[Horde] Chapter Five: Session Forty-Four
Appearing Characters: Arthak Saurfang, Ayelle, Driana, Feargus, Gudorg, Halog, Magula, Malisandra, Merayl, Neri Sharpfin, Nyxxa Murkthorn, Okuna Longtusk, Ooka Dooker, Ooker Dooker, Rak'Symma, S'theno Vashj, Seersei, Seska Seafang, Sternfathom, Thaldrys, Vaerux, Volo'ren, Whalebelly, Xaroth, Xinthoss, Zar'Kaa
December 1st - December 3rd
Malisandra began to close the distance between herself and Rak’Symma. The other harpy’s feathers bristled, but she didn’t back away and she offered an even expression. She exhaled, and she shook her head.
Malisandra narrowed her eyes.
Rak’Symma shook her head and held up her claws so that lightning crackled around her talons.
Ra: Not all power that is wielded is gentle. I wouldn’t expect harpies to be gentle, and power is destruction and defense. I know the power that you carry. But I also know the weight it carries. My answer comes with a second question. And perhaps that’s one more important than the first. But it’s how do you intend to use yours?
She leaned back and looked away.
Rak’Symma took a deep breath.
Rak’Symma offered a dry laugh.
Malisandra grinned.
Malisandra hissed and said she didn’t need her pity.
Rak’Symma bowed her head.
Malisandra chuckled mirthlessly.
Malisandra looked over at Magula and Seersei. She ordered Seersei to return to her hollow and take Rak’Symma with her. Seersei said Malisandra was the one that called them there in the first place, but Malisandra said that the winds have changed.
Seersei frowned, but she nodded and bowed to Rak’Symma.
Malisandra and Seersei exchanged a look, and it was evident this was suddenly a drastic shift from what they were talking about before. Rak’Symma bowed back to Seersei, and then looked back at Malisandra.
They all took off and flew northwards, swiftly away from the Cragtalon lands to the lands of the Stoneblood in the Wretched Hollow.
Seersei sneered.
Seersei considered, then her eyes widened.
Magula grinned. Seersei got quiet, grumpy, and angry as it appeared she was thinking of something. They traveled for about a day, heading north to the border of Val’sharah. Eventually, they arrived at the Wretched Hollow.
Rak’Symma’s danger sense flickered to life as she saw a kaldorei with a bow drawn pointed up at them. But then she realized they weren’t moving. It was an incredibly lifelike statue, but as Rak’Symma looked closer, she realized it was an individual the Stoneblood had petrified.
The further into the territory they flew, the more statues Rak’Symma saw. Most of them were people. There were kaldorei, shu’halo, and even a few satyrs, and they finally arrived to a copse of trees where the trees themselves were also petrified. Seersei’s roost was atop a massive tree that was likely an ancient.
Seersei paced as they landed.
She looked at Rak’Symma.
Seersei tapped her claws on the ground.
Seersei raked her claws in the stone and said she would try a few, offering their freedom for information. Rak’Symma said if they become violent, she would not fault her for turning them back to stone again. Seersei pointed at her.
Rak’Symma set out with some of the other harpies to identify individuals to free. The only ones they were able to relinquish were kaldorei, and a handful were unpetrified. None of them reacted violently, but the situation was extremely tense as Rak’Symma spoke with them. Rak’Symma tried to explain the harpies used the methods to defend their territory, and one of the night elves retorted that they were just living. Rak’Symma said that they had territory, and the night elf said those borders were murky.
The situation started to escalate as Seersei and the kaldorei started to argue, and Rak’Symma put her foot down and said that an accord needed to be made because the harpies were backed into small territories and could not leave without fear of being shot down. A night elf retorted the harpies raided settlements just for things that they wanted. Rak’Symma said that for every statue were harpy lives that could not be returned, and a night elf rebuked that for every statue there were others that had been shattered.
One of the ones that were freed was a druid of the talon. Another was seemingly a sentinel, who said that the fact the mysterious man was a man meant he wasn’t a sentinel or a priestess, but him being so far out meant that he wasn’t supposed to be there.
Another statue was a high ranking priestess, and she said that her first instinct was that a satyr in disguise was responsible, but that didn’t make sense. But also a kaldorei using the fel was also its own problem.
