(2023-11-05) Into Ahn'Qiraj

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Author:	Alli
Summary:	Jo takes a team of Auralind, Brannagen, Dane, Iphindra, Nunuzac, Velrin, and Yveris into the ruins of Ahn'Qiraj to see if they can learn anything about the peoples descended from the aqir and the lingering titan influence of the area.
Rating:	T for Teen

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raid-usual violence, lots of bugs, some bug gore

The team is gathering at the Cenarion Hold.
Nunuzac marvels at the sandy terrain in high slopes, drawing some lines with her hoof.
Atley turns over his shoulder to scowl at the swarming bugs.
Jocoza walks up to the group with a cheerful wave, and looks around the sandy expanse curiously.
[Jocoza]: Hi everyone! Glad you could all make out here.
Atley nods with a grunt.
[Velrin]: I wouldn’t miss an opportunity to make my parents proud.
[Nunuzac]: Wow, so this is the place in book of Bran!
Nunuzac maybe picked up this cadence from Azizia, because it seems clear and correct.
Atley knits his brow at that and looks around.
[Jocoza]: Yes, I've been hearing all sorts of interesting things about this place from the Wymrest Accord… interesting things relevant to our present.
[Jocoza]: One of my best pals killed an Old God out here.
Nunuzac beams. "More reason to know it better then, I stay often at Wyrmrest."
Atley grunts.
[Jocoza]: She said I should never come here ever, but… obviously she just meant while the Old God was still alive, right?
[Auralind]: I would still agree with her. Be mindful in these sands. The taint of the Old Gods has long infested this place.
Atley grunts and gestures to Auralind.
[Brannagen]: Lo there!
Auralind nods. "Prospector."
[Atley]: The land still seems wretched, all things aside.
[Yveris]: Fire hair.
[Jocoza]: I expect there'll still be some bugs and such in the ruins, but we'll do a little explor- Brannagen! Hello!
[Atley]: Master Brannagen.
Yveris smiles.
Brannagen smiles at Yveris.
[Auralind]: All my life I've been warned to stay away from this desert in my wanderings.
[Brannagen]: Good ta see ye again!
Yveris bows before Brannagen.
[Nunuzac]: It is maybe because it looks like a hard place away from building. Wild, dry.
Atley turns to scowl at the swarming hive again. "We're certainly not in Elwynn anymore."
[Nunuzac]: Hello Bran! I think about your book just now.
Iphindra runs towards the group, panting. "I am here! Sorry if you waited!" The plants around her arms are tight around her arms, as she looks around at all the Night Elves around.
Iphindra salutes you with respect.
Auralind smiles a little at Iphindra's arrival. "Elune adore. It is good to see you again."
Brannagen 's gaze moves from one person to the next, not settling for too long on any one person.
Nunuzac smiles to Iphindra with a light wave, not recognizing her but seems positive to meet her just the same. "Hello!"
Atley inclines his head in greeting. "Milady."
Iphindra raises her eyebrows at Auralind. "Hm. Yes." She then turns to Nunu. "He- hello!"
[Jocoza]: Alright, so maybe we can get started heading down? I've learned a lot about this place, so maybe I can give us some context as we go.
Brannagen nods at you.
Atley grunts and whistles for his horse.
Auralind 's brow pinches at Iphindra's curt greeting.
[Brannagen]: C'mon, Muradin.
Brannagen pats his ram.
Iphindra mounts on Birch.
They start riding down toward Ahn’Qiraj.
[Jocoza]: Alright, so the first thing about this place relates to old CC history.
[Brannagen]: CC as in Cenarion Circle, right?
[Yveris]: Cobalt, young.
[Brannagen]: Oh, other CC. It's both kinds, I suppose.
[Jocoza]: Oh, sorry, Cobalt! I suppose we have the same initials.
Jocoza giggles. "There's Cenarion Circle history here as well, of course."
[Brannagen]: Aye!
[Jocoza]: Do you all recall when we went into Uldaman, got those platinum discs?
Atley squints out at the landscape.
[Jocoza]: Uldaman, of course, had some connection to the titans.
[Jocoza]: And those discs led to some odd structures in the south of Kalimdor, where it seems like there's other ancient titan facilities, possibly destroyed.
Brannagen opens up a battered journal to some old sketches, and makes a few additions to them as Jocoza talks.
They arrive at the entrance to Ahn’Qiraj.
