The Grip

The Grip was once a sprawling example of peace and unity for the people of Gilneas, a part of the United Marches of the Plains, the majority of the Plains sunk into the ocean during the Cataclysm. Home to the warrior family of the Callans and their descendants, the McCallans, the region housed the family up until the destruction of the Plains. Investigation into the region later showed that a single habitable landmass yet remained of the area, just barely housing the extremely shattered remains of Karth and some of the famed plains.

The resulting upheaval has otherwise left the Grip in a poor state in comparison to its historical one. The upheaval and smashing of land masses against one another has left the grip as a solitary island with mountains raised in various regions that were once plains. As a result, the terrain of the region has changed drastically.

Locations
Due to the severe shift in the terrain after the Cataclysm, most historical locations of the Grip are either completely destroyed and sunk or smashed apart from the movements of land. As a result, most locations in modern time are entirely new.

Karth-Coinnigh
Once the capitol of the House of McCallan, Karth now lays in the hands of the Kar'gal Warband, a war host that is led by Warlord Kar'gal Skullcleaver. Looking nothing like its former state, Karth's location was merely chosen for its strategic mountains and the strip of land just south of it usable as a port. Retaining its name due to Jarran McCallan, Karth is a fortress of Horde make. Iron and orcish infrastructure has completely removed any past remnants of the city, leaving very little to be reclaimed of the region. Ancient artifacts have, for the most part, been either left in their crypts or destroyed by the construction.

The city was later claimed by the Wickers under Kolrick an Dualach-laoch, and held as a city for the faction until the group rebelled against the Wicker King. Now the capitol of the Gnarled Confederation, Karth lays as a fortress of Galuyn power.

Kolrick's Claim
A port just south of Karth. Having been the location of the invasion's landing, hence the name, it has been made into the central port of the island. After Gray Company assassinated the leadership of the Horde's fleets in the region, its fortifications and patrols doubled. As a result, where infiltration was possible before, it has now become an iron clad region of power similar to the city it is attached to.

This security was upheld under Kolrick, whom renamed the region in his honor as he gifted it to the Wavewalkers under his command.

Dualach-laoch Valley
The secondary base of command on the Grip, it was once known as Vol'watha. It was created to make use of the region's lands for food and to reduce the need for supplies from back in Orgrimmar. Led by War-Rider Kazra'tan, the second in command of the Warband, most of the trolls of the Horde make their home in this region. To aid with the defense of the area, darker casters also make themselves present in the area; something that fits in well with the troll's voodoo.

It remains key to the production of the area under the Gnarled Confederation, and is where the majority of the non-warrior clansmen reside. It also houses the Forest Trolls of the Gnarled, whom allied with the Galuyn people after the Horde was defeated.

Runok's Watch
While originally intended as a mining outfit, Runok's watch inadvertently became a pseudo-holding area for the Tauren of the Warband. Led by Runok Skyhorn, the clan faced immediate friction upon meeting up with their Forsaken allies due to the daughter of the chieftain, Saea Skyhorn. Fiercely opposed to any sort of undead, Saea instigated an argument with one of the Forsaken commanders that led to a fight. Having killed the commander, the young Sunwalker's death was narrowly avoided by the intervention of her father. Now poised to defend the region from the alliance, the Skyhorn Tribe tenuously holds onto the pact made by their race, slowly losing faith in it every day. Assigned along with the Tauren was the rest of the Bilgewater in the region under "Boss" Jansy Hotfoot, a high ranking goblin official, and a Revantusk Troll named Zen'ta. This ultimately culminated in the tribe's defection after the overlord of the post, Voodoo Priestess Zen'ta, threatened to murder several prisoners in response to the Gilnean's approach. Unwilling to be a part of the dishonorable action, the Chieftain held his tribe back while the Goblins attacked the Gilneans. Persuaded by Berenal Grayblade and Maribell Cobalstant, the Chieftain stood down and defected to the Gilnean's side in exchange for the valley. With their conditions met, the Gilneans aided with freeing some of the Skyhorns from the mines of the Watch and then descended into the valley.

Alongside Runok and his daughter, Saea Skyhorn, the Tauren-Gilnean alliance swarmed the valley to free what remained of the Tribe. Enraged with Grenal's betrayal, Jansy desired revenge and led the charge in her hotrod, though was ultimately slain by Doargo Kelzu. The group eventually overtook the valley, taking down Zen'ta and her men and freeing the remaining Tauren. With the Tauren's new home secure, the Gilneans set out for Vol'watha with Saea and her Sunwalker braves in tow.

Runok's Watch now houses the Skyhorn Tribe with the Duchy's approval. Well protected behind Shaeuna's Pinnacle, a large wall constructed and named for Runok's fallen lifemate, the valley is mostly a peaceful place.

Cogshanks Cove
Home to the Cogshanks Outfit and Grenal Cogshanks, the ex-Bilgewater goblins were once tasked with ensuring the orcs of the port would construct their weapons of war with (cost) efficiency and to (goblin) standard. For the most part, the port did just that, though the arrival of the Blades and the Duchy promptly resulted in the once promising operation to be completely destroyed outside of the port. While held at weapon point, Grenal and his men quickly swapped sides upon finding their benefactors to be hopelessly outmatched.

Ultimately, this proved beneficial for the would-be mogul, as he later secured an exclusive contract with the Duchy to retain the port's operations for their own as well as to employ his men under their service. Forming the Cogshanks Outfit, Grenal now runs the port in the name of the Gilneans, enjoying the benefits of his savvy (scummy) business decisions.

Jackson Hold
Established by the Equine Guard and named for the slain Jackson McCallan, Jackson Hold was brutally taken over by the Horde and used to house the Forsaken of the warband after their incident with the Skyhorn tauren. Working on vile experiments in their isolation, the Forsaken promptly proceeded to execute and raise most of the captured Equine Guard, including commander Anika Graveholme. After their original commander was slain by Saea Skyhorn, the forsaken fell under the leadership of Jarran McCallan, having been raised from the crypts of Karth. Quick to take charge of the risen Equine Guard, now the Deathriders, Jarran reinforced the perimeter and placed the Obsidian Terror to use as a defensive placement.

Unwilling to kill his own kin, Amy McCallan, Jarran instead left her in a pen in squalor and tortured the young knight for information. This would ultimately be Amy's saving grace, as the Hold would later be reclaimed by Gilnean forces invading the Grip to remove the Warband from its occupation. With Amy saved and the Hold recaptured, it was re-purposed as a forward base and given to the command of Emery Talton and his Royal Armsmen for the time being.

Garn's Landing
Following the purge of Jackson Hold, the Blades Landing Site was expanded into a port named Garn's Landing in order to facilitate a stronger holding on the island. With Jackson Hold surrounded by plagued forest, Garn's Landing was re-designated as the position of power on the Grip for the Blades, named for the late war hero, Garn Talton.