(2023-02-21) I Knew it Would Explode

Details

Author:	Vond
Summary:	Ace, Oranna, Pericleia and Sil meet Nunuzac to go to the Explorer's League Outpost out on the cliffs southest of Valgarde - to check on Bran's cousin Walt Stillwall, and see what the Explorers have been up to. Titanic discoveries await for those brave enough to endure Walt's schemes.
Rating:	T for Teen

Oranna looks for Nunuzac, as she fidgets slightly with the tabard, smoothing it over the mail armor again. The tabard is very clean, but it's also clearly older.

Oranna: Nunuzac?

Pericleia: Good fortune, Cobalt Company.

Oranna looks from one draenei to the other, and it's obvious from her expression she's not clear with one is The Nunu.

Nunuzac waves brightly. "Hello! That is me. Here for errands help?"

Silvestre: Hi, everybody! And Oranna, hey!

Pericleia: I am Vindicator Pericleia, here for assistance.

Oranna looks over at Sil, and waves, attempting a cheery smile. It almost makes it.

Silvestre: I'm Sil Silentstep, here for the adventure.

Oranna: Oranna. Oranna Stormbreaker.

Aiseia: Hey, Sil!

Nunuzac: So many to help, wonderful! And Vindicator. So so good to have you with us.

Silvestre beams a cheery smile back at Oranna.

Silvestre: Hey, Ace!

Pericleia smiles at Nunuzac.

Nunuzac: Sil, Oranna, Ace. Wonderful. We will get to see out into the country a bit. There is another thing, though.

Aiseia: Westguard Keep's great, but i heard there were explorers?
Aiseia listens.

Oranna: Another thing?

Nunuzac: Okay, so as I go get ready to check on Walt, I ask around for how to get to Explorers' camp. Some one hears me and says, maybe we can fly you, but you can help me at the same time. Another Explorer's League some one.
Nunuzac: We go see what he wants us to do? We can be very helpful, good words for Cobalt. Enough good words and we probably get audience with the king, clear up whole Northrend problem.

Silvestre: Oh yeah, I love bein' helpful!
Silvestre: And if they're gonna fly us out there, then it's only fair, right?

Oranna: I dinna think…ach, well. I…Sure.

Pericleia nods. "Yes. I am here for help."

Aiseia: sounds great!

Nunuzac: That is what I hear, that there may be a way to fly. Let us go ask Mr. McDwarf.
Nunuzac waves them along.

Oranna: His name's McDwarf?

Nunuzac: It is! Easy to remember.
Nunuzac waves at Beltrand. "Helloooooo!"

Beltrand McSorf says: Nunuzac! These your folks?

Oranna looks baffled. "Ohhhh. McSorf. Aye. Hullo, Beltrand."

Pericleia: I am Vindicator Pericleia. I am part of… Nunuzac's folks.

Beltrand McSorf says: Oranna, you along too? You Cobalt lot are the ones who's people were able to retrieve those invaluable artifacts from Wyrmskull.
Beltrand McSorf says: If not for your willingness to go galavanting off into dangerous dens of carnage on the promise of uncertain reward, we might never have made this breakthrough…

Oranna nods, pausing only once to fire a shot over her shoulder.

Nunuzac: Oh, yes! That was the Cobalt fight squad.

Aiseia: Yeah.

Beltrand McSorf says: …And we still haven't! It's all a bunch of cryptic nonsense! Even with this cipher I can't make heads or tails of these tablets. Admittedly, cryptography is not my strong point.
Beltrand McSorf says: You'll need to take the cipher and tablets to our cryptographer, Stanwad. Unfortunately, I haven't heard from Stanwad in two weeks.
Beltrand McSorf says: He took a team of twenty scientists to the dig sites on the southeastern bluffs of the fjord and hasn't been heard from since.

Nunuzac: Yes, that is where we are going, yes? Where is Walt?

Oranna clasps her hands together in front of her, twisting them a little together.

Pericleia leans to Silvestre and whispers, "What is cryptography? And cryptographer?"

Beltrand McSorf says: Aye, it's out the same way you told me you were planning to head if you're out to check on Walt Stillwall. The best I can do is have McGoyver over there give you a lift with his flying machine.

Nunuzac nods to Pericleia. "I think it is about graveyards, which there are probably many of."
Nunuzac: Oh perfect. I did mean to ask about how to fly, since it is very up tall on the cliff. I find one trained gryphon, but it is only one.

Silvestre: A crypt is in a graveyard, yeah. But I think cryptography is something else.

Beltrand McSorf motions back at the gnome at the river. "That's him back there, best get a move on with that cipher."

Oranna: Ah, it's codes. Talkin' in codes, like a spy.

Nunuzac gathers up the collection of artifacts and cipher packaged up by Beltrand. "With the flying machine? Let us see."

Oranna: Or sometimes love notes that ye hafta spend two weeks on ta decode….*Oranna mumbles something, but her cheeks are a little pink.*

Silvestre chuckles.

Pericleia nods. "We deliver tablets to code scholar in graveyard."

Oranna: No' that these are like ta be love notes. Probably.

Nunuzac: Who would write their grave stone in code?

Oranna: Oh, they arena related. Similar words, but no' the same.

Nunuzac waves at McGoyver.

Pericleia sighs.

Nunuzac: Sounds like same word to me.

Pericleia: It is always like that with Common.

McGoyver says: Yarp? Yar wannar fly? Narp… No-no-no-norp gonnarp ha-hap-hap-happen!

Oranna: Aye, but same as me saying 'aye' sounds like 'I' as in me, but it's no' the same word.

Nunuzac blinks a bit, trying to parse this.

Beltrand McSorf grumbles something under his breath.

Oranna looks concerned. "Somethin' wrong with the flyer?"