Atley looks around.
[Yveris]: Dragons.
[Atley]: Looks to have been a mighty fortress… In its time.
[Velrin]: It was. My people fought a great war here long ago. My parents took part, in fact.
Iphindra looks up at the giant ruins.
Atley grunts.
[Jocoza]: If you've ever seen what's left of some kind of gate, in the south of Tanaris, that appears to be related.
[Jocoza]: This place, too, they say used to be a titan research facility.
Nunuzac touches her chin and eyes the structures with a sudden hint of wariness. "Hmmm…"
[Atley]: And rumor has it there's somming' like this in the northern mountain chain of Northrend?
[Iphindra]: So… We will see titan's… structures?
[Brannagen]: If so, I'm keen ta see it.
Iphindra nods. This is for the Company's captain. She's ready? She will do great!
[Jocoza]: Exactly, yes. Which is one reason it piqued my interest.
[Atley]: I warrant it's swarming with nerubians.
[Jocoza]: Oh, and that is the other connection, Dane, well-spotted! Not nerubians exactly, but the dragons say that loooong ago, way before the sundering, there was an ancient race called the aqir.
Atley eyes Jo up and down.
[Nunuzac]: Titan… research… with old god inside? They study it? Or it got in…
Atley looks from Nunuzac to Jocoza.
[Jocoza]: So about the 'aqir', they fought the trolls for many years back then. But then their people were split apart, north and south.
Nunuzac softly pats her agreeable saber cat
Iphindra listens with interest.
[Jocoza]: Down here, we've got the 'qiraji'. Up north, the 'nerubians'. Both kind of branches on a similar tree.
Brannagen rapidly flips between pages of two different books, both written in Dwarvish, in his own hand. Cross-referencing, scratching things out, drawing arrows and asterisks.
[Jocoza]: Anyway, that's what the dragons say.
Yveris points to the carving on the wall. "Titans are bugs?"
Jo giggles.
Nunuzac seems to suddenly notice Thaeru'kal, making a silent 'oh' and covering her mouth.
[Jocoza]: Well, I suppose I've never seen one?
[Brannagen]: Nae, that's not Titan architecture.
[Auralind]: This doesn't look like any Titan structure I've ever seen.
Auralind nods to Bran.
[Jocoza]: But I'd imagine that's qiraji, yes.
[Brannagen]: No one's seen a titan, but I doubt they're bugs.
Atley grunts.
[Iphindra]: Bugs are very good at construction. Maybe they are bugs!
Atley grunts again.
Yveris points at Qiraji Gladiator.
[Jocoza]: Hmm, looks like there are some bugs left here indeed.
[Yveris]: Like us?
[Brannagen]: Aye, two legs, arms, all tha'.
[Atley]: Aye, they've still somming' of a garrison.
[Atley]: Properly sized… And different enough from nerubians.
[Yveris]: Many two legs here.
Atley points his sword at Yveris and grunts.
[Auralind]: Yes. These bugs are not hopping any meals.
Atley nudges the slain swarmguard. "No, they are not," he agrees idly with Auralind.
Auralind smiles at Atley. Clearly she got the saying right.
[Jocoza]: From reports of the recent war, they were dominated by some kind of Old God, now dead. So… these remnants should be a little less focused than they once were.
[Brannagen]: My guess would be that the titans, if they are anythin' more than' sapient abstract concepts, look a bit like those gigantic Watchers we've seen. Almost human shaped.
Atley grunts.
[Jocoza]: Hm… not dwarvish?
[Atley]: Some of these look like women.Like harpies.
[Nunuzac]: They must have forms if they build research place! Yes? Or really good workers.
[Yveris]: Harpies prettier.
[Brannagen]: The Earthen were just one o' their many creations, with a specific purpose. Those Watchers seem more likely t'be avatars of the Titans themselves, in a sense.
[Brannagen]: Curious, though, Cap'n, why would ye assume they looked like dwarves?
Atley points at Vile Scarab.
[Atley]: Oi. Look it.
[Jocoza]: Oh, I don't know. Usually it's dwarves I've heard talking about titans?
[Brannagen]: Aye? And?
[Brannagen]: Do we all resemble wha' we study, then?
[Jocoza]: Maybe there's… a special connection there?
Brannagen laughs.
Jo giggles.
[Jocoza]: Perhaps not. But goodness this place is huge.
Iphindra nods at you.
[Atley]: A huge wasp nest.
