The Dwarves of Thor Modan (( Open PvP/RP ))

[Asarelah]

The water was peacefully calm, as Asarelah dangled her feet in the rushing stream, and calmly watched for her bobber to move. Fishing was one of her favorite past times, and this particular spot, just beneath the Amberpine Lodge in Grizzly Hills, one of her favorite places to cast her line. As far as she was concerned there were no better meat fish than the Glacial Salmon these waters yielded, in all of Northrend.nnnSuddenly the current took her bobber, and down it went… but it never came back up. Ever so carefully, so as not to loose the fish that she believed to have taken her bait, Lah carefully gave play to the line, then snapped her pole upright to “set the hook” in what she expected to be her dinner.nnnInstead, what she reeled in was a sodden moss and slime covered mess that had the feel of rock, as she landed her catch. Taking a stick and poking the green pile attached to the end of her fishing line, laying on the ground before her, she gently cleared away some of the debris. Before her appeared to be a stone tablet of some sort, and it had the look of being old…. Very old.nnTouching her hearthstone, she opened contact to Aitana, the Oracle never being far from her mind, so the contact was near instant, and snapped in to startling clarity….nn“Aitana,” the Nightwarder’s voice rang clear and true as if she were standing beside the Oracle, speaking directly in to Aitana’s ear. “I have found something… fished it up, actually. And it looks old… Ancient in fact.”nn"It is wonderful, Aitana”, Asarelah exclaimed to Aitana through her hearthstone. "It is most definitely an artifact of some sort.… I would say Dwarven for sure."nnAitana narrowed her eyes, searching her mind for an idea of what it might be, trying to picture Asarelah’s words. "I cannot wait to see it, Lah," Aitana replied, barely containing her excitement. Perhaps it was nothing, she thought to herself. But it was the Grizzly Hills.. could it be...? nnAitana's thoughts were broken by Asarelah's panicked voice. "Aitana, something is wrong... there’s a fight … and I’m sensing Miaoyin in the area… hold on… " nn"Well, please keep your hearthstone connected to me Lah" Aitana tail twitched, empathically feeling Lah's tension.

[Aitana]

"It is wonderful, Aitana”, Asarelah exclaimed to Aitana through her hearthstone. "It is most definitely an artifact of some sort.… I would say Dwarven for sure."nnAitana narrowed her eyes, searching her mind for an idea of what it might be, trying to picture Asarelah’s words. "I cannot wait to see it, Lah," Aitana replied, barely containing her excitement. Perhaps it was nothing, she thought to herself. But it was the Grizzly Hills.. could it be...? nnAitana's thoughts were broken by Asarelah's panicked voice. "Aitana, something is wrong... there’s a fight … and I’m sensing Miaoyin in the area… hold on… " nn"Well, please keep your hearthstone connected to me Lah" Aitana tail twitched, empathically feeling Lah's tension. nnA slight jab in her hand as it clenched on the relic brought Asarelah’s thoughts back to her new-found treasure. She carefully tucked it and her fishing gear into her bags, but she did not pick them up. There was a tree there by her fishing hole with an hollow in the trunk. Stashing her bags would allow her to move more freely. The god’s do provide. Asarelah carefully made her way around the river bank in front of her, towards Amberpine Lodge. nnMiayoin entered her mind once again… then faded. She was stealthed… what was she up to? Asarelah’s heart quickened as her stomach tightened. “I have a bad feeling about this,” she muttered in a low voice to herself.nnJust up ahead, the river curved to the North, beyond the edge of a cliff wall. The sounds of human language bounced of the stony walls. As she rounded the corner of the cliff, her body froze instinctively. She saw a crowd of Alliance soldiers leaning over what is obviously a wounded or dead human Paladin. Asarelah crouched low to the ground and focused her vision, trying to ascertain what might have happened. “Miaoyin… what have you done?” she asked silently to herself. nnThe Griffon screamed as it landed just behind Asarelah. She felt sick as she slowly stood up and turned around to face her new guests. nn“Eche ven vicho, hast ben lorg?” the officer barked to Asarelah. Lah shook her head, not understanding. nnAnother Griffon landed, followed by yet another. A Human Priest calmly walked up to Asarelah and stared calmly into the Sin’dorai’s eyes. Lah was suddenly seized with a loud and powerful voice in her mind. nn“Come with us.” nnAsarelah struggled to fight against the voice, but found her body responding as ordered. nnAitana could scarcely move. The voices coming from Asarelah’s hearthstone were horrifying.nn“She has been captured “, the Oracle said out loud to herself, unbelieving her own words as she hear them. nn“Lah, just keep that signal open,” Aitana sent to Asarelah. “We are coming.”

