(2024-06-10) Chapter XII: Bad News in Blackrock Mountain, Part 2 (Cobalt Blade)

Details

Author:	Alli
Summary:	Thalstan, Zaara, Vesyllah, Tadget and Arthur continue to push into the Blackrock Depths. This time, they handle some cultist propaganda, some elementals, and a stone lava giant. Arthur considers the impact of fire magic on his personality. Tadget reminisces about old times. Vesyllah doesn't like the heat. Zaara is better at names than dwarves are. Thalstan appreciates a good anvil and a lava trench. ~2200 words.
Rating:	T for Teen

Arc: The Cobalt Blade

The team is at the entrance camp of Shadowforge City, prepping to head back in.

[Thalstan]: Everyone ready to head back in an' look fer the others?

[Zaara]: Yes!

[Tadget]: I was born ready.

[Arthur]: I am!

[Thalstan]: I reckon we can start off right where we left off last time, though it looks like there's some reinforcements in place.

We are attacked by dogs.

[Tadget]: Someone needs to invent anti-perfume.
[Tadget]: Something you rub on yourself to smell like nothing at all.

[Zaara]: Oooh.

[Tadget]: SI:7 would make whoever it was a gajillionaire.

[Vesyllah]: Seems like a gnome thing.

[Thalstan]: That'd be useful!

[Tadget]: Scouts are far too easily foiled by dogs.

[Thalstan]: An' cologne can get ta be real strong smellin'.
[Thalstan]: So even other people I bet would appreciate it.

We arrive at a pathway over lava, guarded by fire elementals.

[Thalstan]: Looks like fire elementals ahead!
[Thalstan]: Zaara, think these are freeable? Or are they on the wrong side?

[Zaara]: They are not… I do not know
[Zaara]: They are too much.
[Zaara]: It is like they go mad.

[Tadget]: Any fire elemental that won't obey Zaara deserves to die.

[Thalstan]: If they won't listen to ye, I'm with Mayhem on this one.

<I think the enemy yelled something? To check.>

[Vesyllah]: Who's hiding?

Thalstan peers over at the lava. "This is a mite more impressive than the trench in Ironforge, I got ta say."

[Tadget]: You dwarves have a weird definition of "impressive."

[Vesyllah]: Dwarves like anything that's enormous.

Tadget giggles.

[Tadget]: They must love your ego, Vengeance.

[Vesyllah]: They adore it.

[Thalstan]: She does have an impressive ego.

We pass into an area with beds, tables and bookshelves. The walls are decorated with carved metal pictures.

[Vesyllah]: This look like a residential area to you?

[Tadget]: Iunno.

[Thalstan]: Aye, they've even got friendly li'l metal plate of their elemental friends.

Tadget peers at the "art."

It does look like a cheerful fire elemental.

[Thalstan]: An' more o' those obelisks. All through this place.

[Vesyllah]: My order has instructed me to search their domiciles for Twilight's Hammer propaganda.

[Tadget]: Cool.

[Thalstan]: Hmm see any propaganda?

Vesyllah smirks. "Like this." She takes out a torch. "Zaara? Art? Someone give me a light?"

[Arthur]: Oh, sure.
Arthur conjures up a globe of flame.

Vesyllah nods. It's sort of like a thank you. Then she puts the torch to the Twilight book.

[Tadget]: Ooh, this one's kinda cool.

Tadget points to a metal picture of a dwarf wielding a pick.

[Thalstan]: Ah, tha' one's classic, th' dwarf metal.

[Tadget]: Finn would love these.
[Tadget]: I don't remember seeing these last time he and I came here.

[Thalstan]: Mayhap they're new.

[Zaara]: Mayhap!

[Vesyllah]: Let's find some more books to burn.

Tadget giggles.

[Thalstan]: Aye, Vengeance.

[Thalstan]: Lot of books here *Thal gestures at the bookcases* See any?

