(2024-09-24) Letter from an Absent Father

Details

Author:	Mishell
Summary:	Caspis writes to his daughter Tirenda.
Rating:	T for Teen

Arc: Season 14

Dearest Tirenda,

How has your training with the Sentinels been proceeding? Are you still considering joining the Sentinels officially, following in your mother's footsteps, or do you simply seek to learn the skills to better survive in dangerous times? Is it true that you have been traveling with a companion? I hope you are working well together.

My work with Blue Squad continues on Mount Hyjal. Most recently, we were able to free Jarod Shadowsong from the Twilight's Hammer Cult, who were planning to sacrifice him. I do not believe I have ever spoken to you of Shadowsong. His sister Maiev is more recently known - she was Illidan the Betrayer's jailer for ten thousand years and recently began hunting and killing Highborne mages who had attempted to return to society's fold. To be honest, I am not certain how that crisis played out; I do not personally know any mages and so do not follow their affairs closely.

Jarod Shadowsong himself is a hero I remember from childhood, mostly from conversations between my own parents. Your grandmother was a Highborne bard, and your grandfather a common leatherworker. They had many heated discussions about the politics of the day. They were both in support of the Kaldorei Resistance, those who were rebelling against Queen Azshara, but they had differing opinions on Shadowsong, who became commander of the Resistance forces after the deaths of the previous two commanders, both of whom had been of noble blood.

My mother thought that Shadowsong was something of an uneducated ruffian with no sense of responsibility, but my father admired him deeply. Shadowsong himself seemed to agree with my mother about his own capabilities; he never fully understood how he had ended up as commander of such a massive armed force, but he did his job to the best of his ability. As it turned out, his best was phenomenal. The rank and file soldiers were far more devoted to him than they had been to the noblemen that preceded him. There are many who credit him with our victory over the demonic Burning Legion.

After the war, Shadowsong must have been relieved to no longer have such responsibility, as he more or less vanished for ten thousand years. This was the first I'd heard that he was even still alive.

Frankly I have mixed feelings about him. As a "down to earth," practical man not given to abstract or large-picture thinking, Shadowsong's opinion of Malfurion Stormrage and of the druidic order in general are apparently rather low. He does, however, have experience fighting alongside Wild Gods and dragons in the War of the Ancients, and so he could be useful in the current struggle, where we find ourselves among similar allies.

I will visit when I can. And when I can locate you. Last I returned to our home, you were not there for at least two nights, but everyone insists to me that you have been recently spotted in good health and high spirits.

Please be careful.

Your loving father,

Caspis Silvershade