[H/RP] Hand of Conquest

Lorkus wakes up from a nightmare one night on his Hammock. He is panting heavily and sweat is covering his body. He has had another nightmare of how the blood fury took over him in The Barrens, when the cultists attacked Blood Guard Grog'kash burial cairn. It was a fury he has not shown for many years, and yet that day it overcame him for few minutes and even saved his life. He puts a hand across his face, the bandages that still covers his face is soaked in blood again.

He decides to take another night shift for the Thirteenth since sleep seems impossible now. He straps on his Grunt shoulders and picks up the axe and heads out the Hall of the Brave, trying not to wake any of the other sleeping grunts in the process.

Once outside he spots two familiar faces near the Wyverns Tail, It is Kuru and Pullo who are also on night shift. He walks towards them.
" What are you two laughing at, hopefully not the drunks in the Wyverns Tail?" he tries to spot what the pair is laughing at. He spots his friend Zun'tulo giving the bartender Gravy an earfull about The Shattered Hand and how he knows his own nose. Pullo and Kuru continues to laugh at the spectacle Zun'tulo is putting on. Lorkus sighs at the pair and moves out of the Valley of Honor for his patrol.

As he enters The Drag the cool breeze of Durotar during the night hits him in the face, he stares up into the night sky, watching the stars while walking his patrol along The Drag. Orgrimmar is usually quiet and peacefull at this hour of the night.

He finally reaches the bridge that leads into the Valley of Wisdom, this bridge is one of his favorite spots to relax and just enjoy the quiet valley the Tauren have made for themselves here. The moon shines bright on the waters surface and reflect the stars and trees around the valley. He sits there for a few minutes enjoying the sounds of this valley, the waterfall is great for calming the old orc down. He decides to take a look at his own reflection in the water. He has not had a glimpse of his own face since he joined the Thirteenth Orgrimmar Infantry.

What he sees is not the face he remembers so many months ago, his time with the Hand of Conquest has left many scars on his face, a burn scar that still haunts him from Northrend, A scar across his left eye and cheek as a reminder of the human, Konrad who he clashed with on many occasions during Alliances attack on The Barrens.

He then decides to remove the bandages that covers his face. He wants to take a look at the new scar left by the ones who first murdered the Blood Guard and then stole his bones...

He looks at his reflection in the water, the face of an Orc he almost does not recognise. The burnt flesh on one side and the scar left from a enchanted sword on the other side. And now this new fresh scar going across his nose and under is eyes.
Blood starts to drip down into the water and across his mouth.
He sits there for a few minutes looking at his reflection, and the water turning red.
He finally decides to go back to the Hall of the Brave and gets Apawi to put on new bandages.
"I'm not scared of the dark," Pullo said with a grunt.

The orc began his march along the cracked road, occasionally littered with metal sheeting. He never quite understood its purpose, the metal was far too hot in the day and little of it paved the dry desert floor to begin with. A blessing in disguise perhaps, Pullo thought to himself, his worn boots clanging on the iron and onto the ground again - dust floating upwards with his heavy steps.

Pullo moved through a large tunnel and out onto a main road. He had always liked this part of Orgrimmar - it largely survived the shattering before it. The buildings were simple and homely, not as brutal as their successors, though the street was not as shaded as it was before. The orc turned and continued his march to what could be described as a great maw in the canyon wall, large bones protruding out around the cleft like great sharp teeth. The orc paused momentarily with his flaming torch held high - axe at his side. Those words were to be put to the test as Pullo descended into its jaws. A thick haze surrounding him, the braziers along the path were lit with a strange purple fire and it gave the entire cave it's intense tone. He stood in the open cavern with a stern gaze, he looked around for someone familiar, someone he had spoken to a night before. The less-than savory locals kept to themselves, huddled in their tents, others kept their distance. Pullo knew he was being watched.

Then there was something, it rushed past him like a whisper; a shape that moved and vanished in the instant. Pullo stomped forward with an irritated grunt, holding his flame high - he didn't like being toyed with. The orc barked.

"Do you expect me to say something? A phrase? You know why I'm here."

There was only silence, but then something. Pullo stepped forward again, he squinted his eyes at a shape above the raised rock edge. Another was watching him - the lower half of her face was covered with a black mask. The two looked at each other for a time. Finally the grunt ascended the slope, he felt many eyes watch his steady movements, the masked orc in particular studying him.

