Nazgrim

In life, Nazgrim was one of the greatest generals of the Horde. In death, he is a powerful champion of the Ebon Blade. Few, living or dead, can match his might in battle. Nazgrim was a recurring orc quest giver and first appeared in the Grizzly Hills as a Sergeant. After the Lich King's defeat, during the Cataclysm, he was promoted to Legionnaire and sent to Vashj'ir. After escaping from the naga there, he was promoted to General and sent to Pandaria.

Upholding his oath to the Warchief, Nazgrim remained loyal to Garrosh Hellscream during the Darkspear Rebellion, and was killed during the Siege of Orgrimmar. During the Burning Legion's third invasion, the Deathlord of the Ebon Blade later brought Nazgrim back into undeath as the first of the new Four Horsemen.

Early life
Nazgrim was once one of the countless orcs held prisoner within the Alliance run internment camps, and subsequently freed by the Horde. At some point after his liberation, he joined the army.



Wrath of the Lich King
By the War against the Lich King, Nazgrim had reached the rank of Sergeant, and was assigned to Conquest Hold, where he met an adventurer after their correspondence with Conqueror Krenna. Nazgrim was quite wary of Krenna's temper and attitude, and while she diverted all her attention on attacking the Alliance, Nazgrim focused on tackling the local threats, mainly the vrykul. He retained his rank after Krenna was deposed by her more moderate sister, Gorgonna.

Cataclysm
Following the Northrend campaign, Nazgrim received a promotion to Legionnaire. On the orders of the new Warchief, Garrosh Hellscream, Nazgrim joined an adventurer and led Hellscream's Vanguard on a mission to capture a key strategic island for the Horde from which to strike against Stormwind City. Nazgrim was eager to show the world the might of the Horde, and unite them under its banner.

Nazgrim boarded a mercenary ship heading seawards, but the vessel was waylaid by a naga attack. Nazgrim attempted to fight off the serpentine enemies, but was thrown overboard; his ship was subsequently destroyed by the great kraken Ozumat. Nazgrim survived the ordeal with the help of Erunak Stonespeaker and reunited with the adventurer and other survivors in short order. The group discovered that they were in the waters of Vashj'ir, in the midst of several conflicts and local oppression put into effect by the naga. Nazgrim and the party attempted to fight off a naga assault, however, they were captured in the process and brought into the naga-controlled Nespirah, where they were put to work as slaves. The adventurer and Erunak escaped this fate, and they freed Nazgrim from his predicament some time later.

Nazgrim and the Horde survivors regrouped in a cave named the Legion's Rest. With the group's original goals all but wrecked by their current predicament, the Legionnaire began to piece an escape plan together instead. After more conflict with the naga, Nazgrim was able to get a rescue flare-up, and Horde ships came to the party's rescue. Nazgrim relocated aboard the Stygian Bounty, and aimed to jump back into the fray after some respite. The goblins of the Bilgewater Harbor brought a submarine, the Verne, and Nazgrim took it back underneath the waves in an effort to locate the beast responsible for the derailment of his mission.

Nazgrim accompanied the adventurer, Erunak, and the Verne's crew in dealing with the naga's full force beneath the tides. Realizing that the entire realm was in danger, Nazgrim had the sub landed and rushed out to do battle with the naga and their n'raqi allies. After a struggle, Nazgrim witnessed Ozumat the kraken crash into Neptulon the Tidehunter and flee the scene. Believing themselves victorious, the naga fell back, with a captured Erunak in tow. Unwilling to abandon him, Nazgrim remained behind to launch a rescue effort in the Throne of the Tides and to kill the naga sea witch, Lady Naz'jar.

When the deeds were done, Nazgrim congratulated the adventurer on their victory, coming to regard the adventurer as a friend and a comrade.

Mists of Pandaria
Nazgrim had received a promotion to General as of the Mists of Pandaria, and was seen in the first Horde-side cutscene. Nazgrim reported naval victories off the coasts of Tol Barad and Tanaris, and informed Garrosh of a strange and uncharted land discovered during a battle with an Alliance vessel. Garrosh angrily lambasted Nazgrim for allowing the Alliance to get there first, and dispatched the general and an elite forward party (including Shademaster Kiryn, Rivett Clutchpop, Sergeant Gorrok, Shokia, and an adventurer) to take over this new continent and battle the Alliance there.

Upon reuniting with Nazgrim, he recognized and reminisced with the adventurer he had encountered in Vashj'ir.

