#Vol'jins mother

[mcrtalstrike]

Vol'jins mama

[trixcuomo]

Herbalism fo shizzle

Sharpen: I love this new rapper animation! Look... *bends down and chops his hand rapidly at the floor*

Trixany: Um. That's the new herbalism animation.

Sharpen: But it looks like I'm bouncing back and forth on my heels, cutting the air for emphasis as I drop my beat!

Trixany: Sharpen--just. No. Stop that!

Sharpen: We can have RP rap battles now!

Trixany: No we can't!

Sharpen: Or at least exchange disses. I'd better get my Yo Momma jokes in order.

Trixany: Yo Momma jokes about herbalism, Sharpen? Cause that's all I'm seeing.

Sharpen: I need someone to rap battle.

Trixany: Varian. Fyrakk. Vyranoth is also pretty icy, she's got the vibe. Also, strangely? Vol'jin. Cairne, and a number of orcs. Moira. I can see Moira dropping the mic.

Sharpen: We gotta convince Wrathion and Anduin to rap battle! They'd blow it up!

Trixany: ...

Trixany: You know what? Challenge accepted. Let's make this happen.

Sharpen: First, introduce Mindy to Haris Pilton though.

Trixany: Dammit. You do see how consistency ruins this whole Desperate Alts Lives thing though, right? Mindy is holding us up.

Sharpen: No, Trix. You are holding Mindy up. What?! Drop the mic, word to your mother. *fingerguns*

Trixany: Stop rapping, or whatever you think is rapping, Sharpen. Like immediately.

Trixany: And hold up, I know you're a blacksmith; you're not even an herbalist!

[bladebloodied]

this is a placeholder until i set up a proper carrd bc i'll need a new account and that's more than i can be bothered with now etc but the basics are here

born kelantir sunblade, the second child, her mother was a priest, her father was a spellbreaker and part of the royal guard. her mother abandoned them when she was still a child, and kelantir remembers very little of her (she never knew why her mother left).

she had an older brother, keritose. her father raised them alone. eventually, her brother became a spellbreaker like their dad - leading her to follow on his footsteps eventually.

at the time of the fall, she was in silvermoon. her father died protecting the king, being promptly brought back as scourge. kelantir couldn't fight him, and survived only because her brother protected her

she wanted to join kael's expedition to northrend for revenge, but keritose made her promise to stay in quel'thalas, just as he promised to come back. he didn't, though, and ended up turned into a death knight (she only learned that during wrath timeline)

she volunteered to join the blood knights soon after their formation, being part of the second generation. liadrin mentored her herself - and they ended up developing a close, sister-like relationship.

she didn't like torturing a naaru but she endured it. when liadrin saw the error of their ways, she readily followed in trying to make amends for what they had done.

kelantir ended up having some difficulty with having a sincere bond with the light, at first. but eventually she managed.

from high ranking blood knight kelantir ended up being placed above the order itself, and being more generally part of silvermoon's defenses, answering directly to the ranger-general. she respects liadrin as her superior still, in spite of that.

when garrosh summoned the horse's forces for the siege on theramore, she led the blood elf forces. important to note she, as well as her soldiers, had no idea what garrosh really planned. the sunreavers involved with garrosh were not under her command.

she almost clashes with garrosh and his loyal minions a couple times. eventually, confronting garrosh when he's talking shit about thrall, he hit her (Garrosh whirled on the blood elf, striking her hard across the face. There was an angry murmur and a slight surge of the crowd. At once, Garrosh had Gorehowl in his hands, and the Kor’kron had swords and maces in theirs. “Your warchief is merciful,” Garrosh snarled. “You live, so that you may obey me, blood elf!”). wrong blog but lor'themar upon hearing how garrosh treated his people and the commander he sent would be ready to throw hands

she's also in the meetings with baine and vol'jin and other representatives from other races that happen during this time, and she's very vocally against garrosh, even when baine is still defending no one wants talk about insurrection

she also respects thrall a lot

when the mana bomb thing happens, she is horrified. she's the type that would have shed bitter tears in realization of what they were going to be forced to watch. she was also not present in the horde celebrations that followed, and the only reason she didn't pick up what was left of her men and went back to silvermoon is because garrosh forbid everyone from leaving durotar and she wouldn't risk more of her people by defying him openly.

she never made it back because the kor'kron had her killed but as usual I have a verse where she lives so

she has A Temper, but she is capable of managing it and following orders as required. she's also super friendly and helpful and sees herself and her people as genuinely part of the horde - not just there because it's convenient

she's friendly towards all other races, and more sympathetic towards the undead than most. her brother is still her brother, to her, but she has forsaken friends and such. she's very chill about it.

changed her last name to bloodblade like many other blood knights changed their names. her brother adopted the name change after they reunited

[mipeltaja-art]

"With trolls, I draw a line connecting the bottom of the ears, drop it three inches, and split it in half. Easy shot at the spine, and you get the tongue as you're going." Chen looked aghast. "I think, Vol'jin, what he meant — " "I be knowing what he meant." The troll looked at Tyrathan. "These be Zandalari. Four inches. Their ears be set high."

Every now and again I reread Shadows of the Horde and am delighted all over again by how Vol’jin and Tyrathan interact.

[airanke]

Happy family~~

[[ Ref ]]

[swampgallows]

i blocked notifications on that wow moms post because nobody knows how to read

[giant-oc-ballpit]

They say that the anger of trolls is fierce, to never anger them because they will never let you find peace again. But they never mentioned how fierce the love of a troll is.

However, they do say that Shadow Hunters are the fiercest of all trolls.

And Akkal was always so much like her father.

She admired her father Vol'jin from the very day she was born. Before Akkal even had her name, before she even opened her eyes she was held by him. He heard her first battle cry as she fought the indignities of being brought into the world, and smiled with pride at her waving fists.

Vol'jin named her for the wild summer storms, forces of nature so strong even the Loa could not stop them, only redirect at the most.

As soon as she could move on her own, Akkal was following Vol'jin, to her mother's frustration and annoyance. She watched with fascination as he prayed and spoke with the Loa, soothed to sleep from the sound of Bwonsamdi's (aka "Bansami" or "Bwonsami") voice. She wrapped her little hands around her father's glaive, and left scratch marks on it from her tusks as she tried to put her mouth on it. Her mother once found her practicing her snarl while holding a Rush'kah mask. She tamed her own snake, as red as her hair, and named it Joji.

Akkal followed her father to where he sparred with Rokhan and the other Shadow Hunters as soon as she could walk. She tried to hide, but they sensed her almost immediately. And in true Darkspear fashion, gave her two sticks so she could imitate their moves.

And then stepped in to correct her. And gave her the dullest daggers they had to use, so she could get used to the weight. And for every second longer that they couldn't sense her in the shadows she was rewarded.

