03-27-2018, 05:44 PM
(Year 392 of the King’s Calendar, 240 years before campaign start. The Genedar dimensional ship, somewhere in the Great Dark Beyond.)
https://youtu.be/ttuPfYEAc1s
“Please wait. Detecting authorization crystal now.”
The portal to the Sequestrate was well-guarded. Only authorized personnel, usually including only the leaders of the Draenei councils, high anchorites, certified medical professionals and technicians, and family members.
Velen, the Divine Prophet of the Naaru, held several of those qualifications. And yet, the venerable draenei stood patiently as the magical sensors bliped and whirred, projecting arrays of lights to confirm his identity. The ancient draenei stood tall and proud, yet humble all the same, his clasped calmly behind his back. A soft smile held his face above his long, sagely beard.
“Identity confirmed. Welcome, Master Velen,” the vox replicator chirped, its voice pleasant and welcoming. Velen nodded as he stepped into the Sequestrate.
It was a place he was very familiar with. As he glanced around the long, tall chamber, the crystalline devices within hummed with a soothing chorus akin to that of the naaru - the radiant saviors of their people. The chamber itself was lined with long, large pods in even distribution. The Sequestrate held enough pods for more than three thousand draenei to slumber within. And yet, less than one hundred were in use. The stasis pods held those within in suspended animation. While within, they were safe. No one could harm them. No one could find them. It was harmonious and blissful slumber, removed from the passage of time.
From the terrors of their eternal war.
Most sequestered within were draenei even older than he was - infirm sages unfit for the physical stress of travel through the Great Dark. Brikur was one of such men. As he passed the ancient draenei’s chamber, Velen thought back to his own father, one of Brikur’s most promising students. He had taught generations of eredar - many of which now served the legion, to his despair. But Velen was sure the draenei’s wisdom would be invaluable again, some day, when they found a home where they could be safe.
Others within were ill. His heart sank as he passed by Sirhis and Vazra. The young women were born less than two millennia ago; of age with Restalaan’s eldest daughter, Samaara. While scouting for worlds amidst the Great Dark, the trio rangari women discovered a promising planet that could perhaps become home to their people. It was not until three days after their return that a fearsome allergic reaction to the native, abundant plant life ravaged the girls’ bodies. It was a miracle that Samaara was unaffected, but her friends were brought to the Sequestrate, in hopes that their condition could be someday treated and their lives saved. He muttered a silent prayer to their health as he passed them.
Velen’s pace slowed as he reached the pod he sought. The Genedar’s ambient, soft white glow illuminated the chamber in totalily as he stepped up to the crystalline tube. Within it, suspended in an aura of force, was an infant. Her pale, soft blue skin glistened in the stasis chamber, a wisp of fluffy white hair covering her nearly-nonexistent horns. Her eyes were closed, her small hands seemingly gripped around nothing. She looked serene. Safe. At peace.
“Remnii,” he said, a sad smile coming unbidden to his lips. He reached a slender hand and placed it on the crystalline glass tube. “I am sorry I have not come to visit you as often, my child. As ever, things have been… difficult without Askara.” He laughed a sad laugh. “I did not realize just how much of a burden she lifted from my shoulders.” His eyes glanced down at the chamber floor before coming back to the child in stasis. His voice was low and gentle. “She would have loved to meet you. Knowing her, she would have snatched you up as a younger sister before I even had the chance to blink!” he laughed, a single cough interrupting his mirth. “But I know that she, Nuuri, Dathremis, Hatuun and… all the rest, who have given their lives to protect us... to protect you.... they are watching over us, even now.”
Velen grew silent for a moment, his expression grow distant. In that moment, the weight of the world fell upon his shoulders once more. His hand slid from the crystalline tube once more.
He brought a smile back to his face, looking back up to Remnii. “Akah and Restalaan’s second daughter is hale and healthy,” he said, changing the subject. “Her name is Yrel. Apparently, she is already trying to walk. She inherited her father’s determination - and his stubbornness, it seems.” His smile softened once more. “I hope that you can meet her someday. I believe the two of you would be fast friends, and Samaara will almost surely be enamored with the both of you. Someday. I promise… the world will be safe for you someday.”
https://youtu.be/jiSjHWyPWx4
Just then, the Genedar rocked slightly. Velen kept his balance as the room shook, the lights flickering slightly as it goes. Moments later, the entire ship shook violently, casting the prophet from his feet. The crystalline lights flickered heavily as the dimensional vessel was ravaged for the better part of a minute. Slowly, the shaking subsided, and the vessel stabilized. Velen got back to his feet, his brow transfixed with concern. He moved over to the main hub of the Sequestrate and lay a hand on the crystalline device before him.
“Chief Artificer, status report,” Velen said. “What just happened, Hataaru?”
