[Horde] Session Two
Friday, February 10, 2017
‘’Deep within the confines of the southwestern mountains bordering the Tanaan Jungle and the land formerly known as Talador the warband encountered the draenei they sought. And through ambush and a trial by fire they persevered. As night falls and the stars rise to blanket the sky deep under the ground the warband prepares for its return trip. What trials will they encounter on the way? Who can truly say?’’
The session opened with the warband as they had made camp deep in the glowing caverns that bordered the corridors that led deeper into the mountains. There had been things left behind by the Ati-Kaso to provide sustenance and the like.
It was slightly chilly, thus a campfire had been started..
Remnii had utilized the spell ‘’prayer of healing’’ to mend some of the wounds of the warband. She hunkered down near the center of camp and kneeled to pray. As she did, anyone in the vicinity felt a faint tingling and cooling sensation. There was a faint glow that encompassed every wound, nick, and scratch, and many seemed to knit together and heal. She was there for about a half hour in silent prayer.
Yrel had peeled off the scavenged chainmail and was sitting and staring blankly at Remnii - clearly lost and thought and relatively dire looking.
Go’el and Sorak had gathered the wood for the fire, and Go’el asked Azgadaan if he could start the fire. The eredar complied.
Spinyl changed out of her orc clothes and back into whatever clothes she typically wore.
Dranosh worked on sharpening his axe, and Sorak investigated the glowing mushrooms that could be found throughout the cavern. He knew that the spores were indicative to an underground colony of various kinds of phosphorescent fungi called zengara. The mushrooms in the cavern were more-or-less the bleed-off. There were some within zangaara that were medicinally useful, but he was not sure if these ones in particular were.
However, they could be spread on something in order to create a glow-in-the-dark “paste”.
Arthak was sitting, smoking, sharpening his blade and taking care of his equipment. Dranosh was still casting sideways looks at Spinyl, and at one point he shook his head, but it was hard to tell what the looks actually meant.
Spinyl: “Well the awkward silence in this camp is palpable.”
Remnii rose from her prayer and shared some rations with Yrel.
Meanwhile, Daan had curled up into a little bat-burrito hanging from a stalagmite nearby.
Arthak, Sorak, and Spinyl offered to take watch, though it was clear that the orcs did not trust the succubus. However, Arthak asked if Go’el could watch with Spinyl and he agreed. Azgadaan said he would take the last watch, and Sorak silently shot a look at Dranosh, who agreed to watch with Azgadaan.
As the night went on, everyone turned in, sans first-watch crew.
Yrel and Remnii got a tent to themselves, and Spinyl also chose to retire in a tent so that she could have some privacy. However, several chose to sleep in the open.
“Come on Nii-nii we should get some sleep if we can” - Yrel
Remnii, however, was unable to settle in despite her normal relaxation methods, thus she ended up remaining awake. Yrel did end up passing out from exhaustion, despite her attempts to stay awake.
Remnii ended up leaving the tent once the pain in her ribs got to be too unbearable, and she addressed the orcs by the fire. “Do you mind if I join you?”
Sorak patted a space by the fire, and Remnii came out and settled in.
Sorak: “You know we’re not going to eat you, right?”
Remnii: “I cannot say what I know at the moment, but better than setting in a tent.” She shifted, still rather uncomfortable due to her broken rib.
Sorak offered to take a look at Remnii’s rib, and she agreed to allow him. They also exchanged names, and when Sorak introduced himself as “Sorak Thunderforged” he clearly had a twinge of pride as he said his title.
Arthak introduced himself as well as “Arthak Saurfang”.
Remnii, in reference to Sorak’s offer: “I would… I cannot lie, I was unable to stave off the pain by myself.”.
Sorak: “Let me see what I can do. Broken bones are a nuisance.”
Sorak moved forward to take a look at the injuries, and as he did Arthak adjusted where his hands were so they were closer to his sword just in case.
Sorak happened to have a powder from the Frostfire Ridges that he thought would help, and he padded around a bit to find the fracture. He pulled out the powder and applied it to the area before he put a wrap around it.
“That should make it more bearable…” - Sorak
The brown-skinned orc then sat back down by the fire while Remnii returned what clothing she had removed in place.
“Thank you…”
“Don’t mention it. You took care of everyone earlier.”
“Despite whatever is to come, to help save some of my people, I owed you all for that.” - Remnii
Sorak nodded.
After some time, the second watch appeared and Go’el and Spinyl came out. Occasionally, Dranosh’s snores could be heard.
“Good evening, everyone” - Spinyl
“To you as well” Go’el. “Get some rest you two.”
Sorak glared at Spinyl as he passed.
“Sleep well” - Spinyl called to Sorak with a small twiddle of her fingers.
“Can’t exactly blame you for not being able to get rest” - Go’el, to Remnii
Remnii sighed. “I am surprised Yrel can take such time but I am glad that she can. Just a bit to think about.”
“I can’t claim to know what kind of person she is, but she probably worried herself sick about you”
“She also probably made herself so angry she exhausted herself” Remnii pursed her lips.
There was some degree of awkward silences.
“You are under no obligation to do so, but if you are willing I would like to know your name” - Go’el
“Would be nice to call you something. Otherwise I can just call you Blue” - Spinyl
“I already told the others. My name is Remnii”
“Well, even regarding the circumstances it is a pleasure” - Go’el “I just apologize it couldn’t be on better circumstances.”
