(2022-05-30) On the Trail of Hexera Witchblood

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Author:	Alli
Summary:	Jocoza Sparkwire, Elohad Ference, and Cambrin Cooper head north, following rumors of Hexera's whereabouts.
Rating:	T for Teen

Arc: The Disappearance of Hexera Witchblood

Jocoza Sparkwire rides up on her mechanostrider into the Mystic Ward, where she sees Elohad Ference waiting for her.
Jo waves at Elohad.
[Jocoza]: Elo! Congratulations on little Dane. *Jo beams at him*
Elohad grins.
[Elohad]: He's so great, Jo. SO GREAT.
[Jocoza]: I need to come by and see him! And make him toys… um, when moving parts aren't dangerous.
[Elohad]: Yeah, I think we're supposed to wait a little bit, until he… doesn't get sick so easily? Or something?
[Elohad]: Should be safe soon enough. He's still really new.
Jocoza nods at Elohad, as if she understands. "Right, yes. They must be really fragile, those first few years."
[Elohad]: Anyway, I gotta stop thinking about him or I'm gonna run right back home.
[Elohad]: And we have important things to do, yes? Rumor has it?
Jocoza giggles. "Okay, I was so thrilled when I heard you could come. We've got more news on Hex."
[Jocoza]: Shall we pop through to Shattrath? Someone's waiting for us.
[Elohad]: Oh, uh, sure.
[Elohad]: Just… I'll just pop to Shattrath.
[Jocoza]: I can portal there now. Gwen, my apprentice, she helped figure it out. Portaling between worlds, I mean.
Jo opens a hole in reality, and they pop through to Shattrath, as advertised! Cambrin Cooper stands nearby, staring at the stationary portals.
Jo waves at Cambrin.
Elohad 's mouth is slightly ajar, but he nods absently.
Cambrin spins around.
[Cambrin]: Ah, there you are, captain. For some reason I thought you'd be coming out of those.
Cambrin hooks a thumb over his shoulder at the potrals.
Elohad 's attention sharpens briefly at 'captain,' then he seems to remember that's not him, and he starts rubbernecking again.
Jocoza smiles at Cam. "The entry and the exit are different points. For safety, you know."
[Jocoza]: Elo, I don't think you've met Cambrin?
[Elohad]: Mm? I don't uh…
[Cambrin]: Don't think I've had the pleasure. Cambrin Cooper, sir.
Cambrin salutes Elohad with respect.
[Jocoza]: Elo is… well, he's the founder of Cobalt Company, I'm sure you know that! And Cam is one of our newer recruits.
Elohad extends a calloused hand. He is not wearing gauntlets.
Cambrin pulls off his right gauntlet to shake. He has calluses but not as many.
[Elohad]: Well, welcome to the best mercenary company in Azeroth. And uh, not in Azeroth… I guess. *He looks around some more.*
[Jocoza]: And this is Shattrath! *Jo points over to A'dal.* There's a Naaru here, like on the Exodar!
[Elohad]: I uh, yes, yes, I did notice the naaru.
[Jocoza]: Kinda stands out. *Jo nods*
[Cambrin]: Pretty hard not to.
[Elohad]: I… do we have a moment? Can I..?
Elohad gazes at the naaru.
[Jocoza]: Oh, sure. Yeah. This one even speaks to me. Very extroverted.
Elohad heads over to say hello to A'dal.
Cambrin checks over his gear once more, making sure everything is in place.
Jocoza smiles in the direction of Elohad and A'dal. Then she looks over at Cam. "Thanks for joining me. I know Hex's disappearance may not be personal for you, but she is one of us."
[Cambrin]: Glad to help. One for all and all that.
Elohad clears his throat. "So… what do we know?"
Cambrin looks at Captain Jo.
[Jocoza]: Right, so. She was here, in this city. Then she headed north through the… oh goodness have you even seen it yet… the Zangarmarsh.
[Elohad]: I have not seen… any of this. Ever. But don't worry about that, just lead the way and I'll follow.
