- Joined
- Sep 22, 2019
- Messages
- 6
Hello!
I'll be brief since this is a wall of text as it is;
This is the summary of the campaign I endeavour to create. In short, I played Warcraft II and found the Burning Blade clan of Orcs always stood out to me and have been miffed that there's practically no lore dedicated to them despite how iconic the Blademaster is to the Warcraft universe. So I decided I'd make a potential story explaining(/plugging the plot hole) the discrepancy of Warcraft II with later WoW lore and outlining how the Burning Blade became what they are in current lore.
I will post supplementary information in the coming days regarding my collected lore and the theorycrafting that's made me plot and outline the campaign way I have. As you will see this is not complete and during the course of making the thing it's sure to change a lot but as it is but I figured it was better to get a handle of any potential pit-falls early. I outline each mission and the plot and ideas of gemeplay I intend for it at this stage.
Please let me know what you think if you do take on this back-breaker of a read!
------------------
Map 1: The Blade
Plot;
After a short introduction of the Philosophy of the Blade (in the form of a mantra) the mission starts as the young Blademaster in training (OC to allow greater freedom of characterization) speaks up during a lesson he finds useless. He is dismissed for being impudent but sneaks out and sees Warsong hunting Ogres nearby. Running after them the Youth is almost killed if not for the Warsong stepping in. The Youth is brought back and informed he’ll have a new instructor who lives as a hermit. To be accepted the Youth needs to prove himself to which one of 3 alternative tasks needs to be completed. Completing the task the Youth learns that the hermit (Samuro) does not require the tribute that his former masters did, that loyalty to the clan is enough. Samuro teaches the Youth the defend ability that will be pivotal in the hack and slash battles to come.
Gameplay/Objective
Micro mission revolving learning some of the sneak/stealth mechanics that’ll be used in later missions. Also introduces the hero that’ll be the main stay of the campaign.
- Optional objectives: Collect 10 +1 claws of attack to complete the set (each one stacking)
-Optional 2: Find the other hermit Blademaster (Dishonored Lantrasor of the blade), unspecified reward.
- Side quest to sneak into various places and steal items as various favors for various Orcs of Warsong and Burning blade clans (one, an orc infected with Red Pox, foreshadows the coming mission), doing these will provide items and other help for the main quest.
- Find a secret location with where the tatter of a flag of a long forgotten warrior flaps in the wind. A cutscene plays in which the apprentice wears the flag as a bandana (part 1 of a series of items that makes an epic weapon in a later optional quest)
Burning blade mantra;
“For what is the Spear? Hunting! For what is the axe? Lumbering! For what is the Blade? War!”
Map 2:
The Bladewind
Plot;
The youth is an initiate Blademaster that is training with Samuro in his camp in Terokkar forest. An orc of the Bladewind clan, dying of red pox stumbles into their camp and Samuro offers the comforts he can. The orc, cursing the draenei fighting their raids cowardly by spreading the disease is killed mercifully in combat with the apprentice.
The apprentice is sent to investigate the Bladewind of Terokkar while Samuro buries the body and performs supplicating rites for the spirit. Fighting various beasts the apprentice is confronted with Draenei burning bodies of Orcs and the remnants of their rituals. The apprentice is discovered trying to sneak by a patrol and the impervious holy arms and armor of the Draenei is about to be his end but he’s saved by an interfering Gul’dan whose fel magic strips away the armor, allowing the apprentice to fight. Gul’dan gives the youth a chaos orb (enhancing the fire orb from the optional quest) which lets his sword damage the Draenei and the two sets off, killing the Draenei they come across in retaliation for their murder of orcs.
Arriving at the Windblade gathering the two orcs sees the slaughter of the clan by the hands of the vindicators. The apprentice wants to intervene but Gul’dan dissuades him, informing that to spread the word of the events would result in proper vengeance being done. The two departs for Samuro as the closing cutscene reveals the draenei discussing the events that would unveil Gul’dan’s agenda.
Gameplay/Objectives
Micro mission, meant to learn how to counter the holy defenses of the draenei in later missions.
Turning the apprentice against them without knowing Gul’dans hidden agenda with these rituals.
During smalltalk Gul’dan notes that the elemental spirits has become unreliable as of late, foreshadowing the loss of the shamanistic powers that’ll befall the Orcs.
Optional Objectives: Find and end the suffering of Orcs afflicted with red pox throughout the map and burn their bodies. Doing so awards a modified Fire Orb that applies a DoT on attack. (part 2 of the secret weapon)
Map 3
The Kosh'harg & Geradar
Plot;
The map opens depicting the meeting of the clans in which Ner’zul and Gul’dan convinces the Orc clans to rally against the Draenei. Also demonstrated is how their arms can be overpowered by Fel magic. Gerad of the Frostwolves, sick with Red Pox, is shamed for bringing the disease there and is ordered by the shamans to be moved into a camp for recovery. Gerad asks for aid in establishing the outpost and Samuro and the apprentice is tasked with accomplishing this task, having dealt with the disease before they are certain to avoid contamination, Samuro comes with while the Kosh’harg continues.
