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| Details |
| Author: | Alli |
| Summary: | The Cobalt Blade heads to Theramore to deal with recent unrest against Jaina Proudmoore. On their way, a lot of people ask them to look in on their friends, and they end up involved in an unexpected mystery. (Serial-filed quests, and it is totally a way more recent inn.) ~6400 words. |
| Rating: | T for Teen |
Arc: The Cobalt Blade
Thalstan comes into the Blue Recluse and then waves at Tadget, Zaara and Vesyllah.
[Thalstan]: 'Lo there.
Thalstan plops down in a chair.
Tadget is staring at Zaara as though trying to process something.
[Tadget]: Lemon… aid?
Vesyllah flops into a chair and props a foot up on the table.
[Zaara]: Yes! This is what — yes.
[Tadget]: Gotcha.
[Zaara]: Lemon help?
Tadget giggles.
[Zaara]: Hellooo, others!
Tadget waves down a server. "Get this fine lady a lemonade. I'll take a whiskey on the rocks."
[Zaara]: Rocks?
[Tadget]: Ice.
[Tadget]: Ice rocks.
[Vesyllah]: Gnomes and dwarves eat rocks. You didn't know?
[Tadget]: Ves!
[Tadget]: Stop trying to confuse the space goat.
[Arthur]: Meeting in the bar right next to my classes? Brilliant.
[Zaara]: … ice is water. Why do you say rocks? You should say 'whiskey on water.'"
Vesyllah smirks almost imperceptibly.
Tadget cackles maniacally at Arthur.
[Tadget]: Why do I feel like you're a regular here, Art.
[Thalstan]: Heh, well we won't be here long, but it seemed nice an' central.
[Tadget]: I mean you want to drink the whiskey before the ice becomes water, ideally.
[Arthur]: Because I study at the table in the back corner upstairs. They don't mind, since I can afford lunch now.
[Vesyllah]: Central…and early. Why can't we ever meet at night?
[Tadget]: *Tadget yells at the server* Hey! He said we won't be here long, so make it snappy!
[Zaara]: Lunch! Is it time for lunch?
[Zaara]: We can have lunch.
[Thalstan]: Bright an' early… in the afternoon. Tha's the way I like it.
[Vesyllah]: Ugh….
Angus Stern walks over to take everyone's order.
Tadget makes tear tracks down her face with her fingers while pouting sarcastically at Vesyllah.
[Thalstan]: Right, well, yeh might have time fer a drink or somethin', but we're requested on special business to Theramore.
Vesyllah looks for something to throw at Tadget, but comes up short.
Angus Stern says: Did I hear you say you’re headed to Theramore? Mind if I ask you a favor?
Zaara would groan if she could read the metatext.
[Tadget]: Whiskey on the rocks. Lemonade. *Wildly guesses on everyone else's behalf, pointing around the table clockwise from herself.* Dwarven ale, another whiskey rocks, absinthe or something.
Vesyllah gives a little shrug at the suggestion of absinthe.
Angus nods his head, memorizing all the orders.
[Tadget]: We're always doing favors for people.
[Tadget]: Hit us up.
Angus Stern says: Perfect!
Angus Stern says: I'm developing a special seasonal menu for the restaurant. It will be filled with rural dishes with a "bayou" theme. I think my clientele at the Blue Recluse will love them!
Angus Stern says: I sent my nephew Morgan to Theramore, a city on the edge of the Dustwallow Marsh. He's there gathering recipes from the locals, and I simply must know what he found so far. Will you check in with him?
[Zaara]: Bye-ooooou.
[Thalstan]: It means marsh. *Thal nods firmly. Then adds,* At least, I think it does.
[Thalstan]: Yeah, I don't see any problem with checkin' in with yer nephew.
[Zaara]: Oh! It is better to say bye-ooooou. People will not eat marsh menu.
Vesyllah arches a spindly eyebrow at Angus. "We're a strike team, you realize."
Angus Stern says: Yes, well. As long as you're there, though. …I'll just go get you those drinks.
[Arthur]: Wait. We're not staying long enough to eat, are we?
Vesyllah sighs. "Whatever…."
[Thalstan]: I expect no. I jus' want to give you the overview o' our special mission for Lady Jaina Proudmoore.
[Zaara]: Also are drinks free now? We get paid.
[Tadget]: Booty raises a good point. If he wants a favor, our drinks should be free!
Angus considers, and then nods. "It's worth it, if you do bring word back. On the house, then. Which means free."
[Zaara]: Also Trouble lunches.
Tadget cheers!
Angus heads off to get the team's drinks.
[Tadget]: I hear young human men consume an absolutely egregious quantity of food.
[Zaara]: Trouble! Do you do this?
[Arthur]: What? No!
[Thalstan]: Right, so. Like I was saying. I expect we'll head up to Menethil Harbor and take the mage-ship over to Theramore.
[Tadget]: Oooooh the mage-ship.
[Zaara]: There are more?
Angus returns with whiskey on the rockses, lemonade, absinthe, and ale. He passes them around. "Depending on the word you bring back, we might consider a free meal deal."
