[Horde] Chapter Two: Session Five
July 10th
After the meeting with the warband, but before the group got set off, Arthak gathered the newly expanded clan together.
Arthak proceeds to explain why all of them are there.
Arthak: “We are heading to the Frostfire Ridges to bring the Frostwolves back to Hellfire Citadel in preparation for the future invasion. That is our purpose. But also… those of you here should also know why you’re here in a different sense. I am Saurfang, son of Broxigar. You have all decided to follow me here for reasons I won’t pretend to guess at. Maybe it was hope that this clan could offer opportunity the rest of Horde could not. Maybe it was desperation. Maybe it was something else. It doesn’t matter. You’re here now, and that makes you Broken Blade, and this we share, though it is not all we share. We are all outcasts here, whether they are of the clan or not. We are all exiles, reviled and hated by the rest of the Horde. And that, whether you realize it or not, is our strength. Where were our people 40 years ago? We were individual clans struggling to exist in the face of larger threats. It was only by becoming a Horde we grew strong. It was only by finding clans we grew strong. And so that is what you are, I am. That is what our kin has forgotten, and that is what we will remind them off.
“We will show them what they have forgotten. We have no history. Our history is ahead of us. It is conquering a new world. We will be the vanguard, and that would will be our glory.”
As Arthak finishes his speech, he looks around. There is a mixed reaction from the assembled orcs. Some of the noncombatants look a bit uncertain. However, quite a few of the capable fighters seem to be receptive of the speech.
Lantresor seems to support Arthak’s words, but casts a concerned look at the rest of the crowd.
The unnamed girl stares up at Arthak with an iron look, but cracks her fists in determination.
Arthak continues to explain the situation, and their destination. He has assigned roles to some people. Gramgunn is Master of Goods, Thura is Master of Arms, Remnii is Master of Health, and Spinyl is Master of Words. Each individual will be in charge of an aspect of the clan.
Sometime after, Arthak grabs Sagaz. He mentioned the young orc is clever. Arthak wants him to be an intermediary, and an assistant to the Masters of the various aspects of the clan. Count bodies. See who needs medical attention. See who is refusing it and why. And so forth. He was to answer directly to Gramgunn or Remnii.
In addition, he was to maintain training with Thura and Lantresor.
Arthak then left the kid, now saddled with a bunch of responsibilities.
Also a later time, Arthak finds the waifish, unnamed young orc. As he approaches, he startles some birds she was stalking, and she quickly pegs one of the retreating ones, and retrieves the body, taking a large bit of it after.
Arthak nods at her.
Orc: “You’re loud.”
Arthak: “Yes. The armor doesn’t help.”
She takes another bite of the bird in her hand.
Arthak expresses her performance was impressive. Striking at his knee was intelligent, and thoughtful.
Arthak: “You said you had no name.”
She nods.
Arthak: “Would you like one?
She shrugs. “Would it help me?”
Arthak: “More than you think.”
Orc: “How?”
Arthak: “There is pride in a name. A measure, and a record. It’s complicated.”
Orc: “Sounds stupid.”
Arthak: “Perhaps it is. But a name tells us who we are, more than we ever give it credit for. And… in purely practical terms, it makes it easier to communicate on the battlefield. Do you want me to call you the nameless runt during battle? You’re going to have competition for the title.”
She blinks and stares at him, seemingly not understanding. Arthak continues to try and explain. Namely, once she acquires a name, it can acquire glory, and people can call to her to do things.
The orc relent, but mentions that people don’t remember everyone. There’s nothing to remember if you don’t have a name.
Arthak comments that’s why it’s important to have one. Everyone should be remembered.
Arthak names her Azuka of the Broken Blade.
He then explains that the last one that held the name died by Arthak’s blade. She was one of the best warriors Arthak had encountered.
She asked if others would call her as such, and Arthak said yes. She then said she would remember that is supposed to be her.
Arthak: “That is you.”
She then turns away and mutters “this is annoying” while walking away.
Yrel and Remnii also talk in private. Remnii expresses she doesn’t have a plan, but after coming face to face with Shaspira, she is certain that they cannot stay there. She, Yrel, and Samaara cannot stay. She just wanted to let Yrel know.
Yrel mentions that they are in over their heads. She wants to know if Remnii really thinks anyone would just let them walk away.
Remnii: “No. It would not be smart of them to. That is not how things work, and I know that. And yet… we should go. I know we are in over our heads. I know.”
She also expresses that she cannot forget the ones that get caught in the crossfire. She believes in her papa’s vision.
Yrel says that she believes in her, but then mentions that this may mean standing against any of the people they are traveling with. Not just Shaspira or her servants.
Remnii nods. “I know. And it is I who, in theory, will tell papa I was complicit in opening the Dark Portal in this place. Even if Mu’ru told me to. I do not believe that coming back with stories of walking with the Legion will go over well. Papa is not the one I am concerned with. You heard Arthak today. The Vanguard of the Legion. Everyone, on both sides, even Spinyl and Azgadaan. Everyone is an individual. For better or worse. But the only way to stop the fighting on both sides is to stop the fighting.”
Yrel says they can’t save anyone.
Once again, Remnii says she knows.
However, Yrel is with her, no matter what.
She then goes on to express that she is starting to lose which way is up, as once the Legion was entire bad, but even now, there is a man’ari child in their midst that…
She cuts off, and expresses she may not know if she can protect Remnii if she doesn’t know who to protect her from.
She asks Yrel if she remembers when she thought the broken were scary, and it took 15 years of traveling with the Ati-kaso to realize that Nobundo was as right as he always was. The perspective that they gain, the allies they make, the friendships are all valuable things. After all, it is the black and white that makes you lose everything, because the people in the gray can get lost so easily.
