(2022-07-24) Blackrock Orcs and Dragons (Part 1)

Details

Author:	Alli
Summary:	A squad of ten (Alliza, Cambrin, Colson, Elohad, Erixa, Gwenivene, Kaleyah, Mordecai, Nunuzac, Terrineth) heads down to the Burning Steppes to uncover the truth between an apparent relationship between black dragons and the blackrock orcs. Part 1!
Rating:	T for Teen

A group of Cobalt Company members are around a fire at Morgan’s Vigil in the Burning Steppes. A draenei approaches the team.
Nunuzac taps her hooves on the ashy ground, then trots up and folds her arms with a look of mild consternation.
Erixa waves and sits down by the fire.
[Nunuzac]: Hmph! Your anchorite, she tells me twelve bells. Twelve bells, come by and say hello, maybe get to see a baby.
Elohad chuckles at Nunuzac.
[Elohad]: I'm sorry. You actually came all the way to Ironforge?
Erixa glances up at Nunuzac.
[Nunuzac]: Instead what do I see? Elohadference already leaving, out into wild land, no baby anywhere. Sad. Oh yes, I come for other reasons, then I remember the invitation.
[Elohad]: Well, tell you what. You and I can make a real appointment to get together and see that baby soon, hm?
[Nunuzac]: Yes, of course! Now, what is the rush out into this hot place. It must be something interesting.
Nunuzac spots Erixa and blinks.
Mordecai adjusts his tabard. It's about as adjusted as it gets.
Erixa waves again. "I did not expect to see you here, Nunuzac. You joined mercenaries too?"
[Elohad]: We'll get the full briefing once everyone's assembled. I didn't set this one up, so I'm not the best person to explain.
[Colson]: Ready? *Colson asks Mordecai gently.*
Mordecai nods quickly.
[Colson]: Shall we then?
Nunuzac presses her hands in front of her mouth, rising up on her hooves in a bit of surprise. "Little Erixa! No, vindicator!"
Mordecai mumbles, "Good afternoon," looking very quickly around at the group and then down at his shoes.
Elohad looks between the two draenei and smiles, his eyes crinkling at the corners.
Colson salutes Elo with precision, and then nods to others. "Good afternoon."
Elohad rises to return Colson's salute.
Elohad salutes Aspenwood with respect.
Erixa grins up at Nunuzac. "Yes, Vindicator Erixa. Not so little, anymore."
[Nunuzac]: I know nothing about joining, I just met human vindicator out in Zangar. "Come see us if you come to Ironforge," he says.
Elohad thanks Gwenivene.
Cambrin salutes Elohad with respect.
Elohad salutes Cambrin with respect.
Mordecai smooths out imaginary wrinkles in his tabard. There really are none. This is the cleanest, neatest tabard possible.
Nunuzac looks between Erixa and Elohad. "Knowing you are involved makes me even happier to say hello."
[Erixa]: I am being diplomat. Working with all the Azeroth races. You know me, very diplomatic. *Nunuzac would know Erixa is not very diplomatic*
[Cambrin]: Hello all.
[Terrineth]: Heya
Cambrin gives his equipment a final check.
Nunuzac covers her mouth but it doesn't stifle the giggle, she looks genuinely tickled.
Mordecai mumbles a greeting in Cambrin's general direction.
Nunuzac looks around at the other faces, quieting down and eyes curious.
Colson gently squeezes Mordecai's hand once, smiling faintly. "Cam, good afternoon."
Cambrin nods respectfully. "Hello, Colson."
Alliza observes the group from a distance, making notes in her journal.
[Elohad]: We'd be happy to have you tag along with us if you're looking for something to do, Nunuzac. Could always use extra hands, the kinds of stuff we get into.
Nunuzac gives an eager little clap of someone who thrives for impromptu trouble and swerving plans.
Cambrin pulls out a whetstone and gives his blade a final touch-up sharpening.
Erixa smiles at Elohad. "Nunuzac is good people."
Elohad smiles at Nunuzac.
Colson looks over at Nunuzac with a mild, polite expression at Erixa's endorsement.
[Mordecai]: I'm… um. Mordecai. H-hello.
[Erixa]: So… all here? We are meant to talk to night elf person, over there. *Erixa gestures vaguely* Something about Blackrock Mountain, orcs and dragons there.
[Elohad]: Good to see you again, Mordecai.
Elohad spots Margrace and waves her over.
Nunuzac waves at Mordecai.
Cambrin's eyes flick towards the looming mountain. "Oh, great, that place."
Elohad winks slyly at Cambrin.
Mordecai smiles a tiny bit, shy.
Colson turns his head slightly as Margrace approaches from behind. "Margrace. Good afternoon."
A chirping croak emits from under Gwen's hat. "Oh! Right, sorry Pad." She removes the hat, allowing the tree frog atop her head to leap to the brim of it before donning it once more.
Cambrin catches up. "Wait, did you say dragons?"
Elohad eyes Tree Frog up and down.
[Erixa]: They say, more information from the person here. *Erixa glances over to Alliza* You are one of us, yes?
Cambrin grins at Padrick.
Erixa nods at Cambrin. "Yes, not good dragons though."
Margrace gives Colson a hearty back PAT. "Maybe. Prolly not though, considerin' where we're at."
[Alliza]: I am, though this will be my first…major gathering. *She eyes the group.*
Elohad peers at Alliza searchingly.
Cambrin tries to remember if he packed some aloe.
Mordecai looks behind him at Alliza. "Mine too," he mumbles, loud enough for at least her to hear.
Colson smiles gently at Mordecai.
[Elohad]: Don't think we've met. If so, forgive my middle-aged new-parent memory. Elohad Ference.
Erixa gets to her feet. "Well, I am Vindicator Erixa, good to meet you.' *She looks around the others* I know… most of you rest.
Elohad bows before Alliza.
Terrineth glances around the group as they all speak.
Margrace crosses her arms, not bothering to stifle a loud yawn.
Alliza responds to Elohad, "No, I don't believe we have."
Elohad gives Margrace a quelling, paternal sort of Look.
Margrace's yawn turns into a grunt.
[Elohad]: Pleasure to meet you. When we're not on duty you can call me Elo. It's Captain at the moment, though. Just, you know. Keeping things tight.
Erixa nods at the Captain. "Shall we go talk to this Streamhorn person? See what is the problem?"
Elohad nods at you.
Nunuzac sways lightly on her hooves, with the retrieverish smile of someone who doesn't know what's going on but is thrilled that something exciting must be happening. "Oh, there's the funny one, too."
Cambrin sights down his blade to check the sharpness, likes what he sees, and sheathes it.
Erixa waves at Helendis Riverhorn.
Helendis Riverhorn says, “Are you the mercenaries I’ve been told to expect? Cobalt Company?”
[Elohad]: That'd be us, yes.
Elohad salutes Helendis Riverhorn with respect.
Gwenivene waves excitedly to Helendis.
Mordecai bows politely.
Terrineth crosses her arms and stands silently while the others do the talking.
“I don’t mean to be insulting, but I like to know who I’m working with, and not just by reputation,” Riverhorn says, looking over the group appraisingly.
Colson inclines his head politely.
Riverhorn continues, “Before I trust you with anything of import, I need to know you can handle yourselves.”
[Elohad]: What can we do to ease your mind, sir?
Riverhorn gestures around him. “I have a task in mind. Luckily, the Burning Steppes is rife with conflict, so you won’t have to go far.”
Elohad nods at Helendis Riverhorn.
Cambrin snorts. "That's putting it mildly."
Riverhorn says, "Just look at this place! We know very little of what happened to these buildings, but we do know that at one time, before the great explosion, this was all part of the Redridge mountain range."
Nunuzac stands by politely, hands clasped and curiously listening to the exchange.
Elohad looks around, frowning.
Alliza begins recording in her journal again.
Riverhorn continues, "But enough with the history lesson. Let me get to the point. You may have noticed the dragonkin below this ridge. We need assistance in pushing them back. Kill as many as you can and return to me."
[Elohad]: Sounds fine.
Elohad salutes Helendis Riverhorn with respect.
[Colson]: Ah.
Riverhorn adds, "Succeed, and perhaps we can talk of more important things."
Terrineth grunts and nods
[Cambrin]: That seems straightforward enough.
[Margrace]: Was wonderin' what it'd be today…
[Margrace]: Heya Noonoozack.
Erixa eyes the elf, but nods. "I think our reputation is enough. But okay."
[Nunuzac]: Greatname.
Margrace winks.
[Elohad]: All right, folks, let's move out when you're ready.
[Alliza]: Dragons. I suppose that's why there are so many of us.
Mordecai goes to fetch his horse.
Erixa pats Rye affectionately on the neck.
Colson pulls Mordecai's hand up briefly to his heart before releasing his hand, to start preparing for Dargon Murder.
Cambrin whistles for Rusty.
[Erixa]: To the dragonkin!
[Elohad]: Erixa, you take point, all right?
[Erixa]: Yes, Captain!
[Cambrin]: Let's move north, team.
[Erixa]: These ones are very small.
[Erixa]: My team, over here?
Elohad hangs back, patching people up as needed.
[Erixa]: All dead here, now.
[Elohad]: Nice job so far.
[Elohad]: Margrace, probably no need for caution here. You've got enough backup you can probably just head right into the fray.
[Colson]: Indeed.