Seconds later, a small, holographic representation of the Chief Artificer appeared in the basin in front of him, the blue-white crystal projecting a near-perfect, though transparent, replica of him. Hataaru was a solid man, though he was no warrior. He wore simple, utilitarian clothing with an abundance of tools at the ready. While fleeing Argus many years ago, Hataaru had lost his left eye, though he did not allow it to slow him down - he had since replaced it with a techno-magical replacement that aided him in the upkeep of their dimensional vessel. He appeared to be in the middle of checking on a device near the terminal he was accessing.
“Netherstorm, Prophet,” the technician responded. “Seems we stumbled upon a leak into the Twisting Nether… or the leak just sprung up. My artificers are reporting green lights across the board, however. No permanent damage to the engines, and life support and gravitational simulators appear to be functional. Rangari Prime Naielle is reporting a negative on Legion signatures.”
Velen let out a sigh of relief. “This was not an attack, then. Just a ripple of the chaos of the Great Dark.”
The hologram of Hataaru nodded. “So it seems, Prophet. I will keep you apprised if the situation changes, but-”
A loud explosion interrupted the two of them. Though it rocked the ship, it was not as severe as the shake from the netherstorm. But it was close. Very close. The hologram of Hataaru sputtered for a moment. Hataaru looked about in confusion. "That was no netherstorm!"
And there was a screech. One imperceptible to the common ear, but one that filled Velen’s mind with a spike of pain and darkness. He doubled over, his hand moving up to his forehead as he winced in pain.
Ve͝l̛e͟n. ̧ The voice hummed through his mind like a harmonious chorus. It was K’ure, the first naaru that had ever reached out to him - his tutor and savior. Mak͞e͘ ha̕s̴te͝. Sh̶e̵ suffer̴s̢.́
“Prophet Velen?" Hataaru shouted through the hologram, "Velen! What happened? What is-”
Hataaru was interrupted again, as a second figure manifested in the basin next to him. It was Restalaan, one of the Rangari and one of Velen’s closest companions and confidants. One of his oldest friends, a brother unlike any since...
“Velen. Please, head to the bridge as quickly as you can. It’s-”
“K’ara,” Velen said, the answer coming to him unbidden. “She was hurt in the storm.”
Restalaan nodded. “I know better than to ask how you knew. Please, soran [best friend], be swift. I fear if any but you interfere, they would not be long for this life.”
Velen nodded. Deactivating the hologram, he turned back towards Remnii. “I shall return, avrokaein [my treasure]. Do not fear.”
He departed the Sequestrate as quickly as he could, focusing all of his energies towards the naaru at his destination.
https://youtu.be/ttuPfYEAc1s
“Please wait. Detecting authorization crystal now.”
The portal to the Sequestrate was well-guarded. Only authorized personnel, usually including only the leaders of the Draenei councils, high anchorites, certified medical professionals and technicians, and family members.
Velen, the Divine Prophet of the Naaru, held several of those qualifications. And yet, the venerable draenei stood patiently as the magical sensors bliped and whirred, projecting arrays of lights to confirm his identity. The ancient draenei stood tall and proud, yet humble all the same, his clasped calmly behind his back. A soft smile held his face above his long, sagely beard.
“Identity confirmed. Welcome, Master Velen,” the vox replicator chirped, its voice pleasant and welcoming. Velen nodded as he stepped into the Sequestrate.
It was a place he was very familiar with. As he glanced around the long, tall chamber, the crystalline devices within hummed with a soothing chorus akin to that of the naaru - the radiant saviors of their people. The chamber itself was lined with long, large pods in even distribution. The Sequestrate held enough pods for more than three thousand draenei to slumber within. And yet, less than one hundred were in use. The stasis pods held those within in suspended animation. While within, they were safe. No one could harm them. No one could find them. It was harmonious and blissful slumber, removed from the passage of time.
From the terrors of their eternal war.
Most sequestered within were draenei even older than he was - infirm sages unfit for the physical stress of travel through the Great Dark. Brikur was one of such men. As he passed the ancient draenei’s chamber, Velen thought back to his own father, one of Brikur’s most promising students. He had taught generations of eredar - many of which now served the legion, to his despair. But Velen was sure the draenei’s wisdom would be invaluable again, some day, when they found a home where they could be safe.
Others within were ill. His heart sank as he passed by Sirhis and Vazra. The young women were born less than two millennia ago; of age with Restalaan’s eldest daughter, Samaara. While scouting for worlds amidst the Great Dark, the trio rangari women discovered a promising planet that could perhaps become home to their people. It was not until three days after their return that a fearsome allergic reaction to the native, abundant plant life ravaged the girls’ bodies. It was a miracle that Samaara was unaffected, but her friends were brought to the Sequestrate, in hopes that their condition could be someday treated and their lives saved. He muttered a silent prayer to their health as he passed them.
