets even smaller.
High level demons can be reasoned with, you can talk to them, convince them or ally with them, or you can indeed fight them. If you kill them they'll generally return to the Twisting Nether, but the reason the Kirin Tor were imprisoning them in the first place was to take them off the board without just freeing them and sending them back. They'll have a longer respawn timer the more powerful they are, but for example Azgalor, a Pitlord, took about 30 years between deployments in the Third War and the Battle of the Broken Shore.
So, as I say, it depends what you want to do with them. If you want to imprison them you need facilities for it, and if you want to ally with them you need something you can give them to motivate that pact. In Tol Barad for example you have a pitlord. You could probably offer him battles to amuse him, and you might be able to bind him somewhat withe collars discussed in the previous chapters that the Argus Wake were using. It's up to you really how to deal with them.
For his part, Feldad has a flexible approach. He has no moral issue with the summoning or binding of demons, or the sacrifice and murder of centaur prisoners of war to fuel these activities. He will dominate lesser demons and either avoid or make arrangements with greater demons, depending on need.
Well, what do you want to do with it? I mentioned ages ago in the initial stages of the quest that you shouldn't necessarily assume cannonical things, and that you should understand that you can go talk to 'mobs' or enemies. You've had chats with various enemies from a variety of areas and you can continue to do so. Very few people will fight you immediately, and if you can demonstrate that you're able to defend yourself then the list of people who are just going to attack you gets even smaller.
High level demons can be reasoned with, you can talk to them, convince them or ally with them, or you can indeed fight them. If you kill them they'll generally return to the Twisting Nether, but the reason the Kirin Tor were imprisoning them in the first place was to take them off the board without just freeing them and sending them back. They'll have a longer respawn timer the more powerful they are, but for example Azgalor, a Pitlord, took about 30 years between deployments in the Third War and the Battle of the Broken Shore.
So, as I say, it depends what you want to do with them. If you want to imprison them you need facilities for it, and if you want to ally with them you need something you can give them to motivate that pact. In Tol Barad for example you have a pitlord. You could probably offer him battles to amuse him, and you might be able to bind him somewhat withe collars discussed in the previous chapters that the Argus Wake were using. It's up to you really how to deal with them.
For his part, Feldad has a flexible approach. He has no moral issue with the summoning or binding of demons, or the sacrifice and murder of centaur prisoners of war to fuel these activities. He will dominate lesser demons and either avoid or make arrangements with greater demons, depending on need.
I think as a result of the revelations and infusion of orcs more flexible with the fel, I felt the use of demons against the scourge or more powerful ones can be warranted provided said demons are kept behaved.
Since as you mentioned the magical prison, I think while the sensible option is to keep them contained but as there's fel experts Grok has more options to consider when it comes to the inevitable war with the Lich King which requires tons of meat for the grinder.
Then there's also getting to talk and understand them. Those that aren't dreadlords like the pitlord to see what they have to say for themselves.
Or it's just straight up binding them just like with the earth elemental.
Assuming you can. Elementals are difficult enough to handle. Most Legion species are closer to mortals in the way they behave, and may be more independently minded than they appear
Assuming you can. Elementals are difficult enough to handle. Most Legion species are closer to mortals in the way they behave, and may be more independently minded than they appear
I'm not really sure if Grok would be for that step. Maybe some of his more fel followers but it would require said pitlord to follow Grok rather than the other way around when he has the demonswords.
However using it as a reagent? It would be something worth considering.
I'm not really sure if Grok would be for that step. Maybe some of his more fel followers but it would require said pitlord to follow Grok rather than the other way around when he has the demonswords.
However using it as a reagent? It would be something worth considering.
The stuff here shouldn't really surprise people given the general conditions of the quest. Nothing has really changed, Grok just has more information now and a more specific view on what he should be doing. Also, this is only part of the conversation so keep in mind that Grok and Feldad will be discussing various things offscreen. If you wanted to ask Feldad particular questions let me know and I can just answer them from the in universe perspective.
Constable Turn 4 Results
The words did not strike you as they should have.
You wondered about that.
It should have been shocking. It should have been an outrage. You should have leapt to your feet with a denial, an oath that he would take back his words.
But you said nothing. You looked back and him and nodded for him to continue.
"Gul'dan established the Shadow Council to subvert the Chiefs of the Old Horde. Then Doomhammer found out about it and killed them all, sparing only Gul'dan himself and the most junior of his apprentices. Gul'dan gathered us in secret, instituting the system of Circles before his death. You know I am of the First Circle, and by this discussion, I induct you into that Circle too. My chief advisors are of the Second Circle, while others of lesser ranks of course exist. This system has allowed our clan, and the revived Shadow Council to spread across Azeroth. Many know their superior, but not the others of other groups. Thus, the Shadow Council maintains both security of its operations, and assures some level of control."
"The Shadow Council is risen then?" you ask.
It was mildly surprising, but you were entirely aware of the insidious nature of the Fel. It beckoned and promised to people who wanted the power to control their own destinies and the freedom to act as they might will. The Legion had tried again and again to get a foothold on Azeroth through various means, that they would take advantage of such an organisation already firmly established within the culture of the Orcs was obvious.
You were so divorced from such things though. You perceived them as an artificer through a crystal lens, remote and across the great gulf of time. Your father had lived these events, whereas you'd merely heard about them from others or read of them in books.
The old Shadow Council would have been elder shaman and magicians who sought greater power and influence for whatever reason among the Old Horde. Gul'dan would have ensnared them for their influence and the possibility of using them to increase his own. But the way your father spoke of it, the younger apprentices would have been hungry and lusty for power, driven to extremes and willing to break taboos and traditions to achieve their own place in orcish society. That was a primal need, one you'd felt yourself before when you'd feared exile from your clan. You could well understand him. How had it been to stand, bloody, upon the Path of Glory and the bones of the Draenei and to walk to the Dark Portal, to see the shattered remains of Draenor and the death of a world, before moving onto another one to slay it too?
