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| Details |
| Author: | Alli |
| Summary: | At the welcome party for the Gui Wei, Elohad, Atley, Shun, Alaisa, Linwel, Arthur and Estel meet Liyan, Xueye, Mi Shu, Haoyu, Xu Ming, Lihua and Weiqiang. The histories of two nations are discussed, and many people join a certain mercenary company! ~11k words |
| Rating: | T for Teen |
Sir Elohad Ference and Sir Dane Atley arrive at the arranged place for meeting the pandaren social.
Elohad bows before Atley.
Atley bows before Elohad.
One by one, other interested parties and Gui Wei pandaren begin to trickle in.
Liyan smiles at Xueye.
[Liyan]: You look really pretty, Xueye.
[Xueye]: Thanks! I love the variety of clothes here.
Atley unconsciously flexes and unflexes his fingers in his gloves as he discreetly side-eyes the pandaren assembly.
Elohad stands looking out over the gathering group, smiling, and looking like he's waiting to make a big speech.
Liyan waves at Mi Shu.
Liyan cuddles up against Mi Shu.
Xu Ming comes running over to the group. "I'm late, I'm late, sorry, hello!"
Elohad looks with amused curiosity at the pandaren women who have chosen to sit nearly stacked on top of each other in the large space.
Haoyu gives everyone a little wave.
Atley glances over his shoulder at Xu Ming before his gaze shifts to the Fusheng. He grunts faintly.
Xueye raises a paw lazily. "It's for us so I'm sure they won't be sticklers for time."
Shun glances down at the pile of pandas, observing them carefully.
[Elohad]: Hello everyone! *says the balding human warmly.* If you don't mind, I'd like to say a few words before we start getting to know each other.
[Haoyu]: Hallo.
Elohad seems very friendly, but also like he might say a few words even if you do mind.
Atley shifts his gaze to Elohad and straightens up a bit.
Xueye turns a smile up towards Lord Ference. Story time!
[Elohad]: I'm Elohad Ference. I'm a member of the House of Nobles here in Stormwind - sort of a team that helps the King make laws and such. I'm also the founder of the famous mercenary group Cobalt Company.
Mi Shu 's ears perk up at the mention of this mercenary company. Sounds exciting.
Xu Ming raises her hand. "What's a mercenary?"
Alaisa has a clipboard and is writing - maybe she's doing the transcript of Elohad's speech.
Atley lifts a single bushy brow, his features otherwise hard.
Elohad smiles. "A mercenary can be a lot of things. The basics are, they are skilled fighters who work for other people. They get paid to go and fight."
[Elohad]: But they're not soldiers; they can quit anytime.
[Xueye]: Ah, sort of like we were, for Master Shang Xi.
[Elohad]: Possibly!
Atley leans back now to inspect the pandaren and their armaments.
[Elohad]: Now, I know a lot of you showed up right as the Alliance is getting ready for a big war with the Horde. And I'm sorry about that. It's not really who we are. At heart, the members of the Alliance love peace, and trade, and exploring and knowledge.
[Xu Ming]: Like us!
Haoyu is wearing leather armor, but has no weapons. He is the weapon.
[Xueye]: Yes, I like all those things, too! I don't really know about war.
[Elohad]: We're about to find out a lot about war whether we like it or not. But my hope is that we will be able to keep it honorable, and fair, and that we'll find our way to peace.
[Atley]: Hear, hear.
[Xu Ming]: Master Elohad Ference, you should add food to the list of things you like! We can help with that.
[Shun]: …
[Xueye]: Oh, yes, you haven't lived if you haven't had Lihua's dumplings, or the Jadepaw plum wine.
[Elohad]: Oh, I do enjoy food, but I'm not very picky. I probably wouldn't appreciate the finer points. *he laughs*
[Elohad]: So, Cobalt Company is also very interested in welcoming the Pandaren. We pay well, and we can put a variety of talents to use, and we're kind of like a family. We look out for each other, but we give you freedom to come and go as you like.
[Mi Shu]: I hope that we can find peace soon too. I'd love to explore everything Azeroth has to offer.
[Elohad]: So as you get to know the folks that have come here to officially welcome you, feel free to ask any questions you have about what it's like to work for Cobalt Company, and I hope you'll consider joining us!
[Elohad]: I guess you've heard enough from an old man now - enjoy yourselves and feel free to ask anything of anybody. We don't bite.
Haoyu raises his hand.
Elohad smiles, eyes crinkling at the corners, and gives a little bow before he steps down.
Atley looks over at Haoyu, sizing the pandaren up and down.
[Elohad]: Yes sir!
Elohad points at Haoyu.
Liyan smiles at Haoyu.
[Haoyu]: Hallo. I'm Haoyu. Does your Cobalt Company have a location?
[Xu Ming]: Oh, it's not right here?
[Elohad]: That is actually a really great question! We have, right now, two different headquarters.
[Elohad]: Though yes, we can meet up wherever, really.
[Mi Shu]: Ooh! Sounds important if you have two locations.
Bells jingle from behind the gazebo. A moonkin with heavily decorated antlers is just… standing there.
[Elohad]: One headquarters is in the dwarven city of Ironforge, which you really must check out if you haven't. You can take a tram there from the Dwarven District of Stormwind.
Haoyu nods. He raises his hand again.
[Xueye]: It's like one of those skewer stands that opens up another one because the first one's line is so long!
Alaisa smiles.
Atley shifts his gaze to the gazebo and squints, leaning his head to the side to observe Linwel.
[Elohad]: The other is in the magical floating city of Dalaran! You need permission to go there, but it's not too hard to come by if you're with us.
Liyan's eyes get HUGE at 'magical floating city'.
[Xueye]: Is it on the back of a very large bird?
Xu Ming squeals and points at the strange creature behind the gazebo. "What's THAT?"
Haoyu waits patiently to be called on. He seems to be used to that.
Fusheng zips around and spins. He can't seem to sit still ever.
Shun looks down from the gazebo as he hears the bells.
Linwel peeks through the lattice.
Atley raises his voice. "That'd be Linwel. They mean you no harm. Come out from behind there," Atley says, beckoning the 'moonkin.'
Linwel waddles out.
[Mi Shu]: Oh wow! A whole flying city?
Mi Shu 's eyes sparkle
[Elohad]: Yes, sir? You don't have to take turns by the way, just feel free to ask whatever you like, and anyone can answer who knows.
Xueye is utterly distracted from the possibly-bird carried city of Dalaran by the Moonkin.
[Haoyu]: Oh. What's a tram?
Elohad jumps slightly as he spots Linwel.
[Elohad]: Okay, that is a moonkin. This one's friendly. Some aren't.
Elohad waves at Linwel.
[Mi Shu]: Oh! Are there bird people in the Alliance? I've never seen a moonkin before. What is it?
[Elohad]: A tram is transportation. An invention by the gnomes. You ride it, and it runs by itself. Not magic, even, pure machinery.
Atley side-eyes allll the way up at Linwel and mutters a gruffly amused, "Fine entrance."
[Elohad]: Moonkin aren't normally part of the Alliance, but this one's special.
Elohad gently pats Linwel.
Xueye walks up carefully to the moonkin. "Can I touch your feather ornament?"
Atley pushes himself up.
Linwel sits down so that Xueye can reach more easily. They nod.
[Arthur]: The tram is really cool. I can show you where it is.
Liyan is too busy frantically taking notes to talk to anyone.
[Haoyu]: So it's like… a boat.
Xueye smiles with delight, poking the feather ornaments on Linwel's chest gently.
[Elohad]: Yeah, a little bit like a boat, but on land.
Atley looks to Hdaoyu. "It's through a great tunnel."
[Elohad]: Also it goes really fast.
[Xu Ming]: A boat with legs!
[Elohad]: No legs. It's on a kind of track.
Atley grunts.
[Xu Ming]: Oh. You said it ran, so I thought…
[Elohad]: It sort of rolls down the track. Fast enough to feel the wind in your fur.
Linwel chirps. "Fuzz-y."
[Elohad]: Yeah they say 'run,' I dunno why.
[Atley]: It'll make more sense when you see it for yourself. 'Tis a sight to behold.
[Xueye]: Boat on a track through a tunnel… *Xueye says quietly, tilting her head and looking up at Linwel's beak.* Yes, we're very fuzzy! And you're very feathery!
