Warcraft: The Rise of the Mag'har

[torroar]

7 AA, Month 10
Turn 16
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"Rraggh!" you growl, a bare fist pounding into the boulder.

All around you, the winds of Nagrand blow, while you slam your fists into the stone after retreating into the grasslands to exercise your anger. Kaz did not deserve you in this state, especially with her own condition. Said condition not being her wounds, those are healed completely, but rather the fact that she is still yet pregnant. That does not stop her from finding you, slipping in through your senses and defenses until it is far too late and you realize that she sits upon the stone. Her blind eyes see right through you, and all at once you fall forward to lean against the boulder, sweat soaking your frame.

"You are angry."

"Yes," you grunt out, pushing off against the stone.

"At the Arrakoa, right? It can't be much else," she says, and yet despite her gentle voice you can see the white-knuckled grip in her hands as she holds her blade.

"They have enslaved one of the last Greater Furies," you hiss, before slamming another fist into the rock, leaving behind cracks. "One of the last!"

"They are mad, they either know not what they do in preventing the Fury from aiding in the balance, or know full well and do not care," she shrugs, though you know that she likely dearly would cut them all down for their monstrous actions were she not as pregnant as she is.

"We can convince the ogres to put down their arms, the Dreghood are just barely beginning on their own journey with the elements," you turn away from her, hands lifting to the sky as you speak of such a wondrous discovery, "Velen has forgiven us…and we are closing the Gates that the Horde tore into the world!"

You whirl, then, and glare towards the northeast, off towards Hellfire Peninsula.

"But they…they are so focused on their own insanity that they cannot seem to realize that…I don't…," your voice, which has inspired and flensed pride in and hope in the hearts of all Mag'har abruptly fails you as you try to speak on the madness of the arrakoa. "They attack everyone, they scream and screech and all manner of attempts for peace fail for them. I will not let the Mag'har be another Horde, assaulting and crushing entire civilizations…but I am running out of ways to see another way to make them just…stop!"

Kaz slips from the boulder and carefully drapes her arms around your shoulders, bumping foreheads with you for a quiet moment. Then she steps back and cuffs you slightly on the side of your head.

"Velen chose to aid us, and his people forgave us, because we tried, Dranosh. We gave of ourselves as much as we could to break the chains of hatred that the Horde tried to choke us all with. But the Arrakoa…they enslave, they kill, they hunt and assault all around them. If they must be stopped…they will be stopped. But first, I think, we shall start with the freeing of the Fury. There remains yet more to be done in Draenor, do not forget that."

Then she grabs one of your hands and places your palm on her belly, and smiles at you.

"Do not forget this," she pats your hand once before beginning to slowly lead you back towards Garadar. "We are fighting to secure a future for all our peoples, for all of Draenor. If the Arrakoa threaten that…then we will make them see the error of their ways. Where words fail, husband, the blade will have to do."

Perhaps. It does not make you feel much better about it, but perhaps she is right. You cannot, you are sure, ever justify destroying Velen's draenei or the Alliance nor would you ever desire to even contemplate it. But entities such as the Horde? The Legion? Yes. You can see it. The Arrakoa…yes. Perhaps you might have to put a stop to their nonsensical and maddened designs, especially if they are taking to attempting to enslave the Furies. The Furies of the Wind can bring salvation or destruction, cool from the heat or cut the flesh. They cannot be allowed to be chained down when their very existence is vital to the continued existence of Draenor. Because they are Draenor. But Kaz is right, you cannot simply focus solely on that. There is much more to be done, and to be considered.

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Military: Garrosh has been rather inspired lately, giving speeches about redemption and forging new paths. All traces of his previous depression has disappeared beneath his new outlook on life. (Choose 2):

Clad In Metal: With the mines open and the forges working, you can now utterly remove the advantage that the Horde and Legion has over your warriors. In that your bone and leather and few personal weapons made from metal are largely incapable of matching the fel iron weapons and armor that your foe possesses. No more. Now, with the right application of effort and wealth you can clad your warriors in their own iron and steel, and replace their weapons with better ones. With that, you will match the enemy in all ways now, and so bring an ultimate victory that much closer to your reach. Cost: 3000. Time: 3 Months. Reward: Military overall upgraded to metal for arms and armor. Will Complete This Turn.

Strike the Horde Again: There is no need to let up on the Horde. To let them know that they are not going to be able to hit the Alliance as they like whenever they want. You are already sabotaging their forces, their supplies, and such, but that is going to grow harder as they begin supplementing their forces with demons. The gate in Nagrand is gone. The Gate in Zangarmarsh is contained…for now. You have no idea what is left, how many more were created, but for now there are no more demons coming from the north. The only source of the blasted creatures is Shadowmoon Valley, the only location of the Horde as well as they attempt to push into Talador. Though Garrosh is a little busy, and Kaz is pregnant, and Jorin is injured, you still have plenty of fighters and people willing to kill. Exercise your shamans and arcane warriors, your warriors as well. With the draenei helping you can easily push harder than before. Cost: 500. Time: 1 Month. Reward: Dead Legion, Dead Horde, Alliance aided. Chance of Success: 75%

Haal'eshi Gorge Assault: Blasphemous bastard bird-people! They have enslaved one of the greater remaining Furies of Draenor! It does not matter what these creatures desired his power for, the imprisonment of any Fury only harms Draenor in the long-run as the elements are pushed too and fro instead of maintaining the balance! Send a strike force to slaughter the arrakoa who have dared to take up positions in Hellfire where in a small chasm they work their mad rituals. You do not desire to harm their people as a whole, but they are filled with madness and now have advanced into full on idiocy and damnation! Release Aeranas, and let the Lord of the Eastern Winds be free! They have had time to fortify their defenses, both in the mundane and their strange magics as well! Cost: 500. Time: 1 Month. Reward: Haal'eshi Gorge Arrakoa slaughtered, powerful Wind Fury released to assist in Draenor's balance once more. ?????. Aeranas as a potential ally? Chance of Success: 50%

Making War Alongside the Warmaul, Fighting Part: The Warmaul have agreed to aid you against the Boulderfist. The two feuding clans are more than willing to attack and kill the enemy. At the moment, the Boulderfist have split into halves in the clefts surrounding the draenei settlement of Halaa. One to the north, one to the south. The northern half is closer to the Warmaul so you likely won't have to worry as much about them getting lost on the way. Cho'war seems eager to crush his foes before him, especially considering how you've technically kept him and his clan pent up in the hills before now. To ensure that the Warmaul accept your strength for true, you will have to demonstrate it in battle where they can clearly see it. Cho'war must accept that you aren't going anywhere, and the old way of things is simply no longer acceptable. Cost: 500. Time: 1 Month. Reward: Northern Boulderfist Cleft Interlude(s).