Truly, it was a strange thought…
"Indeed, and while the original Council were amateurs, the new Council has had twenty years to perfect their use of the Fel. They are skilled in curses, destruction and demonology, and it's the later with which I've earned my place among them." Your father explained, "Doomhammer slew the first Council, yes, but Gul'dan ensured his legacy of darkness would continue. Most don't even know who they serve. Technically, you see, even you are their agent. This was how I was able to communicate your deeds to my peers, telling them how you made alliance with the dreadlord, Varimathras, and transported thousands of Forsaken to us here. There are cells around Durotar, some like our clan in Orgrimmar who act as the face of the Council in the Horde, subtly influencing opinions to the Fel and demons, while others are hidden and act more like bandits or thieves, or even creators of great magics and gatherers of reagents like the elders of our Clan atop Dreadmist Peak."
This you knew. Your father was a proponent of the Fel's use in society for a number of purposes, and was happy to speak to the Blackrock about how the Fel could constrain Elementals for their forgings for example. Then there was the goblin, Darkstorm, and his ilk who no doubt produced small amounts of common reagents from their banditry and summonings, and then there were the elders who had made the Demon Seed, the power source which has allowed Varimathras to whisk the Forsaken away from their blight-haunted crypts and the siege of the Scarlet Crusade.
And you could see your place in it too. You walked side by side with two Fel Orcs, and had many warlocks in your service. If you, an orc known for his honour, could tolerate such magics, it would do much for the Shadow Council to demonstrate that the Fel was an acceptable tool, thus moulding Orc society to their desires.
How many groups were there who didn't know they ultimately served the Legion? Had the Syndicate been one such organisation? They'd been infiltrated by the Argus Wake, but it was several degrees removed from the Legion itself so that even if the Syndicate, the Argus Wake, the Burning Blade, the Shadow Council itself had been destroyed and overcome, the Legion itself would hardly be worse off than before.
Again, you wonder why you don't feel betrayed now. But the answer is simple once you consider it.
You trust your father.
You want to question him, to ask 'What is there to be done?', but you stay silent for now.
"Our clan is the largest single organisation, and is where the majority of the Council's strength is concentrated. This past year we have worked to rid Desolace of the Centaur, as well as to enhance our inventory of magical reagents and our armoury of enchanted items. My own part has been in the increased summoning of demons and the weakening of the liminal barrier between reality and the Twisting Nether. That, and subverting Thrall of course. Meanwhile, Kaz Steelfist, the chief of the Burning Blade here, has coordinated all the actions of the clan."
"A female?" you asked. It was unusual, but not unknown.
"Indeed. The daughter of one of the original Council members. She sat in the meetings as a child, where none would perceive her and learnt much. Then at a gathering years later she strode in and demanded her place on the Council, killed two members who objected, and was acknowledged." Your father explained. "I am the face of the Clan to the Horde, and she is the true leader of the bulk of our forces."
You had often heard of warriors cycling between Orgrimmar and Desolace, so you could well see how influence might have been maintained between the different branches of the clan. It was concerning, but your father clearly had strong influence all the same.
"There are other groups in various places, but the leadership are in Felwood. It was the site of many foul rituals in the last days of the Third War. Some orcs offered themselves to Archimonde again when he strode forth to destroy the World Tree, and while he ignored them the Dreadlords put them to work. Lord Banehollow, a nathrezeim, holds the Council's leash and tugs at it to amuse himself, but Fel'dan, who calls himself the son of Gul'dan, is the leader currently."
The phrasing implied it was a falsehood, but perhaps an amusing one. Who could have ever imagined Gul'dan, Master of Darkness, setting forth in the marriage pact. You smiled at the thought as your father pauses, examining a cloud of dust that perhaps signifies some gathering of warriors responding to your father's summons.
"I will not claim that my plan now has been unchanged for twenty years. For a long time I only sought to advance myself and our clan within the Horde. I had to build respect and connections over years, seek out and barter knowledge from others and develop my abilities with the Fel. More recently, in the years since your birth, I thought in the longer term. I sought a way to remove our people from beneath the foot of the Legion. You may be optimistic, but I tell you that if the Legion wished, they could destroy this world easily."
"I believe it can be done, father." you said. You didn't think you'd convince him with just that, but you felt you had to say something.
He just smiled and continued, "I decided that if I could not defeat them, I would join them. I saw a future, perhaps many hundreds of years away, where it was Orcs who planned for the Legion, not Dreadlords, where it was Orcs who commanded their forces, not Annihilan."
It seemed to you that such a plan was skipping the obvious step. "Why serve at all? You claim we are slaves of the Legion, what honour is there is being the highest ranked slave? My honour would tell me that it is better to be dead than to be a slave."
"And then our people would be dust and bones." your father said quickly, "To what consequence? No." he shook his head, "They have portals, monsters, cunning generals and a dozen separate schemes to subvert Azeroth. They have metal ships with great engines that fly through the Twisting Nether and rain death over worlds… I do not believe they can be defeated. If I am wrong, very well, but I will say that. I would win us a high rank among them if I could, but it would be a long fight. I considered, as your brothers in the Demonsword Clan have obviously done, whether we might have a race of Fel-Orcs, though it was never a project I pursued seriously. Perhaps I should… But there are many concerns we might have. I've employed a number of alchemists, despite the lack of interest our Clan has in such areas generally. Certainly we must develop our ability to transport bodies of troops across the world and we couldn't contest the Kul Tirans or the Trolls as we are. I know a high priority for Warchief Thrall is the construction of a harbour, that and getting blackpowder off the Goblins! This business with the Light is something you should pursue too, I was among the first to take the Burning Wish, perhaps you are merely the first. It's just a new type of magic, there's no reason for our people to use it."