[Tadget]: Ther-a-more. It's a place.
Thalstan nods at Angus.
[Thalstan]: Right, so, Menethil, then Theramore, and we're meant to meet up with someone called Calia Hastings about dissenters in th' ranks since the Battle at the Undercity.
The cook pokes his head out of the Blue Recluse kitchen and gives Arthur a friendly wave. Then he says, "Menethil, did you say?"
[Arthur]: What's — oh hey!
Vesyllah sighs. "…now what…"
[Arthur]: Do you have fish and chips today? please say you don't, we can't stay to eat.
[Zaara]: This time is free lunches! Or no favors!
Arthur says, "The batter is so good, i don't know how he does it."
Connor smiles at Arthur and winks, and then says, "Fresh out of fish today, Art."
Connor Rivers says: My mentor's up in Menethil! I owe everything to that guy. James Hyal. He and his brother work in the tavern there.
[Arthur]: ….did he teach you the fish and chips thing?
Arthur smiles.
Connor Rivers says: He did, actually! Heck of a chef.
[Tadget]: I feel like maybe our PR needs some fine tuning. People should be asking us to kill Old Gods and stuff by now. Not help them perfect their menus and check in on their old friends.
Connor Rivers says: I don't really have a favor to ask, but if you go through there, you might say hello? Maybe he'll have some fish and chips on.
Vesyllah sips her absinthe elegantly, in contrast to her slouching posture.
Tadget lets out a long, drawn-out sigh.
[Arthur]: Well, now we have to drop by.
Tadget takes a generous drink of her whiskey on the rocks which are not rocks.
[Zaara]: Do we though?
Zaara drinks lemon help.
[Arthur]: I don't know how to explain! It's light and crispy! like eating a deep fried cloud with beer in it.
Thalstan rests his head on his hand with a sigh, his copious beard covering his whole place setting.
[Zaara]: … what.
Tadget laughs at Arthur.
[Zaara]: A fried cloud of beard?
[Tadget]: Watch out, Thalstan!
[Thalstan]: We'll be goin' through anyway, we can, I suppose? But really it's the dissenters we're working on. We've got to make sure the Alliance is safe.
[Tadget]: Art's gonna deep fry and eat your beard!
[Arthur]: The batter. On the fish! Which is fresh as anything.
Thalstan hastily tucks his beard off the table. "No batter in the bead, Art."
[Zaara]: Safe the Alliance! I am full of lemon help, and ready to help!
Zaara flexes her muscles. Oooooh so strong!
Thalstan drinks his ale rather carefully. Cloud beard with ale in it might be just too tempting.
Connor Rivers says: Hope he's got some fish for you!
Tadget drinks her whiskey before the rocks can turn to water.
[Tadget]: Normally I drink it neat, but I'm working.
[Arthur]: we'll have to find out! mage bread gets the job done, but eh.
[Thalstan]: Okay, everyone had yer drink an' ready to head out?
[Arthur]: I can't portal yet, so it's a gryphon ride, yeah?
Tadget burps.
[Zaara]: Yes!
[Thalstan]: Yup, up to Menethil Harbor.
[Arthur]: okay!
Arthur waves goodbye to Angus Stern. Farewell!
[Thalstan]: Folk in Stormwind are nice, offerin' free food an' drink.
They head to Menethil Harbor.
[Thalstan]: Where're Mayhem?
[Vesyllah]: Either sneaking around or she may have left ahead of us.
[Arthur]: around here somewhere, i think?
[Vesyllah]: I was just telling Art that I saw a boat leaving just as I arrived.
[Thalstan]: Heh, well, s'pose we can head on over then.
[Thalstan]: We could look for this James Hyal fellow, but maybe the mission's more important.
[Vesyllah]: I'd say so.
Vincent Hyal says: James? Are you talking about my brother?
Thalstan blinks. "Uh, maybe? Are you a Hyal?"
[Vesyllah]: I don't know. Who the fel are you?
Vincent Hyal says: I'm Vincent Hyal. My brother and I used to work at the tavern here.
Vincent Hyal says: But then, he left a while back for Theramore. Last I heard, he was trying to establish his own inn at the outskirts. A real neutral place, where all are welcome.
Vesyllah sighs in irritation. "Then sure. I guess we're talking about him."
[Thalstan]: Huh, okay.
[Thalstan]: Someone just asked us to stop by and say hello.
Vincent Hyal says: Well, I could ask you to do a bit more than that, if you're headed over to Theramore.
Vincent Hyal says: To be honest, with all the recent half-invasion nonsense up north in old Lordaeron, I’m a little worried about how he’s faring so close to Horde lands.
Vincent Hyal says: If you’re headed that way, can you ask around, see how he’s doing for my sake, too? The clerk ought to be able to point you to his inn.
[Thalstan]: I suppose? *Thal looks a bit baffled by all the social requests*
[Vesyllah]: Sure. Why not. Seems like we're everyone's errand-runners today.
[Thalstan]: Alright, now onto the real mission.
[Thalstan]: I hope we at least get some fish an' chips out of this.
[Arthur]: so good.
