Warlords of Draenor Lore: The Iron Horde's Aggression?

[Avallon]

Wanted to get some feedback from the community in regard to the Orcish aggression in Warlords of Draenor. I used to know the details of all the lore inside and out, but over the years admittedly I have become a bit rusty on the details.

From what I recall, the orcs were a relatively peaceful, shamanistic society on Draenor, and although the Draenei and the Orcs were not allies, they tolerated each other and did not act aggressively toward one another until the Orcs were manipulated by Kil'Jaden toward attacking the Draenei.

In the WoD timeline, the orcs do not drink Mannoroth's blood, and are supposedly not corrupted by fel-energy. However, the trailer indicates that the Orcs mobilize to attack the Draenei, even when not influenced by the bloodlust that came with partaking in demonic rituals. Anyone have any idea how to reconcile the seemingly stark contrast between the peaceful nomadic Orcs described in Rise of the Horde, and the aggressive un-corrupted Orcs of WoD?

[ythemaster]

Could be a parallel universe, i mean; maybe WoD shows us what could happen if Orcs were aggressive. Yeah i know i screwed up.

[Wilian]

Wanted to get some feedback from the community in regard to the Orcish aggression in Warlords of Draenor. I used to know the details of all the lore inside and out, but over the years admittedly I have become a bit rusty on the details.

From what I recall, the orcs were a relatively peaceful, shamanistic society on Draenor, and although the Draenei and the Orcs were not allies, they tolerated each other and did not act aggressively toward one another until the Orcs were manipulated by Kil'Jaden toward attacking the Draenei.

In the WoD timeline, the orcs do not drink Mannoroth's blood, and are supposedly not corrupted by fel-energy. However, the trailer indicates that the Orcs mobilize to attack the Draenei, even when not influenced by the bloodlust that came with partaking in demonic rituals. Anyone have any idea how to reconcile the seemingly stark contrast between the peaceful nomadic Orcs described in Rise of the Horde, and the aggressive un-corrupted Orcs of WoD?

Orcs slaughtered the Draenei before drinking the blood. The blood drinking ceremony happened when the goats were practically eradicated in their former capitol.

[sscavenger]

The orcs were tricked into slaughtering the draenei, they were tricked by the Legion. Ner'zhul thought he was doing the will of the ancestors but it was demons. He found out, tried to stop it but his apprentice Gul'dan betrayed him. So what we have here is the newly formed Horde is already at war with the Draenei. Garrosh has shown up and filled their heads with lies and tells of conquest. He stopped the major corruption which was the demon blood drinking but there is still some corruption there it has just been directed in a new way. One that fits Garrosh's world view of conquering the universe. Since all orcs are good for in his mind is perpetual war.

[Leare315]

Pretty sure Hellscream give them tech and turns them on -US-. They were fighting to defend their homeland from the "alien intruders" before they broke through the portal for "new, unspoiled lands" (demon taint was kicking in). So they're already an army when he finds them, he's just directing them at modern azeroth with help from his time traveller friend.

[Shampro]

You're half correct, the Orcs were relatively peaceful, but from what I understand, by the time that we arrive on Draenor or from what we see on the Trailer, the Orcs were already at war with the Draenei even before the Blood. The differance is basicly that instead of them consumming the Blood of Mannoroth, they will instead ally themselves with Garrosh and his superawesome future technology.

[Golden Yak]

It's possible Garrosh steps in after the demons have begun their trickery but before the blood ceremony - essentially usurping the role of the Legion as the driving force behind the Horde. He somehow convinces them it's still a good idea to expand and conquer, just without becoming beholden to demons and purely for their own sake.

[Netherspark]

Being "relatively peaceful" doesn't make them pacifists; the Orcs have always been savage and aggressive.

[Avallon]

Being "relatively peaceful" doesn't make them pacifists; the Orcs have always been savage and aggressive.

Not saying they were pacifists, was pointing out that the Orcs generally left the Draenei alone without any focused aggression toward them.


Also - thanks to the other posters for clearing some things up. I guess I miscalculated exactly how far back in time Garrosh went. I was under the impression it was at a time before the legion had any interaction with the Orcs at all, but it makes sense that it was after the Orcs were tricked by the Legion and before the ritualistic consumption of Mannoroth's blood.

I recall from reading Rise of the Horde that the Legion disguised themselves as the Orc's ancestral shamanistic spirits and foretold that the Draenei would be a threat.

[mysticx]

Being "relatively peaceful" doesn't make them pacifists; the Orcs have always been savage and aggressive.

This pretty much sums it up, pre-Thrall orcs were pretty much basic fantasy orcs (In WoD they still are), and orcs generally don't take much provoking to go all "RARRRR SMASH!!!" on whatever is standing in front of them, which can easily be used by Garrosh, demons or somebody who we haven't heard of yet.