The two defends the caravan, clears the grounds of Ogres and then defends the settlement. Finishing this main quest a cinematic plays in which Ner’zhul declares the formation of the horde and the 15 clans pledges their allegiance to it. Blackhand, with Gul’dan and Ner’zul’s blessing orders the Burning Blade to enslave the Ogres of Nagrand who sets out after Samuro and the apprentice. 5 additional blademasters joins into the defense with warriors of the clan and then pushes into the ogre camp, capturing their leaders who convinces their Ogre lord Krol to the horde in exchange for vengeance on the Ogron which is carried out by the Blademasters and the Burning Blade warriors.
Gameplay/Objectives;
The mission starts with an escort/protect mission and ends with an assault. This is the first mission in which the player controls non-hero units. The Burning blade warriors and later, support Ogres are spawned from local camps and is only limited by their supply as no other future maps will revolve around base-building or resource gathering.
-Optional quest: Straying afield from the camp draws in a group of additional enemies, drawing in, and then killing the “great best” variant of each type that spawns after killing a number of the regular foes makes the last one drop a huge, corroded blade of a long lost warrior. (part 3 of the secret epic weapon).
The 7 blademasters is a reference to the movie 7 Samurai, mentioned by Samuro as part of his backstory in Heroes of the Storm. The 7 blademasters are;
Samuro
Samuro’s apprentice
Blademaster Ronakada
Sesk
Gorn
Azuka Bladefury
Jubei’thos
Map 4
The fires of Conquest
Plot;
Using a two-pronged assault The Orcs attacks the Draenei settlements in Terokkar. The Burning blade is used as scouts for one of the prongs lead by Blackhand’s Blackrock orcs and on time has to disable defenses, assassinate commanders and partake in the assaults before the grunts barrel into the strongholds.
After the battle the outro cinematic shows the election of Blackhand as the first warchief, to the chagrin of Dharl. He assigns Ogrim doomhammer to lead several of his forces to continue into Karabor while the rest will begin preparations for Shattrah and protect their flank.
Gameplay/Objectives
The map is the second one that utilizes Burning Blade troops supported by their blackrock allies. The burning blade sports a mobile spawn-base that builds units free but with a limited amount of supplies capping unit counts. At the start of the maps shamans are the primary support unit for the Orc assaults but as the battles progresses they are replaced by warlocks whose support are far more effective at countering the Draenei with fel-magic.
Optional: After the first assault the apprentice is approached by a warlock who asks him for “something foul” for a new spell they were tasked with researching. The apprentice, by looking into various places, can deliver a fish, a gaudy tablet (both of which the warlock keeps). The reward can be found by going on a side path which takes the apprentice around to a hidden orc hut, similar to ones found on map 2. Here he finds another body, rotting and untended. Delivering a part of it (after dueling the ghost that appears) makes the warlocks cast a Red pox spell that cripples the Draenei.
Optional 2: After unlocking the Red pox spell (about miday through the mission) the apprentice is asked to deliver a report to Gul’dan. Hidden paths lets the player get to the other battle-line. Here he stumbles on Gul’dan communing with Kil’jadan but doesn’t learn of the future the two discusses. After an initial outburst the apprentice delivers the missive and Gul’dan approves, giving the apprentice a reward for his part. A sturdy bone charm (part 4 of the secret wepon)
Map 5
The siege of Karabor
Plot;
Before the battle a cutscene plays in which Gul’dan is opposed by Dharl Thrice Bloodied for lacking the tactical sense of him and the other chiefs, Blackhand’s second in hand, Ogrim however objects and cajoles Dharl back in line. The Burning blade and warsong clans, assisted with warlocks is to assault Karabor’s flank while the Shadowmoon clan with the support of Blackhand’s recruited Ogres under Krol draws the enemy to the main entrance.
During the battle Dharl, speaking to his blademaster family members makes mention he intends to leave the horde, or at least kill Blackhand and Gul’dan for their arrogance to think they can order the other chiefs around. The battle continues down the avenues of the temple but Dharl’s party is surrounded by Draenei in an ambush and despite the support of the warlocks they’re overpowered with Sesk and Zharl wades in to avenge their father. The remainder fights through into a defensible location.
Ogrim, seeing the battle is swinging in the foe’s favor calls on Gul’dan. Gul’dan, against the warnings of the shamans calls down the power of the Dark Star of shadowmoon valley and directs it to the temple. In a moment the battlefield becomes chaotic as madness engulfs the streets. Hit along with the Draenei, the warlocks that accompanied them offers a remedy for the fatigue and confusion of the attack. The Burning Blade consumes the undiluted demon blood and emerges from their hold-out to make new headway, becoming ever more blood-crazed in the torrent of the battle, killing bewildered Orcs and ogres that was also hit by the Dark Star.
The final battle is against Akama and the vindicators at the top of the temple, Akama falls (mistaken for dead and later escapes).
The outro depicts the enslavement of the Burning Blade to the Ogres who can control their violent impulses as any orc that approaches is cut down by the crazed Blade warriors. Gul’dan remarks that a good lesson was learnt.
