From the depths of Grommash Hold, a report is delivered to any available Horde commander…
“In the height of summer, an expedition of three diplomats from the Horde set out on a peaceful mission, under direct supervision from the wise Lord Ae’rithas Sunwhisper of the High Spire. Their orders were to meet with a delegation from the Alliance near Southshore, to reaffirm the current armistice after the bloody events of the Hinterlands the month prior, hoping to prevent the potential escalation of a far bloodier conflict. The sun was setting over Tarren Mill on the second day of the sixth month of this year, when Sunwhisper departed for Southshore, alongside his Forsaken and Mag’har companions, escorted by a small contingent of Deathguards and Kor’kron Grunts. They never reached their destination. A few hours after their departure, scouts who were sent to locate Lord Sunwhisper discovered a gruesome scene: The bodies of Ae’rithas and his companions, scattered on the ground, as well as the fallen corpses of their guards. There were no survivors. A banner bearing the vile Lion of the Alliance was spotted nearby, seeming to confirm the greatest fears of those who set out to find the missing dignitaries.”
The day after, another one is delivered by the Alliance Command, to all the blue-crested battallions…
“In the quiet and misty morning of the third day of the sixth month of the current year, on the Lordaeronian side of Thoradin’s Wall, a squadron of scouts embarked from Refuge Pointe in Ararthi. Their purpose was to make a brief journey to make contact with a contingent of Stromgardian infantry that were returning from a regular patrol along the coastline of Hillsbrad. By their Captain’s report, as they marched for two hours through the thick trees, a massive, billowing column of black smoke emerged in the distance. The scouts hurried toward the source, fearing the worst. When they finally reached the small, circular glade, a horrifying scene revealed itself before them: Burnt tents, the charred remains of what clearly used to be an Alliance camp. The unbearable stink of death and ash hung heavy in the air. They found the bodies of the same footmen that they were meant to meet that morning, lying lifeless on the ground. Delving further through the ruins of the site, the expedition discovered evidence of a fierce battle, broken weapons scattered about, and deep grooves were in the earth where the bulk of the fight had taken place. Orcish axes were stuck in the ground, their wicked blades still bloodied. What the scouts feared seems to have been confirmed. The conflict in the north has begun bleeding into the south. A massacre of brave Alliance soldiers, and seemingly only one culprit. They sent their fastest runner ahead to deliver the news back to Arathi, whilst the rest of the contingent followed, praying to the Light they were not the next victims of this carnage.”
The Cycle of Hatred - Chapter One: A Cry for Blood
Welcome to the first chapter of “Cycle of Hatred”, a long term rp-pvp campaign that is planned to be divided into several major events that will span across the coming months. While this may be our debut as a group, each of us brings a wealth of varied experience from previous events to help ensure a smooth and engaging campaign. If you have any questions about anything mentioned below, or anything else for that matter, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
SETTING
As the cinders of war are stoked in the Northern continent, the tensions between the two factions are about to reach a boiling point.
After the Wrath of the Hinterlands, it was only a matter of time before another incident would occur and grant the representatives of both Horde and Alliance a pretense to jump at each other’s throats once more. Our story delves into the hatred and mistrust between factions and sets the stage for a major conflict.
The campaign will provide ample opportunity for story development, and despite the presence of a scheduled plotline, the pages of this campaign will be written in the blood of the proud members of the Horde and Alliance who arrive to defend their lands and their people. With enough grit, guile and bloody determination, the participants will guide this story.
EVENT STRUCTURE
The campaign will last from the 16th to the 22nd of June, with preludes starting from the 2nd to the 14th, and will alternate between skirmishes and major battles: Skirmishes are small-scale, emote-based encounters with objectives, offering full freedom for guilds and individuals to drive their own stories and rivalries. These are planned by the guilds involved, but if that feels like a burden, we’re more than happy to help coordinate or even run a skirmish for you. There’ll also be multiple regions involved, such as the Arathi Highlands, Silverpine Forest and Western Plaguelands, with a main, thematic focus upon Hillsbrad Foothills. Major battles will be run using Restricted RP-PVP, designed to allow meaningful movement, tactics, and narrative consequences. These are structured by the organisers, though your input and suggestions are always welcome.
We’re all here with the same aim: to create compelling stories and give our guilds a memorable experience. Sometimes that means stepping back so others can shine. The focus isn’t on “winning” battles, but on building moments that enrich the campaign and give characters room to grow. In fact, a well-played defeat can often lead to the most powerful storytelling.
RULES IN DETAIL
The larger battles of the campaign will utilize Restricted RP-PVP. This format allows for freedom of movement, tactical positioning, and meaningful use of terrain, creating a more strategic and immersive experience.
**Restricted Rules: **
No CC, including interrupts: Slows are acceptable but should be avoided if possible
One ability every 5 Seconds: Keep damage in check and never aim to kill anyone
Unlimited Healing: Go wild! Keep your teammates up!
Avoid one-shot abilities: things that do too much damage - Pyroblast, Chaos bolt, Aimed shot, Killing Spree, etc
No AoE: No AOE abilities, this includes cleaves and hero talent abilities.
Got an issue?: Raise them with your GM or an organizer directly… Do not burst them back.
Also remember to act like your character would; the point is not to win a PvP battle, but to create a prolonged fight in which the characters involved can enjoy the conflict on a character driven level. Don’t run through other players and focus on what your character would do/say rather than on which ability you should use once that 5 second timer is up.
Gearing and low levels: While it’s not a set rule, we do advise players to level if possible and get some gear to keep yourself safe. It’s understandable that this will not be possible for everyone, and players will be requested to go easier on squishy opponents.
Between major battles, players will engage in emote based skirmishes, representing smaller-scale clashes and operations. These encounters will be narrative-driven and focused on creativity, tension, and player interaction. The results will lead to effects that may change the narrative of the campaign, major battles and camp roleplay.
Emote Battle rules:
Emote-based combat only: Characters describe their actions through detailed emotes, allowing for more roleplay-heavy encounters. If you wish to use in-game pvp mechanics for show, you’re welcome to flag.
AOE : Area of effect emotes should be limited to 2-3 players and have some meaningful build up. Take a turn to emote preparing a spell or grenade for example before launching the attack.
Turn based system: Wait for your opponent to respond before posting your next emote, if they seem AFK feel free to whisper them or check in brackets.
Objective-based gameplay: Each skirmish will have goals and consequences, such as securing a location, gathering intelligence, or sabotaging enemy resources.
Faction-directed encounters: Both Horde and Alliance players will collaborate with the DM team to decide the location and objectives of these skirmishes, allowing players to shape the unfolding story.
Treat others as you wish to be treated : Taking hits, missing and being wounded are all part of the storytelling. You’ll find giving and taking encourages cooperative story telling. And makes for cool moments that both sides will remember.
SIGN-UP
Guilds:
Guild Name:
Faction:
Officers:
Estimed partecipants:
Individuals:
IC Name:
OOC Name:
Faction:
Sign-ups will be closed around the 10th of June 2025, or once a fair amount of partecipants for both factions is reached.
LIST OF PARTECIPANTS:
Horde Guilds
-Howl of Honor
-Blastfuse Inc
-Crimson Tusk
-Allied Vanguard (Horde Version)
Alliance Guilds
- “The Nameless” (Group)
-Allied Vanguard (Alliance Version)
Horde Individuals:
-Zhilin Ironpaw
-Baron Durnov
-Baroness Durnova
-Taghor Wolfsteel
Alliance Individuals:
-Sir Glenn Fizzlespring
Mercenary Individuals:
-Irysi Fogleaf
