Gorkesh

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Information

Player: Jaella

Character Full Name: Gorkesh Skullsmasher

Character In-Game Name: Gorkesh

Nicknames: The Skullsmasher

Association(s): The Horde

Race: Orc

Class: Runemaster

Age: 24

Sex: Male

Hair: A simple chonmage with matching short beard.

Eyes: Sunset orange

Weight: 513 lbs.

Height: 7'6"

Usual Garments/Armour: He wears light leathers that allow the mobility he requires as a Runemaster, with the addition of metal plates to keep his forearms and shins as an extra layer of defence.

Other: Various Orcish texts and symbols are tattooed in a dark red colour across his body. Scars ranging from large cuts to small nicks mark him as a warrior where-ever he goes.

Personality

Gorkesh is calm and clear of mind; he also knows where to place his honour. He also learned a state of neutrality from his time spent with his Tauren teacher until he could not learn anymore from him. His time with the Tauren gave him great spiritual insight to further himself in life while also using the knowledge he got to explore the world beyond what was known to him. Even with all of this knowledge and understanding of the world, Gorkesh still doesn’t know the finer workings of manners and society. This might often result in him in trying his best to learn them or try them, but most of the time this would end in a minor disaster on some parts. Though, beneath this calm nature there is a dormant volcano that could erupt when angered enough. When he gets angered enough he goes into a blood craze that won’t stop at anything to crush his enemies until properly calmed down.

History

Life In The Camps

Gorkesh was born a few months after the internment camps came into existence, later when he grew old enough he was branded with the symbol of the Bleeding Hollow clan to easily identify his ‘group’. His mother cared for him and saw to it he was raised as any Orc would be in the internment camp. Fate had it planned differently for him as his mother joined in an attempted outbreak and she lost Gorkesh during the chaos that was created by it, she was killed during this insurgence. He quickly was taken in by a skilled warrior still in his prime that would teach him the way of a warrior, but with no weapons available so he would teach him on how to fight with his body. Using his fists and feet to learn in keeping him alive and be a formidable unarmed opponent. His stepfather would also knew Gorkesh would become a great warrior as he grew in size much faster than most others of this age, this was because of his family consisted of large Orcs. Even his mother was bigger and taller than other Orc woman around the camp.

All of this training and strength building would draw attention of a few Human wardens with the malicious intent of creating gladiatorial combat to earn some extra money. With this he became a weekly combatant who gained respect and recognition from his elders, who would often teach the young boy with words of wisdom if they weren’t working in the mines. The scars began to grow on him and he began to show others of his age the path of honour, skill and reverence of ones elders and ancestors. Soon he gained a small group of six that trained under him. The guards who set-up the matches were afraid that Gorkesh and his small group were going to win all of the future matches. Once they were taken away one by one to other camps he never heard from them again.

The Mysterious Warrior

When Thrall freed the Orcs from the internment camps, Gorkesh and his stepfather followed him. The things they heard about him gave them renewed strength and it lit the long dormant fire of a warrior in his stepfather’s heart. Gorkesh helped his stepfather scavenging for equipment and supplies while he got himself a simple leather harness with matching leggings and boots. The passing over the sea was cruel and unforgiving, but the spirits were forgiving on the ship Gorkesh was on and they arrived barely intact to Kalimdor. Once everyone was safely off the vessel, it promptly began to sink to the bottom of the bay. When the Orcs began to help the Trolls, he stayed behind at the temporary camps to further his training.

Once the Trolls joined up with the Horde, he joined his stepfather further into the new lands in an expedition. Once they got wind it was safe to make contact with the Tauren, Gorkesh and his father set out to visit one of their camps. They went with a patrol to ensure a safe passage. The start of their journey went well until disaster stroked down, they heard the piercing horn of a Centaur signalling an ambush. Which swiftly followed suit, the attack was brutal and honourless. Not sparing woman and child that crossed their path, dragging away weakened surviving warriors and amidst all the chaos. Gorkesh took refuge under a large shield, Gorkesh would already be at the size of an adult Orc as a result from his training and different genetics, so the shield did little to fully hide him so the shield wouldn't keep him hidden very well. Once the Centaur spotted Gorkesh, it came over to the hidden Gorkesh and posed to strike its spear through the wooden shield. But out of nowhere, a Tauren runemaster appeared and caught the Centaur off-guard. Allowing him to crush the Centaur’s head in his hand to see what it was going to strike. As the other Centaurs fled from the Tauren as their chief just single-handedly got defeated, the Tauren went to check what was under the shield. When the Tauren lifted the shield where the sixteen year old Gorkesh was hiding under, he pondered thoughtfully and offered his hand at the young cur. Gorkesh stood up without the help of the Tauren and looked in awe as the Tauren towered high above him. This is where he looked into the Tauren’s eyes, he didn’t understand what he wanted. Once the Tauren explained what he wanted for Gorkesh, he followed the Tauren as he didn’t know what became of his stepfather.

A New Path to Follow

Once Gorkesh and the Tauren reached the village he and his tribe were living in, he met some other Orcs who were lucky enough to not have been ambushed by the vicious Centaur. The Tauren first took Gorkesh to the shaman elder, the Tauren pushed Gorkesh inside and all he could see was a dim fire and a Tauren sitting on a seared tree-stump. The shaman motioned Gorkesh to come closer, but as he stepped closer to the large figure the Tauren sunk into a trance-like state and once Gorkesh was close enough. The Tauren came out of it when Gorkesh was looking very closely at his face, this of course startled the young Orc and made him fall over on his butt. This is when the Tauren told him to keep him down, this is when the Tauren told him of his path in the world. He could only see the start where the runemaster would teach him the art of being a runemaster. Before being ready to find his own place in the world. When the runemaster got called in he took Gorkesh to his tent to rest early as the training would begin early. Which did as before the sun even rose the years of training began through training his combat prowess and by helping around the village.

