[Horde] Chapter Five: Session Thirty-One
Appearing Characters: Arthak Saurfang, Dawn, Elothir, Emmarel Shadewarden, Gidra Treespeaker, Harlia, Levia Blackflight, Nara Ravenfeather, Nyxxa Murkthorn, Oro Highmountain, Rak'Symma, Selin Fireheart, Shara Bloodtotem, Slrglrglr "Stabby" Glrslrslr, Sol'chi, Thisalee Crow, Torok Bloodtotem, Zar'Kaa
November 19th - November 27th
While Nyxxa was at Trueshot Lodge, she was doing her best to stay out of people’s way after she got the information she was searching for. There was a murloc named Stabby that was present at the lodge, which Nyxxa asked advice from about how to raise a young murloc. It was clear that Stabby had no idea how to raise a young murloc and simply suggested to teach the young murloc how to fight and kill so he was not killed in turn, and eventually she should challenge him to a fight to the death, and if he killed Nyxxa, then she succeeded.
Overall, it was advice that Nyxxa was probably not going to take, and she eventually went to seek out Emmarel Shadewarden so they could speak.
Nyxxa thanked her for looking after Kor’vas on Kalimdor and the voyage over, and Emmarel said that Kor’vas was a delight and insatiably curious. In fact, had the Slayer not already snagged her, she likely would have tried to recruit Kor’vas for the Unseen Path.
The topic of conversation shifted to Nyxxa’s goal of trying to move past the satyr curse, and Emmarel admitted she didn’t even know it was possible. Nyxxa said that it still might not be, but ultimately some ideas she had formerly had about the curse were proven false, so she had hope.
Emmarel admitted that was, indeed, a controversial take, but one she was receptive to in theory, if more evidence could be conjured up. Especially if the satyr curse could somehow be lifted, despite that being a notion that was impossible.
Nyxxa offered to share her notes with Emmarel if she wanted. They were simple notes, but they were something, and Emmarel admitted that Nyxxa had piqued her curiosity as the curse for the perspective of a satyr wasn’t something they had the opportunity to review normally.
Nyxxa paused nervously.
Emmarel smiled and chuckled.
She said that if there was ever a time Nyxxa needed backup, guidance, or even direction, the Unseen Path had eyes all over Azeroth, and satyrs tended to find their way everywhere. Nyxxa said that, if things evolved how she hoped, she wanted the sects to know, and Emmarel said that the Unseen Path were very good at spreading word.
They sat for a bit, and after realizing that Nyxxa couldn’t see beyond a point, Emmarel offered to describe the view of the scenery to her.
On the way back to Thunder Totem, Rak’Symma took note of Nyxxa and Levia’s flying technique, and asked how they learned to fly. Levia admitted she never was taught how to fly, she just sort of tried to start to do it after they materialized when she became a felblood elf. Nyxxa admitted her wings only showed up a few weeks ago.
Symma asked if they wanted guidance, because she admitted that it looked like the flying… hurt them. As they were frequently rather winded, given they weren’t using the winds and updrafts well. Levia and Nyxxa were both confused for a moment, but then realized they were, in fact, likely not flying correctly. One of the eagles tried to talk Levia through the process, but it was clear Levia could not understand what the eagle was saying.
Rak’Symma guided them to a wind current and nudged them into it. Levia struggled more than Nyxxa, but when she got a good hang of it she eagerly called to Nyxxa to look at her, because she was starting to get a handle on the art. Zar’Kaa just watched them from the back of another eagle.
Warbrave Oro Highmountain had been approached by the group to speak with Seer Nara Ravenfeather. She was apparently finishing her rituals at the pinnacle of the central totem of Thunder Totem, and the group was taken up via a lift that raised in the center of the hollowed totem. The interior of the totem was inscribed with many murals describing different tales of the Highmountain tauren and their legends and histories.
At the top, they were greeted with a clearly holy place with a group of seers dressed in bright colors conducting the end of their rites for the day. There was incense before them, but it was clear the fires were magical as it was a beautiful, golden yellow fire. At the center of the tauren was a shu’halo woman with dark black fur and hair that was covered in crimson feathers and an ornate headdress. Ripples of warmth radiated from the stone and wood beneath her as she concluded some sort of dance, and the tips of her hands glowed with motes of sunlight, while the tips of her hooves were burning hot and scorching the wood.
