Aftermath ((open tavern RP after Leikos' transfer))

[Leikos Darkwood]

There was a sense of great tension in the air. Whether it came from the surrounding land or from himself, he was unaware. Leikos stood upon a cliff overlooking the terrain of the Burning Steppes. He had arrived the previous evening to see waves of Alliance soldiers marching in from the Lakeshire region. Tents had been erected and sentries posted. The command tent had been one of the first to be completed and aids scurried around filling it with tables, maps, tactical paperwork, and all other necessities required for the upcoming march. The camp itself was quiet.

Orders had been issued for the force to remain as quiet as possible. It was of the utmost importance to keep their position relatively unknown. Leikos knew it would be unlikely as the size of the force itself was suspicious in these lands. Eventually they would be noticed by the inhabitance or the Horde. The old Kaldorei shook his head.

“All the events have led up to this point. Fate has brought us here. To what end though?” he thought to himself.

The sound of footsteps came from behind Leikos. He turned, alert, and widened his stance. It was Angvar. He relaxed and saluted the young dwarf.

Angvar saluted Leikos sharply, “Commandar, Keepar’ Tharnlief ‘as sent ward askin’ fer preparations ta be made fer the arrival of the Artifact. ‘e wishes fer the team ta be assembled.”

Leikos nodded to the dwarf, “Very well. See that the message reaches the proper audience and send word to Lieutenant Commander Thornleif and Lord Fost. Their units are to be assembled as well.”

Angvar nodded to Leikos then saluted once more and strode off. Leikos returned his attention to the surrounding lands; charred and desolate. He couldn’t help but wonder if the powers of the Artifact had conspired to bring them here.

He sighed, “In this place of fire, we will see what destiny has forged for us. Elune grant that it be an end to this war and not an end to those of us who are at war…”

[Asarelah]

Asarelah looked up from her desk, to the sound of another messenger owl arriving with pledges of support for the upcoming attempt to recover the Artifact from the Alliance.

Where the Artifact was being held was still clouded. But word had come in through the Nyxian spy network, that Alshar lo Dorano and her minions were on the move. Lady Nyx's tacticians believed their intended destination was the Searing Gorge. And it was suspected that the Artifact was at the heart of this movement, or at least some how involved. But that was not yet certain. And just how many Alliance souls had taken the field was as yet, unknown....

"Why must we fight, when we all know that thrice cursed antique needs to be melted in to the ore it came from!!" Lah thought to herself.

Shaking her head in despair, Lah scribed another name to her list of those ready for War.

[Warburn]

Somewhere dark, cold and damp

Warburn Smoketusk, a shaman of supreme power and knowledge, was lying on his side... helpless. He tried to move his hands... they were bound. He opened his eyes, but it was as dark with them open as it was with them closed. He could hear a sniffing sound and when he moved to turn his ear towards the noise he could hear the scuttling of a rat running away.

His neck felt like it had been charged by a kodo. It was swolen. He tried casting a heal on himself but his magic wasn't working.
"Me magic... won't work... must 'ave been hit by a poison dart" he thought to himself.

He thought back, last thing he remembered is visiting his friend in Kargath. The Badlands Warchief had summoned him with news of Alliance movement on the other side of the mountain. Riding through the mountain pass is the last thing he remembered.

"I was ambushed!"

[Asarelah]

Asarelah looks around in panic as the battle draws to a close

"Aitana, were is Warburn?? I escorted him here before the battle, and I can't find him anywhere now!! Have you seen him??"

"I don't know, Lah... I don't think I ever saw him, not even once, during the fighting, now that you mention it. Nor did I ever sense his healing tides..." Aitana looked deep in thought. "No wonder we could not keep our front lines up!!"

Aitana glances all around as if that alone will produce the missing Oracle. Lah reaches into her pack and pulls forth a crumpled flower.

"He gave me this as a token, for my escort earlier..." Lah said quietly, a worried look on her face. "He plucked it from that silly garden basket he found, and tossed it at me as if a joke...."

Concentrating hard on the flower, Asarelah casts Mind Vision just at the tip of the petals, leaning hard in to the enchantment, envisioning her beloved Elder. A glimmering swirls around it, then clears slightly, to reveal the retreating backs of a war party. Peering closely, she is unable to identify any individual rider, but she sees a suppine Warburn slung haphazard across the rump of a mount, his arms and legs dangling.

Asarelah reaches out to Aitana's arm with a gasp, as both women watch the glimmer swirl again, and reveal more. The war party rides through the streets of Stormwind City, and straight in to Stormwind Stockades!!

"Aitana, those hideous jackals have Warburn!!" Asarelah moans, as they watch the vision fade from sight.

[Aitana]

The shock of the news stunned Aitana briefly, and then she stomped her hoof.

"The motherless sons of ogres have betrayed us yet again! And just after we helped them destroy that cursed artifact that they foisted off on us to begin with!"

Instinctively Asarelah took a step back at the intensity in Aitana's voice. There was a fire in her eyes that few had ever seen.

"It was bad enough that they took me hostage. But him? Why him and why now?"

