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| Details |
| Author: | Alli |
| Summary: | Zaara, Vesyllah, Thalstan and Arthur head to the Searing Gorge to help the Dark Iron dwarves of the Thorium Brotherhood investigate troubling new behavior in another Dark Iron faction. ~3600 words. |
| Rating: | T for Teen |
Arc: The Cobalt Blade
The team is meeting up in Thelsamar. The first to arrive are Thalstan and Zaara.
[Thalstan]: Zaara, the world feelin' any better?
[Zaara]: Not very much, no.
[Zaara]: It is quieter but angry underneath.
[Thalstan]: Ah, well. Guess we keep doin' what we can.
Zaara nods solemnly.
[Thalstan]: We're bound fer the Dark Irons today. Maybe they know somethin' about anger underneath the earth.
[Zaara]: The Dark Irons? The dwarfs who make everyone angry?
[Thalstan]: Aye, them.
[Zaara]: So. Perhaps they will know about anger. They are good at it?
[Thalstan]: Aye, they sure seem ta be. An' they've got lots of ties to the elements.
[Thalstan]: Havin' been enslaved by a Firelord an' all that.
[Thalstan]: Still, I suppose they're startin' to settle in at Ironforge. They're not all bad.
Zaara nods solemnly again.
[Zaara]: Not many things are all bad.
[Zaara]: Or not many people.
[Thalstan]: I s'pose that's true. Troggs might be.
Zaara considers this.
[Zaara]: Trogg families love troggs, I think.
Thalstan waves as Vesyllah approaches.
[Thalstan]: Do they have families? They seem ta jus'… swarm.
[Zaara]: Does not everyone have families?
Vesyllah gives an almost inaudible grunt of greeting.
[Zaara]: Vengeance! You have families?
[Thalstan]: We're no' dealin' wi' troggs, Vengeance, I was tellin' Zaara how we're bound fer helpin' out the Dark Irons.
Vesyllah frowns. "I did. Not any more."
[Zaara]: Oh! I am sorry to hear this.
[Zaara]: Me too.
[Thalstan]: Sorry fer yer loss, both of ye.
[Thalstan]: I've still got my ma and a passle of cousins closer and farther away.
[Vesyllah]: I assume you've heard about Auberdine.
Zaara nods sadly. "The water eats the land."
[Zaara]: Everything at war.
Thalstan nods forward sadly.
Vesyllah scowls deeply. "Deathwing targeted it directly."
[Thalstan]: What's he got against Auberdine in particular?
Thalstan waves as Art arrives.
[Arthur]: Auberdine? Hi. I thought we were going to Theramore.
[Arthur]: I got all the way there before I realized.
[Zaara]: We are? No. Thelsama— oooh.
[Thalstan]: Theramore? Nah, we're headed fer the Searing Gorge.
[Thalstan]: I think Tervosh and Tabetha have got plenty to keep them busy fer the time bein' without more tasks fer us.
[Thalstan]: Oh, an' we're not goin' ta have Mayhem with us this time. I s'pose it's cold season fer little gnomes.
[Zaara]: Oh, no! This is the nose leaking, yes?
[Thalstan]: Aye, I assume nothin' more serious, as she sounded more annoyed than worried.
[Zaara]: Nose leaking seems annoying, yes.
[Arthur]: It really is.
[Vesyllah]: I pray I never find out.
[Thalstan]: Everyone ready ta head to the Searing Gorge?
[Zaara]: Yes!
Thalstan collects his ram.
[Zaara]: I think it will be gorge-us.
Zaara laughs.
[Thalstan]: Uh, if ye like fire.
[Zaara]: This was a joke. 'Searing Gorge' sounds terrible.
Thalstan chuckle at Zaara.
Vesyllah groans.
[Zaara]: But 'gorge' is like 'gorgeous,' yes?
[Thalstan]: It is, aye.