[Jocoza]: It has the gigantic size right.
[Brannagen]: The special connection is tha' of all the Titans' creations, fer some reason the dwarves are the ones most curious about 'em.
Nunuzac eyes one of the humanoid qiraji that has fallen with a look of sincere curiosity.
[Yveris]: Stone. Like Scourge.
[Atley]: Aye.
Atley nods to Yveris.
[Brannagen]: How's the stone like Scourge then?
[Atley]: S'like the necropolis…es.
[Jocoza]: A lot of things are made of stone, though.
[Brannagen]: Oh, ye mean they both have like, floatin' obelisk things?
[Atley]: I see wot' she means. The obelisks have that odd shape.
[Brannagen]: That's a common shape fer any sort o' magic structure.
[Nunuzac]: Yes it is like some Scourge things I see, a little.
Atley grunts dubiously.
[Brannagen]: Dinna ask me why, though.
[Auralind]: It might be Nerubian influence as well.
[Atley]: P'raps that's wot' it is.
[Jocoza]: I'm hoping we haven't got any Scourge here to worry about. If we do, that's going to be a whole other problem.
[Yveris]: Scourge…stole from bugs?
[Brannagen]: Nerubians didna come down this far though, far as I know.
Iphindra nods at you.
[Jocoza]: Nope, the Nerubians were the northern split. *Jo nods at Bran*
[Brannagen]: But perhaps the aqir used obelisks, an' then the nerubians an' qiraji both carried it down?
[Auralind]: But they split off from these creatures, did they not? And I've seen Nerubian structures with similar appearance.
Auralind nods.
[Atley]: I've ventured into Azjol Nerub. It seems the undead have bastardized their architecture and fortifications.
[Atley]: The similarities here are not so clear but I reckon I can still see it.
[Nunuzac]: Maybe they talk. Share house plan. Be friends over having a lot of too many legs.
[Brannagen]: Nerubian architecture was just gorgeous, really.
Yveris giggles at Nunuzac.
Auralind chuckles at Nunu.
[Jocoza]: This is… not as pretty, maybe? But maybe some resemblance.
[Atley]: P'raps it's just older.
Nunuzac boggles at a giant bug in the distance.
[Iphindra]: These are ruins, no? They may have changed.
[Atley]: Mm. They -are- half buried, as well.
[Brannagen]: Aye, I imagine the nerubian ruins are better preserved.
[Brannagen]: Sealed up, nice an' cold.
[Atley]: Have a look. The sand's flowing like water.
Atley points over yonder.
[Nunuzac]: That one is like my thing I got in Northrend. What? This is weird.
[Iphindra]: Here, sand gets in all places- yes, this! *She says, nodding at Dane.*
[Atley]: This place is accursed.
Atley spits on the ground.
Nunuzac holds out [Matriarch's Spawn] for reference.
Atley eyes Nunuzac up and down.
[Atley]: Mm? Why've you got that?
[Nunuzac]: It's full of magic?
Atley grunts. "It has the look of that ugly bastard, yonder."
Iphindra looks at Nunuzac's possession curiously.
Atley points at the giant bug.
[Jocoza]: Let's approach that one with caution.
[Atley]: Right.
Iphindra pats the inoffensive Vile Scarab on the head.
[Brannagen]: I've always wondered what those huge twitchy things are, stickin' up outa the ground.
[Yveris]: Legs?
[Jocoza]: That, I do not know. It's almost like their tunnels are alive themselves.
[Atley]: Some giant bug, or somming'?
[Brannagen]: But where's the rest of et then?
[Yveris]: Under?
Atley grunts thoughtfully and itches his beard.
[Brannagen]: Those who've been under never saw et.
[Brannagen]: They dinna seem t'be legs, they just… grow up outa the ground, like.
[Nunuzac]: This big one is the kind of thing I do not in usual go at. Mostly away.
[Nunuzac]: Rules on new planet. You do not know what is everything, but if big enough to put you in mouth, go away. Just in case.
Iphindra giggles at Nunuzac.
Auralind smirks. "Wise."
Yveris nods in agreement.
Atley grunts.
[Yveris]: Too many for mouth.
[Brannagen]: I'll do me best ta keep ye all breathin'.
[Nunuzac]: Pick up totem and block mouth if it tries.
[Atley]: Let's slaughter it.
[Jocoza]: I'm in favor of that.
They slaughter it.