When he turned eighteen he was already at his impressive height of seven feet and nine inches, he received an enormous growth spurt in the months after he turned seventeen. At the age of twenty the Tauren would begin to teach Gorkesh about the runes and how to channel Arcane energy into them to unlock their potential. The Tauren said that before he could teach him further he required Gorkesh to learn how to write his mother language and design his own symbols. He learned to get in touch with his own language through passing traders in the village. Once the Tauren let Gorkesh design his own patterns and symbols, he sent him over to the village tattooist to get them tattooed onto his body. He chose for a dark red colour to match the ferocity he displayed in combat and to honour his stepfather that he never saw again. Once he got the symbols and texts on his body, the Tauren began to teach on how to unlock their potential. This part of his training took up another two years as it required great concentration and will to do so. When those two years passed, the Tauren had nothing left to teach the now adult Orc. The Tauren sent Gorkesh back to the same shaman to imprint a few words of wisdom before the Orc set out to explore the world for himself.

The Freezing North

The Third War was an thing that went past the Orc but many believed that he fought in it due to the scars that piled up on him over the years. Once he reached Ogrimmar he got himself stuck in a duel with a rather brash and aggressive Orc. Both agreed to duel with their chosen weaponry and the Orc laughed at him when he showed up at the duel with nothing but his fists. This proved to be the quick downfall of his opponent as he shattered his skull with one good slam between his hands. This act sent out a ripple of tales through Ogrimmar and he soon became known as the Skullsmasher as others wanted to test his skill in combat first hand. This earned him even more merit and recognition, when he established himself as an honourable warrior he began to ask members of the Warsong Clan about any relatives that could be around. For this search he was required to join on going war effort in Northrend against the Lich King. He signed for service in the army and was shipped to the port owned by the Horde.

This is were a brutal chapter in his life would unfold, many battles followed and he gained merit and reputation among his brothers and sisters. Though, once he met a shaman in one of the camps the shaman came to the revelation that Gorkesh bore the same brand as she did. After this discovery, she took him to her mother who was resting at their tent. When Gorkesh sat down and spoke of his past, his time in the camps the mother of the shaman stood up and wrapped her arms around him as she recognized him as the only son her sister gave birth to. She then explained to him what happened to the rest of their family and a lot would become clear to Gorkesh. With this renewed insight he became determined to continue his service to the Horde until the Lich King would be no more. He fought with his cousin shoulder to shoulder in the horrid battles in the domains of the Lich King but were not present at the events of Wrathgate, they were stationed in a Stronghold further south when those events happened. Once the war was fought and the vast armies of the Horde were sent back to Ogrimmar, Gorkesh, his aunt and cousin got a comfortable place in the Valley of Honour. All would be well they assumed, but the truth would be far from it.

The Shattering of The World

Gorkesh’s aunt and cousin became restless as the spirits became more restless by the month. Foreboding an event that would change the world forever. This didn’t bothered Gorkesh much at first as he was keeping himself in his prime and always ready for combat. Once the first earthquakes were reported Gorkesh became more aware of the things his aunt and cousin went through. He, his aunt and cousin were assigned to be part of the reserve that could be called upon when needed. If requested, they could always be put into active service to their chosen regiment. Things improved slightly for Gorkesh but it did little in the situation for his aunt and cousin. Once Deathwing appeared and ravaged the world, Gorkesh realized that he was needed by the people around the world and began his journey to help where ever he could. He made sure that his aunt and cousin were always able to find him whenever they wanted to travel with him.

Skills and Abilities

Permanent runes in the form of tattoos are across his body.

  • Enruned Fists: An unlimited duration buff, always active unless otherwise removed. Runemasters do as much damage with their fists and feet as if they were wielding weapons. (They are there to enhance his natural strength and to make up for the lack of weapons.)
  • Runic Resilience: The Runemaster's skin hardens like stone, providing them with the protection equivalent to mail armour. Like Enruned Fists, this is a constant effect unless turned off. (This is the lack of armour.)
  • Stone Grip: Masters of unarmed combat, few can match a Runemaster in a grapple. The Runemaster pins his opponent down, forcing the enemy to target him and preventing his movement. (These are handy keep his enemies near for the brawling.)
  • Mark of the Bear: This rune allows Gorkesh to have increased physical strength. (This rune is to allow Gorkesh to have greatly increased strength.)

The 'castable' runes he knows for utility uses.

  • Mark of the Megalith: While active, the Runemaster's defences increase to the equivalent of plate armour. (For the tough fights, think of boss NPC's. I.E; a giant golem appears that needs to be defeated to further an event. Will not use in PC fights if request is denied.)
  • Runic Mending: By concentrating the arcane runic energy into himself to heal his injuries slightly, though it isn't as effective as the healing of a full-fledged healer. (The strength is enough to patch himself up enough to find better healing. Only usable on himself.)
  • Mark of Restoration: Using this rune on himself he is able to free himself of stun, fear, and charm effects. (Requires a threshold roll to determine success, threshold that needs to be passed depends on the condition. Example; if under the effect of a powerful fear curse from a Warlock, a threshold of 60 > needs to be rolled to break free.)
  • Rune Slam: By concentrating arcane runic energy into his knuckles, Gorkesh is able to dish out a powerful slam. (Counts as a normal attack but it gives an extra kick to the punch.)