Reviews:

Guest 1: Can't even reference a Vampire story? AND your poor arguement just showed that you don't care what Vampire lore is, or even know the names to stories...so congratulations you played yourself. But since you seem to take your own personal offense as a sign of your superiority rather than being able to cite anything either from WHFB (Vampire wars, Ulrika, Nagash, Sigmar), Marvel (Blade, Storm even Spiderman), European sources (Stroker's book, the Eastern European Vampire Hunting practices of the 14-1500s, etc.) Then congratulations you win, because I can easily offend you by going "read a book". Until then, thankyou for trying to participate but, buhbye.

Guest 2: Yes that just about covers it. But sometimes for the sake of peace the pacifists need to get out of the way, and other times a people can't claim neutrality while actively part of the war.

Guest 3: Business be booming...but whatchu mean the mega super zappity ditty zapper is ultra intimidating, the gnome who named it wet his pants in fear...maybe it was because the device was undergoing a meltdown as he named it.

Guest 4: Whats a few Orc-chops among friends? It'll be great, well have Orc-becue maybe some roast Tauren and all be best of friends.

Guest 5: A new playground for their game and other gods (though for some we are REALLY stretching the definition to include them) to mess with.

Guest 6: Nah just where the US shoves refugees and defectors who don't fit the political narrative. So anyone from inside the Soviet Union who could give a detailed account of why Extreme Socialism is a failed system and would complain loudly about the US government's abuses that matched the government they served, various Asian groups particularly Japanese Defectors or Japanese from the east coast, and despite the weird divide Iraqis who either converted religions or generally don't fit the "arab" view the US Political parties want people seeing, both the "religious extremist" stereotypes that would make people less accepting of the US's acceptance campaigns nor the "we rejected and fought the people who blew up our homes standing beside the US military" types who would have made the whole middle east seem less black and white...all of them hidden away in a corner surrounded by "them evil white supremacists and backwards hicks stay away from there" So no one goes and meets these people or learns their stories. Of course the world's changed since they started shoving these people in this corner, but this primitive technique still seems to be used and still works.

Guest 7: On the Cannon Horde vs Alliance if you apply more logic and reason, particularly taking EVERTHING of both factions into consideration the canon BFA is horrifically lopsided to the Alliance and the Horde only even survived the War of the Thorns because author favoritism. I mean the Horde since Mists was already politically unstable and showing signs of being prone to putting civil conflicts before those with external threats, even up to the Legion itself. And the most fanatical population of the Horde, now had members who were openly trying to not only reconnect with people from the Alliance but considering defection. And on the "gods" side of things the Horde was losing what support they had there while the Alliance was going to, no matter what, gain the Army of the Light and even stronger commitments from the Naaru and Wild Gods, particularly since Malfurion was completing his sith arc and was just one death prone idiot away from becoming the sole ruler of the Emerald Dream. Or the fact that nearly all the major "neutral" organizations had primarily Alliance leadership, or Alliance sympathetic leaders who were actively opposed to two out of three of the recent Horde Warchiefs.

Heck the Horde would have probably seen a major political collapse within a year at the rate they were going before the War started, particularly when Calia showed her now undead face. And this isn't even taking the ignored military advantages of the Alliance into consideration, such as the fact that the Alliance has sole access to space travel via orbital city that can support orbital troop deployments and due to magic and Elves being Elves function as a spy satellite. Allowing the Alliance to track all the Horde's fleet movements. Then the Horde's industrial complex is all recently built and then rebuilt rather than being one that was able to operate unimpeded for decades. And before ANYONE tries to make the technology arguement, I worked on a jet that is in the top 5 most feared weapons platforms in the world, who boasts about destroying cities and nations modernly, and it's barely younger than my grandfather.

Add in that during WC3 the Night Elves were presented as a world reaching super power by themselves while the Foresaken are little more than rebels who needed the aid of other factions just to occupy Lordaeron, and the power imbalance starts to show even more. The fact that the Horde's the industriousness and success of still existing while fighting the Alliance is a true testimony...of Varian's mercy/stupidity. From a logistical and political standpoint the Horde has always been horrifically behind the Alliance, even when the Writers could have given the Horde something to balance the scales of power Blizzard continued to fall back onto their strawman vilification and morality=power fallacy, a very common fallacy in fiction but horrible for a nuanced conflict story where neither side is supposed to be evil.

Guest 7: Or more properly, how to not apply Total War to regional conflicts. Besides WHFB and the historical basis of census taking (IE the population number is based off heads of household not the actual members of the household) all meaning they have more numbers, they're using a style of warfare that's for the current scale of war better for sustaining a population that can go into active war footing. That said they're a little outmatched at the moment, where the Skaven and Vampire Counts both are going straight into full Horde support and have a very diffrent logistics than the Empire. As for Lordaeron eventually I'll go back to that, but for now i have to finish this story.

Guest 8: Hey got to paint the narrative somehow, how else are you going to convince the people that their fickle small scale concerns don't matter and that the other side wants them personally dead for no good reason.

Well considering that if you go over Garrosh Hellscream's war crimes listed about half of them are openly done by IRL kingdoms of the era the Empire is based off, but modern governments think about a quarter those crimes are fine to do to their own people. So yeah there will be plenty of Warcrimes and the sad truth will be based off Garrosh most of them won't even seem that significant.

JiggyliFAP: post Cataclysm, a lot of that value is going to be lost, you have a fantasy "not grand canyon" filled with burning magma running down the center of the territory and Alliance forces contesting it. Asking for national population sustaining farming under those conditions implies a level of warfare as limited in scope and scale as the earliest portions of the feudal Era. and we cannot go "well magic" because why have grainerys at all which feature heavily in Warcraft and are a mission objective in WC3 and many vanilla WoW quests, you don't need to stockpile food if you can just use magic to sustain a entire population.