Akkal was included more in the drumming and prayers and sacrifices to the Loa. Vol'jin told her their names, and what to ask for in their deals. And to always fulfill her end of the bargain.

Her first prayer was to Bwonsamdi, to declare her loyalty and her power as a Shadow Hunter in training.

Her second prayer was to Hir'eek when she wandered too far in the night and lost her way.

Despite Akkal's clear and close connection with Vol'jin, she was never intended to be the next leader of the Darkspear tribe. That honor/burden went to her older sister Lek'jin.

Akkal had the freedom to make friends, to go be an adventurer. And she finally got to go on a real campaign, after training with her friends. They were all older than her, but all of them would be considered children by anyone else. But even so, they went to Pandaria.

And they were there when Vol'jin was betrayed. The only betrayal Akkal had known was the story of Zalazane. She berated herself for not sensing it coming, only stopping when her friends reminded her that even Vol'jin hadn't felt it until it was almost too late. Akkal didn't want to leave him there, didn't want to leave him in a dark cave alone while he was wounded. She didn't want to tell the world he was dead. But Vol'jin pushed her away and reminded her that "Darkspear never die."

And so she left him. She told Garrosh and the others that he was dead. Akkal didn't have to fake her tears.

Nor did she have to fake them upon his return. She painted her face with a white skull just like him, and followed him to his rebellion and as he laid siege to Orgimmar, where she had spent so much time running and playing, the city where she met her friends.

Akkal was proudest of all when her father was named Warchief. Not because it meant she was more important now that she was the daughter of the warchief, or even because of the idea that she might be warchief one day. (The idea never entered her head.) No, she was proud because now everyone could see how amazing he was, and follow him as she did.

Akkal was there when he died. She followed him to the Broken Shore, and helped carry him back to Orgimmar. She tried so hard to heal him. Akkal and Lek'jin both poured every source of voodoo and mojo into their efforts and none of it did a bit of good. They prayed to every Loa they knew and none of them offered help. Vol'jin pushed their hands away from the Fel-scarred wound on his chest. He said that the spirits were calling his name, and that is was time for him to go to Bwonsamdi.

The crowd below the raised platform that her father's body rested on was blurred as Akkal chanted "Darkspear never die!", hearing the words echoed a thousand times over in unison with her.

The Uncrowned gave her her means of revenge. She killed hundreds of demons, and sends more souls to Bwonsamdi. Akkal returned to the Broken Shore, and found her father's broken tusk in the ashy sand. Now it lives on a leather string around her neck, resting on top of her heart.

The joy at seeing Bwonsamdi again. The awe at meeting new Loa. The sorrow and horror at seeing them die. The overwhelming grief and regret at killing Hir'eek, who had helped her take her first steps in darkness, who had given her blind little sister the means to wander the world on her own strength.

Akkal was overjoyed when Princess Talanji called Vol'jin's spirit to them. She fell even deeper in love with the princess at that, which was impressive given how hard she landed while rescuing her from Stormwind.

She got to kill in his name, by his orders again. And to go up against an old God, too! No greater honor, as far as Akkal was concerned.

There were no answers for Vol'jin. Not yet. But there was an answer for Akkal: that her father was not done fighting yet. That he was still proud of her. She saw him twice more before the Veil shattered: once at Talanji's coronation, and again at their wedding.

And then. A miracle. Working with Bwonsamdi in the realms of death, rescuing the Loa that had died. Being forgiven by Hir'eek. Rezan giving Vol'jin all his power.

"I gonna be a Loa..." He said, looking at his ghostly hands in wonder.

"Oh Fa'da..." Akkal grinned at him. "You have always been my Loa. And you always will be."

[l-liontrust]

“I want a baby” meme: World of Warcraft Edition

Jaina: I want a baby.

Thrall: I promise that after you graduate hygiene school I will give you a baby. I will give you as many babies as you want. I can't wait to get you pregnant. . . I can't even imagine the amount of pure happines that will overwhelm me. You're the woman of my dreams and you're going to be the best mother to our babies.

Thrall: I love so much babygirl.

▬▬▬▬▬

Thalyssra: I want a baby

Lor'themar: I'm gay

Thalyssra: You weren't gay last night

▬▬▬▬▬

Jaina: I want a baby

Sylvanas: We're lesbians

▬▬▬▬▬

Taelia: I want a baby

Anduin: Who are you and what have you done to my boyfriend

▬▬▬▬▬

Wrathion: I want a baby

Anduin: We only have like $12 combined

▬▬▬▬▬

Tyrathan: I want a baby

Vol'jin: oh my god

Vol'jin: steal one

▬▬▬▬▬

Varian: I want a baby

Garrosh: give me a week

Garrosh: what color

▬▬▬▬▬

Tyrande: I want a baby

Malfurion: Mine?

Tyrande: Yeah

Tyrande: who else's

Malfurion: Aquaman's

▬▬▬▬▬

Lor'themar: I want a baby

Halduron: where u gonna get one

▬▬▬▬▬

Anduin: I want a baby

Garrosh: oh

Garrosh: just to hang out with?

▬▬▬▬▬

Kael'thas: I want a baby

Illidan: We already have ten at home

▬▬▬▬▬

Flynn: I want a baby

Mathias: Excuse me?

Mathias: 7 more years

▬▬▬▬▬

Taelia: I want a baby

Flynn: no

Taelia: oh okay

Flynn: Wait but don't ask another guy i'll do it

[knicks-knacks]

holy shite can we get vol'jin's grandma lore???????

AJDKJKHKDJS alright but I just woke up so coherency is 50/50. it was basically on a night I got sauced as hell and was sick of all the WoW characters never having named mothers or always having dead mothers that only get a name retrospectively because blizzard finally remembers women and mothers exist and hey maybe we should give them a name (listen I’ll always be angry about WoW’s sexism lmfao)

her name is Eza, she’s a very very old retired shadow hunter and is the mother of Vilja (Vol’jins mom oc who isn’t as fleshed out as Eza is yet haha)

She’s a very wise, caring, and generous woman, but is very abrasive and kinda intimidating. She was a hella powerful shadow hunter, and still is though she’s retired, and in general is very likely to bop you on the head with whatever she’s currently holding when you’re late or you don’t visit often enough. And though she has wisdom and advice aplenty it’s likely to be shouted at you rather than calmly explained because she’s got no patience, though it’s all from the good of her heart lol

She’s become the pseudo grandma of a lot of the trolls in the village, and even a parental figure to the older trolls in the village - she’s about 150 so she’s seen a lot of these trolls age all the way from childhood into having kids of their own. The majority of the village refers to her as Great Grandma.

