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HordeWarsong clan
Warsong Crest
Main leader Horde IconSmall Orc Female Gorgonna
  Formerly IconSmall Garrosh Garrosh Hellscream †
IconSmall Grom Grommash Hellscream †
Secondary leaders Horde IconSmall Orc Male Gargok (Outriders)
Race(s) OrcOrcMag'har orcMag'har orc Orc
  Formerly IconSmall ChaosOrc Male Fel orc
Capital Orgrimmar
Other major settlements Warsong Lumber Camp, Warsong Hold, Warsong Labor Camp, Warsong Gulch
Language(s) Orcish
Sub-group(s) Warsong Outriders
Warsong Offensive
Affiliation Orgrimmar, Horde
  Formerly Old Horde, Horde of Draenor, Burning Legion
Status Active
Reputation
Tabard Warsong Tabard

“May the Warsong never fade.”

Monument to Grom Hellscream

The Warsong clan is a warlike orcish clan originally hailing from the plains of Nagrand. It was formerly led by the legendary Grommash "Grom" Hellscream, and later by his headstrong son, Garrosh Hellscream. The Warsong Outriders form the Horde forces in Ashenvale and Warsong Gulch, while the Warsong Offensive spearheaded the Horde Expedition's assault against the Scourge in Northrend.

History[]

Early history[]

Chronicle2 Genedar

A Warsong wolfrider witnessing the fall of the Genedar on Draenor.

Roughly 800 years before the First War, the orcs began to migrate out of Gorgrond. The Warsong clan migrated far to the southwest, deep into Nagrand's open prairies, where they constantly had to fight against the Gorian Empire's ogres to maintain their presence in the region. Some generations of Warsongs thrived more than others. The clan had a taste for battle, but provoking the ogres too much could lead to disastrous consequences.[1]

Rise of the Horde[]

11 years before the First War, the Warsong were led by a bold warrior named Grommash Hellscream and engaged in constant battle with the ogres of Highmaul. The Highmaul outnumbered the Warsongs, but Hellscream's highly mobile wolf riders used hit-and-run tactics to raid ogre settlements, eventually shattering Highmaul's hold on Nagrand and seizing much of it for themselves. They pushed the ogres back within the walls of their stronghold, and Grommash became a legend among the clans.[2]

Shortly after Blackhand was named Warchief of the Horde, he assigned specific roles to the various clans. The Warsongs were among the clans that would make up the Horde's main fighting force, leading direct assaults on draenei settlements and forming the backbone of the orcish army.[3]

Later, Blackhand tasked the Warsong and Twilight's Hammer clans with toppling Highmaul. Grommash and Cho'gall both took part in the siege, and both relished the opportunity to slay ogres.[4]

After the Horde had conquered much of Draenor, the threat of starvation caused the orcs to hunt most of Draenor's native creatures to extinction. The Warsong raiders turned on their wolf mounts and used them as a source of food. The famine also caused many orcs to grow more agitated and turn on each other, clashing in short-lived battles that left hundreds dead. Several clans, among them the Warsongs, completely lost themselves to the depths of madness. To protect the rest of the Horde, Blackhand banished the violent clans from Hellfire Citadel to the remote areas of Hellfire Peninsula in order to preserve some of the Horde's dwindling strength.[5]

When the Horde prepared to invade Azeroth, Blackhand ordered the troublesome clans to remain on Draenor, since he believed that they would become liabilities if allowed to participate in the invasion. He knew that the clans would grow restless on Draenor, but a few months of waiting while hearing only stories of the lush new world and seeing only scraps of the war spoils would force them to be on their best behavior. If the clans were still uncontrollable, they could stay on Draenor and rot, for all Blackhand cared.[6] After the fall of Stormwind City, the new Warchief Orgrim Doomhammer sent messengers to Draenor to call up the remaining clans in order to replenish the Horde's numbers, but the messengers later returned to inform the Warchief that the clans on Draenor had descended deeper into bloodlust and had begun fighting with one another, allowing only a few orcs and ogres to bolster the Horde.[7]

Beyond the Dark Portal[]

Warsong Rexxar full

Rexxar and the Warsong warriors guarding the Dark Portal during the Invasion of Draenor.

