Blood and Thunder Chapter 1: The First World War (Open RP)

[Asarelah]

((Previous History can be found here:
How the World War Began.....
viewtopic.php?f=15&t=2794&start=0))

Asarelah stood in front of the Oracle, her face impassive.

“Are you seriously trying to tell me that you spent a full seven hours with him doing nothing but talking?" Her voice was calm, but she threw a scroll that obviously held a hand written report of some sort down on her desk and looked at Lah quizzically.

“Well, yes…” Lah prevaricated. “Oh, and I did fish a bit… But my fishing costume… distracted him. So I didn’t do that for very long…” Asarelah had the grace to blush, and she looked down at her feet.

Aitana snorted. “Yes, well. I can imagine. What I want to know is how you ended up on that desolate stretch of beach in Tanaris with that particular paladin in the first place? Did you catch anything, Nightwarder?” The disdain was tangible when she mentioned the paladin and she caught Lah’s eyes with her piercing gaze.

Lah was not deceived by Aitana’s calm outward demeanor. She knew her well enough to recognize that Aitana was furious and was debating on the next course of action. “Oracle, my standing orders are to gather information from any source that affects the security of the Tribe. I go where I am able, and do what I must, to obey Lady Nyx with this charge. But My HONOR is in tact! Both WITH the paladin, THAT HAS A NAME!! and with our Lady!!” she snapped. “And the look of doubt on your face pains me more than any sword strike could!!!”

Continuing on, before Aitana could utter a sound, Lah said “And No, I do not tell you everything that I know. So don't ask!!! And, yes, I caught something. A Giant Sea Turtle. He scared it very nearly in to my arms, while he hovered above me in the Basin, deciding once again if he should kill me or court me… And yes, I was fishing when he ran across me yesterday evening out in the wilds. And it’s a good thing that he did, and I thank the Light that it was me beneath him being slated for death, for I have dire news.”

Aitana narrowed her eyes slightly, but gave a nod for Asarelah to continue. “Do not attempt to distract me with needless details. Why were you there and what were you doing with that paladin?”

Gathering her thoughts, Lah added, “He asked me to follow him from the Basin, and I did. He might have slain me, but he really did just wish to talk…. And… he led me to the beach in Tanaris….” Asarelah’s eyes took on a dazed expression and it was clear that her mind was adrift.

“Well,” Aitana prodded sharply. “What could you possibly have to talk about for seven hours?”

Shaking her head, returning to herself, Asarelah spoke again. “He told me much of his life, and how he came to serve the King. He spoke long of how Hinik has earned his trust, respect and admiration.”

Aitana quirked an eyebrow skeptically, and Asarelah put up a hand. “Yes, I know. I told him that I didn’t believe it either. But Aitana, he nearly has me convinced. We may need to re-examine our earlier assessments… they might need looking at again… And the King’s request for your audience might not be so preposterous…. Time will tell. I need to learn more…”

“Enough,” Aitana snapped. “What else held your interest for such a very long time that you could not aid me in the rally cry for the Tribe last night?”

Asarelah’s voice took on a painfully hushed whisper. “Oracle, the Kingship has declared open war on e-v-e-r-y single Nyxian..... When we invaded Menethil Keep three days past, the King’s children were there. They had been moved there for safe keeping after his family was assaulted before his own eyes, while he stood stunned, by one of our men. That is why this new Kingship edict for any Nyxian's head caught outside a major city....”

“Children? What do you mean “his children”? My orders were quite clear! No civilians were to be harmed in any way. Only military targets! Get Leothiel in here at once! You both will have to answer to me for this!” she commanded.

“No children, no younglings out questing, NO ONE was harmed on our path. I made dead level sure of it, and threatened ALL the riders with in an inch of their short hairs should they even breath on a non-combatant. The orders were followed to the letter. Leothiel told them all: do not engage, do not chase. And when we entered the keep, I promise you that I kept Frosthawk focused. He kept the entire war party inside the King’s room. We never went near the Nursery. The King’s family was not threatened, nor harmed in any way. Even when Taelian and Horrere fought their way to us, they came straight in, and no where near those children. No one even knew the children where there!!!”