[Grocalis]

Also - thanks to the other posters for clearing some things up. I guess I miscalculated exactly how far back in time Garrosh went. I was under the impression it was at a time before the legion had any interaction with the Orcs at all, but it makes sense that it was after the Orcs were tricked by the Legion and before the ritualistic consumption of Mannoroth's blood.

Gul'dan should have given it away. Gul'dan didn't become a warlock until well into the start of the war with the Draenei, as he was a shaman apprentice to Ner'zhul and member of the Shadowmoon Clan. As of what we have seen of Gul'dan in the WoD timeline, he is a full fledged warlock and has already developed his Stormreaver Clan. This would have been impossible if Garrosh went to before the war started.

[Deleted]

At Blizzcon Metzen said that Garrosh convinces them that there must be a Horde and that there's conquering to be done.

[Skytotem]

Wanted to get some feedback from the community in regard to the Orcish aggression in Warlords of Draenor. I used to know the details of all the lore inside and out, but over the years admittedly I have become a bit rusty on the details.

From what I recall, the orcs were a relatively peaceful, shamanistic society on Draenor, and although the Draenei and the Orcs were not allies, they tolerated each other and did not act aggressively toward one another until the Orcs were manipulated by Kil'Jaden toward attacking the Draenei.

In the WoD timeline, the orcs do not drink Mannoroth's blood, and are supposedly not corrupted by fel-energy. However, the trailer indicates that the Orcs mobilize to attack the Draenei, even when not influenced by the bloodlust that came with partaking in demonic rituals. Anyone have any idea how to reconcile the seemingly stark contrast between the peaceful nomadic Orcs described in Rise of the Horde, and the aggressive un-corrupted Orcs of WoD?

Unfortunately this was retconned a long while back with Christie Golden's Rise of the Horde novel, the genocide started long before drinking Mannoroth's Blood.

[Infernix]

Wanted to get some feedback from the community in regard to the Orcish aggression in Warlords of Draenor. I used to know the details of all the lore inside and out, but over the years admittedly I have become a bit rusty on the details.

From what I recall, the orcs were a relatively peaceful, shamanistic society on Draenor, and although the Draenei and the Orcs were not allies, they tolerated each other and did not act aggressively toward one another until the Orcs were manipulated by Kil'Jaden toward attacking the Draenei.

In the WoD timeline, the orcs do not drink Mannoroth's blood, and are supposedly not corrupted by fel-energy. However, the trailer indicates that the Orcs mobilize to attack the Draenei, even when not influenced by the bloodlust that came with partaking in demonic rituals. Anyone have any idea how to reconcile the seemingly stark contrast between the peaceful nomadic Orcs described in Rise of the Horde, and the aggressive un-corrupted Orcs of WoD?

History was retconned.

[Krazzorx]

In the original history, I believe it went in this order:

1. Kiljaedan tricks Orcs to kill Draenei.
2. Draenei killed
3. Blood drunk.

I believe in WoD it goes

1. Kiljaedan tricks Orcs to kill Draenei
2. Garrosh arrives/killing of Draenei begins (I don't know which of these comes first but the important part is it occurs before blood drinking)

[Dooney]

Wanted to get some feedback from the community in regard to the Orcish aggression in Warlords of Draenor. I used to know the details of all the lore inside and out, but over the years admittedly I have become a bit rusty on the details...From what I recall, the orcs were a relatively peaceful, shamanistic society on Draenor, and although the Draenei and the Orcs were not allies, they tolerated each other and did not act aggressively toward one another until the Orcs were manipulated by Kil'Jaden toward attacking the Draenei... Anyone have any idea how to reconcile the seemingly stark contrast between the peaceful nomadic Orcs described in Rise of the Horde, and the aggressive un-corrupted Orcs of WoD?

Easily, Blizz is rewriting history for the sake of storyline for the xpac. Dozens have asked this same question, how did they become the "iron horde" when we always were told they were peaceful, etc. etc. little brown orcs before they were corrupted.

[Leare315]

Easily, Blizz is rewriting history for the sake of storyline for the xpac. Dozens have asked this same question, how did they become the "iron horde" when we always were told they were peaceful, etc. etc. little brown orcs before they were corrupted.

They were "mostly peaceful". Rise of the horde has been out for 7 years now. Canon for them being territorial and aggressive between clans has existed since TBC. They're not reinventing the wheel on this one.

[Khorm]

They told Metzen to stop hanging out with Knaak and coming up with crap stories. It's good to see them going back to their roots of the WC1 and 2 games which I played and the orcs were much more interesting, even in 2D!