[Elohad]: You absolutely must see it. And then ask for directions to the Cobalt Company HQ in the Mystic Ward. Everyone knows where it is. *He smiles proudly.*
Atley grunts at Elohad.
[Mi Shu]: Do you have any local breweries around here? I'd like to learn what I can.
[Elohad]: For that again you'll wanna go to Ironforge. They're the real brewers of the Alliance, the dwarves I mean.
Atley shifts his gaze to Mi Shu Jadepaw. "There are a number of pubs in the city here, as well."
[Mi Shu]: And Cobalt Company is on the way there! What luck!
[Elohad]: Yeah, we humans try, but the dwarves have us beat, I'll admit.
[Atley]: I am Sir Dane Atley. Wot' are all of your names?
Mi Shu smiles at Dane. Fusheng floats over to him and spins around him.
[Linwel]: Lin-wel Moon-well.
Atley lifts a brow at Fusheng and follows the creature with his gaze. "There you are, then…"
[Liyan]: I'm Liyan Brightburn. I'm a mage.
Liyan looks up from her notes long enough to say that. She still doesn't bother to stand.
[Alaisa]: I'm Ally Lysander. I help Cobalt Company with some administrative work. I'm the translator for the newsletters.
[Xu Ming]: I'm Xu Ming Stillblossom!
[Mi Shu]: I'm Mi Shu Jadepaw. *She bows respectfully* And this is my friend Fusheng. He's my family's guardian spirit.
[Haoyu]: Haoyu Goldenhaze. It's nice to meet… all of you.
Xueye steps back a little from Linwel to address everyone. "I'm Xueye Jadepaw. It's so fun to be here."
Atley furrows his brow at the strange names and nods slowly at each. "Fusheng. A spirit, you say? I've never seen its like."
Liyan leans on Haoyu. She looks a little tired.
Lihua arrives late, hauling two enormous, steaming baskets.
Linwel takes a dangling little scroll off of one of their antlers and hands it to Xueye.
Xueye takes it in surprise and looks over the scroll carefully. "Thank you, Linwel Moonwell!"
[Elohad]: I hope it's not impolite to say Fusheng is cute.
Mi Shu giggles, "Not at all. Nomrally he's shy, but he likes to follow me around."
Shun eyes the new panda coming in.
Ference waves at Lihua.
[Lihua]: So sorry, everyone! I had a flour emergency.
Haoyu sniffs. "Lihua!"
Atley shifts his gaze to Lihua, and then her baskets.
[Linwel]: Rurururu~
[Xu Ming]: Oh no, it didn't explode, did it? The flour?
Lihua giggles at Xu Ming.
[Xueye]: Oh, that's the worst, when the flowers explode.
[Lihua]: No, no. But I am now learning more about native-…ah, never mind. I will tell you later. All is well now, though. So, who wants dumplings and fried dough twists?
Shun tilts his head.
Linwel leans sideways. "Ello. Join… Co-balt?" They point to themselves.
Haoyu raises a hand. He wants food please.
Lihua scootches through to place the large baskets down by the gazebo, opening the lids to expose bear-sized portions of the treats.
Atley turns his head to the side. "I'd not refuse a bite, my lady." he says to Lihua.
Elohad looks at Linwel curiously. "You want to join Cobalt Company too? That would be wonderful."
[Mi Shu]: Ooh! Thank you so much! These smell great!
Elohad gently pats Linwel.
Lihua beams happily at Atley. "Please, take all you like! I can make more if we run out."
[Alaisa]: Linwel, I can help you with your application forms after this.
[Xu Ming]: Yay, dumplings!
Linwel chirps agreeably.
[Xueye]: Dumplings and dough sticks! Thanks Lihua! *Xueye does not hesitate to help herself*
Elohad whips out an application, which he just happened to have on him of course, and holds it out to Linwel.
Atley nods and marches over to the baskets, looking down into them. "Right. Wot's all this then?" he asks Lihua.
Mi Shu picks up the jar of wine she brought with her and holds it to everyone, "Anyone want a drink to go with it?"
Linwel takes it and stares. They clearly cannot fill this out on their own. They roll it up and stick it to one of their antlers for safekeeping.
[Alaisa]: Don't worry, I'll help you out.
Xueye nods happily. Turns out get-togethers in Stormwind are much like the ones on the Wandering Isle, as long as you have a quorum of pandarens.
[Haoyu]: Can Liyan eat the dumplings?
[Elohad]: I'll try some of that! *Elo looks curiously at the food.*
Haoyu fetches himself one of each.
Liyan smiles at Haoyu.
Alaisa speaks quietly in Darnassian to Linwel. Maybe she's explaining about the forms.
Linwel nod… nods.
Mi Shu pours herself a cup of plum wine while she waits to see if anyone else wants to join.
Lihua points to one basket. "These are siu mai, jiaozi, and har gao. You might say 'dumplings'. Filled with pork, shrimp, and vegetables.”
Lihua pats the other basket, "These are fried dough twists. Sweet and warm to fill your belly with love!"
Shun peers straight down, furrowing his brow.
Atley lifts a brow at the string of seemingly nonsense words before he faintly perks up at 'pork.' "Pork, mm?" he growls, reaching down to pick one up. He takes a bite and chews before grunting.
Xueye reaches out a hand to Mi Shu, asking for a glass.
[Elohad]: I already have a lot of love, but not the fried kind yet, so I'll try one of those.
[Liyan]: Do you have rice ones?
Lihua grins and takes out a large portion wrapped separately from the others, bringing it over to Liyan. "Of course, cousin!"
Xu Ming giggles.
Liyan beams at Lihua. "You're the best."
Lihua blushes at Liyan.
Haoyu had apparently been waiting by the baskets to bring Liyan her safe to eat food; when it is clear that it is separate and Lihua's on it, he returns to his seat.
[Mi Shu]: Here you go. *She pours a cup for Xueye.*
Liyan leans on Haoyu and happily eats a rice dumpling.
Xueye sips it and then takes a bite of dumpling, making an appreciative noise.
Atley makes quick work of the dumpling and swipes a second one, stepping out of the way for Elohad. He looks to Lihua. "This is good eating. Wot's your name?"
Elo nabs a fried dough twist and eats it with obvious enjoyment and absolutely no discernment whatsoever. You get the idea he'd react the same if it was a strip of shoe leather.
Lihua bows respectfully to Dane. "I am Lihua Lightseason. Very pleased to meet you."
Lihua bows before Atley.
[Atley]: Sir Dane Atley. Welcome to Stormwind and the Grand Alliance, all of you.
Atley bows before Lihua.
Mi Shu grabs a healthy portion of dumplings to go with her drink.
[Haoyu]: I'll have some too please, Mimi.
[Lihua]: Thank you for your welcome. We are excited to be here.
[Xueye]: It seems the Alliance is a good group for togetherness, your King told us it was our responsibility to help any Alliance person in need. This is a good rule.
Lihua nods at Xueye.
Ference finishes eating his snack, wipes his hands on an embroidered hankie, and then pulls out some more Cobalt Company applications. "If anyone is interested in Cobalt Company, this is the application you fill out."
[Estel]: Am I late? Hey!
[Atley]: And you lot are of the 'Gui Wei?' Who leads you?
[Xu Ming]: Oh, um! What kind of fights do you do as mercenaries? The war is new, you said? So who needs fighting?
Dumpling squeals insistently until Lihua drops a pile of dough twists for him to devour.
Liyan reaches for an application, which Elohad smilingly gives her.
Mi Shu makes her way to Haoyu and pours him a big cup of plum wine.
[Shun]: They have food.
Shun says while still stealthed.
Haoyu also accepts an application. And then the plum wine. "Thank you."
Xueye notes Liyan and Haoyu and then reaches for an application.
Estel glances towards Shun. "Stop hiding, love."
Shun sighs and finally reveals himself.
Atley glances straight up and squints.
[Lihua]: Leads us? Well…we were led by our master. But he…is with us in a different way now.
Mi Shu leans down while munching on a dumpling to read the application.
Estel collects herself some dumplings and a dough stick. "Whose are these?"
Atley nods slowly. "I see. Wot's the nature of the Gui Wei? Are you fighters, ambassadors?" He finishes off another dumpling before taking up a cup of plum wine.