Seersei said the decision better not have been a mistake. Rak’Symma said she hoped it was not, and she had alliances that she hoped would be able to put pieces together. She explained why she was meeting with the matriarchs and that there were more demons coming. Seersei said that if Rak’Symma could help Malisandra and protect their people, then the Stoneblood would help to. Rak’Symma said that was her greatest priority. Seersei said she was welcome to enter their lands for the time being, for as long as she stays true to her words.
Zar’Kaa had been maintaining his kaldorei disguise to help the night elf ghosts on the warfront with the demons. He saw the no man’s land battlefield that had unfolded between the ghostly camp of Nar’thalas soldiers and the demonic incursion. It appeared that during high tide the forces backed up, but during low tide they were actively warring. It appeared there had been a stalemate for a while.
Zar’Kaa talked to some of the ghosts and found out their spellblade captain, Volo’ren, had been held captive by the demons and they had been struggling to mount a rescue mission for him. He knew that ghosts did not normally have the ability to travel freely, so their inability to find Volo’ren may have also been linked to that.
He announced that he was going into the demon camp to find their captain, as he was not about to let the demons take their home. So once he returned with Volo’ren, they would break their line. One of the kaldorei asked if he really thought he could rescue their captain with no backup, and Zar’Kaa said that the worst thing that would happen is he die taking as many bastards with him as he could. He told them that when he returned, be ready to charge.
The forces were at least bolstered so their morale was no longer at risk of breaking.
Before too long, the tide shifted, and he had the opportunity to scout out the area. He slipped off the battlefield near the edge and headed toward the enemy lines. The forward camp of the invasion point was filled with orcish bunkers and demonic fortifications made of black felsteel. He noted a device that looked different from the others that appeared to be a different architectural style. It was more geometric.
Zar’Kaa shifted his disguise to that of a felguard and he approached. The other felguards looked at him and said there were no scheduled patrols at the moment. He said that there was an abrupt change in schedule, as he had been sent on behalf of Lord Jaraxxus.
The felguards looked at each other and asked if he had proof of the order. He admitted he didn’t, but the lord gave him the task and it was not his place to question unless they wanted to test the lord and his patience. The felguards didn’t, and they opted to let Zar’Kaa through.
He entered and he saw a crystal that appeared to be awaiting some sort of word. It looked to be a translocation device. He said a few different words for prison, and finally he got feedback when he tried “interrogation chamber”. He was teleported and he ended up in an enclosed chamber. It was completely dark save for some bright green lights. There were all sorts of strange implements of torture, and incased in some sort magical restraint was the ghost of a night elf man with short dark hair. His armor had been stripped off.
The night elf grimaced.
Zar’Kaa approached the apparatus and looked at it and released the ghost.
The ghost rooted through an invisible pile and withdrew a blade. They slipped past and went to exit the facility. No one seemed to notice them, and they quickly and quietly dispatched two felguards and made their way back through the battlefield.
The ghosts rejoiced as they saw Volo’ren returning with their mysterious ally. With their returned leadership, they managed to push the demonic forces back to the other side of the river with Zar’Kaa actively fighting alongside them. The morale was boosted significantly.
Volo’ren thanked “Temkin” for his aid, as he may have been what was needed to turn the tides on the battle, but the war wasn’t over. He told Zar’Kaa to get some rest, as he would be needed on the morrow. They exchanged a solid handshake and Zar’Kaa went off to go do a bit more scouting.
Zar’Kaa woke up the next day, and as his eyes opened, the first thing he noticed was his tent was real. It was no longer a spectral tent. He poked his head out, and he saw the same camp, but all the kaldorei were fully flesh and blood. It was all real. The landscape was different. The river had a different shape. There was a bridge over it that the camp had control over, and the demonic camp was not present. Instead there were forests. Zar’Kaa took everything in and tried to piece together what was going on.
He had no idea what was going on.
Zar’Kaa started to approach the soldiers. Volo’ren was still there, but he was also fully in the flesh. He gleefully greeted Temkin and said he was reviewing plans to rescue the rest of their brethren. Zar’Kaa looked down at himself, and he realized he fully looked like his night elf self.
Volo’ren introduced Zar’Kaa to the team: Thaldrys, Ayelle, and Merayl. Two of them appeared to be sisters in Nightwatch armor, though one had a shield and blade and the other had a bow.