Diplomacy: If there's anything that Greatmother Geyah has taught you, is that not all things can be conquered by a warriors strength. It was with words that the first shamans parlayed with the Furies, the sentient elementals of Draenor. It will be with words that you accomplish more than just a good axe. (Choose 2):

Ogre Assistance: You need some truly heavy fighters to take on the Horde and the Legion, and luckily there is a population of them nearby. The Pillager might not be the most diplomatic sounding name, but if you paid him and his ogres in food and shiny things you might be able to convince them to go forward and strike against your enemies. The Alliance needs all the help they can get, even with the assistance of your own warriors and Velen's. The Horde's numbers are…distressingly large, and the Legion can summon assistance from nowhere through their portals. At least, with ogres, you should be able to finally push them back somewhat. Cost: 500. Time: 1 Month. Reward: Ogres persuaded to fight against the Horde/Legion in Talador Forest. Chance of Success: 65%

Dreghood Rebuilding Offer: The Dreghood are strongly shamanic and a noble heart beats within their chests. IT resonates with you as well, and especially in the heart of your wife. Kaz sees the draenei version of her own people, cast out and stricken as the Laughing Skulls of the past once were. At the moment, they seem to be focused on restoring their own area into a place of actual settlement, which looks to be a shattered temple complex. They call it Sha'naar. Kaz believes that the offer should be made – an offer, mind you, not a direct caravan immediately in case they decide to refuse for pride, that you could donate stone and wood to aid them in rebuilding. Cost: 250. Time: 1 Turn. Reward: Offer given to the Dreghood to gain many supplies that would aid in the rebuilding of Sha'naar so that it is not just ruins anymore. If they accept, the aid would come in caravans – though those would require more dedicated protection thanks to the general danger of transporting through both Zangarmarsh and Hellfire. Chance of Success: 75%

Dreghood Mentoring Offer: The Dreghood are shamanistic, yet their connection to the Furies is not as complete as it could be. As well your people know, the sheer fulfillment and inner peace that a true connection to the elements is a goal worth striving for. At the moment, they as a group seem only able to connect to one of the elements each, and while this is indicative of their own moral character and strength to be able to do so at all, you believe that they could go further. However, it would be presumptive to assume that they cannot make the rest of the journey alone, would it not? On the other hand, they have struggled so hard, and so far, against the fel taint. Do they not deserve a helping hand, a welcome hand, from those who understand perhaps even better than their Velenic cousins of their trials? Perhaps you could make an offer – only an offer, mind you – to have the shamans of the Mag'har journey to the Dreghood and aid them in communing with the elements more completely. A salve and boost for both their spirits and bodies in equal measure. Cost: 250. Time: 1 Turn. Reward: Future option to have shamans sent to Sha'naar to aid them in improving their connection to the Furies, which in turn should also aid the Furies, but only if they accept! Chance of Success: 65%

Stewardship: Garadar simply cannot hold all of these people. Your supplies strain already, and as more and more orcs grow healthy once more the amount of food and housing required will far eclipse what the small city can hold. This must be attended to, and quickly. (LOCKED):

Improving Roads: You have the funds and materials, and you have the idea. Roads help you move trade, it helps your warriors move with more ease than the regular dirt and grasses. Between every single one of your various settlements and those leading up to the Velen's people and his own places. Also perhaps to Sporeggar, why not. It isn't the most glorious work, it isn't even going to be the fastest work, but hopefully it will help everyone along in getting to where they need to go. Right? Cost: 2000. Time: 4 Months. Reward: Full on roads leading to all of your settlements as well as that of your allies. Good for lots of stuff.

Upgrade All Tools: Now that you have access to metal tools, you need to upgrade across the whole of your people's various homes and settlements. Bone and stone are the past, well they always were but you just didn't have the metal tools at the time. It's time to change that. It will cost a pretty amount of your wealth but it is worth it for such strong sturdy things to move out across the land. This will help you build things faster, mine faster, forge faster, and all that and more. Cost: 3000. Time: 4 Months. Reward: Metal tools replace all stone and bone across the realm. Build Times reduced all over the place. Will Complete Next Turn.

Schoolhouse Gul'rok: With Jorin's recent injuries and need to fully dedicate himself to his studies, his has brought up an interesting proposal. He wishes to heavily expand Gul'rok, but not just normally. Specifically, he wishes to turn it into a place of study, a place of research. Essentially, a place where he may pursue his studies in various direction, while other orcs could do the same. It would take a fair bit of income to ensure that it is all made of sturdy enough construction to not be too damaged should any experiments go out of control. Cost: 3000. Time: 3 Months. Rewards: Gul'rok heavily expanded. +1 Learning Option Per Turn. Will Complete This Turn

Learning: Jorin and the Bleeding Hollow seem to all be vigorously studying the few arcane tomes recovered from Mogor's little hoard. Though many of them are also at the Throne of Elements, a few core members, led by Jorin, wish to do more with this strange new power that is not of the demons. (LOCKED):

Riding Clefthoofs: You have a population of Clefthoofs to begin trying things with. The first thing you'd like to try is getting a saddle on them and then training them for battle. Back before Ner'zhul, they were quite aggressive indeed. For goodness sake, Banthar is still running about in central Nagrand, and she's the largest Clefthoof ever seen. If you managed to properly armor them and train them...well, they'd be capable of smashing apart enemy formations with ease. It's a portion of warfare you simply do not have a counterpart for at the moment. Cost: 2000. Time: 4 Months. Reward: Clefthoof Cavalry - Heavy Cavalry Forces. Chance of Success: 50%. Will Complete Next Turn.

Magic Food: So, the deal is thus. One of the spells displayed by the Alliance mages and discovered in Jorin's perusal of Mogor's stolen materials from Azeroth is one to create food and water. Apparently it even actually does act as food. Transmuting pure arcane energy into a bountiful feast is such an incredibly useful thing that Jorin wants to spend a good amount of time working on it so that in times of major emergency your people can fall onto that rather than starve. But he also does not want your people to become dependent on it. So, a good study. Cost: 1000. Time: 4 Months. Reward: Food Supply Boosted. Food level of Stable will require larger decreases to achieve a deficit. Chance of Success: 85%

Piety: The Furies stand imperiously at the Throne of the Elements. Greatmother Geyah has long been the overall spiritual leader of the Mag'har, and it is through her that you make your requests of the elements. (Choose One):

Grant Us Your Blessings: The elements have returned to the Mag'har. Their pain has been soothed. Now, you may once more return to the ways of the past where the spirits helped whisper to the people where to hunt and helped plow the fields and bring the rains. Overall, a great thing indeed that many orcs have been looking forward to ever since the elements returned. Time: 1 Month. Reward: Hunting and Farming income boosted.

