Thrall

Thrall is the Warchief of the Horde in World of Warcraft's original release. He was born an orc chieftain's son, raised as a human slave and gladiator, and rose to rebuild the orcs as a free people in their own land of Durotar. In Classic he sits on his throne in Orgrimmar, hands out some of the Horde's most important quests, and is the final target of every Alliance raid on the orc capital.

Biography

Slave and gladiator

Thrall was born Go'el, the son of Durotan and Draka, chieftain and chieftain's mate of the Frostwolf clan. After the First War, Gul'dan's agents murdered his parents in the forests south of Alterac, and the infant was found beside their bodies by Aedelas Blackmoore, a human officer in charge of the orc internment camps. Blackmoore took him to Durnholde Keep, named him Thrall (a word for slave), and raised him to be a gladiator and, he hoped, a weapon he could one day aim at his own enemies.

Thrall learned to read and to think like a human strategist from the books Blackmoore gave him, and he made one true friend at Durnholde: Taretha Foxton, a servant girl who smuggled him letters and later helped him escape. Out in the world he found the orcs in the camps broken by lethargy, met the free warrior Grom Hellscream, and traveled north to the Alterac Mountains to find his own clan.

Warchief

The Frostwolves took him in, and their elder shaman Drek'Thar taught him to speak with the elements. There he met a stranger who turned out to be Orgrim Doomhammer, the last Warchief of the old Horde. Together with Grom's Warsong clan they freed one internment camp after another. At the last camp a knight's lance struck Doomhammer from behind, and as he died he named Thrall his successor and gave him his black plate armor and his warhammer. The site of that battle became the Horde town of Hammerfall in the Arathi Highlands.

Thrall then attacked Durnholde, where Blackmoore had murdered Taretha for helping him. Blackmoore died in the battle and the camps were emptied.

Exodus to Kalimdor

During the Third War, a mysterious prophet (later revealed as Medivh) told Thrall to lead the orcs west across the sea. On the way he freed the Darkspear trolls from human soldiers and won the loyalty of their young leader Vol'jin. In Kalimdor he helped Cairne Bloodhoof's tauren fight off the centaur, and with Jaina Proudmoore he freed Grom Hellscream from the demonic corruption he had drunk again in Ashenvale. Grom died killing the pit lord Mannoroth, and the orcs, humans and night elves then fought side by side to stop Archimonde at Mount Hyjal.

After the war Thrall founded a new nation in the dry land east of the Barrens. He named it Durotar after his father and its capital Orgrimmar after Doomhammer. A short war with Admiral Daelin Proudmoore of Kul Tiras followed, which Thrall won with help from Rexxar.

In World of Warcraft

Thrall stands in Grommash Hold in the Valley of Wisdom, with his advisors Eitrigg, Nazgrel and Vol'jin nearby. He is a level 63 boss, and the hall around him is full of Kor'kron Elite guards. Since the Honor System arrived, killing him has been a goal for Alliance raids; patch 1.7 made faction leaders tougher and worth slightly less honor.

Quests

Thrall is the start or end of several key Horde storylines:

The "Hidden Enemies" chain has Thrall uncovering the Shadow Council's agents under his own city: the warlock Neeru Fireblade in the Cleft of Shadow leads the Burning Blade, and Thrall chooses to use him rather than arrest him. The princess chain is a political move: Thrall wants Moira Bronzebeard returned safely to build ties with the dwarves, and he gives [Thrall's Resolve] or the [Eye of Orgrimmar] when it is done.

Dragon heads and buffs

The endgame quests made Thrall a familiar sight for raiders. Bring him the [Head of Rend Blackhand] and he raises it in Orgrimmar and casts Warchief's Blessing on every Horde player nearby. Onyxia's head goes to him first and is then hung at the city gate by Overlord Runthak, and Nefarian's goes to High Overlord Saurfang. Both of those trigger Rallying Cry of the Dragonslayer, a large buff that players planned their days around.

Later history

• In Cataclysm Thrall gave the title of Warchief to Garrosh Hellscream and joined the Earthen Ring as a shaman. He helped defeat Deathwing at the end of that expansion.
• He married the Mag'har shaman Aggra, and they have a son, Durak.
• In Warlords of Draenor he killed Garrosh in single combat in Nagrand.
• He returned as an adviser to the Horde's leadership in Battle for Azeroth and has remained a major character in later expansions.

Trivia

• Thrall's story before World of Warcraft is told in the novel Lord of the Clans (2000) by Christie Golden and in the Warcraft III campaigns.
• He wears Doomhammer's armor and carries his hammer, the Doomhammer, fulfilling a prophecy that the weapon would pass to the one who would lead the orcs to freedom.
• The free Frostwolves still hold Alterac, and Drek'Thar commands them in Alterac Valley.

Sources

• Thrall - Warcraft Wiki
• Orgrim Doomhammer - Warcraft Wiki
• Durotan - Warcraft Wiki