Zar’Kaa asked how strong their numbers were, and Volo’ren said they had unfortunately not received any reinforcements, and he wouldn’t trust them even if they did. Zar’Kaa asked why, and Volo’ren hesitated and asked what his opinion about Her Radiance was. He asked him to speak freely.
He said that their team would utilize a distraction to flank the main forces, and then they would break into the containment. Volo’ren said that Zar’Kaa should lead, as he had already broken in once. They needed to get the prisoners out, as there were powerful people, and without them Nar’thalas was doomed.
Zar’Kaa suggested a way in might be for him to disguise himself as a demon, and the ruse was that he was transporting them as captives under his custody. Volo’ren asked how Zar’Kaa would sneak in a second time, as the defenses would be increased. Zar’Kaa admitted that he knew the demonic tongue, and he could speak with them.
Volo’ren ordered the others to shadow them from a distance and be ready to attack. Zar’Kaa took an eredar disguise, and this time, the demons came out of the woods, and their prison facility was even deeper into the forest.
They started to walk through the woods and passed by various demons like satyrs and felguards. Three of them stuck to the shadows while Volo’ren acted as Zar’Kaa’s prisoner. Eventually, they reached a strange compound that resembled a perverse temple that had been profaned with flayed flesh and bone. Volo’ren confirmed that was the place.
There were felhounds and satyrs and horrific demons that defied logic and reason. A wrathguard with a large polearm watched the front gate with a cluster of satyrs nearby. Volo’ren asked if his trick would get them in, and Zar’Kaa said it had to. Volo’ren ordered the others to stick to the shadows, and Zar’Kaa and Volo’ren marched toward the guard.
The guard told Zar’Kaa to state his business as they had not expected any other sacrifices to be brought. Zar’Kaa said he was the personal guard of Lord Jaraxxus, and he came bearing a gift of someone that strayed too far from the nest. He told them not to let the prisoner escape again.
The guard nodded and invited Zar’Kaa to enter. However, then there was a bloodcurdling scream, and Zar’Kaa looked back and saw Ayelle with a satyr that had plunged a blade into her chest. Merayl leaped down and shot several of them, but was also cut down.
The wrathguard called out it was an attempted rescue and urged the captive inside. Volo’ren grit his teeth, but Zar’Kaa urged him to focus on the mission. They headed through the compound, but as they turned a corner there wa another shout and they saw the severed head of Thaldrys.
Volo’ren called that they need to go, as the jig was completely up. They started to run, but then Volo’ren made a noise as an inky black tentacle coiled around his foot and started to pull him back. Zar’Kaa ran back for him, and Volo’ren shouted at him to leave him and save the others. The tentacle was emerging from inky black shadow that Zar’Kaa couldn’t see through.
Zar’Kaa hurled Rokul Kaz down into the darkness, and then he felt pain as the weapon burst through his own chest. He fell to his knees, and he heard laughter as he hit the ground, and then darkness clouded his vision.
He awoke with a start. He had deep, labored breaths. He sat up, and he was in the tent again. He stepped out, and he saw Volo’ren and his men standing around a map. Volo’ren smiled and called to Zar’Kaa as he was just about to go over the plans for the night.
That night in the naga encampment, Nyxxa sparred with S’theno and then headed back to the suite she had been given to speak with Driana. Driana was working on her makeup and hair when Nyxxa found her.
Nyxxa said she had done great that day, and Driana thanked her and said she hadn’t been sure if Nyxxa was going to be back that night.
Nyxxa went into the details of what had given the chance with the Illidari. Driana was enraptured and expressed that Nyxxa had been through so much in such a short time, and she was perhaps glad she didn’t have such exciting stories.
She said the last century had been a haze. She had just been surviving and living and making sure no one would find her. Nyxxa said that, regardless of anything, she wanted to ensure Driana had options, as she didn’t think they were going to need to hide from everyone anymore.
Driana shook her head and said she didn’t think that could be true. She said she only saved Nyxxa because she had thought Nyxxa could protect her, and Nyxxa laughed and said she was selfish when she reached out to her too. Regardless of intentions, they had still found each other, and it was messed up, but if they were being given a shot to save each other, Nyxxa wanted to do it right this time. And this time she wanted to be a friend and help her.
