[Alliance] Chapter Five: Session Two

Appearing Characters: Celestine, Darius Crowley, Elfyra, Elissa Cross, Galadin Windrunner, Halford Ramsey, Hiram Creed, Liam Greymane, Liiraluma, Lorelei Crowley, Lorna Crowley, Mia Greymane, Riff, Seria, Tobias Mistmantle, Tol'vas Moonshadow, Uther Menethil, Valorinn, Velameestra Windrunner, Vincent Godfrey

September 11th

Back in Karazhan, Seria had been working with Elfyra to do some last-minute druidic rituals to work on nourishing the soil in the otherwise dead scape of Deadwind Pass, which was a project that was meant to teach Elfyra the druidic magics. Seria had set up for Riff to stay with Elfyra to help out.

Elfyra finished writing up the list of instructions Seria had for care of her son, which was largely formed by a series of questions Elfyra had asked.

Seria nodded, quite certain that Elfyra would be fine. Riff came over to give Seria a big hug.

Seria gives Riff a reassuring look, and Riff nods.

Riff smiles.

Elfyra laughed.

Elfyra gave Seria a wave.

Elfyra had managed to nurture a single apple tree in the dead soil, and fortunately, it seemed to be enough. Seria gave a nod, and she was transported to the tree that had been designated in Gilneas.

The group had gathered together with the Northgate rebels in preparation to leave to head to Greymane Manor, and in preparation for Seria’s arrival, who had stepped through the tree at that moment, disguised as a high elf.

Celestine looks at Seria curiously, as did Halford and the others.

Seria’s skin ripples just long enough to reveal her true form, and Crowley tenses up for a moment and bares his fangs instinctively.

Crowley glanced over at Tobias and Halford.

She glanced at Luma.

Tobias nods and scratches his chin.

Tobias smiles in approval, while Celestine gave a supporting nod.

The night spent in the mansion, Luma had requested a shooting range in one of the spare rooms of requirement, and a sleek shooting range with some crystals had materialized. There was a series of pop-up demons that could materialize.

Vel offers to just make them look like real demons, and Luma considers, and expresses that, maybe later, but it would probably be better to be more fake for the general folk. Instead, Vel materialized them to just look like stained glass demons that would shatter on impact so that Luma and Tobias could have a place to show off their weapons.

Luma gave Tobias a crystalline pistol first.

Tobias held up the weapon and closed one eye as he aimed it at one of the targets. The barrel of the pistol started to glow as it charged up a crystalline lattice, and a bright, prismatic light shot from the tip and fired into the target. It left a hole straight through the stained glass. Tobias’s eyes widened and he spun it around and took a few shots.

Luma loaded up Tobias’s gun and fired it, but it immediately got jammed.

Luma took off their glasses and started to clean them as they mouthed “jammed?”

He looked at Luma’s hooves.

Luma gestures at their gun.

He handed the weapon to Luma and they shot it again, and this time it was a solid connection. But there was a solid kick-back Luma wasn’t used to.

Tobias nodded and came back with a rifle and a blunderbuss. Luma withdraws a sleek, crystalline rifle with a split barrel. Tobias lifts the rifle and whistles.

Tobias gives a look that is a silent “can I shoot this?” and Luma nods proudly. Tobias aimed and the weapon began to charge up the energy and rippled with prismatic, purple energy before it fired a solid beam of arcane energy that completely disintegrated the target.

Tobias laughed and promptly looked for a means to reload the rifle. Luma strolled over and put a hand on the rifle.

Tobias fired the rifle again.

Luma tried Tobias’s weapons as well, and they had an intense kick-back, but there was a certain charm to the smell of gunpowder and killing by causing an explosion that ricocheted something small at someone way too fast.

September 13th

Elite Gilnean guards had gathered to back up Liam in their gold and black armor and tabards. Most of them also had guns.

Liam’s brow raises.

Liam smirked and looked at the motley crew.

He looks at Luma, who laughs.

Luma offered a hand, and Liam looked at it.

Liam looked at the two other elves and the phantom steeds.

Liam gestures to one of his riflemen, who shoots Tobias’s steed. It didn’t budge, and Tobias laughs, but then the steed fades and Tobias falls to the ground with a grunt and a curse. Some of the guards laugh, and Tobias gets back to his feet and dusts himself off.

Vel smirked.

Liam looked over the rest of the group, and Halford Ramsey stepped forward.

Liam nods.

He looked at Tobias.

Liam looked around the group and then gave a nod to the other guards.

The guards go off to inform the other people in the manor and village and Liam approaches to give Uther and Luma handshakes.

