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| Details |
| Author: | OzmaAsimov |
| Summary: | The Cobalt Blade storms the Deadmines in search of VanCleef's secret lockbox and the keys to open it. |
| Rating: | M for Mature 17+ |
Arc: The Cobalt Blade
Sharpgear appears.
[Sharpgear]: Sup.
Vesyllah peers at Tadget.
[Vesyllah]: You trying to startle me again?
[Sharpgear]: Yep.
[Vesyllah]: Ugh…whatever.
Sharpgear giggles.
[Sharpgear]: I have part of a guy's spine in my pocket. Wanna see?
Vesyllah 's eyebrow raises juuust slightly.
[Vesyllah]: …yeah.
Sharpgear pulls out a spine segment, just a couple of vertebrae. It looks… recently acquired.
Sharpgear offers it out on her palm.
[Sharpgear]: I was just trying to relax under a tree and enjoy the view for a minute and this guy comes at me like, "Huahh!" for no reason. I said "One step closer and I will cut out your spine!" And he took like, several steps. What was I supposed to do?
Vesyllah takes the segment, examining it closely.
[Vesyllah]: Cool.
Vesyllah shrugs a little. "You warned him."
[Sharpgear]: Yep. So does it look different from a night elf spine? I've never seen a night elf spine.
[Sharpgear]: Gnome spines are kinda… bendier. And the vertebrae are smaller of course.
[Sharpgear]: We seem to have a much higher cartilege to bone ratio than humans do.
[Vesyllah]: Eh…pretty much the same. A bit smaller. This is human, yeah?
[Sharpgear]: Yeah.
[Sharpgear]: They have really boring skeletons, which is not surprising.
Vesyllah smirks.
[Vesyllah]: I guess humans as a whole aren't that exciting. Some are cool, though.
[Sharpgear]: What cool humans do you know?
[Vesyllah]: Hmm…guess I don't really know any personally. A least not long enough to determine for sure that they're cool.
A ghostie wolf peers around the back of the summoning stone, doing a dopey wolfie grin.
[Sharpgear]: So um.
Sharpgear stares at the ghost wolf.
The wolf stares back at Tadget, grinning and thumping its tail.
[Sharpgear]: Can you just turn around real quick, Vesyllah, and tell me if you are also seeing this?
[Sharpgear]: Um… kind of… wolfghost… thing?
Vesyllah glances over her shoulder at the ghost wolf.
[Vesyllah]: Uh…spirit? You with Goldrinn or something?
[Zaara]: Surprises~
[Zaara]: It is I!
Zaara beams.
Vesyllah blinks.
[Sharpgear]: Whoa.
[Sharpgear]: How the flip did you do that.
[Zaara]: … yes! Whoa!
[Zaara]: Like this!
Zaara turns back into a ghost wolf. She runs around in a circle and then transforms into a draenei again.
[Vesyllah]: Oh. Hey.
[Sharpgear]: That was not a helpful demonstration, particularly.
[Sharpgear]: I learned virtually nothing.
[Sharpgear]: Theories, Vesyllah?
Sharpgear peers at you searchingly.
Vesyllah shrugs. "Like a druid thing, I guess? I dunno. Shamans are sort of like druids…except not really."
[Sharpgear]: Also do you have like, a nickname, or something? Sometimes people just call me Tadge, if they are being very affectionate. Except my husband, who always says my full name, and in italics.
[Vesyllah]: You're married? Huh. I did not expect that.
[Sharpgear]: Me either!
Sharpgear cackles maniacally.
Vesyllah snorts a little, but smirks in mild amusement.
[Sharpgear]: It's pretty recent. He's the badass assassin I was talking about at Bruuk's. I'm still not used to calling him my husband but I mean, we did elope and stuff.
[Vesyllah]: Weird. Anyway. 'Ves' is fine.
[Sharpgear]: So do you have somebody you like, y'know… *she makes very lewd gestures*
[Vesyllah]: Someone I'm bangin'? I mean…not really. Not on the regular.
[Sharpgear]: I get it. Keep it simple.
[Sharpgear]: Relationships are a pain in the pooper.
[Zaara]: What is bangin'?
Sharpgear makes more lewd, illustrative gestures.
[Vesyllah]: Yeah, I don't have time for relationships.
Zaara smiles patiently over Tadget's head. She is still blind.
[Sharpgear]: Oh right.
[Vesyllah]: Banging is fucking.
[Sharpgear]: I don't think she knows that one either.
Vesyllah sighs dramatically.
[Zaara]: Oh! This is — *Zaara also makes some extremely lewd gestures.*
[Sharpgear]: Oh, she DOES know that one.
[Sharpgear]: …Huh.
[Vesyllah]: Huh. Well, yes. That.
[Sharpgear]: Where'd you hear that one from?
[Zaara]: I learn this word from Bennazan. He will not tell me it means! … but a dwarf in Bruuk's tells me.
[Sharpgear]: Dwarves, man.
Zaara nods gravely. "Helping."
[Sharpgear]: But yeah. You can also say banging, boinking, and so on. Which are rude, but LESS rude. That word is really rude.
Arthur materializes. "I did it! invisible!"
[Sharpgear]: I would not say it like, in public if I were you.
Sharpgear gasps at Arthur.
[Sharpgear]: What the —
[Sharpgear]: Everyone tryna show me up today with their dramatic entrances!!
Vesyllah sighs at Arthur.
Sharpgear giggles at Arthur.
[Zaara]: … Common has got so little words like "look good" and "look good" but there is hundred words for … oh!
[Arthur]: it'll be ages before i manage that again.
[Zaara]: Hello!
[Sharpgear]: Anyway what's up, cute stuff? Besides briefly mastering invisibility.
Arthur greets Zaara with a hearty hello!
[Arthur]: studying
[Arthur]: getting in trouble for leaping ahead, that sort of thing.
[Sharpgear]: Speaking of dwarves… we can use this stone to summon our leader when we want.
[Vesyllah]: Let's try it.
[Sharpgear]: Cool right? Bunch of you mage types set these up all over the world.
Sharpgear points at Arthur.
[Sharpgear]: Magic is wild.
[Arthur]: They're ethereally connected, i think…
[Sharpgear]: Nice.
Sharpgear nods like she knows what that means. (She doesn't.)
[Vesyllah]: Hey look. We made a dwarf.
Thalstan appears out of thin air and laughs. "Got me righ' off a gryphon back. Bird'll be confused."
[Sharpgear]: Hey Handsome.
[Thalstan]: Hey, Scout! An' all!
[Sharpgear]: Haha, that's awesome. But that's why they make you pay in advance.
Thalstan nods. "Wise policy, tha."
[Sharpgear]: Ready when you are, Blade!!!
Sharpgear bounces up and down.
[Thalstan]: Ready ta storm tha Defias HQ?
Sharpgear stands at attention and salutes.