That was not true, but there was no opportunity to explain your unique connection to the Light for your father had gotten to his feet now in his excitement. He was rambling, a dozen ideas for projects pouring from his mouth. His voice, once devoid of emotion as he relayed historical events, was now bent half toward his ambitions and dreams. He had never had the oracular gift as you did, but you saw ambition laid bare as he walked to and fro, gesticulating with his hand.
"I saw this all," he continued, "and thought of you… I sent you away because my resolve was weakening and I needed a cruel strength to master demons, one I could not maintain with you around."
He turned to you then, fixing you again with a strange gaze.
You thought it was a lie, or at least, not the whole truth.
Your father had made it clear on a number of occasions that he'd been ashamed of you. You hadn't taken the Fel and had instead pursued a failed tradition. You hadn't grown to even an average size and as a child many had mocked you for it till you'd proved your skilled with the blade. Why does he not blame this instead? It was not even especially shameful, you knew his position had been shaky sometimes with Thrall distrusting of the Fel and of warlocks. You wouldn't have held it against him, once you understood that your presence invited comment that your father was weak or unmanly for siring such a child.
It is a lie, you decide. He is ashamed to admit it, or his pride doesn't allow him to, no matter how much he respects you now, he did not once and that shames him.
You stay silent. Once again you nod. You cannot condemn him.
"Your success hasn't changed my mind. I intend to continue my work." your father pointed out. "I intend to master the Fel, to grow in influence and power until I control the Council and can wrest it from Banehollow, to grow further till even Kil'jaeden cannot ignore me. I would destroy the enemies of our people and we would be strong and prosperous once more, as it was upon Draenor in the old days!"
Your father clenches his fists, this time both his natural hand and the Hand of Iruxos, standing proud against the horizon as his robes flow in the wind.
Then he looks at the thing of black metal and flame on the end of his arm.
"It is a dream, and one of vanity." he says, "That is where you come in." he pauses, turning away from ambition and toward you, "You don't hear it much nowadays, but on Draenor we used to say a warrior was 'sharpening both axes', that he could trust in one, but would prepare another to be safe against foes. Perhaps with enough strength we might undo the Legion. We might even lay siege to Antorus itself, throw down the Legions masters. Archimonde was defeated, why not Kil'jaeden and the rest? The Kal'dorei did it, why not the Orcs, who were made for war? But to do such a thing we would need such a great a force as might be mustered across the cosmos. We would need engines and magics, strategies and fortresses. If I rise in the Legions' esteem I might stand before Sargeras' throne and throw all my power against him. I might only wound him, but in doing so I'd create an opening and perhaps the armies of Azeroth might flood through after. Again, a dream of vanity, but one you must pursue. Indeed, I lay it upon you as a solemn duty. Swear it to me!"
His hand grasped your shoulder again, and this time you felt the claws digging in, grinding at your bones. The fire in your father's eyes danced in a sort of mania. He had spoken for almost an hour now, his words growing more and more excited as he laid out this plan he'd made over decades.
"I have sworn to protect Azeroth and the peoples of this world." you replied, meeting his eyes. "I swear again now then, that I will defeat them, and bend my will to make it so."
With a single nod your father releases you. He seems to deflate, the frenzied energy that you'd not noticed till now flowing out of him. He sat in silence for a time while you thought. You supposed you partly weren't surprised because this was exactly like your father would do. He was a cautious man, slow to act and prone to consideration and thought on matters. He was indirect, unless with those he had formal power over. He had welcomed many folk into the Burning Blade, not just warlocks but shadowbinders and mages too, as well as maintaining at least a respectful relationship with shaman and the Blademasters. It didn't surprise you that this extended to his politics too. This was a far more ambitious plan that you'd ever have thought of, but that he saw such a mighty destiny for you was humbling, after years of fearing his gaze.
"Whatever we must do, our people must be strong enough to do it." Your father murmured. "While I serve the Legion here, and Thrall on the other side of the continent, I have subverted both, when I could. The energies intended to sustain this portal were from the other portals I've made in the last year. I was planning to summon Agogridon next, a Pitlord of my acquaintance, give Kaz Steelfist someone to deal with while I went about my business. But now I've set that work back months." he said with glee, "And my summons to the warbands around these parts will hopefully reduce our capacity to war with the centaur considerably. We'll not be in any true danger, but Steelfist and the others will have to take more care of the battles I think, which will leave me in greater stead."
"Is it within your authority to do such a thing? To dispatch forces or portals as you will?" you asked.
"I will just tell them Varimathras ordered me to, perhaps. Or, that my son has reported the Scourge's activities and that I meant to strengthen the forces arrayed against them. After the Forsaken were transported over here the Council has little force in Lordaeron and this will seem like I am trying to create one. I will say you already support our endeavours, that you employ fel-orcs and warlocks. It's even true!" he laughed. "The Shadow Council rules the Burning Blade, but the Dreadlords rule the Shadow Council. There is no one more they hate than the Lich King and the Scourge, for the Scourge were their replacement for the Orcs, an army to defeat the Alliance. They wanted a more obedient tool they could control better, but the Lich King rebelled against them all the same. They dearly want vengeance against Ner'zhul and if I send warriors to you to assist the Scarlet Crusade I'll have cover against Steelfist and those in our clan or the Council who might oppose me."
Then he turned to you again, "That explains, I hope, my actions over the last few years. Now we come to your requests. You wanted advice. You won't get it from me. You're a chief and folk acknowledge you as Warchief, that is enough. I am too removed from these affairs in Lordaeron to properly advise you. If I were you, from my understanding of the situation, I would accept the mantle and what it entails, I would march on Blackrock Mountain and call Rend out. But I am not you."
"I know." you said, "I want us to be more. I don't just want to rule through strength, if I am called to rule. I want to make our people better."