Pullo pulled a sealed wax scroll from his pouch and looked straight into her eyes with a unbending stare. He began to speak ...
" You're all off-duty" The words the Hand had been waiting to hear ever since all the military, clan and warband leaders returned from the meeting in the Hall of the Brave. They had all been on guard duty for atleast 6 hours the whole evening. So they went on for some well deserved time off.

The smell off roasted pork, fresh grog and the chatter of many people hit them as they stepped into the Wyverns Tail. They placed themselves at one of the empty tables in the Tail. They all got a mug of grog or water and some pork roasting on the table " Do you know the Rokka Mokka Go?" Stone Guard Zeep looked at Lorkus and Hench with a grin on his face, the two orcs knew the Drinking song the Stone Guard was referring to, they both started banging on the table with their mugs in a melody and the three orcs began singing loudly in the Wyverns Tail.

Golbar mook
Azkar gan
Yurda a vizok barzan
Drakka a vizoko grosh zar daaaaaa!

Yug an do
Brozka zo
Mokka gromar ish ghavo
Raga musha vis a ma wagahhhhh!

Rokka mokka go
Mokka rokka do
Oga rashza ishi yaka mog lock zo
Oga lokka go
Mokka rokka do
Oga rashza ishi yaka mog lock zo

Oshgan zi
Rota vi
Oza kama olmar gi
Drakka a vizoko grosh zar daaaaaa!

Zarkan di
Iska kri
Gromar akaz gulan zi
Raga musha vis a ma wagahhhhh!

Rokka mokka go
Mokka rokka do
Oga rashza ishi yaka mog lock zo
Oga lokka go
Mokka rokka do
Oga rashza ishi yaka mog lock zo.

Everyone in the Wyvern's Tail who knew the tune would join in and others would cheer on the orcs making the spectacle. When the song was done all three raised their mugs clanging together and they all boasted a cheerfull laughter.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pnfqgyilLFU
The report seems a bit crumpled, you can see a small bird's footprints on the right end of the paper.

Report: Shipped Goods

Tonight in Bilgewater the Thirteenth has tracked down the workshop of a band of criminals that have been selling goblin tech to the cultists.
"Grimsburg Trading company" is what they call themselves.

After a long and harsh fight one of them decided to blow up the entire shop, every single member of the Hand managed to get out of there alive, as well as a goblin who provided me with very important information:

Apparently, they have been shipping Saronite armor to Ashenvale, in "Demon Scar Ravine" specifically.
I checked Ashenvale's map and there's no trace of this place, so I suppose he meant the place where Thrall and Grom killed Mannoroth: Demonfall Canyon.

Signed

Grunt Vulture.

http://oi66.tinypic.com/2q9a1l3.jpg
Lorkus sits at one of the desks in the Hall of the Brave writing his report on the events that folded tonight..

Report: Investigation of the killer.

Those present were:
Raider Apawi.
Grunt Lorkus.
Grunt Kuru.
Grunt Zun'tulo.
Scout Skargog.

At the eight drum of the evening we set out for the Leatherworking shop in The Drag to get some answers on what material the glove was made of, and perhaps where it originated. The Leatherwork shop owner was dismissive of us at first and seemed to believe that the military owed him money for something. After a few minutes of talk he gave us what we were looking for and gave us some answers as to the material and perhaps whereabouts it could be found. The leather it was made of was of some kind of Marshland Crocolisk, and then he made the discovery that small patches on the gloves was of some different kind of material. He pulled out a small dagger and tried to penetrate the material but was unable to, from there on out he had no answer as to what material this could be other than it was enchanted or magical in some way, and the crafter who crafted it into the glove would have to be VERY strong, perhaps an Ogre.
We left the Leatherworking shop and then headed off to one of the enchanting shops located in The Drag, in there we learned from an old orc who seemed to be hailing from the Dragonmaw Clan, that the magical material fused into the glove was some kind of Dragonscale, possibly from a Black Dragon. He seemed to believe that loose scales could possibly found around Dustwallow Marsh where the Black Dragons former broodmother had her lair, and in that marsh so too does our Ogre allies reside, perfect match.(redigeret)
The old orc seemed to believe that we would let him keep the glove for his own purpose, But Raider Apawi stepped up and tried to get the glove back into our possesion. At this point the orc used some kind of spell to teleport us all outside of the shop and with magic locked the door. We tried to run the door through with our upper body strength at first but to no avail. Raider Apawi then used her Sun magic to disable the magic holding the door and Grunt Skargog succeded in smashing a whole through the door, where we could see the orc about to step through a portal. Apawi used her magic to pull the orc back to us, but as she did the portal turned unstable and closed and the orc was unfortunately cut vertically in half.
We searched his body and the glove was nowhere on his person, from what i saw on the portal end it was in Arathi Highland near some stone of Elemental Binding. Grunt Skargog then dealt with the body in an orderly manner and the rest of us returned to the Hall of the Brave.

