User:Stormchild/Gortuk Stormchild

Born to Kark Stoneeye and Rokgael Windfoot nearly ninety years ago, Gortuk had a fairly typical youth in the Shadowmoon Valley. His father took him out into the woods at a very early age, teaching him basic survival skills. One evening when Gortuk, his Fa, and several of his Fa's friends were in the forest, their camp was attacked by a starving Talbuk gone mad with hunger. Gortuk's instincts flew into action as he pulled up his Fa's axe and rushed the beast. As the stag whirled, his horns caught Gortuk and tore a gash the length of his forearm. The young orc seemed not to notice the pain, instead he slammed his fist into the beast's forhead. This is not too amazing for a young orc, but when Gortuk's fist connected with the animal's skull, a thunderclap rang out causing all the adult orc's to cover their ears and roar at the intensity and lightning arced from seemingly nowhere and smote the Talbuk, it's charred body dropping heavily to the ground. Gortuk was likewise stunned and knocked backward, causing him to land on his fallen axe. Once everyone was recovered, the laughed and dubbed him the Stormchild. However, his wound was severe enough they had to cut their trip short and return to the village.

Later that year, Gortuk was taken to the Oshu'gun by his Ner'zhul himself where he looked into the pool and saw several of his ancestors surrounding him, each congratulating him. Gortuk was given to another Shadowmoon Shaman, Ner'zhul himself being too busy to train the boy himself.

From that day forward, Gortuk was formally recognized as Shaman but, he could not be made to sit and thank the spirits, and ancestors. He wanted to get out and be moving, constantly traveling, hunting, and testing his skill against his fellow orc-pups. In a few short years Gortuk gave up on ever being a village healer or wise man, turning instead the prospect of Battle Shaman.

The rest of his life passed uneventfully, until the arrival of Kil'jaeden and the beggining of the end for traditional life on Draenor. Gortuk relished the raids on Draenei settlement, delighting in the rage of combat, and the squeals of their suffering. He was youngish, they were different niether of which do well in mixed. He followed the Horde, rushing into Azeroth blindly, willing to cut down whoever the Warchief placed before him. Willing to cut down even his long-time friends, even his very old Fa, for there was no weakness in the Horde. With the cry of 'Blood and thunder before meat and slumber!' He would rush down the hill, striking hard and fast with his axe. The elements and spirits had long abandoned him, but that meant nothing in the heat of battle. All this he did, before a fateful swing of a club knocked him unconcious. When he awoke, he was in an internment camp. He rebelled one time, but a spear to the chest put him down quickly. Many months he wasted in the camp, growing more and more weary with each day. Finally, Thrall released him and his comrades. Gortuk knew he would never be able to repay the younger Orc, so he swore service to Orgrim Doomhammer and eventually Thrall. Overtime the spirits returned to him as he realized the cruelties he had visited on the Draenic people, and on the humans of Azeroth. Finally, he was Gortuk Stormchild, Battle Shaman of the Shadowmoon Clan. He still has faith that his clan members can be redeemed. They just need to be shown the path.