The teams split up to take out the dragonkin. First, we follow Team Erixa, which is Erixa, Elohad, Alliza, Terrineth, and Margrace. They wander about, slaying dragonkin.

[Erixa]: Let's move further ahead, kill different dragons
[Elohad]: Bet we can get this whole place pretty well cleared out. At least for a while.
[Margrace]: Mm, glad ya think so, chief.
[Erixa]: Yes, they will not have problems anymore.
[Erixa]: Mage, are you okay?
[Elohad]: Stay in range of my heals if you can. Never got your name.
Elohad smiles at Alliza.
[Alliza]: Alliza. And I'm fine. Fire wards work wonders against these.
[Erixa]: They do like fire.
[Elohad]: That said, in a group like this if you get hurt it makes me look bad.
Elohad winks slyly at Alliza.
[Elohad]: I'm a sensitive soul who likes to feel useful.
[Margrace]: Watch when a big ol' dragon swoops out th'sky and steals me away.
Erixa looks at Terrineth. "I do not think I know your name, either."
[Elohad]: Not on my watch, Margrace.
Alliza looks skyward in alarm. "Nothing had better come swooping."
[Terrineth]: Terrineth.
[Margrace]: Dunno, chief. I'm a treasure. You hear all the time they like treasure.
[Erixa]: Erixa. *She nods.* Good to meet you all. More Cobalt people is always good.
[Elohad]: Quite a few during the second war. Unfortunately,
[Elohad]: This time there are no Wildhammers to swoop in and help.
[Erixa]: If a dragon comes to steal you, we will kill it first!
Alliza looks at the sky again. "More swooping?"
[Elohad]: Swooping isn't always bad.
[Margrace]: I'll haunt ya if ya don't.
Erixa waves at the other team.
[Terrineth]: Raaghh!
[Margrace]: What they said.
[Alliza]: I'll need to make a note later. Fighting fire with fire is a lie.
Elohad grins wickedly at Alliza.
[Erixa]: Oh?
[Alliza]: It doesn't seem to work.
[Erixa]: Fighting fire with swords seems to work.
[Elohad]: Got other tricks up your sleeve, I'm sure.
Elohad observes each of them as they fight.
[Erixa]: Let's circle, see if any are left near camp?
[Elohad]: One more quick sweep, and I think we'll be done here.
Erixa points at Black Broodling.
[Terrineth]: You're mine!
[Elohad]: That one thought he could get away.
[Elohad]: Nice work, team.
[Elohad]: Let's head back.
[Erixa]: I think that's all, for now.
[Margrace]: S'like they just kinda hang out here….
[Erixa]: We can tell untrusty elf guy that we wiped them all out.
[Elohad]: The others should be along shortly.
[Alliza]: He is a rude fellow, isn't he?
[Margrace]: D'dragons even go 'round doin' anythin'?
Margrace scratches her nose, "Ain't ever had a dragon be mean t'me."
Elohad rolls a shoulder carefully.
[Erixa]: You… normally meet nice dragons?
Terrineth shrugs, "Guess it don't hurt gettin a better look at who you're hirin before giving someone an important job."
[Margrace]: No, make a point t'not meet dragons, period.
[Alliza]: That does seem…a safe approach.
[Margrace]: Right?
[Elohad]: We've got this. And whatever else it is he really needs us for, which he's yet to tell us.
[Erixa]: I have heard dragons are important for Azeroth. Important but dangerous.
[Elohad]: It's true.
[Alliza]: If he's opening with dragons, I will admit I'm a bit worried.
[Margrace]: So we're out 'ere choppin' up chubby lil'uns cus…?
[Erixa]: This is first, who knows what we kill second?
[Terrineth]: Well I can't argue with the pay in any case.
[Elohad]: They were tasked with overseeing different aspects of creation, here, or so the legend goes. One of them quit his job though. Without notice. Violently.
[Elohad]: Those ones we just fought? Those are his brood.
[Erixa]: Ah, quitter-follower dragons. So they are bad ones.
[Elohad]: Very bad quitter-followers.
Margrace shrugs, all this a bit beyond whatever she cares to follow.
[Erixa]: What was he supposed to oversee?
[Elohad]: Honestly most dragons are not what you'd call friendly to us mere mortals. But the black ones are a whole different order of bad.
[Elohad]: He was the Earthwarder, back in the day. The deep places of the world.
[Elohad]: Probably would have been pals with dwarves, if he'd stayed on task.
[Margrace]: Maybe tha's why he quit.
Margrace snickers.
Erixa frowns. "Is a shame, could have lived in Ironforge, like us."
[Erixa]: Like Cobalt, I mean.

Here we pause to follow the other team, Team Cambrin. This is Cambrin, Mordecai, Colson, Gwenivene, and Nunuzac.

[Cambrin]: We can take the western batch.
[Gwenivene]: Pew-pew-pew!
Mordecai says the power word "Shield," quietly, every thirty seconds without fail, keeping himself in a shield bubble at all times.
[Nunuzac]: These dragons… they are kin to Draenor's. Is this their homeland?
[Cambrin]: Hm, the edge of ogre territory.
Gwenivene nods to Nunuzac. "Yes. The black dragons originated on Azeroth."
Colson inclines his head in agreement with Gwen.
[Mordecai]: I… I don't know that much about the black dragonflight in particular.
Cambrin smiles. "I figured Miss Gwen would know."
[Cambrin]: Why don't we work back south towards the Vigil?
[Nunuzac]: They come with Lothar's Children. Still there, some.
Mordecai nods.
Colson moves closer to Mordecai, saying in a low voice, "I have a book we can borrow once more, if you would like to know more of them."
Mordecai nods to Colson.
[Cambrin]: We've thinned them out pretty fast.
Cambrin points at Ember Worg.
[Nunuzac]: When one finds me, I always run away, before. You make it seem not so dangerous.
[Mordecai]: It's easier with, with a group.
[Cambrin]: Where there's worgs, there might be orcs. Best keep a sharp eye.
[Nunuzac]: Then again, a bit small.
[Gwenivene]: Pew-pew-pew!
[Cambrin]: Almost done with the order. Just need to find some smaller ones.
[Cambrin]: Mount up!
Mordecai climbs back into Pastry's saddle.
[Cambrin]: Seems like the edge of their range.
[Gwenivene]: Pew-pew-pew!
[Nunuzac]: I probably don't run away from that one. Just a puppy.
Mordecai smiles a little.
Gwenivene giggles, "Puppy…"
[Cambrin]: I think that fulfills the order, back to the Vigil!
[Mordecai]: R-right.

Now Team Cambrin arrives back at Morgan’s Vigil, where Team Erixa is waiting.

