All the World's a Stage: Plot points for Orc roleplayers
by Anne Stickney 
Sep 18th 2011 at 7:00PM
Orcs have always been an interesting race. Though the Orcs originally came from Draenor, they've been on Azeroth long enough to consider the planet home -- and they've made their fair share of enemies along the way. Even though the Orcs had little to do with the Scourge portion of the Third War, focusing instead on the Burning Legion's assault on Hyjal, the Orcs (and in turn, the Horde) had a large presence in Northrend during Wrath of the Lich King. With Cataclysm, their influence is larger than ever.
And then there's the simple fact that Orcs are the backbone of the Horde itself. When once-Warchief Thrall formed the Horde, it was simply the Orcs of the Eastern Kingdoms. But as soon, as Thrall decided to follow the advice of the mysterious Prophet and head west over the oceans, that all changed. First, he picked up the Darkspear along the way; then the Tauren were added after landing on Durotar. Somewhere between Warcraft 3 and World of Warcraft, the Forsaken were also added. These days, the Horde is a motley mix of races, united together under one banner -- but the Orcs were the ones who started it all.
So what does an Orc in today's Azeroth have to consider from a story standpoint?
Goodbye Thrall, hello Hellscream
What happened In the novel The Shattering, Warchief Thrall decided he needed to get in touch with his shaman roots and try to calm the enraged elements of Azeroth. In order to do this properly, he needed to step down as Warchief. He appointed Garrosh Hellscream as temporary Warchief, and after the cataclysm, Thrall continues to try and heal the world, while Garrosh leads the Horde on a mission of global domination over the Alliance.
How this affects your character It depends on how you play your character. Thrall and Garrosh represent two different ways of thinking. While Thrall is more concerned with peace, diplomacy, and getting along with the rest of Azeroth's citizens, Garrosh is single-minded in his determination to get his hands on everything the Horde needs to survive at whatever cost necessary. Under Thrall's watch, the Horde simply had to make do with what meager supplies and resources they could find in the deserts of Durotar and The Barrens in the name of diplomacy. But Warchief Hellscream doesn't make do, he takes -- after all, the mighty Horde deserves everything they can conquer.
What to consider So it comes down to this -- is your Orc a supporter of Thrall or a supporter of Garrosh? Is he a warrior who is fed up with simply making do and trying to play nice? Does his heart lie with Hellscream's way of thinking -- that the Horde should take, rather than lying back and letting the rest of the world walk all over them? Or does he think that diplomacy is the only way to truly coexist with the natives of Azeroth? Does he believe Garrosh's actions as Warchief have been foolish, reckless and fueled by too little thinking and too much violence? Or does he follow Garrosh with all his heart?
War -- what is it good for?
What happened As a result of Garrosh's intent to just take everything the Horde needs instead of politely asking for it, the Horde has been embroiled in war -- in Ashenvale, in The Barrens, in Stonetalon Peaks. Here, the Horde struggles to take whatever supplies and resources they need, but the Alliance fights back every step of the way. Able-bodied Orcs are expected to take up arms and help out with the war efforts ... and woe betide anyone who happens to cross Hellscream's path.
How this affects your character If your character is leveling through Cataclysm, you've been witness to this. From the warfront in Ashenvale, The Barrens and Stonetalon, to the conflicts up in the Twilight Highlands, it's clear that the Horde is on the offensive now. Even though the Horde appears to have the upper hand, it's clear that the violence isn't really going to stop any time soon -- not with Garrosh at the helm.
What to consider How does your character feel about going into battle? Is he excited for the chance to fight for the Horde? Is he at his best when he's in the thick of combat? Or is he more concerned with the damage that's been done to the world and how to stop it? Garrosh doesn't seem to be terribly concerned with repairing the world -- in fact, his philosophy is that the Horde needs to change with the world around them. Azeroth has certainly gotten a lot more brutal with Cataclysm, and according to Garrosh, the Horde needs to embrace that brutality. Orc shaman in particular will be more concerned with this than most, considering their ties to the elements -- they'd be able to understand what exactly has happened to the world.