Gameplay/Objectives
The map is an assault one, the player is tasked with overcoming the defenses of the Draenei, using the support units of the Warsong and the warlocks that can disable the Draenei’s holy wards. Again the base is mobile but the player doesn’t control the heroes who defends it (Dharl and his children) but Samuro and the apprentice (dubbed a new blademaster by Samuro at the start of the mission). The base is overrun in the middle of the battle and the player instead gets a pre-spawned set of units that emerge from hiding. The mission becomes a micro one after that and the player gets access to new hero abilities reflecting the changed nature of the Burning Blade.
Optional: Forge the secret weapon. If all weapon parts has been collected a special Gen’arg will spawn that tells the apprentice to hand over the items and he’ll forge him the weapon. Doing so creates a powerful demon blade. It is deadly and grants massive buffs but drains health with every attack. The description reads “The blade is unquenchable in blood.”
Optional 2: Going into a hidden part of the map a sacred flame can be found. Quenching the blade in the purified fire drives out the demon corruption and leaves the blade without the negative effects.
-Interlude-
The Pact
The ritual that curses all the orcs. Gul’dan pours the demon blood into a pool atop the mountain later to be known as “Kil’jaden’s rise”. Grom Hellscream drinks first, Ogrim doomhammer refuses on account of him not being worthy to drink from the same pool as his warchief Blackhand. Durotan also refuses for the demonic pact unnevers him.
Map 6
Quenching the light
Plot;
The destruction of Shattrah at the hand of the horde.
Lantrasor shows up to pledge loyalty to the warchief, he is rejected as a half-breed but Lantrasor, knowing himself a great warrior, proves his ruthlessness by killing a draenei prisoner. He is allowed to serve the horde and allowed to borrow the sword of Samuro’s former apprentice to carry in the horde’s name and allowed to keep it if he kills a hundred draenei in the assault.
The outro cinematic shows the destruction of the refugees at Auchindoun.
Gameplay/objectives
Assault/micro mission, the player has to follow after the horde assault and slay as many of the enemy as possible.
Map 7
A Sun that burns twice as long
The destruction of Skyreach and the high Arrakoa at the hands of the horde. The horde has to gather allies from the Arrakoa outcasts to infiltrate the city and destroy it.
Gameplay/objectives
Kargath commands the Shattered hand, assassins and rogues.
Zuluhed the Whacked commands the Beastcry clan (Dragonmaw), fliers.
Lantrasor joins the Burning Blade led by Krol and Boulderfist Ogres, light, mobile infantry and movable base of operations.
Solar beam fires down from time to time on the base when attacked. Promoting a mobile base-building approach.
Map 8
The Blade and the Cult
Plot;
Following the Dreanei’s defeat Blackhand looks to remain in control of the horde that’s gotten rowdy by the lack of great wars to fight. He (and Gul’dan through him) wants to assert his dominance amongst the remaining factions of outland. He fears the remainders of the Burning blade clan, stragglers that did not join the initial conflict will not approve of Gul’dans experiment of their kin so he devices a method to sway them to his side before revealing the truth. This is the foundation of the Burning Blade cult. Hallvalor, relieved of its warriors in the war on the Draenei is attacked by Ogres lead by a Gronn and the Shamans, unable to call on the elements are powerless to stop them until the arrival of the Thunderlord clan and Warlocks using demons to fight off the foes. Swayed by shame of defeat and lust for power the clan is coerced into joining the worship of the demons.
Gameplay/Objectives;
Hold Hallvalor against the Ogryn assault for a short amount of time. The player controls Jubei’thos but other than him the players troops are limited by ones spawned in and ones gathered from camps around the map. Attacks are meant to arrive often and stretch the micro of the player.
Recruitment of Thunderlord troops opens up once the clan joins the battle and warlock-summoning complements the roster with demons.
Optional quests;
Find all the Burning Blade troops.
Map 9
The curse of the Burning Blood
Plot;
Returns to the view of the young Blademaster. The mission illustrates the battles the Burning Blade took part in during the first and second wars from the addled perspective of the Orcs themselves. Hazy, jumbles of all important moments in the lore intersperses appears in visual references throughout the map interspersed with nightmare landscapes and some dialogue playing out before the players view such as the assassination of Blackhand by Ogrim, the sacking of Stormwind, the creation of the Death Knights and the assault on Quel’thalas and Lordereon. All the way through, enemies includes not only the Alliance soldiers but also nightmare beasts and the sapping of the Blademaster’s power by the demonic blood. The map ends before the siege of Blackrock Mountain where Lantrasor has the Blademaster kill Krol’s 5 Ogre lieutenants as a distraction while he kills Krol. Lantrasor then assert himself as the ruler of the Boulderfist and “banishes” the Blademaster. Stating he knows the battle cannot be won and he intends to leave before the battle commences.
Gamplay/Objectives;
Mechanically the Blademaster loses health continually out of combat and only heals from health drops from Alliance and Ogres (allies are neutral in the map but turns hostile when attacked). The ogres however can stun and do a lot of damage to him, it’s only worth doing sparingly. The Ogre Magi are even worse and all but prohibits killing them.
