(2023-11-12) Hold On to Your Eyebrows (S12 E1 - White Squad Log)

Details

Author:	inkie
Summary:	White Squad carries out a variety of explosive tasks for the goblins at K3. Non-metaphorically explosive.
Rating:	M for Mature 17+

Arc: Season 12

Ben looks between the dwarf and the elf. He nods genially.

[Brannagen]: Lo there!

Velrin nods in return and sits quietly.

[Ben]: Hey, Mr. Stillwall. Velrin. How's it goin'?

Erixa dusts off her tabard and walks into the beer garden.

Brannagen looks up from the newish looking journal he's writing in and smiles at Ben, his eyes almost disappearing as he does so. "Canna complain."

[Velrin]: Well enough. Thank you Mr. Hazan.

[Ben]: Glad to hear.

Here Ben briefly spaced out in a daydream about running real fast to Stormwind to unlock his xp.

[Velrin]: Indeed, *she says with a chuckle.* I pray our efforts prove fruitful.

Ben adjusts his gauntlets and counts heads. There aren't many to count yet.

[Erixa]: We are still some minutes early, Ben. *Erixa says, watching him count* Maybe others like being right on time.

Ben smiles crookedly at Erixa. Caught! "I know, yeah. I am just sortin' things out in my head."

Brannagen is sitting companionably next to Oranna, seeming comfortable not talking to her as he makes notes in the margins of his sketch.

Oranna is on time. She's early, which is on time.

[Ben]: Hey, Miz Oranna.

Ben eyes Oranna Respectfully. He cannot observe her blouse.

[Erixa]: Mizoranna hello! I'm Erixa.

[Ben]: Oh, who here ain't know each other? Miz Oranna, you ain't met Velrin neither, I bet? Velrin, Miz Oranna Stormbreaker.

Oranna gives Ben a wave, and laughs at Erixa's Mizmainying, which is a verb, as we all know. "Aye, I havena. It's good ta put some faces ta th' names. I've signed some o' yer paperwork, back at HQ. I'm Oranna, Oranna Stormbreaker."

[Cressidha]: Good afternoon, everyone. Oranna!

Cressidha smiles at her.

Brannagen offers Cress a hearty "Lo there!" without quite looking up from his note-taking.

[Ben]: Hey, Cressidha, afternoon.

Erixa turns around to look at the newcomer. "To you too, Cressidha."

Cressidha raises a hand in a wave to Ben.

[Oranna]: Cress! *She waves, a warm smile popping up on her face like it's not as accustomed to being there.*

Velrin smiles and nods politely to everyone, but remains fairly quiet.

Cressidha moves aaaall the way around this table to sit down next to Oranna. "It's wonderful to see you."

Ben smiles at Cressidha and Oranna. He counts heads again. There are two (2) more heads this time.

Oranna 's expression swings from pleased to the look of The Guilty. "Oh, aye. It's good ta see ye, too. It's been a little while." A year and a half. It's fine.

Atley marches into the garden. "Hullo', hullo' you lot." He looks to Oranna and inclines his head with a smirk in his gruff eyes.

Ben nods respectfully to Atley.

[Ben]: Afternoon, Miz Auralind.

Erixa waves a cheery hand at Dane and Auralind.

Cressidha does not seem bothered by the amount of time it's been. "Goodness, you don't happen to be on Blue Squad, do you?"

[Cressidha]: Good afternoon, Dane, Auralind.

Velrin 's ears perk up and she waves at Dane.

Brannagen flips back a few more pages to a map he's drawn of Northrend, annotated in Dwarven. He peers at it and chews on the end of his pen.

[Auralind]: Ishnu alah.

[Oranna]: Dane! *Oranna gives him that same little wave.* Hullo, Auralind. *She turns to Cress, shaking her head.* No, I'm with White. Ben's team.

Cressidha nods. "Well, Ben's an excellent leader. Perhaps we'll see each other in the field now and then regardless. It does work out that way sometimes."

Ben eyes Iphindra up and down.

Iphindra arrives at the meeting place. For those who have seen her before, it's clear the Northrend air has affected the woman. The plants on her are perennial, her skin has turned into a very pale blue, and her hair a light cobalt.

[Cressidha]: Good afternoon, Thaeru'kal.

Brannagen did not suddenly run onto the table.

Atley stifles a small yawn and moves to lean against the table. He glances over his shoulder at Iphindra and nods with a grunt. "Hullo', then."

Atley eyes Thaerukal up and down.

[Atley]: And you.

[Iphindra]: Hello Squads!

Iphindra stands at attention and salutes.

[Brannagen]: Lo there! *He keeps nibbling his pen and studying the map in his journal.*

Thaeru'kal looks directly at Cressidha and approximates a humanoid-like bow of her head.

Ben counts again.

Cressidha nods to the cat. "Ah, hello, ma'am," she says to Iphindra, who she has never seen before.

Iphindra smiles at the spirit beast.

[Ben]: We are missin'… Ace, for my squad.

Oranna nods. That's how it was when she was on it last. Her attention shifts to the newer addition to the team, stretching up in her seat. Her legs are dangling off the bench. "Oh! That's…that's th', uh…" She doesn't seem to have a way to not say Ghost Cat.

Atley turns around and performs a small, second head count.

[Cressidha]: That's Thaeru'kal, a spirit guide.

Auralind cocks her head. "Iphindra. Elune adore."

[Oranna]: Aye, Jo mentioned. And… *The look of pain and odd grief suggests Elu'shalla's fate.*

Ben takes a weirdly ornate-seeming — for Ben — silver pocketwatch from his belt pouch and consults it.

[Oranna]: It's good ta meet ya, Thaeru'kal. My lass is just outside, ye might ha' seen her comin' in.
[Iphindra]: Hello! Who– who is the Blue Squad? I know you are our leader… *She nods to Dane.* But who else is with us?

Cressidha stands, circling around.

Thaeru'kal regards Oranna and gives another dip of her head.

[Iphindra]: And– and if you're White Squad and we've never met I also would very much like to know your names too!

Erixa raises a hand. "I am blue. Also Blue Squad. Erixa."

[Cressidha]: I am Cressidha of House Aspenwood. Blue Squad's mage.