They talk for a bit longer, and they go back to their business.
During this time, Azgadaan had been disguising himself as an orc. Namely, he was trying to see how he would be treated if he wasn’t an eredar. Instead of glances of awe, fear, and uncertainty, he was just getting normal glances. The glances are also more genuine than he ever experienced from eredar from eredar.
The simplicity reminded him of how felguards would interact with each other. Very simplistic, and forward.
In addition, no one hesitates to ask him to do things.
After a bit, Yrel and Remnii found out about his antics and he speaks with them. He also gives them the hoof tools as a gift, given they hadn’t had the opportunity to use one in ages.
0:00
July 13th
Jumping back to the present, the Lost Ones are attacking the caravan. Spinyl jumps into the air and flies overhead to keep tabs on the attacking group. One of the Lost One fires an arrow at her, but it falls short.
Sorak, meanwhile, casts frostbite on one of the enemies and its muscles seem to start to freeze over a bit. Another Lost One tries to attack and misses, however, another follows up and connects.
Spinyl continues to avoid hits.
Lantresor, meanwhile, doubles back to support the others.
The Lost One that seems to be in the lead gathers up some of the pillaged supplies, and then sprints off toward the north.
Karand, Dranosh’s hawk, pursues after the enemy to keep tabs on them. Arthak, meanwhile, orders Thura to go after the reaver. She agrees, and charges off on her dire boar.
Wintermaw leaps on a Lost One and tears their weapon aside.
Arthak runs into the fray and starts to rage while Remnii heals Sorak.
The battle rages on, and Sorak is able to take one down. Azagadaan also charges after the retreating Lost ones.
Remnii fires a guiding bolt, and her target staggers backwards. Yrel follows up and misses her first strike, but brings her hammer around to smash him the second time.
Spinyl continues to back up both Thura and Azgadaan.
Wintermaw begins to tear apart one of the Lost Ones, while the remaining one engaged with the rest of the group tries to flee. However, he ran straight into Azgadaan, who drops him into unconsciousness. Or at least tries to. He instant kills him instead.
Some of the Lost Ones do escape, however. And with them was taken some of the supplies.
They discuss whether or not they should pursue the Lost Ones, and it is decided to do so given that every bit of supplies means a member of the clan will live another day. Sorak gets on Wintermaw, and pulls Remnii up with him. Spinyl picks up a bow to use.
They then take off.
1:01
The group managed to track down the Lost Ones with some difficulty, and they prepare to attack. The Lost Ones also have some strange, four-eyed toads with them, and some among their ranks seem to be beast tamers of some sort.
The battle breaks out, and the party starts to pick off the amassed cannibals, other Lost Ones, and monstrous toads.
The party manages to emerge victorious, and without lasting injuries. Sorak manages to find tracks that lead toward the northern exit that seem to be a bit heavier. However, their supplies was not found.
However, Sorak then finds additional tracks, and it actually seems like the even heavier tracks are heading south.
2:21
They take the south route, but unfortunately are unable to be particularly quiet. Spinyl ends up taking off ahead, doing her best to remain stealthy. She manages to find their village, and a LOT of Lost Ones present.
She report back to the others, and Dranosh asks if there’s a plan.
They discuss whether or not they should attack the village to recover their supplies, and Samaara suggests some of them sneak in and steal some of what they still have.
Sorak mentioned that, given they recovered most of their weapons, the risk of trying wasn’t worth it. They could find more food, even if it was difficult.
Samaara looks at Remnii and suggests that she may be able to do something. If anyone was going to broker a deal with the leader of the Lost Ones, it would be her.
Dranosh suggests they return to Arthak and perhaps come back later. Present that either the Lost Ones give back what they stole, or they will be attacked. It’s not just the action, but it’s a matter of honor now as well.
Sorak asks Remnii how confident she was in her ability to negotiate while keeping herself safe.
She admits it’s most likely that another draenei could reach them, but she looks at the situation with caution.
Azgadaan asks Remnii if she would like help, and after she agrees, he casts enhance ability on her.
Remnii then starts to head in, but as they look, there is more going on than last they checked. Namely, as they start to approach, there are more creatures that have been mobilized. There is another beast lord with thick pauldrons of bones and skulls. There is a multitude of raptor, massive frogs, and other large creatures.
Remnii reaches down her robe to clasp Leafshadow, and Spinyl sees a glint of green before Remnii suddenly disappears.
She creaks across the bridge as carefully as she can. One of the lizards then stares directly at her, but Remnii sneaks carefully beneath it. She continues until she comes to the raptor, and for a moment it looks like it found her, but then it turns away.
She continues up, and the beast lord is barking orders at the beasts to “find them.”
Remnii sees more Lost Ones, but she continues to sneak her way through. She comes to a hill, which seems to be the place of the leader. She hears a voice.
The voice is going on about how unlikely it is that the group saw an unbroken member of their people. It was probably a trick of the light. Or a blue orc.
A second voice responds that “for being the Prophet Velen, you don’t have much hold on your people.”
Remnii recognizes the second voice. A lot.
As she rounds the corner, she sees two broken. One is wearing anchorite vestments, though they aren’t Velen’s. He looks only vaguely like Velen.
But beyond him is Phaedra.
Phaedra doesn’t see Remnii, and Phaedra asks the “prophet” what the plan is. Remnii doesn’t recognize the man as he and Phaedra go back and forth, but he mentions that he is responsible for reigning the Lost Ones in.
He walks past Remnii and mutters something about getting food and sneaking out. Remnii waits for a bit, and then slips in. Phaedra sees the curtain shift, and rounds on it.
And Remnii reveals herself.
