(2024-03-10) It's a Figure of Speech, Rae (S13 E5 - White Squad Log)

Details

Author:	inkie
Summary:	White Squad joins the Skybreaker's assault, and takes on the Cult of the Damned at the Desolation Gate. Who names these places? They struggle with some sketchy ethics, and Rae struggles with metaphors. There is a very slim chance Ben's spit might be harvested to raise some sort of spit-abomination. It seems pretty slim, though.
Rating:	M for Mature 17+

Arc: Season 13

Iphindra joins other members of White Squad. "G- Greetings!"

Velrin smiles and waves at Iphindra, "Hello Iphindra."

[Lena]: Hi, Iphindra.

[Ben]: Hey, y'all.

Velrin nods at Ben.

Iphindra salutes Ben with respect.

[Ben]: Guess what we are doin' today?

[Lena]: Ben. *Lena says by way of greeting.* What?

[Iphindra]: A- are we looking for another being to save someone from th- the Scourge?

[Ralaea]: Killing Scourge?

[Ben]: … I assume we are killin' Scourge, yeah. But first, we are headin' to the Skybreaker.

[Lena]: Oh. *Lena sounds a little pleased.* It was an interesting ship.

Ben points at Officer Van Rossem.

[Ben]: That fellow over there has got our passes to fly over.

[Ben]: So let's get movin'?

Iphindra nods at Ben.

[Velrin]: Understood.

[Ralaea]: I hope it doesn't actually break the sky, because then it won't be a sky ship for very long.

Iphindra nods at Ralaea.

[Ben]: That is extremely literal of you, Rae.

Lena raises an eyebrow at Rae. "I reckon we're a little far from that."

[Ralaea]: Blame whoever named it.

Ben salutes Officer Van Rossem with respect.

[Iphindra]: Gr- greetings, fellow!

Iphindra salutes Officer Van Rossem with respect.

[Ben]: Sir. We are reportin' to the Skybreaker.

Officer Van Rossem says: Cobalt? All right. Off you go, your copters are ready.

[Iphindra]: Copters?

Copters!

Iphindra giggles as she lands. Copters get Iphi's seal of approval.

[Ben]: All present? — Damn.

Ben gazes around them rapturously.

Velrin smiles at Iphindra.

[Iphindra]: Th- those are beautiful mountains.

[Ben]: This is amazin'.

Ben is going to be an airship marine when he grows up.

[Lena]: That reminded me a bit of the Captain's flying machine. You seen it?

Ben nods at Lena absently. He's still staring around.

Ben whistles.

[Ben]: Look how big them propellers.

[Lena]: Hell of a view from up here.

[Iphindra]: I- I wonder how the wings work.

[Iphindra]: They don't fl- flap…

[Ben]: I wonder how many gnomes it took to make this.

[Ralaea]: Are you sure gnomes could manage the scale?

[Velrin]: I wonder if this is how my father felt while he soared through the sky.

[Ben]: Your father was… a druid? Or a pilot?

Ben peers at Velrin searchingly.

[Velrin]: A druid. *she fiddles with the feather in her hair* He would turn into a great black owl.

[Ben]: I done that once. Well, a crow. It was also amazin'.

Ben nods solemn approval at Velrin.

Lena grins at Ben, she's probably heard the crow story.

Iphindra looks at the mountain again at the talk about Kaldorei druids.

[Lena]: I bet Sintha could answer some questions about it.

[Ben]: Sintha? Fallon?

[Lena]: Yeah, I thought she was with them?

[Ben]: … really? Huh.

Ben salutes High Captain Justin Bartlett with respect.

Iphindra salutes High Captain Justin Bartlett with respect.

Lena salutes High Captain Justin Bartlett with respect.

Velrin salutes High Captain Justin Bartlett with respect.

[Ben]: Sir. Reportin' in.

High Captain Justin Bartlett says: More Cobalts. Good.

High Captain Justin Bartlett says: I expect we’ll have plenty of work for you. Your last team did… what they could for us in the aftermath of Mord’rethar, and a fine job punching a hole in the Scourge fortifications at the gate afterward.

High Captain Justin Bartlett says: What we’re doing at the moment is taking advantage of that work by keeping up bombardment of the Death Gate to try to push the Scourge back farther — and also trying to hold off that crude Horde contraption that’s as happy to fire on us as it is the Scourge.

Ben glowers.

Lena frowns.

Iphindra 's ears droop.

High Captain Justin Bartlett says: While we’re handling that, though, we also need to begin preparations for a second assault, on Aldur’thar, the Desolation Gate.

High Captain Justin Bartlett says: It would be best to have a small, fast-moving team handle recon and sabotage their defenses while the Skybreaker keeps the Scourge’s attention on us.

[Ben]: Then we are your team, sir.

[Velrin]: My blades are yours.

High Captain Justin Bartlett nods approvingly as he looks the group over. "Report to Thassarian on deck. He’ll be giving your orders."

High Captain Justin Bartlett says: I realize his kind aren’t… easy for everyone to work with, but there’s no one better-positioned to know what the Scourge strategies and defenses will look like. Trust him.