[Zaara]: Remind me what is real mission? We say hello to so many people? Marsh meals?
[Thalstan]: We help Lady Proudmoore deal with folk who're not happy abou' the Battle for the Undercity.
[Zaara]: Oh! Yes.
[Thalstan]: You all hear much abou' that?
[Arthur]: Some, yeah.
[Arthur]: A real royal apothecary double cross.
[Vesyllah]: I've heard about it, but I haven't inquired into it. I try not to get involved in politics if I can help it.
[Thalstan]: From wha' I hear, the human King was ready ta go ta war wi' the Horde, an ' Lady Proudmoore said no.
Vesyllah bows before Arthur.
Vesyllah bows her head reverently to Arthur as she accepts the Gift of Water. "Shaha lor'ma dula Luvas'alith."
[Thalstan]: I dinnae know human politics enough ta know how reasonable it is fer a mage lady ta gainsay a king.
[Arthur]: Oh! hmm.
[Thalstan]: Anyhow, seems like a lot o' people got the sense that Lady Proudmoore's a Horde sympathizer.
[Arthur]: She must have had a reason.
They arrive at Theramore only to see Tadget standing on the same fountain that Finnegan once did, when he first revealed himself to the company.
[Tadget]: Jeeeeeez, what took ya so long?
[Thalstan]: Mayhem! There ya are!
[Vesyllah]: We decided it would be fun to make you wait.
Tadget cackles maniacally at Vesyllah.
Calia Hastings notes the team together, and waves to them.
[Thalstan]: We tried ta go for the fish an' chips, but the fella made an inn out this way, seems like.
[Thalstan]: I think that's our contact/
Tadget greets Calia Hastings with a hearty hello!
Calia Hastings says: It's good to meet you, Cobalt Blade. I’ve met with others from your company before - morale and loyalty continue to be a serious issue here in Theramore.
[Thalstan]: Ah, yeh recognized us!
Calia Hastings says: …You do realize there are posters.
Thalstan nods agreeably. Good posters, then.
Tadget makes her poster pose.
Vesyllah groans. "Yes…the posters."
Calia Hastings says: Anyway, as to the mission. I’m sure you know there was a serious problem after the death of Grand Admiral Daelin Proudmoore, with many blaming the whole situation on Lady Proudmoore and her sympathy towards orcs.
Arthur mutters, "It's not just the posters."
Calia Hastings says: I had thought the troops were mostly settled, but the Battle at the Undercity, and the possibility of war on the horizon, has the same sorts of people nettled once again.
Thalstan nods slowly, stroking his beard in thought.
Calia Hastings says: Some of the soldiers have deserted, planning to take the fight to the Horde directly, one assumes. Others remain, but are trying to sway loyal soldiers to their cause using lies and propaganda.
Tadget sighs at Calia Hastings.
[Arthur]: Oh, wow.
[Tadget]: Like we don't have enough problems.
[Vesyllah]: So, you want us to take out the agitators?
Vesyllah arches an eyebrow.
Tadget starts poisoning her daggers.
Calia Hastings says: Not take them out, not if you can help it.
Calia Hastings says: They're at virtually every guard post throughout the town and the docks. I need you to find them, expose them, and discredit them. At this point, anything more risks inspiring more sympathy for them.
[Tadget]: Fine, fine.
[Vesyllah]: Discredit them…
Tadget doesn't wipe the poison off her blades though.
[Thalstan]: We can do that. *Thal nods*
[Thalstan]: Alrigh' let's go look for agitators.
[Tadget]: I'll expose their guts.
[Vesyllah]: I'll just follow your lead on this one.
[Zaara]: HELLO, WHO IS AGITATED?
[Tadget]: That's… not the way, Zaara.
[Zaara]: Oh.
Tadget sighs at Zaara.
Agitator says: You seem like a sensible warrior, friend. Do you recall the days before Jaina made us give up the fight against the Horde?
[Tadget]: Yeah, I remember lots of dying.
[Tadget]: I remember how the Horde stopped doing stuff like laying siege to our cities when we brokered a peace.
Agitator says: You should remember because it was less than a month ago this time.
[Thalstan]: Look. Can yeh stop with this? We need ta be united.
Agitator says: You can't stop us from exposing the truth about Jaina's cowardice!
Tadget sighs at Agitator.
[Arthur]: Well!
[Thalstan]: Tha' went well. I guess.
[Vesyllah]: That was surprisingly easy.
[Tadget]: I think we made him cry at least.
[Zaara]: He seemed still very agitated.
[Tadget]: Well the point is to keep them from agitating anyone else.
Agitator says: Hello, friends! Don't you wish we'd retaken Lordaeron when we had a chance?
[Tadget]: I really don't. It smells now.
[Thalstan]: Uh. I'm happy wi' Ironforge. Can yeh give it a rest?
Agitator says: If you think you can stop us, you're mistaken, 'friend.'
The Agitator attacks!
[Tadget]: Oh boy!
[Tadget]: Violence!!
The Agitator dies.
[Vesyllah]: Idiot.
[Zaara]: COBOLT BLADE!
