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| Details |
| Author: | Alli |
| Summary: | Birdie, Glyphe, Natlee, Ozmatoz, and Slicket are oriented for their mission into Westfall by Rozalin. They head in to help with crime, and are immediately confronted with a murder case and a rampant issue with homelessness. There are many problems, and they are only five people. |
| Rating: | M for Mature 17+ |
Arc: EK Newbies
Ozmatoz sits quietly at the table, occasionally glancing up sketching in a small book.
Rozalin walks into the common room, her red armor clinking as she moves. She glances over at the gnomes and raises an eyebrow, "Heya. You the new Cobalt team or whatever?"
Glyphe runs in and flings herself onto a bench. "I'm here! I'm Glyphe. Are we ready, are we going? Hi!"
Ozmatoz stares wide-eyed at Rozalin for a few seconds before answering. "Oh, right. Yes, that's me. Us? Maybe us."
[Rozalin]: "Gotcha…" She looks a bit disarmed at the enthusiasm.
Rozalin eyes Ozmatoz, "Do I… know you? You're givin me this look makes me think I should."
Glyphe looks over at Ozmatoz with bright, curious interest.
Ozmatoz quickly closes her sketchbook. "I am? Sorry. I don't think so…? My memory isn't the greatest. Um…I'm Ozmatoz."
Glyphe swings her gaze from Ozmatoz to Rozalin.
[Rozalin]: Oh, ok. Sorry bout that. I've run into fans before and wanted to make sure.
[Glyphe]: Fans? Why do you have fans? Should I know you? I'm sorry I don't know you. Oh dear.
Birdie slides onto the bench next to Ozmatoz. "Hey."
Ozmatoz blinks at Birdie. "Oh…hey." Her eyes drift down to his tabard. "Sooo, Cobalt Company?"
[Rozalin]: Ahh it's alright. Probably best ya don't know me. *she jokes with a wink* Do some fightin on the side. Pretty popular gal in the right circles.
[Birdie]: As of very recently! This is gonna be my first job.
[Rozalin]: Oh shit welcome to the team then I guess.
Glyphe hops a little on the bench. "Mine too! First job, that is. Not fighting circles. I'm not in any fighting circles."
[Birdie]: Thanks!
[Rozalin]: Name's Rozalin.
[Birdie]: Birdie. Nice t'meet you all.
[Glyphe]: Hi Birdie! I'm Glyphe. Glyphe Tinkerspell.
[Rozalin]: Still waitin on one I think.
Birdie waves at Slicket and Natlee as they enter. "Hey."
Natlee trails in behind Slicket and sits next to him at the table, straightening her tabard and fluffing her pigtails.
Ozmatoz smiles. "Welcome, then. I mean…this is my first mission, too. So it's not like I'm some veteran welcoming you."
Slicket waves cheerfully at Birdie and takes his seat at the table.
[Slicket]: You're at least a few minutes senior. *Slicket winks*
[Natlee]: I'm Natlee Spatterspark. I'm the healer!
[Slicket]: I'm Slicket Throttleblast, heroic warrior.
Natlee extends her arm toward Roz, palm down. Her arm is not nearly long enough to reach. Like, not even close. But she holds it out, her wrist slightly limp.
[Glyphe]: Oh, I forgot that part. I'm Glyphe, I'm a fire mage!
Birdie introduces himself to the new gnomes: "Birdie. Trapper, tracker."
[Natlee]: Oooh, fire. That's fun.
Glyphe beams a smile at Natlee.
Natlee cranes around the gnomes to staaaaaare at the tall one.
[Rozalin]: And there's the rest of em. Welcome all. Again I'm Rozalin. *She eyes Natlee's extended arm and then awkwardly steps forward to give her a firm handshake*
[Ozmatoz]: Nice to meet you. I'm Ozmatoz Flickbristle. I'm also a mage. I suppose I handle fire well, too.
Natlee's hand is shaken. She gives Roz a bright smile!
[Slicket]: Tracking, that's a good one. And you've probably got a longer sight range than we do… Oh, hi Rozalin.
[Natlee]: So what's our job today, Rozmatoz? *She seems to have gotten some names confused.*
Natlee peers at Rozalin searchingly.
[Rozalin]: Yeah, best we get to that now that we're all introduced.
[Ozmatoz]: No, no…I'm Ozmatoz. She's Rozalin.
[Rozalin]: Short of it is the boss wants y'all to make your way to Westfall to deal with some problems we been havin with crime lately.
[Slicket]: Crime problems… what sort of crimes?
