Legacy

Some might consider ours a poor, dirt scrabble existence. They might look down on this little patch of dust, surrounded by scorpids, ‘lisks and ‘lashers. They might think raising a family in such a place is cruel and brutal. Some are blind fools and weaklings. I wouldn’t have it any other way. I have raised you close to the land and far from the false sophistication of cities. My sons, I have raised you to be free.

As I gaze out at the barren, red landscape, I feel the deep satisfaction of living strong in a strong land. Knowing that one must live hard if one is to live at all gives one a special appreciation for life. I was raised to be proud of independence, self-reliance and courage. And living independently in a land like this certainly calls for courage.

Listen, my sons. Listen to the origin of our family name Axehaft. Listen and learn of your family’s proud legacy.

All your lives you have seen this haft on the wall here. All your lives you have seen, and yet not seen it. Now it is time for you to see and understand why it is so important to this family.

It has been in the family for four generations, but the source of our family pride comes from your grandfather Gron’ilzar who marched into battle carrying this very axe, under the banner of the Black Rock clan, led by Orgrim Doomhammer himself. Our family, while rich in honor and courage, has never been rich in coin. When your grandfather went to battle, he carried this axe, which had been his fathers and his grandfather’s before him.

On the trail to the Tomb of Sargeras, Doomhammer’s vanguard was ambushed by raiders from Cho’galls Twilight’s Hammer clan, cut off outnumbered three to one, and surrounded. It looked grim indeed for Orgrim. Within minutes half his vanguard had been slain and the fighting looked to be all but over. Orgrim stood, shoulder to shoulder with the common grunts, hewing and cutting, covered in sweat and blood, a living god of war.

Off to his left fought a little known warrior in handed down armor. As a fatalist pall seemed to settle in on the group, sapping their will to fight something happened. Gron’ilzar found himself face to face with a huge foeman of especially ugly countenance. He swung his axe in a mighty, overhand blow aimed to split his foes skull, but his enemy parried with a desperate upstroke of his greatsword. Sword connected with axe just below the head and sheared the head off the haft. Of course, that didn’t save his skull as the severed axe head buried itself in his brains and dropped him like a stone.

The battle raged too fast and the press was too tight for Gron’ilzar to seek another weapon so he used the axe haft as a club and dashed the brains out of the next foe to face him. The loss of his grandfather’s axe seemed to drive reason from him and he flew into a berserker rage, becoming a veritable maelstrom of slaughter. He lay about him with such abandon, smashing skulls, splintering limbs and crushing ribs with such fury that his comrades were inspired and fought with renewed vigor.

Orgrim Doomhammer himself saw your grandfather smiting with his broken axe haft and bellowed out a mighty laugh at the sight. Between Gron’ilzar’s insane valor and Orgrim’s defiant humor, the remainder of the defenders were heartened and inspired to feats of courage that are still sung about in the Ballad of Orgrim’s March. Their courage thus restored, they not only held until reinforcements arrived, but they had all but routed the enemy.

Orgrim recognized that it was Gron’ilzar’s fortuitous accident and exceptional valor that had snatched victory, not just for his campaign but for the entire horde, from the jaws of defeat. In recognition for his valor and service Orgrim named Gron’ilzar, “Axehaft” and decreed the title to be hereditary, and to be honored throughout horde territory.

He offered your grandfather a posting in the city after the war and a captaincy with a very generous stipend, but grandfather accepted only a new axe with which to serve the horde. After the second war ended, grandfather returned here and lived with honor until he was slain defending the gates of Orgrimmar during a raid. When his remains were returned to the earth, the great Warchief Thrall himself came to show respect.

And so, my sons, this is your legacy. It is a legacy of pride and honor. But remember, your names Wotan Axehaft and Eidan Axehaft, have been loaned to you, not earned by you. You must go forth and add honor to the name Axehaft before you will be deserving of it. Live with honor. Fight with honor. Accept no insult.