It was as if she was channeling the sun itself.
At the conclusion of the dance, she scraped her hoof across the stone and caused a beautiful display of sparks. One by one, the flames flickered out and the ritual came to a conclusion. A group of younger tauren were watching her in awe, and they all applauded her performance with prayers of thanks to An’she.
She gestured to the burn marks on the stone and wood.
The acolytes all acknowledged the assignment and gathered around the markings so they could sketch and try to interpret them.
Seer Ravenfeather then turned to acknowledge the warband after she drained an entire waterskin that was given to her. She smiled at them and approached.
The group confirmed, and Nara said it was an honor to finally be able to meet them. She wished it could have been sooner, but she had only recently returned from a pilgrimage, and she praised the Eternal Sun for guiding them to Thunder Totem. She introduced herself as Nara Ravenfeather, the leader of the seers at Thunder Totem, but she said that formalities were not necessary. Reflective mirrors and scales were embedded in and dangling from her horns, so she was always reflecting An’she’s light. Her eyes were, likewise, bright orange and also seemed to be kissed by the sun.
Nara explained that she had been informed that the group had taken an interest in the stories told by Ebonhorn, and she was intent on sharing anything they wished to know.
Nyxxa said she was interested in the dance they had just witnessed, as she had been absolutely radiant during it. Nara thanked her for the compliment and explained it was a special rite that was used periodically to commune directly with An’she. Its purpose was to receive his guidance, as through it, they could learn patterns of the weather and beseech his own wisdom and bring balance to themselves and the land. They could also capture his light and learn the best ways to channel his powers to arm their warriors with weapons and their people with peace of mind.
Zar’Kaa asked if that was what the acolytes were reading, and Nara confirmed that the words of An’she were delivered by a medium, which the rite she performed enabled. The peak of the totem was one of the places that An’she’s light burned brightest, and it also, at night, allowed them to commune with An’she’s sisters as well, in the hopes to understand the Earth Mother even more. Symma and Arthak were looking at the markings burned on the floor.
Arthak asked how they were read, and Nara said it was a combination of interpretation, insight, and knowledge. She said that during the dance she allowed herself to be consumed by An’she’s warmth, and she moved as he guided her, while her body inscribed the message he sought to commune. She ceased being herself and instead became a mouthpiece through her body. It was one of many ways they communed with him, but it allowed them to peer months into the future. Typically, they were reserved for celebrations like the midsummer or solstice, but sometimes it was proper to perform them to train their young acolytes.
Arthak tried to interpret the markings, though he was unable to read taur-ahe. Zar’Kaa also looked at it, as he knew the language. It was an incredibly complex ritual. It seemed that Nara had been dancing there for the better part of an hour, and there seemed to be many messages in one. There were words of warning, words of weather and harvest, words of hope and fear, and many other metrics.
Arthak’s hand brushed the markings as he examined them, and he felt an impossible warmth wash over him. The sounds around him washed away. As he looked up, he saw Nara dancing like she was before, her body moving in slow motion. Every movement she made arched with radiant energy that wasn’t there before. It was bathed in nothing but the bright light of the high noon sun, and the heat was almost unbearable in its warmth. He could almost feel the compulsion she felt as she moved.
When his hand pulled away, he looked down at the burned wood and he felt a connection, but he was unable to read what it said.
Those that could read taur-ahe could see traits of the language that could have multiple meanings, like a gentle hand that moves stone or a gentle hand made of stone, or a shooting star that runs from the moon or chases the moon, or the final strike of lightning in the storm or the eye of the storm, or a field of stars or perhaps the darkness between the stars, or a beast wounded by a snake or a snake that wounds itself.
There were others as well, talking about greater or lesser bears with a tear falling from the bear’s eye that landed in a field of stars, two hands clasped together in praise or fear, and more and more with char marks that indicated connection and recognition and the feeling of permission.
Nara smiled as she watched the group work, and she said that An’she’s light shone upon everyone, and she was not surprised that they believed they may have found themselves in his message.