Atley looks to Iphindra, and gestures to Cressidha. "This is Lady Cressidha Aspenwood." He turns over his shoulder. "There is Velrin Silverbloom, of the Sentinels."

[Cressidha]: Ah!

[Oranna]: Oh! I'm with White. I'm Oranna, Oranna Stormbreaker. Good ta meet ya.

[Cressidha]: Goodness, Velrin, you've been so quiet. It's wonderful to see you as well.

[Atley]: And aye — Erixa.

[Cressidha]: It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Erixa and…

Cressidha looks at Iphindra.

[Velrin]: Oh, h-hello. *she waves to Cress*

[Auralind]: I believe they spoke, Oranna. I hope that Befound was not disquieted by Thaeru'kal's presence.

Iphindra salutes the members of Blue Squad. "It's an honor for me to adventure with you!" She looks back at Cressidha, staring at her look at her. "Oh! I– I'm Iphindra!"

[Cressidha]: Iphindra. A pleasure to meet you as well. Would anyone care for water?

Cressidha begins tracing water-conjuring symbols in the air.

[Iphindra]: Yes, please!

[Oranna]: Ach, no. No' like ta be. Dalaran jus' sets Befound a little on edge. *Actually, given how Oranna has a vague tension to her, it might be that Daralan sets Oranna on edge, which sets Befound on edge, but tomato, potato.*

[Erixa]: Yes, water is helpful!

Ben tucks his pocketwatch away again and clears his throat.

[Ben]: Hey, y'all.

Oranna 's attention shifts to Ben.

[Oranna]: Aye?

Cressidha begins to pass out water.

Atley looks to Ben, as well.

Iphindra bows before Cressidha.

[Iphindra]: Thank you!

Erixa stands and turns attentively to Ben.

[Cressidha]: You're welcome.

[Ben]: I am gonna give Ace a few more minutes, but I will start us off with a briefin' on the mission, so I'd appreciate your attention.

[Auralind]: I say so only because Thaeru'kal is a guide to the afterlife…particularly for felines.

Brannagen closes his journal and tucks it away.

Erixa thanks Cressidha.

Atley swings his leg over a bench to take a seat.

Iphindra turns to Oranna and smiles at her. She did hear Oranna, and she must therefore acknowledge it. Helloranna.

Iphindra shyly decides to stand behind her group, not sitting at the bench.

Aiseia hops off the balcony and lands on a bench. "Hey."

[Ben]: … oh, an' there she is. Hey, Ace.

Oranna waves to Ace. Hello other new person.

Brannagen laughs at Aiseia.

Cressidha smiles. "Ace, good afternoon."

Erixa raises an eyebrow at Ace's entrance, and smiles.

Brannagen cheers at Aiseia!

[Aiseia]: Hi!

[Ben]: Okay, so —

Atley peers at Ben.

[Ben]: As y’all know, we have not had any luck so far with breakin’ through to Icecrown. To that point, we are hoping to push the offense into a new region, see about a pass through the mountains.

Brannagen nods at Ben.

[Ben]: That ain’t our main job this time around, though. As y’all also have pretty good reason to remember, I reckon, things are wound pretty tight between Alliance and Horde right now.

Aiseia nods.

Erixa nods at Ben.

Oranna nods at Ben.

Iphindra nods at Ben.

[Ben]: It ain’t our job to wind anything tighter, but it is our job to represent an Alliance interest where we can.

Atley grunts.

[Ben]: A goblin outfit went up into Storm Peaks not too long ago, prospectin’ for resources in the region — and also, apparently, for titan artifacts.

Atley faintly knits his brow.

[Brannagen]: Mmm.

[Aiseia]: Ooh.

[Ben]: Some of y’all may recall we heard iron dwarves an’ giants down to Howling Fjord and Grizzly Hills talkin’ about the Storm Peaks, an’ my team in Grizzly Hills located some of Brann Bronzebeard’s research, suggestin’ he was after a lost titan place called Ulduar, “nestled in the storm.”

[Ben]: I ain’t sayin’ the Storm Peaks is that storm, but signs do kind of point this way, and for sure we know that a lot of people interested one way or another in titans are interested in the Storm Peaks.

Oranna frowns in thought, the worry line between her brows deep.

Atley frowns in thought.

[Ben]: If there is some kind of powers in titan artifacts, you can bet it ain’t just goblins and Explorers but Alliance, Horde, everyone else who’ll be after ‘em.

Erixa nods in thought.

Oranna has the silent version of an exasperated scoff at the mention of the Titan Artifacts that everyone seems to want. Ugh.

[Ben]: So we are bein’ asked, on behalf of the Alliance, to go pitch in with this goblin outfit I mentioned, which has run across a rough time.

Oranna nods at Ben.

[Ben]: The hope is, I think, that we can sweeten ‘em over to the Alliance side — and, important, maybe we get first look for the Alliance at whatever artifacts or research they got their hands in up there.

Iphindra seems to notice Oranna's expression and tilts her head.

Brannagen nods at Ben.

[Ben]: Now, we ain't forget about the Lich King, we ain't forget about our way into Icecrown, but for now we are lookin’ north with an eye on the Alliance advantage, and signs of titan powers or whatever.

Erixa balls up her hands, and seems eager to get those artifacts that do who knows what.

Atley squints in thought and works his jaw.

Cressidha nods to Ben.

Ben looks from face to face. It has sort of a rehearsed quality, as though someone once told him that when public speaking, you should look at people's faces. So here's him grimly checking that off.

Erixa winks at him when he makes eye contact.

Velrin follows along with Ben's briefing.

Iphindra kind of avoids Ben's gaze but nods.

[Ben]: Okay, so we got that?

Cressidha makes eye contact. She seems neutral (positive).

[Cressidha]: Indeed.

Atley raises a hand off the table.

Ben looks at Dane.

[Velrin]: Understood, Mr. Hazan.

Auralind nods wordlessly.

Brannagen fidgets on his bench, but seems attentive.

Oranna looks back at him. "Aye, an' lookin' fer Brann. If we can find somethin'. Understood."

[Erixa]: Yessir!

[Atley]: Wot' do we know about Horde in the area? Should we expect contact?

[Ben]: We know they are prob'ly doin' the same as us, but far as we are aware, they ain't out-reached to these goblins particular yet.

Atley grunts and lowers his hand to produce a strip of jerky to quietly chew on.