“It has been a long time since seeing a warband has been good circumstances, unfortunately” - Remnii
Go’el stood up for a moment and looked at S[inyl. “Spinyl, can I trust you to watch over the camp in my absnece for a moment. I want to have a word with Remnii.”
“Alrighty. Will your friend be okay with that?” - Spinyl
Go’el smiled. “He’ll be fine with it.”
“I’m perfectly harmless all things considered.”
“If you wanted to harm us you would have done it already.”
“Plus I helped you all.”
“You certainly did… Remnii, would you join me for a short walk? At your pace, given your injuries.”
“Under most circumstances I’d say no, but… fine” - Remnii gingerly to her hooves.
Go’el gestured for Remnii to lead the way, and he also left his axe behind.
“I think you know why I was interested in speaking with you” - Go’el after they had walked a short distance away. “Before we get into that… this is hardly my specialty, but I may be able to alleive some of your pain.”
Go’el’s hand glowed a soft green color, and Remnii took a step back.
“Don’t worry, I’m not going to hurt you” - Go’el
As the wisp of energy washed over her, Remnii felt the pain in her rib subside and the wound seemed to fix itself.
“I’ll never get used to bones being magically set…”
“Now we can speak without risk of coughing fits.”
“It would certianly be coming but… did you want to know how I knew your father?”
Go’el nodded. “I’m not surprised to find you are as insightful as it was said your people were.”
“It was quite a long time ago now.”
“I suppose I was just curious as to how you knew him. I knew he had dealt with the draenei before the Legion.”
Remnii inhaled and her face softened slightly. “The few times I had met him, he was younger than you now. Not yet a chieftain. He and Orgrimm…. Doomhammer?”
“Yes”
“Pardon. They were were nearly killed by an ogre and were found by a draenei hunting party. I had the honor of traveling with the Phrophet Velen alongside him.”
“Velen himself?”
“Qite, actually. I was and still am a priestess of aldor. He was… we were able to share a meal with them on equal terms. It was a better time, to be honest. They shared some stories and my… he, Velen, had the floor for most of the night. For as old as he was, he was ery good at telling stories.”
“I remember he spoke fondly of the time he spent in the stories he told me. But he did so in remorse… I remember a name. Restalan.”
“For the good time that your father had with… any of us, it was undone. As Draenor was plunged into a second genocide. He… did you know he was able to hold Velen prisoner for a time?”
“So he made mention, but not with pride.”
“So he did. Same man he… nevermind, it is in the past.”
“It is in the past, and yet the past has scarred Draenor. Has scarred everyone. Even myself.” Go’el looked at his green hand.
“But… he…”
“A few years ago, my father was also killed. We never discovered who was responsible. But since then, I have had to take up the eladership of my clan. But until the day he died, he always spoke of how he was a different man after everything that had happened. If he were here today I don’t think he would be asking for forgiveness. Times were changing. And it was a situation in which one must-”
“Adapt or die.”
“Precisely. But he learned something important when he struck down the man who had saved his life - a lesson he made sure to teach me and one I won’t soon forget. Never let another man make you do something you don’t wish to. Never let someone else control your own words or oaths. Honor is all we have left. Honor is all any of us have.And when Restalan lost his life, my father lost much of his own honor in his own eyes.”
“We lost much when we lost him.”
“Though it will not bring him back, I offer my condolences. As little as it is.”
Remnii studied him for a moment. “He was a good man. One that many, many looked up to. To papa, his children, to his inner circle, he was invaluable.”
Go’el raised an eyebrow at the mention of “papa” but said nothing.
“I...when I grew up here on Draenor. There was… the Frostwolves were always good when we did make contact or when we needed, or even when we simply shared a meal. And…” Remnii exhaled. “I am… I don’t know what good it will do me until we go to wherever we are to be delivered to, I am… I am glad to see, at least, vestiges of the honor that all of your people share.”
“Once, yes.”
“Remains in some form or another as…”
“You have no reason to trust me.”
“Yet… it is… going by a gut feeling is all we have. There is no pride in people. We are far away from anything. For 15 years we have run, the last hope left with the Exodar. Or so… or so some may think.”
“And yet you still have hope.”
“So I’ve been told that someone has to. But, for that… so all I could do is put my faith in those who had enough honor to put down their weapons and not slaughter a bunch of broken.”
“Then you have my word that I won’t let that faith go to waste. My father made a grievous mistake many years ago. I won’t allow that to happen to me, or any of us.”
“You do truly… let me put it this way. It’s funny when things come full circle.”
“We almost walk the paths that our progenitors take no matter if those shoes are large or small. It seems that you and I are the former, not the latter.” - Go’el
“If I can make it through all this, perhaps. But… also. If word gets around as to who that is…” Remnii shrugged.
“You don’t need to worry about that, not from me at least. Though you may endeavor to watch your tongue. If you are going to make it through this I think the first step is to get some rest. You won’t be able to protect yourself or your… friend… if you are seeing double.”
“This evening may be…. Also, I will be holding my tongue for quite some time to come. But…. thank you, for what it’s worth.”
Go’ell nodded and turned to head back toward the camp. Remnii followed.
Meanwhile, back at the camp, Spinyl was making little figures in the fire dance as she was bored. The tent Remnii and Yrel were staying in flew open.