Zar’Kaa asked if An’she tended to be so vague, and Rak’Symma said most gods did.
Nara said that, regardless of the meeting that was yet to come, he would be welcome to join them in the future for their festivals as they were truly a sight to behold. Arthak asked if there were rituals for making offerings to An’she, and Nara said she would be glad to show him and proceeded to give suggestions of offerings that were left, such as cool water left to evaporate or bandages or works of art, but the nature of offerings were often deeply personal and few were incorrect.
Nara said she heard of the great works that were accomplished with the Ironhoof, and she explained their works were also viewed as offerings to and gifts of An’she, as it was said that the light of An’she was what inspired the first smiths, and also showed the shu’halo how to harness fire. It was also said that a drop or two of blood was not an uncommon offering, as it was said An’she’s blood chased away the night.
Rak’Symma placed an offering for An’she, which was a small bundle made from her own feathers and one of Blaithe’s kissed with a splash of her own blood. She bestowed some of her own magic into it, and as she opened her eyes from a prayer, she saw that it caught fire in the sun and burned away cleanly and swiftly. She bowed her head in thanks.
Nyxxa put petals from some flowers in a bowl of sake as representative of her loved ones, and she left it out in the sun.
Later on, Arthak and Sol made their own offerings to An’she. Sol used his magic to fabricate some sort of device to help dehydrate and cook food using the light of the sun. The Ironhoof took specific interest in such a notion, as they started to brainstorm the idea of using An’she’s power to aid them in a more direct way, and with Arthak’s help that started to look into ideas of truly “capturing the sun”.
Rak’Symma was able to find Torok Bloodtotem shortly after they returned to Thunder Totem so that she could introduce him to the harpies she had left in charge. His mate, Shara, was also with him when she swooped down to greet him.
Torok greeted her upon her landing, and Symma gave him a dry look and a nod.
Symma had a look of satisfaction on her face, and Torok correctly assumed that was something she was hoping for.
Torok smirked, mostly joking, and Symma said that he was a child of the lands like everyone else, thus it was only fair for him to prove himself like everyone else would. Torok said the rest of the work was left to Shara and the rest of their mystics, and Shara confirmed that other mystics had been given leave to come to the Bloodtotem home to see what their mastery of chaos could unfold.
Symma said her only hope was that the other tribes took their past contributions into account, and she was glad that they were not cast out. However, she wished for them to come with her, as she wanted them to visit her own lands unscathed, much as the Bloodtotem had did for her.
Torok frowned and asked if Rak’Symma meant for them to go into harpy lands, and Rak’Symma confirmed.
Rak’Symma shook her head.
Symma glanced at Shara, and she smiled with a twinkle in her eye.
Torok frowned at her, but Shara asked how they would be going to the harpy lands. Rak’Symma said she wanted to avoid surprise, thus she wanted them to accompany her as she flew in, and she used [Wind Walk]. Torok was quite disgruntled about it.
Shara put a hand over her mouth to stifle a laugh, and Torok chuffed, but clearly took the challenge in stride. As they took off, it became evident that Torok did not like flying. It wasn’t a matter of heights, but more he didn’t like not having his hooves on the ground. When they landed later, he grumbled and complained about not understanding how the Thunderhorn bird lovers could do it. Shara had the largest, most devious grin on her face upon seeing her mate’s response.
Torok snorted at her.
They had seen many harpies on their way in, and the harpies had been screeching at each other about what they were seeing, but they could not keep up. There had been more and more harpies as they approached the meeting seat where the High Crawliac had been slain, and Dawn and Harlia were waiting for them, as they had received an animal messenger from Rak’Symma.
The High Crawliac’s nest had been retrofitted to be the primary nest of Harlia, and the bones and flayed skin of tauren had all been removed. There was a number of tauren cloth and eagle feathers inside the nest, where Harlia had been roosting.
There were also a few Skywhisker kobolds around, and it looked like they were actively working with the harpies. They also seemed to be fond of Harlia.
Shara looked around curiously. Torok frowned up at all the harpies and snorted at some of them. A few of the other harpies scattered, and Torok smirked to himself as he recognized they were still frightened. However, it was unclear if they were afraid of him, or it was more they were respectful of Rak’Symma.