[Erixa]: Hello other team!
[Alliza]: I don't think I want a dragon in Ironforge.
[Gwenivene]: Hellooo!
[Erixa]: Killed many dragonkins?
[Elohad]: Honestly I have a hard time picturing a deep-underground type dragon, but that's how the story goes, anyway.
[Cambrin]: Wrapped up our assignment, just need to turn it in.
[Nunuzac]: So many. Even the puppies.
Gwenivene sighs, "Yeah…"
Erixa looks at Alliza. "If it were nice. That would be different."
[Elohad]: Let's report.
Riverhorn hails the group. "How goes the dragonkin culling?"
[Margrace]: 'Tween you an' me, I like the lil'uns…
[Elohad]: Splendidly.
[Erixa]: Very few left. If any.
Elohad drops a couple of drake trophies at his feet.
Riverhorn nods approvingly. "Superb slaying, Cobalt Company. Now that I know you can handle yourselves around the dragonkin, we can talk of more pressing matters."
[Elohad]: All ears, sir.
Mordecai holds a hand out to Colson.
Cambrin listens attentively.
“We had always assumed that the Blackrock orcs were a product of their savage upbringing, which I'm sure you know all too well. What we have found here, in their homeland, tells us another story." Riverhorn pauses dramatically.
Margrace presses a finger to her nostril and blows something out on the dirt. "Soot…"
Colson takes it automatically, as he listens.
Erixa raises an eyebrow, and glances at Nunuzac. "Pretty sure they are just savage."
Cambrin shoots a glance Margrace's way and flashes her a grin.
[Elohad]: I wouldn't call it their homeland, but… go on.
Riverhorn takes a breath and continues, “Well, yes, it is bloodlust and thirst for conflict that empowers them, but the black dragonflight are the beings who control the orcs of Blackrock.“
Colson raises his brows at that. "Interesting."
“We suspect that it is the black dragonflight that fuels them with rage and hostility," Riverhorn pronounces.
Nunuzac furrows her eyebrows with a look of great concentration, looking mildly unsettled.
Alliza sighs. "Orcs. I should have known. Well. Keep them away from me, in any case."
[Cambrin]: Huh. Like the demons with the other orcs.
Elohad sighs deeply.
[Erixa]: So the orcs are also quitter-followers… *Erixa sighs* Why do they like bad leaders so much?
[Elohad]: A match made in hell.
Riverhorn hands Elohad a sealed letter. "Take this letter to Magistrate Solomon. He will know what must be done."
[Cambrin]: Can't be fun to have super-powerful beings messing with your minds.
[Alliza]: Do Orcs even have minds?
[Elohad]: Everyone know how to get to Lakeshire?
[Terrineth]: Sure do.
[Elohad]: That's where we'll find Solomon.
Erixa nods. "Everyone spoke to flight master there?"
[Elohad]: Let's reconvene at the Lakeshire flight point.
Mordecai nods. "I-I've been. Yes."
[Margrace]: Bird time…
[Erixa]: Orcs have minds, *Erixa looks mildly at Alliza* Cannot be that evil without minds.
[Cambrin]: Never think they don’t have minds. Some of them are as sharp as anyone here. Well, except maybe Miss Gwen.
Gwenivene blushes.

They all fly to Redridge and walk together into Lakeshire.