Lena looks a little skeptical, but doesn't complain.

[Ben]: … yessir.

Ben salutes High Captain Justin Bartlett with respect.

[Velrin]: I'm sure we can manage to keep our prejudices at bay, sir.

Ben gives Velrin a slightly sardonic eye but doesn't comment.

[Ralaea]: Desolation gate. Death gate. Wrath gate. Dramatic names.

[Lena]: He's a dramatic monster.

[Iphindra]: Perhaps wh- when we reclaime these places, we can r- rename them.

[Iphindra]: Life Gate. Restoration Gate. Joy gate!

Lena smiles at Iphindra. "That's a sweet thought."

Ben surveys Thassarian.

Iphindra salutes Thassarian with respect.

[Ben]: Sir. High Captain Bartlett sent us.

Thassarian says: Bartlett’s sent me more Cobalts, has he? Excellent. I’ve worked well with your people in the past.

Ben nods curtly.

[Iphindra]: W- We are happy to hear!

Thassarian says: As the High Captain no doubt told you, progress is being made. We have a promising array of tactics that I expect to gain us control of the Death Gate.

Thassarian says: There will doubtless be casualties, but in the end we should prevail — barring any further interference from those Horde you insist on contending with.

Ben 's expression flattens.

[Lena]: I'd just as soon not contend with them. *Lena says quietly.*

[Ralaea]: I wouldn't expect them to stop.

[Velrin]: Elune willing, we will keep our focus solely on the Scourge.

[Ben]: It is not us, to be fair, who contended with 'em first.

Thassarian says: It hardly matters. It's a distraction we don't need.

[Ralaea]: I just hope whatever plan you have takes them into account.

Thassarian says: Our next target is the Desolation Gate. I need the five of you to fly down and scout the place, and get a look at the enemies we’ll face there.

Thassarian says: When you return, I’ll have missions prepared accordingly.

[Ben]: Yessir.

They mount up and head for the Desolation Gate. It’s pretty desolate.

[Ben]: He goes in for a lot of spikes in the decor.

Ben peers at the activity below.

[Ralaea]: Have you seen his armor? Spikes.

[Lena]: Looks pretty similar to the other gates.

[Iphindra]: Spikes are pr- protective, in nature!

[Velrin]: Iphindra is right.

Lena makes a half-laugh sound. "Maybe he feels real vulnerable then."

[Iphindra]: May- maybe he is all so- soft under all the spikes…

Ben makes a face at that.

[Velrin]: Somehow I doubt that.

[Lena]: Yeah, I wouldn't count on it.

[Ralaea]: That… Is a really big skeleton.

Ben eyes the Bone Sentinel.

[Ben]: We will try not to catch those fellows' notice.

They fly over a terrace to survey it.

[Ben]: … those ain't all regular Scourge. That is people.

[Ben]: Cultists.

[Ralaea]: Gargoyle, watch out!

A gargoyle dives from the sky at Velrin’s hippogryph. Rather than draw attention to themselves overhead, White Squad dives for the nearby mountains to draw it away.

Iphindra blows flower petals at Velrin, the scent bringing comfort and sweet whispers from nature spirits.

[Lena]: Sky's not safe.

[Ralaea]: We need to keep a closer watch.

Iphindra nods at Ralaea.

[Ben]: Okay. So none of it is safe. Velrin, you got sharp eyes, you keep an eye out for gargoyles?

[Velrin]: I'll keep my bow at the ready, Lieutenant.

Ben nods at Velrin.

[Lena]: Looks like lava or something down there.

[Ben]: The gate is… open? There? But it does not look real welcomin', yeah.

[Ralaea]: I was just going to ask. But why?

[Iphindra]: I- it stands out from all the ice…

[Ben]: To keep us from goin' through the open gate?

Ben counts tents and figures below, and then gives up.

[Ben]: That is a shitton of cult.

Iphindra nods at Ben.

Lena peers forward. "Fel… or death magic. They're not the same, but I can't tell at this distance. Probably death."

[Ralaea]: They've got…are those catapults over there?

[Ben]: Yeah. They are.

[Iphindra]: W- we should move fast, before the catapults see us!

[Ralaea]: That orange stuff in them. Is it really lava?

Ben peers.

[Ben]: … maybe?

[Ben]: Instead of plague? I dunno.

[Velrin]: I suppose the Lich King needs forges to create weapons.

Ben nods at Velrin.

[Ben]: Lena, what kind of crystals down there?

Iphindra refrains from answering 'a purple one'. That's probably not the kind of answer Ben is looking for, she guesses.

Lena peers down at the closer magic. "Looks like one used for summoning. But summoning what?"

Ben frowns.

[Velrin]: More dead?

[Iphindra]: Th- they wouldn't summon more dead, right? Th- they have plenty here already…

[Lena]: Hardly need to summon for that, just walk through a battlefield with necromancers.

Ben points at an Enslaved Minion.

[Ben]: They got demons up there.

[Iphindra]: Demons?