Liyan finishes her dumpling, cleans her paws with summoned water, dries them carefully on a towel from her rucksack, and then begins filling out the application carefully in odd-shaped Common letters.
Estel crams a dumpling into her mouth and chews.
[Lihua]: We are many things. Scholars, cooks, wardancers…but all students of Tushui.
Arthur listens.
[Haoyu]: We were formed to protect Shen-zin Su, our grandfather turtle.
Xueye glances over at Elohad. "I am also curious about what Xu Ming asked. Who does Cobalt Company fight now?"
Atley grunts faintly and takes a sip of plum wine. His face almost — ALMOST — lights up in surprise at the taste before he finishes it off.
Shun blinks at 'grandfather turtle'.
[Estel]: Huh?
Xu Ming takes an application as well, because everyone else is doing it. She probably isn't reading it much, aside from what is needed to answer the questions.
[Estel]: Sorry, hi, I'm Estel.
[Mi Shu]: I'm a brewmaster, but I've also trained a lot in martial arts with my granny.
[Elohad]: We fight anyone who threatens the people of the Alliance, but right now that boils down to the Horde.
[Haoyu]: Hallo. I'm Haoyu. Lihua made the food.
[Elohad]: Until they stop trying to wipe us out, we're a bit preoccupied with stopping them.
Estel gives Lihua a thumbs-up. "'s great."
[Xueye]: Oh dear, yes, we can't be wiped out.
Atley adds on to Elohad's statement, "There are many other ills that trouble the lands of the Alliance. Our people are spread across the world."
[Liyan]: I'm Liyan Brightburn. I'm a mage.
[Xu Ming]: You don't have any virmen threatening your crops?
[Elohad]: Oh sure, from time to time, rats and things.
[Xueye]: We're quite good agaisnt virmen and hozen, if you have problems with either of them.
Atley squints in thought and briefly looks to Elohad. "Aye."
Estel calls up, "Shun, they're good. Catch!" She telegraphs the throw and then tosses a dumpling up to him.
[Mi Shu]: Wipe out? *Mimi frowns* The outside world is even more troubled than I thought…
Shun snatches the dumpling from the air. He looks it over for a moment, then tries it.
[Elohad]: Some of the newer Cobalt Company members will take on jobs helping out locals with troubles like that, closer to home. And then our more experienced members travel all over, saving the world from massive threats.
Xueye smiles at Estel. "Lihua's are always good! She makes them with love. And fresh, delicious ingredients. Oh, I'm Xueye, also."
[Xu Ming]: Maybe the Horde are just hungry? That tauren creature sure was.
[Shun]: Hm. Not bad at all.
Atley snatches up another dumpling. "Tauren?" he asks Xu Ming.
[Elohad]: I actually respect the tauren quite a bit. Why they threw in their lot with the orcs I will never know.
Shun hops down.
Ference jumps at Shun's arrival.
[Xu Ming]: We met a tauren prisoner on the airship that crashed into — oh, do you not know this story?
Xueye claps her hands.
Lihua looks a little sad. "Yes…some of our people also joined the Horde."
Atley grumbles at Shun's arrival, eyeing the rogue up and down as he eats his dumpling.
[Mi Shu]: Yeah… that tauren seemed really friendly…
Estel bumps Shun's shoulder. She has way too much food in her mouth to talk now.
[Elohad]: I've heard some rumors about how your people came to be with us, but not from those who were actually there.
Atley snaps his gaze to Lihua and stares for a moment before he looks to Xu Ming. "I don't. I'd like to hear it."
[Shun]: Remember to chew fully.
[Elohad]: Yeah, we'd be very interested.
[Xueye]: Surely you know the Wandering Isle is on the back of our grandfather, the turtle Shen-zin Su, yes?
Shun goes to sample a different dumpling. He looks thoughtful as he tries it.
Estel gives Shun a thumbs-up.
[Atley]: … Is that literal, then?
Atley asks Xueye.
Liyan seems content to let the others talk as she meticulously fills out her Cobalt application.
[Xueye]: Oh, no, I also have pandaren grandparents. But we are all his grandchildren.
[Elohad]: Just how big a turtle are we talking here?
[Xu Ming]: Do you not know the story of Liu Lang?
Atley grunts at Elohad.
[Elohad]: I haven't heard that story, no.
Xu Ming gasps.
Shun blinks.
[Xueye]: I thought everyone knew… well. Perhaps we should start from the beginning?
[Xu Ming]: Whoa…
[Atley]: I only encountered one of your people, and it was from afar. Many years ago. We know little of your ways.
[Haoyu]: Should I sing it?
[Elohad]: Looks like I should have a seat.
Shun furrows his brow.
[Haoyu]: And… one of you tell the tale?
Ference smiles at Arthur.
[Xu Ming]: Ooh, would you, Haoyu?
[Xueye]: Oh! Yes, I love the song. Who wants to be story-teller?
[Liyan]: Yes, please sing!
[Liyan]: I could tell the story if you want.
[Liyan]: I like to think of myself as something of a keeper of lore.
Shun mutters something about needing to figure out how to make these.
Atley points at Liyan with a bitten dumpling. "Let's have it, then."
[Xueye]: All of us learn our history from the Lorewalkers, it is very important that we carry these things in our hearts. *Xueye nods at Liyan*
[Mi Shu]: I can play along with you if you want! *Mimi takes out her erhu, a type of stringed instrument played with a bow.*
[Liyan]: Oh yes!
Haoyu sets his cup down, takes a deep breath, and begins to sing the Song of Liu Lang. Unfortunately, it's not in Common. "Panda-fei wazha, ya huibon sunda…" He continues in the same language.
Lihua perks at Shun's muttering. She leans toward him, "I can teach you," she whispers.
Xu Ming settles in for story time.
Alaisa looks about ten times more interested than she was a moment ago.
Xueye sits on the ground, an attentive listener even though she knows the story.
[Liyan]: As Haoyu sings and Mi Shu plays, Liyan begins to tell the tale.
Shun flicks his gaze to Lihua, "…Perhaps."
Atley lifts a brow as he notes all of the pandaren siting. He glances behind him before taking a seat next to Ally.
Lihua bows her head respectfully toward Shun.
Shun dips his head in turn.
[Liyan]: Liu Lang was a great explorer who lived many centuries ago, in the Valley of the Four Winds, in the lost land of Pandaria.
Atley quietly eats his dumpling as he peers at Liyan.
Estel nods eagerly at Lihua.
[Liyan]: He wished to travel beyond the mists that shroud that land, and he knew that sea turtles always return to the place of their birth. So he befriended a sea turtle, whom he named Shen-Zin Su.
[Liyan]: He rode the turtle far out into the sea. Our people beleived that all but Pandaria had been destroyed in the Sundering, but he found this was not true!
[Liyan]: Five years later when Shen-Zin Su returned to Pandaria, Liu Lang brought back wondrous tales of faraway lands.
[Liyan]: Every five years, this repeated, and each time he returned, Shen-Zin Su was larger. Soon more people could ride him, and then homes could be built on his back!
Atley knits his brow.
Shun slowly tilts his head.
[Liyan]: Liu Lang lived to the age of one hundred twenty-two, and by then the turtle was the size of an island.
Estel scratches her head. She's still eating.
[Liyan]: But when he died, the turtle mourned, and never returned to Pandaria. And so the way back was lost to us. Still, by then many of us lived in towns on Shen-Zin Su himself. All of us descendents of Liu Lang and Pandaria's bravest explorers!
Alaisa is writing this down.
[Liyan]: And that is the story of the Pandaren of the Wandering Isle.
Lihua sighs happily. "I love hearing it."
Atley takes anoter bite and grunts. "And you made your way here in that…?" he asks, leaning forward, gesturing to his left towards the hot air balloon.
Linwel chirps.
Xueye nods, a peaceful smile on her face. "Yes, as you can see, we are all the descendents of explorers. We have it in our blood."
[Liyan]: That's right, we came in the balloon!
Haoyu stops singing and bows his head, then returns to snack time.
Elohad looks a bit dazzled. "This would make an amazing stage play…"
Atley scoffs with amusement. "Indeed. That's a fine tale. New to all of us here…" He finishes off his dumpling. "Who's 'Tushui?' Is this your master?"