Zaara strikes a pose.
[Thalstan]: Tha' went… less well.
[Vesyllah]: Let me try this time…
Agitator says: It's good to see you defending Theramore with pride, friend.
Agitator says: When you're off duty, let's go to the inn. I'll buy a round and we can reminisce about the good old days.
Agitator says: Wouldn't you like to bring those days back? I have some friends who know just the way to do that…
[Tadget]: Just give us a reason, snakebag. The last guy who tried that crap is missing some bits now.
[Vesyllah]: Hey, stop it. We need to…unite. So, quit being stupid.
Tadget taps her nose and points to Ves.
Agitator says: You can't stop us from exposing the truth about Jaina's cowardice!
This one attacks and dies too.
[Tadget]: Everyone wants to be in bits today it seems.
[Zaara]: … this did not go more well.
[Thalstan]: Hm, who wants ta try next time?
[Zaara]: Me!
[Zaara]: Hello, sir!
[Tadget]: Go for it.
[Tadget]: *under her breath* She can't do worse than the rest of us.
Agitator says: Hello, friend!
[Zaara]: I am a draenei!
[Zaara]: We have come to join the Alliance, for uniting!
[Zaara]: You should try this also.
Agitator says: You look like a reasonable sort. The sort that doesn't want mages to undermine our rulers, right?
Tadget sighs at Agitator.
Agitator says: Then we can all be united, yeah.
Tadget covers her face with her palm.
[Zaara]: But you undermine your rulers now? This is better?
Agitator says: You can't stop us from exposing the truth about Jaina's cowardice!
He runs away in tears.
Tadget waves goodbye to Agitator. Farewell!
[Zaara]: … is he crying?
[Tadget]: Yes.
[Thalstan]: Well, he didnae attack us.
Zaara looks distressed.
[Vesyllah]: I could just force them to stare into the abyss of their own sins. I guarantee that will keep them from agitating anyone else.
[Arthur]: Yeah.
[Tadget]: I like it better when they attack.
[Zaara]: Someone else try now. I did not mean to make crying.
[Arthur]: All right, let's see.
[Tadget]: If I try there will be bleeding.
[Tadget]: Let Art do it..
Agitator says: Hello, Alliance friends! Aren't you sick of people telling you to hold your blade against the Forsaken? They're undead, after all.
[Arthur]: I get that, but it's not smart to start a whole bonus war when there is already another war. It's infuriating, but this is what's practical.
Agitator says: If you think you can stop us, you're mistaken, 'friend.'
The Agitator attacks! And then dies, as they usually do.
[Tadget]: Man.
[Tadget]: I thought Art said it super well.
[Thalstan]: Yeah, real reasonable.
[Thalstan]: He was no' reasonable.
[Arthur]: Well, I tried.
[Zaara]: Yes! Good job, Art.
[Zaara]: Sorry we had to kill him.
[Thalstan]: Let's report back ta Calia.
[Tadget]: I guess they wouldn't call them "agitators" if they were reasonable.
[Tadget]: "Bonus war" was a great way of putting it.
They head back to Calia.
[Thalstan]: We tried ta discredit, but we had ta kill three fellas.
[Tadget]: Which discredited them pretty severely.
Calia Hastings says: I suppose that's true. And you didn't have to kill all of them. Well done. I don’t think they expected organized opposition.
Thalstan nods proudly.
Calia Hastings says: Still, the deserter agents were doing far more than just chatting up the guards. We've found a number of leaflets the deserters somehow managed to smuggle in on a ship in the docks.
[Thalstan]: Leaflets? Ach.
Calia Hastings says: The ship used to transport the leaflets is still in Theramore, at the farthest dock. If you can sneak aboard and capture the rest of their propaganda documents, their agents will lose their most powerful tool.
[Thalstan]: Tha' we can easily do.
[Arthur]: Hm. Okay.
Calia Hastings says: Be careful! The ship is manned by seasoned privateers and the cargo is probably being kept in the captain's quarters.
[Thalstan]: We are quite good at violence.
[Zaara]: And sneaking!
[Thalstan]: Some of us more than others!
[Tadget]: Zaara you are not good at sneaking.
Zaara mounts her elephant.
[Tadget]: Sorry.
[Zaara]: … what?
[Vesyllah]: You have many talents. Subtlety is not one of them.
[Tadget]: You are a giant space goat on a… weird kodo thing.
[Tadget]: Sorry, I was busy having triplets when everyone went to Outland.
[Tadget]: I don't even know what that thing is you ride.
They head to the boat. Indeed, violence seems more their strength than subtlety.
[Thalstan]: Tight quarters here.
[Thalstan]: Captain's room's back 'ere!
[Tadget]: Whoa.
There is a massive pile of boxes, all filled with leaflets.
[Thalstan]: That's a lotta leaflets.
[Tadget]: That's a loooottta leaflets.
Thalstan nods at Tadget.
Tadget cackles maniacally at you.
[Zaara]: That is a lot of leaflets! *Zaara can't see this, but she wants to feel included.*
[Tadget]: There are like, ten huge boxes.