Also, a quick aside - I have some headcanons regarding troll tusks. I think that they go through three sets of tusks through their life - childhood tusks, teenage tusks, and then their adult ones come in. Yes this does mean teenage trolls, instead of having the awkward acne puberty phase, instead have their tuskless phase - though it is celebrated by the adults as like the ultimate Coming Of Age Sign. And there are traditions surrounding the tusks, and who they go to once they fall out. The childhood/baby tusks get passed off to the grandparents, one to each of them - because the tusks pretty reliably fall off within hours or days of each other - and its customary for the kid themselves to be the ones to hand it off to the grandparents. Then, the teen years tusks go to the parents themselves. Parents very commonly use these tusks as household decorations or jewelry. 

Then, in the case of there being a death in the family, the tusks would be passed on to other living members. I.E. if the grandparent were to pass on, then the baby tusks passed down to the parent, vice versa. Or, if the tusks fell off and you didn’t have a grandparent to begin with... it’d just go to the person who fit that role the best. You see where I’m going with this lol

Eza’s got a FUCK ton of tusks from pretty much the whole village, both baby and teen ones. Her house and jewelry look like a horror show to any outsiders including Zandalari or other trolls types because the tusk heirlooms are a more Stranglethorn Jungle Troll type tradition, and the Darkspear take it a tiny bit farther than those ones even. Gurubashi also pass their tusks on to their family units but they’re usually kept in boxes and safe, not worn hanging from the ear lol. But, to a Darkspear, walking into Eza’s hut and seeing all the tusks from your tribe lovingly decorated and hung is very comforting because it just screams Home. like this is a woman that is loved and respected by so many and can be trusted with anything because how else does she have the whole tribes baby teeth lmfao.

also side side note, Vol’jin doesn’t have too much time to visit in general so he is a frequent victim of the head bonks with a stick. and also sometimes he gets a TINY bit jealous that his grandma is the whole tribes grandma because it’s competition on who she pampers more and who can give G-Ma the best gifts (because again I think trolls show their love and respect primarily through giving gifts) but he does have the SOLE HONOR of HIS baby tusks being the ones she has around her neck at all times because Vol’jins her only blood related grandkid

also, to the few who don’t just call her Zul’muu (what i hc is the troll word for great grandma) people tend to call her Eza’jin because even though she’s not THE leader she’s def a big influence on the whole tribe and ‘jin is the suffix for leader/chieftain SO

also she is trans ✨

anyways. i’ve gotten off track and this is an incoherent mess bc i woke up, had a hit, and then wrote this so djfhk apologies but THERE SHE IS. GRANDMA TEETH

[frutavel]

kjhhj ok im sorry for sending so many asks but i am so Intrigued about gheist 👀👀👀👀

Hskdhskd don't worry asks are direct fuel for my brainworm, you can send in as many as you want ^^

ALSO GOOD his vibe is suppoosed to be weird in some way or other. I think that covers intriguing too xD

So here's a roundup! The only thing that changed since I made him to where we are now is that he used to be Amani, now he is Mossflayer. This doesn't impact his story at all and in fact makes it a lot easier for me to write him.

The Gheest's weird vibe starts generations ago when one of his great grandparents married an elf. They had children, and their children had children, and they mostly grew up in a weird limbo between elf and troll cultures, some leaned closer to one, some to the other, but overall a pretty mixed culture and creation. The troll died of old age eventually, but the elf stuck aroud for a very long time, because elves live way longer than trolls do and those were her family, whom she loved and cared for, and she wanted to be near all of her children and grandchildren, until one day she disappeared.

Nobody knows where she went or why she left, she might still be out there somewhere, but her absence caused her family to draw away from the elves as a whole and turn to the other half of their root, the trolls. Which lead us to Gheist and his mother, who are the last living descendants of that original couple. Gheist's mother is Amani, his dad was a Mossflayer, and Gheist grew up where today is the Eastern Plaguelands.

The elf blood holds strong in their line after all those years, but since it's pretty diluted (?) by now the only thing thaf implies for the Gheest is his eyes glow in the dark and he might live a little longer than your average troll. The moss that grows on his fur also sprouts red flowers instead of white, which is the usual color for moss flowers, so maybe the elf blood has something to do with that as well.

Life for the Gheest was pretty normal until around his early teens, when he lost his father. From then on it was just him and his mom, and then, when the Scourge attacked, he was on his own.

The Plaguelands are a direct connection to the Ghostlands, and they're messed up Like That because of the Scourge, and the Eastern Plaguelands, where the Mossflayer live, got the worst of the two halves. Gheist's tribe lost a lot, like everyone else in the Plaguelands and as of now a bunch of them are dead or undead. The living trolls managed to hold out in Zul'mashar.

As for the Gheest, he was out hunting the Scourge when it first hit. He was alone in his mission though, because the others of his tribe were understandably more worried about keeping themselves alive, but he did pretty well on his own.

He moved up to the Ghostlands eventually and he got caught with a necromancer's whip around the neck.

That left a scar as we know, and if he didn't die from the attack he would have died from infection, but lucky for him a certain someone was nearby.

Mel hung up her performer cloak while the Scourge was invading because well. The Scourge was invading and she was (and still is!) Very Good at settingthings on fire. She found Gheist and could not in her right mind let him die, so she got one of the healears to help him, and then she took care of him while he recovered.

The thing is he didn't exactly survive that. Bwonsamdi literally had his soul in hand and they it got yanked out of his grasp, and that's a thing that happens sometimes but it left a lasting mark on the Gheest that had Consequences tm.

His mouth constantly tastes weird, sometimes his skin goes numb and he can't feel anything for a bit, sometimes he looks and sees things that he shouldn't be seeing and it's not very fun. Sometimes he gets the chills and sometines he gets the colds wherd no matter what he does or where he is or how hot it is, he can't warm up. Sometimes when he gets a cut that's a little deeper mushrooms and other fungi grow out of it and he absolutely hates it and he cuts them off as soon as he sees them, but they bleed and it hurts to cut them out and if he didn't hate them so much he probably wouldn't think they were worth the trouble.

He didn't have anything left for him in the Plaguelands and he had no idea what the hell was wrong with him so he stayed in Quel'thalas with Melina. She already had Corina, her daughter, at this point and Gheist found not one but two whole friends. Cori is like a sister to him and she will beat up anyone who messes with him.

While he was in Quel'thalas he found a connection to the Amani loa, and it was around then that he became a druid. It was amazing for him to find something he could find solace in, and that helped him deal with his 10% death problems. It didn't cure it, and he's probably not ever going to find a cure, but the loa's blessing sure makes dealing with his occasional hiccups a lot easier.