[Vesyllah]: 'The Twilight Creed.' Seems like these are copies of their manifesto.

[Tadget]: Oh fine, YOU get to burn books, but when I do it it's "illegal" and "disrespectful to the librarians."

Thalstan chuckles at Tadget.

[Arthur]: I think I see one in that corner.

[Thalstan]: Lot o' copies, isn't it?

[Vesyllah]: That's all I can find. Let me know if you spot any more. Just put them to the torch.

Tadget cheers!

We leave the living area and come to a vault.

Tadget growls menacingly at Anvilrage Officer.

[Thalstan]: Hm, this place look s like a vault. An' still full of Twilights.

Tadget smiles to herself.

[Thalstan]: Let's check it out?

[Thalstan]: We are on clear-out-all-the-Twilights duty, after all.

[Tadget]: Definitely. I got somethin to show you in there.
[Tadget]: Cmere, look.

Thalstan looks at Tadget curiously.

Tadget points to an area on the stone wall where initials have been carved. "FJS" and "TS"
[Tadget]: This was like… our third date. A heist in this very vault.

Arthur chuckles.

[Thalstan]: Hah! You an' yer fella.

Tadget smiles.

We head out of the vault, after clearing the cultists. Then we come to a pathway full of giant golems.

[Thalstan]: Looks like this is the only way through.

We defeat a golem, and it falls heavily.

[Tadget]: oof.
[Tadget]: Try not to get trapped under those things. Do not recommend.

[Thalstan]: They do look right heavy.

We fight a very tough dwarf who seems to be in charge of this area.

[Tadget]: That sucker did NOT want to die.

[Thalstan]: Wow, yeah, he was tough. We were tougher though.

[Tadget]: COBALT BLADE!

[Zaara]: COBOLT BLADE!

Thal cheers!
[Thalstan]: An' more fire ahead.
[Thalstan]: If I remember the map right, we're comin' up on the Black Anvil.

[Zaara]: Ooooh.

[Arthur]: I think I see it!

[Thalstan]: Ah! There it is! There's a bigger elemental patrollin' it.

[Tadget]: Ooooooh. An anvil.

[Thalstan]: I've never seen it m'self!

[Tadget]: It looks very…. anvilish.

[Zaara]: Ohhh be careful of it. The elemental.
[Zaara]: It is more powerful one.

[Vesyllah]: It's a big piece of metal. What's so special about it?

[Thalstan]: The Black Anvil…
[Thalstan]: It's made o' dark iron, fer one thing

[Vesyllah]: Right…and…?

[Thalstan]: The Dark Iron Dwarves treat it as a sacred thing.

Tadget giggles at Vesyllah.
[Tadget]: Of course they'd worship a big lump of dark iron.
[Tadget]: That you use to smash things.

[Thalstan]: Aye, that's why ye sometimes hear 'em say 'May the Black Anvil bless ye'.
[Thalstan]: Uh, these days. Not so much when we were all enemies.

[Tadget]: I would prefer not to be blessed by an anvil.

[Vesyllah]: That's not how I smash.

[Tadget]: That sounds painful.

[Zaara]: How do you smash, Vengeance?

[Tadget]: Do not ask her.

Vesyllah smirks at Zaara. "Maybe I'll show you sometime."

[Zaara]: Oh no! I did~

[Thalstan]: Let's clear out that fire elemental in any case. I do no' like them havin' so many in here.

[Zaara]: Yes please!

Tadget covers her face with her palm.

Vesyllah grins, quietly snickering.

Lord Incendius says: I cannot be destroyed! By the will of Ragnaros, I shall be reborn!

[Tadget]: Kay.

[Thalstan]: As ye say, little elemental.
[Thalstan]: I did no' much like the way he knocked me about, with the lava below.
[Thalstan]: So many fire elementals. I think Stormwind's got a right ta be worried.
[Thalstan]: An' Ironforge, too, but I was thinkin' about the whole SI:7 thing.

