General Gruntox's team history
Somewhere around the end of the 2nd War 05/04-08/09/04
GG and his best friend Trell grew up and trained together at the local barracks on Draenor.
To reach level 1 (grunt recruit), GG had to kill a wild mature male boar with his bare hands.
He is awarded his first war ribbon (wraps around one of his three braided locks).
GG is presented with his fathers honored armor when he reaches level 2 (grunt apprentice).
GG reaches level 3 (grunt) and graduates at the top of his class along with Trell.
Due to his skill, he is put in charge of a small detail (Trell, 1 ogre, and 6 other grunt graduates). They are sent through the portal to reinforce the besieged Blackrock Spire.
Unfortunately, they arrive too late and discover a guard detail inside the fortress (20 humans and elves). In a rage of sorrow and anger they storm the mountain fortress and overwhelm the guards. After a through search they find some usefull weapons (GG takes one of Doomhammers old hammers), some of the unplundered treasury, and a small library full of old maps and spell scrolls.
Knowing the humans may return in force, they take their supplies (aforementioned), and head into the mountains looking for a safe place to hide them.
After climbing into the mountains for 2 days they find the entrance to a massive system of caverns that could easily have hidden a flight of dragons. They set up a base inside the main cavern and hide all their salvaged goods in some of the adjoining rooms.
GG decides that they will conduct guerilla opps from the cave until the Horde returns in force to reclaim Blackrock. Not knowing about the complete route of the Orc war machine.
However, after weeks of guarding BR and not seeing a soul, Trell and the other grunts become disgruntled and sneak off in the night to go to the portal and back home.
GG and the ogre Dentrax remain resolved to their duty, and block up the main gate to BR with boulders to keep out the creeps. BR must be ready for the Horde, and protected from the humans.
During one of their ever-expanding reconnaissance missions, GG runs into Killrage (an old seasoned wolfrider/scout who was posted to guard a secret mountain valley while mapping out the surrounding area).
After hearing about the fall of BR, Killrage decides to join GG and Dentrax to avenge the Horde.
The 3 decide to explore (tour) to the west to find news of the war or the Horde.
In the foothills they find a band of gnolls with 3 goblins for a meal in a cage. GG's skill with the hammer, Dentrax's club (which could be mistaken for the truck of a large tree), and Killrage's speed and skill with sabers quickly dispatched the whole band.
They free the 2 goblins and small female cave goblin from the cage, the 3 plead for protection from their mighty rescuers. GG decides that they can tag along if they can stay out from under foot.
They turn out to be quite useful though, Limpz (knowledgeable about all things mechanical and definite pyrotechnic), Cole (slightly crazy and schizophrenic he loves stealth and assassination techniques), and sweet little Corana (a kind hearted creature that can fly with bat-like wings, spit venom from her fangs, innate haste, and skilled in cooking and healing).
As they approach a spring they are attacked by a large rock golem. Dentrax wrestles with it while the rest of the team damages it until it is pounded to gravel. Corana discovers its orphaned offspring and guilt's GG into caring for it; after all, it might make a good guard for the cave.
They run into a goblin trading post, and inquire for information about the Horde. The consensus was that the Horde was to the west, maybe even over the Great Sea.
Deciding to investigate this they continue to head west. They sneak around the many farms and small towns in the rich Azorothian farmlands until they come to the lush forests that lined the western shore.
They come upon a forest troll named Clavar. His tribe was slaughtered by elves when he was very young and he dedicated himself to training so that he can avenge his family. GG tells him about their war against the alliance and invites him to join.
When Clavar hears of their need for transportation across the Great Sea, he leads them to his tribes old troll destroyer hidden up a branch of the river. They load it with supplies for the voyage. GG sends the young golem (whom they named Croncore) back to guard the base while they are away.
They make good time sailing SW till they are pulled into an unnatural storm of gargantuan proportions. They are nearly sucked into the maelstrom in the middle of the storm, but Clavar uses it's own pull to sling shot around the far side and escape. They shipwreck on a small island on the edge of the storm.
While gathering water and making repairs, they are surprised by a young warlock hermit named Gul'dom. He won't tell them what happened here but he promises his services just to get off the island.
They try to head west again but they are driven back east by the winds for days till they spot a large island and head for it, make anchor in a large cove on the south side.
On the island they meet a blue island troll which doctor. He sees them as the saviors that his tribe has been waiting for; he implores them to rid their ancestral home of the encroaching humans. The whole team can think of nothing they would rather do than flex their growing muscles by lopping heads.