“Oh, the other one~”
Yrel gritted her teeth as she surveyed the scene and she dashed to the stone Go’el had left his axe at and held it to Spinyl’s neck.
“Where is she?!”
“Well… she, they, went for a walk.”
“They? Who is they?”
“Go’el and… Remnii was it?”
“Give me one reason why I should not cut you down where you sit, demon.”
“Because I will cut you down.” - Arthak “Go’el is trustworthy. He left his axe. If he wanted to harm her it would be handy.”
“If he was so trustworthy, why does he carry the axe that murdered my father!” - Yrel
“I don’t know. I don’t care. Put it down.” - Arthak
“You know… that might be what they’re talking about? I’m not sure. But they seem like relatively intelligent… individuals” - Spinyl “That talk things through instead of…” Spinyl looked down at the axe. Yrel’s eyes darted over to Arthak and to Azgadaan, who had also joined the group, and she lowered the axe. The edge of the axe began to glow with a golden sheen for a moment, and she lifted the axe and slammed it into the rock and cleaved halfway into it.
Arthak grabbed her and pinned her to the nearest wall.
“Put me down, mosnter. I put the qweapon down.”
“Yes, which is why your head is still attached. You threatened a member of my warband.”
“She threatened a succubus. The member of our warband is not here.”
“She stood with us in combat.” - Arthak
“She lied to us.” - Azgadaan
“Maybe. I don’t expect her to be honorable. I expect her to be reasonable” - Arthak
“You trust a demon to be reasonable?”
“Yes, has helped align with my course. I trust her to be reasonable.” - Arthak
“Why don’t we all sit down and… wait for their return?” - Azgadaan
“If you do not unhand me, I will make you” - Yrel
“Then you will die over a petty grievance.” - Arthak
“Arthak, for the last time. Wait for the warchief to return with the draenei.” - Azgadaan
“Very well, but that is the last weapon you hold…” Arthak let Yrel go.
Yrel moved to the outside of the tent and sat down. She shot glares at Arthak, Azgadaan, Spinyl, the axe, and the direction Remnii had left in.
Azgadaan sat down and looked straight at the succubus. “So… what are you doing here? (Eredun)”
Spinyl looked clearly unnerved by the situation and the threat on her life. “My lord, I think it’s best I save it for when everyone is here to explain myself (Eredun)”
“Well isn’t that shame. Explain to me why (Eredun)” Azgadaan was clearly not waiting.
Spinyl sighed. “Well, because it will garner suspicion, and I have already done that enough, might as well say it. I’m from the Coven of Whispers. Under my Queen we are ordered to collect as much information as we can find. When… the Queen of Whispers found out that there was going to be a draenei hunt for unbroken draenei, naturally she was curious. So, she sent me, and being a succubus one does not have the clout of an eredar, so I had to fit in a little bit. Essentially, my Queen has an idea that something big is going to happen, and she trusted me to do my best tog et to the bottom of it.”
“Hmph…” Arthak
“And I doubt anyone would take me in their warparty if I showed up as...” she gestured to herself. “So, I lied.”
“And now that you’ve been found out, what’s your next set of moves. Continue with us? Be a good little succubus and do what needs to be done?” - Azgadaan
“Well since you haven’t all killed me on sight I continue on with my mission” Spinyl cast a nervous glance at Yrel. “I have no intention of harming any of you and, as it’s been said before, if I intended to I would have done so already. And as I said at the beginning, I still do believe my skills will come in handy. Because, well, given what’s happened, I have a strong feeling you are going to need what help you can get.”
“She has a good point” said Go’el as he and Remnii rounded the corner. Go’el looked at his axe that was embedded in th stone. “I see that we had an constructive conversation.”
Arthak looked at Remnii. “You friend has lost her weapon privledges for the rest of the journey.”
Remnii looked at Yrel. “I am unharmed.”
Yrel looked at Remnii and exhaled a half sigh, but then her eyes locked on Go’el. However, she continued to be silent.
Remnii nodded at Go’el and she made her way over to Yrel to sit near her.
Go’el also sat down and addressed Spinyl. “Well, continue, I didn’t mean to interrupt.”
“Oh, was that to me?” Spinyl asked. “Well, that was pretty much it actually. Unless anyone had questions.” She took her fan out to partially hide her face.
“As insightful as this conversation has likely been, we do still ahve a long journey ahead of us. We should get back to sleep, for those of us not on watch.” - Go’el
Just then Dranosh rolled over on the other side of the cave and stood up. “...Wait a minute? I thought just Go’el and Spinyl were on watch.”
“Oh. You missed it. Wonderful shouting match. Weapons were involved. The draenei aren’t allowed them anymore” - Azgadaan
“An your lady friend likes to tell stories” - Sorak
“....what?” - Dranosh
Go’el stated he would like to be filled in later, and then returned to sleep.
Dranosh plopped himself down next to Azgadaan. “Well, it looks like it’s you and me, my lord.”
“....you know, you can just call me Azgadaan. I like you.”
Spinyl didn’t move from her spot, but the rest of the group, sans Arthak, had returned to sleep.
“...Are you certain… Az-Azgadaan?”
“Go ahead. It will surprise the others in the morning. - Azgadaan
“Alright.” Dranosh looked at Spinyl. “...You know you can go to sleep if you want. Your watch is over.”