[Yveris]: Bug had cute face.
Atley grimaces with hatred and disgust as he pulls his sword out of its maw.
[Atley]: Wretched bastard.
Iphindra goes to check the bug's face.
Nunuzac confers with a tiny dust devil that briefly manifests near air totem.
Brannagen makes a sketch on a fresh page of his journal.
[Jocoza]: Seems pretty empty here now
Atley produces a strip of jerky and bites it.
[Brannagen]: Why'd ye have ta say that…
Jocoza looks at Brannagen innocently.
Bugs swarm at them!
[Iphindra]: So many!
[Atley]: Here's the welcoming party…!
Nunuzac looks a little alarmed.
[Atley]: Come on, then!'
[Nunuzac]: "Go fire, dance!" Small sprays of magma scatter the across the ranks of tall qiraji.
[Atley]: That bastard's coming.
[Atley]: He's not skipping any bloody meals, either…
[Nunuzac]: Big…!
[Jocoza]: Whew, never mind on the empty.
[Brannagen]: What did I tell ye…
Auralind murmurs quietly, "…skipping…"
[Brannagen]: Never say thengs like tha'.
They defeat the swarm of bug soldiers.
[Jocoza]: This does bring to mind the history of this place with the Cenarion Circle and the dragons. Do any of you know a lot about the War of the Shifting Sands?
[Brannagen]: I know a bit.
Jocoza grins at Bran. "I get the feeling you know a bit about a lot of things."
[Brannagen]: Oh, I've read a book or two, aye.
[Velrin]: I do! My mother would tell me stories of her and father and their friend, Thorn, and how they all helped fight the qiraji back! *her ears wiggle* We lived rather far from anyone else, but it seemed like they were famous from this time.
They continue on and encounter a winged creature, an obsidian destroyer.
[Yveris]: Wings.
[Atley]: Wot' in the hell are these?
[Atley]: That's no bug…
Iphindra gasps at Obsidian Destroyer.
Jo peers at Obsidian Destroyer searchingly.
[Jocoza]: We might be seeing some of the older inhabitants… back before it was corrupted by the qiraji and the Old God…
[Iphindra]: I've never seen a beast like this!
There are also slimes, called ‘Flesh Hunters’, that we fight.
Atley steps out of the Flesh Hunter, covered in slime.
[Auralind]: What manner of beast?
Atley wipes his face off and scowls at the Obsidian Destroyer.
Iphindra looks worriedly at Dane.
[Jocoza]: It has like… four limbs… a beaked face… wings…
[Yveris]: Like gryphon.
[Atley]: Looks like a centaur… gryphon.
[Brannagen]: But they've uh, gone a bit… wrong.
Atley eyes Brannagen up and down.
[Atley]: Mm?
[Auralind]: A…centaur gryphon?
[Jocoza]: Something like that, yeah.
[Iphindra]: A big cat's body, with wings and the chest and head of humanoids!
[Brannagen]: These are, we believe, Titan constructions of a sort.
[Jocoza]: They would've been already corrupted by the time of the War of the Shifting Sands, a thousand years ago. Back then, there was a big alliance to fight the qiraji, druids and dragons and more.
Yveris retreats deeper into her hood at the mentions of history.
Atley stomps out a scorpion on the ground.
Nunuzac covers her mouth again. "Oh! He is like dragon creature I see in the gorge under Ironforge.
[Brannagen]: Their shapes are quite different from other Titan constructions we've seen, but when ye get a look at the innards ye can see the patterns.
[Atley]: Let's test their mettle.
[Atley]: Oi!
We test it’s mettle. It does not stand up to our mettle.
[Iphindra]: I- I wish I could have seen this place before the Old God coming. It's beautiful, and insects often work so beautifully together. It must have been wonderful.
Atley whistles at Obsidian Destroyer.
[Yveris]: Rocks.
[Brannagen]: See, look a' the joints.
[Brannagen]: Jes' like the big lass in Uldaman, as far as how it moves an' is put t'gether.
[Atley]: Mm. Keen eye, Brannagen.
Atley kneels before the Obsidian Destroyer.
Dane takes the Obsidian Destroyer apart to reveal the rock and ore interior.
[Atley]: A bit of strange ore fell from it. The Mithril Order'd enjoy getting their hands on this.
[Nunuzac]: You think these insects were different before Old God arrived?
