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Hello everyone!
With battle for azeroth the dark iron dwarves are going to join the alliance as one of the
allied races.
WIth that in mind, I thought it would be a good idea to sit down and talk about the story
of their leader, Moira Thaurissan, daughter of magni bronzebeard the speaker and member
of the council of 3 hammers.
Before we dive into her story first a bit of background on the history of the dwarves
and the separation of the clans.
Once all 3 dwarven clans, Bronzebeard, Wildhammer and Dark Iron all lived together within Ironforge
under the rule of High King Modimus Anvilmar.
Thane Madoran Bronzebeard was the head of the Bronzebeard clan, the largest of the three
factions claiming to share distant blood relations with High King Modimus.
They formed the bulk of Ironforge’s military and mercantile classes.
Thane Khardros WIldhammer led the Wildhammer clan, they gained notoriety as adept and incredibly
resilient mountaineers.
Considered uncouth, lacking good manners and refinement, by the Bronzebeard clan, the Wildhammer
struggled to gain more sway with High King Modimus and to solidify their place among
the ruling elite of Ironforge.
Sorcerer- Thane Thaurissan ruled the Dark Iron clan who had a long-standing practice
of dabbling in sorcery, along with secrecy and political scheming which drew the ire
of Ironforge’s other inhabitants.
He held firm control over the kingdom’s richest gem and mineral despositis, using
his wealth as leverage to protect his people and secure a place in Ironforge’s increasingly
volatile political arena.
Tensions between the clans were high and while Modimus tries his best to treat each clan
with fariness and respect, he was unable to ease these tensions which ultimately led to
disaster.
Around 230 years before the dark portal opened up, Modimus passed away of old age and the
War of Three Hammers ignited between the three clans.
No one knows exactly who struck the first blow, but bloody battles raged in every corner
of the kingdom for many long and terrible years.
In the end, the bronzebeard clan used its martial expertise to drive the Wildhammer
and Dark Iron from the mountain and claimed total victory.
Khardros and his wildhammer clan admitted defeat and moved north to build their new
home of grim batol, one that soon rivaled even Ironforge in scope and prestige.
Their defeat was hard to swallow and weighed heavy on Khardros’ shoulders, but with time
they accepted their fate and prospered in their new home.
Thaurissan and his dark irons they moved south to Redridge mountains and founded the new
kingdom of Thaurissan.
They too prospered in their new home, but for their leader the humiliation of defeat
was unbearable.
After years of secretly forging a new army, Thaurissan launched a brazen two-pronged assault
against the Bronzebeard and Wildhammer clans.
He himself lead the assault against the bronzebeards pushing all the way to the very heart of the
city before the Bronzebeards finally ralied and pushed the dark irons back, all the way
back to Redridge.
Meanwhile his wife Modgud led their second attack against Grim Batol with the blade Xalatath
in hand.
They brought Grim Batol’s shadows to life, falling upon the Wildhammers with blades forged
of night.
By some feat of courage, Khardros rallied his remaining warriors and launched a desperate
counterattack.
The sorceress unleashed her dark power on Khardros, but he pressed his attack.
Then Modgud reached for her black blade – the weapon that had turned Grim Batol into a den
of nightmare, but it was no longer there.
She had lost her cherished weapon or as some would claim, the weapon had abandoned her,
all the same Khardross mortally wounded Modgud and secured victory for the WIldhammers.
With her death, the remaining dark irons retreated south only to find themselves face to face
with the armies of Ironforge.
Madoran had caught wind of the attack and brought his forces north.
Together, Bronzebeard and Wildhammer crushed the Dark Irons from both sides, utterly annihilating
them.
In the dark irons the other 2 clans had found a common enemy and decided to put their rivalry
to the side and focus on purging Thaurissan and his treacherous Dark Irons from the face
of the world.
As their armies drew near, Thaurissan scrambled for a way to defeat his enemies.
He decided t odraw the fiery power from deep within the world and use it as a weapon.
He wove a great spell to save his kingdom, yet during his conjuration, his mind turned
to the death of his wife and his recent defeats.
Anger roiled through Thaurissan’s heart.
His rage grew so absolute that his spellwork breached the Elemental Plane and tapped into
Ragnaros the Firelord.