And then we enter Toothpaste Territory, when Gheist and Corina (and Urhau!) Joined up with the Farstriders and Vol'jin to get into Zul'Aman before the Amani and the Zandalari did anything bad. Gheist has no love for the Amani and he felt that taking them down was the right thing to do, so that's what he did. After that he decided to leave Quel'thalas and see more sights, see if there was anywhere else he could be useful, and that landed him in Orgrimmar, and eventually it landed him a fling with Vol'jin, which landed him where we currently are in Toothpaste, with the two of them getting a little more stable and Tyrathan entering the mix sometime in the future.

And then we have Nightmare Gheist, which is a subject for another post, because this one is long enough as it is and I still need to polish some details on NM Gheist before I go more in depth about him. What I will say though, is that the Nightmare corruption upped his kinda dead status to half dead, and while it back to less concerning levels of dead once he was cleanses of it, it made the side effects he was already dealing with a lot worse for a while, until all of the corruption left and he was somewhat back to normal.

[surveys-at-your-service]

Survey #259

"i went straight to heaven, but i kept on knockin’.”

What's something that makes you feel more creative? Music. What are the last three nail polish colors you wore? Wow, idk the last time I wore nail polish, but probably black or maroon. What's the last thing you binge watched? Avatar: The Last Airbender w/ Sara. Do you watch youtube videos or tv shows more? YouTube is essentially my TV. Quite literally - I don't have a television in my room because I never watch it. What's a DIY project that you don't think actually works? Oh dude, plenty. I have DIY-obsessed friends online as well as a Pinterest, I know this shit, lmao. I can name one though with total certainty because I was with a friend when she tried that disgusting "YOU CAN MAKE cuPCAkES IN A C uP!!!!!" crap. It's the most eggy shit you'll ever try. Do you collect Mason jars to use for crafts? No, but I think those crafts are generally super cute. Have you ever gotten rid of something and then regretted it? If so, what? (or what's one thing?) Oh yeah, one of my biggest being my senior prom pictures, but not for the reason you'd expect (save for two pictures of us that're just REALLY fuckin cute): I want them back because goddamn I was pretty ok and I miss that now that I hate my body every waking moment of every day. :^) What color is the zip-up hoodie you wear the most? Don't have one w/ a zipper, they're ugly. Do you live in an apartment that has inspections? No. Do you hate taking naps during the day? Nooo I love naps and usually take one a day. I tend to feel really tired all over again a few hours or so after I wake up. Who in your immediate family has the best natural hair? MEEEEEEEEEEEE. Would you ever audition for American Idol? Hell no. Do you know anyone who thinks they're more talented than they are? Lol wow, this is mean. I don't think so. Do you buy gum? Rarely, even though I like it. What's your favorite dollar store?  I don’t have a favorite, I'd say? But I think we normally go to Dollar General. How many cell phones have you had in your lifetime? Maybe like, six? Have you ever been inside a Victorian mansion? BITCH I WISH!!!!!!!!!!!! I would kill to get married in one, omfGGGGGGGGGGG. What was the most boring field trip you ever want on? I don't remember a bad one. I loved going on field trips. The last time you went, what were your favorite rides at Cedar Point? I’ve never been. Which country would you most like to visit? Eeeeek idk, but probably South Africa. What are your favorite types of videos to watch on YouTube? What I watch on YouTube has become pretty diverse, but I know my favorites are easily Mark's actual big projects w/ egos 'n shit alksjdflk;w gOOD SHIT MY FRIENDS. I still love let's plays, of course! Are you a hoarder? No. Is there a guy (or girl) that you wish things had worked out with? Yes. If you were to start a collection, what would it be? I'd loooove Shadow of the Colossus stuff, particularly the amazing figures they used to have only in Japan. And World of Warcraft stuff; all I have rn is an Illidan poster and a fae dragon plushy hanging from my ceiling that Jason got me. If you were rich, what things would you get done cosmetically? Mother of god, a lot. #1, make me skinny again for the love of fuck. Which would result in loose skin being taken off and probably a breast lift because being overweight ruined my comfort with them laskdjfw. Whiten my teeth and give me laser hair removal surgery on my legs, please. Are your parents too controlling? Not at all. Who is your favorite fictitious redhead? VOL'JIN Blizzard what the FUCK give him BACK What shows have you seen on Broadway? None. Who is the prettiest Asian YouTuber that you can think of? Bitch Mark is Korean and he's gorgeous as fuck goddamn it ain't fair. But this is a weird question. What is the best news you've heard lately? When my mom got a follow-up blood test, things looked good!! She especially needed to level out her sugar, which she did well on. She also didn't lose or gain any weight, so that's wonderful. Have you ever flown first class? Hunny I am v poor. Have you ever had food SO bad in a restaurant that you sent it back? I don't believe so, anyway. Do you talk in your sleep? Very regularly now. Have you ever locked yourself out of your house? OOF, yes. Are you the type of person who can shake insults off easily, or do they tend to stick around in your brain & bother you? They stick with me for a long, long time. At least two I remember from years upon years ago. Who was the last person you cut out of your life intentionally? My old therapist that I trusted and loved when I fucking shouldn't have. Where were you raised? By who? Eastern NC, by my parents. What were your first words? "Dada." What were some of your favorite things when you were young? DINOSAURS, Webkinz, Pokemon, and Spyro, to name a few. What did you grow up listening to? Mostly country and pop music. What games did you play in the past? Spyro was my obsession, and I also loved hunting games (ironic, as irl I would never even consider it???) as well as fishing ones, plus Crash Bandicoot. What was the best birthday party you ever had? I'm not sure. How about the best vacation? I'm unsure; I haven't really been on a lot. Do you have any secrets you never intend to tell? Yup. What memory would you like to disappear from your mind forever? A nightmare I had about my dad. If you were someone else, would you be friends with the person you are now? Yeah. Do you consider yourself a smart person? No. What friend in your life has been the greatest influence to you? I don't know. Where is the scariest place you’ve ever been? What made it so terrifying? I shared a bedroom with an EXTREMELY volatile, violent woman once in the mental hospital. As in she had to go in solitary when she had a violent episode, during which she became very destructive to her surroundings, so as you could guess, I was worried about my own wellbeing. She was eventually moved because I was that uncomfortable. Did you celebrate Easter? Are there any holidays you are more inclined to celebrate than others? If so, which? Well, Easter hasn't come yet, but we'll probably go to my sister's house for the kids. We'll celebrate Christmas and Thanksgiving without fail. We don't pay much attention to others. I'd LOVE to do something for Halloween, we just never have anywhere to go/anything to do. What was the last thing you deleted? Pictures. What colors make up the majority of your wardrobe? Is there any color you like, but don’t wear often? There's black there. Oh, there's s'more black. What's that???? More bLACK????? MAN, I wish I could pull off pink. When was the last time you were in any amount of pain? I had a pretty intense headache yesterday. Who was the last person to hug you? Do you hug this person often? My niece, and yeah, every time I visit. What are you most likely to argue or debate about? The fact I almost never leave my pajamas lmao. What was the last show you watched? Have you seen it before, or is it something you’re watching for the first time? A few days back, I was reeeaaally bored and actually watched TV deliberately, CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?????? It was The Witcher; wasn't bad. I'd be willing to watch more. How would you describe your taste in clothing? What would a dream outfit look like to you? uuuuuggggGHHHHHHHH let me be GOTH. Give me a corsette if they weren't notoriously uncomf with plenty of chains 'n stuff. BIG, SPIKY BOOTS. SKINNY LEATHER PANTS. UUUUGGGGGGGHHHHHH. Have you ever tried snowboarding? No. What’s your favorite planet besides Earth? Saturn is dope. Would you ever be a coach for any sport? Nope. What color of eyes do you have? Blue. Do you like tacos? NOOOOOOOOO. White or red wine? Wine is gross. Do you prefer foxes or wolves? Foxes. What’s the youngest you would consider dating? No