For the Orcs!
What happened Garrosh has been pretty blatant about his treatment of the other races of the Horde. While he understands that the Horde is a united front of several different races, his disapproval for non-Orc races is evident. He views the Forsaken as atrocities, the Blood Elves as weak, the Trolls as dead weight, and the Goblins as nothing more than an endless source of supplies. In Garrosh's mind, the Tauren are strong enough to fight alongside the Orcs, but none of the other races of the Horde live up to that image.
How this affects your character As an Orc of the Horde, your Warchief is the leader that you look to for guidance in all things. The Warchief in charge right now seems to be implying that your Horde brethren are lesser than you, that they are weaker. On the flip side, as an Orc, you're one of Garrosh's favorites -- unless you get on his bad side, in which case you're meat to be wasted.
What to consider How does your Orc feel about Garrosh's line of thinking? More importantly, how does your Orc feel about the other races of the Horde? Does he believe Garrosh's sentiment that the rest of the Horde is nowhere near as deserving as the Orcs are for glory? Does he think the other Horde races aren't deserving of their place in the Horde? Or does he think Garrosh is perhaps too impetuous, that his thoughts on the other Horde races are wholly misplaced? Keep in mind whether your Orc has fought through Outland and Northrend -- whether he's fought alongside those other Horde races and seen what they can do. Does he follow what he's seen with his eyes, or does he follow the eyes of the Warchief?
Dragonmaw, in my Horde?
What happened Throughout Warcraft history, the Dragonmaw clan of Orcs has never been ... kindly viewed. When Orgrim Doomhammer rose to power, the Dragomaws remained loyal to the Blackrock Clan and, later, the Dark Horde that populated Blackrock Spire. In Cataclysm, Garrosh decides to take the Dragonmaw Orcs that are left in the Twilight Highlands in under the Horde banner.
How this affects your character Depending on how far back your Orc's history goes, he may remember the days of the Old Horde and the split between Doomhammer and the rest of the Horde. Doomhammer was the leader of the Old Horde, and those who opposed him were automatically the enemy. Obviously Garrosh Hellscream doesn't have this kind of history -- he's simply creating new allies, Orc allies, for the Horde -- but there are those that may not view his actions as lightly as others.
What to consider Is your Orc old enough to remember the Old Horde? Does he remember the actions of the Dragonmaw, of the Blackrock clan? In vanilla WoW, players were sent after the head of Rend Blackhand, who dared proclaim himself the "true" Warchief -- and this is the Orc that the Dragonmaw allied themselves with. How does your Orc feel about the Dragonmaw's sudden induction to the Horde? Does he view it as a reckless move that will cost the Horde at some point in the future, or does he view it as a daring move by Garrosh to strengthen Horde forces?
Hyjal and beyond
What happened The war effort these days has moved away from the terrors of Blackwing Descent and the Bastion of Twilight, where the Twilight Cult and Deathwing's children sought to gain the upper hand, to Mount Hyjal. In the Third War, the Orcs stood alongside the Alliance forces and fought for Hyjal, but that tentative alliance quickly vanished before World of Warcraft's launch. Now the Orcs are returning to once again defend the peaks -- not against the Burning Legion but against Ragnaros.
How this affects your character Again, it's a matter of how old your Orc happens to be. Does he remember the Third War? Did he fight in it? Did he experience the fallout after the battle was over, that point between Warcraft 3 and vanilla WoW? If so, returning to the peaks of Hyjal may bring back memories of the first time he strode Hyjal's peaks, whether they be good or bad.