Bonus Objective:
Ruining Krol’s ascention to Ogre-magi will help in the last stage of the mission. Several methods can accomplish this.
Map 10
The siege of Blackrock spire
Plot;
The final great battle of the second war. The Burning Blade and Blackrock fights the combined alliance forces who waits outside the fortress. Ogrim however believes he can still win by killing commander Lothar and inspires his warriors into a sortie which catches the alliance off-guard. In the battle the two clans rushes forwards and onto the Burning steppes to clear a path to Lothar while the Silver Hand tries to rally the surprised defenders. The path to Lothar must be cleared before the timer runs out and the alliance rallies so Doomhammer can fight and kill him. Accomplishing this and the death of the commander, Ogrim and his followers cheers victory but is defeated and captured by Turalyon shortly afterwards.
Gameplay/Objective
The mission is one great rush by the allied clans pushing through the foe’s camps and siege fortifications. AI controlled Horde spill forth from the fortress while the player controls the Blademaster. During the course of the mission stiffer resistance is mounted as the alliance regroups. Ambushes and improvised traps are thrown in their way to slow down the advance. Enemy sappers and builders scramble to assemble fortifications and establish defensive positions to hold the advance, using the guileful Blademaster can help overcome these defenses.
Bonus Objective:
Seeking out and killing the Paladins of the Silver Hand will increase the mission timer.
Map 11
The slaked pyre (interlude)
During prisoner transport the Blademaster, using the last ounces of his might breaks free and is taken in by fellow orc escapees. He however falls in and out of extreme lethargy and bloodlust that leads him to kill his fellow orcs and forced into the wilds, surviving but little else. He speaks with his blade, lamenting their loss of themselves and their honor as warriors. The Blademaster, overhearing a conversation as he steals from humans learns of the fate of the Burning Blade’s decimation at the hands of the alliance and their own bloodlust turning on themselves once the battle of Blackrock Mountain turned against them, decides he must seek out the rest of his clan, that they must atone for what they’ve done.
Map 12
The spark that sputters
Plot;
The Blademaster must go to release his fellow orcs and Burning Blade from the internment camps of New Stormwind where he believes they can be found. Human patrols are everywhere and even other orcs are hostile as they see the Burning Blade as rabid animals after the Siege of Blackrock Mountain. Saving a goblin from ravaging Orcs the blademaster the goblin offers the blademaster a method into one of the holds and upon entering the blademaster finds it’s become a mass grave for the captured Burning Blade who were too wild to be interred or simply turned upon each other, leaving the camp abandoned. Inside he finds Gorn, still, but not dead and lethargic. Gorn becomes enraged at the mention of restoring their lost honor and is all but slain but the Blademaster holds back, remembering Samuro’s teachings of control and poise. Gorn becomes convinced by the act, of the Blademaster’s control, that there’s a way to redemption.
Ronakada and Jubei’thos is freed on route for execution as they’ve been deemed too dangerous by Danath Trollbane. During the prisoner transport the guards are killed, while Jubei’thos escapes he brutally kills a guard and Ronakada is convinced to stay with the two, knowing the alternative escape is to become as vile as Jubei’thos has become.
Samuro is the last one to be discovered, still maddened by the powers of a band of warlocks of the Cult (their own kin that won’t renounce the demons) in his containment area he tries to kill the other blademasters who must kill the warlocks and then subdue him. Freeing Samuro the band has to escape into a woodland cave as Danath and his soldiers follows in pursuit.
Gameplay;
This map is a micro map with several puzzles and small-scale battles. The player gains control of other blademasters that complements each other with their own unique skills similar to the unique units of the clan/faction unlike the standard blademasters of Warcraft 3. The abilities will have to be used in combat to counter the alliance strategies in dealing with the horde. An example could be an advanced shield that lets soldiers parry even the blows of the blademasters and the soldiers has to be stunned and then killed in one or two blows, each ability carried by a different blademaster.
Map 13
The Grim Oath. (cinematic interlude)
Moments later the blademasters argue over their past role as sadistic murderers and their future role. They conclude that it was a desire for power in order to bring honor to themselves and the clan that turned them into what they became and that instead, they should be honorable first and be strong because of it. They renounce the demons and the cult and bind themselves into a wow of acting with honor in all future endeavors. While all other blademasters also renounce the Burning Blade clan Samuro decides to lead the few remainders and hope to restore them. Thus the blademasters becomes an organization/order/school rather than a familial unit.
“We’ve shown what we did with freedom, we sought power before honor and became enslaved by demons. Now we bind ourselves by this vow, to never seek power, to see the weakness of this flaw and guard us and others against it, to see ourselves strong because of-, not in spite of-, our honor.”
“What begins here, is a new Horde, one with a new spirit and purpose. Our lives will be spent to nurture and protect it and whomever carries it in their hearts as we do.”
Map 14
The New Horde (Outro/credits)
The blademasters present themselves to the new Warchief Thrall and swear themselves to the horde and joins him in his future endeavors.