Velrin grits her teeth, "I knew I felt something off…"

[Lena]: Then maybe my first impression wasn't wrong. Fel…

[Velrin]: It's like I've been able to sense them almost recently. Demons I mean.

Ben glances at Velrin.

[Ralaea]: That's an orc. I didn't know the Cult had orcs…

[Ben]: I reckon they got some of everyone. They do not seem discriminatory.

[Ralaea]: Plague cauldrons?

Ben peers.

[Ben]: Maybe?

[Ben]: Ain't lava. Don't know what else it would be.

[Lena]: Undead don't eat, but if they're gettin' demons…

[Lena]: Could be a cookpot.

[Ben]: Do demons eat?

[Lena]: It… varies. But they do consume… different things.

Ben grimaces.

[Ralaea]: You have to feed your demons?

[Lena]: Not really, they go back to the Nether and handle all that. But I mean, a bit. Soul fragments.

[Iphindra]: S- souls?

[Lena]: Just fragments.

[Ben]: Do you put soul fragments in a cookpot?

[Lena]: I don't, no. But we don't know what exactly they're summoning. Maybe it's something that eats.

Ben grimaces again at Lena.

[Iphindra]: D- did… the question you ask me once have so- something to do with that?..

[Iphindra]: Di- did a demon eat a soul fragment from me?..

[Lena]: Oh gosh, no Iphindra.

[Lena]: I only kept yours safe. Anchored it. So if anything happened you wouldn't drift off.

Iphindra sighs with relief.

[Velrin]: Whatever demons they summoned hopefully won't contiinue living long enough for us to worry about what they eat.

[Ben]: Eyes on any gargoyles, Velrin?

[Velrin]: I don't see any here.

[Ben]: Probably we shouldn't hang around anyway. I think we have seen the place.

They return to the Skybreaker.

Ben nods to Thassarian. "Sir. We have made a survey."

Ben relates all the stuff they saw. Which was a lot of stuff.

Thassarian listens intently to the report.

Thassarian says: The Cult of the Damned holds the Desolation Gate? Well and good. Let’s get to work.

[Ralaea]: I'm pretty sure the gate is holding them. It's a big gate.

Ben gives Rae a side-eye. So does Thassarian.

Thassarian says: You’ve never met a group simultaneously more gullible and more paranoid than the Cult of the Damned, more eager for slavish conformity and command. Let’s use their weaknesses.

Thassarian says: You saw cultists gathered at the southern end of the gate for training. A number of them are no doubt carrying an item given to all initiates: an Orb of Illusion.

Thassarian says: The orb creates an illusory disguise that allows them to infiltrate, gain safe passage, or simply blend in with an enemy — shifting from one conformity to another.

Ben listens intently.

Thassarian says: Unfortunately for them, those disguises would rather… stick out among their present company.

Thassarian says: Collect some of the orbs from the initiates, and cast them on their instructors. We’ll simultaneously deprive them of their trainers and sow a little panic in the ranks.

Thassarian says: Meanwhile, based on your report and what I know of the Cult, I expect they’ll have an overseer managing the operation of each encampment on the gate. Take these out.

Thassarian says: Removing their trainers and overseers may prove only a temporary setback, but without their precious orders, Cult operations will no doubt come to a standstill. And that will buy us valuable time.

Velrin grins wickedly, "A clever strategy."

Lena listens, like she's taking mental notes on all these plans.

Thassarian says: And one last thing — those cauldrons you saw, they weren’t plague. I can smell them from here.

Thassarian says: Pledges to the Cult drink a concoction that saps their will and enslaves them forever to the Lich King.

[Lena]: Ah. Not food then.

Thassarian eyes Lena. "Food? Don't eat the stuff."

[Lena]: Oh, don't worry sir. I will not.

[Iphindra]: … Th- they're willing to work with them, and not really at the same time?..

[Lena]: I suppose they choose to drink it. So they're choosing to not have a choice.

[Ralaea]: It's an effective strategy to prevent defection.

Iphindra seems to finally notice the skeleton next to Thassarian. She tilts to the side to get a better view, looking at it curiously.

Thassarian nods grimly. "They want to belong. To the Cult, and to him."

Thassarian says: Some say the potion they drink contains the twisted soul of a being who was tormented before being mercilessly slaughtered, but I’ve never been able to reproduce it.

Ben eyes Thassarian. Has he… has he tried? To reproduce it?

[Ralaea]: Good.

[Ben]: Uh.

Lena blinks. She takes a step back.

[Ralaea]: Although also, stop trying.

Velrin looks grimly at Thassarian.

[Iphindra]: A- are you trying to make it to make an an- antidote?

Thassarian ignores the looks and commentary. He offers out some flasks.

Thassarian says: Take these flasks, and fill each with a sample from each of the cauldrons northwest of the gate. Bring them back to Chief Engineer Boltwrench, and we’ll see what his analysis can tell us.

[Lena]: …about making an antidote, maybe.

Thassarian says: Sure.

Iphindra takes a flask.

[Ben]: Velrin, you want to handle the flasks? You are an alchemist an' poisons expert.

[Velrin]: Very well.

