With the release of 9.0, dwarves are now able to have tattoos! This means that after so many years, you can RP a Wildhammer and not have to imagine the super sweet tattoos they’ve had on NPCs since Classic! This post will cover the basics of Wildhammer history and important bits of Wildhammer characters you might want to include when creating and RPing your new (or old) Wildhammer!
History & Lore!
Ancient History
The Wildhammers, like the other fleshy dwarves, descend from the earthen of Uldaman, who suffered from the curse of flesh. The dwarves awoke from their slumber in Uldaman with almost no recollection of their time before, and eventually wandered off to create Ironforge in Dun Morogh (and meet the gnomes along the way). This happens roughly around the year -2,500.
Over the many years that followed, the Wildhammers eventually became distinct from the other clans of dwarves and inhabited the foothills and crags around the base of Ironforge. When the War of Three Hammers came about (roughly around the year -230), the Wildhammers took part and fought against their Bronzebeard and Dark Iron kin, but were pushed out of Ironforge. The Wildhammer clan went north, and built Grim Batol (extremely quickly, it would seem, but don’t worry about the precise details of this city too much). When the Dark Irons turned out to be sore losers and instigated a second part to the War of Three Hammers, the Dark Iron sorceress Modgud attacked Grim Batol. She ultimately failed and was slain by High Thane Khardros Wildhammer, but Grim Batol was cursed and deemed uninhabitable.
The Wildhammers and Bronzebeards joined together to beat back the remaining Dark Irons, successfully pushing them back until the Dark Irons accidentally summoned Ragnaros - upon which both clans decided to go home and not mess with the Firelord. The Bronzebeards and Wildhammers made peace between themselves, and the Wildhammers were invited back to Ironforge. This offer was declined, and the Wildhammers set out north to eventually establish Aerie Peak in the Hinterlands - some of the Wildhammers would remain in Northeron (part of what is now the Twilight Highlands). However, the Bronzebeards and Wildhammers forged a bond that was immortalized in the Valley of Kings, in Loch Modan, with statues of Khardros Wildhammer and Modimus Anvilmar lifting their weapons together against the Dark Irons. Additionally, the Thandol Span was constructed to connect Ironforge and the newly founded city of Aerie Peak, both as friends and as trading partners.
Second War
The Wildhammers are widely known as some of the fiercest fighters on Azeroth. By the time of the Second War, the Wildhammers were known to be rather self-reliant - their only notable ally at this time were the elves of Quel’thalas. That’s right, the Wildhammers’ best friends were the High Elves. These dwarves quickly joined the fight against the Horde after being attacked at Aerie Peak, while some of their Northeron cousins fought against the Dragonmaw that settled in and around Grim Batol. The Wildhammers had learned how to tame gryphons since the War of Three Hammers, and rode them with deadly skill. With their magnificent mounts and their magical stormhammers, they faced off against anything the Horde could throw at them.
“The Horde had dragons, we had the gryphons. We won that war.” - Ilsa Blusterbrew, Wildhammer dwarf.
Many Wildhammers would follow their High Thane, Kurdran Wildhammer, to Outland when Turalyon, Khadgar, Alleria, and others ventured across the Dark Portal to stop Ner’zhul. Some of these Wildhammers would survive the destruction of Draenor, establishing the Wildhammer Stronghold in Shadowmoon Valley and holding on for nearly twenty years until the Alliance returned to Outland.
Third War
The Wildhammers did little of particular note during the Third War, but they remained with the Alliance throughout the fall of Lordaeron and served proudly against the Scourge, Legion, and so on. While Kurdran Wildhammer was missing in Outland and presumed dead, Falstad Wildhammer took the mantle of High Thane.
Classic
The Wildhammers didn’t join the (Grand) Alliance (although they were members of its predecessor, the Alliance of Lordaeron), but they remained friendly to the Alliance. They primarily feuded with the trolls of the Hinterlands, but notably worked closely with High Elves in the Hinterlands.
Burning Crusade
The Wildhammers trapped on Outland, still under Kurdran Wildhammer, still lived and were discovered by the Alliance. They were eventually returned home, after nearly twenty years of surviving while cut off from their kin on Azeroth.
Wrath of the Lich King
While the Alliance had some help from Wildhammers during this time, they did not have much of a prominent role (most of the Wildhammers at this time were still not part of the Alliance).
Cataclysm
After a rather messy near-civil war in Ironforge, the Council of Three Hammers was formed and Falstad Wildhammer was given a place upon it. With the Wildhammers being given a seat of authority in Ironforge affairs, the Aerie Peak Wildhammers rejoined the Alliance. The Wildhammers of Northeron (Twilight Highlands) were still very wild, as their name suggests, and were in a state of disarray when an Alliance adventurer finds them with the aid of the now return Kurdran Wildhammer. With some effort, Kurdran manages to soothe the tensions between the various Wildhammer families and unites them, bringing them into the Alliance.
Much of Northeron was destroyed by the Cataclysm and Iso’rath, but these Wildhammers still inhabit areas near it and throughout the region.
Mists of Pandaria and Warlords of Draenor
The Wildhammers don’t take many notable roles during this time. They show up occasionally.