The barrens likely at best before any full conquest by the Horde can only feed the Barrens and a small number of people besides. And then even with magic it would take effort the Horde would have no reason to make to convert the land for mass farming, because while "but the barrens" yeah but Mulgore. it's like comparing the dust bowl to lands that are naturally overgrowing with food anyways. The Horde wouldn't have much incentive to grow food they'd legitimately only have to see rot when Mulgore comparatively is just that much a better land to grow in. And at worsr Mulgore has the same issue with rocks the Barrens would have BUT the Tauren can just ask the rocks to move since they are that in tune with the elements, where the Barrens are mostly inhabited by Orcs and people fighting against or for the Orcs.

OscuroSignore-51: So to avoid confusion. 1) this is where i get into it with the "its the same warp/same chaos gods" guys. The Warp/Magic in WHFB and 40K all work on diffrent fundamental metaphysics, the outcome is the same, but that would be like arguing a AK-47 is the same as a Chinese manufactured Type-56 to a gun enthusiast all based off the logic of "Bullet make man dead". no recycled characters and Easter eggs don't make it the same either. That would mean the Joker from the 80s Batman movie is the same as the Dark Knight Joker played by Heath Ledger, or Edens Zero Anime is the same as Fairy Tale, is the same as Rave Master, and that all the final fantasy Games are all actually the same world because Sid.

And off hand i can actually name Good examples of "its all the same multiverse" with Nier, Drakengrad and FF14. Those series scarcely even use the same characters for the same story yet the interconnection and shared magic mechanics are almost undeniable.

Now this plays a huge role in the reasoning elsewhere with the rest of WHFB and how magic there works, since in 40k The Warp is the exclusive domain of the Chaos Gods and everyone else just so happens to live there too. But in WHFB the Chaos Gods have much more "limited" domains and don't "own" all of magic (despite Tzeentch's claims but he's a lying prick who wont admit i won that fucking card game). The Old Ones were even able to devise entirely safe systems of magic, and where each magic is strongest you will witness a "corruption" of sorts based off which winds it is, so for example lots of fire magic wind = volcano. Then each Chaos God has a particular Dhar _ correlation, the most obvious of which being Nurgle's and Hashut's being Death (personally i think life but GW made their statement denying him the magic that'shis rightfully) and Fire respectively. While then the boundries of each Chaos God might be more "defined" in WHFB it still leaves them with a horrific amount of power still at their disposal and a little bit of backdoor access to particular aspects that they then share with other Gods of other pantheons, but this is more subversive than the 40k Obvert "it's all my Warp and you just happen to be here too" WHICH if The Chaos Gods get even a shadow of that sort of set up going with the WoW universe...things will start looking real bad real fast with how stupidly easy certain gods are to corrupt and kill..."congratulations on your fifth death, next time you come to the afterlife we will give you a free sunday oh and delete Malfurion because the devs don't know what to do with a guy whose better at your job than you are."

And lets not forget initially the Old Ones didn't know about the Chaos Gods but were still building systems to maintain a balanced in the Winds of Magic and how it was dispersed and used across the world. And they did this specifically because they wanted the world to exist a certain way and didn't want one wind or the other to ruin their design... and then someone dropped some chemical X in their mixture of Sugar, Spice and everything lizard.

But N'zoth is specifically targeting the powers of Chaos. So now we will have to see if it's just as planned, or Chaos Tantrum time...or Archeon's time to cry in a corner and the Order Tide beats the shit out of him because Immortal Empires isn't out yet and he's the most pathetic punching bag in Mortal Empire's.

Dragon King of the West: We can hope the pressure doesn't crack her, but maybe with the fires of war can reforge her. But Shandris' little presentation there's plenty of give from here but she's not quiet like Maiev, Maiev would certainly adopt plenty of Mallus outlooks...and the other Shadowsong you know he'd just go full on "Good Guy" and insist his plan is automatically the moral and right one, which then of course certain universal influence would try to make his will the absolute right.

As for the Orks and Orcs well the Orcs might have a bit to consider...but with how easily they brush off their own going evil, maybe not.

Hakuryuu: Well a lot of Gnomes have overblown opinions of themselves and their tech, and WoW doesn't do a good job of showing their failures...but certainly the few were allowed to see...well a failure bigger than the intended outcome is the only way to describe them.

And of course I CAN use any of them, but every piece has it's time and every tool its purpose. It's bad writing to try and force characters into roles that aren't who they are. Why do you think even the most apologetic crowds who simp for abusive hollywood corporations and forgive the worst and most childish writing and scrips, even they hate BFA and Shadowlands despite all the pandering from Blizzard. They tried to force all of WoW's main characters to play roles that went contrary to who they are AND disregarded characters and dredged up past characters just to reframe them and force them to play roles that went against their characterization. at the current moment I just need to wait before bringing anyone else from Chaos in, particularly since the Chaos plot isn't the main point of the story yet.

And that vague description of Kyn'ra's followers allows for imagination and to save space rather than describing twenty individually twisted body horror monstrosities.

Gotrek Gurnisonn too op please nerf, guy solo'd raid before Blizzard devs released it Haxs!

As for the Portals well two of them are open at this time.

Onix121: Request done.