Nunuzac: Umm… We have business with Explorer's League Outpost, for McDwarf. And Stillwalls. You fly us?

Pericleia: … What is the other Aye?
Pericleia points at one of her eyes.

Silvestre: Oh, yeah, that's an eye too. And storms have got eyes.

McGoyver shrugs. Something wrong? Probably. But that seems enough for him. "Okarp. Gonnarp happen."

Oranna: Oh, it means 'yes.' Or your 'eye' or your 'I.'

McGoyver motions everyone toward the flying machines he is working on. "Gettarp."

Pericleia mutters to herself, "Yes, eye in face, or self."

Oranna looks very skeptical about the flying machine. "Ye sure it's…safe?"
Oranna: Is this gonna explode?

Silvestre: Looks sorta like the ones I saw in Outland!

Aiseia: Can't be worse than the harpoon.

Oranna: Did they explode?

Silvestre: I never rode in one before, though!

Nunuzac taps her fingers together. "I'm sure it's… fine? Explorer's League would not just fly in bad craft, yes?"

Silvestre: I never saw one explode.

Pericleia: I have Hand of Protection, I can keep one safe.

Oranna mutters something about the Explorers' League safety concerns.

They variously take off in questionable flying machines kept by a questionable gnome, then drag themselves into the Explorer's League Outpost by the southeastern cliffs. There are some dwarves at a campfire and some working on various projects, and a variety of unmoving constructs and statues around.

Gwendolyn shakes her head.
Gwendolyn says: Damn shame what they did to that rug.

Silvestre: Totally safe!

Pericleia cannot get out of the flying machine fast enough.

Nunuzac: Wow, no one explodes.

Aiseia: it *was* worse than the harpoon.

Pericleia: Why it have faces on?

Oranna has a map out and is writing as fast and furiously as she can on it, making small markings with pencil.

Silvestre: I really want to try that harpoon thing.

Silvestre: Alright there, Oranna?

Aiseia: it was *so* fun.

Pericleia points to the two little faces drawn on the lower portion of the flying machine. They have grins full of teeth.

Nunuzac: How good, everyone is safe! You see anything nice on the way?

Oranna: …and there was the ship on fire…an' the three shipwrecks visible from th' water…Aye, I'm fine.

Pericleia: Big stone man with one arm.

Oranna finishes up, and tucks the map back into a pocket.

Pericleia: You are… navigator?
Pericleia looks down at Oranna.

Oranna: No.

Nunuzac: Big… stone man?

Pericleia: Big stone man. The kind that is art piece.

Oranna shakes her head. "I'm…lookin' fer somethin' else. I'm no' a navigator."

Pericleia: [Draenic] A statue.

Nunuzac raises the bundle of artifacts, looking around, and asks the local dwarves, "Stanwad? We look for Stanwad."

Stanwad grumbles. "'S me. What's that then?"

Pericleia: Old code tablets.

Nunuzac thrusts the parcel out toward Standwad with two hands. "Beltrand sends us over, looking for decoder."
Nunuzac adds proudly, "Cobalt Company finds these! And is very sorry about dwarfs lost in the Wyrmskull Village. Cobalt squad tries to help them."

Lebronski says: Who or what would do something like this, man?!
Lebronski says: It's BLOWIN' my mind!

Stanwad takes the bundle from you and begins sorting the data.

Lebronski says: You don't just come and do this to a dwarf's rug! You just don't do things like that!

Stanwad says: Wow. How many people did you say died to get this information?
Stanwad shakes his head.

Oranna: At least two dwarves.

Silvestre nods sadly.

Nunuzac: Umm… yes, that is what I heard. But they went into the village determinedly.

Stanwad says: You'll be happy to know that what McSorf and his crew of bumbling imbeciles discovered is an ancient recipe for tundra stew.
Stanwad says: Did he not notice the icons of common vegetables and the pictograph of a humanoid mouth chompin' down on said veggies? You don't need a damned cipher to break this code!

Oranna: What?

Nunuzac sighs at Stanwad.

Oranna looks appalled.

Silvestre: For real? They are… we need to talk to them about valuing their people better. McSorf and them.

Nunuzac: I guess we should take a look before we make a delivery next time.

Pericleia: Will same spy code work for other tablets?

Oranna: It's no'…it's no' a real code that jus' looks like a recipe?

Pericleia: What about second tablet? Also part of recipe?
Pericleia sighs.

Stanwad strokes his beard and considers Pericleia. "It's possible. We should keep it in case we find more of interest from the vrykul."
Stanwad says: But now that you're all here, we're running into some issues ourselves. Would you all be open to lending a hand?'

Befound sniffs near a rug. Someone has done that rug dirty. It was not her.

Pericleia: I am Vindicator Pericleia, of Nunuzac's Folks and Cobalt Company. We are here to help.

Nunuzac: Yes, we are here looking to find out more about what is going on with Explorer's League! And find somone—

Oranna: Oranna. Oranna Stormbreaker. Aye. Walt Stillwall.

Silvestre: And I'm like affiliated with the Explorer's League. More or less. So I want to help.

Stanwad says: Well listen then. Walt is just the one I'm gonna send you to. As usual, the real work is left up to me and my crew. Thankfully McSorf's team didn't die for nothin'.

Silvestre: Sil Silentstep, I should've said.

Oranna is just a dwarf. That's her credentials.

Aiseia: Iron dwarves…

Stanwad says: Now that I think about it, the ciper they recovered will help us crack the stuff we've found up here - that is if we can ever get back to it!

Silvestre: Are those dark irons?
Silvestre: Like the ones in Blackrock?

Stanwad says: Iron dwarves is right! Damned iron dwarves have sprung up like leaks all over the place and are now attemptin' to bury the sites! Can you believe it? Bastards want to bury our finds!