[Tadget]: Each box is the size of me.
[Thalstan]: Step forward an' yeh can feel 'em.
[Zaara]: That is so many leafs!
[Thalstan]: Let's… each carry one?
[Tadget]: I'm the king of propaganda!!!
[Thalstan]: Maybe not Tadget, because… size o' her.
[Arthur]: good idea.
Tadget bursts into dance.
[Zaara]: I will carry two!
[Vesyllah]: Carry what we can. Toss the rest overboard?
You laugh at Tadget.
[Thalstan]: Sounds good!
Tadget sits on the box Thalstan is carrying.
Thalstan heads out with his box. The larger people will carry more.
Zaara heaves up two crates.
[Tadget]: Zaara you big brute!
Thalstan doesn't seem to mind the extra Tadget weight.
[Zaara]: What?
[Zaara]: What I do?
[Tadget]: You're carrying two boxes!
[Tadget]: Like some kind of big ogre!
[Zaara]: What?! I am not an ogre!
[Tadget]: You're way prettier than an ogre. But almost as big and strong.
They head back, most of them carrying boxes. And/or each other.
[Arthur]: So! Um.
[Arthur]: We're famous.
[Tadget]: Yep!
Tadget flexes at Arthur. Oooooh so strong!
[Arthur]: I went to Bruuk's last week and it was, uh… educational.
Zaara grumbles.
[Tadget]: Ohhh?
Tadget peers at Arthur searchingly.
[Tadget]: What're they saying?
[Thalstan]: Lot of fans show up?
[Arthur]: We have fans, yeah.
Tadget cheers at Arthur!
[Arthur]: Who…write stories about us.
[Vesyllah]: It's awful. I can barely go anywhere anymore.
[Tadget]: I always wanted to be famous.
[Tadget]: Wait, the fans write stories? Isn't that backwards?
[Thalstan]: Ah, tha' makes sense.
[Thalstan]: Lots o' people write stories about my dwarf romance hero too, I'm sure.
[Arthur]: they get into the books! but they run out of books. so they write more stories to share with each other.
[Thalstan]: Impatient fer the next book.
[Vesyllah]: So…fans just make up stories about us?
Thalstan nods.
[Arthur]: Yes.
[Zaara]: Is it good stories?
Vesyllah frowns. "Ugh…"
[Tadget]: I am glad I'm not a fan of anything. That sounds like too much work.
[Arthur]: But I…have read fan stories, and…never mind I'll tell you later.
[Tadget]: Well yeah, now I wanna know what they wrote.
[Thalstan]: We can discuss durin' the next bit.
Vesyllah narrows her eyes. "What aren't you telling us, Art?"
[Tadget]: I hope they have picked up on how staggeringly sexy I am.
Arthur just makes his "oh gosh how am i gonna get out of this one" face.
Tadget peers at Arthur searchingly.
Thalstan nods at Calia. "We brought some boxes of 'em. Through the rest in the water."
[Tadget]: What did you want with all the leaflets anyway?
Calia Hastings says: Destroying them is one thing, but… the simplest way to ensure the soldiers don’t take them seriously is to make them look ridiculous. It worked well before, at least.
Tadget giggles at Calia Hastings.
Calia Hastings says: I've altered the leaflets you captured from the deserters' mercenary friends at the docks. Now, anyone who reads them will get an entirely different view of the deserters and their aims.
[Tadget]: Good thinkin'.
Calia Hastings says: If we distribute these to enough of the guards, the deserters will be too embarrassed to ever reestablish their presence within our walls.
Calia hands each of them a stack of the altered leaflets.
[Tadget]: Have you considered a career in SI:7?
Calia Hastings says: Oh, I couldn't even imagine.
[Tadget]: Well if you change your mind I know a guy.
Calia winks at Tadget.
Tadget winks slyly at Calia Hastings.
Calia Hastings says: I'll keep it in mind. Now why don't you get started while I plan our next move?
Tadget nods at Calia Hastings.
They head out to hand around the doctored leaflets.
[Thalstan]: Okay, so. What sort o' stories?
[Tadget]: Yeah. I need to hear more, Art.
Tadget listens intently to Arthur.
Thalstan slips a leaflet to someone.
Theramore Guard says: Hey, thanks.
Theramore Guard reads the leaflet.
Theramore Guard says: …the deserters seek a Theramore where citizens will be free to juggle at all hours of the day? What is this nonsense?
Theramore Guard says: I'd never join anything like this. Better keep this, though. It'll come in handy in the privy…
They hand out more leaflets, but I will not document them here. They were all equivalently ridiculous.
[Arthur]: Okay to be clear I haven't read any about us. But I read a fan story, and it was…smutty.
[Arthur]: LIKE REALLY SMUTTY.
[Tadget]: Ooooooooooh smut.
[Thalstan]: Ahhhh I see. That got yeh bothered?
[Tadget]: So I bet I was the star.
Vesyllah squints. "What?"
[Tadget]: Since I'm the sexiest one.
[Arthur]: I know, I know!
[Arthur]: It's WEIRD!
Tadget cackles maniacally at Arthur.