"And you shall, but it is for you to decide how to do that." your father said. "The issue of the chieftainship lays heavy on you, I know. That is easy to resolve. It would be complex to transfer the Chieftainship of the Burning Blade to you. You already know I don't truly hold it, but I will return to Orgrimmar and announce formally that I regard you as a Co-Chief. That is what Blackhand did with his sons, and Thrall and Drek'thar did much the same. I will put a motion to the Circle of Elders that due to your heroism and service to the Horde, your exile should be rescinded and I shall say that I regard you as a true chief now. They will support such a motion, I know, and in truth the exile has become rather thin recently, or it will certainly be when news travels of you commanding ten thousand orcs. The fundamentals of the situation won't change, I will rule in Kalimdor and you in Lordaeron, until we can take the Clan back properly from Steelfist and the Shadow Council."
That your father makes you chief, just like that, even of the smaller part of the clan which does not openly serve the Burning Legion, seems incredible to you. You had wished for such a thing for as long as you could remember, but now it seems to small in comparison with what will come next.
"I had thought perhaps to split the clan, to name a new one as some have done before." Indeed, Rend, son of Blackhand, had once been a co-chief with his brother of the Black Tooth Grin Clan, and Rend subsequently had also split his Blackrock orcs into several subclans within Blackrock Mountain.
"I wouldn't advise it." your father replied. "There are about thirty thousand of our clan here in Desolace but that's not widely known, I think Thrall must think we have only twenty thousand perhaps, along with the few thousands we have in the east around Durotar. If I get a good quantity to you you'll have almost reached parity, at least in pure numbers. It would still be clear you're the junior chief, but you'd have enough power to manage your affairs. There would be little point in splitting in such a way, for no one truly regards such clans as anything other than the vassals of their father-clans, as the Whiteclaw were to the Frostwolf, or the Lightning's Blade were to us."
That made sense, and it was good at least to have a clear indication that you shouldn't try to split the clan in such a way. You'd ruminated much on the clan structure in the past few years. There were advantages to it, but it also held your people back in many ways. The humans didn't maintain such a system, even if they could point to a community or district they were from in a more general sense.
"Not being a chief and not being willing to simply declare myself one were some of the few things which stood between me and the cries that I be Warchief." you noted, "If I return with many more orcs those cries will grow louder, perhaps loud enough that my remaining objections would be washed away in the tumult."
"And yet, do you not deserve it? Thrall was hardly better when Doomhammer acclaimed him. You have demonstrated subtlety, valour, and exemplary vision. That is more than Thrall did, who was only a son of a chief and the first shaman in his generation. It is not so different. Doomhammer himself was merely a senior warrior and first captain of Blackhand, and Blackhand was selected by Gul'dan and intrigued into the position. Measure yourself against them, but measure fairly and know that you have your own worth." your father noted. "Allow them to acclaim you, do it formally, and never announce it yourself. If you truly believe that you don't deserve to be Warchief, very well, but your warriors obviously don't think that."
Your father's words were comforting, but you spoke more, "And the rest of my questions?"
He shrugged, "Trust yourself, and your advisers. You spoke once of reviving the Blademasters, do so, they can be your knights, assign each of them a district and speak to them of honour that they might enforce your will. You admire the humans, or some of their society, it's plain. Give your orcs such institutions as the humans have, perhaps. I've had much success with the Circle of Elders here, perhaps you might convene a similar one. If you're so concerned with your own actions, delegate somewhat to the Circle. No one has done this in the history of our people. You sit, as Blackhand did, upon the precipice of a changing society. Blackhand's changes were successful, the specialisation of the tribes for example, but you could look back and see how he spread Blackrock ideals over others and drowned out other voices with his works. Reflect upon that, I should say."
You suppose you'd already done so a little. You'd dealt with the New Clan before, unsuccessfully. As a chief and warchief you might dictate to them, or seek to absorb them into the Burning Blade properly. You weren't sure if that would actually be desirable, but at least you'd thought of it before.
"Rend must be dealt with." you mused, "But he must be dealt with in a manner that least damages our people, the relations with the Alliance, or the pact with the Black Dragons. We must use them, I think, and many of our people are still hold up in Blackrock Mountain. We could use the Blackrock Clan's expertise too, if we are to combat the Legion."
There was so much to do!
It is all well and good that your father could summon demons to assist him or command them to bear him aloft in flight, but the Horde of Alterac were weak indeed and you needed to be in multiple places at once to properly coordinate them. It had been one reason you had led previous battles and expeditions yourself instead of sending others to lead.
You didn't know if it was vanity, really. You father spoke for hours of specifics, of the movements of warriors and armies from here to there, or of what he knew of the disposition of your enemies and of the names and habits of the Shadow Council's members. It was grand indeed, a powerful message and a fearful duty he laid on you. You ate, briefly when an attendant brought jerky and hard bread, but then you were back to talking. In time various individuals made their introductions. You brought through Haomarush and others to speak with your father and all the proper courtesies were made and over several days the war parties, some in much confusion, made their way through the portal.
Two meetings in particular stood out to you, those between Haomarush and Nagaz, nominally the two highest ranking individuals in Alterac apart from yourself. Technically Nagaz was not a chief, but he was of a high rank among the Burning Blade, and led an independant force which elevated his status, even above those captains you had who commanded thousands of warriors when compared to Nagaz' hundred demonologists.
Haomarush was first, as his status was assured.
"Revered Blademaster, you honour us much, I am the Fireblade of Hallvalor. May the spirits of our ancestors watch over this meeting." your father intoned in the Old Tongue.
Haomarush bowed deeply, "Your name carries great weight among our people, as the sire of our battle-leader. I am Air-cutter of Earthwound. May the spirits of our ancestors watch over this meeting."
It was extremely archaic and you noticed Haomarush wasn't nearly as comfortable with the Old Tongue as you or your father were. No doubt Jubei'thos had taught him, but it seemed he'd not had much reason to use it. Many didn't, you knew Thrall didn't speak it very well and your father had often addressed him in it as mockery to the Warchief's human upbringing.
You supposed you could potentailly introduce yourself in such a manner. While your father wasn't a blademaster, he'd held the Fireblade for many years and was entitled to use the courtesy name that came with the blade, just as Haomarush was entitled to use the name of his own blade, Sanketsu, a elegant term for strangulation or the severing of the neck.