Colson looks around with a sweeping glance, as though looking for someone.
[Erixa]: In town hall, yes?
Elohad nods.
Mordecai keeps his head down and doesn't look around at all.
Margrace posts up at the door.
They enter the town hall, and head toward Magistrate Solomon.
[Elohad]: Solomon. Long time.
Magistrate Solomon waves at Elohad, "Lord Ference, Cobalt Company! Welcome! Your people have given us considerable assistance in the past - more than the army, that's for sure. What news, today?"
Elohad passes him the message without a word.
Magistrate Solomon opens the sealed letter from Helendis and begins reading.
Magistrate Solomon says, "This is grim news, Lord Ference. To discover that our mortal enemies are merely pawns of a much greater threat is disheartening."
Mordecai nods and hangs back, looking down.
Elohad nods grimly.
Erixa nods, and waits expectantly for his plan. He is supposed to know what to do, after all.
Magistrate Solomon looks around the room, as if considering his defenses. "There is no possible way that Lakeshire could survive an attack from both the Blackrock orcs and the black dragonflight."
Nunuzac raises pressed-together fingers in front of her lips while observing. She looks very invested now.
[Elohad]: Sorry to say I have to agree.
[Erixa]: It is a lovely town. Not very defensible, though.
[Alliza]: Fine, so what do we do about it?
"Should Lakeshire fall to this menace, Darkshire would fall next, and then what? Goldshire? Stormwind itself?" Solomon still seems fixated on doom.
Elohad waits patiently, letting him process.
Mordecai glances at Alliza with a faint flicker of a smile.
Solomon seems to return to the moment, focusing on Elohad. “What to do about it, yes… You must take this information to Highlord Bolvar Fordragon in Stormwind at once!"
Cambrin grunts.
Magistrate Solomon says with great vehemence. "If this does not merit the aid of Stormwind, nothing will and all is lost."
Colson inclines his head politely to the Magistrate. Colson can understand wanting another leader to weigh in.
Terrineth scoffs. She quickly notices she probably shouldn't have done that and clears her throat.
[Elohad]: At this rate we should just install a portal to the throne room in HQ. *He grins crookedly.*
Cambrin has low expectations.
[Elohad]: All right gang, time to get your throne room etiquette on.
[Erixa]: Do we fly or portal?
Colson looks like that's just his default etiquette.
[Alliza]: Time is important, isn't it? Portal, then.
[Elohad]: You kneel to the King, I don't care if he is ten years old. Don't speak unless spoken to.
Mordecai looks down and tries to brush his tabard off. It looks brand new. There is nothing to be done to make this tabard look nicer.
Erixa shakes some dirt off her shield.
Cambrin makes a motion of zipping his lips.
Gwenivene rubs her chin, murmuring, "…portal to the throne room…"
[Elohad]: It's just how we do. Sorry if it offends anyone culturally or anything. It shouldn't take long.
[Elohad]: We do have two mages. Portal to Stormwind might shorten things?
Erixa nods.
[Gwenivene]: Sure thing!
Erixa says to Nunuzac, "Families are very important to humans. That's why we kneel, even though he is a child."
Nunuzac slightly hyperventilates, murmuring in draenic to herself, "Oooh, important people…"
[Alliza]: Say the word. I can't get us -directly- to the throne room, I've never been, but I can get us close.
[Erixa]: All ready to go?
[Gwenivene]: Let's do it!
[Elohad]: Certainly.
[Mordecai]: Yes, please. Um. Ready.
Gwenivene sets about poking a hole in space.
[Cambrin]: All set here.
Colson waits for the portal, and then closes his eyes before stepping through.
Alliza and Gwenivene open portals, and everyone goes through into the Mage Tower of Stormwind.
Margrace hiccups.
Mordecai waits patiently for Colson to get his bearings.
Colson opens his eyes a moment after they step into Stormwind.
Nunuzac keeps on joining along without bothering to ask if she should or not.
[Elohad]: Everyone get here in one piece?
Erixa nods. "All safe."
Terrineth nods.
[Alliza]: Of course they did, my portals are perfectly safe.
Erixa looks around. "Where is Margrace?"
Erixa points at Margrace.
[Erixa]: Ah, there.
[Elohad]: Some people get a little portal-sick, though. *He smiles wryly*
[Margrace]: Always.
[Alliza]: Do they really?
Mordecai looks slightly more at ease now that they're in Stormwind. The difference is pretty small.
[Elohad]: All right. To the Keep! If anyone needs to make any stops, that's fine, just meet up outside the castle gate.
[Erixa]: It is like Highlord Fordragon is our pal. We visit a lot.
[Margrace]: Always smells like cabbage'ere…t'me anyway.
Elohad grins at you wickedly.
Colson looks mild, but his lips twitch.
Cambrin awkwardly tries to knock some of the steppe dust from his clothes & armor.
Mordecai tries to neaten out his hair a little as he rides. He makes it worse.
Colson smiles at Mordecai, and settles himself a little as they ride.
The teams arrive at the keep.
Elohad looks up at the keep's towers and smiles fondly.
They walk inside, and up the central hallway.
Erixa whispers to Nunuzac, "Aren't the columns pretty?"
[Elohad]: Now's the time to fix your hair if you have it.
Margrace does her best to sort of squeeze behind the Aspenwoods.
Mordecai whispers to Colson, "D-do I look all right?" Oh no. He tries to fix his hair again.
Terrineth keeps her helmet on.
Alliza can't help but giggle at the hair comment.
Erixa reaches up and tucks her hair on both sides behind her horns. It flops back in place immediately.
[Colson]: You look wonderful, *Colson says in a low, warm voice.* It is alright.
Colson just looks like Colson.
Nunuzac looks up and around. "Tall and bright. The rocks look happy."
[Margrace]: Ye, jus' peachy.
Elohad kneels before Anduin Wrynn.
Erixa kneels before Anduin Wrynn.
Gwenivene kneels before Anduin Wrynn.
Aspenwood kneels before Anduin Wrynn.
Mordecai kneels before Anduin Wrynn.
Alliza kneels before Anduin Wrynn.
Margrace kneels before Anduin Wrynn.
Nunuzac kneels down.
Terrineth kneels before Anduin Wrynn.
Cambrin kneels before Anduin Wrynn.
Elohad waits to be addressed.
Nunuzac watches Erixa's posture a bit and minds her manners very well, aside from looking simply delighted.
Highlord Fordragon nods greeting to the Company, and gestures for them to approach. "I did not expect to see you again so soon. What news have you?"
[Elohad]: Grave, I'm afraid.
Mordecai rises when addressed.
Elohad relates the contents of the night elf's letter.
Colson rises on command, looking solemn and polite.
Highlord Fordragon eyes the Company incredulously. "Dragons? Impossible!"
Cambrin stands up. His left knee makes a popping sound.
[Elohad]: I wish it were impossible, Highlord.
Highlord Fordragon sighs. "Solomon paints a dreary picture. Still, we cannot afford to send our thinly spread troops to the aid of Lakeshire on speculation. I will need proof of these claims before I can act."
Highlord Fordragon considers for a long moment, then gestures to Lady Prestor, on the other side of little Anduin. "I would ask you to speak with Lady Prestor. She is a learned woman and knows much of dragons and dragonkin."
[Elohad]: Of course, Highlord.
Margrace continues to use the shiny holy men as camouflage.
Colson seems accustomed to this kind of camouflage usage.
Alliza struggles to keep her mouth shut.
"She may be able to shed some light on this situation," the Highlord says.
Elohad's manner becomes ever so slightly frostier as he approaches the lady.
Lady Prestor glares at the group.
[Elohad]: Pardon the intrusion, Lady Prestor, but Highlord Bolvar suggested that we seek your advice.
[Lady Prestor]: I was standing right next to you, imbecile. I know what you seek.
[Elohad]: My apologies, Lady Prestor.
[Lady Prestor]: You seek to lower our global defenses in order to appease a paranoid magistrate and an encampment of riff-raff that are probably suffering from heat stroke.
[Elohad]: Begging your pardon, Lady Prestor. That was not our intent.
[Lady Prestor]: Of course not, dear boy. You 'adventurer' types are often victims of circumstance; subject to the political drama which tends to unfold between citizenry and royalty. My advice to all of you, then, is to seek out something else, more specifically: A new career. This world has enough heroes.
Elohad, as he listens to Lady Prestor, goes very white, and then very red.
[Elohad]: *Icy* Thank you for your time, Lady Prestor.
Margrace whispers to Nunuzac, "Reminds me of me mum."
Mordecai goes a little pale as Lady Katrana verbally dresses them down, and he shrinks back behind Colson a little.
Colson's face goes Extremely Neutral.
Terrineth stifles a glare.
Cambrin looks like he's about to say something, then clamps his mouth shut.
Alliza struggles immensely to keep calm.
Nunuzac clamps her palm over her mouth briefly and struggles to not laugh at Margrace.
Colson inclines his head with an exacting politeness at Lady Prestor. Not a single inch lower than he needs to for politeness.
Erixa glares at Lady Prestor, but manages not to give her a piece of her mind. It is a truly heroic effort.
Elohad shoots everyone else a grateful look.
[Elohad]: Do you agree with her advice, Highlord?
Highlord Fordragon cups his chin as if in deep thought. "While I respect Lady Prestor's stance, I believe that there is a solution to this dilemma that may put all of our concerns to rest."
Cambrin realizes he's clenching his fists and slowly opens them.
Elohad exhales slowly in relief.
Highlord Fordragon writes something on a paper, folds it up, and hands it to Elohad. "Lord Ference, I am going to empower you and your team as acting deputies of Stormwind. Return to Magistrate Solomon in Lakeshire and deliver this decree."
[Elohad]: Of course, Highlord. Right away.
Cambrin bows before Anduin Wrynn.
Elohad does not manage to keep from shooting Lady Prestor a smug look before leaving.
Elohad bows before Anduin Wrynn.
Mordecai bows before Anduin Wrynn.
Erixa blinks. "Is that really a sol…" she looks at Elohad and clamps her mouth shut,
Alliza bows before Anduin Wrynn.
Erixa bows before Anduin Wrynn.
Terrineth bows before Anduin Wrynn.
[Margrace]: Oi, chief.
Elohad says quietly, "I'll explain once we're outside."
[Cambrin]: More work for us, at least.
Margrace makes a strange face over her shoulder.
[Erixa]: Does that mean we deal with it? Instead of army?
Elohad nods crisply.
Nunuzac keeps peering over her shoulder until physically impossible to look back into the throne room.
[Margrace]: Can ya explain why she's got ten sticks up'er as?
[Alliza]: Shhh. Outside first.
[Elohad]: It's complicated. I'll explain once it's safe.
Colson clears his throat at Margrace's words.
Cambrin smirks at Margrace.
[Margrace]: I mean, yea, ten sticks is a few more'an one.
[Elohad]: Meet me on the bridge there.
Mordecai cracks a very faint, shaky smile.
[Cambrin]: You sure it's only ten, Margrace?