I'll be brief since this is a wall of text as it is;
This is the summary of the campaign I endeavour to create. In short, I played Warcraft II and found the Burning Blade clan of Orcs always stood out to me and have been miffed that there's practically no lore dedicated to them despite how iconic the Blademaster is to the Warcraft universe. So I decided I'd make a potential story explaining(/plugging the plot hole) the discrepancy of Warcraft II with later WoW lore and outlining how the Burning Blade became what they are in current lore.
I will post supplementary information in the coming days regarding my collected lore and the theorycrafting that's made me plot and outline the campaign way I have. As you will see this is not complete and during the course of making the thing it's sure to change a lot but as it is but I figured it was better to get a handle of any potential pit-falls early. I outline each mission and the plot and ideas of gemeplay I intend for it at this stage.
Please let me know what you think if you do take on this back-breaker of a read!
------------------
Map 1: The Blade
Plot;
After a short introduction of the Philosophy of the Blade (in the form of a mantra) the mission starts as the young Blademaster in training (OC to allow greater freedom of characterization) speaks up during a lesson he finds useless. He is dismissed for being impudent but sneaks out and sees Warsong hunting Ogres nearby. Running after them the Youth is almost killed if not for the Warsong stepping in. The Youth is brought back and informed he’ll have a new instructor who lives as a hermit. To be accepted the Youth needs to prove himself to which one of 3 alternative tasks needs to be completed. Completing the task the Youth learns that the hermit (Samuro) does not require the tribute that his former masters did, that loyalty to the clan is enough. Samuro teaches the Youth the defend ability that will be pivotal in the hack and slash battles to come.
Gameplay/Objective
Micro mission revolving learning some of the sneak/stealth mechanics that’ll be used in later missions. Also introduces the hero that’ll be the main stay of the campaign.
- Optional objectives: Collect 10 +1 claws of attack to complete the set (each one stacking)
-Optional 2: Find the other hermit Blademaster (Dishonored Lantrasor of the blade), unspecified reward.
- Side quest to sneak into various places and steal items as various favors for various Orcs of Warsong and Burning blade clans (one, an orc infected with Red Pox, foreshadows the coming mission), doing these will provide items and other help for the main quest.
- Find a secret location with where the tatter of a flag of a long forgotten warrior flaps in the wind. A cutscene plays in which the apprentice wears the flag as a bandana (part 1 of a series of items that makes an epic weapon in a later optional quest)
Burning blade mantra;
“For what is the Spear? Hunting! For what is the axe? Lumbering! For what is the Blade? War!”
Map 2:
The Bladewind
Plot;
The youth is an initiate Blademaster that is training with Samuro in his camp in Terokkar forest. An orc of the Bladewind clan, dying of red pox stumbles into their camp and Samuro offers the comforts he can. The orc, cursing the draenei fighting their raids cowardly by spreading the disease is killed mercifully in combat with the apprentice.
The apprentice is sent to investigate the Bladewind of Terokkar while Samuro buries the body and performs supplicating rites for the spirit. Fighting various beasts the apprentice is confronted with Draenei burning bodies of Orcs and the remnants of their rituals. The apprentice is discovered trying to sneak by a patrol and the impervious holy arms and armor of the Draenei is about to be his end but he’s saved by an interfering Gul’dan whose fel magic strips away the armor, allowing the apprentice to fight. Gul’dan gives the youth a chaos orb (enhancing the fire orb from the optional quest) which lets his sword damage the Draenei and the two sets off, killing the Draenei they come across in retaliation for their murder of orcs.
Arriving at the Windblade gathering the two orcs sees the slaughter of the clan by the hands of the vindicators. The apprentice wants to intervene but Gul’dan dissuades him, informing that to spread the word of the events would result in proper vengeance being done. The two departs for Samuro as the closing cutscene reveals the draenei discussing the events that would unveil Gul’dan’s agenda.
Gameplay/Objectives
Micro mission, meant to learn how to counter the holy defenses of the draenei in later missions.
Turning the apprentice against them without knowing Gul’dans hidden agenda with these rituals.
During smalltalk Gul’dan notes that the elemental spirits has become unreliable as of late, foreshadowing the loss of the shamanistic powers that’ll befall the Orcs.
Optional Objectives: Find and end the suffering of Orcs afflicted with red pox throughout the map and burn their bodies. Doing so awards a modified Fire Orb that applies a DoT on attack. (part 2 of the secret weapon)
Map 3
The Kosh'harg & Geradar
Plot;
The map opens depicting the meeting of the clans in which Ner’zul and Gul’dan convinces the Orc clans to rally against the Draenei. Also demonstrated is how their arms can be overpowered by Fel magic. Gerad of the Frostwolves, sick with Red Pox, is shamed for bringing the disease there and is ordered by the shamans to be moved into a camp for recovery. Gerad asks for aid in establishing the outpost and Samuro and the apprentice is tasked with accomplishing this task, having dealt with the disease before they are certain to avoid contamination, Samuro comes with while the Kosh’harg continues.