The Oracle put her hand to her muzzle deep in though. “Yes, that would explain Hinik’s War Cry. Any parent would react with no less rage if their children could have been murdered in their beds. That I can understand, and I shall address it after I consider it....” She turned her intense gaze back on her errant Nightwarder, staring her down, her voice returning to the steel of command.

“You have yet to tell me why so long with this... this... Paladin. And I am waiting…” Aitana demanded.

Asarelah gulped. “Weeellll, My cousin Thayra apparently told him that if he was fool enough to gaze in to my eyes for too long, that he could drown…”

“And?” Aitana prodded, the beginnings of a smile returning to mark her face.

“Ummmm, I think he’s at the bottom of the Veiled Sea now…” Asarelah looked off in to the distance and refused to say more.

[Oneille]

Green eyes dart between ink well and parchment trying to decide what to say, what to write. Oneille brought a hand to her temple rubbing at a throbbing vein that pulsed, "I'd be happier if I could dictate what to write Mother."

A heavy sigh fell from Oneille's lips as she stared about her small Silvermoon apartment. Her gaze fell upon the many decadent items and plush furniture taking up space. It was the smallest thing that picked up her gaze. In the center of the living room was a dark crimson vase containing the white rose bouquet given to her the day before by Leothiel. Oneille's lips tweaked in a faint smile. "My lion...I miss you."

Reality set in and soon Oneille knew what and whom to write to:

Dearest Mother Lah
Your daughter wishes good tidings to you! It's been sometime since last we spoke or word was sent to you. I've come to realize that as ambassador your life is constant meetings and talks. I write to you with great news. You know I have gone from a victim of Leothiel's "ladies mage" charm to the blooming constort of this great military leader, but it's not this that I send tidings about. I send this letter explaining I am at the crossroads in my life! Mother, please know Leothiel is my heart, my flame, my lion yet in light of recent events with the military campaigns we're performing...I fear for him and for us all.

Leothiel's name is out there and despite prepared for the worse, I cannot bare to loose him! He claims to win by dying is the true honor...I see love as the grestest honor to live and die for. I'm his dove and I'm too fragile already. Mother my heart begs you, what should I do? Already I stand by him and already I support his campaigns. I want him to succeed! Above all else I just do not want to loose him. Hell hath no fury like a warlock scorned...especially she who uses firecraft...

My heart goes to you Mother Lah as you seem to bare the brunt of all the activity between Horde and Alliance. Namely our mortal enemies the Kingship. I don't know what you've been doing mother but please be careful not just in keeping alive but with your heart for as I learn love is too fragile a thing to simply let go...

With Love and Best Regards
Your Daughter
Oneille

Sufficed to say the letter seemed promising. Folding the parchment carefully Oneille neatly tucked sides and closed the item shut with wax and her seal. As the hot wax cooled, the warlock wondered what will unfurl in the days and weeks to come. She much faith she prayed the winged lion who was her champion would live through it all.

[Tasera]

It didn’t take long for much of what was spoken in Asarelah’s and Aitana’s argument to trickle down through the ranks. Wisely, Tasera kept her distance from either of the two. From what she knew, Asarelah, nor any of Nyx’s kin was aware of her dark venture into Stranglethorn as well, they seemed unaware of the cost. If one of them had found out that two young alliance, possibly civilians were killed for a dark practice on her behalf, her head would be on a stake.

For about a week Tasera choose to remain at her home, to hide away from the others and hope for the short period things would settle from Operation Wing Clip. In the meantime, the troll sought answers, if her kin of Nyx did not tell her of things themselves; she would seek them out on her own, and from the shelter of her home Tasera began to contemplate what the Gurubashi witchdoctor told her. “Destruction from Fire an’ Earth” She said to herself as she sat in her room. At her feet Loque’Nahak purred as it slept.