[Jocoza]: They say she went north into the Shiv…. Mountains… or something. Anyway north. So that's our trail.
They head down into the Lower City.
[Jocoza]: This city is really amazing. Full of refugees from all over. We've got people who help out in the infirmary, and in the orphanage.
Elohad is silent as he takes it all in.
Jo carelessly heads to the east exit instead of the north. The silhouettes of trees are visible outside.
[Jocoza]: Oh, this is to the forest. We want the mushroom forest.
Elohad nods, nods, nods.
They head back and take the correct exit. They're by a lake in the forest.
[Elohad]: I thought this world was destroyed.
[Cambrin]: So did everyone. Big surprise.
[Jocoza]: Parts of it are. Hellfire is… well, it isn't great.
[Elohad]: I mean, it looks… pretty nice, actually.
[Cambrin]: Oh yeah. We're in one of the nicer areas.
Jocoza nods at Cam.
[Jocoza]: We're skirting through the forest here. Ben fishes here, did you know?
[Elohad]: I see they have basilisks.
[Jocoza]: Yep!
The basilisks make their presence unavoidable! The trio fights them off as they move through.
[Elohad]: …who really like me in particular.
[Jocoza]: Just as irritable as the ones back home. *Jo giggles*
They come out into the Zangarmarsh, a blue-and-purple tinted marsh full of enormous mushrooms.
[Jocoza]: Now this is the mushroom forest.
[Elohad]: Holy cats.
[Jocoza]: They even have a city on one!
[Elohad]: This is actually… a bit on the gorgeous side.
[Jocoza]: Isn't it?
[Cambrin]: Don't forget the walking mushroom-people. And the flying ones.
Jo nods at Cambrin.
Elohad tilts his face up toward the rain as Valiant resolutely follows Jo's mechanostrider.
[Cambrin]: Could do without the wasps the size of my head, though.
Jo giggles.
[Jocoza]: Yes, those are a bit much.
[Elohad]: Those glowing ones? They're pretty.
[Jocoza]: They sting, so watch out for them.
[Cambrin]: The stingers are the size of my forearm.
Cambrin holds up his arm for comparison.
[Elohad]: Lovely view as you die though.
They arrive at the Cenarion Refuge.
[Jocoza]: The druids have a strong presence here.
[Jocoza]: Caspis put us in contact with the druids, so we've been doing some work with them.
[Elohad]: Nice.
[Jocoza]: He was your contact, right? He got in touch with me.
[Elohad]: Boy, they work fast, don't they. Got a whole little town here.
They head out, taking the road west.
[Elohad]: Yeah, he's a… friend… ish.
[Elohad]: We've traded a couple of significant favors.
Jocoza looks at Elohad curiously.
[Elohad]: I set him up with Wyrmbane. To deal with the silithid thing.
[Jocoza]: Oh, right! That went great, from what I hear by Tadget.
[Elohad]: That turned out pretty damn well, yeah.
[Elohad]: I heard she'd joined the Legion! Ha.
[Jocoza]: Yep!
[Jocoza]: And single-handedly killed an Old God, to hear her tell it. *Jo giggles*
They pass by an Draenei elevator. Jo stops.
[Jocoza]: Okay, so you've got to see this. It's on the way.
[Elohad]: A lift.
[Cambrin]: Mind the gap.
They hop on the lift, and ride up to Telredor!
[Jocoza]: This is where I stay mostly, when I'm here. *Jo looks to Cam.* Where do you stay, now you're over here?
[Cambrin]: With the Aldor.
[Jocoza]: Ah. I'm with them as well. Just… I like it here. So cozy.
[Elohad]: Okay, this is just wild.
[Jocoza]: Isn't it beautiful though?
[Elohad]: Of course my first thought is that I want Nir to see this. But she's a little busy right now being a 24-hour buffet.
[Jocoza]: I think we've gotten it safe enough that she and the little one could visit. Not through the Portal though. Through a Shattrath portal.
[Elohad]: He's still awfully small. Maybe in a few months.
