[Horde] Chapter Five: Session Thirty
Appearing Characters: Arthak Saurfang, Ebonhorn, Emmarel Shadewarden, Kuzari, Muirn Ironhorn, Nyxxa Murkthorn, Q'onzu, Rak'Symma, Rangiro, Ronos Ironhorn, Sol'chi, Thisalee Crow, Vaerux, Zanga, Zar'Kaa
November 18th - November 27th
In the evening after they returned, Symma had gone to find Ebonhorn. She found him getting some of his own affairs in order for the evening as he got ready to relax. He smiled and greeted her warmly.
Rak’Symma put on her best face, nearly on the verge of tears, and asked if they could speak. Ebonhorn nodded, and gestured for her to retire with him to his quarters. It was a humble abode with not much decoration. It was less a home, and more just a place to sleep.
She took a moment to compose herself, and Ebonhorn kneeled down next to her and put a hand on her shoulder. He assured her that she could take as much time as she needed, and he was there.
Ebonhorn moved in front of Symma and put a hand on each of her shoulders so he could look into her eyes.
Rak’Symma cupped Ebonhorn’s face in her talons.
Ebonhorn smiled.
Ebonhorn looked down.
He chuffed quietly.
He smiled.
Ebonhorn walked over and retrieved something before returning to her.
He revealed a small black satchel that looked like it could tie around Symma’s waist or thigh or wherever else she wanted to keep it. Symma’s talons ran across it, and it appeared it was made of black scales.
Rak’Symma threw her arms around Ebonhorn. He returned the hug.
Arthak had spent the time learning about tauren spirituality and generally meditating as he was taught about various tauren cultures.
Nyxxa had started to work on learning some new instruments.
Rak’Symma had helped Nyxxa and Zar’Kaa get to the Trueshot Lodge and also generally worked on establishing the harpies in the area. For the first time in a while, it seemed the eagles were able to relaxe with Ohn’ahra now safe.
Sol had been working on general crafting, including finishing up the gifts he was working on Ebonhorn and Mayla. However, in the process of finishing up one of his days, he got the sense that there was some form of conjuration magic used in the area. It also felt as if it was fel magic. However, there was no evidence of tampering or stealing and whatever was present was long gone. He used some divination magic to get a sense for the situation, and he got confirmation that whoever had been present was in fact working with the Legion. It also seems that it was more than one being, and it had been a joint effort.
Zar’Kaa, meanwhile, had gone to Trueshot Lodge to speak to the representatives and trolls there, and he also started to practice some of his fel practice in the waking world while also working on the potions he had been brewing.
Ebonhorn had brought the group to the tauren that were examining the crystals that were jutting out of the mesa so that they could be introduced. One of them was slate gray and had long moose-like antlers that turned upward, while the other one was cream and had antlers with more of a downturn. However, their antlers had also been capped off with metal iron in sharp carves.
They were introduced as Ronos Ironhorn, and his younger brother Muirn Ironhorn, and Ebonhorn also made introductions of the warband before he set off to take care of his own things. It seemed that Ronos was the louder and more brash of the pair.
Arthak asked for confirmation that they were the craftsmen of the mountains, and Ronos confirmed that the Ironhorn were responsible for most of the innovations in Highmountain: including the lifts, the aqueducts, the windmills, and similar mechanisms. Arthak complimented them on the work, and Ronos said that he wasn’t personally responsible, but his ancestors would thank him.
Talk then turned toward the crystalline growths, and Ronos explained that the Highmountain tauren had called for their expertise. Initially, they had thought it was a new vein of leystone, but it was ultimately wildly different once they got a closer look. Ronos noted that, so far, they had discovered the crystal was horribly unstable, and it was unlike anything he had seen in person. It also radiated power. Zar’Kaa asked for clarification about what type of power, and Ronos explained that, were it rendered entirely unstable, it was likely capable of flattening the mountain.
Ultimately, leaving it jutting out of the mesa was not a wise course of action.
Zar’Kaa wondered if it was what the Hammer was keeping dormant beneath the earth, but Arthak said that he doubted it. Both Zar’Kaa and Ronos looked at him, and Arthak noted that the crystal seemed dangerous, but not monstrous.
