[Horde] Session Nine
BOAT NOTES
At the end of the second day the warband gets beyond the point that is the barrier sea where it will start to get a bit choppier from here on out. Beneath the ship, the depth of the water drops off sharply as they enter the open ocean.
Gramgun Laughingeye, the “captain”, is fiercely loyal to Ner’zhul. He’s rather handsome for an orc, and he’s very proud of his crew. He has long, reddish hair he ties back.
In the afternoon of that day, Sorak and Arthak had their confrontation, which ended with Arthak driving his sword through his stomach. He now needed to get at least 10 days of rest.
Arthak is laid on the captain’s bed, which is the closest thing to an infirmary. He is thoroughly passed out. Remnii and Sorak occasionally checked on him. Arthak is fine all things considered.
The entire time, Kaylaan was observing the situation, but he doesn’t say anything.
Sorak spent most of his spare time fishing. He caught a good number of groupers and other delicious fish. The first few days, the fish are corrupted, but beyond the barrier sea they are massive, terrifying, and completely untouched by the Legion.
Azgadaan spent his time up in the crow’s nest. However, the first time he tried to climb up, the rigging spins and he ends up flipping upside down for a bit. He doesn’t fall, but a couple crew members saw it and snickered. Fortunately he eventually gets the hang of it.
Spinyl is playing Hearthstone with Remnii. Samaara also learned how to play. She explains to Yrel, when asked, that she had spent about 150 years on Azeroth - the world Hearthstone is from.Remnii thoroughly beats Spinyl.
Remnii: “Hopefully Azeroth doesn’t kick butts as much as I’m going to kick yours.”
Samaara is vaguely amused that Remnii found time to become proficient in a card game. She also has a small barb at Yrel ready to go upon finding out Yrel was not particularly good at the game. “Well, from what little I’ve seen, this game needs strategy, patience, and forethought…”
Samaara lost one game against Remnii, and then won a second one. She also lost against Spinyl. She was entertained by it overall.
The first two days go by without any further incident.
However, suddenly, the group is awakened by shouts early on the third day. The entire boat jerks, and there is something that seems to be scraping against the side of the boat. Several people lose their footing and slide toward the edge of the boat. As people look out, the deep blue water is swirling and whirling violently.
Arthak is chucked from his bed and thrown against a wall.
One of the sailors was thrown overboard. The only thing that was keeping the ship from being dragged further out was the anchor. Gramgun is shouting out orders, and he looks at the warband. Spinyl is thrown off her feet, and Sorak is almost cast into the water but he grabs onto the edge of the boat and is hanging on for dear life.
The captain expressed he doesn’t usually ask for help, but he needed it now. He said they needed to get prepared to get out of the whirlpool as soon as possible.
Arthak was working on trying to get back to his feet while beeing in extreme pain. Sorak managed he heave himself back onto the boat. Spinyl also managed to get back to her feet.
Azgadaan clambered up onto the rigging to try and release one of the sails from overhead.
Remnii casts ‘’enhance ability’’ on herself and attempts to help some of the other sailors back on deck, but she is having a hard time. By the time she reached the sailor, the ship jostled again and he slipped into the water.
Arthak managed to hovel up on deck and threw his sword to a couple sailors so they could cut the rigging free while he tried to help. He is able to help a bit, but his stomach is clearly not improving matters at all.
Sorak takes stock of Wintermaw, who is fine, and then prepares to blast ‘’gust’’ as soon as the sails fall. Wintermaw grabs a rope in his jaws and tries to pull a rope with Arthak.
From overhead, Azagadaan cuts a rope and the sail unfurls beneath him.
Spinyl rushes over to the orcs who are trying to heave the anchor on board and encourages them. Remnii, having failed the sailor, rushes over to help Arthak. She casts ‘’enhance ability’’ on him after scolding him about being up, but she doesn’t stop him from being up considering the situation.
With the combined efforts, the ship effectively is slingshot out of the whirlpool and to safety. As it settles, everyone breathes a collectively sigh of relief. As everyone looks around, the captain laughs. “Aye, good mornin’ everyone!”
Sorak is starting to understand why no one sales these waters.
The captain apologizes that he may need help from the group now as a few of the crew were lost to the whirlpool - especially given this was only day three and there was only worst things to come. It would be another three days before they break through to the other side of the barrier sea.
Azgadaan returned to the crow’s nest to keep watch for any other anomalies.
Fortunately, it is pretty peaceful from then on. No one is sur what actually caused the whirlpool.
Once things calm down and they are out of immediate danger, Remnii goes to find Azgadaan. Spinyl takes off to distract Kaylaan while Remnii speaks with their eredar prince. Remnii, it turns out, is decent at climbing up the rigging.
She gets into the crow’s nest and shuts the floor-door. It’s just her and Azgadaan up there.
Remnii starts by making some small talk, but Azgadaan asks her what she wants.
Remnii: “ In short, everywhere we have gone, you have been asking things of others. Why is that? What drives your compulsion to… continually ask?”
