World of Warcraft/Races/Tauren

Introduction and History
The tauren are huge creatures who live in the grassy, open plains of Mulgore in central Kalimdor. They are bovine in appearance complete with hooves and horns, and stand anywhere from six and a half to nine feet tall, and can weigh anywhere from 400 to 700 pounds. Their immense bodies are covered with fine, short fur that can range in color from black to gray to white to red to brown to tan and any mottled combinations or variations thereof. Males make up the tallest and heaviest of the tauren. Their deep, resonant voices are distinctive. Females are shorter and weigh less than the males. Both genders sport horns, however the females' are much shorter than those of the male.

Until recently, they were a nomadic people wandering the vast reaches of Kalimdor. Their race is nearly as old as the Night Elves and like the elves, they have a strong attunement to nature and the spirits of the earth. Thus, their society is largely based on shamanism. They live to serve nature and maintain the ever delicate balance between the wild things of the land and the restless spirits of the elements. In addition, elements of druidism have been recently reincorporated into tauren society, further highlighting their service to nature. For those not in tune with the spirits, the life of the warrior is also a desirable one where young tauren can acquire great honor for themselves and for their tribes. Though the noble tauren are peaceful in nature, the rites of the Great Hunt are venerated as the heart of their spiritual culture. Every tauren, warrior or otherwise, seeks identity as both a hunter and as a child of the Earthmother. Tauren, young or otherwise, seek to prove their bravery by setting themselves against the creatures of the wild. Despite killing the animals, the tauren are taught never to waste anything given to them by nature and to give back what they can. They learn the fine balance that exists in nature and that if they honor the Earthmother, she will bless them in return.

Despite their enormous size and brute strength, the remarkably peaceful tauren cultivate a quiet, tribal society. However, when roused by conflict, tauren are implacable enemies who will use every ounce of their strength to smash their enemies under hoof. They are noble and proud and have never, despite significant adversity in the past, succumbed to their enemies. The Bloodhoof tauren tribe under the leadership of their chieftain, Cairne Bloodhoof, are undoubtably the most influential tribe among the tauren. These tauren allied themselves with the orcs during the invasion of the Burning Legion. After the war, the Horde aided the tauren in reclaiming their ancient pasturelands of Mulgore from the centaur. Over a short amount of time, Cairne was able to consolidate most of the tauren tribes of Kalimdor and together they established their first permanent settlements in millenia. The two races have remained steadfast allies ever since. Like the orcs, the tauren struggle to retain their sense of tradition and noble identity.

Capital City: Thunder Bluff

Classes
Tauren characters may play as a Druid, Hunter, Shaman or Warrior. They are the only Horde race that can choose Druid, and the only race that cannot choose Rogue, outside of the Burning Crusade expansion, which will introduce the Draenei who will also be unable to choose Rogue.

History
The tauren of Kalimdor have a long and complex oral tradition that has been handed down for generations. Since almost no written record exists of tauren history, the accuracy of their tales is ambiguous. Regardless, many of their stories provide the only known account for several events in history, and so these stories must be regarded as having at least some believeability.

As noted, the tauren are one of the more ancient races of the world. Prior to meeting the orcs, the tauren were a proud, nomadic race, though it seems that they played little role in the grand dynamic of Azeroth for millennia. In fact, when encountered by the orcs and their Warchief, Thrall, they were under significant pressure from the centaur and their tribes were separated.

Tauren Mythology
The earliest history of the tauren is recorded in a series of myths. These chronicle the period of time from the creation of the world to the appearance of the centaur, speaking of the creation of the tauren by the Earthmother, their study of druidism under Cenarius, and the coming of the centaur.

War of the Ancients
In the original timeline, the tauren did not take part in the War of the Ancients, approximately 10 000 years ago. However, in the altered history created by the intervention of Krasus and his companions, they were convinced to join the alliance against the Burning Legion by the dragon-mage. The xenophobic commander, Desdel Stareye, refused to use the Tauren to their abilities, namely heavy melee fighters, on the grounds that they were apparently as likely to kill night elves and Earthen as demons. After the "tragic" loss of the commander, the Tauren were re-deployed to extreme effectiveness by his replacement, Jarod Shadowsong. Obviously, the Tauren survived the war, and maintained fairly good, or at least cordial, relations with the Sentinels.

The New Horde
For countless generations, the bestial tauren roamed the plains of the Barrens, hunted the mighty kodo, and sought the wisdom of their eternal goddess, the Earthmother. Scattered across the land, the wandering tribes were united only by a common hatred for their sworn enemy, the marauding centaur. Seeking aid against the centaur, the chieftain, Cairne Bloodhoof, desperate for help, turned to the strange green-skinned warriors from over the sea. Cairne quickly befriended the Warchief Thrall and the other orcs, and soon recognized that they shared a common love for honor and battle. For their part, the orcs and the Darkspear trolls that composed the Horde found much in common with the tauren. Each of these races wanted to achieve a more shamanistic culture, and the tauren, long versed in the lore of spirit and nature, were well-prepared to provide counsel and support to the budding shaman class within the Horde.

With the orcs' help, Cairne and his Bloodhoof tribe were able to drive back the centaur and claim the grasslands of Mulgore for their own. For the first time in millenia, the tauren had a land to call their own. For this alone, they were forever indebted to their orcish allies. Upon the windswept mesa of Thunder Bluff, Cairne built a refuge for his people, where tauren of every tribe were welcome. Over time the scattered tauren tribes united under Cairne's rule. There are a few tribes who disagree about the direction their new nation should take, but all agree that Cairne is the wisest and best suited to lead them toward the future. Helping the mighty Cairne in the duties of ruling his race are the Archdruid Hamuul Runetotem and the elder crone Magatha Grimtotem.

Although the Tauren have reclaimed their lands and battle alongside the Horde, not all is peaceful. The Grimtotem Clan tries to this day to usurp the rule of Cairne, plotting to overthrow his leadership.

At the same time, the Emerald Dream, realm of the Green Dragonflight, is tainted with a strange evil. Malfurion Stormrage is trapped inside, and the Green dragons have begun to act strangely, attacking all who pass near. Both the elven and tauren druids are researching these events, as the Emerald Dream, home of Ysera the Dreamer, the Green Aspect, must be kept safe.

Tauren Tribes
Bloodhoof – The chieftain's own tribe. Dawnstrider – ... Grimtotem – This tribe is the only dissenting tribe, refusing to join Cairne and the Bloodhoof for reasons unknown. Mistrunner – ... Ragetotem – The Ragetotem tauren are the fiercest warriors and finest smiths among the tauren Runetotem – These have recently rediscovered the ways of the druid. Skychaser – These tauren are the spiritual leaders of the tauren shamans. Stonehoof – Another notable tribe whose influence is in many aspects of tauren society. Thunderhorn – These make up the greatest hunters among the tauren. Wildmane – This tribe has largely joined the Runetotem in seeking the ways of the druid. Winterhoof – ... Strongbash – "..." Stormsinger – "..." Wildrunner – "..." Swiftwind – "..." Raincaller – "..." Clawhoof – "..." '''Rivermane – "..." Whitecloud – "..." Younghoof – "..." Eagletalon – "..." Oatwind – "..." Darkmane – "..." Cloudmane – "..." Longstride – "..."

More Info
In the Warcraft RPG Tauren may play as Rogues.


 * Lore of the Origin of the Tauren, Cenarius and Elune at www.blizzplanet.com.


 * The Tauren's name and appearance are based upon the Minotaur of Greek mythology. OBviously, the Tauren are much more appropriate in temprament than their mythological counterpart (there was only one, very horrific Minotaur). See Myth for more information.