Ronos explained that the founder of their tribe was a man named Rethu. He had been one of the first tauren to settle the area, back before the world trembled and shattered. It was said he could hear the whispers of the Earth Mother and that she guided him to the greatest troves of treasures in the earth. That was how he discovered leystone.
Ronos lifted his pickaxe, and it seemed a few of the tools had a bluish-violet tint when the sun hit it.
He said that Rethu learned to shape the leystone and eventually they used it on various innovations. It was malleable and capable of transferring energy, but it was also picky during the refinement process. It could easily weaken to rust and slag.
The new crystal–which they had dubbed the Blood of the Earth Mother–was volatile, but it was different from leystone. It didn’t react by breaking down, it instead pushed back. It had only shown up after the earth was wounded by an artifact that no one fully understood. Ronos said Muirn had been the one that had come up with the name, and Muirn looked up in acknowledgement, but hastily returned to his work.
Ronos said he wouldn’t mind utilizing the crystal for things in the future, but his biggest concern was ensuring it didn’t impose a threat to Highmountain. Sol asked what his biggest concern in removing it was, and Ronos said that if they didn’t use the right tools things got… iffy.
Ronos showed them what he meant by tapping on the crystal with one of the leystone implements. Nothing happened when he struck it beyond a few sparks. However, when he brought a steel mallet down on the crystal, the crystal exploded, and the head of the hammer had been completely destroyed. However, the crystal was completely undamaged.
So far, the only implements that had been safe were the leystone implements, and those were precious and limited. Ronos said what he really wanted to do was take a sliver of the crystal and run a few rounds on the firmament stone.
Sol and Arthak expressed they could potentially help, and Ronos was willing to hear them out. Sol said he could summon a construct to move it if they could sever it from the earth, but Ronos said the issue was actually removing it from the earth. However, people were working on it.
Sol asked if they knew how it reacted to magic, but Ronos admitted he wasn’t an expert on magic. The Earthspeakers had been able to commune with the crystal and “calm it”, but that was all he could really say. The magic that Sol was considering was [Fabricate].
Arthak said he wanted to try and calm it, and Ronos was receptive, but he said if Arthak lost his other eye, it wasn’t on him. Zar’Kaa stood by for medical assistance just in case.
Sol used the spell on the sliver of crystal to shape it into a small ring. It started to fight against the magic, as it felt more like a precious stone than a metal to be shaped. Sol opted to move back from that idea, and opted to make gemstones that could fit into rings instead. That instead seemed to work.
The magic stored within the stones was something truly immense. The level of strength in it was comparable to what was contained in the Well of Eternity.
Ronos agreed. The stones seemed to not be volatile, at least, but that couldn’t be said for the majority of the crystal. Arthak cut his flesh hand and pressed his bleeding palm against the crystal again as he started to speak in giant to try and soothe the crystal and asked for the crystal to let the people remove the crystal so that the people present could be safe.
The notion of “cleaning a scraped wound” struck Arthak as apt, and he was brought back to the first day when he had first reached out through the same wound. There was a hesitance there, but it gradually started to fade, and he got the impression that the tauren should probably start to remove the crystal.
Ronos and Muirn and a few of the others set about their work and started to try and extract the crystal. They were able to get a sizeable chunk from it. Ronos encouraged Arthak to keep doing whatever they were doing.
Sol summoned a construct that resembled a vaguely eredar-shaped skeleton. The tauren wrapped some ropes around the crystal and they worked to chip away at the crystal in hopes that the construct could then lift the crystal away. It took the rest of the day, but they were able to succeed.
Arthak was not fully aware of how much time passed until Ronos clapped him on the shoulder. Arthak gave one last word of support to the entity he had spoken to, and then expressed that he felt the danger should be much less.
They could move on to the rest of the smaller splinters with, seemingly, no issue. Ronos asked Sol if he could keep helping with the rest of the splinters, and Sol agreed he would.
However, Sol approached to ask Arthak a favor: he wanted a sizable chunk of the Blood of the Earth Mother to put into the heart of the machine he wanted to build.
Arthak considered for a long moment.
Sol thanked Arthak and asked him to also ask permission from the… Earth Mother? To use her blood in such a way, and Arthak said he would do what he could.
Later that day, Nyxxa also approached Arthak somewhere quiet.
Arthak pulled out a cigarette and lit it before he turned to Nyxxa.
Arthak smirked.