[Margrace]: Can't prove I can count higher.
[Alliza]: Could we not talk about sticks up people's…
During the ‘how many sticks’ discussion, the team exits the keep and makes their way to a nearby bridge.
Elohad looks right, then left.
[Margrace]: If people know ya can count higher'an ten, they ask ya t'do stuff.
Elohad speaks verrrry quietly.
Mordecai says, very very quietly, "Sorry." He might be talking to Margrace.
[Elohad]: We've had some run-ins with her in the past, Cobalt Company has. She has ties to some organizations that… do not have Stormwind's interest at heart. But she's also immensely powerful.
Margrace shrugs at Mordecai. Who knows?
[Colson]: Indeed.
Erixa raises an eyebrow.
Terrineth raises an eyebrow
[Margrace]: Ain't that most rich people?
Erixa says, verrry quietly, matching Elohad's tone, "People we fight?"
Nunuzac is a mixture of awestruck and protective in tone. "I see king baby." She looks far too overwhelmed to be bothered by Prestor.
[Elohad]: For him to directly defy her would be suicide. Politically and possibly literally. But he knows us. Knows we can be trusted to handle it.
Cambrin rests one hand on the hilt of his sword.
Terrineth nods to Margrace, "What she said."
[Elohad]: So that's what he's done. He's put it in our hands so he has plausible deniability if we go against her wishes.
[Elohad]: But make no mistake, he wants us to put a stop to this threat if we can.
Erixa nods. "I… see… if it was army, it would be defiance."
[Elohad]: Yes.
Margrace thumbs her nose.
[Alliza]: Why do we still need proof? We have a reasonable suspicion.
[Elohad]: Mostly, to be honest, because of her.
[Erixa]: It seems like 'dragons are directing orcs' should not be a politics thing. Just a danger thing.
[Elohad]: She can be backed into a corner if she has no way to argue reasonably without revealing her true motives.
[Alliza]: What a pain…
[Elohad]: It's how we handled her last time. The proof was so overwhelming she had to relent. Or else reveal that she'd been behind it all.
[Erixa]: Okay, so now we go to tell news to Solomon. Maybe he will be happy? And we can find more evidence.
[Elohad]: How she could be tied into the Blackrock Orcs… I don't even dare speculate. Let's just keep looking into it, yes.
[Alliza]: Oh. She's that kind of person. I see.
[Terrineth]: Works for me.
Elohad nods to Alliza.
[Elohad]: Meet you in Lakeshire, then.
They all fly back to Lakeshire.
Margrace sniffles.
[Erixa]: We are almost like an army, right? I do not think we could defend Lakeshire from orcs and dragons, though.
[Elohad]: Not alone. But we can get enough work done that hopefully it won't be an issue.
[Cambrin]: More like a strike team.
Mordecai says quietly to Colson, "Lady Katrana reminds me of Mother. Something about her. I don't care for her."
Colson's face is Extremely Neutral. "Nor do I."
[Alliza]: Dying heroically is all well and good, but it's not for me.
[Margrace]: Same.
[Cambrin]: Your mom must be a piece of work, Mordecai.
Elohad shoots Mordecai a very concerned look when he says— yeah, that.
[Mordecai]: Y, yes.
[Colson]: She is, yes.
[Erixa]: I will die heroically one day. But not today.
Margrace laughs.
Colson scans the courtyard again.
Mordecai, despite himself, looks around Lakeshire anxiously.
[Colson]: She is not here, *Colson says gently.*
Magistrate Solomon's face lights up when he sees the approaching Cobalt Company team. "Well? Is aid on its way?"
[Elohad]: We've been deputized by the Highlord, Magistrate.
Cambrin mutters "In a manner of speaking."
Magistrate Solomon reads the decree and sighs. "It could have been worse, I suppose…"
Magistrate Solomon looks the team over. "It appears as if the fate of Lakeshire rests squarely on your shoulders."
Colson squares those shoulders.
[Erixa]: We have strong shoulders. *Erixa assures him*
The team might notice Magistrate Solomon blinking rapidly. He appears to be crying.
Elohad looks at Solomon in concern, then puts a hand on his shoulder, gripping it firmly. "Hey. It's me, Solomon. It's Cobalt Company. We'll handle it."
[Cambrin]: We won't let you down, sir.
Solomon nods at Elohad, and tries to compose his face.
Mordecai stands up a little straighter.
Elohad releases him, studying him just a moment longer before nodding crisply.
Magistrate Solomon sighs again. "You must return to the Burning Steppes. As deputies of Stormwind, you will be required to report to Marshal Maxwell. Good luck."
Terrineth taps her foot on the floor
Elohad salutes Magistrate Solomon with respect.
[Elohad]: We're on it.
Mordecai bows before Magistrate Solomon.
Cambrin loosens his blade in his scabbard.
Margrace picks herself from the wall.
[Alliza]: This isn't a die heroically mission is it? The man was crying.
[Elohad]: He's tired, Alliza. Very, very tired.
[Elohad]: Living here is… rough.
[Cambrin]: Well, that's not plan A, I'm sure.
[Erixa]: I think maybe he is afraid. That his people will die-not-heroically. The citizens.
[Elohad]: This news… might have been the last straw for him. He just needs to have faith in us. I know it's hard. It's been a while since the last time we bailed Lakeshire out.
[Cambrin]: Not on our watch.
Nunuzac looks to be going through a series of mixed emotions.
[Erixa]: Back to Morgan's Vigil!
Elohad nods at you.
They all fly back to Morgan’s Vigil.
Mordecai stumbles a little getting off the gryphon as it lands.
Cambrin tries to clear the LZ.
Colson has a hand outstretched to him already.
Mordecai takes Colson's hand.
[Elohad]: Marshal Maxwell? Elohad Ference, with Cobalt Company. We're acting deputies of Stormwind today.
Cambrin sees the couple and smiles shyly.
Elohad passes him the message.
Marshal Maxwell says, "Yes, I'm Marshal Maxwell.” He looks at the decree and laughs.
Maxwell shakes his head and says, "What? You thought you were the first? How many soldiers must we lose before Stormwind acts?"
Elohad frowns.
"We had accumulated enormous amounts of intelligence pertaining to the Blackrock menace before we lost our commanding officer, Marshal Windsor." Maxwell sighs deeply. "With Marshal Windsor went all of our precious information."
Alliza looks very, very unamused.
Colson frowns slightly.
[Erixa]: We are not here for dying heroically, *Erixa clarifies.*
[Elohad]: It's all right. We can pick up the loose ends. We'll see it done.
"Above all, what we need is that documentation. Speak with Ragged John." *Maxwell gestures vaguely northward.* "He was with Windsor when they were attacked by a Blackrock raiding party. He was last seen in a cave to the north."
[Elohad]: We're on it, Marshal.
Elohad salutes Marshal Maxwell with respect.
[Erixa]: Ragged. That is an interesting name.
You salute Marshal Maxwell with respect.
Mordecai salutes Marshal Maxwell with respect.
[Cambrin]: Rescue missions are our specialty.
Aspenwood salutes Marshal Maxwell with respect.
Cambrin salutes Marshal Maxwell with respect.
[Elohad]: Erixa, take point.
Gwenivene portals her mount in and teleports into the saddle.
[Cambrin]: I'll cover the rear, sir.
[Elohad]: Understood, Cam.
They ride north.
[Alliza]: I hate to say it, but this is not looking promising.
[Elohad]: I won't let us get in over our heads. Promise.
[Erixa]: Maybe Ragged has some of the evidence?
[Margrace]: S'two promises now, chief.
Mordecai, as they enter dangerous territory again, begins to say the power word, "Shield," every thirty seconds, keeping himself in a safety bubble at all times.
[Elohad]: I don't make promises lightly. No one's dying on my watch today. Let's just see if we can salvage any of the intelligence they've already gathered.
[Elohad]: Intelligence first. Then we decide who strikes and where.
[Erixa]: We are north. Now look for caves.
Elohad scans the ridges around them.
[Elohad]: Sharp eyes are not my specialty.
[Colson]: Oh, mountain silversage.
Mordecai alternates between looking at the mountainside and looking around for danger.
Colson looks at the plant as they ride by.
Margrace coughs, "Might know one, with some folks. Ifin ya don' ask why."
[Margrace]: But hey, no need. Lookie 'ere.
Nunuzac keeps scanning overhead with an expectant look.
[Erixa]: Indeed! This your cave, Margrace?
[Mordecai]: Oh.
Erixa dismounts to approach on foot.
[Margrace]: Said no questions, yea?
Erixa scowls at Vahgruk.
Cambrin holds his empty hands out.
Colson approaches cautiously, looking at the Horde flag with a mild expression.
[Cambrin]: I think they don't want any trouble.
Elohad keeps one hand on the hilt of his mace.
Terrineth looks unphased by the sight of orcs and goblins.
[Margrace]: Nah, all 'bout coin out 'ere.
[Nunuzac]: Wonder how long it takes big ones to notice no puppies come home.
[Elohad]: John? We need information about Marshal Windsor.
Ragged John looks up blearily. "Eh? Yeah 'sme."
Elohad grills John for the story…
[Ragged John]: What you be wanting? *hic*
[Elohad]: Official business, John. I need some information about Marshal Windsor. Tell me about the last time you saw him.
[Ragged John]: Windsor was particularly ornery that day - and believe me, for Windsor, that's a monumental accomplishment. He kept telling me that 'something feels off.' Well he wasn't kidding! We were in the middle of Blackrock Mountain when the filthy animals attacked. I'm talking about the orcs, of course. Pay attention, will ya? All you could hear were the grunts and the clanging of steel as they rushed us.
[Elohad]: So what did you do?
[Ragged John]: Me versus fifty orcs? I'm no fool. My pappy always told me, 'Discreditin' is the better part of a cracker,' or something, and I knew what that meant.
[Elohad]: Start making sense, dwarf. I don't want to have anything to do with your cracker, your pappy, or any sort of 'discreditin'.'
[Ragged John]: Alright, alright. Anyhow, so I sorta slipped into the shadows.That didn't sit too well with Windsor, seeing as how he was already extra cranky. Well he started spinnin' old Ironfoe around and screaming like a mad man at the orcs.
[Elohad]: Ironfoe?
[Ragged John]: Yep. You never heard of Ironfoe? The legendary orc slaying hammer? Yep, yep, that was ol' Windsor's hammer. He told me that Franclorn Forgewright himself made that hammer for his great, great, grand pappy. THE Franclorn Forgewright. The Dark Iron responsible for stonewrought archimetenc… building stuff. He also said the hammer had a twin that Franclorn kept for himself. Think he called it Ironfel or something.
[Elohad]: Interesting… continue, John.
[Ragged John]: So where was I? Oh yea, so the orcs rushed Windsor and Windsor? Well, he didn't move an inch. He stood tall as they charged him, ten at a time. All I could see was the glow from Ironfoe and a lot of blood. This went on for hours, maybe days. I don't remember. Anyhow, FINALLY, it stopped.
[Elohad]: So that's how Windsor died…