Harlia bowed deeply, and Rak’Symma bowed back, returning the gesture. Harlia handed a bowl of nuts and berries to the kobolds that were helping her, and beamed as they devoured it eagerly.
She held up three talons. It was clear that Harlia had been rehearsing this speech to potentially multiple kobolds stacked on top of each other. She looked over to Dawn, who produced a small charm that appeared to be made of a preserved harpy eye. She bowed her head, and extended the charm to Torok.
Rak’Symma’s brow went up in surprise. Torok handed the charm to Shara, who examined it and confirmed it was impressive magic. She thanked Dawn for the gift of trust. Dawn then looked at Harlia, who produced a huge black feather that Rak’Symma recognized as being from the Crawliac. She presented the feather to Torok.
Torok took the feather, and it was evident his mind was moving behind his eyes. Lastly, Harlia cleared her throat and then screeched. A moment later, two of the large, burley kobolds came out carrying a massive tarp of deer skins. They set it down, and there were dozens of broken trophies, bones, fetishes, and totems, many of which were made from shu’halo bones.
Torok raised his hand.
The harpies looked at Rak’Symma, who nodded. Shara stepped forward and clasped her hands together.
She took a small knife and slashed her palm. She cast the blood across the bones and totems, and it ignited with fire.
The harpies exchanged looks with each other. Torok crossed his arms and said he would have his braves scour their forests and find anything taken from the harpies, and they would leave them on the outskirts of the harpy territory. Harlia started to look over to Rak’Symma, but then she steadied herself, and confirmed that would be fine. Torok said that, perhaps, their people would no longer need to fear encountering each other in the wilds.
Torok turned to Rak’Symma.
Symma looked somewhat bewildered, but the harpies were in fact doing exactly what she told them to do. She was both impressed and proud. However, there was also a pang of anger at Torok specifically. All that Rak’Symma did was bring the behavior out, but the behavior was in the harpies the entire time.
Torok looked at Dawn and Harlia. Harlia was looking at Rak’Symma, eager for praise that she did good. Rak’Symma nodded at Harlia in acknowledgement that she did do good. Torok turned to the harpies and thanked them for their gifts. He said next time he would have to invite them to Bloodtotem. Harlia said they would be honored to do that sometime. Dawn confirmed it would be good to see the Bloodtotem magics in action.
Torok nodded at Rak’Symma.
Torok and Shara took cloud forms using the magic Rak’Symma had provided.
Symma looked at the ashes that Shara had left, and she summoned a small gust to blow the ashes away.
Rak’Symma visibly exhaled.
Rak’Symma looked at them both, pride in her eyes. Dawn claimed that she wasn’t scared, and Harlia countered that she was. Rak’Symma said she was allowed to be scared, and Dawn said she was glad it worked as she was tired of watching harpies die and being afraid. Rak’Symma agreed, as did Harlia.
Rak’Symma was beaming and laughing as she watched Harlia.
Harlia beamed at her through sharp teeth.
Dawn looked more serious.
Rak’Symma trilled fondly.
She gestured to everything.
Dawn smiled deviously.
Harlia hugged Dawn, and Dawn asked if Rak’Symma would fly with all of them. Rak’Symma agreed as they all took off into the air. The three harpies that were working with Thisalee were watching Rak’Symma, and she returned the look. One was red, one was blue, and one had brownish-green feathers. They were clearly young, and it was clear they were hoping Rak’Symma would fly with them too.
She pushed a small gust of wind at them, making it evident she was going to play chase with them. They all laughed and took off as Rak’Symma dove after them.
Arthak entered a dreamscape that was targeting Selin Fireheart. A brief moment later, he heard footsteps coming up the tower behind Arthak.
Arthak turned and saw the red-skinned, felblood elf with his black wings curled against his back. He had a smile of sorts on his face as he folded his arms behind his back.
Arthak gestured to a place beside the fire, but Selin did not sit immediately and instead paced around the tower. He asked why Arthak called him to the dreamscape.
He sighed.
Selin didn’t answer the question, and that alone was an answer.
