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| Details |
| Author: | OzmaAsimov |
| Summary: | The Cobalt Blade returns to Hellfire Citadel to search the Blood Furnace for more intel about the elixir that is invigorating the fel orcs. |
| Rating: | T for Teen |
Arc: The Cobalt Blade
[Zaara]: Hello, everybody! Or… not everybody.
[Thalstan]: Hello!
Magus Filinthus says: I take my leave now, Commander. Good day!
Vesyllah glances over from where she is slumped in a chair. She rolls out of it to a standing position. "Hi."
Magus Filinthus says: And have you heard? Have you heard the preposterous claims? Alliance and Horde supporting peace? Why the very thought of such things makes my blood boil!
[Zaara]: Hello, Wengeance! You are morose? More morose than most times?
Vesyllah unhelpfully gives a little shrug.
Zaara can't see it. But it's okay because she's also pondering vocabulary now. "More morose. More-ose. Moremo— "
Thalstan chuckles warmly, and then adds, "What's got ye more-ose today, Vengeance?"
[Vesyllah]: I'm not morose. I'm just bored.
[Zaara]: What are you bored of?
[Tadget]: Who me? Everything.
[Zaara]: No, no, Wengeance was sayi— oh, hello, Mayhem.
Vesyllah shrugs and gestures to Tadget. "Everything."
Tadget nods solemnly.
[Tadget]: Greetings, uglier Tadget. *She salutes the spider.*
[Thalstan]: What's ta be bored about? We got these orcs all drinking up some power elixir. Power drink?
[Tadget]: I'll be less bored when we get to the stabbing part.
[Thalstan]: I expect there'll be stabbin' soon. There usually is. *Thal nods his head sagely, patting his beard.*
[Vesyllah]: Let's go get our orders, then? Hopefully something interesting…with lots of fel orc blood.
[Zaara]: Yes.
Tadget salutes Thalstan with respect.
[Thalstan]: Aye, I'd be in ta kill some more fel orcs.
[Tadget]: I promise you I will be really helpful when it comes to that bit.
[Tadget]: I'm well aware that I'm a bit of a weak link when it comes to all the planning and strategizing. I'm used to being kinda low-middle, chain of command wise.
[Zaara]: I am used to being tall!
[Tadget]: Like, put me in a situation and I can figure out the best tactics on the spot pretty dang well. I'm no dunce. But long term advance planning… not my bag.
Arthur rushes in. there's a smudge of black on his face.
[Tadget]: Hey there, Slightly-Less-Pretty-Than-Usual boy.
[Arthur]: What?
[Tadget]: Got something on your face.
Vesyllah points to the spot on her own face. "Art. You've got a thing."
Arthur looks down at himself, hurriedly.
[Tadget]: Your pretty, pretty face.
Arthur touches his face. all parts seem to be where he left them.
[Arthur]: hold on. Grease, right?
Thalstan watches his team curiously.
[Tadget]: I assume so.
[Tadget]: Sometimes I swear the kid is more gnome than I am…
[Thalstan]: Well, are we ready now ta go get our orders?
[Tadget]: Sir yes sir!
[Vesyllah]: Sure.
[Arthur]: I was working on the gearset shifter. I'm ready!
Thalstan salutes Force Commander Danath Trollbane with respect.
[Tadget]: It is we! Cobalt Blade!
Tadget salutes Force Commander Danath Trollbane with respect.
Danath Trollbane says: Cobalt Blade, I have another mission for you. You're going back into Hellfire Citadel.
[Tadget]: Yesssssss.
Tadget fist-pumps.
[Thalstan]: Alright, against the orcs, aye?
Danath Trollbane says: Correct. Seems we kicked the hornet's nest with your last visit, and we intend to keep kicking.
[Thalstan]: We're right good at kicking. Among other things.
Danath Trollbane says: We have no further intelligence on this 'Savar the Bloodless' beyond what you and the Ladies Tennerow and Valonforth have discovered. We're hoping you'll learn more in the Citadel.
Danath Trollbane says: What we do know is that the Citadel has received some shipments, heavily guarded by blood elves. We're looking into what that could mean, but so far we have no indication of Horde involvement.
[Thalstan]: Hmm, blood elves, not necessarily Horde. Got it. So we're to keep an eye out for what might be goin' on there.
Danath Trollbane says: Exactly. We believe the shipments may be related to this elixir you've found reference to.
[Tadget]: Blood elves are kinda by definition Horde, y'know.