[Asarelah]

Cautiously slipping around the rocks, and toward the sound of fighting, Asarelah saw the body of a Paladin bounce off the boulders under the Amberpine Ledge, coming to rest just at the waters edge. She watched from behind the rocks, as some of the other guards made their way down the cliff to their fallen comrade.nn“Yes, that was Mia’s work all right,” she whispered to Aitana via her hearthstone. “But I do not see her anywhere. She’s gone to ground after raising a ruckus… She’s chucked a bloody paladin off the Amberpine Ledge!! I…….”nnA Griffon screamed as it landed just behind Asarelah. She felt sick as she slowly stood up and turned around to face an Alliance Officer coming to ground behind her. nn“Eche ven vicho, hast ben lorg?” the Officer barked to Asarelah. Lah shook her head, not understanding. nnAnother Griffon landed, followed by yet another. A Human Priest walked up to Asarelah and stared calmly into the Sin’dorai’s eyes. Lah was suddenly seized with a loud and powerful voice in her mind. nn“Come with us.” nnAsarelah struggled to fight against the voice, but found her body responding as ordered. The last thing she heard, as her will was taken from her by the Human Priest was the Oracle’s beloved voice.nn“Lah, just keep that signal open,” Aitana sent to Asarelah. “We are coming.”

[Aitana]

Aitana stared at Stodsgier's back, his cloak swishing elegantly as he left the room. He had given her much to think on regarding the Thane and Amberpine Lodge. It was the base of operation of the Alliance guild known as Comitatus. The names he had mentioned were still running through her head; Khardun, Deko, Vauggo...had there been more she had forgotten? Tonight's venture to find Asarelah could be difficult if the forces at Amberpine Lodge interfered.

[Miaoyin]

Miaoyin who of course spends most of her time being and going places she shouldn't be was rifling through the good and stores the Alliance had in lodgings at the Amberpine Lodge and for once she sliped up. The young gaurd who had found her was delt with smoothly and quickly and used as a marionette as Mia walked him outside, waved to his friends and slowly rolled his body off the edge watching the paladin's cape flutter in the breeze .. her only remark was..."I wonder if he'll bounce?"............................he didn'tnnnnnnn

[Asarelah]