Aiseia frowns.

Nunuzac: Iron Dwarves…?

Oranna frowns as well, but she looks more distressed than angry.

Silvestre glances to Ace and Oranna and asks quietly, "Are they different from the dark iron ones?"

Stanwad says: You're probably thinking of the Dark Irons. We are calling these folks here iron dwarves on account that hey look every bit the dwarf - Just the right height and handsome t'boot -
Stanwad says: but look like they've been forged head to toe in living iron. These fer sure aren't the same as the Earthen we know from back home.

Silvestre: Oh. Huh. That's odd.

Pericleia: Do they talk?

Aiseia: or do they just fight?

Pericleia: Are they people? Or like… art piece made of iron that moves?

Oranna takes out her gun to sight down the scope at one, frowning harder. "What's wrong with them? Tha's…aye. Literally iron and there's markings on their faces."

Stanwad says: You should ask Walt all about it over yonder. He's had more run ins with their technology and can get you started.

Nunuzac: Yes, let us see how Walt is doing!

Oranna: They've got runes all on them.
Oranna sets her gun back.

Pericleia: Walt?

Nunuzac hails Walt from a distance with a high wave and an enthusiastic hop, then darts past Standwad.

Walt looks up from tinkering with some kind of decommissioned construct on one of his workbenches? "Eh? The Dude over yonder send you? He looks pretty upset about his rug."

Oranna: Oh, aye. I see the resemblance. I'm a friend o' Bran's as well.

Nunuzac blinks. "Rug? I hear nothing about a rug. You are Walt, yes? We are here because we are friends of your cousin Bran."

Befound did not do anything to that rug. She just wants that clear.

Walt squints at them all. "What's all this? Nothing the matter with Bran back at Valgarde, is there?"

Oranna pats Befound with a hand distractedly.

Nunuzac: No, no! Brann wants only to find out how you are, and asks us to see if you discover anything nice.

Walt says: What, he's sent a minder after me? What a laugh. He's the one that's more like to need someone trailing him from bumbling into some kind of trouble on pure account of 'im not paying attention.

Oranna smiles fondly.

Walt says: Maybe he's feeling nervous that he talked me into all this Explorer's League business and is seeing that these untamed lands can be on the dangerous side. You can tell Brann I'm right as rain, but I wish as much could be said for all of us.

Oranna: He always manages to wander back out o' it. Trouble, tha' is.

Walt says: I wish some of that luck would rub off on the rest of the crew. Over half our team is dead or missing. This is our last stand up here on the high bluffs.
Walt says: Those damned iron dwarves pushed us out of both Ivald's Ruin and Baelgun's. Now I've got a plan to get us back inside before they bury up all our goodies and we lose that data forever.

Silvestre: Oh, whoa. I didn't realize it was that desperate. And your people, yeah? Got to get your people out too. Not just the data.

Nunuzac: Is everything really that bad. Stanwad says you know more of the iron dwarves.

Oranna's face falls. "I'm sorry fer the loss o' them. We can try ta find the survivors."

Walt says: They've been muscling in on all of our investigations around here. Not a lick of politeness in the lot, just all spoiling for a fight, and causing trouble with their constructs, which you can see right here and out yonder.
Walt says: What do you say to reversing a little of their mischief on 'em?

Pericleia: I can bring back recently deceased. If we find.
Pericleia: Sometimes works.

Walt says: Give it a shot if you find anyone in dire strats! We'd be much obliged over whoever can be recovered.
Walt says: Now, I've been studying these deactivated constructs for days. I think I can create reasonable facsimiles of the golems that would have room inside to fit one passenger.
Walt says: The idea being that it would fool those iron dwarves and allow us to get inside Baelgun's.
Walt says: I'm not gonna be able to make anything with a hammer and poker. I need my tools! Unfortunately I left those behind at Ivald's Ruin when the iron dwarves first attacked. Get me my tools!
Walt says: Ivald's Ruin is located far to the northeast.

Silvestre: You want us to dress up like iron dwarves? *Sil perks up* That sounds kinda cool.

Oranna mutters something about golems, and misplaced tools, and then looks southeast.

Nunuzac: Hmm… just find dwarves and tools? This should be something we can do easy with all of our people here.

Oranna might think she's looking northeast. She is not

Walt says: I've got a plan fer sure, find those tools and I'll give you the scoop.

Pericleia stares at the construct like she's trying to decide if it's big enough to fit her. She tilts her head sideways.

Nunuzac: Well let's see what we can find!

Silvestre: Let's get the tools and then we'll see!

Nunuzac boggles at Storm Giant.

Pericleia: Tall one.

Oranna seems a little surprised when they move northeast.

Nunuzac: H—heavy!

Silvestre: Whole ground shakes!

Pericleia draws an angry stag to her with the Light.

After defending themselves from some aggressive shoveltusks and keeping their distance from a ground-shaking storm giant, the Ivald's Ruin dig site comes into view, with a huge statue semi-excavated in the center. A great big stone hand emerges from careful scaffolding that has been overrun by iron dwarves.

Nunuzac: This looks…!

Oranna: Oh, aye.

Nunuzac: Big hand!

Nunuzac eyes the iron dwarf.
Nunuzac: He is right, all metal.

Pericleia: Hm.

Oranna: They're…guarding it. Facin' outward.

Pericleia: Covered in symbol.

Silvestre: They got glowing runes on 'em.

Oranna: Aye, runes.

Nunuzac: over there—not iron?

In the distance, hiding in a sheltered platform left behind by the excavation that was chased away, appears to be a regular dwarf fellow of the familiar sort.

Nunuzac points at Donny.

Nunuzac: Still alive.