DragonANGL: Indeed the Dawi have extremely few women with their births being so rare. Thats why a lot of the theories about the creation conclude the Dawi were used to create the Skaven since Skaven females are just as or even far rarer than Dawi women. depending on how liberal you want to potray Skaven Society which inverts the Dawi's patriarchy paradox as a increased Skaven female population implies a much much worse fate and life for the non-breeder females. But per the slight paradox of "patriarchy" in Dawi society, they're more likely to develop a grudge over the sheer disrespect shown to Azerothean Dwarven Women. Fastest way to get killed by a Dawi is to pull a "yur mum" on them. In WHFB the Dwarven women while not having the freedoms modern feminism is all about, they are far more influential and powerful.

Jak23: Well things certainly will just have to further degrade from here now that the wrench has been thrown into the machine.

micelzod: An enemy with skilled troops and chaff that can tarpit is usually a very powerful one.

Orkbane: That one is a more difficult one. The WHFB dwarves already have their own airships, and civilian steam tanks of very high quality and in mass. But then their """""""Better"""""" Airships and own robot like tech is extremely rare, if this is simply because GW being GW in regards to WHFB of wanting money but to never fucking invest in anything other than 40K. so they told fans the stuff exists but never made a model for it so just went "umm its really rare" or if its rare because legitimate lore reasons is a bit more unclear, especially since we have at least Karak that has 24/7 coverage by Iron Zeppelins flying from the mountain peak to the hills below. They wanted Led Zeppelin but they couldn't commit to such a gig.

So they'd certainly recognize most of the tech, be able to hand waive some more with Rune Magic, but there should be a few peices that would certainly irk them and MAYBE convince a certain father to let his son go hog wild... But honestly the Goblin Pocket Buildings IDK since WoW seems to forget they exist all the time. "oh no the Alliance blew up the only bridge whatever will we do now?" "how about i just pull another bridge out of my pocket." "No we must immediately send our troops swimming or jumping to their certain deaths! Look at me everyone by killing my men en mass i am solidifying my spot as best Horde Commander, love me!" "Wh-why don't we just use the pocket bridges the Goblins gave us...wait don't tell me you planned on having us swim, with our siege equipment, to Teldrassil!?"

Honestly as a critic, writer, etc, the amount of time pre-existing WoW tech/Magic/Skills etc rendered a obstacle or even BBEG entirely useless just to be ignored for the sake of story, and then after the fact the BBEG is powered up to Azathoth levels of power. There's a reason I apply a lot of skepticism to the intellect and power of WoW's cast because to make WoW balance against WoW, let alone the War of the Ancients against WC3, well Nerf found a new goldmine. But obviously the power is there, but like with series like Star Trek, I won't overlook when "We're smarter than you" people are too stupid to even consider using their "superior" abilities/tech/intellect to apply a easy, simple, clean and practical solution to issues using what is so flaunted infront of the audience to "prove" the superiority of the people in the setting. So the fact that for example neither the Horde Nor the Alliance fight their battles by dropping front line instant bunkers and ready made bridges (something that we have had our own version of as far back as since the Renesance) then either the intellect of the people of Azeroth has to be brought into question, or the avaliablity/viability of the technology/ability/etc.

And the whole point of THAT rant is to point out that the actual likelihood that the Horde or the Alliance (factions who still fight using sword and Shield) would bring out techs that could actually shock the Dawi isn't very high. Not because it doesn't exist, but because of actual useage is probably either not viable or widespread enough to be considered by a mainline military. Because i seriously doubt the people of WoW are as soul crushingly stupid as the Blizzard writiers have been reducing them to, where it's more understandable and provides a stronger stability to the setting that the Tech/magic etc just isn't as wide spread as what casual gameplay would have people think.

TechGuest: The "Easy" answer is that no WHBF doesn't have computors. But they do have thinking machines and devices. The Dawi have a Golem that fuctions the same as the Black Iron Dwarves own machine, and the Humans have Clockwork angels, flying melee combatants capable of making "independent decisions" on the battlefield. Thanks to WHFB magic mostly and GW's "everything must be shitty and depressing and we muat drive away our fans so i can sell the company for personal profit" executives fighting with the writers who went "but Da Vinci made these drawings and theres other paintings from the era and they'd be so cool to make into actual things!"

And good call on the Draenei's high end stuff, they are probably the only race that would be likely to field something that the Dawi would legit have a cow and hurt ego over, no questions asked, since that's the only tech that for certain surpasses them and they can't just write off, while also not being tech that WoW routinely forgets exists and never uses. *casts my glare at Gnome and Goblin tech and to the Horde and Alliance who almost never use it despite Blizzard claiming its more common than swords and axes*. Sorry to Gnome fans but your leader's big moment in BFA, he could have pressed the button at any moment, but he built in a star trek drama detector into his device so it wouldn't work without proper dramatic stakes.

Seas of Green

The reach of Ergere Brokenaxe's massive blade was far beyond the brute he battled, his skill with a blade was among the best in the Horde. He was one among maybe five hundred, likely fewer, and his opponent's movements were the crude movements of one who never studied the blade. Yet somehow this crude barbarian, clearly dumber than a Ogre, Centaur or Murlock was still alive, even as the Orks about it died sometimes as many as three to a single stroke of Ergere's blade.

Instead the Ork pressed forward even as Ergere's blade collided with the brute's own choppa, the heavier blade breaking the crude weapon apart on contact. But with its weapon broken the Ork dropped the hilt of the choppa ducking under the diverted blow, the cut that was meant to remove the Ork's arm instead lopping off a ear and cutting into the crude mockery of the Orcs shoulder.