Mi Shu finishes playing and puts her instrument away.
[Liyan]: Tushui is a philosophy, a way of life.
[Haoyu]: No. It is a philosophy.
Liyan giggles as she and her friend speak at once.
[Shun]: So… your ancestors come from 'Pandaria' then?
[Atley]: Will you speak of it?
[Xueye]: Yes, our ancestors were originally from Pandaria.
Lihua nods to Shun. "Yes, that is right!"
[Liyan]: I am likely not the best to speak of Tushui, as I struggle with its mastery. *She looks around.*
Mi Shu chuckles, "Me too, Liyan. Granny still has her old habits in her training."
Liyan winks slyly at Mi Shu.
[Xueye]: I can explain a little… *Xueye nods to Liyan*
Liyan nods at Xueye.
Atley looks through the crowd at Xueye.
Shun grunts.
Xu Ming twists the streak of red in her hair around one finger, a somber silence falling over her.
Liyan gives Xu Ming a sympathetic look.
Estel grabs another dumpling from the basket.
[Xueye]: Those who follow the Tushui way of thought believe that you should defend what is right.
Elohad nods emphatically.
Atley grunts and nods her on.
[Xueye]: Our practice involves meditation, but also physical training, and we are very focused on justice and morality.
[Elohad]: This sounds a lot like my training.
[Xueye]: It is our belief that one must lead a principled life. *Xueye looks over to Elohad* Oh, yes? Perhaps your way is similar to Tushui.
Shun slowly nods.
[Elohad]: I think it might be!
[Atley]: And you say some of the Tushui threw in with the Horde?
[Liyan]: Oh no, that was the Huojin.
[Xueye]: Oh no, the Tushui are with the Alliance — Asya Clousinger leads us here.
[Mi Shu]: No, those were the Huojin.
[Shun]: What are Huojin's philosophies?
Atley grunts.
[Liyan]: To put it succinctly, hit first, ask questions later.
[Mi Shu]: It's another philosophy that emphasizes spontaneity and action in the face of adversity.
Haoyu looks behind him at Xu Ming. He scoots backwards off the bench to plop onto the grass next to her.
Atley grunts again. "Aye, sounds about right."
Xueye chuckles. "Yes, swift action and… flexibility in morals sometimes."
[Liyan]: They say it's better to do the wrong thing than to do nothing. Which… can make sense, but… I saw it do too much harm, in the end.
Estel keeps her opinions to herself. She's eating.
Xu Ming bites her tongue.
[Atley]: And who leads them, then?
[Liyan]: Ji Firepaw. He is actually a wonderful man.
[Liyan]: I will miss him.
Atley sets his jaw, and says nothing. There's a lot of that going around, apparently.
[Xueye]: Yes, we do not mean to say their way is wrong. Between the two of us, there is balance, but now… *Xueye sighs*
Shun just folds his arms over his chest.
Mi Shu frowns.
[Elohad]: I'm so sorry that your people ended up split up this way. It's going to be difficult for you, I'm sure.
Haoyu pats Xu Ming's head.
[Mi Shu]: This is why we hope to resolve this war quickly…
[Shun]: Unlikely.
Atley grunts at Mi Shu. "That'd be for the good of us all."
[Haoyu]: Your King told us we shouldn't "fraternize". He was very serious about this.
[Liyan]: On the Wandering Isle, our way and theirs were rivals, but like siblings who bicker. We do not truly hate one another.
[Xueye]: We are following the right path, of that I am certain. I just hope… our paths will not always be separated from Ji and the others.
[Estel]: Damn. That's rough.
[Xu Ming]: Our Master split us up for a reason. We just have to… trust that it's for the best.
[Elohad]: I hope for peace as well. All the fighting I do, all the fighting Cobalt Company does, is with that aim in mind. We do not salt the fields where things might one day grow.
Atley grunts and eats another dumpling.
[Xueye]: I just hope you remember, in the future, that we are not good and bad pandaren. We are only Tushui and Huojin, drawn into this larger conflict.
[Atley]: Any swordsmen among you?
[Liyan]: I know how to use a sword! But… not well.
[Xueye]: I mostly use my hands and feet. And chi.
Shun lifts his head a touch at that.
[Liyan]: I wish Old Man Weiqiang were here. He could show you some swordsmanship!
[Xu Ming]: I don't use swords.
[Mi Shu]: I know a bit, but mostly I use a staff or my hands and feet.
Atley briefly looks to Alaisa at that. "Chi? Wot's that, then?"
[Liyan]: Umm… it doesn't translate really.
[Haoyu]: Our friend Weiqiang is a wardancer, he fights with a sword.
[Liyan]: Energy. Spirit.
[Mi Shu]: It's spiritual energy.
Liyan points at Mi Shu.
Alaisa opens her mouth, but they've got it covered.
[Xueye]: Yes, it is from inside a person.
Atley squints faintly. "A sort of druidism, then?"
[Mi Shu]: Through training and discipline you can tap into it to do amazing things.
[Shun]: We have people proficient with hand to hand combat here as well. Myself included.
[Mi Shu]: More like shamanism actually.
[Liyan]: I think it is actually closer to the — yes, what Mi Shu said.
[Xu Ming]: But not exactly! I'm a shaman.
[Liyan]: We do not directly commune with nature. It is a more spiritual thing.
[Mi Shu]: I was originally trained to be a shaman, but *she giggles* I had no talent for the elements. Only spirits like Fusheng here.
Xueye nods, and then turns to Shun. "Do you fight with chi as well, or whatever it is called in your language?"
Shun shakes his head, "I do not believe so."
[Elohad]: I use the Light, which is a spiritual thing.
[Elohad]: But it's a different sort of force.
[Lihua]: I am surprised you do not know chi. It just…is. But monks best learn how to use it.
[Elohad]: The Light is a form of energy I incorporate into my fighting, but it doesn't come from nature.
[Shun]: I know pressure points.
Atley inspects each of them. "I see staves among you, but not many other weapons. Your swordsmen are 'wardancers,' are they?"
[Xueye]: Energy… not from nature? Like a mage?
[Elohad]: Mages use a different kind of energy from me as well. The Light is… holy energy, a force of love and healing. But it doesn't come from within.
[Lihua]: Oh, that sounds very nice.
[Xueye]: Interesting. It sounds very pleasant.
[Mi Shu]: Xueye, your papa uses a spear, right?
[Xueye]: Oh, yes, he does!
[Elohad]: Though they do say we can hold the Light within us, it is definitely a force that has its own presence… out there. *He gestures vaguely.*
[Estel]: Yeah, like…
Estel casually calls a Shield bubble around Elohad.
Elohad smiles.
[Elohad]: See, Estel is protecting me with the Light.
Lihua smiles at the display of the Light. "How pretty!"
[Xueye]: Wow, that is lovely!
[Elohad]: You can often tell it by its sort of golden color.
Atley gestures behind them at the cathedral. "This here's the Cathedral of Light. One of the most powerful bastions of the Light, and the Church, in the world."
[Elohad]: That's right. Worth going inside to have a look.
[Elohad]: And the priests there will surely answer any questions you have.
[Xu Ming]: Is it like a temple?
Atley inclines his head to Xu Ming.
[Atley]: The Bishop — its 'monk' — is a member of Cobalt Company.
[Elohad]: Yes, very much like a temple.
[Estel]: Yeah, it's a temple.
[Elohad]: It's a place we go to feel connected to the Light, even though the Light can be called on anywhere.
[Xueye]: Sort of like the Temple of the Five Dawns, then. I do like meditating there. I did like.
Linwel waddles off.
[Atley]: You'll find a fair bit of that going on inside the Cathedral, as well. A quiet place.
Alaisa looks up at the leaving moonkin. "Oh, but your application forms…" She follows Linwel.
[Elohad]: It's good to know about the Light even if you don't use it or follow its principles, because it's a very common thing to be revered among the Alliance.
Lihua nods. "That makes sense. Our temples are places of harmony. Very peaceful. Very nice for meditation."
Atley grunts. "It's wot' the people of Stormwind and many other human kingdoms worship."
Elohad nods.
[Xu Ming]: Understand the Light, understand the humans, got it!
[Estel]: Eh, I mean, we're just people.
[Lihua]: And that means they will like snacks! I will bring them food to say hello.
