Orcs

Exiles from another world who were once slaves of demons and are now free. Under Thrall the orcs have built a new home in the dry red land of Durotar, and in Forever's Year 1 they are the heart of a Horde still proving what it can be.

An orc mage rendered from the WoW Forever client — An orc mage, one of Forever's new race and class combinations, rendered from the client's own model.

Homeland: Draenor, originally; now Durotar
Capital: Orgrimmar
Leader: Thrall, warchief of the Horde (client)
Starting zone: The Valley of Trials, Durotar
Home faction: Orgrimmar

What the client says

Orc (Horde)

Lore name: Orc. Languages: Orcish. Starts in Durotar. Classes: Hunter, Mage (new in Forever), Rogue, Shaman, Warlock, Warrior. Racials: Axe Specialization, Blood Fury, Hardiness, Shatter Curse.

The client's character-creation text: The orc race originated on the planet Draenor. A peaceful people with shamanic beliefs, they were enslaved by the Burning Legion and forced into war with the humans of Azeroth. Although it took many years, the orcs finally escaped the demons' corruption and won their freedom. To this day they fight for honor in an alien world that hates and reviles them.

Who they are

The orcs came from Draenor, a world where they lived by shamanism and clan honour. Demons corrupted them, drove them through the Dark Portal and set them against humanity. It took many years for the orcs to break that hold. Now they are free, and they carry both their pride and their shame in a land that has not forgiven them.

Although it took many years, the orcs finally escaped the demons' corruption and won their freedom. To this day they fight for honor in an alien world that hates and reviles them.
From the game client: Orc, the race description in the WoW Forever client

Warcraft background: After the Horde lost the Second War, most orcs were held in human internment camps, listless from the loss of the demonic power they had craved. Thrall, raised as a slave and gladiator, freed them, restored shamanism and led the new Horde to Kalimdor. There the orcs helped defeat Archimonde at Mount Hyjal, then founded Durotar, named after Thrall's father, and Orgrimmar, named after the old warchief Orgrim Doomhammer.

Homeland and capital

Durotar is harsh country of red rock, scorpions and centaur raids. Orgrimmar, carved into its canyon, is the Horde's seat and home to many clans. Beyond it the orcs have outposts across the Barrens, Ashenvale and Stonetalon, where they cut timber and fight night elves.

Founded by Thrall, this Horde capital city is home to many of the proud orc clans of Durotar.
From the game client: Orgrimmar, the faction description in the WoW Forever client

Allies and enemies

Allies: the Darkspear trolls, who came to Kalimdor with Thrall; the tauren, who owe the orcs a blood-debt; the Forsaken, allies of convenience; and in Forever the Windshaper Skyborne.
Enemies: the Alliance, above all the humans who kept them in camps; the night elves of Ashenvale; the centaur; and the Burning Legion, which enslaved them.
Within: orcs who still long for the demon-fuelled power of the old Horde. The Burning Blade cult in Durotar and Ragefire Chasm is the first a young orc meets.

Language and names

Orcs speak Orcish, the Horde's shared tongue, and in the client it's their only language. Orc names are short and hard (a couple of syllables with strong consonants). Forever's second name suits a clan name (the Frostwolf and Warsong clans appear in the client's battleground factions) or a deed-name earned in battle.

Notable figures

The client's faction texts name Thrall as the founder of Orgrimmar and the warchief who brought the Darkspear to Kalimdor.

Racial abilities as flavour

Orc racials describe a warrior people: Blood Fury (the rage their blood still remembers), Hardiness to shrug off stuns and Axe Specialization. Forever adds Shatter Curse, which removes curses: a people that knows what dark magic costs. See Races.

In WoW Forever

In WoW Forever: Orcs can now be Mages. For a people whose warlocks once led them into slavery, an orc turning to arcane magic is a story in itself. Blizzard also adds new quests and characters to starting areas such as the Valley of Trials.

RP hooks and character ideas

One of Forever's first orc mages, who has to convince a suspicious clan that arcane magic is not the fel magic that damned their parents.
A camp-born orc who has never seen Draenor and knows the old Horde only from the stories of bitter elders.
A former gladiator, like Thrall, who fights for honour now instead of for a master.
A Warsong or Frostwolf veteran with a clan name to live up to.
A young shaman listening to spirits that sound different on Kalimdor than they did in the old tales.
An orc who fought at Hyjal beside night elves and humans, and finds today's hatreds hard to take.