Safe from an instant death, headless of its own ultimate survival, the Ork closed with Ergere. The fist that once held it's ruined Choppa slamming into the Blademaster's face, the collision sent Ergere back several paces with the muscular Ork that threw the punch charing after the Blademaster an joyful warcry in its breath.

Still a few paces away from the Ork was exactly where Ergere wanted to be. Another swipe of his massive blade and the Blademaster would cleave the brute in half. Still Ergere found himself astonished as again the Mallus Orks, their Fel-twisted nature and minds providing a solution to the powerful swipe of Ergere's blade. The Ork sacrified its unarmed arm, the blade traveling along the entire length of the arm, pressured away by the bone that it was carving through, until finally the blade cut upwards until it came out through the Ork's shoulder. In return the beast's choppa impaced the side of Ergere's stomach. Comparatively the blow was far less than what Ergere had delivered to his opponent, but still the Ork boss bellowed a cry of victory, while the Orc Blademaster grunted in frustration. Twice now this brute had survived what would have certainly killed any average champion of the Alliance, had delivered a bloody blow to Ergere and was pulling the Orc's focus from the wider battle.

Still Ergere has far from matched by this Ork. The Blademaster's sword with a swing putting his full effort into the act halted from the upwards upswing of the diverted blade and carved down. The Ork brute never saw the blow that killed it, still releasing a victory cry over its petty cry blow, and so the Ork looked cheerful even as its face was carved in hal down the middle, soon followed by the rest of its body.

As the two halves of the corpse fell away Ergere was able again to start seeing the battle around him. From his front the forced breach of the wall which once was filled with Ork Boyz, Ork Bosses and some that were being labeled as Brutes, however that was not the case now instead massive creatues with lanky limbs, pot bellies, stone skin, and stalagmites as clubs began to rampage among the Horde defenders. To the right of Ergere the Cathayans were forming lines to stall as wave after wave of Ork boyz with goblins darting about their feet charged in.

On Ergere's left, the battle was yet another creature entirely. The Orks had given up the fight there leaving that fight to the Mallus Goblins as poisoned arrows, heavy stones fell among the Horde and the Horde's defenders along with what remained behind from the Ogres that Alyzz had brought. As those fell hundreds of Goblins rushed in, some dismantling the Horde's wall to allow wolf riders to charge in. Further out the Dragon Zhao Ming, his Lamia Riders and the Orge's charge rampaged through the Orks disrupting the foe but doing little to stem the unceasing press of the savages.

"Send our reinforcements to the left, I'll make sure the center holds but whatever strategy these animals have in mind I'm almost certain they'll hit the left!" And then with a echoing cry of Waaaagh, Ergere was unable to see the field or further command as Ork Brutes charged the Blademaster drawing him into battle while rampaging trolls pressed into the Horde's defenders.

Beyond the wall Kogkradd Kegeater was having a wonderful battle. Orks would rush up to him and he or one his bulls would club the Ork down with their weapon allowing the Gnoblars following them to focus on collecting the meat for the after battle feast. Kogkradd's had already even decided to eat the most honored dead himself first out of respect both for his own and for his allies. But as Kogkradd leveled his pistol firing into a distant Ork arr boy dropping the foolish Ork that was trying to shoot him, the chieftain admitted to himself that the battle was certainly tiring, and he feared he might be too exhausted to eat properly after the battle at this rate.

Still renewed cries and chanting from the Orks alerted Kogkradd of a new unit of Orks moving towards the fortress. With a shout and pointing with his own cleaver the Ogres who followed Kogkradd, those not to locked in battle or wounded all set out for the Tyrant's newest target. Meal cries and shouts of hunger matched the near deafening warcries of the Orks that dinned across the warfield, and just distant the appatizing cries of "For the Horde" softly struggled to take their own place among the cacophony.

With the jovial pace of hungry laborers running home to waiting meals, the Ogres raced eachother through the open grounds between Orkish mobs until they finally spotted and then collided with the Orks Kogkradd had heard. These Orks were different than those that Kogkradd had faced before, different than any the Horde forces had yet to face. Each was fully armored, some even to the point that Kogkradd could only see the barest hints of the Green skin underneath, and each of these Orks possessed an entire arsenal of weapons. Shields, large two handed axes, multiple of choppas, some even had Halberds strapped to their backs, and all these Orks had been in a formation marching in order with a clear target in mind.

However these Orks would now have to disregard that target as Kogkradd shouted out while swinging his cleaver. "Now which of yea's is da Boss round 'ere? I'd rather like to snack on you once the fighting is done!"

The Tyrant's challenge was answered as a Ork, larger than all those present stepped forward. In the walking slab of meat's hands rested a single large axe, the blade of it seemingly reflecting a green light unlike any Kogkradd had seen before. Still the presence of the Ork was enough to excite Kogkradd, this was certainly the Ork Leader that he was now staring down.

The Ork raised its Axe bellowing a warcry which was echoed by all the present Orks. And with no hesitation both sides set into eachother immediately the clubs and cleavers of the Ogres swinging to meet the two handed axes, shields and choppas of these Orks. The immediate and sudden savagry would have been impressive if anyone other than the Orks and Ogres had been there to witness it.

Kogkradd and the Ork leader then clashed both with wordless warcries as the Orge's massive cleaver met the waraxe of the Ork. As the two blades collided there was the sound of a hollow metallic echoing Orkish cry that rang out in place of the two weapons colliding. As the two blades rebound from their collision Kogkradd struggled to maintain his hold on the blade as it launched back nearly flying away towards the Horde fort to his rear.