[Thalstan]: There's a whole faction of 'em out here in Outland that aren't. Or weren't. I bet some of 'em went back.
[Tadget]: I'd say that makes them not blood elves, but that's semantics I guess.
Danath Trollbane says: Maybe the blood elves you know. But the first blood elves started here, under Kael'thas. You'll have to pardon the habit of referring to them as such.
Thalstan nods agreeably.
Danath Trollbane says: In any case, we need to know what's in those shipments. They were taken into the Blood Furnace, so that's where you're going.
[Tadget]: I DON'T NEED ANYONE ELSE MAKING ELVES MORE CONFUSING, OKAY.
Vesyllah snickers.
Thalstan chuckles.
Tadget points at Ves like, you are part of the problem buddy
[Vesyllah]: It's true. Elves are super confusing.
Danath Trollbane says: Dismissed.
[Arthur]: the really tall ones are the nice ones. there. easy.
Tadget coughs *Highborne*
[Vesyllah]: So, since I'm short, I'm not nice?
Thalstan laughs.
[Tadget]: Tall ones blew up the world. The first time it blew up.
[Arthur]: They got better!
[Thalstan]: Let's fly to the Citadel?
Vesyllah just casually mounts up on a onyx-hued netherwing dragon like it's normal.
[Tadget]: No judgment though, really. Only reason my people haven't blown up the world by now is lack of access.
[Thalstan]: That's uh… a dragon, aye?
[Vesyllah]: Mmhm. That's Gothraku.
[Thalstan]: Alright, alright. Good dragon.
[Vesyllah]: He's very keen on helping us hurt these fel orcs.
[Tadget]: I prefer to ride things that don't have opinions.
[Tadget]: With one notable exception.
Thalstan waves at Gunny.
[Thalstan]: Looks like this is the front, then. Let's forge in?
Thalstan blinks at Tadget.
The Cobalt Blade return to Hellfire Citadel, entering the Blood Furnace. Inside, several Honor Hold scouts step out of hiding.
Gunny says: Cobalt Blade! 'Bout time we got some reinforcements. You goin' in there?
Gunny says: Good luck, soldiers.
[Thalstan]: Warlocks up ahead.
[Thalstan]: Let's try ta keep to the right and pick off just th' one group?
Shadowmoon Adept attempts to run away in fear!
[Thalstan]: Welp, or two.
Tadget cackles maniacally at the situation.
[Thalstan]: Those warlocks are kinda glompy.
[Tadget]: Glomplocks.
[Thalstan]: Aye.
[Thalstan]: Only one left.
[Vesyllah]: Glompy?
[Thalstan]: Hm… a big empty staircase.
[Tadget]: IT'S A TRAAAP.
[Thalstan]: Aye. That does no' look like a place fer an ambush at all.
[Thalstan]: Let's keep our eyes peeled.
[Zaara]: WHAT?
[Vesyllah]: I'd like to peel some of these orcs' eyes.
Tadget cackles maniacally at Zaara.
[Zaara]: Do not peel your eyes! This is so bad for you!
[Tadget]: The peel is the eyelid, Zaara. It means, open eyes.
[Vesyllah]: Like grapes.
[Thalstan]: Okay, no peeling, just looking.
[Zaara]: … oh. Yes please just look.
[Thalstan]: Aha! Here's th eambush!
[Thalstan]: Not a very strong ambush, I have ta say.
[Tadget]: More like am NOT bush.
[Thalstan]: Aye, amnotbush.
Tadget giggles at Thalstan.
Tadget bursts into dance.
[Thalstan]: Let's see if we can lure some o' these warlocks back, prevent glomplocking.
Tadget nods.
[Vesyllah]: What the fel is 'glomplocking'?
[Tadget]: When warlocks glomp together, of course.
[Vesyllah]: Of course….
[Tadget]: I understand Common is relatively new to you, Vengeance, it's okay.
Thalstan nods seriously.
[Tadget]: We all had to start somewhere.
[Vesyllah]: Pfft. I speak Common better than most humans.
[Tadget]: Low bar, buddy.
[Vesyllah]: You'd know about low-…. *pinches her lips*
Thalstan chuckles.
[Tadget]: Now I am definitely not bored!
Vesyllah smirks. "Me neither."
[Thalstan]: We've got our pick o' orcs ta kill.
[Thalstan]: No sign yet o' blood elf packages, though.
[Zaara]: I pick… all of them.