“I’m not tired” Spinyl returned, though she was very clearly lying and still shaken.
Dranosh raised an eyebrow at Spinyl and Arthak. “You know… I promise I can hold down the fort down here. It really is fine for you to get rest. You hae a few more hours.”
“I got enough sleep. It’s fine,” - Arthak
“Yeah, that’s usually what you say, brother”
“And am I wrong?”
“Not all the time.”
“Well, I’m not wrong this time either.”
“Well, the company’s definitely not bad” - Dranosh coughed.
“So, how will you lot like to pass the time?” Azgadaan pulled out a set of dice and a deck of cards.
“Well I was going to sharpen my axe, I’m pretty sure I clipped the cave wall when I took off the head of that warlock, but I think I have time”
“Which reminds me, good job on that.”
“Thank you, Azgadaan, and your felbat did quite the number on that imp and those slippery bastards like to slip intot he shadows and…” he looked at Spinyl. “Whatever magic you did also did a number on that. You… you fight good.”
Arthak sighed.
“What? They did?”
“It’s fine brother… don’t mind me.”
Dranosh pulled out a set of his own dice with a toothy grin. He ultimately won. “OH YEAH. STILL GOT IT.”
Azgadaan looked up at him angrily.
“Oh… uh sorry. People are still sleeping.”
“Just kidding. Messing with you guys is fun,” Azgadaan said with a dumb grin.
And the rest of the night continued about the same. Dranosh ended up offering to teach Spinyl how to play dice.
The next morning they spent some time traveling and eventually emerged back into the the ruined temple of Sha’naar. However, when they went to check on the carriage and animals, they were not there.
“Oh my god, they stole my elek” - Azgadaan
Sorak also whistled for his frostwolf, but nothing approached.
“This bodes ill. We should try to leave before…. This, whatever this is, happens. We can replace the supplies and the cart” - Go’el
“Agreed. We should leave.” - Arthak
Sorak gave Go’el a very dirty look as the frostwolves were also gone.
“Anyone want to take to the air and search the area?” - Azgadaan.
“My lord, we should not draw attention to ourselves” - Arthak
“YOU THERE” a voice cried out and a familiar orc was flanked by two felguards and several other companions.
The taskmaster who Azgadaan forced to eat dirt was at the center of the group.
“The overseer would like to ahve a word with you.”
“Who is your overseer? I am not familiar with the area.” - Azgadaan
“Overseer Arzeth.”
“....who?” Azgadaan asked.
Remnii, however, gasped as she knew of the overseer, a terror-fiend called Arzeth the Merciless. The Dreghoof clan is under the thumb of Arzeth. The work camp has one of the highest mortality rates in Draenor.
“And does the overseer have my frostwolf?” Sorak
“The overseer will answer questions.”
Yrel attempted to turn away, but the taskmaster spoke up. “Oh, and bring the draenei.”
“Oh, my draenei? Of course.” - Azgadaan
“The overseer would most like to see your prize.”
“Ergh, fine.” - Arthak
“I’m assuming you have impounded my elekk, and my carriage, and my friends… frostwolves was it?” - Azgadaan
The taskmaster smiled cruelly. “I did nothing of the sort.”
“If you didn’t, who did?”
The group just turned to leave, and Azgadaan said to keep the draenei close. Arthak said they would not take them from them.
The group followed after the taskmaster’s posse, and Daan flew overhead. They entered the temple, and the doors closed as soon as the group had assembled inside. Spinyl ended up hiding behind the felbat while Arthak took point.
There were large pillars on both sides that went all the way up. Each of them had a corpse of a broken draenei hanging from them. The one of the right was the same broken draenei that told them about the Ati-Kaso. The one of the left was a female that was probably a relative, and any others were also probably related.
Over to the right side there was a massive fireplace, and the kindling was Azgadaan’s carriage and all of his supplies. And in front of Arzeth was a huge table that had several bones that were probably the remains of Azgadaan’s elekk.
As he watched, he ripped a huge chunk of meat off of a haunch of meat and ate it.
Arzeth actually had a second mouth on his stomach and another set of eyes on his pectoral muscles. Both maws dripped acide.
“Ah! My honored guests have arrived! So good of you to join me! I pray you found what you were searching for in MY mines” he called
“I do not wish to take your prize, but it would be fitting given you so elegantally decided to take so much that belonged to me.”
“But come! Share in my table and partake of MY feast!”
Dranosh and a few others started to take a few steps forward, but Arzeth waved them off.
“Oh, don’t trouble yourself. I was specifically talking to YOU, my lord, and your pet Blackrock. You took one of my slaves, and interfered with my work, so I feel it necessary to give you some of MY feast if you want to take everything,”
“Yes, we made use of your slaves to find the draenei.”
“YES, MY slaves.”
“...Should I make note of this in my report to my father, and how generous you are?”
“You know, that’s funny. The boys and I had a little bet about how long it would be until you waved your father’s clout. It means nothing here. What, are you going to hide behidn your father’s coattails for the rest of your life, boy? Now are you going to sup from my table?” - Arzeth
Azgadaan was completely caught off-guard as his father’s name, by all rights, should have worked, but Arthak was aware of what was going on.
Arthak looked at Azgadaan and put a hand on his shoulder and muttered. “This is a dominance play. If we agree, we look weak. It’s safer, but no one ever forgets it when you look weak. I know that quite well. If you will, let me handle this.”