- Signed Grunt Lorkus Greyfur.
The Ring of Blood. Many among the Horde know of its existance. More know about its uses. But only the Hand of Conquest knows how to run it to its full potential.

Zeep puts on a wide grin, crossing his arms and puffing out his broad chest. His fellow soldiers of the Hand form a near perfect circle, almost second nature. Banners rise around the circle, the reflected light turning the damp cave into a haven for blood-crazed gladiators and prisoners, desperate for release.

"Prisoners are a waste of resources. They require eyes on them constantly. Every soldier used to watch a prisoner, is a soldier less in the vanguard. Any food and water given to them is better used to fuel the cogs of the Horde war machine."

A single human, bruised and beaten, clutching his chest, sits in the middle of the circle. Against his will, his wounds are tended to by Raider Apawi, the chief medic of the Hand. All to grant the soldiers a proper fight.

"You there. Warsong whelp. You thirsted for battle. Step into the ring, and claim your need for blood."

The bystanders turn around to face a young, unbloodied Warsong orc. Under cheers and peer pressure, she is pretty much stared into the Ring of Blood. There she would face off against the prisoner.

"Should he win, he will have earned the honour to walk out of here alive. Should he not, he will not."

For these were the rules of the Ring of Blood. Gladiatorial combat, open to volunteers and slaves both. Today the human prisoner was given a shot at freedom, the Horde way.

The reinvigorated prisoner gave quite the spectacle, fighting the young orcess. This in turn boosted the morale of all soldiers present. A twisted way to raise morale, but an effective one. Zeep had seen it all throughout the years of service in the Kor'kron. Orcs able to charge into the frey against the odds, because their lust for battle was fed. Everyone wins at the cost of one, odds that any good commander would take.

Rhythmic thudding echoed through the small cave. Orcs stomping on the ground, tauren smashing their shields with their maces. Trolls slamming their fists against their thighs. The blows struck between the orcess and the human weaving in, like a perfect song of war. But like any song has an end, the sound of fists connecting to skin had come to a halt.

"Finish him!"
"Tear out his throat!"
"Choke him out!"


Many ways to end a life were thrown at the young orcess. Zeep unclipped the dagger on his belt and threw it at the orcess's feet, his addition to the barrage of killing moves. With the last of her energies, the young orc plunged the dagger into the human's stomach, giving him the death he deserved for putting on a proper display.

As the soldiers got together to take the victorious Warsong whelp away and celebrate her victory, Zeep and Gobbert dragged the human's body away. He was breathing still, though the way the prisoner gasped for air was all too familiar to Zeep. He did not embrace death. He was avoiding it. This very thought placed a grin on Zeep's face, cowardice even in the last of the human's moments. He truly was better than them, he told himself.

"Hregh... this will do."

Zeep and Gobbert released their grip on the body, dropping it in the muddy grass for the elements and animals to take. The only things of the prisoner that were taken back to the camp were his spirit, spent among the soldiers of the Horde in the form of satisfaction and a lust for war, and his metal leg, to be repurposed as a weapon against the Alliance.

"Prisoners are a waste of resources. They require eyes on them constantly. However, when you use them right, any soldier that watched the prisoner tonight, will be worth two in the vanguard. They have become fuel, for the cogs of the Horde war machine."
*You walk through the barracks before you look at a patrol schedule report*

Stone Guard. Yesterday night me, Pullo and Kuru have taken the Crafter's route for normal patrol. We've stumbled upon the usual, an unfinished hut still in construction, some rocks and a muddy pond. We didn't have any problems with anyone and we managed to encounter a pretty great new Pandaren friend. He asked us, donning his Houjin tabard, to accompany us in our patrol. He looked strong and smart so we accepted his company, he even offered to give us some of that turtle soup recipe he was making! All in all it was a pretty sweet and calm patrol.