Ben nods to her.

Iphindra hands the flask she took to Velrin.

Velrin pockets the flasks.

Ralaea eyes Velrin, but says nothing.

Velrin narrows her eyes at Rae.

[Ben]: All right. We got our orders, let's go.

Iphindra nods at Ben.

[Ben]: We are headin' back into gargoyles territory so watch out.

Iphindra nods at Ben.

Ben eyes the catapult.

They land on a ledge at the end of gate near the Cult trainees, and make their way onto the terrace unnoticed. They immediately kill two initiates standing near a bonfire. No one seems to notice.

[Ben]: Nice. Fast an' quiet.

[Lena]: Oh!

[Lena]: I got somethin' here.

[Ben]: Watch out for bein' spotted from abo— oh?

[Lena]: Looks like one of those illusion things.

[Ben]: Nice. Okay. Look for one of the trainers.

Ben straightens with another orb in hand.

[Lena]: Yep, that's one of 'em.

[Ralaea]: Crates and bombs…

[Lena]: Looks like they're going for conventional fighting too.

[Ben]: Is it plague in the bombs?

[Velrin]: Shall I scout ahead to find the target?

[Ralaea]: Watch the skeleton!

[Ben]: Yeah, Velrin, see if you can pick out for us who is a trainer.

Velrin nods and vanishes in the shadows.

[Velrin]: There. I found one of the overseers.

Velrin points at Overseer Faedris.

[Ben]: Good. Okay.

[Velrin]: He's the only one in this area, however.

[Lena]: Should I toss an orb at him?

[Ben]: No he said take the Overseers out direct.

[Lena]: Oh, okay

[Ben]: He said to use the orbs on the trainer ones.

[Lena]: Like that one walking by?

Unfortunately that one walking by aggros.

[Lena]: Well okay, or we kill them.

Iphindra looks in worry at her party, when a sudden gust of wind blows past them. Sweet-scented flowers bloom on their shoulders.

[Ben]: Let's try to get 'em with the orbs before they come at us. Like the man said to.

[Lena]: Oh there's another.

Lena chunks her orb at him.

Lena has a good arm. The Orb cracks at the feet of the Dark Subjugator, and suddenly instead of a superspoopy face-painted cultist, an ordinary-looking woman in commoner’s clothing is standing there.

Dark Subjugator says: Okay, who's the joker that threw an orb at me?

It was Lena, sir.

Abruptly, one of the gargoyles circling overhead drops to the terrace and seizes the “ordinary woman” in its talons, hoisting “her” into the air above the gate and carrying her toward its edge and the plain below.

Dark Subjugator says: It was an accident. I was framed. Don't drop me!

Splat.

[Ben]: … oh shit.

[Ralaea]: Whoa, okay.

[Ben]: That is, uh.

Iphindra 's mouth hangs open in horror.

Velrin smirks, "And they do our job for us…"

[Iphindra]: Tha-that is a terrible fate!

[Ralaea]: Watch out for gargoyles I guess…

[Lena]: It's what they'll do to us, if they notice us.

Iphindra nods at Ralaea.

[Ben]: No wonder they is kind of paranoid around here. And yeah, we stick out too, so keep low and to shadows.

[Ben]: And watch them fucken skeletons.

[Velrin]: I'll keep my eyes peeled for aerial attacks.

[Ben]: Thanks, Velrin.

Dark Subjugator says: I feel funny all of a sudden. Er?!

Dark Subjugator says: NOOOOOO!

Ben watches as another Dark Subjugator is dragged off by a gargoyle.

[Ben]: I kind of would just rather, uh. Take 'em out.

Iphindra nods at Ben.

[Lena]: It seems cleaner.

[Ben]: But I guess this is one way to sow fear.

[Iphindra]: This f- feels cruel… and unfair.

Dark Subjugator says: What?!

Dark Subjugator says: No! Not a sentry!

[Ralaea]: They won't notice this sort of thing, if it keeps happening? Once, I could see, but …

[Velrin]: Fear is often our most effective weapon.

[Lena]: But maybe the death knight fellow knows how to fight them most effectively?

Iphindra nods at Lena.

[Iphindra]: I trust h- he knows what he does…

[Ralaea]: I think the death knight fellow is having a little fun at their expense.

[Lena]: I feel like, yeah. Maybe it's strategy, but it could be influenced.

[Ben]: That the Overseer, Velrin?

[Velrin]: It is. Shall I move into position?

[Ben nods curtly.

[Velrin]: All too easy.

[Ben]: Well he went down pretty soft.

[Ben]: None others around?

[Velrin]: No. He was the only overseer I noticed.

[Ben]: Okay. Let's move up. Mind the gargoyles.

The next terrace they arrive at is the one with the three bubbling cauldrons.

[Ben]: Cauldrons time.

[Ralaea]: Don't breathe it.

[Iphindra]: O- oh, right! *She holds her breath in.*

Velrin carefully takes a sample from the caundron and seals it up, taking care not to spill or splash any of the liquid.

Ben nods curtly at her again.

[Ben]: Next one. Move fast.