Nazgrim presided over the Horde's landing in the Jade Forest from the sky, though his airship was shot down and the Horde forces were left to their own devices. Nazgrim was among the first to encounter the native pandaren, who gave the general an icy reception for having brought war to their homeland. Regardless, the pandaren gave the Horde forces exposition on the nature of the insidious sha, and some chose to take up the Horde's cause and grant them sanctuary. During his stay, Nazgrim took the stranded Prince Anduin Wrynn into custody, identifying him as the crown prince of Stormwind and holding him as a prisoner of war. However, Anduin was eventually able to escape from his captivity.

Nazgrim went about compelling the local Forest Hozen to serve the Horde war effort, with mixed results: though copious in number, their volatile nature worried him. Nazgrim eventually molded them into a decent fighting force and faced off against Admiral Taylor and his similarly-conscripted raid of Pearlfin Jinyu. As the two clashed, the neighboring Serpent's Heart erupted in a torrent of sha, and the Horde and Alliance forces were broken. Nazgrim and his entourage narrowly survived the outburst, though were heavily wounded and sent to Binan Village to recuperate, along with Taylor and the surviving Alliance members.

Nazgrim awakened to find himself sharing a room with the Admiral (who was also heavily wounded in the battle), and the two nearly came to blows. With the adventurer's help, Nazgrim regained his strength and established a Horde camp named Eastwind Rest in Kun-Lai Summit. Vexed at the unreliable nature of the hozen, Nazgrim was certain that the pandaren would make finer allies and sought to convince them of the advantages of joining the Horde over the Alliance.

Landfall
Nazgrim and what remained of his vanguard joined the rest of the Horde when they arrived in force to Pandaria. He was stationed at the newly-constructed Domination Point. During the Domination Point scenario, the Alliance's 7th Legion attacked the base and Nazgrim, his vanguard team, Warlord Bloodhilt, and Horde adventurers successfully repelled the Alliance invasion.

Nazgrim served as Domination Point's main quest giver, though also found himself having to deal with a taste of politics. As adventurers furthered their reputation with the base, Nazgrim tasked them with various missions from Horde high command and Garrosh himself. During the storyline, Garrosh's disregard for blood elven lives resulted in relations between Garrosh and the regent lord of Quel'Thalas, Lor'themar Theron, becoming highly strained, culminating in Lor'themar contemplating removing his people from the Horde entirely. Nazgrim learned of this and was highly (and loudly) concerned with its implications.

Nazgrim was one of those aware of the Sunreaver plot to steal the Divine Bell and instructed the adventurer to venture into Darnassus to fetch it using a Sunreaver mage's portal. When it became apparent that the Sunreavers' involvement in the bell's theft had been discovered by Jaina, Nazgrim hastily sent the adventurer to rendezvous with Grand Magister Rommath and evacuate the Sunreavers as a whole from the city during the ensuing Purge of Dalaran.

Nazgrim ended the Domination Point plotline delivering a summons from Garrosh to the adventurer. However, Nazgrim himself was not present to witness Garrosh's use of the Divine Bell to infuse his soldiers with sha power, nor the Bell's destruction.

Escalation
Nazgrim was summoned by Garrosh to help put down the burgeoning Darkspear Rebellion. He could be found at the Dranosh'ar Blockade, instructing Kor'kron to strengthen the defenses of Bladefist Bay against a possible assault by the Alliance's naval forces.

Siege of Orgrimmar
On the cusp of the siege, Nazgrim was approached by former warchief Thrall and High Overlord Saurfang on the outskirts of Orgrimmar. The two requested an audience with Garrosh in hopes to end the war, however, they were barred entry by the Kor'kron. Nazgrim ordered his men to fall back and allowed the pair to enter the city, but made no promises that Garrosh would heed their words at this late a juncture.

Nazgrim and his forces were tasked with defending the main entrance into Orgrimmar. Nazgrim faced off against Vol'jin and Baine Bloodhoof from Orgrimmar's battlements, warning the two to cease their rebellion and assuring them that they couldn't win if they insisted on fighting.

Nazgrim's Iron Juggernaut was dispatched to deal with the rebels but was eventually defeated and destroyed. After Tyrande Whisperwind and her sentinels breached the city's gates, Nazgrim and his remaining Kor'kron brigade fell back to defend the entrance to The Underhold.

Fiercely loyal to the Horde and bound to a rigorous code of honor and duty, Nazgrim held the line for his warchief until his dying breath.

Legion
Nazgrim's body was collected and given a burial at the graveyard in Durotar, not far from Orgrimmar's front gate. At the behest of the Lich King, Nazgrim returned as the first newly raised member of the Four Horsemen of the Knights of the Ebon Blade. After being raised, he learned about the Iron Horde and the return of the Burning Legion and believed them to be consequences of Hellscream's pride and his loyalty, and due to them still itching at his mind, he tried not to think about them. Nazgrim then accompanied the Deathlord and defended them while reviving the other Horsemen.