“You may speak” - Azgadaan
“Hmph.” Arthak nods and takes a step forward.
“Overseer, your… invitationis appriciated but sadly our work takes us elsewhere. Work that serves both Horde and Burning Leagion. Work that the reappropriateion of our transport has interfered with. Now, the work of your slaves was taken from you for a day, a day they earned by cooperating with the Horde/Burning Legion. As an Overseer you should have been able to see the benefit of that fact. Those who submit, those who comply, are rewarded. Instead, you killed them, but now you’ve made the Legion and the Horde look foolish.
For what? A day’s work from slaves who would have been dead
You could have had years of work, obedience, and compliance for offering hope. Now you compound your foolishness in harming the goals of h/BL. You insult the name of Jaraxxis and the Blackrock Clan.
Azgadaan had a smile on his face because the orc he picked was doing such a great job.
“I will spread the word of your actions, and with words spread by both of both my warchief and his father, and the one his father answers to, of Azerth the Merciless and his foolhardy attempts to embarrass the servants of the Legion and through them to embarass his betters.”
Spinyl took a deep breath from behind her fan, and then stepped forward from behind the felbat. “Not to mention the sisterhood of succubi. I’m sorry, I would have not interfered, but you did forget one party.”
“Ah, I forgot one. Perhaps I’m forgetting more. Pull this thread, overseer, and we’ll all find out where it leads to” - Arthak
Arzeth stared at Arthak for a moment. Arthak locked eyes with him, and Azgadaan locked eyes with his other set. Arzeth laughed. “I like this one!”
“Can’t you see why I picked him out?” - Azgadaan
“He has spunk, the Blackrock does. And he raises good points.” The demon reached down and grabbed another hunk of elekk. “But that doesn’t quite cut it. Azgadaan of House Jaraxxus. Your pet orc speaks well. ‘Tis a boon that you have him with you, clearly. Leave it to the eredar lords to let others do their bidding for them.”
He reached down and grabbed the table and it went flying to the wall tot he left and shattered. Then he stood up and took a step forward.
“I believe you owe me an apology, Azgadaan of House Jaraxxus, for humiliating one of my most loyal taskmasters.”
Azgadaan laughs, haughtily “You’re most loyal task master should be happy he’s alive after his foul words.”
The demon looked at Azgadaan.
“Or would you have an underling who speaks ill of the Legion without thinking?”
Arzeth rolled his hand as if indicating for Azgadaan to go on and “make his day”.
“Your underling spoke out of turn, humiliating you far more than anyone could. I’m suprised you keep such bad company.”
“You know, that’s actually an excellent point. I’ve been doing my best to try and eliminate such bad company.” He gestured to the broken draenei snitch. “Why do you think he knew of he true identity of the woman that he took? Our food supplies have been experiencing inexplicable shortages of late, I can only imagine that he was to blame. I can only guess you are to blame for the rest” gestured to Remnii. “But their punishments have been exacted. Now there is the matter of you.”
Now that the demon is standing up close, he’s 15 to 20 feet tall. He stares down at the party.
“The audacity of the son of an eredar lord to come and tell me how my people operate. I’ll give you one more chance to prove my name wrong. Drop to your knees, worm, and beg for forgiveness, like you made my man do, and I’ll let you walk from here, perhaps, with your bones still attached.”
He stares them down once more, specifically at Azgadaan. “I’m waiting.”
“You disrespect me and my family? YOu wish for me to grovel on your floor? I propose this: I will tell my father that YOU were such a great and grand help to the entire operation of aquiring to these Draenei and putting and end to your food shortage, and your name will be shouted from *a few* more places” The demon backhands Azgadaan, he goes flying into the fireplace. “YOU INSULANT CREATURE.”
“I GET MY MY ORDERS BY DOOMLORD KAZAAK HIMSELF> YOU TRY TO BRIBE ME WITH YOUR FATHER’S BLESSING AS IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING WORTH MY TIME. I HAVE TAKEN EVERYTHING FROM YOU THAT I NEEDED. YOUR ELEK FED MY STOMACH AND YOU SHALL FEED MY ENTERTAINMENT.”
The pillar that Azgadaan had hit shattered and the draenei corpse fell to the ground as Azgadaan faded in and out of consciousness.
Go’el stepped up and whispered to Arthak. “Think very closely, Arthak. If you do what I think you are going to do, there is no turning back.”
Arzeth walked over to Azgadaan and scooped him up in his hand. Arthak stepped forward, and his blade started to pull from his scabbard.
Spinyl saw what was going down, and quickly said “Please don’t do this. Please.” as she cast a Suggestion spell on him.
Arzeth looked down at Arthak. “Step aside, Blackrock.” Arthak stopped drawing the sword. The Demon moves past Arthak.
Arzeth underhand tosses Azgadaan’s body into the middle of the group and looked directly at remnii. “Patch him up, won’t you.” Then he made his way back to his seat and sat down.
In the interest of not inciting anything else, Remnii nodded without a word and started to heal the eredar.
Arzeth surveyed the rest of the group. “Well, what are you all waiting for. Begone from my presence.”
Azgadaan was brought back to consciousness. However, when Remnii examined him closer, she realized there was a deep slice from above his right eyes and across his face down past his chin.
