Warcraft Race Origins: Tauren

In part four of our journey through the story behind Warcraft's playable races, we will be taking a look at the nomadic Tauren of the Horde.

The Tauren are believed to be an exceptionally old race, but much of their history is uncertain as it must be unearthed Tauren's own myths and stories. Being nomadic and tribal, no written account of their early existance was ever recorded. Despite this ambiguity, general wisdom places the creation of the Tauren somewhere between that of the Trolls and Night Elves.

The Tauren believe they were created by the Earth Mother, an omniscient goddess who they hold out as the creator and protector of all life. Many other races speculate that the concept of the "Earth Mother" is simply the Tauren's understanding of powerful known beings in Azeroth's lore such as the elemental Therazane or the Titans. Whether or not there is an "Earth Mother" and what her identity might be still remain a mystery.

Throughout much of their early history, the Tauren were nomadic and divided into countless wandering tribes. Unfortunately, their dispersed populations and lack of a homeland made them easy targets for the aggressive Centaur which shared their lands. Thankfully, salvation came for the Tauren in form of Thrall and the Orcs. Both being shamanistic and honor driven, the Orcs and the Tauren became fast friends and allies. Through the Horde's help, the Tauren were finally able to drive back the centaur and claim a homeland amongst the fields of Mulgore. With their new home came new leadership over nearly all the disparate tribes in the form of Chieftain Cairne Bloodhoof.

Today, the Tauren continue to work with the Horde both because of their kinship to the Orcs and out of respect for the group's efforts in securing Mulgore for their race. The Tauren are as peaceful and introspective as they have always been, but as the world is assaulted by chaotic forces, they continually find it impossible to stay above the fray. With the release of World of Warcraft: Cataclysm, some Tauren will be turning to the Holy Light rather than their traditional nature based worship allowing for the creation of Tauren Paladins and Priests. It will also be interesting to see how the shamanistic Tauren respond to the sundering of their ancestral homeland by Deathwing. It is almost certain that the Tauren will play a significant role in shaping the future of the Horde, if not the future of Azeroth itself.


Warcraft Race Origins: Gnomes
Warcraft Race Origins: Trolls
Warcraft Race Origins: Night Elves
Warcraft Race Origins: Humans
Warcraft Race Origins: Orcs
Warcraft Race Origins: Dwarves
Warcraft Race Origins: Forsaken
Warcraft Race Origins: Draenei
Warcraft Race Origins: Blood Elves
Warcraft Race Origins: Worgen
Warcraft Race Origins: Goblins