[Iphindra]: I'm sure, yes. Nothing is born evil. *She nods vehemently at Nunuzac.*
Auralind places her hands on the fallen creature, feeling her way along its surfaces.
[Brannagen]: Aye.
[Yveris]: Rock gryphon centaur.
We kill another one.
[Brannagen]: Lot of Titan constructs are. Includin' dwarves' ancestors!
[Iphindra]: Y-you?
Nunuzac leans over and knocks lightly on an obsidian chunk, asking it something inquisitive in draenei.
[Brannagen]: Aye. We were called the Earthen back then.
Atley walks over and smashes at it with a small, travel pick axe.
[Iphindra]: Earthen…
[Brannagen]: But somethin' went wrong, an' the Earthen changed.
[Atley]: I've seen them. Some sort'f curse, innit'? Or so they say.
[Yveris]: Wrong?
[Brannagen]: Some inta dwarves, some into, er… troggs.
[Jocoza]: There's a record of all this, in Uldaman. *Jo nods*
[Brannagen]: We dinna know what it else.
Atley grunts.
[Iphindra]: Troggs are dwarves?!
[Brannagen]: No.
[Iphindra]: I- I mean, close to dwarves!
[Brannagen]: Cousins maybe?
[Yveris]: Dwarf, not wrong.
[Brannagen]: But dinna mention tha' around most dwarves.
[Jocoza]: Not very close. Troggs are nothing like dwarves. *Jo sounds oddly vehement on this point*
Iphindra nods at Brannagen.
[Brannagen]: Like, grain can become bread, or ale.
[Brannagen]: The two en't that similar.
[Yveris]: Bugs build large.
[Jocoza]: We learned in Northrend that my people, I suppose, used to be made of metal. So… that's similar, too.
[Atley]: Could fit all of Stormwind inside this place.
Brannagen nods at you.
[Velrin]: It really is an impressive place. I wonder what this civilization was like before it fell prey to the Old Gods…
Iphindra eyes widen. Everyone was something else, it seems.
[Jocoza]: I rather like being made of flesh though.
Atley grunts.
[Brannagen]: My current theory is tha' the Titans' constructs kept tryin ta turn inta somethin' more like the native life forms. Elves, trolls.
[Brannagen]: Tryin' to adapt maybe.
[Atley]: Mm. Wot' for?
[Iphindra]: Were Earthens and Metalens… immortal?
[Brannagen]: They were here so long they just tried ta self-adapt t'fit in.
[Auralind]: Elves comes from Elune. Not the Titans.
[Brannagen]: Well, they'd break down sometimes I suppose.
[Jocoza]: Oh, I've no idea about that. Immortality.
[Brannagen]: Right, yer native.
[Brannagen]: An' trolls.
[Brannagen]: Basically anythin' with long skinny ears is pure native Azeroth!
Auralind growls softly. "Sadly true."
[Atley]: Bloody hell…
Iphindra chuckles at Brannagen.
Atley widens his eyes at the clutter of obelisks.
Nunuzac seems to be listening to chatter closely while mostly quite, thoughtful.
[Yveris]: Tall…
[Jocoza]: They even found evidence that humans came from vrykul, up north.
[Auralind]: I hear heavy steps…
[Brannagen]: An' so my theory is tha' once the titan constructs lingered here for centuries upon centuries they just … adapted ta fit in wi' the fleshythings.
We come upon some very tall constructs.
Jocoza falls silent when she sees the Anubisath Guardian.
[Atley]: More of the strange constructs, Auralind. They're humanoid, but they've jackal heads.
[Atley]: Some sort of strange adornment I've never seen 'fore, too.
[Yveris]: Very tall.
[Brannagen]: Ah, more corrupted titan constructs! En't they glorious?
[Yveris]: Glorious when dead.
[Iphindra]: They make me feel… very small.
[Atley]: That floating dais. Reminds me of a necropolis.
[Jocoza]: That one, I do see the resemblance.
Nunuzac peers up and steps back on one hoof a bit, nodding in agreement.
A cockroach seems to take a liking to Iphindra and begins following her around.
[Atley]: Let's press on. There's somming' in charge around here to behead.
[Jocoza]: We may need to put those statues down.
[Jocoza]: They might just get back up again, but….
[Brannagen]: Doubt they'll let us pass.
[Jocoza]: They're probably corrupted.
We destroy one of the constructs. It is also made of metal and rock!
[Iphindra]: Look! They make ore too!