Oranna sights down her scope.

Nunuzac: We see!

Oranna: Aye, that's one of th' League, I'd bet.

Pericleia: Good fortune!

Silvestre: Sort of reminds me of Light's Hope battle. The runes on the swords.

Donny says is muttering.
Donny says: I'm out of my element, eh? Walt doesn't know what he's talking about! I single-handedly kicked the iron out of these dwarves and set up camp to observe the goings-on of the dig site.

Nunuzac: Definitely regular dwarf, not iron dwarf.

Silvestre: I see you're doing great! What'd you observe?

Donny says: Keep it down, folks. These iron dwarves are quick on the trigger. Now don't let the activities down in the dig fool you. Those steel-skinned abominations aren't digging anything up!
Donny says: No sir - on the contrary - they're burying the site! For whatever whacked out reason, they don't want anyone finding this place.

Oranna shoots an iron dwarf coming up behind them.

Pericleia takes up a defensive position by the ramp, watching for more incoming iron dwarves.

Silvestre: Burying the whole site?

Donny says: Right!? What kind of dwarf buries ancient relics and dig sites? I'll tell you what kind: the kind you kill with reckless abandon! Get in there and take 'em out!

Befound joins Pericleia. Guard.

Pericleia: Do they speak?

Oranna looks horrified. "Reckless abandon?"

Nunuzac: Oh… I guess you are not happy with what they have done.

Silvestre: What were you uncovering here? Was it important?
Silvestre: It's… big?

Donny says: Get reckless or get on with it! Aye it's big. I am hesitant to come to any immediate conclusions, but I'm going to anyway.

Pericleia mutters to herself under her breath, "Yes or eye in face or self…"

Silvestre waits to hear more.

Donny says: There are important discoveries to be had here about the Titans and our ancestors. There are likenesses to our investigations of the Earthen and other great works like this.
Donny says: So if you want this magnificent piece to be fully catalogued and not lost to history, best get those iron dwarves out of our hair.

Oranna mutters something about the Explorers' League's got their priorities very messed up, things over lives. "Doesn't mean much ta discover our origins if we're no' alive ta learn about it," she says under her breath.

Nunuzac: I, umm— we need to go down in there and find Walt's tools. If they start a fight…
Nunuzac: But maybe not reckless abandon.

Pericleia: Are they people? The iron dwarves. Or are they art pieces that move like people?

Silvestre glances at Ace. "You helped with the human history stuff, from what I heard, so its best we help with the dwarf history too."

Aiseia nods at Silvestre.

Oranna: Even if we look like stone, we're no' stone. Until we know what these are…

Donny says: Hard to say, human. They will not speak with us, only clobber and ruin our digs!

Pericleia: I am draenei.

Nunuzac: Let us find the way in to look for tools.

Oranna: They could jus' be controlled.

Pericleia nods thoughtfully.

They delve into the digsite, picking through the construction for abandoned tools…

Nunuzac: Pick up anything that looks helpful!

Silvestre: Are these the tools? They're somebody's tools.

Oranna picks up a pickax and sets it into a bag that doesn't look like it should be able to hold a pickax.

Nunuzac: We have many hands, so if we all get tools, some of them must be right tools.

…and iron dwarves that get too threateningly close.

Nunuzac: This is reckless enough, yes? Is looking much less dangerous.

Silvestre: Gosh, there's so many of them.
Silvestre: But a little less now, yeah.

Oranna looks grim, but she nods in agreement.

Nunuzac: I did not see any other living not iron dwarf.

Silvestre: Not a one tried to talk to us.

Pericleia: I looked as well. Saw none.

Oranna: They seem ta alert on folks gettin' near. An' they're no' talkin' at all ta each other.

Nunuzac: So we had better tell the others and make sure the reckless one gets away.
Oranna: Like th' earthen…

Pericleia: What are earthen?

Oranna: They're…they're wha' dwarves were once. Sort of.

Silvestre: They were in Uldaman. Another dig site.

Pericleia: First dwarves…

Silvestre: proto-dwarves?

Oranna: We're no' them. They're no' us. Jus'…what we used ta be like. Afore.
Nunuzac: Hello dwarf. You see us fight, yes? We help out?

Pericleia once again keeps watch.

Donny says: Good job, folks. That'll slow down the burial process a little.
Donny says: Why don't you all get those tools back to Walt. I'll keep an eye on this dig and send word back to Stanwad of any further developments.

Befound joins Pericleia. They will watch this ramp with their ayes.

Nunuzac blinks. "Really? You want to stay?"

Oranna mutters under her breath about reckless Explorers' League priorities.

Pericleia looks at the stag as if daring it to get closer.

Donny says: I'm fine. I've got some more things to 'take care of' around here. Go on, get.

Nunuzac: Well we cannot make you. At least not without pick up and take.

Pericleia pulls its attention to her with the Light the moment it makes a bad life choice and charges.

Stag takes Pericleia up on the dare.

Nunuzac: Okay! We bring things to Walt.

Pericleia watches the giant warily.

Nunuzac: Gronnsize man.

Pericleia: Yes.

Oranna: Gronn?

Nunuzac: Gronn… big.

Pericleia: Large.
Pericleia: From Draenor.

Oranna: Well. Aye, I did figure…well, because of the…ah.

Silvestre: They were these things in Outland. Big creatures… like about that size.

Walt eyes them while the discuss large things. "Step 1: Get Walt his tools."

Silvestre: Uh, they killed dragons.

Pericleia sets down the tools she picked up in front of Walt.

Walt says: Excellent.

Nunuzac drops some tools in the pile!

Silvestre sets down the ones he grabbed.

Oranna nods thoughtfully as she pulls out a pickax, and gently places it on the pile.