younger than 21. Do you think suits are sexy? mmmmmmmmmMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM Did you go to high school with your current best friend? No. What is your boss’ (or school prinicpal’s) name? N/A Were you a fan of Michael Jackson before he died? I was never really a fan. Respected him immensely as a musician, I just didn't care much about his music. Turkey or ham for Thanksgiving? Ham. Turkey is always too dry and stringy. Do you look good in hats? I wouldn't know, I haven't worn one in forever. Never with short hair. Colons or equal signs for your smiley face's eyes? Colons. Do you like architecture? If so, do you have a favourite style or structure that you’d like to make note? Yes, and I should really have an answer for this, as architecture was a big part in Art History... Ummm Etruscan stands out, and of course Roman/Greek (even after the class I don't remember their differences well...). I love Middle Eastern architecture, too. What is one of your favorite words, in any language, and why? I just love the sound of "serendipity," as well as uhhhh "sakura" in Japanese and "kanji" in Chinese. I'm trying to think of a German one, as there certainly are some, but they're evading me right now. Where is the farthest you’ve travelled on foot? JESUS FUCK probably going to get Sara's brother from school, mother of all that is holy. But it might just feel like it because it was during the peak of my muscle atrophy in my legs. Are there any songs that you perhaps like but avoid because it makes you sad when heard? A good number. Do you like the area that you live in? What do you like or dislike about the area? NO. There's not shit to do and it's not aesthetically pleasing at all. Do you have a memory of when you really thought that you have lucked out on something? If so, what was it? Uhhhhh. A handful, I guess? Oh, uh, the suicide attempt to name one and probably the biggest. I took way too many of those pills to experience almost zero symptoms of an overdose; I did look up what "too many" was, because I wanted that. I'd say I was pretty fuckin lucky. If you have apps on your mobile phone, which one do you use the most? Facebook. Which do you like better: fantasy or science fiction novels? Why? FANTASY!!! I think it allows more creativity and possibilities of something magically "making sense" because yeah, it's fantasy. Science fiction has more "realness" to it, more, obviously, scientific elements versus make-believe. Do you like opossums? Do you think it is ethically right for others to keep opossums as pets? OPOSSUMS!!!!!!!!! ARE!!!!!!!!!! FANTASTIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They're my second-favorite animals kdsja;lkdjaw. BUT ANYWAY, no, unless it's for rescue reasons. When was the last time someone asked you a huge favor or advice? Do you get asked often by this person? Oh I have no idea. Probably my mom? And no, definitely not. She hates asking for help. What are your thoughts on nihilism? I definitely get it, but it's not my personal outlook. Do you like the snow? More like love. What are your thoughts and feelings towards work/jobs in general? I don't know? I've never even had a real, steady job, so it's hard to really answer... I've only had bad experiences. It's kinda weird to me how you have to work your ass off (usually) to get a job you enjoy, as well as slave for some stupid green paper until the day you die just to stay alive and healthy. But at the same time, it offers a sense of fulfilment and is as well something productive and beneficial to the masses to do. Civilization would be very, very different and unadvanced if we were without them, so I guess it is a necessary thing. Humans gotta work together to keep where we're at. Do you believe in astrology? I've never actually elaborated why I don't believe in it so there ya go: not in the slightest. All it does is offer extremely broad characteristics that, in some light, almost anyone can relate to so they feel included in something. We naturally want to "belong" within something as social creatures, and astrology is an easy one with it being so vast. It gives equally indirect advice that can be applied to a multitude of situations, so people just mold what they read to fit their world. Don't base your goddamn life choices on the random positioning of shit in space. What is something that you’ve made/created? Do you take pride in your creations? Well, way way way too many OCs that I do indeed love a hell of a lot. If you have a Tumblr account, do you have any followers that you wish would not follow you? Well I'm sure there are bots. What kind of books do you generally enjoy to read? Fantasy stuff, mostly. But I also love novels with deep meaning, particularly about life in general. A good plot is mandatory. Does the quality of a video, on YouTube or a television, matter to you? I mean of course in some situations, like if I'm watching something educational/something to gain visual knowledge from. What is one situation that may cause you to become shy (if there is any)? Don't don't don't don't don't point out that my serious interests/things I massively love are "weird" like it's been years and I can still barely explain why my biggest tattoo is a tribute to some fuckface on the Internet lmao. When one is depressed, what can a friend do about it? Do you find that there is a good method to approach people in helping them combat depression? It is SO important to, first, ask them what they want. Do they want advice, an ear to just listen, just your presence, to be alone? As for combating depression, that greatly depends on the origin (if any) of theirs. There are so many factors in answering this question, but what I mentioned should, imo, always be the start. Do you tend to listen to music that embraces your mood or does music dictate your mood? Is it a little bit of both? Definitely both. When I'm sad though, I'm almost definitely listening to somber music too. Do you find yourself to be generally a forgiving person? I'm too goddamn forgiving. Do you have an embarrassing memory that you now look back at and can laugh? If so and if you’re comfortable, could you share one here? Omg I have a Bible-length collection of those suckers. I'd prefer not to. What is one skill that you have worked hard to develop? Is there still room for improvement on that skill? Damn, anxiety-coping mechanisms and actually trusting them to help me through attacks. I used to be convinced that they were useless because it just wouldn't work and weren't immediately effective, but you've gooooooot to trust the process, friends. What do you consider to be your main passion(s) and how did they come about? Spreading awareness of the seriousness of mental health and the comfort of knowing there's hope. You can never stop pushing. My own experience with mental health struggles is definitely the deeeep roots of that. Who do you think influenced you the most in your life so far? Why? Jason changed my life in many ways. Trauma does that. He taught me a lot about the necessity of having faith in yourself to survive on your own, a shitload about love and how it's not some fairy tale, and that people change, even those you least expect to. What is something that you have overheard people talk about that really bothered you? I could name more than a few things about race stuff, living where I do. What do you normally say or how do you normally act in response to a compliment? I usually do this shy laugh and say "thank you" with too much enthusiasm. How many books do you own? Do you have more physical books than electronic books? I've no clue where a lot of my old ones are. I have no electronic ones; I strongly prefer to read a physical book. What are your thoughts on higher education? Is it really necessary? In your opinion, what changes can be made? Depending on your aspiring career, it can be necessary, but just as easily, it can be unnecessary. I know for a fucking fact it should not be NEARLY as expensive as it is. Maybe even free, but I have no idea what monetary concerns that could cause with whoever runs the place. Have you ever received a heartfelt compliment from a stranger? Probably at some point. How many people would you consider to be extremely close to you? "Extremely"... like three lmao. Maybe one more or so. When was the last time you had to speak to a crowd? How well did that go? When I was taking pictures at a wedding last. It went okay. How would you describe your general outlook towards humanity? We by no means deserve to be the apex predator and Earth would be a shitload better without us. How long do you think you could last without any contact with your significant other, best friend, or a person whom you consider would be the closest to you? I'll use my mom here, in which case idk. I don't particularly want to find out. I talk to her at LEAST by text daily. Every day now that she can't work/is always home with me. Have you ever realised that someone was lying, but it was too late to confront them? Nope. Eventually speaking up is how I lost her, but.

