Horde

Alliance | Horde



The Horde is one of the two major political factions of the mortal races in Azeroth, its counterpart being the Alliance.

Members
Major member races include:


 * The orcs
 * Led by Warchief Thrall.
 * Capital is Orgrimmar in Durotar. They also have camps in the Barrens, Ashenvale, Stranglethorn Vale, Arathi Highlands, Badlands, Swamp of Sorrows and Azshara. Since the reopening of the Dark Portal, the orcs have expanded into their former homeworld of Draenor (now Outland), with encampments in Hellfire Peninsula, Terokkar Forest, Nagrand, the Blade's Edge Mountains and Shadowmoon Valley.
 * Attempting to embrace their once honorable, shamanistic ways and control the corruption of demonic magic.
 * For information on surviving orc clans that have joined Thrall, read about the New Horde.
 * The trolls of the Darkspear tribe
 * Led by Shadowhunter Vol'jin.
 * Originally from a small chain of islands in the Great Sea. Eventually moved to Echo Isles, but were then rooted out by the Kul Tiras marines.  Main village is Sen'jin Village.
 * Share a capital with the orcs in Orgrimmar. They also have camps in Durotar, Ashenvale, Stonetalon Mountains and Desolace; they also control both Horde outposts in Zangarmarsh.
 * Indebted to the orcs for saving their tribe and giving them a home.
 * The tauren
 * Led by High Chieftain Cairne Bloodhoof.
 * Capital is Thunder Bluff in Mulgore. They also have camps in the Barrens, Thousand Needles, Stonetalon Mountains, Desolace and Feralas.
 * A race of noble creatures who offered spiritual guidance to the orcs in exchange for their military aid.
 * The Forsaken undead
 * Led by the Banshee Queen Sylvanas Windrunner, with Varimathras as her majordomo.
 * Capital is the Undercity in Tirisfal Glades. They also have holdings in Silverpine Forest and the Hillsbrad Foothills.
 * A group of undead released from the control of the Lich King who have set up truce with the other members of the Horde.
 * The blood elves
 * Official ruler is Kael'thas Sunstrider; Lor'themar Theron serves as Regent-Lord of Quel'Thalas.
 * Capital is Silvermoon in Eversong Woods, in northern Quel'Thalas; they also have holdings in the Ghostlands, alongside the Forsaken. They also have an encampment in Hellfire Peninsula in Outland, to support blood elf pilgrims travelling through the Dark Portal from Azeroth.
 * A group of former high elves shunned by the Alliance for their embrace of demonic magics, they turned to the Horde to help them reach Outland and achieve their destiny.

Horde Forces

 * Defilers
 * Frostwolf Clan
 * Warsong Outriders

Other smaller powers are also part of the Horde:


 * The Stonemaul ogres of Dustwallow Marsh, led by Mok'Morokk though many support Tharg instead.
 * The forest trolls of the Revantusk tribe in the Hinterlands, led by Primal Torntusk.
 * A few goblins controlling the zeppelins.
 * The Mok'Nathal of Blade's Edge Mountains.

History
In the past, the Horde referred to the orcs and their battle thralls from both Draenor and Azeroth, such as trolls and ogres (see more about the old Horde). Following its utter defeat at the end of the Second War, the old Horde's power was forever broken, allowing Thrall to awaken the dormant spirituality of his people and free them from the Burning Legion's control.

During the events of the Third War, Thrall has made lasting bonds with the tauren chief Cairne Bloodhoof and the troll shadowhunter Vol'jin of the Darkspear clan. The ties between the three races is very close, as both share many similar cultural views. With the help of the tauren, both the orcs and the tribe of trolls have established a place for themselves in Kalimdor. Since then, certain ogre tribes, as well as the Forsaken and blood elves have chosen to affiliate themselves with the Horde.

The present horde is mostly about surviving in a land that has mostly come to hate them. The orcs because much like the Forsaken, they were formerly mindless, controlled beings. Though redeemed, they are not forgiven by the Alliance who believe them to be their old selves still. The trolls, tauren and their other allies are the ones who understood them, and so they are hated for that.

Organization
The Horde may be viewed as a more centralized body than the Alliance, as Orgimmar is the obvious center, with Thrall the undisputed leader (though he treats his fellow racial leaders as equals). Like the old Alliance of Lordaeron, Thrall accepts ambassadors and advisors from all the different tribes and members of the Horde and makes sure their voice is heard in the running of the fledgling empire. Although unavoidably posessing the characteristic militarism of the orcs, Thrall has also proven himself to be a compassionate, idealistic, and enlightened individual, and commands a great deal of respect within the Horde. Though the Horde could quickly become a formidable war machine once again, they are a very peaceful nation deciding to try for peace and help the world rather than savage rampaging like the Old Horde.

The fact is that, though equal in size, the Horde is actually more complex than the Alliance. The main four races of the tauren, undead, trolls and orcs have countless friends among the races of Azeroth: the Revantusk forest trolls of the Hinterlands, the Stonemaul Ogres and various individuals like the Mok'Nathal beastmaster Rexxar and the Pandaren Chen Stormstout.

In the Third War, and before the liberation of the Forsaken from the Scourge, the Horde allied themselves with the Alliance to rid Azeroth of the Burning Legion. Since then old animosity has risen again, resulting in open conflict on several battlefields.

Despite their somewhat monstrous appearance, the majority of the Horde is not evil; much like the Alliance, it is comprised of diverse factions and individuals who possess a wide range of values and virtues.

The two Hordes
Although the Horde in the MMORPG is a signle faction, it is actually devided in two distincts parts (not including the Dark Horde in the Burning Steppes).
 * The first group lives mostly in Kalimdor. It includes orcs, trolls, taurens and some ogres. This Horde is just like the one that was introduced in Warcraft 3. His members are shamanistic and honorable, and most consider Thrall as their hero.
 * The second group includes the Forsaken and Quel'thalas' Blood elves. They are much darker then their allies from Kalimdor, do not necessairly consider Thrall as their master and some of them do not care about honor, moral or even other races. Even if a few Forsaken and some Blood elves are evil, this "second Horde" can not be considered as a danger to the world. Undercity Royal Apothecary Society surely have questionable plans, but so far they keep fighting the Scourge and left the rest of the world alone.

The relations between the two groups are not cordial, as Thrall's followers distrust the Forsaken and fear they may betray them one day. In the World of Warcraft, there is only one visible difference between these two "sub-factions" : undeads and blood elves begin with a Friendly reputation with Undercity and Silvermoon City, but only neutral with Orgrimmar, Thunder Bluff and Darkspear trolls, while orcs, trolls and taurens begin the game as Friendly with their respective capital cities and Neutral with blood elves and undead NPCs

Controversy
In world of Warcraft the horde is portrayed as highly corrupt heavily contradicting the Horde in Warcraft 3,and all the novels. Thrall in Warcraft lord of the clans,Warcraft 3,and Cycle of hatred is shown as opposed the end justifying the means as evidenced by refusing to ally  with Burx and the burning legion. But in World of Warcraft he is portrayed as being a strong believer in the end justifying them means and willingly to allow slavery,warlocks,torture,and genocide. This portrayal seems to directly conflict with his previous personality. The Alliance which was previously morally ambigous is also saintified in the burning crusade while is vilified. This seems to be a very large plothole. Perhaps Blizzard will explain Thrall and the horde's complete change in personality. Many people feel the burning crusade is making Warcraft universe very two dimensional or black and white.