Jocoza smiles. "Better safe."
[Elohad]: He's still in that stage where he's basically like… a silk bag full of broken glass. Y'know?
[Jocoza]: That sounds terrifying.
[Elohad]: It is.
[Jocoza]: So on to the task at hand…
[Elohad]: Right. You realize we're heading west, right? Kinda southwest at that.
[Jocoza]: Yes, west, then north. There's… a road. It's not great to be off-road here.
[Elohad]: Ah.
[Jocoza]: We're skirting around naga territory.
[Elohad]: Wonderful. Anything else I need to know?
[Jocoza]: I mean, they've been stockpiling water? And draining the marsh. That's not great.
[Cambrin]: They're just as surly as the ones back home.
[Elohad]: Great.
They ride on!
[Jocoza]: So those little mushroom people you mentioned, Cam? I heard Hex's been helping them.
[Cambrin]: The Sporeggar?
[Jocoza]: Yep.
[Elohad]: So we know she's been alive and well, recently? And yet she hasn't contacted any of us.
[Jocoza]: The trail's a bit cold. We came through a while after her.
[Elohad]: Hm. So she might have been here before communications were restored.
[Jocoza]: Maybe she doesn't know the portals are open? They weren't, for a while. Portaling between worlds was tricky.
Jo points at a Fen Strider.
[Jocoza]: Ivri said those remind her of Nir.
[Elohad]: It wouldn't surprise me if she was traveling on her own, and has no idea what's going on with the– HA.
[Jocoza]: The long legs.
[Elohad]: Ivri needs to stop ogling my wife's legs.
Jo giggles.
They approach the Horde town.
[Jocoza]: We need to be careful here, too. We're going by a Horde encampment.
[Elohad]: Sigh.
Elohad does, actually, say the word "sigh."
[Jocoza]: They mostly let us alone if we let them alone.
[Elohad]: Do we have any reason to suspect that Hex might be deliberately hiding from us? Because if so, that changes our approach.
[Jocoza]: Hmm. *Jo pauses, thinking* If she were, this would be terribly rude of me.
[Elohad]: Oh, we're hunting her down regardless. But it just changes how we go about it.
[Jocoza]: She's always been a little caught up in her own studies, hasn't she?
[Elohad]: Yes, it is entirely possible she just hasn't even realized we might be looking for her.
[Jocoza]: That's what I assumed.
They take a right turn, heading north.
[Cambrin]: Are we heading for the Harborage next?
[Jocoza]: Yep, then north from there.
They enter Ogre territory.
[Jocoza]: Ogres, here. They've been menacing the settlement to the north.
And us, right now they are menacing us. We kill some.
[Elohad]: This is where they're from, you know.
[Jocoza]: Yes, and the druid told us not to… *Jo trails off into a mumble*
[Elohad]: Well, I don't know about this swamp in particular… but this world.
[Jocoza]: They won't let us go by peacefully…
[Elohad]: They came with the orcs. First one I ever saw was in the Black Morass, but you know that story by now.
Jocoza nods at Elo.
[Jocoza]: Maybe they deserve to live in their homeland, but.
[Elohad]: Nah, I'm fine with killing ogres anywhere and everywhere.
Jocoza lets out a breath. "Good, because we killed a lot of them."
[Elohad]: If possible, I like them even less than orcs.
[Jocoza]: Less than orcs?
[Elohad]: Yeah, they didn't make a great first impression on me as a kid.
[Jocoza]: I suppose that would make a strong first impression. Strong negative.
They arrive safely at the Orebor Harborage.
[Jocoza]: This is a settlement of the Broken we've been befriending. They call themselves the Kurenai.
[Elohad]: Poor things.
[Jocoza]: Coming together, though. Finding a community.
[Elohad]: Kurenai. That sounds prettier than "Broken" anyway.
Jocoza nods vehemently. "Broken is an awful name to give a people."
[Jocoza]: And from here… From here I don't know the path. I haven't been up this way yet.
[Elohad]: Fun.
