"A lok'vadnod is a prestigious song composed for a specific individual. It is commonly seen as the greatest honor the orcs can grant to an individual."
While usually the subject of a lok'vadnod is dead, Niqora's still very much alive. Happy Birthday!
Lok’vadnod for Niqora Wildstride
Harken, spirits, and heed my calling
That I may speak with sageful truth
Of the tranquil towering hunter
Of the mighty Wildstride
Born to warring plains and peoples
‘Twixt hateful hooves and twisting thorns
Dwelled her kind in cruel-edged battle
Dwelled the staid Shu’halo
In bitter strife did Wildstride strengthen
Sharp of wit and bright of soul
With her aim she warded elders
With the land she made her bond
Battered from the battles many
Bleeding stood the Shu’halo
Defiant through their doomed resistance
Defiant through their people’s night
Roamed Wildstride the barren badlands
Seeking shelter for her tribe
Ever stalking safer havens
Ever charting unknown lands
And as the Horde made hasty landfall
Wildstride wandered wide and long
To the woodland deep and looming
To the depths of Feralas
There, beneath the boughs of emerald
Found Wildstride a wolf of worth
Her hide of sable hue and luster
Her eyes of brilliant topaz gleam
Patient as the peaks above her
Stalked the woods did Wildstride
With skillful eyes she tracked the wolfling
With silent stillness she bode her time
And as the wolf loped lightly near her
Near the trap the tauren set
Readied her the rhyme of ancients
Readied her to sinter souls
Whispering her heart-wish swiftly
Before the snared and snarling wolf
Niqora formed her fastest friendship
Niqora to the beast was bound
Through slogging moor and icy mountain
Wandered Wildstride again
Always seeking, ever finding
Always Blacky by her side
Across the Plagueland’s fallow fields
And through the burning Blackrock mount
There was no shoreline shunned to travel
There was no stranger she’d not aid
With canny aim and cunning prowess
They ranged to regions strange and far
None may know their deeds for number
None could call their quests in vain
And as the Horde in heated battle
Sounded summons to the fray
Ready with her wolf she answered
Ready Wildstride marched to war
Amidst the spilling soldier’s lifeblood
Skirmished swiftly Wildstride
Gentle as she mapped and scouted
Gentle as she slew her foes
Never born to blood or thunder
Still Niqora knew their ways
Without fear she served her Chieftain
Without rage she earned her due
On her war-wolf swiftly riding
With her heart-bound at her side
Feared she made her name amongst them
Feared is Wildstride by our foes
And when honor’s hold was loosened
To savage southern dusts she strode
Seeking once more sights of wonder
Seeking secrets long unheard
In the bleached and bone-strewn desert
Stirred a strange forgotten foe
Driven by the voice of madness
Driven by the Old God’s gaze
Countless came the might of mortals
To face the fearsome threat again
Many stood and fought with fury
Many died to breach the gates
Yet Wildstride would not be among them
And though the thought was naught but desperate
Went she with the band of heroes
Went she to the Old God’s lair
None know aught of all they found there
Or of the wrathful ruin wrought
By the forty fearless mortals
By those who dared defy a god
Thought the toll was cruel and costly
Stood she with those who survived
Bow your heads and give her honor
Bow to Niqora, Old God’s Bane
Not content with quiet respite
Again she dared walk distant lands
Wandered with her wolf and weapons
Wandered to a broken world
Onward through the Outland wastelands
Wildstride wandered, Blacky near
‘Cross the crumbling crust of Hellfire
‘Cross the lakes of Zangarmarsh
Through Terokkar’s tainted woodlands
Across the nascent Netherstorm
Niqora ranged with green eyes watching
Niqora to the Mag’har came
On the gale-swept ground she battled
In service to our long-sought kin
Ogre’s blood she spilled in rivers
Ogre’s fear Nagrand now knows
With honor over those in waiting
Wildstride went to serve again
To the place we formed our folly
To the blackened Shadowmoon
Through the damned of Draenor’s darkness
Niqora watched and warred and won
Stood she at the black-built temple
Stood she at the Warden’s side
Amongst the needles born of nether
Those of shackled scales she found
Abandoned by black-hearted breeders
Abandoned once, but now no more
Disdaining doomed assault and slaughter
With beguiling guise she crept
Among the slavers, sly and slinking
Among their victims, breaking bonds
And with her cunning, canny luring
A sentry’s knell Niqora knew
Free was sable-scaled Saraku
Free again to aid his kind
Made them masquerade together
Foiling fel-orcs from within
Standing steady near the slavers
Standing, soon to pounce and strike
At last, the long deception dwindled
Before Betrayer’s blinded eyes
Away they fled on flows of nether
Away, in friendship forged of flame
And through her deeds so wide and wondrous
Her chieftain’s heart had with hers held
Together with her mighty Mysthowl
Together in bliss they would dwell
Yet peace was sparse and soon abated
As the Lich-King’s languor fled
Again with gun and gentle grimness
Again went Wildstride to the fray
To Northrend went Niqora freely
Not for only honor’s sake
Fought she for the fates of many
Fought the fallen, for their souls
At Angrathar she marched with honor
With the vanguard’s vengeful charge
Watched her Saurfang’s final challenge
Watched her Putress betray us all
And when the Warchief, ever watchful
With Sylvanus purged the halls
Niqora with the Kor’kron sallied
Niqora close beside them fought
Always seeking strange new visions
Through northern wilds Niqora strode
Finding friends to aid in battle
Finding sights of beauty deep
And when her clan with calm-set faces
Marched to slay the Lich-King’s pawn
With them Wildstride was stalking
With her, they felled dark Kel’thuzad
Bathed in honor bright and shining
She was granted duty great
Ambassador, of all our peoples
Ambassador to the Crusade’s call
Rose Wildstride through all aspiring
Skilled with lance and shield and bow
Until the Crusade called her sister
Until a Champion she was named
Now new terror haunts the northlands
Sibling spawn of dread C’thun
Dauntless, Wildstride advances
Dauntless delves to Ulduar
Hunts she now the ancient evil
Leading those who call her friend
Seeking through the Titan’s prison
Seeking dreadful Yogg-Saron
All who call her captain honor
Brave and valiant Wildstride
Always with her black-furred packmate
Always patient, always strong
Harken, spirits, and heed my calling
That I may swear with solemn vows
Of the truth of all I’ve spoken
Of the tale of Wildstride
