32 Baine Bloodhoof_As Our Fathers Before Us - Steven Nix.pdf - Warcraft Lore - serek.serek

As Our Fathers Before Us – Stevie Nix

BLIZZARD ENTERTAINMENT

Baine Bloodhoof:

As Our Fathers Before Us

Stevie Nix

As Our Fathers Before Us – Stevie Nix

A rickety old cart trundled down the path toward the Great Gate, where a small

patrol waited to guard it on its way to the distant zeppelin tower. There, the water it

carried would be distributed to the orc settlements around Durotar, the land hit hardest by

the recent drought. The young kodo pulling the cart moved with the languid pace of a well-

traveled routine, cresting the hill before disappearing from sight.

An aggravated goblin watched as the cart vanished. His own cart should have been

right behind that caravan, but he was still stuck at the water well because the breeze had

died, rendering the wind-powered pump useless. "Hurry up with that, will ya? We need to

catch up if we're going to get a patrol escort this trip." The goblin tapped his toe in

irritation while his ire was directed at the young orc wrestling with the crank.

"Relax, Izwix," said a nearby orc warrior as he lay in the grass. "What're a few little

Alliance lackeys going to do? They make any move, they get an axe upside the head." He

grabbed a twig off a nearby bush and picked his teeth.

"The Alliance is a menace, Grotz!" the goblin snapped. "And I would rather have an

escortandnothavetorelyonyourlimitedskills… or his," he said, pointing to the assassin

crouching in the bushes.

"Don't you worry about me, Izwix," said Dras, suddenly appearing from his hiding

spot. "Anyone comes near me, they get a pig sticker in the back. Let the Alliance curs come."

Izwix sighed. "What did I do to get stuck with these two… eh?" The bushes around

the well shivered as he cocked his head. "What was that?"

Everyone turned his head toward the sound; Grotz grabbed his axe and stood up.

The sound stopped. He took a cautious step forward as a rippling wave began at one end of

the hedgerow and traveled the full length to the other side. Each bush began to shake

violently. Izwix moved away warily, inching toward the kodo lashed to the water cart. Dras

flipped his knives nervously as the rustle of the leaves intensified.

Dozens of boar-like beasts, armed with spears and an assortment of other weapons,

covered in patchwork armor, exploded outward and swarmed the group. One or two fell to

Grotz's axe before he was overwhelmed, and Izwix turned to flee. Dras dove for cover,

running headlong into the lead attacker. The quilboar swung wildly at the orc, finally

managing to make contact with the side of his head.

The other caravan members dropped one after another, the grass quickly staining

red all around the well. Izwix had managed to unhook the kodo, hop on its back, and spur it

forward before a spear sailed through the air and knocked him from his perch. The kodo

continued lumbering onward as the quilboar ransacked the cart and disappeared where

they had come from, back toward Brambleblade Ravine.

Sometime before this attack, Baine Bloodhoof, high chieftain of the tauren tribes,

had found himself in his lodge in Thunder Bluff with Garrosh Hellscream and Archdruid

Hamuul Runetotem. This was no casual encounter: Baine had willingly chosen not to

pursue vengeance against Garrosh for the death of Cairne Bloodhoof in favor of a united

As Our Fathers Before Us – Stevie Nix

Horde leadership. Baine knew that the Horde needed a strong guiding figure if it was to

survive, and Garrosh could give his people inspiration. The meeting, however, was not

going well. Garrosh, once cautious due to his role in the murder of Baine's father, was again

full of bluster and bravado, arriving in Mulgore with an inordinate number of demands.

Impassioned voices rose and fell in the confined space. Hamuul, though normally

reserved and quiet, was beginning to raise his voice in response to the obstinate and brash

young orc before him. Garrosh's management of the Horde left much to be desired in the

eyes of the tauren, and Hamuul still could not believe that Cairne Bloodhoof, greatest of the

tauren leaders, had fallen to this whelp. As Baine's advisor, Hamuul had opened the

negotiations for water supplies to be transported to Orgrimmar. So far, the talks had not

gone well.

Baine watched this stoically, hand gripping his mace, before politely raising his

other hand to interject. After a moment, the two others quieted down and looked to Baine.

"Garrosh, you say you need water, but what of the Southfury River, and the resulting

watershed? Can that not provide all the water you could need?"

A scoff escaped Garrosh's lips. "Normally, yes, but it has become tainted. It can still

water the crops, but we cannot drink it, and that is causing strain on our city and anywhere

else the orcs may make a home in these lands."

Looking Garrosh straight in the eye, Hamuul said simply, "And just what is tainting

it?"

Garrosh gritted his teeth. "The goblin projects in Azshara seem to produce… side

effects. This taint created by their digging has run into the ground and is carried south by

the river, where we suffer the consequences."

Baine met eyes with Hamuul for a moment. "Why not just order the goblins to stop?

Give the land time to heal and then resume later on? With some planning and foresight, the

goblins can have their projects on a limited basis while the earth is not harmed unduly."

Garrosh rapped his knuckles on the table. "Nonsense! Their actions are vital to the

war effort and I will not undermine the security of the Horde. Mulgore still has water

aplenty, and it is that water which will supply Orgrimmar and the outlying settlements."

Hamuul said quietly, "I happen to agree with Baine, and you know he's right. The

goblins need to back off or translate their building elsewhere for the land to heal and the

river to recover."

"And what makes your opinion more valid than any other of the thousands I hear

day to day?" Garrosh's eyes narrowed slightly. "And I am not asking. I am telling."