Neeru straightened, his gaze never leaving Haomarush's. "Blademaster, I have heard tales of your prowess on the battlefield and your wisdom in council. The echoes of your deeds reach even the darkest corners where I dwell. How fares your clan under your vigilant leadership?"
Haomarush nods, "My clan thrives, tempered by the fires of adversity and guided by the honor of our ancestors. We have heard of your recent conquests and the power you wield. What new insights have you gleaned from the depths of the dark magics you command?"
It went on like that for some time. They were both taking pains to speak in the extremely formal dictation of such meetings and it was amusing to see. Haomarush, so quick to battle and to slay, held a frenzied energy in his shoulders and a weighty tension in his neck as he spoke with your father, each of them asking questioned phrased to praise the other, without giving more than a brief answer to the questions they received themselves.
Haomarush grew more comfortable as they went on, your father ignoring the occasional errors the other chief made in his speech. There was one awkward pause when Haomarush had started a sentence but then evidently couldn't remember the right word to continue but your father ignored it, as was the custom, not acknoelding Haomarush's error so as not to embaress him.
They eventually bowed respectfully again and your father turned to Nagaz, his posture suddely predetory, crouching and esposing his great artificial hand, laying it like a stooping drake on the shoulder of the Argus Wake's chief.
You'd decided by now that your father could control when the hand brought forth fire, and this time Nagaz sweated as the thing of Fel Iron burned and smoked on the orc's cloak.
It was an incredibly discourteous gesture when compared with the highly regimented and ritualised greetings of before. It was like a wolf grabbing another by the back on the neck to demonstrate dominance.
"Come now, Nagaz." your father greeted the warlock, "Tell me of your efforts, you've done much I've heard, do you think yourself a shepard now, to raise livestock as you do?"
Nagaz sneered back, his pride too great to subcumb just then, "I do what I am ordered to, Fireblade!" and the name came out in a sneer, "And it is none of your affair. We each have our own function and you'd do well to remember it."
"To remember it!" your father grinned, and the smile was an evil thing, "Indeed, I will remember yes."
There was a pause where Nagaz obviously considered his options. "I will bring my people through the gate, Alterac is not so friendly to us now, and we have accomplished much that I should report on."
It was bold, and you raised an eyebrow as the evil smile came back to your father's face.
"You would come through?" he asked, and there he looked every inch a warlock of the Shadow Council, "Perhaps yes, no doubt you do have much to... account for. Perhaps I should summon Lord Banehollow and the Council to make your report, what say you, I have correspondence with him and certainly we might meet with him."
Nagaz blanched. "Perhaps it were best that I and my people remained in Alterac." he admitted slowly.
Your father only clenched his hand till Nagaz winced as the felfire started to burn through his furs. "That would be best, yes."
The amusements over, your father having dropped a few more names you assumed were of powerful demons, senior in the Legion's heirachy, you turned to the approaching warbands making their way swiftly across the plain of Desolace.
"We shall have difficulty even housing them all." Sesk said, "What will you do with them?"
You had thought perhaps a thousand warriors, or two at most might answer your father's summons. No though, it was at least seven thousands, from several different warbands, each commanded by blademasters. Some were Fel-orcs, a larger proportion than you'd find in other clans, but they took a look at Sesk and Haomarush and said nothing. There were shaman, wolf riders, black-clad alchemists you suspected had once been Bleeding Hollow, as well as a dozen other groups of all sorts.
"We have few wind-riders." your father explained, "The Spirits of Desolace are much disturbed and the wyverns will not tolerate it. I understand from your words and those of Chief Haomarush that you've bend many of the elements to useful purposes? Perhaps we shall do the same here, for it would take years otherwise to discipline them into service. In any case, you'll have a decent number of warlocks though and they can manage messages over longer distances. I'm sure you'll work something out."
The warbands were not your father's to command, but his boldness paid off and their captains obeyed. Neeru Fireblade's will was supreme in the matter of portals, it seemed, and none would contest him.
"Never show weakness to them. I would say rotate them around and lead them personally as much as you can." your father instructed.
"I know." you only replied, already thinking about it.
Of your clan's forces in Desolace, the seven thousands were perhaps a third of their fighting strength. But you didn't only have warriors but their kin too, for to combat the centaur Kaz Steelfist had employed a system of fortified settlements across the wastes and hills of the region. Your father had ordered the complete abandonment of several of those settlements and you'd have warriors and battle-shaman yes, but also womenfolk, elders, craftspeople and peons.
They were currency you might spend well in the war against the Scourge, but you knew they'd be difficult to integrate unless you were firm.
"The next one is Rahjak, he seeks battle above all else, point him at skilful or dangerous foes and duel with him regularly and he'll he happy. He's a strange fellow, he-" your father explained, then stopped abruptly at the sight of a single figure stepping up the portal's steps. He was hooded and cloaked, but had a fine, if faded, mantle like your father. "What are you doing here?" he demanded at once.
"Is this the way the young speak to their elders?" asked the figure, pulling down his hood to expose an ancient face, "Woe to my departed Ancestors, who now sit by the shore of the Sea of Zangar, that such a thing should pass. I saw Spirits in the sky and heard them in the earth, I wanted to know what was going on, and now I find my own son is the cause of all this commotion!"
Could this be your grandfather? You'd not known he still lived, your father had received the same blade you wielded from Xerash Fireblade when the later had given it upon taking the shaman's path. Your grandfather must be ancient by now. You made to make the formal greeting but your father batted your hand down. They didn't get along.
"He is a cantankerous old fool, and don't you let him forget it." your father grumbled quietly to you, and then in a louder voice "Go through, dotard! I didn't summon you. Trouble someone else and do it far from me!"
You spoke long with your father over the days on many matters, but after the dim sun rose over Desolace's brutal plain twice more the portal began to wane, and you could feel the energies draining from the structure.