Go’el bowed. “Thank you for your mercy.” And then he turned to leave. The rest followed him.
As the group walked out, the draenei slaves, the grunts, and everyone just watched them walk in silence. The taskmaster met them at the edge of the steps with the two felguards, and he bowed. “Good day, *lord* Azgadaan.”
“Might I ask your name?” - Azgadaan
“No.”
Arthak placed a hand on Azgadaan’s shoulder to encourage him to keep moving. It’s the universal sign of “GO.”
The group traveled with a medium pace. Azgadaan spends his time churning over what just happened.
The young warband traveled for three days, bowed but not broken, as they headed back toward the Hellfire Citadel to return their prize. But the roads of Draenor have never been safe.Fraught with peril, moreso now that it was firmly within the Legion’s grasp and within the looming shadow of the Hellfire Citadel the warband encountered the first obstacles.
But prepared to what they had already faced, it couldn’t possibly be a challenge… or could it?
Three day’s travel takes place. While they pass watchtowers, they are not confronted in any way. The band makes way into the swampy side of the jungle, deep in the South.
The road makes its way through the swamp, they look through the desolated, fel-touched trees, the road turns into more of swamp-planks. Without the cart, they could make their way through.
A bridge they come across is floating off to the side. Instead, in their way, is a series of stepping stones. The planks, themselves, are also gone too, replaced by rocks.
Turns out, those rocks aren’t rocks. They seemed to be some sort of large creature, in fact. They’re large hippo-like creatures that have stone plating lining their backs and heads in defense. They’re known as river-beasts.
Azgadaan suggests that, one-by-one, the party goes over the river on Daan. The party does so. As Daan takes Arthak and Yrel, he struggles a bit to fly. When Daan goes to take Dranosh, he flutters and lands a bit hard. Dranosh shakes the plank. The party can see the rover-beasts shift and move at the provocation.
Sora notes a baby river beast pop up between the larger two. One bright yellow eye comes up out of the water and stares directly at Sora.
Sorak jumped once, jumped twice, and then - upon recalling a strange dream about this situation - as he jumped a third time he grabbed on to Daan’s foot just as a river-beast lurched forward and snapped at the orc with its fanged jaw. He swung up onto Daan’s back.
Go’el threw a stick just as Sorak did so, and it got lodged in the river-beast’s maw for long enough to prevent the monster from chomping down. Azgadaan casts minor illusion as the party makes their escape, covering their tracks.
They traveled through the swamp and made their way around Hellfire Citadel. It was expected they would reach the gates in about two days.
However, Remnii had started to become exhausted over the time.
“Can we make camp for the night? Nii-nii can’t go any further” - Yrel
Arthak grunted by agreed to make camp. “While we’re stopping, Remnii, I’d like to have a word before you take your rest. Privately.”
Yrel looked exceptionally concerned. “Nii-nii, you need to rest.”
“I’ll be okay for a little longer.”
Arthak helped Remnii along a short distance away so they were not overheard. He double-checked to make sure no one was listening.
“Hmph. I’ve been… considering your situation” - Arthak
“Me too.”
“Hmph. So. You put me and everyone in this warband in a rather interesting position. Our masters want you. But I don’t know why. There’s whispers of something big happening - a great push - but I don’t know what it is. Now, any other time, a draenei hunt would be just another occurrence. But these whispers and the hunt for you and your friend coincide. So there’s a reason they want you, and my feeling is they want you specifically. You or her. Or perhaps I have made a very great mistake and they want Samaara.”
Remnii’s face flickered at the name. Arthak nodded in response.
“So, she is another uncorrupted.”
“I don’t think I could lie to you if I tried. Yes. She is.”
“Very well. So. Hmph. I want to know why Blackhand, especially Gul’dan, why they want you, or Yrel, or even Samaara. Because if I know what they want I can use that and understand this. If I can understand that it would be to my benefit, but it would also be to yours. For my own reasons I would rather not have you or your friend delivered into their hands.”
“Tall order, all things considered.”
“But with enough information, something I may be able to deliver on. So, best as I can think, there are two things they may want you for. One is your nature, an uncorrupted draenei who can use your god’s magic. Or two, something you know. Or perhaps both. And regarding what they would want you for-”
“All I need to know is that anytime a draenei would go to Gul’dan they don’t come back. Or if they do, I would prefer not to know.”
“Well, lets see if we can prevent that.”
Remnii crossed her arms and chewed on her lip as she thought about what Arthak had said. “I don’t… many years ago, before you were born, Yrel told me what she told you of Go’el’s weapon, yes. Yrel’s father had been killed by Durotan.”
“I gathered as much.”
“But, you know who Restalan was?”
Arthak nodded. “I’m familiar with the tale. Durotan himself told me.”
But did he tell you who he was to my people?”
“No.”
“Aside from being a father, he was one of Prophet Velen’s inner circle. I can’t believe I’m saying this again. You have a child, two, unbroken - one in your custody.”
“Hmph. The other back with your… Ati-katto?”
“Kaso.”
“Kaso.”
“Or so I would hope. But he has been gone for… 15 years ago.” Remnii looked at the ground. “I should put it plainly. You know who Velen is, yes?”
“Yes.”
“He is my father.”
“Hmph….”
“And if you wanted to shove it to my people, wherever they have gone, if nothing else, most of those in his company are able to connect to the Light in a very real way. But… I don not know what else they would want.”