Life on Draenor was stark for Draenor's orcs, as the world continued to die and the orcs continued being consumed by bloodlust and violence. The Warsong and Shattered Hand clans, in particular, had insatiable needs for violence. Following the Horde's defeat on Azeroth at the end of the Second War, Ner'zhul rallied the clans still left on Draenor, the Warsongs among them, under his new banner with the intent of opening portals to new worlds for the Horde to conquer. The gathered chieftains easily agreed to Ner'zhul's plans; having sat out the entirety of the First and Second Wars, they thirsted for battle, and any chance to escape their dying homeworld was worth taking.[8] Almost immediately after Ner'zhul reopened the Dark Portal, Grommash led the Warsong, Shattered Hand, Thunderlord and Laughing Skull in an invasion of the Blasted Lands. Teron Gorefiend led a group of orcs and death knights away from the Blasted Lands in search of the artifacts that would allow Ner'zhul to open portals to new worlds.[9] When Gorefiend prepared to return to Draenor with the artifacts, he left behind a large number of soldiers, mainly composed of Hellscream's Warsong orcs as well as the mok'nathal Rexxar, to defend the Azerothian side of the Dark Portal from a potential Alliance invasion. When the Alliance did launch their invasion, the Sons of Lothar smashed through Hellscream's warriors and forced them to scatter into the far corners of the Blasted Lands.[10] Possession of the Dark Portal then switched sides on several occasions and the Warsong was forced to retreat to a neighboring valley for periods of time.[11]

When the news later came that Draenor had been destroyed by Ner'zhul's reckless magic, Grommash was devastated, for his only remaining family — his son, Garrosh — had still been on Draenor. Grommash put aside his grief and led the Warsong clan north to take shelter in the Swamp of Sorrows. He was not giving up, merely regrouping. He believed that there would never be peace between orcs and humans, and he wanted his fighters to be ready for battle.[12]

Revitalization of the Horde[]

While many of the orcs were captured by the Alliance and placed in internment camps, Grommash and the Warsong managed to evade capture,[13] traveling to the wilds of Lordaeron. Despite being constantly hunted by humans, Hellscream held onto the Horde's unquenchable will to fight. He and his devoted Warsong continued to wage an underground war against the oppression of the orcs, but they never found a way to rouse the captured orcs from their stupor. Thrall, a young orc raised in an internment camp, sought out Grom and was inspired by the chieftain's idealism. Together with the former Warchief Orgrim Doomhammer, Thrall set about liberating the orcs from the internment camps and revitalizing the Horde. Encouraged by his best friend and mentor, Grom Hellscream, Thrall worked to ensure that his people would never be slaves again.[14]

The Third War[]

Grom Glowei

Grommash and his clan invading Ashenvale.

One day, Thrall was instructed by Medivh to sail west away from Lordaeron to the continent of Kalimdor. While Thrall was assembling the orcish clans, Grommash and the Warsong were captured by the Alliance and placed in Southshore. Before long, Thrall's forces freed the imprisoned Warsong and set sail across the ocean.[15] However, during the voyage the Warsong were separated from the rest of the Horde, and there was no sign of Grommash's forces during the initial landfall on Kalimdor,[16] though a party of Warsong warriors and several catapults managed to find Thrall's forces shortly thereafter.[17] When the Warsong were finally found, they were in the process of battling the human forces under Jaina Proudmoore's command. Grommash directly disobeyed Thrall's orders by continuing to attack the humans, leading the Warchief to instead send the Warsong north to construct a settlement while the main force journeyed to Stonetalon Peak in search of the mysterious Oracle.[18]

Cenarius v Grommash

Grommash Hellscream battling Cenarius after drinking the blood of Mannoroth.