Unwittingly he ripped Ragnaros from his elemental prison and summoned him to the surface of
the world.
The violent rebirth sparked a series of apocalyptic explosions that instantly killed the sorcerer-
thane and shattered the surrounding mountains.
From a safe distance, Madoran and Khardros watched in horror as the world was torn asunder
and firestorms engulfed the area.
They knew in that instant that Thaurissan had doomed himself and his people.
Frightened for their own safety, the Wildhammers and Bronzebeards turned north and fled.
Ironforge was rebuild and Madoran actually invited the wildhammers to stay with them
since Grim batol had become cursed upon Modguds death and they didn’t want to go back there.
Instead they declined and set out to build a home in the Hinterlands.
The Dark Irons didn’t have that luxury as Ragnaros’ rebirth had decimated Redrdige
and a raging volcane known as Blackrock Mountain now towered over the ruined Dark Iron Kingdom.
From his lair the Molten Core he enslaved the surviving Dark Irons who carved a new
fortress under the mountain called Shadowforge city.
Within their fiery home, they would continue nursing their hatred of the Wildhammers and
the Bronzebeards while serving their new lord Ragnaros.
They did so dutifully for centuries even when the dark portal did finally open up and the
orcs tried to settle in their mountain.
Under the influence of the old gods, Ragnaros and his forces gave them a portion of the
mountain but as most of you know, the Horde would eventually be defeated and the dark
portal would be closed.
Not all orcs were captured or killed though, some of them remained behind causing problems
amongst them the blackrock orcs.
Lakeshire’s Magistrate Solomon send envoys to Ironforge pleading with king Magni Bronzebeard
for assistance.
His daughter, Princess Moira Bronzebeard volunteered to help, but as they were making their way
through blackrock mountain across the burning steppes, they ran into an ambush.
This information we learn from Kharan Mighthammer, a survivor of the escort imprisoned within
blackrock depths.
He tells us that it must have been a hundred of them.
Dark Iron Dwarves.
They swarmed them, overwhelmed the guards and the few brave heroes that had agreed to
assist them on the mission.
One thing was clear: This was a highly orchestrated ambush.
It was as if they knew every move they would make before they made them.
He suspects that someone tipped them off, but doesn’t know who.
All he knows is that Moira now resides at the side of Emperor Dagran Thaurissan who
has her under some sort of powerful thought altering spell.
We take the information back to Magni who’s of course not happy.
Dagran has him and the kingdom of Ironforge at his mercy and we are their only hope.
The king asks of us to go into blackrock depths and save his daughter Moira.
There is only one way to make sure that the spell Thaurissan has cast on her is broken,
by killing him... and so we did!
Heroes ventured in and made sure to not kill Moira, even though she used her abilities
against us while taking out the emperor of the dark iron dwarves.
Now despite Moira seemingly a slave, hanging out in princess Lea’s outfit, that’s not
exactly how it is.
She weeps over the loss of her husband, tears across her face she asks why???
Thaurissan was a great and honorable dwarf.
You ruined my life and the life of my unborn child!
Return to Ironforge and tell my father that the heir to the Kingdom of Ironforge will
be a Dark Iron Dwarf.
Whether he approves or not, it shall be.
The king is upset about this news but we would later find out that the relationship between
Moira and Dagran, despite what Magni might have thought, was not one of enslavement.
In fact, Magni himself wasn’t the best in the world, even thought he might have wanted
to be.
He could never get over his disappointed of Moira being born a woman instead of the son
that he truly wanted.
He could never believe that she might not want to stay where she’s constantly being
reminded that she’d failed him simply by being born.
In his mind, the only way she could have possible fallen in love with a dark iron dwarf was
if her husband had enchant her.
He did, in a way, he enchanted her with the concept of respect.
Of having people listen to her when she spoke.
Of believing that she could rule, even as a female, and rule well.
The dark irons welcomed her where her own father dismissed her.
That’s the only magic Dagran Thaurissan and the dark irons had used on her which makes
you wonder if she was the one who tipped them off during the escort in which she was kidnapped
and why we caught her in such an outfit.
Not shaming anyone here, who doesn’t like a little bit of roleplay now and then?
Regardless Moira is not happy with her father and now leads the Dark Irons by herself.
