"Let it be known to all that on this day the blackest of marks is made against the squatter king of Black Crag. By the most heinous of urk treachery did he breach the forgotten ways of Karak Azul to perpetrate the most egregious of crimes against King Kazador and the dawi of the Iron Peak. No oaths, no deeds, no acts of vengeance shall ever efface this shame."
- —The Karak Azul Book of Grudges By Logan, Loremaster of Karak Azul, on behalf of King Kazador.
Gorfang Rotgut sitting upon the former throne of Karak Drazh.
Gorfang Rotgut, also known as the "Troll-Eater" and despised by Dwarf-kind as the "Squatter King," is the chieftain of the Red Fangs and Broken Toof tribes of Orcs and the ruler of Black Crag, the former Dwarf Hold once known as Karak Drazh.
History[]
"One Orc carried the battle ahead of the others, massive scimitar cleaving through the Akrund shield wall with a strength that was simply staggering. He was a head and a half taller than the muscle-bound brutes that clamoured over him, and clad in as much iron as any single gateway of Karaz-a-Karak. His bare cheeks were daubed with that red fang mark. And where he fought, Dawi died. Thorgrim's fingers clenched over his bicep's gromril casings. He would say this for the Urk: they made it easy to identify their leaders..."
- —Thorgrim Grudgebearer witnesses Gorfang in battle, during a failed attempt to reclaim Karak Drazh.[7]
Over the centuries, many tribes have fought over and occupied Black Crag, and the most powerful tribe has always taken the crag as its newfound home. Gorfang's tribe, the Red Fangs, is currently the most powerful Orc tribe within the area around the western end of Death Pass.[1][3]
Gorfang has subjugated most of the local Orc tribes and has since allied himself with the Night Goblins of Karak Eight Peaks, whose leader is the old and infamously cunning Skarsnik. The two leaders enjoy an uneasy alliance, with Skarsnik controlling the mountains around Karak Eight Peaks and the eastern end of Death Pass, while Gorfang controls the western end and the adjoining area.[1][3]
Gorfang is an immensely strong Orc. He lost an eye at the Battle of the Jaws, and wears an iron patch to cover the wound. Gorfang himself claims that it took Thane Duregar Hammerfist and "all his boys" to inflict such a wound upon him.[7]
Many of Gorfang's battles have been fought against Dwarfs, including the siege of Barak Varr and the attack on Karak Azul. As a result of his long struggles, Gorfang has acquired an unreasoning hatred of the Dwarf race. During the siege of Barak Varr he ordered the severed heads of Dwarf captives be catapulted over the walls and into the city.
When Gorfang attacked Karak Azul he broke into King Kazador's throne room and captured many of the Dwarf lord's kinsfolk. Some were taken back to the dungeons of Black Crag where they remain to this day, to the anger of Kazador. The Dwarf lord's son, Kazrik, was not taken captive but was shaved, and his head tattooed with a crude Orc glyph representing Gorfang. Then he was firmly nailed to Kazador's own throne. Although Kazrik survived, the experience has unhinged him somewhat. Kazador has sworn vengeance and awaits the day when he can crush the Orc chieftain himself.[1]
The Headtaker[]
"The Orc gave a soft growl of pleasure as the rat's neck snapped and flopped bonelessly over his fist. He shook it, the head swaying, meat slapping against his knuckles. Laughing, he shook it around to make sure his mates were watching too. They were. Good. Good they remember who's the toughest Orc round here."
"Nice one, boss. Da red ones is da toughest, I fink."
"The Orc gave it one more shake, drawing it close to his one working eye, the other bolted shut behind a rusted iron patch. "Scrawny little fings int dey. Like gobbos..."
