User:Yagyu70500/Blacktooth Grin (The Venture Co US)


 * "In the end, all we have is stories... the Grin made legends.'
 * — Kasoon

The Blacktooth Grin is a Horde heavy-roleplaying guild based on the RP-PVP server The Venture Co. US. Currently they can be found raiding Alliance towns anywhere the cry of “FEAR THE GRIN!” can be heard ("THOK MOG THOK!" in Common).

Overview
The Blacktooth Grin was original established 22 July 2006 by Chieftain Gorfrunch Smashblade. It is dedicated towards heavy RP-PvP content, as well as participating in some guild dungeons and raids in order to further PvP objectives. The Grin maintains a strict recruitment policy, requiring an interest in heavy roleplay and the completion of an application at the guild website. For more information you can also contact any Blacktooth Grin member in game.

Critical Facts

 * RP-Heavy PvP raiding guild.
 * If you are uninterested in RP or PvP raiding, we do not recommend applying.
 * If you are interested in RP or PvP, but are concerned about being inexperienced, fear not! We are more than happy to guide players who are interested in participating!
 * The Grin are a disciplined force.
 * If you can not or will not follow orders from the officers in battle, you will not last long in our clan.
 * The Chieftain forbids spitting in all cases. Killing is enough. Camping is not allowed although severe offending Allies may be camped in order to help questing Horde members.
 * Good sportsmanship in mandatory in all PvP conflicts. We will not tolerate harassment in our clan.

Discipline
One of the most distinguishing factor that sets the Blacktooth Grin apart from other clans is an iron discipline and absolute loyalty to the Clan and its Chieftain. While other clans may conduct raids in a haphazard manner, the Grin conducts regular training, issues and executes strict orders in battle, and fights as a unit. This trait has been noted by other clans Horde-side but has not been widely emulated.

History
The origins of the Blacktooth Grin go back to the First and Second Wars. See the Black Tooth Grin clan for the official lore.

On The Venture Co. server the history of the clan continues. After Rend Blackhand took command of the Blackrock clan and Maim Blackhand disappeared, some of the Grin refused to follow Rend to his self-imprisonment in Blackrock Spire. These dissidents carried on their own guerrilla war in the Eastern Kingdoms until they were captured and placed in internment camps.

After the liberation of the camps by Thrall, the Grin fought with the New Horde until their arrival on Kalimdor. In what the Grin considered to be a complete betrayal, Thrall sought peace with the humans and the establishment of a permanent city. The Grin, under Chieftain Smashblade, could not tolerate these heinous breaches of Orcish pride, and split off from Thrall's New Horde. The Grin kept themselves true to the values of the old Horde: loyalty, discipline, and the destruction of the Alliance. Since then, they have been a beacon of hope for all those Horde, orc or otherwise, that seek to continue to fight the War: for the Grin, the Second War never ended. The politics of Thrall are shameful to the Grin and they do their best to keep all Alliance living in fear of the Grin.

As the Chieftain Gorfrunch was fond of saying: “Warchiefs make war. Peacechiefs make peace. Whichun's sitting in Orgreemar?”

Consequences of Khaz Modan
The Shadows Over Khaz Modan campaign was the boldest offensive ever executed by the Grin. After the final Battle for Ironforge, the Blacktooth Grin sat defeated. In the chaos, the order was given for the retreat. What was left of the Grin scattered as they had been trained to do from the many battles beforehand. The Warchief and his most loyal guard stood their ground outside of Ironforge and continued fighting as the Alliance forces surrounded them. When the tattered Grin had regrouped at Taugrek's Stand, there was no Warchief to greet them. A group of rogues were sent into Ironforge to reclaim the Warchief's body but it was never found. After Ironforge there was no sign of the Warchief of the Grin, and the Grin dispersed to fight under other banners, but their teeth were still missing.

The Shattered Guard
Huizopotl, seeing that their warchief had gone missing, had taken up the mantle of leadership. Along with Oroki and Shadiel, he found as many Grin as he could and they marched under a new banner. The Shattered Guard was formed. The Shattered Guard sheltered the old Grin and grew in strength preparing to repay the Alliance for the events at Ironforge.