Once in Ashenvale, Grommash and his Warsongs built Splintertree Post,[19] and came under constant attack by the night elves of the forest and even the demigod Cenarius, leading Grommash to drink from a pool cursed with the blood of Mannoroth — the very same blood that had once made the Horde slaves of the Burning Legion. Grommash transformed into a fel orc and urged his warriors to do the same, and with their newfound strength they managed to kill Cenarius. Shortly afterward, Mannoroth himself appeared to bring the orcs "back into the fold", despite Grommash's meek protests.[20]

Meanwhile, Thrall, Cairne Bloodhoof, and Jaina Proudmoore found the Oracle, who was revealed to be Medivh. He told the gathered leaders that Grommash had fallen to demonic influence and that he and all of the orcs would soon be lost forever.[21] With the aid of Cairne and Jaina, Thrall's forces managed to lay siege to the Warsong encampment and capture Grommash in a soul gem, allowing him to be purified of Mannoroth's influence by priests and shaman.[22] Together, Thrall and Grommash proceeded to face and slay Mannoroth in a nearby canyon, finally freeing the orcs from demonic influence, but Grom was killed in the battle.[23] The Warsong chieftain was buried in the canyon, and a monument was erected in his honor.

Modern history[]

The Warsong orcs who name themselves Outriders continue to fight against the night elven Silverwing Sentinels in the Warsong Gulch of Ashenvale, intending to claim the lumber resources of the forest.[24] From their labor and lumber camps, the main forces of the Warsong continue their logging operations, but in their warring zeal cutting even more wood than they can possibly use, leaving it to rot while their blades bite into fresh trees.[25]

During the war against the Lich King, Garrosh Hellscream, son of Grommash, spearheaded the Horde Expedition to Northrend as Overlord of the Warsong Offensive from the fortress of Warsong Hold.

With Garrosh having been overthrown at the end of the Siege of Orgrimmar, it is unclear who currently leads the Warsong. Gargok, a member of the Warsong Outriders, is present in the Undercity during the prestige ceremony in which Sylvanas Windrunner commends a Horde adventurer for their battles against the Alliance.[26]

Dragonflight[]

Dragonflight This section concerns content related to Dragonflight.
Honor and Glory - Warsong

The Warsong at the Kosh'harg

Following the fall of Garrosh Hellscream, the Warsong became shattered by what he had become. At an unknown point in time, Gargok seeking to make his family whole again reached out and invited Gorgonna to join him in Ashenvale. After Gorgonna arrive she eventually proved her strength to all of the clan through mak'gora, and became the clan's new chieftain, where she vowed to never let them lose their honor again. Thus she, accompanied by other members of the clan, represented the Warsong at the first Kosh'harg on Azeroth in Razor Hill.[27]

When the clan leaders gathered inside of the Razor Hill Barracks to pitch their clan to prospective orcish recruits; Gorgonna declared that Lok-Tar Ogar defined the Warsong, how the clan valued skill on the battlefield above all, how the clan was well known for their fearsome battle cries. However, she further stated that, they have learned the lessons of the past, and that they would never again sacrifice honor to achieve victory, with the fall of Garrosh ensuring that.

Should the champion request to join the Warsong, Gorgonna was glad to hear it.[28] She subsequently instructed them with hunting, tracking, and killing Gor'krosh, the Long Knives, without their armor, in order to test their skills in battle.[29] Following their success, Gorgonna accepted the Inv misc eagleclaw blue ["Long Knife"] as a trophy on behalf of the clan.[30]

Culture[]

Warsong Outrider HS

Warsong Outrider in Hearthstone.

Warsong clan banner

The Warsong banner in Razor Hill during the first Azerothian Kosh'harg.

On Draenor, the Warsong roamed the prairies of Nagrand as nomads, rarely staying in the same place for more than a few months.[1] The riders of the Warsong were always on the move. In camp, a family's tent was marked with a long pike thrust into the ground, often adorned with the skulls of defeated enemies and sometimes branded with the names of key battles.[31] Among individual warriors, it was tradition to wear a necklace of bones of their first kill, inscribed with their personal runes.[32]

Relying on shock and awe to overwhelm their enemies, the Warsong earned their name from their fearsome battle cries and thunderous drum marches.[33] Ripping into every combat crying epic battle-hymns of blood and death, they were the most distinguishable of the Draenor clans.[34] Their tunes were less about the words than about the rhythms, the pulse-pounding beats that fired their blood and at the same time made their enemies quail.[35] A bullroarer is an arm-length piece of rigid wood affixed to the end of a long rope and spun over the wielder's head to generate a droning noise capable of traveling long distances. The bullroarers used by the Warsong were grooved to emit a high-pitched whistling noise rather than the low hum used by most other clans.[36] Holes carved into Warsong weapons caused them to howl and wail when swung through the air.[35][37] This is notably the case with Gorehowl, the famous axe of the Hellscream family.[38]