- —Gorfang Rotgut, after slaying a member of the infamous Red Guard.[2]
At one point, Gorfang sought out the Skaven army of Queek Headtaker, who were locked in battle with a group of Dwarfs. He hoped to best the Warlord in single combat, and thus assert his dominance as the greatest warrior in the region. At first he found himself disappointed, having to fight his way through the verminous horde in search of the one foe who could provide a challenge. Then, something caught his eye. A fat wedge of red Stormvermin were fighting their way through his mob. One of the rats charged ahead of the rest, fearless like an Orc, fighting with a fury that had his chest aching with the desire to mash up its pretty red armour. Massive armour plates grinded out dust as the biggest Orc in the Worlds Edge Mountains forced a ton of mismatched metal to move. He lugged his club from the ground, the former leg of a giant Dwarf statue, and smashed it against his own skull. Feeling nothing, he laughed, and made his way towards the rat-king...[2]
Following the Headtaker and his entourage to an ancient bridge, Gorfang first encountered Ska Bloodtail, Queek's personal bodyguard. The great Fangleader fought through the panic caused by facing down such a massive Orc, forcing himself to stand proud in his famed Gromril armour. Even Ska could not stand before the Troll-Eater, however. In the end, he was hit with such force that he sailed through the air before crashing down next to his master, his Gromril chestplate bearing a large dent.[2]
There was a momentary peace as the Skaven backed off from fighting the nearby Orcs and Dwarfs, in case whatever fate had befallen their Fangleader proved catching. Only Queek rose to meet the creature that had defeated his right paw, and the pair were soon engaged in a brutal duel.[2]
Laughing, Gorfang struck out with his club, which crashed into the ground like a felled oak, throwing up shards from the ground beneath him. Yanking at his buried club, Gorfang was left open to attack, and Queek leapt in. Letting out a squeak of triumph, he slammed his mighty Dwarf Gouger into the Orc's groin, the ensorcelled spike cleaving through the thick metal like a knife through hot blood. Queek's feeling of triumph was cut short, however, when Gorfang erupted with a volcanic rumble of laughter.[2]
The Warboss let slip his stone club and took a step forward, sending Queek scurrying to avoid being crushed. Dwarf Gouger still swayed between his legs. He announced that he had "da fickest armour around" and made a crude thrusting motion, guffawing as the maul's handle jiggled.[2]
Enraged, the Headtaker leapt forward. He grabbed hold of his swinging haft and made to pull the weapon free, only to find himself pinned by a massive green fist that closed over his ears like an avalanche. Queek twisted and spat, pulling Dwarf Gouger from its prison and smacking it in futile fury about the Orc's midriff. Gorfang laughed him down, spare hand sweeping like a pendulum to deliver a backhand that sent him careening. Like a bleeding scythe of Warpstone, Queek's body cut through the press of surrounding warriors until the sheer mass of living flesh stopped him.[2]
Aa Queek rolled off the broken back of a Stormvermin, Gorfang hefted his club and lumbered towards him, then he stopped. The Warboss spotted a feral, tattooed Dwarf who had appeared near the stricken Headtaker. He was beardless except for a few clumps of hair jutting through thick scar tissue, and he wielded a pair of gleaming axes. This was Kazrik, son of King Kazador, and the pair had recognised each other instantly. Insane and broken from the humiliation he had endured decades ago, the Prince had taken the Slayer Oath and set out to destroy his former torturer.[2]
Thus, Gorfang began duelling a new opponent, one who swept around his legs, hammering down blows that did very little damage to his armour. The Orc, for his part, wielded his gigantic club in both hands, trying and failing to smash it through his foe's head.[2]
Meanwhile, Queek Headtaker scurried away to regroup with the now-conscious Ska Bloodtail, enraged by his defeat and vowing revenge...[2]
The Blackspike[]
"Old am I?" said Gorfang."
"You what?" Bardok hissed through gritted teeth."
"Beaten am I?" Gorfang roared. "I'm the biggest Orc in the world. And I'm still the king!"
- —Gorfang Rotgut faces Bardok Blackspike.[7]
In recent years, rumours had begun to spread amongst the Greenskins that, after many centuries, Gorfang was finally starting to "get on a bit." Enraged by this slight to his name and eager to prove that he was still the toughest warboss around, Gorfang decided to gather an army to attack the Dwarf-controlled portion of Karak Eight Peaks.[7]
Travelling to an area known as The Tight Spot, the Troll-Eater attracted Greenskins from all over the region. Drums were beaten, squig-pipes were played, and hundreds of banners were flown. There were Ironclaws and Broken Axes, Blue Faces and Red Sunz; there were hill tribes, Forest Goblins, nomadic war bands, and Black Orc mercenaries still bloody from campaigning alongside Chaos Marauders in the north. All had answered the call of the famed King of Black Crag.[7]
Some Greenskins, however, particularly the Black Orcs of the Grim Tooth Tribe, had heard the rumour that Gorfang was losing his touch, and publicly challenged the grizzled Orc. Black-skinned, thick with muscle and clad in exotic-looking spiky armour, these warriors took the vitriol of Gorfang's gathered tribes with all the cocky disdain for which their guts were rightfully hated. Thousands of Greenskins gathered around the fighting pit to witness the Troll-Eater in action...[7]
