Furbolg Furbolgs are a hulking , ancient race of bear - men who live in northern Kalimdor and in Northrend . Though they have no special love for war or murder , their tribes have become increasingly hostile as of late due to the corruption of the Burning Legion and the Undead Scourge in and after the Third War . The night elves , concerned by the once peaceful race ' s condition , have attempted to help the furbolgs settle their tensions . But the mighty bear - men retreat ever further into their territories and fall deeper into the rage that is overtaking their race . The furbolgs are a race of bear - men who traditionally shared the forests of eternal night with the elves . These simple and peaceful creatures lived in harmony with the forests for generations . They were great friends and allies of the night elves , providing their Sentinels with information about the comings and goings of the forests , and warning them of potential danger . History . Early history . Furbolgs originated from Northrend . They lived on Azeroth before Titan s came to the world . Their oral histories speak of the first time Titans stepped on the world and roamed the wilds . Furbolg may have descended from early Pandaren who settled up in Northrend , becoming more feral ; or furbolg of Northrend may have discovered Pandaria and their culture became more contemplative . War of the Ancients . Though the furbolg were around at the time of the War of the Ancients 10 , 000 years ago , they did not take part in the war against the Burning Legion . However , due to a disturbance in the timeline instigated by the Old Gods , the original timeline was altered . In the new timeline , they were convinced to join an alliance comprising of the night elves , the earthen , and the tauren , against the Burning Legion , created by the dragon - mage Krasus . It was a reluctant truce ( many night elves were xenophobic towards the " lesser races " ) but ultimately successful , and formed the foundation for much of the familiarity and peace between the night elves and later furbolg generations . ( It should be noted that other accounts corroborate that this happened , proven by the fact that the blue dragonflight currently exists . ) They were led by Unng Ak . Recent history . However , the furbolgs ' close connection with the forests was exploited by the Burning Legion during the Third War . As the forests were corrupted , many tribes of the furbolgs became tainted with evil or went completely mad , and began attacking their former allies and destroying the lands they once protected . Individual satyrs , such as Xandivious and Xabraxxis , are also known to be responsible for the damnation of entire tribes . What once were believed to be only whispers and rumors of attacks by savage and cruel bands of furbolg in the night elves ' enchanted forest have become an increasing concern for the Sentinel s . It is thought that the passing of the Burning Legion and the vestiges of its demonic taint drove the simple and peaceful bear - men to madness . Their aged and wizened leaders have been replaced by ruthless firebrands who lead the crazed furbolgs to prey upon the denizens of Ashenvale Forest . Where the furbolgs coexisted peacefully with the night elves for ages , with claw and fang they now seek to carve out their own home in the endless forest . Currently , many of these renegade furbolg tribes remain on the loose , and are considered a grave threat to nearby settlements . Those few furbolg tribes who do remain uncorrupted have become withdrawn and suspicious , fearing that any outsider may bring corruption and madness to them as well . Culture . " " Faced with the unexpected attacks by demon s , undead and their own people , the furbolgs joined the fight , putting their generations of hunting experience to more violent purposes . Formidable warriors , they ’ ve always been . Formidable soldier s , well , that is a newer concept . Some furbolgs hired themselves as mercenaries to forces on both sides . " " " After the war , emissaries from both the Alliance and the Horde ( advised by the night elves and the tauren , I expect ) approached the furbolgs and invited them into the affiliations , but they declined both . Perhaps it was their reluctance to choose between their friends , the night elves and the tauren . They do seem to be closer to the night elves , but I don ’ t think they want to claim themselves the enemies of the tauren simply by association . Perhaps they simply felt their problems had always been their own , and they would make their current problems their own as well . They are a proud folk . " " " When not attempting to heal their forests or their own people , furbolgs focus on hunting the Legion ’ s agents , who they blame mostly for their plight . You do not want to get between a furbolg and a demon . To keep life on track , more young furbolgs than ever are training to become shaman , seeing the holy men and women as the only adults who seem calm in these days of horror and uncertainty . With half of the population looking to pick up the spear ( although they are deadly enough with their claws and bite ) and the other half studying the magic of nature , the furbolgs are a people whose society is changing . " " " One positive thing the war has done for the furbolgs is get them more acquainted with the world outside their forests . Formerly only the friends of the night elves and tauren , beings of the forest , and a self - contained people , now the furbolgs are watching the movements — political or