[Lena]: We should maybe clarify with the gnome.

[Lena]: That we want to neutralize it, not make more.

Ben nods at Lena.

Iphindra nods at Lena.

[Velrin]: There.

[Ralaea]: Ugh, they've got poison too.

[Velrin]: That's the last one.

[Ben]: Okay, nice job. Watch out for poison, an' lets see if we can find their overseer.

[Ben]: You see him, Velrin?

Velrin nods.

Gottem.

[Ben]: Good. Any others?

[Velrin]: Not here. Let's keep moving.

[Ben]: Up, then.

[Ralaea]: Cages.

[Velrin]: With prisoners inside. *Vel frowns*

[Ben]: Shit.

[Iphindra]: Sh- should we be careful with the people in ca- cages?..

[Iphindra]: They might give them the p- poison…

Ben looks around at the others.

[Ben]: He didn't say nothin' about prisoners. But I do not think I want to leave 'em there.

[Lena]: They might already be plagued.

Ben frowns at Lena, weighing it.

[Ralaea]: Right, Lena. We have to be careful here.

[Velrin]: I fear she may be right.

[Iphindra]: Or m- made slaves of the Lich King with the cauldrons…

[Iphindra]: And they're in cage w- while they wait for the poison to take effect?..

[Lena]: Right, they have that too. It could easy be a trap.

Ben surveys the sheer cliffs around them.

[Ben]: … I dunno how we'd even get 'em out.

[Ben]: Shit.

[Ben]: Okay. We will stay on task.

Iphindra looks sadly at the prisners.

[Ben]: Keep back from the camps.

[Ben]: We do not want to draw the whole place.

[Velrin]: There.

Velrin points at Overseer Jhaeqon.

[Ben]: Velrin. Can you get in that one and find — nice.

[Velrin]: My thanks for the distraction.

Ben looks around to see if they got anyone else's attention.

[Ben]: We're good.

[Ralaea]: Bookshelves.

[Ben]: Oh that's nice, he was a literary fellow.

[Lena]: Probably not the kind of books decent folk read.

[Ben]: Yeah I am not gonna feel bad if he ain't finish his to-read list.

[Ben]: We are at a dead end?

[Ralaea]: Stairs.

[Ben]: No. Okay.

[Velrin]: There we are.

[Velrin]: The last one.

[Ben]: All right, extra sharp up here. Demons crawlin'.

[Ralaea]: I think they're more floating than crawling.

[Lena]: Just a figure of speech.

[Ben]: Rae. You an' me can sit down an' talk about figures of speech sometime, okay?

Ben surveys the Overseer's corpse.

[Ben]: Reckon that's our jobs done. Let's report.

Iphindra nods at Ben.

[Velrin]: Yes.

Ben eyes the sky.

[Ralaea]: Horde ship.

[Ben]: Careful. Horde ship's between us and ours.

[Ben]: Stay low.

[Ralaea]: It's kind of cool looking. For the Horde, that is.

[Ben]: Not as cool as ours.

[Velrin]: I think they're both rather ugly.

[Ben]: Sir. Missions complete.

[Lena]: You have a better… *Lena starts to say with a smile, and the trails off, turning to Thassarian.*

Thassarian says: Well done, Cobalts. It will take them some time to regroup after the fear and confusion you’ve sown. Don’t pat yourselves too hard on the back just yet, though.

[Ralaea]: Are we…going to be okay? The ship is getting really close.

Thassarian eyes the Horde ship. He shrugs.

[Iphindra]: Sh- should we brace ourselves for an attack?

Thassarian says: We have mages to shield this one.

Thassarian says: But you're heading below anyway.

Thassarian says: Take your cauldron samples to Boltwrench and see what he says. When you come back to me, I’ll have further orders.

[Iphindra]: R- right..

[Ralaea]: Kind of glad we're not giving the samples straight to the death knight.

Lena nods at Rae.

[Iphindra]: M- maybe the gnome is a death knight too.. ?

[Lena]: I trust the gnomes more.

[Ben]: Damn that is close.

Ben watches the Orgrim's Hammer uneasily.

Chief Officer Leonards says: Shield-Mages, get some shields up!

The Orgrim’s Hammer drifts past without, in fact, firing on the Skybreaker. Almost like its commander got slapped on the wrist a little bit recently.

White Squad descends into the ship in search of a gnome.

[Ben]: Chief Engineer, sir? Thassarian sent us.

Ben gestures Velrin forward with the flasks.

Chief Engineer Boltwrench says: Oh? Whaddya got there, friends?

Lena murmurs, "Not a death knight."

Velrin produces the vials and hands them over to the gnome carefully.

Iphindra looks at the machine behind the gnome.

[Ben]: Samples from the cult cauldrons up on the wall. He said it is their… binding potion or somethin'?

Chief Engineer Boltwrench says: Ah! Well, let’s have a look!

Boltwrench pours the contents of the flasks into his tetrahydroparticle analyzer.

[Iphindra]: I- initiates drink them to become completely under th- the command of the Lich King.