[Zaara]: Handsome!
[Thalstan]: Should we do a thing? Like…. put our hands together an' 1-2-3 Cobalt Blade!!!
[Zaara]: Yes! Why?
[Sharpgear]: You're the boss!
[Thalstan]: Ta get us all keyed up!
Sharpgear looks pretty keyed up already.
[Zaara]: Keedup!
Thalstan puts his hand forward in a traditional keying up manner.
Arthur sticks his hand out.
[Zaara]: Let us keedup.
Zaara sticks her hand out hopefully in the general direction of people.
Sharpgear goes along with the crowd.
[Sharpgear]: Cmon Ves, it won't kill ya.
[Vesyllah]: I think it might.
Sharpgear tries to grab her wrist and pull her hand in.
[Zaara]: No, no. I heal.
[Thalstan]: Then think o' it as a challenge!
[Sharpgear]: yeah, Zaara will resurrect you!
Vesyllah rolls her eyes and sticks her hand out…well above all the others'.
Sharpgear cackles maniacally at Vesyllah.
Vesyllah …except maybe Zaara's.
[Thalstan]: Alright! *Thalstan moves his hand up and down on the numbers and says,* "One… two… three… COBALT BLADE!!!"
[Arthur]: 1 - 2 - 3 Cobalt Blade!
Sharpgear cheers!
Thalstan cheers!
Vesyllah mumbles, "…Cobalt Blade" out of sync.
[Zaara]: ONETWO! THREE! COBOLT! BLADE!
Zaara missed her cue.
[Thalstan]: Alrigh', let's go knock some Defias?
Arthur cheers at Zaara!
[Vesyllah]: Yes. Finally. Let's get to it.
[Zaara]: Yes! Knock knock! Who is it, Defias? COBOLT.
[Thalstan]: This house is a cave!!!
[Thalstan]: Ah, a mine!
[Sharpgear]: Yeah, did I forget to mention that?
[Thalstan]: You might ha' mentioned it, but then the fella came here for the ward, an' it looked like a house!
[Sharpgear]: This used to be the major source of copper and tin ore for the Alliance.
[Zaara]: The earth is tired.
Defias Henchman attempts to run away in fear!
[Sharpgear]: Yeah. So now it's just a haven for no-gooders.
Defias Digger attempts to run away in fear!
[Thalstan]: An' us, clearin em out!
Defias Digger attempts to run away in fear!
[Thalstan]: This fella has copper on 'em, so I guess it's still a good copper place.
[Thalstan]: Looks like a dead end here.
[Zaara]: Who is dead in the end? Defias!
Sharpgear cheers at Zaara!
Thalstan gives a deep, booming laugh.
[Zaara]: We dead them in the end.
Sharpgear nods.
Vesyllah smirks.
[Vesyllah]: That's right, cuteness. We dead them.
[Sharpgear]: RIGHT in the end.
Defias Worker attempts to run away in fear!
[Thalstan]: Are we doin' code names?
Defias Digger attempts to run away in fear!
[Sharpgear]: Oh, can we?
[Vesyllah]: Oh please no…
[Thalstan]: I'm Handsome, Zaara is Cuteness?
[Zaara]: Cuteness is me!
Sharpgear laughs at Zaara.
Vesyllah suddenly remembers "Sunshine".
[Thalstan]: Art, what's your code name?
[Arthur]: Trouble.
[Sharpgear]: They should be something cool and badass.
[Thalstan]: Trouble, yeah, that's a nice one.
[Sharpgear]: Can I be Mayhem?
[Zaara]: Badass!
[Arthur]: yes!
[Thalstan]: Tha' is pretty badass!
[Zaara]: Coooooool.
[Thalstan]: An' Ves… Darkness?
Sharpgear offers Reeves a high four.
Vesyllah groans, "Or…and hear me out…we could just call each other by name…"
[Sharpgear]: But what if we have to send secret messages, like dead drops or whatever, and want to be SECRET?
[Thalstan]: We could, but where's the fun in tha'?
[Brotherjon]: we doing deadmines?
Sharpgear agrees with Thalstan.
[Zaara]: Ah but if you say "Cuteness," this is no secret. I am Cuteness.
[Thalstan]: Mine's no' so secret, neither.
[Sharpgear]: We'll think of stealthier ones for you.
[Thalstan]: So Ves, what'll it be? Darkness? Moonshine?
[Sharpgear]: I like Darkness. Goes with Trouble and Mayhem.
[Zaara]: Badass.
[Vesyllah]: Hand of the Night Warrior.
[Thalstan]: Tha's a bit long, really.
[Thalstan]: Fer a code name.
[Vesyllah]: Oh, is it? Guess 'Vesyllah' will have to do.
[Sharpgear]: Also it kind of identifies you.
[Sharpgear]: I vote Darkness.
[Thalstan]: I like Darkness.
[Arthur]: Shadow?
[Zaara]: Badass?
[Sharpgear]: I'm thinkin in terms of like, what do we BRING to the experience.
[Thalstan]: But if ya insist, we got Handsome, Cuteness, Trouble, Mayhem… and Vesyllah.
[Sharpgear]: You bring Trouble, I bring Mayhem, she brings Darkness.
[Vesyllah]: Anyone who calls me Darkness is getting a boot up their ass.
[Sharpgear]: You are no fun sometimes, Darkness.
Thalstan laughs.
Vesyllah glares…but it's hard to distinguish from her usual expression.
[Sharpgear]: If we didn't want to find undead guys, they'd be all over the place.
[Arthur]: silver, over there
[Arthur]: i can smell it!
[Sharpgear]: Wow, silver down here?
[Sharpgear]: Does… ore… grow back???
[Zaara]: Silver!
[Zaara]: I am jewels!
[Sharpgear]: You sure are, Jewels.
Zaara beams.
[Thalstan]: These Defias sure seem a lot more corspey than usual.
Vesyllah mutters, "…don't bring darkness…I bring vengeance…"
[Sharpgear]: ooooh
[Thalstan]: Ya want ta be Vengeance?
[Sharpgear]: Vengeance is even better.
[Sharpgear]: SHE IS VENGEANCE.
[Arthur]: ooh
Zaara whispers, "Badass."
[Thalstan]: Alrigh', then we got yer name?
[Vesyllah]: Oh, fucking fel…whatever…
[Sharpgear]: What's yours and Zaara's? What do you bring?
[Zaara]: Cuteness and Jewels!
Sharpgear laughs at Zaara.
[Thalstan]: Looks an' Bravery?
[Sharpgear]: Courage sounds better. or VALOR
[Thalstan]: Valor! I don't hate it.
[Zaara]: Walor and Wengeance! Good. Yes.
Sharpgear giggles at Thalstan.
[Arthur]: Valor.
[Zaara]: Walor.
[Sharpgear]: Valor, Vengeance, Trouble, Mayhem, and…
Sharpgear considers.