Walt says: Now that I've got my tools, the building can begin. Well, as soon as I have some materials. You'll be getting those for me next.
Walt says: Tools? Check. Materials? Negative.

Aiseia found a hammer, surprising no one.

Walt says: If we're going to build these things, you're going to have to get me the materials. And in addition to that, we're going to make them look spiffy, too!

Pericleia mouths the word 'spiffy' silently to herself.

Walt says: Oh, did I tell you yet that you'll be driving a facsimile construct? Because you are!

Silvestre: Alright, what do we need to get?

Walt says: First things first. For the skeletal structure I'm going to need large barrels from Nifflevar, some dark iron ingots from Valgarde, and industrial strength rope from Baleheim.

Pericleia: You told us we would be in those.
Pericleia points at the construct on the table.

Oranna pulls out her map.

Walt says: Nifflevar and Baleheim are vrykul towns northwest of here. Valgarde is located in Daggercap Bay, also to the northwest. Speak with McGoyver to get the ingots. He'll fly you back here once you're all done.

Nunuzac: Fly… again…

Nunuzac | Walt says: That's not all, either.

Oranna sighs heavily, as she folds the map back up. "Of course it isn't."

Silvestre: There's more?!

Walt says: While the infrastructure for a piece of machinery like this is important, we can't underestimate the appearance of the constructs. If we're to fool the iron dwarves the clone must be exact!
Walt says: I can make this happen.
Walt says: Bring me pristine shoveltusk hides from the shoveltusk of this region and some steel ribbing you can probably find among those vrykul supplies while you're there.

Silvestre looks at Walt with a touch of skepticism. Just a touch.

Walt says: I'm sure we can put it to better use than whatever harpoon throwers they're cooking up, don't you think?

Nunuzac: Hmm… the Dragonflayers are still at odd with Valgarde. There is standing order to fight them, and we would get thanked if we keep some supplies out of their hands.

Walt says: Make sure to bring back multiples of everything, and I can put you all to work! I'll make sure the rest of the Explorer's League hears about it, too. We're on the verge of some big things.

Pericleia: That was many Common words. To understand… he wants us to find many of different items from all over? Yes?

Oranna looks at Walt with a bit more than a touch of skepticism at that.

Pericleia: And bring them back?

Nunuzac: We can do this, yes? We get supplies from Dragonflayers towns.

Aiseia: yes. that's what we're doing.

Nunuzac: And shoveltusk hide.

Pericleia smiles and nods.

Aiseia: like a scavenger hunt.

Silvestre nods at Pericleia. "It was a long list. But I bet somebody who isn't me remembers it all."

Nunuzac: Many shoveltusk all around.

Oranna: Not…not the young.

Pericleia: Are the small ones young?

Oranna: Aye.
Oranna: Look fer th' large ones, no' the babies.

Nunuzac: This should be enough hide?

Silvestre: Yeah, I don't want to kill the young ones.

Pericleia: I apologize. I was not knowing.

Nunuzac: It is enough. Sorry for take too small.
Nunuzac: Dragonflayers places near to north, I think.

Pericleia: Everything here of all different sizes… person bigger than house went by before.

Nunuzac: So many Dragonflayers.
Nunuzac: What is in these things?

Oranna: Aye, e'en the barrels are larger than I am.

Silvestre: And this is after White Squad came through.

Nunuzac: Carries so much metal. This is good metal I hope.

Pericleia puts the metal in the barrel for storage.

Pericleia is also accosted by another large aggressive shoveltusk, and hesitates about defending herself.

Pericleia: This is good size, yes? This one is adult?

Nunuzac sighs at Shoveltusk Stag.

Oranna: Aye.

Nunuzac: We have enough of your hide.

Pericleia sighs. "Good."

Nunuzac: We point hunters this way to clean it.

Oranna: The males can be aggressive, especially when we're near the calves.

Pericleia nods.

Nunuzac: Oh! Perfect
Nunuzac: Big rope.
Nunuzac: Get many big loop of rope.

Pericleia coils some rope and puts it in the barrel she's carrying.

Nunuzac: We take them back.

Oranna gets a big loop of rope as big as she is, and sticks it into a bag.

Nunuzac: Even riding animal thinks vindicator is inspiring. So fast.

Pericleia sets her barrel down.
Pericleia: Here, we leave these here, come back with ingots.
Pericleia: Heavy.

Nunuzac drops some items for Walt, though not as many as Pericleia and Aiseia could carry. "Right! Valgarde."
Nunuzac: Hmm, there is a way through the Wyrmskull keep.
Nunuzac: or… ! We could go cliff diving!

Oranna watches the giant.

Nunuzac: But… no mage or anchorite.
Nunuzac: Maybe cliff diving bad idea.

Pericleia: I can protect myself and one more. Not enough.

Oranna: Aye, a fall o' tha' size inta freezing water? I dinna think it wise.

Pericleia remains on high alert.

Nunuzac: Just watch out for Dragonflayer.

The group makes their way down the cliffs by sneaking through the outer portions of Utgarde Keep, then riding through Wyrmskull Village to Valgarde. They collect the requested ingots and take another scenic yet scary ride from McGoyver back to the Explorer's League outpost.

Pericleia sets down her bundle of ingots.

Walt says: These are all the infrastructure materials? They are, right? We'll be back to collecting our telics in no time!

Silvestre: That's good news!

Nunuzac: Of course! This should be everything you say, even if I did forget the ingots at first.

Walt says: Excellent. These combined with the skin will make for flawless clones of the constructs the iron dwarves use. That combined with the infrastructure materials will let me have this construct all ready to go soon enough.

Silvestre: Should we like, wait here or…?

