Chapter 4.5: The Aftermath of Shadows

The Warborn Horde and the Age of Warlords

The death of Xul'Zir the Hollow was not merely the end of an enemy—it was the breaking of an age-old curse, the unraveling of centuries of corruption that had bound orcs and trolls to ruin. The Hollow King's fall in Zul'Azrak had sent ripples across Eldoria. No longer shackled by the looming specter of shadow sorcery, the remnants of the Horde and the Troll Kings stood on the edge of a new era.

The war had forged something greater than an alliance—it had reforged the Warborn Horde, a coalition of orc warlords and troll kings bound not by conquest, but by survival.

Yet, as the embers of battle cooled, the great warlords and kings faced a new challenge: how to rebuild a future carved from the ashes of the past.

The Warlords of the Warborn Horde

As the Horde gathered in the ruins of the Broken Expanse, the banners of the great clans were raised once more.

The Orc Warlords Shaara the Howling Wind – High Warlord of the Warborn HordeThe orc who united the clans after Xul'Zir's fall, Shaara now stood as the first true High Warlord since Grommash. Her leadership was challenged by many, but none could deny the blood she had shed to win their freedom.She wielded Stormfang, an axe reforged from the shattered remains of fallen warlords' weapons. Gorvak the Red Blade – Warlord of the Bloodfang WarbandGorvak's warriors, once scattered mercenaries, had become the new vanguard of the Horde. He was second only to Shaara, though his thirst for conquest made others wary. Mazgul the Iron Tusks – Warlord of the Iron MaulA master of siege warfare, Mazgul's orcs were the builders of the Horde, responsible for reforging lost fortresses and creating war machines for future battles. Korrak the Pale – The SpiritcallerThe last true shaman of the Old Ways, Korrak communed with the spirits of fallen warriors, ensuring that the dead still guided the living. He had taken it upon himself to preserve the legacy of Grommash. Drekkar Doomfang – The Shadow WolfLeader of the Blackfang Raiders, Drekkar's warband specialized in ambush tactics and assassination. Some feared his loyalty to Shaara was thin, but none doubted his skill in war. Tor'Mak the Ashen – The Forsaken WarlordA brutal warlord who once swore fealty to Xul'Zir, Tor'Mak survived the war by betraying the Hollow King. Many orcs distrusted him, yet his warriors were among the most disciplined.The Troll Kings and Their Warlords

With the shadow of Zul'Azrak lifted, the Troll Kings no longer hid in the depths of forgotten jungles. Though they had once ruled as solitary tyrants, the war had bound them together under a single cause: to restore the glory of the troll race.

Zul'Rathis the Undying – King of the Gor'Vash RemnantsThe last surviving descendant of the Gor'Vash, he was both revered and feared. His body, infused with ancient sorcery, was marked with the sigils of the first trolls.Though some distrusted him, none could deny his presence in battle, where he fought like a specter of the past. Rakkath Bloodfang – High Warlock of the Bloodfang TribeMaster of Hemomancy, Rakkath's warriors had perfected the art of blood sacrifice. It was said that when his warlocks cast their spells, the very air reeked of iron. Ka'Zhul the Rotlord – Plaguebringer of BlightmoorThe keeper of the Plaguebone Staff, Ka'Zhul wielded a power feared even by other trolls. With the fall of Xul'Zir, his control over disease magic had only grown stronger. Vash'Tu the Whispering Death – Assassin-King of the Nightscar ClanMaster of the Umbral Fens, Vash'Tu ruled from the shadows, his assassins striking unseen. Though he rarely spoke in council, his silent presence was enough to remind all that death had ears. Zal'Thar the Bonebreaker – War-Chief of the Bonecrush ClanUnlike the others, Zal'Thar shunned magic, relying instead on brute strength. He led an army of warriors who carved runes of power into their own bones, becoming living avatars of destruction.The Pact of the Warborn

With their armies gathered, the orcs and trolls stood upon the edge of a new destiny. For the first time in history, they did not fight for conquest, nor for dominion, but for survival and power.

At the ruins of Tor'Ghul, an ancient battlefield where Grommash had once claimed victory over rival orc clans, the warlords and kings forged the Pact of the Warborn:

No orc shall raise a blade against another unless the challenge is given in battle.No troll shall enslave another of their own kind.The strong shall lead, but only those who prove their worth.Should the Horde be threatened, all warbands shall march as one.

With this pact, the Warborn Horde was born—a gathering of orcs and trolls unlike anything Eldoria had seen. No longer bound to the old ways, no longer splintered by greed and betrayal, they had become something greater.

But their war was not over.

The Shadows Yet Remain

Though Xul'Zir had been defeated, the darkness he had served was far from destroyed. In the deepest ruins of Zul'Azrak, the shattered remnants of his magic still festered, seeping into the land itself.

The Hollow Legion, though broken, still lingered in the places where Xul'Zir's power had taken root.The Withered Wilds, once merely a cursed jungle, had become something worse—a land where nightmares bled into reality.Whispers of the Black Root, the ancient titan Vash'Goroth, still lingered in the minds of those who had gazed too long into the void.

And then, there were the others.

Across the sea, beyond the eastern wastes, the Empire of Vael'Tharion had watched the fall of Zul'Azrak with great interest. The elves, long the sworn enemies of the orcs and trolls, saw this new alliance as a threat to their dominion.

The Warborn Horde had survived its first great test.

But war was coming again.

The Rise of the Warborn Horde

As the banners of orcs and trolls rose beneath the blood-red sky, the Warborn Horde took its first steps into the new age. The scars of their past still lingered, but they had found something stronger than revenge, stronger than mere survival.

They had found purpose.

And when war came again, Eldoria would know the wrath of those who had been cast aside for too long.

For the Horde did not forget.

For the Warborn would rise.

For the land had yet to see the full fury of the last true warriors of Eldoria.