[Zaara]: Badass?
[Sharpgear]: It should be like, a QUALITY.
[Arthur]: Victory!
[Zaara]: Good ass?
Sharpgear laughs at Zaara.
[Sharpgear]: That too, I mean.
Vesyllah smirks.
Sharpgear eyes Zaara up and down.
[Zaara]: Yes.
[Zaara]: Not Wictory.
[Thalstan]: I think good ass has kind o' a dif'rent meanin', than badass.
[Arthur]: well we can't call you pulchitrude…
[Sharpgear]: Nice word!!
[Thalstan]: Pulchriwhat?
[Vesyllah]: This is your penance!
[Zaara]: Poki—
Sharpgear offers Arthur another high four.
[Sharpgear]: Beauty? Charm? Charisma?
[Sharpgear]: Tail?
[Zaara]: Charmandbeauty.
[Sharpgear]: Sparkle?
[Arthur]: i like charm….
[Zaara]: And beauty.
[Sharpgear]: Or Booty.
[Sharpgear]: You know, like gems. Jewelry. Booty. That's totally what I mean.
[Zaara]: Booty!
[Thalstan]: Like down in the jungle? Booty Bay? Lotsa stories set there!
[Sharpgear]: More silver!
[Sharpgear]: Shiny booty for Booty.
[Thalstan]: Wanderin' warlocks are a pain, in here.
[Zaara]: Silwer!
[Sharpgear]: I mean, they are pretty much a pain everywhere.
Marisa du'Paige attempts to run away in fear!
[Sharpgear]: Believe it or not, we are only now getting to the entrance.
[Sharpgear]: Just hop over here…
[Thalstan]: I can see an entrance just there!
[Thalstan]: Hop an' run!
[Vesyllah]: THIS is the entrance? I thought we already entered…
[Vesyllah]: This place sucks.
[Sharpgear]: Uh oh. Maybe run.
Defias Worker attempts to run away in fear!
Defias Watchman attempts to run away in fear!
Defias Worker attempts to run away in fear!
[Vesyllah]: Down we go!
[Zaara]: Hello, falling!
[Sharpgear]: Oh good, you lived.
[Thalstan]: Now this is a proper mine.
Zaara thanks Arthur.
[Sharpgear]: If you ever need me to knock anybody on the head to take em out of the fight for a bit, I'm good at that.
Vesyllah bows her head reverently to Arthur as she accepts the Gift of Water. " Shaha lor'ma dula Luvas'alith
[Thalstan]: I'll keep tha' in mind, Mayhem.
Sharpgear grins wickedly at Thalstan.
[Thalstan]: Can one o' you keep tha' one from casting?
[Zaara]: Yes!
Sharpgear gently pats Zaara.
[Vesyllah]: Not without sending her screaming into her friends…
[Thalstan]: Perfect teamwork!
Defias Evoker attempts to run away in fear!
[Thalstan]: So I take it tha' was not Ves?
[Sharpgear]: Hate those guys.
[Vesyllah]: That was not me.
[Sharpgear]: Yeah, there was very little screaming.
[Zaara]: I silence. I take the wind.
[Sharpgear]: Until she died.
[Zaara]: Question!
[Vesyllah]: Elune, smite this Defias Overseer with your punishing light!
Defias Overseer attempts to run away in fear!
[Thalstan]: Got some runners here…
[Zaara]: I am Charm or Booty?
[Sharpgear]: I vote Booty. For reasons.
[Sharpgear]: But either works.
Thalstan laughs. "Do ya want ta be Booty?"
[Sharpgear]: Because of double meanings.
[Zaara]: Double? Besides jewels? Common is with the double meanings! So much!
Zaara lets out a long, drawn-out sigh.
[Sharpgear]: See charm is like a jewelry thing and also, you know. Charisma.
[Zaara]: Make new words, Common.
Defias Overseer attempts to run away in fear!
[Sharpgear]: Booty means treasure, usually taken from other people like we're doing.
[Sharpgear]: It also means, the uh, rear region of the body, of which yours is a fine example.
[Zaara]: Oh!
[Sharpgear]: You definitely bringin' the booty.
[Thalstan]: I don' think Common needs more words. Then I'd ha' ta learn 'em.
[Zaara]: Yes.
Defias Miner attempts to run away in fear!
[Vesyllah]: Face the agony of your sins!
Defias Miner attempts to run away in fear!
Zaara looks VERY impressed.
[Zaara]: Wengeance! So badass.
[Thalstan]: Big fella down tha' way.
[Zaara]: Big fella.
[Thalstan]: What do ya reckon? Captain?
[Arthur]: target practice.
Zaara hums.
Sharpgear grins wickedly at Arthur.
[Sharpgear]: Can I touch your hair?
[Thalstan]: Heh, easy one there. Big target.
Sharpgear peers at Arthur searchingly.
Arthur swings it around a bit.
Sharpgear makes grabby hands.
[Vesyllah]: I can smell the sin on him…among other things.
[Zaara]: That is no sin! That is dirt.
[Thalstan]: Tadget… I mean Mayhem. Can you knock out that fella?
[Sharpgear]: That guy?
Sharpgear points at Defias Watchman.
[Thalstan]: An' art, you got that sheep thing down yet?
Thalstan nods at Tadget.
[Zaara]: Sheeeeeeeeeep. Sheep sheep.
[Sharpgear]: Got it.
[Arthur]: Yeah
[Thalstan]: Turn that other fella.
Rhug'zor says: Cobutt Comp'ny! You smoosh my brother! Now I smoosh you!
[Vesyllah]: Feel the vengeful gaze of Elune, ogre!
Rhug'zor says: Ow … Cap'n Canton … ain't gonna be … happy …
[Sharpgear]: Sorry, hard for me to whap 'em once they start runnin.
[Thalstan]: Yeah, I saw tha' fella come runnin'!
[Zaara]: Whap!
[Sharpgear]: I was too slow.
[Thalstan]: Tha' door looks mighty om'nous!
[Sharpgear]: OW
Defias Evoker attempts to run away in fear!
Defias Overseer attempts to run away in fear!
[Thalstan]: Those fellas came outta nowhere!
[Sharpgear]: Watch your six.
[Arthur]: Six?
[Sharpgear]: Yeah, your back.
[Sharpgear]: Like a clock?
[Thalstan]: Best take care we don't get surrounded in here.
Something shiny clints in the folds of the dingy fabric of Rhug'zor's loin cloth.
[Sharpgear]: Twelve o' clock is front… six o' clock is behind you… and so on.
[Sharpgear]: Um… do you guys see that?
Thalstan peers a little distastefully at the ogre. "Tha' some kinda jewel he got in there?"
[Sharpgear]: In his um…
[Sharpgear]: yeah.
[Sharpgear]: Not it.
[Sharpgear]: You can take it.
[Sharpgear]: I have enough shiny things.