Glyphe listens intently, leaning forward a little and nodding a lot.
Natlee also looks attentive, and maybe a bit tense.
[Rozalin]: Stealin and fightin mostly. Westfall's a damn mess right now. People there were poor already and now more people without jobs keep floodin in since they can't afford the city no more.
Natlee wrinkles her nose.
[Slicket]: That dragon did wreck some real estate. That and the earthquakes and the floods. *Slicket nods*
[Birdie]: That's rough. Not enough work out there either?
[Rozalin]: King ain't doin much help there. We got the wall I guess but sometimes I think it's more to keep the poor folk out than it is for the gnolls.
[Ozmatoz]: I thought I heard there were construction jobs out in Westfall.
[Glyphe]: Gnolls?
[Natlee]: So there are… gnolls and… lots of poor people… but there's a wall? Um, which side of the wall are we going to be on?
Ozmatoz subtly opens her sketchbook again, surreptitiously glancing over at Slicket as she starts to draw something rather spiky.
[Rozalin]: Oh yeah. With the Brotherhood outta the picture the gnolls have gone apeshit. That's most of what I've been up to is fightin them.
[Natlee]: Gnolls shouldn't be much harder than troggs and Dark Irons, I guess.
[Slicket]: Yeah, we've got practice with that sort of thing.
Glyphe mouths silently 'apeshit'.
[Slicket]: So I'm guessing we're on the side of the wall with the apeshit gnolls.
Natlee sighs at Slicket.
[Natlee]: Slicket and I have experience. But um, not with gnolls. Or Westfall. Or this… whole area.
[Natlee]: Is it all tall folk or…? *She tilts her head*
[Rozalin]: Not to worry, little lady. That's why I'm here. Try ta orient ya and stuff.
[Rozalin]: And yeah the places is near all human. Mostly farmers and such. It's a simpler world out there and folk mostly keep to emselves.
[Slicket]: Think they're gonna be too intimidated by the sight of a bunch of gnomes coming to town? We are intimidating.
[Birdie]: Dragon came outta the ground there, didn't it? Which farms got hit?
Glyphe looks at Slicket then back at Roz, anxious. It's true.
[Rozalin]: Maybe not intimidated but we can be wary of people we ain't know sometimes. Don't expect no one to trust you till ya get to know em.
[Natlee]: I've never um, really talked to farmers before. How do you… get to know a farmer exactly?
[Birdie]: Same way as you get to know anybody.
[Slicket]: Probably same way you get to know a goblin bruiser, or a black market trader, or, well, anyone, I'd guess.
[Natlee]: Okay, so I'll just do what I normally do!
Natlee smiles brightly.
[Rozalin]: Crater showed up between the Alexton and Molsen farms. Things the size of my folks farm. I'm damn lucky we didn't get hit.
Slicket nods at Birdie.
[Birdie]: Oof.
[Birdie]: Your folks all okay?
[Rozalin]: As far as gettin to know farmers, just offerin to help should be a good start. There's a lot of damn work to do out there.
Natlee takes a moment to check her makeup.
[Rozalin]: Yeah my folks is ok thankfully.
[Slicket]: Glad it didn't hit you, darlin'. And we'll keep an eye out.
Glyphe watches Natlee.
Birdie smiles at Rozalin and gives her a thumbs-up.
Ozmatoz looks up from her sketching. "Oh, good, good."
[Rozalin]: Oh. I guess I outta bring this up but we got any tinkerers here?
Birdie raises a hand.
Glyphe raises her hand and waves it around enthusiastically.
[Glyphe]: Jocoza Sparkwire tinkers, you know.
Natlee looks a little awkward and just primps her hair.
[Birdie]: Oh, it's in your name, huh? Tinkerspell.
Glyphe beams at Birdie. "Exactly!"
[Slicket]: I mean, I tinker with certain things. *Slicket says, considering* Vehicles, mostly.
Ozmatoz shakes her head. "Not I."
Natlee glances at Ozma and seems to feel a bit more confidence in decisively shaking her head no.
[Rozalin]: Ok good. Well keep that shit to yerself please while you're out there. Folk don't like when you start messing with their tools even if ya mean well. Still got some bad memories with the old harvest watchers. They still haven't gotten all of em fixed and they kill someone every so often.
Glyphe's expression crumples. Oh no.
[Natlee]: Oh gosh. *Natlee puts a limp hand against her chest.*
[Rozalin]: Brotherhood hijacked em back in the day, I should mention.