[Liyan]: In ancient times, we had a religion based upon the August Celestials, great animal spirits. But it has faded a bit with time. I am still respectful of it but do not practice it. Religious freedom, all kinds of freedom, are very important to our people.
[Elohad]: Animal spirits - like Wild Gods?
Atley squints at Liyan before he briefly looks to Estel. "Great animal spirits? We've encountered some of them, ourselves."
Liyan frowns thoughtfully. "I have not heard them called that, but it seems an apt description."
[Xu Ming]: Ooh, what kind of animal spirits?
[Xueye]: I.. do not know what a Wild God is? But we definitely had spirits on the Wandering Isle.
[Atley]: Bears, wolves, great birds, mammoths. All sorts. They're bloody old and bloody powerful, and often wise and just.
[Xu Ming]: That sounds right!
[Liyan]: Fascinating. It seems very likely that our August Celestials were four of these who were particularly native to Pandaria.
Lihua sighs wistfully, "I wish to see the August Celestials one day. Perhaps also your Animal Celestials!"
Liyan agrees with Lihua.
Mi Shu looks at Fusheng, "I wonder how powerful you really are."
Atley looks at Fusheng and upnods. "This is a spirit, you say? Not properly flesh and blood?"
Shun looks at Fusheng curiously.
[Estel]: …It's cute.
[Elohad]: See, that's what I said!
[Atley]: S'a bit cheeky.
Elohad laughs.
Lihua giggles at Fusheng.
Mi Shu giggles, "Yep! He's a spirit. I've only seen his true form once or twice when I was in danger, but most of the time he just looks like this." Fusheng's crazy spinning animations are all IC.
[Elohad]: Seems like he's getting a little restless with all this talk.
[Atley]: Is he going to get bigger, then?
[Shun]: … He is rather lively.
Xueye smiles at Fusheng.
[Mi Shu]: I'm not sure he'll get bigger here. We're very far from home. But you never know!
[Mi Shu]: I'm glad you all like him.
Atley grunts. "Have you lot got any questions for us that need answering?"
[Lihua]: Yes. Where can I find your finest spices?
[Mi Shu]: I want to know more about this Cobalt Company. It sounds exciting!
[Liyan]: I was wondering about the difference between an Emperor and a King. Pandaria used to have an Emperor.
Haoyu scratches his head.
[Lihua]: Oh yes, also about Cobalt Company.
[Elohad]: I can tell you anything you want to know about Cobalt Company. I started it!
[Elohad]: And I'm still one of the leaders.
[Lihua]: You must be very proud!
[Xueye]: How many people are in it? More than a dozen?
[Atley]: An Emperor is the ruler of many kingdoms at once, such as Emperor Thoradin in the days of old. High King Varian Wrynn is master of one kingdom, in addition to the Alliance.
[Elohad]: Oh yes, dozens of people. It's hard to keep an exact count, because some are very part-time.
[Elohad]: Anywhere from eighty to two hundred, depending on how you count.
[Xu Ming]: Whoa.
Lihua looks to Liyan. "Was Pandaria many kingdoms?"
[Liyan]: I'm not sure. "King" and "Kingdom" are new words to me.
[Xueye]: We have also never been to Pandaria. Shen-zin Su never returned in our lifetime.
[Liyan]: It's all legends and tales, to us.
[Xu Ming]: Maybe it's a translation thing?
[Liyan]: I suspect so.
[Lihua]: But Liyan knows many of the legends and tales. She can tell you much about our ancestors.
[Xueye]: That doesn't mean it isn't still out there somewhere. That is, this place was! And it was all stories to us until recently.
[Atley]: Did you have a ruler in your homeland? A chief, or a governor.
[Liyan]: On the Wandering Isle, we mostly just followed the wisdom of the elders. We didn't have a lot of urgent decisions to make, since there was no war.
Atley grunts.
[Mi Shu]: Do the members of Cobalt Company go on lots of adventures? *Mimi has stars in her eyes.*
[Elohad]: Oh, yes, you wouldn't believe the adventures we go on!
[Xueye]: What was your favorite adventure?
Shun motions at Estel, "She has been attacked by kraken multiple times."
[Estel]: Yyyep.
[Elohad]: We've stopped the dreaded Lich King in the icy wastes of Northrend, we've fought the lord of the air elementals in the desert, and gone to the Plane of Fire itself!
Atley grunts.
[Xu Ming]: What's a kraken? What's a Lich King? Wow, elemental lords?
Xueye looks at Estel and then Elohad and says, "Wow. I hope those were all fun adventures."
Haoyu nods blankly. Those are all words.
Mi Shu 's jaw drops, "Whoa… That sounds amazing!"
[Elohad]: Most recently, we helped destroy the evil dragon Deathwing, who had been corrupted by the Old Gods and who tore the world apart with his wrath.
[Atley]: Did the Cataclysm get to you on the turtle?
[Liyan]: We weren't aware of it.
[Liyan]: We were lucky, I guess.
[Liyan]: Things were very calm there until that Alliance airship crashed into us.
[Elohad]: Yikes. Sorry about that.
[Shun]: Giant squid.
Atley immediately snaps his gaze to Elohad. "Alliance airship? Has high command been informed?"
[Elohad]: From what I understand, the Navy has pieced the event together with one of their missing airships and everything's been accounted for.
[Xueye]: Deathwing does sound like a creature who needed defeating. Usually people who are kind wouldn't call themselves Death-anything.
[Mi Shu]: All those stories sound way more exciting than anything Granny ever got up to…
Liyan nods at Mi Shu. "Right?" Her eyes are sparkling.
[Xueye]: Is there a Lifewing?
Atley nods slowly with relief. "Deathwing was an abomination. He shattered great swaths of the world. Stormwind was spared most of the Cataclysm's wrath, but Deathwing attacked us directly. A portion of the city is still ruined."
[Elohad]: She doesn't call herself that, but Alexstrasza of the red dragonflight was the Aspect of Life. She gave up her powers to stop Deathwing though, along with the other Aspects.
[Elohad]: The good dragons were red, blue, green, and bronze. Life, Magic, Nature, and Time.
[Liyan]: I read about them! So they're real!
[Elohad]: Real as anything. Some of them have hired Cobalt Company.
[Xueye]: Oh, that is interesting! We had elemental spirits on the Isle. So here, you have… colorful dragons of different domains!
[Liyan]: Wow….
[Atley]: Aye, we've fought alongside them. They are also something to behold.
Liyan hurries to finish her application.
Xueye hurriedly starts her application. She was busy with wine and dumplings and stories up to now.
Haoyu looks down at his application. He has nothing to write with.
Lihua peers over at Liyan's application. "You are joining the Cobalt Company, cousin?"
Mi Shu also fills out her application, "Granny is gonna be so excited when I tell her!"
[Liyan]: You're darned right I am!
[Liyan]: I want to talk to dragons!
Atley looks around. "Have we got a pen or quill for Mister Haoyu?"
[Haoyu]: Oh, we should join together…
Elohad gets up to give Haoyu a pen.
[Liyan]: Yes!
Haoyu takes it. "Thank you." He rests the application on the bench in front of him as a flat surface and starts trying to fill it out.
Lihua giggles. "As do I. Perhaps I will also join." She glances around at the humans. "May I also have a paper?"
Xu Ming is filling hers out with a paintbrush. Is that not how this works?
Elohad happily distributes applications to everyone.
Mi Shu also has a brush and ink to write with.
Elohad even playfully offers an application to Dumpling.
Estel watches to see if the pig is somehow smart enough.
Dumpling gratefully accepts the paper, devouring it instantly.
Estel snort-laughs.
Lihua giggles. "Oh, Dumpling, no…ah, well. It is gone."
[Elohad]: I have plenty more where that came from. I admire his enthusiasm. Or… hers?
Lihua takes the application from Elohad, bowing respectfully. "He is very enthusiastic, yes! Dumpling is a male pig."
[Haoyu]: Old Man Weiqiang!
Atley raises his gaze to the elderly pandaren. "Another of the Gui Wei?"
[Xu Ming]: Oh, it's Old Man Weiqiang!
Liyan claps excitedly for Weiqiang.
Weiqiang walks to the group, smiling cheerfully. "Hello, everyone!" He extends a hand towards each of the humans present. "It's an honor to meet you."