What to consider If your Orc fought in the Third War, how does he feel about making a return? The Horde and Alliance are obviously fighting tooth and nail with each other, particularly the Orcs and the Night Elves of the Ashenvale forests and surrounding areas. How does your Orc feel about helping out the Night Elves, even if those Night Elves happen to be in the Cenarion Circle? Does he feel that defending Hyjal is a good idea, or is he inwardly cringing at the thought of helping the Night Elves? Does he have memories of the Third War? Is fighting in Hyjal bringing those old memories back to the surface in either a good or bad way? Considering the Horde and Alliance fallout after the end of the Third War, does your Orc think this is a second chance for some kind of alliance, or is he simply rolling his eyes and waiting for the next major fallout?
These are just a few plot points Orc roleplayers can explore while roleplaying their characters. In Cataclysm, the Orcs in particular got a lot of new lore and story development to work with. Though most of that lore is tied up in the Warchief switch from Thrall to Garrosh, that switch in leadership also represents a switch in thinking -- one that your Orc may agree with or one that he may silently resent. Regardless of which side your Orc agrees with, it definitely gives Orc roleplayers a lot to ponder.
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Filed under: All the World's a Stage (Roleplaying)
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Fletcher Sep 18th 2011 7:31PM
It's also worth noting that Garrosh has declared that "all Kalimdor belongs to the Horde" - NPCs in Ashenvale and Stonetalon on both sides will tell you so. This has made peace an impossibility.
Sintraedrien Sep 18th 2011 8:27PM
In my not-so-humble opinion, Garrosh is an honorless, spineless bully, an arrogant coward who only restrains himself when he is forced to by his own self-interest- aka, his survival: and he chafes under that necessity.
He knows he deserves death for killing Cairne- and that is why he killed his own subordinate- because the Tauren and Baine would have torn him to pieces. Had it been troll families whom Krom'gar murdered, Garrosh would have ignored the whole incident as beneath him.
Sadly, the sick outcomes of his rapacious decisions have only confirmed him in his mis-guided beliefs. I just hope that Blizz lets all of us (Alliance AND Horde) execute justice upon his dead body- repeatedly.
Sintra E'Drien of the Ebon Blade, né Sindorei
Sintraedrien Sep 18th 2011 8:37PM
I will be willing to retract the above statement when Garrosh personally brings back to life every single man, woman, and child whom Krom'Gar committed genocide upon, and apologises to Sylvanas for his hypocritical abuse towards her for her methods. (Yes, her methods are evil, but he doesn't get to excoriate her whilst adopting them/condoning them himself).
And yes, I wish that we Sindorei could leave the Horde and Alliance to squabbles in the filth amongst themselves and let us alone.
An increasingly xenophobic and isolationistic,
Sintra E'Drien of the Ebon Blade, né Sindorei
Professor Orc Sep 18th 2011 8:56PM
Yeah, and I also wish that Garrosh would punish Krom'Gar for what he di--oh wait......
Amaxe Sep 18th 2011 9:51PM
Punished Krom'gar for making him look bad actually.
Luke Sep 18th 2011 10:58PM
Except for the fact that it was Magatha's treachery and Cairne's lack of foresight that brought about his death.
Magatha poisoned the blade that killed Cairne. And it was Cairne, after all, that issued the challenge against Garrosh, NOT the other way around. Had Cairne bothered to investigate the supposed atrocities of Garrosh he would have had no reason to issue the challenge.
Besides, if you play through the series of quests that end with "To Be Horde" you'll see a different side of Garrosh. He's older now, and a little wiser. It seems as though Thrall knew the kind of leader Garrosh could be, and Garrosh is learning what kind of leader his father truly was. These things come together to make a very interesting character and not the monster many seem to think he is.
Sintraedrien Sep 18th 2011 11:30PM
To which I must ask: have you seen Garrosh in the Twilight Highlands?
Or have you read "Wolfheart"?
Garrosh made it a mortal duel with Cairne /precisely/ because of his arrogance and refusal to listen to wisdom, and he slaughtered Krom'Gar to cover himself with the Tauren, not because he disapproved of the outcome (the non-orcs of that area genocided). He blathers on about it being honorless to attack the defenseless, yet in Twilight Highlands, he orders precisely that.