Azgadaan: “Ever since I’ve got here I’ve lost every mode of transportation. The elekk, everything with it, Daan… it’s all I’ve had.”
Remnii: “Yet your two hooves are still under you. You are… here. Azgadaan, there will come a time when if you are serious where your training will be more than just swordfighting. There will come a time when Yrel will not be your only teacher. We have a long way to go and a great many things to do before we can be on stable ground.” The boat conveniently jerks. “But.. Azgadaan, you have your own two hooves and that is all you need. The fact that you asked him… Socrathar… Othar… the betrayer.... You not only put me, but Yrel, in danger. We cannot hear Eredun like you can. I still feel it crawling in the back of my mind. It was not there before.”
Remnii turns to Azgadaan fully. “Look at me.” Azgadaan looks at her. She keeps eye contact as she continues to speak. “If you are serious, legitimately, about knowing more, about being more than you were born with, becoming yourself versus what your people had you made into, I would consider learning to stand on your own two hooves. And all things considered, lets not open anymore fel portals while we’re at it. Do you understand? You have given up much already, yet to start new you must first be willing to give up even more than you thought you could. From now, on certain circumstances aside, we will be walking. In more places than one. Wintermaw does not count.
Azgadaan mentioned the goats and the cart. Remnii said, after whatever happens to it, they are walking. Perhaps this time nothing bad will happen to it. “You cannot always expect others to give you things for convenience sake. You put us in danger. Gul’dan was there, and we knew that.”
Azgadaan: “To be honest, I thought I was merely asking for a boon so we didn’t have to deal with his men. I wasn’t expecting a portal.”
Remnii: “But seeing you asked, we have to deal with one of them anyway.” She looks down at Kaylaan. “But consider my words. Yrel has started you upon the path, but this is one of many lessons to come. I bid you consider them, yes?”
Azgadaan says he will. Remnii nods. Azgadaan immediately turns back to scan the sea, and Remnii leaves him to it.
---
Meanwhile, down below, Spinyl was making small talk with Kaylaan. Formal introductions. Things like that.
Spinyl: “I’m sure your curious about, well, the colorful group we seem to have collected.”
Kaylaan confirmed. “I suppose it leaves a number of questions. For starters, what are you doing here?”
Spinyl: “Hm… well keeping an eye on things. Kind of like how you are.”
Kaylaan: “I see… is that why you play games with the draenei? Speak as if you are friends. Take orders. That is what you’re doing right now, yes? Distracting me so she can have a word with the eredar.”
Spinyl says if everything goes smoothly and everyone gets along, things go better.
Kaylaan: “You’re certainly a curious one, aren’t you?” He isn’t surprised Spinyl gets that comment a lot. “What do you think they are talking about up there?”
Spinyl shrugs. “Typically they have a bit to talk about. Tend to butt heads a bit, and then talk about it afterwards. That kind of stuff.”
Kaylaan: “You know, most eredar don’t talk to draenei. You do know that right? I would assume so. Your group tends to get more curious by the minute.”
Spinyl: “I like to call it progressive.”
Kaylaan: “So it is. And yet… as a woman who knows many things, I’m quite certain you might imagine what the Legion would think of your… progressive, as it is.”
Spinyl: “We seem to be getting stuff done. Little hiccups along the way.”
Kaylaan: “For now, yes. But for how long?”
Spinyl: “We’ll just have to see, and learn along the way.”
Kaylaan: “If you can learn. The dead learn the lesson. A word of advice - leave now while you have the chance. There is nothing progressive about this group. The only thing this group is is a time bomb waiting to explode. My presence here is useless. I’m here to ensure you do not undermine Socrathar’s ambitions. He expects it, you know. After all, there is another eredar present. I myself am another one. ‘Tis the nature of the Burning Legion - competition to garner their favor. But that does not matter. Not here. No here it is… some strange synergy that will only attract attention. I do not pretend to be a succubus, but I am quite certain you are not a fan of that attention. So I say again, leave while you have the chance. Your curiosity may be your death.”
Spinyl: “Well… I suppose there was a phrase on Azeroth. Curiosity killed the cat. I wonder if there are similar phrases here.”
Kaylaan: “Let us pray you are not the one to find out. For as good as prayer will do.”
Spinyl giggles and expresses she isn’t the praying type. Kaylaan agreed she’s better off not wasting her time.
Spinyl: “But, I hear ya. I’m pretty good at taking care of myself. But thank you for your concern.”
Kaylaan nods, and notices that Remnii is once again descending. He then goes off to return to whatever work he was doing.
---
Sorak had followed Arthak back to the cabin as he wished to have a word with him. Arthak gives him a quick look-over, and then relents and allows him to help him back to the bed.
Sorak: “Arthak.”
Arthak: “Sorak.”
Sorak: “Sorry for… all of that. Honestly may have been better if you just hit me back. But that’s neither here nor there.”
Arthak: “If I had it wouldn’t have been with my fist. I drew my blade.”
Sorak: “I underestimated the situation.” Arthak noticed. “But for all, excluding the wounds, you appear to be better.”
Arthak: “For now.”
Sorak: “We’ll have to work on a more permanent solution.”
