Peons are not Slaves!

[Grakor456]

I know a lot of people are making these Peon characters and that's neat and all, but people should really take a read at the WoW-Wiki page for Peons before they roll one. In particular:

With the rise of Thrall, peons began being treated in a gentler manner, at least by Thrall and the Frostwolves. Thrall makes continuous movements to make sure peons are treated as equals in the society of the New Horde. Despite this, some of the other upper class orcs, like the Kor'kron, still continue to mistreat peons as such, especially when Thrall is not around.

Playing a Peon is like playing a Peasant. You are not a slave. You are not in servitude. Taskmasters are not constantly hounding your every movement, no more than supervisors in any work place. You are an unskilled worker who wasn't deemed fit to speak for the elements or use an axe, so you earn your living by doing simple work.

Understand?

[Grakor456]

I know a lot of people are making these Peon characters and that's neat and all, but people should really take a read at the WoW-Wiki page for Peons before they roll one. In particular:

With the rise of Thrall, peons began being treated in a gentler manner, at least by Thrall and the Frostwolves. Thrall makes continuous movements to make sure peons are treated as equals in the society of the New Horde. Despite this, some of the other upper class orcs, like the Kor'kron, still continue to mistreat peons as such, especially when Thrall is not around.

Playing a Peon is like playing a Peasant. You are not a slave. You are not in servitude. Taskmasters are not constantly hounding your every movement, no more than supervisors in any work place. You are an unskilled worker who wasn't deemed fit to speak for the elements or use an axe, so you earn your living by doing simple work.

Understand?

[Kretol]

An Orc Tale
(From the WoW RPG Horde Player's Guide)

"Zug zug," the peon said, and he began to hoist the catapult and put it into place. Doomhammer smiled and returned to his inspection.
"Lazy pushdug," Narg Snarl said, coming to the general's side. "Why do we tolerate the little chillbloods?"
"Captain Snarl, would you like to set up our catapults without them?" Snarl chuckled, but Doomhammer backhanded the officer with such force that he fell to the ground, stunned.
"Captain Snarl, I order you to perform the tasks of a peon for one day, starting this very minute!" Doomhammer shouted.
"But Doomhammer, if the Alliance attacks..." Doomhammer raised his hammer. "Yes, my lord, at once!"

Captain Snarl slunk away and reported to the peonmaster, informing him of Doomhammer's command. Suddenly every peon within earshot broke into fits of hysterical laughter. Snarl was furious. "I am still a captain, and when I am restored to rank there will be bloody retribution!"
The peonmaster caught Snarl with a quick lash to his unprotected neck that made him yelp. "Peons must learn their place!" He ordered the peons to grab him, forcibly remove the captain's armor and hold him to the ground; he allowed each peon Snarl had threatened a chance to kick him in the ribs.

Six hours later, Doomhammer came upon his captain, sweating and shaking in the mire, propped up with his back against a tree.
"The pits. They made me clean the pits," Snarl muttered in a mad voice.
Doomhammer turned to the peonmaster. "Has peon Snarl performed his duties to your satisfaction?"
"No general! He could not assemble a catapult, he broke the porter line's rhythm when he stumbled carrying shot, he was slow with his pickaxe at the quarry and only cleaned two of the pits before he refused to do any more work. And he still refuses to answer my orders with the words 'zug zug'!"

"Lazy pushdug," Doomhammer spat. "Flay him to your satisfaction!"
It was the last time any of Doomhammer's captains ever openly insulted his peons.

[Kretol]

An Orc Tale
(From the WoW RPG Horde Player's Guide)

"Zug zug," the peon said, and he began to hoist the catapult and put it into place. Doomhammer smiled and returned to his inspection.
"Lazy pushdug," Narg Snarl said, coming to the general's side. "Why do we tolerate the little chillbloods?"
"Captain Snarl, would you like to set up our catapults without them?" Snarl chuckled, but Doomhammer backhanded the officer with such force that he fell to the ground, stunned.
"Captain Snarl, I order you to perform the tasks of a peon for one day, starting this very minute!" Doomhammer shouted.
"But Doomhammer, if the Alliance attacks..." Doomhammer raised his hammer. "Yes, my lord, at once!"

Captain Snarl slunk away and reported to the peonmaster, informing him of Doomhammer's command. Suddenly every peon within earshot broke into fits of hysterical laughter. Snarl was furious. "I am still a captain, and when I am restored to rank there will be bloody retribution!"
The peonmaster caught Snarl with a quick lash to his unprotected neck that made him yelp. "Peons must learn their place!" He ordered the peons to grab him, forcibly remove the captain's armor and hold him to the ground; he allowed each peon Snarl had threatened a chance to kick him in the ribs.

Six hours later, Doomhammer came upon his captain, sweating and shaking in the mire, propped up with his back against a tree.
"The pits. They made me clean the pits," Snarl muttered in a mad voice.
Doomhammer turned to the peonmaster. "Has peon Snarl performed his duties to your satisfaction?"
"No general! He could not assemble a catapult, he broke the porter line's rhythm when he stumbled carrying shot, he was slow with his pickaxe at the quarry and only cleaned two of the pits before he refused to do any more work. And he still refuses to answer my orders with the words 'zug zug'!"

