Shattered Hand orc

**Language(s)** | Orcish

"*Do not fear pain. Embrace it. Use it. Then no one can stand against you.*"
—Kargath Bladefist

The **orcs** of the **Shattered Hand clan** are named for the practice of self-mutilation that every grunt in the clan must perform. Led by Kargath Bladefist, the Shattered Hand remained on Draenor while the majority of the orcish clans, led by Blackhand, traveled through the Dark Portal into Azeroth. Upon the return of the Bleeding Hollow clan from Azeroth, Kargath volunteered his clan to make war against the humans. When Draenor was destroyed, a part of his clan was stranded along with the Bleeding Hollow and Warsong clans.

## History

### Birth

These orcs, including Kargath, were raised as slaves by the ogres of the Gorian Empire. They were imprisoned and held beneath Highmaul for many years. Striving for his own freedom, Kargath became a gladiator fighting in the Highmaul arena. The price each gladiator had to pay for their own freedom was to take one hundred orcish lives while fighting in the arena. Like his compatriots, Kargath fought in the arena for his freedom as well. Having won every battle against his opponents, Kargath marched out of Highmaul, only to discover the promise of freedom to be a lie. Kargath was thrown into a dungeon beneath the arena, and in a desperate bid to escape he severed his hand, which had been bound by shackles, in frustration and rage. The other orc slaves, seeing his resolve, followed in his footsteps and did the same. They followed Kargath in his uprising against the ogres and helped him slay the emperor. Kargath showed the severed head of the emperor to his followers, and they raised their severed hands, armed with blades, cheering at him. This moment marked the birth of the Shattered Hand clan.

### Rise of the Horde

The clan was present when Ner'zhul announced the Draenei as the enemies of the orcs. Later, the clan was present at Throne of Kil'jaeden when Gul'dan proposed to the orcs to drink the Blood of Mannoroth.

### Beyond the Dark Portal

When Ner'zhul called the clan's chiefs to join him, only Kargath and Grommash answered it. He stayed at the side of Ner'zhul along with Kilrogg in Hellfire Citadel. When Nerz'hul had Eye of Dalaran and Jeweled Scepter of Sargeras in his hand, he left the citadel, ordering to Shattered Hand to delay the alliance. If he survived, they could find him in the Black Temple. After a battle, the Alliance eventually took the citadel and Kargath left with his orcs. Later, Kargath and his clan sailed for Garadar in order to recruit them. However, they were weak and useless. Kargath left them in Nagrand. Time passed and Kargath could not see why he had to keep his allegiance to Ner'zhul. He had enough power to take again the citadel for himself.

Two factions of the Shattered Hand also exist, one based in Azeroth and loyal to Thrall and the New Horde, while the other is formed by corrupted fel orcs and is based in Outland.

### The Shattered Hand in the New Horde

The members of the Shattered Hand that remained in Azeroth became an integral part of Thrall's New Horde. With the foundation of Durotar, and the Horde capital of Orgrimmar, the Shattered Hand has become the Horde's clan of assassins, training new rogues in the service of their Warchief. However, as with all rogues, the extent of their loyalty is unknown; one member, Zando'zan, states that he has foreseen the death of Thrall, but whether this is just a premonition he had of the Warchief's demise or that he or the Shattered Hand in Orgrimmar plans to kill Thrall remains a mystery. However Wrenix the Wretched, Zando'zan's contact, does point out that he's not quite sane and that his words perhaps should not be taken seriously.

### The Cataclysm

Garrosh used the Shattered Hand assassins to attack the Deadmines. The goal was to take the Juggernaut for the Horde in order to to aid in the ongoing war against the Alliance.

### Fel orcs of the Shattered Hand

Unbeknown to any until now, Kargath Bladefist at some point became a fel orc, presumably by drinking the blood of the Pit Lord Magtheridon, the former Lord of Outland. Now in the service of the current Lord of Outland, Illidan Stormrage (Magtheridon had been deposed sometime after his return), Kargath is the self-declared Warchief of the Fel Horde, ruling from the Shattered Halls in Hellfire Citadel.

Much of his clan, now fel orcs as well, are camped along the Path of Glory leading up to Hellfire Citadel from the Dark Portal, as well as in the breaches in the northern and southern ramparts. They also make up the majority of the forces inside the Shattered Halls, including archers, gladiators, and assassins.

## Appearance

Shattered Hand orcs have white skin and are more bulky than the standard orcs. They have red or orange eyes.

In recent years, most Shattered Hand orcs are depicted as green orcs or fel orcs.

## Culture

* The Shattered Hand celebrate victory in battle with self-mutilation. Their most celebrated warriors are covered with scars and piercings, and it becomes increasingly difficult with age to tell which were inflicted by enemies or by the triumphant orc.
* Taking their namesake literally, warriors of the Shattered Hand clan will ritualistically smash their own hand before cutting it off. This blade, which resembles a simple butcher's cleaver, is heavily weighted to assist in making a single clean cut at the wrist. The stump is cauterized and replaced with one of many varieties of weaponry. Kargath Bladefist and Watchkeeper Gargolmar seem to have both hands replaced by the time of *The Burning Crusade*, so this may be a sign of high rank.