[darkspear-dancers]

One’s Measure - An Emissarial Missive

Passed down to you by the War Dancer Zul’Jawa, the Shrouded Jaguar, the Descending Eagle, the High Emissary and Speaker of the Darkspear Tribe.

It occurs to me now that it has been some time since I have offered any background information of myself. In the case that these records are archived for historical purposes or discovered in some thousand years by archaeologists seeking to understand the Darkspear, it is nothing short of an honour to describe myself. I make my efforts known through my words and deeds in this life. I should hope that my legacy lives on far after I'm gone.

I am the War Dancer Zul'Jawa. I serve as the High Emissary and Speaker of the Darkspear Tribe. So, too, am I a Spear of Vol'jin, a devoted Claw of Har'koa, the Shrouded Jaguar, the Descending Eagle. Each of these titles, I have accrued over my years of service to my tribe and to my people. Each, I bear with pride and honour. 

But what, you might ask, is the War Dance, itself? 

It is all that I am.

It is a philosophy and a state of being, in mind, body, and soul. Specifically, it is a martial arts system, passed down through my bloodline, which prioritizes constant movement, unsurpassed agility, and decisive strength. It is a source of inspiration for entire armies of troll warriors, and it is the method through which I become a living weapon, a godbreaker. It is my burden and my blessing. It is my namesake and my purpose. Through it, all things are possible.

I was born upon the Darkspear Isles, upon a barely-hospitable cluster of rocks beset by torrential rain and insatiable bands of naga and murlocs constantly. My father was a bastard; he deserves to be forgotten, unmentioned in the annals of history for his sins. My mother is Zael'aka, who now oversees the orphanage on the Echo Isles. She had me at a very young age - she is yet to reach her fortieth birthday. It is from her I inherit my good looks and my charm.

It is from my greatfather that I inherit all else. A War Dancer before me, Zul'izotl instructed me in the art of the War Dance and raised me properly, teaching me all he knew, not just of the world, but of how to be a good mon. I strive to embody his legacy still. Ah, what else to tell. I am mated to Ahuatli, Leopardess of the Echo Isles. Though I am a wordsmith by trade, words fail me to describe her kindness and love, which I strive to return every waking day. The two of us are raising the son of my late blood-brother, Dar'Kran, a bright Zandalari boy named Zugon. We live in our Emissarial Estate, nestled comfortably into the Terrace of the Speakers in the glorious golden city of Dazar’alor. My favoured activities are surfing, reading, and collecting artifacts of trollish civilizations. In my household, Har'koa is worshipped, and I travel alongside a loaborn spirit leopard, Azteotl, the pride of Har'koa's pride. I have also come to revere Xuen as I would any others.

I count a host of others among my friends. The War-Philosopher Xiao-Zen, who saw me through the Hundred Trials of the Artistry of Warfare. Leah Sid'he, a fellow Spear of Vol'jin, the greatest huntress and the most steadfast friend one could ever ask for. Azae'latl, the Jaguar Warrior, who trains under me. Sophie, as true a troll as any. Catristine, Algrubel, Splintze, Suota, comrades I met in service of the Kor'kron. Ziata, Khu'lulli, Taerzah, trolls from every tribe. And Soriya, who surfs better than any troll I’ve had the pleasure of meeting.

And I would be lost without the assistance of my voodoo golem, Rokh, who is holding my inkwell as I write. A finer scribe, there has never been. And I should know, I was one.

I strive for peace above all else in this world - it is this that I have dedicated my life to, in peacemaking and diplomacy on behalf of the Darkspear. There are many causes that I am prepared to fight for - though I pray for peace, I am ever prepared for war. I place high premiums on respect, loyalty, freedom, happiness - if i am to make the world a better place than I found it, i wish to have a positive impact on all I come to know.

Peace shall be its own reward.

And as for the rest of who I am - I believe one's spirit is one's measure. 

And though my journey may be long, I move in stride with battle-song. My beating heart; a drum of war. My battle-cry; the jaguar's roar.

- The War Dancer Zul’Jawa

[ Recently got some asks from @xakkir and @kuzi-the-hunturr, and I figured it’s been a while since I’ve given a re-introduction to Zul’Jawa!! A shout-out to a few of those mentioned in Zul’s record! @zandalarki @leahdarkspear @algrubel @ziata-mists @draikaina @simplysoriya]

[heljay]

NAME: Althrich Havenblade GENDER: Cis Male AGE: 28 (BFA) RACE: Blood Elf (Sin'dorei) GUILD RANK: Co-leader Unlike his commanding twin sister, Althrich is... well, he's considered fairly unremarkable by most. Horde leaders tend to forget he exists and ignorant Alliance forces have a bad habit of mistaking him for Viviette. Still, Althrich is a dedicated, loyal and considerate person, and handles much of the administration of the guild. He takes care to personally tend to his guild members, reach out to those in need, and do what it takes to keep the people around him happy. Currently, during his sister's rehabilitation, he is the one in charge. Not that he can lead anyone into battle with his faith waning... FAMILY: Viviette Havenblade (twin sister); High Priestess Unji'zi (adoptive mother) SONG: "Something Just Like This" - The Chainsmokers & Coldplay

More babbling under the cut.