Rebirth
Months later the Bronze Dragonflight noticed an anomaly in the past. Gorfrunch had infiltrated the Caverns of Time to travel through the past, to the Second War. The dragons could not let Gorfrunch remain in the time stream to change events about to occur, so they stopped him with force. Now back in the present the Warchief set out to find his clan. All who gave a tooth would know of his return and if the alliance had felt any reprieve since the Khaz Modan campaign, it would soon be over. The Fall of Legends brought about a split between the Grin following Gorfrunch and Faquarl. In the end both warriors died for their beliefs. Faquarl was felled by an arrow fired by Derken, leader of the Kanoste Hyanda Agarwaen. Gorfrunch died during a duel with Arkonn, a blood elf from the allied guild Suncrown.

In the turmoil Following The Fall of Legends, the Grin were led by the tauren Warchief Ashenrock. As a druid Rock was commited to preserving life. As Chief of the Grin, he was dedicated to continuing the war against the Alliance. It was precisely those conflicting viewpoints which led to his renouncing the mantle of Chieftain. Although the Grin continued to fight bravely under the druid's leadership, the clan seemed to lose its way. The kidnapping of Ashenrock's seer Felora was the final straw. Fearing that he would lose the tauren he cared most for and realizing that he could no longer effectively lead the Clan, Ashenrock gave the strung-tooth necklace to his Warlord Yagyu. Taking Felora with him, Ashenrock left to find his own way in Azeroth like so many before him.

Apart from Grimnir, Yagyu was the last of Gorfrunch's original Blacktooth Grin. Holding the clan together through the departures to Northrend proved a difficult task. He struggled to maintain control through the difficult battles in Desolace and Ferelas but the unforeseen return of the former Warchief led to his downfall. Challenged for control of the clan, Yagyu resorted to help from the warlock Bok'theg to maintain his command. In the end, he was betrayed in battle by Gorfrunch and killed by Stonemug of the Keepers of Stromgarde.

Gorfrunch Smashblade once again stood as the undiputed leader of the most feared clan in Azeroth, and ushered in a new era of thunder and glory, at once holding the line in Northrend, while cementing their dominance in the far south. How he had returned from the lands of the dead have since become a matter of dispute and mystery. Some hold that he subjugated the body of a necrolyte who had foolishly attempted to harvest his spirit. Others maintain that the Bronze Dragonflight manipulated the time stream in order to enslave the Smashblade in much the same way that the Black Dragonflight had enslaved Rend Blackhand. Still others maintain that Gorfrunch succeeded in his incursion to the past, and may well be in control of the Bronzes. The arguments over his rebirth remain the subject of heated arguments around the bone-fires of the Blacktooth Grin.

But, the toll of infamy began to mount, and pressures surged from a growing coalition of Alliance forces in the old country, resentful of the long shadow of the Smashblade's armies and eager to prevent their return from the ice-rimed north.

Years of heavy warfare were beginning to take their toll on the grizzled soldiers of the Grin. The cold and howling winds, the spectacle of Orcs and Humans sharing food in the floating Kirin Tor citadel, and the dangerous resurgence of human forces in the old lands of the southeast did much to wear at the morale and resolve of the rank and file. Many battle-hardened soldiers came to see their various quests for glory in the frozen North as folly. Many soldiers abandoned discipline and tradition altogether, deserting the Grin in order to chase romantic illusions of individual glory. Some returned to the clan homelands hidden in the mountains of the far southeast, as Arthas Menethil was put to the sword, and the world changed around them.

Then, Gorfrunch Smashblade, under a shroud of mystery, began to warn of an unresolved threat from his past. Reassuring his soldiers that he was in no serious danger, he took a small squadron of trusted outriders and vanished into the scarred remains of Black Morass, swearing to put an end to the threat for once and all time. In doing so, he left his ablest commander, Rawlk, to burn the torpor from the veins of the Grin in Northrend.