[Thalstan]: Crates? Deliveries? Or whatever he said.
[Tadget]: Stabby and Pointy are happy.
[Thalstan]: Aye, Booty, that does seem ta be the popular choice.
[Vesyllah]: Probably best to keep them happy.
Shadowmoon Adept attempts to run away in fear!
Vesyllah squints. "There's a demon in there. One of those morgmarg or whatever they're called."
[Thalstan]: That summoner's just gonna stand there and summon things
[Thalstan]: And by things I mean demons.
[Thalstan]: I think we'll hafta charge him.
[Zaara]: I can make him stop summon. But I have to get close.
Shadowmoon Technician begins to arm the Proximity Bomb!
[Thalstan]: Oof bombs.
[Thalstan]: I suppose the orcs are bright enough ta make bombs, but I wish they were no'.
The Brewer throws a vial of some glowing green liquid to a fel orc. "Take this to the Observer! I'll deal with these pathetic mortal wretches!" The orc runs out of the room before it seals behind him.
[Tadget]: Uh oh. An Observer.
[Tadget]: Backstabbing something with a gnome-sized sphincter is always fun.
Thalstan frowns. "I do no' like the sound o' that. We'd best take care of this creature, though, before we chase after."
[Vesyllah]: Gross…and not in the good way.
[Tadget]: Least favorite type of demon.
The Brewer engages with the Cobalt Blade, confident he will end them before they can continue. He is incorrect.
[Tadget]: Wheeeeee!
[Thalstan]: Well, he was no' so tough. Now let's get to this Observer.
[Tadget]: I would not be so eager if I were you.
[Thalstan]: Watch out, orcs in th' hall ahead. I'll pull a few back.
[Tadget]: Gnome. Sized. Sphincter.
Shadowmoon Technician begins to arm the Proximity Bomb!
[Thalstan]: I see a bomb on the floor ahead. Anybody know how ta defuse it?
Tadget looks at Art.
[Arthur]: i think i can.
[Tadget]: Woo hoo!
[Arthur]: nope!
The orcs in the machines are attached to a series of tubes pumping some foul green liquid into their veins.
[Thalstan]: Well, worth a shot, aye?
Vesyllah examines one of the machines on the wall. "This must be how they apply the elixir."
Thalstan pauses once the last orc is dead and looks at the machine. "Do ye think? They don't jus' toss it back?"
[Tadget]: Alchemists are all super deranged, I swear.
[Vesyllah]: I'm not deranged. I'm a free-thinker.
[Thalstan]: I think I'd rather drink an elixir than deal with… all this mechanism stuff.
[Thalstan]: But maybe they've got to put it somewhere in th' body besides the stomach, aye?
[Tadget]: Gross gross gross.
[Vesyllah]: Seems like directly into their bloodstream…and maybe some organs, yeah.
[Tadget]: GROSS.
Thalstan nods, frowning. His mustache droops.
[Tadget]: Why can't they just STAB organs like ordinary people?
[Thalstan]: Oh, look. What a surprise. Another room full of orcs.
[Arthur]: Many orcs.
[Thalstan]: Whether these are pre or post elixir, let's clear 'em out,
[Zaara]: You should not be surprised by now.
Thalstan laughs. "I was bein' a bit sarcastic, Booty. I know it's no' my usual thing."
Vesyllah smirks at Zaara.
[Zaara]: Oh! Very nice!
Thalstan glances at Ves and Tadge, like 'did i do it right?'
[Tadget]: She'd have gotten it coming from Vengeance.
Vesyllah shrugs. She can't argue with that.
[Zaara]: Yes. Or from you, Mayhem.
Tadget giggles.
Laughing Skull Legionnaire goes into a frenzy!
[Zaara]: WHEN DO WE FIGHT THE DANGEROUS ORCS? *Zaara asks loudly.*
Thalstan laughs at Zaara.
[Thalstan]: Hmm… our way is blocked. But! There is a lever.
[Tadget]: The Observer's behind there.
[Tadget]: See why they call them that?
[Tadget]: Only thing I've ever seen with more eyes was that Old God I killed.
[Thalstan]: Well, want ta kill this one?
[Tadget]: Don't see as we have much choice.
[Vesyllah]: I think we have to.
[Thalstan]: I bet th' lever is a tra. An' we're great at bustin' up traps.
[Thalstan]: Shall we walk into it?
[Tadget]: I am… gonna fight this one from the front though. Bad experience.