The troll tells them about the three human bases on the island (each larger than the next) and volunteers his son Clavor to assist them.
The 1st base is the smallest, no defenses, and the team storms the town's barracks and completely overwhelm the handful of surprised troops.
The 2nd base is larger, with 2 guard towers and ready defenders (since the news of the attack on their other base had reached them). It was a hard fight. Limpz and Dentrax attack the towers with flaming cocktails and tree club, while the rest of the team works their skills on the defenders who slightly outnumbered them. Corana's personality seems to transform in combat, becoming extremely aggressive, defenders turn and run in fear from the tiny winged creature of death (not that they get very far).
The 3rd base is the toughest, with 6 towers, walls, and 4 times the defenders (including knights). GG executes a fake attack and playing off of the humans overconfidence when they see the small number of attackers, beat a hasty retreat. They lead them through a maze of small paths through the jungle to a small clearing above a sea cliff. The footmen and knights rush into the clearing to attack the waiting orc (who was only an illusion created by the troll witchdoctor), then the B.I. trolls jump down out of the trees and attack and overwhelm the elves. GG, Killrage, and Dentrax spring from the bushes with a large tree trunk in their arms, and with the broad side of the tree they slam into the massed defenders. Their momentum pushes the human army back to the edge of the cliff where they fall to their deaths. Meanwhile, back at the base, with the defenders away Cole easily infiltrates the human keep and assassinates the officials, and Limpz rained down flaming cocktail from the cliff to destroy the remaining towers and buildings.
After the teams first major adventure they decide to return to base and find that Croncore had upgraded to stone golem by eating the rich stone of the mountains while guarding the cave.
Cole finds a large golden red egg in his room (a sub-cavern in the lower levels), he assumes that it must be a red salamanders egg.
While the Cole and Croncore remain behind to guard the base, the rest of the team heads south.
They head down the plains SW, and head S till they enter a lush tropical jungle. The orcs don't mind the heat but the humidity makes heavy armor very uncomfortable to say the least. Only 2 nights after entering the jungle, they are darted with poisoned needles while they slept. No sign of attackers.
That morning they stumble across the ancient ruins of a large city with a large temple (very similar to Mayan temples) in the center. Suddenly they are surrounded by scores of jungle trolls, they try to fight only discover that they have no energy, and are forced to retreat to the east.
They know that they need time to rest and heal but the jungle trolls stalk them like patient hunters waiting for their powerful prey to tire. The team runs all day and night feeling ever more sick and weary (Dentrax caries the two unconscious goblins), till the next morning when they reach a valley that runs up and out of the jungle to a bamboo forest. The jungle trolls know that it's now or never so they attack, the team tries to defend themselves as they back up the valley. Suddenly a roar fills the valley and a band of panderan warriors charge down the valley and their momentum shatters the trolls lines who run away.
The panderan brew master figures that any enemy of the wicked trolls is a friend of his, so he takes them in and heals them in his own unique way (good brew ;). After gaining their strength back GG thanks the panderan and the team heads north along the east side of the mountains for many weeks.
One evening while resting along the shores of a crystal clear mountain lake, a hideous winged creature (gargoyle) captures Corana while she flew over the lake, it then flies away with its prey to the north.
The team gives chase till they run into a strange enemy detail (2 gargoyles, 20 ghouls, 2 abominations, and a death knight). They fight for an hour but for every enemy unit they kill, the death knight would raise 2 to take its place. Realizing that they accomplishing nothing but tiring themselves, GG focuses his attack on Martock the death knight, but his steed and mighty rune blade gives him an advantage. GG leans back and focuses all his kinetic energy into his hammer and throws it into the head of his enemy (which flies far away as does his hammer). The rest of the team defeats the disoriented skeletal army and they free Corana from her cage. They return to their camp and collapse.
That night, Gul'dom went back to the fallen body of Martock and using his fathers forbidden techniques (Gul'dan's spell book), raised the death knight using the spirit of the warlock Lacrutus (his best friend who had perished the night Gul'dan unleashed the horrors of the tomb of Sargeras.
Since Lacrutus has a skeletal head (no vocal cords) he cannot speak but he can communicate with Gul'dom telepathically, so Gul'dom speaks on behalf of Lacrutus and convinces GG of his loyalty.
GG decides to slip up the team into two groups on the return trip so that they can map more ground.
GG, Dentrax, and Limpz travel farther west before turning south. As they near the midpoint, they are almost discovered by a dwarven gryphon scout flying overhead. They sneak through the underbrush till they discover a large human division transporting orcs in cages into the mountains from the west.