At Stromgarde Keep, the fallen prince Galen Trollbane calls out their champion and Nazgrim simply told him to watch his tone. After sweeping the courtyard of Witherbark trolls, Galen thanks them. However, he proclaims his kingdom is his alone and Nazgrim saw this a treachery. He Strangulates Stromgarde soldiers outside the keep as the Deathlord hunts down the prince.

Upon arriving in the court of the Scarlet Monastery, Nazgrim once again Strangulates his foes. This time being the Scarlet Crusade.

After the failed attempt to retrieving the body of Highlord Tirion Fordring beneath Light's Hope Chapel in the Sanctum of Light, Darion's sacrifice was not in vain. Nazgrim tells the Deathlord (Highlord said in the audio) that they must do something before it's too late for Mograine.

Nazgrim participated in the Battle for the Exodar battling against High General Rakeesh, alongside Thassarian. He demanded that him and Thassarian continuously stop to Strangulate each individual demon in the Exodar.

Legionfall
Nazgrim participates with his fellow Horsemen, the Deathlord and Minerva Ravensorrow mounted on Daumyr to battle the demons on the Broken Shore.

Battle for Azeroth
Under Bolvar's command, the Four Horsemen acquired fallen champions of both the Horde and Alliance, with Nazgrim personally acquiring bodies from the Battle of Dazar'alor and other Horde lands. He watched as the Horde overthrew Sylvanas Windrunner, and though he wanted to help them, he was forbidden to by Bolvar.

Following the Fourth War's completion, he witnessed the new generation of death knights being raised. Darion personally sent the new death knights to travel to Orgrimmar if the death knight is Horde or Stormwind if it is Alliance and make a choice from the Hero's Call Board.

We Ride Forth
Believing that Bolvar had fallen to the powers of the Lich King, Darion attempted to kill him. However, Bolvar forcibly controlled the former's body and made him return to Acherus: The Ebon Hold, while taunting him about requiring his fellow horsemen. Though wary of it being a trap and feeling something off about the situation, Nazgrim agreed to join his fellow horsemen in killing the Lich King, and decide who would wield the Helm of Domination after Bolvar was slain. However, en route to Icecrown Citadel, the Four Horsemen, using their connection to the Lich King, discovered him locked in combat with Sylvanas Windrunner, and learned that this was all part of Bolvar's gambit to have the horsemen arrive and kill the winner of the conflict.

Nazgrim and the others were stunned when Sylvanas won and destroyed the helm instead of claiming ownership of it. With the Scourge no longer under control, Darion ordered Nazgrim and Sally Whitemane to rescue Bolvar, while he and Thoras Trollbane fought to keep Acherus under their control.

Shadowlands
After the Helm of Domination was destroyed and the Scourge began to rampage across Azeroth, Nazgrim and Whitemane brought the wounded Bolvar Fordragon to Acherus: The Ebon Hold. Following the return of the Scourge he became the Ebon Blade's emissary to the Horde.

Quests
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Conquest Hold

 * The Conqueror's Task
 * A Show of Strength
 * The Flamebinders' Secrets
 * The Thane of Voldrune (Horde)
 * Onward to Camp Oneqwah

Kelp'thar Forest

 * Rest For the Weary (Horde)
 * Buy Us Some Time (Horde)
 * Traveling on Our Stomachs (Horde)
 * Girding Our Loins
 * Helm's Deep
 * Finders, Keepers (quest)
 * Bring It On!
 * Blood and Thunder!

Shimmering Expanse

 * We Are Not Alone (Horde)
 * Body Blows (Horde)
 * Overseer Idra'kess (Horde)
 * Waking the Beast (Horde)
 * Deep Attraction
 * Swift Approach (Horde)
 * Not Entirely Unprepared (Horde)
 * Fallen But Not Forgotten (Horde)
 * Losing Ground (Horde)
 * Desperate Plan (Horde)
 * Welcome News (Horde)
 * A Breath of Fresh Air (Horde)
 * Full Circle (Horde)

Abyssal Depths

 * Promontory Point (Horde)
 * Clearing the Defiled (Horde)
 * The Wavespeaker (Horde)
 * Fiends from the Netherworld (Horde)
 * Defending the Rift (Horde)

Throne of the Tides

 * Rescue the Earthspeaker! (Horde)
 * Sins of the Sea Witch (Horde)

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Orgrimmar

 * The Art of War (quest)
 * All Aboard!
 * Warchief's Command: Jade Forest!