"It is time for you to go. I have done what I can for you." your father said. His face grew drawn and cold, and he laid a hand a final time upon your shoulder and his speech was thick with emotion and the formality that restrained it, "Remember what I've told you, but do not fear. You are my son, and you will not fail."
It might be years before you saw him again. The portal could be reactivated, but your father had explained how it would take great effort, as well as certain esoteric knowledge only the Legion's commanders might know. You too hid behind formality. You departed as a chief, and said your farewells to him as a chief too.
As the final energies faded, you thought of what you might say, but thinking on the conversation of the days you knew it. Words of promised victory, an oath of rebellion.
"Galtak Ered'nash." you said in the tongue of your enemy "All hail the Burning Blade!"
+ Xerash Fireblade, your grandfather, a powerful and skilled warlock
+ 7500 Burning Blade clansmen with a mix of various troops as well as their dependants
+ 7 senior Blademasters
Alterac Demon Gate deactivated, for now
+100 Argus Wake warlocks
Gun industry failed, must be taken again to establish
Lordemere Lake and Silverpine Forest taken
400 Dragonmaw prisoners recruited
Kul Tirans assisted against Vrykul
+50% Riding > Advanced Riding due to training your drake and more frequently riding about on things. You're still unlikely to do a lot of fighting while riding or make it your main form of transport. But you can still fight while mounted or ride in battles where you might want to.
Advanced Leadership +25% for discussions with your father and other senior leaders.
Advanced Demonology +25% to next level due to observations of various demonological efforts.
Basic Survivalist bonus relating to the Echo Isles lost, Grok has forgotten about it by now.
Persuasion > Advanced Persuasion due to various efforts talking to people.
Advanced Scholarship +25% due to detailed discussion of history and contemporary politics regarding the Burning Legion.
Warlocks gained
Xerash Fireblade
Jubeka Shadowbreaker
Murgul
Mordak Darkfist
Gran'dul
Jugkar Grim'rod
Nagaz, with his disciples Marez the Cowl and Ritssyn Flamescowl
Blademasters gained
Rahjak, a Blademaster seeking the perfect battle and the 'Breath of Eternity', with his disciples, Redjaw and Brolic
Haomarush and his disciples including Mazath
Saruk
Takata Steelblade
Mankrik
I do not necesasrily encourage reading these. My job as GM is to arbitrate rolls, which stimulate the narrative by simulating randomness and agency. I find that sometimes people get upset at this arbitration or confused due to how I write stuff out or interpret things, but I also think it's important to post the rolls so people can see them. As such, have a look if you want but don't be too concerned about it.
actions
Demongate 65, contact established. Feldad strengthennig connection? 68, done. gate stable. open portal? 4, not possible yet. POtentially locked to Burning Crusade only? Would need passwords and reagents. Also noticed by Legion.
Establish Industry. 17, going quite poorly! Reroll due to attention from various parties, 30 barely better. Difficulty in setting up initial stuff. Slight industrial capability set up, but will need to be done again to properly start producing things at scale. Now only artisnal workshops.
Expand the Kingdom, Lordemere Lake and Fenris Isle, 79, done easy. Diplo with Silverpine forests, 29 poor, they accept situation but are unwilling to sign up currently. Shadowfang 68. Reply from Arugal? 29 poor, pushed back to shadowfang. Silverpine taken. Response from others 64, raised eyebrows but no one cares.
Recruit the Prisoners, diplo first, 55, willing to properly sign up>? 97, got them all. Good job.
[Free] Mercenaries: Kul Tiras' Plea for Maritime Assistance. Vrykul or Goblins? Vrykul. Broad roll, 59, fairly effective. Assault on Vrykul stronghold on Kul Tiras 97 displaced and conquered, very well done with few losses, Kul TIrans grateful. Invitation to Boralus
Non actions
Stormwind defias and blackrock situation 8, significant degeneration. Check for Defias and Blackrock, 1, 63. Defias attack on the royal family, kills anduin. What a shame. Blackrock situation not so problematic.
Warlock progress on gettnig the demongate started, 68, gate open, ready, some demons summoned. Hostile? 62 no not immediately.
Scourge in lordaeron vs Crusade 16, situation degenerates again, Scourge even more powerful. Leaders remerge.
LK Plans adcancing, bonus from lordaeron scourge, 51 but +bonus. Plans advance.
Zul'jin getting involved? 97, big assault from ZUl aman against Scourge positions. Zul'jin active.
Black dragon plotting, bonus from Defias action, 63, generally going well. Onyxia vs Nef? 52, situation stable and balanced.
legion plotting, need to restore scourge situation while also pushing in other areas. 91, signnificant demon summoning or other things going on.
defias expansion, 56 taking advantage of their attack
random event vectoring, southwest, silithus, twilights hammer driven out by druids, will look to basing themselves elsewhere perhaps.
Hinterlands nightmare 4, significant degredatoin of situation, Emerald Nightmare stuff happeninga ll over the place.
turn 4 non actions
Forsaken prisoners 17, situation not so great actually may do something about that
Tol Barad demons, 4 situation really not so great maybe do something about that too
Kalimdor
Thrall refocus on politics? 6, very poorly
Horde general retrenchment due to elemental upheaval and also Nelf push 77 generally very effective, problematic due to Thrall not being about, others stepping forward.
Kul Tiran expansion vs goblin cartels, 6 poorly will want more mercs.
Centaur Desolace defence 44, stable but on the back foot.
Horde internal politics BB vs tauren old god faction and others 42 relatively stable but old god faction and Grimtotem are agitating.
BB chat
Feldad gaining influence in BB and wider BL org, 34, not really, in fact has been somewhat reduced perhaps as Forsaken got away from him etc
Feldad gaining influence in Horde, 33 also not super successful as people view him as aggressive etc.
how many hundreds does Feldad manage to steal? 7500 reinforcements.
What % of blademasters? 77, most of them that he can get.
