Horde

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Alliance | Horde

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The Horde is one of the two major political factions of the mortal races in Azeroth, its counterpart being the Alliance.

Members

Major member races include:

• The orcs
  • Led by Warchief Thrall.
  • Capital is Orgrimmar in Durotar. They also have camps in the Barrens, Ashenvale, Stranglethorn Vale, Arathi Highlands, Badlands, Swamp of Sorrows and Azshara. Since the reopening of the Dark Portal, the orcs have expanded into their former homeworld of Draenor (now Outland), with encampments in Hellfire Peninsula, Terokkar Forest, Nagrand, the Blade's Edge Mountains and Shadowmoon Valley.
  • Attempting to embrace their once honorable, shamanistic ways and fight the corruption of demonic magic.
  • Surviving orc clans that have joined Thrall:
    • Frostwolf Clan - Thrall's own clan, led by Farseer Drek'Thar since the death of its last affirmed chieftain, Durotan. The Frostwolf Clan is the largest concentration of orcs in the Eastern Kingdoms, residing in Alterac Valley since their exile by Gul'dan decades earlier.
    • Warsong Clan - Led by Grom Hellscream until his death, these orcs have largely settled in Ashenvale Forest.
    • Shattered Hand Clan - Formerly led by Kargath Bladefist, many orcs from the Shattered Hand Clan have settled in the new orcish city of Orgrimmar, where they now serve as the Horde's order of assassins, training new rogues in the service of the Horde. In addition to orcs, a fair number of trolls are also considered members of the Shattered Hand.
    • Burning Blade Clan - Though this clan was all but consumed by chaos and demonic corruption, several of the Burning Blade's most powerful warriors have survived and rejoined the Horde, pledging their allegiance to Thrall. These orcs are called Blademasters. They do not appear to be at all related to the Burning Blade cult which has taken root in Durotar and elsewhere.
• The trolls of the Darkspear tribe
  • Led by Shadowhunter Vol'jin.
  • Originally from a small chain of islands in the Great Sea. Eventually moved to Echo Isles, but were then rooted out by the Kul Tiras marines. Main village is Sen'jin Village.
  • Share a capital with the orcs in Orgrimmar. They also have camps in Durotar, Ashenvale, Stonetalon Mountains and Desolace; they also control both Horde outposts in Zangarmarsh.
  • Indebted to the orcs for saving their tribe and giving them a home.
• The tauren
  • Led by High Chieftain Cairne Bloodhoof.
  • Capital is Thunder Bluff in Mulgore. They also have camps in the Barrens, Thousand Needles, Stonetalon Mountains, Desolace and Feralas.
  • A race of noble creatures who offered spiritual guidance to the orcs in exchange for their military aid.
• The undead Forsaken
  • Led by the Banshee Queen Sylvanas Windrunner, with Varimathras as her majordomo.
  • Capital is the Undercity in Tirisfal Glades. They also have holdings in Silverpine Forest and the Hillsbrad Foothills.
  • A group of undead released from the control of the Lich King who have set up truce with the other members of the Horde.
• The blood elves
  • Official ruler is Kael'thas Sunstrider; Lor'themar Theron serves as Regent-Lord of Quel'Thalas.
  • Capital is Silvermoon in Eversong Woods, in northern Quel'Thalas; they also have holdings in the Ghostlands, alongside the Forsaken. They also have an encampment in Hellfire Peninsula in Outland, to support blood elf pilgrims travelling through the Dark Portal from Azeroth.
  • A group of former high elves shunned by the Alliance for their magic addiction, they turned to the Horde to help them reach Outland and achieve their destiny.

Horde Forces

• Defilers
• Frostwolf Clan
• Warsong Outriders

Other smaller powers are also part of the Horde:

• The Stonemaul ogres of Dustwallow Marsh, led by Mok'Morokk though many support Tharg instead.
• The forest trolls of the Revantusk tribe in the Hinterlands, led by Primal Torntusk.
• A few goblin mercenaries controlling the zeppelins.
• The Mag'har of Nagrand.
• The sapient Wyverns are considered to be part of the Horde.
• The intellegent Vampire Bats are a part of the horde
• The Mok'Nathal of Blade's Edge Mountains.
• Many (though not all) Half-orcs.
• The forsaken keep a large amount of abominations in their service.
• Sylvanas has many banshee allies.

Possible members of the horde

This article or section includes speculation, observations or opinions possibly supported by lore or by Blizzard officials. It should not be taken as representing official lore.

• Some Treants are rumored to be on the side of the horde.
• Two dwarves have been seen in the Horde, though whether or not they are truely are part of the Horde or just a game mechanic has yet to be revealed.
• Rumors speak of one or two tribes of centaurs, that have given up their evil natures in hopes of joining the Horde.Template:Cite. Whether or not they have succeeded has not been revealed.