Closing The Zangar Gate: The Furies have been calmed, soothed, and prepared as best as they can so that you can close the Zangar Gate. For now, it has been contained from being too bad of a problem, though not without difficulty. With the Zangarmarsh Furies calmed, they can focus upon the closing and destruction of the Gate. Zang'rok has been fighting this entire time to ensure that the shamans have the opportunity to properly commune and cast their strength in with the elements. Let Draenor unleash its wrath once more on the vile pustule which remains upon it once more! Cost: 100. Time: Two Months. Reward: Zangarmarsh Gate Closed.

Intrigue: Something that you have to admit is that poisonings, skulkings, and general sneaking is something that the Laughing Skulls were forced into becoming quite proficient at. Kaz the Shrieker is skilled at it as well. (Choose 1):

Tracking Arrakoa: So the mad bird men are apparently based at one single city that they have built, or rebuilt, or recovered, or something else besides after the apocalypse. Regardless, you need to find this place. Whether to put the bird men out of their misery or discover a way to...well, it would be quite presumptuous to say 'fix them' but at least figure out a way to avoid just culling them all. At least you retained Nagrand, they lost the Spires of Arak in their entirety. How tragic...but you cannot brook their continued raids forever. Cost: 500. Time: 3 Months. Reward: Location of Skettis. Chance of Success 75%.

Blade And Feather: The Arrakoa have proven time and again that they are not interested in peace, or even communication. Their actions in binding one of the greater Furies of Draenor has proven that they are both mad and blasphemous, and so despite your desire to remain distant from the ways of your cursed cousins in the Horde it may be time to begin to strike back. Before you have been solely defensive, but now it is time that the Arrakoa pay for their numerous transgressions with their lives. Their mad little patrols and stalking teams and minor outposts throughout Talador must be put to the torch, their people cut down. In the shadows of Talador will a war against the shadow-magic using bird folk be fought, and yet it is one that Kaz believes must be done. And now, perhaps, you as well. Cost: 1,500. Time: 3 Turns. Reward: Talador Arrakoa outside of Skettis badly damaged in operations/numbers. Chance of Success: 65%

Personal Actions: You used to have free time. Now you are responsible for tens of thousands of people's lives. It is an amazingly heavy burden, but your back and legs are pretty strong and you aren't about to give up. But you can still make some time for yourself. (Choose 2):

Let's Go Hunting: There are mighty beasts in Nagrand. Beasts that stand or fly taller than any of their brethren. Much prestige can be found for the orc who slays them and takes their parts as trophies. Not to mention the meat and hide. It is both recreation and personal adventure to hunt, and seeing as you have secured most of Nagrand now quite well, you have the opportunity to indulge yourself. Wouldn't it be nice to have some stories to tell your children one day? Cost: 0. Time: 1 Month. Reward: Get list of Trophy Hunts to go after. Each will grant prestige and unique reagents for….uh, stuff. Likely unique armors and weapons or trinkets that could be enchanted.

The Blade of the Uniter, Stage Two: You must gather water from the regions of Draenor, in accordance to the desires of the Furies. At the end of this quest, it seems, lies a weapon that they shall forge for you. But in order to craft it, will take the gathering of waters from the remaining waters of the world that remain. For now, you shall journey to Nagrand, to Talador, to Zangarmarsh's places and in rituals that you learn in your dreams slowly draw out the purest essence of the water remaining to them in specially blessed and crafted containers shaped by Gordawg himself. It will be a lengthy series of journeys and rituals, but it will be surely worth it in the end. Cost: 0. Time: 3 Month. Reward: Pure Waters gathered from Nagrand, Talador, and Zangarmarsh.

By Blood Be Cleansed: You have been dealing with a lot of stress and uncertainty lately. You have the Ring of Blood once more, and it has been refurbished extensively compared to the pathetic pit of blood, bones, and vaguely shaped spikes of wood. One of the purest expressions of the orcish life is in combat, this is undeniable, and while you could just as easily attempt to commune with the elements or somesuch…you are not a shaman. You are also aware enough that the youth of your fledgling peoples have the tendency to…forget. It is so easy to focus solely on what one wishes to when it comes to the past, and present, and future, instead of the negative. Perhaps, by taking on any and all challengers in the Ring of Blood you can work out your frustrations, test yourself as ever to keep your skills honed, and more likely than not knock a few heads together of those who harbor doubt or are not properly motivated as to your own policies. Cost: 0. Time: 1 Month. Reward: Minor prestige gain for going undefeated in the Ring of Blood for this month. Frustration and stress relief.

 

[torroar]

GM NOTE: I hope to get the first interludes for the Boulderfist fight out tonight or tomorrow.​

7 AA, Month 6
Turn 16 Results
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Military: Garrosh has been rather inspired lately, giving speeches about redemption and forging new paths. All traces of his previous depression has disappeared beneath his new outlook on life. (Choose 2):

Clad In Metal: With the mines open and the forges working, you can now utterly remove the advantage that the Horde and Legion has over your warriors. In that your bone and leather and few personal weapons made from metal are largely incapable of matching the fel iron weapons and armor that your foe possesses. No more. Now, with the right application of effort and wealth you can clad your warriors in their own iron and steel, and replace their weapons with better ones. With that, you will match the enemy in all ways now, and so bring an ultimate victory that much closer to your reach. Cost: 3000. Time: 3 Months. Reward: Military overall upgraded to metal for arms and armor. Will Complete This Turn.

- It is done. From the forges, the treasures of the earth have once more been given over to the materials of war. Bone and leather is not shed, not entirely, but instead added to, clad additionally with the mighty iron and steel that your people have honed techniques for over centuries. It is a…transformation, indeed, for everyone to see and feel it amongst themselves once more. You, yourself, are given a set of the finest that can be currently made right now, of purest Blackrock ore and smelted steel. It covers you from head to toe, though it is certainly lighter than a fuller set might be. After all, you still required enough lightness of frame for all of your training to be worth anything rather than utterly nullified by sheer weight. Now, your forces are not nearly at the half-naked savages that the Alliance might think of you, nor will you be the soft targets that the Horde has found you thus far. Even if you had been acquitting yourselves well against them up until this point. Reward: Military overall upgraded to metal for arms and armor.

Haal'eshi Gorge Assault: Blasphemous bastard bird-people! They have enslaved one of the greater remaining Furies of Draenor! It does not matter what these creatures desired his power for, the imprisonment of any Fury only harms Draenor in the long-run as the elements are pushed too and fro instead of maintaining the balance! Send a strike force to slaughter the arrakoa who have dared to take up positions in Hellfire where in a small chasm they work their mad rituals. You do not desire to harm their people as a whole, but they are filled with madness and now have advanced into full on idiocy and damnation! Release Aeranas, and let the Lord of the Eastern Winds be free! They have had time to fortify their defenses, both in the mundane and their strange magics as well! Cost: 500. Time: 1 Month. Reward: Haal'eshi Gorge Arrakoa slaughtered, powerful Wind Fury released to assist in Draenor's balance once more. ?????. Aeranas as a potential ally? Chance of Success: 50%->60%. HI

Required: 40. Rolled: 31+10=41.

