Dragonmaw clan
From WoWWiki
- For weapon, see Dragonmaw (mace).
- Current Leaders: Zuluhed the Whacked (Illidari faction, Outland), Overlord Mor'ghor (Illidari faction upon Zuluhed's death (Presumed)), Nek'rosh Skullcrusher (Dark Horde faction, Azeroth)
- Past Leader: Nekros Skullcrusher (Killed by Alexstrasza)
- Clan Colors: White
The Dragonmaw Clan is one of the orcish clans dating back to the time of the rise of the Horde. Under the command of the shaman Zuluhed the Whacked, the Dragonmaws swore fealty to Blackhand with the other clans of the Horde upon Blackhand's ascension to Warchief. When Blackhand was assassinated by Orgrim Doomhammer, Zuluhed and the Dragonmaws maintained their fealty to Blackhand by pledging themselves to his sons, Rend and Maim, and the Black Tooth Grin Clan.W2Man 71
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Known members
Activity in Azeroth
Manipulated by the Black Scourge, Deathwing the Destroyer, the Dragonmaws found an artifact of immense power known as the Demon Soul - created by Deathwing himself ten thousand years earlier, but forever forbidden from his grasp as the result of the spellwork of the other Aspects. Zuluhed entrusted the Demon Soul to a warrior/warlock named Nekros Skullcrusher, who used it to capture the Dragonqueen Alexstrasza - much to his surprise, and certainly to Alexstrasza's. The Dragonmaws used Alexstrasza's young to fight for the Horde - and fight they did, through much of the Second War. Operating out of the abandoned Wildhammer capital of Grim Batol, the Dragonmaws maintained their control over Alexstrasza and her flight after the Horde was defeated, using them to raid Alliance ports in the surrounding Wetlands.
The Kirin Tor high councillor Krasus - the humanoid form of the red dragon Korialstrasz, one of Alexstrasza's consorts - sent the mage Rhonin to free Alexstrasza from the Dragonmaws by somehow destroying the Demon Soul - which, aided (to some extent) by Deathwing, he did. In their fury, Alexstrasza and her dragons tore Grim Batol apart and incinerated much of the Dragonmaw Clan, including Nekros. But some elements remain to this day in the Wetlands outside of Grim Batol, led by Nekros' son, Nek'rosh, who serves the self-styled Warchief of the Dark Horde, Rend Blackhand.
The question remained: What became of Zuluhed and the remainder of the Dragonmaw? That question would not be answered until almost two decades later, with the reopening of the Dark Portal...
Activity in Outland
At some point during the Second War, Zuluhed and much of his clan returned to Draenor and survived the destruction that led to the creation of Outland. Now they are in the service of the Lord of Outland, Illidan Stormrage. Their attempts to subjugate dragons have continued - only this time, they are targeting the Netherwing; the nether drakes created when Deathwing's eggs were warped by the cosmic energies unleashed by Draenor's destruction. In what appears to be a repeat of their capture of Alexstrasza, the Dragonmaws have captured the matriarch of the Netherwing, the nether dragon Karynaku, and hold her prisoner in their fortress. Karynaku is held with a magical ball and chain, and only Zuluhed himself has the key.
World of Warcraft
One of the realms in World of Warcraft is named after the Dragonmaw Clan.
Dragonmaw Fortress, where Zuluhed and much of the Dragonmaw Clan reside, is located south of the Black Temple and east of the Netherwing Fields in Shadowmoon Valley.
After the player has completed the entire questline associated with the Netherwing, their current situation is as follows: The leader of the Dragonmaw (Zuluhed) lies dead, along with masses of peons and other soldiers. Illidan is outraged because the Dragonmaw revered a person that was attempting to destroy the entire clan from within and failed to seize this betrayer despite the fact that he was at their very doorstep, chained in a powerful spell. Thus far we can only assume that Illidan has attempted to fully destroy the clan. As stated by the Netherwing "The Dragonmaw empire has come to an end."
Origin of the name
| This article or section includes speculation, observations or opinions possibly supported by lore or by Blizzard officials.
It should not be taken as representing official lore! |
It is unknown exactly what prompted the orcs to name their clan "Dragonmaw". It is apparent from Rise of the Horde that their name had been such for many years - long before the orcs encountered anything resembling dragons, the dragons being native to Azeroth. It is possible the Dragonmaw changed their name after they took command of the Red Dragonflight, or after Deathwing flew into the Dark Portal and secreted a clutch of eggs in Outland which, subsequently, hatched. However, this would nullify Rise of the Horde, in which the name of the clan is Dragonmaw - years before the idea of the Dark Portal was even devised. This may mean that there are or were dragons native to Draenor.
| Orcish Clans of the Second War | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clans and Leaders | Black Tooth Grin | Blackrock | Bleeding Hollow | Bonechewer | Burning Blade |
| Rend / Maim | Blackhand / Orgrim Doomhammer | Kilrogg Deadeye | Tagar Spinebreaker | None | |
| Clans and Leaders | Dragonmaw | Frostwolf | Laughing Skull | Shadowmoon | Shattered Hand |
| Zuluhed the Whacked | Durotan | Mogor the Ogre | Ner'zhul | Kargath Bladefist | |
| Clans and Leaders | Stormreaver | Thunderlord | Twilight's Hammer | Warsong | |
| Gul'dan | Fenris the Hunter | Cho'gall | Grommash Hellscream | ||