Nyxxa admitted a lot of this was beyond her, but if it was a child that needed help, she wanted to thank him for helping them. Nyxxa smiled.
Nyxxa noted that sometimes the child chose him instead of the other way around, and Arthak agreed that seemed to happen. Nyxxa assured him that if he needed any help, she was there, but she did warn Arthak that there might be a point where other people might overhear him too, and Arthak said he hadn’t intended on making a display, but ultimately the safety issue made it mandatory.
Zar’Kaa had alerted the group that he was going to try and stretch his muscles in the fel, and Nyxxa was able to give him advice that she had gotten from the Illidari, while Sol offered a more instinctual approach to the fel, which was what the eredar utilized.
He steeled himself and readied himself to cast his first spell. He clenched and unclenched his hand, as he was a bit nervous.
He took a deep breath, and then channeled his newfound magical energies through his body. It was similar to when he channeled the magic the first time, but this time it was his own connection.
The energy coursed around his hand and blasted a bolt of lightning. It started a deep, shadowy blue, but it twisted into a marriage of fel green that scattered out into chaotic arcs.
Sol congratulated Zar’Kaa on his first spell, and Nyxxa clapped. Zar’Kaa thanked them and admitted the display felt pretty damn good. Sol nodded and said that was expected, and Nyxxa said it was something akin to eating sweets, so it tasted good, but you had to watch overindulging.
Zar’Kaa told Sol to throw a spell at him. Sol conjured a [Frostbolt] and threw it at Zar’Kaa, who was able to deflect the attack aside with a barrier of deep blue and fel green lightning.
Zar’Kaa and Nyxxa mounted up on some of the eagles to head back to Trueshot Lodge. Symma was there to mediate. Zar’Kaa’s eagle nipped at him briefly, but Nyxxa was best friends with her eagle almost immediately. Thisalee also came along.
They went to speak with Emmarel Shadewarden first, who greeted them with a smile as she readied Snowfeather to go off to deliver a message. Emmarel said she was glad to see them all in one piece, and pleasantries were exchanged between them.
Zar’Kaa expressed an interest in what the Unseen Path was working on given they would be working together while they were present on the Broken Isles. Emmarel said that their representatives in Azsuna would have been rendezvousing with Se’jib to make sure he had the supplies they needed. Zar’Kaa acknowledged they were likely heading to Azsuna next, and Emmarel said she welcomed any assistance he could provide.
Zar’Kaa walked over to the map on the wall behind Emmarel and pointed out areas his crew had been deployed and whatever intel they had been able to find. Emmarel mused that it was likely going to be a war of attrition in the end.
Nyxxa asked Emmarel if she knew anything about the satyr sects on the island. She confirmed she did, but they tended to be difficult to pin down, even if they were located primarily in Val’sharah. She explained that they coordinated a great deal with the druids and other kaldorei to work on routing them where they could, but the sects were cunning. They didn’t really try raids and kidnapping, but there was still a more sinister nature to how they operated. They tended to focus on leaving darkness in their wake, as they knew the land was sacred and they could damage it. There were a handful of major threats that Emmarel knew of, as they were Praetors of the Emerald Flame: Xandrix and Kagraxxis.
Nyxxa mentally asked Vaerux if he knew them, and he confirmed he did. Xandrix was one of the first satyrs and he was a bastard. He didn’t know Kagraxxis personally, but his legacy knew him as the Corrupter.
Emmarel warned Nyxxa that if she went to the Val’sharah the satyrs there used unique tactics, and Nyxxa acknowledged being there would be something of a beacon. Though Emmarel mused that the Legion presence might draw the satyrs out as well, as they frequently flocked to new masters, though Nyxxa said that it probably depended on how embittered they were.
While they were talking, Snowfeather and Rak’Symma were having a pleasant conversation. It seemed Snowfeather was a bit of a workaholic and was an adamant member of the Unseen Path, but Emmarel was ensuring that she was taking frequent enough rests. Much to Snowfeather’s chagrin.
Rak’Symma politely excused herself, and Zar’kaa asked where she was going. Symma replied that there was just something else she needed to see while she was there. There was a certain somberness to her, and it was clear she was trying to deflect away questions.
Rak’Smma took off into the air and started to head through the open sky toward the west. She was trying to keep herself from crying. She was headed toward a tree known as Shaladrassil, the Great Tree, which was near where she and Blaithe had roosted. However, she spied something curious darting beneath the trees.
