Baine Bloodhoof: Honor and Legacies (Part I)

In a world filled with warcraft, Baine has always stood as an advocate of peace.

A story is nothing without characters to tell it, and World of Warcraft has a plethora of remarkable creatures at the heart of its content. Baine Bloodhoof is one such character. As of the Warcraft saga’s most recent expansion, Dragonflight, the tauren stands as both high chieftain to the tauren and the tauren representative on the Horde Council. Yet it was not always so. Before Baine became the tauren high chieftain -before he faced years of hardship and bloodshed- the warrior was a son with great love for his father and their people. Baine’s long path in the world of Warcraft has shaped this excellent character and led him to where he is now.

A Father’s Heart

Baine Bloodhoof debuted during Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos alongside his father, Cairne. Following the Third War, a herd of centaurs rode through Baine’s village and attacked the tauren settlement. The encounter ended with the centaurs capturing and imprisoning Baine in their camp. 

Baine’s absence devastated his father, sending Cairne into a great depression. The centaurs were too happy to take advantage of the chieftain’s weakness, and their continued efforts against the tauren village nearly led Baine’s people to ruin. 

Their salvation came with the arrival of a half-ogre/half-orc, or mok’nathal, named Rexxar. Rexxar hoped Cairne could offer his aid against an approaching Kul Tiran invasion force, but the tauren alleged that he would be no help, for his heart was dead. 

Tagar Bloodhoof, another tauren of the Bloodhoof Tribe and Cairne’s second in command, stepped forward and asked Rexxar to seek out Bovan Windtotem and his outcast followers. The tauren hoped Rexxar would rescue Baine and revitalize Cairne with his son’s return. 

Tagar’s hopes came to fruition when Rexxar and Bovan managed to locate and slay Baine’s captors so that he could return to his father and tribe. Cairne, thankful and overjoyed to be reunited with his son, pledged his forces to Rexxar’s cause in the upcoming battle against the Kul Tirans.

Brave on the Rise

After Baine’s return to his people, he began to take on more of a leadership role among his people as his father aged. Baine operated out of Bloodhoof Village during this time, helping to halt Venture company operations in Mulgore and ending a threat from the Palemane gnolls in the area. At Bael’dun Digsite, Baine attempted to warn dwarven miners from disturbing the earth, even sending adventurers to break their tools. His efforts would prove futile in time, however. 

Additionally, peace continued to elude the tauren even after the Lich King’s defeat. The Emerald Nightmare, a corrupted realm of death and decaying consumption had begun to creep into Mulgore and claim the people that lived there. Baine’s close friend Gam was one of the tauren to succumb to the Nightmare; Gam saw Baine as a centaur and attacked him. The encounter ended sadly, with Baine making the impossible decision to spear his friend through the chest. Gam fell from a bridge to his death.

Eventually, the Nightmare posed such a problem that Malfurion Stormrage called for Azeroth’s warriors to stand with him against the threat. Baine was among the first to respond, promising to do all he could against this unnatural enemy. His pledge took him into the Emerald Dream. 

Many of the Horde soldiers expressed irritation when Malfurion granted King Varian Wrynn of Stormwind command over the battle efforts; however, Baine stood beside the archdruid. There is a time to lead and a time to follow, and the young tauren showed his aptitude for leadership by recognizing this concept. The Nightmare was a far more pressing issue than petty squabbling over who was in charge. 

With tensions between the factions alleviated the heroes of Azeroth did the impossible. The Horde and Alliance quelled the Nightmare, and Baine was free to return home and see to the healing of his people. 

Retribution Sought

Everything shifted for Baine after his father died. Cairne fell during a Mak’gora against the new Warchief, Garrosh Hellscream, when a fellow tauren named Magatha Grimtotem sabotaged the battle.

Magatha did not stop there. With Cairne dead, she held no qualms about sending the treacherous Grimtotems to Mulgore. Their orders were simple: kill every denizen they encountered and see Baine Bloodhoof properly disposed of.

Jevan Grimtotem, also known as Stormsong, alerted Baine of Magatha’s plans to see him assassinated. Baine escaped under the guise of a kodo stampede, sending covert messages to nearby villages to warn them of the Grimtotems’ betrayal. He, alongside other escapees, found refuge at Camp Taurajo in the Southern Barrens. Hamuul Runetotem joined the other refugees at the outpost, having also avoided an attempt on his life.

Though Baine longed to mourn his father, the desire to avenge Cairne and reclaim Thunder Bluff burned stronger. He asked Hamuul for advice on how to deal with Magatha and the Grimtotems, but Hamuul offered little wisdom to share with the new chieftain. Garrosh Hellscream’s allies were unclear, the blood elves and Forsaken were too far away, and the Darkspear trolls were too few in numbers. Baine’s only choice was to seek aid outside of the Horde. He turned to an honorable enemy that had stood beside his brethren in the past: Lady Jaina Proudmoore of Theramore.