[Thalstan]: I would no' ask a lady. *Thal looks at Art contemplatively*
[Thalstan]: Rock paper scissors?
[Sharpgear]: Come on, Valor.
[Sharpgear]: Live up to your name and grope the ogre.
[Thalstan]: Alrigh' alrigh'
Vesyllah snickers quietly.
[Arthur]: i can't get it. i haven't had all my shots.
Sharpgear laughs at Arthur.
Thalstan gingerly comes forward and tries to get at the shiny thing. He seems more hesitant than he was about axing the guy.
Thalstan discovers an ornate, brassy object shaped like a key. However, the teeth of the key itself appear to be moving parts.
[Sharpgear]: What theeeee
[Sharpgear]: NEAT.
Anyone with an eye for such design may recognize the key is of gnomish make.
[Thalstan]: This a gnome thing? *Thal holds it up, turning it this way and that*
[Sharpgear]: I'd lay money on it.
[Vesyllah]: I'd wash that if I were you.
[Thalstan]: Huh. Wonder if this is related to that lockbox. *He sets it carefully into his pack* I didnae bring any cleaning stuff. But later.
Sharpgear snickers at Thalstan.
[Thalstan]: One key found! On through the next door?
[Sharpgear]: Doin good so far.
[Zaara]: Keedup!
Defias Miner attempts to run away in fear!
[Thalstan]: Stop this one castin' again, Art?
[Thalstan]: Or ah, she came near enou'
[Thalstan]: Booty, you got the wind on this one?
[Zaara]: Yes!
Sharpgear dies laughing
[Zaara]: Booty does the wind.
Thalstan nods seriuosly.
[Vesyllah]: Elune, smite this Defias Miner with your punishing light!
[Zaara]: Elune! Smite!
[Vesyllah]: Damn right.
Defias Miner attempts to run away in fear!
Sharpgear is laughing so hard still that she is having trouble stabbing.
Defias Miner attempts to run away in fear!
[Thalstan]: Gettin' deeper in! Another door.
[Sharpgear]: Okay. I remember this one.
[Sharpgear]: I once cleared this whole place out for a date with my husband.
[Thalstan]: Goblins!
[Thalstan]: On a… date?
[Zaara]: What date?
[Sharpgear]: Yep.
[Thalstan]: Are the five of us on a sorta date then?
[Sharpgear]: Sure.
[Vesyllah]: Face the agony of your sins!
[Sharpgear]: I wouldn't kick any of you out of bed.
[Zaara]: Agony! Sins!
Sharpgear laughs at Zaara.
Thalstan laughs.
[Sharpgear]: Zaara, you and I can work on battle cries.
[Zaara]: Sin face!
[Sharpgear]: But you can't steal BEHOLD THE GODSLAYER, because that's mine.
[Sharpgear]: Whew! I just got a huge adrenaline rush.
[Zaara]: Juicy!
[Zaara]: I am juicy now, a minute.
Vesyllah barks out a laugh!
Sharpgear giggles uncontrollably.
[Vesyllah]: You certainly are.
[Thalstan]: Whoa, another sort of big fella.
[Thalstan]: One all in metal!
Vesyllah growls.
[Vesyllah]: A shredder…
[Thalstan]: What's that, Vengeance?
[Sharpgear]: Goblin garbage.
[Zaara]: Shredder!!! Oh, bad. Okay.
[Vesyllah]: They use them to fell forests.
[Vesyllah]: MURDER!
[Zaara]: Oh! Bad!
[Zaara]: SIN!
Sharpgear bounces on the balls of her feet.
[Thalstan]: Ah, not a friend o' elves then.
[Vesyllah]: No. Not at all.
[Vesyllah]: Suffer the pain you have inflicted!
[Sharpgear]: Goblins are friends of nobody, or everybody, if they have money.
[Vesyllah]: You should see what the Horde has done to Ashenvale with those things.
[Zaara]: Suffer the pain! This is best one now.
[Sharpgear]: I have, it's awful.
[Sharpgear]: I know this is not very gnomey of me, but I like forests.
[Vesyllah]: I knew you were cool.
[Sharpgear]: Green is my favorite color, and lots of places to hide.
[Vesyllah]: Though…to be honest, I kind of prefer cities.
[Thalstan]: Tha' seems to be the last o' the littluns.
[Sharpgear]: Depends on the city, for me.
[Vesyllah]: Fair.
[Sharpgear]: Not to be rude, but Darnassus kinda sucks.
[Vesyllah]: It. Sucks. So. Hard.
Sharpgear ofers Ves a high four.
[Thalstan]: Let's put that shredder outta commission? Save a forest?
[Sharpgear]: Okay!
[Thalstan]: Never been, meself.
[Zaara]: Shredder out on a mission!
Sharpgear lets Thalstan know that she is ready!
[Sharpgear]: Beware the pilot
[Sharpgear]: There is a guy in there.
[Sharpgear]: Once we disable this we have to deal with hh—-aaaaaa
[Zaara]: EAT A STORM
[Vesyllah]: Face the agony of your sins!
[Thalstan]: Tha' goblin fella went righ' fer yeh, Art! I mean Trouble!
[Thalstan]: And… another door.
As he gasps his last breaths, Skeebo reaches for the controls of his wrecked shredder, wheezing, "Captain Glibnix! … *kaff* … They're comin'! Aw, hexnuts … I'm dyin'. What a rip-off…."
Defias Evoker attempts to run away in fear!
Zaara whispers, "Hexnuss."
[Sharpgear]: Killing goblins is fun. They say the funniest stuff when they die.
[Thalstan]: Tha' goblin. *Shakes his head* Yeh'd think he'd be more solemn.
[Sharpgear]: They don't do solemn.
[Vesyllah]: He was warning someone…
[Thalstan]: Goblin Captain then. Glibnix sounds goblin.
[Sharpgear]: They do annoyed or manic.
[Sharpgear]: Very.
[Thalstan]: We best keep an eye out for more of their sort.
[Vesyllah]: So, the goblins are making a play for control, too?
[Sharpgear]: Must be money in it somewhere.
[Thalstan]: Guess they like power and money?
[Vesyllah]: No doubt.
[Vesyllah]: Elune, smite this Defias Taskmaster with your punishing light!
[Thalstan]: Titans ahmighty, these fellas are slipp'ry.
[Vesyllah]: That was fun…
[Zaara]: Titans are mighty! Slipry!
[Sharpgear]: I'm getting a good workout!
[Sharpgear]: I'll be ready for 7th Legion fitness test in no time.
Zaara bursts into dance.
Sharpgear eyes Zaara up and down.
Sharpgear whistles at Zaara.
[Thalstan]: You saw them dart back like an eel, gun at the ready?
[Zaara]: I did not!
[Zaara]: I saw nothing!
[Sharpgear]: She's blind, buddy.
Zaara is very cheerful.
[Vesyllah]: Cuteness is funny.