Time passed on, Ragnaros was defeated and around the period of the cataclysm, deathwing
breaking out of the world, azeroth itself was already shaking.
Floods, draughts, earthquakes, the world was in pain and Magni decided to use an ancient
titan ritual to try and communicate with the land, figure out what is going on.
Instead of just communicating with the land, he became one with it, turned into a crystal
leaving Ironforge without its ruler.
Perfect opportunity for Moira and the Dark Iron Dwarves to show up a few weeks later
and claim the throne.
After all, it was a legitemate claim, she was the only surviving heir even outranked
Muradin and Brann.
There was nothing anyone could do, but Moira did not just seize the throne, she also decided
to place Ironforge under lockdown.
The grpyhons were said to be ill, the deeprum tram was said to be broken and even the magi
within the city were not safe.
No one went in or out, not even Prince Anduin Wrynn who was visiting Ironforge and had now
become her hostage, or atleast that’s what Moira thought.
In truth Anduin held a Hearthstone which he used to teleport to Theramore, he informed
his father of what was going and the King of Stormwind was pissed.
Her claim to the throne was legit, but what she was doing to the Ironforge, what she had
done to his child was not alright.
Publicly they pretended to be as baffled as Moira would want them to be, while he gathered
members of the SI:7 to infiltrate Ironforge through the shut down deeprun tram and forcefully
remove Moira from her stolen throne.
When Anduin finds out about this from Jaina, he tells her that she must send him back to
ironforge and of course the mage refuses at first, the 13 year old heir to stormwind should
not be send in the middle of danger.
The prince does his best to convince her.
If his father carries out this attack then a lot of people are going to die and the succession
will be thrown into confusion.
Instead of coming together as a people, the dwarves are going to find themselves in the
midst of another civil war!
He has to go and try and stop him, make him understand that there is another way!
Anduin’s words are able to convince her, a quick portal later and Anduin found himself
in Ironforge, just in time to stop his father from making a big mistake as he had dragged
Moira out of her bed into the open area near the forge where crowds were starting to gather.
He hauled her to him roughly with one arm.
His other hand was at her throat, pressing the sword against the pale flesh.
“This throne is not yours.
You bought it with deceit, and lies, and trickery.
You have threatened your own subjects when they have done nothing wrong, and bullied
your way to a title you have not yet earned.
I will not see you sit upon this stolen throne one moment longer!”
Prince Anduin, once more the voice of reason, shared wisdom and truth with his father.
Despite what he might want, Moira was the rightful heir.
His father was not some vigilante, destruction was easy but creating something good, something
right, something that lasts – that was hard.
Varian wanted nothing more than to make the usurper pay for what she had done to his boy,
but they had to think of what’s best for the people of Ironforge.
In the end his son calmed the wolf down and Varian told Moira that she had to be better
than she was right now.
She needed more than just a bloodline to rule her people.
She was going to have to earn it.
He shoved her away.
She staggered back but made no attempt to flee.
How could she?
She was encircled by the populace of the city she had tried to rule with a cruel, arrogant
hand.
She had shown that she was incapable of ruling Ironforge by herself so Varian came up with
the plan of letting all clans be represented by a leader.
The council of 3 hammers, with dark iron, Bronzebeard and the Wildhammer clan each having
a voice in the city.
Instead of bleeding her life out here on the floor of the high seat, she got a second chance
to prove that she’s ready to lead the dwarves.
Moira said nothing, only looked around with wide fearful eyes.
She looked like nothing more than a scared little girl, standing there in her nightgown.
The people however started cheering at the idea and under the watchfull eye of Stormwind,
the council was formed.
Moira Thaurissan would represent the Dark Iron clan, Muradin Bronzebeard representing
the Bronzebeard clan and the wildhammers, at first, were represented by Kurdran Wildhammer.
Of course this was a massive political change for the dwarves who after centuries of living
apart, now had to work together once again.
Coming together like that did not come without complications.
The clans did not trust each other, came from different backgrounds and it wasn’t easy
for them to get along.
To bring their people together, Moira suggested that they should reforge the hammer of the
High King also known as Modimus’s Hammer.
An ancient scroll had showed up describing how the hammer had been split up into 3 different
pieces after their king passed away, the clans separated and each clan came in the possession
of 1 of the fragments.