The two defends the caravan, clears the grounds of Ogres and then defends the settlement. Finishing this main quest a cinematic plays in which Ner’zhul declares the formation of the horde and the 15 clans pledges their allegiance to it. Blackhand, with Gul’dan and Ner’zul’s blessing orders the Burning Blade to enslave the Ogres of Nagrand who sets out after Samuro and the apprentice. 5 additional blademasters joins into the defense with warriors of the clan and then pushes into the ogre camp, capturing their leaders who convinces their Ogre lord Krol to the horde in exchange for vengeance on the Ogron which is carried out by the Blademasters and the Burning Blade warriors.
Gameplay/Objectives;
The mission starts with an escort/protect mission and ends with an assault. This is the first mission in which the player controls non-hero units. The Burning blade warriors and later, support Ogres are spawned from local camps and is only limited by their supply as no other future maps will revolve around base-building or resource gathering.
-Optional quest: Straying afield from the camp draws in a group of additional enemies, drawing in, and then killing the “great best” variant of each type that spawns after killing a number of the regular foes makes the last one drop a huge, corroded blade of a long lost warrior. (part 3 of the secret epic weapon).
The 7 blademasters is a reference to the movie 7 Samurai, mentioned by Samuro as part of his backstory in Heroes of the Storm. The 7 blademasters are;
Samuro
Samuro’s apprentice
Blademaster Ronakada
Sesk
Gorn
Azuka Bladefury
Jubei’thos
Map 4
The fires of Conquest
Plot;
Using a two-pronged assault The Orcs attacks the Draenei settlements in Terokkar. The Burning blade is used as scouts for one of the prongs lead by Blackhand’s Blackrock orcs and on time has to disable defenses, assassinate commanders and partake in the assaults before the grunts barrel into the strongholds.
After the battle the outro cinematic shows the election of Blackhand as the first warchief, to the chagrin of Dharl. He assigns Ogrim doomhammer to lead several of his forces to continue into Karabor while the rest will begin preparations for Shattrah and protect their flank.
Gameplay/Objectives
The map is the second one that utilizes Burning Blade troops supported by their blackrock allies. The burning blade sports a mobile spawn-base that builds units free but with a limited amount of supplies capping unit counts. At the start of the maps shamans are the primary support unit for the Orc assaults but as the battles progresses they are replaced by warlocks whose support are far more effective at countering the Draenei with fel-magic.
Optional: After the first assault the apprentice is approached by a warlock who asks him for “something foul” for a new spell they were tasked with researching. The apprentice, by looking into various places, can deliver a fish, a gaudy tablet (both of which the warlock keeps). The reward can be found by going on a side path which takes the apprentice around to a hidden orc hut, similar to ones found on map 2. Here he finds another body, rotting and untended. Delivering a part of it (after dueling the ghost that appears) makes the warlocks cast a Red pox spell that cripples the Draenei.
Optional 2: After unlocking the Red pox spell (about miday through the mission) the apprentice is asked to deliver a report to Gul’dan. Hidden paths lets the player get to the other battle-line. Here he stumbles on Gul’dan communing with Kil’jadan but doesn’t learn of the future the two discusses. After an initial outburst the apprentice delivers the missive and Gul’dan approves, giving the apprentice a reward for his part. A sturdy bone charm (part 4 of the secret wepon)
Map 5
The siege of Karabor
Plot;
Before the battle a cutscene plays in which Gul’dan is opposed by Dharl Thrice Bloodied for lacking the tactical sense of him and the other chiefs, Blackhand’s second in hand, Ogrim however objects and cajoles Dharl back in line. The Burning blade and warsong clans, assisted with warlocks is to assault Karabor’s flank while the Shadowmoon clan with the support of Blackhand’s recruited Ogres under Krol draws the enemy to the main entrance.
During the battle Dharl, speaking to his blademaster family members makes mention he intends to leave the horde, or at least kill Blackhand and Gul’dan for their arrogance to think they can order the other chiefs around. The battle continues down the avenues of the temple but Dharl’s party is surrounded by Draenei in an ambush and despite the support of the warlocks they’re overpowered with Sesk and Zharl wades in to avenge their father. The remainder fights through into a defensible location.
Ogrim, seeing the battle is swinging in the foe’s favor calls on Gul’dan. Gul’dan, against the warnings of the shamans calls down the power of the Dark Star of shadowmoon valley and directs it to the temple. In a moment the battlefield becomes chaotic as madness engulfs the streets. Hit along with the Draenei, the warlocks that accompanied them offers a remedy for the fatigue and confusion of the attack. The Burning Blade consumes the undiluted demon blood and emerges from their hold-out to make new headway, becoming ever more blood-crazed in the torrent of the battle, killing bewildered Orcs and ogres that was also hit by the Dark Star.
The final battle is against Akama and the vindicators at the top of the temple, Akama falls (mistaken for dead and later escapes).
The outro depicts the enslavement of the Burning Blade to the Ogres who can control their violent impulses as any orc that approaches is cut down by the crazed Blade warriors. Gul’dan remarks that a good lesson was learnt.