Several worksheets, about 50 words and way too much internal screaming later, I have managed to find enough break in my study time to post more still. (Actually it's more like I had this mostly done before I started studying my ass off for my Japanese exam, and during a break I managed to finish it.) So here's Viviette's brother! He's a good boy. I probably had the most fun drawing his weapons so far? Probably because the Horde symbol is all over them and I am Horde through and through. LOK'TAR As you can see I modified the crap out of Al's 'mog from when I drew it for that one piece in 2017, made it more cohesive and also probably simpler (at least with the damn cape). It's mostly a Wrath set mixed with the Judgment set from Classic with Vol'jin's Spear thrown on top, because that's the best tabard in the game. Next up, I have another set of Horde twins to offer. But, uh, not until I'm done my exam.

[alittlepieceofwarcraft]

Tauren: A Character Guide

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History

Evolution (Before Year -150,000): It is speculated that the tauren originate from Niuzao the Black Ox August Celestial, a form of Wild God, created by titanic Keeper Freya during the Ordering of Azeroth. From him came the ancient form of yaungol, and in turn the modern yaungol, a race that lived in peace with the demigod Cenarius before being enslaved by the mogu. It is unknown exactly when these beings first emerged but they must have occurred somewhere between Year -15,000 and Year -12,000 to participate in the rebellion that overthrew the mogu empire in the latter year. After they regained their freedom, they found themselves wondering towards areas surrounding the Well of Eternity, transforming them into the tauren we know today. They are also relatives of the taunka, an offshoot race also coming from the yaungol. A direct descendent of the tauren are the Highmountain tauren. 

A Really Old War (Year -10,000): Originally, the tauren never took place in the War of the Ancients, however Krasus’ interference when experiencing past events by falling through a hole in time led to an altered history. He and his companions managed to convince Huln Highmountain to join the efforts of repelling the Burning Legion, however Desdel Stareye, night elf commander, refused to allow them into their forces due to his bigotry. After his death he was replaced by Jarod Shadowsong who deployed the tauren forces. After the war, Cenarius blessed the tauren under Huln (the Rivermane, Bloodtotem, Skyhorn, and Highmountain tribes) and were given the Horns of Eche'ro: moose-like antlers. Due to the bravery of Huln, they renamed their home Highmountain in his honour. As well as this, the holiday known as the Lunar Festival began. 

Centaur Incoming (Year -1,100): The years after the war allowed the tauren to wander peacefully and especially within the region of Mashan'she, a grassland considered sacred to them. After hearing whispers, shaman were convinced that this is where the Earth Mother resided and spent decades trying to wake her. They succeeded by quickly realised that it was not their Goddess’ voice they heard but those of elementals and that they’d roused earth elemental Princess Theradras instead. She drained energy from the land to replenish her own, leaving it to be renamed as Desolace. The loss of life rippled though the Emerald Dream and Zaetar, son of Cenarius, came to investigate. He fell in love with Theradas and the two become mates, beginning the centaur race that would murder their father and drive the tauren out of their home.

Green Is Good (Year 20): At the brink of extinction, Cairne Bloodhoof was desperate and readily accepted aid from the newly arrived Warchief Thrall and his orcs. Along with the Darkspear trolls, they composed the beginning of a new Horde and with their help were able to drive back the centaur and claim Mulgore. They repaid their debt to Thrall by fighting alongside him, the night elves and the humans in Mount Hyjal to defend Kalimdor from the Legion attack. Overtime, the tauren tribes were united under Cairne’s leadership, aided by Archdruid Hamuul Runetotem and the elder crone Magatha Grimtotem, although many of the Grimtotem tribe were hungry for power and attemped to usurp Cairne many times. 

Betrayal From Within (Year 28): A peaceful summit between night elves and tauren was sabotaged by Twilight's Hammer cultists that posed as Horde members and Cairne believed the new Warchief Garrosh Hellscream,to be responsible, thus challenging him to a fight to the death known as mak'gora. Magatha took this opportunity to attempt to take power over the tauren and poisoned Garrosh’s axe Gorehowl, ensuring Cairne’s death. The Grimtotem then seized the capital of Thunder Bluff, later to be driven out by Cairne’s son Baine Bloodhoof who was given the mantle of Chieftan. The Grimtotem did manage to corrupt several wells within Mulgore, however with the aid of adventurers, Baine managed to stop them and kill their invasion leader Orno Grimtotem, Quilboar then began attacking caravans, with Garrosh and many tauren wanting to strike back whereas Baine wanted a more diplomatic approach. Still, many believed that Baine was too compromising with Garrosh, thinking their chieftan was bowing down to his every command. Greyhoof Farwanderer and other began to prepare to leave both Mulgore and the Horde. Another quilboar attack erupted with Garrosh and his Kor'kron assaulted the quilboar, only to be overrrun. Baine, with the aid of Hamuul and the Sunwalkers managed to free the orcs. He stood over the defeated quilboar and demanded that they stop raiding the caravans, and in return they would provide any food or water they needed. Greyhood and the others witnessed his victory and asked for a pardon for their near-defection. Alliance forces invaded the Barrens, Camp Taurajo was burned to the ground, leading tauren to build  the Great Gate. 

This Is Not Amoosing (Year 29): When Baine is informed of the planned attack upon Theramore, he initially protested before relenting to protect his people. He led his people through the Great Gate to join Vol'jin and his Darkspear to take Northwatch Hold, ordering his tauren to not desecrate any Alliance bodies. Before they moved to Theramore, Baine send Perith Stormhoof to tell Jaina Proudmoore of Northwatch’s fall and warn her of the upcoming attack against Theramore. After the destruction, he and the tauren returned to Thunder Bluff. Upon learning of Pandaria;s discovery, he sent Sunwalker Dezco and his Dawnchaser tribe to explore the land and managed to find their way thanks to Dezco’s wife Leza. They moved around and established settlements including Thunder Cleft. The tribe continued on, finding the Vale of Eternal Blossoms and staying in Shrine of Two Moons. When Vol’jin declared open rebellion against Garrosh, Baine pledged loyalty to his cause.

Family Reunion (Year 32): The tauren assisted the Horde during Battle for Broken Shore. They reunited with their Highmountain cousins and introduced them into the Horde

Physical Traits

Life expectancy: It is unknown when tauren consider themselves to be adults, however they are old around 95 and vulnerable to death around 110. Oldest of the tauren have lived passed 100.

Height: Female tauren can grow to be around 9 feet tall whereas males can be up to 10 feet.

Eye colour: Tauren have a varying range of brown shades for eye colour

Cosmetics: They are covered in fur in black, gray, white, red, brown and tan that tend to go white upon ageing. They also have long tails and horns. 