[Arthur]: We have to find all the portals!

Thalstan nods at Arthur.

[Tadget]: Or instead of worrying they could like, DO something.

[Thalstan]: An' that's a big door up ahead.

Vesyllah wipes her brow of sweat. "By Elune, this place is miserable."

[Thalstan]: Heat gettin' to ye?

[Tadget]: Get outta the kitchen.

[Vesyllah]: I'd love to. But that's not really an option right now.
[Vesyllah]: Elemental on Art!

We fight the elemental and a cluster of dwarves. One peels off and runs to his friends, bringing us half a dozen more dwarves. Things get tense, but Cobalt Blade triumphs.

[Thalstan]: Whew, they do like ta run fer their friends.

[Arthur]: That was too close.

[Tadget]: Focusing fire will help.
[Tadget]: Just gotta get back our old discipline. We're gettin' sloppy.

[Arthur]: I'm going to eat an emotional support brownie.

[Tadget]: Mmmm, brownies.

[Thalstan]: Aye, yeah. Got to make sure we all attack the same one so they don't all start runnin' at once.

[Vesyllah]: It's this #$%@ing heat. It's cooking our brains.

[Tadget]: Those of us who had brains to start with…

[Arthur]: Since I've been on the fire mage unit I've gotten reckless. I think it's going to my head.

[Thalstan]: Heh.

[Tadget]: It's okay Art. We survived.
[Tadget]: LIve 'n' learn.

[Thalstan]: Think ye'll stick wi' the fire long-term?

[Arthur]: I still have to do a unit in arcane before I can pick

[Thalstan]: Ah, then ye'll see which suits ye best.

Tadget points at Blazing Fireguard.

[Thalstan]: Yer a fine fire mage, but it is a temperament thing, is it?
[Thalstan]: Are fire mages usually hot-headed, I mean?

[Tadget]: That's the stereotype anyway.

[Arthur]: It's got some truth to it!

The next group of dwarves we dispatch flawlessly.

[Tadget]: That was nice 'n' clean.

Thalstan nods. "Good discipline."

[Tadget]: We still got it.

[Arthur]: Fire magic has really uneven flows. and very often, you wind up holding so much power, and if you let it go without thinking, disaster.

[Thalstan]: I can see that. The Dark Irons are more fire than the Bronzebeards, an' they have trouble with power an' control it seems as well.
[Thalstan]: I'd think ta draw comparisons between the dwarves and the mages, but there's no such thing as a stone mage. Reckon that's a shaman.

We approach the sealed door and see a massive stone and lava giant, as the goblin described.

[Tadget]: Whoooooa.

Tadget points at Bael'Gar.

Thalstan follows Tadget's pointing and then says, "Ah."

[Zaara]: So bad. That is so bad.

[Thalstan]: They did say giant stone… lava… creature…
[Thalstan]: We kill it, aye?

[Tadget]: Yep.

[Tadget]: Look out.

A group of dwarves patrols by us, but they don’t see us.

Tadget cheers!

[Thalstan]: Looks like they patrol.

[Tadget]: Managed to avoid their notice for now. Good.

[Thalstan]: We'd best clear 'em out before we take th' giant.

Tadget nods.

We set to work clearing them out.

[Tadget]: Looks like one more group…

[Thalstan]: An' then the giant.

Tadget cheers!
Tadget peers at Bael'Gar searchingly.

[Thalstan]: Alright, we all set ta take him on?

[Tadget]: I'm definitely gonna need to sharpen my daggers after this guy.

[Thalstan]: If he doesn' melt 'em. My sword, too.

[Vesyllah]: This should be interesting.

Bael'Gar begins to summon lava spawns! We defeat the giant and all his lava spawns.

Tadget cheers at Bael'Gar!

[Zaara]: Hah. He goes back to his own place now.

[Thalstan]: The bigger they are, the harder they fall!