He makes it very clear that his continuing vision is just this: an Azeroth occupied only by orcs (and grudgingly, the Tauren), all other races exterminated by any means necessary because they are too weak to survive (obviously, or he wouldn't have been /able/ to exterminate them), and himself as the eternal Warchief and Supreme Dictator of the World(of Warcraft).
Practical? No, but expensive. And until Garrosh pays the final price, he will wreak as much havok as he can in pursuit of that goal.
Sintra E'Drien of the Ebon Blade, né Sindorei (Xenophobic and Isolationistic)
Luke Sep 19th 2011 12:08AM
He's an Orc, Cairne should have known better. All challenges are to the death.
Also I think it's hyperbolic to claim Garrosh is wreaking havoc. He's a military leader. They blow things up. My point is, his story isn't over, and he's not as simple of a character as he's been made out to be. Maybe he's on a path to redemption, or personal growth, maybe he's not. But something tells me that if Thrall thought it was a good idea to make him chief of the Horde, there's a reason.
Personally I think Garrosh will end up being a hero in this story.
Just wait.
Al Sep 19th 2011 1:55AM
"I may have stabbed a senior citizen in the chest with an axe, but it's not my fault he died!"
Fletcher Sep 19th 2011 5:09AM
"But something tells me that if Thrall thought it was a good idea to make him chief of the Horde, there's a reason."
I think you're assuming too much of Thrall. He may be Metzen's Mary Sue, but he's *far* from perfect; he often displays a regrettable lack of foresight (ironic, for a Farseer), Garrosh's appointment being the most notable example.
Thrall displays, and has always displayed, a remarkable blindness where Hellscreams are concerned. Grom was the first free orc he met, and in Thrall's mind Grom is the exemplar of a free orc ... and then Grom died killing Mannoroth when Thrall failed. Thrall has massive survivor's guilt over that! All his glorification of Grom, which was only enhanced by Grom's death, got transferred to Garrosh. He sees Garrosh through Grom-tinted glasses, and saw Grom through rose-tinted glasses.
On the other hand, one could say that Thrall appointed Garrosh as "interim" (Ha! Ha!) Warchief because he didn't have a choice. Recall that before the Herald of the Lich King showed up to crash the party, Garrosh and *Thrall* were in the middle of a duel over who should leave the Horde - and Garrosh was doing pretty well for himself in it.
Imagine if Thrall had appointed, say, Cairne, or Saurfang, as interim Warchief; immediately afterwards, Garrosh would have gone berserk and challenged Thrall's appointee to a duel. Magatha poisons Gorehowl, Cairne dies, *and everything is the same*.
Fletcher Sep 19th 2011 5:11AM
Ugh. Lead, not leave. WTB edit button.
Killik Sep 19th 2011 6:52AM
I'm not sure that attacking an Alliance warfleet without air cover is "attacking the helpless" in quite the same way as Kromgar nuking a school.
Luke Sep 19th 2011 9:22AM
@Fletcher
Fair enough.
But I'm trying to look at the bigger picture and not focus just on the details. Go read a few of the previous Tinfoil Hat articles Anne has posted previously. Look at the story of Arthas, his relationship with Sylvanas, their similarities and tethered fates. Sylvanas is either headed for self destruction or redemption. Some people believe that this is just lazy writing on Blizzard's part but I disagree.
Reflecting now on the story of Thrall and the Hellscreams, it was of course Garrosh's father who was the first to fall to corruption by the Burning Legion. Though Gromm also redeemed himself, (and the Orcish race) by putting an end to Mannoroth. There are several ties in this story, interwoven throughout the history of Azeroth, showing not so subtle connections between the Old Gods, The Burning Legion and our current big bad Deathwing.
Maybe I am giving Thrall too much credit, and maybe I'm putting too much stock in Blizzard but I really think we're going to see by the end of this expansion just how tied many of these individual stories are. And I think Garrosh is going to play a huge part in saving Azeroth, not only from Deathwing, but also from the Old Gods.