[Atley]: The -size- of these fackers'…
Iphindra points helpfully at the ore for Dane.
They seem to reflect magic when we fight them.
[Yveris]: Spells…reflect?
Nunuzac examines her weird bug shaped magic focus more closely, then yelps when a quick flame shock is reflected back on her by an anubisath.
[Atley]: Mm.
[Nunuzac]: Ow! No way.
Jocoza is still sizzling.
[Atley]: Let's clear the area. Don't want any of these mustering an assault on the Hold.
[Jocoza]: Yeah, I think I'm a bit singed.
[Yveris]: Cobalt, powerful. Care with spells.
Iphindra nods at Yveris.
[Brannagen]: This was not how I was hopin' ta see titan guardians up close.
[Jocoza]: I hope we can find a place less… corrupted. Later.
[Jocoza]: But at least we do get to see them up close.
[Yveris]: Rocks…do not talk?
[Brannagen]: Sometimes they do!
[Brannagen]: Earthen do!
[Nunuzac]: They talk to me.
[Brannagen]: A few earthen survived an' they are real chatty.
[Iphindra]: … they do?
[Nunuzac]: You try saying hello?
[Iphindra]: …
[Yveris]: Northrend, evil talking rocks. These rocks evil?
[Atley]: They're not bloody friendly in my experience.
[Iphindra]: The stones they- they speak to those who listen?
[Jocoza]: Hmm, that one up there seems empowered. We'd better take care of it.
[Brannagen]: Not ta everyone, lass. Ta shamans like Nunuzac.
[Nunuzac]: I am good at listen. Though I learn a little how from a good teacher.
[Brannagen]: Yer a shaman, lass!
[Nunuzac]: Yes!
[Brannagen]: Tha's why rocks talk to ye.
[Brannagen]: It's not just a theng anyone can do.
Iphindra gently places a hand on the ground in front of the roach and guides it up to her shoulder.
[Nunuzac]: Well you do not know until try!
Atley glances over at Iphindra and her new friend.
[Brannagen]: True, never hurts ta try. Tha's how I became a priest.
[Atley]: Mm? Aye.
[Atley]: I'll gather those after we kill this thing.
Iphindra nods at Atley.
Jocoza nods.
[Iphindra]: This one has wings!
We kill the biggest of the big constructs.
[Brannagen]: Whew! I was sure tha' one was gonna flatten us.
[Atley]: Came close a time or two.
[Brannagen]: Tha' reminds me, I should write me ma.
[Yveris]: Remind how?
Brannagen peers at Yveris searchingly.
[Jocoza]: Does she like hearing about dangerous corrupted constructs?
[Brannagen]: She likes hearin' her son is still alive.
Iphindra approaches the glowing crown curiously.
[Brannagen]: An' I just remembered… I am!
Atley scoffs with amusement at Brannagen.
[Iphindra]: So pretty! It looks like a star…
[Brannagen]: Surprisin'ly easy theng ta ferget.
Atley grimaces away from the shining light source.
[Atley]: M'certain there's more to see about in this place.
Jocoza giggles at Brannagen. "Adventures like this can remind one of a thing."
[Jocoza]: Yes, let's explore while we're here.
Nunuzac picks up the curious ancient hammer the construct was keeping.
[Brannagen]: Nothin' like an adventure. Nothin' in the world.
Atley raises a hand over his face.
Iphindra shakes her head and follows the group.
Iphindra covers the roach from the sandstorm with her hands.
[Yveris]: Water.
[Jocoza]: Oh, it's a bigger one of the centaur-gryphons.
Iphindra nods at you.
Nunuzac holds up the hammer against various structures in the distance, seemingly comparing the shapes.
[Auralind]: I'm having difficulty hearing in this sandstorm…
Jocoza looks at Auralind in concern. "Do you think you'll be able to fight?"
Atley peers at Auralind searchingly.
Auralind nods. "I believe so. When the clash of combat begins, I will have a better sense of my target."
[Iphindra]: Um… May- may I?
Atley grunts. Then… grunts again, louder.
[Auralind]: May you…what?
[Iphindra]: I… I can put a plant on you, and give it help to pull gently on one side or the other of you, to help you… find the target?
Atley peers at Iphindra searchingly.
Jocoza looks at Iphindra curiously.
[Iphindra]: Tell it "more right!" or "more left!" without words. So the centaur-gryphon will not know!