Velen’s pace slowed as he reached the pod he sought. The Genedar’s ambient, soft white glow illuminated the chamber in totalily as he stepped up to the crystalline tube. Within it, suspended in an aura of force, was an infant. Her pale, soft blue skin glistened in the stasis chamber, a wisp of fluffy white hair covering her nearly-nonexistent horns. Her eyes were closed, her small hands seemingly gripped around nothing. She looked serene. Safe. At peace.
“Remnii,” he said, a sad smile coming unbidden to his lips. He reached a slender hand and placed it on the crystalline glass tube. “I am sorry I have not come to visit you as often, my child. As ever, things have been… difficult without Askara.” He laughed a sad laugh. “I did not realize just how much of a burden she lifted from my shoulders.” His eyes glanced down at the chamber floor before coming back to the child in stasis. His voice was low and gentle. “She would have loved to meet you. Knowing her, she would have snatched you up as a younger sister before I even had the chance to blink!” he laughed, a single cough interrupting his mirth. “But I know that she, Nuuri, Dathremis, Hatuun and… all the rest, who have given their lives to protect us... to protect you.... they are watching over us, even now.”
Velen grew silent for a moment, his expression grow distant. In that moment, the weight of the world fell upon his shoulders once more. His hand slid from the crystalline tube once more.
He brought a smile back to his face, looking back up to Remnii. “Akah and Restalaan’s second daughter is hale and healthy,” he said, changing the subject. “Her name is Yrel. Apparently, she is already trying to walk. She inherited her father’s determination - and his stubbornness, it seems.” His smile softened once more. “I hope that you can meet her someday. I believe the two of you would be fast friends, and Samaara will almost surely be enamored with the both of you. Someday. I promise… the world will be safe for you someday.”
https://youtu.be/jiSjHWyPWx4
Just then, the Genedar rocked slightly. Velen kept his balance as the room shook, the lights flickering slightly as it goes. Moments later, the entire ship shook violently, casting the prophet from his feet. The crystalline lights flickered heavily as the dimensional vessel was ravaged for the better part of a minute. Slowly, the shaking subsided, and the vessel stabilized. Velen got back to his feet, his brow transfixed with concern. He moved over to the main hub of the Sequestrate and lay a hand on the crystalline device before him.
“Chief Artificer, status report,” Velen said. “What just happened, Hataaru?”
Seconds later, a small, holographic representation of the Chief Artificer appeared in the basin in front of him, the blue-white crystal projecting a near-perfect, though transparent, replica of him. Hataaru was a solid man, though he was no warrior. He wore simple, utilitarian clothing with an abundance of tools at the ready. While fleeing Argus many years ago, Hataaru had lost his left eye, though he did not allow it to slow him down - he had since replaced it with a techno-magical replacement that aided him in the upkeep of their dimensional vessel. He appeared to be in the middle of checking on a device near the terminal he was accessing.
“Netherstorm, Prophet,” the technician responded. “Seems we stumbled upon a leak into the Twisting Nether… or the leak just sprung up. My artificers are reporting green lights across the board, however. No permanent damage to the engines, and life support and gravitational simulators appear to be functional. Rangari Prime Naielle is reporting a negative on Legion signatures.”
Velen let out a sigh of relief. “This was not an attack, then. Just a ripple of the chaos of the Great Dark.”
The hologram of Hataaru nodded. “So it seems, Prophet. I will keep you apprised if the situation changes, but-”
A loud explosion interrupted the two of them. Though it rocked the ship, it was not as severe as the shake from the netherstorm. But it was close. Very close. The hologram of Hataaru sputtered for a moment. Hataaru looked about in confusion. "That was no netherstorm!"
And there was a screech. One imperceptible to the common ear, but one that filled Velen’s mind with a spike of pain and darkness. He doubled over, his hand moving up to his forehead as he winced in pain.
Ve͝l̛e͟n. ̧ The voice hummed through his mind like a harmonious chorus. It was K’ure, the first naaru that had ever reached out to him - his tutor and savior. Mak͞e͘ ha̕s̴te͝. Sh̶e̵ suffer̴s̢.́
“Prophet Velen?" Hataaru shouted through the hologram, "Velen! What happened? What is-”
Hataaru was interrupted again, as a second figure manifested in the basin next to him. It was Restalaan, one of the Rangari and one of Velen’s closest companions and confidants. One of his oldest friends, a brother unlike any since...
“Velen. Please, head to the bridge as quickly as you can. It’s-”
“K’ara,” Velen said, the answer coming to him unbidden. “She was hurt in the storm.”
Restalaan nodded. “I know better than to ask how you knew. Please, soran [best friend], be swift. I fear if any but you interfere, they would not be long for this life.”
Velen nodded. Deactivating the hologram, he turned back towards Remnii. “I shall return, avrokaein [my treasure]. Do not fear.”
He departed the Sequestrate as quickly as he could, focusing all of his energies towards the naaru at his destination.