Birdie winces. "Won't touch 'em unless we're asked, got it."
[Slicket]: Yikes, yeah. No killer machines on our account.
[Natlee]: What Brotherhood?
Natlee is clearly NOT from around here. Like, at ALL.
Glyphe raises her hand. "Oh, I know! The Defias Brotherhood. I read about them in some of the Cobalt Company stories!"
[Rozalin]: Defias Brotherhood. Old gang tryin to give Stormwind a piece of their mind, but got stopped by Cobalt Company.
[Slicket]: Some kinda organized crime, I guess?
[Natlee]: Oh. Okay, I'll um, read up on it later. Sorry. *She smooths her hair.*
Glyphe looks satisfied.
[Slicket]: But not a problem anymore, sounds like.
[Natlee]: Okay. So… gnolls, and lots of poor people. I think we can handle that!
Natlee please don't handle the poor people.
[Rozalin]: Folk round there ain't fans of them. Lot of bad eggs did a lot of harm there. But that ain't mean Westfall is too keen on the crown. That's where you come in I guess. Try to make a good impression and show folk are tryna help.
[Natlee]: Got it.
Glyphe nods earnestly.
Birdie dusts off his tabard.
Natlee nods confidently at Roz.
[Rozalin]: Alright I think that's bout it, yeah?
[Natlee]: Ready when you are!
Glyphe cheers!
[Slicket]: Yeah, I think I got the gist of everything. Thanks Rozma…lin.
Natlee stands and smooths out her pristine white robe.
Birdie gets to his feet. "Rozalin. Thanks."
Glyphe jumps up.
[Natlee]: Um thanks!
Ozmatoz tucks away the sketchbook and rises to follow the others.
[Rozalin]: Any time. *she winks at Birdie*
Natlee curtsies before Rozalin.
Birdie grins at her.
[Natlee]: I got some new boots. Very comfortable! Sturdy! Not super cute, but. Oh well.
[Slicket]: Seems like we're gonna be doing a lot of walking, Nat, so it's probably for the best.
[Natlee]: See, that was my thinking.
Natlee blows Rozalin a kiss.
[Rozalin]: Hey. *she says to Birdie* If you do a good job maybe I'll buy you a drink later yeah?
Glyphe waves at Rozalin.
[Birdie]: Better do a good job, huh? Cheers.
Natlee giggles at Rozalin.
Glyphe fidgets.
Birdie waves to Rozalin.
[Natlee]: This way, right?
[Rozalin]: I'm gonna go off ahead now. Got some gnoll skulls to crack.
Natlee thanks Rozalin.
[Birdie]: Yeah, this way.
Natlee waves goodbye to Rozalin. Farewell!
[Slicket]: Crack 'em hard!
[Glyphe]: Oh, a horse!
The team rides for Westfall, and makes conversation along the way.
[Birdie]: None of you afraid of birds, are ya?
[Ozmatoz]: Can you imagine riding one of those massive things?
[Natlee]: Um, what kind of bird?
[Birdie]: Stormcrow. Looks a little wild but he's real sweet.
[Slicket]: There's these rocs in Tanaris with fire that they… oh a pet bird? Nah, I'm fine with it.
Glyphe makes herself slow down and walk.
Natlee holds her hands close to her chest, wrists limp.
[Natlee]: Um, okay.
[Birdie]: No diseases.
[Natlee]: That's… good.
[Glyphe]: It doesn't um… eat gnomes, does it?
[Birdie]: Nah, he doesn't.
Natlee looks around and frowns a little.
Birdie whistles.
Glyphe waves at Annuvin.
Annuvin swoops down.
Slicket smiles at the pet bird, which is probably bigger than he is.
Ozmatoz flinches a little when the bird swoops in.
[Birdie]: Annuvin, this is the team–
Birdie cuts off abruptly as they walk into a crime scene.
The team arrives at Westfall and immediately sees a stopped wagon. It has the bodies of two people and a horse with it, and several official-looking people seem to be examining it.
Stormwind Investigator says: It's a bloodbath, lieutenant. They've been murdered.
[Natlee]: Oh noooo….
Stormwind Investigator says: Given the body temperature, I'd say they've been dead no more than 6 hours.
Stormwind Investigator says: Damn shame what they did to Old Blanchy…
Natlee presses her hands to her mouth.
Glyphe pets Old Blanchy.
[Slicket]: Oh no. Another murder…
Lieutenant Horatio Laine says: No kidding, rookie…
[Glyphe]: The poor horsie…
Lieutenant Horatio Laine says: Looks like they really put the cart…
Lieutenant Horatio Laine says: …before the horse.