- Signed Grunt Gobbert
I finally got the commission done for the Hand of Conquest banner, the design is based off a event chain that earned the guild a new banner design. The art was done by Ceori who you can find here with all their details about their work and information: https://eu.battle.net/forums/en/wow/topic/17618044083

Here's the banner:
https://i.imgur.com/QZ3Iclw.jpg
A battered banner that has been through many battles (RPPvP hehe). Though it is torn and crude it still proudly adorns the symbol of the Horde. The Thirteenth Legions number hangs from a metal chain and wrapped the skull of a mighty boar.

A skeletal hand grasps the symbol in honour of Grog'kash - former Blood Guard of the thirteenth - who was engulfed in Fel fire trying to slay the Dreadlord Garatharaxxis. Through his sacrifice the Orc dealt a mighty blow to the demon, causing the One Horned Lord to flee. As the fire and smoke cleared the thirteenth found their once hearty leader was nothing but charred bones atop the mountain.

The battered warriors surrounded their former Blood Guard and saw his hand proudly clutched around the banner of the Horde. Even in death he defied the Burning Legion, and though he was naught but bone he had conquered the mountain - truly earning the hand that conquers.

In honour of his sacrifice the thirteenth legion commissioned a new banner, taking pilgrimage up high every year to remember his sacrifice and feast in his name.
1 Like
Stone Guard Zeep,

On the 9th day of the 5th month we patrolled [CRAFTER'S ROUTE]

Those who attended:
Grunt Lorkus.
Scout Noura.

Everything on the route was quiet and peaceful as usual untill we got past the Gearfist shop where a giant rat seemed to be present and attacking one of the civilians, we quickly took care of that and the civilian thanked us for saving her life.

By the end of route we checked in one of the storages and found a box full of the drug known as ''SNUFF'' presumeably smuggled in by goblins. We took the crate back with us into the Barracks and the rest of the route was quiet aswell.

- Signed Grunt Lorkus.
Murder: Nightborne Female

This evening a Female Nightborne has been murdered right outside the Wyverns Tail. From what we can see so far by ourselves she was struck down by a small axe-like weapon presumeably a tomahawk. Awaiting Chief Medic Apawi's full report on the body aswell for now.

I was first made aware of the murder by a civilian Troll with the name Rasavo, other people around the body was the orcs named Burthag and Golthagar aswell as two other forsaken and an unknown Tauren.

I inspected her body where i saw the wound that had been caused by a small axe but the weapon was nowhere around. After that i looked at the surroundings of the scene and no tracks were visible. One the wall of the inn a small fresh cut was made aswell which make me believe the culprit missed his first strike at the Nightborne, the second one striking true and leaving the elf in a pool of blood.

Me and the Stone Guard then rounded up the witnesses in the barracks in an attempt to get anymore information out of the lot but to no avail, their weapons were clean and all of them were good to go but for now has to remain in the city untill the cases is closed

Special Note: The Orc Burthag had no weapons on him and claimed he was a monk, will keep a close eye on him

Signed -
Grunt Lorkus Greyfur.
Patrol of routes Tiragarde and Trials.

    Attending. Sergeant Harn. Grunt Zun'tulo. Grunt Gobbert.


Night had fallen upon our arrival at Razor Hill at around the tenth drum, and we made swift progress down the Tiragarde route. During this route we had little action, the ruins and roads seemed calm and clear. It was during our continued walk down the Trials route, that Grunt Gobbert was stung by a large black scorpid. Luckily by the great wisdom of our superiors this had been foreseen, and antidotes had been given to me, it made quick work of the beasts poison. But i had to drag Grunt Gobbert on a makeshift sled for the remaining route. His leg had lost function briefly. We arrived at Razor Hill soon after and ended our two routes.

Signed -
Sergeant Harn Battlebrave
Patrol of Orgrimmar routes Crafter and Spirit.

Attending: Sergeant Harn. Scout Thagrom.