Gameplay/Objectives
The map is an assault one, the player is tasked with overcoming the defenses of the Draenei, using the support units of the Warsong and the warlocks that can disable the Draenei’s holy wards. Again the base is mobile but the player doesn’t control the heroes who defends it (Dharl and his children) but Samuro and the apprentice (dubbed a new blademaster by Samuro at the start of the mission). The base is overrun in the middle of the battle and the player instead gets a pre-spawned set of units that emerge from hiding. The mission becomes a micro one after that and the player gets access to new hero abilities reflecting the changed nature of the Burning Blade.
Optional: Forge the secret weapon. If all weapon parts has been collected a special Gen’arg will spawn that tells the apprentice to hand over the items and he’ll forge him the weapon. Doing so creates a powerful demon blade. It is deadly and grants massive buffs but drains health with every attack. The description reads “The blade is unquenchable in blood.”
Optional 2: Going into a hidden part of the map a sacred flame can be found. Quenching the blade in the purified fire drives out the demon corruption and leaves the blade without the negative effects.
-Interlude-
The Pact
The ritual that curses all the orcs. Gul’dan pours the demon blood into a pool atop the mountain later to be known as “Kil’jaden’s rise”. Grom Hellscream drinks first, Ogrim doomhammer refuses on account of him not being worthy to drink from the same pool as his warchief Blackhand. Durotan also refuses for the demonic pact unnevers him.
Map 6
Quenching the light
Plot;
The destruction of Shattrah at the hand of the horde.
Lantrasor shows up to pledge loyalty to the warchief, he is rejected as a half-breed but Lantrasor, knowing himself a great warrior, proves his ruthlessness by killing a draenei prisoner. He is allowed to serve the horde and allowed to borrow the sword of Samuro’s former apprentice to carry in the horde’s name and allowed to keep it if he kills a hundred draenei in the assault.
The outro cinematic shows the destruction of the refugees at Auchindoun.
Gameplay/objectives
Assault/micro mission, the player has to follow after the horde assault and slay as many of the enemy as possible.
Map 7
A Sun that burns twice as long
The destruction of Skyreach and the high Arrakoa at the hands of the horde. The horde has to gather allies from the Arrakoa outcasts to infiltrate the city and destroy it.
Gameplay/objectives
Kargath commands the Shattered hand, assassins and rogues.
Zuluhed the Whacked commands the Beastcry clan (Dragonmaw), fliers.
Lantrasor joins the Burning Blade led by Krol and Boulderfist Ogres, light, mobile infantry and movable base of operations.
Solar beam fires down from time to time on the base when attacked. Promoting a mobile base-building approach.
Map 8
The Blade and the Cult
Plot;
Following the Dreanei’s defeat Blackhand looks to remain in control of the horde that’s gotten rowdy by the lack of great wars to fight. He (and Gul’dan through him) wants to assert his dominance amongst the remaining factions of outland. He fears the remainders of the Burning blade clan, stragglers that did not join the initial conflict will not approve of Gul’dans experiment of their kin so he devices a method to sway them to his side before revealing the truth. This is the foundation of the Burning Blade cult. Hallvalor, relieved of its warriors in the war on the Draenei is attacked by Ogres lead by a Gronn and the Shamans, unable to call on the elements are powerless to stop them until the arrival of the Thunderlord clan and Warlocks using demons to fight off the foes. Swayed by shame of defeat and lust for power the clan is coerced into joining the worship of the demons.
Gameplay/Objectives;
Hold Hallvalor against the Ogryn assault for a short amount of time. The player controls Jubei’thos but other than him the players troops are limited by ones spawned in and ones gathered from camps around the map. Attacks are meant to arrive often and stretch the micro of the player.
Recruitment of Thunderlord troops opens up once the clan joins the battle and warlock-summoning complements the roster with demons.
Optional quests;
Find all the Burning Blade troops.
Map 9
The curse of the Burning Blood
Plot;
Returns to the view of the young Blademaster. The mission illustrates the battles the Burning Blade took part in during the first and second wars from the addled perspective of the Orcs themselves. Hazy, jumbles of all important moments in the lore intersperses appears in visual references throughout the map interspersed with nightmare landscapes and some dialogue playing out before the players view such as the assassination of Blackhand by Ogrim, the sacking of Stormwind, the creation of the Death Knights and the assault on Quel’thalas and Lordereon. All the way through, enemies includes not only the Alliance soldiers but also nightmare beasts and the sapping of the Blademaster’s power by the demonic blood. The map ends before the siege of Blackrock Mountain where Lantrasor has the Blademaster kill Krol’s 5 Ogre lieutenants as a distraction while he kills Krol. Lantrasor then assert himself as the ruler of the Boulderfist and “banishes” the Blademaster. Stating he knows the battle cannot be won and he intends to leave before the battle commences.
Gamplay/Objectives;
Mechanically the Blademaster loses health continually out of combat and only heals from health drops from Alliance and Ogres (allies are neutral in the map but turns hostile when attacked). The ogres however can stun and do a lot of damage to him, it’s only worth doing sparingly. The Ogre Magi are even worse and all but prohibits killing them.