[Thalstan]: Have yeh ever read any o' the books I'm on th' cover of?
[Thalstan]: From before Cobalt Blade.
[Thalstan]: Yeh get used to it.
[Zaara]: We should find some of these stories!
[Tadget]: I don't really read.
[Vesyllah]: So, you're saying our so-called fans are writing smut about us?
Arthur looks all shocked.
[Arthur]: Yes.
[Arthur]: I don't know because I didn't read any.
[Tadget]: Also who and with who? Or was it just… all of us in a p— oh.
[Arthur]: They just told me. and… giggled.
[Thalstan]: All done. Some o' those were funny.
They head back to Calia.
Calia Hastings says: Just as I'd hoped! I think it's safe to say any deserter agents who try to infiltrate Theramore will be laughed right out of town!
Tadget giggles at Calia Hastings.
Calia Hastings says: Now that we've eliminated the deserters from Theramore, it's time to complete this operation. My local contacts have reported that the deserters base their operations in a ship moored on a small island to the southeast.
Calia Hastings says: Arresting their leader, Jarvis Blacksword, should cause the others to lose their will to fight. Find him within the ship and convince him to surrender.
Calia Hastings says: I wouldn't be surprised if he puts up a bit of a fight for show, but then surrenders when he understands he can't win.
[Thalstan]: Taking somebody under arrest! We can do tha'!
[Thalstan]: Let's go get him?
Tadget starts to charge.
They ride to the dock, and then out onto the surface of the water.
[Tadget]: Whoa
[Thalstan]: We're on th' water?
[Tadget]: We're walking on water.
[Tadget]: We are like unto GODS.
[Thalstan]: This is right speedy.
[Zaara]: I ask the water, and it say, Okay!
[Tadget]: Okay, in that case Zaara is like unto a god.
[Tadget]: God of water.
[Zaara]: No! Friend of water, only.
They arrive at the island and move quickly to the ship.
[Thalstan]: Probably he's below. Captain's room again?
He’s there! They attack! He instantly says…
Jarvis Blacksword says: I surrender! Stay your blade!
[Tadget]: Awwww.
Jarvis Blacksword says: I will go with you. Just spare my men. They're good lads who've only made a mistake…
[Tadget]: I hate staying my blade.
Tadget cleans blood off of it.
[Thalstan]: If they do no' attack us, we can hold off.
Zaara is too tall. She hits her head.
[Zaara]: OW.
Tadget gently pats Zaara.
[Tadget]: You were not meant for life belowdecks, Zaara.
Zaara stops to disentangle her horn from a lantern.
Another privateer attacks, breaking the ‘if they do not attack us’ clause. He dies.
[Vesyllah]: Would have spared you, but…
[Thalstan]: Let's get back to her friend th' water.
Tadget comforts Zaara.
They ride back to the harbor with Jarvis Blacksword in tow. They go back to Calia.
Thalstan hands over Jarvis Blacksword, who totally came with us.
[Thalstan]: Here he is, Calia!
[Tadget]: We always get our man. Usually in pieces, but this one insisted on not dying.
Calia Hastings says: Well, being alive presents its own complications, but I do appreciate it.
Calia Hastings says: Thank you, Cobalt Blade. You're as capable as advertised.
[Thalstan]: Yer welcome. Yeh can always count on th' Cobalt Blade.
[Zaara]: COBOLT BLADE!
Tadget giggles at Zaara.
They back away from Calia Hastings to discuss as a team.
[Thalstan]: Okay, so. I suppose we could go check in on the James Hyal fellow?
[Thalstan]: And the chef who's gonna give us free drinks forever. Pretty sure we can claim he said that.
[Zaara]: Fishanchips?
[Tadget]: Fish. And. Chips.
[Thalstan]: Hmm, we could start with the clerk, ask about th' fellow's inn?
[Thalstan]: Reckon the clerk's in the Keep.
Tadget greets Clerk Lendry with a hearty hello!
[Thalstan]: Hey there, mister.
[Tadget]: Sup!
Thalstan 's nose peeks above the clerk's table.
[Thalstan]: Can yeh point us toward a James Hyal an' his inn?
Tadget cannot see over the table. At all.
Clerk Lendry says: James Hyal, James Hyal… Why does that name sound so familiar? Of course! The Shady Rest Inn incident.
Tadget lets out a long, drawn-out sigh.
[Thalstan]: … incident?
Tadget mutters about discrimination.
Clerk Lendry says: If you have any information about what happened there, I would urge you to speak with Captain Vimes about it. He's handling the investigation.
[Tadget]: …investigation?
[Thalstan]: I… uh… didnae know there was an incident, but…
[Tadget]: Okay, this just got more interesting. I'm in.
Thalstan looks around at the others.
[Thalstan]: Let's go see what's up.
[Tadget]: Sup Vimes. Been a while.
[Tadget]: We heard about some… inn-cident or other.
Vesyllah peers at Tadget. "Did you just…"
Captain Vimes says: Tadget… and company.
[Tadget]: Yeah, I have friends. Lots of friends.
Captain Vimes halfway facepalms, and then nods.