 * Claiming Kalimdor
 * Captain Cartheron
 * Spies in Our Midst
 * Where Are Those Ships?
 * Shadow Hunter Urko'jin (quest)

Jade Forest

 * Into the Mists
 * Paint it Red!
 * Touching Ground (Horde)
 * Finish Them! (quest)
 * Fire Is Always the Answer
 * The Final Blow!
 * You're Either With Us Or...
 * Regroup!
 * Seein' Red
 * Assault on the Airstrip
 * Strongarm Tactics
 * The Darkness Within
 * Nazgrim's Command
 * Lay of the Land
 * Instant Messaging
 * Beyond the Horizon
 * Guerrillas in our Midst
 * Burning Down the House (quest)
 * Dawn's Blossom (quest)
 * Get Back Here! (Horde)
 * Gauging Our Progress
 * Sufficient Motivation


 * The General's Edge

Kun-Lai Summit

 * General Nazgrim has Awakened
 * Eastwind Rest (quest)

Krasarang Wilds

 * Dagger in the Dark (quest)
 * Rise Of An Empire
 * To Mogujia (Horde)
 * To the Valley!
 * Echoes of Thunder
 * Get My Results!
 * The Ruins of Korune (Horde)
 * Insertion
 * The Situation In Dalaran
 * A Return to Krasarang
 * The Bell Speaks (Horde)


 * Enlistment Orders (Horde)
 * Hunt Helheim

Legion

 * Champion: Nazgrim (quest)

Wrath of the Lich King

 * Gossip
 * Krenna must doubt my abilities. While our elite warriors march out to face the Alliance and their trapper allies, or wreak havoc among the trolls, I've been assigned to mop up those pesky Dragonflayer vrykul.
 * Perhaps if we combine our efforts, we can both prove ourselves in the conqueror's sight.

On-click

 * Greetings
 * "Blood and thunder!"
 * "Nothing shall stand in our way."
 * "For the Horde!"
 * "The tip of the Horde spear, no greater honor!"
 * "Keep your eyes peeled for the Alliance!"


 * Pissed
 * "A new land, he says. Paint it red, he says. *Sigh*"
 * "Blood in the soil, makes for more toil! Tell the bloody earth, a new Horde to give birth!"


 * Farewell
 * "Our orders stand! No matter the cost..."
 * "Come what may! We fight on..."
 * "May our foes flee before you."
 * "Hellscream's eyes are upon you."
 * "Fear nothing! The Horde shall prevail..."

Dialogue

 * Eastwind Rest
 * say


 * Siege of Orgrimmar

Gossip

 * Honeydew Glade
 * We will claim this land in the name of the Horde, or die trying!
 * Those Alliance scum will learn what it is to anger the Horde!
 * By the time we are done here, the Alliance will Wish they ahd never set foot on this land.
 * They have not even begun to see the fury of the Horde!
 * For the Horde!

Ah. the smell of a proper battlefield. We have been on our own for far too long. Now, the full might of the Horde is unleashed! And we are the ones who direct where the next blow will land.
 * Domination Point

Legion

 * "These foolish class trainers speak to me as if I have never held an axe before! They have nothing to teach that I do not already know. The dark power of undeath flows through my veins and it seeks blood and battle! Let's waste no more time in this dusty necropolis! Send me to the front so that I may spill the blood of our enemies!"


 * Greetings
 * "Blood and thunder!"
 * "Nothing shall stand in our way."
 * "I am waiting."


 * Farewell
 * "We will prevail no matter the cost."
 * "Death was merely a setback."
 * "We do what the living cannot."

Shadowlands
Morgraine [sic] asked that I stay behind in case you strayed too far off course.
 * Orgrimmar & Stormwind during the Maw intro questline

This death gate will take you to him. I suggest you use it.

In Hearthstone
In the Knights of the Frozen Throne set for Hearthstone, Nazgrim appears as one of the Four Horsemen that can be summoned by Uther of the Ebon Blade's Hero Power.
 * His summoning quote, "Death was merely a setback!", references the merely a setback running gag.

Notes and trivia

 * Nazgrim did not take his death personally, gladly passing on the torch to Horde players and/or Gamon. He encouraged them to lead the Horde into a new era of prosperity.
 * Nazgrim is the progenitor of the infamous "Thrall's balls! They're everywhere!" line, which has gained some notoriety among the playerbase.
 * Nazgrim is voiced by David Lodge.
 * His Alliance counterpart is Admiral Taylor.
 * He is often considered a fan-favorite character amongst Horde players.
 * An unused NPC representing Nazgrim as a normal orc is situated in the same ID range as other legendary warriors presumably meant to appear in Skyhold. This, along with the original plan of Tirion Fordring being raised as one of the Four Horsemen, suggests that the idea of raising Nazgrim as one of them might have been a late addition to Legion's development cycle.