[Jocoza]: Auralind, would that help?
Nunuzac crackles with static, a small gust of air clearing some sand away only for more to rush in. She covers her nose and mouth.
Brannagen has arranged his beard into a handy sand filter.
Auralind smiles softly. "Shaha lor'ma, Iphindra. But I will be alright. I can also see Thaeru'kal, and she speaks to me. But I appreciate the offer."
Atley rubs his forearm along his mouth before he lets out a cough and spits sand off to the side. "Gah."
Iphindra nods.
[Iphindra]: The- then I am ready!
We defeat the giant Obsidian Destroyer.
[Nunuzac]: Ptoo! Pleh! He takes in magic.
[Jocoza]: I'd guess there's more of these constructs in here, but it's good to stop the ones we can.
[Brannagen]: Wouldn't want em wanderin out and givin' the druids trouble.
[Atley]: Too right!
[Jocoza]: This place is bound to be a bit weird, they closed it away at the end of the War of the Shifting Sands.
[Atley]: More guardsmen! Through the sand!
[Jocoza]: So whoever was in here was locked for a thousand years, till the recent war two years ago.
[Jocoza]: Those, and three dragons, too, who helped make the wall.
[Atley]: Slain, I take?
[Jocoza]: No, actually! They were thought dead for a thousand years, but they lived!
[Atley]: Have they gone mad, or somming'?
Iphindra 's vines wrap gently around her, the plants attempting to protect her from her.
[Jocoza]: I don't think so. Merithra's a green dragon, daughter of Ysera, and she's back with the Wyrmrest Accord. The second dragon was Caelastrasz, a red, also safely back home now. And the third one is, well…
[Iphindra]: Oh?
[Atley]: Mm?
[Jocoza]: Arygos, the son of Malygos. He's… not our friend right now.
[Atley]: Up north with his father, is he?
Jo nods.
[Brannagen]: We do believe the old god C'Thun to be dead now though, which is nice.
[Brannagen]: Before we didna even know they could be killed.
Jocoza nods at Bran. "I'm glad they can be."
[Brannagen]: It does raise the question… if old gods can be killed, why didna the Titans do it ages ago?
[Jocoza]: That is an interesting question.
Atley glares as the sandstorm clings to the slime now covering him.
[Jocoza]: If they had a reason not to… is it bad that we're doing it?
[Brannagen]: An even better question.
[Auralind]: Maybe they didn't care.
[Iphindra]: Shou- should we not?
[Jocoza]: They're awfully evil, so I don't see how we can not.
[Brannagen]: Titans are rumored to possess a great many qualities - apathy isna one of em.
[Atley]: Not wot'? I can barely hear over this bloody sand.
[Brannagen]: Titans are all about meddlin' in thengs, seems t'me. Fer the better, mostly.
[Brannagen]: In fact, lass, it was almost harder ta imprison those beasts than it woulda been t'just kill em.
[Brannagen]: So it wasna neglect.
[Atley]: This whole bloody place is swarming.
[Atley]: Look, down there.
[Atley]: Some sort of brood mare.
[Atley]: Let's slaughter it.
[Jocoza]: Yes, let's
[Jocoza]: If we can find a way down…
[Nunuzac]: Is that… egg?
They cannot find a way down. Instead, they circle around to search for another path while continuing to chat about Old Gods.
[Brannagen]: Mere mortals managed to kill one. Trappin' em is the work o' gods.
[Brannagen]: So again… why?
[Iphindra]: May- maybe it's a test? for their creations? They want dwarves and gnomes to prove they can defeat Old Gods!
[Brannagen]: I'm not expectin ye ta answer, mind.
[Brannagen]: Hard t'know the mind of a theng like a Titan.
[Jocoza]: Are they the testing sorts?
[Yveris]: Titan…alive?
[Iphindra]: Hmmm…
Atley looks back in his saddle at Brannagen.
[Brannagen]: I think maybe they travel around makin' new worlds all the time. Someone has t'be makin' em, aye?
[Auralind]: They just set up their constructs and devices…and left?
Iphindra looks at Jocoza's mounts. "Do… do you plan on not staying, Captain?"
[Jocoza]: Oh now here's more bugs…
[Jocoza]: What?
Jocoza hops off her mechanostrider.
[Brannagen]: Oops, overdid it.
Atley glares angrily at Ayamiss the Hunter.