[Vesyllah]: It'll relieve any boredom, at least
Thalstan nods. "Good plan.
[Tadget]: Why do they even have that lever?
[Thalstan]: We're about ta find out!
The gate opens, and the Observer floats into the room, eyeing each of them simultaneously.
Krobbog says: LOOK, you are too late. The elixir ritual has already begun and the end is in SIGHT. You have come only to WITNESS your own demise!
[Tadget]: Ho boy.
Krobbog falls to the floor with a squishy thud. "I…did not…SEE…that coming…
[Thalstan]: Hah. Now who's demise got witnessed?
Vesyllah snorts.
[Tadget]: IT FELL ON ME. I cannot win.
Tadget brushes herself off.
[Tadget]: I. Hate. Observers.
[Vesyllah]: Hope you avoided the sphincter, at least.
[Tadget]: DID YOU SEE IT?
[Vesyllah]: I managed not to.
[Tadget]: GO back and look.
[Vesyllah]: No.
[Thalstan]: I did. D'ye think it had a thing against Booty? All those look, sight, witness…
Tadget cackles maniacally at the situation.
[Zaara]: Oh! That would be very rude.
[Thalstan]: Maybe it did no' look at us so close, an it was just considerin' its own eyes. All of 'em.
[Tadget]: What good are all those eyes if it doesn't notice us?
[Thalstan]: Maybe it should ha' seen us better, aye.
[Tadget]: Which reminds me of a really stupid thing about Common.
[Thalstan]: Aye?
[Zaara]: Maybe too many eyes is confusing.
[Tadget]: Oversight.
[Thalstan]: Oh?
[Tadget]: Oversight means both to really closely watch something and also to miss it completely.
[Vesyllah]: It means its own opposite.
[Tadget]: Like cleave.
[Tadget]: Stupid.
[Thalstan]: Huh, I had no' thought o' that.
[Tadget]: But it dose mean that "oversight committees" are usually aptly named.
Vesyllah chuckles.
Thalstan chuckles, rustling his mustache.
[Thalstan]: I'll try ta lure this warlock round the corner with his demons.
[Tadget]: That is too many imps.
[Thalstan]: That was effective.
Tadget says it in a Zaara voice.
[Zaara]: Any imps is too many!
[Thalstan]: I think any felguards is too many, too.
[Tadget]: Yes.
[Zaara]: Yes.
Tadget giggles.
[Vesyllah]: I sense a theme.
[Thalstan]: Too many felguards.
[Tadget]: I detest swarms of things.
[Thalstan]: Well. Now the right amount o' felguards.
Vesyllah points to the next chamber. "Looks like trouble."
Several fel orcs are gathered around several bubbling cauldrons, performing some sort of ritual. The foul stench of the fel permeates the air of the chamber.
[Thalstan]: Ah, so it does.
[Tadget]: I don't think it resembles him much at all.
[Arthur]: That's right!
Thalstan laughs. "No' the right kind o' Trouble."
[Tadget]: He, for example, has pretty silver hair. That room, on the other hand, has a bunch of orc warlocks.
[Zaara]: Any orc warlocks is too many.
[Vesyllah]: Thank you, Sgt. Obvious.
Tadget giggles at Zaara.
[Thalstan]: Well-spotted. Shall we reduce to th' right number of orc warlocks?
Vesyllah nods firmly.
Deli'kan the Mauler says: Stop them! They'll ruin everything!
Deli'kan the Mauler says: NOOO! We must have the elixir!
Tadget cheers!
Deli'kan the Mauler clutches his wounds, crumpling to the floor, "You…have…doomed us…"
[Thalstan]: Hah!
[Thalstan]: Well, I like th' sound o' that anguish! Think we've stopped their elixir operation in its tracks!
Vesyllah covers her nose and mouth as she approaches the cauldrons.
[Vesyllah]: We'll need to destroy this.
[Tadget]: I'm okay at destroying things. But how exactly?
[Tadget]: We don't want to cause an Incident.
[Arthur]: Yeah, I'm ready, if you mean now.
[Vesyllah]: Hmm.
[Thalstan]: They'll do a more thorough job, now we've cleared th eorcs out.
[Tadget]: Okay, you can like… make sure it doesn't cause a … toxic event?
[Tadget]: Or something?
Vesyllah reaches into an herb pouch, pulling out some kind of crushed up powder.
[Thalstan]: But yeah, Trouble, if ye want to clear out the trouble, go for it.