We head north. It looks dark and rocky.
[Elohad]: Oh, an ominous ravine.
[Jocoza]: Let's go in it! *Jo giggles*
[Elohad]: Yes, cap'n.
Dark and rocky and full of giant spiders.
[Elohad]: That is a large spider.
It is very promptly a large dead spider.
[Jocoza]: I don't know what Hex is researching now. But it can't be that bad, if she stops to help tiny mushroom people, right?
[Elohad]: Aw, are they tiny? If you say they're tiny…
Elohad tries to picture.
[Jocoza]: Yes! Oh, there are some in the Lower City in Shattrath, you really should see them! They're gnome-sized!
[Elohad]: D'awww. Li'l mushroom gnomes.
Elohad uses the Light as we fight giant spiders through the ravine-cave-tunnel.
[Elohad]: Channeling the Light again.
[Jocoza]: I guess you don't need to much, with Nir and little Dane.
They come out of the tunnel into a much more pleasant forest scene, full of what seem to be enormous sprite darters.
[Cambrin]: Sweet mother of fae. Look at that.
Cambrin points at Fey Drake.
[Elohad]: Wow.
Jo gasps at Fey Drake.
[Elohad]: It's huge.
[Jocoza]: It's like those sprite darters in Feralas. But HUGE.
[Elohad]: And look at the colors.
[Jocoza]: Do you think it's defensive? Warning of poison?
[Elohad]: Let's not find out.
Jo points at Stronglimb Deeproot, a giant walking tree-person that is clearly a Kaldorei ancient.
[Jocoza]: Looks like the Cenarions are here.
We enter the Cenarion settlement.
Jo waves at a Sylvanaar Sentinel.
[Jocoza]: What do you all think? Check at the Inn?
[Elohad]: Sure. Seems safe enough.
Jo waves at Innkeeper Shaunessy.
Elohad stables his horse like a normal person. So do Cambrin and Jo.
[Jocoza]: Hello, Ma'am. Do you recall a woman with a succubus passing through here, by any chance?
Elohad winces.
Shaunessy peers at them suspiciously. "A succubus?"
[Cambrin]: Er, you might want to be a bit more specific, captain.
[Elohad]: Or, *he interjects hopefully*, maybe a dark haired human woman without a succubus? About yay high, kind of bookish type?
[Jocoza]: Well, that's… an easy way to tell her out. *Jo mumbles* Yes, dark-haired human woman.
[Elohad]: Not too sociable, possibly you could only see her hair over the book.
Shaunessy thinks carefully. "It has not been so long since this area was founded, so I am not sure…" She taps her fingers together thoughtfully. "Perhaps you could ask the Commander. I believe there might have been some tales of a woman passing by."
Jo curtseys before Innkeeper Shaunessy.
[Jocoza]: Okay, we can try the commander.
Cambrin nods.
[Elohad]: You know who that is?
They wander through the town and look at people.
Jocoza points. "That one's in uniform. Do you know their insignia?"
[Cambrin]: Afraid not.
[Elohad]: Excuse me sir, you the Commander here?
Commander Skyshadow frowns solemnly, and nods. "Yes, I am Commander Skyshadow. Why do you ask?"
[Elohad]: We're Cobalt Company, passing through looking for one of ours, lost hereabouts.
[Jocoza]: A bookish, dark-haired woman? With or without a demon?
[Elohad]: She uh, favors a succubus, when she's got a… companion.
Skyshadow frowns and walks down the ramp thoughtfully. "The locals here did tell of someone like that. A woman with a demon, who defeated many Ethereals on her way north."
Elohad opens his mouth as though to ask something, then closes it.
Jocoza raises an eyebrow. "North to where?"
Commander Skyshadow sighs. "There, my knowledge ends. You may check our northern camp."
Jocoza whispers to Elohad. "Defeating Ethereals is not bad."
Elohad nods, nods, nods.
Jo curtseys before Commander Skyshadow.
[Jocoza]: Thank you, sir.
Elohad salutes Commander Skyshadow with respect.