Natlee blinks at Lieutenant Horatio Laine.
Glyphe surreptitiously wipes her hand on her skirts.
Ozmatoz gawks at Laine.
[Birdie]: Both the Furlbrows? Damn.
Lt. Lane looks up at the new arrivals. "Well, what have we here? Are those Cobalt Company tabards?"
Glyphe looks proud. "Yep!"
[Slicket]: Yeah, we're the Cobalt team here to deal with… crimes.
Glyphe strikes a pose, hands on her hips.
Lt. Lane says: Well we certainly have a crime here. *He gestures at the bodies.* Straight up murder.
[Slicket]: You got any suspects?
Birdie crouches down to examine the cart.
Lt. Lane says: I could throw a rock behind me and hit a dozen hobos with motive enough to want to wipe these people (and horse) out.
Transient says: What the hell happened here?
West Plains Drifter says: Looks like the Furlbrows were murdered…
Transient says: What's happened to us? We're in worse shape now than when the Defias ran amok!
West Plains Drifter says: Yep. That King Varian is good for nothin'.
Glyphe peers past the lieutenant to see the hobos.
Transient says: Let's get out of here before they try and pin this on us.
Lt. Lane says: I don't know who did this and I sure don't appreciate having to come to this dump to investigate the deaths of a couple of squatters.
West Plains Drifter says: Good call.
Lt. Lane says: You want to help? Maybe go talk to some of those bums.
Glyphe frowns a bit.
[Slicket]: Uh, sure. And I'm sure they'd rather not have gotten murdered too. So I don't think you have the worst deal around here.
[Glyphe]: Yeah.
Natlee's eyes are wider when she looks at the living transients than they were when she saw the corpses.
[Slicket]: Alright, ready to go chat some people up?
[Natlee]: Um, maybe the… tall one can go talk to them?
[Birdie]: Sure.
The group heads for an abandoned farm, where a number of drifters are wandering around aimlessly.
Natlee trots along behind Birdie as though using him as a human shield.
[Slicket]: Yeah you should put 'em at ease.
[Slicket]: Ordinary guy with a bird.
Natlee tries to look very nonthreatening. It's not hard for her.
West Plains Drifter says: JACKPOT!
West Plains Drifter says: Looks like I found us a savory and clean piece of dirt! Tonight we eat like kings, Mr. Penguin! Of course I'll share it with you! You're my best friend!
West Plains Drifter says: HAHAHAH! Good one, Mr. Penguin! GOOD ONE!
Birdie says cheerfully, "Hey."
West Plains Drifter says: You wanna talk? Pay up.
Natlee whispers loudly, "Don't let them see you have money!"
Birdie reaches into a pocket and hands her a couple coins. "Sure. The Furlbrows, those dead folks down there. Did you see who killed them?"
West Plains Drifter says: Listen, pal, I don't want any trouble, ok? I didn't see who murdered 'em, but I sure heard it! Lot of yelling. Human voices… you dig? Now get out of here before I change my mind about beating you up and takin' your shoes.
[Natlee]: Oh gosh, now they'll never leave you alone.
[Birdie]: That's fine.
[Glyphe]: It's just a couple of copper. The poor people.
Homeless Stormwind Citizen says: I don't think I'm gonna make it…
[Birdie]: They need to eat too, yeah?
Natlee hugs herself and looks nervous.
[Birdie]: Yelling, human voices. Okay.
A fight breaks out between two drifters.
[Ozmatoz]: Oh no, they're fighting.
Natlee rushes over to the ones that are fighting and casts a couple of healing spells on them.
One homeless citizen turns on Natlee.
Homeless Stormwind Citizen says: Maybe I can sell your liver for some gold.
Birdie steps between the hobo and Natlee, drawing his sword.
[Natlee]: EEK!
The gang defends Natlee with violence. Afterwards, younger children swarm the unconscious-or-dead man's body to try and claim his belongings.
Ragamuffin says: MINE!
Ragamuffin says: MINE!
Glyphe eyes all the kids with alarm. "Oh gosh."
[Natlee]: I… that was my fault, I got too close to him. *She smooths her hair, eyes wide.*
[Slicket]: Bold of him to think he could beat up a group of five.
[Birdie]: You okay?
[Glyphe]: He sure was quick to attack. We'll hafta be on our guard.
[Natlee]: I'm fine. I've had worse in a Kezan gambling den, haha.
