(2025-08-25) A World of Warcaft Outside Pandaria

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Author:	Saaron
Summary:	Dane is followed, then meets a young pandarian woman full of questions. She's more than happy to help the strangers who have just started a war on her land! A little too delighted, even.
Rating:	T for Teen

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Eating bugs, talk of grief and hatred for people.

Atley lays his armored palms out over the stone and looks to the ruined Horde encampment in the distance. He doesn't seem to notice the rain.
Peixin is hiding in the shadows, behind a small shrine standing between the two of them. She observes his every moves.
Atley continuously raises and lowers a hand to his face as he eats something. He clears his throat and grunts with a small shake of his head.
Peixin bites her lower lip. She has to know. She takes a few steps towards him, just to know what kind of food these people eat.
Atley chews on strips of jerky, produced from a pouch in his left hand, protected from the rain. Hie jaw works through the toughened meat with every bite.
Peixin: Can I have some? *She asks, suddenly appearing by his side. Her voice is rather deep, and she has a slight vocal fry as she speaks.*
Atley flinches and shifts to his right, teeth bared. He stares at her for a long moment. "You ought not sneak up, like that. Not after today."
You giggle at Atley.
Atley deadpans Peixin as rain constantly pitter-patters over his armor.
Atley: It's jerky. My wife's recipe. Do you have jerky here?
Peixin: Sorry about this, I only planned to observe you, but that looked a little too appetizing!
Atley grunts and lowers his guard. He holds the jerky pouch out to her, with a hand covering the opening from the rain. "Have a bite. S'dried meat that's been salted."
Peixin: And of course, we have jerky! *She smiles* At least… something that looks like it.
Atley: Take a piece. I warrant you'll enjoy it.
Peixin reaches inside the pouch and tries some of it, taking her time to chew it. "Hmmm… not bad! You'll have to bring your wife some of our spices, when you go home. They'll make this even better!"
Atley straightens up and regards her evenly before he, himself takes another bite. "Indeed. Have you got any I could take?"
Peixin giggles. "Why, yes! You have an eye to spot the right person to ask."
Atley cants his head to the side. "Are you from this village? 'Paw'don?'"
Peixin shakes her head. "I'm a travelling merchant. Pexin, by the way." She bows. "I saw the flying ships and knew I had to come here and take a look."
Atley returns the bow. "I am Sir Dane Atley." He glances up at the Skyfire, obscured by storm clouds. "I assure you, we haven't come to torment your people."
Atley bows before you.
Peixin: Oh, I don't doubt it, don't worry. I mean, I'm not sure sure, but my curiosity is clouding my judgment.
You giggle at Atley.
Atley nods slowly. "I've to say, you seem warmer to our arrival than most, Miss."
Peixin: I mean, you weren't going to get the warmest welcome from someone that's Shado Pan no matter what. That's what they're here for.
Atley inclines his head. "Wot' do you know of them? We've only just arrived, and I've much to learn."
Peixin rests her back against the stone structure behind her. "Hmmm, I don't know if I should tell you about all of Pandaria's mysteries like that…"
Atley scoffs with amusement. "Very well. We'll prove, in time, that we mean no harm. I'm the leader of the other newcomers — the ones in the village, with tabards like this." He taps his tabard.
Peixin giggles again. "I'll keep this in mind! That's a pretty design." She tilts her head, looking at the tabard. "I know you're all kind of bad news for Pandaria, but if you ever need a guide around here, I know this land like the back of my hand!"
Peixin: The sooner you get what you want, the sooner you'll leave, right? I don't know why the others are so… cold.
Atley grunts and inclines his head. "We have no designs for your lands," he says reassuringly. "But your people are quite civilized and decent. I'd like to see a friendship formed between your folk and the Alliance."
Peixin: If you don't want our land, I'm sure a friendship is doable. An alliance, on the other hand, if that's what you're really after… *She tilts her head towards the Horde encampment and Skyfire.* We're not really used to visitors.
Peixin: Even more so to the ones bringing their big guns!
Atley looks out over the Horde base and the Skyfire. "I'd heard of this land, before. T'was said to be a myth. Recently, we had visitors; pandaren, from the Wandering Isle." He glances back at her for her reaction.