Arthak: “Agreed.”
Sorak: “I have to apologize also. You made me your second, but I have no real idea how to accomplish this.”
Arthak sighs.
Sorak: “Then I imagine you have just as little experience leading.”
Arthak: “You have experience with a hunting party at least. This is my first warband.”
Sorak: “You can say we’re out of our element.”
Arthak: “You can say that.”
Sorak: “I do hope we will figure it out.”
Arthak: “We will. We will. We have to. It’s either put something feasible together out of this warband, or we all die at some point.”
Sorak: “And on the topic of all of us dying, I believe Gul’dan knows what I am and what the Frostwolf Clan has. The look he gave me. The vision I had at Ner’zhul’s temple.”
Arthak raised an eyebrow. “You had a vision?”
Sorak: “I’m not sure if it was an actual vision, or Ner’zhul, but yes, a vision of sorts.”
Arthak: “Hm. So Gul’dan knows.”
Sorak: “The look he gave me was telling, and if his assassin is as adept as we believe her to be she’s been watching the whole time. Which means the Frostwolf Clan as well.”
Arthak: “I’m not even sure how we can begin to deal with that.”
Sorak: “We’ve had nothing but problems since this started.”
Arthak: “Yeah. At least we can rely on Gul’dan to wait for the situation that benefits him most. He’s not stupid. The point of greatest advantage.”
Sorak: “Normally I would agree with you. However, we have been a constantly nuisance.”
Arthak: “Have we? We’ve been, at best, an unwieldy tool. We’re still achieving his end. He wants that portal open. Our actions are seeing that done. At the very least, I see you and your clan being safe until then. You’re too useful. It would be an unnecessary irritation to get rid of us at this juncture. Gul’dan will wait for another opportunity. Besides, he presumably only has solid evidence against you. If he wants to have an entire clan put to the sword he’s going to need solid evidence for them as well.”
Sorak: “We’ve already seen what he can do.”
Arthak: “Yes, but he also needs to maintain the horde. He’s not well-liked. Blackhand and Gul’dan have to have the support of the other warlords if they want to keep the horde unified, and if they want to attack another world they will need it unified.”
Sorak: “Well. I appreciate you listening. Now you know my concern.”
Arthak: “Anytime you need… I can listen.”
Sorak: “I feel like the roles have been reversed here.”
Arthak: “No. Not particularly. You’re my second. I hear your concerns, you hear mine. Between the two of us, we come to a solution. Ideally. My advice right now is continue to be as careful as you can about who knows what you are.”
Sorak comments on the eredar, the demons, and the draenei knowing. Arthak said most of them don’t have reason to use the information. Not yet.
Arthak: “Not everyone will be judicious in how they use the information. The draenei need us as much as we need them. Azgadaan needs the draenei, so their need for us also translates to him.”
Sorak: “So the dark elekk is the succubus.”
Arthak: “Spinyl is… urgh…”
Sorak understands she’s part of the warband, but also points out Spinyl is a keeper of secrets. Though Arthak points out it wasn’t his words that resulted in Spinyl knows.
Sorak: “However, Arthak, if you can limit keeping secrets from your second… that would be appreciated.” He is clearly referencing Remnii.
Arthak: “Fair.”
Sorak: “For the moment… I think I am going to see if there is something else I can help with.”
Arthak: “I suppose I should get more rest.”
Sorak: “If you need me, I can help.”
Arthak: “I’ll be fine. Thank you. We’ll talk soon and I’ll fill you in on what I haven’t been. My word on it.”
Sorak then goes to leave. “By the way, I expect a good right hook when you’re better.”
Arthak gives Sorak a smile that is mixed with a grimace because of the pain from the stomach injuries, then goes back to sleep.
---
Sometime, later on, Kaylaan tracks down Remnii when she is alone.
Kaylaan: “You know, you have a strange group here…” he points out all the strange things the group has been doing.
Remnii turns and Kaylaan is clearly blocking the exist.
Kaylaan: “Why do you think is that case?”
Remnii: “Mutual convenience for the moment. You’ve been wanting to speak to me?”
Kaylaan asks if it has been that obvious, and Remnii raises an eyebrow. “I suppose what has me curious is that you call this a warband… why?”
Remnii: “Truthfully it just kind of gained its own name.”
Kaylaan: “So it has.”
Remnii: “It’s not everyday you find a group such as this.”
Kaylaan: “No it’s not. I was expecting you to say it was your idea. After all, just about everyone in this warband listens to you.”
Remnii: “No, it was not my idea. You give me a lot of credit, Kaylaan.”
Kaylaan: “I give as much as I see necessary. After all, this warband has three draenei in it. And only two orcs. An eredar and succubus. Yet it is called a warband, and all of them listen… to you. It makes me wonder whose idea it was to find this naaru that you seek in the first place. So tell me whose idea was it?”
Remnii sits on top of a crate a respectful distance away. “Again, you give me too much credit. It was Gul’dan idea. They just didn’t know where he was.”