[Zaara]: Is gorgeous a word from the dwarfs, because they like holes in the ground?
[Zaara]: So they think this is pretty?
[Thalstan]: I have never thought of it that way, but mayhap?
[Zaara]: Mayhap!
[Thalstan]: Here we are.
Thalstan looks around at the brown, burning landscape.
[Arthur]: Wow, it's awful.
[Zaara]: Oooh. Yes, this is very bad.
[Thalstan]: Now let me warn ye, we are workin' with Dark Irons, so don't let that put ye off. They're Thorium Brotherhood sorts.
[Vesyllah]: So…not the bastards we met in Gnomeregan and Uldaman?
[Zaara]: New bastards?
[Thalstan]: Uh, I hope not. New bastards, aye, but do no' call them that.
[Zaara]: Not new or not bastards?
[Thalstan]: Not bastards… oh, okay, enough about bastards, that's them ahead.
We approach a camp where there are three Dark Iron dwarves (two men and one woman) and an ogre.
Thalstan peers between the three Dark Irons and the ogre. "One o' ye Jack Rockleg?"
Jack Rockleg says: Aye, lad. That's me.
Jack Rockleg says: And ye must be the Cobalt Blade! Ye've arrived just in time.
[Zaara]: COBOLT BLADE.
[Vesyllah]: For what, exactly?
[Thalstan]: Ah, good, we're expected.
Jack Rockleg says: Here's the skinny: The Dark Iron dwarves in the gorge have begun acting strangely, and the Thorium Brotherhood intends to find out why. Overseer Oilfist doesn't like surprises.
[Thalstan]: Strangely how? Like… summonin' Firelord strangely?
Jack Rockleg gives him a Look.
Jack Rockleg says: We suspect they're following orders from some new leader. I have reason to suspect that Gravius Grimesilt, just south of here, knows who it is.
Jack Rockleg says: That's where you come in. Even here in Searing Gorge we've begun to hear tales of your exploits, Cobalt Blade. You should have no problem with Grimesilt.
The dwarf next to Jack raises a hand to speak.
Burrian Coalpart says: Let me just say, nice ta meet ye all. I'm Burrian Coalpart.
Burrian Coalpart says: An' we really appreciate your help out here. I'm not much of a fighter… I'm more of a mining dwarf. Same goes for Jack and Pris. And Lunk… well, you'd think he'd be a big fighter, but he's the biggest wimp of all of us.
Burrian Coalpart says: So ye see, that's why we need ye.
[Zaara]: Wiiiiiimp.
Burrian nods agreeably.
Zaara is just picking up vocab, sorry Lunk.
Burrian Coalpart says: Anyway, it seems likely that we in the Thorium Brotherhood are going to be fighting the other Dark Iron dwarves soon.
Burrian Coalpart says: That's no' likely to go well with a bunch o' miners and artisans on our side. Not if we don't prepare.
Burrian Coalpart says: I'm thinking you should pick off some of their finest before the war starts in earnest. Maybe start with the geologists and watchmen to the south.
Arthur glances at Thalstan for a cue
[Thalstan]: I s'pose that's a thing we can handle.
Arthur nods in agreement.
[Thalstan]: Too bad Mayhem's kiddos are sick, she'd be delighted fer the violence.
[Arthur]: We'll get her some more violence later.
Burrian looks a little alarmed at that, but nods. They did hire mercenaries, after all.
Lunk waves a big, meaty hand.
Lunk says: Over here! I have task for Mighty Cobalt Blade too!
We talk as we head over to the ogre.
[Vesyllah]: Isn't this going to cause some issues, going after the Dark Iron? Considering the new political situation in Ironforge?
[Thalstan]: It's on behalf o' the Dark Irons as well.
[Zaara]: I think this is the old bastards they wish us to fight.
[Thalstan]: Did ye hear the latest news about their ambassador?
Vesyllah shakes her head.