That night...nChaliyphah watched, shaking her head, as Asarelah gathered up her fishing gear. “Mistress, don’t go… You know that Ishar reported a bounty on your head, along with Aunt Onei’s, for the Alliance failed assault at Thunderbluff… It’s simply not safe at the Amberpine!!”nn“Hush Chali!! I fish there all the time, and I have no fear of the Alliance. Those that would harm me will be busy fighting battles of their own this night, and those that do not know me would be ill advised to challenge me while I am in Shadow form, hidden by the night,” Asarelah admonished her worried Apprentice.nn“Yes, but…” and Chali was cut off abruptly as Asarelah turned and walked calmly to her drake, mounted and flew off toward the Grizzly Hills, intent on nothing more save fresh salmon for her evening meal.nnThe next morning…nLythanor looked up as Chali entered the Tribal headquarters. “Greetings Chali. I trust the night hid you well?” the Knight casually asked the sleepless Druidess.nn“Aye, that it did. But my Mistress is also hidden by the night… She did not return to the Estate last eve… And sent no word….”nnLythanor wheezed and coughed a bit. “Hmm.. odd.”nn“Indeed it is. Tis not like the Ambassador to be gone without sending word to her House. She had gone fishing… in Grizzly Hills.” A worried Chaliyphah shared. “I await Oracle Tallbear. To ask if she may have heard from Asarelah.”nnKhaildevyn looked up and spoke. “Should I be looking out for her?”nnA much worried Chali nodded. “Aye, we must all. The silly woman’s favorite fishing hole is along the river… Beneath Amberpine Lodge!!”nnLythanor chuckled. “I doubt the wildlife got her. Asarelah is a touch one… that’s for sure.”nnChali turned a worried frown at the Knight’s remark. “I am more concerned about the two legged vermin than four!! Her fishing spot is beneath Amberpine!! That is an Alliance outpost… on a bluff overlooking where the bears catch salmon. Lah says those are the best of all the glacial salmon in all of Northrend and is where she insists on fishing them up at. If any one has heard from her, it would be Oracle Tallbear. I swear those two are permanently in tuned to each other by more than their hearthstones.”nnLythanor sighed, and heaved his axe over his shoulder. nnChali watched the Knight prepare to mount search. “IF Lah has gone missing, and Alliance are the suspected cause, I trust that Oracle Tallbear will order Ambassador Frosthawk to mount a search as soon as we know the right of it.”nnHearing the door open, Chali looked up with relief as Myyah entered the room. “Aunt Myyah!! Lah did not come home last night… and I can’t hear her either!!”nn“What’s this about Lah missing?” a look of panic quickly replaced the good cheer that the Troll had awakened with.nn“She went fishing… and has not been heard from since.” Chali replied.nnMyyah’s brow furrowed. “…well, maybe she doesn’t want to be disturbed? She’s been working ever so hard as of late.”nnChali shook her head. “Naye… she would not have taken such time with no word to her House. I await the Oracle’s arrival. If any have heard from my Mistress, Aitana will have.”nnMyyah mused. “Hm. Well, …where was your Mistress fishing, Chaliyphah?”nn“She went after glacial salmon. And you KNOW where she fishies those up at…”nnMyyah shuddered violently. “Yikes… Amberpine... crawling with humans,” she muttered as she rummaged in her pack for delousing powder, still shaking from just the thought of human contact.nnA miserable looking Chali could only nod in agreement. “The last time the Alliance had her, along with Oracle Smoketusk, Oracle Tallbear mobilized the entire Horde Assembly to go after Lah.”nnOneille looked up from her sewing. "What's this you say?"nn“Aunt Onei, weren't you listening?? Lah has gone missing!!” Chali burst out.nnOneille went in to shock, gasping. “What!! When??”nnOiyajin stopped what he was doing, and looked up, blinking in surprise.nn“I do not know where she is,” Chali continued. “She went fishing last night… glacial salmon…” Chali gulped, clearly overwrought with concern. “…in Grizzly Hills… She did not return to the Estate last night. And I do not know where she is. If any know, it will be the Oracle.”nnLaurelbeard chimed in. “Nightwarder Asarelah does have a knack for fishing… and finding trouble.”nnOneille put both hands to her mouth suppressing another gasp. “Mother….” Letting out a hefty sob, bent over her sewing work, wet tears staining her needle point, she continued breathily whispering, “Mother! Mother!” nnOiyajin grimly hefted his axe. “I gonna find her. I be on de way to de Amberpine. We see what be up.”nnTrying to catch her breath, Oneille raised red strained eyes and tear stained cheeks. “It’s … I mean… Someone find her! Please!”nnOiyajin prepared to mount his new Hippogryph. “I be headin’ to Grizzly Hills, Lady Oneille. Joo wish be comin'?”nnJust then Magess Nielairiel arrived and Oneille shared the fearful news. The Magess wasted no time rushing