They follow them, and are lead to a human mining operation that is worked by captive orcs. Knowing that they will need help, they head back to base to meet up with the rest of the team.
After explaining the situation to the others, they all (including Cole and Croncore) head back to the prison mining camp. However, they discover that the large human division has left and the camps defenses are laughably light. Croncore throws a boulder that carries off the entire barb wire fence, Dentrax lifts the wooden watch tower off its foundation and throws it into the side of the mountain like a spear, while the rest of the team ambushes the startled defenders as they run out of their barracks.
While they free the orcs from the cages, Croncore finds a vat of molten arkanite in the foundry and drinking it upgrades him to arkanite golem, he then eats all of the processed steel bars in the factory and upgrades again to wargolem. Fortunately, Limpz found him before he ate the processed arkanite bars.
GG freed the orcs from their chains, only to discover that mentally the lights were on but no one was home. Baffled, Gul'dom volunteers Lacrutus and himself to remain with the orcs to attempt to diagnose and cure them, and Killrage leads them all to a hidden valley just north of BR where the orcs can live in safety (the valley can only be accessed by passing through a hidden tunnel).
GG leads the rest of the team back to base to deposit their arkanite spoils, then the head south to the jungle ruins to repay the trolls for past insults. On the way, Clavor picks up an anti-poison kit from a goblin merchant. They travel for many days till they reach the edge of the jungle.
They send Croncore into the jungle because no poison can affect him, and when he is darted, he gathers the darts and returns to the team. Clavor then uses the poison samples to create an antidote and then immunizes the team.
Then the team marches to the ruined temple, on the way they are darted and they pretend to succumb to the poison. They are tied with vines and carried to the troll's sacrificial pits, then the trolls come from far and wide for the feast. At the height of the ceremony, GG lets loose a mighty war cry that shakes the trolls to their knees. Everyone easily snaps their light bonds, grab their weapons, and overwhelm and slaughter the entire tribe.
While the team was cleaning up the mess, GG felt a strong compulsion to go to the ruined temple. He reaches the temple that night and climbs up the decaying stones till he finds an entrance at the peak; he enters and explores the winding maze farther and farther down. He enters the final room and sees a strange weapon on a pedestal in the middle of the room bathed in a shaft of moonlight. On the pedestal read an ancient inscription that surprisingly he could read "Here lies the mighty battle axe Sajuke Core, blessed be its user who shall be restored his vitality and strength from the stolen life force of his enemy." On the wall is a drawing of a mighty hero of old wielding an axe that could only be Sajuke Core and a huge war hammer. He feels an ancient strength flow into him as he wields the axe.
After returning to the team, they travel west and visit with the panderan (since they were in the neighborhood), they discover that the panderan are expert blacksmiths and will upgrade all their armor and weapons, for a small fee of course.
The team travels back to base to get the arkanite required for the upgrade and the gold payment, and return to the panderan. However, GG decided to travel north instead and check on Gul'dom and the orcs.
When he arrived, he was quite surprised to see the village was not only sentient but thriving. Peons were mining gold, harvesting lumber, and building everywhere. Grunts were building farms and putting up a barracks. Gul'dom tells him that he had trained an orc named Trell to be a shaman and spiritual leader for the community, the other orcs had all rallied around Trell and came out of their stupor. GG was very happy to be reunited with his old friend.
When it came time to leave, GG, Gul'dom, and Lacrutus headed out the tunnel that led back to the outside. But, not knowing that there was a 'Y' neck in the tunnel, they headed down & down.
They reach a giant cavern carved out of the living rock by dwarves 1000's of years ago with columns reaching to the ceiling, tables and benches, and 100's of rooms off to the sides & countless tunnels leading up and down. Suddenly they are attacked by 100's of flying cave goblins, Gul'dom uses chain lightning, and Lacrutus uses death and decay. After a few minutes the goblins retreat.
As they walk through the cavern, they discover another mayan temple (very out of place). They enter and explore it. At the bottom, they enter a large central room and are suddenly attacked by a large faceless one (like a large octopus) clinging to the ceiling. Lacrutus manages to reach his rune blade and cut himself free from the tentacles and frees the others. After a very difficult battle they turn the faceless one into so much calamari.
In the center of the room GG finds the mighty hammer 'Sajuke Farome' which steals mana from the enemy and gives it to the user when the hammer deals damage. It also came with a screw in shaft extension that can also work with 'Sajuke Core'.
They exit the temple and are greeted by Corona who heard the commotion coming up from below and came down a tunnel to investigate. She leads them up the correct tunnel back up into their base. They are greeted by Cole and his newly hatched dragon whelp Ralea.