[Thalstan]: Turns out Ambassador Slaghammer in Ironforge was workin' for the Twilight's Hammer on the sly. He orchestrated an attack on the Ironforge Airfield.
[Zaara]: Taxes!!!!
[Thalstan]: Que…. Empre… Council Leader? Moira has had him arrested, an' is tryin' to root out any other Twilight's folk from her people.
[Thalstan]: So there's a bit of a schism, I think, an' we're on the right side of it. Standin' with Ironforge and the Thorium Brotherhood.
[Zaara]: Schism?
[Vesyllah]: Hope so. Last thing we need is to get caught up in politics.
[Thalstan]: An angry split. In a people who weren't split before. *Thal supplies for Zaara*
Lunk says: Lunk not know about skisms or bassdors.
Lunk says: I tell a Lunk story! Lunk came from the Badlands. Other ogres try to make Lunk fight.
[Zaara]: But Lunk is a wiiiimp!
[Thalstan]: Aye, they do that. *Thal eyes the ogre warily.*
Lunk says: Nooo….. Lunk just hate fighting. Lunk want to learn.
Lunk says: Can you help Lunk? Lunk sees machines to the south. Machines made of gears.
Lunk says: Maybe if you ask nicely, machines will give you some gears? Then maybe Lunk can have a gear, and learn about machines too.
[Thalstan]: Uh. Tha' seems a bit less urgent than yer friends' tasks.
Arthur gets a very patient expression at hearing Lunk's strategy.
[Thalstan]: But we can pick 'em up if we come across?
[Vesyllah]: Sure. Fine. Whatever.
Nearby, Pris shakes her head affectionately and smiles apologetically at the Cobalt Blade.
[Thalstan]: Alright, let's go see if we can find this Grimesilt fellow.
[Zaara]: Now we go make schisms in dwarves?
[Thalstan]: Hah. Normally means in groups o' people. But aye, sure, let's schism 'em.
[Zaara]: Mayhap!
[Thalstan]: Never met an ogre before who did no' like fightin'.
[Zaara]: He is a wimp! This means a person who prefers to choose peace, yes?
[Thalstan]: That may be one definition.
[Vesyllah]: Eh…not really.
[Thalstan]: Wimp usually just means weak.
[Zaara]: … oh. Oh, no.
[Zaara]: I thought from context.
[Thalstan]: The context was a bit unclear, I admit.
[Thalstan]: Art, d'ye think he has a chance at learnin' engineering?
[Arthur]: Honestly? He could have a lot of fun putting together gear toy kits…
[Arthur]: but he'd need a lot of supervision otherwise.
[Thalstan]: I s'pose ye don't need ta be the best engineer in th' world ta have fun with it.
[Thalstan]: Oh, look, there's the overseer! Must be our guy.
[Vesyllah]: He's coming back down the hill.
Gravius Grimesilt says: Wha… who… GET OUT OF MY DIGSITE!
[Thalstan]: Let's get him!
Gravius Grimesilt becomes enraged!
We defeat him.
Thalstan looks through his pockets.
Thalstan pulls out a note. "Look! He's got somethin' on him."
[Thalstan]: It says…
[Thalstan]: Gravius. Starting today, you are to redouble your efforts. The scope of our project has expanded severalfold. Your archaeological studies and geological studies can wait.
[Thalstan]: Moving forward, you are to dig downward as quickly as possible. Crews within the Slag Pit will be working from the other direction to connect their tunnels to yours.
[Thalstan]: The underground empire of the Dark Iron dwarves is growing, Gravius, and we are at the forefront.
[Thalstan]: Succeed in this task, and you will be rewarded. You should know, these orders do not come from me, but from Overseer Maltorius and the archduke themselves.
[Thalstan]: Dig deep, Dig-Boss Dinwhisker
[Thalstan]: Huh.
[Thalstan]: I wonder who this archduke is. Some kind o' Dark Iron noble?