Kaylaan: “Now they do. Who could be privy to such knowledge. Certainly one could assume the daughter of the prophet Velen would, and now here they are on the way to find this naaru. Perhaps you do not give yourself enough credit. ‘Tis funny. At first glance you seem to be soft. Weak. I wonder how many schemes you have running behind that mask. How deep do the plans go? That’s my question. Where is the line drawn in your mind. Between ally and asset. All conjecture, of course, I don’t expect you to answer. I can already guess what your answers would be anyways. But for being a… prisoner… you’re unlike any prisoner I’ve seen. Climbing crow’s nests. Giving life talks to eredar. Whatever that was. You’re a curious case, miss Remnii. And I do wonder what will come next. After all, it’s not everyday that you meet a draenei that is more eredar than one born as such. I’m almost curious. How tightly do you have them wound around your finger?”
He takes a step forward. “What do you think they would do if you were in danger? How many would drop what they are doing to come and save you?” He smiles. “Curious indeed.”
Remnii stands again, and looks up at him. She gives a sad smile. “All in all, Kaylaan, whatever you see in me… I’m sorry you have to see the world clouded by schemes and hate. I’m lucky in my situation. Lucky to have those that do care. I don’t know how many that would come running.”
Kaylaan laughs softly. “I should be the one apologizing. I was hoping that you… would have realized that your pastures are not free of schemes just because you say that they are. Let us hope that your precious naaru do not abandon you. For such a fragile foundation, it would surely crumble. If you truly believe.”
Just at that moment, Remnii hears a bell ringing from up above.
Kaylaan: “It seems our conversation is being ended for us. I would endeavor for you to remember what I said.” He turns to leave. Remnii just watches him leave, and then she runs to see what is going on.
---
Up above decks, meanwhile, as night is kind of falling a bit of fog has rolled in. Azgadaan sees something punch up through the fog. He realizes it’s a mast… kind of. It’s not like any mast he has ever seen, and the ship itself is bigger than any he’s seen previously.
The other orc that is up in the crow’s nest said he would sound the alarm, and he begins to ring the bell. Azgadaan thaumaturgies himself and shouts out what they had seen.
The captain listens and looks around. “Blast, from the sound of it… prepare yourselves! We may be dealing with ogre pirates!”
Just then a canonball comes flying through and takes out an orc that had turned to bark out an order. The captain looks back. “Definitely ogre pirates!”
Right near Sorak a massive hook flies up and connects to the side of the ship. An ogre pirate clambers onto the deck as three or four more hooks latch on, and more ogres get on. One of them has two heads.
Two-headed ogre: “Smash and grab, boys! Take everything that’s valuable!”
Ogre-head 2: “Yeah! Smash and grab!”
Arthak had managed to get up on deck in his full armor. He charges at the nearest pirate and prepares to strike, but the blow is blocked by the pirate’s massive cutlass.
Sorak is standing next to an ogre with a massive boarding axe, and he quickly uses ‘’enhance ability’’. He puts his hand on his chest and an earthy yellow glow surrounds him, buffing his resistance to wounds a bit. He then unsheathes his weapon.
The ogre immediately swings at Wintermaw, who was nearby. There is a sickening crunch, and Wintermaw yelps as he staggers backwards and slams into the side of the boat.
Kaylaan cries out that he will handle one nearby, and he draws his weapon. Spinyl chooses to use ‘’faerie fire’’ on the one closest to her. The ogre is now surrounded by multi-colored flames. She then takes off and runs back behind Yrel.
Azgadaan blasts the same ogre with ‘’chromatic orb’’. An orb of crackling energy slams into the ogre’s body and it shutters from the electrifying impact.
Meanwhile, the captain swings at Arthak with a boarding axe and cuts deep into his side. He follows up with a cutlass attack. Arthak flashes with rage, and he brings his weapon up to block the cutlass. He swings it up, and as he does, the cutlass is sliced clean in half. As Arthak slices the weapon in half, a faint red glow materializes in his eyes.
Wintermaw moves forward again and launches himself on the ogre that struck him with a snarl. He knocks the ogre prone and is now on top of him.
Another ogre hefts his boarding axe and takes a swing at the mast. A decent chunk of the mast gets chunked out and it shudders.
Remnii calls upon the power of the Light and a small sigil appears over her head as Arthak’s wounds begin to knit closed.
Samaara and Yrel manage to double-team the faerie fired ogre and take it down. Meanwhile, Azgadaan got hit hard by a cannonball, though he managed to stay in the crow’s nest.
Wintermaw continues to tear at the ogre he knocked down.
Azgadaan fires another lightning ‘’chromatic orb’’ at the captain of the ogres, and it slams hard into his chest as Azgadaan swings out of the crow’s nest and begins to clamber down.
Yrel casts ‘’blessing of light’’ on herself and swings in with her hammer at the captain, but he is still standing.
Arthak, still in his rage, beats mercilessly into his target with his sword. He cleaves into the ogre’s side, and blood spurts out from the wound. There is immediate regret in the ogre’s three eyes.
Sorak helps his frostwolf.