Kogkradd kept his grip and instead brought his blade down with all the might he could muster. In response the Ork facing him slid it's grip up the shaft of the great axe and brought up its shield in its left arm. Cleaver met the metal of the crude Ork armor and even as the Orge's metal sank into that of the Ork the beast rotated the shield deflecting the cleaver until the blade dropped through the Ork's shield and harmlessly into the ground.

As this happened the Ork let loose an renewed cry, this time one of triumph as he single handed thrust his axe into Kogkradd's gut-plate. Again a metallic cry rather than the clang of metal sounded as the Gut-plate dented, then cracked and shattered under the Impact. Kogkradd was frozen in shock as the blow penetraded his armor before the Tyrant was thrown dozens of yards back.

Now as he flew Kogkradd was given sight of the unveiling clash. Already a dozen Ogres lay dead and just as many of these Orks. Kogkradd's mind struggled to comprehend, his Ogres were larger, stronger and certainly hungrier than these Orks how could these Orks be evenly matching his tribe? And that leader, the Ork cut down one of Kogkradd's tribesmates, that Ork leader broke Kogkradd's gut-plate.

The Tyrant hated this, likely someone was going to get hungry and maybe challenge him, but he had to make the call. "Run!" The Ogre shouted to his tribesmen who after a moment and a second louder cry, then turned to flee as their Tyrant ordered. Still some were struck in the back and as the Ogres turned to flee the Goblin skulkers struck appearing to encircle the Orges the Goblins rushed in with paired daggers and a bloodthirsty gleem. The mad dash began for the rear of the Stone Trolls and Orks, once his tribe pushed through there then they could regroup and try again.

Still another five of his tribe dropped to knives, arrows and Ork Choppas to the back as they ran, the enraged Orks hot behind them. Though what greeted the Tyrant once they pushed into the center of the Horde's defensive line was certainly not what the Tyrant had expected.

Alyzz Kneecord was lost in the tides of battle, her belt was long since overloaded and the Goblin was forced to rely on her far too long unused skills in stealth to avoid being seen as she stabbed her way through the enemy. Something that was disturbingly easy with the Orks, the worst the bastards seemed to do was throw half hearted kicks her way, or on one occasion as she was trapped in the midst of a group of Mallus goblins bellow something about settling a score and then a bunch of Orks attacked every goblin there.

Its was now long after the battle had begun, already the sun was looking like it would start to set in the near future and Ork corpses littered the entire battlefield. Thrice the Orks and Mallus Goblins pushed the defenders so hard that Alyzz was certain they would be forced back to the next layer of the defense, but each time Ergere, Zhao Ming or or Alyzz herself would appear and lead a push against the Orks stopping their advance.

But while the Orks died in droves, the casualties they had caused among the Horde had been horrendous. If they had reinforcements, if they weren't comprised mainly of grunts who were still wounded and tired from fighting the Alliance's Seventh Legion, then this battle would likely have been in the Horde's favor. Instead they were simply holding against the Mallus Greenskin's Waaagh.

Still Alyzz Kneecord had successfully fought many of these Orks. And while the battle raged eventually the tide of mallus goblins slowed and Alyzz was given time to breathe. As the Goblin Private Investigator gasped for air to fill her lungs and alleviate the burning of her sore overused muscles. But as Alyzz rested and looked for a spare healer who could spare some time to give her a boost of refreshing magic, a new sound slowly built behind the din of battle around them.

A massed synchronized clanging matched to gutteral grunts slowly built. Eventually Alyzz could even hear a soft command being shouted before the clangs. "March!" the command repeated over and over, time and again.

Swiftly the Goblin woman looked among her allies. But no where, not among the Horde or the strange Cathayans nor their various reserves was anyone giving the order or clanging metal on metal on mass. With a feeling of gut wrenching dread she disregarded her rest and raced towards the wall, but a new, dreadful sound beat her to it.

"Waaaaaaagh!" It was only a single Orkish voice that shouted, yet what followed that lone cry froze Alyzz with momentary terror. The horrific sound of wood cracking first signaled the total collapse of the left walls the only portions that remained standing being those closest to where the previous breach had been. Before the walls had even collpased however a new wave, goblins in their hundreds rushed forward through the openings, most were followed shortly after by opportunistic Orks.

But the sight that turned the disturbing sight that had spurred the rest of the Horde into immediate action, hunters loosing arrows or gunshots, Grunts and Tauren Braves racing forward supported by shamans, warlocks and undead soldiers, that was not the one that froze Alyzz into inaction. Instead the wall of metal clad, orderly warriors each with enough armor to make a Alliance footman seem naked in comparison, the sight of them taking crude but synchronized steps while beating their shields in unison, that brought fear to the Goblin. These enemies didn't stay organized for long however, two steps past the fallen wall they released a warcry all charging as one.

Alyzz spent several moments looking about in shock. on the other side of the battle the Goblin P.I. could just see the signs of the right flank walls being brought to collpase, while the center remained uncontested by these newest additions to the Ork force facing them.

It was well before she could rejoin the fray that these new excessively armored Orks clashed with the Horde defenders. As they had closed those among these Orks at the front of their formation had carried shields and choppas. Arrows and even gunshots deflecting off the armor of these Orks unlike their easily felled compatriots, while magic washed over them seldomly scoring a lethal blow.

Then these Orks got into range of the Horde's warriors. As Alyzz's body burned in overexertion, her tears watering as her rapidly pumping legs and arms screamed at her to stop and rest, her empty health potion vials jingling on her belt, the new Ork's axes met the flesh of the Horde. As Warriors struggled with the the numbers of the greenskins the new warriors struck always seeking the most devastating blow they could deliver.