[Elohad]: I've never had anyone so excited to join Cobalt Company that they ate the application, so I think he's an automatic in.
Lihua giggles at Elohad.
Elohad grins wickedly at Lihua.
[Lihua]: You are very funny.
[Elohad]: I've been told that on occasion!
Weiqiang laughs at the anecdote of someone eating the important Thing. "They learned that from me."
[Xueye]: You have made it, Old Man Weiqiang! Welcome — there are wine and dumplings and good new friends.
Haoyu tries to cram the names of every single one of the Gui Wei into the 'Next of Kin' field in tiny handwriting.
Shun furrows his brow.
Xu Ming glances at Haoyu's application and smiles.
Elohad finishes passing out applications and then has a seat again.
Atley pushes himself up and accepts Weiqiang's hang, giving him a firm shake. "Sir Dane Atley. And your name is …?"
Weiqiang shakes Atley's hand enthusiastically. "Weiqiang, but you can call me Old Man Weiqiang, like the younglings here do!"
Atley scoffs with amusement. "Old Man Queqiang. Welcome to Stormwind and the Grand Alliance."
[Lihua]: Oh, welcome, Old Man Weiqiang!
[Liyan]: We're so lucky to have an elder with the Gui Wei. Most of us are awfully young.
Elohad blinks.
Elohad is going to like these pandaren folks.
[Atley]: Aye, you seem to have seen your fair share of winters.
Atley compliments.
Weiqiang chuckles. "Delightfully young." he corrects Liyan.
Liyan beams at the old man.
[Estel]: Hey. I'm Estel.
[Xueye]: Yes, he has so much wisdom and experience to offer. And patience.
Shun grunts.
[Elohad]: Youth is something that's easy enough to cure, if you're patient and careful. *Elohad winks.*
[Xu Ming]: He breathed in an air spirit!
[Liyan]: It was amazing.
[Xueye]: It was! I did not even know that could be done!
Lihua gestures to the two large baskets, full of dumplings and fried dough twists. "There is food, Weiqiang!"
Weiqiang shakes Estel's hand, and offers to shake Shun's too. "Hello, Estel and you too, human youngling!"
[Elohad]: The food is good! *Like Elo would know…*
[Shun]: … I am not a child.
Lihua sits with the application paper, taking out her calligraphy brush and ink pot to fill it out.
Atley idly observes the calligraphy brush in action.
[Liyan]: There! Finished! *Said as though she has won a contest*
Liyan hands her application to Elohad.
Weiqiang winces a little. "Forgive me, I'm having a hard time telling human ages. You are very small children at first, then suddenly call yourselves adult. It's difficult to tell when you reach adulthood!" He chuckles.
Atley scoffs with amusement.
[Elohad]: Thank you, sweetheart. I'm looking forward to reading all these.
Liyan smiles at Ference.
Shun grunts and shakes Weiqiang's hand. "Shun Kuroda."
Estel has a pretty firm handshake for a human.
[Xu Ming]: Liyan writes faster than me!
Mi Shu struggles to write properly with her left hand now that she's writing in a different direction than she's used to. "Excuse me. Can I have another application please? I ruined this one." Ink is smeared all over it.
Xueye finishes her own application, and quietly hands it in.
[Weiqiang]: Hello, Shun! Now if you'll excuse me… *He turns around and grabs… So much… food into his paw.*
[Elohad]: Not a problem. I brought plenty.
Shun blinks as he watches this.
Shun glances at Estel and mutters, "These people might have your rivaled."
[Elohad]: Here you go…
[Estel]: Bigger stomachs.
Xueye glances at Estel and says, "We will do our best to share our food, so that all our friends will be round and healthy."
[Mi Shu]: Thank you. *Mimi takes another and fills it out more carefully this time.*
[Elohad]: You can also pick them up at Ironforge HQ anytime.
[Elohad]: Well, we close at night, but. During the day there's usually someone there to help.
[Xu Ming]: If I fill out more than one, does that make me more likely to get picked?
Elohad chuckles.
Atley scoffs with amusement at Xu Ming. "Just one ought to do it."
[Elohad]: Please just fill out one per person. Otherwise we have to compare the two, someone's got to add anything that's different on to the other one… just makes extra work for us.
[Haoyu]: Oh. Please pick all of us together.
[Haoyu]: We're a team.
Weiqiang stuffs his face with dumplings. "Pick all of us together for what, exactly?"
[Elohad]: If you're used to working as a group, that's definitely the way to go, unless one of you turns out to be a malevolent criminal or something, which seems unlikely.
[Xueye]: For being adventuring mercenaries!
[Atley]: We're a part of Cobalt Company. The world's finest mercenary group.
[Elohad]: Ask anyone, we've got the best reputation around.
Atley moves to take a seat next to the Old Man and takes another dumpling.
[Xueye]: Oh, no, none of us are malevolent criminals… that would be very hard to hide on the Isle.
[Elohad]: I was kind of getting that feeling, yeah.
[Weiqiang]: Oh! If the youths of the Gui Wei have picked your Company, this must be a good one. I'm in! *He beams.*
[Elohad]: Fantastic!
Atley scoffs with amusement. "You don't waste too much time, do you."
Elohad hands him an application. "We keep these on file so we can quickly remember things about you, so we have you fill them in even if we already know we want you."
Weiqiang shrugs and smiles at Dane. "I trust them."
Atley grunts.
[Xu Ming]: Ji always — *Xu Ming abruptly stops talking.*
[Liyan]: It's okay, Xu Ming. *Liyan gives her a soft, sympathetic look.*
Weiqiang takes the application. It gets a little greasy from the food. He begins filling it in with ink. Ink and grease.
[Xueye]: I do not believe there is such a thing as wasted time. *Xueye smiles* But in this case, I think the right path is in front of us.
Haoyu pats Xu Ming on the head.
[Elohad]: I just can't even tell you how delighted I am to have all of you on the team.
[Liyan]: Why not?
Xueye shifts over closer to Xu Ming, just so she'll feel more cuddled.
Elohad laughs at Liyan.
[Elohad]: It's an expression. I meant, it's hard to find words that adequately express my joy.
Liyan looks embarrassed.
[Lihua]: Then…I will not tell you how pleased we are to make new friends!
[Xu Ming]: Oh, do you not have any poet friends?
Atley scoffs with amusement and shakes his head. "Very well."
[Weiqiang]: I've noticed the Common language is lacking in the "words to express joy".
[Mi Shu]: I'm glad that the people of the Alliance seem so open and friendly.
Atley shakes his head. "Lord Ference was a playwright and actor for many years. A performer. Do you lot have plays?"
[Xueye]: Poets might be the ones to ask about that, yes. To build up a collection of words of joy.
[Elohad]: Strangely, I'm considered a bit of a poet, among humans. But some feelings are just too strong for any words.
[Lihua]: Plays? Like the kind with actors?
[Atley]: Aye. And stories and poetry.
[Liyan]: Plays are fun. I love them!
Lihua nods to Dane. "Oh yes. We love all kinds of art."
[Elohad]: I wrote some pretty well known ones, years ago. Though now I'm more in government and leadership.
[Xueye]: Then we will be mercenaries led by a bit of a poet. This is well.
[Atley]: Lord Ference is a humble man, but as he said, he sits in the House of Nobles. These are the most powerful people in the kingdom of Stormwind. They assist in ruling and managing it.
[Elohad]: Being on the House of Nobles takes up a lot of my time. I'm missing a vote right now, in fact, but I wouldn't have made a difference on this one, so it's fine.
Weiqiang hears the word 'poet' and clears his throat. "We learn in this park… This Common lacks words for joys… So let's make new ones!" He counts the syllables on his fingers.
[Liyan]: So you vote on things. That's good.
[Elohad]: Heh. Sometimes.
Shun tilts his head.
[Elohad]: So, I could tell you I'm delighted, overjoyed, ecstatic, blissful… and still it doesn't, to me, capture the reality of what I feel, to meet an entirely new people and find them so virtuous and kind.
Atley grunts and reaches for another cup of plum wine.
Mi Shu beams at the praise.
[Xu Ming]: Just wait 'til you see us in action!
[Elohad]: I think you're all going to fit in beautifully.
Mi Shu notes Dane, "Drink up. There's plenty more where that came from."