[Ragged John]: Died? Are you all cracked? Excuse me, Lord Ference! Windsor wouldn't have died from no fifty orcs. As sure as Thelsamar blood sausage is the tastiest food in the world may ever know, there he stood: he was covered in orc chunks from head to toe, drenched in about eighteen layers of their blood, but he was definitely alive… and really, really angry.
[Elohad]: So how did he die?
[Ragged John]: Why do you keep saying he died? Who told you he died? I never said he died. He went missing is all. You see, apparently we had gotten into the middle of some big orc versus Dark Iron dwarf battle. The orcs, being the filthy miserable curs that they are, were out early, setting up some traps and other diabolical things you probably wouldn't understand.
[Elohad]: Ok, so where the hell is he? Wait a minute! Are you drunk?
[Ragged John]: Dwarves don't get drunk, mister. I'm just a little sloppy. Anyhow, Windsor? I figure he's somewhere in the Blackrock Depths. That's the Dark Iron City for you unedumecated peoples.
[Elohad]: WHY is he in Blackrock Depths?
[Ragged John]: Slow down! I was getting to that! So there he was, standing tall with all the blood and guts dripping off him when who shows up? The Dark Irons! Didn't you hear a word I said?? Well, the Dark Irons are a little craftier than those Blackrock Orcs. They came prepared. By prepared I mean there were about 300 of em… *hic* 'scuse me.
[Elohad]: 300? So the Dark Irons killed him and dragged him into the Depths?
[Ragged John]: Mister, if I didn't know better, I'd think you were one of those 'special' peoples. We call 'em Troggs. Windsor didn't have no beef with the Dark Irons, after all, his great, great, grand pappy's best friend was a Dark Iron. Which is also probably why that army of Dark Irons didn't kill him on sight.
[Elohad]: Ahhh… Ironfoe.
[Ragged John]: Finally! Put some fingers in your ears, your brain mighta just grown five sizes and I'm worried it might leak out. So the Dark Irons spared his life and took him prisoner. Their leader, some self-important, took Ironfoe for himself. And that was the last I saw of ol' Windsor… *hic* 'scuse me.
Mordecai looks visibly relieved when Ragged John confirms that Marshal Windsor isn't dead, just taken prisoner.
[Elohad]: Thanks, Ragged John. Your story was very uplifting and informative.
Margrace sits on the bridge, dangling her feet over the side. She digs into her vest and pulls out something wrapped in paper. A quick muttered cuss, "…chocolate's all melty…" She licks the paper anyway.
Colson listens with a slight frown of thought the entire time.
Elohad tries to follow all the twists and turns of the tipsy dwarf's rambling story.
Elohad lets out a stream of very unpaladinly words.
[Alliza]: This man is useless. Drunk and useless and I want nothing to do with him.
Alliza retreats.
Nunuzac simply tunes out the erratic and accented talk she can't parse, opting instead to keep a wary eye out for 'big ones'.
Erixa tried and mostly failed to follow the rambling story.
[Elohad]: The upshot is… the man we're looking for appears to have been taken captive by Emperor Thaurissan.
Elohad rakes a hand back through what's left of his hair.
Margrace finishes her melted chocolate and lets the paper go, fluttering into the heated rock below where it incinerates.
[Cambrin]: It’d be his successor in charge, now, sir. A team of us killed the Emperor trying to rescue King Bronzebeard's daughter.
[Elohad]: So what does that mean for the captive?
[Erixa]: Probably still in the prison?
[Cambrin]: Not sure, sir. Never saw him, but the place is huge. We could easily have missed him.
[Elohad]: This isn't good, but it's… something.
Mordecai looks off to the west.
[Elohad]: We should let Maxwell or whatever his name was decide what to do with this information.
[Erixa]: Okay, so this guy is not dead. I caught that. And in prison. Probably.
[Cambrin]: A hot, dark prison.
[Alliza]: Think the guy has starved to death by now? That dwarf would say he's not, but that dwarf is a crazy man.
[Elohad]: There's no way to know. We'll have to get some people in there. … Again.
[Erixa]: I think Cobalt left Moira Bronzebeard there. Is she in charge now?
[Elohad]: Possibly? Faol's balls…
Margrace snickers at that.
[Cambrin]: They have a lot of prisoners down there, they must feed them something.
[Cambrin]: Probably nothing wholesome.
[Alliza]: Faol's…what?
Elohad clears his throat and does not answer Alliza.
[Margrace]: He said 'balls'.
Colson clears his throat, just slightly.
[Alliza]: Balls. And I suspect we do not mean the kind children play with.
Margrace looks rather smug.
Elohad sighs, but allows it.
[Erixa]: I assume it is sports reference.
Gwenivene portals her mount in and teleports into the saddle.
[Elohad]: Sorry. Was a soldier before I was a paladin.
[Alliza]: There's nothing that says soldiers can't use proper language.
Erixa nods. "Soldiers like sports."
[Elohad]: Well, the soldiers I hung out with liked to give hell to the ones that didn't fit in. So, I fit in.
[Cambrin]: I use proper language. It’s just sometimes, the proper language is, um, colorful.
Alliza instead of trying to explain, she turns to Erixa. "Sports are bad."
Colson looks Very Neutral at the Fitting In talk.
Erixa shrugs.
Elohad sighs at Marshal Maxwell.
[Erixa]: Marshal Maxwell, he was very hard to understand.
Marshal Maxwell grins. "I could have warned you, but what fun is that?"
The team relays the story to Maxwell.
Marshal Maxwell taps his chin thoughtfully. "So that good for nothing coward says that Windsor is alive, eh?"
Erixa nods at Marshal Maxwell.
Mordecai runs a hand through his hair. It is now an absolute mess.
[Elohad]: All right team. Do we need some time before we head in there? I doubt he's getting any… more imprisoned. We could go right now, if you feel ready, but… Light only knows how long it'll take, and I know some of you must be tired.
Margrace begins to do some stretches.
Maxwell nods firmly. "I'd say suit up, deputies, you are going in to find him today. If Windsor is alive, you are to bring him back. If he's dead, I want proof."
[Mordecai]: I'm ready.
Elohad checks in with the others, looking around.
Terrineth rolls her shoulders.
Colson smiles faintly at Mordecai's instant response. "At your order, sir, ready."
Maxwell laughs. "I bet you are getting tired of hearing that, about getting proof, aren't you?"
Margrace climbs up for a ride.
[Elohad]: We really, really are.
[Alliza]: I only hope prolonged exposure to this place does not cause one to lose their marbles as these men have.
Elohad smiles grimly at Marshal Maxwell.
[Elohad]: Anyone here good with the layout in there? My memory's hazy.
[Alliza]: Never been.
[Elohad]: Last thing we want is to get lost.
[Margrace]: Eh.
[Colson]: I have never been.
[Elohad]: Anyone have a map or know the place well?
[Margrace]: I been in an' out a few times.
Elohad nods to Margrace.
[Elohad]: All right Scout, looks like you get to do some Scouting.
Elohad winks slyly at Margrace.
[Cambrin]: I've been, but not too confident about knowing the way.
Margrace tries not to blush but fails. "Well, duh."
Erixa smiles. "Good, because I do not know the place."
[Elohad]: Between the two of you we should be all right. Just don't let us get lost.
[Elohad]: Ready when you are, team.
Nunuzac again does not ask for confirmation that she should continue along. She looks eager.
[Cambrin]: Everyone ready?
Mordecai nods.
Margrace sniffles.
Elohad stands at attention and salutes.
Colson nods.
[Erixa]: Ready!
[Cambrin]: Well, I know how to get in there at least.
[Elohad]: Cam. Catch. *Elohad tosses him an odd device.*
Cambrin almost fumbles it but manages the catch.
[Elohad]: Best if we split up, five and five, to distract the enemy forces in different directions.
[Erixa]: To the Mountain then!
[Elohad]: But you can hit that red button and contact me if you need.
[Cambrin]: Ah. Buzzbox. Yes, sir.
Elohad murmurs into the box.
[Elohad]: All right, let's go!
[Erixa]: Off we go!
[Mordecai]: Do you… think there may be other prisoners there, still?
[Elohad]: We'll help whoever we can, son.
Mordecai smiles at Elohad and nods.
[Erixa]: Do you look for someone special?
Colson nods solemnly, to both the question and the answer.
Margrace sighs, holding onto her spot on the horse. "Yay, more people."
[Alliza]: Did we bring any spare clothes? I shudder to think of the state they must be in.
[Mordecai]: No one in particular, just… I don't want anyone to be left behind, if… well.
[Elohad]: I have a change in my pack if someone needs it.
[Cambrin]: No one gets left behind if we can help it.
Elohad nods.
[Alliza]: Good. I did not sign up for nudity.
Elohad arches a brow at Alliza.
Mordecai looks up at the mountain.
Colson adjusts his gloves as they get closer, eyes the lava.
[Margrace]: Man…gotta go the long way, what with all ya…
Colson murmurs prayers as they jog.
Nunuzac boggles at the streaming lava.
Erixa looks around in wonderment.
[Erixa]: So much lava.
Mordecai removes his cape, bundles it up, and puts it in his pack. Hot in here.
Terrineth's eyes go wide at the sight of the inside of the mountain
[Nunuzac]: This… this is better than the big forge!
[Erixa]: Are we sure he is not lava burned?
Margrace holds up a hand.
[Margrace]: Dragons up top, yea. So. Hope ya like heights.
[Cambrin]: The prison isn't overrun with lava. It’s big.
Margrace points at the chain extending over the chasm.
Elohad solemnly takes in the architecture.
[Erixa]: We walk over that?
[Margrace]: Up an' over.
[Cambrin]: It's not so bad.
[Alliza]: Oh, no. No, no. You're joking right?
Colson moves behind Mordecai as they cross.
[Elohad]: It's okay. We've got you.
[Cambrin]: Want a safety line?
Mordecai walks very slowly and carefully.
Alliza tries not to look down.
Nunuzac claps a little and dashes along without hesitation.
[Elohad]: There you go.
[Margrace]: Care, ain't no railin' further down neither.
Elohad gently pats Alliza.
[Erixa]: There's a way through here, ramp down.
[Margrace]: Gonna head inta their territory so. Fightin, maybe.
[Elohad]: We're ready.
[Erixa]: More chain!
Mordecai traces a symbol - a fear ward - over his own heart.
[Elohad]: I've got you.
Alliza sucks in a breath. "Oh, for…"
Cambrin covers the rear.
Nunuzac waves.
Margrace grins wickedly at Terrineth.
[Margrace]: Old folks, yea. Think they'd wanna not be over lava, faster.
Terrineth smirks back, "Tell me about it."
[Erixa]: All okay? No one fell in lava?
[Elohad]: See? We're all right.
[Mordecai]: No one fell in lava.
[Margrace]: Straight shot through, yea.
Alliza grumbles to herself.
The team moves into the Blackrock Depths area, at first trying to avoid the dwarves. One attacks, though, so we kill it.
[Margrace]: Or ya can murder'im, I dunno.
[Elohad]: I can help a little against fire, but, you know, caution is good.
[Margrace]: Easy peasy.
[Erixa]: Prison through here, I think.
[Elohad]: All right. Let's split up.
[Cambrin]: This way.
Mordecai nods.
[Elohad]: You four with him.
[Colson]: Yessir.
Erixa nods.