West Plains Drifter says: I miss being robbed by the Defias. At least they'd leave you a little something to eat from time to time.
[Birdie]: Hey.
West Plains Drifter says: Whaddya want?
Glyphe watches carefully.
Slicket smiles at the drifter, but steps between him and the gnome girls, just in case.
[Birdie]: Did you happen to see who killed the Furlbrows?
Natlee keeps her distance from the transients, but whenever she sees one that looks obviously injured, she casts a little healing spell at them.
West Plains Drifter says: I didn't see who killed 'em, bub, but I got a whiff. Smelled rich, kinda like you folks. Damn shame too. Furlbrows were a fixture around here. Nice people, always willin' to share a meal or a patch of dirt.
Natlee positions herself between Birdie and Slicket, maybe crowding them a little at times.
Transient says: HEY! HEY YOU! GET OFF MY PROPERTY!
Birdie frowns a little.
Homeless Stormwind Citizen says: Get off my land!
[Birdie]: Yeah. Good folks.
[Slicket]: So rich folks takin' out Westfall squatters… something about that seems fishy to me.
West Plains Drifter says: What happened to me? I used to be the king of Stormwind!
Ragamuffin says: Does he have boots? Get 'em!
[Natlee]: Hm… rich humans…? Of course I guess 'rich' is like, a matter of perspective?
[Glyphe]: Yeah, maybe they just meant people who bathe or something.
Homeless Stormwind Citizen says: Oh, the big heroes have arrived! I'm saved! … Yeah, right.
[Slicket]: True, he did say 'rich like us', and I'm a regular old rocket car pilot.
Homeless Stormwind Citizen says: You rich punks are all the same!
[Birdie]: Did you see who–
The homeless woman punches Birdie in the face.
Birdie seems completely unprepared for the homeless woman to punch him in the face.
[Birdie]: Whoa–
[Natlee]: Hey! Don't hurt Birdie!
[Glyphe]: Stop that!
Ozmatoz frowns. "These people are so desperate."
West Plains Drifter says: I wonder if it's possible to eat rocks? Got plenty of rocks around here. Just imagine it! I'd be the richest person in the world for making that discovery!
Natlee is remarkably quick with the heals for someone who seems so out of her element.
West Plains Drifter says: HEY! HEY YOU! GET OFF MY PROPERTY!
[Glyphe]: They're so aggressive.
Homeless Stormwind Citizen says: Looks like we'll be eating shoe leather for dinner again.
[Birdie]: … Thanks. Yeah. Didn't expect that.
[Natlee]: Okay this is like, super depressing?
Homeless Stormwind Citizen says: I don't think I'm gonna make it…
[Slicket]: Yeah, babes. It is.
[Birdie]: Hey, s'cuse me.
[Slicket]: Gnomes would never leave gnomes like this.
Transient says: You wanna talk? Pay up.
[Natlee]: Right??
West Plains Drifter attempts to run away in fear!
[Ozmatoz]: Just imagine how much more depressing it is for them.
Birdie once again fishes out some coins and passes them to the man. "You must've heard. Furlbrows?"
Transient says: Who killed the Furlbrows? I'll tell you who killed the Furlbrows: KING VARIAN WRYNN, THAT'S WHO! And he's killin' the rest of us too. One bum at a time.
[Natlee]: What???
[Slicket]: Okay, so maybe in a metaphorical way, but they did actually get murdered.
Glyphe murmurs, "Why don't they go kill that pig instead of eating dirt?"
Transient says: The only thing I can tell you is that I saw some gnolls leavin' the place a few hours before the law arrived.
Natlee looks shocked.
[Birdie]: Gnolls?
[Slicket]: I just can't even imagine… knowing there's some in your people that are so much better off, but they don't help you.
[Natlee]: So it was gnolls maybe? Or rich humans? I'm confused.
[Birdie]: Excuse me, ma'am?
Natlee stands by in case the lady throws a punch.
Homeless Stormwind Citizen glares at Bertrand suspiciously.
[Slicket]: Rich humans, gnolls, or the king.
Birdie offers her a few copper. "Sorry to bother you. There was a murder recently - did you see anything?"
Homeless Stormwind Citizen says: Between you, me, and the tree, murlocs killed the Furlbrows. Yep, saw 'em with my own two eyes. Think they'd been casin' the joint for days, maybe months. They left in a hurry once they got wind of "Johnny Law" and the idiot brigade over there…
Natlee murmurs to Glyphe, "I think maybe they're just too depressed to even try to hunt?"
[Natlee]: Oh now murlocs?