[Ralaea]: So don't drink it.

Chief Engineer Boltwrench says: Oh yes, I am familiar with the purpose of this particular distillate.

Iphindra nods at Chief Engineer Boltwrench.

Chief Engineer Boltwrench examines his tetrahydroparticle analyzer.

[Velrin]: What does the Alliance intend to do with this potion?

Chief Engineer Boltwrench says: Hmmmmmmmmmm. I believe that…

Chief Engineer Boltwrench says: What we have here is a simple failure to conglomerate.

Chief Engineer Boltwrench is entirely distracted now by his work.

[Ralaea]: In plain terms?

Boltwrench pours the concoction from the analyzer into another flask, and takes it to a lab table nearby to add things from various vials and bottles. He swirls the flask and then turns back, beaming.

Chief Engineer Boltwrench says: This should do the trick!

[Ralaea]: What trick?

[Velrin]: Oh?

Chief Engineer Boltwrench says: Those twisted hooligans are looking for souls to put in their crazy-juice? Then I say we help ‘em out!

Chief Engineer Boltwrench says: Take a swig of this — don’t worry, I’ve diluted it plenty. I’m almost positive that its only effect will be to detect any cultist’s soul essence once you’ve defeated them.

Chief Engineer Boltwrench says: Collect them and throw ‘em into the cauldrons! Let’s see how they like a taste of their own medicine!

Ben stares at the gnome. He steps back.

[Ralaea]: I'm…sorry, what?

[Iphindra]: Y- you want us to drink the…?

[Lena]: What will that do to a person? What will that do to us?

[Ben]: Sir. Respectfully. I am gonna decline to do that. My squad is gonna decline. To do that.

[Velrin]: You will excuse me if I don't like the sound of this plan…

Chief Engineer Boltwrench blinks at the group.

Chief Engineer Boltwrench says: Well, you see, if they're going to use an insidious concoction fabricated from the souls of the tormented, it is only just that it should be their own souls.

[Ben]: I beg your pardon, but nah.

Iphindra takes a deep breath. "I- I'm willing to drink it for the group, if i- it's necessary for the team. You c- can kill the cultists and I'll do the, um… cauldron thing…"

Lena frowns. "If someone's got to, I'm already a bit corrupted. So it should be me."

[Ralaea]: No, no, no.

Ben glances at Iphindra and then Lena. He shakes his head sternly.

[Ben]: White Squad stand down. We ain't doin' it. That is an order.

[Ralaea]: Nobody is drinking the crazy juice.

Chief Engineer Boltwrench blinks again and lowers his flask.

Iphindra nods, kind of relieved she isn't drinking the thing.

Lena also looks a bit relieved.

Chief Engineer Boltwrench says: I see. Well, this is most irregular for science.

Velrin crosses her arms.

[Ben]: I do not think this is science we need to do. Sir. The Alliance don't need it.

[Ben]: We are movin' out.

[Ben]: Everyone is okay with that order?

[Velrin]: More than ok.

[Ralaea]: Yeah, that was a good call, Ben. Thank you.

[Ben]: Okay. Let's go see if the death knight got… anything cleaner for us to do.

[Ralaea]: So we trust gnomes more?

[Lena]: Now I'm not sure. If we trust gnomes more, I mean.

[Lena]: I suppose it depends on the gnome. Not that one.

[Iphindra]: Y- yes! I still don't understand w- what the point of this is…

Velrin nods at Iphindra

They return to the death knight, who might be less worse than a gnome.

[Ben]: Sir. We are gonna let Chief Engineer Bulbwrench deal with that situation. What's next?

Iphindra stands on the other side of Thassarian this time. She looks at his undead companion from closer.

Thassarian says: All right. Now that you’ve poked some holes in their security, it’s time to see what information we can pull out. First: you’re going to plant a bug.

Thassarian says: Well, not a bug, exactly. But it will serve our purposes.

Thassarian says: In the northern portion of Aldur’thar, the cult’s void summoners enslave demonic minions. Kill them, and use this rod to siphon the dark matter from their remains.

Velrin nods along.

Ralaea opens her mouth, then closes it again. Not an actual bug.

[Lena]: Like, an insect?

Thassarian says: Like a listening device.

Thassarian holds out a rod. Ben nods to indicate Lena.

Lena takes the rod from Thassarian.

Thassarian says: Use their own summoning crystal to bring our inconspicuous spy into being. Until it is discovered, the messenger will serve as our eyes and ears on Aldur’thar.

[Velrin]: Disposing of demons. It must be my lucky day.

[Ralaea]: What, exactly, is our spy?

[Lena]: Is it a demon listening device?

Thassarian regards Rae. "Another voidwalker. Our voidwalker."

Velrin scowls.

[Ralaea]: Okay. Lena's got this one.

[Lena]: …I could also just make an eye, sir.

Thassarian shakes his head at Lena. "We need something less conspicuous and more durable."

Lena shrugs, and nods.

Thassarian says: The one thing it won’t be able to discover for us is whatever nefarious ritual their researchers are cooking up.