The teams split up to look for him. Team Erixa’s search follows.

[Erixa]: Okay, so… Margrace you can pick locks?
Elohad murmurs into the buzzbox.
[Margrace]: So eh.
[Elohad]: I would be willing to bet my left … gauntlet that Margrace can pick locks.
[Margrace]: Prison's three branches. All a big loop. Might as well start one side, yea?
[Erixa]: We look, and we free people as we go?
[Margrace]: Jus' wanna open up erry cell?
[Elohad]: Is the Light giving you any messages about which way to look, Erixa?
Margrace rifles through some pockets. "Oho."
[Erixa]: Light does not say right or left. But I think we are in right place.
They open one door that has many Dark Iron Dwarves behind it.
[Erixa]: Not there, says Light.
Elohad smiles at you.
Elohad sobers, looking at the skeletons in the cages.
[Alliza]: This is a miserable place.
Elohad agrees with Alliza.
[Terrineth]: Sure is…
[Elohad]: Strange that they keep their prisoners so close to the entrance.
[Erixa]: Convenient for us.
[Alliza]: Who would dare enter a mountain like this, anyway?
[Elohad]: Some fools, I guess…
Elohad winks slyly at Alliza.
[Margrace]: Says you, as we choppem t'bits.
Elohad mutters into the buzzbox.
[Margrace]: Hmm hmmm….
[Margrace]: Dwarf.
[Erixa]: Not our guy.
Alliza does not look at the dwarf.
[Margrace]: Half these doors're welded shut anywho…
Elohad gives occasional updates into the buzzbox.

