Hawktotem Tribe

The Hawktotem Tribe is a tribe of Tauren who are part of the Confederation of Tribes and are strictly loyal to the High Chieftain, rather than that of the Warchief and the Horde.

=History=

The Grimtotem Tribe
The roots of the Hawktotem Tribe are set within the Grimtotem Tribe. Deeply engrained in the Thousand Needles sect of Grimtotem, many of the first, second, and third generation of Hawktotem were originally part of the Grimtotem. They were so engrained, in fact, those that broke off were hunted by the Grimtotem in order to bring justice to the traitors.

It began with Hawenn the Oldest and his two sons and their specific families. While his younger son, Naharak the Elder, did not have any children, he had one wife. His oldest son, Garok, had a wife and three children, with Hranu being the oldest, Hawenn being the middle, and _____ being the last child. Hranu was the oldest and able to remember being engratiated into the Hawktotem.

Upon the birth of Garok's last child, a daughter, Hawenn the Oldest, his family, and a few followers left the Grimtotem Tribe in order to find the honorable Bloodhoof Tribe and make a name for themselves. Hawenn the Oldest knew that the Grimtotem Tribe predicted that the Grimtotem's ways would begin to become a Tribe that wouldn't be about honor, but cunning and aggressive ways. Transitions to the ways he predicted had already begun.

So they left.

The Escape and the Great Move
The night of _____'s birth was the night they escaped. They set the Darkcloud Pinnacle ablaze, to which they used the chaos of the fires to mask their escape. Five familes, not including the main Hawktotem bloodline, aided and escaped with Hawenn's family.

They moved into the Barrens and followed Hawenn the Oldest. Their journey lasted for weeks, stopping at each oasis as they went. They suffered from Centaur raider attacks, Quilboar attacks, Harpy raids -- the small group of Tauren suffered many losses and doubted their leader's directions and methods.

It was soon revealed that the old, grizzled Tauren had been following a hawk the entire time. Upon this being revealed, many in the small group of Tauren grew angry and plotted to overthrow the clearly aging Tauren. Before they could do it, however, they came upon their intended target.

The Bloodhoof Tribe.

They were welcome with open arms. In thanks to the spirit animal, Hawenn the Oldest carved a great totem weapon in order to honor the hawk. Many in the Bloodhoof began calling the new Grimtotem arrivals 'Hawktotem', due to their leader's chosen totem-weapon. They all agreed to take the name of Hawktotem, creating the Hawktotem Tribe with Hawenn the Oldest as their Chieftain. They continued to aid the Bloodhoof Tauren, in the meantime.

Betrayal
The Hawktotem Tribe was very small. With only six families, including the main bloodline under their banner, they would have been destroyed if left alone. But they were protected by the Bloodhoof Tribe as a sect of their own, so they continued to operate with great confidence.

In return, the Hawktotem Tribe began to actively search for the Tribeless, exiles, and other dissidents of other Tribes and grow their numbers. The purpose of this was to grow their ranks and protect kodo caravans. Their name began to grow as they ended up becoming fierce in battle.

Hawenn the Oldest died of old age, while his oldest son took the title of Chieftain. A few weeks after, however, he and several outriders, including his sister-in-law and mate, were ambushed by Thousand Needle Grimtotem Tauren. The males were killed right off, while the females were raped and killed afterwards. This caused the title of Chieftain to be passed down to Hranu, which had only recently come to age to accept the title.

Hranu investigated the ambush and it was revealed that his uncle, Naharak, planned the ambush and worked with the Thousand Needle Grimtotem in order for his acceptance back into the Tribe. With the information, and the former love for his uncle, he avoided seeking revenge for his fallen family and continued to lead his Tribe.

Rise to prominence
Hranu did not actively recruit new families or Tauren into the Tribe for a long time. Three years after the betrayal in the Thousand Needles, the Orcs landed upon Kalimdor. What was left of the Hawktotem aided the Bloodhoof in freeing Mulgore and build Thunder Bluff.

Not much happened after that -- the Confederation was born, to which Hranu became a Chieftain of, and it wasn't until the ending of the War in Northrend against the Lich King that Hranu gave a call to war. After being kidnapped with two fellow nomads, he was brought to Nijel's Point and tortured by the Humans there. He managed to escape, leaving his two friends behind to die.

He returned to Mulgore, to find two Tribesmen waiting for him -- Azalaee, his mate, and Hotaga, the first Spear. They called out to all who wished to aid the Horde in their war against the Alliance.

