Execution of Hranu Hawktotem

The following exerpts are accounts of the events leading up to the execution of Hranu Hawktotem at the hands of the Grand Alliance. Much controversy surrounded the fate of the Tauren.

Exerpt: An Honorable Man
Candles flickered in the dimly lit great hall of Westbrook Keep, the furnishings arranged to accommodate a trial. Burly guards wielding halberds lined its walls. The twelve seats in the back of the hall were filled by the jury, aged men garbed in black robes. At the hall's center, the judge, ancient in his own right with sharp gray streaks in his black hair, stood silently, tightening his grip on the wooden gavel in his fingers as he eyed the front of the hall coldly. The square-jawed plaintiff, adorned in a formal military dress of the Stormwind Army, stood beside the judge's stand with his fat-fingered hands clasped behind his lower back.

''"Make way for the prisoner!"

Two guards withdrew their halberds that were crossed over the entrance to the hall with a clank, bringing them into their armored sides. Dull thumps were soon heard as Hranu Hawktotem shuffled into the hall, bound in wrought-iron chains that held his wrists and ankles. He was accompanied by several armored guards, and followed by a man marked by his flowing blue cape and blackened eye-patch. As Hranu advanced to the center of the hall, the man and accompanying escort filed to stand at benches in front of the judge's stand.

All eyes were on the massive tauren. The judge's dry and wrinkled features tightened as he squinted at the approaching behemoth, nodding once when he recognized the bull-man's form. He slammed his gavel upon his stand, seating the assembly. After clearing his throat, the plaintiff spoke.

''"The prosecution charges Hranu Hawktotem with war crimes against the mortal races of Azeroth. The tauren took part in the slaughter of scores of unarmed innocents of the Alliance, and has aided the orcish Horde in their war against the Kingdom of Stormwind."

After waiting for the plaintiff to finish his opening statement, the judge looked to Hranu, his gray eyes staring coldly. The man that had brought Hranu into the hall steepled his gloved fingers and sighed, elbows resting on his knees. Hranu's gaze leveled with the Judge, his tail flicking to the side as a show of his internal agitation. He snorted.

''"Hranu denies none of these claims. I have murdered -- massacred unarmed innocents. I was Grimtotem."

Several baffled gasps were heard from the jury as Hranu so boldly admitted his guilt -- the black stain on his soul. The caped man shook his head, watching Hranu with knowing pity. The plaintiff's eyes widened in his fat head. The judge, eyes still locked with Hranu's, nodded slowly.

''"So be it."

The judge turned to the jury and spoke in a low, solemn tone, remaining formal although the verdict already hung thick in the air.

''"Jury of the crown's court. On the decision of Hranu Hawktotem's guilt for such crimes, cast thy word in writing to me."

Shuffling in their seats, the jurors wrote on scrips of parchment with feathered quills at their desks. The judge slammed his gavel upon his stand twice, and the jury brought their parchment to him one by one. Hranu watched each of the jurors as they passed, his fists clenched as he was bound in chains. After taking the time to look over the scrips of parchment, the judge slammed his gavel upon the stand once, again seating the assembly. The judge cleared his throat, his gaze above Hranu's head as he looked to the front of the hall.

"Hranu Hawktotem has been convicted guilty of his crimes."

Hranu nodded soundly, silent as he stood rigidly at the center of the hall. The caped man rose from his chair, giving a slight bow before speaking, his bushy eyebrows furled and features grim.

''"Your honor. With Hranu's verdict of guilt, I plead. I have fought this tauren on several fronts, and in all cases, he has fought with honor. When I was his tribe's prisoner in Mulgore, Hranu upheld graces unto me not before seen by the Orcish Horde. Your honor, I plead that Hranu be given a warrior's death, where he might atone for his sins on the Molten Front, to fight to his end - As I know him to be an honorable man."

The judge and plaintiff glared angrily at the man, their gaze sour and condemning. Hranu sighed deeply and looked to the ground. The judge's gavel slammed once again upon his stand as he spat out his words, his mouth twisted into a snarl.

''"Hranu sealed his fate when he allied himself with the savage orcs. Your request is denied, Lord Montclair.

''Hranu Hawktotem, for your crimes against the Alliance, you are sentenced to death by the noose!"

Exerpt: Jeremaias' Concern
Jeremaias removed his reading glasses and set down the news bulletin with a sigh.

''"What's the matter, Jeremy?" the young woman asked, looking up from the tray she was filling up with soup bowls and bread.

''"They convicted Hranu, the tauren prisoner," he told her. "Convicted him on his confession."

''"The sentence?"

''"Hanging."

''"Well. It's good that he's going to pay, right?"

''"It is. He showed no remorse, says the paper. Childkillers must not be tolerated, in any event."

''"So what's bothering you, Jeremy?"

''"Lord Montclair tried to plead for him."

''"WHAT!"

''"Neraine, you'll wake the baby."

Neraine lowered her voice. ''"But...All right, what do you mean?"

''"It says here he tried to have the sentence commuted to compulsory military service--despite that it makes little sense. I am concerned that Lord Montclair is allowing his personal experiences with the tauren to interfere with his loyalty to the Alliance. I begin to question...What might they have done to him while he was their prisoner? What propaganda, what enchantments, what could they have done?"

Neraine set the tray on the table and came around to where her husband was sitting. ''"I know you admire him, Jeremy."

''"I did--I hope I still may. But I worry that he stands on the verge of treason for the sake of a man who does not deserve it. And should that happen..." He trailed off, his eyes distant.

''"And should that happen?" Neraine prompted.

''"Should that happen, then he becomes the enemy." Jeremaias looked at the tray. "Is supper ready? That smells very good. I'm quite hungry, in fact. Do let's eat."

Neraine knew better than to try to change the subject back. He'd think about it again when he could endure it.

Exerpt: Hranu's Reflections
Hranu held his head high throughout the trial -- He knew the wrongs he had done, and he knew he must eventually pay for them. His greying fur was marked with the scars of war; various scars from axes, gunshot, swords, spells -- Most of his upper body was incased in white bandage, regularly changed.

He accepted the verdict; even the sentence. He would die as an enemy of the Allaince, just as he always thought. His allies among the Druids would be there, and spread the message across the world. A Chieftain would die on the morrow.

His Tribe would weep for their Chieftain; his friends and allies as well. His body to be burned and scattered to the wind and returned to the earth. Many songs, poems, and stories would be told around the campfire of his heroism in the name of the Horde; many songs, poems, and stories would mark him as a villain to the Alliance.

Hranu said no words to his captors after his sentence -- They merely guided him back to his cell. All along the way, however, he was grinning; smiling while singing a quiet song of his ancestors. The elaborate Taurahe words would likely go over his captor's heads.

"The Keepers of the Dead", as Hranu called them, would carve a grand totem, just like his father and grandfather before him. The totem told the story of his life, in elaborate Taurahe runes. He would be placed with the rest of those who have fallen in the name of the Hawktotem.

Exerpt: Kairasa's Lament
''"It is with great sorrow that I hear the news. The fate of the great Chieftain Hranu of The Hawktotem Tribe does not unnoticed behind the walls of Stormwind. I know you to be a leader of mercy, of honor and nobility. You have lead your Tribe with honor, for that you should and shall be honored. You did nothing less for the Horde then those of the Alliance would do.. Actually perhaps you do more then those within the Alliance would do. You sacrifice yourself. I have known you and you tribe for so long,, and I mourn the end of an era. You have my respect, even though you are an enemy of the Alliance. Your memory, your honor and all I have learned from those in the Hawktotem I shall remember. I bid you farewell honorable warrior.. May the wind always be at your back."