"Lazy pushdug," Doomhammer spat. "Flay him to your satisfaction!"
It was the last time any of Doomhammer's captains ever openly insulted his peons.

[Harmonic]

Mm, yes. That's probably what I've had in the back of my mind, when I thought something wasn't sitting right with the newer guilds... and it's that exactly. Peons, are the way they are as Kag had said, because they hadn't passed their rights of passage through one reason or another. -Not- because they were forced into it, like with slaves. A peon is capable of doing what they want... but the most likely job they'd be given in the Horde is to do the menial tasks that peons do. The taskmasters, although sometimes employing tactics such as slapping or intimidation, ultimately couldn't do much if a peon told 'em to bug off.

They would get quite a bit angry however... and a few older Orcs might get outright hostile. But, again, that is against Thrall's wishes.


Edit: And I find it awesome that even someone as brash as Doomhammer regards that much respect for his peons. That's an awesome little story.

[Harmonic]

Mm, yes. That's probably what I've had in the back of my mind, when I thought something wasn't sitting right with the newer guilds... and it's that exactly. Peons, are the way they are as Kag had said, because they hadn't passed their rights of passage through one reason or another. -Not- because they were forced into it, like with slaves. A peon is capable of doing what they want... but the most likely job they'd be given in the Horde is to do the menial tasks that peons do. The taskmasters, although sometimes employing tactics such as slapping or intimidation, ultimately couldn't do much if a peon told 'em to bug off.

They would get quite a bit angry however... and a few older Orcs might get outright hostile. But, again, that is against Thrall's wishes.


Edit: And I find it awesome that even someone as brash as Doomhammer regards that much respect for his peons. That's an awesome little story.

[Kaghuros]

I've been trying to tell them this ever since it was brought up. Peons are the staple workers of the Horde warmachine, but they aren't idiots. They need to have the skills and knowledge to perform their tasks, even if they didn't have the skills, knowledge, or inclination to do anything else for society. They're a tier below tradesmen, but definitely not slaves. Serfs is a pretty good way to describe them though, since they don't have many other options but to work.

[Kaghuros]

I've been trying to tell them this ever since it was brought up. Peons are the staple workers of the Horde warmachine, but they aren't idiots. They need to have the skills and knowledge to perform their tasks, even if they didn't have the skills, knowledge, or inclination to do anything else for society. They're a tier below tradesmen, but definitely not slaves. Serfs is a pretty good way to describe them though, since they don't have many other options but to work.

[Diethe]

To become a peon, they might be those orcs who didn't pass their 20-year rite of passage called Om'riggor where they are suppose to hunt for wild game in a 'solo kill' naked and with only one weapon, smear the blood of his/her kill on their faces and have the shaman (Or warlock during the times of the Old Horde) deem if the blood is pure by tasting it, and if the means of killing the animal is authentic. Failing this would probably mean the spirits do not see you worthy for higher tasks. Other than that, violating orcish law is a slow but sure way to get yourself demoted to Peon.

EDIT: The only non-GM to post in this. Woot.

Naturally, all Orcs and Trolls (Who have their own rite of passage at the age of 6) no matter what the class are formidable fighters. Heck, Orc Warriors are a special noted class in itself in the sourcebooks. The same goes for Blood Elves, as no matter what class they are, they have an affinity to magic.

[Diethe]

To become a peon, they might be those orcs who didn't pass their 20-year rite of passage called Om'riggor where they are suppose to hunt for wild game in a 'solo kill' naked and with only one weapon, smear the blood of his/her kill on their faces and have the shaman (Or warlock during the times of the Old Horde) deem if the blood is pure by tasting it, and if the means of killing the animal is authentic. Failing this would probably mean the spirits do not see you worthy for higher tasks. Other than that, violating orcish law is a slow but sure way to get yourself demoted to Peon.

EDIT: The only non-GM to post in this. Woot.

Naturally, all Orcs and Trolls (Who have their own rite of passage at the age of 6) no matter what the class are formidable fighters. Heck, Orc Warriors are a special noted class in itself in the sourcebooks. The same goes for Blood Elves, as no matter what class they are, they have an affinity to magic.

[Monolith]

But, I have a question... Does that mean ALL foremen and grunts aren't abusive? Because if there literally are not.. I'm going to have to think of a better reason Korgata fled.

[Monolith]

But, I have a question... Does that mean ALL foremen and grunts aren't abusive? Because if there literally are not.. I'm going to have to think of a better reason Korgata fled.

[Diethe]

There are abusive foremans and grunts. Same as there are fel-practicing Orcs. They just do their abuses in secret. Yeah. Humans aren't the only one who can have different personalities, to put it bluntly.

[Diethe]

There are abusive foremans and grunts. Same as there are fel-practicing Orcs. They just do their abuses in secret. Yeah. Humans aren't the only one who can have different personalities, to put it bluntly.

[Kaghuros]

Or visibly, since some of the Old Horde foremen do cling to the bloodlust and tend to abuse their workers verbally or physically if they know they can get away with it.

Edit: But that's against Thrall's decree, so it's a crime to do so and he could have reported it and not needed to flee.