The ogre captain retaliates at Arthak and swings both of his weapons at the raging orc. Arthak doesn’t seem to feel the pain as his wounds gush blood.
Spinyl: “You know, I’ve been wanting to try this.” Spinyl conjures a colorful flame of fel energy and chucks it at the ogre captain’s head. It clunks into his head, cleaves his horn clear off, and topples to the ground in front of Arthak. The horn clatters to the deck nearby.
While this is going on, Kaylaan is fending off other pirates with his mace. Occasionally the weapon gets surrounded by shadowy energy as he beats the ogres off the side of the ship. He seems to fight pretty similar to Yrel, actually.
A gentle golden light appears in Remnii’s hands, and in a sweeping motion she draws a triangle between Arthak, Wintermaw, and Azgadaan as she heals all of them for a small amount.
Samaara fires off another shot, and Sorak jumps toward the mast and kicks off of it. He drops his weapon down as hard as he can, and promptly decapitates an ogre. His head flies into the ocean with a ‘’BLOOP’’.
The destroyer looks like it’s considering disengaging, and then Azagadaan goes to the captain’s corpse. He enlarges himself, cuts off the main head of the two-headed captain, uses thaumaturgy on himself, and then flings the head at the destroyer. It lands on the deck of the other ship.
Azgadaan: “Runaway, little ogres! Or you’ll end up like your captain!”
Immediately, the destroyer steers away and heads back out east into the barrier sea. The rest of the orcs begin to cheer.
Arthak, however, is still feeling his heart drum in his chest. His eyes are still glowing red, and he’s bleeding a lot and he’s trying to fight back the blood rage, but he may not be able to stop himself. Despite Arthak’s wishes, Remnii chooses to try and magically soothe him.
Unfortunately, he resists the soothing magic and charges at Remnii. She uses ‘’blessing of salvation’’, and his focus turns to Yrel. He misses, and she gives him a look that basically said “how dare you.”
Azgadaan ran to Arthak and tried to pick him up, but Arthak was clearly the stronger one and shoves him off.
Spinyl: “Come on, snap out of this, you’re better than this!”
Remnii: “You know she’s correct! You are better than this. Come to your senses… your war band needs you!”
Remnii tries ‘’mind soothe’’ again. This time, Arthak manages to relax. He grunts, and then lowers his sword as Remnii lowers her hand. She looks at Spinyl and gives a nod of appreciation.
Kaylaan is just watching. “That was certainly interesting.”
Arthak: “Battle’s… done.”
Remnii and Spinyl confirmed.
Azgadaan checks on the dead ogre captain and finds some loot. The orc captain looks kind of irritated about the giant chunk out of his main mast.
Remnii: “Arthak, may I see to your wounds.”
Arthak relents, and apologizes to Yrel for his “lack of control.” Yrel is clearly annoyed, and threatens that if it happens again she will ensure that he won’t.
As she tends to Arthak’s wounds, she explains that she had magically soothed him, and apologized for it, but explained why she did it. Arthak was not as upset about it as he otherwise would have been… considering the circumstances.
Following the battle, Remnii gives Spinyl a congratulatory high-five. Samaara then tells her the fairy fire was a good tactical decision. Spinyl basks in the attention. Then she skips over to pick up the ogre horn to add to her trophy collection.
Six days away from their destination, things were fairly uneventful after the ogre pirate attack.
Remnii ultimately decided to have a few words with Sorak.
Remnii: “Sorak, can I speak to you for a moment? I feel as though conversation may be overdue… particularly concerning Arthak and his current condition.”
Sorak raises an eyebrow, but says nothing.
Remnii: “You have no obligation to tell me anything as I was also not forthcoming with the party, but at the same time…” She expresses her concern about the situation, and how Sorak had previously handled it. “My question, I suppose, is do you intend to punch him again while in the same ten seconds calling him a monster?”
Sorak: “Depends.”
Remnii raises an eyebrow, but Sorak doesn’t elaborate.
Remnii: “Sorak, for this to continue for a time, I’m attempting to be forthcoming as I am not the one that can appeal to himself as you can, nor am I the one that should. But if there is anything I can do to help…”
Sorak: “If he loses control again and his mind needs to be calmed, I will take all responsibility. If he needs to get angry at someone, as his second, he can get angry at me.”
Remnii: “I have spoken to him already, and I think he should be okay. However, perhaps in the future, take it how you will, but appealing to the person he is is one of the most important things to fighting this corruption, and you are one of the most poignant reminders of what he is.”
Sorak: “Duly noted. Is there anything else?”
Remnii expresses there is not, but she hopes Sorak will take her seriously before he chooses to write her off.
Sorak: “Any other secrets we should be aware of?”
Remnii says there are not. The things she was trying to keep secret have been let out already. She can’t afford to be any less forthcoming anymore.
Sorak: “From this point on, I would like to refrain from any secrets within this group.”
Remnii: “You know that will be hard with Spinyl around.”
Sorak: “I mean me and Arthak. You want us to be united, but secrets only divide.”
Remnii nods. “I’m glad you’ve come to that consensus. You seem to be learning to work together as leaders. If anything comes up, I will let you know. I have no problem in doing that.”