Liam gestures for the group to approach the manor, and they saw the grand manor with the popup town around it. There were 100s of people squished into the fortress, and it was hardly a comfortable place, but there were soup tables out trying to feed as many people as possible as well as people being trained with simple spears and collectors roaming around asking for silver of any sort. There are children running around playing, and young folk attempting to peddle services. One young lad approaches Tol’vas and offers to shine his shoes, but then notices that Tol’vas isn’t wearing shoes.

He then looks at Uther.

Tol’vas just reached into his pocket, pulled out 8 gold, and gave it to the boy. The boy smirks, but then has a look of confusion, and then surprise.

He looks at Vel.

As Vel looks around, she notices the boy had been glancing over at Vel. Then what he said clicks as she recalled what Wrathion had told her.

The boy homed in on Vel at that point.

The boy flipped one of the coins between his fingers, and it disappeared. He then headed off, but Vel caught him glancing back at her a few more times.

Vel opened the telepathic connection she had established when they approached Gilneas and informed the group that the boy seemed to be the contact Wrathion had informed them to keep an eye out concerning the black dragon involvement.

Vel chuffed.

Vel rolled her eyes.

Both Vel and Tol’vas confirm again.

Ramsey just blinks as he stares at Tol’vas and Vel.

The group continued to follow Liam deeper into the pop-up town and towards the manor on the cliffside.

Liam nods.

They approach the manor, and the door to the manor opens. They see a flicker of after-light on an older gentleman’s glasses. He has two pistols on his hip, and he greets Liam.

Godfrey looks over the group.

His gaze hovers on Tol’vas.

Godfrey gives a nod to Uther as he passes, and quietly speaks.

He passes Tol’vas and mutters to him.

Godfrey walked past them and continued down the path away from the manor. Seria and Vel, however, had both noticed what the lord had said, despite the quiet volume of his tone.

Tol’vas mused he wasn’t particularly impressed with the threat and stated that he could just grow his tongue back, but Uther assured him that such a thing hadn’t been the point.

Liam leads the group into a study, which had been repurposed into an office and war room. Right now it was empty, and there were not many servants around, primarily just soldiers and common folk that were offering to help where they could to make some money. Liam takes a seat and flips his top hat over to a hat rat.

Liam glanced over at Vel.

Liam makes his way to the other side of a desk and sits down with a sigh.

Liam’s eyes flicker to Luma.

Vel had noticed Liam had tensed up against the underside of the table, likely a silver-coated weapon. However, he pulled his hand back as he listened to Uther, and he leaned back.

Liam looked at Vel again, briefly.

Liam froze and looked at Vel.

When Vel said Tess’s name, the excitement in Liam’s eyes faded a bit. It almost seemed as if he wasn’t surprised, and there was an air of trepidation in his voice.

Liam stood up and moved through the room toward a drape that he pulled aside to reveal a family portrait that looked to have been painted shortly before the troll wars. Tess looked like she was six or seven, Liam looked to be close to Vel’s own age, and Mia and Genn were also younger.

Liam gestured to the face of the young girl.

Liam continued to look at the portrait.

Liam took a deep breath.

Liam chuffs.

Liam turned back to the group.

Liam closed his eyes for a moment.

Liam’s shoulders shrink ever-so-slightly.

Liam takes a step back.

Liam sighs.

Liam leans back in his chair as the group leaves, and he pulls out a locket and looks at it, then sighs.

The group makes their way into the cellars. The royal guards do not stop them, but tells them to make it quick.

The interior of the manor is quite nice, despite everything. They head down into what used to be a wine cellar, and it was turned into a dungeon. There were a few humans around in various makeshift cages. Several of the prisoners ask the group to let them out and are making excuses for their crimes. They are directed to the cage that contained Tess.

Curled up in the cell, much like she was in the dream, was Tess, in her worgen form. She still had her clothing, but all her weapons had been confiscated. Tess winced as the torchlight fell into the cell, and she whimpered.

Tess whimpers and cries, and she seems to have lost herself to the curse a bit.

Tess covered her eyes with her claws.

Tess winces.

Over the telepathic bond, Vel asked Tol’vas if he had a way to calm Tess down to maybe shed some of the feral effects of the curse. Tol’vas confirmed he did, and he channeled magic through the scythe and created a calming aura around them. The worgen’s haggard breathing and demeanor calmed.

Uther was stunned speechless.

Lorelei whimpers.

Vel reached out over the telepathic bond again.

Luma had taken a position just outside the cell and was leaning against the doorway. Many of the other prisoners were far enough away they couldn’t hear anything, but they were looking at the draenei completely stunned, as they had no idea what they were.