Tadget gently pats Zaara.

[Thalstan]: That door, though, it does no' look the unlocking type.

[Tadget]: What now, sir?

[Thalstan]: We'll let the goblins know, and they can try explosives.

[Zaara]: MAYHAP.

[Thalstan]: Mayhap, indeed.

[Vesyllah]: Mayhap we can get out of this sweatbox now?

[Thalstan]: I'd like ta see if we can find any more of the Morgan people first.
[Thalstan]: Ah, look!

Tadget examines the lock on the door.

[Tadget]: Trouble in there.

There’s a dwarf standing by the door.

Prospector Seymour says: You aren’t Dark Irons! Are you with us?

[Tadget]: Who're you?

Prospector Seymour says: Prospector Seymour, at yer service.

[Tadget]: Surname Butts?

Seymour stares at Tadget. He's heard that one too often, it seems.

Thal takes one look at Prospector Seymour and let out a guffaw!

Tadget giggles at Prospector Seymour.

[Thalstan]: We're wi' Cobalt Company, here ta help yer team.

Prospector Seymour says: Excellent. I’ve uncovered that the rebels here are planning a major offensive soon, but I don’t know any details.

[Thalstan]: What can we do ta help?

Prospector Seymour says: General Furysmith and Golem Lord Argalmal are working with that rebel senator, and they’ve taken control of the Dark Iron armies as well as the golems. If we are to stop this attack, the two must be slain.

[Thalstan]: We're experts at slayin'.

[Tadget]: I killed a god once.

Prospector Seymour says: Good to hear. Well, actually a little disturbing to hear. But good in the current context.

[Zaara]: Arrrrgallllmalllll. AR GAL MALLLL. Argalmal.

[Tadget]: That's good Zaara, now spit.

[Zaara]: Marrrrgalal. Yes, this way it sounds better. Margalal.

Prospector Seymour says: Let me tell you how to find them. Go through this door and unlock The Shadowforge Lock, which separates the West and West Garrisons.
Prospector Seymour says: Then, follow the stairs and keep to the left at the top until you reach the West Garrison. It is there you will find the General and Golem Lord.
Prospector Seymour says: Keep your wits about you, they are both well-seasoned combatants. Find Mayara Brightwing further inside, should you succeed.

[Thalstan]: Will do, Seymour.

Prospector Seymour says: Prospector is fine, really.

[Thalstan]: This must be the lock he was talkin' about.

[Tadget]: Oooookay, I'm gonna need to study this one.

[Thalstan]: Huh. This mechanism does no' look straightforward, yeah.
[Thalstan]: We've cleared ta here, at least, so we can go back an' talk to the goblin, then take our time.

[Arthur]: Oh, is it reverse geared or is it trapped?

[Tadget]: Might need Art's help, not a regular lock…
[Tadget]: You and I can crack it I bet though.

[Vesyllah]: So, we can go out and breathe real air for a bit?

[Thalstan]: Aye, sure, the air will still be in Blackrock Mountain though.

[Tadget]: If you insist. I'll stay behind and keep studying that thing.

[Vesyllah]: UGH. I hate this mountain.

[Arthur]: Yeah, I'll stay too.

Tadget giggles.
[Tadget]: Thanks Art!

[Zaara]: It is a very angry mountain.

[Tadget]: Between the two of us we'll conquer that thing.

We get back to the goblin camp.

[Thalstan]: Hey, we killed that huge giant!

[Tadget]: We annihilated it.

Tinkee Steamboil says: Really? See anything interesting behind it?

[Thalstan]: Just a door we couldn't open. Way too big for a lockpick.

Tinkee Steamboil says: Darn it! I simply HAVE to know what's behind that gate! This could be the discovery that makes my career, you know!
Tinkee Steamboil says: Hmm….maybe a couple good explosions would do the trick…

[Thalstan]: Good luck, miss.