The question was not directed at anybody in particular. Aitana pulled out her stone. She could sense the others that followed Lady Nyx, but not the presence of Warburn. Either they had taken the stone from him like they had done when she was captive, or he was unconscious. And they only way they could actually keep a shaman captive would be to block his magic and his access to the spirits. Otherwise he should have been able to use a shaman's ability to return to his home.

"Lah, do you you have any way to determine what they have done to him?"

Without waiting for the answer, Aitana reached out with the aid of the stone. Leothiel, I must speak to you at once! Please meet me in Dalaran in The Filthy Animal.

[Tasera]

She could hardly believe that the artifact they had been searching for had finally been destroyed. She witnessed it with her own two eyes. There surrounded by the alliance numbers, she watched anxiously as Caim called upon his dark powers to transform himself into a demon. His abilities were successful. And the artifact in a burst of energy seemed to disintegrate into a cloud of dust and raw energy particles.

A wide smile crossed the young troll’s features and she turned to look at her horde kindred across the expanse of lava and hardened iron. She could notice a few celebrating. Tasera then turned to those who were near her, patting Caim on the back. Her vibrant red eyes then looking amongst the alliance, although she could not understand their spoken language, she could understand their nonverbal speech. They all had smiles as well, and for a brief moment, the uneasiness between the Horde and Alliance was at a halt. There where faint nods, and a few seconds of agreement as the Alliance and Horde’s eyes met. Then that contact was broken as they began to depart. Walking steadily across the chain belt and parting ways at the entrance to the depths of the mountains.

Tasera’s friends, guild mates and fellow horde began to socialize with one another. Congratulating each other with wide smiles. Tasera was among them speaking to storm cry and Lah about her battle efforts and trying to recount how many bullets landed a killing blow on the alliance. Her hound, Despara, was at her side yipping happily and nuzzling his mistress’ hand for the treats she grabbed from a bag held between her fingers. She kneeled down, then looked at her friends, “You can’t forget Despara either, he be a good boy an laid waste to a buncha humans an’ nightelves.” She cackled in her very distinct manner. Despite this temporary truce, she couldn’t help but brag about the blood that she forced upon the alliance side. It was in her nature after all, as a troll.

As the light mood continued, someone spoke up, she was note sure who. And the news they brought dampened the mood swiftly.

“WERE IS WARBURN?” the voice echoed. And for those who knew him all began to whisper amongst themselves. A few mentioned having seen him earlier, but continued to gaze around curiously. Tasera had an inquisitive look on her face and peered to Lah, hearing how she escorted him earlier to this very location. She watched then as Lah used a flower the woman-chasing troll had given her to attempt to find his location.

The moment she saw the images, Tasera’s heart sunk. Despara perked up, then his ears flashed backwards, a devilish snarl crossing his already demonic features.

Tasera dropped her weapon, “How could’ve dis happened?!” the young troll almost seemed to panic, “We got dere before ‘em. Da alliance were behind us when we got dere?! Weren’t dey?”

She grabbed her polearm and stabbed it forcefully into the ground. Her fingers clenched around it tightly, shaking as her temper flared. She didn’t peer at any of her friends, who seemed to be just a perplexed by the development. “I don believe this” she whispered, “I don’t, I thought we were done wit ‘em. An den dey turn around and take Warburn! Lah, Aitana, we have’ta go now, we gotta get ‘im back!” Tasera voiced her distress but the others where already well in the process of making a plan. She fell towards the ground a little bit, not sure why she felt this intense about the development. Her brain was rattled and trying to tie around a plan to get him back. For now though, she had a small idea, and even before asking the others, she beckoned Despara over.

Tasera peered at him at eye level, “Me put a blessin’ on you Despara, out go find Warburn in da human city.” Tasera pulled from one of her packs a small ritual totem, a totem of the loa of the winds. A small trinket of her fathers, she then grabbed a tiny piece of rope and quickly wrapped it around the hounds collar. “Da loa will grant yous speed. An when yous get ta stormwind, howl. Yous howl will be carried by da winds and I will den see wit your eyes.

“Go now! O’hoba!” She exclaimed, and without a second though, the intelligent plague hound headed it’s masters command and began in to a swift sprint towards the human country.


Tasera stood back up, a grim look on her face as she joined the others to try and over hear what they where discussing.

Aftermath has now concluded. Please go to http://thenyx.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=2362 for the next chapter!

[Theotaz]

Tasera's Village 3 Days before the Battle

As the hello's and welcomes to and from Tesera were said the villagers danced, but there was no message to the dance. They were waiting. Tasera's people checked the party over. The new ones of the party. Theo drew thier attention like a magnet. His Armor with its ice blue glowing runes visible even in the strong sunlight. They could not have seen very many Troll Death Knights as of yet. Many were the visible dents and nicks of hard use. All of the visitors were in thier normal gear arrayed for battle at any moment.