Non sentient servents of the horde

• The Arcane Guardians are golems in the service of the blood elves.
• The Hawkstriders are the mounts of the blood elves.
• Several species of Wolves serve the Orcs as mounts, including the Frostwolves of the Alterac Mountains, who also have a special connection with Shaman.
• The Raptor mounts of the Trolls.
• Domesticated Kodos among the Tauren.
• The undead horses who serve the forsaken.

History

Crest of the Horde during the Third War

File:Orc Heros.jpg

Notable figures from the Third War, from left to right: Cairne Bloodhoof, Samuro, Drek'Thar, and Rokhan. All of these Heroes also helped Rexxar in his journeys.

See also: Horde (pre-Thrall), Dark Horde

In the past, the Horde referred to the orcs and their battle thralls from both Draenor and Azeroth, such as trolls and ogres (see more about the old Horde). Following its utter defeat at the end of the Second War, the old Horde's power was forever broken, allowing Thrall to awaken the dormant spirituality of his people and free them from the Burning Legion's control.

During the events of the Third War, Thrall has made lasting bonds with the tauren chief Cairne Bloodhoof and the troll shadowhunter Vol'jin of the Darkspear clan. The ties between the three races is very close, as both share many similar cultural views. With the help of the tauren, both the orcs and the tribe of trolls have established a place for themselves in Kalimdor. Since then, certain ogre tribes, as well as the Forsaken and blood elves have chosen to affiliate themselves with the Horde.

The present horde is mostly about surviving in a land that has mostly come to hate them. The orcs because much like the Forsaken, they were formerly mindless, controlled beings. Though redeemed, they are not forgiven by the Alliance who believe them to be their old selves still. The trolls, tauren and their other allies are the ones who understood them, and so they are hated for that.

Organization

The Horde may be viewed as a more centralized body than the Alliance, as Orgimmar is the obvious center, with Thrall the undisputed leader (though he treats his fellow racial leaders as equals). Like the old Alliance of Lordaeron, Thrall accepts ambassadors and advisors from all the different tribes and members of the Horde and makes sure their voice is heard in the running of the fledgling empire. Although unavoidably posessing the characteristic militarism of the orcs, Thrall has also proven himself to be a compassionate, idealistic, and enlightened individual, and commands a great deal of respect within the Horde. Though the Horde could quickly become a formidable war machine once again, they are a very peaceful nation deciding to try for peace and help the world rather than savage rampaging like the Old Horde.

The fact is that, though equal in size, the Horde is actually more complex than the Alliance. The main five races of the blood elves, tauren, undead, trolls and orcs have countless friends among the races of Azeroth: the Revantusk forest trolls of the Hinterlands, the Stonemaul Ogres and various individuals like the Mok'Nathal beastmaster Rexxar and the Pandaren Chen Stormstout.

In the Third War, before the liberation of the Forsaken from the Scourge and the defection of the blood elves, the Horde allied themselves with the Alliance to rid Azeroth of the Burning Legion. Since then old animosity has risen again, resulting in open conflict on several battlefields.

Despite their somewhat monstrous appearance, the majority of the Horde is not evil; much like the Alliance, it is comprised of diverse factions and individuals who possess a wide range of values and virtues.

Culturally, orcs and tauren believe in redemption more most other races on Azeroth and are willing to give almost anyone a chance, regardless of reputation. The Revantusk seem to have even accepted their ancient enemy the blood elves. Largely because of these beliefs, a number of mortal races and many diverse factions can be found in service in the Horde.

"Horde Races" by Chris Metzen (RPG). Various races of the Horde note that not all Horde races are present.

The two Hordes

Although the Horde in the MMORPG is a single faction, it is actually devided in two distincts parts (not including the Dark Horde in the Burning Steppes or the Fel Horde in Outland).

• The first group lives mostly in Kalimdor. It includes orcs, trolls, tauren and some ogres. This Horde is just like the one that was introduced in Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos. its members are shamanistic and honorable, and most consider Thrall as their hero and affirmed leader.
• The second group includes the Forsaken and the blood elves. They are much darker than their allies from Kalimdor, do not necessairly consider Thrall as their master and certain members of their race do not care about honor, morality or even other races. Even if a few Forsaken and some blood elves are evil, this "second Horde" can not be considered as a danger to the world. The Forsaken's Royal Apothecary Society surely have questionable plans, but so far they keep fighting the Scourge and left the rest of the world alone.

The relations between the two groups are not cordial, as Thrall's followers (mostly, the trolls) distrust the Forsaken and fear they may betray them one day.

In World of Warcraft, there is only one visible difference between these two "sub-factions": Forsaken and blood elves begin with a Friendly reputation with Undercity and Silvermoon City, but only neutral with Orgrimmar, Thunder Bluff and Darkspear trolls. Orcs, trolls and tauren begin the game as Friendly with their respective factions (Orgrimmar for the orcs, Darkspear Tribe for the trolls, and Thunder Bluff for the tauren) and Neutral with Undercity and Silvermoon.