Selin clenched his fists, unable to rebuke the statement.
Arthak asked how Lady Shaspira and Lady Aracyra were, and Selin said they were not well. They put up a good face, but even the White Tyrant’s immaculate veneer had cracks, and he had noticed them. He was not unsure if it was the betrayal that hurt her, but regardless, he could tell that she was stressed. Aracyra was worse, though Selin stated he imagined Arthak knew why Aracyra was beside herself.
Selin then asked if Nyxxa and Azgadaan were doing well. Arthak said they were, and Nyxxa said hello. He also said she was happy. Selin then asked about Levia, and Arthak said she found a family, and Arthak vouched for the fact it was better than her last. Selin was glad to hear that, regardless of what would happen next.
Arthak asked how Selin was, and he said he was doing as well as he could in the situation he was in.
The dream started to fade, and Arthak called out a question for Selin to consider: If no course of action allows for survival, then the question that follows is how would you like to die, and who would you like to die beside?
Selin started to laugh. It was an entertained sound. He looked back at Arthak.
The felblood elf faded away, and Arthak got the sense that he was laughing because he appreciated such a question, and also, in general, he was considering the words Arthak said a great deal. However, the core of it remained that Selin believed there was no ability to stand against the Legion, and a generation for Arthak, was not a generation for his own people.
Levia and Nyxxa had strolled back to the mansion after returning to Thunder Totem, and Levia loudly proclaimed she wanted a wing massage. Sol suggested any number of the servants in the mansion could oblige. Levia mused that she wondered if she could convince Thisalee… but then she decided not to try.
They shared with Sol that Rak’Symma had taught them how to fly better, and it seemed Sol had known about air currents before, but he was glad they figured them out as well.
Sol said he wanted to talk with them. He also wanted to talk to Altruis and Lantresor too, but they weren’t there. However, he wanted to get a hold of what they were going to do about the Caria situation given who she was willing to target.
Levia agreed that Caria was liable to go after anyone Nyxxa cared about.
Levia said that Caria didn’t seem the type to fall for the same trick twice.
Levia was not surprised.
Nyxxa assured Levia she didn’t do anything wrong. It ultimately just happened. A servant came in with a serving tray, and there were three small cupcakes that said “Congratulations on coming back to life!”
Each one had one of their names on them. Levia snagged Nyxxa’s and said it looked better, and Nyxxa laughed as she took Levia’s and thanked Sol. Sol said he hoped the other members of the family didn’t meet a similar fate, and Levia said she was now expecting more cupcakes if it happened again.
Nyxxa said it was a good time to mention that she wanted to turn one of her old skull horns into something. Sol asked if Nyxxa planned on doing anything with her current horns if they fell off when she broke the satyr curse, and Levia said she kind of had to at that point. Nyxxa also mentioned that she would like it if, sometimes, they could call her Nhemai. Sol agreed he would, and Nyxxa said she didn’t want the name to just be something sad.
Levia countered there was nothing wrong with leaving a name behind, but there was also nothing wrong to keep it around. Nyxxa said it was ultimately something that was taken for her, and that was why it caused her pain, but she didn’t want people to twist it into something it was never meant to be. She just wanted to see how she felt about it, and she wanted to take back control. Levia agreed she was game to call her Nhemai if that was what she wanted sometimes.
Later on, the group was brought up on the side of the mesa so they could speak with the tauren druid they were referred to. They made their way into a thicket of tall evergreen trees. The first thing they noticed was a bunch of elderhorns, which were moose, that were just around and grazing. They were completely unbothered by the group as they entered.
At the center of the grove was a shu’halo woman that was standing atop a tree branch a fair bit above a number of other shu’halo that were in the midst of a lecture. Then the branch moved, and the tree blinked, revealing it was not just a tree. She was actually standing in the palm of the great tree being.
She had a pair of wide spectacles on her wide face, and she was speaking in taur-ahe, explaining a Earth Mother’s gift that apparently had resulted in one of the students getting poison ivy because he hadn’t handled it with enough care. However, the instructor healed the rash, but then she gave some poison ivy brief sapience, and it proceeded to inflict some of the other shu’halo with the rash. Archdruid Gidra Treespeaker said that it was time to find out if those present could replicate the cure.