Their initial calls were met with partial success. They were able to raise a small force of tribesmen to combat the Alliance forces in Kalimdor. They began with The First Feralas Campaign.

Desolace and Brink of Civil War
After the successful Feralas Campaign, the Hawktotem secured the Feralas Trail by patrolling from the Thousand Needles to Desolace. They were hailed as the heroes of nomads, rebuilding Camp Mojache soon after the campaign. They were still a nomadic Tribe, however, and soon began to move.

The Hawktotem gathered what was left of their Tribe and began a move on the Feralas Trail to Desolace. The Tribe moved in two groups -- a main military group, led by the Chieftain Hranu, and then a support and civilian group led by a Champion. The military group was soon ambushed by Draenei of the Remnants of Argus, led by Casylia del'Nada (I can't actually recall her last name.) The military forces of the Hawktotem fought valiantly against the Remnants of Argus, throwing back their each ambush on the Feralas Trail.

The Tribe successfully reached Shadowprey Village with only a few major wounds, but sent the Draenei packing back to Nijel's Point with heavy wounds.

The Hawktotem and the Remnants of Argus fought a series of skirmishes across Desolace, but neither side took any major ground.

At this point, however, was a major Grimtotem surge in Thunder Bluff. After scouting the Stonetalon Mountains, there was several major confrontations between a group of Grimtotem Mercenaries led by a large warrior named Grimful. The confrontations were just arguments as a result of differing philosophies, former Grimtotem being a part of the Hawktotem, and other such things.

Grimful eventually hired out several mercenary companies to carry out assaults on Hawktotem memers. With their forces bolstered, they were able to severely injure many Hawktotem Tribesmen. With Thunder Bluff and Mulgore hostile, Hranu recalled all Tribesmen away from their new home and safe haven, declaring it a hostile zone.

With the horizon bleak, a Blood Elf appeared named Annexious. Hearing of the Hawktotem's feats in Feralas, he came before Hranu as a friend. Suspicious, Hranu distrusted Annexious of the Will of Dath'remar at first. Soon, however, the Will of Dath'remar proved themselves by bringing several assassins hired by Grimful to justice. These assassins revealed exactly where the base of operations of several mercenary groups. The Hawktotem and Will of Dath'remar carried out attacks and destroyed these base of operations.

With Grimful's main allies hindered, the Hawktotem temporarily came back to Thunder Bluff with the support of the Elves at their back. While no blood was shed on Thunder Bluff, the Grimtotem mercenaries were driven out of Mulgore, and into the Stonetalon Mountains and Feralas.

A series of skirmishes in Stonetalon led to the destruction of Grimful's holdings there. With Feralas as his last holdout, Hranu called on all of his allies -- The Garrosh'kar Skullcleavers, the Kor'kron Legion, the Sunguard, the Will of Dath'remar, and many others -- and challenged Grimful in a final battle to be held at the Dire Maul.

With Hawktotem and their allies severely outnumbering Grimful's own, he was crushed without dealing any casualties.

=Culture=

The Hawktotem Tribe has existed since a generation before the landing of the Orcs of Kalimdor. Since then, the Hawktotem has remained to be a small Tribe, mainly made up of those directly in the Hawktotem bloodline and other Grimtotem run-a-ways. Tribeless Tauren have generally graviated towards the Hawktotem for purpose, and some families as well.

Polygamy vs Monogamy
The founder of the Hawktotem Tribe -- Hawenn the Eldest -- saw that a few other Tribes regularly practiced polygamy and scoffed. The founders of the Hawktotem agreed that while polygamy and every male having a herd of females to himself creates greater numbers of calves to produce more tribesmen, many Tribes are also seen as weak due to their sometimes incestuous relations. They created weak blood.

Thus, the founders of the Hawktotem banned polygamous relationships, stating that a male may only have one female as his mate, in order to create strong, healthy children.

Homosexuality
During the nomadic times of the Tauren, the founders of the Hawktotem saw homosexuality as detrimental. If no more calves could be born, then they would soon die out. Thus, they banned homosexuality from existing within the Tribe. From there, it went on for several generations.

When Hranu took the mantle of Chieftainship, he lifted the ban of homosexuality. He felt as though that the old tradition was too stringent and caused discontent within the Tribe. It mattered not if male loved male, or female loved female. Thus, it is commonly accepted amongst the tribesmen to be openly homosexual. Most of those who disagree are usually cast out or leave the Tribe of their own accord.