Natlee lets out a long, drawn-out sigh.
Glyphe looks over her shoulder, trying to figure out which one is Johnny Law.
[Ozmatoz]: This is getting us nowhere.
[Slicket]: …I can't really imagine murlocs 'casing' anything.
[Natlee]: Well um, maybe that man in the nice suit will know what to do?
Glyphe whispers to Natlee, "Who's Johnny Law?"
[Birdie]: Thanks, miss. You stay safe, alright? Some of the settlers round here ain't safe to be around.
[Ozmatoz]: He seems more interested in making terrible jokes than caring about the deceased.
[Natlee]: Is that the man's name? The redhead in the suit? No wait it was Lane.
West Plains Drifter says: I don't think I'm gonna make it…
[Slicket]: Maybe if we can find this Johnny Law, he'll have a better idea.
They head back to the wagon to repot to Lt. Lane.
Lt. Lane says: Well?
[Birdie]: Hey, so. We got one eyewitness sayin' she saw murlocs. One sayin' it was gnolls, but he didn't see them.
Lt. Lane says: That's horse crap. I've seen what gnolls and murlocs do to people and this is… too pretty. Too perfect.
Slicket looks down. The bodies do not look perfect to him.
Lt. Lane says: Also the Furlbrows had been squatting here for three years. Whoever wiped them out had a reason.
[Ozmatoz]: So…maybe it was personal?
[Slicket]: They seemed pretty liked, though?
[Birdie]: Folks back there seemed to like 'em. They were squatters, but they seemed friendly to… the new squatters.
Lt. Lane says: Well, since you've got no other leads, why don't you go ahead and check out the gnolls and murlocs while I look into this more.
[Slicket]: That's more or less what we were expecting when we came in here.
Lt. Lane says: Even if they had nothing to do with this, a group like yours could probably thin their numbers nicely. Good for everybody.
[Birdie]: Sure thing. Where're they at?
Lt. Lane says: Oh uh, I dunno. That's not really my thing.
Lt. Lane says: You're hunters or whatever, right? Mercenaries? Figure it out.
[Glyphe]: I saw some gnolls on the hills past the hobos.
[Slicket]: Yeah, we can start with what Glyphe saw?
Natlee frowns with disappointment at Lieutenant Horatio Laine.
Natlee nods at Glyphe.
[Birdie]: Sure.
The team heads out past the squatters and towards the northern coast.
West Plains Drifter says: I'm starving!
[Slicket]: Stormwind does not seem to be sending their best out here. Aside from us, obviously.
[Glyphe]: Maybe that's why Mr. Lord Elohad sent us.
[Natlee]: Okay so it's not just me then? I really do not like that guy.
[Birdie]: Someone's gotta cook for these people.
[Natlee]: Oh um, I don't know how to cook?
Slicket nods. "I don't think he'd be solving any murders without us. And… cook?"
[Glyphe]: I know how to buy food…
The team finds gnolls on a ridge above the coast.
[Natlee]: Are those gnolls? Ewwww!
Slicket peers ahead. "Not much worse than a trogg."
[Natlee]: Okay well you go then!
Natlee pushes him.
[Glyphe]: Let's fry 'em!
They fry them.
Annuvin croaks, "Hey." in that creepy way crows can talk.
Riverpaw Gnoll says: More bones to gnaw on…
Cobalt-against-gnoll violence continues.
[Natlee]: Weird.
Natlee looks at a patch of red cloth.
[Slicket]: What'd you find, babes?
[Natlee]: That gnoll had like, a red handkerchief?
[Glyphe]: Maybe he has allergies.
[Slicket]: Huh, odd color for a handkerchief.
[Birdie]: The Defias used to wear 'em like masks.
[Natlee]: Well it's more of a scrap…
[Natlee]: Oh it's a Defias thing? Hmmmm…
[Birdie]: Yeah.
[Natlee]: But the Defias are gone. And also weren't gnolls, right?
[Slicket]: Are they scavengers? Might've got stuff from the bodies.
[Slicket]: You know, the long-ago Defias bodies.
[Birdie]: Yeah.
[Natlee]: These gnolls are camped way too close to the people.
[Natlee]: Good thing we're here.
[Slicket]: Yeah, seems like all those soldiers back from Northrend could clear all this out.
[Natlee]: Um, the world is kind of exploding?
[Slicket]: Soldiers can't stop that. Soldiers can stop gnolls.
Cobalt-against-gnoll violence stops for the time being.