They retreat from the Commander to discuss.
[Jocoza]: Northern camp, then.
[Elohad]: So ethereals… whatever they are… they're… not good?
[Cambrin]: Well, this should be interesing.
[Jocoza]: Cambrin, you've had much contact with Ethereals? I know the squads fought a number of them.
[Cambrin]: Not yet.
[Jocoza]: They're like… bandagey people made of light.
[Elohad]: I was wondering about the name. So it's… kinda literal.
[Jocoza]: Yeah.
[Elohad]: Got it.
They head north.
Cambrin looks out over the gorge.
[Elohad]: People made of light… but they're not good?
[Jocoza]: The ones in Shattrath seem to be traders. I think the squads ran into some looting a tomb, though.
Elohad frowns dubiously.
[Jocoza]: If they're a people, maybe there are all different sorts.
[Elohad]: But… made of light.
[Jocoza]: Yeah, isn't everything weird here? It's great!
[Elohad]: Do they look like naaru?
[Jocoza]: Mmmm, not so holy, I would say. What do you think, Cam?
[Cambrin]: Not like the Naruu, that's for sure.
They come out to a flat expanse of rock.
[Elohad]: Oh, wow, look at this.
[Cambrin]: Look sharp, folks, this is ambush country if I've ever seen it.
Jocoza nods at Cam. "I'll keep my eyes open."
[Elohad]: Yes, this place kind of screams trouble.
There are spiky mountains everywhere.
[Elohad]: Very pointy.
They continue on and resume the conversation.
[Cambrin]: Haven't talked to the ethereals in Shattrath much, though.
[Elohad]: So they can talk?
[Jocoza]: I think so, yes.
The trio is attacked by wolves. They fight them off.
[Elohad]: Bad dog.
[Jocoza]: Careful here, looks like Horde again.
They pass a Horde settlement on the left, and come to a blasted wasteland.
[Jocoza]: Whoa. Let's keep to the edges here.
[Elohad]: This is honestly more what I expected from the orc homeworld.
[Jocoza]: It's not too far off from Hellfire. Were those dragon skeletons?
[Elohad]: Dragons? Here?
[Cambrin]: Had the look, like back in the Dragonmurk.
[Jocoza]: We fought a kind of dragon at the Citadel. Still not sure if it's a proper dragon or just a parallel evolution.
[Cambrin]: I guess that big arena was the Circle of Blood? Weird place for it.
They come into the northern Cenarion settlement.
Jocoza looks around the new settlement.
[Elohad]: …Huh.
[Jocoza]: What's that?
[Elohad]: There was a little girl over there. A child.
A dryad is walking around with a small human child (Natasha).
Elohad peers at Natasha searchingly.
[Jocoza]: Oh goodness, yes.
[Cambrin]: Yeah — there were people stuck here for 20 years. And, well, things happened.
Jocoza whispers. "I suppose she was born here."
[Elohad]: …Wow. Imagine this being all you knew.
Jocoza bites her lip. "That's really sad.”
[Cambrin]: We've got a couple new recruits born here, I think. Newer than me, even.
Jocoza looks at Cam. "Really? Latest I recall is Tibbs, who just lived here for 20 years."
[Cambrin]: Or maybe prospects? The one Atley brought by.
[Jocoza]: Oh. Hm. I'll have to ask him.
[Jocoza]: Now. To ask about Hex.
Jo waves at Innkeeper Aelerya.
[Jocoza]: Do you recall hearing anything about a woman… maybe with a demon… who killed a bunch of ethereals coming through here?
[Jocoza]: Human woman, not a gnome. *Jo feels the need to clarify*
Aelerya's eyes widen and she nods. "Oh, certainly. Travelers and locals do love to tell stories. A woman who fought many ethereals with her demon companion, and then left off the edge of the world."
[Elohad]: She… what now?
Jocoza blinks at Aelerya.
Cambrin looks surprised. "Say what?"
Aelerya laughs lightly. "Not into the nether, I don't think."