Bonus Objective:
Ruining Krol’s ascention to Ogre-magi will help in the last stage of the mission. Several methods can accomplish this.
Map 10
The siege of Blackrock spire
Plot;
The final great battle of the second war. The Burning Blade and Blackrock fights the combined alliance forces who waits outside the fortress. Ogrim however believes he can still win by killing commander Lothar and inspires his warriors into a sortie which catches the alliance off-guard. In the battle the two clans rushes forwards and onto the Burning steppes to clear a path to Lothar while the Silver Hand tries to rally the surprised defenders. The path to Lothar must be cleared before the timer runs out and the alliance rallies so Doomhammer can fight and kill him. Accomplishing this and the death of the commander, Ogrim and his followers cheers victory but is defeated and captured by Turalyon shortly afterwards.
Gameplay/Objective
The mission is one great rush by the allied clans pushing through the foe’s camps and siege fortifications. AI controlled Horde spill forth from the fortress while the player controls the Blademaster. During the course of the mission stiffer resistance is mounted as the alliance regroups. Ambushes and improvised traps are thrown in their way to slow down the advance. Enemy sappers and builders scramble to assemble fortifications and establish defensive positions to hold the advance, using the guileful Blademaster can help overcome these defenses.
Bonus Objective:
Seeking out and killing the Paladins of the Silver Hand will increase the mission timer.
Map 11
The slaked pyre (interlude)
During prisoner transport the Blademaster, using the last ounces of his might breaks free and is taken in by fellow orc escapees. He however falls in and out of extreme lethargy and bloodlust that leads him to kill his fellow orcs and forced into the wilds, surviving but little else. He speaks with his blade, lamenting their loss of themselves and their honor as warriors. The Blademaster, overhearing a conversation as he steals from humans learns of the fate of the Burning Blade’s decimation at the hands of the alliance and their own bloodlust turning on themselves once the battle of Blackrock Mountain turned against them, decides he must seek out the rest of his clan, that they must atone for what they’ve done.
Map 12
The spark that sputters
Plot;
The Blademaster must go to release his fellow orcs and Burning Blade from the internment camps of New Stormwind where he believes they can be found. Human patrols are everywhere and even other orcs are hostile as they see the Burning Blade as rabid animals after the Siege of Blackrock Mountain. Saving a goblin from ravaging Orcs the blademaster the goblin offers the blademaster a method into one of the holds and upon entering the blademaster finds it’s become a mass grave for the captured Burning Blade who were too wild to be interred or simply turned upon each other, leaving the camp abandoned. Inside he finds Gorn, still, but not dead and lethargic. Gorn becomes enraged at the mention of restoring their lost honor and is all but slain but the Blademaster holds back, remembering Samuro’s teachings of control and poise. Gorn becomes convinced by the act, of the Blademaster’s control, that there’s a way to redemption.
Ronakada and Jubei’thos is freed on route for execution as they’ve been deemed too dangerous by Danath Trollbane. During the prisoner transport the guards are killed, while Jubei’thos escapes he brutally kills a guard and Ronakada is convinced to stay with the two, knowing the alternative escape is to become as vile as Jubei’thos has become.
Samuro is the last one to be discovered, still maddened by the powers of a band of warlocks of the Cult (their own kin that won’t renounce the demons) in his containment area he tries to kill the other blademasters who must kill the warlocks and then subdue him. Freeing Samuro the band has to escape into a woodland cave as Danath and his soldiers follows in pursuit.
Gameplay;
This map is a micro map with several puzzles and small-scale battles. The player gains control of other blademasters that complements each other with their own unique skills similar to the unique units of the clan/faction unlike the standard blademasters of Warcraft 3. The abilities will have to be used in combat to counter the alliance strategies in dealing with the horde. An example could be an advanced shield that lets soldiers parry even the blows of the blademasters and the soldiers has to be stunned and then killed in one or two blows, each ability carried by a different blademaster.
Map 13
The Grim Oath. (cinematic interlude)
Moments later the blademasters argue over their past role as sadistic murderers and their future role. They conclude that it was a desire for power in order to bring honor to themselves and the clan that turned them into what they became and that instead, they should be honorable first and be strong because of it. They renounce the demons and the cult and bind themselves into a wow of acting with honor in all future endeavors. While all other blademasters also renounce the Burning Blade clan Samuro decides to lead the few remainders and hope to restore them. Thus the blademasters becomes an organization/order/school rather than a familial unit.
“We’ve shown what we did with freedom, we sought power before honor and became enslaved by demons. Now we bind ourselves by this vow, to never seek power, to see the weakness of this flaw and guard us and others against it, to see ourselves strong because of-, not in spite of-, our honor.”
“What begins here, is a new Horde, one with a new spirit and purpose. Our lives will be spent to nurture and protect it and whomever carries it in their hearts as we do.”
Map 14
The New Horde (Outro/credits)
The blademasters present themselves to the new Warchief Thrall and swear themselves to the horde and joins him in his future endeavors.
