Durotan

Durotan is a fictional character from the Warcraft computer game series.

Biography
Durotan was the son of Garad, chieftain of the Frostwolf Clan. Before reaching the age of "adulthood" amongst the orcish people, he met a young Blackrock orc named Orgrim during a Kosh'harg festival - a biannual event where the orcish clans gathered in the shadow of the sacred mountain Oshu'gun. The two became lifelong friends, despite their being from different clans.

When they were challenging one another to friendly tests of skill in the shadows of Terokkar Forest, they were surprised by an ogre and would have been killed if not for the intervention of a draenei raiding party led by a guard captain named Restalaan. Taking the two young orcs to his city of Telmor, carefully hidden via a very powerful crystal (one of the shards of the ata'mal crystal that was used to aid the draenei escape from Argus millennia earlier), Restalaan informed them that the Prophet, Velen the Divine, was visiting the city and had invited the young orcs to dine with him. They spoke at great lengths with the Prophet that night, learning much about the draenei (Durotan himself admitted that he had learned more than most of his people had in the last century), and in turn Velen learned more about the people they had shared this world with.

Some years later, Durotan's father Garad was killed by a gronn, and Durotan became chieftain of the Frostwolf Clan. It was around this time that the orcish clans - guided by the elder shaman Ner'zhul of the Shadowmoon Clan - began battling the draenei, convinced (supposedly) by their ancestors that the draenei were plotting against them. This turned out to be an elaborate ruse created by the demonlord Kil'jaeden, formerly Velen's best friend and now his sworn nemesis, to destroy the renegades once and for all. Over time, Kil'jaeden began teaching warlock magics and necromancy to the orcs, beginning with his most eager pupil - Ner'zhul's power-hungry apprentice, Gul'dan. At first, Durotan accepted the use of warlock magics in his clan, but over time - aided by his mate, Draka - made his anger and disgust open enough to attract Gul'dan's attention. When the orcish clans were assembled to drink the blood of the Pit Lord Mannoroth, Durotan refused to partake, and forbade his clan from doing likewise. He had received the details of the exact nature of Gul'dan's treachery from Ner'zhul, once a willing servant of Kil'jaeden and now opposed as much as Durotan - but unable to do anything about it. Quite some time later, after the opening of the Dark Portal, Durotan and the Frostwolf Clan were exiled from the Horde, and made their home in the Alterac Mountains.

Durotan accepted his exile without complaint - until the day that his son was born. It was then that he realized that he had to act on the information...and ally with his lifelong comrade, Orgrim Doomhammer - now Warchief of the Horde and chieftain of the Blackrock Clan, and another who had refused to drink the Blood of Mannoroth. Travelling to Doomhammer's camp with their child in tow, Durotan and Draka explained everything they knew. Doomhammer, who knew that his friend spoke truth, had one of his warriors escort him to a place where they would be safe, until both Durotan and Doomhammer could confront Gul'dan. However, the warrior entrusted to lead Durotan to safety was one of Gul'dan's spies, and summoned assassins to kill the Frostwolf chieftain instead. Draka was the first to fall, but Durotan managed to account for at least one of the assassins before he was felled. Attempting to reach out to his son, Durotan was dismembered and left to die...but his son survived, raised by humans, and given the name Thrall - and would later find his destiny and free his people from the demonic corruption, a cause that Durotan had given his life for.

After the Battle of Mount Hyjal, Thrall and the orcs settled on the eastern coast of Kalimdor. Thrall named the new land Durotar, in honor of his slain father.

Durotan's body was apparently recovered and buried in the Frostwolf lands in Alterac Valley. His grave marker, known as the Rock of Durotan, can be found near the Horde's entrance to the Valley. The inscription on it reads:

Here lies Durotan - first Chieftain of the Frostwolf Clan,

and father of our honored Warchief, Thrall.

He was the bravest of our kind - betrayed by those who would see our people enslaved.

Durotan gave his life that our freedom might be gained.

We honor him - and the legacy he passed on to us through his son.

Drek'Thar, Far Seer of the Frostwolves

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