As Alyzz neared the fight her final sight of these Orks was a few seconds exchange, One of the Tauren Braves stomped the ground with all their might shaking the earth and causing all the Orks around him to stumble or fall, and as the Orks stumbled clumsily the brave delivered a blow that crumbled the Ork's armor killing one of their number alongside blows that slew numerous other Orks. A few feet past that one of the Black Orks must have witnessed that, as another of the Tauren Braves lifted his hoove for a mighty stomp only for one of the Armored Orks to dive beneath his hoove then using its shield to block the hoove and disbalance the Tauren. Then another of the armored Orks struck the brave, while a third delivered a overheaf strike to split the falling Tauren's face in two.

Then Alyzz was in the battle herself. With a roll she placed herself in the middle of some mallus goblins her blades lashing out while she ducked and weaved to avoid clumbsy spear thrusts, some of which even struck other goblins in the melee. Still Alyzz only contributed to the battle for perhaps two minutes, maybe more, before the sounds of a war horn and shouted warnings pulled her attention from slicing green skinned throats. The Horde was pulling back from the left flank, and if the Private Investigator didn't join them she'd be left to fend for herself.

Thus Alyzz joined the mad scramble to escape the mallus goblind and Orks who followed just behind her. Alyzz's entire body screamed at her, even tempting her with the releif that death could bring as she struggled to dodge spears and axes while running to catch up with the retreating Grunts and undead soldiers. Then Alyzz spotted them lines of Cathayans moving fresh to join the fight. At their front stood many with what looked to be guns with much thicker barrels than those Alyzz was used to seeing. The Cathayans raised these guns and took only a moment to aim before their guns barked kicking up thick clouds of smoke.

Nearby the fleeing Investigator one of the Armored Orks stumbled back as his armor dented under a sudden impact, and a second punched through his armor tearing a large hole in the brute's stomach. At other points these large rounds tore through ranks of the mallus goblins and under several volleys as the front line of the Cathayans would fire their large dragon-headed guns then be replaced. But as Alyzz neared the gunfire that had been her saving grace stopped as soldiers in thick armor weilding Ji stepped forward. These warriors then braced themselves allowing the Horde's combatants to slip past them before the Orkish Waaagh met their steel headlong in a bloody clash.

Alyzz laughed in joy of her own survival headless of the ongoing battle raging about her, joyfully shouting as she spotted Kogkradd and several bloodied and wounded Ogres crest the outer wall rejoining the defenders within. And then Alyzz's body refused to respond to her after countless hours of running and killing, and instead she collpased on the spot rather than rushing over to help her Tyrant friend.

Floating over the battle Zhang Genji watched on with frustrated futility. Zhang couldn't fight, her shoulder and her arm were still useless even though her life was no longer endangered by the flesh eating venom of the Filed One. But now she was left floating over the battle aboard a Sky-Lantern crane gunners each aiming and firing their guns down into the largest Orks they could. All Zhang had done thus far was cast a missile mirror that deflected a mob of Goblins arrows back to them.

But she had seen it unfolding, yet so high above the battle, and with her lungs still barely able to draw breath there was nothing she could do to warn those below. She had hoped for a moment when the Ogres charged the main bulk of the Black Orks that the Ogres could break the foe, however less than a minute after several Ogre bulls fell to the Orkish blades and the Ogres entered a full retreat. And even as that unfolded Goblins collapsed the flanking walls while smaller detachments of the Black Orks charged in, nearly breaking the Dragon Guard facing them under the sheer weight of the Orks and the strength of the Black Orks. Meanwhile the Horde's left flank held only for a short minute before a retreat was sounded.

Zhang wanted to curse, to even cast spells to help, to do something more than what her broken flesh had already done. Yet even as she gathered her strength the medicine woman next to her forced Zhang down telling her that her lungs could take little more than what they had already done.

Filled with a rage at her impotency Zhang turned to the captain of the Lantern, and with a voice little more than a whisper she delivered her order. "Fly us over the left, we must keep the Orks from rolling the flank!" The captain obeyed the Dragon-Blooded's order before she even finished delivering it and within a minute the Sky-Lantern floated above the Orks while its gunners sungled out large Orks or threatening Goblins to put down.

Thankfully the other commanders Zhao Ming had brought noticed either the development on the left or Zhang's actions and soon Iron Hail Gunners and a reserve of Jade Warriors armed with Ji met the Orks threatening to overwhelm the left. Lines of Orks fell under the Iron Hail, and then the Jade Warriors broke the uncoordinated tide of Greenskins halting their advance entirely.

Next that Zhang saw the Ogres who had faced the centerline of the Black Orks returned to the Horde and Cathayan's battlelines. It took them only moments before the Ogres changed their plans and with a tired enthusiasm tossed themselves into the battle for the left flank. However it was only moments after they joined that the main body of the Black Orks charged into center. The best of the Horde who had been locked with the Orkish center all day, only now had to meet with the elites of this Waaagh.

At the center of this new engagement stood the Horde's Orc leader, sometimes using some form of magic to make mimicrys of himself, other times twisting with both skill and unnatural means to decapitate Orks all about himself. But as this champion fought he drew the attention of more of the battle thirsty Orks. And as the bodies around him mounted she could spot a single Black Ork slowly closing on him while directing other Orks away with simple gestures.

From atop one of the nearby hills Ghozul watched the battle entering its final stages with a mixture of releif and frustration. 'The Horde's so called Crimson Post wouldn't fall, something he feared when he saw the massive Waaagh he had only partially inadvertently unleashed. However the casualties would certainly be more than he wanted, and he knew other Despots and their armies were still marching. The lazy fools needed to be here now, the supremacy of the Dawi-Zharr was best displayed now while the Eastern Dragon's army was still camping far away from the beleaguered 'fortress'.