Walt tackles the unfinished constructs on the workbench with frightening speed as soon as he has all the items in hand, working some kind of haphazard wonder with the nonstandard salvage parts. He sure seems to have had a plan in mind for a while.

Pericleia passes a [Blessing of Wisdom] over Walt. Was that necessary? Probably not.

Walt: Alright, the time has come for you to climb inside this thing and learn how to use its basic abilities. When you're ready, get on the work bench and I'll get you situated inside the construct.
Walt: Your first lesson is going to be using the construct's transportation system. You'll notice that the iron dwarves have set up special rune carvings around the dig site.

Pericleia: Will I fit?

Walt says: Their constructs use those rune carvings to power up and fly from point to point. Try it with the rune carving I built here.
Walt says: Don't worry, lass, I've made sure this one will accomodate at least one draenei.

Nunuzac: Umm… maybe I just watch. Who is brave?

Pericleia: I shall try.
Pericleia gets up on the workbench.

Walt: Behold my perfect creation!

Stanwad says: WHOA, WHOA, WHOA! Hold everything, fellas!

Silvestre: That. Uh

The dwarves all burst out in laughter.

Oranna looks at it warily. "Will it explode?"

Stanwad says: Oh dear lords of stone and steel, what… I repeat… WHAT are ya gonna do with that?

Pericleia looks over.

Gwendolyn says: I'm cryin' here! Please, make the funny stop!

Silvestre: I am not sure it looks exactly like the iron dwarves…

Lebronski says: Man, that will never work. The iron dwarves are never gonna fall for that hunk o' junk!

Walt has the work benches ready for use, and easily situates Pericleia in the construct, clicking together some restraints and controls.

Walt: You're out of your element, Lebronski! Uncalled for! Those iron dwarves won't know what hit 'em! Now why don't you get back to uncovering the mystery of the gigantic turd on your rug and leave the real scientists to their work!

Oranna: It looks like it might explode.

Walt says: Go ahead and try jumping with that rune!

Pericleia: I try… jumping.

Jumping works! The construct with Pericleia in it soars through the air when activated next to a peculiar rune, then lands on a similar rune nearby.

Iron Rune Construct says: Launching.

Nunuzac: Ahh…!
Nunuzac: Vindicator!
Nunuzac: You land safe?

Pericleia: Jumping easy. Land safe.

Aiseia: huh!

Nunuzac: Very good! I got scared when it flies you up.

Walt says: Fantastic. You're almost ready to take this work of art into the field!

Oranna grumbles as she hops onto the workbench. "I swear, if this explodes on me an' ye dinna say…"

Walt is quick about fastening in anyone who is willing to give it a go.

Nunuzac: All landing safe!

Pericleia exits the construct with Walt's help.

Oranna operates hers with all of the natural ability of someone who has never driven anything in her life — that is to say none at all. It's lurching around like it's got something stuck on its feet.

Aiseia: okay! so it goes from one pad to another?

Walt: Yup, that's just the way. The runes are linked together in tracks.
Walt: The most important part of your job while controlling the constructs is the collection of data. I've placed an iron dwarf relic in the cart over yonder. It's the floating, lightning infused crystal.
Walt: Get on the work bench and I'll put you back in the constructs. Once you're back in the driver's seat, use the constructs' data collection ability to pick up the test data.

Silvestre: I do not think they're gonna be fooled, but maybe if we just fly in and out…

Pericleia: Use… collection ability… pick up test data.

Nunuzac: Could you not just… say instead of get out and in?

Pericleia sighs heavily and gets back in.

Nunuzac: Here is lightning look crystal?

Oranna look at the crystal, then back at Walt, the skepticism heavy in her brows. "Are ye sure this is fer us ta be learning, or are ye jus' usin' test subjects?"

Walt just seems to like tinkering and hitching all the constructs together on and off at this point.

Oranna narrows her eyes at Walt.

Walt: Perfect! Works like a charm! I'm able to collect the data from the construct after you extract it from something else.

Pericleia gets out of the construct again with a heavy sigh.

Walt: You always gotta have a contingency plan in case your main plan backfires! That's why I've built in some anti-intelligence systems into the constructs.

Aiseia dances with Walt.

Nunuzac: I feel anti intelligence system works on me already.

Pericleia: Are you going to ask us to get in again?

Walt: Your shiny new rides might rouse some suspicion while you're at Baelgun's excavation site. That's what your bluff ability is for! Just use that any time you're confronted and you'll be safe from harm.

Oranna: Oh, I'm fair certain we've seen some o' the anti-intelligence systems aye.

Silvestre: I feel like maybe an intelligence system would be more useful…

Pericleia: He is going to ask us to get in again.

Walt: Test it out on Lebronski by walking on his rug. Once he starts huffin' and puffin', use the bluff!

Aiseia: this thing is pretty fun!

Walt holds his breath for a moment.
Walt says: Get on the work bench when you're ready to begin.

Pericleia sighs.

Nunuzac: I guess go… mess with rug man dwarf.

Pericleia follows the suggestion to pester Lebronski then test out the anti-intelligence system's automated bluff.

Lebronski says: What do you think you're doing, man? Lebronski does NOT appreciate you dragging your loose metal parts all over his rug.

Iron Rune Construct says: Model U-9207 Iron Rune Construct does not appreciate your tone of voice. Commencing total annihilation of your rug, Lebronski.

Lebronski says: Far out, man. This bucket of bolts might make it after all…

Oranna sighs heavily.

Walt looks delighted.

Silvestre: I don't really understand what just happened.

Nunuzac: You threaten a rug.

Walt: You showed him! Now it's time to put you in the field.

Pericleia exits the construct for the third time.

Walt: Feeling confident, I hope…

Oranna grumbles.
Oranna does not look like she feels confident about this plan at all.