[Atley]: Wot's it you called this, then?
[Liyan]: Did you know we knocked down the king?
Elohad laughs.
[Shun]: … What.
Atley lifts a brow at Liyan.
[Xu Ming]: He asked for it.
[Elohad]: I'd heard rumors, but… it's true?
Estel fetches more dumplings for herself.
[Xueye]: Oh yes, I kicked him in the head. He laughed, it was fine.
[Haoyu]: Yes.
Weiqiang beams. "We did!"
[Atley]: You wot'.
Elohad laughs.
Shun sighs, "That sounds like the King."
[Elohad]: You… kicked him… in the… AHHHAHAHAHAAA.
[Lihua]: He wished to see pandaren fighting. So we showed him.
[Haoyu]: He wanted us to spar.
Ference laughs himself to tears. "Ohhhh, man, I'm sorry I missed that."
[Mi Shu]: Umeshu. It's a drink made from a distilled spirit that is filled with sugar and had plums
steeped in it for a year.
[Elohad]: No wonder he loves you guys.
Xueye smiles. "I have a very impressive roundhouse."
[Elohad]: Nice.
Atley sets his jaw and nods slowly. "That sounds like him. You ought to know most kings aren't like King Varian. He's a warrior king, the likes of which that haven't been seen since King Trollbane of Stromgarde."
[Xu Ming]: It's just a shame that he doesn't love all of us…
[Elohad]: Yeah, he does love a good fight.
Atley inclines his head to Mi Shu upon her explanation and grunts.
Weiqiang finishes filling in the application. "A mercenary… I'm ready, if for a sword… Then I'm
good to go!" He beams again. He's very proud of his poetry. He hands in the application to Elohad. "Thank you, Master…" he didn't quite catch that one name.
[Elohad]: Unfortunately he's got zero tolerance for orcs or anyone who befriends them. Bit of a blind spot a lot of humans share, because the orcs were just so… absolutely awful to us.
[Elohad]: Oh, I'm Elohad Ference.
[Weiqiang]: Master Elohad Ference!
[Elohad]: I like that! Thanks.
[Atley]: Some thirty years ago, they burned most of this city to the ground. They're invaders from another world.
[Lihua]: I believe one day he will love the Huojin, too. Tushui will guide us on the correct path to peace, and maybe that will mean peace between the Alliance and the Horde, too.
Weiqiang nods at Lihua.
[Xueye]: Oh, dear. *Xueye takes another sip of plum wine.*
[Elohad]: They flattened my home city as well.
Xueye nods to Lihua.
[Xu Ming]: Otherworldly invaders…?
[Elohad]: I was actually one of the first people to see the ogres they brought with 'em. When I was eighteen.
[Xueye]: They sound like hozen if one gave them too powerful weapons.
[Elohad]: I wandered out into the swamp and the thing nearly killed me.
[Elohad]: No idea what it was, at the time.
Haoyu is still painstakingly filling out his application.
Atley grunts at Xu Ming. "Aye. From another planet. They entered through a demonic portal and attempted genocide against all who inhabited the Eastern Kingdoms."
[Elohad]: Orcs and ogres come from the land of Draenor, which is now called Outland. An orc leader kind of… partially exploded it. it's a mess.
[Xueye]: Well, okay, that is not very much like hozen. I just meant the smashing and the taking.
[Elohad]: They had to come here because they'd pretty much destroyed their own world.
Atley grunts at Elohad.
[Xu Ming]: Orcs are demons?
[Elohad]: They were controlled by demons, for a time.
Mi Shu's eyes go wide at the explanation of the Horde.
[Atley]: They willingly drank the blood of demons in exchange for power.
[Elohad]: Now they're not, but they still seem determined to take our world for themselves.
[Lihua]: I am beginning to worry more for our Huojin cousins.
[Elohad]: I worry for them too, if we're being honest.
[Elohad]: I wish they'd all come over to our side.
[Xu Ming]: Maybe we should defeat the Horde and rescue Ji!
Atley eyes Lihua and nods slowly.
[Mi Shu]: Me too… I hope they're all ok…
[Xueye]: I would warn them, but… we did make a promise, and I intend to keep it.
[Elohad]: I agree with you, young lady. *He points to Xu Ming*
[Elohad]: I think if we can decisively defeat the Horde, we could maybe get your people out safely.
[Xueye]: Oh, that would be good! Yes, let's do that.
Elohad nods at Xueye.
[Atley]: The leader of the Horde, Garrosh Hellscream, is of the mag'har. His blood was never tainted by the fel, but he wages wholesale war against this war nonetheless. He is our enemy.
Lihua takes a steadying breath, murmuring, "The correct path will lead us to harmony."
[Weiqiang]: Oh, I'm sorry to hear that, Master Elohad Ference. It's hard to imagine how painful this must have been. The biggest threat to us at home were sneaky, mischievous Hozen. I hope time has healed some of the wounds this left you with. *He nods at the humans*
[Mi Shu]: Perhaps this is all part of our destiny. *Mimi perks up optimistically* Maybe by our people joining both the Alliance and Horde, we will find a path to peace!
Atley eyes Weiqiang and grunts with a short, respectful nod.
[Elohad]: Yes, time does heal a lot. I'm happy and at peace now.
[Elohad]: If only the world could follow suit.
Weiqiang smiles at Ference.
[Weiqiang]: If only, indeed. *He grabs a dumpling.* Perhaps this world needs a little more time to heal, unfortunately.
[Elohad]: I think there are a lot more beautiful days ahead of us.
[Elohad]: Once we get past this.
Atley grunts.
Liyan smiles at Elohad.
[Xueye]: Perhaps the Huojin will influence the Horde, instead, and they will stop the blood-drinking and invading.
[Elohad]: That would be amazing. I'll pray for that.
[Atley]: That'd be a tall order, my lady. The Horde is set in its ways.
[Elohad]: Miracles do happen though, Atley.
[Xu Ming]: If anyone could do it, it'd be Ji.
[Xueye]: So are the Pandaren. We'll see. *Xueye raises her glass*
Atley grunts.
[Liyan]: He's amazing. I believe he can help them.
[Liyan]: He's strong enough not to give in to their evil, and kind enough to show them the way.
Xueye nods to Liyan.
[Xu Ming]: Through action!
[Atley]: Time'll tell, then.
Atley looks to Weiqiang. "Did I hear you're wanting a sword?"
[Elohad]: If he's a man of action maybe they will listen to him.
[Weiqiang]: And young enough to have the time to do this on the long run, too.
[Liyan]: Old Man Weiqiang, what happened to your sword??
Weiqiang turns to Dane, then to Liyan. "I left it at the temple, back home. I took up the sword to protect Shen-Zin Su with the Gui Wei, and if we were to leave, I needed a new sword to which I would swear an oath to protect Azeroth itself instead."
[Liyan]: Oh, that's beautiful.
Atley eyes him up and down appraisingly. "I can see to that. I'm a blacksmith."
[Elohad]: He's one of the best. He can make you a masterpiece.
[Mi Shu]: How poetic!
[Elohad]: This man is a legend.
Atley sits up a bit at Elohad's praise and sets his jaw.
Elohad smiles at Atley.
[Elohad]: The king made him a Knight of the realm, that means he has the king's personal approval to defend our lands and is seen as a noble and skilled warrior.
[Weiqiang]: I too, am a poet. *He says proudly, then he turns to Dane at Elohad's praise.* Really? I'd greatly appreciate seeing a masterpiece crafted by a human blacksmith, then!
[Xu Ming]: Do you have a Wood of Staves here?
[Elohad]: I don't think so. What is that?
Haoyu folds up his application and offers it and the pen back to Elohad.
Atley reaches for a cup of plum wine and knocks it back. He turns to Weiqiang. "I can think of no finer way to welcome a swordsman into the Alliance."
[Haoyu]: I'm done.
[Elohad]: Thank you, young man.
[Weiqiang]: Xu Ming means to ask… do you have a place were elders go to… move on?
Atley shifts his gaze from Weiqiang to Elohad at that, brow furrowed.
[Shun]: … What like a cemetary?
[Elohad]: Oh. Well, we're actually quite near Stormwind Cemetery. When people pass on, we bury their bodies in the earth and make stone markers where we engrave their names and sometimes their deeds.
[Elohad]: People visit the stones and pay their respects.
