“Varrag da Wall, now that’s an orruk that never said die! He was at da big fort in the Prime Wotsits when he was just an ‘ard boy poundin metal into da ground wit his fists. Got real chummy with dem Lightfinders humies ‘efor dey all got krumped by them Tecie gitz. But even da big light of Hysh couldn’t stop ol’ Varrag. But I reckon it made him a bit off. I saw him, right after he pick ‘imself out of da rubble, still holden da big shield of some dead humie. Looked like a brute who had lost his favorite gore-hacka, or like I did when I lost me foot. Dis look of deep confusion and loss on dat hairy mug dat still stays with me to dis very day. I can still see it if I look too long in his eyes.
“Afta that, he was a changed orruk. The aspirant boy who came to da Skullkrushas spoilin for a fight died in da ruins of the Celendec fort. What came out was a brute wif a mission, someone who knew what he was doin’ and where he was goin’. When we were sent to help da pointy eared folk who got caught up in da warpath, no orruk worked so hard or helped as much as he did.
“But just cuz Varrag was some bleedin heart, didn’t mean he forgot how to krump fools. No one gets to be a megaboss wiffout proving himself in battle. When dat dead git Altie finally made his move, he was there with da old boss in de end. Heard he was the last to speak to Barzeel ‘efor da end. Tried getting him to tell me wot da old boss said before he returned to da green, but Varrag said it was none of my business and he didn’t seem in da mood to make his point again.
“Those were dark days after da old boss died. Most boyz up and quit right there, throwing in their lot wit some git named Kroolius in Aqshy. The rest of us followed Zogrot for a bit, but da old git never liked it. Always preferred to beat to someone else’s tune. Not long after we returned to Ghur, boyz started talking dat I should be da one who took over. Never much cared for da idea of bein’ a boss, so when dey made an issue of it, I just laughed and told em Varrag should do it. Da boyz got real quiet like, and when one brute piped up with a “Wot, dat hairy runt?” Varrag ‘eadbutted the git so hard his face he never could breath right again. Gartok da Weezer we call em now, but da is beside da point.
“After dat, Varrag lead us on a warpath like no orruk ever could. Not cuz we was da most kunnin, or even da most brutal. But coz we stepped out of the shadow of our gods to ‘elp those who needed us, and krump those who need krumping. We started small, killing spiky loonies and putting down restless dead that attacked villages and towns on the wilds. Soon we was hired to help some Dawners out of a jam, and ‘for long da word had spread of da orruk wit da golden heart. Wasn’t long till some gitz came gunning for us, finking we was easy pickins. Finking we was soft. We showed dem all right!
“I still remember when their boss, Gvar Blacktoof, was beaten and he asked Varrag how come he defied the will of Gork and Mork. You know what da big boss said? ‘Because I do not cower to gods, green or not. Freedom is the birthright of an orruk, and I use mine to protect those who can’t protect themselves. If to do so is to shame Gorkamorka, then I gladly spit in his face.’”
– Barrok One Leg, on the subject of his boss Varrag da Wall