Captain Vimes says: You do tend to show up when there's trouble, but I expect I can trust you to help solve it. When you want to.
[Tadget]: Yep.
[Tadget]: So give us the deets.
Captain Vimes says: James Hyal had a great vision of friendship and good food when he opened his inn at the edge of the marsh. It… didn't pan out.
[Zaara]: Marsh food?
[Tadget]: I mean, yeah, with a vision like that…
Captain Vimes says: He's around the Keep somewhere, but he's in no condition to answer any questions. Someone destroyed his inn and killed his family.
[Tadget]: Yikes.
[Zaara]: What! Oh no!
[Tadget]: Like, at random or for some r— oh I guess that's our job to figure out. Never mind.
Captain Vimes says: Yes, it's terrible. We've put Investigator Tarem on the case, but it's just such a mystery. Do you think your team could help out?
[Tadget]: Sure.
[Arthur]: Oh yeah, definitely.
Captain Vimes says: No idea who would do such a thing. They were such kind people. And the fish and chips…
Arthur shakes his head sadly.
[Zaara]: Oh no! The fishanchips!
Captain Vimes says: You can follow the road directly to the inn, or what's left of it — naturally, it's easy to get to.
[Tadget]: Some people like their fish blackened, but this is a bit much, yeah.
[Vesyllah]: The real tragedy. The loss of great fish and chips.
[Thalstan]: We'll look into it, fer sure.
They back away to discuss.
[Thalstan]: We're all in fer this, right?
[Tadget]: You have my stabbythings.
[Thalstan]: 'Say hi to my friend' just got way more complicated.
[Tadget]: I'm kind of a vortex of chaos so this doesn't surprise me.
[Tadget]: If you ever want something to take a weird left turn, just invite along ol' Tadget Tadget.
They head out.
[Vesyllah]: We left a draenei behind.
They wait for the draenei, who appears very soon. Probably she got stuck in a doorway. So tall, that Zaara.
[Thalstan]: Should we secure our free drinks on the way out?
[Tadget]: Spoken like a true dwarf.
They head into the inn.
[Thalstan]: Ach, that looks like the nephew.
[Thalstan]: Mergan Stern?
Tadget greets Morgan Stern with a hearty hello!
Morgan Stern says: Oh, my uncle sent you, did he? I've been researching recipes.
[Thalstan]: Tha's good to hear. All going well?
Morgan Stern says: I'm working on a dish I call "Mudrock Soup and Bugs." I still need the major ingredients, and… well, I don't think I'd last long trudging through Dustwallow Marsh!
Morgan Stern says: Hey, you all look strong! Can you do some hunting for me? First, I need the tongues of Mudrock turtles. You can find Mudrocks along the coast, mostly around the bay.
Morgan Stern says: But I don't want just any tongues! I hear that the tongues of some Mudrocks are forked… They say the forked tongues have a distinct flavor, and I want that flavor in my dish…
[Thalstan]: Uh, well, that was a lot more than I asked, but okay.
[Thalstan]: If we see any… Mudrocks.
Morgan Stern says: Excellent!
Tadget stares at the guy.
[Tadget]: *sotto voce* This guy really needs to learn to read a room.
[Zaara]: Turtle tongue marsh food soup.
Morgan Stern says: Also, if you're out in the marsh, can you keep an eye out for Stinky Ignatz? He's the last person I sent for ingredients, and he hasn't come back yet.
Thalstan blinks.
[Tadget]: Uh…
[Thalstan]: Riiight. We'll keep an eye out, Mr. Stern.
[Arthur]: I…okay?
[Vesyllah]: Can't imagine why someone you call Stinky would bail on you.
[Thalstan]: Fer Stinky.
Thalstan mumbles, "If they didn't have that nice brand of ale at the Recluse…"
They head out of the functioning inn, and prepare to ride to the destroyed inn.
[Thalstan]: Now, to th' inn!
Tadget cheers.
They arrive at the burned out shell of a structure.
[Thalstan]: Ah. This is the place fer sure.
[Zaara]: Oh no. This smells like angry fire.
[Tadget]: Yep.
[Thalstan]: Look, there's a fella!
[Vesyllah]: Angry fire?
[Tadget]: I mean I can'ts smell the angry.
There’s a man nearby, pondering.
[Thalstan]: Inspector Tarem?
[Tadget]: Hi. We're the Cobalt Blade.
Inspector Tarem says: Yes, that's me.
Inspector Tarem says: Captain Vimes has assigned the Cobalt Blade to this investigation? It's good to know he's taking it seriously.
Inspector Tarem says: Here, see what you can learn from the crime scene. I've used a reflective powder to dust the area and reveal things that are suspicious.
Tadget turns to her immediate right and stares down at the mud.
Tadget was closest to the mud, so she noticed first.
[Tadget]: Those are not draenei prints.
[Thalstan]: What do you see, Tadget?
Thal looks down where she’s indicating.
[Thalstan]: Look pretty big.
Rows of hoofprints lead away from the still-smoking skeleton of the Shady Rest Inn. There are at least a few visible impressions, with more rows of prints almost imperceptible in the soft mud of the marsh.