Moira and Muradin were on board with this plan, it seemed like a good symbolic way of
reforging the old alliances, but Kurdran was not willing to give up his piece of the artifact.
During his time in Outland as they were fighting demons and orcs, this piece of home gave them
hope, reminded them of who they were and he did not want to give it up.
Discussions and debates followed amongst the council and their people up to the point where
the dwarves started to attack each other.
After one bronzebeard dwarf and one wildhammer dwarf killed each other in a brawl, Kurdran
realized that for the sake of his people, he had to give up his artifact.
He had no choice so he placed it down and agreed to their plan.
Eventually they figured out that the scroll is actually fake and that their plans are
build on lies.
By this point, it doesn’t matter though, for their people it had become a truth and
to back away from the plan now would cause more trouble than to go through with it.
Kurdran however wasn’t having it, it was a mistake for him to have ever come to Ironforge.
A fire had taken the life of his gryphon Sky’ree, the city had stripped him of nearly everything
he once was, once knew, but had not taken his one piece of the artifact just yet so
he went to steal it back and was caught in the act by Moira.
A calculated smile was on her face as Kurdran figured out that it was Moira who had forged
the document, manipulated events, kept the rumors within Ironforge going.
Kurdran even went as far as too blame her for the fire that had taken his friends life,
but Moira told him that she had nothing to do with it.
All she wanted was Kurdran and the Wildhammers out.
They were never willing to extend a hand in peace to the Dark Irons.
Their opinions were already fixed when they arrived, clouded by old hatred.
She did what she did for the future.
So that when her son inherits this throne, he will not rule over a city that treat him
like a pariah due to the blood that flows through his veins.
She had outmaneuvered Kurdran and as sweat started pouring down his body, he shoved the
scepter through an opening in his chest piece near his arm.
With the heirloom hidden, he rushed out of the room and toward the gates of Ironforge
as the city’s stone walls closed in on him.
Outside he ran into Muradin and another discussion followed.
The bronzebeard didn’t believe that fighting over the ancient relics was worth it.
The heart of Kurdrans clan was not in the scepter, in was in himself, in his people,
in sky’ree.
In the end Muradin gave the other dwarf a good punch which smacked some sense into him.
All atonce he felt foolish for taking the scepter from the High Seat.
What did he intend to do with it?
Leave the city and forsake his duties as a member of the council, tarnishing not only
his own honor, but that of Falstad and the rest of his clan as well?
He knew what he had to do, regardless of the consequences, to honor King Magni and fulfill
his own duties as a member of the Council of Three Hammers.
The brilliant plan Kurdran came up with was to show up at the ceremony of reforging where
Moira explained to the crowd that there was a thief who had stolen a piece of the artifact.
They had their suspicions regardign who stole the handle and an investigation would take
place, but they would not allow thieves to disrupt what they have set out to do.
Kurdran stepped up to the plate, told all present that it was he that had taken it and
Muradin asked if he’d gone mad, he was going to start a riot!
Kurdran had not gone mad though.
He told them all that it was foolish to reforge the weapon as a symbol of their current union,
to try to get back to the Ironforge of their ancestors.
This is a new Ironforge.
It will never be the one of the past, and reforgin’ Modimus’s hammer surely will
not change that!”
He slammed his artifact down and with his mighty stormhammer, shattered it.
The heirloom exploded in a shower of iron shards.
The dwarves in the crowd froze in sudden bewilderment.
Confusion rippled across their faces..
“The new Ironforge begins here.
Ask yourrselves, do you want to start it by puttin’ this hammer back together so that
one day it can be broken again?
The Wildhammers have chosen to take a step forward, not back.
Who among you is with us?
Muradin was the first to join him as he smashed his piece and even Moira, who now herself
has been politically outmaneuvered, was forced to join them shattering the lie and breaking
the way for a new future for all the clans.
Kurdran decides that his place is not with the council, that spot actually belonged to
Falstad who had their leader for 20 years until Kurdran had returned from outland, brashly
taking over as if all those years of service meant nothing.
He would follow his own destiny as Falstad joined Moira and Muradin on the council.
This change to the council and the shattering of the planned ritual was but one of the many
obstacles the 3 dwarven leaders faced.