Tasera though started to feel that she would not get any real answer to what caused the runes, even when they had disappeared they still left questions, and the spirits themselves were reluctant to answer.

Standing from her chair, Tasera stood up and went out to the main room, then outside. She stood there for a moment and watched the creek near her home. For now, she supposed any answers would come on their own time. If the earth was indeed going to be torn asunder with fire…she knew she would find out on her own eventually.

For now the problem at hand was more important and she tried to push it forward on her priorities. Kingship, at least from what she heard, wanted every member of Nyx dead or for them to bow to Hinik. She sneered at the last thought, it angered her so much that she began to chew on a bone from one of the animals she killed for her pets.

For now, when she would choose to fight, as she always had, if she saw a member of Kingship.. young or old before her, she would make sure to send a message to the fool Hinik with his people’s blood.

[Loistradyn]

The half-elf sat on the back of her raptor and listened to the words of Leothiel.

"We will bring you into our assaults, but you'd best keep your ideas to yourself," he cautioned her as he at last strode away to prepare for some battle. She resisted the urge to to tell him it was not the place of a male to speak to her in such a fashion, but Ula'Tek had commanded her to make allies with the Horde clans. She knew that accommodations would have to be made for if she refused to speak to anyone of the lesser gender, she would find herself friendless rather quickly.

Still, it was apparent to the Matron that the Horde had yet to discover the depths of the fanaticism of their common enemy, the Kingship.

The Horde stood compartmentalized. The Elves and Undead in their own little union with Orcs and Trolls separate while the Tauren stood almost on their own. Even the banners that contained all of these races stood divided on what to do. Some believed they could simply ignore their new enemies. Others believed in a moderate stance of only doing battle with the enemies combatants. Both of these were foolhardy notions, knew the Matron.

To a beast like "King" Da'Kien, the only answer is genocide. The man wants nothing more than the utter eradication of the entire Horde, so then why is it that the Horde refuses to take that answer as their own? Leothiel had accused her of resorting to savagery for suggesting such a notion, but savagery is all the Alliance could possibly understand and no one knew that more than she.

She had spent her life in service to the Alliance before her organization defected. The Alliance as a whole was a massive hypocrisy in her mind. They would slaughter Orc, Troll, Tauren, and Elven children and claim it a righteous cause. Kill those who could not possibly defend themselves and call it honorable.

It was not the acts themselves that so bothered the Matron, for the acts themselves were a logical means to take when committing genocide, it was the means through which they justified it: honor, justice, and self-defense. Heretical notions all that the Serpent Queen despised. To her, it was as though the Kingship had taken the proper actions and given credit to the wrong motivations, taking the glory away from hatred, revenge, and blood lust, the true motivations for their war and so thinly masking them with quote "noble" intentions.

They were monsters she knew, monsters like her, but unlike her, they refused to believe they were monsters. The Kingship were like snakes wearing masks and claiming to be a Night-Elves or Humans. The fact that they so wore a mask showed the insecurity in them. They are afraid to be true monsters... thought the Half-Elf.

She grinned sinisterly to herself. She would enjoy this, taking the masks off the Kingship and making them true to their nature, forcing them to hate until the depths of their depravity appalled even themselves. She chuckled to herself and walked to the Inn of Silvermoon, leaving the street nearly empty.

[Warburn]

Icecrown, the end of the living world, and the front of two wars. One against the Lich King who was out to eradicate life in the universe and the other against the Kingship who was out to eradicate the followers of Lady Nyx.

The aging shaman was starting to think that the insane so-called King was somehow a puppet of the Lich King. What other explanation could there be for an alliance noble to ignore the real threat to the world and go after Nyx?