The antics of Crypt Digger, his ghoul minion, had attracted the attention of some of the village children. "PLayyyyy?" came from the Ghoul. Theotaz started. "Youse wanna play wid em?". The ghoul turned and looked at Theo. "Playyy? Be Safe. Gooooood. Be Goood". Theo shrugged amazed at the minion. "Ok, go play!" He smiled at the ghoul which did a forward flip. "Hazaa!" It exclaimed as it rolled upright, then walked over to the children. Within moments the children were playing with the ghoul, and it with them.

Theo bowed to the elder of the village as Tesera introduced everyone. Theo rolled out his mat and took a seat. He listened as Asarelah and Aitana filled in Tasera on recent event. Theo summoned his spirit skull up. Sending the skull to the ear of the elder he had it ask of the tradions of the people, and ask permission of the elder to court a daughter of the village.

The skull floated back to him. The skull reported the the oldest of tradions was in effect. A gift of thoughtfulness was requred. Theo nodded and begane to get the items in his pack out. Laying them on another rug between and slightly behind him. The bolts of cloth, dyeing powders, fishing hooks. And ingots of metals.

The elder nodded at last. lifted a hand towards Tasera he spoke "Youse got ma permission. De rest be up to her mon. I be convinced of yo sincerity." Tasera looked over at what had been going on between the elder and Theotaz. Her eyes lighted apon the pile of goods noting the what was there. Her head cocked inquisitively. Aitana and Asarelah paused seeing the developement. Asarelah tucked into her self and appeared to offer a silent prayer. Aitana looked on in turn at the Elder, the goods, Theotaz, Tasera, and Asarelah. A grin slowly split her face as she leaned back.

Tasera looked at Theo "Dat mean wot I tink in mean?". Theotaz looked at Tasera, doffing his goggles. "All dat be is by de traditions asking o' de elder if I may court ya.." he paused a moment. "I gotsa try. You see me, you see Theotaz, Death Knight is what I be, Theotaz be who I be. Just as you be who you be. I neva try to change ya. Be doomed to fail anyway so why be bother'n? What I also know is my feel'n for you be strong, and I gotta know if maybe you be allown de courtship of ya. I, I.. I don't be known'n fancy words of putt'n it.. even from befor I be death Knight." He stopped and bowed his head for a moment. Tasera held her self very still.

Theotaz looked up to her, level gazed and finished quietly, as if they two were the only present. "I love you Tasera. All dat you say, all dat you think, all dat you feel be important to me. I rememba da first time I be see'n ya. I couldn't help ma self, and I whistled. You dang near exploded, but was cuz you thinking I thought you just a thing. I neva tink you as anything other then Tasera since I first lay eyes on ya. And I been work'n hard at back'n dat up since den." He held out a hand. reaching to her. "Let yo self trust me gal, I no let ya down, and I neva give you reason to cry."

Tasera looked over the Asarelah and Aitana. Turning to Theotaz she spoke softly, "I still need some space. I still gots lot to think about. And stay'n in Guild quarters be not de same. I need some privacy and time. Mostly de privacy."

Theotaz gave Asarelah a pleading look. Lah spoke with a smile, "Well sis, you don't have to be worrying about that any more. Theo has agreed to assist in building you a nice little place of your own on the back side of my garden. The Light knows I barely use any of my plot anyway. My gift to you! But come back soon sis, we desperatly need you."

Tasera looked at Lah with eyes large, "All Mine? No Conditions?" Lah nodded, "None!" Tasera looked to the floor. "and you gonna help build it?" She asked of Theotaz. "Theo replied, "The foundation be set, de peons I hired should have de walls and roof up by now. Dey even put in a stone house for Bain if he wanna be outside on a warm night."

Tasera reached out and touched fingertips with Theotaz. "You serious? You Really Serious? She asked. "like Goblin stew in winter" he replied with a wide grin. Tasera's eyes rolled to the sky for a moment. Tasera turned to Asarelah and Aitana who both sat the kneeling side by side with there heads tilted away from each other and the same silly smile on both faces. A bit of a wonder seeing one was Sin'Dori and the other Tauren yet none the less the same smile. "Allright den, you brought gifts for the village to declare ya intent," She looked over at the pile "real thoughtfull gifts too." She looked back to Theotaz "I be think'n you a good man, Theo. But I needs time ta think on dis. I promise ta ansa yas soon enough."

Asarelah watched her dear friends carefully, fully aware of the sparks that had flying between the two trolls for several weeks. Tasera withdrew her hand gently from Theotaz grasp and pointed to the Elder. "In case I say yes ta dis courtship yous want so bad, He will inform you of the traditions of the village and the tribe. And.." giving the elder a bit of a pointed stare" And don't be letting him tell you you must bring great wealth. There be no arangement between the Darkspear and the ShatterSpear. SO if dis do go to joining someday, you become part of dis tribe." "I understand" Said Theotaz.

Within moments the Elder had announced the possibility of a courtship to the village. The party that slowly gained energy from that starting continued for a day and a half as the village got to know Theotaz and his gifting was distributed about the village to those who had need. Tasera accompanied Aitana and Asarelah when they returned to Orgrimaar. Theotaz followed them a couple days later.