Driana laughed mirthlessly.
She sniffled, but Nyxxa assured her she had been genuinely helpful. Driana said she didn’t know if she could believe her, but if Nyxxa believed it, that was something and maybe she could start working on it too. Nyxxa admitted it had taken herself a century, so she wasn’t going to rush her.
Driana looked up at Nyxxa with wide watery eyes.
Nyxxa produced a pink and yellow rose hair stick and presented it to Driana. Driana took it.
She started to weep as she gave Nyxxa a big hug.
Nyxxa assured her that she will try to help in whatever way she could. Driana put the hairstick in her hair and asked how it looked. Nyxxa assured her it matched her perfectly.
She fiddled with her ring, and Nyxxa said that ultimately her wife had killed her too. Driana’s eyes widened and Nyxxa explained the story with Delas. As they were talking, Driana opted to start braiding Nyxxa’s hair. She complimented Nyxxa on how much nicer her hair was now.
The next day they were sent back to the war camp on the main isle, and Nyxxa and Driana set off to try and infiltrate the satyr sects in the area. Nyxxa asked for Driana’s read on the satyrs in the area, and she said they were despondent and aimless and didn’t seem to be very organized. There didn’t seem to be a praetor, and there were fewer satyrs every time she had seen them. There appeared to have been some infighting, and the praetor of the Darkfiend had left.
Nyxxa noted that the corruption to the land was less severe than she may have expected, and she came across a pond and the markings of a few satyrs passing through. Before long, they found a makeshift squatting camp in some old ruins with stolen tents and supplies. Driana said that was the Darkfiend sect.
Nyxxa had disguised herself as a pink and purple satyr, and Driana said they could almost be sisters. They decided to pretend to be sisters, and Nyxxa opted to go by Zinnea. As they approached the camp, they saw a trio of satyrs playing some sort of game chance with a pinecone. A few of them were fighting in the water. There was not a woman to be seen, and there were a few playing the knife game, and a group of six satyrs were sitting around a stump spinning a turtle. The one the head was pointed to got slapped in the face, and then spun the turtle.
Driana checked her hair and pushed her boobs up to make sure she looked good before and asked if Nyxxa was ready. Nyxxa joked she would fix her boobs too, but she gestured to her flat chest, and Driana laughed.
As they entered the camp, literally all the satyrs stopped and looked at them.
She waved. Several of them said hey back, and one of them stepped forward. He had silverish gray fur and hair, and he looked to be somewhat young. He called back at the others not to make themselves look too desperate before he looked back at the two women.
All the other satyrs looked at Xaroth, who sighed and told Driana to try and not kill some of his guys again. Driana apologized, and Nyxxa giggled. She produced some alcohol and called out she brought booze. All the satyrs cheered.
Over the days, Nyxxa worked on trying to get some information from the satyrs. She heard that the praetor had been sick of waiting around and went north, and what remained of the sect didn’t want anything to do with the demons and getting press ganged into their wars. Nyxxa said that was good. Nyxxa asked if she could have the turtle, and the satyrs eagerly gave it to her.
Nyxxa also heard from Xaroth that other gangs were leaving. If it wasn’t going north to join the Taintheart, it was east to contact the demons, or south to speak with the naga. Overall, it seemed the Darkfiend were dissipating. Now, there was barely anyone around that was around during the old wars. In their group, only Xinthoss was left. He gestured up to the nearby hill at a boulder of a satyr with a massive spear he was sharpening. Nyxxa waved up at him, but he was not looking at her.
Nyxxa cocked her head.
Nyxxa looked closer and she noted his entire face and body was covered in fur. It appeared he was actually a tauren satyr.
Nyxxa asked if he was receptive to conversation, and Xaroth said it was hard to say. The only thing he normally said was “we’re moving” when he decided it was time to leave.
Nyxxa opted to go up and talk to Xinthoss and offered him some alcohol. Xinthoss looked her up and down, and he accepted. He ripped off the bottle covering and drained the entire bottle in one go. He said it tasted like piss. Nyxxa said he was welcome and it was a pleasure to meet his boys.