BB evil, Kaz Steelfist
Shattered Hand with BC too
War in desolace between forsaken+burning blade and centaur. Quillboard destroyed in Razorfen, have dispersed to various areas now.
Varimathras doing stuff? Whether in desolace or plaguelands, which one? 46, desolace.
I admire Feldad's cojones and he's right. My thoughts about his motivations did ring some bells. He noticed a lot of things ever since the formation of the horde, shadow council and everything leading to this moment. But most importantly fatherhood has given him a change in perspective which I picked up on especially when after Dreadmist, Grok took the blame and he got the Firesword.
That ones going to have to be a choice but we'll have to see if the magic prison mission is chosen. I'd rather imprison and not do that but if the blood is to be received it must be given voluntarily.
"And yet, do you not deserve it? Thrall was hardly better when Doomhammer acclaimed him. You have demonstrated subtlety, valour, and exemplary vision. That is more than Thrall did, who was only a son of a chief and the first shaman in his generation. It is not so different. Doomhammer himself was merely a senior warrior and first captain of Blackhand, and Blackhand was selected by Gul'dan and intrigued into the position. Measure yourself against them, but measure fairly and know that you have your own worth." your father noted. "Allow them to acclaim you, do it formally, and never announce it yourself. If you truly believe that you don't deserve to be Warchief, very well, but your warriors obviously don't think that."
It's a theme that's always brought up in the quest. The deeds of orcs before that were the founding members of the horde. Regardless of reputation learn from them and their mistakes.
You suppose you'd already done so a little. You'd dealt with the New Clan before, unsuccessfully. As a chief and warchief you might dictate to them, or seek to absorb them into the Burning Blade properly. You weren't sure if that would actually be desirable, but at least you'd thought of it before.
"It is a dream, and one of vanity." he says, "That is where you come in." he pauses, turning away from ambition and toward you, "You don't hear it much nowadays, but on Draenor we used to say a warrior was 'sharpening both axes', that he could trust in one, but would prepare another to be safe against foes. Perhaps with enough strength we might undo the Legion. We might even lay siege to Antorus itself, throw down the Legions masters. Archimonde was defeated, why not Kil'jaeden and the rest? The Kal'dorei did it, why not the Orcs, who were made for war? But to do such a thing we would need such a great a force as might be mustered across the cosmos. We would need engines and magics, strategies and fortresses. If I rise in the Legions' esteem I might stand before Sargeras' throne and throw all my power against him. I might only wound him, but in doing so I'd create an opening and perhaps the armies of Azeroth might flood through after. Again, a dream of vanity, but one you must pursue. Indeed, I lay it upon you as a solemn duty. Swear it to me!"
His hand grasped your shoulder again, and this time you felt the claws digging in, grinding at your bones. The fire in your father's eyes danced in a sort of mania. He had spoken for almost an hour now, his words growing more and more excited as he laid out this plan he'd made over decades.
"I have sworn to protect Azeroth and the peoples of this world." you replied, meeting his eyes. "I swear again now then, that I will defeat them, and bend my will to make it so."
With a single nod your father releases you. He seems to deflate, the frenzied energy that you'd not noticed till now flowing out of him. He sat in silence for a time while you thought. You supposed you partly weren't surprised because this was exactly like your father would do. He was a cautious man, slow to act and prone to consideration and thought on matters. He was indirect, unless with those he had formal power over. He had welcomed many folk into the Burning Blade, not just warlocks but shadowbinders and mages too, as well as maintaining at least a respectful relationship with shaman and the Blademasters. It didn't surprise you that this extended to his politics too. This was a far more ambitious plan that you'd ever have thought of, but that he saw such a mighty destiny for you was humbling, after years of fearing his gaze.
The stuff here shouldn't really surprise people given the general conditions of the quest. Nothing has really changed, Grok just has more information now and a more specific view on what he should be doing. Also, this is only part of the conversation so keep in mind that Grok and Feldad will be discussing various things offscreen. If you wanted to ask Feldad particular questions let me know and I can just answer them from the in universe perspective.
yeah what made blackhand, doomhammer and thrall worthy of being warcheif nothing, blackhand was chosen cause he was a the leader of a powerful clan and already shown to be easy to convince by guldan and the others by his lust for power (as shown by how quickly he went into the whole age up children thing and his disgust at the frostwolves for letting the "weak" live) all doomhammer really did was kill blackhand and that was enough for the horde and as for thrall it was being durotans son same with rend but instead being blackhands son.
Kargath becomes warcheif of the fel horde cause his the strongest around and most likely cause he was willing to listen to matheridan till illidan came along
so why shoulnd't grok be one whats makes the ones above better nothing 1 of them only got the job cause he did what the shadow concil wanted (blackhand) two only got it cause they of connections (thrall and rend), kargath cause he was all that was left on drenor after kilrog died and nurzhel pissed of (like if kilrog didn't die I don't think kargath would of gotten the title)
edit :forgot to add orgrim he won it by killing the last guy during makgora which out of all of them is honeslty the most respectable
Reading trough the interlude it actually shows that this is a very important turning point for Gork, now he have a very clear goal and no doubts, he also is not ignorant anymore wich is a boon.
Really I wonder with this new understanding of the Fel if he can't figure a variation of Soulfire that would allow the raw Fel to burn the demon bits away, not making it easier, hell if im reading it right would make it harder to control but making it not inherently corruptive. It would be big boon to the demonsword.
It is a lie, you decide. He is ashamed to admit it, or his pride doesn't allow him to, no matter how much he respects you now, he did not once and that shames him.
It's sad Feldad can't bring himself to open acknowledge his initial doubts of us, but all that he heaped upon us can hurt when suddenly turned to self-doubt, especially for the prideful.
We would need engines and magics, strategies and fortresses. If I rise in the Legions' esteem I might stand before Sargeras' throne and throw all my power against him. I might only wound him, but in doing so I'd create an opening and perhaps the armies of Azeroth might flood through after. Again, a dream of vanity, but one you must pursue. Indeed, I lay it upon you as a solemn duty. Swear it to me!