Unlikely Friends

On Theramore Isle, Baine met someone that would become a lifelong friend: Prince Anduin Wrynn of Stormwind. Anduin surprised the tauren, gentle and empathetic in all the ways his father was harsh and battle-worn. Then, as a show of friendship, the young prince chose to gift Baine with the great hammer Fearbreaker. The weapon had been a gift to Anduin from King Magni Bronzebeard, and now Anduin passed the ancient piece to Baine in hopes that it would serve the chieftain’s purpose well.

Though Fearbreaker channeled the Light, and Baine followed the Earth Mother, he felt a kinship with the dwarven heirloom and promised to cherish it always. 

The exchange between Baine and Anduin touched Jaina, and as a result, she promised monetary support for the former’s quest to defeat the Grimtotems. 

Stormsong’s loyalty to Baine proved invaluable when the Grimtotem chose to act as an undercover agent. He traveled to Ratchet for two purposes; to buy the goblin Gazlowe’s services with untraceable Theramore gold and find mercenaries to aid his cause. Gazlowe’s position as leader of Ratchet, fondness for the late Cairne Bloodhoof, and skill as an engineer made him an asset to Baine’s cause; he provided zeppelins, explosives, and other crafts of his trade to the tauren’s campaign. 

Reclaiming Home

With Jaina’s financial aid, Baine finally had the means to confront Magatha Grimtotem. Stormsong used his sway over the elements to conjure a storm that allowed Baine to lead a covert assault on Thunder Bluff. A confrontation took place, with Baine emerging victorious over Magatha. 

Because Magatha chose to surrender, Baine granted her the mercy she denied his father and let her live. He exiled the Grimtotem traitor and her loyalists, then set his sights on a much more risky opponent -Warchief Garrosh Hellscream.

Baine Bloodhoof and Garrosh Hellscream came face-to-face in Thousand Needles. Baine approached the new Warchief with his father’s totem strapped to his back, quietly and symbolically declaring to Garrosh that he was the new High Chieftain of the tauren. He opened the encounter by accusing the orc of partaking in Magatha’s betrayal. 

However, Garrosh denied Baine’s accusation claiming instead that Magatha gave him no reason to suspect such foul play until it was too late. The Warchief expected Baine to finish what Carine started, but Baine did not want to see the Horde further divided. For the sake of his brethren, the tauren reluctantly let the matter settle. Baine pledged fealty to Garrosh, acknowledging him as the Warchief for the Horde. In turn, Garrosh promised the Horde’s loyalty to the new High Chieftain of the tauren.

High Chieftain of His People

After Cairne’s funeral, Baine went about settling into his new role in Thunder Bluff. He also nurtured his growing friendship with Prince Anduin by exchanging letters in his spare time. 

With the tauren’s ascension to the high chieftain, his responsibilities extended beyond the quaint mesas of Mulgore to the Horde itself. Unfortunately, that meant closer interactions with Garrosh when the orc made demands. Baine’s choice to let bygones be bygones in the wake of his father’s death did not mean a clean slate with his Warchief. 

One such demand included access to Mulgore’s immaculate water supplies when the Horde’s new goblin allies polluted the water around Orgrimmar. Baine agreed to grant the request for his faction’s sake, but only if Garrosh allowed a tauren emissary to oversee the goblins’ operations moving forward. Garrosh conceded -angrily- and left the tense meeting with a comment over his shoulder: Baine’s obligations were to the entirety of the Horde, not just the tauren that followed him. 

Hope for a Brighter Tomorrow

Despite the strain between Baine and his Warchief, he remained optimistic when discussing the situation with Hamuul. Baine believed Garrosh would eventually outgrow his hotheaded recklessness, lest it killed him. Hamuul felt less confident but reasoned that the tauren could return to their solitary origins if all else failed. However, Baine decreed he would not secede from the Horde his father helped create. 

Another disagreement between Garrosh and Baine centered around brutal raids and widespread slaughter at the hands of quilboar. Garrosh insisted on dealing with the culprits harshly and forcefully. Baine hoped to negotiate with the quilboar’s new leader and see if peace was possible before pursuing more violent solutions. Once again, it seemed the leaders would have to reach a compromise. 

Unfortunately for Baine, the quilboars were not the high chieftain’s only concern. His people expressed frustration that a compromise with Garrosh was necessary at all. They felt Baine’s willingness to concede, even partially, threatened their best interests. Even worse for Baine, his people were beginning to contemplate the benefits of breaking away from the Horde. 

One such group, led by Greyhoof Farwanderer, decided that cutting ties with the Horde would not be enough for peace; they planned to leave Mulgore as well, feeling the territory was nothing more than an extension of Garrosh’s will. Baine urged them to hold fast, for the Horde’s leaders did not always reflect the faction’s true spirit. He believed the Horde would pull through these trying times, overcome its enemies -those within and without, and be stronger because of it. However, Farwanderer’s tauren remained unconvinced and continued with their plans for departure. 