But while Ghozul could pretend he was following after the Cathayan army and upholding his duties to Zharr Naggrund. So long as he could fake having arrived after the Cathayans and with his Clan's claims and the grudge against this fortress he could even seize command from any Despot who shared a similar rank to himself so long as they were not too highly ranked compared to himself, but what Overlord or Sorcerer-Prophet would risk their reputation here?

But if Ghozul acted now, not only did he have too few Dawi to do anything more than inadvertently help the Horde defenders, but he would weaken his own claims, reputation and ability to supplant the leadership of the slowly coming armies. Armies who marched far too slowly and were earning the ever growing ire of the Despot. If the lazy fools had marched with haste they would be in a perfect position to sweep the entire fort taking hundreds of Orkish slaves and most of the 'Horde' slaves that could be taken.

Instead Ghozul was left watching as the Eastern Dragon swept over the Ork's seiges engines again, and again unleashing a tide of flame over the goblins who attempted to again mount the equipment to attack the fort. Orkish Arr' Boyz and Goblin archers attempted to fend off the Dragon but with the Lamia screening for their Dragon Lord, all descending upom any foolish enough to attack their master, the Orks were making little progress against the Dragon.

Only five thousand of the Cathayans fought for the Horde's defense, but if the remaining Cathayans learned of the Dawi-Zharr waiting in the hills nearby, or if that damnable Dragon made his own move on the fortress than Ghozul knew his chance to take the fortress's defenders would be lost to him. So now Ghozul could only sit and wait hoping the stupid Orks would get themselves killed more slowly so his investment wouldn't go to waste.

But Ghozul was far from blind having scouts all throughout the region watching everything taking place. They tracked the advance of the three approaching armies of Zharr Naggrund each flying the different clan banner, they also watched the Cathayan army as well as keeping watch for anything else that might be unexpected.

"Lord Ghozul!" Speaking of unexpected one of the scouts roused the Despot from his musings replacing his dark anger at the incompetence of his peers with frustration at being pulled from such dark musings by someone so far below him.

"You may speak." The Despot nearly making a fatal error forgetting the massive bodyguard of a full hundred Immortals standing nearby, ready to strike him down at the slightest sign of his true intentions.

"Yes Lord. Report from the Northwest, an army that moves with unnatural speed, marching without stop for food or rest has passed from the World's Edge Mountains and into our lands. They are already marching through the blasted wastes while marauder tribes gather around their banner. Two of our lesser outposts have already fallen, struck without warning by these invaders."

While Ghozul's face was as unchanging as stone, yet inside the Despot roiled in indecision and wrath. 'Had the idiot slaves of the Northern Gods truly lost their minds enough that they would blindly wage war against the Dawi-Zharr despite knowing full well what had happened to them the last time that had happened? What about the other armies, I need them!?' The Dwarven dictator thought to himself.

"And what of the other armies? Any orders from Zharr Naggrund yet?" The Despot demanded immediately.

"N-no sir. The armies have increased their pace, since the marauders march for us now. The other Despots...If i might assume..." Ghozul silenced the fool, a powerful punch to dissuade the lowly Dwarf's ambition.

"No you may not." The Despot answered as his fist connected. But already Ghozul's mind raced. 'Why would the cultists of the north march here?' The Despot wondered. 'No, not why...they know.' He then concluded. Of course the followers of the four idiot Gods knew of the portal, the four were found of dharing unearned knowledge with their servants, or handing out mutation for even the slightest deed allowing impure and inferior degradations to continue to wallow in their presence.

Now though Ghozul's plans had to once again be changed. Should he battle these Northern barbarians, or should he allow them to wet their God's appetites with battle against these 'Azerotheans'? No he couldn't conclude his decision yet, the Cathayans likely would throw his entire plan into disarray, while his armies would arrive sooner than he feared, he now needed to watch the battle more closely than ever and prepare for both the eventuality of the arrival of the Warriors of Chaos and for the Cathayans to march on the fortress, to it's conquest or defense the Dawi-Zharr still didn't know or even have a guess as to which.

But there was only one thing Ghozul knew, the portal and all the slaves beyond it were his for the taking. His name would hold the glory of conquering a new realm of slaves and bringing his clan to heights of glory unseen since the days Hashut brought the Dawi-Zharr into the darkness puring them of the weaknesses of their lesser kin. And to achieve this, the fortress would fall to him and the portal beyond would be his to conquer! No one else should be allowed to claim it before he had taken his share.

Far beyond the Portal near the peak of Mount Hyjal the forces of the Empire's leaders rallied and prepared to march. Good fortune, likely thanks to Ranald, thus making it dubious fortune, seemed to smile on the Empire's march to strike against Mulgore. Still Hans Leitdorf looked into the tunnel burrowed into the mountain and then back to the assembled Kaldorei leaders.

Hans hadn't been able to learn their 'common' well enough to say more than a couple words at best. Even Luthor Huss who had seen it as a mission from Sigmar to learn as much as he could barely had a grasp enough to speak the language. Indeed only the chief Chronicler, Irma Schoff seemed to have a solid grasp of these Azerothean languages. But fortunately many of the Kaldorei either understood Reikspiel or could speak it passably.

"So this tunnel leads us to the Ashenvale region the Horde is now contesting. But they've been sending routine raids up this tunnel to attack. Now we need a plan to divert them and safely get this army down it and to the Stonetalon Mountains." Hans summerized followed shortly by Night Elves translating for eachother.