[Thalstan]: Oh. Right. *Thal winces.* They did, Zaara!
Sharpgear giggles.
[Zaara]: EAT A STORM.
[Sharpgear]: I kinda like that one.
[Sharpgear]: We've all had takeout that makes you feel like that.
[Vesyllah]: Great imagery.
[Thalstan]: Another door!
[Sharpgear]: Okay, so.
[Sharpgear]: This one… we gotta watch our butts.
[Thalstan]: This place, its like they though' they'd be in a siege.
[Sharpgear]: This'll be their foundry.
[Thalstan]: Ah…. keep close to tha' wall.
[Sharpgear]: Or whatever. Huge forge thing.
[Thalstan]: We don't want ta spook 'em.
[Zaara]: Spooooook.
[Vesyllah]: Bet these doors are bulwarks between the factions now.
[Sharpgear]: I'm guessing their best engineers are in here. Watch out for mechanicals.
[Zaara]: Spook.
[Thalstan]: Must be. Less siege more indoor war.
Sharpgear hugs the outside wall.
Zaara trails her fingers along the wall, humming.
Goblin Craftsman attempts to run away in fear!
[Thalstan]: Defnitly a forge.
[Sharpgear]: What, you didn't believe me?
[Sharpgear]: I told ya, I've been in this whooooole place.
[Sharpgear]: After Cobalt mostly cleaned it out.
[Sharpgear]: I can't tell ya who is in here now, but I sure do know what.
[Vesyllah]: Elune, smite this Goblin Craftsman with your punishing light!
[Vesyllah]: This is your penance!
Goblin Craftsman attempts to run away in fear!
[Thalstan]: Good catch, Trouble!
[Zaara]: I am juicy now.
Sharpgear giggles at Zaara.
[Sharpgear]: I'm starting to think she's doing this deliberately.
Zaara blink blinks big eyes at Tadget.
[Sharpgear]: Don't you bat those eyes at me. I can bat with the best of 'em.
Sharpgear bats.
[Vesyllah]: Face the agony of your sins!
[Vesyllah]: This is your penance!
Goblin Engineer attempts to run away in fear!
[Zaara]: STORM IN FACE.
[Thalstan]: They do glom on a fella.
[Vesyllah]: These goblins don't fuck around.
Sharpgear plays with Arthur's hair while he's still sitting on the ground.
Sharpgear apparently was assuming his permission before was blanket permission.
Sharpgear might also just be grabby.
[Sharpgear]: So why do you have old person hair and a young person face?
[Arthur]: it started turning when I was fifteen.
[Sharpgear]: Huh.
Goblin Craftsman attempts to run away in fear!
[Thalstan]: Yer hair?
[Arthur]: yeah.
[Sharpgear]: How old are you now?
[Thalstan]: Kinda… reminds me o' the Khadgar stories.
[Sharpgear]: Just a baby!
Zaara laughs.
Sharpgear giggles at Arthur.
Goblin Craftsman attempts to run away in fear!
[Sharpgear]: Most gnomes haven't earned their names by then.
Glibnix shouts! "Take out these intruders, boys!"
Goblin Engineer attempts to run away in fear!
[Sharpgear]: Uh oh, I think we just heard from the bossman.
[Thalstan]: That sounds like… a leader?
Thalstan nods at Tadget.
[Sharpgear]: Very shouty.
[Sharpgear]: I prefer your leadership style.
Goblin Craftsman attempts to run away in fear!
[Arthur]: oh, i annoy them too much.
[Sharpgear]: Must be your shiny hair.
Goblin Engineer attempts to run away in fear!
[Sharpgear]: They want to smelt it.
[Vesyllah]: This is your penance!
[Arthur]: heh!
Goblin Craftsman attempts to run away in fear!
[Thalstan]: Think I see bossman over there.
[Thalstan]: Got a few more goblins with 'im.
[Vesyllah]: Think that's 'Captain Glibnix'?
[Thalstan]: Must be. Or well, it might not be.
[Sharpgear]: Must be.
[Zaara]: Or might not be!
Sharpgear giggles.
[Vesyllah]: He'll face justice either way.
[Thalstan]: Could be more than one goblin faction. Seems far-fetched, though.
[Sharpgear]: Maybe he'll have ID.
[Thalstan]: Shall we go in?
Glibnix snarls, "You the punks that knocked off poor Skeebo? Nobody interferes with my profit margins! Prepare to be downsized!"
[Zaara]: JUSTICE STORM.
[Thalstan]: We're no' the ones goin ta be downsized!
Goblin Craftsman attempts to run away in fear!
[Thalstan]: An' look who's downsized!
Sharpgear cackles maniacally at the situation.
Sharpgear gloats over Glibnix’s misfortune.
[Zaara]: What is down size?
[Thalstan]: Reckon this fella's got a key?
[Vesyllah]: So much for his profit margins.
[Vesyllah]: Maybe. Check him out.
[Sharpgear]: It's when a company gets rid of people to make more money.
[Sharpgear]: It never works, by the way.
Thalstan checks out Glibnix.
Zaara widens her eyes. "Get rid of people? Oh!"
A search of Glibnix's remains turns up another key, similar to the one found on Rhug'zor.
[Thalstan]: Oh hey, look! 'nother gnome key!
[Sharpgear]: Oooooh.
[Sharpgear]: Now we're getting somewhere.
[Sharpgear]: This is why my scouting around the Westfall camps got me nothing.
[Vesyllah]: Two down…however many to go.
[Sharpgear]: All the captains are in here.
[Thalstan]: Seems like it, yeah.
[Vesyllah]: Face the agony of your sins!
[Vesyllah]: Probably too vulnerable out there.
Sharpgear agrees with you.
[Zaara]: Uh-oh here come sins.
[Sharpgear]: One of the first smart moves they've made since Van Cleef got relieved of his head.
Defias Wizard attempts to run away in fear!
[Vesyllah]: Feel the vengeful gaze of Elune, Defias Taskmaster!
Zaara bursts into dance.
Sharpgear whistles at Zaara.
Vesyllah checks out Zaara as she dances.
Defias Wizard attempts to run away in fear!
[Vesyllah]: Face the agony of your sins!
[Vesyllah]: I am vengeance!
[Zaara]: SHE IS WENGEANCE.
[Zaara]: He is Walor. That is Mayhem.
[Vesyllah]: Oh for-…that is not what I meant!
[Vesyllah]: I am vengeance!
[Sharpgear]: OOoooooh, a lock.
[Sharpgear]: I LOVE locks.
[Zaara]: You are Wengeance!
[Sharpgear]: Lemme at it!
Wesyllah lets out a long, drawn-out sigh.
[Thalstan]: 'nother door. This one wit' a cannon at it.
[Zaara]: I AM BOOTY!
[Thalstan]: Whoa!
[Sharpgear]: There we go. Now we don't have to alert the whole place.