The argument arose once again. Hamuul and Garrosh continued to shout until Baine

grew exasperated and yelled, "Enough! This bickering gets us nowhere!"

Both stopped mid-sentence, surprised by the outburst, and stared at Baine, who said

in a more controlled tone, "Garrosh, you get your water. But, I want an official tauren

representative to act as advisor on future goblin projects."

As Our Fathers Before Us – Stevie Nix

Garrosh fixed cold eyes on Baine. "You're damned right I get my water. I have an

obligation to the Horde to keep everyone safe and sound. I will not stand by and have my

leadership and motives questioned." With that, he stormed out of the tent, shouting over

his shoulder, "My envoy will be sent along shortly to set up shipment schedules!"

Hamuul watched the retreating figure and said, "If only he could but listen to a voice

otherthanhisown…"

Baine smiled sadly and placed his massive hand on Hamuul's shoulder. "Give him

time, Hamuul. Those like Garrosh, their time is fleeting. He will see reason, or hang himself

in the end. Those are the only futures awaiting him. Either way, patience is our greatest

ally."

Hamuul shook his head as if to clear it. "We existed in a time before the coming of

the orcs, if you'll remember. Your father may have owed a debt to Thrall for all he did for

our people, but this is a new Horde. I have heard whispers of other tauren. Some are

wondering if this Horde is really something we should be a part of anymore." He snorted.

"The Horde has done much and we owe much to it, but you must admit that their

sentiments are not completely without merit."

Baine pulled a map from the shelf and began looking for all known water wells in

Mulgore. "As you say, my father may have owed a debt to Thrall, but he believed in the

Horde he helped shape. Though my father may be gone, and despite these changes we face,

I still believe in the Horde."

Within a short time, water caravans traveling their way from various wells around

Mulgore to Orgrimmar had become the norm. From there, the water was distributed, and

the citizens of Durotar once again had fresh water in their homes. The occasional report

would trickle in concerning attempted raids by bandits, but overall, the water shipment

had given very little cause for concern.

The first attack to happen in Mulgore was a shock to Baine. Not only had it been in

his land, but it was also a brutal slaughter. The investigation into the incident found no

clues as to the attackers or their motives. Nothing had been looted from the bodies, and the

caravan cart had been smashed, though nothing of interest was in it. The cart was only to

carry a water bladder, after all. From the blood stains in the grass, a few bodies had been

dragged away, but all other members of the caravan had been accounted for.

Baine was at a loss. He had first feared an attack of retribution by the exiled

Grimtotem, but his Longwalker scouts could turn up nothing that pointed to their

involvement. He was poring over these reports one day when an orc messenger

approached and cleared his throat. Baine looked up and motioned for the orc to come

inside. "To what do I owe this visit?"

"Message from the warchief." The messenger unrolled the letter and began reading,

"Unto High Chieftain Baine Bloodhoof of the tauren, Warchief of the Horde Garrosh

Hellscream sends the following: Water shipments continue on schedule and that pleases

As Our Fathers Before Us – Stevie Nix

me. However, take note that the most recent shipments are tainted with an unknown agent.

I expect this to be fixed, and soon."

Baine thought a moment, brow furrowed in concern. "Those shipments were from

the well at Winterhoof. Tell Garrosh I will see to it personally." With that, the messenger

ran off and, leaving one of his braves to oversee Thunder Bluff, Baine prepared for the walk

to southern Mulgore.

Baine solemnly observed the bodies around the well. It was a scene of complete

slaughter. Three caravans had been smashed beyond repair, and anything not nailed down

had been stolen, including the full water bladders they had been transporting. The carts'

kodos were missing and eight caravan guards lay in a circle around the six workers they

had been attempting to defend. The guards had been better prepared this time, and at least

a dozen quilboar bodies were scattered haphazardly around the area.

"These are quilboar, but better armed. See the armor on that one? It is a patchwork

of various Horde designs. I've never seen quilboar so well-organized before." Baine grew

thoughtful. "One obstacle to our peace in Mulgore was always the stubborn quilboar threat.

My father could never open a dialogue with them. But, if they are under new leadership,

perhaps we can negotiate with them this time."

Baine turned toward the nearest Longwalker. "Send word to Camp Narache that

they must attempt contact with the quilboar in Brambleblade Ravine. We cannot answer

slaughter for slaughter and I will not have an escalating war in my own land.

"I shall be staying in my old quarters at Bloodhoof Village for a few days. Update me

as soon as you can." Baine then turned to his messenger. "Send word to Garrosh that we

have found the culprit, and the situation will be dealt with."

Garrosh replied a few hours later, exactly as Baine had expected. The warchief

insisted that troops march in to recover the land and expel the offenders. He ended his

message with, And if you are unable to succeed in this, rest assured I will.

Baine snorted. "This will not do. I had hoped he would see the necessity of avoiding

yet another conflict. So be it. Tell Garrosh that we appreciate his support, but there is no

need for a military operation at this time, as we wish to see how the negotiations fare. I

pray to the Earth Mother they will be fruitful."

The next day, the Longwalker approached Baine in his old quarters. "I have an

update on the quilboar situation, High Chieftain."

Baine looked hopeful. "Any good news to report, perhaps?"

"We have tried communicating with them in every way possible, but our envoys are

attacked on sight. After every attempt, they return covered in blood not their own." The

scout saw the disappointment in Baine's eyes. He added quickly, "But casualties were kept

to a minimum. They only fought as necessary while retreating."

32 Baine Bloodhoof_As Our Fathers Before Us - Steven Nix.pdf

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