Dark Iron Dwarves attack the Ironforge Airfield which doesn’t help the Council of course,
but as it turns out that was actually the Twilight’s hammer and Ambassador Slaghammer
is quickly arrested for treason.
It seems like Moira is now actually doing her best to be a part of this council, no
longer trying to seize power with force or political deception and when Varian showed
up to ask for aid in the campaign against the horde during mists of pandaria...she was
the one who stepped up.
“Once upon a time - moments ago, in fact - a great King sought the help from a trio
of powerful dwarves: The Council of Three Hammers.
The King's scouts had discovered that Zandalari trolls threatened the dwarven capital.
Surely, the king thought, if he helped them with their troll problem, they would give
him more troops for his campaign against the Horde.
But what the King did not realize is that the dwarves did not trust one another!
"We cannot help you," said the Bronzebeard dwarf, "For if we turn our back on the Dark
Irons, they will defeat the Wildhammer and take over Ironforge!"
"We cannot help you," said the Wildhammer dwarf.
"For if we turn our back on the Dark Irons, they will defeat the Bronzebeard and take
over Ironforge!"
The King was furious.
"If none of you help, then Ironforge will fall under siege!"
Only one dwarf offered to help the King.
"We will lend you our strength," said Moira, of the Dark Iron.
"We will trust our dwarven brothers and we will show them what loyalty means!"
And so Moira and the High King set out in the snow to save the city, leaving the others
to think about their actions.
What happens next?
I must know!”
“King Varian Wrynn says: This is where my agents tracked the Zandalari.”
“Shimmer Ridge.
I know it well.
The Frostmane trolls breed and plot above the snow-blown mesa.”
“I can only imagine what foul business the Zandalari have with them...”
“We've lost many mountaineers to this freakish storm, or the trolls slithering about in it.”
“Yes.
This weather is not natural.”
“Aye.
I am loathe to send my men into that.
It reeks of ambush and bloody disaster.”
“My champions will go.
They will see what can be done, and rescue who they can.”
“If they can stop that storm, I'll lead the Forgeguard to the top myself.”
“It's heartening to see you here, Moira.
You have my thanks.”
“Indeed.
With the aid of your champions, the Dark Irons will put an end to the Zandalari threat in
Dun Morogh.”
“We will prove our loyalty - to the Council, Ironforge, and the Alliance - here, today,
and with our own blood.”
“Hrmmm.
Farewell, Queen Regent.”
“I'll see you when it's done, King of Stormwind.”
Muradin and Falstad still don’t trust Moira and the dark iron dwarves, but she’s dedicated
to proving the worth of not only herself, but also her clan.
She wants to carve out a future for her people and her son that will one day rule, so she
decides to show the right way and join Varian on his mission against the trolls.
“The king's champions have done it.
The storm has ended!
Forward Dark Irons!
TO BATTLE WE MARCH!”
“You may have stopped the storm, but you cannot stop the will of Zandalar!
You will DIE, here...
ALL OF YOU!”
“There...will be more!
Zandalar...will never fall.”
“Well fought.
I see the Dark Irons are as formidable as ever.”
“That they are, King Varian.
And at the service of the Alliance, I might add.”
“Hah!
For that, I'm glad.
The Bronzebeards and Wildhammers will regret not having been here to share in your glory.”
“Better they're grateful for the clansmen spared death on this miserable hilllock.
We sought to protect and impress, not to shame.”
“Well, you've done just that.
Come: let us return to Ironforge, and announce your victory to the Council.”
“The High King, his champions, and the Dark Iron dwarves worked together to save Ironforge.
Lorewalker Cho says: The other dwarven leaders were ashamed of their behavior, and vowed
never again to allow fear or distrust to cloud their judgment.
And so it was a human king who helped to unite the dwarven clans so long divided.
Free to trust one another, all three dwarven leaders pledged their full strength to the
Alliance cause.”
Quite the change from holding a knife to her throat and Moira would even show up during
the siege of orgrimmar to help out...well...at least they try.
Walk into the hall, pam pam pam oeee hi there dark iron dwarves.
“Oi!
That was a fun ride!”
“Heroes, I salute you.
There’s something right foul in these chambers below the city.”
“Oh, look.
You’re the ones that smashed up my juggernaut.