The Way Home
Dissatisfied with the torpor the Grin had fallen into, the Overlord Shaman Rawlk seared the clan with the fires of reform, immediately returning it to the high standards of discipline, training, and command that had elevated it to glory in the old country. A new emphasis was placed on the battle squadron, with each soldier working toward self-mastery, but in the spirit of fierce group loyalty and discipline. Each soldier drilled and trained, learning to make the soldier standing beside them their greatest weapon. No longer so much a mass of individuals concerning themselves with personal glory in the northern war, the rank and file began to see themselves as they truly were--part of something much larger and more terrifying. Morale among the ranks improved markedly. With the forges in Conquest Hold running at full capacity, Overlord Rawlk and his officers rebuilt the Blacktooth Grin war machine.

Sensing that the dangers of the rising coalition in the south could no longer be ignored, lest the clan homelands be overrun, Rawlk ordered his Sythegar Kreatchur to lead the clan back to the old country. Back to Stonard. Thus began what has come to be called The Warfront, as the clan set out to ravage its way across two continents of hostile, murderous and embittered Alliance foes, so that it might return home.

Notable Conflicts

 * The Battle for the Keep
 * This battle between the Horde forces - Blacktooth Grin, Grunts, and Suncrown, as well as assorted others - and the Keepers of Stromgarde as well as their allies ended with a horde assault on Ironforge. With the Keepers having given a challenge to the Blacktooth Grin that Prince Galen Trollbane, would not be defeated so long as they guarded the Keep, the Grin got to work amassing a large quantity of Horde forces to defeat the Keepers. The Horde forces steamrolled into the keep and advanced on Ironforge where they were ultimately repulsed.


 * Killed: Jaina Proudmoore, 25 March 2007
 * On 25 March 2007, Gorfrunch made this statement: “Jaina Proudmoore Dead!  This is what happens to those that believe peace is a possibility in our world. Today, a Grin taskforce, supported by elements of the Shadow Syndicate, the Peace Makers, and Suncrown took the gates of Theramore Keep by surprise, stormed Lady Proudmoore's tower, and slew her before significant Alliance reinforcements could arrive. For good measure, the rest of the town was torched, and its occupants slaughtered. We offer our condolences to Thrall.”


 * Battle of Wetlands, 7 May 2007
 * The Keep was taken and held by the Grin with simultaneous attacks on Southshore, Refuge Pointe, and Thelsamar. After a few initial skirmishes, the full weight of the Keepers was brought to bear against the Grin.  However, multiple attempts at recapture by the Keepers of Stromgarde resulted in encirclements and slaughter.  As the Keepers attempted to push through the main gates of Stromgarde, they were held by the Grin main body while a flanking element led by Breadalbane and Eddard circled the Alliance forces and attacked their rear inflicting heavy casualties.  The Main force then moved to the Wetlands where a major battle erupted between the Blacktooth Grin and the Keepers of Stromgarde supported by the Knights of Justice.


 * Invasion of Darnassus, 19 May 2007
 * A combined Horde raiding party consisting of The Blacktooth Grin, Thunderlords, Suncrown, Dauntless, and Bloodreavers summoned to an underwater location outside of Rut'theran. A group of ten of the fiercest fighters of the Blacktooth Grin were led by Gorfrunch into Rut'theran.  The Ten proceeded to clear the way for the main assualt into Darnassus.  After the Ten cleared all guards and civilians, they camped the portal spot while the main raid went up and slaughtered Tyrande Whisperwind.  The Ten then cleared a path to the Cenarion Enclave.  The main force followed and quickly took down the Arch Druid Fandral Staghelm, after which the combined Horde forces continued to sack the city.


 * Shadows Over Khaz Modan, Autumn 2007
 * In an effort to expand their territory and return Azeroth to all out war, the Grin attacked the dwarves in the Eastern Kingdoms. The campaign began at the Revantusk, expanding into the Blasted Lands, Searing Gorge, the Badlands, and ultimately to the hall of Bronzebeard himself in Ironforge.


 * The Fall of Legends, February 2008
 * Tired of constant war and the loss of his friends, Faquarl seeks peace but the Warchief has other plans for the clan. The Grin goes on another bloody rampage through Outlands.  In the final battles old Legends die and new ones are born.