Scalping
Scalping is the act of removing the scalp or part of the scalp off of a dead or still living person. The Hawktotem practiced scalping fairly commonly when in combat against any enemy that wasn't another Tauren. It fell out of practice upon the death of Hranu's father. Hranu allowed the practice to slowly fade to the point where it was no longer practiced. However, it has begun to come back into regular practice under Chieftain Naharak Hawktotem.

Blooding
All Initiates of the Hawktotem undertake a Blooding when they either reach adulthood or upon joining the Tribe. A Blooding is a ritual where the Initiate goes hunting for the blood enemies of the Hawktotem, and claim their scalp.

Calling of the Ancestors
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Honor Guard Rite
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Adulthood Rite
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Burial Grounds and the Sect of the Dead
The Hawktotem Tribe, like many Tauren Tribes, have ancestral burial grounds where ancestral spirits and energies of the Earth Mother are strong.

Located in a cave in the mountains of Mulgore, the burial grounds are guarded closely by a group of Hawktotem Braves, Mistwalkers, and Sunwalkers that have long been presumed dead. These Hawktotem Guardians are the best of the best of the Hawktotem, and will fight to the death anyone who is unwelcome upon the burial grounds.

=Organization=

Hierarchy
The Hawktotem Tribe has one main structure. While upon reaching the rank of Tribesmen, every member of the Tribe has the same rights and privileges (except for one), some Tribesmen are distinguished for their bravery, selflessness, or other qualities.

Leadership
Chieftain - The Leader of the Hawktotem Tribe. He leads the Hawktotem through their brightest days and their blackest nights. He makes decisions that will alter the Hawktotem's future, and is a spiritual leader as well as a secular one. The current Chieftain is Naharak Hawktotem.

Chief - A minor step above Champions, the Chiefs are leaders of sects inside the Hawktotem. Very few in number, the Chiefs are able to convene in council when the Chieftain is indisposed. Much like vassal lords, they and their Sect serve to further the Tribe's cause.

Champion - A leadership rank among the Hawktotem. The Champions are the Chieftain's advisors and some of the most powerful fighters or healers in the Tribe. They actively seek out new blood in order to strengthen the Tribe. They make up the leadership of the three branches of the Tribe, and enact the Chieftain's will.

Honor Guard - A step below the Champions, the Honor Guard are the Chieftain's personal guard. They guard him, his family, and often times lead other members of the Hawktotem as combat leaders. There is a limited number of Honor Guard, 10% of the Tribe's overall numbers. There must be at least one Honor Guard at all times. The Honor Guard are led by the Champion, Bohanu. They are allowed to seek other Tauren to strengthen the Tribe.

The title of Honor Guard is won by a Guardian or higher challenging the leader of the Honor Guard or an Honor Guard to an honorable duel. If it is won, and there is a spot open for an Honor Guard, then the victor gets that spot. If there is no spot open, the victor gets the loser's spot.

Membership
Vanguard - The veterans of the Hawktotem. The highest rank that a member of the Tribe can attain, they are few in number, have the most battle experience amongst the rank-and-file of the Tribe, and have been in the Tribe the longest. They have shown exceptional dedication and loyalty. A Vanguard may challenge an Honor Guard to an honorable duel in order to become one.

Guardian - The second tier of membership in the Hawktotem. This rank represents dedication and loyalty to the Hawktotem. They must have at least one month's experience to earn this position.

Tribesman - The rank-and-file of the Hawktotem. The Tribesman is a step above Initiate, and has the full rights and privileges of a member of the Tribe. They are still seen as inexperienced, however they have been in the Tribe for at least one week.

Initiate - The starting position of the Hawktotem. The most inexperienced of all members of the Tribe, these Tauren seek to join the Tribe as full members and must prove themselves in order to be promoted.

Branches
The Hawktotem Tribe has four branches in which a Tribesman may serve. At this moment in time, they are titles upon reaching the rank of Tribesmen. Three are attained upon being blooded, while the last is a non-combat role.

The Braves
The Braves of the Hawktotem Tribe are those who have martial skills with weapons with no amplification of magic. They are those who rush headlong into the front lines of combat, reaving their way into the heart of the enemy. They are also those who grab bows and guns in order to fight from range -- marksmen that sling arrows and lead to the enemy from afar.