- This was the first truly significant battle against the arrakoa that the mag'har have ever fought in, and it was nearly your last. This was not a small smattering of huts, or a wild attack by howling berserk bird-men charging out of the woods into heavily reinforced and careful columns. This was an attack upon their own places, held within the Haal'eshi Gorge. A small path into the gorge, within which lay not just arrakoa but avian servants as well in varying ferocities and strengths but certainly high in numbers. With Garrosh busy in Shattrath, Jorin in his studies, and Kaz partaking in the stealth missions throughout Talador, it was but you alone who led the charge. The fight was brutal beyond measure, a kind of fight that was beyond the demon-led legions of both their namesake and the monstrosity of the Horde. This was sheer animalistic insanity of shattered minds who somehow retained the ability to use their devastating shadow magics without pause.

It was the latter which managed to sink and tear at your innards despite your armors, with plenty more warriors falling to the creatures. Despite your best efforts, casualties were high and many died in the fighting even with the shamans present. The roiling shadow magics of the arrakoa are certainly very powerful indeed, but you ground your way into their place of residence and blasphemy with bloody determination. By the end of the battle you had slain dozens of them, your thirst for their blood slaked by the ashen taste of your victory, at least until you reached their leader. Avruu, their mage leader, attempted to use the powers of Aeranas himself against you with a glimmering orb which cut the flesh from bone of many warriors, before the shamans around you managed to cancel out the strangled stolen powers. In turn, you shattered not just the orb but Arvuu himself into many, many pieces. It was, that part at least, glorious. Aeranas was released, and yet you spoke little at all to the Fury as he fled from the area almost immediately though the shamans assure you that he will return once he has recovered from his captivity.

Your rage has finally burnt itself out upon them, for now, but you know that it is more likely than not that they have not given up on such things. You swear, if you learn that they are attempting to bind anymore of the Furies for any purpose at all, you will personally lead the way to Skettis if you need to. Draenor has suffered enough! Any creed, any race that would perform actions which would further harm the shattered remains of your world will need to be dealt with accordingly. Still. You cannot underestimate the arrakoa ever again, for even with all your fury and all your righteous intent, they nearly slew you with more than a few hits. It is only by the grace of the shamans and the priests of the Aldor as you pass back into Nagrand with a stop at Shattrath that your wounds are healed enough to fight alongside the Warmaul. Reward: Haal'eshi Gorge Arrakoa slaughtered, powerful Wind Fury released to assist in Draenor's balance once more. Aeranas as a potential ally? Large amounts of texts from Arrakoa mages on both Shadow Magic and their Elemental Binding recovered for study.

Making War Alongside the Warmaul, Fighting Part: The Warmaul have agreed to aid you against the Boulderfist. The two feuding clans are more than willing to attack and kill the enemy. At the moment, the Boulderfist have split into halves in the clefts surrounding the draenei settlement of Halaa. One to the north, one to the south. The northern half is closer to the Warmaul so you likely won't have to worry as much about them getting lost on the way. Cho'war seems eager to crush his foes before him, especially considering how you've technically kept him and his clan pent up in the hills before now. To ensure that the Warmaul accept your strength for true, you will have to demonstrate it in battle where they can clearly see it. Cho'war must accept that you aren't going anywhere, and the old way of things is simply no longer acceptable. Cost: 500. Time: 1 Month. Reward: Northern Boulderfist Cleft Interlude(s).

- Freshly returned from your expedition to Hellfire, you charge out into the heart of Nagrand against the Boulderfist ogres. Interlude(s) begun.

Diplomacy: If there's anything that Greatmother Geyah has taught you, is that not all things can be conquered by a warriors strength. It was with words that the first shamans parlayed with the Furies, the sentient elementals of Draenor. It will be with words that you accomplish more than just a good axe. (Choose 2):

Ogre Assistance: You need some truly heavy fighters to take on the Horde and the Legion, and luckily there is a population of them nearby. The Pillager might not be the most diplomatic sounding name, but if you paid him and his ogres in food and shiny things you might be able to convince them to go forward and strike against your enemies. The Alliance needs all the help they can get, even with the assistance of your own warriors and Velen's. The Horde's numbers are…distressingly large, and the Legion can summon assistance from nowhere through their portals. At least, with ogres, you should be able to finally push them back somewhat. Cost: 500. Time: 1 Month. Reward: Ogres persuaded to fight against the Horde/Legion in Talador Forest. Chance of Success: 65%

- Required: 35. Rolled: 28.

Unfortunately, despite your best efforts, the ogres seemed utterly disinclined to leave Nagrand at the given moment while they have targets on hand for them to fight with. Which you can only suppose is exactly the sort of thing that Cho'war would support. Why smash something far away when he can smash something closer? Perhaps you will be able to try again later, after you've tightened the bonds between your two peoples. Failure.

Dreghood Rebuilding Offer: The Dreghood are strongly shamanic and a noble heart beats within their chests. IT resonates with you as well, and especially in the heart of your wife. Kaz sees the draenei version of her own people, cast out and stricken as the Laughing Skulls of the past once were. At the moment, they seem to be focused on restoring their own area into a place of actual settlement, which looks to be a shattered temple complex. They call it Sha'naar. Kaz believes that the offer should be made – an offer, mind you, not a direct caravan immediately in case they decide to refuse for pride, that you could donate stone and wood to aid them in rebuilding. Cost: 250. Time: 1 Turn. Reward: Offer given to the Dreghood to gain many supplies that would aid in the rebuilding of Sha'naar so that it is not just ruins anymore. If they accept, the aid would come in caravans – though those would require more dedicated protection thanks to the general danger of transporting through both Zangarmarsh and Hellfire. Chance of Success: 75%

- Required: 25. Rolled: 83.

The Dreghood quickly accept your offer, as for despite their pride they are more than happy to interact more with the Mag'har. They were already rejected by their peoples before, and for all that some are welcome back within the confines of those who follow Velen, the Dreghood have elected to forge their own path distinct from them. This is something you respect, as well as the fact that they accept your offer, meaning that they are not so consumed with pride and this course they have chosen to refuse valuable aid. You can begin transporting them materials and perhaps even workers immediately. Reward: Aiding Dreghood Rebuilding Actions now available.