Legion
The Twilight Highlands, home to the Northeron Wildhammers, is stated to have been overrun by demons by Stormcaller Mylra (this is a one-off line during the shaman class hall). Wildhammers are seen in various places fighting against the Legion.
Battle for Azeroth
Falstad Wildhammer leads some of his gryphon riders against the Horde, bonking Nathanos Blightcaller, sinking Horde ships, and so on throughout the war. Some Kul Tirans were taught the Wildhammer ways of gryphon riding by Boss Tak - the sole survivor of a wiped out family of Wildhammers from the Twilight Highlands. (This character’s story sometimes confuses players. The Wildhammers are NOT wiped out. His family, who happen to be Wildhammers, were wiped out.)
Have enough of the history? Good! I’ve skipped over a lot, but this should cover the big bits of info you might want to know about. Let’s move on to the more immediately important things!
Important Tidbits!
Gryphons!
These half-lion half-eagle beasts are the pride and joy of the Wildhammers. Gryphons are intelligent, although the exact level of their intelligence is left undefined. It is safe to say that gryphons can be tamed, taught commands, and are often considered part of the family more than some disposable mount or pet. They do not appear to have any magical powers, but do you really need any when you’re a flying lion-bird?
We don’t know how long gryphons live, but they seem to live for at least 20+ years (the only info we have on this is Sky’ree, Kurdran’s now-deceased gryphon)! There is little enough info on the lifespan of playable races, but if you want to have a rough estimation for a gryphon’s lifespan - ~50ish years max?
Stormhammers!
The iconic weapon of the Wildhammers! These hammers are widely used by gryphon riders, known for striking with the power of storms and returning to their wielder when thrown! They are sacred to the Wildhammers, and are rarely given to outsiders.
If you want to make one, stormhammers are fashioned upon enchanted forges within gryphon aviaries, using secret magic and techniques. These aren’t cheap weapons.
Clans!
While there are many Wildhammers, they don’t all share the same last name! The Wildhammer Clan can be seen more as an umbrella under which many other clans fall under - the same goes for Bronzebeards and Dark Irons. As seen in the Twilight Highlands, there are many different clans of Wildhammers with their own family struggles, Thanes, high shaman, low shaman, and so on! You should feel free to create a completely new one that is unique to your character (or is shared with others)!
Potential Homes!
If you’re creating a Wildhammer, there’s two major choices for where they come from!
Aerie Peak Wildhammers are typically more organized, “civilized”, and knowledgeable about the world. These are the ones that have worked extensively with other factions throughout the years!
Highlands Wildhammers (often known as Highlanders) come from Northeron in the Twilight Highlands! These Wildhammers are typically more rowdy, disorganized, but possibly more spiritual than their Aerie Peak brethren. The spiritual center of Kirthaven remains in Northeron, alongside Thunderstrike Mountain - these are important spots for Wildhammer shaman! Most of Northeron was destroyed by the Cataclysm, so Kirthaven and Thundermar are the largest settlements in the area while smaller settlements dot the region.
Religion!
The Wildhammers are known for their shamanic and natural beliefs, often seen communing with the elements or their ancestors. Several Wildhammers can be seen in the shaman class hall as part of the Earthen Ring. Unlike their Bronzebeard cousins, Wildhammers tend to show little interest in the Light or the Titans. This is absolutely just a general statement - if you’re playing a Wildhammer, feel free to follow a different path!
Age!
As with almost every race, the lifespan of a dwarf is poorly defined. However, we have some tidbits to work off of! Muradin Bronzebeard is about 234 years old, and is still out on the battlefield kicking Nass and taking manes. He doesn’t even look particularly old across his various Blizzard depictions! It’s fairly safe to assume that dwarves can live to at least 300 years old, if not significantly longer!
This bit here is purely headcanon: While dwarves mature at a similar rate as humans, they may socially consider other dwarves to be adults after a longer period of time. A dwarf at age 18 might still be called a child by other dwarves! I generally go with age 50 being a safe bet for a dwarf being considered a full adult socially. Thus ends the headcanon.
Tattoos!
We don’t know what they mean. Use whatever ones make you happy! Feel free to headcanon meanings for your tattoos! Blue seems to be the common color for Wildhammer tattoos, but who’s to say that some Wildhammers don’t like wearing green or red?
Rivalries!
Wildhammers aren’t always the best friends with the other dwarves. Not necessarily antagonistic, but a “friendly” rivalry might be the best way to phrase it. We’re all allies again, just the Wildhammers are the best! When it comes to other Wildhammers, it might be a point of pride to prove that your family is stronger than the other family - perhaps who can beat up more bad guys, better train a gryphon, and so on. The Highlands Wildhammers aren’t always best friends with each other either, as you might learn from questing through the Twilight Highlands on Alliance.
ROLEPLAY!
If you’ve made it this far through the guide, congratulations! The next step is to put your Wildhammer together and throw them out into the world! If you want more help with writing a Wildhammer, or if you just want some other dwarves to hang out with and roleplay with, consider joining the Mead Hall! The Mead Hall is a dwarf-based community on Wyrmrest Accord, and more information on who we are and how to join us can be found here!
If you see anything in this post that is wrong, might be misleading, or could use some clarification, please let me know so I can fix it! Thanks for giving it a read, and I hope to see lots of tattooed dwarves in the future!