[Horde] Chapter Two: Session Thirteen
August 3rd (Evening)
0:00
The party has arrived at Stonefang Outpost. Sorak catches up with his mother, Lokra, in regards to the goings on in the Frostfire Ridges. She mentions that her friend, Makka, had left with a number of individuals to the Forbidden Glacier to see if she could discover some things, and she had yet to return. Sadras, Sorak’s sister, and several other warriors had set out to find them, but had also not returned.
They look over a map of nearby villages to see if they could investigate more information on what’s been going on, but Lokra expresses she is still worried for her friend. Sorak the informs her that they were sent back to the Frostfire Ridges with Arthak by the Legion to retrieve the Frostwolves. All of them.
Lokra sighs, but says that the circumstances are not for her to weigh in on. They would speak with Go’el when they arrive in Wor’gol. Sorak goes to fetch Arthak to see about assisting at the glacier. As Arthak follows Sorak back, Lokra looks at Arthak with a very intense look as they approach.
Lokra commented that much has changed since she last saw him, as he was a chieftain now. Arthak, however, emphasizes that he has not forgotten the debt he owes the Frostwolves and Go’el, as well as Go’el’s sires.
Lokra’s lips tighten.
Lokra: “Yet you come here to collect us.”
Arthak: “I’ve been ordered to.”
Lokra: “Times have indeed changed. The Frostwolves collected like common sheep to be brought before the Horde. Times change indeed. But that is not why you’re here right now, is it?”
Arthak: “No, I’m on my way to meet with Go’el to discuss my orders and what we’re going to do about them.”
Lokra: “I understand. The chieftain will speak for himself, but I know what he will tell you. The earthquakes that shake this land are his priority, as I have informed Sorak.”
Lokra then gives Arthak the overview of the Frostwolves that had been sent to investigate the earthquakes.
Arthak agrees he will help look into the disappearance of Makka, and Lokra expresses she will guide his clan to the safety of Wor’gol.
Lokra: “And Arthak… do not speak to me with the look of a guilty pup. I know you were not responsible for Draka’s death, so do not act like you are. You are a chieftain now.”
She watches him very carefully.
Arthak: “As you say.”
Lokra: “Now do her honor. I will meet with you in the morning, before we set off.”
Arthak leaves, and Sorak follows, thanking him for agreeing to help.
0:36
August 4th
The next morning, the groups split. Lokra takes the rest of the Ati-Kaso and Broken Blade to lead them to Wor’gol, and Yrel ultimately stays with the Ati-Kaso at Samaara’s urging. The rest, including the party, Zagarra, Dranosh, Samaara, and Thura, head to investigate the glacier.
As they are leaving, they see Lokra scruff Azuka and glare down at her, commenting that her boots will not keep her warm. Azuka is stunned.
Azgadaan watches. “I thought we lost that kid months ago.”
Sorak comments to Arthak that he should take some lessons from his mother.
They set off, making preparations for the journey ahead.
0:50
About 5 hours into the travel, the earth begins to shake again. The earthquake seems to be much stronger as they start to approach the source. On the first day, they draw closer, but nothing substantial occurs.
August 5th
The next day, there is a light rainfall. From the frigid temperatures of the day previous, it has substantially warmed up. As they continue on, they see some figures. Two of them are knelt down next to the bodies of two Frostwolves, whose bodies had likely been covered by a snowdrift.
The fifteen orcs themselves appear to be Blackrock Clan. A spire looms in the distance, which they are able to identify as the Bladespire Citadel--a former ogre stronghold that had been occupied with the Blackrock for some time.
Arthak greets the Blackrock orcs, and the other orcs may no aggressive moves. They ask why they were there, and Arthak returns that it was a mission from the Warchief. The Blackrock orcs explain that they weren’t sure what happened to the Frostwolves, they just happened on the bodies, but the bodies themselves seem fresh.
As the group approaches, they note that some of the Blackrock orcs are slightly bigger than average--likely possessing some ogre blood.
As Sorak examines the bodies, he recognizes them as Frostwolf scouts, who were likely with his sister. However, he’s unable to determine how they died. Remnii also takes a look. They have no visible wounds, but their skin is paler, and it looks like they suffocated. However, there are no strangulation marks. As she looks down their throats, she notes that their muscles seem almost atrophied.
Arthak has Dranosh get the bodies back to the Frostwolves, and Dranosh grabs a few of the Blackrock to do so. One of the remaining Blackrock asks the party to report back if they find any information on what caused the deaths, as Command Rexxar would likely like to know.
Arthak agrees.
They continue to move on, and Spinyl sees another manticore in the distance, perched on top of the Bladespire Citadel. It seems to be watching them.
The earth trembles again, and as they watch, there is a crack and a spire in the distance cracks. Lava starts to seep up out of the crack.