[Thalstan]: Mahyem, you have skills!
[Sharpgear]: This'll be their main fortress up ahead.
[Sharpgear]: What's left of a boat Cobalt destroyed.
[Vesyllah]: I am vengeance!
[Sharpgear]: So does that hair thing run in your family, or…?
Sharpgear peers at Arthur searchingly.
Arthur questions Sharpgear.
[Thalstan]: Is it jus' cause yer a mage of legend?
[Thalstan]: Let's get in at that ship!
[Arthur]: I don't think so…
[Sharpgear]: I need to buy you a drink and grill you with questions sometime.
[Vesyllah]: Face the agony of your sins!
[Sharpgear]: I'm sensing a Story.
[Sharpgear]: How old is Khadgar? He old enough to be a bastard child of Khadgar?
[Sharpgear]: That'd really sell books.
[Vesyllah]: Feel the vengeful gaze of Elune, Defias Pirate!
[Vesyllah]: Elune, smite this Defias Squallshaper with your punishing light!
[Vesyllah]: Elune, smite this Defias Pirate with your punishing light!
[Thalstan]: You folks all set?
[Sharpgear]: It's a tauren! Kill his friends before he stomps us!
Tauren Bruiser says: You land lubbers are tougher than I thought! I'll have to improvise!
Tauren Bruiser says: D'ah! Now you're making me angry!
[Vesyllah]: Goddess…that was a beast of a fight.
[Sharpgear]: Fun, huh?
[Sharpgear]: Tauren are always a party.
[Thalstan]: Those taurens don't go down easy.
[Thalstan]: More Defias up ahead.
[Sharpgear]: Feels so good though when they fall. BOOM.
Vesyllah searches the tauren's corpse. "Hm…I can't find any keys."
[Sharpgear]: Guess he was just muscle.
[Thalstan]: Come on up, we'll see if we can make our way higher.
[Thalstan]: They got a murloc in this faction!
[Vesyllah]: Ugh…
[Sharpgear]: Ha!
[Thalstan]: Oh no, he's coming…
Cookie attempts to run away in fear!
Sharpgear makes a murloc noise.
[Vesyllah]: You do that disturbingly well.
[Sharpgear]: Thanks!
[Thalstan]: Hmm, maybe the other way.
[Thalstan]: Let's avoid murlocs, in case there's more.
[Sharpgear]: Doesn't seem to be a ramp either.
[Vesyllah]: I am vengeance!
[Zaara]: I AM BOOTY!
Sharpgear giggles.
[Sharpgear]: I AM MAYHEM!
[Vesyllah]: Feel the vengeful gaze of Elune, Goblin Shipbuilder!
Goblin Shipbuilder attempts to run away in fear!
[Vesyllah]: Feel the vengeful gaze of Elune, Defias Pirate!
[Thalstan]: Almos' to the top!
Goblin Shipbuilder attempts to run away in fear!
[Zaara]: FEEL THE STORM OF BOOTY.
[Sharpgear]: Watch out.
[Sharpgear]: Big goblin guy pacing around.
[Sharpgear]: That one.
[Arthur]: You've run into some trouble!
Sharpgear flirts with Zaara.
Thalstan cheers at Arthur!
Zaara bursts into dance.
Sharpgear dances with Zaara.
[Vesyllah]: This is your penance!
[Vesyllah]: I am the night!
The Cobalt Blade face a particularly large mob of Defias and are force to make a tactical retreat to regroup.
[Sharpgear]: Everybody okay after that?
[Zaara]: Okay!
[Thalstan]: These Defias are no joke!
[Sharpgear]: Sorry for noping out. It's kind of my thing.
[Zaara]: I know a joke.
[Sharpgear]: this should be good.
[Thalstan]: Oh?
[Zaara]: What is more funny than Defias?
[Sharpgear]: What is more funny, tell us.
[Vesyllah]: Dead Defias….
[Zaara]: Anything. Defias is not joke.
Sharpgear laughs at Zaara.
Zaara laughs.
Vesyllah tries not to smirk. Fails.
Thalstan laughs.
Sharpgear gently pats Booty.
[Sharpgear]: Okay, time for revenge.
[Vesyllah]: Feel the vengeful gaze of Elune, Defias Pirate!
[Thalstan]: I do no' see anyone else up there!
[Sharpgear]: I am gonna stab that guy so hard.
[Thalstan]: There's that group that chased us off before,
[Sharpgear]: Looks clear other than them.
[Thalstan]: Let's get them!
Sharpgear roars with bestial vigor. So fierce!
Defias Squallshaper attempts to run away in fear!
[Vesyllah]: Feel the vengeful gaze of Elune, Defias Pirate!
[Thalstan]: Hm, quiet up here.
Thalstan peers at the dark, open doorway.
[Sharpgear]: That used to be the main office or whatever.
Vesyllah peeks in, spotting someone moving within.
[Sharpgear]: The big guy might be holing up in there.
[Arthur]: that's likely.
[Thalstan]: Think its another captain?
[Vesyllah]: What the-…Goddess, I know who that is. He's with the Defias now?
[Sharpgear]: You know him?
Zaara hums and does a dreamy little dance in place.
[Arthur]: shall we see what he has squirreled away?
Thalstan raises an eyebrow at Ves. "He one of your folk?
[Sharpgear]: Wait, let's find out more about him first.
[Sharpgear]: Intellllll.
Sharpgear peers at you searchingly.
[Vesyllah]: Rufus Radabout. A pirate. Real scumbag. He hasn't been active for years…now I know why.
[Thalstan]: Aha. You… *Thal peers at Ves under bushy brows* …know a lot of pirates?
[Vesyllah]: The ones I hunt. Yes.
[Sharpgear]: What a great name, though.
[Sharpgear]: Wish I hadn't already named my kids.
[Vesyllah]: Ew.
[Zaara]: What is he rad about?
Sharpgear laughs at Zaara.
[Thalstan]: Hm… Shall we attack him, then? Or think he'll be open to persuasion?
[Vesyllah]: He's a murderer and worse. You can try to talk to him if you like, but he dies today.
[Sharpgear]: Let's skip the talking then.
[Thalstan]: Alrigh'. All ready?
Sharpgear lets everyone know that she is ready!
[Vesyllah]: Let's end him.
Defias Blackguard jumps out of the shadows!
[Vesyllah]: I've finally found you, Radabout! Today you die!
Rufus Radabout calls more of his allies out of the shadows.
[Vesyllah]: Feel the vengeful gaze of Elune, Defias Blackguard!
Rufus Radabout coughs, spitting up blood. "More slaves of the crown … *cough* …"
Thalstan nudges the body and then leans over to look for a key.
[Vesyllah]: Oh look, he's not quite dead. Chat him up, if you like.
[Sharpgear]: Nice.
[Sharpgear]: I always like this part.