“Could they exploit your connection to find your people?”
“I do not believe so. When they left that was the last I saw them. I have not had any contact with them in 15 years.”
“The Horde is driven to conquest. So if there is something big on the horizon it is a conquest.”
“If what you are saying is true… I want you to imagine for a moment. 25,000 years of running from the Burning Legion and within 200 years of settling they found us again. Kil’jaeden and Archimonde will not stop until all the draenei are found, no matter how far we go.”
“So… wherever they are now would be the next logical conquest.”
“Yes. Or so I would think. While the BL did expand their… reach while they were hunting they were always looking for my people.”
“Very well…. Hmm… so it’s possible. Is there anything else you know that could be of use to them if they were attempting to find your people and find wherever they fled to?”
Arthak was watching her very closely. “No one else is listening, are they?” she asked.
“No. Just me.”
“So help me… when Tempest Keep arrived here to pick uo those who could be saved, do you recall hearing of the death of the Naaru. Our gods. The fall of A’dal.”
“Yes.”
Remnii looked to the sky. “There was more than one Naaru that camr to help that day, and only one died and only one made it away. One remains on Draenor.”
“And you know where it is.”
“He. But yes. I know where he is.”
“Where?”
“He… you know, for how much ambition both the Horde and the BL have I’m surprised they haven’t looked right under their nose. He is in Tempest Keep. No one thought to look back where he came from.” Remnii looked angry she was revealing the information.
Arthak closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “Hm… okay.”
Arthak, may I be honest with you though my words may not mean a lot here. When I saw you lay down your weapons and at least attempt and actually help the Ati-Kaso. It was for your own means. I was reminded of a better time. For a moment at least when all of your kind were able to share in the honor you have shown. To the point of letting Yrel keep her weapons until she raised them against you. I expected to be taken in chains. I do not know what good it will do at the end of everthing. It is too uncertain. I do not hae the gift of foresight. But if it means anything, it was… it is good to see any vestige of what your people can and should be.”
Arthak stared at remnii for a few seconds.”You know this probably better than I do. In fact, it’s certain you do. Being… before the day we met, I was not a warrior. You saw me make my first kill.”
Remnii blinked and then drew back a bit in contemplation.
“Before, what I really am, what I have been, was a blacksmith. The weapons you see and the armor I wear were forged by my hand. Smithing. And the kindness of a few. Helped me through some uncertain periods and it gave me an idea of what this world is. What life is. It is hard and it is cold. And it is unsightly as any lump of iron or steel. And so, the best we do is take that and we heat it and hammer it in some places soft and other places with all our strength. And we bend steel into a shape with purpose and beauty.”
“You know… very early on. Pardon the word, I feel it is not something used here, my papa taught me a phrase. Self is like a diamond, if left uncut and unfaceted it can’t reflect the light. In a similar vein, I believe I understand. I am, not only incredibly tired, but I am also… that is not something that I wanted to get out for a long time. Yet Go’el knows… at least of my heritage.”
“Do not tell any others.”
“I was not intending to in fact. I have told no one in over a decade.”
“You honor me then with your trust.”
“That is what I was going to say, but you said it for me.” remnii looked at Arthak with a very serious face.
“Fine. You have my word then. I will use this information. It is the best weapon either of us have.”
“Putting my faith in you is currently my greatest weapon. Forge it well, where I cannot.”
“Very well. I will do my best. And… hmm… you have my word I will use whatever ammunition I have to protect at least you and your friend. I cannot protect any others, but, that I can at least attempt.” Arthak bowed to Remnii and then helped her back to the camp.
The following night, Azgadaan had set up a tent and asked the draenei if he could speak with them. “May I have a word?”
Yrel looked at Azgadaan disdainfully. “What do you want?”
“May I talk to both of you in private?” he gestured to the large tent. They all enter the tent after Azgadaan told his felbat to make sure no one approached. Azgadaan took a seat, as did the draenei.
“Well?” Yrel asked
“I’ve been thinking for a few days - actually a few years - I’m not sure how to put this. 14 years ago when the Exodar left Draenor. Something happened in my family and I haven’t been able to let it go. But that’s beside the point. Can you tell me about… this Light?”
Remnii’s eyes narrowed immediately.
“About the… Light? Just, like, in general?” - Yrel
“Why would you like to know?” - Remnii
“I want to know… why. My mother. 14 years ago. She betrayed the Legion. Betrayed my father. Betrayed… me. For… the Light and for your people. Kerra… ke… skur?”
Remnii and Yrel share a look.
“You want to say that one more time?” - Remnii
“The draenei have said it many times….” - Azgadaan
“One more time?” - Remnii
Azgadaan wrote it in the dirt.
“..Krona ki cristorr?” Remnii asked.
“Yes, that was it!” Azgadaan said and he pointed at Remnii, but then sheepishly retracted his finger.
Yrel’s eyes narrowed at Azgadaan for a moment. “What is your… angle, Man’ari. Are you truly just looking for answers? Is this really true? Any of this?”
“I want to know… why…. My mother…. The only person I loved would go that far for you… your people… against my father, the Legion, against me.”
Yrel looked at him for a moment with a look of what was almost pity. Remnii also had a distinct look of pity.