Sorak also nods.
Remnii: “Sometime, Sorak, I’m sure you are aware I have been speaking with Arthak. I would like to get to know you as well.”
Sorak said perhaps another time given they have the rest of the boat ride, though she expressed she was not particularly good at fishing… and they currently had a fly on the wall, referring to Kaylaan.
Remnii: “I will not keep you any longer. While they are not secrets, there are things I can tell you all about Mu’ru when the time comes. Forgive my hesitation at the moment.”
They then part ways.
---
Arthak’s rage seemed to subside for a time, but by day nine or ten it started to build again and he started to get a bit antsy. Conveniently, something did happen.
On day ten, the ship entered a light storm. The waves are choppy. It’s raining slightly. To the west the group can see the Tanaan jungle and the shadow remains of the dark portal, and to the east is Ashran. There is not much visible in Ashran, but there are massive black fires. They can almost hear trumpeting across the sea, and a haunting sound echo across the storm. The origin, of course, is well beyond what is visible, but it is certainly a strange noise.
Azgadaan is able to recognize the sound. A fel reaver.
There are very distant ships traveling between smaller islands, and the fortress that belongs to the Stormreaver clan is very far in the distance.
Azgadaan asks the orc he’s been sharing the crow’s nest with, Lamfar, to borrow his spyglass, and he hands it over. He uses ‘’enhance ability’’ and peers out at Ashran.
The entire island seems to be some sort of combination between factory and fortress. All materials there are not naturally found on Draenor, or rather most. A lot is fel-forged. There are defense turrets searching the area. Felbats are swarming the skies around it. Orcs and demons alike are working various machines as felguard captains and doomguards walk about. Nothing there seems to be paying their ship much mind, however.
Azgadaan chooses to continue watching Ashran and asks Lamfar to keep an eye on the Tanaan jungle. The storm does not get much worse.
However, as Azgadaan watches, it seems like something in the air has started traveling toward them. It’s hard to see at first, but as he keeps an eye on it there is a streak of lightning that illuminates the sky. He sees it’s a felbat.
It’s not any felbat.
It’s Daan. With somebody on his back.
Azgadaan recognized him. It’s a wrathguard. Specifically, it’s Durag, one of the lieutenant royal captains of Jaraxxus’s royal guard - the Fist of Jaraxxus. He isn’t the highest in command, but is the third highest.
Durag doesn’t leave the manor of House Jaraxxus. Ever. And he is currently flying in their direction atop of Daan.
Azgadaan reports to Lamfar what he sees… and suggests they tell the others. He then heads down to the deck. Spinyl was on deck practicing dancing. A few orcs are watching unabashedly.
Yrel and Remnii are below deck with Arthak, Samaara is fishing with Sorak.
Azgadaan informs them that one of the lieutenants from his household is approaching - Wrathguard Durag.
Sorak offers to get Arthak, but Azgadaan said that he would prefer the unstable orc not be present.
Daan lands with a thud, and Durag dismounts.
Durag kneels: “Prince Azgadaan. It is good to see you in good spirits.”
Azgadaan: “You as well, Durag. Is my father alright? You don’t usually leave the manor.”
Durag: “As you say. I’ve been sent to bring you back to Argus. Your father has summoned you back.”
Azgadaan: “I have more pressing matters at hand. Even if it was my father’s command, there is much more for the Legion here.”
Durag’s tail flicks, but he doesn’t move. “You misunderstand, Prince Azgadaan. I was ordered to bring you back to Argus. This was as much an order to you as it was to me. Your father was very insistent that it was not up for negotiation.” He stands up. “Now come.” He reaches into his pocket and withdraws a small stone. It’s a recall stone that can open a temporary portal back to Argus.
Azgadaan: “Did my father say what the matter was about?”
Durag’s tail flicks again. “He merely told me had much to discuss. It is not my perogative to inquire upon the minds of my lord.”
As Daan looks at Azgadaan, there is not a single flicker of recognition. It almost seems like he doesn’t trust him.
Durag holds the stone up and it begins to glow. A thin beam of green energy eeks out from the stone, and there is a crack as a portal opens up before him. The stone shatters. “Come, my prince. Your father awaits.”
Azgadaan: “Durag, I cannot go with you. I need to continue on this path for the benefit of the Legion as a whole. Tell my father I need more time.”
Durag: “You father was very clear on his instructions. He said I was to return you to Argus.” He reaches up on his back and withdraws two longswords. “If that is after you reform on Argus after expunging your soul from this coil, then so be it. Perhaps these troublesome behaviors will go with it.”
The portal cracks, and sparks of energy shoot off. As they do, glyphs of power spark to life in the four different corners of the ship. Each one binds it to the portal, which begins to crack. Durag turns to Daan. “Let none survive.”
Arthak had appeared on deck as Sorak had gone to fetch him anyway. He is looking at Azgadaan expectantly - Azgadaan is clearly not going to refuse help at this point.
Arthak charges forward and swings with his sword. Durag attempts to catch the blade, and it slices through two of the wrathguard’s fingers as it does.