The smack of metal upon metal and the rain of teeth on hard ground sounded throughout the fighting pit as Gorfang fought a pair of Black Orcs. After a short brawl, he sent the first stumbling, bloody-mouthed, towards the edge of the ring before it plunged headlong into the gathered crowd. At the centre of the pit, surrounded by the screaming mob, Gorfang thrust his bloodied fist into the air and bellowed. The tribes screamed back, for to witness such aggression was nothing short of electrifying. Gorfang shook gore from his knuckles, then swung out the arm to clothesline the second Black Orc as it charged his blind side. The blow stripped the Black Orc's feet from under him and his skull met the rock with a resounding crack, a barrage of drumming and cheers from the sides.[7]
The remaining Black Orcs stood around their leader, uncaring and impassive. One of them planted a sly elbow in their chieftain's ribs and grunted something in the language of the Eastern Steppes. They clearly found it amusing.[7]
After throwing a barrage of insults in a test of Morkish wit, Gorfang drew his famed Red Fang, the serrated edge of the blade biting at the scabbard as the enormous sword came free. In response, the Black Orc leader announced that he was Bardok Blackspike of the Grim Tooths. He laughed and bared his fangs, and swept his own sword through a series of brutal practice strokes. Then, the Black Orc roared as he ripped back his sword, dropped his shoulder and charged. Gorfang dropped into a ready crouch, sidestepping the downward lunge and smashing the hilt of Red Fang into the Black Orc's mouth. The crowd jeered, lapping it up as Bardok swayed back, spat blood, and countered with a neck-high swipe. Gorfang parried, catching the Black Orc's blade in the serrated edge of his own. Bardok pulled on his weapon but it was trapped. With a grunt, he thrust his free arm between Gorfang and his weapon, elbowing the Warboss in the chest and clapping his hand over the one that gripped his sword. Then he hugged the two blades to his chest to wrench them both from Gorfang's grip.[7]
Gorfang slammed his forehead between the Black Orc's eyes. Blood dribbled down Bardok's nose. The chieftain returned the gift, daubing a bloody face-shaped imprint over Gorfang's jaw. Weapons forgotten, the two Orcs pitted their bodies against one another. A thick vein bulged out from the side of Bardok's head. His feet began to slide. Over the music and the cheering that was being trumpeted, there was the sound of sinews creaking. Gorfang's one eye glowered with hatred as his muscles hunched and then, with a roar, he hauled the Black Orc Big Boss high into the air. His captive kicked and punched, but Gorfang flipped him onto his back as though the Black Orc was drugged and bound, shaking him over his head like the spoils of war. The watching mob went wild and Gorfang bellowed louder still, slamming the struggling chieftain down and raising his knee to meet him. The snap of the Black Orc's spine reverberated through the valley. Gorfang let him fold over his thigh, dead legs dragging the rest of him down to the ground.[7]
Gorfang was not just putting down a rival. He was sending a message. The thousands of wildly screaming Greenskins certainly got it too. The Warboss thumped his fist into the air, then rounded on Bardok, who was still scrambling for his sword and stuck the boot in. The wind rushed out of the Black orc's lungs and he went rolling downhill, away from the fighting pit.[7]
The leaderless Grim Tooths backed away, their eagerness to challenge the King of Black Crag having evaporated. Now everyone knew that Gorfang was the toughest Orc around, and the battle for Karak Eight peaks could begin...[7]
Wargear[]
Gorfang was one of the mightiest Orc Warbosses, described as being as large as an Ogre and renowned for hunting and slaying Trolls for sport.[3]
- Evil Sun Armour - This armour was an impossibly thick set of magical steel plate, iron and scale mail. An enamelled plate depicting the leering Evil Sun covered its stomach, and it was often accompanied by a close-fitting helm carved into the shape of a snarling Orc's face. Gorfang had further taken to wearing the beards of slain Dwarfs around his waist like pelts, seeking to enrage the sons of Grungi.[5][6]
- Red Fang - Red Fang was an enormous serrated sword, as heavy as the giant Cave Squig, Gobbla. Gorfang nevertheless wielded it with ease.[5]
Total War: Warhammer[]
Gorfang appears in Total War: Warhammer as an early opponent for Grimgor Ironhide. He does not possess a unique character model, however, sharing his appearance with other generic Orc Warbosses.
Miniatures[]
.jpg "20161029063801!Gorfang Model (5).jpg (115 KB)")
Canon Conflict[]
In Warhammer Armies: Dwarfs (8th Edition) and the Thorgrim novella, Gorfang was slain by Thorgrim Grudgebearer and his severed head presented to King Kazador, a few years before the End Times. However, in Warhammer: The End Times Collection, Gorfang is said to have been slain at some point during the End Times by Belegar Ironhammer, after which his army was cast out from Black Crag. This is likely one of several oversights made by Games Workshop during the production of the End Times.
Sources[]
- 1: Warhammer: Rulebook (8th Edition)
- 1a: pg. 177
- 2: Warhammer: Headtaker (Novel)
- 3: The King of Black Crag (Short Story)
- 4: Warhammer: The End Times Collection
- 5: Games Workshop: Special Characters — Gorfang Rotgut (Archived)
- 6: Grudgelore - Gorfang Rotgut
- 7: Thorgrim (Novella)
Gallery[]