Stewardship: Garadar simply cannot hold all of these people. Your supplies strain already, and as more and more orcs grow healthy once more the amount of food and housing required will far eclipse what the small city can hold. This must be attended to, and quickly. (LOCKED):

Upgrade All Tools: Now that you have access to metal tools, you need to upgrade across the whole of your people's various homes and settlements. Bone and stone are the past, well they always were but you just didn't have the metal tools at the time. It's time to change that. It will cost a pretty amount of your wealth but it is worth it for such strong sturdy things to move out across the land. This will help you build things faster, mine faster, forge faster, and all that and more. Cost: 3000. Time: 4 Months. Reward: Metal tools replace all stone and bone across the realm. Build Times reduced all over the place. Will Complete Next Turn.

Schoolhouse Gul'rok: With Jorin's recent injuries and need to fully dedicate himself to his studies, his has brought up an interesting proposal. He wishes to heavily expand Gul'rok, but not just normally. Specifically, he wishes to turn it into a place of study, a place of research. Essentially, a place where he may pursue his studies in various direction, while other orcs could do the same. It would take a fair bit of income to ensure that it is all made of sturdy enough construction to not be too damaged should any experiments go out of control. Cost: 3000. Time: 3 Months. Rewards: Gul'rok heavily expanded. +1 Learning Option Per Turn. Will Complete This Turn

- Gul'rock is now near unrecognizable compared to the simple huts and homes that once filled it. Burnt down by the Alliance and the Horde in their battles, broken up by the ogres and other wildlife, Jorin's clan and those who have joined them have forcibly removed all signs of that violent past. Now, Gul'rok has expanded beyond its original borders, with walls of stone, wood, and metal to gird itself. Students practice their spells by continually adding to the magical defenses of the place, strange things that you do not quite understand the mechanics of but at least can see the usefulness of their existence. You swear you saw Jorin quirk a smile at the sight of all of it, his one eye bloodshot from days and weeks and months of concentrated workings. There is no strange circle of floating crystals or what have you that the Alliance's magical forces use for their own similar constructions, but there are certainly signs of that architecture in the squat and study settlement. Rewards: Gul'rok heavily expanded. +1 Learning Option Per Turn

Learning: Jorin and the Bleeding Hollow seem to all be vigorously studying the few arcane tomes recovered from Mogor's little hoard. Though many of them are also at the Throne of Elements, a few core members, led by Jorin, wish to do more with this strange new power that is not of the demons. (LOCKED):

Riding Clefthoofs: You have a population of Clefthoofs to begin trying things with. The first thing you'd like to try is getting a saddle on them and then training them for battle. Back before Ner'zhul, they were quite aggressive indeed. For goodness sake, Banthar is still running about in central Nagrand, and she's the largest Clefthoof ever seen. If you managed to properly armor them and train them...well, they'd be capable of smashing apart enemy formations with ease. It's a portion of warfare you simply do not have a counterpart for at the moment. Cost: 2000. Time: 4 Months. Reward: Clefthoof Cavalry - Heavy Cavalry Forces. Chance of Success: 50%. Will Complete Next Turn.

- Required: 50. Rolled: 62

The training continues. Clefthoof are quite the devastating force, if properly goaded and trained. There is a stubbornness to them that you can admire, along with their more general toughness. Will Complete Next Turn.

Piety: The Furies stand imperiously at the Throne of the Elements. Greatmother Geyah has long been the overall spiritual leader of the Mag'har, and it is through her that you make your requests of the elements. (Choose One):

Closing The Zangar Gate: The Furies have been calmed, soothed, and prepared as best as they can so that you can close the Zangar Gate. For now, it has been contained from being too bad of a problem, though not without difficulty. With the Zangarmarsh Furies calmed, they can focus upon the closing and destruction of the Gate. Zang'rok has been fighting this entire time to ensure that the shamans have the opportunity to properly commune and cast their strength in with the elements. Let Draenor unleash its wrath once more on the vile pustule which remains upon it once more! Cost: 100. Time: Two Months. Reward: Zangarmarsh Gate Closed.

- It has begun! The defenses in place are put to the test immediately. You don't pretend to know just how the demons on the other side know that their gate to your world is closing, but they do. That they've just…casually strolled through to cause destruction and ruination upon Draenor up until now is enraging in the extreme. It is the worst sort of poison, a poison that walks and laughs cruelly as it kills. But no longer. Though it will take some time, this…pustule will be lanced by the might of the Mag'har! Zangarmarsh Gate closes next month.

Intrigue: Something that you have to admit is that poisonings, skulkings, and general sneaking is something that the Laughing Skulls were forced into becoming quite proficient at. Kaz the Shrieker is skilled at it as well. (Choose 1):

Tracking Arrakoa: So the mad bird men are apparently based at one single city that they have built, or rebuilt, or recovered, or something else besides after the apocalypse. Regardless, you need to find this place. Whether to put the bird men out of their misery or discover a way to...well, it would be quite presumptuous to say 'fix them' but at least figure out a way to avoid just culling them all. At least you retained Nagrand, they lost the Spires of Arak in their entirety. How tragic...but you cannot brook their continued raids forever. Cost: 500. Time: 3 Months. Reward: Location of Skettis. Chance of Success 75%.

- Required: 25. Rolled: 31

The trackers have been sent, the rogues talking in the shadows. You will find the bastion of the Arrakoa soon enough, though you know not what precisely you will do then. Will Complete In Two More Turns.

Personal Actions: You used to have free time. Now you are responsible for tens of thousands of people's lives. It is an amazingly heavy burden, but your back and legs are pretty strong and you aren't about to give up. But you can still make some time for yourself. (Choose 2):

The Blade of the Uniter, Stage Two: You must gather water from the regions of Draenor, in accordance to the desires of the Furies. At the end of this quest, it seems, lies a weapon that they shall forge for you. But in order to craft it, will take the gathering of waters from the remaining waters of the world that remain. For now, you shall journey to Nagrand, to Talador, to Zangarmarsh's places and in rituals that you learn in your dreams slowly draw out the purest essence of the water remaining to them in specially blessed and crafted containers shaped by Gordawg himself. It will be a lengthy series of journeys and rituals, but it will be surely worth it in the end. Cost: 0. Time: 3 Month. Reward: Pure Waters gathered from Nagrand, Talador, and Zangarmarsh.