[Natlee]: EWWW, the beach is crawling with murlocs!
Natlee points over yonder.
[Slicket]: We'll have to head there next.
[Glyphe]: OOo, I've never seen a murloc, but I've read about them.
Birdie seems a little pensive.
[Birdie]: Slope down over here.
[Slicket]: Don't worry, Glyphe, I'll keep 'em off you.
[Glyphe]: Aw, they're kinda pretty.
[Natlee]: Ugh, I hate murlocs. Hate.
[Natlee]: They smell.
Annuvin goes, "Hey," and makes some whistling noises. Crows, man.
[Slicket]: They swarm.
Natlee blinks at Annuvin.
[Slicket]: Did your bird just talk?
[Birdie]: Yeah. Some species mimic speech, you know?
[Slicket]: Here's something on one of them. Looks like a map?
[Slicket]: Probably not related.
[Natlee]: Keep it anyway?
[Slicket]: Good idea.
[Birdie]: Found… I think this used to be a… hm.
[Glyphe]: A what?
Birdie holds up a piece of paper. "It's a bit ink-stained, but…"
[Natlee]: What is it?
Birdie squints at it. "…every form of… has been based… on the antagonism of oppressing and oppressed…"
[Birdie]: Nothing to lose, but your chains… the past cannot be forgotten… cannot be forgiven… will rise again.
Natlee wrinkles her nose.
[Slicket]: Sounds sort of like a speech.
[Ozmatoz]: Sounds like a manifesto.
[Natlee]: On a murloc?
[Birdie]: Defias rhetoric.
Birdie shrugs. "They're scavengers."
[Natlee]: Maybe they found some old Defias hideout or something?
[Slicket]: Maybe same as the gnolls. Just digging through stuff from the past.
[Natlee]: Yeah.
[Birdie]: Found— oh.
Natlee peers at Birdie searchingly.
[Natlee]: Hm?
Birdie squints at the piece of paper. "This is a stew recipe."
Natlee laughs at Birdie.
Ozmatoz giggles.
[Slicket]: Murlocs pick up anything, seems like.
[Glyphe]: Murloc stew?
[Natlee]: Probably unrelated.
[Birdie]: Nah, Westfall stew. It's, uh…
Birdie frowns at the paper. "Murloc eyeballs? They put murloc eyeballs in the stew?"
[Ozmatoz]: Ewww.
[Slicket]: Not sure if I want to know what their eyeballs taste like.
[Natlee]: EW!
[Birdie]: Vulture meat… wow, that's gotta be really stringy. Egh.
[Glyphe]: Oh, copper! Anyone mind if I go get that?
[Birdie]: I'll watch your back.
[Glyphe]: Thanks, Birdie!
[Birdie]: I guess a local recipe is a local recipe.
[Natlee]: The beach seems much safer now… that's nice.
Natlee smiles at their work.
[Slicket]: Yeah, maybe those drifters can come swim or something.
[Natlee]: Should we show that … Defias thing to Lt. Lane?
[Natlee]: I don't like him, but he seems to at least be like, an authority?
[Slicket]: Yeah, probably best to keep him in the loop.
[Slicket]: For all the good that'll do.
Birdie takes note of the goretusks and the vultures on the way back.
[Natlee]: You know what? I think I actually kinda like the bird.
[Birdie]: Maybe I can substitute clam meat for murloc eyeballs.
[Glyphe]: I bet these people would eat eyeballs.
[Natlee]: Can we stop saying 'eyeballs' please.
[Birdie]: Sorry, yeah.
[Natlee]: Ew.
Glyphe laughs.
Lt. Lane says: You again huh? You clean out those beasts?
[Birdie]: Hey. Sir. Yeah. Lot of Defias bits and pieces still around. Found this old thing.
Lt. Lane examines the clues, then tosses them aside. "Eh. Useless. Just old scraps of history."
Lt. Lane says: And the locals are useless too. Won't say a damn word. Well, I guess we're going to have to get in touch with a … friend of mine.
Annuvin squawks and picks the red cloth up off the ground in his beak. He offers it out to Birdie.
[Slicket]: So you do have a plan for the investigation?
Lt. Lane says: I have multiple plans.
Birdie sighs and takes the cloth from the crow. "Thanks, Annuvin," he says dryly.
Glyphe nods wisely at the 'friend' comment. "Johnny Law."
Ozmatoz grins at Glyphe.
Lt. Lane says: One of my plans is, you're gonna go talk to Two-Shoed Lou over at the Furlbrow's former pumpkin farm.