They head back to the camp.
Thalstan waves at Jack as they approach. "We found some intelligence! Gravius is bein' given orders by some Dig-Boss Dinwhisker. Have a look."
Thalstan hands him the note.
ack Rockleg says: Oh, good work. Let's see… Overseer Maltorius… we're quite familiar with him and his work.
Jack Rockleg says: What's this? The "archduke"? That sounds promising.
Jack Rockleg says: Grimesilt wasn't as high up on the chain as I thought. You'll have to take out his superior and find out what he knows.
Jack Rockleg says: Dig-Boss Dinwhisker runs the Dark Iron digging operations within the Cauldron, just northwest of here. His excavators and footmen patrol the eastern side of the Cauldron, digging downward, day and night.
Jack Rockleg says: He's not known to show his face out in the field very often, but if you slay enough of his men, he'll be forced to come out and deal with you.
[Thalstan]: I suppose we can manage that, aye.
[Thalstan]: Oh, and Burrian, we cleared out some o' the Dark Irons for ye.
Burrian Coalpart says: The fewer of them that remain, the better our prospects are. Thank you.
Burrian Coalpart says: If you've got the time, I hope you could help me out with some… ecological concerns.
Burrian Coalpart says: The gorge is an unforgiving place. We don't get a whole lot of fuzzy wildlife wandering around here. We tried bringing in some wild game, but they haven't fared well at all.
[Vesyllah]: Shocking.
Burrian Coalpart says: It was worth a shot. We're trying to make this place a bit more liveable, night elf.
[Zaara]: No, this is not shocking at all.
[Zaara]: This is a terrible place.
Vesyllah sighs at Zaara.
Burrian Coalpart says: Well… aye. The main problem is there's just no food for them to eat. Now the nearby spiders - which were already dangerous - are getting big and fat on chicken meat.
Burrian Coalpart says: We'll never get rid of all the spiders, but you can salvage what few chickens remain. Not only will you be feeding the Brotherhood, you'll be saving them a painful death by spider bite.
[Thalstan]: Save them so ye can eat them?
Burrian Coalpart says: That was the plan, yes…
[Thalstan]: Can ye not jus' send them back to Loch Modan or some such?
[Zaara]: If there was little tiny spiders, the chickens could eat these. Or you could eat the big spiders!
Burrian Coalpart says: Why would we eat spiders? *Burrian seems baffled*
[Vesyllah]: Agreed. Spiders deserve respect.
Burrian Coalpart says: But okay, we can also see about rehoming the ash chickens.
[Zaara]: Okay!!!
Burrian Coalpart says: That's not the only thing I wanted to ask you for. There's also a very dangerous predator around these parts.
Burrian Coalpart says: Margol the Rager, an old thunder lizard. Legend has it that he's been here in the gorge before it was even a gorge. “Legend” also has it that he ate my brother Barnabas.
[Thalstan]: Oh, no!
[Zaara]: But it is only a legend! Do you want us to find out?
Burrian smiles grimly. "That was a bit of a joke on my part. I am pretty sure he ate my brother."
[Zaara]: Oh.
Burrian Coalpart says: But still, I don't care how old he is or what kind of magic he shoots out his nose. I just want him dead. For Barnabas' sake. You'll find him wandering the cliffs south of here.
[Thalstan]: We can handle a thunder lizard, I'm quite sure.
Lunk says: You get gears?
Thalstan holds out a pile of gears he collected.
Lunk says: How you get them?
[Vesyllah]: Smashed up some golems.
Lunk gasps.
Lunk says: You didn't… KILL the machines to get these, did you?
[Thalstan]: Uh, no, on account they were golems…
[Vesyllah]: Uh…by 'smashed up' I mean 'asked politely'.
Lunk looks upset.
Lunk says: No, I see now! You are same as Thorium Brotherhood dwarf.
Lunk says: "Kill dwarf. Kill spider. Kill machine. Kill, kill, kill."