For the Good of All

After so much distress, Hamuul finally presented Baine with something positive: the quilboars’ motives. It seemed the Cataclysm cut the quilboars’ water supply. The tauren chose to take their findings to Garrosh, with hopes that peace was possible for all parties involved. 

Baine’s luck ended there. When presented with the update regarding the quilboar, Garrosh responded angrily. He could not understand how Baine failed to punish the quilboar for yet another attack on tauren lands. Garrosh said that Baine had the chance to deal with the issue at hand, and now he would see the quilboar appropriately handled. 

Following the heated interaction, Garrosh led an attack on the quilboar without informing Baine. Intent on cutting Garrosh off before his rashness could get him killed, Baine armed himself for a fight. He also enlisted the aid of the Sunwalkers, a new tauren order of paladins.

Amid these preparations, Baine wondered if his leadership was the source of all this unrest. So much turmoil had left him uncertain and disheartened, and he questioned if his position as high chieftain was best for the tauren people. Hamuul, surprising the younger tauren, said Baine was a just and noble leader with the best intentions for their people in his heart. He believed Baine’s decisions were for the good of the tauren.

Against All Odds

While Baine readied himself, Garrosh and his Kor’kron stormed the quilboar tunnels. Their initial assault, ruthless and swift, seemed efficient until swarms of the creatures began to overtake the orcs. Rendered unarmed and surrounded, Garrosh prepared to fight to the death.

Baine’s timely arrival saved the Warchief. With the help of Hamuul and the Sunwalkers, the tauren successfully repelled the quilboars’ assault. Then, demonstrating the Earth Mother’s power for Garrosh, Baine called upon a river; he offered the water to the quilboar so long as they agreed to cease their attacks. 

The situation was dealt with -by Baine, no less- quickly, efficiently, and peacefully. 

Baine told Garrosh the tauren would notify him if they required further help from their Warchief. The orc left shortly afterward, his Kor’kron in tow. 

Greyhoof Farwanderer and the tauren that planned to follow him approached Baine in the aftermath. After witnessing Baine’s miraculous victory, they realized their fault in doubting their high chieftain. They requested the high chieftain’s pardon, which he quickly gave. All Baine asked of his people was to have faith in these trying times. 

Against all odds, the Horde would prevail.

Experience Baine Bloodhoof’s early days as high chieftain of the tauren in Steven Nix’s Baine Bloodhoof: As Our Fathers Before Us by following the link provided: https://worldofwarcraft.blizzard.com/en-us/story/short-story/leader-story/baine-bloodhoof

A New World, Old Enemies

During World of Warcraft: Cataclysm, Baine continued to oversee complications in Mulgore. One such problem came with Orno Grimtotem, a Magatha loyalist, who corrupted the region’s wells. Baine and his troops prioritized cleansing the waters before trailing Orno to his hideout in the Stonetalon Pass. The traitor’s discovery spurned a battle between Grimtotem Defenders and Thunder Bluff Braves. All the while, a Horde champion confronted Orno. 

Orno attacked the Horde’s agent, intent on seeing his enemy killed. Yet, as the fight wore on, the Grimtotem began to fear it was he that may lose the skirmish. Orno stunned his Horde opponent and prepared to flee. Then Baine Bloodhoof stepped forward to confront Orno.

Orno ordered his followers to forget the braves they faced in favor of their true enemy, the high chieftain himself. Baine was not the easy target he seemed to be, unfortunately for them. The conflict ended with Orno’s death at Baine’s hands.

The fall of Camp Taurajo also caused strife among the tauren. While some were happy with Baine’s decision to construct a gate that separated the Barrens from Mulgore, others disagreed. They struck back at the Alliance in hopes of quenching their thirst for revenge. However, Baine expelled them from Thunder Bluff for their actions instead. 

Little did the tauren high chieftain know his troubles were only just starting.

The Hard Times Ahead

Baine Bloodhoof, a warrior with a peaceful heart, has always been complex in a simple way. His position as high chieftain smoothed away the naivety of his youth, but Baine still maintained who he always was at his core -a tauren with a deep love for his people and the Earth Mother they follow. However, the challenges of his first years of leadership were only the beginning… and the easiest of what he would face in time. 

Next in the Baine Bloodhoof series: Coming soon!

To learn more about the amazing characters of the Warcraft franchise, please follow the links below!

Fare Thee Well, Arthas Menethil, Our Fallen Lich King: https://vibethenook.com/fare-thee-well-arthas-menethil-lich-king/

Something Wicked This Way Comes: https://vibethenook.com/something-wicked-this-way-comes-the-headless-horseman/

You can purchase this novel at your nearest bookstore or through various sites online.

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sylvanas-christie-golden/1139339292