The Ironclaw Horde
The Ironclaw Horde, one of the oldest and most formidable forces in Wardenfall, has endured nearly 3,000 years of bloodshed, glory, and unbreakable tradition. Forged in the fires of survival and honed on battlefields stained by centuries of war, the orcs of the Ironclaw Horde are known for their fearsome strength and rigid warrior code. Honor, independence, and resilience are the pillars of their society, passed from one generation of warriors to the next like sacred rites. To be Ironclaw is to be unyielding, never kneeling, never forgetting, always forging ahead.
At the heart of their ancient saga lies the legendary War of the First Horde, or the Battle of Ironclaw Pass, fought over 1,600 years ago. This brutal conflict, led by the legendary chieftain Mag’har To’rc, saw the Horde facing overwhelming odds. Though many lives were lost, it was the sudden appearance of a mysterious wizard rumored to wield a dark spirit of unfathomable power that changed the course of the battle and plunged it into myth. The echoes of that sorcery still whisper through orcish tales, a reminder of the thin veil between power and corruption.
And a throat-sung verse that immortalized the rise of their people. Its power resonated far beyond orcish lands, earning respect from even elven bards and dwarven historians. This event rekindled cultural pride among the clans and inspired a new generation of warriors, thinkers, and leaders ultimately setting the stage for the rise of the New Horde. In 2200 AD, a rising wave of younger warbands rallied under a new movement known as The New Horde.
Inspired by the epic Ballad of the Ironclaw Horde, which had captured the history and soul of their people thirty years prior, these clans formed a new power bloc under bold chieftains of their own. Though independent in leadership, the New Horde remains loyal to the traditions of the Old Horde, often marching to war alongside them and sharing in the great Moots held beneath the stars. Together, they form the greatest orcish force Wardenfall has seen in centuries.
Rumors suggest that the portal is not simply a way to travel between worlds, but a way to draw creatures from the other side into the material plane, to be bent to the will of those who dare to control it. This has led to dark tales of a second horde, greater and more terrifying than the Ironclaw Horde, rising within the confines of the otherworldly realm. Its existence remains uncertain, but the possibility of a hidden, even larger army moving silently in the shadows is enough to keep both the orcs' enemies and allies on edge, uncertain of the true power that may yet be lurking.
The Shadowmantle Enclave, as it has come to be known, remains the subject of fear and fascination. No one has ever confirmed the tales of the portal, the creatures, or the second horde but the stories persist. For the orcs who whisper of it, the Iron Portal is more than a relic of a forgotten battle; it is a testament to the power of Mag’har To’rc’s vision, an enduring symbol of what the orcs are capable of when they embrace the forbidden.
The orcs of the Ironclaw Horde are often misunderstood by outsiders. They are not mindless savages, but a people bound by deep honor and ritual. Dwarves are respected foes, unyielding, armored, and worthy of a proper fight. The Elves, on the other hand, are seen as fragile and overly reliant on their arcane tricks, while the Kithara Tribes earn the Horde’s respect for their deep connection to the land and the spirits. The Gnomes are regarded with wary fascination, and humans, especially the Alarian Empire, are considered unpredictable capable of alliance, betrayal, or both.
In the aftermath of their crushing defeat, with the ruins of their once mighty Horde scattered across Ironclaw Pass, the orcs under Mag’har To’rc withdrew into obscurity. It was in their darkest hour that the chieftain, desperate to reclaim the power that had been lost, sought forbidden knowledge. With a handful of trusted warlocks, necromancers, and sorcerers, To’rc established a hidden enclave, known only in whispered legends as the Shadowmantle Enclave.
This shadowy group, believed by some to be a myth, took to dark magics that could blur the line between life and death. They forged a portal, known in hushed tones as The Iron Portal, a rift between realms. It is said that those who pass through the portal do not simply travel between worlds but can call upon and reshape the creatures of these realms, using them as fodder for their endless wars.
Another turning point in their history came in 766 AD, during the great war against the Kingdom of the Forge, when the Ironclaw stood as a barrier against expansion into the sacred Rolling Plains. It was during this desperate clash that Bahgtru, mighty son of Gruumsh, is said to have descended upon the battlefield in wrath and glory. With a war cry that split the sky and a hammer that shattered stone, Bahgtru led the orcs to a brutal and decisive victory.
Since that day, he has been revered as the patron deity of strength, war, and unbreakable loyalty his image often carved into the war standards of every Ironclaw clan. Though originally centralized in the Rolling Plains, the Ironclaw Horde has grown far beyond its ancestral borders.
Dozens of clans roam the open grasslands, their banners fluttering across hills and ridges, while many more spread across the wider realms of Wardenfall. These clans often travel in great caravans or hold fast in scattered strongholds, each ruled by their own respected chieftains.
Despite their geographic distance, they remain bound by blood oaths, war songs, and the ancient council of the elders where only the strongest and wisest may rise to lead. Despite their fearsome reputation, the Ironclaw are not without artistry. In 2170 AD, a group of orcish skalds composed the Ballad of the Ironclaw Horde, an epic tale of drums, chants.
"There is no victory without sacrifice, and no path to greatness without the Iron Portal. We, the Horde, walk between worlds, unseen and unchallenged."
Rumors of the Shadowmantle Enclave persist through the ages, but few have seen it, and many dismiss it as mere legend. The Ironclaw Pass, where the portal is believed to lie, is a small region of rolling hills, with the Horde's largest encampments of wartents stretching across the land. It is said that the spellcasters of the Shadowmantle Enclave weave powerful magics, creating an illusion so potent that from the skies, the Horde’s forces appear far greater than they truly are. Despite numerous attempts to find the portal, no one has been able to locate it. Its presence remains a tantalizing mystery, hidden among the largest gathering of wartents in the region. Even the fiercest of enemies who have tried to approach speak of the land seeming to warp, as if the hills themselves conspired to obscure the truth of the portal’s existence.
Those few who have ventured too close to the boundaries of Ironclaw Pass speak of unnatural occurrences: eerie whispers in the wind, strange, ghostly lights flickering in the distance, and monstrous creatures unlike anything seen in the material world, stalking the land. The twisted forms of these creatures are said to be a testament to the horrors that come from beyond the portal, though none can confirm what lies beyond. Some report that the very earth trembles, as if the realm itself hungers for more, pulling in creatures and warriors to serve its dark purpose.
The Ironclaw Horde Banner
Through flame, steel, and song, the Ironclaw endure. Their history is written in scars and inked in the warpaint of a thousand tribes. As long as the war drums echo across the plains and the Iron Portal remains shrouded in myth, the Horde will continue to shape the fate of Wardenfall. For they are more than a people, they are a storm, eternal and unbroken. Yet with its power comes a deep, lingering question: if the portal truly exists, what will happen when it opens again?