[Ben]: So we are gonna beat 'em to this punch, at least. We are not gonna initiate no hostilities, but if we run into 'em and there's trouble, we do what we do for the Alliance.

Atley nods once.

[Brannagen]: As ye say.

Velrin puts on a grim expression.

[Erixa]: So beat them to punch, but no punching. *Erixa nods*

Oranna laughs at Erixa.

[Ben]: … that's right. Unless they punch us.

Atley grunts again.

Cressidha covers her mouth to hide a smile.

Erixa grins at Oranna.

[Brannagen]: I got yer backs if there's punchin'.

[Ben]: Okay, so. We’re gonna head into the mountains. Wear your tabards, put on your best Alliance manners, an’ keep your eyes — uh. *Ben glances at Auralind. He clears his throat.* Your attention sharp.

Iphindra now looks confused with all the punches.

Oranna nods at Ben.

Brannagen looks down at himself at the word 'tabard' and seems to note the absence of one, but does not comment.

[Ben]: Okay. Let's move out.

Auralind smirks.

Iphindra salutes Ben with respect.

Atley pushes himself up. The bench squeaks underneath.

Oranna shifts a little awkwardly off the bench. Dangly.

Erixa assumes Bran has a tabard under his beard somewhere.

Cressidha moves out.

Erixa follows the team out.

Brannagen smiles at Befound. "Hullo lass."

Befound meets up with them as soon as they're free of the garden. She blinks slowly at Bran.

Auralind smiles in Befound's direction, making a soft rumbling sound of greeting.

Befound rumbles back.

Atley eyes Befound with gruff amusement.

Iphindra follows the team, but specifically Dane. He's her leader, specifically. She knows that information.

Atley blinks at Iphindra.

[Ben]: Everyone got flight clearance?

[Iphindra]: O– Oh! Thanks! Birch's a friend!

[Cressidha]: To where?

Oranna nods at Ben.

[Brannagen]: All righ' Magni, let's do thes. *He pats the gryphon.*

Erixa nods.

[Erixa]: Snowball on the move!

Atley whistles for his stoic gryphon.

[Ben]: No, just for cold weather. We ain't been by these goblins yet.

Oranna attaches Befound to a harness. Befound tolerates this with cat exasperation.

Cressidha produces a luxurious-looking flying carpet from her bag and climbs on.

[Atley]: We'll be flying there ourselves.

They land at the goblin outpost of K3.

[Erixa]: Oh, nice! It is a Snowgetzan!

Oranna is holding onto her gryphon for dear life, face a little white, a little peaky.

[Brannagen]: Whoa, Magni.

Atley scowls up at the rugged mountains in the distance.

Ben eyes the charred crater in the snow behind them.

[Ben]: This is, uh, the place I figure.

Erixa looks invigorated after the brisk flight.

[Atley]: Mm, looks it.

[Erixa]: Snowgetzan, yes.

Cressidha 's carpet lowers to the ground. She rolls it up again.

[Ben]: Okay. C'mon with me.

Iphindra looks at the town curiously.

Oranna laughs at Erixa.

Oranna takes deep breaths as they walk.

Atley sets his jaw as he looks around.

[Ben]: We are lookin' for a — I reckon that is her.

Ben eyes Ricket up and down.

Aiseia scratches Lucky's head.

[Ben]: Ma'am? We are lookin' for a Ricket.

Brannagen eyes Ace's companion curiously.

Atley grimaces distastefully at the noise of mechanical machinery.

Ricket eyes the blue tabards.

Iphindra looks at the spinning parts of the spinning machine, her head discreetly following the movement.

Ricket says: Cobalt Company, huh? You’re that Ally gang they promised us? Okay, well, let’s see what you got.

Oranna looks around. What's a ricket?

[Ben]: Yes'm.

Ricket says: We came up here hoping to make our way into those peaks and get our fair share of whatever amazing titan machines they got probably just lying around up there.

Erixa stands up straighter, the more to make her tabard visible.

Ricket says: Progress on that end has been minimal, though. Gnolls, snobolds, magnataur… there’s no shortage of trouble to go around.

Atley knits his brow.

Brannagen 's tabard would not be visible even if he were wearing one, really.

[Ben]: We did just kind of… see a gnoll.

They saw the gnoll to death.

[Erixa]: And where there's one…

Atley grunts.

Ricket says: Yeah, you get it. *She nods at Erixa.*

Ricket says: Not to mention, we can’t seem to keep our fliers in the air or half our machines running without motors freezing and parts cracking.

Ricket says: We’re stretched to breaking, here — but it’s nothing a little bit of goblin determination and ingenuity can’t handle! With a heaping dose of other people’s generosity, that is.

Ricket smiles winningly.

Atley deadpans.

Erixa nods.

Ricket says: So if you’re ready to fix our disas– uh, pitch in, why don’t half of you stick around to hear me out, and the other half head over there to talk to my pal Jeer. He’s the little green fella.

Oranna sighs at Ricket.

Ben looks over his shoulder for a little green fella. He has options.

[Ben]: Uh.

Iphindra looks at the green fellas.

[Ben]: I will… take White Squad to find… Jeer.

Auralind listens for the sound of green.

[Cressidha]: Is there a flight path around here I can get clearance to?

Atley grunts. "Blue Squad, on me."

Ricket says: Flight path's outside, just north of the wall, sweets.

[Cressidha]: Thank you.

[Ben]: Okay, White Squad.

Ben eyes a K3 Bruiser up and down.

[Ben]: Jeer?

K3 Bruiser jerks his head to the left. "By the forge."

[Ben]: Jeer?

Ben looks between the two goblins by the forge.

Oranna looks between them as well. They are both green.

[Brannagen]: Just say the name an' see who turns.

Jeer Sparksocket turns around.

[Brannagen]: There we go.

That was, in fact, Ben's strategy.

Jeer Sparksocket says: Ah, you’re the Alliance patsi– pals that Ricket mentioned? Awesome, yeah, we could sure use a hand or — *Jeer counts heads* — ten.

Oranna sighs at Jeer Sparksocket.

Brannagen winks slyly at Oranna.

Befound uses this opportunity to plop on the snow, close to Thaeru'kal. Not that she's saying hello or anything. She's just here. Unless maybe Thaeru'kal wanted to say hi or whatever.