otherwise — of the Alliance and Horde ; traveling more ; learning more about the world outside their forests ; and widening their view of life as it applies to them in this new and harsher world . " " ~ Attributed to Brann Bronzebeard Languages . Furbolgs have their own language , Ursine , and a few speak Darnassian . Furbolgs sometimes learn the languages of their friends and , occasionally , their enemies , including , Common , Low Common , and even Taur - ahe . Some furbolgs speak common and low common as primary languages . Horde players are able to briefly converse with the furbolgs of Blackmaw Hold in Azshara during the quest using Briaroot Brew . Affiliation . Independent . Furbolgs have long been friends of the night elves and regard the tauren with esteem . They are wary of all other races . The night elves attempted to convince the Blackmaw furbolgs of Azshara to join the Alliance ; they would have succeeded , if not for . Faith . Furbolgs are tied to nature . Some accounts have them worshipping primitive godlike figures ( they venerate the bear twins , Ursoc and Ursol ) , ) but primarily they revere nature and the spirits of the world . The bear twins are the primary patrons of those who believe in a balance between nature and all living creatures . The furbolg are the most fervent followers of the bear twins in the present day , following in their magical tradition and carving their fortress , Timbermaw Hold , in the form of a gigantic , growling bear head . The Hold is the shrine to the Ancients Ursoc and Ursol . Furbolgs try to mimic the ales made by Ursoc . Furbolg leaders are shaman or druids — which furbolgs usually also call shaman , making little distinction between the two practices . Furbolg priests are unheard of ; only those who break far from furbolg society would follow the path of a deity or philosophy . Ursa totemic s follow the paths of the bear twins . Names . Furbolg names tend to be simple and denote important characteristics about the individual . Appearance . Furbolgs resemble bears with a few humanoid characteristics — bipedal gait , dexterous hands , and the ability to speak . They dress in loose loincloths or togas when they wear anything at all . Fur color normally ranges from light brown to black , and white furbolgs from Northrend are called polar furbolg s . Fur color also denotes status in the tribe : shaman have gray fur , and black fur marks the most powerful furbolg fighters . Furbolgs are big and strong , averaging 7 to 10 feet in height and 3 feet in width . Many furbolgs continue to grow even after they reach maturity , adding layers of muscle . Furbolgs weigh 300 to 400 pounds on average , though some reach 500 pounds . Region . Most furbolg tribes live in isolated villages in Ashenvale Forest . A few live in other wilderness areas on Kalimdor . Grizzlemaw , in the Grizzly Hills region in Northrend , is by some accounts the center of furbolg civilization . Furbolgs do often place totems around their territory . Tribes / Clans . " Uncorrupted furbolg tribes " . Barkskin . An additional uncorrupted furbolg named Krolg , once a member of the Foulweald tribe , can be spoken to in Ashenvale with the aid of Dartol ' s Rod of Transformation . A hostile furbolg clan found in Darkshore , Ashenvale , and Felwood . The Foulweald are a tribe of hostile furbolgs who reside in Ashenvale and are viewed as a possible threat by the Horde . Though originally peaceful , the insidious effects of Fel Moss have caused the Gnarlpine to go berserk and attack their former allies , the night elves . The Blackwood tribe was corrupted by Xabraxxis until a group of Alliance adventurers slew the involved satyr and purified the Blackwood with an offering of blessed fruit , nuts and grains . The Thistlefur are a tribe of hostile furbolgs who reside in Ashenvale . They are viewed as a annoyance by the Horde as their village blocks the way to Splintertree Post , and gives the Alliance an extra expansion path . " Corrupted furbolg tribes " . Thistlefur . They were cured by Broll Bearmantle when he cleansed the Idol of Remulos off its corruption . Former allies of the Timbermaw Furbolgs , they have grown increasingly aggressive to them and other inhabitants of Winterspring . As Salfa explains , they are now at war , so killing Winterfall furbulgs will increase your reputation in Timbermaw Hold . Winterfall . A female Dwarf , Donova Snowden , needs some aid in researching the reasons for their hostility . They were corrupted by the Satyr Xandivious . The Bristlelimb are a tribe of furbolg living on Azuremyst Isle . Enemies of the Stillpine . " Northrend Furbolg tribes " . Grizzly Hills is the homeland of the furbolg , and outnumber every other race there combined . In central Grizzly Hills the only known furbolg city , Grizzlemaw hold but half their number , the rest are gathered in clans and scattered throughout the region . The following are the known clans / tribes , however , there are more out there . Furbolg form . A furbolg form can be obtained by using obtained in the Alliance - only Ashenvale quest line * . It is by using this item that the character is able to speak to Krolg . Myth . Furbolgs are probably loosely based on the " Fir Bolg " of Irish mythology . The " Fir Bolg " were a pre - Celtic race who inhabited Ireland millennia ago ; as with most such beings , it is unclear whether they were human , near - human , or something else entirely . The " Fir Bolg " were forced out of Ireland by the " Tuatha de Danaan " , who are vaguely similar to elves .