The druid then looked at the warband and pushed up her glasses. The great tree lowered her to the ground. It looked like the creature had a number of trinkets and baubles from a number of different cultures, including harpies.
Nyxxa had looked like she was going to bolt, but Arthak put a firm hand on her shoulder, and Sol assured her it would be okay as he looped her arm in his.
She looked over them and named each of them, apparently having done her research in who they were. She said it was a pleasure to meet all of them.
Zar’Kaa pointed at the Ancient.
Thisalee blinked and repeated the name. She said that he was a prominent ancient, and was actually an archdruid as well as an ancient. Elothir spoke up to explain he had a great many years to become an archdruid of many circles. He smiled warmly at Thisalee, and he sprouted a staff to lean on. Rak’Symma looked mystified as she gazed around the grove, and she caught the Ancient regarding her closely.
Rak’Symma looked at him and cocked her head to the side. Elothir leaned down and looked at her more closely.
Symma fluffed her feathers.
He gestured to one of his charms.
He looked down at Gidra, who said she was not surprised to see them gawk at Elothir. Most of her sprouts (students) had regarded him similarly. Elothir had gotten distracted by a bird that had landed on his finger, and he was smiling fondly at the bird. Nyxxa bowed to Elothir, and the Ancient mentioned she was a curious one.
He looked over to Gidra, but then back at Nyxxa and mused she had earned the trust of the people present. Nyxxa confirmed and said she meant him no harm. Elothir said her story was one that was old and difficult, and he could see it in the strength of her smile and the weight of her eyes. He smiled, and Nyxxa looked at him in stunned silence.
Gidra asked the group what they had come for. Arthak started to ask her some questions of about druidism, including the Emerald Dream, as he had been told that it was a representation of the world in its original state unmarred by the people on it. Gidra mused that it was about what she expected from the teachings of the kaldorei, but the tauren tongue, she explained the Emerald Dream was called the Earth Mother’s Dream. The tauren understood it to be the land where the Earth Mother’s dreams became reality. The great spirits of the land sprang from her dreams, and all beings of creation were also sprung from it.
It was why the world thrived when the Earth Mother slumbered.
Gidra smirked.
Arthak said his homeworld taught those lessons with finality. Gidra mentioned she had heard that the outsiders were from another world, and she found that intriguing. She also mused that, given most of their lives were spent sleeping, she found no reason spending more waking hours plumbing the Dream. She said the kaldorei spent too much time worrying themselves about the sleeping world, but it may have been a side-effect of their long lives.
Thisalee said she wasn’t being fair… but she also raised some good points, and Gidra said that she was more wise than many of her betters for admitting it.
Arthak mused about what the nightmares of the Earth Mother might bring if that was the case, and Gidra and Elothir shared a look before Elothir leaned forward.
Elothir nodded.
Rak’Symma looked between the two of them.
Elothir nodded and then looked at Rak’Symma.
Elothir turned to Gidra.
He looked to Rak’Symma again.
Zar’Kaa tried to walk Rak’Symma through a breathing exercise as he watched her start to have an anxiety attack, but she swatted him away so she could take care of herself. She exhaled.
Gidra looked at Elothir and asked if he was going to be leaving again already. She had just found him again, and Elothir apologized, but he said he would remain to see through the rest of her students’ lesson. Ultimately, the road would forgive him a small diversion. Gidra smiled and said she could use his vantage point, and Elothir laughed warmly as he said he was glad to provide it.
Arthak asked Elothir if he knew any stories of Broxigar the Red. Elothir said there were few as old as himself who had not heard tales of him. Elothir asked why he wished to know, and Arthak said they shared kinship. He simply wanted to know if he had the stories, and Elothir confirmed.
Zar’Kaa asked what the Ancient’s purpose was, and Elothir in return asked what Zar’Kaa’s purpose was. He answered he wanted to do better than those before. Elothir asked who determined that, and he said he did. Elothir mused that everyone would see a different story that was true to their own minds, and gathering those tales was his purpose, but that was not why he existed. He was simply there because he was, just like Zar’Kaa was.