Lunk says: Lunk come to gorge to go on adventure, not to go on murder spree.
[Thalstan]: Uh, right. I don't think I'd say we were on a murder spree… *Thal looks to the others.*
[Vesyllah]: Big guy…they're not alive.
Lunk says: So you say. Goodbye, people. You kill too much.
Vesyllah sighs at Lunk.
Lunk yells: Lunk tired of all this killing! Lunk quits!
Lunk yells: Lunk going to find some real adventures!
Prisanne Dustcropper says: Shame that Lunk left. I was beginning to enjoy his company.
[Thalstan]: He does seem nice enough, fer an ogre.
Prisanne Dustcropper says: Oh well, back to work! Now the ogre’s not distracting you, could you lend me a hand?
[Thalstan]: What with?
Prisanne Dustcropper says: I'm the closest thing this expedition has to a medical officer, and I'm running low on antivenom. We tend to need a lot of antivenom.
[Thalstan]: Aye, on account o' the giant spiders, I gather.
Prisanne Dustcropper says: Right. The key to a proper antivenom is ALWAYS to start with the poison itself. The glassweb spiders nearby should be a good place to start.
[Thalstan]: Oh, aye?
Prisanne Dustcropper says: If you kill them, you can probably extract some venom from the sacs beneath their teeth.
Vesyllah mutters, "Maybe just don't get bitten in the first place."
[Thalstan]: Accidents happen, Vengeance.
[Vesyllah]: So the poor spiders have to suffer for it?
Vesyllah sighs. "There's one. Let's go commit arachnicide."
We kill a spider. Who should appear, but our new friend Lunk, the pacifist ogre!
Lunk says: Lunk sees you like to kill things. Let Lunk teach you another way.
[Vesyllah]: Hey. I do not like killing spiders.
Lunk says: Ah, then you will like Lunk's new idea, big ear friend!
Lunk says: Lunk always wanted to ride on spider's back. Looks like fun. Spiders move too fast, though. Always slip away.
Lunk says: We work together. You fight spider until it gets weak and tired. Then Lunk jump on spider's back and ride around.
Lunk says: Maybe Lunk even gather some venom for you! No have to kill!
[Zaara]: This seems not probable!
[Vesyllah]: This should be interesting….
Vesyllah points at Glassweb Spider.
[Thalstan]: If it gets us the venom fer the anti-venom, I s'pose the method is fine?
We fight the spider for a little. Then Lunk jumps on top of it and takes a little ride, his legs and arms out like Superman flying.
Lunk yells: Ha ha ha!
Lunk yells: Look out spider! Here come Lunk!
Lunk yells: Lunk will ride you now!
Lunk yells: You hold still, spider!
Lunk yells: Spider tummy time!
The spider scurries off, still alive.
Lunk says: See? No kill spider for venom. Just ride.
[Vesyllah]: Sure, Lunk. We'll do it your way.
Lunk says: Here, you can scrape venom off Lunk's tummy.
[Vesyllah]: Oh. Goodie.
We continue to collect venom non-violently with Lunk’s help. Along the way, we rescue as many ash chickens as we can.
[Thalstan]: Aha! There's a thunder lizard.
[Zaara]: He is a rager for sure.
We defeat the thunder lizard.
[Thalstan]: No match fer us, though.
We find the remains of a red-haired dwarf.
[Thalstan]: Ach. This must ha' been poor Barnabas.
[Thalstan]: Rest in peace, lad.
[Zaara]: May the earth eat him.
Thalstan looks puzzled. "Is tha' a draenei thing?"
[Zaara]: It is a shaman wish. Is it translate wrong?
[Thalstan]: Maybe just sounds a bit odd.
[Zaara]: Mayhap!
[Zaara]: So much angry fires here.
Lunk says: Lunk is very happy that you let him ride on the spiders. Lunk is also happy that Cobalt Blade was able to do adventures without killing anything.