Peixin bites into the jerky she took earlier. It's all soggy, now. "Pandaren outside of here? You mean all these people who left so, so long ago ended up… somewhere?"
Atley nods once. "Indeed." He looks to her blades. "There was a water dancer among them — a warrior. You've the look of a fighter, yourself."
Peixin looks to her blades as well. "Well, funnily enough, I used to train to join the Shado Pan." A bittersweet smile draws on her lips. "And since I've been travelling all throughout Pandaria with my business, I've had to fend for myself!"
Peixin: In another universe, maybe I'm the cold pandaren welcoming you all here. *She giggles.*
Atley knits his brow at that and grunts. He briefly glances towards the village center before looking have to Peixin. "P'raps," he says with amusement. "I'd be grateful for a tour of the village and the grounds. I musn't stray too far, however."
Peixin nods excitedly. "Sure! But you'll have to tell me everything about your group in exchange. Who you are, what you're doing here, what you are and why do some of you look so different… everything!"
Atley nods once. "I will tell you wot' I can, but … to be as truthful as I'm able, our arrival here is bound in some secrecy. You have my word that there is still no hostile intent towards your people."
Peixin shrugs. "Hey, if I'm going to be your group's official guide to Pandaria, I'll need to know everything. You know, to keep an eye on… whatever you came here for." She turns to the Horde encampment. "Is it those guys? Are you after those guys?"
Atley nods once. "P'ra's in time." He looks to the encampment. "In part. The Horde are our oldest enemies. I am human, and many of them are orcs. The ones with the boar tusks and green skins."
Atley: They've been waging war against my folk since I was a child.
Peixin: And you are… old? Or young? Is it a long war, or a short one? How long do humans live?
Atley tilts his head back and forth. "I'm thirty-four. Approaching middle age. It's been a sequence of wars, over a long period of time, one after another."
Atley: Most of my kind pass away naturally around eighty-five, ninety or so. And yours?
Peixin rubs her chin. "So middle agedly long war." She takes a step away from the stone she was resting against. "We live to around a 100. It depends on the individual. Some get lucky, some… not at all."
Atley grunts. "P'raps we can have you give a few of the Company members a tour. For now, we ought to be free of this rain."
Peixin: I was pretending it wasn't there until it went away, to be honest. *She giggles, gesturing for him to follow her.* By the way, I saw one of your friends carrying a huge luggage behind her. How long were you planning to stay here anyway?
Atley: As long as it takes. Our mission is dire, and our enemies many.
Atley: That was Azizia. Her people are called draenei. She's a shaman.
Peixin: Shaman? We have those too!
Atley grunts. "Are all your villages so ornate?"
Atley: This looks like a holy place.
Peixin: Basically, yeah! We like our buildings to be a little flashy.
Peixin: Why? Are yours ugly? Like that flying ship?
Atley grunts, and removes his helmet and scoffs with amusement. He looks out at the Skyfire through the sheets of rain. "Ours are built more for function, aye. But we take pride in our craftsmanship. P'raps, when things have settled, you can visit the kingdom >
Atley < I come from. Its name is Stormwind."
Peixin sighs. "Honestly…" her voice gets a little quieter. "I'd love to. I've traveled all around Pandaria by now. I knew there was more to see!"
Peixin: So, this is the inn. You can get delicious food from here. Welcome!
Atley glances around and sniffs the air. "I'm hungry," he growls, nodding at one of the stools. "Wot' do you recommend?"
Peixin: I looooooove boiled silkworm pupa! You have to tried it!
Atley grunts. "P'raps by the fire." He produces a few golden coins and looks between Peixin and Jiayi. "Will you accept these?"
Peixin and Jiayi looks at the golden coins. "Is it gold?" the innkeeper asks.
Atley: 'Tis, miss.
Atley holds them out.
Peixin | Jiayi Applebloom takes them. "They're not the same size as ours, but that'll do, then!" She doesn't specify if human golden coins are bigger or smaller than Pandarian's. Maybe the Pandarians are winning here.
Atley grunts. "I'll have … wot Peixin recommended. Worm stew, was it?" he asks Peixin.