Walt: That should do it for testing. Your constructs are ready to go. All abilities have been given a once over and I've programmed the machine to both comprehend and speak the language of the titans.

Oranna rolls her eyes.

Silvestre shoots a worried look at Oranna.

Pericleia: You what.
Pericleia: Language of titans? You know this?

Silvestre: Is that a thing most dwarves know?
Silvestre: Kind of a weird thing to add in all like an afterthought, isn't it?

Walt: We're digging up Titan sites, aren't we? You think we've been putting all w'eve learned from the Discs of Norgannon and other discoveries away without using it?
Walts: Stanwad is our master cryptographer and I'm no slouch myself with these languages!

Pericleia: You teach machine to speak language…

Silvestre: Can you teach me the language of the titans? I wanna learn.

Pericleia: I wish it were this easy to teach Pericleia to speak language. I am still learning this one.

Walt: Be sure to let Bran know I made them this sophisticated, too. And as for learning it yourself, maybe take it up with the Hall of Explorers.
Walt: It takes longer to teach a human than a machine, funnily enough.

Oranna gives Walt a Look. "Oh, aye."

Walt: Take the constructs to Baelgun's Excavation Site, due south of here, and collect data from the lightning infused relics that litter the site. Remember to bluff any iron dwarves that suspect your construct to be a fake.
Walt: And don't forget about rocket jumping from rune to rune to get around in there!
Walt: Wait for it…
Walt: Get on the table when you're ready!

Silvestre mumbles, "I didn't know it was an option to learn. I'll ask."

Oranna shakes her head as she turns to be Befound. "Alright, lass. Ye stay here."

Walt: Oh, one more thing.

Oranna: Of course there's one more thing…

Walt: The cavern that we opened at Baelgun's was the one place that most steered clear of… Can't say I blame 'em. The sound of thunder shot out of that cave, folks! Loud, booming thunder!

Oranna: Thunder?

Walt: I think near the end, it was abandoned by all. Bad, bad things happened to any that went in to explore - most never coming back.
Walt: I want you to check that cave out while you're at Baelgun's. Explore around the titan statue inside and report back with your findings.

Nunuzac: Oh no problem, just a scary lightning cave of mysterious disappearance.

Silvestre: Oh, sure. Another afterthought. Go in that place nobody ever came back from.

Nunuzac twitters nervously. "Sight inside the iron doll might be small, maybe I am a good lookout while doll drivers look for data?"

Aiseia: of course the one more thing is really dangerous.

Oranna frowns, but gets back up onto the table for the construct.

Pericleia: You wish to ride on shoulder?

Silvestre: Might be a good idea.

Walt fastens everyone in excitedly.

Nunuzac: Ok, I ride with Pericleia!

Pericleia helps Nunuzac on up very carefully with her stabby sharp fingers.

Four suspicious constructs and an extra draenei passenger head down into the scaffolded construction site that encompasses an extremely steep cliffside, looking for data and mysterious thunder caves. Predicably, many iron dwarves grow alert, putting the bluffing defense systems to the test while they chaotically attempt to navigate an intricate rune-jumping network.

Iron Rune Worker: This section is off-limits!

Iron Rune Construct: There is nothing to see here. Proceed with your mandated duties.

Iron Rune Construct: Did you lose your wallet? Construct has found wallet with overabundance of currency.

Iron Rune Runemaster: Stop!! Stop!!! Scrap metal moves itself now?

Iron Rune Construct: Alert! Alert! Construct senses that enemies have breeched our defenses. Increase pace.

Iron Rune Golem: Reinforcements en route. Function must be unabated.

Iron Rune Runemaster: I've never seen one of you around here.

Iron Rune Construct: All hail the great creator.

Iron Rune Runemaster: Forgive my insolence!

Iron Rune Worker: Halt! Identify yourself immediately!

Iron Rune Construct: Construct must not be questioned by iron dwarf servant. Commence deconstruction.

Iron Rune Worker: You're right, of course. Carry on.
Iron Rune Worker: Well played, Iron Rune Construct. Well played, indeed…

Iron Rune Runemaster: This section is off-limits!

Iron Rune Construct: All hail the great creator.

Iron Rune Runemaste: Right… my bad. Now where was I?

Iron Rune Worker: I've never seen one of you around here.

Iron Rune Construct: Construct class carrier reporting for duty. Primary function: Overseeing.

Silvestre whispers from inside, "I can NOT believe that worked."

Nunuzac: I cannot either! More safe than it looks.

Silvestre: What do you think they twig on?
Silvestre: Like the basic shape? Or is it just the language?

Pericleia: It may be language.

Silvestre waves at Iron Rune Construct.

Finally managing to convene to investigate the requested cavern, they head in, looking for… lighting?

Pericleia walks into the mystery cave.

A projected image of a great Titan Watcher appears before a great many iron dwarves watching in rank and file.

Loken yells: Come, minions! Your master calls!
Loken yells: The work of your brothers in the Storm Peaks has reached a frenzied pace. Soon, Father will be freed.
Loken yells: Your brothers to the north have subjugated the stone behemoths and set them on the path to Ulduar. Soon, the remaining defenses of the Pantheon will be neutralized.

Silvestre tries to look like an iron dwarf while the ghost giant yells.

Loken yells: The three fissures opened by the mortals of this region must be silenced. The earth hears and sees what we do and will continue to interfere with our efforts if the way is not closed.
Loken yells: Bury this place! Your master demands it!
Loken: The sound of thunder dissipates.

Silvestre: Storm peaks, huh?
Silvestre: Sounds like it's a place.

Some kind of important communication witnessed, the five make their way back to the top of the cliffside through a climbing the lifts, scaffolding, and rune jumping mechanisms.