Nunuzac looks a little frazzled by the huge swarms of huge wasps. "So many…! They make more and more here, trouble for elf and dragon."
[Atley]: Let's kill that big one.
Jocoza nods at Dane.
They kill that big one.
[Nunuzac]: No! It sends grubs at you.
[Atley]: No shortage of monsters in this place.
[Brannagen]: This is a righ' nightmare of a place, aye.
Iphindra nods at Brannagen.
[Jocoza]: A few less, after us, I hope.
Atley grimaces with disgust.
[Auralind]: Are the rest of you alright with this sand? I can keep my eyes closed, but….
Jocoza nods.
[Brannagen]: Dinna mind me…
[Jocoza]: All in on the killing of all mages, apparently.
[Jocoza]: I have goggles.
[Brannagen]: I am not gonna say I love the sand.
[Iphindra]: I'm okay! I like sand! *She's squinting really hard. For Cobalt Company!*
[Jocoza]: Oh, should I have made you all goggles?
[Brannagen]: But dwarves are tough!
Yveris keeps her hood lowered over her eyes.
[Brannagen]: If et gets too bad I'll just turn t'stone fer a bit
[Nunuzac]: I should have bring scarf.
Atley grunts.
[Atley]: Larval chamber…
[Atley]: That fat brood mare was this way.
[Jocoza]: We shouldn't leave it.
Atley grunts.
Nunuzac looks a little grossed out.
[Jocoza]: Here's a path down.
[Brannagen]: Yech.
[Atley]: Look at it, there on the cliffside.
[Atley]: I thought t'was a carving.
[Atley]: That thing's dragon sized.
Iphindra squints, really, really hard to see the dragon-sized thing.
[Jocoza]: Wow.
[Iphindra]: … oh.
[Nunuzac]: Eugh!
[Yveris]: Lobster bug.
[Brannagen]: Easy does it heroes. Let's come back in one piece, aye?
Nunuzac watches as an egg seems to descend from the huge wall embedded thing, coated in slime. Her opinion on this is plain on her face and it is Bad.
Iphindra does not turn into a cheetah.
[Atley]: These eggs look dense, but we can't leave them unshattered.
Nunuzac coaxes fire onto her weapon. Twice.
[Atley]: Let's lure that ugly facker' into stomping over them, then torch that thing.
Brannagen nods at Atley.
Iphindra looks a little worriedly at Dane.
[Jocoza]: Sounds like a good plan.
Atley whistles at the broodmother bug.
It chases people around the room as we smash the dense eggs. Eventually, it’s skull cracks open and then we kill it.
[Nunuzac]: Aaaaah!
Brannagen cheers at Buru the Gorger!
[Yveris]: Had to kill so…grossly?
Atley pokes at its open brains with a sword.
Nunuzac tries to hold in some involuntary horking motions off to the side.
[Jocoza]: Um, I think we've thoroughly explored this place.
[Atley]: Now, as for that big one.
[Nunuzac]: Fire!
[Atley]: I say we set it ablaze then shove off.
Atley nods to Nunuzac. "Too right."
[Brannagen]: My sketchbook is well an' truly updated.
[Jocoza]: I agree.
Jocoza uses fire spells to set it on fire.
Brannagen throws some Holy Fire for good measure.
Nunuzac summons up a big elemental for good measure. "Fire! You go!"
Atley scoffs with amusement.
[Atley]: Too fat and slow to try and run.
[Atley]: Let's bugger off.
Brannagen makes a hasty escape!
Jocoza nods. "That ought to root it out. Lots of fire."
Iphindra bends to the side to look at the burning big bug's little smiley face.
[Jocoza]: I'll give us a portal
Atley grunts. "Cheers."
[Brannagen]: All righ' Cap'n get us outa here.
[Nunuzac]: Yes! Send me away.
[Nunuzac]: Do not want.
[Atley]: I've a mind to free myself from …
Atley gestures to himself. He's covered in slime and sand.
[Iphindra]: … goo.
Jo makes a portal to Dalaran and everyone goes through.
Nunuzac runs up to a Dalaran archway and hugs it, still gritty.
[Jocoza]: Whew. Good work all, and dismissed. I probably need to see to that nonsense as well.
Iphindra said goodbye to the roach before jumping into the portal.
Atley grunts and stomps off.
[Jocoza]: Good to be back in ordinary civilization and not bug civilization.
[Nunuzac]: Nice… good city.
Iphindra giggles at you.