Oracle Smoketusk was en route with Op to aid in yet another skirmish. The King's minions headed by Battlemaster Heimdel were attacking Nyxian forces fighting the scourge in the Lich King's flesh factories. The horde assembled there were just mounting up on their varied flyers to escape the Kingship's warriros on the ground while their archers were sending out volleys of arrows at the horde warriors.

Warburn readied his drake for battle just as Op landed on a rocky mountain side. He most likely planned to stealth as a mountain lion or camouflage himself as a tree the shaman thought to himself. Then he saw him. The Battlemaster Heimdel who was already on top his griffon in persuit of the Nyx banner donned hordlings cleared the rocky ledge. The paladin saw Op and leaped off his griffon to attack. Warburn swooped down and using the elements of the nature around him he attacked. But it was too late. The rest of the enemy battalion were upon them, while the other horde forces barely noticed that their reinforcements had arrived.

The shaman and druid were able to reclaim their bodies, and take to the air again. Bless their spirits.

Warburn watched the enemy fly in formation seeking their targets. A huntress and Heimdel spotted him and began to chase. With the calm of earth Warburn waited. At the right moment he unleashed the full force of the frozen winds around him in a massive thunderstorm. The storm he summoned was too strong for the Kingship huntress' and she blew off to her doom.

Calling the storm required the shaman to be in the air without his drake. Warburn was ready for this and watched the ground fly at him at break neck speed. A couple of chains height from the frozen earth Warburn deployed his Skyguard parachute. As he glided safely to the ground Heimdel who must have avoided the huntress fate swopped in and gave his 'chute a gust from his griffon's wings. The push was just enough to send Warburn over the cliff's edge, where a dead trees branch clipped his 'chute, ripping it.

Warburn tried to use his mastery of the Wind to slow his fall, but the rocks were too close. He hit them and fell unconscious off the edge of the living world.

[Aitana]

There was a group of overgrown boglords ahead that needed to be cut down to size. Aitana gave Filarius the nod to start the charge, but Asarelah spoke up.

"Aitana...." Lah's voice sounded hollow, and Aitana turned to see her Nightwarder holding on to a railing for support with one hand, the other pressed hard to her hearthstone, and looking quite pale. "The Kingship of the East is just outside in Coilfang Reservoir. My Lord Heimdel.... I must go to him..... there is fighting.... I am bid to come see...." Asarelah's voice faded, a moan escaping her lips.

"And what is that to us? Did you not tell me not two hours ago that he had to choose between your lovely face and the Kingship, and you lost? From the sounds of it, they are not even interested in diplomacy or they would not have forced him to sever all contact with you. Why on earth would you even think about him, much less leave this culling party to run to his side?

Get your heart off your sleeve! We have much more important battles to fight, like this boglord here," Aitana snorted. "They are so intent on calling us evil that they have lost sight of the greater threats to us all. We will deal with him and his men another time, but right now we have a boglord to trim and when we get done with her minions, we will defeat Lady Vashj."

With that, Aitana gave the order to charge.

[Asarelah]

Aitana's steely voice held venom "Get your heart off your sleeve!" she snapped and then Lah lost track of anything else the Oracle had to say.

Her mind in a chaotic whirl, she followed the culling party, doing her duty keeping the fighter's healed. It was Filarius' plate covered back that was receiving her tender ministrations, and while she did her best to keep him moving forward as he did his grisly work, she could only wish that it was another back that her gentle hands ministered too.

"Heimdel......."

[Leothiel]

*starts writing his own musings on the war*

Eyewitnesses and those who have encountered King Hinik said that he does not fight. A king who starts a war and won't fight it is not a king worth defending. He won't even fight for his own queen: He sends his army of flunkies to do it for him. His hatred for the Horde, with an emphasis on the followers of the Lady Nyx, goes beyond all boundaries of reason to the point where I can just give him the epithet "King Hinik the Mad." He is not a king worth anyone's loyalty.