To earn the status of wolfrider, a Warsong had to go through a series of arduous trials. To prove themself worthy of the wolf, the orc had to first test their strength and tenacity by gathering a heavy stone from a quarry and carry it on their back into the lands of their enemy. After cutting their way through the enemy's ranks, the orc was to place the stone in a place of prominence and set upon it a trophy of their foe in order to display their strength for all to see.[39] Once the display of strength was completed, the orc had to head to the wolves' hunting grounds and subdue the largest member of the pack in the presence of the beast's kin. If they survived the ordeal, the wolf would answer to the orc as its new master.[40] Finally, the Warsong believed that it was not enough for a wolf to regard an orc as its master; instead, to ready the beast for riding, its will had to be broken completely. Once the aspiring wolfrider had subdued their beast, they would mount it and ride it to the top of the tallest peak in Nagrand. If the wolf was willful, the orc would be thrown to their death on the mountain slopes, but if they survived, the will of their mount would have been successfully broken. Then, the orc could finally call themself "Wolfrider".[41]

It is expected that members of the Warsong wear the bones of his or her first kill, and inscribe them with personal runes.[42] Members of the Warsong long hunted the bloodhoof clefthoof to user their crimson-hued skin for battle standards.[43]

The Warsong clan is renowned for their spicy dishes, apparently so hot you can't help but belt out a battlecry. One such recipe is Spicy Seared Talbuk Steak, a talbuk steak cooked with ground Peppercorns, flaked sea salt and Gor'gor roots, which is usually served with mashed tubers and roc-blood gravy.[44]

Members[]

Grommash Mercenaries 2

Grommash Hellscream with the banner of the Warsong clan in Hearthstone.

Name Role Status Location
Horde IconSmall Grom Grommash "Grom" Hellscream Former chieftain, liberator of the orcs from the blood-curse. Deceased Buried in Demon Fall Canyon, Ashenvale
Neutral IconSmall Garrosh Garrosh Hellscream Son of Grom, former chieftain, Warchief of the Horde and mastermind behind the Iron Horde. Deceased Various Locations
Horde IconSmall Orc Female Gorgonna Current chieftain and leader of Conquest Hold. Alive Conquest Hold, Grizzly Hills
Horde IconSmall Orc Male Gargok Warsong Gulch battlemaster and leader of the Warsong Outriders. Alive Mor'shan Base Camp, Northern Barrens
Neutral IconSmall Mag'har Female Golka Mate of Grommash Hellscream and mother of Garrosh. Deceased Unknown
Neutral IconSmall Orc Male Iskar Former advisor to Grommash Hellscream before the Third War. Unknown Unknown
Horde IconSmall Orc Male Kadrak Soldier of the Warsong Outriders. Alive Mor'shan Base Camp, Northern Barrens
Horde IconSmall SavageWolf Malak Wolf companion of Garrosh Unknown Unknown
Neutral IconSmall NazgrimDK Nazgrim Champion of the Ebon Blade, formerly General of the Horde. Active Various Locations
Neutral IconSmall Orc Male Rekshak Leader of a Warsong group encountered by Thrall. Unknown Unknown
Horde IconSmall Orc Male Shatterskull Captain of the Warsong Outriders. Alive Mor'shan Base Camp, Northern Barrens
Horde IconSmall Orc Female Shokia Marksman and former member of the True Horde. Alive Various Locations
Horde IconSmall Orc Male Torek Blood guard who tracked down the Doomsday Cult. Alive Unknown
Neutral IconSmall Orc Male Tragg Member of Rekshak's group. Unknown Unknown
Horde IconSmall Orc Male Tolven Warsong Author of The Horde's Hellscream. Unknown Unknown

Leadership[]

History Shamanism Rise of the Horde First War Second War Interbellum Third War World of Warcraft The Burning Crusade Wrath of the Lich King Cataclysm Mists of Pandaria Warlords of Draenor Legion Battle for Azeroth Shadowlands Dragonflight
Ruler Neutral
Grommash Hellscream
Horde
Grommash Hellscream
Horde
Unknown
Horde
Garrosh Hellscream
Horde / Mob
Garrosh Hellscream
Horde
Unknown
Horde
Gorgonna

In Warcraft II[]

WC2BnE-logo This section concerns content related to Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness or its expansion Beyond the Dark Portal.
Warsong-clan

Warsong clan banner in Warcraft II: Beyond the Dark Portal.