Here follows Team Cambrin’s account of the prison.
Mordecai looks around warily.
[Nunuzac]: Like Ironforge, but more crying.
Colson sips water.
[Mordecai]: Human here. One of the wardens? He didn't have a key.
Nunuzac stamps her hoof and shards of deflective stone encircle Cambrin.
[Colson]: Hm.
Colson goes tense at the insignia on the Tauren. "Twilight's Hammer."
[Mordecai]: Ah.
[Cambrin]: Yeah, they and the dark irons are thick as thieves.
Nunuzac shrugs, with no recognition of the phrase.
[Gwenivene]: Pew-pew-pew!
Mordecai frowns as they enter the room.
Colson has a grim look on his face as he eyes the torture devices.
Mordecai bends over and picks up a key from the woman's body.
[Mordecai]: Is this…
Colson looks over at Mordecai.
Mordecai checks all of the torture devices to make sure nobody's in here.
[Colson]: Southeast side.
Mordecai looks in through the bars. Skeleton.

Here, the two accounts recombine.
Team Cambrin comes around a bend to see Team Erixa standing in front of a prison door.
Marshal Windsor says: Try and make yourself useful, human. GET ME OUT OF HERE! The High Interrogator has the key.
[Margrace]: Oi…
Marshal Windsor says: Key… get the key… Gerstahn has… key.
[Erixa]: Whoever is in here is noisy.
[Margrace]: Loud one 'ere…
Mordecai holds up the referenced prison key.
Mordecai opens the door, finding a human man held prisoner behind it.
[Erixa]: Human! Who are you?
Marshal Windsor looks up in surprise as the door opens. “I’m Marshal Windsor. Who are you? Who sent you?"
[Colson]: Be at ease. We were sent by Marshal Maxwell.
[Nunuzac]: Deputy.
Nunuzac feels very official.
Colson sounds mild and polite. "We have been deputized by Highlord Fordragon. We are here to assist."
[Alliza]: …At least he has a shirt on. Could have chosen a better color.
[Erixa]: Mr John, Ragged John, said you were here.
Margrace moves outside to keep a lookout.
Marshal Windsor looks angry. "Where is Ragged John?! I'll murder him!"
[Elohad]: Uhhh. I'm not inclined to give away his location in that case.
[Erixa]: He's in a… *Erixa looks at Elo.* Right, not saying.
[Alliza]: This man, too, has lost his mind.
Mordecai backs up out of the cell.
"Bolvar is a fool. I was gathering his precious 'proof' so that I could shove it down his throat," Marshal Windsor snarls. "He is a blind buffoon. Proof stands two feet away from him and he does not see."
Elohad grinds his teeth.
[Erixa]: Two feet away? Like… *Erixa trails off.*
[Elohad]: Yeah.
Mordecai presses back against the wall and fades from view as a patrol of bloodhounds walks by.
Windsor gestures angrily. "As for my data, it's lost. Gone. Unrecoverable. Should I ever find Ironfoe and make it out of this labyrinth, my first stop will be Stormwind, to place my hammer in between that reptile's eyes. Leave me be."
[Elohad]: We can't just leave you here.
[Erixa]: Reptile?
[Cambrin]: Er… Reptile?
[Alliza]: Reptile. That's a very specific insult.
[Erixa]: A cold person, you mean?
[Elohad]: She's a cold-blooded monster, yeah.
Margrace blinks a few times.
Nunuzac fans her hands at shoulder height at the man's rightfully embittered tone.
Colson doesn't seem to disagree with the insult. "I see."
[Elohad]: I've been dealing with her sh— her nonsense for a year and a half now.
Cambrin takes up a guard position.
Windsor mutters something unintelligible and sits, facing away from the team.
Alliza eyes Elohad up and down.
[Terrineth]: Yeah yeah. So what's our next step, cap?
[Colson]: We still require that proof, whether or not Windsor is willing to assist with it.
[Cambrin]: Maybe the Marshal will have an idea?
[Margrace]: Keep it down yea? Patrols…
[Elohad]: We've got to get him out of here. Even if he is… impolite.
Colson eyes the door of the prison cell. "At the least, he can make his way back, if he—"
Windsor says, "I'm not going ANYWHERE. I'm just gonna sit here and sulk. You go tell Maxwell his precious evidence is all gone."
[Elohad]: Anyone want to have a try at that lock on his ankle? It looks… magical.
Elohad peers at Marshal Windsor searchingly.
[Cambrin]: Might need to take a key off the emperor. Or Empress. …Or something else.
Colson’s face is mild. "Well."
Mordecai sighs. "This one only fit the door."
Nunuzac looks over her shoulder, then among the humans whose names she doesn't know, finally seeming to come to the realization that she is out of her depth.
[Alliza]: I told you, he's mad.
Terrineth rolls her eyes and sighs, "This bastard's a lost cause…"
[Erixa]: Margrace, can you get the shackle? We could carry him out.
Elohad fiddles with the manacle a bit, and gets kicked for his trouble.
[Elohad]: Yeah, locks are not really my thing.
[Margrace]: Ain't pickin' that. Got some explosive that might work, but. Y'wanna keep'im alive I guess.
[Elohad]: Uhhhh yes.
[Margrace]: Then nah. Outta my league.
[Elohad]: All right then, have it your way, buddy. We'll be back. Eventually.
[Erixa]: We will not abandon!
[Alliza]: Probably going to have to do all his work for him. Otherwise, Lakeshire…
[Erixa]: Back to Maxwell, then?
[Colson]: We should speak to Marshall Maxwell.
[Cambrin]: I have a key that permits entry deeper in, but… I think we need to regroup and make a plan.
[Mordecai]: R-right.
Colson eyes the shackle on Windsor, and nods once. "Then let us make our way back."
[Cambrin]: Right.
[Elohad]: Yeah.
[Margrace]: Beh.
Elohad nods.
[Elohad]: I'm telling you, I've about had it with Lady Prestor. There has got to be some way to get her out of power.
[Erixa]: An assassin?
[Margrace]: Oi.
[Elohad]: You think people haven't tried?
Terrineth chuckles.
[Erixa]: She's that good?
[Elohad]: That good.
[Margrace]: I mean, I ain't tried killin'er.
[Elohad]: C'mon, let's head back.
[Erixa]: Maybe don't then. I like you being alive, Margrace.
[Alliza]: Thought you weren't into dying heroically.
[Elohad]: Let's just say we aren't the first people she's crossed. And yet there she sits, right next to the king. Still.
Back to the chains over lava!
[Elohad]: Okay. Carefully does it.
[Alliza]: Ugh…this again.
[Elohad]: No ignominious lava deaths please.
Mordecai sticks close to the inside of the chain, holding on to the rock as he walks.
Colson follows behind Mordecai, slowly, one hand raised for a Blessing of Protection or possibly to catch him if necessary.
[Cambrin]: Got the rearguard, sir.
[Elohad]: Thanks Cam.
[Margrace]: Need a hand old man?
Elohad shoos Margrace away. Be gone pest!
Margrace snickers.
Mordecai slowly unclenches his left hand and peels a feather, stuck to his palm with sweat, out of it.
[Alliza]: If dwarves are so good at building, and they built all of this, why couldn't they have built a proper bridge?
[Elohad]: Don't think they wanted visitors.
[Margrace]: Ah, fresh air. Ina way.
Mordecai, for no apparent reason, breaks into a grin as they exit.
[Erixa]: An intentional nightmare bridge.
Colson smiles at Mordecai's grin.
[Mordecai]: Um. Falling into lava is… very bad.
[Margrace]: Ya fall in and SPZZZ.
[Nunuzac]: No guest table set down there. Just crushing table.
[Margrace]: Ain't drawn out, yea?
[Cambrin]: All clear.
[Elohad]: As far as ways to die, it's not the worst.
[Alliza]: That is morbid.
[Erixa]: I imagine it would be very fast.
[Margrace]: Nah, it's lava.
[Elohad]: Pretty much instant incineration.
Margrace grins wickedly at Alliza.
[Erixa]: The death, not the lava. Lava is slow, yes.
Alliza eyes Margrace up and down.
[Margrace]: Eaten by big dragons, drownin' like that mage in Lakeshire, or fallin' in hot rock. I'd rather hot rock.
[Elohad]: I've heard drowning is peaceful, but that sounds like nonsense to me.
[Erixa]: Maybe fighting a dragon. That would be better.
[Margrace]: He didn' think so.
[Margrace]: I mean, hypothetically.
Colson does not speak up about an opinion on drowning deaths.
[Alliza]: I am not going to be dying any time soon, thank you all.
[Elohad]: I hope I have enough time to give a really stirring speech on my way out.
[Margrace]: Y'would, chief, wouldn't ya?
[Elohad]: I would.
[Erixa]: That would fit. *Erixa nods at Elohad.*
[Nunuzac]: Sometimes lava is friendly if you ask nice. But that much of it, hard to get it all to agree with itself.
Elohad grins at Nunuzac.
[Terrineth]: The fel is this conversation?
[Elohad]: Welcome to Cobalt Company.
[Margrace]: Post prison break banter, yea?
[Elohad]: Exactly.
[Erixa]: You don't find lava friendly, Terrineth?
[Terrineth]: Can't say I do.
[Margrace]: Gotta get the jitters out f'some folks.
[Mordecai]: Is it… considered magma inside the volcano if the volcano is elevated above ground level?
[Mordecai]: …s-sorry.
Margrace shrugs at Mordecai. Who knows?
[Cambrin]: That last time I was too close to it, Mizzy had to do some powerful magic to put me right.
[Colson]: Yes.
They arrive back at Morgan’s Vigil.
[Elohad]: We return with yet more bad news.
Marshal Maxwell waves at the team. "How goes it? Did you find Windsor?"
[Elohad]: In a manner of speaking, we found him. We found his body, but his mind has gone bye-bye.
Maxwell looks at Elohad. "Really? What did he say?"
Nunuzac puffs her cheeks at Elohad, tutting as if he'd done something naughty. "You did not tell me you all were so important on this world. Pff, lead me along to surprise with."
Elohad nods solemnly to Nunuzac, then turns back to Maxwell.
Cambrin stands quietly and lets the higher-ups handle this one.
Mordecai drinks some water. It's hot out here.
[Elohad]: Basically that he wasn't leaving. And that he lost all his intel. But he seems pretty irked at Lady Prestor.
Maxwell lowers his head in mourning. "He's gone mad, then. It is unfortunate that a once proud and noble warrior would be turned into a blithering head case. I GUESS we've reached a dead end…"
[Elohad]: So it seems. For now.
Maxwell sighs. "I must reward you for your efforts thus far, Cobalt. And if you do find your way back into Blackrock Mountain, keep an eye out for this 'evidence' he was talking about."
[Alliza]: Blithering head case. *She writes that one down.*
Elohad has that Enduring look in his eyes, and it's clear he's not going to give up.
[Elohad]: Will do, Marshal. For now, you've all earned a break. If you want to continue with this, just let me and Jo know. We'll keep you in the loop.
Margrace stretches. "An' I thought y'were gonna make us go right back in."
[Mordecai]: I would. Um.
[Elohad]: Not today, Scout.
Erixa nods. "I would like to, yes."
[Elohad]: Get some rest. That's an order.
Colson inclines his head to Elohad.
Elohad stands at attention and salutes.
Colson salutes Elohad with sharp, military precision. "Understood, sir."
[Margrace]: Gonna go get summawhat that dwarf had…
[Terrineth]: Will do, boss.
[Cambrin]: Affirmative. I'll await further orders.
Elohad leaves in some very normal manner.
Cambrin salutes with considerably less precision.
Mordecai looks at Colson. "Stormwind?" he asks, quietly.
Colson nods at Mordecai. "Stormwind."
Nunuzac looks like she has a lot to process.
[Colson]: Miss Whittle? Might I trouble you for a portal, please?
[Gwenivene]: Of course! To Stormwind?
[Mordecai]: To - to Stormwind. If, if you don't mind.
[Colson]: Yes, thank you.
[Erixa]: See you all next time!
[Colson]: Erixa. *Colson nods farewell to her.*
Nunuzac darts up and briefly hugs Erixa's armor.
[Nunuzac]: Bye!
Erixa hugs Nunuzac and then hearths away…