Thassarian says: Get in there, take out researchers, and collect whatever documentation they’re carrying about their work.

[Ben]: Okay. Messenger and then research.

Thassarian nods and turns away. Orders given, conversation over.

[Iphindra]: A- Are you used to summoning demons, Lena?

Lena nods at Iphindra.

[Lena]: I haven't been, though, because I could tell it'd be a problem.

[Iphindra]: Why do you nev- oh, I- I see.

[Ben]: Demons.

They descend to the terrace to start killing demons.

Lena siphons dark matter from the defeated demon.

[Lena]: Okay, that ought to be enough.

[Ben]: Okay.

[Ben]: Summonin' crystal was below.

[Lena]: Ready to go fetch our void bug?

[Ralaea]: It's not a bug.

[Ben]: It is a metaphorical bug, Rae. A term of art.

[Lena]: Everyone ready?

Ben nods at Lena.

[Iphindra]: R- ready!

[Velrin]: As ready as I'm going to be.

[Ralaea]: I'm pretty sure he specifically said it's not one though?

[Velrin]: It's just a term used in espionage.

[Ben]: Yeah Rae, that is what 'metaphorical' means.

Ben watches the voidwalker drift toward the nearby camp.

[Ben]: Okay. Now, the researchers

Iphindra nods at Ben.

[Ben]: Inside, he said.

[Ralaea]: Even the floor is skulls.

Iphindra nods at Ralaea.

[Ben]: This is a lot of dedication to an architecture motif.

[Iphindra]: Th- they don't have that many books here…

[Ben]: Reckon they are carryin' the research on 'em, like he said.

Ben peers at a Shadow Channeler.

[Ralaea]: Some sort of ritual?

[Ben]: What are they channeling? Lena, can you tell?

Lena nods.

[Lena]: Can't quite tell what they're after, but they're collecting quite a lot of power.

[Ralaea]: They've got ghoul-in-juice over there.

[Lena]: That they do… and this feels way more death magic than fel.

Iphindra looks in worry at her party, when a sudden gust of wind blows past them. Sweet-scented flowers bloom on their shoulders.

They kill a bunch of researchers and rifle the bodies for documents.

Ben picks up another slightly bloody paper.

[Ben]: We got a stack here?

Lena nods.

[Lena]: Can I see 'em?

Ben offers the papers out to Lena.

Lena flips through. "Empowering… Alu… Hm. Definitely getting up some power. We probably better show it to our death magic expert?"

Ben nods grimly.

Iphindra nods at Lena.

[Ben]: Okay. Let's go.

Thassarian turns at their arrival.

Thassarian says: You have done well. The messenger has already turned up valuable information. Now, do you have that research? Let’s have a look.

[Iphindra]: The b- book is called "Empowering Aluhm" according to Lena!

Ben looks to Lena.

[Lena]: Alumeth *Lena says, blushing a little*

Thassarian holds out a hand for the papers.

[Velrin]: Does that mean anything to you? What sort of power does this contain?

Lena straightens up the bloody papers and hands them over.

Thassarian peruses the documents. His expression grows grim. Well, grimmer. It’s hard to tell, honestly. He’s a death knight.

Thassarian says: This is alarming, indeed.

Thassarian says: These fools have actually stumbled upon something that could pose a serious threat to our plans.

Thassarian says: The leader of this particular sect, Alumeth, has ritually sacrificed himself, and now his underlings are channeling power to his soul.

Thassarian says: If they’re allowed enough time to complete their work, their efforts will raise him as a powerful adversary.

[Iphindra]: Like a Lich?..

Thassarian looks up and glowers at the group.

[Lena]: So that's why the name didn't sound familiar. It's just a guy.

Thassarian says: He won't be 'just a guy' for long.

[Ralaea]: Can they do this with just anyone?

Velrin growls quietly in the back of her throat.

[Velrin]: What can we do to stop this person from being raised?

[Lena]: It's part of their thing, isn't it? 'Join us and we'll give you death power'…

Thassarian says: He was a powerful necromancer in life. This isn't a ritual they could perform casually on anyone.

Thassarian says: Find the relics of his mortal life from around their chamber. Lay out these remains before the crystal there, and summon him yourself. And then destroy him before he has reached his full power.

[Ben]: Okay. Yessir.

[Velrin]: Gladly.

[Iphindra]: Th- that makes sense!

Lena nods firmly.

[Ben]: Let's go, White Squad.

[Iphindra]: Like stopping a caterpillar from tu- turning into a butterfly… *She whispers.*

Lena murmurs back to Iphindra, "A particularly murdery butterfly."

Iphindra nods at Lena.

[Ralaea]: That also isn't pretty.

Velrin reaches out to pat Iphindra on the back comfortingly.

Iphindra nods at Velrin, determined.

Velrin smiles at Iphindra.

They return to the chamber which is now kind of unpleasantly full of dead researchers.

[Ben]: Look for relics. I am bettin' those — skull-chests.

[Ben]: Around the room.

He means chests with a skull motif, but the first chest they open does indeed contain an actual skull.

[Lena]: That must be his… skull.