Sharpgear rubs her four-fingered hands together gleefully.
[Thalstan]: e's not? Alrigh' then Rufus! Whattaya know about this lockbox!
Sharpgear listens intently to Rufus Radabout.
Rufus Radabout snarls, clutching his wounds. "Wh-…VanCleef's chest? That's…what you came for?"
[Zaara]: Yes! … Is it?
[Thalstan]: Yeah, yeh could say that.
[Sharpgear]: We already got his head, so.
[Sharpgear]: Working our way down.
Thalstan snorts.
Rufus Radabout laughs raspily. "Figures. Not even…here for me…"
[Sharpgear]: Yeah, you're kinda small potatoes.
[Sharpgear]: Sorry, buddy.
Sharpgear doesn't seem super sorry.
[Zaara]: … he is potatoes? What is this mean?
[Arthur]: did you think someone was after you for something?
[Thalstan]: I mean one o' us was hunting you, but she didnae know you were here.
Sharpgear murmurs to Zaara "Small potatoes" means someone isn't important.
[Zaara]: Ohhhhh.
Sharpgear but with proper punctuation.
Vesyllah shrugs. "Your bad luck you hooked up with the Defias, Radabout. I wouldn't have found you otherwise."
[Sharpgear]: Anyway the box is more important than you, definitely.
[Sharpgear]: Killing you is just icing on the cake.
Rufus Radabout sighs. "Yeah…seems so…" He coughs up more blood, looking paler by the moment.
[Zaara]: Defias is not joke!
[Sharpgear]: Hurry up and say stuff before you die, buddy.
Thalstan nods at Zaara.
[Sharpgear]: Trust me when I say I could make it hurt worse.
Sharpgear nudges him with her tiny boot.
[Zaara]: And I could heal?
[Thalstan]: Hold on there, Mayhem… we're heroes, remember?
[Sharpgear]: yeah, she could heal you and we'll just hurt you all over agai—- oh FINE.
Sharpgear sighs at Thalstan.
[Thalstan]: Tha' goes fer you too, Booty.
[Zaara]: Healing is heroes.
[Sharpgear]: Then tell us what you know, pretty please, and we'll make it STOP hurting.
[Sharpgear]: I promise.
Rufus Radabout groans with a resigned sigh. "Don't think…I'm comin' back from this," he says as he tries to hold in his guts.
Sharpgear readies her dagger to make it stop hurting.
Thalstan looks to Zaara. "Can ya heal him?"
Rufus Radabout tugs a chain around his neck, pulling a key out from under his clothes. "But fine … take it … for all the good it'll do you. Even if you open the chest … you're not prepared … for …"
Rufus Radabout expires.
[Sharpgear]: Dangit!!
[Zaara]: For…?
[Sharpgear]: I was gonna expire him!!!
Thalstan turns back to Rufus, a second to late to catch his final glance.
Sharpgear kicks his body.
[Vesyllah]: He won't mind if you stab him some more.
[Thalstan]: Hold on there Mayhem.
[Zaara]: Oh! He is not prepared! To finish story!
[Sharpgear]: He's dead.
[Thalstan]: We are not folks who attack bodies outta spite.
[Thalstan]: We are heroes.
Vesyllah sighs at Thalstan.
[Zaara]: I will bring this back.
[Sharpgear]: I mean, you're not the type. And I'm not if you say so.
Sharpgear salutes Thalstan with respect.
[Thalstan]: Thank yeh. *Thalstans nods, satisfied*
[Sharpgear]: But now we don't know what he was planning, because you guys were too busy arguing about how to be heroic instead of making him talk. So fine.
[Sharpgear]: I hope a squid pops out of the box and sucks someone's face off.
[Vesyllah]: It's done. Let's see if that chest is around?
[Thalstan]: Alrigh'.
[Arthur]: well, we're not prepared for… something. and i bet a clue to what is in that box.
[Zaara]: But I should bring this — ? Oh. No. Now he is gone. *Zaara looks up at nothing.*
Sharpgear peers at Zaara searchingly.
Sharpgear shivers.
Thalstan picks up the last key.
[Vesyllah]: Pretty sparse quarters…
[Vesyllah]: Search around.
[Sharpgear]: Even blocked up the windows.
Thalstan searches around.
[Sharpgear]: You gotta have windows.
[Thalstan]: Some folks like it dark.
Zaara does not search around. She stands and hums and sways.
Within the captain's quarters, inside a larger trunk, Thalstan finds a small chest about the size of a breadbox. The single keyhole doesn't look like any familiar lock.
[Sharpgear]: Uh, that thing doesn't look like it needs multiple keys. Not sure that's it.
Thalstan holds up the box. "Here! The keys, they're gnomish… think they fit together somehow?"
[Sharpgear]: Hmmmmm.
[Thalstan]: Gnomes love stuff that interlock, righ' Mayhem?
[Sharpgear]: I mean I wouldn't put it past the ingenuity of my people. But I'm no engineer.
[Arthur]: but i…
[Sharpgear]: Maybe let pretty boy take a look?
[Arthur]: can i look at that?
Thalstan tries to see if the keys fit together somehow. He is not successful. He hands them to Arthur.
[Sharpgear]: Let's find out if he's useful as well as pretty!
Sharpgear peers at Arthur searchingly.
Thalstan looks up at Arhur with expectation.
Arthur inspects each one, feeling every edge. his brows knit together, and he finds a loupe attachment to pop over his goggles.
Zaara stands facing the wrong way, smiling dreamily at nothing in particular and swaying.
[Arthur]: they don't interlock, no. but look. they have parts that move. They're devices in and of themselves.
[Thalstan]: Oh? Do they… fit with the chest?
[Sharpgear]: Can you tell what they're supposed to do?
Sharpgear gently gives Zaara's tail a couple of pulls like a bellrope.
[Arthur]: This is a puzzle lock. and these are puzzle keys.
[Zaara]: Tsch!
[Thalstan]: Can yeh solve it, there, Trouble?
[Sharpgear]: I have no idea what a puzzle key is, but it sounds cool.
[Sharpgear]: Yeah, Trouble, show us what you've got goin on between those tiny ears.
[Arthur]: there's a lot of solving to do. I wish the Captain were here. this is gnomish all the way. complicated. probably over-elaborate, just for the fun of making it that way…
[Sharpgear]: Dangit, would be a long way to bring it to her.
[Sharpgear]: But maybe there are other experts we can consult on it.
[Sharpgear]: Or you can just work on it a while?
[Thalstan]: Do yeh need some time? We should probly get back ta Ironforge, and work on it there.
[Sharpgear]: I dunno how smart you are, to be honest.
[Sharpgear]: Very hard to tell.
[Sharpgear]: Mixed data.
Thalstan gives Tadget a Look.
Sharpgear shuts it.
Arthur picks one up and figures out how it moves, and why. "I think the key and the lock are a match. the shaping is the same. Oh. Maker's mark?"