Lt. Lane says: If he gives you any guff just tell him Horatio sent you.
[Ozmatoz]: Two-Shoed Lou? Aren't most people two-shoed?
Lt. Lane says: Not around here.
[Glyphe]: Not the hobos. They're all barefoot.
[Slicket]: Unless he wears two shoes on each foot?
Lt. Lane says: He kind of stands out.
[Slicket]: Or that…
Ozmatoz shrugs. Who knows?
Annuvin eyes the scrap of a letter on the ground, but does not pick that up. Unworthy trash.
Lt. Lane says: So, go on then. Good luck.
[Birdie]: Sure, alright.
[Birdie]: Pumpkin farm…
[Ozmatoz]: So if the Furlbrow's had property here…maybe they were murdered so someone could try to claim it?
Birdie shoots down a coyote that gets too close. He stops, looks for landmarks, and seems to take note of the location of the corpse. "Might work for the stew later," he says, and moves on.
[Glyphe]: Better than dirt, anyway.
[Slicket]: That sounds like a motive, but they also seemed to like the Furlbrows.
[Natlee]: It's really super nice of you to worry about all these guys.
Natlee bats her eyes at Birdie a little.
[Birdie]: Slicket said the soldiers just back from the war ought to be doing something, hm? No time to rest.
[Natlee]: Seems to me there's just… too many problems and not enough people. Good thing we're around, right?
Slicket blinks, and looks at Birdie. "Guess that's you, then?"
[Birdie]: That's me. Good thing we're around, yeah.
[Glyphe]: We have a tradition to uphold!
Natlee stares to the southwest.
[Natlee]: Are those… rocks floating??
Birdie moves to the top of the hill. "Oh, yeah."
[Slicket]: Whoa.
[Slicket]: I think I see trees in there.
[Ozmatoz]: What the what?
[Glyphe]: Wow.
[Birdie]: Between the farms… yeah, that might be the dragon site.
[Ozmatoz]: Wait…dragon site?
[Natlee]: Oh, gosh.
[Birdie]: Where it came through the earth.
[Natlee]: You didn't know about the dragon?
[Slicket]: He didn't just make a crater, he made a… whatever that is.
[Ozmatoz]: He came up here?!
Natlee starts inspecting various people's feet.
[Natlee]: Oh! You must be Mr. Two-Shoes?
[Birdie]: Yeah, that's what they say.
Natlee smiles brilliantly at him.
[Slicket]: Yeah, that must be what that Rozalin was talking about before.
Small-time Hustler says: I think we can do business.
Slicket turns to Two-Shoed Lou.
Two-Shoed Lou says: That's Lou. Two-Shoed Lou. Who are you?
Glyphe giggles.
[Ozmatoz]: We're Cobalt Company!
Ozmatoz points proudly at her tabard.
[Glyphe]: That rhymed.
Two-Shoed Lou says: I don't know you.
Two-Shoed Lou says: I think maybe you're lost.
[Birdie]: Horatio sent us.
Two-Shoed Lou cringes.
Two-Shoed Lou says: He's not here is he?
[Ozmatoz]: Uh…no?
[Glyphe]: No, he's over by the dead farmers and their horse.
Two-Shoed Lou says: He knows I wasn't hidin' from him, right? Was just tryin' to lay low and all that, ya know?
Small-time Hustler says: Whatever you need, I can get…
Birdie shrugs.
[Slicket]: Are you two not friends? He said you were friends.
Two-Shoed Lou says: Uh, sure, yeah, we're friends. So I guess that makes us friends. Maybe.
Ozmatoz gives the Small-time Hustler an annoyed look.
Two-Shoed Lou says: Go get us some nice supplies, maybe some nice clothes like you got, and I bet we could be real good friends.
Glyphe pets Chicken.
[Slicket]: You've already got two shoes!
Birdie looks through the open doors of the house. More homeless people.
[Glyphe]: And a nice hat.
Two-Shoed Lou says: "Candles" here got no shoes at all.
[Birdie]: Say, you got a big pot in there? I was gonna make some stew.
Two-Shoed Lou says: Really? Nice. I could go for some stew.
[Natlee]: I'm gonna fly back to Stormwind and find you some decent shoes. Kay?
[Slicket]: I can stay here, help with the stew. Make sure there's no extra eyeballs.
[Natlee]: 'Kay.
Birdie smooths back his ponytail and heads inside the house. "Thanks."
[Natlee]: Oh thank the Light, there's a gryphon master here?? I'll fly back when I have the stuff.