Peixin | Jiayi Applebloom chuckles. "Boiled silkworm pupas, coming right up."
Atley looks to Peixin and gestures to the stools by the fire. "After you."
Atley draws Thunderfury and his shield, laying them safely against the wall. He unclasps his gauntlets and sets them down on the ground, near his helmet.
Peixin bows her head as she walks past him. "Why, thank you!"
Atley: I recommend you approach anyone you see with this tabard. That means they're of Cobalt Company, and they'll greet you warmly, with equal curiosity.
Peixin tilts her head, clearly misunderstanding a little. "You're giving me one of the tabards?"
Atley shakes his head. "No, to grant you one, you'd have to join the Company. I merely mean that you are welcome and encouraged to approach any one of us to learn more of our ways."
Atley: I advise that you do not sneak up on them as you had with me.
Peixin: Oh, sorry! I thought you meant… I had to approach your friend with this tabard, you know?
Peixin: I mean, where's the fun in that? Would we have gotten this close this fast if I hadn't, Sir Dane?
Atley grumbles lightly. "I cannot say. But I don't care for surprises, not in a war zone."
Peixin: Well, *Peixin gets up to get the plate of pupas from Jiayi.* You weren't in a war zone, you were in our village. *She comes back and hands the plate to Dane.* And look at this, no one else surprised you here, and with whom are you eating at the inn, hm?
Atley grunts and accepts the plate. "Very well. You'll do as you like, of course." He leans down to smell the food. "Thank you."
Peixin: Plus, I knew I had the time to disarm you before you drew your weapon, if you took the surprise the wrong way! *She giggles.* Go ahead, I promise it's good! Better when it's hot, even!
Atley looks around. "Have you got a fork for me? Spoon?"
Peixin looks puzzled. "Forks… yeah. We used to have those, but that was a long time ago." She reaches for the chopsticks on the table and hands them to him. "We use these, now."
Atley furrows his brow and accepts the chopsticks. His gaze raises to her face before he uses the chopsticks to poke at the food. "Very well. I've not seen these before."
Peixin looks even more puzzled at the way he's trying to eat. "What ar- you'd have an easier time eating with your sword than with the chopsticks, the way you're doing it." She extends a hand. "Here, give them back, I'll show you."
Atley lifts his gaze and dabs mositure off of the chopsticks before he hands them over.
Peixin extends another hand his way. She needs the food too.
Atley offers her the bowl as well, settling back to watch her with his bare hands on his knees.
Peixin: Okay, so… *Peixin demonstrates how she picks up the food with the chopsticks, her fingers having the dexterity to do it extremely easily.* See? Like that. And then, we Pandaren do this. *She eats one of the boiled pupa. For the demonstration.*
Atley grunts and nods slowly. "A pinch then. Let's have a try." He reaches for the bowl and the chopsticks.
Peixin hands them back. She finishes the food in her mouth before asking. "So, humans, orcs, draenei… I've seen a short human, a human with bones, and a long human with purple hair too. Do humans come in all shapes and sizes like that?"
Atley tries and struggles to pick up a buba with the chopsticks, narrowing his eyes faintly. "The shorter onces are dwarves. The men have long beards, the women are sturdy. There are even smaller people, called gnomes. There are night elves, with long ears >
Atley < purple or blue skin —" he pauses, finally pinching one, and brings it up to his lips to eat it. "With bones — do you mean it looked like a corpse?"
Peixin: Even shorter?! Oh, they must either be adorable or terrifying! I hope they're adorable!
Peixin: And yes, corpse-like, but I didn't mean to judge.
Atley tilts his head back and forth as he chews. "They're not wretched to behold, the gnomes. Rather just a smaller sort of my own kin, but they've larger heads and shorter limbs." He gets back to trying to eat some more before he continues.
Atley: The humans with bones are undead. They are corpses, but they are in a state called 'undeath.' They were humans, once, before a plague took them. They fight for the Horde.
Atley: They call themselves 'the Forsaken.'
Peixin stares at Dane and tries to picture it. She turns her nose up at the gnomes' description. That was the exact words to make them sound a little horrifying.