Nunuzac looks glad to not be clinging for dear life to Pericleia's golem any longer.

Pericleia seems very relieved to be out of the construct when Walt helps her out.
Pericleia: We have confusing report.

Nunuzac: These… these are full of data now, yes?

Walt: And once again Walt proves that he is indeed the top dwarf! What do you think of my constructs now, Lebronski!

Befound looks up from her nap when Oranna gets back. There is a suspicious cat scratch on one of the dwarves, who is not making eye contact with anyone. He fell for the trap.

Walt: Oh? A report?

Pericleia: Large mysterious figure speaks with voice like thunder. Sound of thunder is also… titan language?

Walt acts like he's listening while mostly continues gloating about his constructs and inspecting the data storage.

Pericleia: Says… work of brothers in Storm Peaks is frenzied. Soon, father to be free.

Nunuzac: Say… Loken? Yes? I hear this name?

Pericleia: North brothers… sub-ju-gate-ed'
Pericleia: North brothers… 'sub-ju-gate-ed' stone… be-he-moths?

Oranna: Said tha' they were tryin' ta set them onta Ulduar.

Walt: Incredible! What could those iron menaces be up to? What are they doing in the Storm Peaks? And what is this Loken!? I'll forward this information to our central base of operations in the Dragonblight, friends.

Silvestre: To be honest I didn't understand most of it. I was gonna try to write it down before I forgot.

Pericleia: Set on path to Ulduar. Remaining defenses of Pantheon…

Walt: I don't know what stone behemoths they were talking about, but we're likely to find out soon! I'll also let 'em know that you were invaluable in the acquisition of said info.
Walt: Ulduar… the Pantheon? This is immense!

Pericleia: Region's mortals open three fissures. Earth is angry. Close the way. Master demands.

Walt frowns a bit as he puzzles this over. "Maybe this data will explain more! It will undoubtedly prove to be invaluable - as soon as I figure out how to get it out of the constructs."

Nunuzac: Wh—what??

Silvestre: You must be able to take the data out right?

Pericleia: What is Pantheon?

Silvestre: It's um, the word means like a group of gods.

Walt: We're gonna find out! But it might take me a while… why don't you tell Bran that I've come through once again with a brilliant plan and an amazing discovery?
Walt: The Pantheon, lass. The Titans!

Oranna shakes her head, but says, "Aye. The Titans."

Pericleia: I am not from Azeroth. Is all new.

Nunuzac: I… okay. Yes. We must tell Bran that Walt is… okay.
Nunuzac sounds unsure.

Oranna does not look like she thinks Walt 'okay' but, she leaves it be.

Silvestre: I guess… we succeeded in that mission? *Sil looks at Nunuzac hopefully*

Aiseia: He's an Explorer. This is about as okay as they get.

Oranna: Damn straight.

Silvestre: I mean, we got here and saw he's alright.

Pericleia: Iron dwarves spoke in Titan language to constructs, but…
Nunuzac: Yes! We do what we came to do, and we help out a lot here. Maybe we help the other dwarf out north more than Walt… but we tried a lot!

Pericleia: Still not certain if iron dwarves are people with thoughts and feelings, or just… talking art statue that moves like constructs.

Nunuzac: Cousin Walt, you must tell us when you find out more.

Silvestre nods eager agreement with Nunuzac.

Walt: Aye, as soon as I get more info. Next time, though, tell Bran I can just harpoon a message over. Haha!

Nunuzac: Dangerous!

Aiseia nods. "handy things, harpoons."

Oranna frowns. "They're dangerous, an' like ta hurt someone if jus' thrown over."

Nunuzac: Even if it was scary… that cliff dig was amazing.
Nunuzac: Let us go back and tell everyone all about it.

Pericleia nods.

Befound yawns.

Pericleia: I will follow back if you know direction.

Silvestre: I think I'll fly back.

Oranna rolls her eyes and pats Befound. "Oh, fine, lass. We'll head back."
Oranna: I could use another look from above, aye.

Pericleia: More flying machine…

Oranna does not look like she wants to get back into the construct.

Walt offers everyone one last go in the construct, promising it will be able to make a swift trip, just like with the jumping runes. The constructs take off into the sky and fly high… all the way to Westguard Keep!

Pericleia: Oh.

Iron Rune Construct says: Launching.

Where they promptly deconstruct.

Iron Rune Construct says: System failure in 3… 2…

Boom!

Oranna leaps out of the construct. "I KNEW IT. I KNEW THEY WOULD EXPLODE."

Pericleia escapes an exploding construct in a Divine Shield.

Oranna mutters angrily, as she dusts Befound's coat off.

Pericleia: There was no landing rune.

Oranna checks her eyebrows.

Silvestre: Maybe they should've made one before they sent us here.

Nunuzac: Everyone is together in one piece at least!

Pericleia salutes Captain Adams with respect.

Nunuzac: And… you must agree it was very fast!

Oranna mutters about Explorers' League style of exploring.

Nunuzac looks to be desperately trying to find the sunny side while looking frazzled.

They make one last stop to report to Captain Adams why they have suddenly landed in the middle of his keep in a series of explosions, as well as Loken's words.

Pericleia attempts to relay the same information she relayed to Walt, except it's even more scrambled and confusing this time.

Silvestre is already looking around for pen and paper.
Silvestre: I think I'm going to head up to my room, see if I can get this all writ down.

Oranna tries to correct the information where she can. Her memory for it seems good.
Oranna nods at Sil. "Good idea, lad."

Nunuzac: S-sounds good! Be safe every one! Good..fortune!
Nunuzac: I find Bran…

Pericleia: Yes.

Silvestre: See you all later!

Pericleia: Good fortune!

Oranna waves goodbye.

The bartender hums a tune while working.