Jeer Sparksocket says: What with all the trouble we’ve had in the area from gnolls, snobolds, magnataur, you name it, Ricket’s asked me to make some stronger land mines.

[Brannagen]: Hehe, snobolds. Never gets old.

Jeer Sparksocket says: Unfortunately, I’m running kinda low on parts here, thanks to raids from gnolls, snobolds — you get the picture.

[Brannagen]: Hehe, snobolds.

Oranna laughs at Brannagen.

Ben 's mouth twitches at Bran's commentary. He maintains eye contact with Jeer. Eye contact is a Leadership Skill.

Jeer Sparksocket says: Just west of town, you’ll find the remains of our last rocket sled. Ricket got a little excited when she was fueling it, and I probably should’ve thought not to put the nozzle right over the exhaust.

Oranna does not look like she knows why that would be a bad thing. Is that a bad thing? Who knows. Not Oranna.

Jeer Sparksocket says: Live and learn, right?

[Oranna]: Oh, aye. Assumin' ye live.

Brannagen snorts.

Jeer Sparksocket says: Ha ha! Anyway. There should be a good stock of spare parts scattered around the destroyed sled. Why don’t you go and grab ‘em for me — try to find the least-charred ones — and maybe chase off some of those scavengers while you’re at it? They might be nicking parts, too.

[Oranna]: Is it gonna explode on us at all? Or could ye tell us how large th' explosion'll be, if it's gonna?

Oranna just wants to know how far to stand back to keep her eyebrows, thank you.

Jeer Sparksocket says: I guarantee that sledge is as exploded as it's gonna get. I would be impressed as heck if it exploded any more.

[Ben]: … okay.

Oranna nods. "But no' sayin' it wouldna. Alrigh'."

[Brannagen]: Dinna worry, I can patch ye up if ye get explosion on yeh. Oh, er, except fer hair. I canna heal hair, sorry.

Auralind muttters something about goblin guarantees.

[Ben]: The smokin' wreckage we saw is it, I guess.

They traipse out to the aforeseen smokin’ wreckage.

Oranna eyes the wreckage pieces warily.

[Ben]: Don't maybe touch any of it that's still on fire.

Oranna nods at Ben.

Oranna unholsters Sunshine, an enormous, overworked gun.

There are gnolls skulking around the edge of the wreckage. White Squad reduces their numbers.

[Ben]: Gnolls just bein' a nuisance no matter where you go.

[Aiseia]: I wish this place felt prettier.

[Ben]: How d'you mean?

Oranna looks around. She seems to think it's pretty.

[Aiseia]: Like it should be pretty. but it feels….

[Ben]: I wish it felt warmer, but it seems pretty? If you are into snow an' sh*t.

Oranna looks like she's into snow.

Ben puts his head back to gaze at the sky.

Aiseia shakes her head. "The stone is hard from prtoecting itself."

[Ben]: Ohhh.

Oranna frowns, tilting her head.

[Ben]: But, I mean, look at that sky.

[Oranna]: Tha's wha' stone does, though, doesn't it? It's no' made o' soft things.

[Oranna]: Sometimes stone's jus'…still an' quiet, and hard.

[Oranna]: Still stone.

[Brannagen]: I do know what ye mean, Ace, though.

Lucky tags along at Ace’s heels, except for when instead of tagging along he charges out ahead to snap at a gnoll.

[Brannagen]: Ace, ye got a dog?

[Aiseia]: Aye. He picked me.

Oranna nods at Aiseia.

[Brannagen]: Seems like yer new dog's quite the courageous lil theng.

Aiseia laughs. "He really is."

[Brannagen]: Reckon he's one o' those pups tha' thinks he's ten times the size he is.

Ben eyes Dim Flathoof up and down.

Oranna pauses and waves cautiously to Dim Flathoof.

[Brannagen]: Wot's that Tauren doin here ye reckon?

[Oranna]: Diplomacy, maybe?

[Ben]: Is he a tauren or a tonko?

[Oranna]: Oh, ah.

[Oranna]: I'm no' sure I know.

[Brannagen]: Taunka are a bit woolier, aye?

[Ben]: Huh. I will take your word.

Ben shivers.

[Ben]: Wish I was a bit woolier.

Oranna looks at Ben. "Will ye get moor woolier? As ye get older?"

[Ben]: I dunno? I don't think? But maybe.

Oranna is asking because Elo got less wooly. How do humans do it?

[Oranna]: Well, there's hope then at least.

[Ben]: I mean mostly I think I will just wear a scarf next time.

[Brannagen]: I come with scarf built en!

[Oranna]: Oh, aye. If ye dinna have a beard.

Oranna laughs at Brannagen.

Ben rubs his own jaw thoughtfully.

[Ben]: Hm.

Brannagen winks slyly at Oranna.

[Ben]: Wonder what Mizmainy'd think.

Ben eyes Bran.

[Oranna]: Well, a beard's always a good thing, isn't it?

[Brannagen]: Who's'at then?

[Ben]: Don't reckon I could do a proper dwarf beard anyhow, though.

Oranna laughs at Ben.

[Ben]: Oh, Mizmainy's my wife.

[Brannagen]: Oh congratulations!

[Ben]: … thanks, sir.

[Brannagen]: …It has been a minute since I visited yer ma. Yer… aunt. Yer…

[Ben]: My aunt. Ma.

[Brannagen]: Might be a bit behind on news.

Oranna doesn't get that close to the giant smoldering wreckage that may or may not explode.

[Ben]: Uh. You hear I got a brother?

[Brannagen]: Do ye naew?

[Ben]: Cousin brother?

[Ben]: Yessir.

[Brannagen]: I… well then.

Oranna nods at Ben. Cousin brother.

[Ben]: Also a cousin, too, but the regular kind. And he ain't really new, just new to me.

[Brannagen]: Sometimes I think Walt might be a cousin-brother… would explain a lo'…

Oranna laughs at Brannagen.

[Oranna]: Ach, Walt.

[Auralind]: Your family trees are dizzying.

Oranna looks less like her family tree is a tree and not just a single branch, but Auralind probably misses that expression.

Ben gapes at the frozen waterfall.

[Ben]: Shit. Will you look at that?