There is more of a brief discussion over the telepathic bond over what can be done, which ranged from both appealing to things from an emotional angle, or a suggestion by Halford Ramsey that, if Vel had magic that could confirm lineage, as she had briefly mentioned over the bond, they could always try to fake the results. Unfortunately, Vel confirmed the only way to fake such results were contingent on her ability to directly lie, and she was not optimistic about her chances, both because she wasn’t a good liar to begin with, and because Liam was a cunning man on top of it.

Focus then shifted toward the possibility of talking to Mia and Rafia first, however, they had not yet arrived, with both Ramsey and Vel determined was passing strange given that, if they had headed from the council in Lordaeron toward Gilneas, they should have arrived by now, even if they were traveling carefully.

Vel asked Seria if she could borrow her scrying bowl, and Seria said she could. Then Vel looked over to Tess with a reassuring look.

Lorelei gave a very sad, desperate look and then covered her face with her claws and curled up again. The group left the cellar before they were discovered and they sought out a quiet, secluded area in one of the courtyards where they wouldn’t be disturbed.

Seria produced the scrying bowl, and Vel poured water into it and began to channel her magic into it as the group looked on. The water clouded for a moment, and then began to clear.

They hear the unmistakable sound of a carriage riding down the road. They see Mia, safe and healthy, and wearing a cloak. They are in the interior of the stagecoach, and sitting across from Mia was Rafia Carver, Mia’s lady-in-waiting.

Mia chuckles.

Rafia chuckles and Mia frowns.

Rafia’s smile fades.

Rafia trails off and looks out the window.

Mia put a hand on her leg.

Lorna glanced over at Mia.

Mia chuckles.

The duo continues riding in the carriage as the scrying fades, and through a gap in the curtains, Vel was able to recognize a landmark that marked the path as the one they had followed earlier that day. They were on the way to Greymane Manor, and would probably arrive before the end of the day.

However, Vel got the sense they were being watched. She immediately turned, and around the corner of one of the buildings, she glimpsed the boy from earlier. He dipped back around the corner as she turned in his direction.

Vel frowned.

The boy’s voice cracked, as if he was trying to choke back tears. Then the boy came around the corner, and he took off his hat, which revealed two pointed ears–those of a half-elf. As Vel took a closer look, his face shape, his nose… the dirt had made it hard to tell, but the young half-elf man, who had started to ball up his fists, was one she recognized. Her eyes widened in shock.

Galadin raced over and barreled into Vel as he wrapped her into a hug and buried his face into her shoulder. He was about as tall as Vel was now. Vel instinctively wrapped her arms around his shoulders.

Vel and Galadin hugged again.

Galadin nodded.

Vel smirked.

Vel raises an eyebrow.

Galadin flicked her eyebrow and Vel recoiled slightly in surprise.

Vel smiled faintly, though it was slightly pained.

Galadin smiled.

Galadin hugged Vel again.

Galadin nodded. Vel made some quick introductions to the rest of the group so that Galadin knew who else he would be dealing with, though of course he already knew Uther and Elissa. He was *slightly* bashful around Elissa. Galadin informed them he was going by Gillian around the camp, and he put his hat back on to cover his ears, gave Vel one more hug, and then headed off.

How complicated the situation with Lorelei actually became, as that would make her the grand-daughter of Darius, fully dawned on the group, and they decided to take it one step at a time and just focus on getting Mia and Lorna to camp safely first.

When the group finds Liam again, they see him with another tall, imperious noble wearing nice clothes near the kennels with the hunting hounds. The dogs were torn because they like Tol’vas and Elissa instantly, but don’t like Vel. Liam tried to calm one who was howling and barking. Houndmaster Shaw was nearby trying to calm the dogs as well, and Tol’vas kneels down to calm them down as they are trying to warn Elissa and Tol’vas about Vel.

The gentleman nodded.

Hiram Creed tipped his hat and offered a smirk. Vel turned to Liam.

Liam laughs softly.

The group agreed and Liam immediately raced off to get a small group together to ride as Vel focused on manifesting another set of phantom steeds. Before long, they had set off down the path.

They didn’t ride for too long, as ultimately they were riding to meet a carriage that was heading in their direction.

Uther’s face drops.

Liam smiles.

Liam’s brow furrows.

Meanwhile, Tol’vas is having a conversation with Valorinn.

Valorinn growls softly.

Tol’vas laughs.

Valorinn growls again.

As the group rides, suddenly they see Liam squint and slow up his horse.

Suddenly, the group heard what sounded like a loud banging, and the breaking of wood. The ground trembles, and a war cry echoes out from over the horizon.

