"A mountaineer of Zundrbar is like an anvil. They are strong, unmoving, and extremely strong. Heavens forbid one falls on you."
-Ghlafferge Sootbeard
"Wilkoom aan min Vaatirlaand!" (Welcome in my Fatherland)
-Mountaineers war cry
History []
The Mountaineers were created as the defense force of Zundrbar in +20 after a Murloc attack damaged parts of the city. The newly found clan of Ironbeards were able to stop the Murlocs, and so it was that the Ironbeards were seen as strong warriors. Baldrick Sootbeard told Thorgrinn Ironbeard to set up the Mountaineers as the defense force of Zundrbar, and propsed the idea to the aristocrats, the church, the citizens, and the Prince around two days later.
Thorinn Ironbeard was a strong and powerful warrior who hailed from Dun Morogh. Thogrinn had slain Frostmane Trolls, Troggs, and Kobolds alike, and the warriors who followed him were without equal in Zundrbar. Thorinn had a party of thirteen warrior, and these thirteen warriors became known as the mountaineers.
They dressed in green garb to match the surroundings of Zundrbar, and their symbol was a black anvil with a crossed sigil of hammer and axe in the center to demonstrate their power. As unmoving as an anvil.
The Mountaineers were the main defenders, while the Stormsnow Guard guarded the mountain pass which led to a derelict canyon in Dun Morogh.
The Mountaineers grew in number as many citizens started volunteering. Originally, the mountaineers were mainly a militia type force, although soon they grew into a professional fighting division of Zundrbar. The Mountaineers became a very elite fighting force during the First Dragon War of Zundrbar. Their equipment became more skillful as the miners started to find stronger metals, such as mithril. Additionally, their training became more rigorous, as they learned of their environment. The mountaineers in +500 were much stronger than they were in +20, as they knew the environment of Zundrbar, where to ambush foes, and how to utilize the natural resources to their benefit.
The death of Thogrin in +600 meant that Thorgrin's son, Vorgrinn would take power as the leader of the Mountaineers. Vorgrinn was a successful leader, and led Zundrbar through the Second Dragon War, the War of the Moss (Gnolls), The War of the Rat, and the War of the Club (Troggs). Vorgrinn died in +1400, and his son- Valgrinn succeded him as Mountaineer Captain. Valgrinn led during the War of the Hills, the Nonconformist Reformation, and the Battle of Zundrbar- during which he perished in +1800. Valgrinn's son, Folgrin, now leads the mountaineers, and was the former leader of Zundrbar while Sven Sootbeard abdicated and Ghlafferge Sootbeard had not returned. In +1999, Folgrin was declared leader of the mountaineers when Ghlafferge Sootbeard was coronated as Prince of Zundrbar.
Interaction with the Stormsnow Guard[]
The Mountaineers of Zundrbar and the Stormsnow Guard did not have much interaction in the past. However, with the pass no longer needing to be defended, the Stormsnow Guard has developed as an "elite group of warriors." The two tend to work together on numerous operations, including "Operation: War of the Tusk," the ongoing conflict against the Angerfang Orcs in the Wetlands, and "Operation: War of the Boar," the ongoing conflict against Quilboar and Tauren forces in the Southern Barrens near Bael Modan.