[Brannagen]: I will. I sure will.

[Auralind]: I will not.

Oranna laughs at Auralind.

[Ben]: Oh. Uh. There is a — I guess it is a waterfall, froze solid, ma'am?

[Ben]: It is a whole wall of ice ahead of us on the cliffs.

[Auralind]: Remarkable.

[Brannagen]: Only waterfall ye'd never hear, ma'am.

[Oranna]: I'm no' sure how natural tha' is.

Auralind smirks at Brannagen in amusement.

[Aiseia]: Should be a lake up there.

Brannagen nods at Aiseia.

[Oranna]: Doesn't feel entirely cold enough ta be so…solid.

Oranna may be biased about how cold it is.

[Aiseia]: It's been cold like this a long time, though. No warming up for breaks.

[Brannagen]: Aye.

Ben squints at the dragon prows on the cliffs above.

[Ben]: That is either ships or vrykuls or vrykul ships up there, I reckon.

Oranna takes out her gun scope. "Ye want ta get a better look, Ben?"

Ben lights up. "Can I? Yes'm."

Oranna hands it over.

Ben accepts it respectfully. He lifts the scope to his eyes and peers through it at the clifftop.

[Ben]: Buildin's. Like at Nifflevar.

Oranna nods at Ben.

[Ben]: Mountain vrykuls, I guess.

Ben hands the scope back.

[Ben]: Thank you, ma'am.

Brannagen opens his journal and makes some notes.

Oranna takes it, smiling. "Aye, any time."

Brannagen 's hands seem unbothered by the cold; he flips through the pages easily.

Oranna looks over curiously at Bran's journal.

[Brannagen]: Whew! This stuff's heavy.

[Ben]: Oh, you want to just throw it in my pack?

[Brannagen]: Ace, yer a strong lass, why don't you take over pickin up, hm?

Oranna looks over at Ace.

[Ben]: … oh, she's got it, yeah.

[Brannagen]: Oh, I could probably use the workout, Hazan ser.

Oranna doesn't look like she's got muscles to spare either.

[Brannagen]: But this is all I'm carryin'. Ef I dinna want ta plant me face in the snow.

Oranna laughs at Brannagen.

[Aiseia]: An that's it!

[Ben]: Okay, then. Let's go tell the fellow.

[Brannagen]: Hey did ye know draenei do a theng called "snow naaru?"

[Oranna]: Oh, aye?

Jeer Sparksocket says: There’s gotta be something we can use to insulate our engines against this cold… think, Jeer, think! — Oh, hey, hiya. You got some parts for me?

Oranna still has all her eyebrows as well. Shocking.

[Brannagen]: They fall face ferst in the snow an' wave their arms, make a naaru shape.

[Brannagen]: Good fun.

[Ben]: Yessir, we — what?

Oranna laughs at Brannagen.

Ben is distracted from Jeer by Bran.

[Brannagen]: Apologies, ser, carry on.

[Auralind]: How does one make a naaru shape? They're entirely…shapes.

[Ben]: Sorry, I was just, Lena once told me — oh, uh.

Jeer Sparksocket is staring at them all.

[Brannagen]: I'll show ye later.

[Ben]: Right. We got parts, sir. Here.

Jeer Sparksocket says: Ah! These will do nicely, thanks!

Oranna is pondering that. Huh. How do you make a naaru shape? "Well, an' they've got th' tentacles — " She closes her mouth. Sorry, uh, sir.

Jeer Sparksocket says: Oh, uh, before I can get started, though…

Jeer Sparksocket says: I can’t seem to find my tools. Coulda sworn I had ‘em a minute ago. Since I don’t see ‘em, though, I must’ve forgotten them when I was setting up the other minefield, to the west of here.

Oranna sighs at Jeer Sparksocket.

Jeer Sparksocket says: Ha ha! That’s pretty inconvenient! I’d be grateful if you could go and grab ‘em for me. You’ll, uh, wanna watch your step, though. You can probably use the same path to get in that I did getting out.

[Oranna]: An' this minefield…it's operational? Explosions?

Oranna sighs heavily, and rubs at her eyebrows. Hang in there, girls.

Jeer Sparksocket says: Oh, it is operational as heck. No one does a minefield like Jeer Sparksocket!

[Brannagen]: Ye know there are easier ways ta kill us, lad.

Brannagen reconsiders. "Nope, actually this would be the easiest way. I retract tha'."

Jeer Sparksocket says: If my assistant Janks were here, I’d send him, but I’m not sure where he got off to. Then again, I’m not sure I told him about the safe path anyhow.

Oranna just shakes her head, that particular brand of exasperated with goblins written all over her face.

Jeer Sparksocket says: You guys can follow a path, right? C'mon, you look… reasonably smart.

Jeer Sparksocket eyes Ben dubiously.

Oranna 's brows draw down in a hard scowl at the implication of dubiousness at Ben. Hey.

Jeer Sparksocket says: Won't take ya more than a couple minutes, I bet. Oh, and don’t try flying in. I had the presence of mind to set up turrets to shoot down fliers, and they aren’t… real discerning.

[Brannagen]: This'll be an adventure!

[Ben]: Well. We got… a couple've paladins. Reckon me an' Ace can shield our way in, if it comes to bad.

[Oranna]: We've got trackers, too. We'll look fer the signs.

[Brannagen]: An' ye got a priest in case all tha' fails.

[Aiseia]: So it's in the middle of a minefield. And we can't fly in. And…oh, by the stone. This is going to be funny.

Jeer Sparksocket says: Sure! Funny! That's the spirit!

Brannagen laughs at Aiseia.

[Ben]: … c'mon, then.

[Brannagen]: I'm no' sure I've ever traversed a minefield.

Oranna turns and shoots a gnoll headed for Bran right in the eye.

Brannagen peers at an Ironwool Mammoth searchingly.

Ben eyes the Ironwool Mammoth up and down.

[Ben]: Those fellows look warm as hell.

[Oranna]: Woolier, aye.

[Brannagen]: I'd like ta ride one.

[Oranna]: Ah, well.

[Ben]: Oh. Uh.

They have arrived at the minefield. It sure is… a whole lot of mines, just lyin’ around on the snow. All over the place.

[Oranna]: At least he's no' a good digger.

[Ben]: Anyone see a path?