 * The Desolace Plains, September 2008
 * A new Warchief has risen in the Blacktooth Grin and he must make his mark on the Clan. After starting a new war, the Grin suffers a string of defeats.  In the final effort the Grin defends Horde territory and gains the attention of Ogrimmar.


 * Demons of the Blacktooth, January 2009
 * The spectre of an fallen leader returns to haunt the Blacktooth Grin. His arrival may foreshadow the end of the Clan.


 * The Fall of Stromgarde, March 2009
 * A failed attempt on the life of the Warchief and former Warchief Ashenrock, drives the Dread Horde to form again and take the Keep of Stromgarde and smash the hated Keepers.

Allies
Although the Blacktooth Grin can count on many clans for support in raids and time of war; few can truly be called Friends. The Grunts have long had a precarious relationship with the Grin, and though they have their differences they can always be counted on in battle.

The blood elves of Suncrown allied with the Grin before the Shadows over Khaz Modan. They, like the Grunts, have fought many battles with the Grin, spilling Alliance blood. The Thunderlord Clan had historically allied itself with the Grin against common enemies. Their dedicated allegiance to Thrall however, and an intense rivalry between the two chieftains, Gorfrunch and Zamarak, frequently drove a wedge between the two clans. Ultimately the Thunderlord Clan dissolved.

Hillsbrad Security had been a loyal supporter of the Grin for many years and fought shoulder to shoulder in battle on many occasions. The Lament of the Highborne was a blood elf guild that had taken to the Grin's way of fighting and could always be counted on in battle. Both Hillsbrad Security and Lament of the Highborne have not been heard from for some time, and it is assumed they have disbanded.

For sometime the Dread Horde was supported by the Thunderhoof Clan. This all tauren clan comes to the aid of the Grin when Alliance attacks threaten tauren camps. The Thunderhooves were a strong ally during the Desolace campaign, and have remained the Blacktooth Grin's strongest and most loyal ally for years.

Foes
The Blacktooth Grin's oldest nemesis has always been the Keepers of Stromgarde. An RP heavy PvP guild, the Keepers owe allegiance to Prince Galen Trollbane and have taken it upon themselves to maintain the Keep permanently free of Horde adventurers. In RP terms this does not sit well with the Grin clan and so multiple raids were staged on the Keep to clear out the Allies, one of the earliest being The Battle for the Keep (An RP event between  and .

The Midnight Reveries declared war on the Blacktooth Grin following a Grin assualt on their new home at Aerie Peak. This attack was the first battle in the Shadows Over Khaz Modan Campaign. Although the Grin ravaged a good part of Khaz Modan, this campaign drove the clan to disband for some time.

Since the death of the Lich King, the clan has inspired a formidable coalition of new enemies in the Knights of Dusk, Midnight Reveries, and Deaths Lament, among others. Meanwhile, the Keepers of Stromgarde had resurfaced and the drums of war beat steadily in the old lands of Azeroth.

In the few years since the demise of the Lich King, few enemies of the past remain. The most formidable of the Grins enemies, such as the Keepers of Stromgarde, Knights of Dusk, Midnight Reveries, and Deaths Lament have not been heard from in many years. Few formidable enemies have shown themselves, and the Grin often finds itself fighting against unorganized militias.

Officers

 * Chaoseater, Chieftain of the Blacktooth Grin
 * Felora, Lorekeeper of the Blacktooth Grin
 * Vosgonar
 * Krozlowe
 * Gorfrunch
 * Grimjak

Hall of Fame

 * Gorfrunch, Legendary Former Chieftain of the Blacktooth Grin. 'da Boss.
 * Ashenrock, Former Chieftain of the Blacktooth Grin.
 * Yagyu, Former Chieftain of the Blacktooth Grin.
 * Smashblade, Former Chieftain of the Blacktooth Grin.
 * Eddard, Overlord.
 * Faquarl, Warlord.
 * Breadalbane, Warlord.
 * Grimnir, Warlord.
 * Huixtoqual, Warlord.
 * Huizopotl, Warlord.
 * Shadiel, Warlord.