Personality traits

Gentle Giants: Tauren are known for their mild tempers and level heads despite their massive size. This is likely as having dignity is important to taurens, leading them to control their anger and balancing strong emotions, as well as their peaceful nature.

Nature First: Tauren are deeply caring when it comes to the earth and nature. A Tauren, similarly to night elves, are unlike to litter, support deforestation, torture their enemies or mutilate the dead. 

Honourable Fellows: Part of their attraction to the orcs is their shared reverence of the concept of honour: fair combat, respect for elders, and a need for justice.

Other races: As mentioned before, orcs and tauren see eye to eye on many ideals and appreciate the much needed aid of Thrall when they first met.  Forsaken are surprisingly well accepted by kind-hearted tauren, with Hammul seeing redemption within them. Forsaken and convincing Thrall to allow them into the Horde in the first place. The Elder Council wish to find a cure for their undeath and Bena Winterhoof claims that the Earth Mother herself gave her a mission to save their new allies. On the Alliance side, they have poor rapport with dwarves of Ironforge due to either constant digging of Azeroth and they view this as scarring their Goddess. The Stonespire tribe were almost wiped out by the dwarves of Bael'dun Keep, and as a result Gann Stonespire cut ties with the Horde. As well as this, they don’t get along with the Wildhammer clan as it was their gryphon riders that bombed Camp Taurajo. On the other hand, they have a very good relationship with the night elves given their shared history and love of nature. Malfurion Stormrage, co-leader of the night elves, taught Hamuul the art of druidism. 

Other creatures: Kodo are the racial mount of the tauren, as well as wyverns for flying which they consider sacred. 

Culture

Languages: Their native language is Taur-ahe but they’ve also learned Orcish in light of their alliance with the orcs. Taurens have also been known to learn other languages to help with trading between races.

Government: Before joining the Horde, tauren were split into many different tribes: Bloodhoof (previously led by Cairne and now his son Baine), Cliffwalkers (led by High Chieftain Cliffwalker), Cloudsong tribe, Dawnchaser tribe (led by Dezco), Dawnstrider tribe, Eagletalon tribe, Farwanderers tribe (led by Greyhoof), .Grimtotem tribe (led by Magatha), Highmountain tribe (led by Ornamm or Sulamm), Ironhoof tribe, Mistrunner tribe, Ragetotem tribe, Runetotem tribe, Stonehoof tribe, Stonespire tribe, Thunderhorn clan, Wildmane tribe, Winterhoof tribe. Now, they are collectively led under Bloodhoof leadership.

Military: Most forces collectively serve the Horde, however there are tauren-specific factions that solely follow tauren orders. Longwalkers are scouts and messengers that only report to the Bloodhoof tribe, Outrunners ensure the safety of those who travel through Mulgore and Sunwalkers are a section of paladins led by Aponi Brightmane. 

Religion: The tauren worship the Earth Mother. According to myth, when she saw her children listening to the corruption of the Old Gods, she tore out her own eyes and threw them down. Her left eye became Mu'sha, the moon, and her right eye became An'she, the sun. Due to night elven influence, they only revered Mu’sha for a long time (the night elf equivalent being Elune), until Aponi engaged in a long theological discussion Tahu Sagewind that resulted in them restoring a balance with acknowledging the sun. They also believe in an entity called the Sky Father. As well as this, they highly respect the earth and tauren originally founded the shaman organisation known as the Earthen Ring.

Traditions

Young tauren perform the Rites of the Earthmother in order to become braves and gain the respect of elders. These are: Rite of Strength (the first ceremony, proving physical strength), Rite of Courage (to prove bravery in the face of the enemy), Rite of Honor (to uphold the honor of your people), Rite of the Winds (willingness to seek the unknown), Rite of Vision (willingness to follow the guidance of the spirits and the Rite of Wisdom (to honour one's ancestors). 

They do not bury their dead, instead burn them on pyres.

The totem poles of the tauren people represent a link to their pasts: the carvings depicting heroic deeds or famous tales.

Tauren villages use smoke signals to coordinate hunts over great distances, or to signal danger/call out distress.

One respectful greeting gesture of the tauren is to touch one's heart, then forehead.

The use of smoking pipes is common in tauren ceremonies.

[wowheadquarters]

Vol'jin is back!

For a lovable anon, and for all of us in deep denial. Vol’jin has returned from being dead! The details on this are very vague, but apparently he has been spotted in Swamp of Sorrows with mother of all headaches and a blue parrot. The faction leaders have been immediately informed and have just met him in the Bogpaddle. How do they react?

Anduin: Does... Does this mean you are Warchief of the Horde again? Do you think you could tell everyone to stop being crazy?

Ghost Varin: I feel like the third wheel of the afterlife group now.

The Council of Three Hammers:

Muradin: Hey, have ye got a free amnesia in a bundle with this miraculous survival? Uh... asking for a friend. Moira: I knew I felt a creeping chill running down my spine, but I thought it was just Ironforge being drafty.... Falstad: Beware, the Troll has returned. Have ye axes at ready, lads!

Tyrande: Grab an extinguisher, Troll, you have a very important mission.

Mekkatorque: But are you really alive?

Velen: I wish I had foreseen this. It would have... make a great deal many things easier.

Genn: So we have to kill him again, right?

Aysa: I cannot help but think that tha

Thrall: I missed you so much my dearest friend!

Ghost Garrosh: Oh, fucking finally, the major nuisance is gone!

Ghost Child Gwen: Dad, when is mum coming back? Ghost Garrosh: Uh... Um. Ghost Child Goruma: You mean he isn’t coming back? (Other 35 ghost children wailing loudly in the background.)

Baine: My brother! The Earthmother has returned you to us! Praise her greatly!

Sylvanas: EVERYTHING IS FINE, GO AND BE DEAD!

Lor'themar: My liver hates you, just so you know. Come here, grab a bottle and I’m going to update you on what the hap had fuckened while you were taking holiday. Because man, you don’t wanna be sober for this.

Gallywix: If this is about those tax papers, I swear on Light, I have found them and sent them with all the money due! I promise!

Ji: See everyone? I told you - no need to freak out, it’s Vol’jin, he’s gonna be fine. And I was right.

Taedal: Man, you have the longest respawn time ever.

+Bonus Bwonsamdi: Where the fuck have ya been? You and I are gonna have a long, long talk, mon. A lotta talkin’.

Vol’jin: Aaaaaand I better be goin’. See ya laytah.

[kaponothepeaceful]

A little to the south east, and a short swim away are the Echo Isles, home to the Darkspear Trolls. This place is to the trolls what the Valley of Trials is to their neighbors, the orcs. I stopped by for a brief look around. Here I am outside Darkspear Hold, where former leader of the Darkspear Trolls and the previous Warchief, Vol'jin used to reside. Earth Mother watch over you.