Twilight's Hammer clan
| {{#ifeq:-|-||Template:Sort}}[[File:{{#switch:neutral|alliance=Alliance|boss=Boss|combat=Combat|hostile=Combat|horde=Horde|aldor=Aldor|scryers=Scryers|kirin tor=Kirin Tor|rare=Rare|elite=Elite|both=Both|kyrian=Kyrian|necrolord=Necrolord|night fae=Night Fae|venthyr=Venthyr|neutral|#default=Neutral}}_{{#switch:{{{2}}}|xlarge=64|large=32|small=15|#default=32}}.png|{{#switch:neutral|alliance=Alliance|boss=Boss|combat=Mob|hostile=Mob|horde=Horde|aldor=Aldor|scryers=Scryers|kirin tor=Kirin Tor|rare=Rare|elite=Elite|both=Alliance & Horde|kyrian=Kyrian|necrolord=Necrolord|night fae=Night Fae|venthyr=Venthyr|neutral|#default=Neutral}}|link={{#switch:neutral|alliance=Alliance|boss=Mob|combat=Mob|hostile=Combat|horde=Horde|aldor=Aldor|scryers=Scryers|kirin tor=Kirin Tor|rare=Rare mob|elite=Elite mob|kyrian=Kyrian Covenant|necrolord=Necrolord Covenant|night fae=Night Fae Covenant|venthyr=Venthyr Covenant|both|neutral|#default=Faction}}]]Twilight Hammer's clan | |
|---|---|
{{#if:Twilight's Hammer flag WCII.png| }}Twilight's Hammer flag, circa Second War | |
| Main leader | Unknown |
| Formerly |
[[File:IconSmall_{{#switch:ogremage |night elf=NightElf |blood elf=BloodElf |high elf=HighElf |#default=OgreMage}}{{#if:|_{{{2}}}}}.gif|{{#ifeq:{{{3}}}|Large|26px|16px}}]] Cho'gall† |
| Secondary leaders |
[[File:IconSmall_{{#switch:human
|night elf=NightElf
|blood elf=BloodElf
|high elf=HighElf
|#default=Human}}{{#if:Male|_Male}}.gif|{{#ifeq:{{{3}}}|Large|26px|16px}}]] Vyral the Vile |
| Race(s) |
[[File:IconSmall_{{#switch:orc
|night elf=NightElf
|blood elf=BloodElf
|high elf=HighElf
|#default=Orc}}{{#if:Male|_Male}}.gif|{{#ifeq:{{{3}}}|Large|26px|16px}}]][[File:IconSmall_{{#switch:orc
|night elf=NightElf
|blood elf=BloodElf
|high elf=HighElf
|#default=Orc}}{{#if:Female|_Female}}.gif|{{#ifeq:{{{3}}}|Large|26px|16px}}]] Orc |
| Theater of operations | Silithus, Darkshore, Blackrock Mountain |
| Language(s) | Orcish |
| Affiliation | Old Gods |
| Formerly | Orcish Horde |
| Status | Active |
| {{#if:|Reputation}} | |
| Tabard | {{#if:|[[File:{{{tabard}}}|90px]]}} |
The Twilight's Hammer clan (aka the Twilight Cult, the Twilight's Hammer cult, or the Twilight's Hammer) refers to a single organization that originated as an orcish clan and later changed into a cult, as the clan's surviving members and other races joined together. The Twilight Hammer's current members banded together to study Cho'gall's teachings and form the current cult. The organization is still considered a clan, but the true clan exists within the cult. The true clan members are not the cult's primary members nor do they make up most of the cult's membership. The current Twilight's Hammer organization is a bit different than its original form. However, no matter which form the Twilight's Hammer has taken, it has always had the ultimate purpose of bringing about Armageddon to the worlds it inhabits, and will use various means to obtain this end.
History
Second War
Obsessed with the notion that the Horde was the harbinger of apocalyptic doom to all the lands that it ravages, the Twilight's Hammer felt a sacrosanct gratification in the destruction of all that it encounters. Led by the cunning Ogre Mage Cho'gall, the Twilight’s Hammer had strong ties to Gul'dan and the Stormreaver Clan. Its loyalty to the Horde was not as strong as its belief in its sacred mission of oblivion.<ref>Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness manual, Clans of the Horde, Twilight's Hammer Clan</ref>
After coming to Azeroth the Twilight's Hammer clan, alongside with the Bleeding Hollow clan under the leadership of Kilrogg Deadeye, led the orcish forces in the first attack on Stormwind Keep. The battle went horribly, as the Horde had not expected such resilient persistence against them. The two clan leaders blamed each other.<ref>Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness manual, The History of Orcish Ascension, The Mastery of Forces - Medivh and Blackhand</ref>
Cho’gall survived the rise and fall of Blackhand, and the destruction of the Shadow Council. He served a useful purpose to Doomhammer who, with Gul’dan, wished to bring Ogres through the Portal to enforce inter-clan civility. Cho’gall was placed as overseer for the oil refineries in Tol Barad.<ref>The Badlands (WC2 Orc)</ref>
When Gul’dan discovered the Tomb of Sargeras, Cho’gall believed that it would herald Armageddon, and so was quick to unlock its secrets. But he, and the rest of his clan, would die at the hands of their own brethren, when Doomhammer ordered the traitors destroyed.<ref>The Tomb of Sargeras (WC2 Orc)</ref><ref>Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos Game Manual, Orcish History, Gul'dan and the Betrayal</ref> The surviving members of Twilight's Hammer retreated for a time, rebuilding its forces and biding its time. Afterwards, those of the Twilight's Hammer, Stormreaver and Blackrock clans who died in that battle kept reliving it in their undeath, until the night elf warden Maiev Shadowsong put them to rest.<ref>The Broken Isles (WC3 NightElf)</ref>
Current day
While the truth behind how this happened remains a mystery, the modern Twilight's Hammer retains the destructive nature of Cho'gall's clan, but almost nothing else. Somehow, one of the Old Gods has managed to make this clan its pawn; and since that time, the clan's numbers and power have dramatically increased. Even humans and other former members of the Alliance flock to join the service of the elemental lords and help bring about the complete destruction of Azeroth. The organization now seems to have a strange fixation on the Old Gods, worshipping Ragnaros and seeking power from such eldritch places as Maraudon, which has very strong ties to the element of Earth, and thus may hold powers long held at rest. They also show strong resistance in Blackfathom Deeps, the submerged domain of the Old God's servant, Aku'mai, and Silithus, where savage winds blow across the desert outside the ruined city of Ahn'Qiraj, domain of mighty C'thun. They even have ambassadors among the dwarves of Blackrock Depths, in the court of Emperor Dagran Thaurissan.
The Twilight's Hammer clan is still seen in Azeroth. The cult was always obsessed with signs of an apocalypse — as had the clan in earlier times — and indeed often sought to bring such doom about by their actions. The Twilight's Hammer has representatives of all races among its members and employs a myriad of classes from simple warriors to Aquamancers and Shadowmages.
In Darkshore, the Hammer may be found in the Master's Glaive, the site of a large skeleton of a dead Old God. In Ashenvale, their presence is felt most powerfully in the Blackfathom Deeps where they worship the ancient beast Aku'mai, favored pet of the Old Gods. Their leader there is Twilight Lord Kelris, an orc caster who sits in meditation before a statue of Queen Azshara. In Ironforge, Gerrig Bonegrip founded the shop Bonegrip's Runes and Dooms for the Twilight's Hammer and assists those seeking to free Princess Myzrael, and the Forsaken Keeper Bel'dugur in Undercity secretly works for the cult as well.
References
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