We began our walk around the seventh drum. Both the Crafter and Spirit routes were calm. Not many people out on the streets today. On the last part of the Spirit route we did pick up on a troll, she seemed to have been following us for most of the route, and i recognized her to be Rus'jine. I've come across her before, a small time thief living in the city of warriors. Be weary of that one, she'll likely do more time behind our bars. She was clad in black leather, she also likes to wear masks.

Signed -
Sergeant Harn Battlebrave.
Patrol of Durotar routes TRIALS and THUNDER.

Stone Guard, on the 11th day of the 5th moon we patrolled the two routes mentioned.

Those who attended:
Raider Apawi.
Grunt Lorkus.
Grunt Zun'tulo.
Grunt Gendrick.

We arrived in Razor Hill and immediatly sat out for route Thunder. Everything on the route was quiet untill we reached the gates to Orgrimmar where Grunt Kuru came out to inform that a murder had taken place inside the city once again. Raider Apawi and Grunt Gendrick then followed him back into the city while myself and Grunt Zun'tulo decided to finish our routes for the evening. The route was quiet but we had a close encounter with a Raptor during the route but it was dealt with swiftly by Zun'tulo.

On route Trial everything went alot smoother with no trouble at all. Though one of the trainers inside the valley seems to remember Zun'tulo and mentioned we had ruined his bowl, which i have no idea what he meant by that. The way back to Razor Hill was quiet aswell and once there, we took a pair of wyverns back to Orgrimmar.

- Signed
Grunt Lorkus Greyfur.
Patrol of Durotar routes TRIALS and TIRAGARDE.

Stone Guard, on the 13th day of the 5th moon we patrolled the two routes mentioned.

Those who attended:
Grunt Lorkus.
Scout Noura.

After the training me and scout Noura headed out to patrol the routes of Trial and Tiragarde. Both routes were quiet in the late evening hours and nothing really worthy of reporting, except a few water elementals spotted down at the shore. I told the Razor Hill grunts to keep an eye out at the shore and then headed back to Orgrimmar.

- Signed
Grunt Lorkus Greyfur.
Patrol of Durotar route DRYGULCH.

(The following report is written quite hastily and without much care.)

Those who attended:
Stone Guard Zeep
Sergeant Harn Battlebrave

Around the time of the seventh drum, patrol route Drygulch was done by me and Sergeant Harn. Nothing of importance to note.

Signed,
Stone Guard Zeep
Patrol of Orgrimmar route STRENGTH

Stone Guard, on the 14th day of the 5th moon we patrolled the route mentioned.

Those who attended:
Grunt Lorkus.
Scout Noura.

Around the 10th drum of the day me and Scout Noura patrolled route Strength in Orgrimmar. The route was quiet and nothing struck out of the ordinary.

- Signed
Grunt Lorkus Greyfur.

Patrol of Orgrimmar route CRAFTERS.

Stone Guard, on the 14th day of the 5th moon we patrolled the route mentioned.

Those who attended:
Grunt Lorkus.
Scout Noura.

Around the 11th drum of the day me and Scout Noura headed out to patrol the crafters route. Just like the strenghty route it was quiet and peaceful. Though the smell of rat still lingers from the giant rat we slew a few days ago.

- Signed
Grunt Lorkus Greyfur.
I absolutely adore reading through these stories!
Patrol of Route Tiragarde.

I took off around the third drum, moving from Razor Hill down the Tiragarde route. I brought my honored ally Hillhoof with me, he's been with me since he was just a calf, and he needed to move around. These new lands are still strange to me, how everything can be so thorny and unwelcoming is a stark contrast from my home on the mountain. The heat during this day was troublesome, and we both had to stop several times to drink. But the route was quiet, and nothing worthy of reporting.

Signed
Sergeant Harn Battlebrave
Patrol of route Trials.

After my patrol of route Tiragarde i continued down the route of Trial. Me and Hillhoof still companions down this road. We came upon the site of the scorpid attack, where Gobbert had been stung. The body of the beast i slew is no longer there, judging by the tracks around the site i'd assume the trolls of the nearby Sen'jin village retrieved it. For what reason i do not know. Perhaps trolls eat these beasts, or perhaps because it started to stink. Eitherway, the route was quiet, and Hillhoof was satisfied, glad to be free from the Orgrimmar stables.

Signed
Sergeant Harn Battlebrave