[Oranna]: Depends how close we can get.

[Ben]: Go careful. Me first.

Oranna nods at Ben.

[Oranna]: Alright.

[Ben]: Follow in my footsteps. Unless, uh, I blow up. Then don't follow that way.

Apparently Ben is smart enough to follow a path, at least, and the group makes it to the center of the minefield without incident. At the center, they find a box of tools… and a goblin.

[Brannagen]: I was hopin' fer at least one explosion.

Oranna looks like she wants zero explosions this close.

Ben peers at Janks searchingly.

Janks says: Is it true?! Has someone finally come to get me out of this place?

Janks says: No… no… that's not it, is it? That heartless lout probably sent you after the tools, didn't he?

[Ben]: Uh. We got sent for the — yeah.

Janks says: Well… I guess I'll just keep an eye on the turrets… or something.

Janks sighs.

[Ben]: There is a path, if you want? You can just… trace back the way we come in.

Janks says: To be honest, I could use the break. I don't suppose you got any snacks, though?

Brannagen laughs at Janks.

Oranna digs through a bag. "I've got some dried fish, if ye'd like?"

Befound can't gasp in horrified shock, but she does make a rumble sound.

Janks says: Uh. Any people snacks?

[Ben]: I got a sandwich?

Janks lights up. "A sandwich. That'll do!"

Ben roots around in his pack and produces a paper-wrapped sandwich, which he hands to the goblin. Janks sighs and settles down with it contentedly in the snow. This is where he lives now.

[Brannagen]: I got some shoveltusk soup, too ef ye like.

Janks says: Soup and sandwich! That's the ticket, yeah!

Brannagen hands the guy a thermos of soup.

Oranna eyes the landmines around them.

Janks says: You are the real heroes of Northrend, pals.

[Brannagen]: Aye.

Oranna laughs.

[Ben]: Okay, well. Good luck with that. We are just gonna… take these tools, then.

[Ben]: Everyone stick with me again.

Oranna keeps her feet where Ben's feet have gone.

They escape the minefield without incident.

[Ben]: … everyone okay? No one got blown up?

Oranna did not get blown up.

[Aiseia]: All digits accounted for.

[Brannagen]: Ser?

[Brannagen]: May I get blown up just once?

[Oranna]: Ach, Bran!

[Ben]: … for serious? Uh. Okay.

[Auralind]: You want to get blown up?

[Brannagen]: I got a shield!!

Oranna sighs heavily.

Bran casts a shield around himself, and then trots cheerfully toward a mine. The resultant explosion sends him hurtling into the air; he lands, still bubbled, some distance off.

Brannagen cheers!

Ben grins.

[Brannagen]: See, no' a scratch.

[Ben]: Okay. Well.

Oranna shakes her head.

Brannagen salutes Ben with respect.

Auralind looks bewildered. "You are a very odd dwarf."

[Brannagen]: Aye.

[Brannagen]: Heard that once or twice.

Oranna snorts.

[Ben]: Hey, uh, Mr. Jeer? We got your toolbox.

Jeer Sparksocket says: Ha ha, yessss! These are them! Thanks a lot. Gimme just a minute here to slap some land mines together for ya.

[Oranna]: An' good news, assumin' ye werena lookin' fer another assistant.

Jeer Sparksocket says: Assistant? Oh, you found Janks?

[Oranna]: Aye. He's out there, watchin' the…turrets.

[Brannagen]: Ye might be when ye find out he's just sittin' there eatin soup an' sandwich.

Jeer Sparksocket says: Oh, yeah, no. He's totally fired.

Brannagen laughs at Jeer Sparksocket.

[Oranna]: The soup and sandwich we gave him. 'Cause he had no food.

Jeer Sparksocket says: Anyhow, give me a minute here!

Oranna shakes her head at Jeer.

Jeer turns toward the anvil and worktable. There is a lot of banging and some cheerful cursing, and, once, a very small electrical pop! accompanied by a curl of smoke. At last he turns back to the group.

Brannagen watches him work curiously.

Jeer Sparksocket says: Looking gooooood.

Brannagen thanks Jeer Sparksocket.

Oranna eyes Jeer, and then Bran, the back to Jeer. Hmm.

Jeer Sparksocket says: Not you guys, sorry — don’t get too full of yourselves. I’m talking about my new mines! New and improved… ready for whatever Ricket’s concocted.

Auralind grumble-growls quietly. Goblins, man.

Jeer Sparksocket says: Be good lab ra– assistants and hand ‘em off to Ricket, will ya? Be careful!

Brannagen nods at Jeer Sparksocket.

[Oranna]: Aye. These'll definitely explode.

[Ben]: … Okay.

[Oranna]: Maybe put on some shields.

[Oranna]: Just in case.

[Brannagen]: I can shield whoever's carryin' em, but that will only help everyone else.

[Ben]: I'll carry 'em.

[Ben]: I can shield.

[Brannagen]: Aye but they'll blow up inside the shield, aye?

Ben accepts the crate of land mines gingerly. He holds it out at arm’s length.

Brannagen laughs at Ben.

[Ben]: I don't s'pose there's a way to… uh.

[Ben]: Okay.

Brannagen wishes Ben the best of luck.

[Oranna]: Well, we'll pick ye back up if it comes ta it. An'…hope ye re-wooly.

[Brannagen]: I did see a man blow up inside a shield once! Believe it or no' I was able ta heal him after. Survivor, that fella.

[Brannagen]: But it wasna a pretty sight.

Oranna looks nervously at Ben.

Ben walks at a slow shuffle toward Ricket.

Ricket brightens at their approach.

Ricket says: Jeer finished the mines? Dandy.

Auralind nearly bumps into Ben.

Ben manages not to swear at Auralind's near-bump. He sets the crate down carefully in the snow in front of Ricket.

Oranna takes a healthy step back from the crate of explosives.

Ricket leans over and plucks a mine from the crate.

Oranna takes another step back.

Ricket says: Aw, aren’t these just the cutest little packets of destruction you’ve ever seen?!

[Oranna]: Sure.

Brannagen peers curiously at the explosive crate, from slightly closer than the others.

Oranna looks like she's seen better.

Ricket tosses the mine casually back in with the rest. Clink.

Ben jumps.

Oranna takes another step back.