Atley studies her features as he chews thoroughly, square jaw working. He clears his throat and gestures vaguely behind him with the chopsticks.
Atley: The Captain, the leader of Cobalt Company, Jocoza Sparkwire. She's a gnome. She's on the airship, but I warrant she'd like to come meet you.
Peixin: … Are they right, to call themselves the Forsaken? Because they don't sound that forsaken to me, since they found allies.
Peixin: I'd love to meet that leader of… Cobalt Company, was it? Your new official guide definitely needs to meet your leader.
Atley 's gaze slants towards the fire, and his expressions darken. "Forsaken is a word for their state. They are wretched. They've no love for living things, and seek not much else beside the proliferation and continuation of their own blighted 'kingdom.'"
Atley scoffs with amusement at her. "You are a cheeky one, Pei-xin, but nothing's been made official between us. Yet."
Peixin winks. "Yet!"
Atley grunts, and makes for another buba but it slides around the bowl.
Peixin: … You seem to like those Forsaken even less than you like the boiled pupas.
Atley looks down at his bowl as he concentrates. "They were my own people, once. Long ago. They died, and those soulless husks are all that remained. They've developed their own plague, and they use it to tarnish lands. P'raps forever."
Atley: They will do the same to Pandaria if given the chance.
Peixin: Well… If that war keeps going on our land, they won't have too much trouble doing that.
Atley grunts. "I've faith that Pandaria can be preserved." He looks back at her between bites. "Wot's in this, then?" he asks, tapping the bowl with the chopsticks.
Peixin looks at the bowl at the tap of the utensils. "Wood. From trees." She smiles.
Atley stops and clears his throat. "Wood?"
Peixin nods. "Yes, this is a wooden bowl!"
Atley studies her expression before he nods slowly. "No, I mean the food inside the bowl. Boiled worm?"
Peixin: You tapped the bowl, Sir Dane!
Peixin: Yes, boiled worms and some vegetables.
Atley glances down at the chopsticks and grunts. "Right." He picks at the boiled worms. "How do you get to the water? Drink from the bowl, directly?"
Peixin nods. "Sure, drinking from the bowl is perfectly acceptable!"
Atley grunts and holds the chopstick aside as he lifts the bowl to his lips and takes a long sip. He inhales deeply and grunts, clearing his throat as he lowers the bowl. "Strange, but good eating, for worm." He looks to Peixin and shakes his head.
Atley: How large is Pandaria? Wot's beyond those mountains?
Peixin smiles. He said the worm was good!
Peixin: Much! This village is such a very small part of Pandaria.
Atley sets the bowl on his knee, balancing it there with a hand. "P'raps we can see the rest of it, then, in time. Have you got any other questions for me?"
Peixin: So many!
Atley nods. "You can ask them of me, when you see me about, or anyone in the Company."
Peixin: You mentioned holy places, earlier. What do humans and dwarves and gnomes and elves and draenei worship? Did I forget any of your people right there? What about the orcs? What do they worship?
Peixin clears her throat. "You don't have to answer everything right away, of course."
Atley strokes his chin in thought. "My people venerate the Holy Light. We've a church devoted to it, that stretches far and wide. The Light is a healing power that binds the lot of us together. The draenei also worship the Light."
Atley: One of the horned, purple women from earlier is a 'Vindicator' among her people. Mine would call her a paladin. She calls upon the power of the Light to fight, and to heal.
Atley: Many of the dwarves have converted to the Holy Light, but largely they have no formalized religion. The gnomes, also. The orcs … have long venerated the elements, with their shamans. But make no mistake. Their religion is war.
Peixin: … that doesn't seem very balanced, for shamans. And the Holy Light sounds nice. You Draenei and humans must be pretty close!
Peixin: Gee, you know so much! You must be one of the smartest humans, right?
Atley grunts. "We share many of the same beliefs, but our cultures are still distinct. The night elves you've seen worship the moon goddess Elune. They live in harmony with nature."
Atley scoffs with amusement and shakes his head. "I doubt it. There's another group of people in the Alliance, aside from the pandaren I mentioned earlier. They're called 'worgen.' They were once human, like me, but they were afflicted with a curse."