Apparently, Azgadaan’s choice was made. Meanwhile, Sorak used ‘’heat metal’’ on the wrathguard, though he didn’t seem to notice. Daan surged into the air.
While this was going on, Spinyl chose to focus on the symbols of power that were enacted around the ship. She connected, but it didn’t seem to do much. She also shouted to Arthak (and gave him bardic inspiration).
Azgadaan also chooses to focus on one of the symbols, but he ‘’enlarges’’ Arthak first. Their primary tank then increases substantially in size.
Samaara knocks an arrow and fires, and the arrow digs deep into the wrathguard’s chest. The portal itself seems to flicker, but doesn’t break, and the sound of cackling is heard as a tiny figure jumps out of the portal. It’s an imp.
It jumps on a nearby table and fires a flamebolt at Samaara, though it goes wide.
Wintermaw, meanwhile, leaps at one of the symbols of power. He snaps at it.
Durag swings his swords around and breaks into a flurry of attacks against Arthak.The first one finds a hit, but Arthak is able to deflect the other two blows aside.
Remnii kneels and puts her hands on the ground. Golden light rushes forth and engulfs one of the shadowy symbols, and the symbol fizzles out as the Light consumes it.
Yrel also sprints across the deck and starts to help Azgadaan take care of the symbols on the other side. “Azgadaan, show him what you learned!” She uses ‘’magic weapon’’ on Azgadaan’s shortsword.
That’s not incriminating at all.
Azgadaan offers a “goddammit” grunt as he slams into one of the symbols with the now-enchanted shortsword. The symbol flickers, still up, but clearly weakened.
Daan took note of Remnii and he fired a few spines from his tail that connected. However, he then attacked Spinyl, and the blows missed. Wintermaw continues to try and snap at the symbol.
Samaara also fires an arrow at a symbol, and the arrow seems to take some of the form with it. Arthak is clashing back and forth with Durag, and the large orc manages to parry all of the demon’s attacks.
The portal flickers and shifts again, and this time there is a clicking noise as a felhunter steps through it. The felhunter charges at Spinyl, and as it rushes by Remnii tries to beat it with her stick, but she unfortunately misses.
Spinyl vanishes, and it sniffs the air is unable to find her. Instead it charges for Sorak, though he is able to block it with his shield.
Remnii misses an attack against an annoying imp. It goads her in the process.
Spinyl then attacks Daan with an Eldritch blast. Daan’s close to dead, but he’s hanging in the world of the living.
Arthak then focuses in on Durag again. Arthak misses, though. Durag is standing tall for the moment.
The Imp looks to Remnii and attacks her, “Let me show you how it’s done!” She gets blasted for a small amount of Damage. He follows through, Flourishing.
Yrel runs up and she goes to hit the Symbol of Power, destroying one of them. She casts Blessing of Might on Herself and she then starts to run through to the Unstable Portal.
Arthak readies his attack again, and then he stumbles back. Unfortunately, he can’t attack. Despite the pain, Arthak readies for combat.
Daan flies by, shooting spines at Spinyl. The spines dig in deep, they bury into her arm and they begin to draw blood (bleed damage). He then takes a shot at Samaara, who deftly dodges.
Sarok misses, but he continues to heat the metal of Durag’s armor. He then moves to attack the Fel Hunter with Stormbolt. He stuns it after hitting it in the face. Wintermaw chews down on one of the Portals.
Durag swings down at Arthak, missing, but the second attack hits. It manages to cut his armor, and Arthak begins to bleed. Happily, he doesn’t go into a blood rage. ; u;
Samaara looks back to the portal next to Spinyl and Sarok and she lands a hit. As the arrow hits it, it dissipates it into a fluff of fel energy.
Remnii uses Channel Divinity to quickly heal Arthak, and then quickly uses Blessing of Salvation on herself to just irritate the imp that’s trying to ping her with damage. It’s successful. In frustration, he attacks Samaara and completely misses.
Wintermaw, meanwhile, flips the felhunter on its back as he tries to go for its throat.
Spinyl tries to finish off Daan, but misses.
Azgadaan finishes off the final symbol, and it dissipates. The portal itself flickers as it becomes more unstable, and there is the clinking of metal as a felguard steps forth and takes a swing at Yrel. She manages to block the attack and then swings back with her hammer.
It slams into the felguard’s chest, and the glowing white light flares to life as she follows it up with a second attack in the exact same spot.
Sorak targets the felhunter and it gets dragged across the ground, but he managed to deal some damage to it. Wintermaw chases after it.
Azgadaan fires another ‘’chromatic orb’’ and the felguard, and the lightning convulsed through the demon and it dropped to its knees in front of Yrel.
The felhunter continues to try and attack Sorak and succeeds.
Meanwhile, the portal flickers one more time, and a thick, purple ooze seeps out. A voidwalker.
Spinyl once again uses ‘’faerie fire’’ and all the enemies aside from the imp and the felguard are illuminated by the multi-colored fire.