[Tadget]: It's always hard to know what to do with large quantities of ooze.
Vesyllah flicks a bit of the powder into one of the cauldrons. "Mmm…nothing. I think fire would do the trick safely enough. As long as we don't breathe the fumes."
[Vesyllah]: Art? Zaara? Got some fire for us?
Thalstan nods at the mage and the shaman.
[Tadget]: Awww yeah.
[Arthur]: oh, sure.
[Tadget]: BURN BABY BURN.
[Zaara]: Oh, yes!
[Tadget]: Unfortunately stabbing is of little to no use against ooze.
[Vesyllah]: Just…y'know…we should run before the fumes fill the chamber.
[Tadget]: Right.
[Tadget]: Running I am also good at.
Gunny says: Yer alive! Light be praised.
[Tadget]: We're about the only thing left alive in here currently.
[Arthur]: oh.
Gunny says: Yeh better get back to Commander Trollbane and report what happened here.
[Arthur]: oh dear.
[Tadget]: What's the matter, Art?
Gunny says: We'll hold the line in case any survivors come runnin' through.
[Arthur]: I had this new spell, garment transfer, and I thought, why not try them on, and…
Arthur poses, blue steel and everything.
[Tadget]: Oh. Oh dear indeed.
[Zaara]: What? What is it?
Tadget pokes through the gaps on the side of his pants.
Thalstan peers at Art's pants. "I see ye've got kind of a wardrobe malfunction."
[Arthur]: Zaara, this pants are very ugly.
Vesyllah covers her mouth, stifling her laughter…almost.
Tadget describes them in lurid detail.
Arthur dances with Gunny.
[Tadget]: But you really need to poke them for the full effect, Booty.
[Tadget]: Come poke them.
[Vesyllah]: Especially on the sides.
[Arthur]: they have cutouts down the outside of the thigh!
[Zaara]: Oh no!!!
[Tadget]: Yes. I do not recommend poking the front of his pants.
Thalstan chuckles.
Zaara stoops obediently to poke Arthur's thigh. It is a polite poke.
[Tadget]: See????
[Arthur]: There! it's just…like that!
[Tadget]: Also the purple and green are… so bad. *Zaara voice again.*
[Thalstan]: We'd best get back ta Honor Hold straightaway, so the lad can fix his pants.
[Zaara]: Ohhhh.
[Tadget]: Right, right.
[Arthur]: Good idea!
Thalstan salutes Force Commander Danath Trollbane with respect.
Danath Trollbane says: Welcome back, Cobalt Blade. Report.
[Thalstan]: Sir, we've found an' put an end to the elixir production in the Citadel. I… did no' see any blood elves. Any of you?
[Tadget]: Not a one.
[Zaara]: No, I did not.
Tadget giggles at Zaara.
Danath Trollbane says: Interesting. So they're delivering the product, but not sticking around after.
[Tadget]: Typical.
[Tadget]: Sorta like Finn when we were first dating.
[Vesyllah]: Ew.
Thalstan raises his bushy eyebrows.
[Tadget]: Ahem. Anyway.
Danath Trollbane says: We know of at least one blood elf outpost in Terokkar Forest. That may be the next place to look. But for now, I want you to report to the Sha'tar in Shattrath City.
[Thalstan]: So aye, the elves do no' like ta cuddle. Or are just efficient deliverymen.
[Tadget]: Oooooh Shattrath. That place is wild.
Danath Trollbane says: They'll give you further instructions.
Danath Trollbane gives a sharp salute. "Excellent work, Blade. Dismissed."
[Thalstan]: Thank you, sir.
Thalstan salutes Force Commander Danath Trollbane with respect.
[Tadget]: Finn put me up in a little place there when I was getting ready to pop out triplets. Took real good care of me.
[Tadget]: Parts of it are a craphole, though.
[Tadget]: So be careful.
[Vesyllah]: Still got that place?
[Tadget]: I do!
[Tadget]: Or he does, rather. So I do.
Thalstan takes a few steps away. "I've ne'er been! This'll be fun, an' us workin' fer the windchimes directly!"
[Vesyllah]: Is it big enough for five?
[Tadget]: I mean, it held six gnomes, but three of them were babies.
[Vesyllah]: Hmm.
[Thalstan]: So… that's a firm maybe,
Tadget giggles.
[Thalstan]: Let's meet up there next time! An' ye don't have ta invite us into yer place if ye don't want to, Mayhem. I'm sure we'll find room fer us all.