User:Joshmaul/Takin Grimtotem

"'The Earth Mother screams in agony. It is a call to arms - and all who hear her cries must answer.'"
 * - Takin Grimtotem

Takin Grimtotem is an exiled farseer of the Grimtotem tribe of Kalimdor tauren, who has wandered the wilds following the voice of the Earth Mother - particularly as her screams of agony echo throughout the spirit worlds.

Biography
Takin was born in the Barrens decades before the coming of the Horde to Azeroth, remembering the days when his people had to contend regularly with the centaur, the quillboar, and other threats. He discovered the call of the spirits early in his life, and has maintained his ties to earth, sea and sky ever since. When the tribes were aligned with the Horde, Takin went along only because his matriarch, the Elder Crone Magatha, went along, hoping to one day usurp Cairne Bloodhoof and take control of the tribes.

That opportunity came in the early days of the Cataclysm, when Magatha helped arrange for Cairne's death in the great arena in Orgrimmar, during his mak'gora with Garrosh Hellscream. But upon learning of what she had done, Garrosh abandoned Magatha to the mercy of Cairne's son and successor, Baine. Takin watched as a full quarter of the survivors followed Stormsong and swore loyalty to Baine rather than to Magatha. Among them was Takin's own son, Kegren, who would later take the name "Dawntotem" and join the Sunwalkers, Thunder Bluff's order of paladins. Takin spat at Kegren's hooves before joining his matriarch and her loyalists in exile.

Banished into the Stonetalon Mountains, Takin and his people eked out what existence they could between the hostile wildlife and the Horde forces regularly attacking their settlements. As much as he began to hate the Horde, however, he hated the Twilight's Hammer even more, considering them defilers of the natural order and eagerly slaying any who dared cross the Grimtotem. During the latter stages of the war against the Legion, Magatha offered her services to the Earthen Ring at their base near the Maelstrom, and Takin was among the Grimtotem who followed her there. That decision would take him to Argus along with the Armies of Legionfall.

Upon returning to Azeroth, Takin wandered into the wilderness alone, so that his tribe would not see the pain he constantly felt from the wound Sargeras had inflicted upon Azeroth, and mistake it for weakness...