Let’s see how you like the newest addition to the warchief’s arsenal, the iron star.”
“Ooh, that looks dangerous.
Get in there boys, and show em’ what we’re made of.”
Chaaaaaaarge, face first into the iron star.
“Hehehehehahahahah” “A right deadly machine that is.
Best watch your step down here heroes.”
Still the world was able to kick garrosh out of the mantle of warchief and they placed
him on trial, a trial which Moira was present at but didn’t play a massive roll.
Then one day, 4 years after her father went through the ritual and turned into the stone,
she was asked by Muradin and some of the priest to go and talk to him.
They say that hearing her voice might wake him up but too her it seems like a fools errand.
A ruler must keep up appearances though and in the chamber with her father she wonders
if it would have made a difference if she’d been born a right and proper heir.
A son.
If he could see her now, the daughter he never wanted sitting on his throne...it would eat
you up inside wouldn’t it?
The time had come for the king of diamonds to wake up and be the speaker for the titan
spirit inside the world.
When he underwent the ritual, he became one with the land and she’s showing him visions
of the legion’s coming.
The king waking up first worries the council.
This could mess up everything they’ve worked for, bled for.
This city, by all laws under the mountain, is magni’s but Moira believes times have
changed, this is a city for all 3 clans now and she’s willing to fight for it to make
sure it stays that way.
Thankfully that won’t be needed as magni did not return as a king, but as a servant
too something much greater.
He tells them to get their people ready for the coming of the Legion as he sets out to
warn the rest of the Alliance.
Outside he and Moira have a moment as he thanks her for seeing him off.
Muradin: Thank ye fer seein' me off, lass.
Didn't thin kye would agree to it.
Moira: You are my father and a ruler -- Muradin: Must keep up appearances.
That was why ye visited me in old ironforge, aye?
Moira: You...you heard me?
Muradin: And I couldn't be prouder of what ye've become.
I failed ye as a father before.
I'll never fergive meself fer that, and I'm not askin' ye to fergive me either.
But if even stone can come to life...If even three rival clans can live under one roof...then
maybe we can be a family again.
That is, if ye'll give me another chance.
Think it over, lass.
I don't expect an answer now.
Just know that wherever this journey takes me, I'll be watchin' ye through the stones.
No words are spoken by Moira, only tears streaking across her face as her fathers journey would
take him all the way to Argus and back.
Hers was to first defend dun morogh against the Legions assault and later, after the battle
at the broken shore and the death varian, she attended his funeral as can sympathize
with what Anduin is going through as she sends a double agent to help shadow priests with
obtaining their artifact and after doing so, she joins them at their order hall together
with Velen and Alonsos Foul.
At Netherlight temple she assists us with bringing the naaru Saa’ra back to the light
as well as the entire campaign of preparing for Balnazzar’s attack.
And that is Moira Bronzebeard or now Thaurissan her story from a daughter that wasn’t appreciated
by her father to ruler of the dark iron dwarves and working *** carving out a future for
her son.
Her journey has not been without mistakes, but she’s extremely clever in the ways of
politics and also a priest to be reckoned with.
Perhaps battle for azeroth will make some time to have her interact with Magni a bit
more to see if there’s the possibility to mend those old wounds further.
When you think about what position she would take in the Alliance when it comes to the
new conflict, I’d say that she’s very devoted to the council of three hammers with
her main goal being to carve out a future for her child.
If going to war with the Horde would strengthen their position, their dream for that future
then I’d imagine she’d be right there on the frontlines.
For the dark irons as an allied race we don’t really know a lot about how they’re going
to join.
The introduction of some of the other races that we’ve seen take place in the current
day and age, but I would personally find it really cool if they actually let us go back
in time and witness the war of the three hammers or maybe show us more about the days of enslavement
to ragnaros the firelord.
Bit of history behind the dark irons dwarves shown ingame, Modgud with xalatath in Grim
Batol ahh man that would be amazing, but I think it’s going to be more in the present
day and age.
Time will tell I suppose, but for now this is the end of our story so as always thank
you very much for watching everyone!
If you’re looking for some more information about all the things that we talked about
today then check out the related wowhead article in the description down below.
Subscribe if you like my videos, leave a like if you enjoyed this one aaaaaand until next
time guys....see ya!