Lunk says: Maybe Lunk sees you later.
[Zaara]: Mayhap!
[Thalstan]: You take care, Lunk. Learn from those gears.
Lunk lumbers off.
[Thalstan]: Alright, so that was a bit o' a distraction, but let's go aftter this Dinwhisker fellow.
[Thalstan]: Looks like this is the way down.
[Thalstan]: So our plan here is actually murder spree.
[Thalstan]: Good thing Lunk headed off.
[Zaara]: Do not tell Lunk!
Thalstan nods at Zaara.
Dig-Boss Dinwhisker yells: What in hell's name is going on out here?
[Thalstan]: I heard someone yellin'!
[Thalstan]: There he is! On that ram!
[Zaara]: Ruckus!
Dig-Boss Dinwhisker yells: So you're the ones causing all that ruckus!
We defeat him and grab some kind of dark ember off his remains. Vesyllah tucks it away. Then we head back to the camp to report in.
[Thalstan]: Burrian, we got a ton of those ash chickens! Ye can make a new herd. Or whatever ye call a group o' chickens.
Burrian Coalpart says: You've got quick hands if you were able to gather this many in such a short time.
Burrian Coalpart says: Excellent work, Cobalt Blade. I'll make sure these ones don't go to waste.
[Thalstan]: And we got this horn from th' monster.
Burrian Coalpart says: Yup, this was Margol's horn alright. No doubt about it.
Burrian Coalpart says: Barnabas was a digger, like me. He never stood a chance in combat against the beast. I'm glad you were here to set things right.
[Thalstan]: Then antivenom then, next.
Prisanne Dustcropper says: Well well, you certainly operate quickly! You do have the venom, right?
[Vesyllah]: With Lunk's help, believe it or not.
Prisanne Dustcropper says: Really? Hah. I'm liking that ogre more and more.
Prisanne Dustcropper says: And this… this is way more than I expected. This will last us for months!
[Arthur]: He's a nice Ogre. He's just…strange.
Prisanne Dustcropper says: That he is. But in a kind of endearing way, once you get used to it.
Jack Rockleg says: Did you find him? If Dinwhisker doesn't have what we seek, I'm not sure what we'll do next.
[Thalstan]: Oh yeah, and he had this weird thing on him, Vesyllah show Jack?
Vesyllah takes the Dark Ember from her pack, showing it to Jack. "This thing."
Jack Rockleg says: A… an ember? What is this thing?
Jack Rockleg says: Let's see what this ember does… whaaaa?
The image of Archduke Calcinder appears over the campfire!
Image of Archduke Calcinder yells: You dwarves are worthless! You come to Ragnaros seeking ascendance, but you have nothing to offer!
Image of Archduke Calcinder yells: Nothing to offer, except your backs and your shovels. So you will dig.
Image of Archduke Calcinder yells: Dig wide, dig deep. Seek out the places of fire beneath the world. My brothers and sisters yearn to be free.
Image of Archduke Calcinder yells: Succeed, and you may ascend after all. Fail, and burn.
Thalstan's eyes are wide. "Zaara, that sounds like they're after th' anger underneath the earth, aye?"
Jack Rockleg looks flabbergasted.
Zaara nods, wide-eyed and unhappy.
Jack Rockleg says: Did… did you see that? This is the missing piece we've been looking for! We have to get this information back to someone at Thorium Point.
Jack Rockleg says: The Dark Irons have been known to consort with the firelord in the past, but never before have they brought their kind this far out into Searing Gorge.
Jack Rockleg says: Thorium Point is west and north of here. You will find it nestled in the cliffs that overlook Pyrox Flats. Take this information to Overseer Oilfist.
[Zaara]: They are mining for the anger. We will tell!
[Thalstan]: Aye, the more who know about this, the… more can be done about it?
Thalstan nods.
The team heads off towards Thorium Point.