to awaken Wiindriider, who promptly came rushing in. After Oneille explained to a frantic Wiindriider what was amiss, the two women went rapidly to Oiyajin’s side to join in the search for the missing Nightwarder.nn*** Oneille, Oiyajin and Wiindriider search the area around the Amberpine for any sign of Asarelah ***nnLater that day…nOracle Tallbear arrives and Chaliyphah tries to speak, but the Oracle cuts her off sharply.nn“I have grave news to share…” the Oracle begins. “My Nightwarder has been taken by the Alliance. But I do not know who, or where they hold her. Only that she is alive… or was at our last contact. Her hearthstone has gone... silent….”nn“Only her death could silence her link to you, Oracle!! Oh Noooo!!!” Chaliyphah wailed.n n“Chali don’t think like that,” Locomoño chimed in.nnStodesgier dismissed Chali’s weeping. “Until you spot a corpse, and even then there are remedies for that... Hold your tears.”nn“Something tells me if we find her we’re not letting her out of our sight again,” Grethem added.nnAitana was clearly upset as she struggled to keep composure and find words. “She is hard to protect. She likes to slip off and go fishing on her own.”nnLocomoño nodded, “I said she never listens.”nnPausing to gather her thoughts, the Oracle continued. “We will meet in Grizzly Hills tonight, to mount a rescue operation. Rally all you can. The Amberpine Lodge was her last known location…”nnWiindriider spoke up. “Oracle, we found Asarelah’s bag…”nn“…and?” Aitana turned a questioning gaze on the Druid.nn“There was something strange in it…” Wiindriider answered promptly.nnLythanor laughed. “Grunge… B-b-brains…?”nn“By chance was it something that looked dwarven?” Aitana responded.nnStodesgier looked up. “Please, some more details upon the stone artifact. Certain clans carry them as idols.”nnWiindriider nodded. “It was Dwarven... It looked old as the things I’ve seen them excavating in the area.”nnChali shook herself, and shared remembered lessons… “The Dwarves of Thor Modan are said to originate in the Grizzly Hills......”nnStruggling to remember more, she continued. “The dwarves believe they can find evidence of their dwarven ancestors in the hills, and uncover truths about their race’s early culture. Regardless, all this was well before any surviving history. No one really knows what went on here way back then.”nnLocust’s voice was heard over the crowd. "Their ancestors died there and so shall they!”nnChaliyphah nodded in fierce agreement. “If they have taken our Nightwarder, then they shall die. All of them!!”nnOiyajin snorted. “Well, dey find sumtin’, and dey also find Lah.”nn“We managed to track her scent but it faltered at the banks where we found the bag…” a worried Wiindriider added. “What was even more odd, if you look up you can see the Alliance lodge… she may have not noticed that in her spot thinking she was secluded!”nnGrethem looked at Wiindriider. “Did you shape shift into a bear? You can track scents even down rivers that way.”nn“I did not Grethem, if I had I would have blended into the bears there fishing for the salmon and Oiyajin would have lost me,” replied Wiindriider.nnLythanor sighed. “I suppose diplomacy is out of the question?”nn“Hmph, and Grizzly hills was one of my favorite flying spots,” Grethem said, in deep thought, then continued. “Diplomacy is never out of question, it's only pride that's out of question.”nn“I’ll let my lightning do da talking,” Locust bellowed.nn“We can try diplomacy,” the Oracle said, still clearly deep in thought. “There is always a chance for a diplomatic solution, and that should be tried first, but I want protection should the diplomacy fail.”nn“Diplomacy... .With the Tall One's Axe, perhaps?” Chali nearly laughed.nn“Well...I am a diplomat...,” offered Lythanor.nnStodesgier shook his head. “I fear there will be no diplomacy if my assumptions are correct.”nn“I have not had any luck with diplomacy with the Alliance since Leikos passing,” the Oracle admitted.nn“The Nightwarder held Darkwood very dear to her heart. She mourned for many moons when Commander Leikos passed from this world,” Chali shared remembering Asarelah prostrate with saddness.nn“Ho no... dere be no diplomacy. Not wid all dat blood I be spillin' in de Lodge today...” Oiyajin snorted.nn“I see...well then I supp- suppose we should prepare for war...whatever the case,” Lythanor responded, hacking a bit.nn“Lady Oracle... I... I must confess. I be already makin' a mess of many Alliance in dat Lodge when I be smellin' Asarelah dere too. I don' tink dey gonna take it kindly,” Oiyajin admitted grimly.nn“Oracle Tallbear, what would you have me do in the meantime, until you decide our course of action tonight?” Chali asked. “Shall I rally our Tribe to War?”nn“Rally the Tribe and gather them at Conquest Hold, in case the diplomacy fails. I want a legion armed and ready to march at eight bells!!” was all the answer any of them got from Oracle Tallbear at that moment….