GG, Cole (with Ralea) and Corana (the only ones in the base) head down to check on the panderans progress with their weapons.
They stay with the pandaran as they finish the work and for several season after that. Everyone rests and recoups and trains. The pandaran teach them some useful skills and moves while Gul'dom trains everyone in the ways of magic. The group finally heads back to base much stronger wither new weapons, armor, abilities, and spells. Ready to face any challenge.
Itching again for the heat of battle, the team decides to explore to the west then turn north. They travel down out of the mountains, across the river, and down to the farmlands.
The thriving farming villages that they saw the last time they came through this way were all deserted. They came to an abandoned keep/prison camp.
They fight a few robbers and raiders that were operating out of the keep, the gently (as if) inquire of the leader "what happened to this region"? He replies that this was an orc interment camp until an orc named Thrall inspired the orcs to a rebellion. They trashed the place and took off. GG felt really bad that he had been so close the remains of the horde the whole time and he hadn't even know it.
They head north to find Thrall, they reach the outskirts of Stormwind (the humans capitol). Unfortunately, they can't take out the entire human civilization by themselves, so since they see no sign of the orcs, they skirt around the massive walls and head northeast toward the Ironforge Mountains and Lorderon.
They are noticed by dwarves as they navigate the freezing Mr. passes, Dentrax starts leaving runes behind and the dwarves break off pursuit after several of them are blown to kingdom come.
They reach eastern Lorderon and discover an abandoned village. Suddenly they are attacked by scores of zombies, then the scourge. They manage to hold their own until 4 Frost Wyrms descend from the sky. During the battle, Dentrax runes an area of the pavilion and when they explode it blows a hole open in the ground that reveals the sewer that runs underneath. They seize their chance and escape.
They emerge from the tunnel next to a small port town. They see one merchant ship in the harbor even though the town is deserted. They investigate and find some human merchants that came to trade but no one was left in the region. They tell us that their leader is Jaina Proudmoore and the humans are allied with the horde who now live on a continent called Kalimdor on the far side of the maelstrom. They drop us off on the shores of central Kalimdor.
The team takes off into the desert like barrens to find the new orc capitol of Orgrimmar.
When they reach the city, they find it besieged by hundreds of centaur raiders.
We engage the eastern attack force (closest), luring them away from the failing walls, allowing the defenders on the walls to reinforce the other fronts. We trap/herd the centaur into a tight ring and use ranged attacks and area of effect spells of maximum effect. Any centaur that tried to escape the ring of death had to deal with our line up of heavy hitting melee units. The Khan (leader) tries to make an escape into the woods with his bodyguards. But Corana sees him and warns GG.
GG chases him to his hidden glade, slaying his lagging bodyguards as he runs full out. GG confronts the injured Khan but he just laughs as GG surgically removes his head from his torso with one stroke. As GG turns to leave suddenly the Khan resurrects and jumps GG from behind, pinning him to the ground and pummeling him in the back. Even as strong as he is GG knows that he can only survive this unopposed assault for so long, but a split second later a distraction named Multoro allows GG to roll out and get up. Together GG and the young tauren finish off the Khan for good. Multoro helps GG back to Orgrimmar.
Meanwhile, the rest of the team helped take additional pressure off of the defenders and helped them mop up a lot of the remaining centaur. Everyone heals and rests in the city, while the peons begin repairing and rebuilding again.
GG pledges his allegiance to the young warchief of the horde as does the rest of his team, and in return Thrall assigns Multoro to GG's team.
The team has a great time learning about the orcs and their new way of life on this foreign shore. They also go out on several scouting missions with wolf riders just to explore the surrounding lands.
One day while they were scouting the area known as Thunder Ridge, they come across a half orc named Rexxar. He tells them about a landslide that occurred farther up the ridge trapping some unfortunate storm wyrms and he asks GG & co. to come with him to free them before they suffocate.
The team rushes up there and quickly excavate the site freeing the herd, which ungraciously stumbles away. Suddenly Gul'dom feels a sense of power emanating from all around him (the camera pulls back and bout 50' into the air to reveal the strange markings on the ground surrounding them.
Gul'dom discovers that this ancient circle of power once powered a powerful portal but its link had collapsed long ago. He suggests to GG that he could reopen it and create a portal to any location but not without assistance at the destination site. Lacrutus suggests that there is only one place where they could find that assistance, the hidden orc valley back on Azeroth. Gul'dom contacts Trell in a dream and together they create the link between the two continents. GG is pleased (especially when you think about how much transportation across the maelstrom can cost).
