Grimtotem Tribe

The Grimtotem tribe is one of the mightiest tauren tribes. They stand as an aggressive extreme of the usually pacifist tauren. They wish to eradicate the "lesser races" from Kalimdor and retake the tauren's long lost ancestral holdings. The Grimtotem tribe fights to eliminate the enemies of the tauren; to the Grimtotem, almost all races are enemies of the tauren. They are known for unprovoked attacks, slaughter and mayhem, in great contrast to the peaceful, spiritual nature of the other tauren clans.

While the Grimtotem name is generations old, the clan as an organization has existed only for a few years. Magatha Grimtotem and her tribe felt that Cairne Bloodhoof’s friendship with the orcs was a bad idea; the tribe felt that Kalimdor belonged to the tauren and that no other race held claim to it. In recent years, the Grimtotems have conducted raid after raid on goblin, centaur, and orc settlements. Some dark tales even hint that the Grimtotems kill tauren who live in non-tauren settlements, considering them as traitors. No one seems to know why the Grimtotems feel this way, though most believe the sentiment either originated from Magatha Grimtotem or her father.

They are currently led by the powerful shaman Magatha Grimtotem, who gained leadership after marrying the previous leader, who had died shortly after in an "unforeseen climbing accident."

The Grimtotem tribe operates mainly in the Stonetalon Mountains and Thousand Needles, though some also live in Thunder Bluff. Two main settlements of Grimtotems exist: Grimtotem Village in the Stonetalon Mountains, and Darkcloud Pinnacle in Thousand Needles. Magatha Grimtotem, leader of the clan, once made her home on Elder Rise in Thunder Bluff. Several hundred Grimtotems used to live in Thunder Bluff as well, to be close to the Elder Crone, but their influence was limited. Today, Magatha Grimtotem continues to hold power and influence over the tribe.

The Grimtotem "Split"
Displeased with the new Warchief, Cairne challenges Garrosh Hellscream to an honorable duel to the death. Secretly, Magatha Grimtotem poisons Garrosh's axe, and Cairne falls after only a shallow wound in the duel. The Grimtotems take advantage of Cairne's death and quickly seize control of Thunder Bluff and other major Taurensettlements. Narrowly escaping an attempt on his life, with the help of a Grimtotem defector named Jevan "Stormsong" Grimtotem, Baine Bloodhoof steps up to become High Chieftain of the Tauren and leads an attack against the Grimtotem, retaking Thunder Bluff. Baine gives the surviving Grimtotems a choice: swear loyalty to the Horde and be led by Stormsong as a reformed tribe, or be banished to the Stonetalon Mountains with Magatha. About a quarter of the Grimtotem agree to swear loyalty to the Horde, the rest leaving with Magatha.

The remaining Grimtotem under Magatha have not fared too well following their banishment. The Horde army led by Overlord Krom'gar burned down Camp Aparaje, and all that remains are Horde generals patrolling its ruins. In desperation, the Grimtotem strike up an alliance of convenience with the Alliance forces within Stonetalon. Magatha herself becomes captured by the Twilight's Hammer clan in Thousand Needles. Yet despite these setbacks the Magatha's followers were able to successfully conquer Freewind Post, albeit due to treachery from within. The Tauren of Freewind were not the only ones to suffer from the Grimtotem as Orno Grimtotem and his forces were successfully able to corrupt the water wells in Mulgore. However these victories would be short lived.

Not only would Baine's tauren forces heal the water wells but Orno would die at Baine's hands. Later on both the Horde and the Alliance, due to hostilities being re-opened between them and Magatha's Grimtotem, would begin attacking the Grimtotem based in Thousand Needles. This combined assault would lead to the death of the Thousand Needles Grimtotem leadership, with aid and blessing of their Magatha Grimtotem herself. For her part Magatha claims to have done this to remove her clan of incompetent leaders.

While the future of Magatha's Grimtotem is uncertain Magatha was able to escape her containment and acquire the Doomstone, a magical device capable of absorbing and amplifying elemental power.

Ever mindful of outside world it was discovered that the Grimtotem of Feralas were planning an attack on the Horde forces in the region, while they were distracted from their victory over Theramore. However it is unknown if the local leadership or Magatha herself was planning the attack.

Up to the time before the mists lifted from Pandaria, all the Grimtotem who had joined Stormsong to create the Horde's Grimtotem faction, such as Tarakor and his family, have faired much better. They have proven to be as good as their word, and remain loyal to Baine.