Shortly after the start of the Third War, Thrall's Horde split into two separate clans. One of the two, led by the famous Grommash Hellscream, set off to the North, towards the vast luxurious forests of Ashenvale, with the aim to set up a base in the region and harvest wood.
Unfortunately for them, they were attacked by the inhabitants of the forest: the Starseekers, the Shadowleaves, the Nightblades, and the Moonhunters, as well as several factions of the Night Elf army. The latter referred to themselves as the Sentinels, only featuring female Night Elves, Dryads, Treants, and Hippogryphs. Despite the wealth of forces against them, Grom's division was managed to push back the forest dwellers.
Some time later, Grom and his forces came across a detachment of Goblin mercenaries led by Neeloc Greedyfingers, who offered to sell the Orcs his shredders, provided that they agreed to kill a Furbolg Chieftain and scatter his clan. Grom set his soldiers to work on this task, whilst simultaneously conducting an assault on several Sentinel encampments and felling Life trees to construct additional fortifications. He later was able to chase the Night Elves out of eastern Ashenvale entirely and establish additional encampments in their absence.
In the wake of the massacre, Cenarius, the demigod born of Elune and Malorne, led an army of Night Elf and Treant Sentinels and annihilated all Orcish outposts in their path. With their forces crushed, the Orc fled east across the Falfarren river, into Azshara.
In order to see off Cenarius' overpowering forces, several Darkspear Witch Doctors serving under Grom notified their leader of a powerful energy hidden deep within Ashenvale. They claimed that this was the only way the Orcs would be able to overcome the demi-god.
After having annihilated any Furbolgs and Satyrs barring their path, the Orcs finally came across the true nature of the energy: a fountain, contaminated by the Blood of Mannoroth shortly before Cenarius' assault. The Witch Doctor who first discovered the power warned Grom that the water contained a curse, yet the Orc Chieftain ignored his words and ordered all Warsong Orcs to drink deep from the contaminated source, reconnecting them with ancient fel magic. Thanks to this unlimited power, the Warsong clan lay waste to the Sentinels bases and were able to slay Cenarius.
Yet in the immediate aftermath of the slaughter, Mannoroth appeared and enslaved the entire clan, which was made possible by the corrupted water.
Several days later, Thrall and his forces, supported by Cairne Bloodhoof and Jaina Proudmoore, arrived at the outskirts to the forest and were shocked to see what awaited them. Grom's division, alongside an army of demons, waiting to greet them, with weapons borne.
After numerous days of fighting, Thrall managed to capture Grommash's soul in a soul gem and, thanks to High-Elven Priests and Orcish Shamans, was able to remove the corruption that befell the Warsong Chieftain. Hellscream's return led the orcs to Demon Fall Canyon to fight Mannoroth and break his control over the Warsong Clan.
Watch the video below to find out their fate.
Following this legendary battle, the Warsong clan remained in Ashenvale and continued to harvest the forest and withstand attacks from the Sentinels. These Orcish warriors are proud to call themselves the Warsong Outriders.
