Orcish Blademaster, picture by pulyx ([1]).
Introduction to the Blademaster[]
NOTE: Lets face facts here, beyond what is readily available on Blademasters from Wowwiki, most of what you read here is headcanon, so take the information with a pinch of salt but at the same time take away whatever you feel makes sense.
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Though their numbers are few, the seasoned Blademasters represent an elite fighting force within the Horde. These skilled swordsmen were once part of the ill-fated Burning Blade Clan which consumed itself in the throes of Demonic corruption. With their Clan scattered and broken, the proud Blademasters swore a grim oath to free themselves and their brethren from Demonic control once and for all. Under Thrall's command, the Blademasters have once again joined the Horde and serve as the Warchief's personal honor guard.
A Blademasters ideology[]
Blademasters are old and hardened warriors who have been at the forefront of every major conflict of the Hordes life, they have seen the very worst and the very best of the Horde.
Blademasters are very spiritual warriors who believe in Thralls teachings, holding great respect for the elements, perhaps to the point of reverence and prayer (Note that Blademasters typically wear prayer beads). Alongside their high regard for the elements and spirits they hold honour above all else, to them honour is what separates the current Horde from its past self.
So what is honour to a Blademaster? Honour being an abstract concept that varies from society to society makes it difficult to say exactly what it is and will generally vary from person to person, but based on a typical Blademasters beliefs and mentality it's most likely that to them honour is fighting with all your strength against a worthy foe, not using dirty, underhanded tricks to achieve victory, but it's not just fighting for the sake of fighting, it is fighting for what you believe in, fighting in defence of the people you care for and sworn to fight for, that is honourable to them.
A Blademasters choice of clothing/weaponry[]
A Blademaster has a very distinct choice in clothing, opting to wear little armour, practically speaking this allows them to remain swift and manoeuvrable, from a traditional standpoint the idea of wearing little armour, specifically wearing no chest armour, is a point of honour in orcish culture, a display of strength. Naturally such a lack of armour can and will leave you exposed and more susceptible to taking damage, heck one direct blow with a sword to the chest could be fatal but the idea is that a Blademaster is confident and well-versed in their swordplay and manoeuvrability that they're capable of dodging/parrying attacks with ease.
The most armour a typical Blademaster is seen to wear are metal/leather wrist guards, along with a couple of sheets of plated metal which hang from the waist along the sides of their thighs.
Armour aside, Blademasters wear simple leather/cloth pants and sandals, the sandals themselves appear to be made from simple wood and rope, though there's nothing to say they could be made from other materials. They also wear large prayer beads around their necks akin to a shaman, again linking in with the idea that they follow shamanism. One last and perhaps most important item a Blademaster would have on their person would be s sashimono (Japanese meaning "small banner" see:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sashimono)
The path of the Blademaster[]
Though the Blademasters were solely of the Burning Blade Clan, nowadays it is easier to become a Blademaster, if only slightly. Only the very best swordsfolk will be granted the title of Blademaster, and one carrying such a title is sure to be a great warrior.
Suggested Representative Classes[]
- Warrior - Arms
Blademasters of the Sha'tar[]
Roleplaying Tips[]
- You are probably going to want to portray your Blademaster as old, they are masters for a reason, veteran warriors with many years of combat under their belt, if you choose to attempt to play a 'young' Blademaster, be prepared to be looked upon, and even mocked, with scepticism, Blademasters are an important part of orcish society and not a title to be taken lightly.
- It cannot be overstated enough how big a mistake it is to just have your Blademaster hang around an inn all day just for the sake of easily accessible random Role Play, they are warriors, their lives revolve around the idea of war and battle and would simply be an eye-sore to see lounging around the Wyvern's Tail. You might think this is too restrictive but the fact is you're choosing to Role Play this class, you have a responsibility to portray it correctly.