However, the rest of the day passes without incident.
1:25
August 6th
The next day, the weather is back to normal. However, things seem off. The snow itself is… strange. Almost sandy. Like dust. Neither Sorak nor Zagarra had seen anything like it.
They happen upon some tracks, and they seem to meander a lot, as if the individuals that left them were lost.
Azgadaan calls Remnii over and asks her to detect magic, and Remnii senses magic everywhere. There is heavy illusion magic permeating the area.
Spinyl is able to identify the spell as mirage arcane, and mentioned it could potentially be dispelled, but if they did, they would probably draw the attention of whoever put the spell in place. And they are probably really powerful. Remnii mentioned she could dispel magic, but she didn’t have the spell prepared.
Arthak asked Remnii how long it would take, and Remnii said she would have to rest for an evening first.
Arthak has everyone make camp, despite the fact it’s only 11 in the morning.
Spinyl and Remnii play hearthstone
1:43
Meanwhile, a Frostwolf orc has been wandering for some time. There are whispers. Everyone else is gone. He knows he is being followed, and he knows he’s being watched. He’s just continued to move in the hope he will find something. He isn’t sure what happened. He can’t even see the Citadel anymore.
He sees trails of blood, and hears the sound of battle and more.
He sees his companions impaled on wooden spikes. Sadras. The others. Everyone is dead. He steels himself, unable to believe it, and starts to backtrack.
However, he’s not sure which way he came.
He finds his back against a pillar, and there’s more whispering. He casts shillelagh on his quarterstaff, preparing for a fight.
There’s another whisper, and a hand rests on his shoulder. There is a sharp pain in his chest, and there is a flickering form he can barely see as the air is drawn from his lungs.
Back with the party, Spinyl mentions something, but Remnii could barely hear it. It was really muffled. Remnii asks Spinyl to repeat it, but Remnii’s request is also muffled.
However, on the wind, Remnii swore she heard gasping breath coming from the northwest.
Samaara is also on alert, and she said they aren’t alone. She fires off an arrow, and it slows, stuck in the mid air as a bunch of whispers erupt.
The orc that was attacked sees something flicker, and his breath seems to be drawn into an entity that almost seems to be made of breath itself.
With the party, several of the entities appear and attack. Those they appear near find themselves incapable of speaking.
Spinyl disengages and flies straight into the air. In the distance, Spinyl sees another of the creatures which seems to have an orc pinned to the wall. Spinyl tries to call to him, but she isn’t sure if he heard.
Zagarra runs in and attacks one of the creatures, but her weapons almost seem to pass through it. Regardless, she seemed to be able to stun it.
Wintermaw dives into one of the entities, and Sorak slashes at another before running for Wintermaw. As he leaves, the creature draws some of his breath into it.
Meanwhile, the orc tries to swing at his attacker. However, it narrowly dodges.
Remnii releases a surge of healing energy as she resorts to her channel divinity. Azgadaan runs over to aid her, swinging his summoned warhammer at the creature, slamming into it successfully.
Arthak cleaves into one of the creatures successfully, and then turns on a second one. The blade slams into it. Both of the creatures are also taunted.
The last creature to reveal itself then goes for Samaara.
The creature fighting the unknown orc draws the rest of his breath from him, but he remains standing through sheer will.
Arthak continues to mess up on creatures, slicing through two of them in one go.
The mysterious orc disengages, shoves through the creature, and then charges back. He sees a bunch of other orcs and demons, and there is a succubus shouting at him to hide behind the boar.
Remnii heals the new orc, and the beatdown continues. Unfortunately, the orc is ganged up on again, and he drops into unconsciousness. Remnii, fortunately, is able to bring him back up. Upon waking, the orc swings into the creature with his staff, and it flickers and fades as sound floods back into the area. 3:00
Orc: “How many more!?”
Arthak: “Look behind you.”
The orc himself is a small orc with bright blue eyes, and he looks a bit older. His staff looks a bit more ornate than just a walking staff, and he charges back into the fight. Zagarra, meanwhile, surges into her enemy and pummels it.
The tides seem to be turning, but the creatures don’t seem to be intending to flee. However, as the fight continues, several turn invisible as they start to flee.
However, Spinyl casts faerie fire, ruining that idea.
In the meanwhile, the orc casts healing spirit, which Sorak immediately recognizes as a shaman spell.
Only one entity escapes. The rest of the creatures don’t, and are summarily eliminated.
Remnii is able to dispel the illusion.
3:28
The orc’s healing spirit continues flitting around, healing people, before dispersing.
Sorak is staring at the orc, but is acknowledging none of what’s going on it.
Orc: “I am very grateful for your assistance, especially you, Lady Remnii.”
Remnii inclines her head.