That your father makes you chief, just like that, even of the smaller part of the clan which does not openly serve the Burning Legion, seems incredible to you. You had wished for such a thing for as long as you could remember, but now it seems to small in comparison with what will come next.
He shrugged, "Trust yourself, and your advisers. You spoke once of reviving the Blademasters, do so, they can be your knights, assign each of them a district and speak to them of honour that they might enforce your will.
You didn't know if it was vanity, really. You father spoke for hours of specifics, of the movements of warriors and armies from here to there, or of what he knew of the disposition of your enemies and of the names and habits of the Shadow Council's members.
Neeru's also meticulous and detail oriented about this whole thing, it isn't a flight of fancy embraced to appease a son who might rebel. And of course he's freely giving us so many resources manpower wise.
"Is this the way the young speak to their elders?" asked the figure, pulling down his hood to expose an ancient face, "Woe to my departed Ancestors, who now sit by the shore of the Sea of Zangar, that such a thing should pass. I saw Spirits in the sky and heard them in the earth, I wanted to know what was going on, and now I find my own son is the cause of all this commotion!"
"It is time for you to go. I have done what I can for you." your father said. His face grew drawn and cold, and he laid a hand a final time upon your shoulder and his speech was thick with emotion and the formality that restrained it, "Remember what I've told you, but do not fear. You are my son, and you will not fail."
It might be years before you saw him again. The portal could be reactivated, but your father had explained how it would take great effort, as well as certain esoteric knowledge only the Legion's commanders might know. You too hid behind formality. You departed as a chief, and said your farewells to him as a chief too.
As the final energies faded, you thought of what you might say, but thinking on the conversation of the days you knew it. Words of promised victory, an oath of rebellion.
"Galtak Ered'nash." you said in the tongue of your enemy "All hail the Burning Blade!"
Grok'mash Fireblade, Blademaster, with his guard, the Blademaster Sesk
Azanoth, a trained war-drake of the Black Dragonflight
250 Burning Blade including Grok's original warband and more recent inductions during the Lordaeron Campaign, mostly converts from the Blackrock Clan, led by Sorek and Scorn.
3700 Blackrock Orcs led by Tagorr the Dread and Jed Runewatcher.
500 Warsong led by Shatterskull
1700 New Clan led by Drum Fel
200 Frostwoles led by Gol'dir
2800 Demonsword Clan warriors, led by the Blademaster, Haomarush
400 Dragonmaw prisoners
Around 450 Boulderfist Ogres led by Vark, along with a Gilnean Ettin
+ Xerash Fireblade, your grandfather, a powerful and skilled warlock
+ 7500 Burning Blade clansmen with a mix of various troops as well as their dependants
+ 7 senior Blademasters
Alterac Demon Gate deactivated, for now
+100 Argus Wake warlocks
[...] 400 Dragonmaw prisoners recruited
Oh, okay, that puts our Orc & Ogre numbers up to, what, 17,600? That's almost as many as the Warsong Clan.
Actually, come to think of it, the Orc Clan Numbers Informational only put the Burning Blade numbers at 8,000, but here they were able to send 7,500 to assist us and presumably have more back home. Guessing either they've had a lot more who are Burning Blade-aligned via indirect allegiance, or there's a large amount of other Orcs who have been joining with the Burning Blade given their recent rise in power?
EDIT: Hmm, the Informational also notes that the Frostwolves managed to absorb a lot of Clanless Orcs under Thrall. It hardly seems unlikely that the same thing could have happened with the Burning Blade's own meteoric rise.
we might need to soon deal with rend hes gonna be a problem for sure now that we rival him for numbers (now I am not sure how many he has but I have to feel we are about even his group were never really that big but it could be different) cause we went from annoyance to wait what. rend might start making more moves cause we are a bigger threat now
Keep in mind that the majority of the actual burning blade was on the evil deamon fortress. The new goal for Gork is basically subvert them probably deposing rend and taking over the western horde so they have a force powerful enough to fight off the burning legion.
In esence Gork fully changed to the Warlord track.
we might need to soon deal with rend hes gonna be a problem for sure now that we rival him for numbers (now I am not sure how many he has but I have to feel we are about even his group were never really that big but it could be different) cause we went from annoyance to wait what
Going by this from the QM (assuming it's still accurate), the Blackrock have 80,000 Orcs and are said to be split between Thrall and Rend, but we don't know the exact ratio of the split. Rend also has the whole Dragonmaw Clan.
Assuming the split is equal, that would put Rend at around 60,000 Orcs. Granted, it's probably less than that by now, since IIRC, a large chunk of our Blackrock Orcs are former POWs from the rest of the Alliance that were once part of Rend's army.
So we're still probably significantly outnumbered (by over 3-1 under this assumption), but our conflict with Rend is as much fought in the political sphere as the military one as I understand it. I'm not really familiar enough with Warcraft lore to be certain, but Grok's been winning a lot more glory-covered victories than Rend has recently, which probably makes him a lot more appealing to at least a few Orcs.
Is being a massive nerd also a symptom of magic corruption? Loved hearing feldad yapping about magic so much that even Grok was like wtf. So much else as well. The reveal of steel fist being our rival with thirty thousand orcs makes me worried. Is she even subvertable with such numbers because even with the extra orcs froms desolace and potentially rend it's still gonna be a balls getting her to step down.
Also Xerash is cool. Didn't even know Grok had a living grandad. Hopefully he can reveal some embarrassing shit feldad did as a young warlock. Sad about the gun foundry I'd say we try that again because gun orcs/ogres sounds like a crazy powerful infantry unit.
1- she is not our rival shes feldads cause she is the one he is fighting with our rival atm is rend (I say rend cause we are both now warcheifs, we are on the same continent, and we have the same recruitment base )
2- most likely not (but not ruling it out) cause she is most likely more gon ho about the legion then feldad who seems to only have doubts cause he was wrong about us.