Yrel swings with her hammer again, and she smashes it down on the felguard which explodes into a show of fel sparks. She turns her attention to the unstable portal and slams down on it with a battlecry. The portal itself shatters like glass as reality bends itself. A wave of energy wafts over the entire ship, and the ambient low hum vanishes.
Daan makes a few more successful fly-by attacks.
Remnii heals Spinyl, which also staunches the bleeding effect.
Sorak calls to Arthak to fight through the pain, which keeps him from falling into his blood rage (thanks to Sorak’s foresight ability). Arthak bites into Durag with his blade, and thick green blood starts to drip from the wound.
The voidwalker completely ignores everyone else, and goes for Azgadaan. However, the blow clunks against a magical force field as Azgadaan conjures it.
Durag continues to exchange blows with Arthak.
The imp gives up on attacking Remnii and hits Samaara with with a flamebolt. Samaara ignores it and fires an arrow at Daan. It connects and he sinks into the ocean as his body returns to the Twisting Nether.
Sorak continues to deal with the felhunter and electrocutes it. As he does, the elements seem to whip around him and return some of his energy to him. Durag looks at Sorak and takes note, but collapses into fel lava and dissipates back into the fel as well.
The felhunter attacks Sorak again, but misses as Yrel strikes the voidwalker.
Spinyl decides to deal with the imp finally. She uses ‘’dissonant whispers’’ and it hears voices that prey on its insecurities. It looks at its hands, moans “what’s the use?” and then uses eldritch blast to blow itself up.
Arthak manages to cleave the voidwalker from over Yrel’s head, but it remains up despite the ridiculous amount of damage he inflicted. He strikes again, but it’s barely up. It tries to attack Azagadaan, but fails.
Azgadaan: “Grimnosthe, of all the creatures I could summon, I hated you the most. The last time I summoned you, you called yourself Grimnosthe the Great. Get rid of the great.” He strikes the voidwalker with the enchanted sword, and it drips into fel ooze - defeated.
Yrel gives Azgadaan a small smile. “Not bad.”
Meanwhile, Remnii finishes the felhunter with a smite and it explodes into nothing.
Kaylaan smiles faintly as he witnesses this, and then he claps. “Well that was exactly as entertaining as I thought it would be.”
Now that the fight was over, Remnii started to use ‘’prayer of healing’’.
Kaylaan: “You do know, Prince Azgadaan, that’s going to come and bit you in the ass, yes? It’s not my place to say anything. I do not wish to get involved in the ninfighting of eredar nobles. You see… I am apparently the only one on this boat that knows how not to iriritate their eredar masters. I’m curious to see what comes of it. Well-fought, everyone.”
As Azgadaan looks down at his shortsword, it feels a bit lighter. As if he is now proficient in it.
Yrel: “Alright. So what exactly was that about? Sounds like your father may have gotten a hint as to what’s happening. Not too happy of the fact that our warband is so… unique as it has been recently put.”
Azgadaan: “For a long time my father hasn’t trusted me, and I haven’t trusted him. And this is what becomes of mistrust in family…”
Yrel: “At least for the time being your father’s minions have been dealt with. There is nothing else we can do.”
However, there is a loud crack of lightning as it strikes into the water right in front of the boat. A figure shrouded in green mist raises out of the water. It’s very familiar. It’s the visage of Jaraxxus.
Jaraxxus: “Petulent child! Did you think that you could hold this foolish rebellion against me without me knoing? You slay my own people and think that you are safe. You are just as much of a fool as your mother was!”
Azgadaan: “You’re just as much of a fool as I know you are, father.”
Jaraxxus: “You…” he shakes his head. “I sacrificed SO MUCH for you, and this is how you repay me? With treason!? I gave you EVERYTHING, and I can take it away.” He holds a hand out as the shadowy, green image reaches for Azgadaan.
Azgadaan’s body is wracked with horrible pain, and he drops to his knees. As everyone looks at Azgadaan, they see his red skin begins to tarnish. Festering boils start to appear. It lasts for about 30 seconds.
Azgadaan fires off a ‘’chromatic orb’’ at his father’s visage while Arthak shoots an arrow at the image as well. The arrow passes right through it, but the thunder damage explodes and the mist scatters.
As it does, the voice of Jaraxxus echoes. “And you would all do wise to abandon this traitor before your back is the next he buries his dagger in. Remember what you saw here, or you will be NEXT.”
The presence ebbs away.
However, with it went the power of the Burning Legion that protected Azgadaan from the taint of corruption, and his minor corruption had manifested. He angrily punched the deck in pain, and a boil popped.
Arthak goes to help him up.
Kaylaan is just watching, and Azgadaan comments. “Find this interesting?”
Kaylaan: “For a number of reasons. Perhaps my surprise comes in the… haste the message was delivered. Your father has it out for you. I would watch your back if I were you.”
Azgadaan: “For the longest time I despised my father.”
Remnii: “Though… you know. You’ve given up much, Azgadaan. And with some time you know I can cure this too.”
Azgadaan pulls off his signet ring and throws it as far as he can toward Ashran. It plunks into the ocean of Draenor.