The Braves are expected to do much menial labor. They are expected to go about the day sharpening their martial skills, using their strength to further the Tribe's holdings, or hunt for available meat and herbs.

The Sunwalkers
Relatively new to Tauren society, the Sunwalkers owe homage to the right eye of the Earth Mother, An'she. The Sunwalkers are divided into two sects: The Seers, which are the more spiritual side and doan the cloth, and the martial arm of the Order, which is commonly known as Sunwalkers, to which they doan plate and wield axes, swords, and maces.

The Hawktotem Tribe has embraced the Sunwalkers with open arms. They are expected to regularly check for wounds alongside the Mistwalkers of the Tribe, regularly check for disease and poison, and hold the balance between Mu'sha and An'she.

The Mistwalkers
The Mistwalkers of the Tribe are almost as old as the Braves. Originally just the Shaman of the Tribe, it has expanded after the Battle of Mount Hyjal to include Druids. Very spiritualistic, the Mistwalkers look after the five Spirits and the Earth Mother.

There are two portions of the Mistwalkers that must be observed. The first are the Shaman. They are often leaders in Tauren Society, and thus, the Hawktotem. They interpret the will of the four spirits (Brothers Fire, Air, and Earth and Sister Water) and the Earth Mother. The second are the Druids. They interpret the will of the Spirit of the Wilds, and keep balance with Mu'sha.

Support
Along with the three main branches is a fourth branch. The support of the Hawktotem are just villagers who are trying to better their family and the Tribe. Common folk, often simple hunters and gatherers, small farmers, mothers and fathers, they make up the bulk of the Tribe. They typically do not enter combat, only entering as a very last line of defense.

Structure
A Tauren Tribe consists of several loose parts. A Tribe will have one or more Sects, and a Sect will have one or more Warbands. The following information pertains only to the Hawktotem Tribe.

Sects
Sects are to Tribes like Counts are to Kings -- only in the case of the Hawktotem Tribe, the Count is the Chief and the King is the Chieftain. Each Sect is led by one Chief(tess), and has their own distinct way of doign things. Sects may include members of the Tribe from all three branches, and identify within the Tribe as their Sect name.

Some Sects focus on certain things, such as melee combat, ranged combat, labor, healing, etc.

Current Hawktotem Sects:
The Ironhoof Sect - Chief Bithip Ironhoof

Warbands
Warbands are small squads of Tauren that make up a military aspect of the Tribe. Belonging to a specific Sect or the overall Tribe, they are made up of a mix of the three Tribe branches. A Sect will have several Warbands in it. The Chief or Chieftain will appoint a leader to a Warband. Some Warbands are permenant, others are formed temporarily.

=Warfare=

The Hawktotem Tribe has been at war for most of its existence. After its separation from the Grimtotem Tribe, it has maintained hostilities with the far more powerful and larger Tribe, along with all Centaur Tribes, Quilboar Tribes, Harpy Covens, and Alliance factions.

The Hawktotem regularly employs guerilla tactics in order to defeat numerically superiour forces such as the Grimtotem and Alliance. Learning from their hated enemies, the Centaur, they frequently skirmish against enemy scouting parties and frequently raid caravans and outposts instead of directly facing enemies on the field.

There are only a few times when the Hawktotem has led its forces directly onto the field. Times such as the Desolace Campaign, which was a series of battles and a siege of Nijel's Point led by Hranu Hawktotem. The Hawktotem forces were outmatched on the field and during the siege until reinforcements from the Garrosh'kar Skullcleavers arrived. It was then that the Horde forces took the field and destroyed much of Nijel's Point.

Another example of the Hawktotem's clear ineptitude in the field is what was dubbed the Slaughter in Stonetalon. Hawktotem-led Horde forces assaulted Stonetalon Peak, only to be pushed back to the Sun Rock Retreat by the forces of the Mountain Guard and the First Regiment.

Most, if not all of the Hawktotem-led campaigns that have been won have been through use of guerilla tactics. The First Feralas Campaign against an unknown Sentinel General showed how the Hawktotems -- only a force of seventy-five -- defeated a force of almost three hundred without facing them in the field.

Another example are the numerous offensive campaigns into the Southern Barrens led by Meinas Highcastle of the Tainted Legion and Lord-Marshal Maxen Montclair of the First Regiment. Both Alliance-led campaigns led to decisive and strategic Hawktotem victories, which were due to the Hawktotem's use of guerilla tactics.