Xinthoss said they weren’t his boys. Nyxxa asked what they were, and he just said satyrs. Nyxxa pointed out he was there, and he could probably make it on his own. He confirmed. Nyxxa said she was sure he had a quite the story, but she wouldn’t linger overlong. She just wanted to extend a thanks for the hospitality.
Xinthoss looked at Nyxxa for a long moment and asked what she was actually doing there. She said she was checking in and she had never really gotten to make satyrs outside the sect she was pressured into. He asked which one, and Nyxxa hesitated and asked if he was going to send her back. He shook his head, and Nyxxa said it was Xavian. Xinthoss puffed smoke out of his nostrils and said they were a bad crowd. Nyxxa said she would have left if they let her, but they didn’t. She had to get out herself.
Xinthoss looked back at his spear and sharpened it more.
Nyxxa said that she was glad they were staying out of it, as it couldn’t be anything good. Xinthoss said it was “him”, and Nyxxa asked for clarification. He said they were getting ready for “him” and his return.
Xinthoss chuffed and said it seemed that way. That was why he was staying where he was, and he advised Nyxxa stay there too if she knew what was good for her. Nyxxa said there was a part of her that wanted to get to the bottom of the matter, but Xinthoss said there wasn’t a bottom. It was just an inky depth with no end. Nyxxa asked him if he had ever met him personally, and Xinthoss said he did once, a long time ago. Nyxxa thanked him for the warning, and he grunted in affirmation. Nyxxa sensed the hint of fear in his eyes.
Nyxxa’s silence was deafening.
Vaerux quipped the sorry bunch was something, but at least they knew how to drink liquor. Nyxxa asked if he ever thought she could lead a sect, and Vaerux laughed and said it would be a piss-ass poor sect. Nyxxa was musing on the Darkfiend, as they didn’t have much purpose, and Vaerux said that groups like them were more common than they used to be.
Meanwhile, Arthak was doing some practice runs with Okuna Longtusk and Neri Sharpfin as part of the Whale Sharks. He doubled down on the first day so they could work on really maneuvering on the following days.
The next day, Neri was assigned to steal and distribute additional weapons. Okuna Arthak directed to try and get giants on their side alongside Sternfathom.
Arthak himself went to square up with Whalebelly before the preliminaries were going to start. The tuskarr looked Arthak up and down and asked the “guppy” if he wanted something, as he didn’t have time to waste on him.
Arthak said he wanted to wish him good luck and extended a hand. Whalebelly get on Arthak’s face and said that he didn’t need his luck as the arena had been his stomping grounds for longer than orcs had been on the world.
He gestured to Whalebelly’s intact tusk.
He pulled his hand back and activated [Devastating Hand]. He got the tuskarr right in the jaw with a massive flaming fist. He staggered back and said that Arthak was going to regret that. Whalebelly got a good punch in on Arthak, and they got into a wrestling match until a giant came by to pull Arthak off and throw him in the cage.
Meanwhile, Neri had snuck into the armory, and Okuna was working to appeal to the giants and hype up the Whale Sharks. There was some intrigue amongst the giants.
Meanwhile, in the cages, Arthak looked around at the other prisoners, and he noted an orc woman in another cage. She had blue-green skin and tattered clothes, and Arthak called out to her in orcish. She squinted at Arthak, and then her eyes widened and she took a step back.
Seska shook her head.
She raised a brow.
Arthak gave her a very evil smile as he rounded on those in his own cage and started to set the stage for an active rebellion. He was released to participate in the preliminaries.
The Whale Sharks trounced every group in the preliminaries and would move on to the semifinals and finals on the next day. After the fights, Neri was able to smuggle some weapons to other fighters, and Okuna seemed to be making headway with his earning the interest of the watching giants.
The next day, Sternfathom said it seemed like they had everything in order, and it now came down to the final bouts. Okuna, Neri, and Arthak were all confident about their success. And they, in fact, barreled through their semifinals.
The finals were announced by Halog and Gudorg, and the match was against the undefeated Unsinkables featuring Boss Whalebelly, who ran a hand over his throat after pointing at Arthak, Captain Feargus, who was a handsome dark-skinned man covered in scars who transformed into a worgen and howled, and the Grooker, two monkey-like humanoids named Ooka and Ooker that did a complicated acrobatics routine before the female landed on the shoulders of the male, clearly fighting as one.