[Elohad]: I mean I wouldn't put it past her.
Aelerya clarifies, "Netherstorm, I suspect is what they meant. Not many go that way."
[Elohad]: Okay if I sit for a minute?
Elohad lowers himself with the groan of an achy middle aged man.
[Jocoza]: She's still alive then. At least this far into the journey. *Jo smiles*
[Elohad]: Netherstorm? That sounds… less than hospitable.
Aelerya nods. "It's an… well, there are many Ethereals there. I myself am not quite certain what a traveler would find. Some tales seem stranger than I would credit."
[Elohad]: Stranger than what we've seen here already? That's… certainly something.
[Jocoza]: Well. Maybe this is far enough to go today? We should probably get some proper intelligence before we head somewhere like that.
[Elohad]: I would say so, yes.
[Jocoza]: Yes, if it's stranger than the Zangarmarsh and the spiny mountains…
[Cambrin]: If I understand right, there's parts you can't reach by the ground.
[Elohad]: Oh. Well, I'm fresh out of wings.
[Jocoza]: Well, I like flying. When it's possible.
[Cambrin]: I heard some people talking about that at the World's End one night. But maybe it was just the drink talking.
[Jocoza]: Maybe we need to rent a flying animal, like Gwen's.
Cambrin shrugs.
[Elohad]: Gwen has a– of course she does.
Jocoza grins. "She's really come into her own in this place."
[Elohad]: Do you want to stay here for a bit? I can get a letter home to Nir; she's all right. I was just getting in the way mostly.
[Jocoza]: Okay, but did you want to stay here, or head back to Shattrath?
[Elohad]: Well, can we get back here easily when we want to pick up the search? If so, I'd like to be with Nir and Dane as much as I can in the meantime.
[Jocoza]: I think so. Did you speak to the flight master?
[Elohad]: I talked to a couple of them, but I didn't see one in Shattrath.
[Cambrin]: Well, we can fix that easily enough! Or the Captain can.
[Jocoza]: Oh, then definitely I should portal us back.
[Elohad]: Is there one here?
[Jocoza]: Yes, it was just as we entered.
[Elohad]: Oh, right.
[Jocoza]: By the moonwell!
They head to the flight master.
[Elohad]: Hey, can I check your records really quickly, sir?
[Elohad]: …Yeah, looks like Shattrath doesn't have me listed yet.
[Jocoza]: Alright, let's get all of us back there.
Elohad nods at Jo.
[Cambrin]: Hm, gryphons and wyverns. Well, given the big Tauren, I suppose the Horde comes here too.
[Elohad]: Yeah, Cenarion Circle is both.
Jo opens a portal, and they pass through into Shattrath!
[Elohad]: Okay. Show me to the flight guy. Or gal.
Elohad is open minded.
[Jocoza]: Just here! And it is a guy, as it happens.
[Elohad]: Arkenon poros.
[Elohad]: Okay.
[Jocoza]: And there's portals everywhere set up by A'dal.
[Elohad]: So you can take us back here and we'll fly to that druid outpost.
[Jocoza]: Exactly!
[Jocoza]: Once we learn a bit more of what to expect and how to get around. If we have to fly…
[Elohad]: All right. I'll go back and tell Nir all the crazy stuff we saw in the meantime. She'll be jealous.
[Jocoza]: Thanks, both of you, for coming with me to look for her.
[Elohad]: You know I had to.
[Cambrin]: Anytime, Captain!
[Elohad]: This has been eating at me for a long while. She was one of our first.
Jocoza nods at Elo, smiling sadly. "Me too. Disappeared, and nothing we could do. Till now!"
[Elohad]: She's family. We'll get her back.
Cambrin looks on and nods approvingly.
Elohad stands at attention and salutes.
[Cambrin]: Nobody gets left behind.
Elohad agrees with Cambrin.
[Jocoza]: Okay. I'll see you all next time! I'll let you know what I find out, and please do the same!
[Elohad]: Yes, cap'n.
Cambrin waves goodbye to everyone. Farewell!