- First, you journey across Nagrand. The dreams guide you, as do the shamans who appear and disappear along your rides upon Dranar. The water comes from the air and the ground alike, and you are stunned at one point as from the pools themselves – dangerously close to the ogres – a fury rises. It does not speak to you, but you feel…cleansed, nonetheless, simply by its presence. Its hands fold over your own, and at the end, you are left holding a strange crystal-like sphere within which is the purest of elemental waters. Your journey has just begun, you know, but it feels right all the same. Will Complete In Two More Months

By Blood Be Cleansed: You have been dealing with a lot of stress and uncertainty lately. You have the Ring of Blood once more, and it has been refurbished extensively compared to the pathetic pit of blood, bones, and vaguely shaped spikes of wood. One of the purest expressions of the orcish life is in combat, this is undeniable, and while you could just as easily attempt to commune with the elements or some such…you are not a shaman. You are also aware enough that the youth of your fledgling peoples have the tendency to…forget. It is so easy to focus solely on what one wishes to when it comes to the past, and present, and future, instead of the negative. Perhaps, by taking on any and all challengers in the Ring of Blood you can work out your frustrations, test yourself as ever to keep your skills honed, and more likely than not knock a few heads together of those who harbor doubt or are not properly motivated as to your own policies. Cost: 0. Time: 1 Month. Reward: Minor prestige gain for going undefeated in the Ring of Blood for this month. Frustration and stress relief.

- Your fury about the Arrakoa is nearly burned out of you by the end of it. Battering aside any orc that dares to step in the ring against you, from elders maintaining their edge to youths who are just reaching the cusp of adulthood. You know that in the coming years that there will be more Mag'har who know nothing but the Nation, and yet none are yet of physical or mental maturity enough to be allowed into the ring. That does not stop them from watching, however. By bare fist, axe, sword, and spear, you dominate the Ring of Blood, to the cheers of the Mag'har who watch. You destroy your foes, but offer your hand freely to let them back up. For this is no deathly combat, no Mak'gora. This is merely sparring, an expression of the primal desire for combat and testing of mettle that beats in the heart of almost all orcs. Interestingly, you saw some of Garrosh's brothers and sisters in the…faith, of the Light, at the Ring. Some offered healing services to salve wounds alongside the shamans, while others actually participated. No soft clothed weaklings are these Aldor, no, for beneath it all they are still orcs. It makes you smile to think of it, honestly. Reward: Minor prestige gain for going undefeated in the Ring of Blood for this month. Frustration and stress relief.

 

[torroar]

The Northern Cleft​

Your armor is still scratched and dented from your fight against the Arrakoa and the duels within the Ring of Blood, but you have no time to buff out the kinks. The time for battle has come once more. Not against demons, but against the oldest of foes for the whole of the orcs. Before the draenei came. Before all of the horrible conflict against them came, there was the ogre and orc. Blood has been shed between your two races before. Blood will likely be shed again even after this is done. In either case, the Boulderfist have too long remained in the shadows around Halaa, raiding and ruining the land as they please. They lack the iron control of Cho'war, who was strong enough and brutal enough to not only force out the Gronn from the caves but forcibly unite the clans beneath him into the Warmaul. Or at least most. The Boulderfist have been a nuisance, but one that cannot be understated in its potential for disaster. They are, after all, still ogres. Mighty and tough, as typical examples of their kind.

Few of them, few of the Warmaul for that matter, display the storied intelligence and cunning of lost Highmaul. You are unsure whether or not that is a good thing. On the other hand you might prefer that over the greater majority of ogres that you can see from the tops of the clefts looking down. Who to your disgust relieve themselves wherever they please, leave their refuse in disorganized piles all about the place, and stink enough to be smelled from even as high up as you are. Or perhaps that is Cho'war and the rest of his Warmaul who are eagerly waiting for battle. Behind you, on the other hand, is an assemblage of mighty orc warriors, the Mag'har, ready to cleanse the Northern Cleft entirely. Jorin, unfortunately, could not make it, and Kaz is pregnant enough for you to be unwilling to risk her in combat. Instead, you are joined by yet another of your oldest companions, Garrosh, dressed in the priestly vestments of the Aldor. His steel staff is topped with a slowly bobbing purple crystal that glimmers yet with holy light.

"Hurngh, you look beat up, orc," Cho'war chortles at you as he walks up, the ground shaking beneath his bulk.

He truly is an odd example of his kind, the bony growths on his shoulders and head making him stand out from all others of his kind. The titular warmaul for which he named his new clan bobs in his fat fist, repeated coats of dried blood on it flaking off in the winds of Nagrand. This is, you realize, the first time the Warmaul have been out of their hills for quite some time, especially considering how the Mag'har's boundaries have been set. As of yet, however, the element of surprise has not yet been totally lost. The Boulderfist do not have any dedicated patrols, seemingly happy to emerge from their cave in the cleft to rampage before returning to nap at random. No discipline to them at all. However…

"Report, Bloodmarrow," you snap the order out.

The greenskinned orc slams a fist into his chest with a meaty thwack, bowing his skull-painted head deeply. Not in the face-painted manner of Ner'zhul – may his spirit be damned forever – but the entire skull. For the entire head. Your heart beat fiercely for Kaz, but the intricacies of the Laughing Skulls would likely never cease to confuse you. For instance, for an orc as heavily muscled as Bloodmarrow to somehow be an excellent scout, you'll never know. Regardless, the rogue slides his rough calloused feet along the ground to sweep it clear before he begins marking positions in the dirt.

(Boulderfist Conditions: 72/100)

"The Boulderfist just got back from a hunt, so most of them are inside gorging themselves on the clefthoof they brought back," Bloodmarrow grins, his purposefully sharpened teeth gleaming in the daylight. "What's left on the outside are dregs, those that were pushed out to act as guards, so on and so forth. Couldn't get deep inside though. They've got their own…primitive mages too."

Huh. Jorin might be interested in whatever spellbooks they've cobbled together.

"They will fall all the same," Garrosh intones, his hands gripped tightly around his staff.

"We gonna smash dem or not, eh?" Cho'war towers over all of you, his smile too-wide, his eye narrowed along with it.

…you do not trust this ogre, you find.

"Our warriors are ready, Warchief," Bloodmarrow bows again, "We only await your orders."

"Indeed. What is the plan, Dranosh? I would prefer not to charge in recklessly," Garrosh says with a quirked eyebrow.

When you open your mouth, Cho'war interrupts with a groaning belch. Entirely uncaring of your and Garrosh's glares, he rubs absentmindedly as his stomach with his free hand.

"Talk talk talk, that all you orcs do? Da Warmaul ain't had a good fight in a while, none of the Goronn are left cause we got stuck up there for so long," he grumbles. "We don't need no plan, we can just go smash 'em right now!"

Technically, that was true. At the same time, the purpose of this exercise was to show the Warmaul your own strengths. On the other, your warriors – while brave and stalwart as could possibly be asked of them – are exhausted and hurt after the battle against the Arrakoa. They are not at their best. The Warmaul have indeed not had a true fight in some time. Garrosh says nothing, but both of his hands are on his staff, so he clearly is waiting for your decision and is ready to enforce it. You glare at Cho'war again, before rubbing at your chin in thought.