Recently, a whole Alliance order defected to the Horde side. Their leader; a half-quel'dorei, half-human named Loistradyn Vlasha; has given me an information coup that has earned her both of my ears. I recently submitted her intelligence report to the officers of Nyx. The Oracle Aitana is suspect of her and I don't blame her because of the old affiliations. The information coup is the first step of showing that new loyalty but how long will it be before we can fully trust the turncoats? The Assembly will weigh the report at the next meeting.

*scribbles a note about a shut door of diplomacy*

*clears a spot on the desk and marks it "Kingship's unconditional surrender"*

[Oneille]

After the events of regarding the Serpent Shrine Cavern there was urgent news from the Argent Crusade sent to a one Oneille Brightgrove. Staring at the letter before her Oneillle sighed.

"Back to Northrend..." hands clutched to her hearthstone the elven warlock began to hurry to her waypoint.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-Court of Bones, Ice Crown Citadel-

Hands numbed by the chilling winds Oneille gripped her lance harder. Though the fur lined gloves insulated both hands and body it couldn't protect from bitter scene before the Sin'dorei warlock. Icy breath puffed forth from under a dark cowl as Oneille Brightgrove reined in her appointed Argent stead. The stallion quietly chomped at his bit as his rider eased her heels into his sides urging him on. There was no doubt the war with Kingship of the East was a trial unto itself. Each new report of their escapdes either in Northrend or abroad echoed down the ranks of Tribe Nyx.

"Troops, fall in!" bellowed a voice of a Draenei Argent. Snapping to attention Oneille gripped her reins and urged the stallion forward in line with others assembled. The Draenei male stood at attention on his war stead his huge hands tightly amassed about the base of the lance. Silence followed. Tonight Oneille would be stuck defending the battlefront of the Argent Crusade.

"Move out!" the warcry echoed in Oneille's ears. And the pointed ears never miss a sound! The grey stallion trotted forth and soont he hooves began to sally forth as a full gallop. This night the Argent Crusade and it's champions were fighting against scourge...a far greater menance than the Alliance.

[Asarelah]

(( Asarelah goes in to hiding ))