Lena 's eyes widen a little.

[Ben]: … what is it with the fucken skulls.

[Iphindra]: H- his skull…

[Lena]: He must really trust this cult.

[Lena]: Not only to die, but to be, um… to have his flesh… and then in pieces…

[Ben]: Lena, do you want to hang on to these? To summon him?

[Lena]: Alright.

[Ben]: If you want me to carry a skull though I will.

Ben has also carried a book bound in flesh before, so.

[Lena]: No, I got it, I got it.

[Ben]: Okay.

Meanwhile, Rae and Velrin find another chest which contains a tattered set of necromancer’s robes.

Lena tucks the skull in her bag, and puts the robes on top.

[Lena]: Another chest.

[Lena]: Oh, ew.

[Ben]: … what the fuck is that?

[Lena]: It looks like a heart.

[Velrin]: A heart.

[Iphindra]: Tha- that is a heart!

[Lena]: I.. said I'd handle it.

[Ben]: … I will if you want.

Lena gingerly picks up the heart and tucks it away.

[Lena]: No, I'm good. I can burn that bag later.

Ralaea wrinkles her nose.

[Ben]: You reckon that is enough pieces to summon him?

[Velrin]: It's just a piece of meat. It won't hurt you.

[Lena]: A Necromancer's piece of meat.

[Ben]: I mean it ain't a wholesome piece of meat.

[Ralaea]: Hey, that's not true.

[Ralaea]: Some pieces of meat are dangerous.

[Ralaea]: Plagued meat, for example. Or cursed meat.

[Iphindra]: O- or just meat that stayed too long under th- the sun!

[Velrin]: Well obviously.

[Ralaea]: Or poisoned meat…or meat with spikes in it…

[Lena]: I'm not gonna eat it though.

[Ben]: Let's don't eat nothin' in here.

Iphindra nods at Lena.

[Lena]: Alright, everyone ready?

Ben nods at Lena.

Velrin draws her daggers.

[Lena]: Here goes…

Alumeth the Ascended says: Who dares awaken me before the quickening?!

[Ralaea]: Parasitic meat…

Alumeth the Ascended says: I shall not be stopped!

Alumeth the Ascended says: Too soon… too sooon….

[Lena]: Just the right time, by my reckoning.

Ben turns his head to spit on the floor.

[Ben]: Let's go tell 'em.

Velrin nods at Ben.

[Ben]: Good work, Lena.

[Ralaea]: Now you're going to have a glob of plague spit sticking around in here.

Ben has no comment on this. They return to the Skybreaker.

[Ben]: Sir. We have done it.

Thassarian nods, and then turns his empy, icy gaze toward the north.

[Ralaea]: And Ben spit on the floor, is that dangerous?

Iphindra tentatively pokes at Thassarian's skeleton friend's armor.

Thassarian turns to look at Rae. He was having a dramatic moment, if you don't mind.

Thassarian says: I am not clear how it would be dangerous.

[Ralaea]: If they scooped up his spit and used it in a ritual?

[Iphindra]: T- they could use his spit- yes!

[Lena]: It seemed appropriate, at the time.

[Lena]: I mean, most of them were already dead.

Thassarian stares at Rae again for a few moments. It's kind of awkward.

Velrin glances at Rae, not sure if she's being serious right now or not.

Ralaea is probably serious.

Thassarian says: Anyway. Yet again, you’ve done well. Alumeth has suffered a sound defeath. And yet… I sense that his spirit still lingers.

[Iphindra]: O- oh?

Thassarian says: Nonetheless, you’ve bought us precious time, as we had hoped.

[Ralaea]: He's going to possess the spit, I knew it.

Ben glances at Rae.

Iphindra 's eyes widen at Rae. Undead spit elemental.

Thassarian continues to look at Rae as he says, "That's all today. You're dismissed."

[Ben]: … yessir.

Lena nods politely at Thassarian.

[Ralaea]: I'll be sure to keep an eye out for Ben's spit clone.

[Iphindra]: C- could they do that?

[Lena]: I guess he means really they're likely to just try the ritual thing again

[Ben]: I reckon he would have said. About the spit. He seemed pretty skeptic.

[Velrin]: Indeed.

[Ben]: But yeah, maybe we got to go back again. We can check in on the spit then. *Ben does not sound entirely serious. About the last thing, anyway.*

Iphindra imagines a splice grafted Ben clone, born from his spit.

Iphindra nods at Ben.

[Ben]: We did good today, White Squad. Nice job. Y'all are dismissed.

Ralaea nods.

[Velrin]: Understood.

[Iphindra]: Y- you did good too! Lieutenant Ben!

[Lena]: Thank you, sir.

[Ben]: Thanks, Iphindra.

[Iphindra]: Th- thank you for telling us not to dr- drink the potion.

Iphindra salutes Ben with respect.

Ben smiles at Iphindra and nods.

Ralaea agrees with Iphindra.

[Ben]: I will see y'all.

[Velrin]: Del'nahdris.

[Ben]: Ishnulah. *Ben might know only a little Darnassian and not as much as he thinks.*