Atley grunts.
Weiqiang smiles at Dane and raises a glass to him. Yes to getting a sword!
[Elohad]: We'll often plant flowers on these graves as well.
[Xu Ming]: Why is everything here stone?
[Elohad]: Humans like stone. Always have. Dwarves too!
[Atley]: Sturdy.
[Elohad]: Stands the test of time.
Atley grunts.
[Elohad]: The elves tend to make their homes from fallen or living wood.
[Elohad]: And gnomes like to work in metal.
[Xu Ming]: Maybe these 'elves' have a Wood of Staves!
[Atley]: A stave of this sort?
[Mi Shu]: I'd love to meet some of these elves someday!
Atley gestures to the one on Mi Shu's back.
[Elohad]: We have a lot of elves in Cobalt Company.
[Weiqiang]: What about the other furry members of the Alliance? How do they build their homes?
[Xu Ming]: Yes, you see, Elders plant their staves when it's time to move on, and in time it grows into a tree!
Atley itches his beard. "There's the Gilneans. A great deal of them are worgen. They live in homes not unlike these," Atley says, gesturing to the city.
[Elohad]: Well the only other Alliance with fur are the worgen, and they used to be humans.
Atley knits his brow at Xu Ming with interest.
[Elohad]: So they kind of live like we do.
[Xueye]: Then we have the tree to remember them by. Though now… in this place, we have only the memory of Master Shang Xi's tree…
[Liyan]: That's not true! I know his spirit is with us still.
Weiqiang points at Liyan.
[Liyan]: Even if it doesn't talk to us anymore.
[Elohad]: I like to feel the same way about my father.
Atley grunts.
Xueye's eyes sparkle a little, but she nods. "We have his spirit, even if we cannot visit his tree."
[Liyan]: And we are his spirit. Carried onward.
Elohad smiles at Liyan.
[Atley]: I'm certain you'll represent him well.
[Elohad]: I'm certainly impressed by all of you.
[Xu Ming]: Did your father, um… bury…himself? *Xu Ming might be unsure how this works.*
[Weiqiang]: His words and wisdom stay with us, and spread to others through us, yes.
[Xueye]: We will honor him with our lives.
[Elohad]: My father's story is rather a sad one.
[Elohad]: I might tell it, but another time.
[Estel]: Yeah, you don't gotta.
Xu Ming nods in understanding.
Atley grunts.
[Elohad]: Today is too happy for that!
Elohad smiles.
[Elohad]: Unfortunately it's five o' clock now, and there's a vote I cannot miss in half an hour. So I should head back to work.
[Xu Ming]: Thank you for coming to meet us!
[Elohad]: I will look over all your applications and send you your official welcome letters soon.
Atley pushes himself up and marches over to Elohad, extending a hand. "Carry on well, Elo."
[Haoyu]: Goodbye.
Elohad pulls Atley into a hug, darnit.
[Xueye]: Vote well, Master Elohad Ference!
Haoyu waves.
[Estel]: Later, later!
[Liyan]: And I am going to go find this Cathedral.
Shun grunts.
Atley doesn't resist. He gives Elohad a firm squeeze with strong arms and smacks his back exactly three times. "Seem like fine sorts, mm?" he mutters.
[Xueye]: Oh, maybe I will go with you, Liyan!
[Mi Shu]: Farewell Mister Elohad. *Mi Shu rises and bows to him*
Mi Shu bows before Ference.
[Xueye]: I am curious about this Light.
[Weiqiang]: May your vote pass, Master Elohad Ference, farewell. *He gets up and bows.*
Weiqiang bows before Ference.
[Liyan]: Yes, let's go to the Cathedral!
Haoyu stands up to follow his friends.
[Weiqiang]: Ah, I have a… friend who lives near the Cathedral! *Weiqiang smiles.* Perhaps I'll go and say hi befoire joining you.
[Xu Ming]: I'm going to train. There are Huojin to save!
[Mi Shu]: I think I'll go keep exploring this new land. There's so much to see!
Weiqiang nods at Mi Shu.
Estel snags a couple of dumplings on her way out. "Cheers."
Atley turns to Weiqiang. "Fancy getting yourself a sword now?"
Shun looks down, "Lihua, correct?"
Weiqiang chuckles. "First the sword, then my friend, then the cathedral. This sounds like a great plan!"
Atley grunts and turns back to the rest of the pandaren. "Are you lot squared away with lodgings?"
Xueye nods as she turns to go. "Yes, we have places to stay in the city. We will see you more, I hope!" Xueye turns to head to the Cathedral.
Atley grunts.
[Atley]: Let's move.
Atley turns to nod at Shun and Lihua in farewell.
Shun nods in turn to Dane.
Weiqiang bows to the people that are still left.
Lihua gathers up her food baskets, making sure the dumplings and twists are secure before sealing the lids, and heads off to distribute them to the people of Stormwind.
Atley: Your swordsmen are wardancers. Where's the name come from?
Weiqiang: Well, it's all in the name, you see. We become one with the weapon, and the agility and fluidity of our technique makes it all look like a dance.
Atley grunts. "Is this an old art?"
Weiqiang nods. "From the tip of our toes to the point of the blade, it's all a carefully planned, coordinated, and perfected throughout the ages."
Atley: How long've you mastered it?
Weiqiang: Oh, I haven't mastered this at all! *He shakes his head vehemently.* I only started practicing a few months ago!
Atley grunts. "Wot' were you before?"
Weiqiang: Well… Weiqiang!
Atley scoffs with amusement and turns to face him. "Very well. I'll make you a blade of our own style."
Atley: It'll be heavier than wot' you're used to, I warrant — but you've got the strength.
Weiqiang chuckles. "This sounds perfect. A great way to forge the alliance of our people!"
Weiqiang: Since when have you been working as a blacksmith, if you don't mind me asking, youngling?
Atley marches over to a pile of crates and begins sifting through them. "I was a young boy when I first worked a forge."
Weiqiang: Ah, started early, then! I see how you've come to perfect your art, then. Patience and perseverance. I'm looking forward to seeing the product of your work!
Atley grunts. "S'been a long road."
Atley: Wot' do you make of the kingdom so far?
Atley starts to forge the sword, casually hammering away without a moment's hesitation, forging the melted ingots.
Weiqiang: It's different. Not in a bad way. *He chuckles.* The people here are delightful. *He peeks curiously at what Dane is doing.*
Atley: Your people are civilized, and most welcome in the Alliance.
Atley finishes because timey-wimey. He marches past Weiqiang and dips the heated sword into a bucket of water with a sharp, crackling hiss.
Weiqiang smiles, then observes the whole process timey-wimeyley.
Atley produces some strips of leather and ties them on to the heavy blade before he tosses the weapon back and forth in his hands. He lays it horizontally on two fingers, testing its balance, before nodding. He holds the handle towards Weiqiang. "Try it."
Weiqiang gets in position and starts practicing with the sword. He's oddly graceful for an old man of his build.
Weiqiang: I do have to get used to the weight of this weapon, yes, but would I have been truthful about us wardancers becoming one with our sword if I couldn't adapt to one slightly different than those I'm used to?
Atley scoffs with approval. "Spoken like a true swordsman. Never too old to learn something new, mm?"
Atley stands back and cinches his thumbs in his belt.
Weiqiang bows to Atley. "Never, indeed! This is the perfect blade for me to start my life outside of the Isle, thank you for your work. It will be put to the service of the Alliance."
Atley returns the bow. "It's made from cobalt," he says. "Welcome to the Alliance. We've great need of you."
Weiqiang: Ah! A fitting name for that metal. *He smiles.* My people and I will not disappoint you, I promise.
Atley grunts. "I've a mind to learn of your 'wardancing.' I'd like to find you in town to spar and have you show me its ways, however you can."
Weiqiang: I will be here, yes! I'd be happy to teach you. Just remember that I am a beginner myself. *He sighs happily.* What better way to learn than to teach, though?
Atley grunts. "I understand. Where's it you're staying? I'll come calling for you tomorrow."
Weiqiang gives him the address of the inn the Gui Wei have been staying at.
Atley nods once and extends a hand. "See you about then, Weiqiang."
Weiqiang shakes his hand excitedly. "See you about then then, young Atley!"
Atley inclines his head and marches off.