[Thalstan]: Anything else?
They wander the burned out building.
[Tadget]: Whatcha lookin at Ves?
Tadget stands on her tiptoes.
Ves is looking at a shield fixed to the chimney.
[Vesyllah]: This shield survived the fire pretty well. Tough old thing.
An iron shield, blackened by the fire that raged through the inn, is affixed to the crumbling chimney, one of few remaining parts of the structure that once made up the Shady Rest Inn.
Vesyllah reaches up to remove it.
Thalstan wanders over and nudges something with his boot in the rubble.
[Tadget]: See somethin over here Valor?
[Thalstan]: Is tha' the symbol o' Theramore?
A glint of light on the ground comes from underneath the rubble. Brushing debris and ash caked onto the object reveals the insignia of a gold anchor on white, enameled on the surface: the sign of Theramore.
[Tadget]: Hmmmm, yeah..
Thalstan reaches down to pick up the insignia.
[Thalstan]: It says "Lieutenant Paval Reethe".
Inspector Tarem says: Mysterious hoofprints, scorched shields, stray badges… how do we make sense of all this?
[Tadget]: Zaara are the spirits tellin you anything?
[Zaara]: Fire!
Tadget giggles at Zaara.
[Zaara]: Also anger.
[Arthur]: Arson.
Tadget nods at Zaara.
[Tadget]: We should share this stuff with Vimes.
[Thalstan]: Think this Reethe is the culprit?
[Zaara]: Fire spirits feed from anger of person who did the fire.
Thalstan nods.
[Zaara]: Not just an accident.
[Tadget]: Oooh, that's intersting.
[Tadget]: Spirits are useful.
[Zaara]: But great anger.
Tadget nods at Zaara.
[Thalstan]: Let's head back then, let him know what we found.
[Tadget]: Yay, another long ride through a bug-infested swamp.
[Thalstan]: To the keep!
They head back through the bug-infested swamp. They arrive back at Theramore and head up to report to Captain Vimes.
[Thalstan]: We have helped yer investigator, an' we have some clues. *Thal gestures toward Tadget first, she saw the hoofprints*
[Tadget]: Hoofprints. Looked kinda Tauren to me.
[Tadget]: Leading away from the crime scene.
[Tadget]: Which is a crime scene, according to our shaman.
Captain Vimes says: Hoofprints, eh? It is true that there is an extraordinary amount of centaur activity in the lands near the Dustwallow Marsh. In brief excursions into the Barrens, we found their camps and holdings dotting the area.
Captain Vimes nods. "I'll send out Falgran Hastil, one of our trackers to see if he can find where the tracks lead."
Captain Vimes says: Tesoran! I need someoneFalgran Hastil, preferablyto take care of the Cobalt Blade’s lead on the prints near the Shady Rest Inn.
Adjutant Tesoran says: Right away, sir.
Falgran Hastil says: Falgran Hastil reporting, sir. I will find where the hoofprints lead and report back to you.
Zaara nods gravely. "Crime."
[Tadget]: The fire spirits were feeding off of anger, she said.
Captain Vimes says: That… tracks with how badly James has been taking it.
[Arthur]: Did you think it was magical, Zaara?
[Zaara]: No, not magical, only fire.
[Arthur]: There was probably an ignition point. Still, it's horrible.
Captain Vimes says: Alright, noted. Non-magical fire. Centaurs seem a likely suspect…
Captain Vimes says: Anything else?
Tadget looks to Ves.
Vesyllah pulls the blackened shield from her back and presents it. "This survived the fire. I don't know if it will be useful, but maybe its condition can tell us something."
Captain Vimes says: Hm, I'm no expert with the construction of arms and armor. Their use, yes, but not their making. This shield seems as ordinary as any, excepting the damage from the fire that engulfed the inn.
Captain Vimes says: Tell you what, I'll take it to Caz Twosprocket, see what he can make of it. You can check in with him later.
[Thalstan]: And this. *Thalstan holds out Paval Reethe's insignia* Don't' know if he was a guest or what.
Captain Vimes says: It's never good news when a guard's badge is brought to me. Sometimes it's a man or woman who's fallen in battle, and I'm left to bring the news to the grieving family. Other times we never find out what happened to them. And other times it's even worse than that.
Captain Vimes says: I don't recognize the name of Lieutenant Paval Reethe. I'll have Adjutant Tesoran look it up. He keeps track of all the records for the Theramore guard, from personnel to their equipment.
Captain Vimes says: It'll take some time, but I think we can make some progress on these leads. In the meantime, please help yourself to the hospitality of Theramore.
[Tadget]: Okay.
[Thalstan]: Everyone okay to stick around Theramore for a little while?
[Tadget]: You heard him, pals. Drinks all around!
[Arthur]: Yes. Let's go!
[Vesyllah]: Oh good. Damp and bugs.
[Thalstan]: Good work, team. Both on the planned mission an' the surprise one.
Tadget cackles maniacally at the situation.
[Thalstan]: Cobalt Blade dismissed! To drinks!