Sharpgear shrugs at Arthur. Who knows?
Thalstan nods agreeably. Those are all words.
Vesyllah shrugs, "Give it a try?"
Sharpgear amiably puts her arm around Zaara's… shin.
Arthur peers at them again. "The same mark on everything…or not? Listen i could fuss around for days. do we have days?"
[Sharpgear]: Unfortunately we don't know yet. Until we get the thing open. Hopefully.
[Thalstan]: Maybe so?
[Arthur]: because i say check the box for traps and just give it a go.
[Thalstan]: If you can get it open, I'd say just go for it. We ha' Zaara here if we trip a trap.
[Sharpgear]: Um, you're the engineer. I tend to have strong opinions, but not about whether to mess with engineerybits.
[Sharpgear]: Even though for some reason everyone always seems to assume I am an engineer.
[Arthur]: well, heal me if trouble happens.
Arthur picks a key and tries it.
[Zaara]: Tripatrap!
Sharpgear giggles at Zaara.
Sharpgear pats her shin.
The key slips into the lock. CLICK! WHIRR… The key is pushed back out into Arthur's hand and various parts of the lock start rotating, reconfiguring into a new shape.
Sharpgear baaaacks up.
Zaara tilts her head, listening with interest.
[Arthur]: Oh ho!
Sharpgear ducks around the corner.
[Thalstan]: Tha' did somethin'!
[Arthur]: This is something!
[Vesyllah]: What happened? Is it going to explode?
[Arthur]: not sure yet.
[Sharpgear]: Asking that instead of finding cover is rarely wise.
Zaara claps excitedly.
[Vesyllah]: That's comforting…
Arthur doesn't seem like he's kidding
[Sharpgear]: Is anyone else gonna find cover? Just me?
[Sharpgear]: I can't resurrect you know.
Thalstan stands in front of Art. "I'll take tha' blast, if there is one."
[Vesyllah]: Yeah…maybe give it some room. I can't shield everyone at once.
[Sharpgear]: Zaara, c'mere, honey.
[Thalstan]: Jes' you heal me back.
[Zaara]: What? Why?
Arthur feels the lid and tries to lift it.
Sharpgear guides Zaara behind cover.
[Sharpgear]: I'm trying to shield you from an explosion that may kill Trouble.
Zaara whispers, "No fire."
Vesyllah takes cover with Tadget.
[Sharpgear]: Good girls.
Sharpgear takes cover behind the tall girls behind cover. Double cover.
[Zaara]: … is not a fire box.
[Zaara]: We are hiding for …?
[Sharpgear]: Possible explosion.
[Sharpgear]: You do know what an explosion is, right?
Arthur attempts to pry the lid up.
The lid remains firmly sealed.
[Arthur]: nope. hm.
Arthur fiddles with moving key parts and tries again.
Sharpgear keeps one hand on Zaara's shin like she's afraid she's going to wander into the blast zone.
Zaara sighs.
The key doesn't seem to be able to be manually adjusted. However, inserting the second key has the same result: it is pushed out and the lock reconfigures again.
[Arthur]: okay. how about this one?
Arthur tries again.
[Sharpgear]: Third time's the charm. Or the explosion.
[Arthur]: there's probably an order for the keys.
Once again, the lock reconfigures.
[Thalstan]: Now wha'? It open now?
[Arthur]: all right. i think…hm.
[Sharpgear]: Maybe the order we found em in? Or would that be too easy?
[Vesyllah]: We also don't know if this is all of them.
[Sharpgear]: Ohhhhh. Right.
Arthur nods. "too many things. which one was first?"
[Sharpgear]: Maybe let's get out of here and take it with us. Is it too heavy?
The chest has some heft, but it is portable.
[Sharpgear]: I'll bet Thalstan could carry it.
[Thalstan]: Yeah, might better. I reckon those Defias will come after us fore long.
Sharpgear bats her eyes.
[Thalstan]: I sure could. *Thalstan holds out his hands for the box*
[Arthur]: I can't fuss here, you're right.
[Sharpgear]: Better light outside, if nothing else.
[Thalstan]: Next time we meet up, we try to solve this lil thing?
Arthur hands the box over.
[Sharpgear]: Sure!
Zaara looks disappointed.
[Sharpgear]: If Art hasn't found it by then
[Arthur]: can i take a rubbing of the lock and the keys?
[Thalstan]: I'm a-heading to my hearth, but we can always meet up in Ironforge.
[Thalstan]: O' course.
[Arthur]: let's meet there.
[Sharpgear]: Wheeeee!
The Blade exits the Deadmines and returns to Sentinel Hill.
Gryan Stoutmantle says: You're back. Have you retrieved the chest?
[Zaara]: The box.
Vesyllah smirks. "Yes. We have it."
Gryan Stoutmantle says: Excellent work, Cobalt Blade. Now that we have the chest, maybe we'll learn what's so important about it.
Vesyllah looks to Arthur, then back to Stoutmantle. "We found three keys, but we haven't been able to open it yet."
Gryan Stoutmantle says: have a feeling I know why. There may be yet another key, and I have a feeling I know who has it. The man who was meant to receive the message you intercepted: Decker Canton.
Arthur glances at Vengeance. "is that name familiar?"
[Zaara]: Deckranton.
[Vesyllah]: The ogre…as it was dying it said Canton wouldn't be happy. Plus, like the Marshal said, it was on the message we intercepted.
Gryan Stoutmantle says: Unfortunately, it looks like Canton is in the wind. But don't worry, my people are searching for clues to his whereabouts. I'll see that intel gets to Sgt. Sharpgear.
Gryan Stoutmantle says: He'll be found soon enough.
[Zaara]: In the wind? I will ask?
Zaara looks questioningly in Ves's general direction.
[Vesyllah]: It means he fled and we dont' know where he is.
[Zaara]: Oh. Not in the wind.
[Arthur]: right.
Gryan Stoutmantle says: Again, well done. The People's Militia thanks you for your service to the people of Westfall. The blow you have struck will keep the Brotherhood destabilized and severely weaken the remaining factions.
Gryan Stoutmantle says: Hopefully someday soon peace will once again grace the plains of this fair land.
Gryan Stoutmantle says: Cobalt Company, I salute you!
[Zaara]: Blade.
[Vesyllah]: What she said.
[Zaara]: Cobolt Blade. Like the books.
[Zaara]: When there is books.
Gryan Stoutmantle says: Ahem…my apologies…Cobalt Blade.
Arthur thanks Gryan Stoutmantle.
Zaara nods sternly.
Westfallhero cheers at Zaara!
[Vesyllah]: Let's get some rest…and I guess report to Company leadership or whatever.
[Zaara]: What ever!
[Arthur]: right!
Zaara nods happily.
[Vesyllah]: Most important word you'll learn, Cuteness. Whatever.
[Zaara]: Coooool.