Shandris was the only one of the Elves that quickly answered Hans' question. "Yes, and we have adventurers now gathering troops and preparing to launch a multitude of attacks to pressure the Horde while we march. However there are towns that have been contested on our path so there are concerns that we will encounter Horde along the path, though thanks to the tunnel our path that we will need to march is far shorter and less likely to give the Horde time to monitor our progress and prepare."

"So a riskier path, but with far better prospects and that will give us more advantage when we reach Mulgore." Hans summerized swiftly while looking back down the tunnel.

"Yes, and we will need to plan for how to clear the path." The General began but was stopped short by Hans.

"Send the Knights with your guides aiding us we can hit every town and encampment on our path, the Iron Companies will follow after us, and then the rest of our forces after that." Hans suggested, the Grandmaster's voice carrying an natural and ingrained tone of command.

Shandris ignored Hans' tone and considered the plan. Each point was relatively effective and simple. The Knights and Outriders would forge the path with her own Huntresses, the Iron Company would be needed to clear any Horde fortifications including the gate into Mulgore, while the rest of the Empire troops would be the necessary reserves needed once the Empire finally reached their destination.

"I approve. Aethalas will guide you. I am needed here for my people's sake, but I'll rejoin you as soon as I can. I need you to thus share command with both her and Uydron Dusktree. Also assign your commanders for the other two detachments now I'll need to know who to consider when sending orders or assistance to them." Shandris granted Hans' suggestion placing him as co-commander with Aethalas.

"Elspeth von Draken will command the Iron Companies along with the Battle Wizards. Luthor Huss will guide our remaining forces until we reach Mulgore." The Knight immediately answered earning some respectful nods from the various other Kaldorei.

Several minutes later and Hans had mounted his horse and while waiting the grandmaster of the Knights of Sigmar's Blood also checked his Bandalier of pistols and the sword at his side. It was then several tiger riding Kaldorei lead by Aethalas rode their mounts up to the Imperial Knight. While the bow armed Night Elves sat lower, and had to lean forward much more to maintain their balance, their mounts still made them a rather intimidating sight.

Then with the sound of a cloth muffled horn, nine hundred Knights, both the Knights of Sigmar's Blood and the Knights of Morr along with two hundred outriders and fifty Night Elven Huntresses set out into the tunnel. For hours they traveled the dim tunnel seeing both the crude labor of the Skaven as well as the additional work of Horde and Alliance afterwards to reinforce the tunnel. Still while the horses cautiously sauntered down the tunnel careful of their hooves footing in the dimly lit space, Hans and the rest of the Knights kept their gazes firm watching every shadow and corner as if ambushers were waiting, and ahead to see if an enemy raiding force was marching up the tunnel which would lead to a brutal fight in the enclosed space.

However fortune stayed by the Empire and Alliance's side, and like Shandris promised no enemies were in the tunnels. Almost certainly the land of Ashenvale was currently ablaze with combat just to permit the Empire's march to begin unimpeded. But for the sake of victory they would have to endure the hardships of war for now.

It was still hours at the steady pace of the horses until the Knights all left the confines of the tunnel and into the forests of Ashenvale. However now it was getting later into the day and despite some strange encounters with local creatures and wildlife the Knights had not yet faced the Horde. So Aethalas proposed that the Knights resr at nearby pool of healing. Apparently the pool was influenced by Azeroth's magic and rejuvenated those touched by its waters. Hans was skeptical of the pool, particularly one made of magic but at the same time he had spent plenty of time in the care of Shallyan Priestesses and knew the inportance of blessed waters.

The Knights soon gathered around the blessed pool establishing camp and allowing the Outriders to set up watches alongside the Huntresses. Meanwhile Hans stepped into the healing waters under the supervision of the Night Elf leader. The effects were much like the blessed waters of Shallya but much more immediate than the Goddess' gentle and slow approach. Hans even could remember Doctors from the Tinean Fellowship complaining that the Goddess' approach was too cowardly to beat back the plagues that sometimes attacked the lands, while seeking alchemical solutions that could cure all illnesses.

Feeling as though he was wasting the power of the pool to do what some simple rest could also achieve Hans pulled himself out of the water instead waving to his fellow Knights to bring the Horses to the drink. As they did this Aethalas spoke up capturing the Grandmaster's attention.

"I think you and I need to reconcile our people's unique styles of command. Since Shandris put both you and I in command we need to make sure that we don't get eachother's way, and thay we instead can cover for eachother's weaknesses." The Night Elf began while Hans pulled a dry rag to begin cleaning the water off his armor before starting his routine of maintenance for his equipment.

"I can understand. However I can't really claim that my style of command would be that outstanding. I'm a Knight Grandmaster, I know battle and warfare and have years of experience in the field. I can generally lead this army well, but it's the standard tactics and cavalry where I can show you my best. If you're wanting to know the Iron Companies or out magic users you're better suited speaking with the Dark Lady. Otherwise i simply plan to engage the foe, and hit them with repeated charges and let the Outriders gun them down from atop their horses." The Grandmaster confessed claiming that his plan was simple.

"Right, Still your mindset and tactics are still something we need to coordinate to prevent any unfortunate accidents and to keep ourself for falling for enemy tactics we should have seen coming." Aethalas insisted as the pair sat.

"Right, well then I will reiterate. My brother made me take a oath to 'slay all the midget fish people I can possibly find.' So to avoid any accidents there...please tell me there aren't any midget fish people." Hans pleaded, both earning a sigh and a slightly amused smile from Aethalas as the pair began going over more minute details of the regions they would be going through and planning for anything the Horde could throw at them.