Ricket says: Okay, well, back in business. I’ve been waiting an eternity for these beauties! A couple of days, at least.

[Oranna]: A coupla days seems like an eternity when yer like ta blow yerself up any day now, *Oranna mutters.*

[Brannagen]: What a ferst day on the job, I gotta say…

Ricket says: Here’s the lowdown, chums. There’s this nasty band of magnataur — you know, big, hairy, extremely ugly? — over from some place they call Garm, and they seem pretty keen on taking K3 for themselves.

Ricket says: Not gonna happen.

Ricket says: We’ve got some defenses set up in their path, northeast of here. Sadly, our laser turrets have pretty limited power supplies — so that’s where these mines come in! Get over there and blow ‘em up good!

[Ben]: … okay. Yes'm.

Ben eyes the crate again regretfully, and then stoops to pick it up once more.

[Brannagen]: Ef we manage ta get through t'day with all our digits, we all get medals.

Oranna sighs at Brannagen.

[Ben]: C'mon, then.

Oranna gives Ben a healthy eyebrow slash digit berth.

[Brannagen]: Ooh, a flyermajig.

Ben casts a blessing on himself. He is perspiring despite the cold.

Oranna looks worriedly at Ben. "I'm sure it'll be alright, lad." She looks doubtful.

[Brannagen]: Dinna fret lad, I've pieced together folk that were little more than jelly.

[Ben]: … okay.

[Oranna]: No' tha' ye'd be jelly!

Oranna looks at Bran. BUDDY.

Brannagen shrugs at Oranna. Who knows?

[Oranna]: Ye'll be fine.

[Ben]: Well. Let's set these out, then.

Oranna is giving the landmines a very very healthy distance.

[Oranna]: Tha's a verra large…explosion range. *She says, watching the snobolds blow up.*

Ben eyes Bran, standing surrounded by a sea of mines.

[Ben]: Uh.

[Brannagen]: I have utmost confidence, lad!

[Ben]: Ma'am.

Ricket says: So, here I sat, basking in the awesomeness that is me, and in the distance I hear a pop! Then another! Then a dozen more! And a smile crept onto my face at the thought of all those fireworks.

Ricket says: Was it glorious?

[Brannagen]: Aye.

[Auralind]: It was effective.

Ben eyes Bran.

[Ben]: It… yeah.

[Brannagen]: A veritable orgy of destruction, ma'am.

Ricket shivers with delight. She grins at Bran.

Oranna makes an 'uuuuuh' sound. "I think ye might need ta…maybe check back in fer wha' a firework is."

Oranna 's expression does a bad wobble, but rights itself.

Ben eyes Oranna. "… you okay?"

Befound presses up against Oranna's side, shoving her head under the dwarf's hand.

[Oranna]: Aye. Aye. I'm …I'm gonna be fine.

Brannagen gently pats Oranna.

Oranna gives Ben a wobbly smile.

[Brannagen]: Right ye are, lass.

Oranna touches a bag, and for no reason at all, goes briefly Stoneform.

[Brannagen]: Ye know I sure am glad the two of ye wear yer hair different.

Ben looks between Ace and Oranna. He sure is glad Bran's the one who said it.

Oranna looks over at Bran, with a deadpan expression.

[Brannagen]: Dinna get me wrong, from the front yer different as night an' day.

[Brannagen]: But I'm always trailin along in the back, see.

Oranna looks over her shoulder at her backside.

[Aiseia]: Just for that we should trade hairstyles.

Brannagen laughs at Aiseia.

Brannagen tells Aiseia NO. Not going to happen.

Oranna shakes her head. "Oh, ah, is there…somethin' odd about mine?" Oranna looks Worried, pulling at her braid a little. The blankness has faded back, leaving the strong worry line in its place.

[Brannagen]: No, I'm just sayin' if ye both had the same exact long black braid I wouldna be able ta tell who was who!

[Brannagen]: From the back.

[Brannagen]: Not really a detail man, or so they tell me.

[Brannagen]: I once knew two draenei lasses fer about three months before I realized I knew two draenei lasses.

Ricket says: Well, since those mines worked such a treat, I don't s'pose you'd like to go demo some gnoll camps for us?

[Ben]: Gnolls, ma'am?

Oranna eyes her hair, then Bran again. She mutters something, and looks at Ricket who is obviously waiting on the paperwork for the last name Explosivvez.

Ricket says: Yeah, well, your pals just handled kind of a gnoll problem for us, but I figure — why let good explosives go to waste? Let's make sure they don't move back in, right?

[Brannagen]: Sounds like a plan, aye.

[Ben]: … rrrrrright?

Ricket nods firmly and tosses a mine to Ben. Who catches it, ashen-faced and fumbling.

Brannagen cackles maniacally at the situation.

[Oranna]: Hey!

Ricket says: Head up into the western hills and see what you can do to clear the place out.

[Brannagen]: Try not ta break our human, lass.

Oranna frowns heavily at Ricket, glaring from under heavy brows.

Ricket says: Aww, he doesn't look too fragile. You fragile, sweets?

[Auralind]: Sweets…

Ricket eyes Ben with a grin.

Ben doesn't know how to answer that question.

Oranna glares harder. "He's tougher than anythin' lass, and nothin' ta prove ta ye."

Brannagen jerks his thumb at Oranna. "What the lass said."

Ben clears his throat. "Let's go, uh. Take care of the gnoll camps." He is scarlet.

Oranna nods.

[Oranna]: Goblins.

[Ben]: Thanks, y'all, *he mutters under his breath.*

Brannagen was happy to help.

Oranna mutters something uncharitable about Ricket under her breath.

Oranna eyes the explosives warily. Man those things do not look finger safe.

Ben places a mine carefully inside an abandoned gnoll tent. Then he adjusts its placement. Aesthetic.

[Oranna]: They're no'….much fer sewing straight lines, are they.

[Brannagen]: Me either, if we're bein honest.

Brannagen gets a bit distracted by the scenery, gazing over the landscape as though he's somehow zooming out and viewing it all from high above.

[Ben]: … whoa.

Ben eyes the giant slumbering on the frozen lakebed.

[Oranna]: Oh.

[Oranna]: Is tha' one of them…Frost Giants?

Brannagen spots the giant and immediately begins sketching.