Leader: Grom Hellscream

Color: Red

Ripping into every combat crying epic battle-hymns of blood and death, the Warsong clan is the most distinguishable of the Draenor clans. Led by the ravenous Grom Hellscream, the Warsong clan awaits Ner'zhul's order to invade Azeroth and bathe in the blood of their enemies.[34]

In the RPG[]

Icon-RPG This section contains information from the Warcraft RPG which is considered non-canon.

The Warsong banner, a violet sashimono banner, is worn only by the chief of the Warsong clan. It provides the wearer with great physical ability and inspires those around him. As a gift to the orcs who rescued them, Darkspear shadow hunters recently improved its capabilities.[45]

Notes and trivia[]

Speculation[]

Questionmark-medium
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.
  • It is unknown who was the chieftain of the clan before the rise of Grommash Hellscream. It could have been his father Golmash, but Rise of the Horde said that there had been mutterings about the mysterious circumstances under which the former chieftain of the clan had died, and that the Warsongs did not challenge Grom's new leadership.[49]

Gallery[]

References[]

 
  1. ^ a b World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 2, pg. 42
  2. ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 2, pg. 64
  3. ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 2, pg. 82
  4. ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 2, pg. 97
  5. ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 2, pg. 99 - 100
  6. ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 2, pg. 123
  7. ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 2, pg. 138
  8. ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 2, pg. 182 - 183
  9. ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 2, pg. 185
  10. ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 2, pg. 189 - 190
  11. ^ Beyond the Dark Portal, chapters 16 and 27
  12. ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 2, pg. 197
  13. ^ The Battle of Grim Batol
  14. ^ The New Horde
  15. ^ Departures
  16. ^ Landfall
  17. ^ The Long March (WC3 Orc)
  18. ^ Cry of the Warsong
  19. ^ World of Warcraft: Exploring Azeroth: Kalimdor, pg. 76
  20. ^ The Hunter of Shadows
  21. ^ The Oracle
  22. ^ By Demons Be Driven
  23. ^ The Death of Hellscream
  24. ^ Warsong Gulch - Game Guide - World of Warcraft (dead link)
  25. ^ A [7-30] Agents of Destruction
  26. ^ H [10-45] A Royal Audience
  27. ^ H IconSmall Orc MaleIconSmall Orc Female [50-70] The Kosh'harg
  28. ^ H IconSmall Orc MaleIconSmall Orc Female [50-70] The Blessing of the Clan, Gorgonna's dialogue.
  29. ^ H IconSmall Orc MaleIconSmall Orc Female [50-70] The Long Knives
  30. ^ H IconSmall Orc MaleIconSmall Orc Female [50-70] Cornering Gor'krosh
  31. ^ Inv archaeology orcclans warsongpike [Warsong Ceremonial Pike]
  32. ^ Rise of the Horde, chapter 5
  33. ^ Inv archaeology orcclans warsingersdrums [Warsinger's Drums]
  34. ^ a b Warcraft II: Beyond the Dark Portal manual, Clans of Draenor, Warsong Clan
  35. ^ a b Beyond the Dark Portal, chapter 4
  36. ^ Inv bullroarer [Screaming Bullroarer]
  37. ^ Howling Blade on Wowhead and WoWDB
  38. ^ The Shattering: Prelude to Cataclysm, pg. 39
  39. ^ First Trial of the Wolfrider
  40. ^ Second Trial of the Wolfrider
  41. ^ Final Trial of the Wolfrider
  42. ^ Rise of the Horde, pg. 87
  43. ^ Inv clefthoofdraenormount blue [Bloodhoof Bull]
  44. ^ Inv 10 specialization professionbook cooking color1 [Spoons and Forks]
  45. ^ Shadows & Light, pg. 168
  46. ^ Warcraft II: Beyond the Dark Portal manual, map of Draenor
  47. ^ Rise of the Horde, chapter 7
  48. ^ World of Warcraft: Chronicle Volume 2, pg. 48 (artwork)
  49. ^ Rise of the Horde, chapter 5
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