Choose Method Of Attack To Reach Cleft Entrance:
[] Lead The Way: You are healed fully from your battle against the Arrakoa, and Garrosh has yet to fully display the powers of the Light at his command in battle just yet. It might be good to both see them to get a better sense on how to use them tactically, to show the other Mag'har the value of the Aldor and the Light, and to further display your strength to the Warmaul.
[] Tactical Valor: There is no need to rush headlong into a fight just like an ogre. Because you aren't one. You are Dranosh Saurfang, and you are not so foolish. Let your raiders draw the ogres out, your archers fire upon them at a distance from atop the clefts and from far away within the waters. Allow the shamans to unleash themselves without forcing your troops into melee with the ogres – which is, of course, where they thrive. Less impressive to the ogres, more likely than not, but it would preserve your troops better.
[] If They Are So Eager: Cho'war is so eager for battle? Let him, then. Let the Warmaul lead the way, and try to smash their way through. Giving him the authority however…may make him think to push ahead without you, or disobey orders in this cooperative attempt. On the other hand, the Warmaul have been pent up for quite a while now, and have apparently been so bored they hunted down and exterminated the last of the Gronn of Nagrand's hills in the meantime before this. It might be better to let them fight now and thus not have the energy to do anything foolish later.

 

[torroar]

Northern Clefts of Halaa​

The blade in your hands is a sturdy one. A human would struggle to lift it with one hand, you think, but not you. It is no masterful creation, and runes do not glimmer across its surface – shamanistic or otherwise. You have seen the examples of better weapons in all of the races save perhaps the ogres. But it will do well enough for this. It is not the axe of your forefathers, and that is a good thing in your opinion. Still. You glance at your warriors, who as ever are ready for battle, but you can't help but critical of the various scuffs along their armor and weapons. Nicks and scrapes. Things to be buffed out and fixed later. But for now…?

"Garrosh," you turn your head slightly, hefting the flat of your blade against your shoulder while the other hand ruffles at Dranar's fur.

"Warchief," he nods at you.

"Back me up."

"Always."

Then you leap atop Dranar's back, and begin to ride at Cho'war's startled grunt.

=============================
​

(Leading The Way: 56-Tired Troops(10)+Unprepared Guards(10)=56/100)
(Ranged Weaponry: 50-10+10=50/100)

The charge comes quickly, the rest of the raiders following you in while the grunts run behind. Above, on the higher edge of the cleft, archers begin to arc down their arrows. Gravity and skill combine as one. Your weapon is raised high, and the howls of wolves and riders as one ululate through the air. For all of this, however, the ogres are no easy foe, simple though their minds can be. Those that are awake and aware enough to respond are up quickly, the chance for battle and to exercise their strengths a welcome one. Surely these are the most disaffected of the clan at the moment, especially considering the fact that they were not allowed in for the clefthoof feast. Perhaps that might be an advantage at some time. As it is?

Your first line is beaten bloody the moment they crash into them. The sheer weight of ogres makes a usual cavalry charge unviable in effectiveness, even as great gobs of flesh are carved out of their fat bellies and wobbling arms. One raider near you is killed immediately after his wolf, his loyal companion's head pulped with the smash of a club before the ogre grabs the raider himself. He roars in pain before being ripped asunder at the waist. But you are busy as well. Your blade rises up and falls into an ogre's back, making it roar in pain and fall to its knees. Another pass ends it.

"Lok'tar, lok'tar!"

(Chaos Of Battle: 61+10-10=61/100)

The cry comes unbidden from your lips, but you let it come out all the same. Dranar, beneath you, snarls and howls as she fights just as you do, biting at an ogre's ankle and ripping away blood and cartilage alike. The fat creature falls to one knee with a pained roar, low enough for you to decapitate them. The grunts come, then, axes and swords flashing. The ogres are thoroughly in the fight, now, with some actually emerging from the cleft and immediately racing into the fight. The rumbling is loud indeed with so many running about, while behind you Cho'war and the rest of his brethren are coming, racing to get into the fight as well. You grimace as you survey the battlefield in a split crystal clear moment, the fight is not nearly enough in your favor. You are killing them, yes, but they are not even close to being overwhelmed.

(By The Power Of The Light, Burn: 100+Fresh Warsong(10)+10=120/100)

A column of light so bright it practically blisters your skin from the heat erupts in front of you. The scent of seared flesh fills the air, igniting the grass beneath, as one of the larger ogres is burnt down to blackened bones. Your head whips bout to see Garrosh, one hand outstretched almost like a claw, a harsh frown to his face. He does not snarl and roar like you would have thought, but instead is a tightly coiled fury. With his staff in one hand, he adjusts his aim, and obliterates another ogre where it was about to kill a downed grunt. Then the light over the staff begins to grow, before Garrosh slams it down with both hands clutched to it, and to your shock…the dead rise. The Light wreathes itself over a group of downed Mag'har around him, their bodies limp and unmoving, before all gasp and let loose hacking coughs, clutching at the wounds that ended them which have faded.

"Garrosh…," you murmur.

The Light…can raise the dead? The spirit should have passed on immediately, what of their journey to the ancestors? The questions burn their way into your mind and burrow deep, the theological implications astounding and frightening in equal measure. Thoughts of the damned Death Knights of the Horde, spirits transferred into fallen humans bubble up to the surface, but Garrosh's face has not changed its expression once. The rest of the Warsong around him begin letting loose lesser blasts of searing Light while healing the wounded, but he walks to you instead of doing any more. Only once he is close enough, blood dripping from both Dranar's maw and from the blade you picked up for this battle, does his face change to a quiet smile.

"I see the questions in your mind, for I had them as well when I learned at the feet of the Aldor. I cannot bring back the long-dead, no. I am not turning our honored dead away from the ancestors."

All around you the battle rages, but you can't help but stare at him all the same. Your doubt, you know, is obvious and clear on your face.

"As best as can be explained, the spirit doesn't leave the body immediately upon death. If there remains enough of them…I can return them before they begin the journey to the afterlife."

"Still," you shake your head slightly. "It…"

"It is an uncomfortable thought, I know," he claps a hand to your shoulder and shakes you slightly. "But we have a battle to finish, and can discuss it more in depth later. Perhaps you will come and speak to the Aldor yourself, hmm?"

(Mop Up: 66+10+10+Cho'war Arrival(10)=96/100)

You stare at him as he burns another ogre to death with the Light, before shaking your head and readying yourself once more. Cho'war is here, now, though you can see he is visibly disappointed at how well you've done thus far. He is not…cowed, no. Certainly not. Not yet. Some of the Boulderfist, two-headed, blast out at your troops with magic, but it is brutish and simple in application. Blasts of fire and ice come from them, and they clearly exhaust themselves with the effort more than your own troops do. Arcane shields spring up from your arcane warriors as they deflect such attacks and shoot back with their own, while others have come closer and loose arrows and spears. These are not stone, but metal, and stab deep into ogre flesh now.