It was an owl with two small antlers.
Symma whistled down at the owl and started to spiral downward. The owl looked up at her and cocked its head to the side, and then flittered down through the trees. Rak’Symma decided to follow it, and she noticed the trees started to almost get taller. The owl, despite it being smaller than her, was also outpacing her.
She got a vexing pang in the back of her mind, and she pushed after it. Suddenly, the owl disappeared from view, and Rak’Symma emerged in a clearing. She was suddenly surrounded by dozens and dozens of strange owls perched in the trees around her.
She stopped in a hover, and all the owls just stared at her. She greeted them, and they all said hello in unison back to her. She asked where they had been, and they retorted they had all been right there, but it had taken her a while to arrive. She asked what they were, and they said they were owls.
Symma said that she had never seen owls like them, and another voice spoke up that they had never seen something like her.
Symma turned around and saw a much larger owl with a crown on its head.
Symma squinted at the owl.
He cocked his head sidewalks.
The owl chuckled.
Q’onzu brought a feather up to their beak.
Q’onzu: I have no idea what you’re talking about. So many interesting things are happening to these isles! But things much more interesting have been arriving for longer than the arrival of these outsiders, of course. I would say they started… maybe 30 years ago, perhaps? Give or take.
Rak’Symma blinked, and the large owl’s eyes narrowed in a way that threatened to see Symma for who she was. They knew that she knew more than
He gestured dramatically with his wings, first covering his eyes and then flaring them outward.
Symma got a bit flustered.
Symma shrugged.
The owl crooned and cocked his head to the side.
Rak’Symma’s expression had dropped to a dithering look, and there was a keenness in the owl’s eyes.
Q’onzu chuckled.
They bowed to each other.
Symma grit her teeth.
It was ultimately a lie. When Rak’Symma looked up again, Q’onzu and all the other owls were gone. A moment later, Thisalee stumbled into the thicket. She apologized, but said she had gotten worried. She admitted that she had followed her, but then she had disappeared into the woods.
Thisalee asked what happened, and Rak’Symma asked if Thisalee had ever seen owls with antlers. Thisalee explained they were called somnowls, and they were native to the Emerald Dream. Symma admitted the one she was following disappeared, and Thisalee mused it may have slipped back into the Emerald Dream.
Thisalee asked if that was all she saw, and Symma said it was strange, but then turned her focus back to Thisalee following her, which immediately knocked Thisalee off the course of her questioning.
Rak’Symma said that, seeing she was there, she might as well follow her the rest of the way.
They flew the rest of the way to the Great Tree, where in the midst of the glade was a standing stone at the base of the tree. However, around the tree were dozens of occupied nests, and there were tons of birds making the place their home.
Thisalee realized what the standing stone meant and just uttered a soft “Oh…”
There was a beautiful view of the sea from where they were standing. Thisalee had an expression of awe on her face.
Thisalee took a deep breath, then looked at the stone. She asked if she was sure, and Rak’Symma nodded. Thisalee walked forward, wringing her hands together.
Thisalee glanced back at Rak’Symma, who was crying silently. Thisalee took a deep breath and closed her eyes.
Her body started to transform, and then she shrank into the form of a beautiful, purplish-blue crow. She walked forward and pressed the side of her beak to the edge of the stone. She stood there silently for a few seconds, and then bowed with her wings out before she turned back and shed the form and once again took her humanoid appearance.
Thisalee sniffled and took a deep breath.
Rak’Symma looked incredulous and bewildered, and also somewhat panicked.
Thisalee acknowledged that druids could, and then asked if Symma had seen others like that. Symma said she had, and they were wounded, but she had thought they were just… birds.
Thisalee blinked, and then laughed.
Rak’Symma acknowledged that it also explained why the druid would have been startled by her presence, and Thisalee said that was amazing and that the druids might have still been at the Dream Grove. They could probably vouch for her, along with Thisalee herself.
Symma still looked rather floored, and Thisalee reassured her, but Symma retorted that Thisalee knew what first impressions meant. Thisalee acknowledged she had made a poor one, and that Symma forgave her, but ultimately, she had learned a lot over the last few weeks. A month ago, she would have never thought harpies would have gotten along with anyone, but now harpies were trading and helping.