In any case, it's the characters who ARE flawed that I love the most. Sure Thrall and Cairne are "beloved" characters, but they, along with Varian Wrynn and a few of the other faction leaders are all very Mary Sue in my book. That's kind of the running theme in the story of Warcraft, but it's the flawed and generally supporting characters that Blizzard makes the best use of.
It's almost as though they want everyone to know that the main characters, AREN'T where the real story lies. It's almost as though what appear to be the main characters of this story are actually the props, for the more interesting characters. And that's one of the things that keeps me entertained by the storyline.
As I said, I may be reading more into this than is there, but that doesn't change the fact that it's rather odd to me that there are people like the OP that seem to get a boner for hating on the more interesting characters simply because they aren't perfect. Seriously, the good guys in Warcraft are yawn......
Not to mention this is fantasy and not real life, which it seems a lot of people tend to forget because they seem hell bent on judging characters by real world moral standpoints.
In any case this is why I'm Horde for life, everyone else can go deliver baskets of cookies and hugs if that's what keeps them off the ledge. Me? I'd rather deliver the plague and "save" those poor buried Alliance members by bonking them with a shovel.
But you know, to each their own, I suppose.
Professor Orc Sep 18th 2011 8:54PM
There is also the conflict of the increased inclusion if the Mag'har.
Imagine what must be going through the mind of a green-skinned orc who followed a Horde mostly composed of and led by greenskined orcs. Now suddenly you're being led by this warrior of a different skin tone then yourself. Not only that, he has replaced a large portion of the upper orc leadership with mag'har, a culture only recently introduced top the Horde.
Mag'har have always been a little different, always followed a more spartan lifestyle. Every single society in history and the game (even the draenei) has always had issue with minorities, especially if they are visibly different looking.
This I always thought was an interesting way to roleplay a racist orc, beyond hating the actual other races.
Murdertime Sep 18th 2011 9:50PM
The other thing to consider about the Mag'har is what they represent: Orcs free of taint, free of the 'original sin' of the old horde. Real Orcs, raised by Thrall's own grandma. Filled with old skool pre-Kil'jadeen orc culture.
The Horde settled in Crapburg as a kind of penance. Atoning for the sins of the past. The Mag'har are the guys that can go 'Well, what the hell are we atoning for? We didn't drink the demon blood, are entirely free of taint and feel it's kind of wrong that everyone is suffering for things grandpa did. I would like to not live in Crapburg and would prefer on the whole that orc children not starve. Let's start getting serious about Ashenvale.'
Amaxe Sep 18th 2011 9:54PM
The Maghar (or for that matter any other orc) don't have any right to claim land in Azeroth at all. They took a land nobody wanted, which is fine so long as they live peacefully with their neighbors who were already there.
I suppose all you want is for the orcs to have their Lebensraum?
Murdertime Sep 18th 2011 10:04PM
Well, when the guys who turned half the contient into crapburg (and I mean the actual same guys here. Not their ancestors. Not the same race as them. Thanks to the wonders of immortality, the actual same guys. Guys you can point to and say 'Him, he helped do this'.) decide that they own the half that isn't blown up, it raises some some moral issues.
Amaxe Sep 18th 2011 10:16PM
Funny, I thought Ner'zhul and Gul'dan were dead... ;-P
Amaxe Sep 18th 2011 10:17PM
Oops nvm. I thought you were talking about Draenor
Professor Orc Sep 18th 2011 10:45PM
Amaxe, you bring up an interesting question that I've always wondered: Does self-determination exist as a concept in Azeroth?
Its true that the orcs are not originally from Azeroth but they're here now and must be dealt with. As a society, don't they have the right as a people to claim an area for them to not only live in, but to be able to survive?
The other option would be just letting all the orcs die and no matter what the orc have done or how you feel about them I feel its hard to justify letting sentient beings die off when they could be saved.