Atley: They resemble fearsome, upright, walking wolves. They may appear frightening, but they're quite civilized.
Peixin: Wait, so the Forsaken and the Worgen are cursed humans? Why do so many of you get cursed? What did you do?
Atley shakes his head. "It's wot' was done to us, Peixin. My people have suffered greatly in recent times, as have many of the Alliance."
Atley: The worgen are still alive, and have kept their sanity and decency, and have joined us.
Peixin: Oh, I'm sorry to hear this. Life seems tough outside of Pandaria…
Peixin: Buuuuut…
Atley knits his brow.
Peixin: You said the elves live in harmony with nature? Now, those people will like Pandaria, then! I thought my priority was to meet a gnome, but maybe I'd love to meet a night elf first instead!
Atley grunts and strokes his beard. "There aren't any deployed in either of the Cobalt Squads, but I warrant you'll be meeting one soon enough. They'd be able to tell you more about Elune."
Peixin sighs, leaning backward and letting her head hang behind her. "You people are a nightmare for this land…" She stretches her arms and legs. "But a treasure of things to hear, see and learn!"
Peixin: So much of our world's history we missed! So many cultures we don't know about! Do you know how to write? Oh, if you do, I bet you have literature we've never read before!
Atley blinks slowly, but says nothing. "Aye, we have written language. We speak many languages, but the common tongue is wot' binds us all."
Atley: I'd have you tell me more of the Sha, in time. Wot' it is, how it can be fought.
Atley clears his throat. "P'raps in time. For now, I've to report to the Skyfire. The airship."
Peixin gets up. "Absolutely! Let's go meet your leader!"
Atley slowly stands, and raises a hand. "Not yet. I warrant she will come down here to meet you."
Atley starts tugging on his gauntlets.
Peixin shakes her head. "Come on, I just can't wait! I need to go get my turtle, and I'll meet you under the ship! I'll even leave my blades with my turtle, it'll be fine, I promise!" She starts running towards the exit and vanishes into stealth.
Atley: Oi — hold fast!
Atley calls out to her, stopping to set his empty bowl down on the counter with a nod. He returns for Thunderfury and his shield, tugging on his helmet.
Peixin: I can't hear you protest, I'm invisible! *She goes out of stealth.* By the way, do some of you humans get birthed as twins, sometimes? Nevermind, I bet you do! See you there! *She goes back into stealth and leaves, excited to meet a gnome!*
Atley steps out and glances around, shaking his head. "Aye… we've twins, but you will not be going to the airship. Not today. I will go alone and return with wot' news I have."
Peixin: Aww… *Peixin reappears again.* Are you sure?
Atley scoffs with amusement. "Certain, I'm afraid, cheeky as you are."
Atley: But I know she will be intrigued by your offer as a guide. I am. Not only do you know this land, but you know its people.
Peixin sighs. "I bet you'll tell her about me and she'll go 'Well, why didn't invite her here right away?'… I bet gnomes are great like that, even if they sound a little scary, physically."
Atley: She may. She may not. I'm off to see. Will you be staying here, in the village?
Peixin: I don't really have a choice, if I want to meet a gnome, hm? You'll find me here!
Atley grunts and extends a hand.
Peixin shakes his hand. "Okay, go meet your leader, and come back fast!"
Atley: You'll have to be patient. She's a busy woman, especially after wot's transpired, and it may be days. I would not wait for me.
Peixin: Okay. I'll be there still anyway, if your war doesn't get the Sha to raze this village first.
Atley peers at her for a moment before he responds, his voice steady. "It's their war," he says, raising an arm to point at the Horde base. "They're the ones waging it upon us both."
Peixin looks at Skyfire. "You seem pretty well prepared for it as well!"
Atley: We must be, or embrace the utter destruction of our people.
Peixin ponders that for a moment. "Anyway… go! I said I'd wait days, not weeks! Come back soon and find me, please!"
Atley grunts. "I shall." He gives her one last nod, and a lingering look before his head swivels as he takes in the village.
Peixin giggles. "Or maybe I'll find you first…" she giggles and goes into stealth mode. She'll follow from afar, she just wants to see the ship from closer!