Rak’Symma stroked the side of Thisalee’s cheek fondly and thanked her. Symma then stepped back and looked at the grave. She admitted that she wanted to just make sure the place was safe, but seeing Thisalee was there, she could just ask her what she would have asked Blaithe.
Thisalee considered, and then went through each of the members one by one, mentioning her thoughts. Generally, while there was some unpredictability and she didn’t trust all of them, she seemed to think they were largely good people, and trust would probably come eventually.
Symma acknowledged they felt much the same about them. She turned back to the stone and set Blaithe’s skull upon it so that he could be complete at least for a little while. She then took Thisalee’s hand and they flew to the top of the tree so they could watch the moon rise. Symma smirked.
She gestured at the crescent moon, which made Thisalee laugh.
Thisalee smiled and squeezed Rak’Symma’s talon.
Zar’Kaa had gone to speak with the trolls still present at Trueshot Lodge: Kuzari, Zanga, and Rangiro. Zanga waved at him and said it was good to see him in one piece, and they exchanged general pleasantries before Zanga asked what brought Zar’Kaa back to the Lodge.
Zar’Kaa said he wanted to get to know them all better, and no one had realized there were Darkspear on the Broken Isles. Zar’Kaa explained his full mission about bringing the Darkspear back home, and he told them that they didn’t need to go back to the tribe, but they could if they wanted to.
Zanga said he loved to talk about himself and he could give Zar’Kaa an autograph if he wanted. Zar’Kaa said that wasn’t necessary, and Zanga jokingly pouted, but Zar’Kaa said that if Zanga could impress him maybe he’d consider his next tattoo.
But Zar’Kaa continued to explain and mentioned their roles in the Unseen Path, but Kuzari said that there wasn’t anything preventing them from being members of the Unseen Path and rejoining their people. Zanga said they probably wouldn’t be taking orders from Zar’Kaa as a member of his crew, but they were willing to help out, and Zanga asked who the chieftain was.
Zar’Kaa said it was Zulfli’jin, the daughter of Vol’jin, which was a surprise to Kuzari as their tribe had never had a female leader. Zar’Kaa vouched for her skills and said she was fierce, powerful, and fair. Kuzari seemed quite pleased about this revelation.
Zanga also said that many of the Unseen Path double-dipped, and Emmarel even had contacts in the Eastern Kingdoms. Zanga asked what Rangiro’s opinion on the matter was, and he admitted he wasn’t sure yet. Zanga countered that Rangiro was sure about everything, and Rangiro said he ultimately hadn’t been born Darkspear. The Unseen Path had always been his life, and he wasn’t sure if he would mesh with the life of the tribe.
Zar’Kaa asked Rangiro if it would help if he told him about what the Darkspear were about, and Rangiro agreed. Zar’Kaa explained a lot of people had lost family during the war, and the way the Darkspear were now was a single, large family of mixed troll heritages. There were forest trolls, desert trolls, ice trolls, and all sorts of others.
Rangiro said that it sounded like a mess, and Zar’Kaa said he wasn’t wrong.
Zanga moved to lock Rangiro in a headlock, and Rangiro shoved him off. Kuzari said that, Zanga’s teasing aside, it would have at least been valuable for Rangiro to see, as he had never seen troll life before. He could always leave if he didn’t like what he saw. Rangiro admitted those were some good points.
Zar’Kaa said that he’d be around the Lodge more, and Zanga said they wouldn’t be around all the time, but they’d be around. However, he looked at Kuzari and said that she probably shouldn’t be ranging much anymore right now. Kuzari retorted she’s not putting her feet up, and she had a giant piece of steel between her and any danger.
She grabbed Zanga’s ear and said she wasn’t going to let him out of her sight. Zanga immediately melted, and Zar’Kaa said that loveable bickering between mates was what the tribe needed more of. Zanga said he hated to disappoint his adoring crowds, and there were a series of chuckles before Zar’Kaa asked them for some of the stories from the Second Troll Wars.
There was a lot of teasing between Kuzari and Zanga, and even Rangiro got in on it every once and while. It was clear they had a very close kinship. Kuzari tried to bait out if Zar’Kaa would tell them about his bad blood with Se’Jib without directly asking, and Zar’Kaa gave her the recent history, but he didn’t get into the why of that recent history.