[Ben]: Dunno what else he could be.

[Oranna]: Seems like there's always another thing out here.

Auralind 's ears twitch at the heavy breathing.

[Auralind]: I almost did not notice. My ears are ringing from all the explosions.

Oranna winces at Auralind's description. "Sorry, lass. It must be hard."

Auralind sighs and nods. "It will clear…I assume."

Ben looks up again. "Y'all see them towers up there?"

Oranna looks up. Way up.

[Oranna]: Oh, aye.

[Brannagen]: I did, aye, ser.

[Ben]: Is that titan, then? The towers? Or vrykuls or frost giants?

Brannagen squints at the towers.

Oranna takes out her scope again.

[Brannagen]: It's neither enough like or unlike the titan structures I've seen fer me ta make a call fer certain on et.

Ben nods respectfully at Bran. Professional scholarship.

Oranna looks through her scope. "It looks right pretty."

[Aiseia]: It reminds me of dwarven crafting, if it was ancient.

[Brannagen]: Aye.

[Oranna]: There's gold leavin' on it, or somethin' like it.

[Brannagen]: So my gut says Titan, or earthen. But I wouldna bet all my gold on et.

[Oranna]: Is tha'….because there's a lot o' gold, or because ye dinna have tha' much ta bet with?

[Brannagen]: Well I'd have zero ef I lost, is why.

Oranna laughs at Brannagen.

[Brannagen]: So the original amount is a bet irrelevant.

[Oranna]: Well, it's no' as much trouble ta get back a single gold, but if ye've got hundreds, it'd be a real sting.

[Brannagen]: True, true.

[Brannagen]: Ye've caught me though, lass — I've no idea how much gold I have.

Oranna laughs at Brannagen.

[Oranna]: Why am I no' surprised? *She says affectionately.*

Brannagen winks slyly at Oranna.

Ben tucks a couple of more land mines decoratively inside a gnoll tent.

[Ben]: Okay, well. I reckon gnolls ain't gonna be movin' back in there real comfortably any time soon.

[Oranna]: Well, no' fer long, if they do.

[Brannagen]: Would be a little fun to watch em try though.

Oranna winces.

[Brannagen]: Fallin' in all the holes…

Oranna doesn't seem to know what to do with that one, so she just looks uncomfortable.

[Oranna]: I'd rather no' watch tha', fer all of the annoyance they've been.

Auralind says too loudly, "WHAT?"

[Ben]: Ma'am? We mined up the gnoll cam–

Ben jumps at Auralind.

Brannagen gently pats Auralind.

[Ben]: Um. We put mines in all the gnoll camps.

Auralind sticks a finger in her ear and wiggles it around.

Ricket cackles. "Groovy! You're my kind of people."

Oranna frowns with disappointment at Ricket.

Oranna does not look like she agrees with Ricket's assessment, but here we are.

[Ben]: Well, that is the Alliance for you, ma'am.

Ben is on the job.

Brannagen peers up into Auralind's ear.

[Brannagen]: Tha' might help with the swellin' a bit.

Brannagen cast a lil healing spell on her.

Auralind extends her jaw to get her ears to pop. "Oh…yes. Shaha lor’ma, Prospector."

Brannagen was happy to help Auralind.

Ricket says: Right, right! The Alliance! You guys are great. Listen, why don't you take a li'l break while we iron out a couple've minor details, and then I bet I'll have a real big job for ya?

[Ben]: Is it gonna involve blowin' things up?

[Brannagen]: Takin' bets now…

[Oranna]: I feel like it's gonna involve blowin' things up.

Brannagen nods at Oranna.

[Aiseia]: Yeah I'm not taking that bet.

Ricket says: You bet your boots, sweets!

Auralind sighs at Ricket.

Brannagen laughs.

[Oranna]: I'm no' bettin' boots or gold. Or eyebrows. Or fingers.

Brannagen laughs at Oranna.

Ricket says: grins at them all. "Seriously, though, we appreciate it. Great work. I've, uh, heard a bit of a rumor I bet you guys are gonna want to hear?"

[Brannagen]: Let's hear et.

[Oranna]: Oh, aye?

Oranna looks skeptically at Ricket.

Ricket says: No, no, that's for next time. When the big job's done!

Oranna rolls her eyes. "Of course it is."

Ricket says: Gotta do the work if you wanna reap the riches, toots.

Brannagen lets out a long, drawn-out sigh.

Ricket says: See you next time!

[Brannagen]: Such a tease.

Ricket waggles her eyebrows at Bran.

Oranna mutters something. The word 'toots' is faintly audible.

[Ben]: Okay. Well, that's us for now, then.

[Brannagen]: Thank ye fer leadin' a fine expedition, Hazan, ser.

Oranna nods at Ben.

[Brannagen]: An' tell yer Aunt Ma that the Prospector says hullo.

[Ben]: Good work, y'all. I will, uh, tell her that, yessir. Thanks.

Brannagen waves goodbye to everyone. Farewell!

[Oranna]: Oh, aye. If yer writin', I'd…ye could… if ye did, I'd say…

Ben raises his eyebrows at Oranna.

Oranna pauses too long on what she'd say. Too many things, apparently. So she settles for, "Uh. Hello. Too."

[Ben]: … okay, yes'm.

[Ben]: It is real good to see you again, by the way. Miz Oranna.

[Auralind]: Shai. It is good to have you at our side once more, Oranna.

Oranna fidgets with her braid awkwardly, and gives Ben a good smile, not so wobbly this time. "Aye, it's good. It's…I know it might seem a bit…well. Longer. I'm no' so good with…" You know. Human time.

[Aiseia]: Right. I'm for Dalaran, then.

Ben shrugs genially at Oranna. He smiles at Ace. "Thanks for comin', Ace, Lucky."

Befound makes a feline chirp. Hello. It is feeding time, Oranna. The belly clock is never wrong.

[Aiseia]: Oh, aye. We'll be back.

[Oranna]: Oh, quit yer grumblin', lass. It's barely th' hour.

[Auralind]: I am going somewhere…quiet.

[Oranna]: Aye.

[Oranna]: Good luck, Auralind. I hope it gets…less. Loud, or quiet.

Oranna beckons to Befound. "Alrigh', alrigh'. We'll go, an' get ye fed an' brushed, ye house cat."