[Oneille]

*Earlier in the afternoon At Amberpine Lodge*nWinds hastened the netherdrake along the high altitudes of the Grizzly Hills. Below a wounded Draenei death knight limped along the tell tale signs of Oiyajin's brand firmly planted into his backside. Through cracked armor and crimson blood the foolish Alliance sauntered off his glowering minion with him. Such attack against hims sounded alarm. Alliance would soon sally forth to his aid. Oiyajin grinned wickedly his battle axe hefted high in the air then with a slam landed firmly into the soil. The troll warrior snorted and cried out in warrior fashion. Above him the warlock Lady Frosthawk hovered her Cobalt netherdrake hissing lightly. nnJorustraza the netherdrake landed at the nearest hill top further along the path away from the troll. Her hearth stone spoke to his mind, "Good warrior I hasten to Dalaran I have a little sister to calm and a family to report of the news, though I am sure the tribal hearthstones already carry the news." nnOiyajin nodded and waved as Oneille flew off among the cold winds of the north.nn*Dalaran*nOneille stood there her little sister Airel, the mage, sighing and in disbelief. Like any good sister she went to her and hugged tightly while the rest of the tribe focused on finding Mother Lah.

[Wiindriider]

The Mage wakes me from a day long slumber in the Inn in Dalaran whispering to my ear that mother has disappeared..nI jump and grab my stave, dismissing her to her duties in the mountains. I hear Oiyajin calling to me over the winds to meet with him and Onielle in the Hills to hunt for her..so i take flight....nnI meet with Oiayjin in the Hills at the lodge and see a mess of alliance guard that had fallen in a battlennnWe decide to move further as we track the Ladys scent to see if we could locate her..ran into a scouting paladin whom we eradicated on the spot near the stream..nnnnContinuing further..we found where the scent trail stopped... Near a stream under the lodge, full of bears fishing for the highly prized salmon..nnnnnSo this is where we could not find more, but then Oiyajin found the fishing bag, obviously hidden in the moss and dirt on the bank. Tracks everywhere of birds feet and some smaller humanoidish tracks also is also noticed on the ground.nnOiyajin decides to open the bag and sees the fish and an odd dirty grimy object partially cleared off to expose its surface...i couldn't tell what it was until he handed it to me..it was a figurine, ancient dwarven from my earlier studies with the druids in the Hills. I handed it back to him and we did notice the the hearthstone was not in the bag..it was good she had it yet..it was not..hopefully it was still in her possession at the time of her dissappearance!nnOiyajin sensed some immediate danger to our wellbeing so we took off to safer ground. From there we looked the the figure even more..and he gave me the bag for safekeeping until i could get it to the Oracle to give it to her. We departed our ways and headed back to our respective duties..I flew home and stashed the bag...nn

[Leothiel]

Asarelah's capture by the Alliance caught Leothiel off guard but did not surprise him. She had been captured multiple times before, but all this before he married her daughter Oneille. Now he has an even greater personal interest in making sure she is alive: That of family. Asarelah had been sought after by the Alliance. In the hours preceding the rescue, the Oracle Aitana briefed him on the grounds of battle. Scouts blanketed the Grizzly Hills, which is where Lah was last seen.nnThe mage took his mind off of the Nightwarder's disappearance by putting an end to the Nexus Wars. He had access to Mazthoril once again but that would have to wait. Instead of teleporting back to Dalaran for a clothes change, he mulled it over on his flight to there. Then he saw Alextrasza in Dragonblight. She was saddened by Malygos' rebellion and subsequent fall.nnLeothiel called the followers of Nyx to Conquest Hold, which is where they would duel and drill. He inspected the troops. Some of them were dressed for combat, others were not. The the undergeared, he put an expectation of acquiring those pieces so they can surivive the rigors of combat. He also insisted on chain dueling. He would not tolerate anyone waiting for their most valuable abilities to be ready. "The Alliance will not give you such quarter." After the chain dueling, it was formation practice. Soon, the group was ready to march.nnThey found the Alliance troops standing above Grizzlemaw ready to ambush them from above. Instead, Leothiel had his group strike them from even higher ground. The waiting-in-ambush had the Alliance retreating to the tower near the Westfall Encampment. The Alliance regained their ground and pushed the Horde back to Conquest Hold. It was at Conquest Hold where the Horde repelled the Alliance. Eventually, all that was left was Westfall Encampment.nnThe Alliance stood wait on one end, expecting an attack from there. Instead, Leothiel attacked from another point and worked over to the Alliance troops. The camp guards were dispatched before the Alliance troops could defend. Lah was rescued. All she had were tales of mistreatment. Leothiel was glad for a victory, a rescued Lah, and a wild night in the bedchamber with his wife, who was proud of his victory.

[Asarelah]

(( Placeholder for battle story : Written account to follow ))nnAsarelah Captured, Interrogated and TorturednnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnDeath of the NightwardernnnnnnnnnnnnnnnPrincess Ulua, the Rogue Miaoyin and Bluffwatcher PartedHair find and rescue LahnnnnnnnnnnnBattle to VictorynnnnnnnnnnnnnnnAnd the Portal Homen