The group urged their horses forward and they continued to head toward the carriage. Before long, they could see the carriage tumbled on the side of the road, and large, gangly giants brandishing clubs and jagged blades were emerging from the forests and mountains in all directions. The skies were filled with smaller creatures that were swarming like hunting hawks. A gunshot went off, which only momentarily scattered them. They looked like gangly deer, but they had wings, and their legs ended in gnarled claws, with a face that ended in a beak: perytons.

Seria and Tol’vas recognized them and knew they were predatory animals, but they did not normally swarm like this. It was likely they had been trained in some sort by the ettins.

Vel drew her blade and called to Uther, and they promptly disappeared in a flash of arcane magic as she used [Dimension Door]. Tol’vas and Valorinn likewise disappeared as they leaped through a tree as Tol’vas used [Tree Stride]. Seria transformed into a massive bear and bounded forward.

As Vel and Uther appeared in the middle of the conflict, they saw the carriage had been upended, and in the canopy of the carriage was Mia and the carriage driver, who seemed to be unconscious. Mia herself was taking shelter and actively performing CPR. They also saw Lorna in the grip of a massive ettin as the massive creature laughed.

She looked over as Vel and Uther arrived.

She grabs a pistol from her boot and shoots the ettin’s fingers off. As she dropped she kicked the ettin in the face and knocked it out cold, which made it tumble over the ground. As she landed, she grabbed her rifle and raised it to take aim again.

Seria barreled onto the field and rammed into the nearest ettin with a massive, raking strike. The ettin roared in pain, and Seria raked into him again. Valorinn barked and charged at the ettin nearest to the tree he and Tol’vas had leaped through. Valorinn raked into the ettin and chomped into the ettin’s leg.

As Mia looked over at the new commotion, her eyes widened.

Uther ran over to interpose himself between Mia and the ettins and he reached down and put a hand on the coachman, which staunched the bleeding enough to stabilize him. The coachmen looked blearily up at Uther and screamed, but then realized Uther was on his side.

Uther jumped up on the side of the carriage and looked up at the ettin.

The ettin punched himself in the other face.

Uther shook out his shoulders and then swung his hammer around, which successfully knocked the ettin in both his heads. He then banged his shield with his hammer, which started to glow with golden light.

Tol’vas conjured his elemental magic and lines of silvery fire started to race along the ground and erupted beneath several ettins, before it rapidly faded away, leaving the natural growth unscathed. He then conjured the spectral image of a bear that roared and invigorated his allies.

Vel took a quick step from where she materialized and flipped her blade around. It was coated in magic, and she then disappeared as several copies materialized over five different ettins. The illusions struck, and then shattered as her blade collided with a strike of force, before she rematerialized right where she was before.

In the distance, Liam fired a shot to offer some covering fire, and Lorna spun around to protect Mia as well. She fired at a peryton, but the bullet ricocheted off the creature’s flesh. Lorna cursed and asked if the group could take care of the fliers, and they confirmed.

Tol’vas conjured a spiritual weapon, which took the form of a wolven wisp and then bit into the seeming leader of the ettins. Liam took another shot, and an ettin’s head explodes as it falls to the ground, dead.

Liam stops and looks as he fires another shot, which grazes through a peryton.

He shot again, and this time the shot landed solidly in the gut of the peryton he had been aiming for. However, more ettins had charged in and another ordered for them to attack and retrieve Koroth’s banner, whatever that was. More perytons also swarmed the skies.

She touched something on her hip and uttered an incantation in quietish as necromantic magic swarmed around her and whipped her coat around. Her eyes glowed with an otherworldly aura, and spectral chains floated around her wrists as skeletal wings grew from her back. She raced at the ettin Valorinn had engaged with, and struck into it, which cut through its throat and it fell to the ground. She then spread her wings and took off into the air and blasted a peryton out of the sky with a [Frostbolt].

The ettin vanguard that had just arrived charged at Lorna, and she ducked under the club, but it went toward Mia instead. However, Uther used his magic to deflect the strike to him.

The ettin looked dumbly down at Mia, who’s eyes were wide in fear, but she shrugged with a nervous smile.

Luma rode up on the phantom steed as she took aim and fired her disruptor rifle into the back of the ettin berserker. A hole was burned into its back, and he howled. Luma then deployed two of their turrets from their bag of holding. They resembled arms that were slightly less ornate than their current prosthesis, but they seemed to be early proto-types. It pointed a finger gun at the same ettin and blasted it.

This page was last edited on August 13, 2023, at 05:32 PM

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