Horde Assembly Meeting Minutes
10 September 2009
Tribe Nyx Headquarters on Fray Island
22:38 [Aitana]: Asarelah, stand accused of treason!
22:38 [Asarelah]: I stand before you as ordered Oracle.
22:39 [Warburn]: We will test Lah's loyalty make no mistake !!
22:39 [Aitana]: I would have you all know what she has been doing.
22:39 [Asarelah]: I deny the charges !!
22:39 [Aitana]: She has been consorting with the enemy!
22:39 [Asarelah]: No !!
22:39 [Asarelah]: Well.... Not much !!
22:39 [Lokistrazsza]: Aitana speaks the truth...
22:39 [Aitana]: She has been making eyes at Heimdel.
22:39 [Asarelah]: I made No Eyes !
22:39 [Aitana]: I ask you to choose now.
22:40 [Jeriden]: I would not call what she has done 'making eyes' Aitana.
22:40 [Jeriden]: I know where that gaze lays.
22:40 [Lokistrazsza]: Making babies then, Jeriden?
22:40 [Aitana]: Jeriden, as her champion, I present you with an option to redeem her.
22:40 [Asarelah]: I go where I must by order of Lady Nyx... you yourself gave me her orders... to go where I must...and do what I must....
22:40 [Jeriden]: All ears, Oracle.
22:41 [Asarelah]: I can't help it if he has wavy brown hair, and .....
22:41 [Aitana]: The two of you may marry or I will...
22:41 [Asarelah]: What !!!
22:41 [Asarelah]: I have not married, to leave myself free to obey Lady Nyx's order.
22:41 [Aitana]: Either she will contain her affections to you, or she is done.
22:41 [Asarelah]: What ??
22:42 [Aitana]: I will not have her fawning over some human.
22:42 [Asarelah]: I didn't fawn over him !!
22:42 [Asarelah]: Yes, I admire him greatly... but he....
22:42 [Jeriden]: Asarelah, hold your tongue.
22:42 [Asarelah]: But...
22:42 [Aitana]: You went weak at the knees when he contacted you last night
22:43 [Asarelah]: I... umm.... well, yes... He startled me...
22:43 [Aitana]: I saw that dreamy look in your eyes.
22:43 [Asarelah]: *sighs* Yes, he troubles my sleep....
22:43 [Lokistrazsza]: Whether she wed Jeriden or not, does not change the fact that she has been spending time among the enemy.
22:43 [Akallabêth]: ...surely not!
22:43 [Amyia]: <Whispers softly over to Loistradyn> Treason...burn the heretic.
22:44 [Asarelah]: My honor is in tact.... He didn't touch me !!!
22:44 [Aitana]: Jeriden as her champion, you can redeem her.
22:44 [Asarelah]: Redeem me ?? Is that what you call it ??
22:44 [Loistradyn]: *waves a hand dismissely at Amyia, absorbing the situation.*
22:44 [Aitana]: If not you, then I will go to Tsaphaan, her other champion.
22:44 [Jeriden]: Then redeem her I shall, as is my duty to. I know she is no traitor, deep in my heart.
22:44 [Lokistrazsza]: Exactly, there must be something coming on, or his blade would have touched you. Heimdel is a juggernaught of death.
22:44 [Asarelah]: Tsaphaan ??
22:44 [Jeriden]: ...Tsaphaan?
22:45 [Asarelah]: Blade ?? He carries a mighty Hammer.
22:45 [Akallabêth]: ..that dog??
22:45 [Aitana]: If Jeriden will not marry you, then I will have you marry Tsaphaan.
22:45 [Jeriden]: I already said I would...
22:45 [Asarelah]: Why don't you just sell me to the highest bidder then ?
22:45 [Asarelah]: That is what this amounts to !!
22:45 [Aitana]: Contratulations!
22:45 [Aitana]: When shall we set the date?
22:45 [Asarelah]: Congratulations ?? What ??
22:45 [Asarelah]: I have not agreed to this !!
22:46 [Amyia]: It seems you not have a choice.
22:46 [Aitana]: Why to the happy couple, of course.
22:46 [Lokistrazsza]: Shall I contact the Justicar, so that he may bid as well?
22:46 [Asarelah]: Noooooo !!!
22:46 [Aitana]: That will not be necessary
22:46 [Asarelah]: The Battlemaster may have something to say about this !!!
22:46 [Jeriden]: I don't care what that human has to say...
22:46 [Jeriden]: To be frank.
22:47 [Aitana]: She has her fiancee and we will arrange the meeting as soon as possible
22:47 [Asarelah]: *shudders*
22:47 [Loistradyn]: You miss an opportinuty in the affection the Champion of Hinik displays for this sin'dorei...
22:47 [Aitana]: Then it is done and the meeting is adjourned
22:48 [Asarelah]: The Battlemaster has shown me nothing but honor !!
22:48 [Lokistrazsza]: And here I thought I was going to get to execute someone...
22:48 [Jeriden]: I believe my son would be happy for me, Elizsha.
22:48 [Aitana]: Do not forget that you can have Karei set the dogs on her if she does not obey.
22:49 [Jeriden]: I'm sure my daughter would do as you requested....
22:49 [Jeriden]: Anything to preserve the Nightwarden's known loyalty.
22:50 [Asarelah]: I am loyal !
22:50 [Aitana]: I look forward to seeing you at the wedding
22:50 [Asarelah]: IF you can find me !!
22:50 [Jeriden]: Light Guide your Hand, Aitana.

Asarelah was beside herself. She was damned if she did. And damned if she didn't. And all because of an innocent picnic on a beach in Tanaris....

But she could hide. And that was something she knew how to do VERY well............