“You have… absolutely no idea about any of the things that you fight? The people you claim to be your enemey? This is what the Legion does to its children?” - Yrel
Azgadaan reached into his satchel but did not find what he was looking for.
“I was wondering why you had that. You dropped it back at the temple. I had no intention of letting you carry again. It is a relic of our people, not what your people turned ours into” - Yrel showed a ball of wax.
“It’s a crystal chronical. A training manual for vindicators back before the fall of Argus.”
“I was only able to ge a little bit out of it before its memory was corrupted” - Azgadaan offered. “That was the only clue I had for 10 years. I found it in a ruin and kept it ever since. Hoping that one day I would be able to fix it and get more answers. But then the opportunity arose to seek you out.”
“And so why are you showing us this?” - Yrel
“I don’t know. You are the closest thing I can come to or think of as an answer.” - Azgadaan
“So you show us a relic you plundered from the homeworld in hopes that we would… tell you all of our secrets? Show you how the vinidcators work so you can tear them apart? For all we know you are going to turn us over to that warlock Gul’dan in two days?”
“I would rather die than not know my mother did that.”
“You really think we would know why a man’ari would be that far away?” - remnii
“I don’t.. Know why she would do it. She was with the Legion since the beginning. Since Kil’jaedan and Archimonde joined Sargeras and the rest of our people, my people.” - Azgadaan
Yrel and Remnii and exchange a look.
“I… I don’t know if we an give you the answers that you seek. Even if we would give them to you I have no way of knowing why your mother would make such a decision anymore than why anyone would make a decision.” - Yrel “As for the chronicle… it’s been damaged pretty hard. Not only that, but to access the deeper cores you need to be attuned to the Light itself. It would take… it would take a lot more than simple tools to replair it. Tools that were lost a long time ago. Where would we even find it? Perhaps if we found some chronicler’s tools… I have no idea. Perhaps one of the ruins tot he west? But none of that matters. We’re not even heading there.”
“...can you help me understand your people? That way I’ll be able to understand why she would foreit her life to keep you alive?” - Azgadaan
“She was once, if nothing else, if she was there on Argus. She knew what she had become. Watching worlds burn was not the way of the eredar proper. It never was meant to be. In another life you looked like us.” - Remnii offered with a frown.
“I… I… this is a bit… much. I cannot make any promises to you. Especially not to you. What have you done for us beside drag us from our home. Tear us from our friends?” - Yrel
“You’re right, I don’t deserve your help. But I would do anything for you if you could give me any solace.” - Azgadaan
Yrel exchanged another look with Remnii.
“Then you need to help us” - Yrel “whatever is going to happen in that citadel could change everything.”
“I will do everything I can even though my name has been sullied.” - Azgadaan with a sigh. “I’m not sure what I can do, what I can accomplish, I will put my life on the line for this hope.”
….
MEANWHILE
For the past several days, Spinyl had been pretending to be chipper, but the fact she had manipulated Arthak had been weighing on her a lot. Finally, she chose to approach him.
“May I… talk to you?”
“Hm…” Arthak looked at Spinyl and narrowed his eyes. “Alright. In private, I’m imagining.”
“That is up to you,” Spinyl.
They decided to go somewhere private to talk with just the two of them.
“So. What did you want to talk about?” Arthak
“The situation at the temple.” Spinyl looked ashamed.
“What about what happened at the temple” Arthak’s eyes narrowed again.
“It’s… I knew that, I’ve been around my fair share of demons and I’ve had my fair share of demon’s fighting before, and from that I felt that if were to fight him we all would have died. So when I saw you… so when I saw you pulling out your sword while he was distracted, when I asked you stop, I used magic. It’s not something I like doing. I know it seems odd… I’m a succubus I shouldn’t care, when it’s not a warlock, when it’s not someone that does that kind of thing to other people I don’t… It isn’t right, but I wanted us… we all had a mission to finish and if it had come to that none of us would have been able to finish that so I acted like that and I’m sorry.”
Arthak’s right eye twitched and he put his hand on his sword.
Spinyl tensed.
“You used magic on my mind” Arthak.
“I did.”
Arthak drew his sword and made the motion to take Spinyl’s head, but he stopped just as it touched the side of Spinyl’s neck. Spinyl wimpered.
“The last time you had a blade at your neck… who was there to make sure that that blade didn’t take your head?” Arthak “Who was it?”
“It was you.”
“It was. And again. It is me.” Arthak removes the blade from her neck and stores it away.
“That’s what I wanted to save you, from doing something that would get you killed.”
“Fine. YOu also did it to save your own life. If I did not believe you felt shame, you would be dead. But this is two. Times. Now. where a blade was at your throat and I made sure it didn’t finish its course. Do you understand?”
She nods. “Good. Understand, you and I are in agreement on certain things, no matter how many times or life debts you owe me, you will not be a slave. BUT, I will count the debts. I will expect you to do the same.
Spinyl nods again.
“Okay. Hrrrrrr. Take a breath.” He sighs. “It doesn’t end here. This will be the last you and I speak of this. Consider it done.”
“It is done then.”
“All right. Let’s get back to camp.” He paused, “By the way, if you want, I can sharpen that fan.”
Spinyl blinks and looks between Arthak and the Fan. She puts it in his hands and daintily looks away. Arthak follows and takes out his whetstone and checks over the edges of the fan.
Spinyl stress cries in her tent afterwards. A fan simply slips under the door.
