Blackhowl

Blackhowl
Blackhowl footsoldiers playing with dice in Gilneas city.
Main leader	Unknown
Formerly	Lord Hiram Creed †
Race(s)	Human  Worgen Drakonid
Base of operations	Gilneas City
Theater of operations	Ruins of Gilneas
Affiliation	Secretly manipulated by the black dragonflight
Status	Unknown, presumed active

The Blackhowl are a group of Gilneans who were manipulated^[1] by Lord Hiram Creed, a black drakonid in disguise as an affluent Gilnean noble. The group was made up of both Gilnean humans and worgen occupying Gilneas City. Creed had infected them with his own draconic blood,^[2] which enhanced their physical capabilities but also unwittingly kept them loyal to Creed. The blood also had a possibility of killing the Gilneans as it worked its way out of their system.

According to Fahrad, Creed's goal was to ultimately loot the whole of Gilneas with his army, and if he succeeded, there would be no telling where he would hide next.^[3]

The Blackhowl apparently repelled numerous Forsaken assaults, as seen in the courtyard of the Stoneward Prison where Creed resided, which was littered with Forsaken corpses. Black Prince Wrathion sent his rogue champion, who sought to earn his favor, to assassinate Creed in his crusade to eliminate all corrupted black dragons on Azeroth.^[2] With his death, it is unknown what the fate of the Blackhowl group is, though it is probable they kept guarding Gilneas City.

Members[]

Named[]

Unnamed[]

In Hearthstone[]

This section contains information exclusive to Hearthstone and is considered non-canon.

The Blackhowl are represented in the The Witchwood expansion for Hearthstone by a legendary warrior card, the Blackhowl Gunspire. The Blackhowl are a group committed to the defense of Gilneas. Their leader Creed was secretly a corrupted drakonid in disguise (who performed some icky blood rituals) and was "retired". The fate of the remaining Blackhowl were unknown... until now.^[4]

Notes[]

• Strangely, the Blackhowl are also referred to as a pack^[5] despite having a large amount of human members, and Creed having shown no signs of being a worgen as part of his disguise.

Speculation[]

This article or section includes speculation, observations or opinions possibly supported by lore or by Blizzard officials. It should not be taken as representing official lore.

• Wrathion and his followers claimed that the Gilneans had no clue of their subversion, so at the time they might've been fighting for the Alliance. However Creed later turned them all into his loyal servants with his draconic blood, and they were also hostile to Alliance rogues sent to kill Creed. Creed also fought the Forsaken within Gilneas.
• Zazzo states that following Creed's death, the Blackhowl were "on their own" again. It is thus possible that those that survived and were not turned into Creed's servants might have been re-integrated in the Gilnean forces of the Alliance out in the Ruins of Gilneas. However, it was also stated that Gilneas was abandoned after the events of Cataclysm.
  • In Hearthstone, the Blackhowl did return to the Alliance.

References[]