Before you know it, the fight is over. The dying are immediately seen to by both shamans and priests of the Warsong, and some of the dead are even brought back by Garrosh. None of the others who have begun to study the powers of the Light are capable of doing the same, it seems. The son of Hellscream alone seems capable of the strength to bring the recently dead back. It is…quite the experience for others to see. Some of those brought back are panicked, confused, until the Light worshippers come to them, offering food, water, and calm counsel. The shamans are rather fiercely opposed to the practice, but after a fierce if quiet debate with Garrosh they at least agree to put the discussion aside until later.

Now…you stare at the entrance to the cleft, at the blood on the grass and stone that stains it. Over a dozen ogres fell to you personally, aided by Dranar of course, but many yet more remain. The vast majority, in fact. Cho'war approaches, then, chortling, at the blood that splatters across his body and the head of his hammer. Behind him is one of the two-headed variety of ogres, skin redder than most. One of the heads peers at the fallen and the entrance to the cleft, while the other seems entirely focused on you.

"Ha. Not a bad fight, tiny," the Pillager grunts, slapping at his belly. "But you lost a lot of you going up against Krol's boys. Not as many as I thought though! Haha!"

Yes. Orcs have died for this. More orcs will potentially be dead by the end of it. His disrespect of that fact is…increasingly frustrating.

"Strong magic, though," the new ogre says. Or at least one of his heads does, the other seems more distracted. "Healing and damage both. Intriguing."

"Shut up Zorbo," Cho'war grumbles. "That wasn't nearly a good enough fight, and you know it."

"Of course, my King," the now named Zorbo bows, both heads locking forward with gazes looking down. "My apologies."

Cho'war sniffs and turns away, though you note that both of Zorbo's heads roll their eyes.

"Good fight. But there's more. More of them cowards, running away from their king. I pushed out da gronn. I rule da hills," Cho'war slams his maul upon the ground, cracking the earth. "Traitors die. Traitors die!"

Then looks down at you.

"You did good, little 'Warchief'. But you took all the fun. Now you can sit and guard da entrance…and let da King meet 'is people."

Then he stomps away, calling together a great number of his ogres near the entrance. The Boulderfist are certainly alerted by this point. Stealth and surprise are no longer a weapon in your arsenal to be used. The Mag'har, on the other hand, are looking ready once more. Those that couldn't be brought back, either because their bodies were too damaged or Garrosh was simply unable for a multitude of reasons, are pulled to the side for proper burial later. The others are readying themselves once more. You watch as Garrosh walks amongst the warriors, his demeanor…so utterly different from the near-suicidal creature of before. Remarkable. His will, properly focused, is tremendous. A small benefit of his legacy by blood, you suppose.

"He'll never properly ally with you, you know," Zorbo suddenly says from next to you, having declined to follow his 'King' towards the entrance. "He's too proud. Too strong."

You glare at him, hands curling into fists at your sides.

"We are stronger. We will prove that to him."

At that, one of Zorbo's heads guffaws while the other chuckles.

"We know you're stronger, oh Mag'har," the ogre says in unison.

Then Zorbo lifts his hand, and you watch as the wind whistles through it temporarily, water from the nearby springs which fills the basin beneath Halaa burbling. Then it ceases to your wide-eyed shock.

"The elements told us so."

You take a small step to the side, Dranar cocking her head at the ogre.

"You…are a shaman?"

Zorbo's heads nod in unison.

"We are. We hear their words. Their…wisdoms. If you have the ability to listen, that is," the left head adds. "Is it so surprising? We descend from the gronn, and they from the magnaron, and they from the colossals. We have always had a connection to the Earth, before even Water, Fire, or Air."

"But…," you struggle to wrap your head around a shaman as a foe to the works of the Mag'har. "Why would you all…if you know, then how…?"

"The Furies don't have a 'chosen people'," Zorbo's heads shake at you in bemusement, "They never have. Before they spoke to the orcs, they spoke to the ogres. Few enough could listen at the time, and most…in the time of the Gorian Empire, turned to the arcane."

The ogre shaman shrugs his heavy shoulders.

"But…I will say this. The Furies voices have never been clearer in our minds. Before, they were so muddled…you could barely be sure they were actually talking to you at all," one of his heads says, the other remaining silent with a contemplative look on its face.

"And Cho'war, he…doesn't?"

Zorbo shakes their heads.

"No. He cares about war. About fighting. About…domination. He's close to the elder Breakers, our ancestors, that way. Enough to break and slay the gronn who ruled us before."

You glance over at where Cho'war clubs an ogre over the back of its head, snapping a hand out at another assemblage of ogres.

"And…you, I suppose, are different," you raise an eyebrow at Zorbo.

"I am," both heads nod. "The Boulderfist…no one has seen Kron since Cho'war threw him out, but Kron was perfectly happy to serve the gronn. Cho'war, on the other hand, will never serve anyone. He doesn't respect you, and even if he did…well."

Zorbo turns away from you and begins to walk before stopping.

"He respected the gronn too…and I watched as he broke them apart, piece by piece, with his hammer. Still, we have been proven wrong before. I would not be surprised if it happened again."

You glance at the shaman, now able to tell, after a moment's closer study of the feather necklaces, the small fetishes and charms that are smaller on their frames than they would be on that of the Mag'har. But there will be no more speaking with Zorbo now, as he has joined the rest of the ogres, and you assume he would prefer you not speaking about his criticisms of Cho'war while the 'King' of the Warmaul is standing there next to him. Still, it is something to think about. Mages and shaman, both in the Warmaul and the Boulderfist. You cannot afford to discount them, like you know that part of your mind was before.

Lesson learned, then.

"Are you all right, Dranosh?" Garrosh asks you as he comes closer, his priestly robes now flecked with the blood of those he knelt with. "You look…concerned."

"Not about the fight," you shake your head, "About other things. Spiritual…matters."

"Ahhh," he nods slowly. "I see. What are your orders now? Do we rush in ahead of Cho'war again, fight alongside them…?"

Choose One:
[] We are not done yet. We shall lead the charge once more. Let the Warmaul observe the bloody wake of the Mag'har and know the Nation's strength.
[] Fight alongside the Warmaul. Observe their combat capabilities up close. Let them see your own abilities up close as well. Through the cleft's innards, it will be unavoidable if you do this for them to see your strength.
[] The Warmaul are fresh. Too fresh. Too untested. And Cho'war is boastful and proud. Let them rush in first, and move in behind them. They want battle? They feel that they have been cooped up too long in their hills? Let them be disabused of that notion.