Remnii: “Pardon, I believe you may have me at a disadvantage, but thank you for your help as well.”
The orc explains that it had been roughly 50 years since they met, but he had definitely met the draenei before. Remnii thinks, noting he is a mag’har, and then thinks harder.
Then she recognizes him. His name was Kroll Gravenight. And last she had seen him, he was but a child. He had grown a lot.
Remnii introduces him to the rest of the group. She had met him when he was a pup by orcish standards. Kroll expresses his gratitude, and offers his services along with a bow.
Thura asks him what he was doing there alone, and Kroll explains he had gotten separated from the Frostwolves he was traveling with. Arthak comments on the fact he was not a Frostwolf, and Kroll confirms. Arthak asks of his clan.
Kroll: “At one point, I was of the Shadowmoon Clan.”
Arthak: “Ner’zhul’s…”
Kroll: “I was exiled at a younger age. I owe allegiance to no clan, though I’m attempting to provide comfort when it is given.”
Arthak: “So now you travel with the Frostwolves?”
Kroll confirms, and says he was with the party that had been sent out to find Makka. He asks the group if they had found any of them.
Arthak informs him they are the rescue party for his rescue party.
Arthak: “So you have found friends amongst the Frostwolves?”
Kroll: “Yes, I was traveling on behalf of a good friend. Though now I’m… was Lokra part of your rescue party?”
Arthak: “She sent us.”
Arthak gestures to Sorak, indicating he is Lokra’s son.
Kroll: “I understand this seems convenient to find a stranger in strange lands claiming to be an ally, but at this point I’m concerned we have heard nothing of them.”
Samaara interrupts, expressing there was time for this talk later, as with the illusion dispelled they could perhaps pick up the trail again.
The rest of the group greets him, and Kroll comments on the strange grouping.
Arthak: “It’s fine. We’re all damned.”
He chuckles and walks away.
That evening, they exchange information in the camp, and Kroll expresses he had not heard of Arthak’s clan. Arthak confirms the Broken Blade are a new clan.
However, they end up finding clefthoof tracks, and Sorak looks at Wintermaw and tells him to find Sadras. Wintermaw starts to sniff around, and then takes off barking. They find more footprints, and then a clefthoof explodes out of the snow.
3:52
On the back of the clefthoof, laughing hysterically as she holds onto its mane while wielding a club. It’s Sadras.
Then another orc leaps up, and there’s a clash of steel as the orc buries its axe into the clefthoof. Sadras laughs, commenting that they will have plenty of food, and then she sees the approaching group.
She recognizes Sorak, and runs up to greet him.
Then Sorak points out Arthak.
Sadras: “Well… seems I’m not the only one who did some growing.”
Arthak: “Your… equipment… is in fine… repair?”
Sadras: “Is that the best you’ve got? Really?”
Arthak: “It’s good to… see you.”
Sadras: “Aren’t you just adorable.”
She punches Arthak in the arm.
Arthak: “Yeah. It’s good to see you, Sadras.”
Sadras: “You know, you can see me much better if you stop looking at the snow. Right. I can do this all day.”
She then looks at the others of her band, one of which, Mankrik, is pacing impatiently, mentioning that he wishes to find his mate.
4:01
They continue on, and Sorak starts tracking again. In the direction of a herd of clefhoof, he sees other evidence of a group of orcs passing through. There are trail marks.
They follow the marks to a cave, and it seems that something had dragged something into it. Mankrik is insistent his mate may be down there.
There is some discussion, and Sorak senses for humanoids. He detects one within the cavern itself. They decide to go in, and Wintermaw follows, though Thura’s boar remains behind, snuffling through snow in pursuit of truffles it will never find.
They continue down the cave, twisting and turning through the caverns. They come to a frigid chamber. They see Mankrik inhale as if he’s going to start shouting for Makka.
No one stops him.
Arthak, however, activates his sword.
In the glow, in front of them, they see a figure standing in the center of the room. Mankrik moves forward, calling out to her again. Remnii illuminates her hand.
They see Makka. Her axe is braced. But she is frozen in a case of ice in the middle of the room. Mankrik rushes forward. Spinyl, meanwhile, sees movement in the far corner of the chamber. Something moves across the wall.
Then they hear a horrifying chittering sound. A creature moves into their vision. It’s long and sinuous. A massive maw rips open, and it lunges forward to attack.
Arthak knows the creature. It matches the description of a creature he’s heard horror stories about. The former chieftain, Durotan, once told him a story about the drift lurkers, which have a poisonous bite that can cause a coma. They feast on heat, and are drawn to life sources.
Durotan’s mother was once bit by one and almost died, as she almost never woke.
Kroll heard the story too, from a first hand account from Geyah herself.
The creature seems drawn to Arthak’s sword.
